Student Newspaper of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts North Adams, Mass.
The Beacon
For more content, visit online at: beacon.mcla.edu Volume 77 ◆ Issue 2
Th u r s d ay, F e rua r y 7 , 2 0 1 3
Physics professor gets national recognition Emily Maher and group honored by physics magazine as top ten breakthroughs of 2012
Blazers drop overtime thriller
By Andrew Hodgson Staff Writer Physics Professor Emily Maher is in love with tiny, barely noticeable particles called neutrinos; the most introverted, anti-social of subatomic particles. They don’t play well with others in the world of particle physics. But Maher had high hopes for neutrinos and, in collaboration with other physicists, embarked on an experiment revealing the potential communication value of neutrinos. The scientist’s work has earned them the distinction of being one of Physics World magazines top ten breakthroughs of 2012. The now-famous experiment began when a group of engineers from North Carolina State University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering wanted to research whether communication using neutrinos was possible. They requested that this research be undertaken by MINERvA, an international group of physicists funded by the Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and the University of Rochester. Maher, as a part of Main Injector Experiment for v-A MINERvA, finally had a chance to explore the neutrino’s behavior. Neutrinos only interact with one of the three forces in particle physics, the weak force. This property allows them to travel tremendous distances without
Photo by Kacie Clark/Beacon Staff
Professor Emily Maher, one of the leaders in neutrino research. interacting with any matter along the way, leaving their data intact. The particle can deliver information through almost anything, including, in theory, the earth’s core and deep space. This gives the particle the potential to increase the efficiency of communications to space and to submarines thousands of feet below the ocean’s surface. “When I found MINERvA it had about 60 people, which is small for particle physics, and I knew a couple people who were working on it, all those [factors] contributed to my choosing to apply to work on the experiment,” Maher explained. “The idea is in the very far future, maybe neutrino communication could be used on submarines and in space,” Maher said.
MAHER, continued on page 4
See full story, page 7 Photo by Kayla Degnan/Beacon Staff
Junior Anthony Barbosa seeks out open teammates in the game against Westfield State in Tuesday night’s game.
Student leaders to meet at annual conference
See full story, page 8
By Jack Guerino Staff Writer
Superhuman Happiness offered a very engaging live performance in Mass MoCa’s club B-10.
twitter.com/ BeaconMCLA_EIC facebook.com/ MCLABeacon
Photo by Shauna Dacus/Beacon Staff
New Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
The annual Student Leadership Conference begins Saturday. Students can learn how to develop stronger leadership skills through activities and presentations. The Student Leadership conference aims to instill important leadership qualities in students, help them grow as leaders and become more efficient group organizers. The event is free and open to all students. “We here in student development and all the others in student affairs that help put the conference on are here to help students learn and grow their leadership potential,” said Jennifer Craig, coordinator of student activities.
Women’s Basketball falls short
LeSage brings a teacher’s perspective Teams loses to Westfield State and to the College’s administration Worcester State in past games News, page 3
Sports, page 6
The event is geared toward both experienced and prospective leaders. The conference starts Saturday at 9 a.m. in the Campus Center gym. “It ranges anywhere from if you are a seasoned leader in your senior year or a freshman coming in and not knowing where to start,” said Craig. “Depending on what presentation you attend you are going to get anything and everything out of it.” The conference will cover many aspects of leadership that students can use in their academic and personal lives. “We have different topics ranging from dress to success, to time management, to how to deal with a difficult team member in your organization,” explained Craig.
LEADERSHIP, continued on page 4
Jon Kinney: inspired theatrical artist Harlequin president discusses his theatrical endeavors Arts & Entertainment, page 9
News 2-5 Sports 6-7 Arts & Entertainment 8-9 Opinion 10 Fun & Games 11 Photo Essay 12
2
News
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Associated Press MARYSVILLE, Ohio (AP) A central Ohio man’s heart sank when he realized that burglars had broken in and stolen a safe holding his most prized possession - a 300-year-old family Bible. The Lutheran Bible, written in German Gothic script and containing the handwritten dates of births, deaths and marriages for seven generations of Tim Shier’s family, went missing in the burglary in Marysville, near Columbus, in December 2011. But thanks to a bit of luck, a sharp-eyed family member, local deputies and Goodwill - which had ended up with the Bible and then sold it online - the heirloom is back in Shier’s hands. He called it an answer to his prayers. “Our family can’t put a price on that Bible,’’ Shier told The Columbus Dispatch for a story Tuesday. “History can never be replaced.’’ The effort started with the arrest of four men in the burglary. A judge offered to give one of the defendants a break if he could find the Bible. But the man came up empty, saying that he thought it had been dropped in some kind of bin. A few weeks ago, one of Shier’s cousins saw a reference to an old German Bible on the website ancestry.com. She called Shier, who called the sheriff ’s office in Union County where he lives. Sheriff ’s detectives enlisted the help of Goodwill, which had sold the Bible online, and tracked it to Louisiana and then to Georgia. But the couple who had bought it wouldn’t send it back without recouping the $405 they had paid for it. The sheriff ’s office doesn’t buy back stolen goods. So the Union County police union stepped up and covered the cost. “This was no stolen television,’’ said detective Mike Justice, who worked on the case and is president of the Union County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 171. “It’s a family heirloom, and we believed it was important to get it back.’’ On Saturday night, the treasured book was carried down the aisle and presented to Shier during the police lodge’s annual benefit concert at a high school auditorium. Shier’s family ended up donating enough money to repay the police union.
beacon.mcla.edu
SGA approves constitutions By Chris Goodell Staff Writer
The Student Government Association (SGA) voted Monday night to approve the constitution of the newly-formed World Records Breaking Club. According to the club president, Nick Hernigle, one of the goals of the club is to gain recognition not just for themselves, but also for the College. “We created this club to advertise for MCLA,” he said. Hernigle believes that the College will gain notoriety as the club breaks Guinness world records. The first record the club has its sights set on is the longest dodge ball tournament at 43 hours. “We’re going to go through different records on [Guinness’s] website and in the book,” Hernigle said. The motion to approve the constitution passed with five senators voting in favor, one opposed and four abstaining. Senate Chair Brendan Peltier, acting as a senator on Monday night, and senator Alexandra Kadell had to abstain as they were on the club’s preliminary list of members. “I think that the constitution looks very good,” said SGA President Jason Brown, “and I see no reason not to approve it.” The senate also voted to ratify the revised constitutions of two existing clubs, voting 8-2 to approve the Aikido Club’s
constitution and 7-3 to approve the Society of Music’s constitution. Supplemental Requests
Budget
The Environuts have presented the SGA with a supplemental budget request of $600 to fund an upcoming trip to Washington, D.C. Club members wish to partner with Williams College to take part in a protest of the Keystone XL Pipeline on Feb. 17. Environuts President Becky Geraci explained that the proposed pipeline would run from the Tar Sands in Alberta, Canada, to the Gulf of Mexico, passing over the Ogallala Aquifer, a Midwestern underground water source. “It’s a huge deal,” Geraci said. “The [aquifer] is a water source for the western United States.” The Environuts sent several members to Washington, D.C. in November 2011 as part of a similar protest, when over 12,000 people from across the country turned up to speak out against the pipeline. Special Elections Parliamentarian Brycen Waters announced that the first and only round of special elections to fill vacant SGA seats will be head on Wednesday, Feb. 20 in the marketplace. Open seats include one Senator at Large seat; two Class of 2013 senate seats; one Class
of 2014 senate seat; one Class of 2015 senate seat; one Commuter senate seat; and Class of 2015 Treasurer and Secretary. Brown noted that the SGA has many spots to fill. Peltier had to relinquish the gavel and act as a voting member of the senate Monday night because there were initially not enough senators present to have quorum. Chicken Tenders
Brown encouraged members of the student body who wish to see chicken tenders return to the Centennial Room contact him or Peltier, who sits on the Food Committee. An online petition garnered at least 19 signatures urging the SGA and ARAMARK to work on bringing chicken tenders back to the Centennial Room. “For too long, I have lived my life without chicken tenders,” wrote senior Juwonni Cottle. “I must now spend upwards of seven dollars to order them from a restaurant. Bringing back the chicken tenders would be a godsend and would truly help make my experience at MCLA a better one.” Brown has good news, however, for those needing to fill their chicken tender craviings. “Chicken tenders will be served at the Student Leadership Conference,” he said. The Conference will take place on Saturday, Feb. 9 in the Campus Center gym.
