Student Newspaper of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts North Adams, Mass.
The Beacon
For more content, visit online at: Beacon.MCLA.edu Volume 78 ◆ Issue 2
Th u r s d ay, F e b rua r y 6 , 2 0 1 4
Clubs talk sex, gender and love Students to present
on leadership skills
By Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Staff Writer
Relationship questions, genital-shaped lollipops, and free condoms served as party favors from Sextival, hosted on Saturday by Students Taking Action for Gender Equality (STAGE). In order to bring useful information to students, tables supplied brochures, pamphlets, graphs, and demonstrations dealing with topics ranging from gender differences, to an explanation of polyamory, to a demonstration on how difficult it can be to properly use a condom while inebriated. Clubs tabling around the walls of the gym included the Student Government Association (SGA), Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), and the Queer Student Union (QSU, formerly
By Gabriel Kogel Senior News Editor
Photo by Andrew Ricketts/The Beacon
Students gathered in Venable Gym for STAGE’s annual Sextival. known as B-GLAD). Members of STAGE also ran a number of tables. The treasurer of QSU worked a table explaining polyamory with helpful brochures. According to these, polyamory differs from
polygamy in that it does not only apply to marriage and can involve any combination of genders, rather than just one person of one gender and many people of
SEXTIVAL, continued on page 3
Celebrating girls and women in sports
This Saturday, roughly 50 presenters will take center stage at the 19th annual Leadership Conference, featuring a Broadway theater inspired theme. Beginning at 9 a.m., the curtains will open on “Leadership: Your Role of a Lifetime,” happening at the Amsler Campus Center. The conference will showcase MCLA student presentations, along with those of students and professionals from Springfield College, Worcester State, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Williams College, University of Connecticut, and more. Sophomore Abby Torrey will present on “social loafing,” a topic she became interested in after learning about it during a social psychology class she took for her major. “You find in any group that there’s usually at least one loafer who doesn’t put in the same amount of effort as the rest,” she said. “It’ll be a comical, hands-on presentation, that will encourage group participation.” Torrey said she planned to present at last year’s Leadership Conference, but a severe snowstorm forced it to be rescheduled. “That snowstorm was the bane of my existence,” said Jennifer Craig, coordinator of Student Activities. Last year, only 100 people attended the conference
Photo by Gabriel Kogel/The Beacon
Sophomore Abby Torrey will present at the Leadership conference this Saturday. due to the storm; Craig estimates the number will be around 200 this time. “We’re setting it up to be a national conference,” she said. “The presenters all chose their own topic, but they’re all tailored to improving leadership skills.” This year’s keynote speaker will be Dennis Rebelo, President of Alex and Ani University, along with his good friend Jeffrey Sparr, co-founder of PeaceLove studios. Sparr will share his journey from being debilitated by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), to becoming the “Forrest Gump of painting,” according to PeaceLove’s website. The conference will run from 9 a.m. till 3:20 p.m., featuring three educational sessions. During each session, multiple presentations will occur simultaneously, in different rooms. The conference is free for MCLA students with a cost of $30 for visiting students and professionals.
Bridging the gap from high school to college By Alexander Moore Staff Writer
Photo by Kayla Degnan/The Beacon
Kaylyn Smith of the Athletics Department, far left, gathers with the girls to prepare to chant with lacrosse sticks at the National Women’s and Sports Day on Feb. 1.
For more photos of the event, check out page 8. Also check out our photo gallery at Beacon.MCLA.edu twitter.com/ MCLA_Beacon facebook.com/ MCLABeacon
The Commonwealth Dual Enrollment program, an initiative run through the Department of Higher Education, provides high school students with the opportunity to take an introductory college course free of charge. “I do think that there is a benefit for high school students to take college courses,” Monica Joslin, Dean of Academic Affairs, said. Joslin said that if the participants take an introductory course, they may be inspired to attend college. She believes that if a student is given a free college course in high school, they will
The benefits of local foods
Blues and Funk Fest returns
Basketball takes a loss
Green Mountain College Professor talks sustainable foods.
MCLA Presents! features weekend of old and new school jams.
