Here at snoWatch, we have many talents - predicting the weather, being funny and juggling with swords, to name a few. But tonight we unearthed a new talent - number-crunching. (And that too without the help of our technical staff!)
Be still our hearts, it looks we've set a record - two days of mildly inclement weather in a row? Hopefully this Valentine's Day, we'll be showered with more than just gifts from our hearts' desires. After all, a day cuddled up in front of the fireplace with your significant other is a lot more romantic than - dare we say it - singing valentines and candy grams at school.
Why is the weather so cruel? The snow gods from above have hit us hard on nearly every scheduled day off this winter (think several inches of snow the day before semester break), turning the beautiful prospects of a free day into yet another drab day stuck indoors. And yet every time, the conditions have cleared up before we can get anything more than a two-hour delay the next morning.
Tucked underneath some offices in a strip mall and next to a maternity store, Houston's Restaurant on Rockville Pike looks like the perfect comfy Americana joint. Neatly trimmed hedges line the outside, creating a private outdoor waiting area. The "No cell phones" sign painted on the door protects against rude diners and the spacious restaurant is well decorated with numerous paintings and sconces lining the wall.
Early yesterday morning, there was a water main break at the intersection of Piney Branch Road and Sligo Avenue, according to Takoma Park Middle School (TPMS) principal Renay Johnson. The break, which occurred near TPMS, forced the school to shut down at 10 a.m.
The NFL regular season is officially in the books, and our predictions crew reflects back upon the 2007 season, with all its ups and downs. Congratulations to Nitin, who overcame half a season of last-place finishes to capture this year's SCO NFL Predictions title, edging last year's champ Pia by just one game. Anshul, our junior, will have his shot as he continues the hallowed tradition next season. And as for Andrew, well, there's always baseball...
Well we've come to the end of yet another eventful season in the National Football League. In the final installment of weekly predictions, we have our say on an busy Week Seventeen. For our Redskins, a matchup against the Cowboys directly dictates our playoff hopes. In the Meadowlands, New England's quest for perfection takes its final turn. Elsewhere across the league, teams play for playoff seeds and/or draft position. After a roller-coaster ride atop the leaderboard, Pia has once again taken command, although Nitin and Anshul are still well within striking distance. Andrew, not so much (it's okay, he won the SCO fantasy football league). Can Pia repeat, or will she cede her crown? Check back later this week, as we bring you the results of our little contest, as well as a look back at some of the most memorable moments of 2007. Till then, we bid you farewell and have just one thing left to say: Go Redskins!
Repent, for the end is nigh! We've reached Week Sixteen of the 2007 NFL season and it's been a quite a ride. Surprisingly, the Redskins are still technically in the playoff hunt with two games to go, and hey, the Dolphins finally won one! This week, playoff berths will be locked up for some and dreams will be shattered for others, as the dreaded words "There's always next year!" make their annual appearance. In fantasy-land, it's championship week for many leagues, including our very own SCO league where Andrew and Pia will duke it out for the coveted title. In our experts pool, once again Nitin and Pia are tied for the lead, but Anshul lurks just one game behind. It looks like the fate of NFL predictions will come down right to the wire - we'll have to see if our 'Skins can keep up.
Apparently, Joe Gibbs has yet to master the art of icing the kicker, "unsportsmanly" calling consecutive timeouts and all but handing the Bills a win on Sunday. Our Redskins get a shot at redemption in the latest Thursday night game, taking on the Chicago Bears at home. Elsewhere around the league, the Patriots get a tough test against Pittsburgh after looking awfully vulnerable the past two weeks while teams like San Diego, Minnesota and Cleveland (wait, really?) fight for playoff spots. And like in the real life standings, our experts are entangled in a vicious battle for supremacy, with Nitin and Pia tied for first. Last week was ugly for everyone except upset-minded Andrew, whose freewheeling ways actually paid off for once. As the season winds down and the pressure builds, we'll see once and for all who comes through in the clutch with eternal bragging rights at stake.
As usual, the predictions were wrong. Somehow, "a light dusting" turned into "1-2 inches," which turned into "2-4 inches," which turned into two and a half hours stuck in the world's largest parking lot, also known as I-270. When students arrived at school a few hours late (the Colesville bridge closing didn't help) only to find out that MCPS decided the conditions weren't bad enough to close schools, we decided that some real weather experts needed to be called in to make the shots.