Winter Week Executive Vice President Kate Moore announced last week that SGA’s annual Winter Week will take place from Monday, Feb. 18 to Sunday, Feb. 24. Moore said that Winter Week will include activities such as Midnight Skate, two movie nights, milkshakes in the Marketplace, and several events put on by the Student Activities Council (SAC). More details of Winter Week will be made available in the coming weeks.
photo by Jess Gamari/ Beacon Staff
Senator Stephan Rochfort discusses the importance of adhering to SGA guidelines and policies.
Green Living Series seminars continue
The Spring 2013 “Green Living” seminars at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts will continue on Thursday, Feb. 7, at 5:30 p.m. in Murdock 218, with a lecture titled “ShortTerm Action, Long-Term Change.” The public is invited to attend this free series, “Place-Based Prosperity.” The aim of the series is to inform both students and community members about creative ways that reducing our environmental impact can be linked with enhancing local financial resilience and the vitality of cities and towns in our region The Feb. 1 lecture will be presented by Andrew Howard of Team Better Block, which works with cities, developers, and stakeholders to create quick, inexpensive, high-impact changes that improve and revitalize underused properties and highlight the potential for creating great “Complete Streets.” Howard is a transportation planner focused on successful integration of land use, transportation, and urban design. During his 12 years of experience, he has worked in both the public and private sectors developing master and corridor plans aimed at sustainable urbanism. At Team Better Block, he focuses on
developing vibrant walkable communities by addressing changes in infrastructure and mobility while tapping into an area’s greatest potential for economic redevelopment. The series will continue on Thursdays through April 25th. For more information, go to www.mcla.edu/greenliving or contact Elena
Traister at (413) 662-5303. The 2013 Green Living Seminar series received assistance from Imagining North Adams and is a presentation of MCLA’s Berkshire Environmental Resource Center and the MCLA Environmental Studies Department.
Tonight: Short-Term Action, Long-term Change Andrew Howard, Team Better Block
2/14: Green Certification: The Sacred and the Profane
R. John Anderson, Principal at Anderson Kim Architecture & Urban Design; and Stephanie Boyd, Director of the Williams College Zilkha Center
2/21: The Original Green
Steve Mouzon, Principal at Mouzon Design
2/28: The Agrarian City
Andres Duany, Principal at Duany Plater Zyberk & Company; and Jennifer Munoz, Director of the Growing Healthy Garden Program
Weekend Weather 2/7 - 2/10 Thursday, February 7
Friday, February 8
Saturday, February 9
Sunday, February 10
Mostly Cloudy High: 20° Low: 16° Precip. Chance: 40%
Snow High: 28° Low: 15° Precip. Chance: 90%
Partly Cloudy High: 20° Low: -1° Precip. Chance: 0%
Partly Cloudy High: 31° Low: 15° Precip. Chance: 0%
local.msn.com/weather
News
Thursday, Feburary 7, 2013
beacon.mcla.edu
Paul LeSage reflects on his first year
3
After 30 years of teaching in the English Department, LeSage serves as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs By Ryan Flynn Senior News Editor Sitting at a round table in his spacious office at the bottom of Eldridge Hall, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Paul LeSage wears a smile as he reflects on his first year as dean and the 30 years he spent teaching English here. As associate dean, LeSage has helped prepare for the college’s upcoming reaccreditation, found classroom space both on and off campus now that Bowman Hall is being reworked, and jump started the First Year Experience program for freshman. He said that so far he is happy with how things are improving, particularly opportunities he has helped provide for freshman. “We had a great First Year Experience for freshman in the fall, freshman retention rate is up, and I learned a lot about other departments and disciplines,” he said. The associate deanship is a two-year rotating position that offers faculty members the opportunity to improve the school and bring a teacher’s perspective to the college administration. He also still teaches English courses in the summer, such as business writing, and said he will most likely continue to teach once his deanship concludes. He added
that he once served as a Beacon Advisor, helped start up the online edition, and has really enjoyed his time here. “Teaching here had been a great experience,” he said. “I enjoyed working with my colleagues, people’s offices across campus, and especially the students.” Junior Rozlyn Cummings said that LeSage excels at assisting students and credits him with helping her through a frustrating time. She was struggling to gain approval for an independent study when one of her teachers recommended she talk to LeSage. Though she had not heard everything for over a month, she said he took care of the matter in only a couple of days. “In this school there are a lot of people to talk to, but then there are the right people to talk to,” she said. “He’s just a great guy.” LeSage also noted that having a strong English background has been very helpful with his new career, especially when it comes to the college reaccreditation. “I’ve been editing and writing for that so I’m able to use the skills I’ve acquired as an English professor,” he said. LeSage has been teaching here since 1981 after earning a Ph.D in Communication at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in
Photo by Kayla Degnan/Beacon Staff
Paul LeSage continues to help improve students’ academic life during his first year as the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. 1991. He is also a published writer with a resume that includes the Pittsfield Gazette, the Berkshire Eagle, UMass Spectrum, and the Berkshire Sampler. “It’s a very busy place, but I love what I’m doing,” he said. “I’ve had a wonderful career here and
it’s continuing. I’ll be here for as long as I’m productive.” While he works a very busy job, LeSage has a variety of hobbies. “In my spare time I love MCLA sports, I love the Celtics, and just Boston sports in general,” he said.
He added that he writes poetry, songs, and has played guitar in bands such as the Faculty Union band. He enjoys watching his sons perform in plays and compete in swim meets.
Letter to the Editor The College voices thoughts Risk managment protocol on firearms By Nicholas Arena Managing Editor In light of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the debate about gun control is on the tip of most tongues, including MCLA students and faculty. The looming question is whether assault weapons and large magazine firearms should carry the blame and whether stricter gun control laws would prevent any further incidents. “I think a lot of the discussions about stricter gun laws are misplaced, in a way, because most of the killings in the United States are committed with handguns,” Professor of Sociology Edward Curtin said. “By banning assault weapons or large magazines, we’re only touching a tip of the problem.” An on-campus survey of 50 students showed that Curtin is not the only member of the campus community to feel this way. Just over 60 percent of students felt assault weapons were not to blame for the incident, and more than 40 percent felt stricter gun laws would help prevent the issue in the future, but would not be the end-all and be-all in
preventing shootings. “If Americans are interested in keeping their weapons and if people think that is more important than, for whatever reason, a shooter being able to hurt innocent children, then I feel like there’s really nothing we can really do about it, but improve our gun safety with an assault weapons ban and such,” sophomore Brian Fitzpatrick said. Students would like see more intelligent gun control measures, and better focus on the psychological issues of the shooters, according to campus members surveyed. “I would say [a better first step would be] good studies and an investigation into the links between the killings that have taken place and the use of psychotropic drugs,” Curtin said. “I think the use of these drugs is a major problem.” This is not to say that Curtin, Fitzpatrick, and other students believe easy access to assault weapons is a good thing. “Considering the legitimate uses of a weapon, like target practice, or hunting, you’re not going to [need] an assault rifle for that,” Fitzpatrick said. “I wholeheartedly support the
idea that assault weapons are only made for killing large amounts of people.” Other preventative measures proposed by groups such as the National Rifle Association have included placing armed guards in all schools. This option would be no better, according to Curtin. “I think that it’s insane, because it would create an atmosphere of fear in children,” he said. “They’re too young for that, in colleges there are armed guards, but we’re talking six and seven-year-olds here. College students may not like it, but they’re not going to be traumatized by it.” Neither believes firearms need to be eliminated entirely, and that constitutional rights will always take precedence in the matter. According to Curtin, a total ban on guns would create a government monopoly on firearms, and this is not a better option. “That rifle on the wall of the laborer’s cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there,” Curtin said, quoting the famous author, George Orwell.
