November 8, 2018 Vol. 87 Issue 8

Volume 87

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Issue 8

Out-of-State Students Struggle to Vote

BY MAYA MCFADDEN SENIOR NEWS EDITOR Millions of Americans went out to vote at their local polls for their states’ midterm elections Nov. 6. While the majority of MCLA students are from Massachusetts, with local voting information more accessible, many out-of-state students faced some delays and difficulties.

A total of 959 undergraduate students identified their home state as Massachusetts in fall 2018 according to Jason Canales, an institutional research analyst.

MCLA organizations and sponsored program, like MASSPIRG and the Susan B. Anthony Women’s Center, dedicated time putting on events to inform students of the election and encourage them to get registered to vote.

The Women’s Center tabled in the Amsler Campus Center Marketplace for a week at the beginning of October, providing students with voter registration forms.

MASSPIRG also hosted events to educate students on voting options such as rank choice voting. During the organization’s Halloween event,

Struggle, Page 2

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Youth voting numbers increased substantially in this year’s midterm election, with several states seeing student turnout increase by over 100 percent compared to the 2014 election.

Mayor Bernard Praises Young Voters at MASSPIRG Event

BY RON LEJA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Last week, both Mayor Bernard and City Clerk Marilyn Gomeau spoke at MASSPIRG’s “Don’t be tricked, get out and vote!” event.

The event was meant to educate students on the voting process, as well as offer insight on out-of-state voting, how the ballot works, and the important role that young people play in shaping Photo by Ron Leja Mayor Bernard spoke about jumps the future of our nation.

Arianna Battaini, in student voter turnout through responsible for hosting the the years at MASSPIRG’s “Don’t be tricked, get out and vote!” event event, expressed enthusiasm last week. and appreciation for their presence, stating “It’s so great to see leaders in our community taking an interest in getting young people interested in the democratic system!”

Mayor Bernard mentioned several interesting facts about young voter turnout, listed below: •Eighteen-to-29-year-olds are the largest group of potential voters.

•In 2016, 16 percent of MCLA Students voted. National data states that, on average, 19 percent of students per college come out to vote during midterms.

•Only three states saw growth in student voting in the 2016 election: New York, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

•Early and absentee youth voting is up by 144 percent over the 2014 midterms.

•Less than 20 percent of young people voted in the 2014 midterms.

•More than 35 million people casted early midterm election ballots this year.

Photo by Julia Teixeira, BWN’

Efforts by Democrats throughout the nation led to 219 seats being secured in the House during last night’s midterm election.

Strong Turnout for Massachusetts Democrats

BY JAKE VITALI MANAGING EDITOR The midterm elections were held on Tuesday and saw Democrats take the U.S. House of Representatives, in addition to many races in Massachusetts, while Republicans maintained control of the U.S. Senate.

United States Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts was elected to a second term, defeating Republican challenger Geoff Diehl with about 60 percent of the vote. The race

was called at 8 p.m. by the Associated Press.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito were re-elected to a second term, defeating Jay Gonzalez and Quentin Palfrey with 67 percent of the vote according to the Associated Press.

Like Warren, this race was called at 8 p.m.

Ballot Question 1 which asked voters to consider implementing nurse-topatient ratios was rejected with 70.17 percent of the vote.

Ballot Question 2 which

would create a 15-member commission to explore a Constitutional Amendment to overturn the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission from 2010 passed with 71.31 percent of the vote.

Ballot Question 3 which would could have repealed protections against discrimination on the basis of gender identity in places of public accommodation saw 67.73 percent of voters vote “yes: to maintain the current protections.

Turnout, Page 2

2

CAMPUSNEWS

MCLA implements Kids2College Program

BY SOPHIA PLAYER STAFF WRITER Kids2College is an after-school program on MCLA’s campus with a goal that focuses on encouraging underprivileged elementary-age students into a successful future. The program is supported by the Help Yourself Foundation, which provides a grant to promote children’s paths to college.

The program uses hands-on activities and projects to encourage students' interest in entering STEM fields and proceed on a college path. It hopes to create a cornerstone of awareness for young students looking toward their future college and career prospects in a manner they would not acquire in school or at home.

The program has two groups: a group of second- and third-graders that meets Tuesdays and Thursdays and a group of thirdand fourth-graders that meets Mondays and Wednesdays.

“I want to give back,” said Kids2College academic leader Annamaria Sebastino. “We want to give them that opportunity to do something that, when they’re home because of money or time or transportation, they get to go out and see things.”

Sebastino creates and facilitates the curriculum for the program.

The program focuses on inclass projects like a "What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?" board, building paper gokarts, making baking soda volcanoes, and building spaghetti and marshmallow villages.

Students can also work togeth-

photo provided by Kids2College

The Kids2College program focuses on in class projects that nurture creativity and thinking skills that aim to lead students toward a successful future. er to earn stars, which allows them to take a trip somewhere in the area. One of the trips the group took last year was to Northern Berkshire Community Television where they created their own student-produced newscast and aired it on local television.

“They loved it,” Sebastino said.

“It shows them that science isn’t always what they think science is. This is science, that we have the ability to do this [film]. They don’t think about it that way.”

Kids2College is an arrangement of the 21st Century After School Program through North Adams Public Schools and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Students from Brayton,

Colegrove Park and Greylock Elementary schools are bussed to the MCLA campus to participate in the program.

This year, the program is focusing on long—and short-term—results for involved students. Its objective is that students return to the program for multiple years, as well as to promote better school attendance and, of course, eventual college attendance.

Since it is an after-school program, students must attend school that day in order to attend the after-school program. The program also works to better student behavior; if a student is sent home that day or gets detention, they also would not be allowed to attend the program that day.

as a whole,” Taskin said. “Pittsfield decides the countywide races generally and so Caccaviello will do better there but I’m not 100 percent certain he’s going to win Pittsfield.”

Taskin believed that despite Caccaviello’s incumbency, Harrington stood a good chance at winning the race.

“She’s the only candidate on the ballot and it’s very hard to run a write-in campaign,” Taskin said.

For Taskin, it appeared that people’s votes were indicative of how they felt about the president and his agenda so far.

“The average first midterm election performance of the president, I think on average they lose 28 seats so it looks like Donald Trump will do better than that,” said Taskin, who went on to add that the Democrats could have done better if the election had been framed on issues they poll better on, including healthcare.

“If the election was about pre-existing conditions and healthcare, the Democrats prob-

ably would have done a little better today, and if the president succeeded in making it about immigration and the caravan, that looks like that may play well for motivating their base to get out and vote,” Taskin said.

On the whole, Democrats now hold 219 seats in the House of Representatives and Republicans hold 193. At press time, there are still several races that have yet to be called.

The Republicans hold 51 seats in the Senate, while the Democrats have 43. The two independent senators, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, both caucus with the democratic party.

Nationally, democrats added six gubernatorial seats with victories in Wisconsin, Maine, Illinois, Kansas, New Mexico, and Michigan.

Both parties will now shift their focus to the 2020 presidential election, with a plethora of candidates expected on the democratic side.

