Page 4 Page 2 - Youth Advocate Programs
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Page 4 Page 2 - Youth Advocate Programs
Issue #1, Volume #1 October 2013 Page 4 Page 2 ~ D I S C O V E Welcome R ~ E X P L O to the R E ~ R E A L I Z E ~ Pittverse! S TA F F Sean Gannon Daniel Hackett Tom Hempel David O’Rorey Nate Rancatore Nina Rauenswinder Tom Skidmore Bryan Stillwagon Caption describing picture or graphic. INSIDE THIS ISSUE: The Pittverse Opinion 2 Restaurant Reviews 4 Original Recipes 5 World History 6 Local History 7 Science Fiction 8 The Unknown 11 P r e p a r e t o e x p a n d e x p e r i e n c e ! What you are about to read are the thoughts and perspective of four adults who are very passionate about a variety topics that range from politics to sports to entertainment to science fiction. Coincidently, these gentlemen also represent the skills and talents of those on the Autism spectrum. Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), a national non-profit agency that comprises a multitude of services for families with an individual on the Autism spectrum as well as atrisk youth/adults, has had the privilege to assist in providing a medium for these perspectives to be viewed and heard. The result is The Pittverse, a quarterly publication dedicated to the mission of giving unique knowledge to readers in order to provide a more y o u r enriched understanding of their interests. Without further ado, YAP proudly presents: T h e P a g e P i t tv e r s e THE PITTVERSE OPINION M o d e r n b y “Give me your tired, your poor. Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” These words, from Emma Lazarus’ “The New Colossus,” which are inscribed on a plaque at the Statue of Liberty have come to represent the immigrant spirit of our country. The United States has a rich and proud immigrant history dating back to those that decided to break away When Ellis Island, the hub for immigrants coming to the United States during the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, was at its peak, it was serving nearly 5,000 people a day. Today, approximately one out of every three Americans can trace their roots in this country back to someone that came through the island. I m m i gr at io n D a n i e l from England and go to war for our independence. Today, however, immigration has become a hot button issue politically dividing our nation’s leaders and citizens alike. With the 2009 reintroduction of the DREAM Act, immigration reform has once again been brought to the forefront of the nation’s political consciousness. The act, which gives illegal For me, it was my greatgreat grandfather who came to this country from Ireland sometime in the 1830’s to escape the famine that was running rampant in his homeland at the time. The United States would not be the country it is today or have been the country it H a c k e t t immigrants a pathway to permanent citizenship (if certain conditions are met) has been seen by its detractors as a reward system for those that choose to circumvent the existing laws of the country. I personally find the stance of those detractors to be an affront to the very core of the values on which the United States was founded. Caption describing picture or graphic. was without immigrants who sought a better life. They built skyscrapers, built a railroad that stretched from coast to coast, and many other achievements…my fear is that those holding office in Washington DC seem to have lost sight of that fact. 2 I s s u e #1 , V o l u m e # 1 P a g e 3 THE PITTVERSE OPINION S t e e l e rs b y P r i d e — 2013 S e a n e d i t io n G a n n o n My love for the Pittsburgh Steelers has been with me for a while. Watching #7, Ben Roethlisberger throw a touchdown is very cool. I think the Steelers will finish 10-6 in 2013. The team lost some of its best players from 2012, including #34, Rashard Mendenhall, #17, Mike Wallace, and #92, James Harrison. However, #43, Troy Polamalu is coming back along with #50, Larry Foote (sadly now out for the year), and #24, Ike Taylor. W I am proud to announce that my friend, #5, Bruce Gradkowski is the new backup quarterback for the Steelers. He is a veteran from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, and St. Louis Rams. The Steelers also have some good draft picks like their number one pick, Jarvis Jones, from the Georgia Bulldogs. HERE WE GO STEELERS!!!!!!!!! J i m H e n so n — a r t b y T o m JAMES MAURY “JIM” HENSON (September 24, 1936 -March 13, 1990) is best known as the creator of the iconic Muppet