‘bears watching’
Andrew Hodgson's Beacon piece of January 31, 2013, which appeared on the front page, above the fold, featured an interview with MCLA Public Safety Director Joseph Charon and a photo of the department's lethal weapon of choice. In spite of the fact that two thirds of the College's faculty, students, and neighbors OPPOSED the move, Director Charon admits that he went directly to item #10 of consultants Applied Risk Management (ARM) 27 recommendations and proceeded to plan training and purchase of guns for his cadre of campus officers. Mr. Charon further concedes that campus consensus was in favor of "not arming officers", yet he baffles readers by saying "...I think the process spoke well of our community and how we approach things and work together." Given the director's admission that no group of the campus community was in favor of armed officers, one wonders what exactly is the director's definition of "working together". One might also wonder why the reporter wouldn't question the director's claim of working together when the outcome not only fails to reflect consensus but is actually in direct contradiction to the campus community's expressed views. It does appear that the several hearings were merely pro forma, and that the decision to arm was pre-ordained. Interestingly, these hearings, the decision, and arms training all took place before the sad Sandy Hook primary school massacre, and before the NRA's Wayne LaPierre proposed his personal
safety dictum that we all "arm up". I guess this shows that Mr. Charon, LaPierre, and the NRA are like minded, and see guns as the solution to violence rather than a problem. I disagree, and see armed officers as antithetical to a small liberal arts college in a small Berkshire County town. Now that campus officers are well protected, should they have to respond to an assault, invasion or other attack before North Adams police can travel the few blocks to campus, what is the director doing to reveal and implement the remaining twenty-six ARM preventive and self protection recommendations? This bears watching. Fortunately, our State Representative is sponsoring a bill to make it easier for law-abiding citizens, who might prefer to arm themselves with a non-lethal protection device, to purchase mace. As it now stands, it is just as easy to purchase a gun as to acquire mace. Also, former MCLA trustee Richard Lamb amended that board's decision to arm, by calling for a review of the campus police arming six months after implementation. Finally, related to the 2012 process and the disconnect between students' and faculty's expressed views and trustees' decision to arm, I noticed that students wrote, and the Beacon printed, a letter to the governor seeking a more democratic approach college governance. This, too, bears watching.
Diane M.G. Parsons
4
News
Thursday, February 7, 2013
beacon.mcla.edu
Campus gears up for Student Leadership Conference LEADERSHIP, continued from page 1
The conference will have presentations from both professionals in the field and students who have attended the conference before. After students check in in the morning, keynote speaker and leadership trainer Ed Gerety will deliver his presentation “Making Your Mark: Leadership Principles To Meet The Challenge.” After the Keynote presentation there will be four sessions. Sessions one and four will be dedicated to student presentations. Sessions two and three will be presented by professional staff from MCLA and other colleges.
“Some of these meetings are activity based but most are just trying to impart knowledge about how to be a better leader or a student leader,” said Nicole Leblanc, member of Residential Programs and Services. Leblanc sees leadership as a critical aspect of a liberal arts education and urges students to attend the conference. “In order to be a leader you have to be able to handle so many different obstacles and challenges that come every day and in liberal arts we teach about seeing that bigger picture and tapping into all the different aspects that come about in daily life,” Leblanc said. “It fits hand and hand with a liberal arts education.” Leblanc has seen a positive re-
“In order to be a leader you have to be able to handle so many different obstacles and challenges that come every day.” - Nicole Leblanc sponse from students who have participated in the conference. “For some students it motivates them to brush up on their public speaking skills and it builds up their confidence,” she explained. “I have seen students planning
on presenting that haven’t done it before in the past so this is the first step in a more powerful role for them.” Each conference has a different theme voted on by the committee in charge of planning the conference. This year they decided to use “The Wizard Of Oz” to inspire decorations and taglines for the conference such as “There is no place like leadership.” “There will be decorations and lots of ruby red slippers all around,” said Craig. “We really do try to go all out with the decorations because it helps make the atmosphere.” “We already have some great student leaders on campus, but it’s always wonderful to get more students involved and build up
the potential they all have,” Leblanc added.
Physics professor nationally recognized for work MAHER, continued from page 1
The folks at MINERvA could never have guessed the experiment would put the national science spotlight on them. “The neutrino communication was a side project to our (MINERvA’s) mission,” Maher said. For the researchers, life is not all the glamour of being in the national spotlight of
physics would suggest. Once the experiments are done, the number-crunching begins. “We have taken a bunch of data and we are analyzing it,” Maher said of the experiments next stage. The last stage is the publishing of the MINERvA’s results. “We are about to publish two or three papers this year detailing the physics results of MINERvA,” Maher said. Since her involvement during graduate school with
an experiment called Direct Observation of NU Tau (DONUT) hosted at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), a prominent US Department of Energy physics laboratory, “We were the first ones to ever see [NU Tao’s] interaction and that got me into neutrino physics,” Maher said. NU Tau is one of three forms of the particle. Fermilab has boasted about the
Tevatron, the largest high-energy particle collider in the world until CERN’s Large Hadron Collider surpassed it in 2009. The collider was decommissioned in 2011 due to funding issues. After establishing a teaching routine for a year at the College, Maher began to search for the next neutrino experiment she could sink her teeth into. Huge projects like The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) sometimes
have more than a thousand collaborators. The year before, Maher came to the College for the smaller size, and again she opted for a smaller project. Maher is proud of her research, and relays her experiences to her students. Over the past two summers she has introduced two students to her work, experiencing the awe of working at a government lab watching the students’ faces as they visited Fermilab.
Women coal miners a legacy of communist Yugoslavia Associated Press
BREZA, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) _ They’re a legacy of communism _ a group of hardy women working deep underground in Bosnia’s aging coal mines. They’re set to retire in three years, marking the end of an era. In communist Yugoslavia, authorities wanted to promote gender equality and encouraged women to attend schools and get jobs instead of staying home and
raising kids. Factories filled with a new work force, and it was not uncommon to see women working as coal miners. Despite technology dating back to 1986 and the risk of accidents _ more than 70 people died in the 1970s in two separate incidents _ the 10 women in Breza, northwest of Sarajevo, seem to love their jobs. They enjoy the banter with the 500 or so men. The shafts and elevators echo with laughter and tales of grandchildren.
Paying around 500 euros ($675) a month, mining offers a stable income in a country with almost 30 percent unemployment. Many younger, female colleagues work in the administrative office above ground _ but Sakiba Colic and Semsa Hadzo prefer the pit. “We are always in a good mood down there,’’ says Colic. “We get along great with our comrades and we love the jokes that are thrown around.’’ For decades she tours the pits
Become an Admission Ambassador! The Office of Admission is looking to hire new student tour guides for the 2013-14 year. We’re looking for students who: -Have at least a minimum 2.5 GPA -Are in good standing with the college -Represent a variety of majors, hometowns, backgrounds, and personalities. Applications will be available beginning Friday, February 8th. Contact Tyson Luneau (tl8986@mcla.edu) or Devin Kibbe (d.kibbe@mcla.edu) with questions, or come see us in the Campus Center Marketplace between Feb. 11th-15th!
and checks the airflow, the amount of methane in the air and the temperature. But in 2016, when mandatory retirement kicks in, they will be the last of their kind. “They are very responsible and precise,’’ said pit supervisor Alija Salkic. “But I still think this is not a job for a woman. It’s hard and some are already grandmothers. Somehow, that’s a bit too much.’’ In Breza, almost everybody is connected to the coal mine. People for the most part have gotten
used to the sight of the women miners. But once, Colic recalled, “an old lady had to touch me to see if I was real.’’ Hadzo says none of her four sisters “would ever dare to go down’’ but insists she has no regrets. Putting on lipstick and drying her hair after a shower at the mine, she ponders for a second what she’d do if she had her time all over again. And there’s no doubt in her mind: “I would be in the mine.’’
