Volume 70 Issue 3

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The Knothole

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February, 2015

Volume 70, Issue 1

What the France terror attacks mean

by Katie Oran

Infinite Clarity Nature Deficit Disorder

by Colette McDonald

Isabellas Journey

by Isabella Kaplan

Ask-a-Nut Image CredIt: Betanews.Com

by Zach Corey

Surviving the fruit fly lab: A tale of anguish, triumph, and pointless busy work

by Stephen Scaduto

What the France terror attacks mean for freedom of speech and the rise of Islamophobia in Europe

spreading across Europe. Many in France fear that the attack will only serve as a platform for the farThe deadly January 7th terrorist attack at the Paris right Front National politicians, who are advocating headquarters of the French satirical newspaper Char- for stricter immigration laws and restoration of the lie Hebdo is also, what many are calling, an attack on death penalty. They argue that the open immigration freedom of speech. policy of France and many other European countries The newspaper is known for its controversial carled to the attacks. toons, reports, and jokes that often mock government, In the south of France, far from the events in Paris, religion, and public figures. The paper, not new to French citizens are feeling the increased tension. threats, was firebombed in 2011 for its illustration of Yves de Chiris, a French national, believes that the Prophet Mohammad, who “guest edited” an issue. Charlie Hebdo did not distinguish enough between Some, including the founder of the newspaper, say criticizing radical Islamics and the masses, who are that Charlie Hebdo provoked the January 7th attack peaceful. He says that he condemns the killing, but by continuing to publish cartoons despite the numer- he believes that Charlie Hebdo provoked the attack. ous threats, and that the attack was a result of their It angers him that politicians are “playing politics” unwillingness to censor themselves. around the issue. He is concerned that the attacks The right of Charlie Hebdo will cause a rise of anti-Isto publish articles and imlamic feeling across France. ages, which may be offenIn Germany, weekly ralsive, is protected by French lies against Islamic immilaw, as it should be. Folgrants are held by PElowing the attack, however, GIDA (Patriotic Europeans many major newspapers against the Islamization refused to print some of of the Occident), and 1 in the more controversial is8 Germans would join an sues published by Charlie anti-Islamic march if one Hebdo. Many criticized the was organized in their city. decision calling their refusal to print the images a These marches are growing in size and location with “victory” for the terrorists and a blow to free speech more than 25,000 people attending a march in Dreswithin the media. Others view the decision as their den on the 12th of January, up from previous numright not to publish material that is blatantly Islamo- bers of 500. Greece’s neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party phobic. As the French philosopher Voltaire would say, entered parliament when the phrase, “So we can rid we may not agree with what Charlie Hebdo pubthis land of filth,” and set up “Greek only” food banks. lished, but we must defend their right to say it.

Nationalist leaders in Sweden, the Netherlands, and Two days later, on January 9th, a man took 19 Britain are also capitalizing on the current situation people hostage in a kosher supermarket in Porte de on Europe.

Vincennes, Paris. The attacker had pledged his alliSince the attack, police have mounted major antiance to ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), terrorism operations across Europe. People are scared and was close with one of the Charlie Hebdo attackbut are not letting the events in France stop them ers. Four Jewish hostages were killed in the attack, from living their lives. Millions of people attended and nine others were injured. At the same time, the marches across the world in support of France, men who attacked Charlie Hebdo were ambushed, and donations for the continuation of Charlie Hebo and killed in Dammartin-en-Goële, just outside of reached hundreds of thousands of dollars. The first Paris near Charles De Gaulle Airport. issue of the newspaper after the attack sold 3 million The attacks come as an anti-Islamic sentiment is copies in minutes, with more printed the next day.

2 t THE KNOTHOLE t Student Life & The Environment

By Katie Oran

The Nature Deficit Disorder: What SEEC is doing to help

mental issues, healthy eating in their school’s garden, and urging the kids to find nature in their own back yards, which to many is in the For many children living on the Southside heart of South Salina Street. of Syracuse, fresh produce and a safe-proper With a dropout rate of 50 percent in the City space to play may be hard to come by. HowSchool District, students need encouragement ever, the SUNY-ESF based club, The Student to stay engaged with their curriculum and to Environmental Education Coalition (S.E.E.C), not give up on formal education. is doing everything in their power to keep the “S.E.E.C has changed the Syracuse City School kid’s curiosity both inside the classroom and District’s curriculum - which is huge,” says out in nature.