Turnout, from page 4 United States Rep. Richard Neal won re-election to the Massachusetts First Congressional District for which he ran unopposed.

State Sen. Adam Hinds and State Rep. John Barrett III were also re-elected to their positions after running unopposed.

For the District Attorney race in Berkshire County, Democrat Andrea Harrington beat Paul Caccaviello, the incumbent who was running as a write-in candidate.

Richard Taskin, an adjunct professor at MCLA and a criminal defense attorney, joined election night coverage on WJJW 91.1 FM and offered thoughts on how the race had been shaping up.

“The early returns suggest [Harrington] is in very good shape. In North Adams they were able to tally the total of write-in votes as opposed to who they were for, but City Councilor Jason Laforest, who supports Ms. Harrington, has posted that it was 2,690 for Harrington and 1,046 for write ins. Unlikely to be representative

Nov. 8, 2018 Vol. 87 Issue 8

Struggle, from page 2

According to MCLA’s 20172018 fact book, there has been an increase in students attending the College from states outside of the New England region. people registered to vote or updated their voter registration.

“I only saw organizations doing events to get students to register to vote in Massachusetts, which is important, but I wish there was at least one event directed towards those us who are registered to vote back home,” said senior Naiera Robinson.

According to MCLA’s 20172018 fact book, there has been an increase in students attending the College from states outside of the New England region. While these numbers slightly increased, undergraduate enrollment numbers continue to decline.

Amid a nationwide decline in college student enrollment rates, there has been an institutional focus on improving recruitment and marketing strategies, including reaching out to students beyond the New England region.

However, current students said they didn’t think the College helped educate them enough this midterm election to prepare to vote for out-ofstate elections.

“I had to do last-minute research myself on the option to do an absentee ballot or else I wouldn’t have voted because I had no way to get back home,” said Robinson.

Many currently enrolled students with out-of-state residences faced frustration obtaining information for the midterm elections.

On Nov. 1, Catherine Holbrook, vice president of student affairs, sent an email to students informing them of a shuttle service to drop off and pick students up from voting polls.

Koree Woodley-Adjei is registered to vote in both Massa-

chusetts and New York, her home state. However, Woodley-Adjei was unable to find the time in her schedule to take the shuttle provided by MCLA to the polls.

The shuttled ran from 11 a.m to 1 p.m. and then again at 4 p.m to 6 p.m.

“There was very little advertisement for the shuttle times,” Woodley-Adjei said.

“I ended up figuring out that there were going to be shuttles the day before voting, but by then already had a full schedule.”

While out-of-state students increase the College’s geographic diversity, their needs from the College are different from in-state students.

Not including Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont student-residents, there was an increase in students from other New England states in fall 2018 (57 students in fall 2018 compared to 50 students in fall 2017).

The College has a New York transfer program to accept all of a student’s associate degree credits. Also, currently, the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) offers an 85 percent tuition reduction for New York residents in any major.

For Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont residents, NEBHE also offers its tuition reduction for arts management majors.

Rhode Island residents who major in English/Communications (media) or athletic training majors qualify to receive NEBHE’s reduction.

During this midterm election, voting was encouraged to students but many dealt with a lack of information for out-of-state voting options.

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NEWS

Nov. 1, 2018 Vol. 87 Issue 7

3

SGA

Whine and Cheese Event; Fashion Club and NeXXus Budget Requests Approved

BY RON LEJA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“We were nervous we wouldn’t get anything,” Broyles later commented. “I’m happy with what we were offered, but given our rise in popularity and increasing numbers, I Due to a mishap, SGA coverage did not will definitely be back asking for more next appear in last week’s issue. As a result, semester.” the article below covers both this week’s The NeXXus step team also made a reand last week’s meetings. quest for $1,000, given a large increase in members this semester. The club’s numbers Last week’s SGA meeting was a rather have jumped from six members to 21. The tame affair, compared to the week prior. amount requested would go toward acquirDespite a large portion of the board being official uniforms, as well as pursuing the ing unable to attend for various reasons, formation of a step team with members of a those present still covered a fair amount sister academy with the intent of hosting a of topics. However, the low attendance step competition at MCLA. did generate some concern.

Again, given the increase in their numbers, With both President Declan Nolan ’19 the request was approved. and Senate Chair Fabienne Bogardus ‘20 This week, the budget committee reviewed absent, Parliamentarian Duncan Hay led a request by the Asian American Union the board through the usual procedures. for $1,220 dollars. The club, led by AbiLast week’s conversation on raising photo by Ron Leja gail Dumo 20′, has been inactive for several awareness of SGA continued, though the From left to night: Sarah Groux, Nolan Hickey, Connor Ogborn, years, with little to no promotion. subject wasn’t explored nearly as much Nia Little Dumo explained that the money requested this time around. would be used in an effort to better promote Senate Secretary Connor Ogborn ’19 exued to review budget requests for different clubs the club through a series of events that would pressed that he is adamant about a bulletin board idea outside of the cafeteria, showcasing throughout campus. Last week, the president and celebrate Asian culture. vice president of Fashion Club, Bridget Broyles ’20 The board granted the club $750 for now. the various members of SGA. In other news, it was mentioned that the MCLA “We hear from a bunch of people and clubs, re- and Preston Long ’20, attended the SGA meeting website would soon be undergoing a drastic redegarding SGA, that even if they are aware of how to further explain the club’s request for $865.

Fashion club plans to hold a spring fashion show, sign, to be rolled out in the coming weeks. As it we can help them, they don’t necessarily know who featuring 73 different “looks” by a number of dif- stands, the official MCLA website sees 150,000 anthey should be talking to,” Ogborn stated. “We are ferent designers, to be held in the MCLA Design nual visitors. The redesign will aim to make navisupposed to be an outlet for students, so we really Lab located at 49 Main St. gation of the site even easier. need to put ourselves out there and make ourselves In previous years, the fashion show has garnered The issue of less-than-stellar WiFi throughout known.”

Following up on the subject of bolstering SGA’s a large turnout. Last year’s show saw every seat in campus was also brought up. A large number of image throughout campus, Coordinating Vice the house filled, with many attendees left standing. students have complained of extremely slow interThe aforementioned budget request would not net speeds, as well as the inability to access WiFi President (CVP) Dean Little ’21 displayed a flyer only be used toward the show, but to assist the club all together. for an “SGA Whine and Cheese” event to take place to acquire tools and supplies.

It was explained by commuter representative Noat some point in the following weeks.

The club has gained a lot of support and captured lan Hickey that a power outage several weeks back The Whine and Cheese event will give students the opportunity to not only meet with the Senate, the interest of students over the years, resulting in may be responsible, as it took a good portion of the network offline. As it stands, the College is seeing but to express any and all concerns they may have a surprisingly high member count of 58.

Out of the $865 requested, $450 was approved. upload and download speeds as little as 3 Mbps. over an array of various snacks. A specific date, Given the severity of the issue, the Senate is looktime and location for the event has yet to be deter- It was explained by Little that the budgeting committee was currently only supplementing them for ing to invite a guest speaker to discuss ways in which mined. the problem can be remedied in the near future.