characters, including Kermit the Frog, Rowlf, Ernie, and many others. He is also considered a pioneer in the field of special visual effects; his innovations are still in use on TV shows such as Farscape and films like The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and Batman Begins. In 1955, at the age of eighteen years, Henson introduced his creations on a local TV pro- ic o n S k i d m o r e gram produced in Washington, DC, titled Sam and Friends, and in particular one character destined to be a hero to many: Kermit, who later would become a frog. Though his design has changed over the decades, Kermit’s basic nature of the everyday, put-upon individual struck, and continues to strike a chord with all humanity. Taking time to raise his family, Henson nonetheless continued his innovative use of visual media in a series of cleverly-executed TV commercials, culminating in his work on epic fantasy, again showing his awe-inspiring genius in films like The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. The power of Jim Henson to not only amuse and delight but also to inspire beyond his Muppet works cannot, and should not be ignored. For me personally, Jim Henson has literally saved Sesame Street, starting in 1969. In 1975, Henson initiat- my life numerous times, and in turn it’s my heart’s desire to ed a TV series using his Mupmake my mark on the world in pet creations intended for a the manner he did. I pray people wider audience (though his work was primarily believed to take a learnable lesson from the be aimed at children). One year Master ... later, the award-winning Muppet Show hit the air, and grew into an instant hit. From 1979 onward, Henson focused on T h e P i t tv e r s e P a g e 4 Restaur ant Reviews “ Yo u h av e g o t t o t ry : T H E CA R LTO N ” b y “I hate to be one of those people whose like: ‘Pittsburgh is the next big thing,’ but I get around more than most people and I am telling you, Pittsburgh is the next big thing.” With that simple quote in an article from Pittsburgh Magizine, Andrew Zimmern, host of Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel, sent a wave of pride through every person lucky to claim the title of resident in this great city. One thing that I think makes Pittsburgh an up and coming city, yet does not get the recognition it deserves, is the quality and variety of restaurants. To be fair, the entire region needs to be mentioned with that remark. When thinking of cities that are known for their culinary prowess, places like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago automatically come to mind. At the risk of sounding like just another local making an audacious claim, I would argue that Pittsburgh is on par with these metropolises in terms of quality of dining options. One such establishment that bolsters Pittsburgh to the ranks of other urban culi- D a n i e l nary behemoths is: “The Carlton.” Located at 500 Grant Street in the BNY Mellon building, the restaurant resides in the midst of the power belt of city and count governments...which leads me to wonder how many deals may have been brokered over a power lunch. A winner of the exclusive “Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) award as well as a 15 time recipient of the Wine Spectator’s Award for Excellence, The Carlton exudes class and sophistication while still H a c k e t t maintaining the charm that choice of the best resendears Pittsburgh to visitors taurant most Pittsburgh and natives alike. locals may have never heard of…until now. The menu strikes a fine balance between simple and Address: unique...and changes with 500 Grant St #1, Pittsthe seasons. While a tad on burgh, PA 15219 the pricy side (meals bePhone: tween $26-$40) it is well worth the occasional splurge. (412) 391-4099 If you could not already tell from the opening paragraphs of this article, “The Carlton,” is my obvious Reservations: www.opentable.com Menu: www.urbanspoon.com Hours: Monday: 11:30 am— 2:30 pm, 5:00–10:00 pm Tuesday: 11:30 am – 2:30 pm, 5:00–10:00 pm Wednesday: 11:30 am – 2:30 pm, 5:00–10:00 pm Thursday : 11:30 am – 2:30 pm, 5:00–10:00 pm Friday: 11:30 am – 2:30 pm, 5:00–10:00 pm Saturday : 5:00–10:00 pm Sunday Closed I s s u e #1 , V o l u m e # 1 P a g e Original Recipes Skidmore’s Special b y T o m S k i d m o r e Italian Pasta Salad One of my favorite things to cook, especially for hot weather. Light, easy to make, and most of all…healthy. INGREDIENTS -1 box of rotini pasta (1lb) -1 12oz can of large black olives (drained) -1 lb. colby jack cheese, cubed -1 bag of Hormel pepperoni chunks -Italian dressing to taste Boil pasta according to directions, and while pasta cooks, cut 1-lb. block of colby jack cheese into bite-sized cubes. Drain one can (12 ounces) of large black olives, and set aside. Once pasta is fully cooked, drain into colander and rinse with cold water, then pat dry with paper towels. In one large mixing bowl, combine pasta, olives, cheese cubes, and one bag of pepperoni chunks (I use Hormel brand, though any brand will do; you can use a pepperoni stick if you wish). Once ingredients are combined, mix together and add Italian dressing to personal taste (a good lite Italian dressing works for me). Refrigerate right away, or serve after mixing. Makes 4-5 servings. Enjoy!!!! Gannon’s Grub b y S e a n G a n n o n Italian Pasta Stir-Fry INGREDIENTS -1 package (8 ounces) linguine, uncooked -1 tablespoon olive oil -2 large garlic cloves, pressed -1 medium zucchini, sliced -1 medium onion, chopped -2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped -1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley -1 teaspoon dried basil leaves -1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves -1/8 teaspoon salt -1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper -1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and keep warm. In wok or deep-sided 12-inch skillet, heat oil. Add garlic; stir-fry 15 seconds. Add zucchini and onion; stir-fry 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add tomatoes, parsley, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Gently cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in pasta. Sprinkle with cheese; serve immediately. *Add sauce if desired. Yield: 6 servings 5 T h e P i t tv e r s e P a g e 6 WORLD HISTORY “ I c e b e rg! b y The Titanic was the biggest ship built at the time in 1912. My interest in the ship started in 3rd grade, but grew larger in 5th grade with the 1997 movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. It topped 1 billion dollars at the box office. The ship’s infamous voyage was moved to April 10th because the workers had to repair a hole to a British cruiser HMS Hawke. Her R i g ht S e a n captain was Edward J. Smith (62 years old at the time). He had been working at the White Star Line for 26 years and was planning to retire. On April 14th at 11:40pm, Fredrick Fleet and Reginald Lee were “lookouts” in the crow’s nest. There was not any moon in the sky and it was very hazy. A h e a d ! ! ” G a n n o n was an iceberg. Fleet rang the warning bell three times and picked up the phone. “Thank you!” Moody said. But they did not let the people know in time… “Is anyone there?” Fleet asked just as Sixth Officer Moody picked up. The problem was that the lifeboats were only able to hold space for 65 people. The Titanic was designed to carry 3,295 people, but only 2,208 made the maiden voyage. “Yes, what do you see?” Moody asked. “Iceberg dead ahead!” Fleet told him. Fleet saw something looming out of the darkness. It When Second Officer Lightoller was asked why the lifeboats were being loaded half-full, Lightoller said, “Well, we weren’t sure of the weight. These boats may buckle.” At 2:20am, the ship was almost vertical in the water. Then it broke apart. The bow and stern landed two and a half miles down. I admire how majestic the Titanic was... W h e n a pro b l e m c o m e s a l o n g , yo u m u s t w h i p i t… b y D a n i e l Anyone that grew up in the early 1980”s knows that the above is a line from the hit song, “Whip It,” by the new wave band, DEVO. Formed in 1972 by Bob and Gereld Casale, Bob Lewis, and Jim and Bob Mothersbaugh, all of which were art students at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. The band achieved some success in its early days but did not achieve mainstream H a c k e t t success until the release of their 1980 hit, “Whip It,” which peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. “Whip It” is often considered one of the first videos that led to the popularity of what was, at the time, a fledgling TV station know as MTV. Since that time, DEVO still tours occasionally, primarily at music festivals throughout Europe and in 2010 released a new album entitled, “Something for Everybody.” In the years since the peak of their popularity, Mark Mothersbaugh has gone on to compose the score for several Wes Anderson films including: The Royal Tennenbaums, Rushmore, and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, as well as composing music for the hit 80’s show, Pee Wee’s Playhouse, and the 90’s kids show, Rugrats. I s s u e #1 , V o l u m e # 1 P a g e 7 LOCAL HISTORY T h e r e was a w i n n in g H i s t ory B E FO R E t h e L o s in g T r a d i t i o n b y D a n i e l H a c k e t t to 3 in a best-of-nine game series. *Playing in the first World Series night game (1971 against the Baltimore Orioles at Three Rivers Stadium). 