David Scalisi, the Coordinator for the Urban There is no doubt that this generation of chilFarm Garden Project for Downtown Syracuse. dren has spent significantly less time playing “Now environmental education is included in outdoors and more time in front of the TV, the their science programs and we have kids who computer screen, or their portable tablet that goes anywhere they do. The Alliance for Child- have reached the middle school level asking why S.E.E.C’s program isn’t happening in their hood, a nonprofit advocacy group, reported schools too.” that, “compared to the 1970s, children now Author and co-founder of the Children & Naspend 50 percent less time in unstructured ture Network, Richard Louv, coined the term outdoor activities. Children ages 10 to 16 now “Nature Deficit Disorder” in his book, “The spend, on average, only 12.6 minutes per day in vigorous physical activity. Yet they spend an Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disoraverage of 10.4 waking hours der.” The term refers to peoeach day relatively motionple, specifically children, who less.” are suffering from spending But in an age where juvenile less time outdoors resulting diabetes is at an all-time in a wide range of behavhigh, a third of the children ioral problems. Throughout in the U.S are overweight or his book, Louv describes the obese, and interest in science substantial effects that conis drastically on the decline, a necting children with nature reintroduction to nature may can do on their personalities be exactly what these chilas well as their schoolwork. dren need to turn their physi- Image Credit: www.pinterest.com “When truly present in nacal and mental health around. ture, we do use all our senses at the same time, “To many kids living in the urban areas of which is the optimum state of learning,” says Syracuse, they don’t realize that nature always Louv. surrounds us and they don’t always have to Nature Deficit Disorder has become a national go outside of the city to find it,” says S.E.E.C’s club president, Olivia Donachie. She adds, “be- issue in the US, gaining attention from numerous organizations aimed at combating the ing able to connect with the kids about something as important as the environment is truly threat it poses to American children. Louv rewarding and just helpful for them in the long says, “schools that use outdoor classrooms and other forms of nature-based experiential run.” education have reported significant student The club has established a relationship with gains in social studies, science, language arts, Dr. King Elementary on the west side of I-81, Ed Smith Elementary in the campus area, and and math. An environment-based education movement--at all levels of education--will help has even become involved with a program to students realize that school isn’t supposed to connect with students from Cape Town, South Africa to discuss food issues and how to combat be a polite form of incarceration, but a portal to the wider world.” poor nutrition for youth on a global scale.

The club visits these elementary schools week- Louv also states, “some of the best-known research comes from the Human-Environment ly, each member averaging about two hours each week educating their students on environ- Research Laboratory at the University of IlBy Colette McDonald

Student Life & The Environment t THE KNOTHOLE t 3

linois, where researchers have discovered that beneficial addition to their community. children as young as 5 show a significant reThe project is still in the works, but its sphere duction in the symptoms of attention deficit/ of influence has reached community members, hyperactivity disorder when they are engaged legislators, incarcerated youth, and of course, with nature.” It has been reported also by S.E.E.C members. The hoop house project is NC State University that connecting children yet another way in which Syracuse is heading with nature also supports creativity and probin the right direction to benefit its people and lem solving, improves nutrition and eyesight, where they live. helps develop social relationships, establishes S.E.E.C, who won the SUNY-ESF volunteer self-discipline, reduces stress and depression, award this year, has shown a significant interand many other benefits that our children are est in the community’s wellbeing by providing perhaps lacking due to a decrease in environits children with environmental knowledge mental exposure. that they can carry with them throughout their “When we go into the classrooms the kids reschooling. The club continues to have a presally seem to appreciate us being there. It’s a ence in the city’s elementary schools, giving break from their everyday routine and they’re lessons to kindergarten through fifth grade enjoying science even though they don’t really every day at Dr. King Elementary and once a realize that is what we are teaching them,” week to Ed Smith Elementary Parks and Recsays Donachie. “We use games and crafts to reation Program. demonstrate environmental concepts and they “It’s a very satisfying feeling when you teach really enjoy that. Our biggest hope is that they these kids about the environment. When you take what they’ve learned back to their famiintroduce them to ways they can reduce, relies to introduce them to the concepts as well.” use, recycle, or teach them what composting By teaching today’s youth is and let them taste their about healthy choices, both first cherry tomato from mental and physical, the the school’s garden, it is a chances that they can turn rewarding experience,” says their community around in Donachie. the coming years are subIn a city where low interest stantial. The club is also in school and little motivainvolved with a community tion at home is prevalent in based program known as the children’s lives, action the “Urban Farm Garden from a group like S.E.E.C is Hoop House Project” coor- Image Credit: www.pinterest.com important in keeping these dinated by Dave Scalisi and students engaged, specificalprominent community member, Mike Atkins. ly in something as important as environmental The program is the Syracuse branch of Miscience. With the club, kids are able to learn chelle Obama’s national project, Let’s Move, hands on about gardening in their communifocused on improving the health of impoverties as well as conservation of their resources ished communities. They are in the process of through numerous lessons. building a community garden in the abandoned As Louv states, “It’s easy to blame the natureRaynor lot across from Jimmy’s Super Savers deficit disorder on the kids’ or the parents’ in downtown Syracuse to combat the “food des- back, but they also need the help of urban ert”- an area without access to fresh, healthy, planners, schools, libraries and other commuand affordable food. nity agents to find nature that’s accessible.”