The Budget Finance Committee (BFC) contin- the spring show.

MCLA Partners with Bennington and Williams Colleges for Winter Blitz

BY JAKE VITALI MANAGING EDITOR MCLA will join neighbors Bennington College and Williams College for Winter Blitz on Nov. 10 to help weatherize homes in the area.

Weatherization is a process designed to make homes warmer and decrease energy costs.

This year Christopher Hantman, coordinator for Civic Engagement and Volunteer Programs, had students more involved on the planning side.

Paula Kingsbury-Evans and Meghan Murphy both made weekly trips to Williams College. Hantman hopes that

having students more involved in the planning will lead to higher engagement.

“It’s always tough and we always have ten to 20 [volunteers] and we’d like to beat that this year because we have more MCLA students on the planning side of it,” Hantman said.

Hantman believes this is a great opportunity for students because they are contributing to a worthy cause and because they can make connections outside of campus.

“It’s a great opportunity to give back to folks, it’s giving back in multiple ways, not only helping individuals in making a more energy efficient north-

Applications available in room 111 Mark Hopkins

ern Berkshires, which is in everyone’s interest, but it also provides an opportunity for students to work with Bennington and Williams [College] students,” Hantman said.

The program was originally started

by Williams College students 11 years ago. They then brought in MCLA students and Bennington College students. Throughout those 11 years, it has always happened during the month of November.

Volunteers go out and install energy efficient light bulbs, door sweeps, insulation kits for windows, and fill cracks around doors and windows.

Senior Connor Ogborn participated

Applications are now open!

Students are welcome to apply to any positions!

Editors, writers, designers, photographers, copy editors, etc..

in Winter Blitz last year and offered his thoughts on the experience.

“It was a lot of fun and a great experience,” Ogborn said. “Not only do you get to help people in need, but you get to just talk to them. The people I was sent to really never got to talk much, so just us being there and listening made their day.”

Community members who would like their home to be weatherized can email williamswinterblitz@gmail.com or call 413-217-4717.

Students who want to participate can do so as individuals or as part of a group and can register using a form on the event’s Facebook page.

News

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Nov. 8, 2018 Vol. 87 Issue 8

China Still Ready to Talk Trade with Trump, Xi’s No. 2 says

BY DAVID TWEED AND DANDAN LI BLOOMBERG NEWS HONG KONG _ China's vice president said Beijing remained ready to discuss a trade solution with the U.S., as he urged changes in global governance to address a surge in populism and rapid technological advances.

Vice President Wang Qishan—one of China's best-known economic reformers—told Bloomberg's New Economy Forum in Singapore that trade was still an "anchor and propeller of China-U.S. relations." He prefaced his support for talks—a refrain Chinese leaders have repeated for months—with a warning about the dangers of "right-leaning populism" and "unilateralism."

"The Chinese side is ready to have discussions with the U.S. on issues of mutual concern and work for a solution on trade acceptable to both sides," Wang told the crowd of more than 400 business and political leaders. "China will stay calm and sober-minded and embrace greater openness to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results."

Wang was speaking the day after President Xi Jinping pledged at a Shanghai trade expo to further open his country's markets, while taking a few veiled swipes at U.S. counterpart Donald Trump. The rare speech

photo by Artyom Ivanov/Tass/Abaca Press/TNS

From left, China's President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands on Nov. 9, 2017, during a meeting outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

by Wang comes amid an effort by top Communist Party leaders to reassure global investors spooked by the U.S.-China trade war and a deepening slowdown in the world's second-largest economy.

The New Economy Forum is being organized by Bloomberg Media Group, a division of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News.

"We are facing the challenge of

rising populism and unilateralism," Wang said. "Such rapid changes have split some countries and societies.

The polarization of right-leaning populism has manifested itself in political demands, which has led to unilateral policies against globalization and seriously affected the international political ecosystem."

While Trump has floated the possibility of a deal when he meets Xi in

the coming weeks, the two sides remain far apart on resolving key U.S. complaints. The U.S. president has asked his Cabinet to outline the terms of a possible agreement after an expected meeting between the two leaders at the Group of 20 nations summit in Argentina, Bloomberg News reported Friday.

Trump on Monday said the trade conflict with China could still go either way, telling a conference call with supporters that if China wants to make a deal, but if they don't that's fine as well, he said. "We're in a very big dispute with them right now, and we're winning," Trump said.

Wang is a trusted adviser to Xi and has known the president since their days working in the countryside during Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution. His appearance in Singapore is his third trip abroad since becoming vice president in March.

Wang has in recent years overseen Xi's signature campaign against corruption and helped set up China's first investment bank with Morgan Stanley in the 1990s. He maintains close ties with prominent Wall Street figures, including former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson. He has also played a more diplomatic role, receiving foreign dignitaries in Beijing including Stephen Bannon, a former senior adviser to Trump.

First in Migrant Caravan Reach Mexico City, Still Hundreds of Miles from US Border

BY PATRICK J. MCDONNELL LOS ANGELES TIMES MEXICO CITY _ Thousands of Central Americans from the migrant caravan that has become a divisive campaign issue in the U.S. midterm election have begun arriving in Mexico City, still hundreds of miles from the border.

The migrants were being directed to a sprawling sports complex on the capital's outskirts, where they were given food, water and provided basic services.

The migrants began streaming into the city over the weekend and by midafternoon Monday police estimated as many as 3,000 had settled into the sports complex near the city's international airport. Officials expect about 5,000 by Wednesday.

The sports facility was hastily converted into shelter for the migrants. Various tents provided meals, mattresses, clothing and other necessities. Portable toilets lined a long fence. And water for washing was provided in huge blue tanks. Doctors and nurses offered medical aid to those who needed it while volunteers arrived with food, toys and clothing. Clowns and musicians entertained the travelers.

"It feels great to be here, after so long on the road," said Nixa Nunez, 33, who traveled from Honduras with her three young daughters. "But this is just a temporary stop. We all want to go to the United States."

She cradled her youngest, Gladys, 4, in her arms. The child was suffering from a cold and had already been treated for dehydration during the trip, Nunez said.

"I'm doing this for my daughters, so they have a better life," she said.

Juan Antonio Lopez, 16, left Honduras more than three weeks ago with two older sisters and several

nieces and nephews. He said that at times they'd gone without food or water and battled fatigue.

"Sometimes my sisters felt desperate, but we had to keep going, pushing forward."

Like others, Lopez said he was undeterred by President Donald Trump's vows that they would not be allowed into the U.S., where many of the Hondurans have relatives.

"Hopefully the president will soften his heart and open the door of his country," said Lopez. "We are not bad people. We suffered a lot in our countries and all we want is a better future. People in the United States should not be afraid of us. We just want to work. ... We are not criminals."

Mexico City officials said they would be able to provide for the migrants despite the fact that the city is facing a major water shortage this week as workers try to repair the city's aging water infrastructure.

