The Beacon
Student Newspaper of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts North Adams, Mass.
For more content, visit online at: MCLA.Beacon.edu Volume 77 ◆ Issue 1
Th u r s d ay, S e p t e m b e r 1 9 , 2 0 1 3
Eyes on the finish
Rave danger Drug causes electric dance music venues to halt events By Nick Arena
Managing Editor
Photo By Gabriel Kogel/ Beacon Staff
The Center for Science and Innovation, now open, wraps up construction in time for the ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 4. For full story, see page 3.
With four recent overdoses involved with Electric Dance Music (EDM) events, people have begun to question exactly what “Molly” is and the problems it poses. The drug is a purer form of ecstasy, or methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), and has now become widely associated with the EDM culture. One of MDMA’s main effects is that it causes sensory overload and therefore compliments the vivid lights and bass-heavy music present at EDM events. The DEA website reads: “MDMA causes changes in perception, including euphoria and increased sensitivity to touch, energy, sensual and sexual arousal, need to be touched, and need for stimulation.”
The deadly overdose effects of the drug are what have caught the public’s eye. “Venues are stopping raves or having EDM artists there and the whole scene might just move back underground,” junior Jacob Fennell said. “It’s kind of been a problem that’s been neglected for a while and they’re just choosing to start following it during our generation, and that’s a huge burden on us.” Fennell, a big fan of the EDM scene, sees the prohibition of the drug and cancellation of music events as more detrimental than the drug usage itself. “That takes away all of their liberty and PLUR (Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect), which are the laws by which all ravers live by,” he added.
MOLLY, continued on page 3
Prof. Hajizadeh passes at 65 New Mascot By Ryan Flynn
Mountain Lion
Senior News Editor Business and Economics Professor Emeritus Avaz Hajizadeh , will not only be remembered for his vast knowledge as a teacher, but also for his uplifting spirit and personality. Chelsey Burke of the Advancment office, an alumna and former student of Hajizadeh, said that he was truly committed to his students success, no matter the skill level. “He dedicated himself to every student and his determination to see everyone succeed was noticed by everyone around him,” she said. Hajizadeh, 65, died suddenly on Sept. 2. He retired in May after 30 years as a professor at the college. Avaz grew up in Iran and moved to the United States in 1976. He was awared a doctorates in Econmics from RPI. Emily McMahon of the Admissions Counselor, another alumna, said when she took his statistics for economics class, she struggled with math, but Hajizadeh made sure students’ classroom needs were accommodated. “He modeled what a professor should be, making sure they got what they needed,” she said. With a passion for politics,
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Photo courtesty of Bernadette Lupo
Avaz Hajizadeh retired last May after 30 years as a professor. MCLA, and his local Williams community, Hajizadeh is remembered by colleagues and students as a relentlessly positive figure. Business Professors and friends of Avaz Ben Kahn and Richard Yanow, who had both worked with him for three decades, were quick to share how highly they thought of him. “I don’t think there was a better role model for students than Avaz,” Yanow said.
“He was a wonderful friend and colleague, and always a straight shooter,” Kahn said. “This was a man with tremendous dignity and humanity.” Not only did Hajizadeh have the immense respect of his students, but administration and faculty as well. “He had enormous respect
AVAZ, continued on page 2
In addition to the Trailblazer logo, MCLA’s additional mascot will be a mountain lion, part of Berkshire County legend and folklore. “The mountain lion is another representation of a Trailblazer,” said ccording to Adam Hildabrand, MCLA Men’s Soccer coach and the chair of the College’s Mascot Search Committee. “A ‘trailblazer,’ quite simply, is one who makes trails,” he said. The mountain lion is the animal that first blazed trails in the Berkshires. So, the mountain lion is number one, which is what we strive to be as a College and as an athletics department.”
Six faculty members hired
Theater department expanding
Women’s Soccer scrapes victory
Learn about the newest faculty members on campus
FPA prepares for new season
Trailblazers score 1-0 in game against Elms College
Arts & Entertainment, page 6
Sports, page 9
News, page 4
The campus community submitted input online. Criteria insisted that the logo have blue and gold colors and connect with the Trailblazers name, be appropriate for all athletic and non-athletic events, and reflect the college community. To avoid copying neighboring institutions, Bears, Buccaneers, Falcons, Lancers, Owls, Rams, or Vikings were not options.
Read more about the folklore on Page 8 News Arts & Entertainment Sports Campus Opinion Fun & Games Photo Essay
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2 Police Logs
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Thursday, September 19, 2013
The week of 9/8-9/14 Monday, September 9 11:19 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a report of disorderly conduct in Venable hall. The report was investigated. 8:29 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a drug offense at the Smith House. The subject could not be located. Tuesday, September 10 7:37 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a medical call on Ashland Street. The call was completed. 7:37 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a medical call in Hoosac Hall. The subject was transported to the hospital. Wednesday, September 11 1:15 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a motor vehicle accident on Montana Street. A report was filed. 3:30 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a medical call in the Amsler Campus Center. The subject was transported to the hospital. Thursday, September 12 9:51 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a parking issue in the Church Street Center. The subject was warned. Friday, September 13 7:54 p.m. - Public Safety responded to suspicious activity in the Athletic Complex. The subject was warned. 10:24 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a domestic disturbance in the Flagg Townhouse Complex. The report was investigated.
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Voting is SGA initiative By Ryan Flynn
Senior News Editor SGA is kicking off the year with one goal at the top of the list: to increase voter turnout. With nomination papers due next week and elections being held on Oct. 8 and 9, SGA will be tabling in the campus center during the first week of October in order to ensure successful elections. Executive Board positions have been filled, after junior Taylor Krowitz was elected Senate Chair and sophomore Christopher Cozzaglio was elected Secretary last week. Open positions include five Senator at large positions and the two class of 2017 senate representative positions. In addition, Senator at large and senior Stephan Rochefort inquired as to how the reserve fund will be spent this year, adding that with the amount of money in the fund it’s important to benefit the college and its many clubs. “Hopefully we can move forward,” he said. President Jake Powers noted that they are currently looking into launching an SGA open forum website, as well as other technological opportunities.
Photo by Kayla Degnan/ Beacon Staff
SGA members encourage interested students to submit nomination papers. Though most of the senate remained quiet, Rochefort proposed that some of that money could be used to purchase vans solely for the use of clubs, though he noted that he would be open to give van access to sports teams if they are having transportation trouble.
According to Treasurer Kelley Bryant, the exact amount in the reserve fund for the current fiscal year is unknown to SGA. SGA will be hosting their annual Sam Gomez Classic Road Race, a 5k for charity, on Oct. 20, which will benefit the Windsor Lake Playground Project in North
Adams. After the Executive Board went to a retreat in Becket, Mass., SGA advisor Jenifer Craig shared that she believes they are a strong group that will do their best to benefit the student body. “I’d say this is a cohesive group that has you in mind,” she said. n
Remembering Prof. Hajizadeh AVAZ, continued from page 1
among colleagues and administration on campus,” Yannow said. Throughout his career, Hajizadeh made a powerful impact on students from different generations, according to Burke. “It was just this past May I was having a conversation with him and Trustee Clemmer ’86,” she said. “The two were reminiscing about when Clemmer was one of Professor Hajizadeh’s students. The two could not stop laughing as I took a step back to admire that the same connection I had with my professor, was the same connection he had made with a student 20 years before me.”