News
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Syrian lawmakers reject conditions for peace talks Associated Press DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) _ A proposal by a Syrian opposition leader for peace talks suffered two sharp blows Tuesday, with both a ruling party lawmaker and the largest bloc inside the anti-regime coalition rejecting the idea. After 22 months and more than 60,000 dead, Syria’s crisis appears to have reached a stalemate, with neither side making significant battlefield gains likely to bring about a military victory any time soon. The U.S. and other world powers have pushed for a negotiated solution _ a bid which appeared to get a boost this week when the head of the opposition’s National Alliance said he would be willing to negotiate with certain figures from President Bashar Assad regime “who don’t have blood on their hands.’’ In an interview with Al-Arabiya TV on Monday, Mouaz al-Khatib said the regime must “negotiate with the goal of removing (Assad) from power to spare bloodshed.’’ Khatib demanded the regime free 160,000 political prisoners and renew the passports of Syrian activists
abroad. That proposal was attacked from both the regime and the opposition on Tuesday, effectively extinguishing the first glimmer of hope in months that the civil war can be resolved through a negotiated solution. In Damascus, prominent Syrian Parliamentarian Fayez Sayegh told The Associated Press that any dialogue must begin without preconditions. He also called Khatib’s number of opposition supporters in Syrian custody “exaggerated,’’ although he did not give an alternate number. “What is important is for Syrians to meet and agree on common ground for talks,’’ Sayegh said, adding that al-Khatib’s proposals, such as the prisoner release, should come “as a result of a dialogue, not before it begins.’’ Human rights organizations say tens of thousands of opposition leaders, protesters and their families are being held by state security services in Syria. Late Tuesday, the Syrian National Council, whose members make up a majority in the opposition coalition, blasted alKhatib, calling his proposal an ``individual decision’’ that had not been discussed or decided
upon by the coalition. It said the coalition’s founding document states that its goal is to “topple the regime and all of its symbols and pillars’’ and said such moves weaken the opposition. Khatib first suggested the possibility of dialogue last week in a post on his Facebook page, sparking a wave of criticism from activists and members of his own group who say the regime has killed too many people to play a role in the conflict’s solution. Many accused Khatib of acting unilaterally, and he clarified in a subsequent post that he was expressing his personal views. He explained his position further on Monday, preconditioning the talks on Assad’s departure and saying they could spare Syrians more suffering. “The regime either has to admit that it has pushed the country to a scary state of complications and destruction and now feels this and negotiates to achieve the removal (of Assad) with the least losses or it takes another position,’’ Khatib told Al-Arabiya television. “All the others issues are less important than this.’’
beacon.mcla.edu
5
Berkshire Museum hosts PechaKucha year two! [Pittsfield, MA]—Berkshire Museum continues its successful run of PechaKucha Nights by scheduling another four evenings of presentations for 2013. The next installment of this worldwide 20x20 event, dubbed (10+10)x(10+10) in honor of the 10x10 festival, will be held during the week of Upstreet Pittsfield’s 10x10 Festival, on Tuesday, Feb. 19. The doors open at 7 p.m. with presentations beginning around 7:20 p.m. Berkshire Museum is calling out to all creatives in the Berkshires: we need an assortment of attention-grabbing presentation topics. 2012’s PechaKucha nights yielded presentations on Captain Ahab’s adventures, Pinterest-inspired literature, geek wisdom, the introduction and return of Love Cat, and even a presentation in Dutch (with subtitles). For information on how to be a participant, email PechaKucha organizer Craig Langlois at clanglois@berkshiremuseum.org. Tickets to PechaKucha are $5, Museum members are free; tickets are available in advance by calling (413)-443-7171 ext. 10 or by visiting the Museum. During the event, there will be
snacks, as well as free beer donated by Wandering Star Craft Brewery, but donations will be accepted and will go towards the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. PechaKucha, literally translated as “chit chat” or “blah blah” in Japanese, was created by Klein Dytham architecture in Tokyo in 2003 as an opportunity for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. It has since gone viral, and turned into a massive celebration, with events happening in more than 530 cities around the world, inspiring creatives worldwide. Future PechaKucha dates at Berkshire Museum are as follows: May 16, Aug. 13, and Oct. 29, 2013. Berkshire Museum is located at 39 South St. in Pittsfield, Mass. Regular Museum admission is $13 for adults and $6 for children; members and children aged three and under enjoy free admission. Berkshire Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.berkshiremuseum.org or call (413)-443-7171.
The Clark’s second uCurate exhibition, In/Visible: Women of two worlds, now on view Press Release
Williamstown, MA—The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute presents In/Visible: Women of Two Worlds, the second exhibition created through its interactive uCurate program. In/Visible, an intriguing look at the worlds of women, was created by clergywoman Ashley Smith of Stephentown, New York and is on view through March 10. The exhibition considers the different worlds and experiences of many of the women featured in works from the Clark’s permanent collection. One world is comprised of women of wealth and leisure who are dressed and prepared to be seen and admired; they have sought out the painter’s eye and are ready for the eye of the beholder. The other world is made up of more typically “invisible” women—washerwomen, fisherwomen, women who are servants, women who are performers and thus seen to make a living, and women whose status is unknown but who appear worn down by life. The exhibition features works by Jean-BaptisteCamille Corot, John Singer Sargent, and Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta, among others. “The Clark is pleased to welcome Ashley Smith as our second uCurate curator,” said Clark director Michael Conforti. “Her thoughtful examination of clues and suggestions of socio-economic differences displayed in images from the Clark’s collection and her careful juxtapositions and pairings of images will give visitors much to consider.” Clark Remix, an installation of some 400 works from the Clark’s permanent collection, opened in 2012. It is supple-
mented by two digital applications, uCurate and uExplore. The uExplore application features detailed content on each work in the Remix gallery, while uCurate is an interactive program that invites users to design their own installations for a Clark gallery, using works featured in the Remix exhibition. In launching the program, the Clark announced plans to select three uCurate submissions for future installation in its exhibition galleries. Smith’s submission was one of more than 1,000 uCurate exhibitions received to date. The Clark’s curatorial team made the selection after reviewing all of the entries and was particularly impressed with the thoughtful way in which Smith pursued clues and suggestions of socioeconomic differences found in the images selected from the collection. Her observations provide a very different perspective on many of the paintings in the collection, convincing the curators that Smith’s exhibition will provoke new thinking about the works. Smith found herself drawn by the compelling gaze of Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot’s Young Woman in a Pink Skirt during a visit to the Clark’s uCurate gallery. The painting became the centerpiece of In/Visible. “She looked out of the painting as if desperate for someone to notice her and see that she was there,” Smith says. “Looking at the contrast between her poor appearance and the wealthy appearance of the women in the paintings around her, I started to wonder about the difference in their lives.” After finding more examples, Smith decided to create a uCurate exhibition to explore the artistic contrast between
women who are wealthy and accustomed to being visible versus women who are often invisible and overlooked. “The woman in Corot’s painting seems at the point of exhaustion, in stark contrast to the images of privileged women who are there to be seen and admired. I wonder if they ever would have noticed Corot’s young woman who stares directly at us, as if imploring someone to see and acknowledge her existence,” says Smith. As a contrast to Corot’s painting, Smith chose two paintings by Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta: Woman with a Picnic Basket and Woman in White. “Neither [woman] is named, but both are images of female beauty, luxury, leisure, and ease,” says Smith. “This woman sits outside in silks and satins, dressed in finery to enjoy a picnic. She wears shades of pink and white like Corot’s woman, but there the resemblance ends. She looks away while we look at her; not noticing us, she is intended to be noticed.” Smith grew up in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and first visited the Clark on school field trips as a child. While attending Williams College, she visited the galleries frequently. Among her hobbies are photography and reading. About uCurate The digital application uCurate sparks inspiration and provides information on the works featured in Clark Remix. Accessible at touchscreens and computer kiosks in the galleries, uCurate invites users to choose from more than 250 works featured in Clark Remix to create their own virtual exhibitions in a 3D ver-
sion of one of the Clark’s special exhibition galleries. Users are afforded the opportunity to make decisions about their installations in much the same way that curators design an exhibition: choosing which works to incorporate, the arrangement of works on walls and on pedestals, the color of the walls, and the development of an introductory curator’s statement. Users may post their designs on the Clark website and share them online via social media outlets. About the Clark Set amidst 140 acres in the Berkshires, the Clark is one of the few major art museums that also serves as a leading international center for research and scholarship. The Clark presents public and education programs and organizes groundbreaking exhibitions that advance new scholarship. The Clark’s research and academic programs include an international fellowship program and conferences. Together with Williams College, the Clark sponsors one of the nation’s leading master’s programs in art history. The Clark receives support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The Clark is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday from September through June, (daily in July and August), 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is $15 June 1 through October 31; free November through May; and free year-round for Clark members, children 18 and younger, and students with valid ID. For more information, call 413 458 2303 or visit clarkart.edu.