The men and women of The Trailblazers fall behind.
Arts & Entertainment, page 6
Sports, page 9
News, page 3
want to further their education and take more courses. Participants can take courses during the fall, spring, or summer semesters. Though some college courses are taught at the high school, students are encouraged to come to campus. “It’s one thing to take a college course,” Joslin said, “but it’s a whole different experience participating on campus.” Samuel Klass, a senior in high school, is currently taking Introduction to Mass Media. He believes that if a high school student is interested in a college educa-
DUAL ENROLLMENT, continued on page 3 News Arts & Entertainment Sports Campus Opinion Local Events Photo Essay
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Campus News
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Weekend Weather Forecast from Weather.com
Thursday, February 6
College offers incentive program for internships By Jess Gamari
Mostly Sunny High: 22° Low: 7° Precip. Chance: 0%
Friday, February 7
Partly Cloudy High: 20° Low: 10° Precip. Chance: 0%
Saturday, February 8
Beacon.MCLA.edu
dent’s Day. On Tuesday there will be ice skating from 9 p.m. until midnight, with transportation from all residential areas to and from the Peter W. Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Skating Rink. Smoothies will be available in the marketplace on Wednesday, and on Thursday there will be a blood drive.
Managing Editor
Honors program changes
“It’s a good idea to pad your resume while building experience,” Manat Wooten of CSSE and Career services said when speaking to the cabinet about the internship incentive program which career services now has in place. The program is sponsored by the department of higher education in the state of Mass. To qualify, students must be Mass. Residents, have a minimum GPA of 2.75, and have filed a FAFSA form. Students can earn internship credits in the summer, fall and spring semesters and may receive a stipend, depending on credit. “The money will go toward your bill, and left-over is check cut to you,” Wooten said. “You can put the money towards building a wardrobe, gas and travel cost, or lunch. Copies of the internship incentive application can be found online.”
During the committee report, Coordinating Vice President Hannah Sterrs announced the English department will be adding a Queer Identity in Literature course to “go along with the changing status of the school,” Sterrs said. The honors program plans to add a 500 level 3 credit course to focus extensively on a Commonwealth thesis paper, based on the Commonwealth Honors College in Amherst. The honors program also plans to make the Nature of Human Nature course a requirement to enter the honors program. Senator Ama Adwetewa-Badu questioned why this class specifically was chosen. “Most honors classes are philosophy classes already,” AdwetewaBadu said. She said she has taken the course and does not believe changing the name of the course will alter the learning outcomes. Sterrs said this class was chosen because it is interdisciplinary by nature, and because students use the lessons they learn in the course in other courses in the honors program. To stay in the honors program,
Winter Week events scheduled Coordinating Vice President Brendan Peltier announced Winter Week will be coming up Feb. 17-21. No activity is planned for the holiday on Monday, Presi-
Photo by Jess Gamari/The Beacon
The SGA cabinet listens to a senator speak at Monday’s meeting in Murdock 218. students must maintain a GPA of 3.0, although it is not necessary for incoming freshman or new students interested in the program to have this GPA. Sterrs said this change would not go into effect until the fall semester. Sophomore experience Student affairs committee met last week to discuss ideas on improving transition for sophomore students. While there is already a first year experience program in place, the committee feels that there is a void in a student’s second year. The committee will meet on Feb 17 at 6 p.m. and Feb. 20 at 1 p.m. They aim to find a solution by April. “There’s such a gap from heavy mentoring and peer advisors freshman year; what carries over?” asked Parliamentarian Alexandra Kadell. “We want to increase and add support for sophomores.” She also said that introducing a fouryear plan, like other colleges have, is also an option.
New additions to ARAMARK, Subway and Trailblazer café ARAMARK will set up a dessert bar next Friday for Valentine’s Day. Subway now offers new options on the menu, including a chicken enchilada sandwich and flat bread pizza. Starbucks will be introducing raspberry coffee to its menu. Coordinating Vice President Hannah Sterrs asked whether the café plans to extend its hours. Kadel responded, saying the café bases its hours on the amount of sales each hour. “We can work with them for another trial period and try to get the word out.” SGA advisor Jennifer Craig reminded students about the upcoming Leadership conference on Saturday, which will have a Broadway theme. Events will be held throughout the day from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. in the Amsler Campus Center Gym, Sullivan Lounge, Achievement Lounge, and various rooms in Murdock.