As promised, here we are with the rest of Week Thirteen. The story this week of course is the tragic passing of Sean Taylor, the enigmatic Redskins safety. Whether he deserves a moment of silence is not for comment on (see the discussion here). All we have to say is that he was one heck of a football player, and will be sorely missed in the Redskins community. Thursday saw three wrong experts and a potential threat to Brett Favre's consecutive game streak, but unchanged standings. As we head down the home stretch, a neck-and-neck battle is brewing just as the playoff picture gets interesting.
Thanks to Roger Goodell and his misguided dreams of a thriving NFL Network, we come to you with an early preview edition of our weekly predictions. Dallas and Green Bay duke it out on tonight in the battle of NFC heavyweights, and our experts have their say.
Dallas Week used to mean so much for the DC-area. In 2007, all it means is an almost certain loss for the burgundy and gold. Oh well, at least it can't be any worse than the New England game. It appears that a bye week is the only thing that can keep the Patriots from winning. In other news, Pia has retaken sole possession of first place for the first time since Week Two, and Nitin has finally relinquished his spot in the cellar for the first time since...well, all year. Week Eleven sees the return of 16-game slates as byes come to an end. The picture is clearing up, but who will be in and who will be out?
Maybe it was the time change or the drop in temperature, but something threw the Redskins' world askew last week, as they barely managed to hold on and trump the New York Jets. On the other side of the NFL, the Patriots conjured up a few touchdowns in the fourth quarter to overcome the Colts and become the sole undefeated team in the league. What will Week 10 bring? Will the NFL's elite and bottom-of-the-barrel continue to widen the gap? Or with the Patriots off this week, is it finally time for some other team to shine? As for our panel of experts, Andrew's streak at the top of the charts has finally been broken by last year's champ Pia, who's looking to reclaim her throne, and the newbie Anshul. This week will hopefully bring some separation among these ranks too.
As expected, the Redskins were absolutely annihilated by the Patriots last week, but somehow three of our experts got that game wrong. New England was clearly the better team, but was running up the score like that really necessary? Maybe Bill Belichick is a Tom Brady owner in his fantasy football league... The news this week of course comes from the RCA Dome, where the Pats will take on the Colts in the battle of the two remaining undefeateds. It's Brady versus Peyton in a matchup we saw last January and will most likely see again come playoff time this year. Could this be the most anticipated regular season game in recent memory? Well, it looks to be a lot more exciting than Redskins-Jets, that's for sure.
We close in on the season's halfway point with an exciting matchup for Washington fans, as our Redskins travel to Foxboro to take on the seemingly-invincible New England Patriots. Even the most optimistic fans have tempered their expectations, but hey, here's hoping for a miracle. As for our gurus, Andrew has again resumed his place atop the standings after a 12-2 week. However, his leads have been short-lived so far this year - who will step up this week?
Eleven cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), an antibiotic-resistant strain of a bacterial infection, have been confirmed in schools throughout Montgomery County, according to Stephanie Evers, Nurse Manager of School Health Services. No cases have been documented at Blair, but precautions are being taken, Blair nurse Debra Bitonti said.
New England at Dallas is the game to watch here in Week Six, although our Redskins are looking good, picking up another win last week by holding the vaunted Detroit offense to a single field goal. A win at Lambeau this week will surely bring about the inevitable, misguided Super Bowl rumblings. Meanwhile, our analysts are once more engaged in a three-way tie after Pia impressed last week by going 12-2, while Andrew took a tumble and saw his lead evaporate. Anshul has been steady all year to claim his share of first place, but Nitin continues to lag behind. Will Week Six bring the fix? Sorry, that was really bad. Here goes... Standings:
| Last week | Season total | |
| Andrew | 6-8 | 46-30 |
| Anshul | 11-3 | 46-30 |
| Pia | 12-2 | 46-30 | Nitin | 8-6 | 42-34 |
During the advisory period on Thursday, the Magnet will hold an ethics presentation in the auditorium to discuss the issue of academic dishonesty, according to Magnet Coordinator Dennis Heidler. Magnet math teacher David Stein and counselor Jennifer Taylor will present the results of a survey distributed to magnet students at the end of last school year.