Hajizadeh’s passion for both his students and economics has left an unforgettable impact on his students. “He was one of the most influential professors I had in the business department,” McMahon said. Hajizadeh is also remembered for his role on several of the college’s committees having served on the MCLA Strategic Planning Task Force, served as Faculty Marshal, and contributed to the drafting on the mission statement, and was appointed as a member of the MCLA Foundation Board of Directors. According to Yanow, however, he always prided himself most on his role in appointing President Mary Grant. “Avaz served on the presidential
research team 11 years ago,” he said. “He was always very proud of his role on the committee and the appointment of President Grant.” According to both Kahn and Yanow, Avaz and his wife had actively participated in both local and national politics. Kahn smiled as he looked at a picture of Avaz smiling, holding an Obama sign surrounded by Hilary Clinton advocates briefly before the 2008 Democratic Primary election. Not only was he a role model for his students, but he was also instrumental in the success of his two nieces and nephew when they came here as immigrants. “He was deeply involved in not only the up-bringing of his
two sons, but also his nieces and nephew,” Yanow said. Burke shared that she believes Avaz’s legacy will live on. “I watched his wife and boys at the service stand so strong,” she said. “For what I thought I had lost, was far greater to them. His son got up to say a few words, I instantly started to cry again; however, by the end, I stood tall and admired what I saw before me. What I thought could only exist with my professor, was standing strong right in front of me.” Kahn noted that Hajizadeh’s impact on politics, education, and his community will not be forgotten. “The country has really lost a true son,” he said. n
Thursday, September 19
Friday, September 20
Saturday, September 21
Sunday, September 22
Sunny High: 75° Low: 47° Precip. Chance: 0%
Sunny High: 78° Low: 53° Precip. Chance: 0%
Few Showers High: 72° Low: 58° Precip. Chance: 30%
Showers High: 64° Low: 48° Precip. Chance: 30%
Saturday, September 14 1:44 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a disturbance of the peace at the Flagg Townhouse Complex. Peace was restored. 6:11 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a medical call in Hoosac Hall. The subject was transported to the hospital.
3 Despite setbacks, Center open for semester start Thursday, September 19, 2013
By Gabriel Kogel Staff Writer
Standing on the freshly cemented walkway leading to MCLA’s Center for Science and Innovation, Mathematics Professor Duy Nguyen smiled at the pristine structure, describing it in one word, “wonderful.” The state of the art facility, designed to upgrade the MCLA Science program and replace the aging laboratories of Venable and Bowman, costs $34 million and took 14 months to complete. While the Science Center is open to faculty and students, many of the laboratories are still visibly unfinished, requiring equipment to be unpacked and installed. As the final touches are applied to the interior, much of the outer landscaping is still under construction. “When this building is available to students, when they see it, they’re going to want to come here,” James Gariepy, management engineer Division of Capital Asset, said. Finishing the project by the planned date was the greatest challenge the team faced, as it
struggled to overcome numerous obstacles. “We originally hoped to be in the building by Aug. 4, but we didn’t make that for a variety of reasons,” James Stakenas, vice president of Administration and Finance, said. “However, the construction company promised us we would be in the building for the beginning of classes, and we made it.” The official ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for Oct. 4. The Mayor of North Adams, Richard J. Alcombright, is likely to attend. Governor Deval Patrick has been invited, along with other city officials, Stakenas said. A major factor in the Center’s late completion was an error in the engineering process that resulted in 400 steel girders of the wrong size, according to David Roulier, project superintendent at Columbia Construction. “It was very difficult. We had a three-month delay in construction while we waited for the beams to be redrawn,” he said. Another problem the construction team faced was the aftermath of flooding from a severe rainstorm that hit North Adams
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on May 29. The drenched site required a clean up crew to remove water while the affected sheetrock in the walls and flooring had to be replaced. Roulier confirmed the widely circulated rumor that the word “Massachusetts” was incorrectly lettered at one phase in the construction. “The design for the lettering was sent to a Mexican company and somewhere along the way they mistakenly added an ‘e’ at the end of Massachusetts. So for a day it was misspelled,” he said. Roulier produced a photo of the infamous “E” he took in his apartment, as a memento of the mix-up. Despite the setbacks, Roulier and Stakenas emphasized the hard work everyone involved contributed to keep the project moving forward. “We worked long hours because we knew how important it was to [President] Mary [Grant],” Roulier said. “I personally did it for her.” In addition to every conceivable instrument of laboratory research, the Center features sustainable energy technology. On the roof level, batteries of photovoltaic panels transform sunlight
Photo by Gabriel Kogel/ Beacon Staff
Heat loving plants sit outside the greenhouse on the roof of the Science and Innovation Center.
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Photo by Gabriel Kogel/ Beacon Staff
The Center is equipped with labs for various science fields. into electricity. The Center was designed to be gold certified (the highest possible rating) by the Leadership of Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), a program run by the U.S. Green Building Council. Aiding this goal, a horizontally mounted wind turbine will provide energy when it is installed in 10 weeks, according to Gariepy. Chair of Department of Physics Dr. Adrienne Wootters praised the new building as “fabulous.” She added the response from other faculty in the department has been overwhelmingly positive. “I’m excited about the expanded research facilities as they provide enough space for lecture and practice to be combined,” Wootters said. Chair of the Mathmatics Department, Dr. Christopher Thomas said the Center is “pretty terrific.” However, he admitted to being let down that the Math department
did not receive a permanent home in the building. “I knew last year during the planning phase that Math was dropped from the final design, so I was bit disappointed,” he said. Thomas noted that with only two non-laboratory lecture spaces, he was unsure when he would get a chance to teach in the Center. Sitting in the cafeteria chowing down on a subway hero, Andrew Martin, senior and biology club president, had a mixed opinion of the Science Center. As a teaching assistant, Martin had a chance to teach in the central auditorium. “The room is fantastic, I love the sliding white boards, big screen TV and LCD controls for temperature and lighting,” he said. “I’m more than enthused [about it], but a little disappointed that it wasn’t done by the beginning of the semester.” n
Molly not issue on campus, officials say MOLLY, continued from page 1
The DEA website lists dangers of taking the drug in an EDM setting. “High doses of MDMA can interfere with the ability to regulate temeperature, resulting in a sharp increase in body temperature (hyperthermia), leading to liver, kidney, and cardiovascular failure,” according to the DEA website. “Severe dehydration can result from the combination of the drug’s effects and the crowded and hot conditions in which the drug is often taken.” The prevalence of MDMA usage is still in question. According to Director of Counseling Services Heidi Riello, “Molly” was mentioned in discussion with multiple counseling directors, but the con-
versation never went anywhere. “We have students who have reported experimenting with Molly, but we haven’t had anybody coming in because they’ve had some kind of horribly adverse reaction to it. It’s not a big presenting concern here,” Riello said. “It’s not something that we’ve identified as a problem.” Riello said that this does not detract from the dangers of using the drug, but currently alcohol and marijuana are still greater concerns for the College. Junior and Residential Programs and Services employee Lynn McEnaney says she hasn’t seen the drug cause problems on campus. “I don’t see Molly being a particular issue on this campus and I’ve been on other campuses where, again it could have just been the
circles I was running with, but I’ve never seen Molly as an issue,” McEnaney said. Both Fennell and McEnaney added that one of the biggest problems with “Molly” is that many people are uneducated as to its uses and effects, both positive and negative. “Instead of treating it as some sacred fruit in the Garden of Eden, we should be treating it at face value,” Fennell said. “Let people know what it is, let people know what it’s like, what it does to you, and why you shouldn’t be doing it.” “I think a proper education is important, because I don’t think anyone wants to have a bad trip on something,” McEnaney said. “They all just want to experience something different from the cognitive norm and that’s fine as long as they know how to do it safely.” n
MCT Campus File Photo
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Thursday, September 19, 2013
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Beacon.MCLA.edu
Six new additions to faculty Nick Swanson Staff Writer
This semester, six new assistant professors have been hired. Mariana Bolívar Rubín is a new assistant professor of Spanish in the department of modern language. Rubín earned her masters in foreign languages at Colorado State University. Soon after, Rubín filled positions as an elementary school teacher. She later became a college graduate instructor at the University of Colorado. Karen Cardozo is a new assistant professor for the interdisciplinary studies department. Cardozo has a plethora of experience in academics, which she has built for more than a decade. She completed her doctorates in English and American studies from UMass Amherst. Previously employed in admissions at Harvard University, and as dean of students at Mount Holyoke College, Cardozo has taught on the five campuses that make up the Five College Consor-