The caravan has fragmented in recent days. Participants traveled mostly on foot through Chiapas and Oaxaca states in southern Mexico and then crossed into the gulf state of Veracruz over the weekend.

But many have been offered rides, hitched rides on trucks or jumped on buses bound for the Mexican capital. Church officials and others helped pay bus fares, migrants said.

The route through Mexico City represents a detour of hundreds of miles for the U.S.-bound migrants. The more direct course to the U.S.-Mexico frontier would have been through Tamaulipas state, which borders Mexico's Veracruz state and the Texas border.

Caravan organizers said the exhausted and ailing migrants—who have traveled hundreds of miles, mostly on foot—needed time to recuperate and

Angel Hernandez/DPA/Zuma Press/TNS

Migrants jump on a truck in order not to have to walk a part of their long way on Nov. 3, 2018, in Sayula, Veracruz, Mexico. Most of the migrants come from Honduras. They are currently on their way through Mexico toward the U.S. border. rest in the Mexican capital. Many are suffering from colds, blistered feet, insect bites and other ailments. Caravan representatives were also seeking to meet with Mexican political leaders in the country's capital.

It was not clear how long the caravan participants planned to remain in Mexico City nor where precisely they planned to head along the almost 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border.

In the run-up to Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections, Trump has labeled the migrant caravan an "invasion," vowed that its members would not enter U.S. territory, and said thousands of troops would be deployed along the southwestern border to thwart the migrants' advance.

FEATURES

Nov. 8, 2018 Vol. 87 Issue 8

5

'The Grinch' is Poised for a Mean Box Office Opening

BY RYAN FAUGHNDER LOS ANGELES TIMES Illumination Entertainment and Universal's new version of the Dr. Seuss classic is expected to gross as much as $65 million this weekend.

Dr. Seuss's beloved yuletide thief, the Grinch, may be as cuddly as a cactus, but all signs show that family audiences are ready to embrace the character again at the box office.

Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures' new version of the Seuss classic is expected to be a mean one at the multiplex this weekend, according to people who have read pre-release audience surveys.

The computer-animated film, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the green grouch, is poised to gross $52 million to $65 million in the U.S. and Canada from Friday through Sunday.

That would be enough to easily dislodge 20th Century Fox's "Bohemian Rhapsody" as the top film in North America, after the Freddie Mercury biopic scored a better-than-expected $51 million from its launch last weekend.

As "The Grinch" dominates the multiplex ahead of the holiday season by appealing to kids, a pair of dark, R-rated offerings will seek grown-up moviegoers: Sony Pictures' "The Girl in the Spider's Web" and Paramount Pictures' zombie war film "Overlord."

But it remains to be seen if audiences are willing to touch either with a 39-and-a-half-foot pole.

Here's what to watch:

Charming as an Eel A strong opening for "The Grinch" would mark the latest success for Chris Meledandri's Illumination, the studio behind films such as "Minions," "Despicable Me" and "The Secret Life of Pets."

Like other Illumination movies, "The Grinch" cost about $75 million to make, meaning the film should have no trouble turning a profit. Some analysts predict the film will over-perform estimates, reaching $70 million in its first weekend, given the lack of recent kids movies and the enduring appeal of the story.

"The market is ripe for a major animated movie with appeal to all ages, something we haven't seen since the middle of summer," said Shawn Robbins, an analyst with BoxOffice.com. "Holiday timing, the iconic brand, and Cumberbatch's appeal to parents are big advantages as well."

Seuss's prickly creature with the heart two sizes too small has been a film and TV fixture since the 1966 television special featuring the voice of Boris Karloff.

The live-action version from 2000, starring Jim Carrey and directed by Ron Howard, grossed a massive $260 million domestically, despite lackluster reviews.

Tattooed Girl vs. Nazi Zombies Sony Pictures, meanwhile, is trying to revive the "Dragon Tattoo" franchise with "The Girl in the Spider's Web," seven years after David Fincher's adaptation of Stieg Larsson's gritty Swedish crime novel. Directed by Fede Alvarez, the film isn't expected to post huge numbers in its U.S.-Canada opening, most likely collecting $8 million to $10 million in its first three days of release.

photo from Universal Pictures

Dr. Seuss’s “The Grinch” is expected to make as much as $65 million this weekend.

Fincher's "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" opened with a modest $13 million in North America, but caught on with audiences and eventually grossed a solid $232 million globally (including $102 million stateside), on a production budget of $90 million.

The studio hedged its bets this time around. The new picture, based on a novel written and published as a follow-up to Larsson's Millennium trilogy after the author's death, cost an estimated $43 million to make and was

co-financed by MGM and New Regency.

Meanwhile, Paramount Pictures will launch its $38-million horror-action thriller "Overlord," the latest film produced by J.J. Abrams. The movie follows a team of American troops in World War II who parachute behind enemy lines to confront terrifying creatures resulting from German experiments. Though it has garnered strong reviews, "Overlord" is expected to open with $10 million to $13 million, according to analysts.

Former Astronaut Mae Jemison Over the Moon for ‘Mars’

BY RICK BENTLEY TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE LOS ANGELES _ The second season of the National Geographic series "Mars," set to debut Monday, will continue to blend fictional storytelling with fact to present a look at what the efforts to establish a colony on the red planet would look like in the year 2042.

The six episodes will bounce between events on Mars and interviews with some of today's top names in science and space exploration.

The show's creators are taking every precaution to make sure the fictionalized part of the story is based in fact, including by having former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison—the first African-American woman to travel in space—as one of the scientific advisers.

The 62-year-old knows her way around the solar system as the physician, engineer and social scientist served six years as a NASA astronaut. During her time aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour STS-47 Spacelab Japan Mission in September 1992, she performed experiments in material science, life sciences and human adaptation to weightlessness.

Jemison has had a passion for space since she was a little girl growing up in Chicago. She made it a point not to miss any of the televised Mercury, Gemini or Apollo space mission launches. Her passion was compounded when she saw "Star Trek."

"One of the things that used to irritate me was that all the astronauts were white males," Jemison says. "I kept thinking that aliens were going to think that was the only kind of people we are. But 'Star Trek' had this very diverse cast.

"And, it was a show where science was in the center. What is interesting about 'Mars' is that science is in the center. It's one of the characters. It's OK to like it. The first season had a lot of personal elements, but it was about getting to Mars. Now it's about, how are we going to treat this new world and these new resources?"

The events unfold in the series in 2042 when the International Mars Science Foundation (IMSF) astronauts have developed a full-fledged colony. If that is close to the actual time frame, Jemison's time in space came a half-century too early.

"I feel like we have been putzing around with this too long and I should have been on Mars when I was an astronaut," Jemison says. "When I was a little girl growing up, there was every expectation that we were going to continue on and we would be able to do more things. What I look at is that we have not involved the public enough.

"That's been to our detriment because the public is excited about space. If we had kept the public informed on what was going on, we would be much further along."