With the Redskins enjoying their bye after all but gift-wrapping a win for the Giants last week, we can drift our attention to the rest of the league. The Patriots, Colts, Steelers, Cowboys and Packers (wait, the Packers?) are all undefeated as we move into the fourth week. Meanwhile our beloved sports editor Andrew has jostled to the front of the pack of so-called "experts." This week of games will bring the hope of the playoffs to some teams while effectively erasing it from others. And if Andrew continues to lead, an investigation will ensue into his possible use of illegal video equipment.
It may only be the second week of the season, but emotions are already running high. The Buffalo Bills are praying that their reserve tight end will walk again, the New England Patriots were found guilty of cheating and lo and behold -- the Redskins won! As for our humble panel of experts, there appears to be no such thing as beginner's luck; Pia has yet to be dethroned. And now without further ado: week two. Season standings:
| Andrew | 11-5 |
| Nitin | 10-6 |
| Pia | 12-4 |
| Anshul | 11-5 |
Blair's annual Back-to-School Night was held from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. yesterday. This year's event, coordinated by new assistant principal Myriam Rogers, saw many changes from previous years.
Another NFL season, and as per tradition, we here at SCO offer our weekly predictions and commentary. Previous analysts Abe, Josh and Phil have moved on to greener pastures after being schooled last year by Pia Nargundkar, who returns this year to defend her crown. In the challenger's corner this season stand resident sports guys Andrew Kung and Nitin Sukumar as well as Anshul Sood, our token junior staffer. Can Pia repeat in NFL pick supremacy? Let's see how the y-chromosome fares in 2007.
| Andrew | 0-0 |
| Nitin | 0-0 |
| Pia | 0-0 |
| Anshul | 0-0 |
Michael Jordan. Cal Ripken Jr. Jerry Rice. Not so long ago, it was easy for a kid to find a sports hero to idealize. He or she could turn to the sports section of the newspaper, and it would be filled with stories of last-second baskets, great receptions, solid pitching – anything and everything about the games themselves. Now turn to the sports page, and one thing dominates the section – scandal.
In its meeting today, the MCPS Board of Education (BOE) announced that Darryl Williams will be Blair's next principal. Williams has been the principal at Gaithersburg High School since 2005.
Blair Educational Network (BEN) will be shut down on June 15 at 3 p.m. Blair, under county mandate, is implementing Edline next year, rendering many of BEN's features redundant.
This summer the four remaining portables, no longer needed because of Blair's falling population, will be removed, according to MCPS Department of Facilities Management director Dick Hawes. Three portables were already removed in September.
Former Student Member of the Board (SMOB) candidate junior Will Bucher was denied his election grievance against SMOB-elect Ben Moskowitz, the four-member student grievance committee announced today.
As the final minutes of the Georgetown versus Ohio State Final Four game wind down, junior John Winters grapples with a difficult dilemma: whom he wants to win. Winters has to choose between a team he genuinely likes (Georgetown) and a team that will win him money. In the end, Winters decided he was happy that Ohio State won. After all, he was itching to win this year's March Madness pool.
Organizational meetings will be held through April and May for the After Prom Celebration, which will take place from 1 – 5 a.m. May 27 at Blair. All parents, staff and students are welcome to attend and help with this year's theme, "Sunny Side Up."
The number and score of students taking Advanced Placement (AP) exams is a) a good indicator of progress in the county b) a testament to how well MCPS is doing compared to the nation c) a testament to better preparation and teaching d) none of the above
Senior Ross Williams, who lettered in both basketball and football this year, has qualified for the county All-Star Basketball team. Williams, who has been playing on Blair's varsity team since his sophomore year, led the team in scoring and to their first playoff win in ten years this season.
When social studies teacher Lansing Freeman came to school last Monday, he knew that people would be talking about him – students, fellow teachers, even people he didn't know. The day before, Freeman appeared in The Washington Post's "Date Lab" column. Date Lab, a weekly feature published in The Washington Post Magazine, sets up two metropolitan-area singles on a blind date and chronicles their reactions afterwards.
When senior Garret Jones tickled his friend at lunch one day, he had no idea what he was getting himself into. The seemingly innocuous gesture caused the friend, fellow senior Sarah Kovar, to fall out of her chair. "I was really mad and I knew I had to get him back," Kovar says. And with that, the school-wide prank war had begun.