21 years, that’s how long the Pittsburgh Pirates went in between their most recent post-season appearance. It’s been so long since the Pirates were relevant in terms of playing baseball line in a season that fans in this town forget that the Buccos have a rich history that includes many first such as: *Playing in the first modern World Series (1903 against the Boston Americans) . Pittsburgh lost 5 games B u i l d i n g b y Then comes The Fifth Avenue Place (constructed in 1987—that is also the year I was born!). It holds the set of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and In spite of all these notable accomplishments, fans still fixate on the recent 2 plus decades of losing. While that is a length of time justifiable for anyone to be upset, per- Pittsburgh Pirates Starting Lineup 9/1/71 2B - Rennie Stenett 3B - Dave Cash CF - Gene Clines 1B - Al Oliver LF - Willie Stargell SS - Jackie Hernandez RF - Roberto Clemente P - Doc Ellis C - Mannie Sanguillen haps recalling these “good times” will help sustain this past season’s “good times.” P i tt s burg h S e a n Some people know Pittsburgh by its buildings. The PPG Modern Glass Complex (constructed in 1984 and designed by Phillip Johnson and John Burgess) stands out. And in what is probably on of the most significant, yet little know feats in professional baseball: on September 1, 1971, manager Danny Murtaugh fielded the first all-black lineup in Major League Baseball history. G a n n o n WQED. Next is the Oxford Center (constructed in 1983) which has 46 floors and is 615 feet tall. It was designed by developers to have as many corneroffices a s possible. The US Steel Tower (constructed in 1988) is 64 stories and the 37th tallest building in the United States! The Carnegie Museum of Natural History was built in 1986 and was founded by Andrew Carnegie. The museum consists of 115,000 feet of organized exhibits. Richard Mellon until they died (Richard in 1933; Andrew in The BNY Mellon building 1937). (constructed in 1983) has a “rich” history. The Mellon Financial Corp. was founded in 1869 and ran by Andrew and These buildings make up one of the world’s most beautiful skylines. T h e P i t tv e r s e P a g e 8 The Sci-Fi Station T h e Fugitor: The Time Escapee f i r s t i n s t a l l m e n t o f s c i - f i s a g a b y T h o m a s R . S k i d m o r e a There are worlds and times beyond our own, yet the problems all the Noble Beings encounter are as comparable as ours. Chief amongst is the idea of a “system” of rules and regulations called “laws,” ostensibly designed to keep overall Harmony and maintenance of the Temporal Balance. Also amongst them is another “idea,” this one allegedly related to the notion of a “Bureaucracy” made to service Mankind’s various dilemma, such as employment, housing, and others needed to provide "security”...but not Hope. But what if those notion proved themselves to be a lie? How would the Noble Beings react to such dark, grim truths revealed to them? And what would the results be for the Temporal Balance? This, then, is the result of such a notion, being the tale of one man’s lone fight against these false “altruisms…” ONE “You have been found guilty of the charge against you. Now accept your sentence.” That’s precisely how this grand adventure started for me. And what was that charge of which I was convicted? Well...that’s a rather long story, so the best thing I can do is to just carry on with it as logically as I can. I’ll let the minute details tend from themselves as they see fit, thank you very much. Now...on with it, I say with little aplomb. And, as I stated just now, it began with my sentencing: “Now, FGTR-5183, since you have been found guilty, you are hereafter confined to spend your now eternal days adrift in the Flows of the Oceans of Time and Space, never to return to your former life. You can observe, but never interact with anyone so shall long as your existence endures. Now...have you anything to say before the sentence commences?” “Yes, just this,” I said to my unseen accusers, even now hidden within the dark shadows of their advanced machinery. “Your socalled ‘charges’ are nothing more than a weak attempt to make yourselves look