sity of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Ind., and her bachelor of science degree from the University of New Yo r k — G e n eseo. New to the English/Communications department is David ZachaPhoto courtest of MCLA.edu ry Finch as an Karen Cardozo joins the interdisciplinary stud- assistant profesies deptartment. sor. Finch’s backtium of Western Massachusetts. ground in educaCardozo has also directed a career tion stretches from his completed discovery program at Williams doctorates in English at the State College, which led her to this job University of New York—Buffalo at the college. in addition to his masters of fine Carolyn Dehner also joined the arts in poetry from the Warren campus as an assistant professor; Wilson College Master of Fine she is in the department of chem- Arts (MFA) program for writers. istry. Duy Nguyen joins the departAccording to The College’s web- ment of mathematics as an assissite, she earned her doctorates in tant professor. Nguyen finished biochemistry from the Univer- his doctorates in mathematics at
the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga. Nguyen has completed multiple journal papers and given numerous talks on mathematical finances and trading rules, which are all the result of in-depth research he completed. James Taylor is a new assistant professor in the department of history and political science, and public policy and geography. Taylor earned a doctorates in political science while at Georgia State University, where he later became an instructor. Aside from GSU, he was also an instructor at two other colleges in Georgia. A seventh professor will also be returning to the faculty at the start of the spring 2014 semester, Laura Yang, from Shanghai Institute of Foreign trade. Yang completed her doctorates in economics at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences in Shanghai, China. Yang was well-known by the College through an agreement the two institutions held, sharing educational practices on trade af-
ter she completed her studies. Yang taught summer courses in 2011. She will be an associate professor for the department of business administration. There are many other new staff members on campus this semester as well. Some include Emily Bouplon in Human Resources; Dane Braman, Joseph Brandon, Wayde Lincoln, and Antonio Rodriquez in Facilities; Sara Bull-Samson, Robert Carter, David Sherman, and Robert Krzanik have joined campus police. More new staff members include Alyson Carey, Student Affairs; Jennifer Crowell, from the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center; and Suzanne Hunger in the Center for Student Success and Engagement. Lastly, Marcia Jzyk, Administrative Systems; Hailey Katcher, Athletics; Courtney Shepard, Graduate and Continuing Education; Terrell Smith and Dayne Wahl, Admissions; Chelsea Stokes, Residential Programs & Services; and Manat Wooten, Career services.
MCT Campus File Photo
D-Calif., a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said on CNN. Critics said that the plan represents a win for Russia, Syria’s most powerful ally, and is likely to fail because it’s unclear what happens if Assad doesn’t fully or quickly disarm. “Not one ounce of chemical weapons came off the battlefield, but we have given up every ounce of our leverage when it comes to trying to solve the broader Syrian problem, because we’ve taken away a credible military threat,” Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said on CNN. Kerry said Saturday that if Assad fails to comply, the United Nations Security Council would consider a resolution to enforce the terms of the deal. Russia, which has veto power on the council, has said it would oppose any armed intervention. In the interview, Obama confirmed publicly for the first time that he had exchanged private letters with Iran’s newly inaugurated president, Hassan Rouhani, a relatively moderate cleric who has signaled a desire for a fresh start with the United States after years of growing isolation. The Obama administration and its allies have levied harsh economic sanctions against Iran over its disputed nuclear program, but Rouhani has said he would offer greater transparency. Tehran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. “My suspicion is that the Iranians recognize they shouldn’t draw a lesson that we haven’t struck (Syria) to think we won’t strike Iran,” Obama said. “On the other hand, what they should draw from this lesson is that there is the potential of resolving these issues diplomatically.”
Syrians speak out against U.S. threats MCT Campus
WASHINGTON _ President Barack Obama defended his handling of the biggest international crisis of his second term so far, saying that a diplomatic deal to seize Syria’s chemical arsenal without U.S. military intervention ultimately could help resolve that country’s bitter civil war. Obama said his threats to use missile strikes against Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government had created conditions for diplomacy to work. “We now have a situation in which Syria has acknowledged it has chemical weapons, has said it’s willing to join the convention on chemical weapons, and Russia, its primary sponsor, has said that it will pressure Syria to reach that agreement,” Obama said in an interview broadcast Sunday on ABC’s “This Week With George Stephanopoulos.” The interview was taped Friday, a day before Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov negotiated a broad agreement in Geneva aimed at removing or destroying Assad’s chemical weapons by mid-2014. “If that goal is achieved, then it sounds to me like we did something right,” Obama said. Obama also dismissed criticism of his zigzagging decisions over the last three weeks _ first to brush off an alleged Syrian chemical attack, then to threaten to launch missile strikes in response, then to hold back the military and ask for a vote in Congress, then to cancel the vote and seek a diplomatic deal in Geneva. “I’m less concerned about style points,” Obama said. “I’m much more concerned about getting the policy right.” Getting Assad to surrender his
Hundreds of Syrians stage a sit in at Youssef al-Azmeh Square in Damascus, Syria in a protest against the U.S. threats to launch a military strike against Syria. toxic weapons could lay “a foun- chemical weapons, went into effort to rid Syria of its chemical dation to begin what has to be an force in 1997. Assad only agreed weapons. international process” to reach to sign the treaty last week under “The world needs to ensure that a political settlement to end the pressure from Russia. radical regimes don’t have weapbloodshed in Syria, Obama said. Until last week, Obama was ons of mass destruction, because The fighting has claimed more considering unilateral missile as we’ve learned once again in than 100,000 lives since early strikes to punish Assad, who the Syria, if rogue regimes have weap2011 and displaced more than 6 U.S. says fired rockets filled with ons of mass destruction, they will million people. nerve gas into rebel-held civilian use them,” Netanyahu said. The deal announced Saturday enclaves near Damascus on Aug. “The determination the internacalls for Assad to submit a full 21. But Congress offered little tional community shows regarding inventory of his poison gases, support for military action, and Syria will have a direct impact on precursor chemicals, munitions Obama shelved the strikes in fa- the Syrian regime’s patron, Iran.” and relevant sites within a week. vor of diplomacy. Reaction to the diplomatic deal Assad also must agree to allow inDuring a visit to Israel on Sun- was mixed in Congress. ternational inspectors into Syria day, Kerry said a U.S. military “If your goal is to make sure no later than November, and pro- strike against Syrian targets re- these chemical weapons are vide them security and unfettered mains an option if Assad fails to never used again, if your goal access to do their work. implement the deal, however. is to make sure that when the The disarmament timetable “We’ve taken no option off the regime falls that, in that chaos, is the fastest by far since the table,” Kerry said. these weapons don’t get in the Chemical Weapons Convention, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin hands of Hezbollah or al-Qaida, an international treaty that bans Netanyahu, after meeting Kerry this is about as good a deal as you production, storage and use of in Jerusalem, said he supports the can get,” Rep. Adam B. Schiff,
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Thursday, September 19, 2013
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Xbox Music cloud-based service MCT Campus
any product they’ve got,” he said. The Xbox is different. Like all modern consoles, it always has been locked down to protect premium content handled by the system. But Microsoft made a concession to openness, with a backdoor on the first two versions of the Xbox. That enabled people to use the console to display and access content they owned outright and had stored on PCs in the home. Unfortunately, that door has been removed from the Xbox
One. Last week the company confirmed that the console won’t come with the “media extender” feature that enabled people to use the console to stream music, photos and video from a PC. So far we mostly have details how the Xbox One handles music. It turns out that it will not be able to play music you own and have stored on a PC or home network, at least not directly and without a fee. “For now it’s a $10 subscription per month on the console to get
access to that,” Porter said, adding that more options may come after the Xbox One is launched. Then you can upload your music collection to Microsoft’s cloud storage service, and stream it back to the console via the Internet. That’s in addition to the $60 per year that you must pay for premium Xbox Live Gold membership to use the music app in the first place. But the company also is trying to get more people to subscribe to its online services, which will make more money per user than a console or operating system that’s replaced every five years. Maybe I’m too old-fashioned, but I’ve watched Microsoft spend more than a decade encouraging people to use their PC as the hub of their digital life. For a while it even said families should have servers at home to securely store and stream their music, photos, videos and files. Now it would prefer that you move that hub to a Microsoft data center, accessible for only $10 per month. This is the path that beckons in a closed garden.