Atkins and Scalisi’s project aims to help proThe issue of nature-deficit disorder is prevalent vide cost effective and nutritious food options throughout the city of Syracuse and allowing for the community’s residents who now receive our kids to engage with nature while being most of their food from convenient stores and introduced to science may be a solution that fast food restaurants. The lack of nutrition is just starting to be tapped into to by S.E.E.C in the area has led to dangerously low birth and its members. weights as well as obesity and diabetes. Most S.E.E.C is open to new members at any time. of the children in this area attend Dr. King El- If you are interested in joining, email seec. ementary where S.E.E.C is doing their part to esf@gmail.com or attend their meetings every encourage healthy eating habits and informing Thursday at 5:30pm in 19 Moon Library. the kids on how gardens are an efficient and

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Isabella’s Trip: Turkey, Part One

By Isabella Kaplan After a few years of saving up from my summer lifeguarding job, I was able to spend my Winter break in Turkey visiting my Cousin Yael, and exploring Europe. Here are my stories.

Day 1 Hello!

I am currently writing to you in the back seat of my grandfather’s car, anxiously waiting to arrive at the Toronto Pearson International Airport and the adventure that awaits me after.

I’m so excited to start this 2 week adventure and even more excited to share it with you!

Day 2 During the War of Independence, generals from the Turkish army walked upon the corpse littered ground where a horrific battle had just taken place. Looking at what lay by their feet, the generals saw the crescent moon reflected in the pools of blood. So moved by what they saw, this powerful image became the Turkish flag.

Burak, my cousin Yael’s boyfriend, told stories like the origin of the flag and many others as we drove away from the surprisingly lowstress Turkish airport.

As we traveled into the heart of the old city, I saw ancient ruins crumbling next to everyday homes. There were elegant palaces surrounded by proud mosques. The city of Istanbul was beautiful and alive with its rich history and to my surprise it had a more European feel than I expected.

After a Turkish brunch containing little plates of vegetables, eggs and cheese, the three of us headed to the underground cistern. The cistern is a huge dark room of columns sitting in a pool of water. At one end of the cistern sat two Medusa carvings of great mysterious beauty.

After we visited the cisterns, we went two mosques: The Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia. Both contained amazing Islamic art and stain glass windows. However, the Hagia Sophia really took my breath away. Walking into the mosque I was taken a back by how massive the art was. The mosaics, the paintings, and the Ara-

bic writings were all enormous but so detailed and wonderful.

After the mosques and a quick bite to eat at Yael’s favorite café—where we ate mezzes, which is also known as olive oil food—we embarked on to the grand bazaar.

The grand bazaar was full of color and movement. The tan stone walls were covered in evil eye jewelry, mosaic lights, and rugs. The ceilings were delicately painted with flower patterns. The hundreds of shop owners flattered and shouted at us as they tried to sell us their goods. After walking around the original shopping center for a few hours, and bartering with shop owners, I finally bought my own small Turkish rug!

Unlike the day, the night was calm. We had a fun dinner where we ate more Turkish food. Today was crazy, and we never stopped moving, but we had a fantastic first day!

Day 3 Today was just as wonderful and insane as yesterday.

After having breakfast, we left the beautiful old city. As we walked towards our destination, we again passed hundreds of venders selling goods, and trying to grab our attention with the little English they knew.

We walked through alleys between old homes Student Life & The Environment t THE KNOTHOLE t 5

until we arrived at our destination. Hidden, and between shops, was an old ticket both for the Jewish Museum. Walking inside was like entering Narnia. Unlike the beat up exterior, the inside of the old synagogue was breathtaking and very well preserved. There were elegant chandeliers, 1800’s wedding outfits, Torahs, and more.

Walking through I was reminded how kind the Ottoman Empire was to the Jewish people and learned about how important the Jews were to Turkey’s independence.