6
Sports
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Power outage powers 49ers
by Ariana Tourangeau Sports Editor The Super Bowl, for most, may have brought an obvious turnout. With the Ravens having the lead the most of the game, viewers on social networks were starting to say how “boring” it was. That was until the 49ers and the power outage made it interesting. 90 seconds into the second half, the lights on one half of the superdome’s roof went out. The Internet connections went out, and the scoreboards went dark. For most football players this would come as a “buzz kill” and they might lose their concentration, but for the 49ers I think it is just what they needed. The power outage lasted for about 35 minutes and according to the New York Times was “one of the oddest moments in Super Bowl history.” Some might think it goes along with the superstition and bad luck that New Orleans may bring, but others might think it was a blessing for Some believe the dome is cursed because it is built near the old Girod Street Cemetery and the fact that the power didn’t go out anywhere else in the city really makes a person consider that thought. Michael Burns, a spokesman for the local utility Entergy Services said that the transmission feeders serving the superdome were never interrupted, according to the New York Times. Although it might be more fun to think something freaky happened just so the 49ers could catch up in the second half, there was an actual explanation for the power outage. Entergy and SMG, the company that manages the Superdome, issued a joint statement: “A piece of equipment that is designed to monitor electrical load sensed an abnormality in the system. Once the issue was detected, the sensing equipment operated as designed and opened a breaker, causing power to be partially cut to the Superdome in order to isolate the issue. Backup generators kicked in immediately as designed.” After the power outage and 15 minutes left in the third quarter the Ravens were up by 22 points with a score of 28-6. 7:28 minutes left, the 49ers scored a touchdown, bringing it to 2813 and scoring another one two minutes later, making the game interesting with a score of 28-20. At the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth quarters, both teams scored field goals making the score 31-23. Most people watching the Super Bowl on Sunday probably thought the Ravens had it in the bag, but I thought for a second the 49ers were going to steal it. They did come back strong in the second half, but the Ravens proved they worked too hard to let that Lombardi trophy slip from arms reach. With 10 minutes left in the game, the 49ers posed a threat for the Ravens scoring another touchdown bringing it to 31-29, but the Ravens came back with a field goal for 34-29. The Ravens could almost touch that trophy with 4:23 left in the game and all the 49ers could muster up was an 8 yard run for 2 points giving the Ravens the Lombardi trophy and the title of Super Bowl XLVII Champions.
beacon.mcla.edu
Girls of all ages gather at MCLA for NGWSD by Justine Cozza Sports Writer Girls in grades three through eight gathered in the Amsler Campus Center Gym last Saturday to join MCLA’s women’s soccer, basketball, tennis team, and NeXXus to not only learn about the sports themselves, but to have some fun on National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD). “National Girls and Women in Sports Day is a great way to make the girls feel like part of a team,” Kaylyn Smith, assistant to the Athletics Director and NCAA intern, explained. “With giving the girls and women a glimpse of being a Trailblazer for a day, we hope to make a difference.” Clinics run by the college athletes involved relay races, passing, shooting, and all around great fun. Each team showed the girls not only new drills, but a love for sports itself. For some players, being around the young athletes brought them back to when they first found their passion. “Programs like the NGWSD
Girls of all ages gather with MCLA Women’s Sports teams. are what made me want to start to play basketball,” sophomore basketball player Alyson Stolz stated. “Being around the younger girls reminds me why I love the game.” NGWSD began in 1987 as a day to commemorate Olympic volleyball player Flora Hyman for her athletic achievements and her work equality in women’s sports. The program has now evolved into a day to celebrate past and present sports achievements and an appreciation for sports. When involved in any sport, nutrition and fitness are key essentials to smart and healthy play. This was stressed to the young athletes in sessions that explained the importance of
smart eating and staying active, something most of them don’t think about. After the girls were sent to learn some new moves with NeXXus, it was time for the young women to take the floor. Pickle ball, which is played with low nets and paddle balls, was set up around the gym. The MCLA women’s tennis team helped them learn the skills of the game. “I feel it’s important for us as athletes to help introduce the women to these new activities,” freshman tennis player Ama Adwetewa-Badu explained. “This is a day to relax and be empowered to exercise.” Being celebrated in all 50 states, NGWSD involves community
Photo by Kaylyn Smith /Athletic Dept.
based events that encourage the participation of girls and women in sports. Since 1989, MCLA has hosted these events and now incorporates many aspects from different sports to celebrate the national event for women’s sports. But the fun didn’t stop there. At the women’s basketball game against Worcester, the girls presented both female players and coaches’ with flowers. Then at halftime, with the help of NeXXus, the younger athletes preformed a step routine learned earlier in the day. The crowd applauded as the girls finished and excitedly ran back to their seats.
National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) Photos by: Jack Guerino/Beacon Staff
Sports
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Beacon.mcla.edu
7
Women’s Basketball looks to end losing streak By Nicholas Swanson Sports Writer
On Tuesday night the women’s basketball team faced the Westfield St. Owls and lost with a final score of 65-43. This leaves the team with a 0-9 record in the conference play, and an overall of 8-14. The Trailblazers were losing the majority of the game. At one point in the second half there was a 29-point deficit. “The defense was better, but when we were on the offensive they did not hold together and missed the opportunities,” Coach Holly McGovern said. Kaitlyn Chenevert led with the most points, 16, during the game. The team missed numerous shots and could not stop the long passes from down the court that led to many three pointers that the Owls scored. By the end of the first half the score was 30-14, Westfield in the lead. “The other team was strictly knocking down our shots, I think we shot under 30 percent which is not good at all,” senior guard Lucy Tremblay said.
The team faced a similar fate on Saturday. When Danielle Scolpino took her last foul shots it was quiet and the only motion was from the “spirit fingers” of the children supporting the National Women in Sports Day, and the Trailblazers. The women’s basketball team fell to the Worcester St. Lancers 54-51 at home. “To better our defensive strategy we changed to a ‘zone’ play instead of playing man-on-man and it really benefited in the first half,” said senior guard Johanna Miner. The Trailblazers had come out hard at the start of the game. Tremblay started strong by scoring back-to-back two-pointers. Minutes later, Scolpino scored a three-pointer followed by a twopointer. With three minutes left until half-time, the Trailblazers lead by 7 points, the score was 31-24, Trailblazers. “Our defense improved greatly, but we had a few mental absences during the second half that the other team noticed and they converted accordingly, too,” said freshman guard Mariah Brown.
When the second half began, the team struggled to keep up with the Lancers who started mounting a comeback. With two minutes left, the teams fought back and forth until it was tied 47-47. The Trailblazers fouled twice, giving the Lancers the lead. “It looks like little things happen in the opponent’s favor that occasionally overwhelm and distract us, which leads to not reacting, and it affecting us negatively,” said freshman guard Olivia Repula. “We did not get discouraged by Worcester, [we] just wanted it and fought hard, though we didn’t play our absolute best. Hopefully we do even better next game,” Miner said. Even though the team has 10 game losing streak they can still strive to compete in the tournament at the end of the season. The next game will be away at Framingham St. on Feb. 9 starting at 1 p.m. “The team will try and change a few things and hopefully our games start getting better against Westfield and Framingham St.,” Repula said.