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If you are scared of a summer reading slump for your mediaobsessed student _ or game-obsessed adult _ there’s a solution: Shakespeare a la George Lucas. In other words, take “William Shakespeare’s ‘Star Wars’” by Ian Doescher for a spin. He has adapted “Star Wars” (otherwise known as “Episode IV, A New Hope”) in the style of the great Bard of Avon. This can lead to some hilarious reading. In the movie, for example, when the pirate aka free trader Han Solo boasts about an easy “escape” from the deadly Death Star, Princess Leia shoots him down, pointing out that the Empire let them escape. “It was the only reason for the ease of our escape,” she says grimly. In Doescher’s “Shakespeare,” it goes more like this: “HAN: Thy rescue has been marvelous, think’st thou not? Say I: at times I do myself amaze. “Amazing has my rescue of thee been, Amazing is my hand at piloting, Amazing is my part in this escape Amazing _ ay, it’s true- my amazing looks. “LEIA: Amazing is thy pride and love of self! “Thus stand I now amaz’d that e’er thou shouldst allow thou great amazing self to stoop so low that thou wouldest rescue such as I.” In true Shakespearian style, the internal thoughts of even Darth Vader are to be voiced. When confronted with Imperial bureaucracy on the Death Star, he thinks, aloud, “O, how these politicians irk me so! Of governors and territories care I not. But I retain their company for mine own purposes, and though
At least one gunman was dead Monday morning and as many as two others are being sought by police after a rampage at a naval facility in the nation’s capital that left almost a dozen people dead or injured, according D.C. police. The first reports of the violence came in at 8:20 a.m. as the nation’s capital was heading to work. The reports prompted fears of a terrorist attack, but it was too early to determine the motivation behind the violence. D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said multiple people had been killed and others had been wounded, including a police officer. He is in stable condition at an area hospital. “We potentially have two other shooters that we have not located at this point,” she said. One was a white male, last seen in a khaki tan military uniform, wearing a beret and carrying a handgun. The other was a black male about 50 years old in an olive drab-colored military-style uniform and with a rifle. “We do have information that those individuals are wearing military-style uniforms,” Lanier said, but added that there was no evidence to confirm whether they were actually military personnel. She asked the public for help in locating them. Multiple news reports said at least 11 people had been killed or injured by the gunmen in the military installation near Capitol Hill. The area around the Navy building had been sealed off by layers of law enforcement personnel from local and federal agencies. The shooting began inside the Naval Sea Systems Command Headquarters building, a work-
place for 3,000 people, according to a press release from Naval District Washington. Patricia Ward, a logistics management specialist, told gathered reporters that she was near the cafeteria area when she heard some shots, followed by a break and then more shots. She and others fled the building; someone pulled a fire alarm to alert colleagues of a problem. Eleven victims were confirmed, said a District of Columbia police department spokesman. Of the 11, one is a Navy procurement directive officer and another is a base officer, said a spokeswoman for the police department, who did not clarify if the two were dead or injured. Helicopters circled overhead for much of the morning, and a variety of police and rescue vehicles choked off the area in a scene eerily similar to Hollywood thrillers. The huge police presence prompted fears that terrorism possibly was involved, but there was no evidence confirming or negating that fear. Witnesses described one gunman dressed in dark clothing with what appeared to be a doublebarreled shotgun, perched on a mezzanine and firing at a cafeteria atrium below. A hospital doctor said arriving victims described hearing the rapid-fire shots of an automatic or semiautomatic rifle. Three victims were brought to MedStar Washington Hospital Center, and the center is expecting more to arrive. In a press conference, Chief Medical Officer Janis Orlowski said the chances of their survival are “good.” She also confirmed that all three victims were alert and speaking.
One of the patients is a police officer who was shot in both of his legs. The other two are both female civilians. One sustained injuries to her shoulder, the other to both her head and her hand; she is on her way to surgery. All three are confirmed to have been wounded inside the Navy Yard. Orlowski was not aware of any victims taken to other hospitals, but said all hospitals in the area were standing by prepared. She said there have been reported victims who will not be transported because they died at the scene, but the exact number is unknown. MedStar Washington Center has partnered with the Children’s Hospital and the V.A. Hospital to create a tighter perimeter and heightened security on the campus. The hospital is “standing by to receive anyone else who is transported (there).” An elite team from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives was dispatched to the scene Monday. It was part of the same ATF Special Response Team Canine Program that helped capture the alleged Boston Marathon bomber. Employees at the headquarters are comprised of civilians, service members and contract support personnel. They are responsible for engineering, building, purchasing and maintaining naval ships, submarines and combat systems. The Naval Sea Systems Command is the largest of the branch’s five systems commands. This is not the first shooting at a military installation in recent years. In 2009 at Fort Hood, Texas, Army psychiatrist, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, 39 at the time, killed 12 and wounded 31 service members.
It took more than a decade, but Microsoft has finally consolidated its various digital music ventures under one roof, with a standard jukebox and streaming music service for the phone, PC and Xbox platforms. Called Xbox Music, it’s a decent option with a visually striking presentation that’s a remnant of its Zune music venture. Xbox Music is more than a feature, though. It’s a cloud-based service that’s constantly updated and extended across all sorts of devices, regardless of whether they’re running Windows. On Monday, the company announced a big upgrade to Xbox Music, which is being extended to devices running Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android software. That means you’ll now be able to run the son of Zune on your iPod. It’s also more evidence of Microsoft’s belated realization that it’s not going to dominate every computing device in the world, and that it has to play better with others if it wants to build successful online services.