Campus Police Logs The week of 1/26-2/1
Partly Cloudy High: 23° Low: 9° Precip. Chance: 10%
Sunday, February 9
Snow Showers High: 28° Low: 16° Precip. Chance: 50%
Sunday, January 26 ◆ 1:26 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a general transport call at the Flagg Townhouse Complex Apartment 89. The subject was transported to the hospital. ◆ 1:57 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a call to tow a vehicle from the Freel Library Parking Lot. The vehicle was towed. ◆ 5:24 p.m. - Public Safety recieved a call to remove a safety hazard on Elmwood Avenue. The safety hazard was removed.
Monday, January 27
Wednesday, January 29
◆ 8:38 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a medical call at the Flagg Townhouse Complex. Services were rendered.
◆ 3:53 p.m. - Public Safety responded to an alarm at the Berkshire Towers Complex. The call was completed.
◆ 10:31 - Public Safety responded to a call regarding a drug offense at the Flagg Townhouse Complex Apartment 71. The call was completed.
◆ 6:55 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a call about an animal issue at Bowman Hall. The incident was investigated.
Tuesday, January 28 ◆ 2:48 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a parking issue on the MCLA Campus. A citation or warning was issued. ◆ 8:55 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a parking issue in front of the Berkshire Towers Complex. The incident was investigated.
◆ 7:41 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a call about vandalism on Church Street. The call was completed. Friday, January 31 ◆ 9:06 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a call about an alcohol offense at the Amsler Campus Center. ◆ 3:26 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a call to serve a
restraining order at the Berkshire Towers Complex B231. Services were rendered. ◆ 9:50 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a call about a drug offense at the Hoosac Hall Complex. The call was investigated. Saturday, February 1 ◆ 6:37 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a medical call at the Amsler Campus Center. The subject was transported to the hospital. ◆ 11:27 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a call about a disturbance on Montana Street. The incident was investigated. Correction: In the January 30 issue, the photo on page 4 of the College Cadet’s features MCLA Students, not Adams Youth.
Campus News
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Beacon.MCLA.edu
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Creating a better food infrastructure By Nick Swanson Staff Writer
Philip Ackerman-Leist held a lecture on this semester’s theme, ‘Cultivating a Sustainable Food System,’ over video platform at the last Green Living Seminar. Ackerman-Leist is a professor of Environmental Studies at Green Mountain College and author of the book ‘Rebuilding the Foodshed.’ The topic of his lecture was ‘Creating Sustainable Food Systems.’ Throughout the seminar, Ackerman-Leist offered different perspectives on how each person influences the food system and how individual contributions can affect the food a person receives from the community. Ackerman-Leist described the measures different cities and towns he has traveled to around the country have taken in order to enhance their food systems. He mentioned Athens, Ohio and the 30-mile meal, a marketing tactic used by restaurants to ensure customers’ meals are prepared with food that has not traveled over 30 miles. Ackerman-Leist stressed that food loses its quality and freshness when distributed long distances from where it was processed.
Photo by Richard LaRocque/The Beacon
Students and faculty listen as Green Mountain College Professor Philip Ackerman-Leist gives an e-presentation on ‘Cultivating a Sustainable Food System’. “I honestly don’t think people realize how far their food travels before it gets to their plate, and it should be noticed because it can help local food sellers and also help people eat better,” junior Amber Luke said. Ackerman-Leist introduced the website www.acenetworks. org, which supports entrepreneurs who want to start healthy food
services. In the past, large loans were given to these entreprenuers so they could build commercial kitchens and other facilities. “Professor Ackerman-Leist gave a lot of attention to help local food growers, which I found interesting considering we will be planting edible plants through our service learning project,” freshman John O’Day said.
