Latest news with #LongIsland
CBS News
14 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
New York State Regents review's definition of Zionism draws the ire of many on Long Island
There is controversy on Long Island over a New York State Regents exam study packet that some say inaccurately defines Zionism and includes factual errors. A mother told CBS News New York on Tuesday she wants more than an apology. What the review packet says Michelle Herman of Melville gives her daughter's 10th grade Global History Regents review packet at Half Hollow Hills East High School a failing grade. It defines Zionism as "an example of extreme nationalism." "To call Zionism extreme nationalism is propaganda. I consider myself a Zionist. There is nothing extreme about Zionism. It is loving my country," Herman said. The review includes historical inaccuracies and bias, including statements like, "Every war ended with Israel gaining more land" and "Jews taking land away from Palestinians." "It's incorrect. It's propaganda. It's biased," Herman said. Anti-Defamation League frustrated by the review packet The Anti-Defamation League says the nine-line summary is similar to what it has seen taught elsewhere. "Completely ignoring the first intifada, the second intifada, and many many decades of terrorist incidents. Before that, all the wars that Israel fought were wars of defense," the ADL's Scott Richman said. "It's skewed to show the Israelis as aggressors, as criminals, and Palestinians are completely innocent actors, and none of that is true." It set off a firestorm of comments at a recent board meeting. No one spoke in favor of the handout. "As a Jewish student sitting in a classroom and seeing the history of my people distorted and mocked was heartbreaking," one student said. Brian Conboy, the interim superintendent of the Half Hollow Hills School District acknowledged it, "contained language and ideas that were factually incorrect and offensive" and was not created by anyone in the district. He added the curriculum going forward will be vetted by experts. "On behalf of our district, we want you all to know that offensive and inaccurate material such as this do not meet our standards of excellence and are not something we take lightly. We can and will do better moving forward," Conboy said. Origin of the review packet remains a mystery The source of the study sheet is still a mystery. The New York State Education Department says it had no hand in it. A spokesperson for the school district said it has not found the origin. Herman said she wonders how many prior grades received the lesson. "We have been indoctrinating our own children and giving them the wrong information," she said. She is calling for accountability -- not to punish, but to educate -- and she wants what is wrong to be righted. The Education Department said it's taking the matter seriously and will continue to monitor and take appropriate action as needed.
Asharq Al-Awsat
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Think You Know 'Jaws'? Test Your Knowledge with this Trivia Ahead of the Movie's 50th Anniversary
Friday marks the 50th anniversary of 'Jaws.' It remains one of the most beloved and rewatched movies of all time. But how good is your knowledge of the some of lore surrounding Steven Spielberg's 1975 masterpiece? Read on and see how much you know about 'Jaws.' What was the nickname given to the shark? Spielberg named his mechanical shark 'Bruce,' after his attorney, Bruce Ramer. Where did the title come from? When author Peter Benchley's 1974 book was going to print, he needed to choose a title. He has juggled various titles — 'Leviathan Rising,' 'Silent Fall' — before, at the last minute, choosing 'Jaws.' What did it mean? Benchley, himself, wasn't sure, he told his editor, but it was short. What's the origin of the iconic movie poster? The image of the rising shark came from the cover of the novel's paperback edition, illustrated by Roger Kastel. For his painting, Kastel went to the American Museum of Natural History to photograph a great white shark from a diorama that was laying on an easel. What was the inspiration for Amity? Though Spielberg shot 'Jaws' on Martha's Vineyard, off Cape Cod, it was the neighboring island, Nantucket, that inspired Benchley's novel. He has spent time fishing there with his father. In the book, the fictional Amity is on the south shore of Long Island. Who was first attached to direct 'Jaws'? Dick Richards was initially in line to direct the film, but producer Richard D. Zanuck said he lost the job after, in a meeting, repeatedly referring to the shark as a whale. How old was Spielberg when he began the project? 