Men’s Basketball drops overtime thriller to Westfield By Ariana Tourangeau Sports Editor
On Tuesday February 5th the Men’s basketball team battled with Westfield, number two seed in MASCAC, and lost 71-69 In overtime losing the top seed in MASCAC. Westfield’s conference record is now 8-2 and MCLA drops to 7-2 putting Westfield in the number one spot for conference. Tension filled the benches, court and bleachers as the players, coaches, and fans all cheered and argued for the outcome of the game. The trailblazers led the majority of the first half, but only by a few points. It was a back and forth match between the two teams and entering into the second half the Owls had the lead with 33-30. Sophomore guard Ruben DelRosario, freshman guard Paul Maurice, and junior John Jones led the trailblazers, bringing the heat, with 12 points each. The team led with 50 rebounds and 27 turnovers, but Westfield lead with 10 assists and 20 steals. At the start of the second half the trailblazers took the lead with a layup by John Jones. The lead for this game wasn’t much a lead because each team would catch up shortly after. The teams couldn’t hold more than a six-point lead, proving that no team was willing to give up this match. Not only were the teams fired up, but the home crowd was also fighting just as hard as the team. Giving standing ovations every basket, and chanting “defense” whenever the owls have the ball. At 12:19, the Trailblazers took
the lead with one point and the crowd went nuts in response, but only for the owls to take the lead shortly after. The intensity continued to increase with a back and forth battle between the two teams making the prediction of a winner be unknown. 10 minutes left in the game and the trailblazers were on top of their defensive game, fighting to get back in the lead. With nine minutes left in the game and the score tied at 52, senior guard Bilal Shabazz had a breakaway from a steal and went up for a lay up, but was fouled in the process by Westfield’s Santiago. The foul caused the majority of the Trailblazers to leave the bench. Seven of the Trailblazers had to leave for the remainder of the game, because of leaving the bench, causing their team to have only seven players to fight for the win. The previous events only made the crowd more involved and willing to support their trailblazers. Even though the loss of players left the trailblazers fatigued, they fought on. “Our strengths were our heart and determination to win the game,” said DelRosario. “Our obvious weaknesses were our fatigue with only having 7 guys, but the guys that we did have went 110 percent every play.” The loss of players only helped the trailblazers push for a win for their fellow teammates. “We were not only playing to win, but we were playing for them because we’re a family and family don’t let each other down,” said DelRosario.
With a 63-63 tie at the end of the game, each team would have to fight a little longer in a five minute over time to determine the winner. Westfield’s Lee Vasquez drained a three bringing the score to 70-69. The Trailblazers fouled Westfield’s Santiago who made one of the shots bringing the score to 71-69 with seconds left in overtime. MCLA had one last chance to win the game with a three pointer shot by Maurice, but it was a miss as the buzzer rang giving the game to Westfield. Given the tough loss of seven players during the game and the loss of the top seed in conference, the trailblazers won’t hang their heads the remainder of the season. “I’m proud of the way my teammates responded to adversity and showed character,” said DelRosario in response to the losses. “We’ll see them down the road full strength and we’ll take care of business.”
Photo by Dennise Carranza/Beacon staff
Junior guard Danielle Scolpino pulls up for a jumper.
Scores, Schedules and Standings Scores Womens Basketball
Mens Basketball
2/5 Westfield @MCLA
2/5 Westfield St. @ MCLA
L, 65-43
L, OT-71-69
Schedule Women’s Basketball
Men’s Basketball
2/9 at Framingham St. 1:00p.m.
2/9 @ Framingham St. 3:00p.m.
2/12 @ Fitchburg St.
2/12 @ Fitchburg St.
5:30p.m.
7:30p.m.
Standings Women’s Basketball
Men’s Basketball
CONF OVERALL
Photo by Dennise Carranza/Beacon staff
Junior forward John Jones battles for a layup.
CONF OVERALL
Bridgewater St. 8-1 18-3
Westfield St.
8-2
18-4
Worcester St.
8-2 12-11
MCLA
7-2
11-11
Westfield St.
7-3
15-8
Salem St.
5-4
13-9
Framingham St. 5-5
12-9
Fitchburg St.
4-5
12-8
Salem St.
3-6
10-12
Bridgewater St. 4-5
Fitchburg St.
2-7 9-12
Worcester St.
MCLA
0-9
Framingham St. 1-9 8-15
8-14
10-11
4-6 10-12
8
Arts & Entertainment
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Indie Spotlight! by Shannen Adamites A&E Editor This band is considered to be a staple in every indie fan’s library. They’re called Beirut. Beirut is a success story featuring a musical prodigy who fuses Eastern European folk, low-fi experimentation, and a variety of unique instruments with hearty, romantic vocals and poetic lyrics. The vocalist plays who-knowshow-many instruments, speaks just as many languages, and his band has toured throughout the world, spreading a whole new approach to folk music for indie enthusiasts and musicians alike. This band was established by frontman and overall musical genius, Zach Condon in his hometown of Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2006. Their debut album, “The Gulag Oreksta,” presents several whimsical tracks, all of which were produced by Condon in his D.I.Y studio. Interviews state that after he dropped out of high school, he travelled across Europe and was inspired by Balkan folk and Gypsy music. This influence would become the soul of “Gulag.” After crossing paths with a former member of 90s low-fi folk sensation Neutral Milk Hotel and several other multi-talented musicians, the band relocated from a makeshift studio in Albuquerque to Brooklyn. The “Lon Gisland” EP was released in 2007, featuring the ukulele-centric hit, “Elephant Gun,” followed by their second album, “The Flying Cup Club,” which although it took on a slightly more melancholic tone, it still managed to keep their whimsical and nostalgic atmosphere. This album features “A Sunday Smile”, a romantic, carouselesque tune which was performed live on David Letterman’s show in 2009. “March of the Zapotec” was also released in 2009. The second half of the album features soft, ambient electro-pop, whereas the first half is very brass-heavy and exemplifies an exotic gypsy influence, as well as mariachi undertones inspired by his hometown. In 2011, “The Rip Tide” was released. The album combined the mystery of “The Flying Cup Club” and the imaginative vibe of “Gulag.” It exudes romance and wanderlust, and essentially combines every positive aspect Beirut has to offer. Many of the songs on this album, particularly “Santa Fe,” and “East Harlem,” were written very early in Condon’s musical career. The songs represent a sense of restlessness and adventure, as well as discovery and naivety. There is no word of any upcoming Beirut releases, but their current discography has enough variety and creativity to the point where every listen feels like a refreshing, new experience.
beacon.mcla.edu
Superhuman Happiness ignites dance party at MASS MoCA By Haley Costen A&E Writer The B-10 Club at MASS MoCA quickly turned into an all-out dance party last Saturday with the arrival of the Brooklyn based band Superhuman Happiness. Under soft neon lights, the crowd sat anxiously at small tables throughout the room as a group of seven men dressed in grandpachic layers of sweater vests and scarves approached the stage and began a spiritual-sounding chant. The audience waited apprehensively, but as the band began playing their signature 80s
electro and funk sound, heads started bobbing and feet were tapping to the beat. Superhuman Happiness, according to Spin Magazine, is comprised of members of Antibalas, the Phenomenal Handclap Band, and TV on the Radio, used not only drums, guitar and bass to convey their upbeat “superhuman” sound, but also a tambourine, saxophone, keyboard, and maracas. “Get funky!” encouraged an audience member, between sips of his beer. A balding man in a high collared shirt and a tweed jacket
Photo by Shauna Dacus/MCLA Beacon
Superhuman Happiness got the crowd dancing with their multi-genre electro beats.