The lack of connection with the public has not been from a lack of trying by Jemison and National Geographic. She's promoted space exploration as the author of "Find Where the Wind Goes: Moments from My Life" and a True Books series on space exploration. And in 1994 she founded international science camp The Earth We Share for 12- to 16-year-old students from around the world.

As for National Geographic, the company partnered with Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Michael Rosen-

berg of Imagine Entertainment to create the series.

This season delves into the boundaries between science and industry on an isolated, unforgiving frontier. It also looks at what happens when a deal must be made with the private sector to get enough funding to continue the work.

Howard describes the first season of "Mars" a "great creative adventure" because no format had been established as to the ratio between scripted and documentary footage. This year will use a similar design to make sure all the scientific elements are there, but according to Howard, there's also a lot of drama.

"This season certainly has physical action and danger and all of that stuff that makes for good viewing.

But it's more and more psychological, it's more and more about relationships, and a different kind of pressure on these characters," Howard says.

Helping play out that drama is a "Mars" cast that includes returning actors from season one along with several newcomers including Jihae ("Mortal Engines"), Jeff Hephner ("Code Black") and Esai Morales ("NYPD Blue"). On-camera experts include SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, former NASA Chief Ellen Stofan, theoretical physicist and futurist Michio Kaku, Planetary Society Director of Space Policy Casey Dreier, leading oil and energy expert Antonia Juhasz and best-selling author, activist and award-winning journalist on climate change Naomi Klein.

Jemison has thrown so much support into working on "Mars" because it's designed to be both entertaining and educational.

Arts & Entertainment History Harvest Creates Archive for North Adams Community 6

BY JENNIFER VANBRAMER A&E WRITER MCLA students and faculty collaborated with the North Adams Public Library (NAPL) and the North Adams Historical Society (NAHS) this past Saturday for “History Harvest,” an event which brought the local community together to create an online cultural archive.

“I’ve been working on this event since August, training students and working with the public,” said Amanda Kleintop, assistant professor in history, political science and public policy at MCLA. “I think this is a really good opportunity for students, and it’s nice to see the kinds of things that are a part of people’s history.”

Participants were invited to bring old letters, photographs, personal mementos, and various other artifacts that were digitally scanned and/or photographed by students to later be archived and shared with others who wish to access them online. There was also an opportunity for community members to be interviewed and record short oral histories that would allow them to share personal stories and perspectives on their own lives. The archive will be available this coming spring.

“Archives are very dependent on who is there to put things into them,” Kleintop said. “There is a lot of stuff that just simply doesn’t make it into history books, so doing a History Harvest is one interesting way to get objects and historical knowledge from different people that may not always end up being in a professional archive.”

Amanda Judson, a sophomore history major at MCLA, was volunteering at the History Harvest for the historical methods and theories class she is taking this fall. “I feel like personal history is as important as bigger history,” Judson said. “We will learn more about the lives of the everyday person from doing this, as opposed to just learning about political history.”

The students taking this course were able to volunteer their time assisting at the event, as they gained experience in interviewing the public, cataloging items in various spreadsheets, and taking photographs of artifacts.

“I want to get to know the people of North Adams better,” Judson said. “I’m not from here [North Adams] so I don’t know a lot about the area, but I hope after this

Photo by Julia Teixeira

An assortment of rocks from the Hoosac Tunnel being added to the History Harvest Archive.

Photo by Julia Teixeira

A Geo. M. Mowbray Electric Fuse Exploder being added to the History Harvest Archive.

[History Harvest] to change that as I become more involved and invested.”

The group of MCLA students and faculty that came to lend a hand at the History Harvest were very much involved in taking on leading roles helping community residents who showed up ready to participate. One woman who attended the event brought in several of her old yearbooks and shared her stories with the students who were checking people in.

“This event is bringing together different organizations that are interested in history in North Adams and that, in the least, is definitely important,” Kleintop said. “I would hope that if this [History Harvest] happens again that it only expands.”

Photo by Jennifer Vanbramer

MCLA Professor Amanda Kleintop speaks with a group of students at the “History Harvest.”

Arts & Entertainment

7

Dance Co Gears up for Fall Showcase

BY NORA HONES A&E EDITOR MCLA’s Dance Company, more commonly known as Dance Co, will be having their fall 2018 showcase this Friday and Saturday with more high energy than in previous years.

Dance Co’s fall 2018 show will present over 20 dance pieces of all different styles and, with with around 50 members in the club, will more than likely feature someone you know on campus.

As one of the largest student-run performance clubs, they rehearse, practice and perform throughout the academic year. They also learn from one another, promoting fun and progression in a friendly and sociable environment. One of the ways they do this is by having students learn how to choreograph dances for others to perform and by learning how to take direction from students who have previously choreographed.

“It’s a brand-new E-board this year so the energy has changed a little bit, so all of the pieces this semester are really full of energy and really strong, especially in terms of being able to convey the emotion they want to get across, and I think people will be impressed compared to previous years,” said Co-President Maggie Whited.

The E-board this year is

made up of Co-Pesidents Maggie Whited and Emily Resabala, Vice President Heath Upton, Treasurer Kate Breitenbach and Secretary Alyssa Renaud.

One of the staples of a classic Dance Co show are the senior solos. This year there are only two senior solo dances, one done by Whited herself and one by Gillian Gijanto.

MCLA’s NeXXus, a step team, and Dysfunk, a dance crew of MCLA alum, will also be in attendance performing a few really cool pieces, which as Whited puts it, is always a good time.

Whited was able to hint that there will be a dance to a song by Marshmello about bullying that will be very powerful and a Nicki Minaj mashup piece.

Cass Piccoli who is working as the sound technician for this performance was also a member of Dance Co for three semesters and has a good concept of what their best and worst shows have looked like over time and is excited about this semester's dances, in particular.

“The dances this semester look popping. They really do look good and everyone in Dance Co looks very nice and they are working their butts off to make it look nice,” said Piccoli when asked why he thinks people should attend the event.

Dance Co holds auditions every semester and welcomes experienced dancers, begin-

Photo by Zachary Benjamin

Alum Bryanna Bradley performing at 2016’s fall’s Dance Company show.

ners, performers, and even people who may not consider themselves dancers as of yet according to their Facebook page. Next semester the showcase will hopefully be taking place on the Mass MoCA stage, like it has in

some years past.

The show takes place on Friday, Nov. 9, at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m. in Venable Theatre. Tickets can be reserved ahead of time in the Campus Center Marketplace starting Mon-

day, Nov. 5. Ticket cost is $2 for MCLA students with an ID at the door or reserved or $5 for members of the general public at the door or reserved. Tickets can also be reserved by emailing AR2537@mcla.edu.

MASS MoCA Presents Chicago City Limits: Impressive Improv

BY WYATT MINEAU A&E WRITER This past Saturday North Adams' famous art museum, MASS MoCA, featured a comedy improv show starring Chicago City Limits.

The improv troupe hails from their hometown of New York City and has been active since 1977 with well over 30 members and alumni under the troupe's banner. They have been the recipient of numerous Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs awards, including "Best Comedy/Improv Group" two years straight, in both 1987 and 1988. For anyone familiar with improvisational (or improv) comedy, this is quite a pedigree.