all pious and altruistic in the eyes of all the Noble Beings. But you can’t fool them!” I smiled at my new-found courage. “So noted. Let the sentence commence.” And in the quickest instant of time, I found myself suddenly encased in a crystallized gem-like pod-ship, now lifting itself off the ground and thrusting itself, and me, into the Vast Oceans of Limitless Space and Time, never to age, never to interact; only to observe...and think. Thus my little sojourn into basic Infinity began. I had to admit to myself that the prospect wasn’t all that daunting and traumatic for me in the slightest bit (now I know what the Kryptonian criminals felt in Superman: The Movie). But, for the sake of repeating myself for those who have a rather short attention span, I didn’t feel any fear or worry at all. In fact, in a very odd and weird manner I actually welcomed this!.....TO BE CONTINUED IN THE PITTVERSE: ISSUE #2, VOLUME #1 I s s u e #1 , V o l u m e # 1 P a g e The Surveyor This story can fit 150-200 words. your own articles, or include a calendar of upcoming events or a special offer that promotes a new product. One benefit of using your newsletter as a promotional tool is that you can reuse content from other marketing materials, such as press releases, market studies, and reports. While your main goal of distributing a newsletter might be to sell your product or service, the key to a successful Caption describing picture or graphic. newsletter is making it useful to your readers. A great way to add useful content to your newsletter is to develop and write I n s i d e 9 II finished writing your newsletter, convert it to a Web site and post it. You can also research articles or find “filler” articles by accessing the World Wide Web. You can write about a variety of topics but try to keep your articles short. Much of the content you put in your newsletter can also be used for your Web site. Microsoft Publisher offers a simple way to convert your newsletter to a Web publication. So, when you’re S t o r y H e a d l i n e I l l u s t r a t i o n b y T o m S k i d m o r e F e r r y m a n Out beyond the Vast Countless Seas of the Time Beyond Time, On and on we traverse the sea as I gaze at his eyes. He, the Ferryman, now readies his dark plan sublime. Forlorn and sad he may yet be, but strangely his strife dies. His heart and mind are known to none, and his purpose is grim. As we near our final landing, a grin crosses his face. From dawn to the setting of the sun, few dare to sail with him. We come to this understanding; he’s won his lonely race. Came I to him, for my lost bride, all for one measly fare. Seeing me with my bride he smiles, teeth shiny like a dime. These words he spoke from deep inside, “Come, I will take you there.” No more will he sail the long miles of the Time Beyond Time. T h o m a s R . S k i d m o r e T h e P i t tv e r s e P a g e The Sci-Fi Station T h e G e n iu s b y Frank Herbert (19201986) was the author of the popular science fiction saga known as the Dune universe, starting with Dune (serialized from December 1963—April 1965 in Analog Science Fiction; book form, September 1965); Dune Messiah (1969); Children of Dune (1976); and three additional books published before his death. Frank was born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1920. After graduating high school in 1938, he enrolled in the University of Washington, studying journalism. From there he worked as a newspaper reporter, television cameraman, oyster fisher- B e h i nd T o m man, and magazine journalist before deciding on science fiction writing (having a selfadmitted life-long adoration of the genre). In 1952 he published his first science fiction short story, “Looking for Something?” and in 1955 wrote his first novel, Dragon in the Sea. From there, he built up a solid reputation as one of science fiction’s great traditionalists. In 1963, Frank went on an excursion to study the Mojave Desert sand dunes, and this, coupled with his increasing concern for humanity in world history, planted the seed of the work destined to be a major classic of the genre: t h e S k i d m o r e Dune. The story would go on to win the “Hugo Award” and the inaugural “Nebula Award” for best science fiction novel of 1965. The Dune saga is carried on by his son, awardwinning novelist, Brian Herbert, and science fiction mater, Kevin J. Anderson. After a brief illness following the death of his wife, Beverly, Frank Herbert died in February 1986, at the age of 65. His reputation firmly established, he still speaks of