After the Jewish Museum, we journeyed to the Topakpi Palace. This was my favorite part of the

trip. We saw the gardens, the Harem, and kitchen of the palace. The walls were absolutely amazing. From floor to ceilings the walls were covered in intricate blue and green tiles. The domes were painted with fantastic patterns. The palace was so ornate!

Soon I will be leaving for a snack then off to the airport for Paris. Turkey was such a great adventure, a little short, but still amazing.

Thanks for letting me share my stories with you!

Isabella More of Isabella’s journals will be in the next issue – stay tuned!

Surviving the fruit fly lab: A tale of anguish, triumph, and pointless busy work

By Stephen Scadato

I had heard whispers about it, dark tales of the most dreaded assignment: the fruit fly lab, capable of single handedly ruining a semester. It sounded scary, but in the rush of moving in and figuring out where all my classes were, fruit flies were hardly a worry of mine. Besides, it was only the first day of genetics lab, and no class would ever give out a huge and terrible assignment on the first day, right? I walked in ready to zone out as the TA read through the syllabus. Little did I know the horror that awaited me.

We would have to come in every twelve hours at the beginning of the assignment. That was one of the first thing that the TA told us about the fruit fly lab. Coming in every twelve hours ensured that the female flies were virgin, which apparently was necessary in order to keep the crosses “pure”. For the next month and a half, we would be working in groups of four to breed two generations of Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly. We did not get to pick our groups, but would be working with whoever we happened to have sat next to on the first day of class. There would be a full lab report due on each generation of flies. The purpose of this gargantuan task? To prove that genetic inheritance happens, something that every student learns in high school.

To say the very least, walking to Illick late at night to work on the assignment was annoying. The flies were like demanding little children that needed constant attention in order to function, the main difference being that most parents actually enjoy spending time with their children. Instead of hanging out with friends at night, I was counting flies. Instead of watching Monday Night Football, I was counting

6 t THE KNOTHOLE t Student Life & The Environment

flies. Instead of studying for an exam in Genetics lecture that was the next day, I was counting flies. In fact, the only thing more frustrating than having to waste my free time counting flies was the actual lab technique that we used to do the experiment.

In order to count and identify the sex of the flies, they first needed to be anesthetized. This would be done by filling a plastic “chamber” with a chemical called FlyNap. The chemical is designed to knock the flies out for approximately 15 minutes, long enough to sex the flies and place needed ones in a breeding vial. In reality, the FlyNap worked only one of two ways. Either the flies would wake up after two minutes and proceed to escape, or they would be killed by the chemical. Two minutes may have actually been enough time if the microscopes we were supplied could actually be focused in order to get a clear view of the flies. What was even more fun is that there were somehow never enough microscopes for everyone to use, whether there were thirty people in the lab room or three. In fact, the only enjoyable part of the procedure was getting to kill off flies that we no longer needed. I am not a violent person, but there was something extremely satisfying about watching the creatures that cost us so much of our time drown in oil.

In the end, my group did complete the experiment. Many others simply gave up and made up their data, but we stubbornly stuck it out to the bitter end. I honestly have no idea why we did.

Amazingly, only one of our four crosses finished with incorrect data, a feat that gave me no satisfaction at all. And what will our reward be for toiling for a month and a half while still completing other assignments for genetics lab? One credit hour.

WIND FARMS: ENERGY FROM THIN AIR

By LIAM DONAHER

On the 17th of October, the Sustainable Energy Club toured one of the largest wind farms in Canada. Located on Lake Ontario’s Wolfe Island, it consists of 86 turbines and supplies power for thousands of buildings in the southern Ontario province. The question is “where does this massive amount of energy come from?”

Most sources of sustainable energy start with the sun. Capturing light energy directly from the source with solar panels and solar-thermal plants is a reasonable route to take: it cuts out the energy middlemen, theoretically maximizing efficiency. Then how can wind energy be up to ten times more efficient than solar? It must be magic*.

The main problem with solar power is its consistency (or lack thereof). Cloudy weather and the pesky time of day where the sun is behind the earth, render these systems temporarily useless. They function best where the sun is directly overhead and efficiency drops dramatically when using these solar systems far away from the equator.

On the contrary, wind turbines seem to perform better in bad weather. Snow does nothing to inhibit power production: in fact, since colder air is denser, it pushes harder against the turbine blades and produces more energy. Every percent increase of wind speed results in a cubic increase of power production, which is great for generating energy but can be disastrous when exposed to wind speeds above what the turbine can handle. For both safety and economic effectiveness, every component of the turbine must be engineered perfectly.