We the people of Montgomery Blair, in order to form a more perfect graduation, establish a site placing the least burden on tax payers, ensure seating for all, provide for the comfort of the aforementioned, promote the general sentimentality worth of such an event and secure this site to ourselves and our posterity, do wish to ordain and establish Jericho as our graduation venue.
The NFL's Final Four is set, and the smell of the Super Bowl is in the air. Will it be the Pats, Colts, Bears or Saints, time will only tell. But before we get to the Big One in Miami, today's games will be fought. So as you enjoy the day's snow flurries, be sure to holla at the TV, too, because some great NFL action is goin' down. Here are our picks:
Silver Quill, Blair's award-winning literary arts magazine, is accepting submissions for this year's edition, "This Side Up," until Jan. 19. The magazine, published yearly, features creative work from Blair students done both inside and outside of school.
This year's NFL divisional playoffs are loaded with questions. Can Manning win on the road? Will the Pats stun the Chargers? Can the Saints keep hope alive? Can Rex Grossman not throw an interception? SCO's team of NFL experts does its best to answer those questions and more. Read on...
Wild-card weekend is in full effect, and although the Redskins couldn't make it this year, there are still four intriguing matchups to look forward to. Oh, and in case you were wondering, Pia held on to take the top spot in this year's NFL picks.
As of yesterday, freshmen who have not received vaccinations against Hepatitis B and chickenpox, and do not have proof of an upcoming doctor's appointment to receive them, will be forced to leave school, in accordance to a Maryland health law that has gone into effect with the new year. The new law adds the two diseases onto the list of the already required polio vaccine, the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussen vaccine.
The Thanksgiving leftovers are almost all gone, the salt trucks are gearing up to melt away the snow, and Blazers are getting ready for Christmas. To the resentment of some and the delight of others, the celebration of Christmas is becoming less religion-exclusive and more of an American tradition. So whether you are Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, atheist, any combination or variation of the previous, or something completely different, it's increasingly likely that you'll be doing something in the spirit of the holiday.
Last week, we had the pleasure of picking alongside Mike Wilbon, and in the process we proved our mighty pick 'em smarts, as only Josh couldn't top the new guy. As usual, Pia continued to fry the rest of us, as Abe closed the gap with Phil and Josh. As for week fifteen, there's some good games, some ugly games and of course the Redskins game in New Orleans. Think Drew Brees is licking his chops?
Sophomore Amaresh Sahu and freshman Janice Lan are both participating in the USA Table Tennis (USATT) 2006 Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada this week. The competition, going on from Dec. 13-16, features skilled players from all ages in men's, women's and mixed singles and doubles.
Last Tuesday, the SCO sports staff had the honor and privilege of meeting one of the best local and national sportswriters we know, and a guy that we look up to: Michael Wilbon. This week, he found the time to send us his picks for this week. Read on as our SCO staff take on the legendary Wilbon.
Iliya Smithka says YES: Organizations have the right to free speech within schools. Pia Nargundkar says NO: Students should not be forced to take home material of questionable content.
A blond Bond? Longtime fan of 007 were shocked with the choice of Daniel Craig to succeed the charming Pierce Brosnan. Yet, Craig, with his piercing blue eyes, makes an oA blond Bond? Longtime fans of 007 were shocked with the choice of Daniel Craig to succeed the charming Pierce Brosnan in the long running James Bond movie series. Yet, Craig, with his piercing blue eyes, makes an outstanding, though colder, James Bond in the new "Casino Royale." utstanding, though colder, James Bond in the new "Casino Royale."
A fight broke out between two male seniors in front of the Media Center during InfoFlow this morning. The fight allegedly started when one student attempted to trip the other. The fight resulted in a police filing and a hospital visit.
Forget the records, the injuries, the controversies and anything else you've heard this week. Dallas vs. Washington is all that matters…
It's Halloween time, baby! You know what that means: candy, scary movies, witches, goblins, candy, mummies, graveyards, bats, spider webs, haunted houses and of course, candy. But unless you want to be a spoilsport, you have to work for your sour Warheads and three-month-old Twix bars. Don't be shy – you can never grow too old for free candy. Now all you need is the perfect, scary costume. As usual, Silver Chips Online comes to the rescue!