Improv is, when compared to other genres of comedy (primarily stand-up, with others such as sketch comedy), relatively unknown, with the most notable group being the various cast members featured on the famous TV Show, "Whose

Photo provided by Chicago City Limits Website.

Chicago City Limits is an Improv group from NYC known for their unique style of comedy.

Line Is It Anyways?" However, their performance in MASS MoCA's B10 club definitely

proved their pedigree to those attending.

The club was completely sold

out by opening time, and the tiny club room the show was being held in was filled, with

no seats open. The stage was little more than a black square for the actors to stand on, with a piano for musical accompaniment and four chairs to the side for them to sit on while waiting for their cues.

To begin the performance, the four performers asked the audience for something to sing a song about, and ended up singing a comedic and completely improvised song about balloons, comparing them to politicians and the police, i.e., "both are full of hot air." This was obviously done to show just how talented the cast is at improvisation, and it accomplished its goal—that the four actors could improvise an entire song with rhyming verses on the fly while playing off each other while having only the last verse and the piano player to go off from is nothing short of impressive!

This was no different throughout the night. Their

Improv, Page 8

8

Review

Arts & Entertainment

Trail House Kitchen and Bar, Offering Something for Everyone in the West End

BY JAKE VITALI MANAGING EDITOR Located on Route 2 at 896 State Road in North Adams as you approach Williamstown, just past Stop and Shop and across the street from the new Tourists hotel sits the Trail House Kitchen and Bar. From the outside it looks like a house and one could easily mistake it as such, especially as it sits on the corner of a residential street.

A house-like atmosphere is felt on the inside too. Bench seats line the wall, tables are dressed with pillows, there are tables holding vases and figurines and pictures are hung on the wall. The wood tables and chairs give the impression they were gently used in an upscale home nearby. With walls removed the dining area feels spacious while the ambiance is largely intimate and private, providing a good atmosphere to have a conversation.

Trail House is the newest creation from Sean and Colleen Taylor, the brother and sister duo responsible for

the Freight Yard Pub during the past 26 years. While it would be easy to rest on their laurels with the success of Freight Yard, one look at the menu shows their effort to create something different.

While the multi paged Freight Yard Pub menu offers many pub staples like wings, burgers, sandwiches and fried fish, the Trail House aims to take a more creative and authentically fresh approach. The menu is significantly smaller in terms of offerings; however, it offers something for everyone—especially those who are health-conscious or require special dietary accommodations. There are multiple gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options available.

The rib eye steak I ordered medium was cooked to perfection. It was a very lean cut of meat, which surprised me because of how fatty this cut traditionally tends to be.

There was no heavy marinade or seasoning on it, allowing for the true flavor to be thoroughly experienced.

The mashed potatoes were just as impressive and

flavorful, again played on the simplistic nature of the restaurant, leaving in chunks of the potato skin. The zucchini and squash were thinly sliced, leaving their natural taste on display.

While the meal left me too full for dessert, the offerings were appetizing with items such as caramel apple cider donuts served with vanilla ice cream and crème anglaise, pecan pie or a warm chocolate croissant.

The biggest downside of dining at the Trail House is the price. An entrée will easily cost over $20, and while you are paying for the quality, I can’t help but feel there are more economical recommendations for a student’s budget. It is also approximately 3 miles from campus, difficult to visit without a car.

I would save Trail House for those times you are looking for a place to go with visiting friends and family members or if you are looking to venture somewhere new for an intimate dinner date when you know you’ll have a few dollars left over for a movie.

Yorick: Shakespeare Plays and Understanding Their Art Form

BY WYATT MINEAU A&E WRITER MCLA's Yorick is a 14-year-old theatre club specializing in Shakespeare plays. When one thinks of Theatre, playwrights or acting onstage, usually one of the first things to pop into one's head is William Shakespeare. He was revolutionary for the art form, and at this point is iconic to it. The club’s name, Yorick, is that of the dead court jester in “Hamlet.”

Shakespeare also wrote and directed over 30 comedies, tragedies and histories, and thus has a huge backlog of plays to read through, practice, and help understand the art form. So, at that point, it only makes sense to have a club separate from theatre devoted to his works. This is presumably what Tom Coppola was thinking when he came up with the idea for the club in 2004, and it's what keeps the

club alive today—that, and the interest of young theatre students, of course.

Yorick's current president is Jade Schnauber, who commented on her time spent with the club: "I've been a part of Yorick for three years now, I loved working with this club while I've been on campus.

"My favorite part would be the connections we get to make with each other by working on the shows together. I also really like being able to share a passion for learning about Shakespeare with other like-minded people.

"I would say that even if you don't like Shakespeare, but you like theatre, you should join. The shows take a lot of work, and everyone we have helps and brings unique skills to the production."

Yorick is always open to new students interested in joining the group.

Yorick's most recent performance was "Hamlet"

last spring, and this semester they'll be performing "Twelfth Night, or What You Will" this Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., as well as Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Church Street Center's social hall.

The story is of a love triangle between main protagonist Viola, who pines for, and disguises herself as a man to serve Duke Orsino, who is infatuated by countess Olivia, who in turn falls in love with Viola's male disguise. Admission is free.

If you'd like to follow MCLA's Yorick and see what upcoming performances are planned, you can find them on Facebook. You can also contact Jade via e-mail at js5548@mcla.edu.

Photo provided by Yorick

MCLA’s Yorick’s latest logo, which can be seen on their community Facebook page.

Improv, from page 7 whole two-hour performance included a classic freezeframe bit, where a lady falls in love with her plumber because of his “plumber’s crack,” but the plumber hates the lady because of her purple shoes.

It was performed in multiple theatric styles, including basic styles such as film noir, Shakespeare, Neil Simon and even pantomiing.

Other bits included a dream of a “big wave,” where whenever a bell was rung, the actor had to redo their last line as something else, slowly telling a story about a jobless surfer dude living with his parents in China, and a Jeopardy-ad-

jacent game show where the audience gave the answers and the actors onstage gave the questions (the category used was “jelly beans and oceans”).

They then performed a more unique skit where three of the actors worked together alternating between narrating a story one at a time (based on who the fourth actor pointed to) and actually acting out the scene depending on what the fourth actor wanted.

Their longest skit was acting out a musical with a plot lifted from an audience member’s story: a part-time bookkeeper married to a hot dog maker, adopting a puppy. To say it was impressive that a cast

member could not only improv song and dance numbers but do so while wearing a mop and stuffing fake fur into their pants to look like the puppy in front of the audience would be understating their talent.

The final skit was a cast member trying to say an unusual phrase, again from an audience member (“when the going gets weird, the weird go pro”), charading as if in clown school and slowly but surely getting the actor to utter the phrase, to a thunderous applause, closing out the performance.

The audience clearly enjoyed every bit of the performance, proven by just how enraptured

they were. There was never a joke that didn’t get a chorus of laughter. Even the most subtle play-on-words were met with raucous laughter from most of the audience.