The blades, made of lightweight fiberglass and flexible balsa wood, weigh more than ten tons each. The center hub connects to each blade individually, ensuring that each blade can be rotated in its “socket” to catch more wind during a calmer day. This pitch keeps each turbine at a constant speed to produce the most efficient amount of energy. In the case of production, consistency is the name of the game.

Each blade is so fine-tuned that if a single one needs repair, the entire triplet must be replaced. Each blade can be removed individually, but it is usually easier to assemble the entire rotor system on the ground. They are all raised together using one of the largest cranes on the continent, and attached to the body. The incredible generator at the top of the turbine accounts for most of the money and weight of the turbine.

Image your car engine. Now forget about your car engine, and imagine a zero-emission elec-

tricity-generating machine capable of powering 500 homes at once, only by moving air. It is much bigger than your car engine— bigger than your entire car in fact. It is perched upon a 100m tower, supports the three blades, and is angled slightly upward to account for the huge wind forces bending the blades backwards towards the tower. This is the hub of the turbine. *It’s science.

For skeptics and general ponderers, here are a few commonly asked questions: Do the turbines still perform in blustery wind?

They are able to handle wind speeds up to around 60mph, after which they slow down and stop production. When wind temporarily dies down, the blade momentum continues to generate for a couple minutes until the wind picks back up. The rotor is able to rotate to face the direction of the wind 3 full times before stopping to unwind the internal cables.

Aren’t they really loud?

No, the only sound heard from the ground is the whooshing of the air past the blades—the turbines themselves are completely silent.

I heard they kill thousands of birds each year!

These really aren’t sounding like questions anymore. But yes, this is true for wind turbines, and a sad fact for most modern infrastructure—building windows account for hundreds of millions of bird deaths annually. Studies for turbine-related bird deaths also add a 20x multiplication factor to account for experimental error, which may present numbers higher than what they actually are.

I want one!

Well, first you’d need a property with optimal wind conditions. If you’re lucky, a company might ask to put a turbine on your land and even pay to have it there! Otherwise, you’d need about six million dollars to do it yourself: three million to build the turbine, and another three million for a giant fan that the turbine would power. Too much energy is a lot more dangerous than too little, so you might actually be better off with a smaller residential- sized turbine to power the lights in your shed. Not only will this save you money, but it will also lower your energy use and impact on the natural environment.

Such simplistic-looking turbines are, in reality, marvels of complex engineering. Sometimes, to be truly invested in sustainable energy, you really must be a big fan.

Student Life & The Environment t THE KNOTHOLE t 7

Infinite Clarity

by Zach Corey

It comes and goes Like a summer breeze

Image Credit: Joseph O’Reily

Grabs attention Like the sting of a bee Lets down easy And without pain That is,

Image Credit: Mark Tepper

Image Credit: BBC.com

Until I wish to see it again.

Confused as to why That it comes in waves Image Credit: BBC.com

But, for certain the truth That it fades with age.

Not stolen, never borrowed Like feelings of the past A sweetness I have tasted And I wonder, “Was that the last?”

Image Credit: Joseph O’Reily

What’s in issue 4 ?!

DoOdlEs!!!

Image Credit: Katie Oran Image Credit: Apple Maps Image Credit: wsj.net

send your favorite doodles from your notes to esfknothole@gmail.com

asaP!!

Image Credit: standardmagazine.com

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Student Life & The Environment t THE KNOTHOLE t 9

Yoga (Yes - there are options!)

Yoga is not as challenging as it is to pronounce some (or all of…) the poses. You know what it is, but how do you do it?

anything. This isn’t a game you have to win.

You win by being right where you need to be, on the mat, in that moment. When people dislike yoga just because they aren’t as good as everyone else, it means they don’t understand yoga. Rise above. Yoga is a practice: a practice of movement, and self-healing, and exploration, and broadening. Ignore the angry yogis. People over-stretching on the mat, that try to be better than the rest of the class, are not doing yoga.

Which leads me to pet peeve #4: do not hurt yourself. For goodness’ sake, this is supposed to be a good thing for your body. When you force yourself into a position of pain, back out of it before someone has to take you to the doctor.

It’s actually amazingly easy to avoid hurting yourself. Just take it slow, and don’t push yourself out of comfort.

Step 1. Try

Step 4. Okay…

You can’t do it, unless you try it.

It’s a harsh reality.

Now where to start? Like yoga, you have options. Classes, of course, are available in the area and over on SU. Check out the Syracuse Recreation Services website for information, or simply ask around. But I prefer the free options. Having never once paid for a yoga class in my life, I started on YouTube. Apprehensive about showing up to a gym of people in yoga pants standing on their heads, while you know your downward dog looks more like a cat-cow?