26. Who sought but was turned down the role of Brody? Charlton Heston wanted to play the Amity Island police chief, but Spielberg instead cast Roy Scheider. What's the name of Quint's boat? The Orca. Not coincidentally, two years after the massive success of 'Jaws,' a 1977 ripoff about a killer whale was released titled 'Orca.' What led to the shark often malfunctioning? Salt water. The shark, built by special effects artist Bob Mattey, would get corroded by the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean, leaving it unusable for times – particularly early in the filmmaking. Spielberg pivoted and instead doesn't show the shark until well into the film, an approach that ultimately led to a far more suspenseful film. Spielberg once estimated that Bruce's mechanical delays added $175 million to the movie's box office. How long into 'Jaws' does the shark fully appear on screen? It's not until one hour and 21 minutes into the movie that we really see the shark. Was the movie's most iconic line scripted? No, Schieder adlibbed 'You're gonna need a bigger boat.' Screenwriter Carl Gottlieb, though, has said the line had been percolating on set. The size of the barge carrying equipment and craft services was often slighted by the crew who felt producers weren't spending enough. Gottlieb told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016: 'It became a catchphrase for any time anything went wrong – if lunch was late or the swells were rocking the camera, someone would say, 'You're gonna need a bigger boat.'' What disaster was Quint a survivor of? The sinking of the USS Indianapolis, the US Navy cruiser torpedoed by a Japanese submarine during World War II. Quint's lengthy and memorably speech in the film wasn't in the novel but was, according to Spielberg, penned by the uncredited screenwriter John Milius. Spielberg wanted a backstory to why Quint hated sharks so much. Though debate has continued over the years over who wrote the monologue, everyone has agreed Shaw synthesized it, and deserves most of the credit for the scene's power. Does Spielberg appear in 'Jaws?' The director isn't seen in the film but his voice is heard. During the finale of the film when Quint is readying the harpoon, it's Spielberg's voice on the radio. He says: 'This is Amity point light-station to Orca. Orca, come in.' Spielberg shows up in a couple other ways, too. A clarinetist in high school, he plays briefly on Williams' score. And Brody's dogs were Spielberg's cocker spaniels, Elmer and Zalman. (For his part, Benchley makes a cameo as a TV reporter during the July 4th beach scene.) How far over schedule did 'Jaws' run? The production was scheduled for 55 days but took 159 days to complete. The budget also nearly tripled, to $9 million, plus $3 million more in post-production. Though 'Jaws' become the prototype summer movie, it was originally expected to open around Christmastime the year before. What was 'Jaws' rated? Though it caused some controversy, the Motion Picture Association of America gave 'Jaws' a 'PG' rating. At the time, there was no PG-13 rating. (That only began in 1984, with 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,' after a handful of other Spielberg productions, including 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' and 'Gremlins' led to the new category.) Jack Valenti, then-president of the MPAA, defended the rating by arguing that ''Jaws' involved nature's violence, rather than man's violence against man,' Valenti said. 'This is the same kind of violence as in 'Hansel and Gretel.' Children might imitate other kinds of violence, but not the kind seen in 'Jaws.'' The movie's poster carried the warning: 'MAY BE TOO INTENSE FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN.' What did 'Jaws' lose best picture to at the Academy Awards? 'Jaws' was nominated for four Oscars and won three: best sound, best editing and best score for John Williams. The competition for best picture, though, was fierce. The nominees, alongside 'Jaws,' where 'Dog Day Afternoon,' 'Barry Lyndon,' 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' and 'Nashville.' The winner was 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.'
The Independent
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Think you know 'Jaws'? Test your knowledge with this trivia ahead of the movie's 50th anniversary
Friday marks the 50th anniversary of ' Jaws.' It remains one of the most beloved and rewatched movies of all time. But how good is your knowledge of the some of lore surrounding Steven Spielberg 's 1975 masterpiece? Read on and see how much you know about 'Jaws.' What was the nickname given to the shark? Spielberg named his mechanical shark 'Bruce,' after his attorney, Bruce Ramer. Where did the title come from? When author Peter Benchley's 1974 book was going to print, he needed to choose a title. He has juggled various titles — 'Leviathan Rising,' 'Silent Fall' — before, at the last minute, choosing 'Jaws.' What did it mean? Benchley, himself, wasn't sure, he told his editor, but it was short. What's the origin of the iconic movie poster? The image of the rising shark came from the cover of the novel's paperback edition, illustrated by Roger Kastel. For his painting, Kastel went to the American Museum of Natural History to photograph a great white shark from a diorama that was laying on an easel. What was the inspiration for Amity? Though Spielberg shot 'Jaws' on Martha's Vineyard, off Cape Cod, it was the neighboring island, Nantucket, that inspired Benchley's novel. He has spent time fishing there with his father. In the book, the fictional Amity is on the south shore of Long Island. Who was first attached to direct 'Jaws'? Dick Richards was initially in line to direct the film, but producer Richard D. Zanuck said he lost the job after, in a meeting, repeatedly referring to the shark as a whale. How old was Spielberg when he began the project? 