humanity and its part in history, the struggles of leadership, and above all else, the bond only families share, in any circumstance. Dun e 1 0 I s s u e #1 , V o l u m e # 1 P a g e ? ? ? The Unknown 1 1 ? ? ? America’s Loch Ness Monster B y Sandra Mansi & her fian- D a v i d O ’ R o r e y Sandra reported that the mouth Over the years, scientists have hypothesized the creature cée & 2 children were driving was open and she could see lake could have been a Zugladon, which is a snake like-whale. along Lake Champlain on July water flowing outward. She noted Other experts suggest perhaps a Tanystropheus, which is a 5th, 1977. They stopped feeling utterly amazed at the sight prehistoric water reptile from the dinosaur age similar to a along the bank, got out of the of the creature. Consequently, her Plesiosaurus, which had a long neck and webbed feet. vehicle, and went down to fiancée began yelling for the chil- the band of the lake. dren to get away from the water. As the children were playing along the rocks, Saundra noticed the lake began churning. Here first thought was scuba divers, or perhaps a large fish…then in a breath of an instant a long neck emerged out of the water. Saundra could not make out the figure, but it did not appear to be human in form. Sandra and her family quickly ran back to the vehicle. Once there, she could not resist the opportunity, so she grabbed her camera and snapped a picture as her fiancée drove away. The picture would become infamous as a creature of the unknown. Perhaps the only concrete conclusion that has remained undisputed since that day is the name the creature was dubbed: CHAMP IMPORTANT OCTOBER HAPPENINGS IN HISTORY! October 1, 1908—Henry Ford’s Model T, a “universal car” designed for the masses, went on sale for the first time. October 3, 1863—President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation designating the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day. October 6, 1927—The first “talkie” opened in New York. The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson was the first full-length feature film using spoken dialogue. October 8, 1871—The Great Fire of Chicago erupted. According to legend, it started with Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over a lantern in her barn on DeKoven Street. Over 300 persons were killed and 90,000 were left Homeless as the fire leveled 3.5 square miles, destroying 17,450 buildings. Financial losses totaled over $200 million. October 12, 1492—After a 33-day voyage, Christopher Columbus made his first landfall in the New World in the Bahamas. T h e F e e li n g b y What does it mean to accomplish something? It means to achieve or complete successfully. How about some synonyms: to fulfill, to execute, to carry out, to perform, and let me tell you that it feels really nice to hear those words and to say those words after doing them. Think about it...whenever you have finished something to the best of your ability, which means putting forth your best effort; how do you feel afterwards? My guess would be probably proud, happy, and overall in a good mood. I know that is what happens to me and it makes me determined to chase new goals and activities to try and accomplish them! Now let us look at the other side… basically the time before doing what is o f B r y a n Ac c om p l i sh m e nt S t i l l w a g o n asked of you or doing whatever you had planned for the day. There are going to be some feelings that might come over you before you start your activity or task, perhaps feeling anxious, apprehensive, skeptical, or even frightened of what is to come. Now, form experiencing these feelings myself and from seeing them from a firsthand perspective, I can (and I am sure everyone else can) tell you that it is normal to feel those emotions. Let me be the first to tell you that starting whatever you have planned will be the hardest part of accomplishment. However, once you see progression, you will not want to stop. So, if I can offer you any closing advice it would be this: it is normal to have anxiety and fear, and that may slow you down from time to time, buy remember that you have accomplished before, and use that as to help overcome challenges and move on towards success!!! Bryan Stillwagon has been employed with Youth Advocate Programs since 2012 and has conducted work in Adult Autism Wavier Services. LOOK FOR THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE PITTVERSE IN JANUARY 2014 Questions/Comments—Please contact: Brian Kluchurosky bkluchurosky@yapinc.org