A free, ad-supported version of Xbox Music is also being offered on the Web, available through browsers. This will challenge Pandora, Spotify and other radiolike apps. The Xbox Music app now offered on Windows 8 is also being updated in response to customer feedback. It will be released Oct. 17, when Microsoft releases the broader “8.1” update of the operating system. “The speed of innovation has completely changed to where now, when we build something and decide to go do something, it’s not a year or even every six months for these things to come out _ it’s going to be very quickly,” said Scott Porter, principal program manager. Porter said the new approach is more customer-centric (rather than platform-centric), in that Microsoft isn’t just building a music feature for its products but a service that’s accessible no matter what device people are using. Like Netflix, Amazon or Google. “The goal is to make music really a connective tissue, not only between Microsoft products but
MCT Campus File Photo
Shakespeare’s War Shooting in Washington
MCT Campus File Photo
Ian Doescher gives a new spin on the “Star Wars” film. their talk doth tire my mind, I do confess that naught I’ve found hath on their counsel yet improved.” In the movie, all that verbiage is hidden behind Vader’s black mask. Even the ‘droids get into the act. British actor Anthony Daniels says C-3PO’s first lines in the film: “Did you hear that? They’ve’ shut down the main reactor. We’ll be destroyed for sure. This is madness!” Those simple statements are now shamelessly converted into “Now is the summer of our happiness made winter by this sudden, fierce attack!” (Thank you, “Richard the III.”) His partner, R2-D2’s, cogent reply? “Beep, beep. Beep, beep, meep, squeek, beep, beep, beep, whee!” It’s not just for kids. Set up a Shakespearian-style picnic, with “Star Wars” overtones _ blue milk, flatbread, exotic desserts, or maybe, just a couple of bottles of wine, and settle in for a rehearsal. You have the makings of a rip-roaring party that will only get funnier as a storm trooper tells Luke Skywalker in the film, “Move along ... move along.” Or in “William Shakespeare’s ‘Star Wars,’” “Go thy merry way!”
6
Arts & Entertainment
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Theater major expands Shannen Adamites
Arts & Entertainment Editor MCT Campus File Photo
Candice Crow Disney World Correspondant Candice is spending the semester interning for the Disney College Program in Disney World, Orlando, Fl. She will write a weekly column describing her experiences.
T
he sun was setting over Cinderella’s castle when I began to think of the little things I did that led me here. The first time I heard about the Disney College Program I was perusing the MCLA website one snowy February afternoon. The idea of being in Florida sounded enticing. My curiosity got the best of me and I clicked the link and was redirected to the College program website where I clicked the ‘Apply here’ button. Applying to the program was a very involved process, requring several interviews and questionaires. After much anticipation, I received an email saying that I was accepted into the program. To say I was surprised is an understatement I arrived in Orlando on August 19 and was immediately thrown into my new Disney lifestyle. I attended many meetings where I found out where I was working and living for the next four months. Unfortunatley, I am not a Disney princess. I work at a resort on property called The Contemporary in a restaurant called The Wave, which was built the same year as Magic Kingdom in 1971. The Disney College Program was formed in 1981. At first only 200 students attended the program, and only worked in Magic Kingdom. It was essentially established as an internship for students who were interested in working in Disney seasonally. Now the college program consists of just over 3,000 students, with 30,000 students who applied. College program students work all over Disney property, including roles in food and beverage, attractions, and merchandise. The program is not only open to students, but also to recent college graduates who wish to attend. The program offers courses of all types for their college program participants. I am taking corporate communications and marketing. I’ve been asked more than once why I am doing this program or what it has to do with my major. I just respond that I am here for the experience and to meet new people, and so far I have had nothing but good times and met amazing people who I will stay connected with for life. n
The College’s Fine and Performing Arts (FPA) department is preparing for an exciting fall season with two renowned, fullscale productions. This semester features Duncan Shiek and Steven Sater’s Tonyaward winning music, ‘Spring Awakening,’ and William Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night,’ which are both directed by Laura Standley, associate professor of Theater. Auditions took place last weekend, and were open to students and faculty alike. An FPA major with a concentration in theater is not required to get involved. “The theater program is growing,” Standley said. “Not only are we expanding our programing, but we want to make the experience available to anyone in the [MCLA] community.” ‘Spring Awakening’ is an iconic coming-of-age story taking place in late 19th century Germany. The show is known for its powerful rock and roll score, as well as controversial subject matter; it covers themes such as sexuality, morality, and breaking away from tradition. “Being in the ensemble is an excellent opportunity,” Standley said. “The Encore Series class is not required for this, and you
Photo by Kayla Degnan/Photo Editor
Standley challenged students and awakened their creative potential in her Spring 2013 glam-rock rendition of Agamemnon. will only need to attend rehearsals on Sundays and during tech for the show.” Standley added that this is an excellent opportunity for busy students interested in performance or to newcomers who want to familiarize themselves
with the program. Her vision for ‘Twelfth Night’ is set in the Edwardian-era a la Titanic and Downton Abbey. This time period is known for its beauty and romanticism depicted in the popular art form called Art Nouveau, which fea-
tures whimsical characters and vibrant colors. She is incorporating a theme revolving around water, which will reflect well with the characters getting themselves into a variety of mix-ups, romantic situations, and “drowning in excess.” According to Standley, this production also features a great deal of stage combat, and she plans to host several workshops with trained professionals from various renowned theater companies in the area to perfect the art. A capella Edwardianinspired music also finds its place in the show, arranged by senior theater student, Brittney Gerber. On Nov. 23, there will be a pre-show panel discussion featuring Standley, professor and production designer Dawn Shamburger, faculty from the English department and professionals from Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, Mass., as well as a post-show talk back with the cast and crew. They will discuss the various themes of the show and how Standley interpreted the text to create her own unique take on it, as well as highlights from the rehearsal process, design and artistic inspirations, and the historical context surrounding it. n
Courtney McLaren, dedicated performer Junior applies real-world theater knowledge to future performances
Photo by Sam Thompson/Beacon Staff
McLaren combines her new apprenticeship experiences to enhance her performance.
By Hannah Sterrs Features Writer
Junior Courtney McLaren has a few words of advice for her peers. “Be open to everything,” she said. “You don’t know what you will and won’t like until you try it. Why close yourself off?” McLaren has been “breaking legs” ever since she left Winchendon, Mass. to pursue a Fine and
Performing Arts (FPA) major at the College. “I’ve come a long way since [2011,]” McLaren said. “I’m a completely different person.” McLaren chose the College for its proximity to home and its affiliation with a vibrant theater community. McLaren stands 5’ 3’’ with cascading blonde hair and wide blue eyes. She has had roles in 13 theatrical performances since coming to the college. “Courtney is very passionate about theater,” Ben Balon, a junior and fellow theater major, said. “She is one of the most passionate people that I’ve ever worked with.” This past summer, McLaren was one of 25 students accepted into Berkshire Theatre Group’s Summer Performance Training Apprentice Program. Berkshire Theatre Group (BTG), one of the largest arts organizations in Berkshire county, oversees the development, production and presentation of theatre, music and the performing arts. From her 19th birthday on June 3 through Aug. 31, McLaren spent almost every day taking master classes on topics like improvisation and miming, and in rehearsals for her roles in performances of “Just So Stories” and “Peter Pan.” Combining her time spent at
BTG with her college courses, she says she has learned more about the professional theater business, and what is needed in order to be successful in the field. “It was a lot of work, and sometimes not the most glamorous work, like parking cars or washing loads of dishes,” McLaren said. “But, if you remain loyal, work hard, and come in with a positive attitude, it gets noticed and rewarded.” Embarking on her junior year as co-president of Harlequin, the College’s musical theatre club, and an active member of Dance Company, McLaren says she will use the lessons learned at BTG in order to be the best person she can be. “My time at BTG will affect the rest of my performances inside and out of the college,” McLaren said. “This past summer, I learned that it’s not just about you as an actor or actress. It’s about the group. The group must be strong.” After graduating, McLaren hopes to pursue a professional career in theater. “My dream job would be to be a stable musical theater performer. That’s unheard of but I think I can do it.” Balon says he thinks she has a good understanding of what goes into performing arts productions. “She understands what needs
to be put into a show,” he said. McLaren can been seen this semester playing Viola in Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” as well as stepping into she shoes of Wendela Bergman in “Spring Awakening.”