Another week in the NFL, and another probable Redskins loss. I hate to say it Skins fans, but this week looks bleak. With a loss here, we could be looking at a quarterback switch. As you can see, last week was a stalemate as we all picked horribly. Pia maintains her lead of four games, while Abe, the most egotistical of us all, retains sole possession of last place, a whopping nine games out. R.I.P. Abe's comments. Check out what the rest of us experts have to say this week…
Since the administration's new ID policy was unveiled over a week ago on Silver Chips Online, 178 comments have been made on the story and over 350 people have voted on the ID policy-related poll.
October is here. This can translate to a variety of things depending on whom you ask. For football fans, the couch is just getting that comfortable groove back and the air is ripe for tailgating. For marketers, it marks the start of advertising…for Valentine's Day. (Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are covered by July). For students it brings the anxiety and excitement of Homecoming, PSATs and another eight months of cafeteria food. But for politicians, it means a month of anticipating the unexpected. The October surprise is around the corner.
Strange things are afoot in the NFL. From an OT comeback to an embarrassment in Dallas to the lowest-scoring Monday Night Football game in history, football has gotten weird again, and we wouldn't have it any other way. And as for our panel of so-called "experts," Pia still leads the way, proving once again that excluding Phil, everyone with a name that starts with the letter "P" is extremely smart (as in "Pratik").
Pluto, the beloved underdog planet, has been kicked out of the Big Boys Club. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) voted in late August to demote Pluto to "dwarf planet" status. Normally, no one would care what 2,500 astronomers in the IAU decide, but this has repercussions. Big Time.
Some movies are great, some are decent, some are funny and some are touching. And then there are movies that make you cry for your two hours and $10. "The Black Dahlia," directed by Brian De Palma ("Scarface," "Mission Impossible"), based on the book by James Ellroy ("L.A. Confidential") and featuring a host of stars, has the right amount of talent to be great, but falls far short.
While the summer heat has almost faded, the weather has recently been throwing us some scorchers. And what better to enjoy in this hot weather than a refreshing, ice-cold glass of lassi. This traditional drink of India is easy to make and much healthier than any fast-food milkshake or sundae.
Are you ready for some football? SCO definitely is. With Pratik gone to who-knows-which-super-smart-college, we bring back two experts in Abe Schwadron and myself, Josh Zipin to analyze all the games on Sundays. I take pride in introducing to you our newest recruit, Pia Nargundkar"don't hate, she knows her stuff. We also bring back one lesser talent in the form of Phillip Allen (sorry, Phil). This season we will do our best to predict the Redskins all the way to the Super Bowl, and along the way hopefully win some bragging rights. I sit on the throne as last season's pick 'em champion, and I'll be there until one of these so-called "experts" knocks me off. Here are our passionate picks for the first week of NFL games.
Breathe. The months of waiting for pro football to return are over. Lord football is back and ready to reign once again. Whether you need to check up on your favorite team, analyze this year's Super Bowl contenders or just want to do a little light reading before the NFL kicks off later tonight, SCO's staff of NFL experts is here for you.
While most Americans are lounging the summer heat away, going to baseball games and taking dives in the neighborhood pool, 6,000 miles away a conflict rages on in the Middle East. For the past three weeks, Israel and the militant Shiite group, Hezbollah, in southern Lebanon, have been engaged in fierce fighting. The daily headlines are grim: scores of innocent children killed in Lebanon, barrages of rocket fire raining on Israel. Hundreds of both Israeli and Lebanese civilians have been killed or wounded in the conflict, as well as four UN observers and a handful of foreign nationals. The United States needs to take a more active approach if we want to disarm a malicious terrorist organization and stop the horrific murder of Lebanese civilians.
Sleep and dream of sledding and snowmen!
Step one: rip a piece of notebook paper into small pieces.
Step two: Turn on music and dance until you get tired.
While dancing, scatter the pieces of paper (they represent snow).
When you finish dancing, pick up the papers and place them underneath your pillow.
Houston's Restaurant disappoints despite first impressions.
The accident occurred across the Woodmoor shopping plaza during a break in night school.
Hey Blazers - Blair Pair is back, and just in time for prom season! To reach your application, click on the picture above.
It's October! The temperature has dropped. Leaves are changing colors. And that smell of autumn is in the air. It won't be long before pumpkins start appearing on doorsteps.