Some audience members were willing to share their thoughts on the Chicago City Limits’ performance as well, and it seemed praise and enjoyment was a common reaction.

“Genius. Every part of (the show), just the genius of the improv. I’m trying to imagine how they do that,” one audience member pondered afterward. “Everything is just, like, it’s part of how their brains work.”

“I thought it was really good,” shared another audience member. “I liked that it was improv, it wasn’t what I expected it to be, thought it was more of a comedy show, so the improv was fun.”

If you’d like to follow Chicago City Limits and see when they’ll next be performing, you can check out their website, which includes info on how to book them for a show or attend one of their improv classes. If you’re interested in what’s next for MASS MoCA’s performance line-up, you can also go to their website, which also has schedules of current and upcoming shows and art exhibitions.

Nov. 8, 2018 Vol. 87 Issue 8

OPINION

9

Editorial

Politics Over Turkey Thanksgiving and politics are never a good mix. It is a conversation most families try to avoid, along with money issues and religion, yet given the current political climate and the younger generation’s newfound interest in the ways of our political system, it seems almost inevitable.

And that’s okay. Despite there being this stigma against upsetting Uncle Jim, the family fiscal conservative and open Trump supporter, over a nice turkey dinner for the sake of being polite, times have changed.

While this is by no means a rally to attack those friends and loved ones who may fall on the opposite end of the political spectrum, we at the Beacon do feel that having those uncomfortable conversations around the dinner table are crucial to promoting change.

That does not mean we necessarily need to go out of our way to kick off the talk on politics, but should it come up, don’t be afraid to speak your mind and stand your ground.

Today we live under an administration that has made numerous attempts to push back against progress meant to enrich the lives of not one group of Americans, but all Americans.

The Trump administration has refused to disavow white suprem-

acy. They refuse to acknowledge black lives matter, that members of the LGBTQ community are fellow Americans, that gun violence should have been addressed years ago, or that a woman’s right to choose shouldn’t be left up to a bunch of religious fanatics but to women themselves.

In fact, the only problem the Trump administration currently acknowledges is that of a fabricated border crisis, one of which could pull nearly 15,000 soldiers away from their own Thanksgiving tables to guard against a “Caravan” of asylum-seeking immigrants, mostly women and children.

With so many people—possibly even yourself—being negatively impacted by the president’s actions and destabilizing rhetoric, now is not the time to hold our tongues.

You are well within reason to voice your opinion and will be a stronger person for doing so. Gone are the days when we should passively accept someone’s toxic opinion and BS delusions, family or not.

That being said, there is a level of tact involved in discussing politics with someone who doesn’t share your views. While it is true tensions may be running high and tribe-like mentalities have become apparent, family ties will always transcend politics, time and time again. We

should be discussing politics, not pushing them.

As previously stated, it is not wise to attack a fellow family member with words of belittlement while discussing politics, nor is it right to dominate the conversation with your side of the issue.

However, do not be afraid to present questions or provide information that may challenge their way of thinking. Don’t be mean in your approach, but firm in your message.

Instead, approach them with the utmost honesty. Be real with your family, they deserve that much from you. Explain your opinion, question theirs, and show them you can respect and consider their own views, whether you believe them or not, by letting them speak their mind. Afterward, challenge them.

Believe it or not, a discussion on politics doesn’t always have to consist of a full-blown debate. Civil conversation about current issues is possible though civility does need to exist on both sides.

If you feel as if you are not being met with the same level of consideration, by all means let them know and bring the discussion to a close.

At the end of the day, you will have done your part in trying to further the conversation and can go back to making the best of your day off.

The Beacon is published Thursdays during the academic year and is distributed to the MCLA community. The Beacon is funded by the Student Government Association, the English/Communications department and ad revenue. Single copies are free and additional copies can be purchased at 50 cents each. If you wish to purchase additional copies, please contact a member of staff.

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Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Ron Leja

Managing Editor

A & E Editor

Jake Vitali

Nora Hones

Sports Editor

Senior News Editor Maya McFadden

Jabari Shakir

Business Manager

Copy Chief

Gabby Kernozek

Elizabeth Haight

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Staff

Staff Writers

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Advisers Shawn McIntosh Qian Wang

SPORTS

10

Nov. 8, 2018 Vol. 87 Issue 8

2018 Women’s Basketball Preview

BY JABARI SHAKIR SPORTS EDITOR Women’s basketball team is preparing for their 2018 season opener later this week.

The Trailblazers hope to improve their records and performances over last year. The women’s team did not make the playoffs last year is expected to finish last in the preseason poll. They had an overall record of six and 18 last year and were two and ten in MASCAC. Coach Loren Stock is excited about the new season and the different roles each player is going to play in order for the team to succeed.

“There has been a lot of growth during the offseason specifically with the returners, so I am excited to see a lot of them are taking on leadership roles. Team culture is something I would like to continue to build,” Coach Stock said.

MCLA’s top two scorers from last season, seniors Courtney Pingelski and Sam Gawron, are returning to finish up their last year as Trailblazers. Pingelski scored 12 points per game last season and is the teams’ leading rebounder at seven per game.

Gawron averaged last season with ten points per game and six rebounds per game. Five foot three senior point guard McKenzie Robinson is looking to play a key role for her team as well. Last year, Robinson set a school record of 114 assists and averaged seven points per game. Last season, the team averaged 56.7 points per game, 40 rebounds per game, 13 assists per game while shooting 37 percent from the field and 61 percent from the free throw line.

The Trailblazers will play their first home game against Springfield on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 5 p.m.

Kylah Langston Junior Guard

“My biggest goal for myself is definitely to learn leadership habits from the seniors now and for my last season next year.”

Photo by MCLA Athletics

Senior Guard L’Rae Brundige last season averaged six points per game; she is one of several returning players who will bring experience to the team.

Samantha Gawron Senior Guard

“I am ready to get going, start games and we are excited to get on the court and play together.”

Mckenzie Robinson Senior Guard

L’Rae Brundige Senior Forward

“I am mostly excited about seeing our freshmen come in, step into big roles, and grow.”

“I think we mostly focus on (in practice) is defense and trying to have a solid defense.”

Courtney Pingelski Senior Guard “I am excited about being able to play with the girls I have been playing [with] for so long, as well as the new freshmen that are coming in and to see how well we can work with one another.”

November Games Nov. 10 (home) 5 p.m.

Springfield Nov. 13 (away) 7 p.m.

SUNY Cobleskill Nov. 17 (away) 1 p.m.

Keene State Nov. 20 (home) 6 p.m.

Mt. Holyoke Nov. 27 (home) 6 p.m.

Middlebury Nov. 29 (away) 5 p.m.

Utica

Check out what other women’s and men’s players hope for this basketball season in upcoming issues.

Nov. 8, 2018 Vol. 87 Issue 8

SPORTS

11

2018 Men’s Basketball Preview

BY JABARI SHAKIR SPORTS EDITOR

The men’s basketball team are preparing for their 2018 season opener later this week. They hope to improve their records and performances over last year. The men’s team lost in the second round of the playoffs last year to the Bridgewater State Bears.