“If you remain loyal, work hard, and come in with a positive attitude, it gets noticed and rewarded.” -Courtney McLaren Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, McLaren has four and a half hours of “free time.” Although this time is rarely spent relaxing, McLaren says she is able to maintain a positive outlook on life. Wearing the leotard from her 9 a.m. dance class underneath a chic black dress, McLaren hops down from her seat in the Marketplace, off to tackle another day. n
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Arts & Entertainment
Art classes relocated to PRESS and MASS MoCA
Professors discuss challenges and benefits of the studio class relocation in Q&A By Jess Gamari Editor-in-Chief
Because Bowman is not being used, many of the studio art classes have relocated to MASS MoCA. Melanie Mowinski and Gregory Scheckler, associate professors of Visual Art, answer a few questions regarding the change. Q: What classes will you be teaching this semester? Are they being held at Mass MoCA? GS: Across the Art major and FPA Curriculum, we are providing studio art courses at MASS MoCA and also at PRESS, next to Gallery 51. These include drawing, painting, composition, design and specialty studio courses like Intermediate Art Lab, Landscape Painting, and Book Arts. MM: I am only teaching at PRESS—I’ll be teaching Intro to Design, Book Arts, and Collage/ Printmaking. Q: What will students be learning, and what do you expect them to take away from these courses? GS: Generally, across all studio art classes students gain creative arts skills, expressions, and critical thinking experiences. We do this by making artworks, talking about artworks, and making more
artworks. What makes the studio course so different than most MCLA classes is the emphasis on hands-on creation, an attitude that we share with music and theatre performance classes and certain types of science laboratory classes. We create.
MM: Being downtown allows the students to experience the community more—meaning the greater North Adams community. We all get to support various business with our coffee, breakfast and lunch needs. Some of the benefits are working in spaces that are where professional artists gather, meet, exhibit. Students will be exposed to environments that might parallel a space they might eventually have should they pursue life as an artist.
Auditions
7
Harlequin 9/20 at 6 p.m. 9/21 at 3 p.m. Church St. Center Allegrettos 9/20 at 5 p.m. 9/21 at 3 p.m. NEXXUS 9/23-26 Members learn step Mon-Wed, audition on Thurs at 8 p.m. Racquetball Court
Q: What is it like teaching off campus? GS: It’s fun! I’ve been teaching in Bowman Hall for over 13 years, in the old art classrooms. It is good to have a complete change of pace and be in bright, well-lit, and goofier places. MASS MoCA’s buildings are mainly old mills that have been rehabbed; our classrooms there are a bit smaller than they were at MCLA, but funkier and I think maybe more inspiring.
Beacon.MCLA.edu
FPA Schedule October 16-19 8 p.m.
Encore Series: Spring Awakening Photo by Amy Modesti/Beacon Staff
MASS MocA has studio space where students can create art of their art presentations, which are very interesting. It’s unbelievably awesome to be able to walk two minutes to get into the galleries. Similarly, with some classes at PRESS, students can witness the excellent art exhibits at PRESS and at G51. It shows how art integrates outside of the classroom with the wider community. Q: What are some of challenges of relocating off campus?
GS: MASS MoCA has a way of having an innovative feel because
MM: For me a challenge is isolation. I’m a pretty social person and when classes are not in session, it’s just me. I was used to being able to walk around campus and chat with various people, drop into the li-
will not make sense to those who did not see the first. As a result, almost the whole movie is in “ghosts haunting people” mode. There is not really any respite throughout the film, with the exception of some comic relief characters. But this movie can’t match the intensity and number of scares as ‘The Conjuring’ or even ‘Insidious.’ The filmmakers seem to realize that. It seems their solution was to let the movie get a bit strange. That is not to say that the movie gets anywhere close to hard to understand. The movie has the same style and narrative clarity as the first. It builds scares properly, allowing tension to build and then paying off on those moments. There are some places the movie goes that only work if you have a good amount of goodwill toward the characters carried over from the first film. Some other ideas simply seem like odd choices for the filmmakers to make. There are moments in this movie which seek
to re-contextualize scenes from the previous film. While this sort of scene can make things seem clearer, it also has the effect of robbing the movie of its mysterious power, and making everything a bit less scary. The villain suffers from that all too common affliction of haunting movies where, in an attempt to explain who the ghost is, the ghost stops being frightening. On the other hand this movie does have one thing over ‘The Conjuring.’ It lacks that film’s truly reprehensible subtext. Like the first ‘Insidious,’ this is a haunting movie that comes without religious baggage. ‘Insidious Chapter 2’ is mostly an effective and lean horror movie unburdened by a troubling overriding metaphor. It does steal a character twist that genre fans will be able to see coming from miles away, and that does negatively affect the movie, but it is nothing close to a deal breaker. In short, ‘Insidious: Chapter 2’ is worth seeing, but there exists a good chance that many
brary, etc. I’ll be glad to return next year! For the students— transportation would be my guess as the biggest challenge. GS: Students need to be prepared, bringing food with them as needed. They can arrange to get a box lunch and bring it with them off campus. They can also use Blazer Bucks at a variety of restaurants. So far, it seems like most of the students are either walking or carpooling. There are discounted bus passes which are available at the Bursar’s office. The travel takes a little getting used to, but so far everyone has been making it to class.
November 20-23 8 p.m.
MainStage: Twelfth Night November 25 7 p.m.
Studio Recital December 9 7 p.m.
Winter Concert Choir, Jazz Band, and Wind Ensemble
‘Insidious: Chapter 2’ is pleasantly mediocre By Raanan Segal
Arts & Entertainment Writer In 2011 James Wan escaped from the reputation of the Saw franchise with the movie ‘Insidious.’ It was an effective and moody, haunting movie that managed to revitalize its fairly standard setup with style. Earlier this summer, Wan upped the metaphorical ante with ‘The Conjuring,’ one of the most intense haunted house movies in recent memory. With those two movies, there was a certain amount of anticipation which awaited ‘Insidious: Chapter 2’ on release. Though the movie is not bad, and in many moments it is quite good, it suffers from being tied to a story that seemed like it couldn’t continue. This is a movie a lot of people are going to dislike. ‘Insidious: Chapter 2’ continues the story of the first at almost the exact moment that the last film ended, a strategy necessitated by the first movie’s ending, and this movie simply
Photo by Gabriel Kogel/ Beacon Staff
Keep an eye out for more in-depth film, art, and performance art reviews by Raanan in future issues. people who do will not enjoy it. The movie goes down odd paths that some viewers simply will not be willing to follow it down. It is scary, but not as scary as Wan’s previous two movies. It is well-made, but lacks some of the energy and power of his previous outing. In short, go in with moderated expectations.