Photo by Shauna Dacus/MCLA Beacon
Superhuman Happiness lead vocalist also busted out the saxophone.
was the first to stand up and start moving to the band. Grey-haired couples sipping wine, to kids with piercings followed his lead and danced alongside each other. “I like it. It’s more relaxed than I thought it would be, but I like what they’ve got going on here,” said junior, Hanna Lauerman, over the menagerie of instruments playing on stage. The set included a lot of audience participation and improvisation with much clapping, and singing along. At one point, frontman and saxophonist Stuart Bogie even asked an audience member to choose two words for each side of the crowded room to shout as the band played. Minutes of bubbly electro and afro-beat music persisted between each song. The music, and thus the dancing, never stopped for long. Even at the end of the hourlong set, the audience seemed hesitant to stop. “I think it was awesome. It all flowed together really well!” junior Bam Barrett enthused as the room lit up and Superhuman Happiness departed the stage. “We want to make music that is useful to people,” said a very sweaty but friendly Bogie in a black and green Beetlejuice-esque blazer after the show. “We want to have a cultural relevance and to develop a dialogue with our audience.” It’s a big year for Superhuman
Happiness. They recently created the score for the Oscar-nominated documentary “How To Survive A Plague,” which is about the AIDS activist organizations ACT UP and TAG. They are also releasing their debut LP “Hands” in March.
If you like Superhuman Happiness, check out these other artists: • Antibalas • The Phenomenal Handclap Band • TV on the Radio • Rubblebucket • Bombadil • Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) • Le Chevalier • Inkships • The Boogie • Fruit Flesh • The Kamikaze Hearts • Viva Via • Sister Suvi • Aaron Embry • Galaxie • Wild Yaks • Balkan Beatbox
Photo by Shauna Dacus/MCLA Beacon
Superhuman Happiness had the crowd jamming out to their dance-rock instrumentals.
Upcoming FSO Club
The Fashion Student Organization (FSO) is a new club beginning this February. All matriculated students are able to join and learn more about fashion as an art as well as its involvement in everyday life. “FSO serves for all students interested in Fashion. All are welcomed to share their personal style,” Ciara Gerena said, club treasurer. FSO meetings will begin later this month for any to come and show interest. Posters will go up later this month with
meeting dates. The club is beginning with two advisors, under the wing of the ALANA club, and other clubs such as the Black Student Union, Latin American Society, and Asian Club. The two advisors are Kayla Hollins and Thomas Alexander. For questions and additional information contact: Tiearra Henson, 375 Church Street, North Adams, MA 01247 Unit Box #6376, or e-mail: th1288@ mcla.edu
For more A&E updates, check us out on Twitter! @BeaconMCLA_ AE
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Arts & Entertainment
beacon.mcla.edu
Kinney discusses art, theatre
9
Ambitious senior FPA major reflects on coligate experience
new concepts within theatre and different forms of movement and improvisation,” he began. “I am really into Greek myths, so I am looking forward to working on ‘Agamemnon.’” Kinney also had the opportunity to go to the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) conference with Jonathan Secor, director the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center (BCRC) in New York City. He was inspired by the performances he was able to see.
by Kaylie Warner A&E Writer Jonathan Kinney sat in the achievement lounge, with a half empty bottle of Smart Water in front of him. He has a cold, but congestion cannot stop him from discussing his love of fine and performing arts; after all, “the show must go on.” Kinney started his freshman year as an English major, but changed it during his sophomore year to Fine and Performing Arts (FPA) with a concentration in theatre. “I have always been interested in theatre but the production of “As You Like It,” by Professor Laura Standley made me realize I wanted to be more involved with the FPA department and so I changed my major,” he said. Kinney is the co-president of Harlequin, the musical theatre club, with Brittney Gerber, and spends most of his time and passion with the club. He has also been a part of Yorick, the Shakespeare club, but due to his many projects this semester, he will not be an active member. He still has a fondness for Shakespeare and even a production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” featuring high school and college students over the summer.
Photo by Jess Gamari / Beacon Staff
“He is a brilliant artist, student and friend.”
Kinney reflects fondly of his artistic achievements on campus. “It was really beautiful,” he said proudly, showing the picture of the rose garden. Kinney is also an avid singer and is a part of the Allegrettos acapella and gospel group. Gerber admires his strong ethic and enthusiasm. “He is a brilliant artist, student, and friend. His work, on and off the stage, ability to learn, grow and adjust to this ever-changing
world continues to inspire me every day. He gives us all hope that there are truly passionate humans left in this world,” she said in an email interview. This semester, Kinney is assistant directing “Agamemenon” with Standley and is overjoyed to be working with her. He said it is a great way to cap off his time working with the department. “Theatre lab is about exploring
-Brittney Gerber “I would love to be able to work at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Mass. and maybe at some point become a professor because I like the idea of introducing people to new things,” he said.
Photo by Marissa Zelazo / MCLA Alumnae
Kinney performs in “Little Shop of Horrors” last spring
MCLA funks around during festival Azucena blew her audience away with unique flair on Friday night by Michael Feloni A&E Writer Students, residents of North Adams, and other concertgoers gathered in Venable Gym to dance the night away at the 8th Annual Blues and Funk Festival this past weekend. Each night brought a strong and talented artist to the scene. Openers
Photo by Dennise Carranza / Beacon Staff
A concertgoer takes a photo of Azucena singing her heart out amid the audience during Friday night’s show.
On the first night of the festival, headliner Maya Azucena, a returning favorite, was set to take the audience by storm. The show opened with a floor-stomping performance by NEXXUS and the Jazz Band with two crowd-pleasing covers. One person in the audience even shouted out that Chantel Baptista, vocalist for the Jazz Band and member of the awardwinning Allegretto’s, looked like “a fabulous Donna Summers back from the dead.” After NEXXUS and the Jazz Band were finished getting the audience pumped up and excited, Jonathan Secor, the director of MCLA Presents!, welcomed Maya Azucena and her crew to the stage. The Diva Dressed in black and gold, a
tattoo on her left arm, and a giant flower tucked into her hair, Azucena walked into the spotlight and signaled her band that it was time to blow everyone away with their unique sound. “Let’s warm up this gymnasium!” Azucena shouted as the audience cheered wildly over the count-in from the drums and fading house lights. “You better not sit this whole time,” Azucena said to the audience, pointing out to the stands, “because I have a cordless mic and I WILL come out to you!” In a matter of seconds after the first song, concertgoers ventured onto the floor to dance and cheer to Azucena’s hits “Warrior,” her cover of “Crazy” by Seal, and “The Half ”; a song Azucena described as being written for when people only know what’s on the surface of a person’s life. The crowd only grew as Azucena ventured off stage to dance and sing with the crowd which only made them louder and more excited to be within inches of her. At one point, Azucena handed off the mic to Jay Cottle, blues aficionado and co-founder of the Allegretto’s, to improvise during one of her songs. Azucena also received enormous applause for her vocal range in her uplifting song
“Shine.” Azucena ended the concert with a new song titled “Dance Revolution” which was written to bring awareness to domestic violence against women around the world. The Prince Saturday night, the second of the two performance nights for the Blues and Funk Festival, brought Khris Royale, renowned saxophone player and experimenter with the electronic saxophone, to Venable. Prior to Royale’s performance, the College’s Jazz band performed their two songs as an opener to the Arthur Holmes Blues Band, a group from Holyoke, Mass. The group focused on blues music and occasionally went into the rock genre. The band played a series of blues songs, and ventured into rock on their last song before they left the stage to make way for Royale’s band. A smoke machine behind the stage created a mysterious setting. The group started with a lively song that immediately drew viewers onto the dance floor. The crowd went wild when Royale went into the high notes of both his electronic and standard tenor saxophone.
10
Campus Comment
Thursday, Feburary 7, 2013
beacon.mcla.edu
What is your favorite thing to do in the winter? “In the winter I like to sit in my cozy bed.”
“In the winter I like to stay inside and sit and drink raspberry tea.”