The MCLA Men’s Basketball program is expected to finish sixth out of seven teams in the MASCAC preseason poll of the league’s coaching staff.

Last year the men’s team finished with an overall record of 10 and 16 with a 6 and 6 record in the MASCAC. The Trailblazers have eight players returning, but they have to replace their top four scorers from last season. Senior Ki-Shawn Monroe averaged eight points per game last year and led the team in assists from the point guard position. Sophomores Mike

Demartinis and Hayden Bird should also play important roles in the offense this year.

As freshmen they combined an average 15 points per game.

Coach Derek Shell has already assembled the gameplan for their first game on Saturday. “The gameplan for us is to use our speed, our quickness, be distrubitive on the defensive end, push the ball offensively and the more chaos we can cause offensively and more aggressive we can be offensively the better we will end up,” Coach Shell said.

Last season, the Trailblazers averaged 73 points per game, 39 rebounds per game, 14 assists per game, while shooting 71 percent from the free throw line, 31 percent from the three- point arc and 40 percent from the field.

The Trailblazers play their first game of the season at John Jay on Friday, Nov.9th at 7 p.m.

photo from MCLA Athletics

Senior Ki-Shawn Monroe is looking forward to his last season as a Trailblazer to leave his career all on the court.

NFL Defenses Are Not Dead; Quit Saying So Where we have the long-lived, dies that modern science has now consistently great quarterbacks explained, identified and corrected such as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodin the NFL. No, it’s not “snowflake gers, we also have new, blooming ball” or something dumb like that. young talent in the position, such We just don’t want to see anymore as Deshaun Watson and, most noplayers end up like Junior Seau, tably, Patrick Mahomes. killing themselves because they susMahomes, in particular, has been tained lifelong head injuries they having an MVP caliber season in couldn’t cope with after hanging up his first full season as a starter. His their cleats. elite play has led the team to an Furthermore, just because today’s 8-1 record, looking near unbeatNFL has toned down a bit on the barable, and having arguably the best ANDREW BAILLARGEON baric physicality of years ago doesn’t offense in the NFL at that. Tied mean that good defense can’t be THE CALL for the best record in the league, played. The Minnesota Vikings just Kansas City has, rightfully, pinned played a game where they sacked Detheir hopes this year on the electroit’s Matt Stafford ten times and tric young hurler. prevented Detroit from finding the end zone all Yet, for as sustainable as Mahomes’ results day. They did this without a single penalty being seem, I’ve seen a lot of criticism targeted at him attributed against them. address the overall environment of the NFL. I’ll The Baltimore Ravens sacked Marcus Mariota 11 concede that the NFL many years ago was a bit times and completely shutdown Tennessee a few more physical than today’s NFL, but the NFL of weeks ago in a 21-0 win. back then was also littered with serious longThere are offensively inept teams, such as the term head injuries and terrible lifelong mala- Buffalo Bills, New York Jets or aforementioned

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Tennessee Titans, that can be contained by a well-prepared, coached defense. Then we have defenses like Tampa Bay’s who are beyond abysmal and, quite frankly, wouldn’t be “good” even if they could knock a guy’s head off legally.

It is reprehensible that exciting players like Patrick Mahomes could be discredited because of the rule set of the NFL. In fact, it is incredibly shortsighted and lacking in critical thought to have that frame of mind for any player, period. Defenses are still capable of containing even the most high-powered offenses, as evidenced when the Detroit Lions’ decidedly average defense mostly shut down Tom Brady and the Patriots in a Week 2 win.

To discredit an offensive player because the game isn’t as barbaric as it once was and now actually cares about players’ health is ridiculous and, frankly, immoral. Get over it. Your team’s pass rush can’t cause the opposing quarterback to want to commit suicide later in life because they hit him in the head so hard. I guess that’s supposed to be a bad thing, which is why Patrick Mahomes actually sucks instead of being debatably one of the best quarterbacks in the world of today.

See how ridiculous that sounds?

Check out the MCLA Beacon channel on YouTube for this week’s edition of Beacon Web News, coming soon to MCLA-TV on Philo!

Nov. 8, 2018 Vol. 87 Issue 8

12

Day of Dialouge: Complicating Race Schedule of Events - November 8, 2018 2:00-4:00 pm WORKSHOPS (participants choose one workshop to attend)

8:30-9:30 am Opening Breakfast and Welcome: Enjoy a pancake ‘sundae bar’ with Dr. Christine Condaris (Venable Gym)

• Race, Standardized Testing, and Admissions with Dean Gina Puc and Kayla Hollins (Bowman Hall)

9:45-11:45 am WORKSHOPS (participants choose one workshop to attend)

• Afrofuturism: A Literary Exploration of a Moving

• Power Up: Art as Action, Art as Dialogue with Melanie Mowinski (Bowman Hall)

Power with Dean Emily Alling (Bowman Hall)

United States with Dr. Ely Janis (Bowman Hall) • Multiracial Identity: Check all that Apply with Kayla Hollins (Bowman Hall)

• Why Representation Matters - A Conversation About the Role of Museums with Michelle Daly (Gallery 51)

• Though He Always Held True to His Cadence and

• Agency for People of Color in Entertainment Media

Rhymes Even Great Dr. Seuss Could be Racist at Times: A Participatory Discussion with Dr. Dale Fink (Bowman Hall) • Reflections on a Radical: Grace Lee Boggs, Solidarity, and Political Revolution with Dr. Chris MacDon-

12:00-1:45 pm Mix it Up Lunch Conversations with Dr. Kerri Leyda Nicoll (Venable Gym)

Caren Beilin (Bowman Hall) • Race, Ethnicity, and Language: Stigma, Prestige, and

• A Short History of Anti-Immigrant Feeling in the

ald-Dennis & Dr. Jenna Sciuto (Sullivan Lounge)

Genre (and a creative writing engagement) with Dr.

with Michael Obasohan & Jamal Ahamad (Sullivan Lounge) 4:15-5:00 pm Closing Discussions (Bowman 2nd fl. Lobby) 6:00 pm FYE Student Reception (Campus Center Gym) 7:00 pm The Michael and Kitty Dukakis Public Policy Lecture with Ta-Nehisi Coates (Campus Center Gym)

THE 8TH ANNUAL MICHAEL S. AND KITTY DUKAKIS PUBLIC POLICY LECTURE SERIES

TA-NEHISI COATES National Book Award winner and author of the ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Captain America’ comic books Keynote speaker of MCLA’s first Day of Dialogue

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018 7:00 P.M. AMSLER CAMPUS CENTER GYMNASIUM FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Please arrive early to ensure seating. No bags in gymnasium.

The Michael S. and Kitty Dukakis Public Policy Lecture Series is made possible through the generosity of the Ruth Proud Charitable Trust.

M A S S A CHU S ETTS C OL LE G E OF L IB ER A L ARTS

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