8
Sports
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Tennis loses at home
By Jesse Collings Sports Writer
MCLA finds mascot By Chris Oxholm Sports Editor
It’s finally official, the MCLA Trailblazers have at long last selected a mascot. After the Volleyball game last Tuesday the Golden Mountain Lion was revealed as the face of the Trailblazers. Until now, MCLA was the only school in MASCAC to not have an official mascot. Salem has always been the Vikings, Fitchburg has always been the Falcons etc. The Trailblazers, however, have always been the team with a Big “M” shaped mountain as the mascot on their jacket. The missing mascot isn’t a new story for any schools or professional teams. There are teams that have been professional organizations for over 100 years that have gotten a mascot. In the NBA, the Portland Trailblazers have the exact same dilemma we do. They have been a franchise since 1970 and have gone all 43 years with no mascot. Other pro teams that have had no mascot include the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants (NFL); the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City Royals (MLB); and the Miami Heat (NBA). Not having a mascot isn’t a bad thing though. We simply needed to stop being the outcast and fit in with the rest of the MASCAC. Now when people look at a MASCAC photo of the team logos together the “M” shaped mountain isn’t there to be an eyesore. People could easily be critical over the mascot: we are the Trailblazers, not the Mountain Lions. Shouldn’t the mascot be some kind of a hiker? No, the name of the team doesn’t determine the mascot. The University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide has and extremely far-fetched mascot named “Big Al,” an elephant. The Boston Red Sox (MLB) have done a very similar thing to MCLA. Since there can’t be an actual walking red sock, the Red Sox took the infamous “Green Monster,” the giant wall that stands in the outfield, and make him a big friendly mascot appropriately named “Wally.” To support the new and improved Trailblazers, pick up a fresh shirt at the book store with the Mountain Lion standing strong in front.
The Women’s Tennis team fell 9-0 to visiting Sage College last Friday at the Joseph Zavattaro Athletic Complex. It was the College’s third straight loss as they fell to 1-4, while Sage improved to 4-1. The ‘Blazers followed up their performance with a tough road loss to Worcester State on Tuesday. MCLA was dispatched 9-0, as they fell to 1-5 while Worcester St. picked up their 3rd straight victory to improve to 3-2. Sophomore Stephanie Giardina and senior Kelley Bryant played the most competitive match against Sage in the doubles competition, taking on Sage’s top doubles team of Kristen Ackerman and Nicole Reilly. Giardina and Bryant were eventually defeated 8-2. In the other doubles matches, sophomore Ama Adwetewa-Badu and freshmen Shelby Gauthier, as well as sophomore Danielle Wiencek and freshmen Rebecca Waterhouse were both defeated by Sage, 8-1. In a singles competition, Bryant took on Ackerman, who came into the match 14-1 over her scholastic career in singles matches. Bryant couldn’t keep up with the reign-
ing Skyline Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Year, falling 6-0. “Playing her was extremely challenging and I was pleased to play someone with such great talent. Although I enjoyed the level of play she brought to the court, it was hard to keep fighting tough,” Bryant said. “I tried my hardest, but it sometimes can be discouraging playing the best of the best. I look forward to playing my next opponent and use that last match as a learning experience as I do with every match.” Sophomore Lily O’Neill had the best chance at earning a point, however she eventually fell to Sage senior Dana Fowler 6-4. “I am disappointed that I lost the match today, I was trying really hard and was very focused on the match,” O’Neill said. “However, I am very happy with many of my plays during the game, all of the practices have been paying off.” It has been a rough last couple weeks for the ‘Blazers, as they have lost their last three matches by a combined score of 26-1. Coach Holly McGovern was enthusiastic despite the losses. “I tell them that execution in matches takes place when we are taking the techniques from practices and can consistently use them in those matches,” McGov-
Photo by Sam Thomson/Beacon Staff
Freshman Shelby Gauthier of Clinton, Mass. returns the ball during a match against Sage College. ern said. “It will come around; our players work diligently on improving their style of play in practice. It now just has to translate into a match setting.” The Trailblazers will try to get back on track Saturday, as they
open up divisional play when they take on Lyndon State at home, followed up with another home game Sunday against Castleton. Both games will take place at the Joseph Zavattaro Athletic Complex and start at 1 p.m.
Denver XC runner breaks record By Chris Oxholm Sports Editor
The Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams had meets at Southern Vermont last Saturday. The men finished in 5th place out of seven and the women finished 6th. The men’s star runner was junior Anthony Cancilla who finished 6th individually. This marked his second run of the year where he placed in the top 10. Junior Martha Pratt led the women’s team in the race, placing 21st overall. Pratt broke her personal record, running the 5k in 24:59. Shortly after, Clair Simmons and Monica Collin finished
at 27th and 30th place. Pratt ran in high school in Seattle and now lives near Denver, Colorado, in the off season. “I’m used to running in high altitudes since I live in Colorado,” Pratt said. “It makes me a strong runner. Also, people are outside all of the time in Colorado, hiking trails. Sometimes people will encourage me as I run.” When she lived in Seattle, Pratt’s varsity high school cross country team won the State title. Trailblazer Cross Country runs this Saturday at Elms College at 11:30 a.m. They also have their only near home meet at Williamstown on Oct. 26 at 2 p.m.
Photo by Kayla Dengan
Photo of the new Mountain Lion mascot
Scores, Schedules, and Standings
Women’s Tennis Sage 9/13 L, 9-0 @ Worcester 9/17 L, 9-0 Women’s XC @ S. Vermont 9/14, 7th
Women’s Soccer Elms 9/14 W, 1-0 @Albany Pharmcy 9/17 W, 2-1 5th Men’s XC @ S. Vermont 9/14
Women’s Volley Ball @ Becker 9/14 W, 3-1 @Green Mountain 9/14 W, 3-1
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Sports
Beacon.MCLA.edu
9
North Adams Chronicle Astroturf is out November 23, 1879 MCT Campus
‘Blazers hold the line By James Hunter
Staff Writer One was all it took. The women’s soccer team pulled a 1-0 victory over Elms College this past Saturday to improve to a record of 2-3. They also defeated Albany Pharmacy 2-1 in overtime on Tuesday. Saturday afternoon the women’s soccer team came out very physical against an Elms team who brought the physicality in return. Senior Brianna Dandurant explained in detail about the rough play. “Elms played physical just like the conference does and they have some good speed, but we stayed composed and didn’t react to any of it,” she said. Throughout the first and second half both teams had each other on their heels while being on each other’s side putting pressure on the goalkeepers. Although both teams played back and forth, it was the Trailblazers defense that prevented many shots on goal from Elms. Their defense held Elms to one shot on goal throughout the entire game compared to MCLA’s eight. It wasn’t until the 64th minute of the game when junior Kelsey Marini shot on from midfield and put the Trailblazers ahead 1-0. With the assist from Junior Katlyn Brown, Marini had a good angle at the goal and kicked it over Elms goalkeeper Erika Aponte in the top right corner. “As a team, the highlight was definitely when we scored, every single person either on the field or on the sideline was cheering on every teammate and pushing
Photo by Gabriel Kogel/Beacon Staff
them to do their best,” Marini said on the teams’ victory. Early in the first half, Elms College had a few chances to take the lead. Midfielder Melissa Welch had a chance; however, her shot went wide of the goal. Elms falls to 1-3 after losing three straight games. It was team effort in the victory; some noticeable performances that had an impact on the game came from freshman Natalie Caney, with her overall impressive soccer skills and from Dandurant with her defense throughout the whole game. The women’s soccer team had to rebound from the previous loss against Castleton State. The Trailblazers played against
Castleton State last Wednesday, where they came up short, losing 4-1 to the Spartans. At halftime, the score remained 1-1 until Castleton State rallied three goals in the second half to final the victory. “We started out so strong, we got a corner kick and Jen ended up getting a header off the kick. This goal happened so quick and I think we were a little too content with our quick start. After the goal we got a little too relaxed and the second half we let it slip away,” Caney said on last weeks loss. The Trailblazers play at home on Saturday against Worcester State College, 1 pm at Ron Shewcraft Field.