26. Who sought but was turned down the role of Brody? Charlton Heston wanted to play the Amity Island police chief, but Spielberg instead cast Roy Scheider. What's the name of Quint's boat? The Orca. Not coincidentally, two years after the massive success of 'Jaws,' a 1977 ripoff about a killer whale was released titled 'Orca.' What led to the shark often malfunctioning? Salt water. The shark, built by special effects artist Bob Mattey, would get corroded by the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean, leaving it unusable for times – particularly early in the filmmaking. Spielberg pivoted and instead doesn't show the shark until well into the film, an approach that ultimately led to a far more suspenseful film. Spielberg once estimated that Bruce's mechanical delays added $175 million to the movie's box office. How long into 'Jaws' does the shark fully appear on screen? It's not until one hour and 21 minutes into the movie that we really see the shark. Was the movie's most iconic line scripted? No, Schieder adlibbed 'You're gonna need a bigger boat.' Screenwriter Carl Gottlieb, though, has said the line had been percolating on set. The size of the barge carrying equipment and craft services was often slighted by the crew who felt producers weren't spending enough. Gottlieb told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016: 'It became a catchphrase for any time anything went wrong – if lunch was late or the swells were rocking the camera, someone would say, 'You're gonna need a bigger boat.'' What disaster was Quint a survivor of? The sinking of the USS Indianapolis, the U.S. Navy cruiser torpedoed by a Japanese submarine during World War II. Quint's lengthy and memorably speech in the film wasn't in the novel but was, according to Spielberg, penned by the uncredited screenwriter John Milius. Spielberg wanted a backstory to why Quint hated sharks so much. Though debate has continued over the years over who wrote the monologue, everyone has agreed Shaw synthesized it, and deserves most of the credit for the scene's power. Does Spielberg appear in 'Jaws?' The director isn't seen in the film but his voice is heard. During the finale of the film when Quint is readying the harpoon, it's Spielberg's voice on the radio. He says: 'This is Amity point light-station to Orca. Orca, come in.' Spielberg shows up in a couple other ways, too. A clarinetist in high school, he plays briefly on Williams' score. And Brody's dogs were Spielberg's cocker spaniels, Elmer and Zalman. (For his part, Benchley makes a cameo as a TV reporter during the July 4th beach scene.) How far over schedule did 'Jaws' run? The production was scheduled for 55 days but took 159 days to complete. The budget also nearly tripled, to $9 million, plus $3 million more in post-production. Though 'Jaws' become the prototype summer movie, it was originally expected to open around Christmastime the year before. What was 'Jaws' rated? Though it caused some controversy, the Motion Picture Association of America gave 'Jaws' a 'PG' rating. At the time, there was no PG-13 rating. (That only began in 1984, with 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,' after a handful of other Spielberg productions, including 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' and 'Gremlins' led to the new category.) Jack Valenti, then-president of the MPAA, defended the rating by arguing that ''Jaws' involved nature's violence, rather than man's violence against man,' Valenti said. 'This is the same kind of violence as in 'Hansel and Gretel.' Children might imitate other kinds of violence, but not the kind seen in 'Jaws.'' The movie's poster carried the warning: 'MAY BE TOO INTENSE FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN.' What did 'Jaws' lose best picture to at the Academy Awards? 'Jaws' was nominated for four Oscars and won three: best sound, best editing and best score for John Williams. The competition for best picture, though, was fierce. The nominees, alongside 'Jaws,' where 'Dog Day Afternoon,' 'Barry Lyndon,' 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' and 'Nashville.' The winner was 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.'