-Tess Favini 2014
-Joelle Dumont, 2016
The Beacon The Beacon is published Thursdays during the academic year and is distributed free to the College community. The Beacon is funded by the Student Government Association, the English/Communications department and from ad revenues. Contact information: News desk number: 413-662-5535 Business number: 413-662-5404 E-mail: Beacon@mcla.edu Web site: beacon.mcla.edu Office: Mark Hopkins Hall, room 111 Mission Statement The Beacon strives to provide timely and accurate news of campus and local events.
Editorials Policy Unsigned editorials that appear on these pages reflect the views of The Beacon’s editorial board.
“In the winter I like to go ice skating and sledding then I like to lay by the fire and sip hot cocoa.”
“In the winter I like to stay in my room because it’s cold but sometimes I go snowboarding.”
-Nelson Martinez 2014
-Rachel Ferriere 2016
“In the winter I like to play indoor basketball and chill with friends and enjoy the winter wonderland.”
“In the winter I like to cuddle and watch movies with hot chocolate and go sledding and ice skating.”
-Arkeem Samuel 2016
-Brittany Zimmerman 2015
Signed columns and commentaries that appear on these pages reflect the views of the writers. Letters Policy The Beacon welcomes Letters to the Editor. Deadline is noon on Mondays for that week’s newspaper. Letters should be kept to 500 words or less and are subject to editing for grammar and content. The Beacon will not publish anonymous or libelous letters. Letters must be signed by the writer and include a phone number. Letters may be dropped off at the office or e-mailed to Beacon@mcla.edu. Contributions Policy The Beacon accepts stories, photos, and opinion pieces for publication. Submissions should be dropped off at the office by Monday at noon or e-mailed to Beacon@mcla.edu. Advertising Policy The Beacon reserves the right not to publish any advertisement it deems to be libelous, false. or in bad taste.
Editorial Board
Compiled by Kayla Degnan/Beacon staff
Editor-in-Chief Aya Lanzoni Sports Editor Ariana Tourangeau
Business Manager Lauren Coffey* Web Editor Ken Rodriguez
A&E Editor Shannen Ademites
Admissions for Spires! Deadline: Friday Feb. 15 Accepting poetry, short fiction, art, and photography MCLASpires@gmail.com
FINANCIAL AID ANNOUNCEMENTS IT’S TIME TO REAPPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID FOR 2013-2014!!
MARCH 1ST PRIORITY DATE!!
Accounting Society Bake Sale Thursday Feb. 7 3-8:30p.m. Fudge (Strawberry swirl, Dark Chocolate and White chocolate chocolate swirl) Nanaimo Bars Oreo Bon Bons Nutella Swirl Cheesecake with Oreo crust Brownies Plus 50 cent glasses of cold milk!
LOG ONTO www.mcla.edu/aid COMPLETE THE 13-14 INSTITUTIONAL APPLICATION FOR AID AND LINK TO THE FAFSA TO COMPLETE THE FEDERAL FORM. FILE EARLY AND DON’T MISS OUT ON MONEY!!! ANY QUESTIONS, CONTACT THE FAO AT 662-5219
Copy Chief Marc Latour Photography Editor Dennise Carranza
Senior News Editor Ryan Flynn Managing Editor Nick Arena Design Editor Nalaja Caesar
Staff Staff Writers
Photographers
Chris Goodell Andrew Hodgson* Jack Guerino* Haley Costen* Michael Feloni* Kaylie Warner Chris Oxholm Justine Cozza Nick Swanson
Kayla Degnan Kacie Clark Jess Gamari* Jack Guerino Shauna Dacus
Copy Editors
Design Team
Jess Gamari* Michael Feloni* Jennifer Nault Videographers
Lauren Coffey* Takeya Lee Haley Costen*
Michael Dahlroth Adam Larson
Advisers
Advertising
Jenifer Augur Megan Brady Jim Niedbalski Tabitha Gerber Gillian Jones Mike Secklecki *Holds more than one position
Online at: Beacon.MCLA.edu
facebook.com/MCLABeacon twitter.com/BeaconMCLA
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Fun & Games
beacon.mcla.edu
11
“Everyone’s Reaction to the Super Bowl”
Photo Credit idolator.com
Black History Month
Cartoons by Jackie Coughlin
Weekly Horoscopes Aries: March 21-April 19 You need to make an extra effort today -- though that may come naturally. Your drive for success is fully activated, and you should find that your energy is pushing in the right direction. Taurus: April 20-May 20 Get in touch with your natural surroundings -- even if you already feel totally at one with Mother Earth! Your personal energy is incredibly powerful, but it requires an additional natural boost. Gemini: May 21-June 21 Take a deep breath and get ready to push harder than ever -- your life is getting to be a bit more difficult! Things may seem pretty weird, but you just have to make sure that you’re giving it your all. Cancer: June 22-July22 Resist the impulse to stay in bed all day -- you’ve got things to do and people to meet! It’s a really good time for you to challenge yourself and see what comes of this new way of meeting the world. Leo: July 23-Aug. 22 Your belief in yourself is a real asset -- but on a day like today, it may come across as belligerence or arrogance! Try to play it safe and make sure that all your people get their due. Virgo: Aug. 23-Sept. 22 You need to unleash your creative side before your critical side takes over! Your great energy is perfect for big projects, but your own mind could get in your way if you decide to let it. Libra: Sept. 23-Oct. 22 Take a step back and see what’s really going on -- there’s a history to today’s problem that should put it in the right context. See if you can get your people to help jog your memory. Scorpio: Oct. 23-Nov. 21 Willpower is all-important today, so make sure that you’re handling every situation as if it’s the most important thing in the world. You may find that you need to deal with your people differently. Sagittarius: Nov. 22-Dec. 21 Your way of seeing the world makes you a much more intriguing presence today -- so make sure that you’re dealing with things as honestly as you can! Your energy is sure to sparkle!
Across 3. President of the United States 4. Rapper-turned-actress/singer; known for Hairspray and Chicago 6. Got “Jiggy with it” in the 90’s; actor in “I Am Legend” and “Bad Boys” 7. Led slaves to the North on the Underground Railroad 8. Famous R&B singer known for “Family Affair” and “Be Without You” 9. Showed that girls run the world; Super Bowl headliner 10. Wife of MLK 11. Actor in “Shawshank Redemption”; known for narrating movies 12. Month of Black History Down 1. Poet, activist, and novelist during the Harlem Rennaissance 2. “I Have a Dream” 5. Activist in The Civil Rights Movement; refused to give up her seat
Capricorn: Dec. 22-Jan. 19 Your plans are really coming together, so make sure that you’re on top of it all and coordinating whatever or whomever needs direction. Your energy is fantastic, so you can only win! Aquarius: Jan. 20-Feb. 18 You need to deal with a new restriction on your time or energy -though it may not be all that limiting. It still rankles, so make sure that you’ve got an out or a way to deal with your stress. Pisces: Feb. 19-March 20 Your friends have got your back -- and at least one of them pulls off a huge coup on your behalf! You may not even realize what’s happening until a few days have passed, but be sure to thank them! Horoscopes courtesy of Yahoo.com
12
Photo Essay
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Photo by Kacie Clark/ Beacon Staff
Khris Royal & Dark Matter are new to the revitalized music scene. From left: Arthur Holmes on guitar, John Worth on bass, and Gary Smith on organ.
Beacon.mcla.edu
Photo by Kacie Clark/ Beacon Staff
New Orleans native Khris Royal, in a blaze of purple light, checks the sound of his saxophone from his laptop between songs on Saturday night.
Blues and Funk Festival MCLA Presents! hosted the 8th Annual Blues and Funk Festival on February 1 and 2.
Photo by Dennise Carranza/ Beacon Staff
Maya Azucena mingles with the crowd during her performance on Friday night.
Photo by Dennise Carranza/ Beacon Staff
Maya Azucena performs her newest hit, “Dance Revolution,” a song promoting awareness against domestic abuse.
Photo by Kacie Clark/ Beacon Staff
Keyboarder Joe Shirley of Khris Royal & Dark Matter plays in Venable Gym.
Photo by Dennise Carranza/ Beacon Staff
Per Azucena’s request, NEXXUS performed multiple times during the evening.