According to Ackerman-Leist, farmers only get 15.8 cents out of every dollar their products make, while the market gets 84.2 cents. One of his goals is to put more money in the farmer’s pocket. Ackerman-Leist said that in Cora, Iowa, farmers developed mobile greenhouses that contain common succession crops, enabling farmers to grow their
crops year round. “I am taking this course again because I have a strong interest in the topic this semester,” junior Kevin Williams said. “The speaker did an excellent job in explaining adaptations that could be made, but everyone should realize that these will only come with action and we need to be out actively helping the cause if we want change. The landscapes and gardens that we will be planting can hopefully create a better infrastructure for our food system.” “This country gives colleges and universities $5 billion for food services; one of my main goals is to take 20 percent ($1 billion) from that in order to give ‘real food’ to college students,” Ackerman-Leist said. Margaret Sova, professor of Law at the University of New Hampshire, will be the next guest speaker at the Green Living Seminar. She will discuss the topic ‘Policies for the Future of New England’s Food System.’ The Green Living Seminar series is held on Thursdays in room 218 of Murdock Hall at 5:30 p.m. The next seminar will be held on Feb. 6. Lectures are free and open to the public.
Students expand on gender, sexuality at festival SEXTIVAL, answers could be heard from the crowd. One of the questions, “True or false: All continued from page 1
another, as is often the case in polygamous relationships. “I’ve looked forward to this event,” Sophomore Mackenzie McCarthy said. “I enjoy sharing information with people to get them thinking about these things.” Next to the polyamory table sat Kali Yomota-Kurland, vice president of QSU, giving away free magnets made out of bottle caps. She explained that the name change from B-GLAD to QSU was made to relate to the names of other similar institutions, and for the fact that the former name sounded too long and unappealing. At the SSDP table, sexual toys gave visitors the opportunity to try applying a condom while wearing fatal vision goggles, also known as beer goggles. Participants giggled while completing the task. In the midst of the ongoing activities, STAGE’s President Carrisa Sacherski and Vice President Hannah Bearup read off a variety of trivia questions. Sporadic
women can achieve an orgasm through intercourse alone,” prompted cries of “False!” from audience members. Their guesses were confirmed later in the trivia show. A colorful assortment of pins, sold for $1, read ‘I Love Vagina’ and similar statements. Others sported the faces of notable women, like Helen Keller. Next to the pin table stood Bearup, who sold penis and vagina-shaped chocolate lollipops for $1 and heart and rose lollipops for 50 cents. Another table featured a gender scale on which passersby could place a dot with their initials, marking their place on the spectrum of genders, in return for a free raffle ticket. “This is my first time being here,” STAGE member JonDavid Shetler, who worked at the table, said. “I’m feeling it out so far.” At the blackout poetry table, individuals had the opportunity to pick a sheet from one of the magazines on the table, then take a sharpie and black out whatever they
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Students at the Sextival enjoy fun activities while learning more information. wanted to make a poem with the remaining “This is my favorite event,” she said. “The words. atmosphere is so uplifting and free feeling.” Abigail Torrey, of the National Residence According to Sacherski, both STAGE Hall Honorary, photographed entering and Sextival began in 2009, and the event visitors with homemade props, including a has been a tradition every February since. tall picture frame made out of poster board.
Program gives high schoolers insight DUAL ENROLLMENT, continued from page 1
tion, dual enrollment should be a requirement. “If you really want to go to college, you should look into doing this,” Klass said in a phone interview. “It gives a really good outlook on college expectations and helps you prepare yourself for future education.” Klass believes that the dual enrollment program provides a break from the everyday life of a high school student. “It’s just something different,” Klass said. “Walking around the
same building every day can get boring, and this is something new to do.” In addition to a free college course, participants in the program get credit for both college and high school. The credits earned can be transferred to another high school or college, or put toward a degree at MCLA. The dual enrollment program may also provide alternative means of fulfilling high school requirements. “You can get out of a class you don’t want to take,” Klass said. “I dropped Political Science in or-
der to take Introduction to Mass Media, and the college course fulfilled that elective.” Klass wishes to work in the communications field, so the course he is in now may be beneficial to his college career, as well as his job options afterward. According to the MCLA dual enrollment webpage, students interested in participating in the program must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0. They must also have a recommendation from their guidance counselors and must live in the Berkshire area.