Like many great romances, Major League Baseball's love affair with AstroTurf was born in experimentation, applied in desperation and appreciated best in moderation. Now comes its expiration. After five decades in which artificial grass was often as ubiquitous _ and in some places as loathed _ as the designated hitter, professional baseball is going natural. Where once a dozen stadiums featured faux fields, this season there are only two: Toronto's Rogers Centre and Florida's Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays. And with the Jays discussing plans to pull up their rug soon, and the Rays looking to get out of their domed ballpark, plastic pastures could soon be a thing of the past. "Good riddance," says Hall of Fame slugger Andre Dawson. "Personally, I just wish it would have been gone a long time ago." Dawson had both knees battered and lost a lot of skin off both arms _ plus a couple of productive years off the end of his career _ because of the abrasive and unforgiving AstroTurf field at Montreal's Olympic Stadium, where he played his first 11 big league seasons. Dawson won eight Gold Glove awards and made eight AllStar teams, but he also endured 12 knee operations after playing 81 games a season on a plastic field laid over concrete. "I saw Andre Dawson get his knees drained I don't know how many times in Montreal," says former teammate Tom Foley, now a coach with the Rays. "It takes a toll on you." Some teams and players knew how to use AstroTurf to an advantage. The surface was hard and therefore fast, so some balls hit through the infield scooted between the outfielders all the way to the wall. And the field was also as smooth as a pool table, meaning fielders didn't have to worry about bad hops. Shortly after the Kansas City Royals opened Kauffman Stadium in 1973, the front office put together a roster of speedy slap hitters and the team went to the playoffs seven times in 10 seasons, capped by its only World Series title in 1985. Speedy outfielder Willie Wilson had 21 triples that season, the most in the majors in 35 years. Ten years later, the Royals took out the turf. They've had one winning season since. In the 1980s, the St. Louis Cardinals, when they played home games on turf, followed a formula to those winning Royals teams. The Cardinals led the National League in wins and made it to the World Series three times in six seasons. In all three of their World Series seasons, they finished last or next to last in home runs but
were first or second in triples, stolen bases and fielding percentage. "Without question it changed the game," says Matthew Boggs, AstroTurf 's director of research. Boggs played and coached on artificial grass and had a brief professional career. "As a hitter, if you didn't hit it at somebody, there was a good chance you got a hit," he says. "As an infielder, you knew exactly what kind of bounce you were going to get. So you never had to worry about odd hops. As a pitcher, you had to hate it." AstroTurf was never intended to affect the way baseball was played. It was adopted to ensure games could be played at all. When the Houston Astrodome opened in 1965, the field was composed of a Tifway 419 Bermuda grass that received sunlight through numerous semitransparent Lucite panels installed in the roof. But the glare coming off the panes made it so difficult to track fly balls that the panels had to be painted over, killing the grass and forcing games to be played on a surface of dead grass and dirt that was painted green. About the same time the grass inside the Astrodome was dying, engineers working on synthetic fibers for a heartier brand of carpeting were asked to see if their product could be used to construct playing fields at urban schools, where wear and maintenance were hampering cashstrapped athletic programs. An invention called Chemgrass was rolled out for a trial at the Moses Brown School in Providence, R.I. Impressed by its performance _ and desperate to keep the Astrodome from becoming the world's largest dirt-bike track _ the Astros installed a Chemgrass infield for the start of the 1966 season, then expanded to the outfield at midseason. Over the next five years, synthetic surfaces sprouted in openair stadiums in Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and San Francisco. Teams that tailored their game to the field loved it, but the turf proved so punishing on players that it soon fell out of favor. When a flurry of new ballpark construction began in the early 1990s _ 20 of the 30 big league stadiums have been built in the last 20 years _ AstroTurf, like lava lamps and pet rocks, became a quaint relic of a time gone by. Today, much-improved modern-day cousins of Chemgrass are used at many college and high school facilities. Boggs concedes that professional baseball fields will probably stay natural. "I would be shocked if, at the big league level, you could ever get guys to say they like a syntheticturf field," he says. "If we went out and showed scientifically that everything was exactly the same, I still don't think we'd get approval."
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Thursday, September 19, 2013
Opinion
Beacon.MCLA.edu
What do you think of the Center for Science and Innovation? “To put it plainly, I like it. It gives us pride on our campus, as we’ve seen renovations to Hoosac and Berkshire Towers, and now this completely new project. It is a sign of good things to come for MCLA. It, in short, reveals a growing progressive nature of our school.” -Ben Hoyt , 2016
“I support it. Last semester I took a chemistry class in Bowman and it was cramped and people knocked things over. I think they should have finished the new building before closing Bowman down though. -Caitlynn Finnegan, 2016
“I absolutely love it. It’s great that the college is spending money to further the sciences. It was a huge selling point for me coming in this year.” -Jeffrey Mason, 2017
“I really like it. I think it is going to help bring in science majors and help to promote our school.” -Emma Hodgson, 2015
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Editorial Board
Is it time for an intervention?
By Nick Arena
Managing Editor With the constant fighting in Syria showing no great sign of improvement, and tensions continuing to rise with the question as to whom exactly perpetrated the use of chemical weapons, the question needs to be asked: who will benefit from another military intervention? The agreement made this weekend between the United States and Russia will force Syria to eliminate its cache of chemical weapons by mid-year 2014, as reported by the BBC. Of course, use of force was left on the table as a last resort, should the Syrian government fail to come through. To throw a wrench into this picture-perfect agreement, the recent United Nations report
that proves the use of sarin gas, a nerve agent, on civilians has brought aggression levels back up. Currently, the BBC reported that the French prime minister is pressing a “Security Council resolution” on Syria, while the Russians are arguing that no military decision be made without serious consideration. Not to stand next to our great enemy, but it is about time to consider how much more military action the world can afford in the Middle East right now. Currently, the death toll in Syria alone is over 100,000. Add this into the death tolls in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we are looking at a pretty substantial number. Maybe, just maybe, military action in Syria won’t result in an innumerable amount of civilian deaths, but what’s another war without a few casualties? Human life in the Middle East has become just another talking point amongst the developed world; it can be used to argue for and against military action. Not to say that Russia’s intentions are oh-so-noble, but I think it would be wise to take a page from Minister Sergei Lavrov’s book and develop a more amicable way to intervene with affairs in the Middle East.
Editor-in-Chief Jess Gamari
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Thursday, September 19, 2013
MCLA Plague
Games
Beacon.MCLA.edu
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Drawn by: Nikki Kratounis
Ice Cream Social Today in the Quad!
Meet members of clubs on campus 2-4 p.m.
Get involved!
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Thursday, September 19, 2013
Photo Essay
Beacon.MCLA.edu
A social and study area for students is located on the second level.
An exterior view of The Center for Science and Innovation shows the architecture.
Class is in session!
This view of the student study center is from above the second level.
Photos by Amy Modesti
The Center for Science and Innovation is now holding classes
Modern lighting and architecture is seen throughout the building.
A student’s study lounge overlooks the MCLA campus grounds.
An interior view of Classroom 124 which is on the first level of the new science center.