Start by looking for beginner’s yoga on YouTube. Tara Stiles (founder of Strala yoga in New York, and worldwide beloved yogi with many published books) has multiple beginners’ playlists on her channel, many of which are under ten minutes in length. Want to try something more intermediate? Yoga With Adrian offers similar style yoga, with longer videos. Both yogis have all sorts of videos, variations in style and great attitudes toward the practice.

And, remember, you are never limited here.

Find your own channel, videos, make your own playlist, just simply explore and expand your practice.

Grace Belisle

Tree pose. Mountain pose. Chair pose. Downward dog. Upward dog? You’ve heard it all before. It’s not new. But it can be intimidating.

Tadasana. Vrksasana. Utkatasana. Adho Mukha Svanasana. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana.

Seems to be a theme of “-asana”, am I right?

No worries, those terms are another way of saying the colloquial versions introduced prior, respectively.

Step 2. Relax Seems obvious. But it’s easy to think that there is no way you can lean down and touch your toes. It just doesn’t happen, so obviously you can’t do yoga! This is what I like to call my own personal yogi pet peeve #1. It does not matter if you can touch your toes or not. Lean over; see how far your arms hang. Feel the stretch?

Stop there. You’re doing yoga, and you’re doing it perfectly. Now, grab your elbows. Feel the difference? You’re doing yoga even more! If the person next to you has their palms flat on the ground, take a deep breathe and just do you.

It doesn’t matter what they are doing. You’re both doing yoga.

Step 3. Realize what it’s all about Yoga is not about striking a pose. That’s for models and stars on the red carpet. Pet peeve #2: Do not be afraid of a pose because someone else can do it better. Do what you can, and return to step two and relax. Pet peeve #3: my biggest pet peeve. Yoga. Is. Not. And. Never.

Will. Be. A competitive sport. At all. In no way.

Yoga is a practice. Do not force yourself to do

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Want to try yet another style? At 10 PM on Saturday evenings, head over to Archbold & Flanagan. Have them swipe your card, go up the stairs, cross over to Flanagan on the bridge, and head down the stairs. No sign-up

necessary. You’ll find Linda, offering over an hour of free, relaxing yoga. Linda focuses on holding poses, a little more old school yoga, and offers loads of advice. Even if you don’t introduce yourself at the end, she’ll remember your face next week.

Poses, in a way, are simply recommendations of how to move, how to stretch and how to feel.

It’s like a simple note-taking tip or flipping

through the pages of this issue—stop where your mind catches interest and then take time to explore and make your own. It’s not a homework assignment or research paper that needs completing by a certain due date - you don’t even have to complete a routine (although, by the end of multiple practices, you’ll want to).

Keep your head up through the semester. Literally, it’s good for your neck.

French Holiday Traditions

for children to sled and make snowmen.

The French typically view Christmas as Walking through the village of Auch, a time for family, celebration, and generosity. the capital of Les Gers region of France, you’ll Children leave their shoes out the night before see decorations resembling Santa Claus, or Christmas to be filled by Père Noël, who comes Père Noël, hanging from most windows. This, and fills them with gifts while they sleep. Fruit like many other holiday decorations in France, and small gifts will also be hung on the tree is limited compared to traditional American overnight. On Christmas day there will be a Christmas decorations. Not many residences large feast with all of the extended family. I hang lights, but each village does its own was fortunate enough to be invited to celebrate decorations in the village centre. Before my with a French family in the city of Biscarrosse. arrival, my aunt told me that the French don’t Each course of the meal featured a dish that really celebrate Christmas like Americans do. I is common to the area: the meal included foisthink she was right in a lot of ways, but things gras, or duck liver, and a fish stew. Each course are changing. Each year more and more vilis served with bread, and a different selection lages are hanging Christmas lights, and for the of wine that suits the meal. first time the village of Éauze, where my aunt In some parts of France, the most imlives, put Christmas trees and lights up. There portant Christmas celebration happens on the is also a growing feeling of commercialization first Sunday of each new year. La fête des Rois, in the villages; one that is unwanted by many or “Celebration of the Three Kings”, involves a older French citizens. cake called the galette des Rois. A small object The Christmas Market in the city of (féve) is baked into the cake and then the cake Bordeaux is a sight to behold, and an example is sliced and served. Whoever gets the féve is of the increasing commercial aspect of Christlabeled as the king or queen for the day. Tramas. Hundreds of stands of handcrafted choco- ditionally the youngest person celebrating is late, clothing, fruit, nuts, and wine are lined in tasked with serving the cake so that the baker the center of the city, and thousands of people of the cake does not serve themselves the féve. come from all over Southern France to buy I was crowned Queen during my fête des Rois their gifts. It is the last weekend before Christ- celebration. mas when most French families purchase New Years, Réveillion, is also a very their gifts. There are Christmas markets in important holiday to the French. Both private, many villages, but the largest in Southwestern and large public firework displays are common France is in Bordeaux. I also visited a smaller on New Year’s Eve, and hundreds of cars are Christmas market in the city of Mont de Marset on fire across the country each year, mostly san that included an ice rink and a “snow park” in the larger cities.