News 4 Philip Seymour Hoffman could be anyone Thursday, February 6, 2014
MCT Campus
When an actor as extraordinarily gifted as Philip Seymour Hoffman dies as suddenly, as tragically as he did, the mind goes into a kind of shock. How could a person who could effortlessly be so many people suddenly not be here at all? It doesn’t seem possible. That shock is even stronger for me because I was at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, a little more than a week ago, not only seeing Hoffman on screen in two completely different roles but hearing him talk about his work during a post-screening questionand-answer session. The characters in these two films could not have been more different. First came Hoffman as Mickey, small-time grifter, parttime criminal and full-time Philadelphian in John Slattery’s “God’s Pocket,” based on the bleak Pete Dexter novel.
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The second film was taken from quite another kind of fiction set in a dissimilar world in a far-off country. That would be the Anton Corbijn-directed version of John le Carre’s claustrophobic thriller “A Most Wanted Man,” where Hoffman played, of all people, a gruff German spymaster, complete with appropriate accent, trying to operate in a world where you can’t even think of trusting anyone. The diversity of these roles was so great that a woman in the audience after the “Most Wanted Man” screening couldn’t help herself. She raised her hand and asked Hoffman the unanswerable question. How can one man play parts that could not have less in common? The actor, not always at ease in public situations, seemed at a bit of a loss. He talked about studying the characters, about preparation, about having good people to work with. Finally, though he didn’t say it in so many words, the answer
became clear: When you are an actor, convincingly becoming the widest possible range of other people is what the job is all about, the essence of the work. Few, if any, performers of his generation did it better than he did. Hoffman did not erupt into movie stardom all at once with one big showy role. The first film I really remember noticing him in was Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1997 “Boogie Nights,” half a dozen years past what IMDB says was his debut in something called “Triple Bogey on a Par Five Hole.” His gifts grew on us gradually, just as his performances increased in power and conviction during the course of a given film. He is the same burly, heavyset individual in every role. In theory, someone who looked like him would be the last person you would cast to play the elfin, epicene Truman Capote in Bennett Miller’s 2005 “Capote,” but he not only did brilliant work, he won
based Haute Trash Artists Collaborative has been putting on such shows for 20 years and is getting ready for one in Missouri. “Junk to Funk” in Portland creates avant-garde fashion out of trash to “get people to think differently about waste.” “Trashion usually refers to ‘making something from nothing’ for aesthetic purposes, not for practical use,” Wikipedia states. Jody Buyas, coordinator of Keep Orlando Beautiful, a nonprofit program administered by the city, said the Trash 2 Trends show came out of brainstorming for a fundraising theme. A staffer recalled a similar event in South Carolina. “It brings together art, fashion, recycling and the environment,” Buyas said.
Marcy Singhaus, a longtime designer of theatrical costumes in Orlando, had her pattern “in my head” to assemble scraps bedazzled with sequins, rhinestones and beads. Her model for Trash 2 Trends is brother-in-law and actor Sam Singhaus done up in his alter-ego character of Miss Sammy. Marie Stevens featured electronic waste. She collected old CDs for weeks and now has “Oh, wow, a lot! Hundreds.” After softening them in hot water, she cuts the discs to shape and glues or sews them into a fishscale pattern for a futuristic, fairy tale impression. “I hope it looks really cool on the runway, but it’s not something you would wear unless don’t want to sit down,” Stevens said.
Photo from MCT Campus
Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, posing with his Oscar for Best Actor in the film “Capote” during the 2006 Academy Awards, has died. He was 46. son’s War” and as a charismatic the lead actor Oscar. Hoffman’s ability to inhabit his cult leader in “The Master.” That characters completely, almost as last was one of five films he made an act of will, led to three other with Anderson, a director whose Oscar nominations or his work as intense involvement in the filma passionate priest in “Doubt,” as making process seemed to mirror a wily CIA agent in “Charlie Wil- his own.