Associated Press
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Think you know 'Jaws'? Test your knowledge with this trivia ahead of the movie's 50th anniversary
Friday marks the 50th anniversary of 'Jaws.' It remains one of the most beloved and rewatched movies of all time. But how good is your knowledge of the some of lore surrounding Steven Spielberg's 1975 masterpiece? Read on and see how much you know about 'Jaws.' What was the nickname given to the shark? Spielberg named his mechanical shark 'Bruce,' after his attorney, Bruce Ramer. Where did the title come from? When author Peter Benchley's 1974 book was going to print, he needed to choose a title. He has juggled various titles — 'Leviathan Rising,' 'Silent Fall' — before, at the last minute, choosing 'Jaws.' What did it mean? Benchley, himself, wasn't sure, he told his editor, but it was short. What's the origin of the iconic movie poster? The image of the rising shark came from the cover of the novel's paperback edition, illustrated by Roger Kastel. For his painting, Kastel went to the American Museum of Natural History to photograph a great white shark from a diorama that was laying on an easel. What was the inspiration for Amity? Though Spielberg shot 'Jaws' on Martha's Vineyard, off Cape Cod, it was the neighboring island, Nantucket, that inspired Benchley's novel. He has spent time fishing there with his father. In the book, the fictional Amity is on the south shore of Long Island. Who was first attached to direct 'Jaws'? Dick Richards was initially in line to direct the film, but producer Richard D. Zanuck said he lost the job after, in a meeting, repeatedly referring to the shark as a whale. How old was Spielberg when he began the project? 26. Who sought but was turned down the role of Brody? Charlton Heston wanted to play the Amity Island police chief, but Spielberg instead cast Roy Scheider. What's the name of Quint's boat? The Orca. Not coincidentally, two years after the massive success of 'Jaws,' a 1977 ripoff about a killer whale was released titled 'Orca.' What led to the shark often malfunctioning? Salt water. The shark, built by special effects artist Bob Mattey, would get corroded by the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean, leaving it unusable for times – particularly early in the filmmaking. Spielberg pivoted and instead doesn't show the shark until well into the film, an approach that ultimately led to a far more suspenseful film. Spielberg once estimated that Bruce's mechanical delays added $175 million to the movie's box office. How long into 'Jaws' does the shark fully appear on screen? It's not until one hour and 21 minutes into the movie that we really see the shark. Was the movie's most iconic line scripted? No, Schieder adlibbed 'You're gonna need a bigger boat.' Screenwriter Carl Gottlieb, though, has said the line had been percolating on set. The size of the barge carrying equipment and craft services was often slighted by the crew who felt producers weren't spending enough. Gottlieb told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016: 'It became a catchphrase for any time anything went wrong – if lunch was late or the swells were rocking the camera, someone would say, 'You're gonna need a bigger boat.'' What disaster was Quint a survivor of? The sinking of the USS Indianapolis, the U.S. Navy cruiser torpedoed by a Japanese submarine during World War II. Quint's lengthy and memorably speech in the film wasn't in the novel but was, according to Spielberg, penned by the uncredited screenwriter John Milius. Spielberg wanted a backstory to why Quint hated sharks so much. Though debate has continued over the years over who wrote the monologue, everyone has agreed Shaw synthesized it, and deserves most of the credit for the scene's power. Does Spielberg appear in 'Jaws?' The director isn't seen in the film but his voice is heard. During the finale of the film when Quint is readying the harpoon, it's Spielberg's voice on the radio. He says: 'This is Amity point light-station to Orca. Orca, come in.' Spielberg shows up in a couple other ways, too. A clarinetist in high school, he plays briefly on Williams' score. And Brody's dogs were Spielberg's cocker spaniels, Elmer and Zalman. (For his part, Benchley makes a cameo as a TV reporter during the July 4th beach scene.) How far over schedule did 'Jaws' run? The production was scheduled for 55 days but took 159 days to complete. The budget also nearly tripled, to $9 million, plus $3 million more in post-production. Though 'Jaws' become the prototype summer movie, it was originally expected to open around Christmastime the year before. What was 'Jaws' rated? Though it caused some controversy, the Motion Picture Association of America gave 'Jaws' a 'PG' rating. At the time, there was no PG-13 rating. (That only began in 1984, with 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,' after a handful of other Spielberg productions, including 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' and 'Gremlins' led to the new category.) Jack Valenti, then-president of the MPAA, defended the rating by arguing that ''Jaws' involved nature's violence, rather than man's violence against man,' Valenti said. 'This is the same kind of violence as in 'Hansel and Gretel.' Children might imitate other kinds of violence, but not the kind seen in 'Jaws.'' The movie's poster carried the warning: 'MAY BE TOO INTENSE FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN.' What did 'Jaws' lose best picture to at the Academy Awards? 'Jaws' was nominated for four Oscars and won three: best sound, best editing and best score for John Williams. The competition for best picture, though, was fierce. The nominees, alongside 'Jaws,' where 'Dog Day Afternoon,' 'Barry Lyndon,' 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' and 'Nashville.' The winner was 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.'
Washington Post
a day ago
- Health
- Washington Post
Ducks return to a Long Island farm that lost its entire flock to the bird flu
AQUEBOGUE, N.Y. — Doug Corwin knew there was a problem at his family's commercial duck farm in Long Island when he spotted scores of dead or lethargic birds during a barn inspection in January. Within days, Crescent Duck Farm became a casualty of the global avian flu outbreak , one of many farms around the U.S. that had to cull their entire flock, sending the prices of eggs and other agricultural commodities soaring.