Katie Oran

Student Life & The Environment t THE KNOTHOLE t 11

Thunder Boy

Isabella Kaplan For hundreds of years, stories have delighted the imaginations of people; however, stories weren’t always told through the medium of words. In North America, the Iroquois traditions are rich with tales of adventure, respect, and the power of nature. Yet these stories are told through pictures. THUNDER BOY is one of these, and is a tale to explain the relationship between humans and storms.

Long ago, a man, his wife, They had a garden where they raised and his daughter lived corn, beans, and squashes. One day, as alone on this island. the three were working in the garden, the sky became very dark.

“This legend happened a long time ago on an island in St. Lawrence River…

The story happened many summers in the past.

Glancing up at the dark clouds,

Inside the house, the man and his wife waited for their daughter… in vain.

… the father said that they better run quickly …

… to their house or they would be caught in the rain.

After the storm, the parents returned to the field.

They searched the island, but they could find no trace of the daughter.

The mother shouted to her daughter, who was working at the other end of the field, telling her to cease her work and run for the house.

Sadly, they returned to their house. “The Thunder People have taken her away,” said the mother, and she wept bitter tears.

The young daughter had been busy working in the garden when the storm was approaching

When she saw the fastHe led her through this After a while, the girl Suddenly, she was entirely thickening clouds and country until they came to surrounded by what seemed found herself in a strange heard her parents calla long council house. to be heavy mist. In a dazed land… He who carried her ing her to the cabin, she was a little man. condition, she was carried had dropped her hoe and swiftly across the earth. started to follow them.

The little chief seemed Upon entering very angry when he this house, the girl saw the girl and her saw many other escort. “My son,” said strange little he, “why did you bring …”I saw her… and men, all of whom this earth person to our fell in love with stared at her... country?” her”…

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The chief said, “ You should have left her upon the earth. Her ways are not our ways. She cannot eat snail, bugs, and worms, which is the kind of food that we live on…

“If you insist upon keeping her here, you yourself must return to earth and secure earth food for her…”

One day, the Chief said, “you are about to have a son, but you must return to your home to give birth. Beware if any one strikes him or you will lose him forever.”

The boy was smaller than the others, and his habits differed from the ordinary.

A little son was born just as the thunder chief had said.

The old grandmother did not like this.

Suddenly she was engulfed in heavy mist…

She would try to shut him up inside the cabin, but he would always escape.

The grandmother told him to cease his mischief, but he only stamped around more.

The angrier the boy got, the louder the thunder and the crazier the storm.

The son agreed to do this…

For one year, this earth girl lived in the country of the Thunder people… she was very happy… she did not become lonesome.

She opened her eyes and she was back at her mother’s cabin …

Thunderstorms excited the boy. He would run out into the storm to laugh and play about.

One stormy day, as usual, the grandmother locked the boy in the cabin.

…Her parents were happy to see her … and the girl told her strange story and son.

The sounder would roar louder and great flashes of lightning would light up the sky.

After she scolded and forbade him to go outside, the boy became very angry and ran about the cabin, throwing to floor everything he could get his hands on.

The old women lost her temper and gave the boy a sharp blow across his leg with a stick.

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Qurks & Instantly, there was a blinding flash of lighting, a loud roar of thunder, and the room filled with heavy mist.

A rumble thunder sounded fainter and fainter in the distance.

The boy’s mother returned and said “you have struck my son. He has been taken by his father to the land of the thunder people, and we will never see him again.”

Finding your self in Winter Justin Coleman

The old woman huddled in the corner of the cabin, fearful. Once the mist cleared, the boy had vanished.

Since the thunder boy is half-Indian, the thunder people do not bother the Indians. In early spring, right before the first thunder, it is said to please the thunder people by placing tobacco on a fire.

things to do. Perhaps it is the ruggedness of the cold that allures me and so many others to the outdoors.

Winter is coming! And not just in the realm of A lot can be told about the ruggedness of winter based the mighty Game of Thrones. For better or worse, it on the animals that survive in the winter. There are has finally arrived in Syracuse and is here to stay.

Someone once told me that there are two seasons here the hooved ungulates, such as elk, deer, bison, and moose that must stay warm in Syracuse: winter and snow. enough to not freeze and, on top While not everyone has grown up of that, find high-energy food in around Syracuse or New England, a wintery landscape devoid of where I am from, it isn’t hard to vegetation. Then, there are the soon realize that there are many hardy predators such as the snow exciting things to do in the winter leopard that traverses the mighty beyond being stuck in the house Himalayas to survive, and the all day. Many of these things have grey wolf who braves icy cold winto do with ice and snow. There is ters through thick heavy snow. ice skating, fishing, and climbing, However, if I could choose to be which don’t require snow at all. any animal, I would be a bear; There are also many snow activiwhy brave the cold when you can ties: snowshoeing, snowboarding, Image Credit: www.2.bp.blogspot.com sleep through it? The winter may snow forts, snowball fights, snow mean different things to many different people but the angels, sledding, skiing, dog sledding, snow mounwinter has long been, and always will be, the season taineering, snow shoveling, snowplowing… alright, for me. With a hardy attitude, a flannel shirt or two, the last two may actually be chores. But at least you can get your workout when you are shoveling snow. I and a trusty Carhartt jacket, you will come to personally love winter because there are so many fun love the winter as much as I.

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Curiosity

Weird creature Spotlight Stephen Scadato

In this edition of Weird Creature Spotlight, we meet the Slow Loris, a native of South and Southeastern Asia. While the Slow Loris may appear more adorable than weird (it’s certainly more attractive than the Blobfish), it is actually a rather odd little critter. Despite its fuzzy appearance, the Slow Loris is actually quite deadly. The Slow Loris is one of the few venomous mammals with venom powerful enough to kill, and there is no known cure for its toxic bite. Befitting of a strange animal, the Slow Loris has a strange way of producing its venomous bite. Instead of producing venom near its jaws like a normal person, the Slow Loris produces venom on its inner elbow, which it then sucks in, to make its bite poisonous. Studies have confirmed that this is the most hilarious toxic defense mechanism in the animal kingdom. On an unrelated note, the Slow Loris also has the longest tongue of all primates.

Nowadays, it seems like any animal that is even remotely cool is either endangered or

Image Credit: www.2.bp.blogspot.com

threatened. The Slow Loris is no exception.

Thanks to habitat destruction and poaching, the Slow Loris is listed as critically endangered. Sadly, it is now one of the rarest primates in the world.

Ask a Nut

Dear Nut, I am a sophomore Landscape Architecture major, and my life is a living hell. I was recently stuck from 8:00 AM Sunday until 4:00 AM Monday morning working on my final project. I think this major is going to kill me. How am I supposed to get my degree while still managing to get even a little bit of sleep?

Sincerely, This workload Is Really Excessive and Demanding Dear TIRED, My first advice to you would be to switch majors. There are many departments with a lighter workload than LA, such as: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Engineering, Environmental Studies, Construction Management, Paper Science, or any major at SU. If switching majors isn’t an option, then make caffeine your best friend. Learn to shower in tea. Inject coffee into your body through an IV. Keep emergency packets of sugar in your pockets at all times.

As far as sleep is concerned, you’re probably not going to get a lot of time to actually lie down for a nap, so you’re going to have to get creative. Learn the route to your classes by heart so that you can literally walk to class in your sleep. Sleep during meals so that you can make your life as efficient as possible. If you need maximum comfort in order to sleep, tape a pillow to the back of your head and a wear a blanket at all times. Finally, bribing your professors is a perfect way to get your degree. Bribery has literally never failed before. Hope this helped and good luck: you’re gonna need it.

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Imposition

by Emma Aversa

knothole staff Co-Managing Editors Jennifer Louie Grace Belisle Layout & Design Terrance Caviness Liam Donaher Isabella Kaplan Mark Tepper Treasurer Terrance Caviness Editorial Staff Grace Anderson Eleanor Clark Katie Oran Advisor Karen Moore

Writers

Image Credit: Emma Aversa

The Knothole Mission Statement: Who we are The Knothole is a monthly SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry publication composed by the student body. It is rooted in the spirit of ESF, and branches out into the broader community to inform and inspire. We hope to provide an eclectic mix of art and articles which spark discussion, inspire creativity, and increase awareness.

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Emma Aversa Grace Belisle Justin Coleman Zach Corey Liam Donaher Isabella Kaplan Colette McDonald Katie Oran Stephen Scaduto Artists Joseph O’Reilly Mark Tepper