Recycled fashion comes out of the trash heap and onto the runway MCT Campus
Models strutted down the runway in outfits tailored from fishing line, citrus bags, hammered strips of beer cans and garbage bags. This fashion show featured what’s called haute trash, trash walking and trashion, and it was all for a good cause: Keep Orlando Beautiful. “I wanted to make something beautiful out of something in our daily lives,” said Krystol Pineda, who attends the International Academy of Design & Technology in Orlando, Fla., and took five weeks to dye and sew used mops into surprising elegance. The Saturday event was not a novel concept. The California-
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Kyla Swanbergworks on her aluminum can dress her home studio.
Saturday, February 15, 8pm
BURNING SPEAR Burning Spear fires up intoxicating rhythms for a legendary reggae dance party so hot you’ll see smoke.
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National News
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Nation and World Briefs Nation
Abducted woman escapes
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5
Minimum wage debate continues
DETROIT The woman abducted by a 40-year-old convicted murderer who escaped from the Ionia Correctional Facility in mid-Michigan Sunday and remains on the lam Monday called 911 when they stopped for gas in Indiana and calmly told the operator she was being held hostage. -Detroit Free Press Zero charges on owners of burned mill PHILADELPHIA A Philadelphia grand jury that spent nearly two years investigating a fire that left two firefighters dead found no criminal charges could be filed against the owners of the dilapidated former hosiery mill that burned. The grand jury report, however, was highly critical of owners Nahman and Michael Lichtenstein, saying their greed and negligence slowly turned the vacant Thomas W. Buck Hosiery into “a firetrap.” -The Philadelphia Inquirer
World Suicide bomber killing himself and wounding two others BEIRUT A suicide bomber blew himself up in a public transport minibus southeast of Beirut, killing himself and wounding two others, the Lebanese Red Cross and police told the German news agency dpa. -DPA Mandela’s generous gift JUBA, South Suda Nelson Mandela left an estate worth about $4.1 million a minuscule fortune according to a reading of his will in South Africa on Monday. He also left a generous portion of the royalties from the sale of his books and other items to the African National Congress. -Los Angeles Times
MCT Campus
You’d think debate on the merits of raising the minimum wage would have been settled long ago. After all, it’s been around for 75 years in the United States, and it’s been examined in countless academic and professional studies. But the rhetoric rages on after President Barack Obama last week urged Congress to “give America a raise” by hiking the national minimum wage to $10.10 an hour from $7.25. And again when Gov. Pat Quinn advocated a raise in Illinois to $10 an hour from $8.25 during his State of the State address. “It’s probably the most studied social policy in American history,” said Robert Bruno, a professor of labor and employment relations at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Yet debate continues, this time against the backdrop of a fragile economy, which has employers reluctant to add costs. Meanwhile, the same forces pinching business are also squeezing workers at the lowest rung of the income ladder who haven’t seen an increase in their hourly wage since 2009 as the top 1 percent
MCT Campus Photo
The United States map shows the variety of state minimum wage laws. accumulated more wealth. Bruno, who supports raising the minimum wage, called wrangling over the virtues of raising the minimum wage “a foolish endeavor.” “It’s good for minimum-wage workers; it’s good for other workers; it’s good for the economy; it isn’t a drag on employers,” he contends.
“There is no research that has ever identified a negative job impact from raising the minimum wage.” “That’s mitigated by the fact that raising the minimum wage generates so much more economic activity that, at the end of the day, it creates more total jobs,” Bruno said. “I would argue there isn’t really any serious disagreement over the impact of a modest, phased-in minimum-wage increase.” He conceded those views are for the typical slow and modest increase in the minimum wage, not a sudden doubling of it to $15 as some groups have recently advocated. “That might change things,” he said. Dueling studies aside, sometimes it’s just bad timing for a rise in the minimum wage, said Kim Maisch, Illinois state director of the “What I’m hearing from my members is they’re scared this time around because $10 is a lot,” Maisch said. “And particularly smallbusiness owners continue to feel the repercussions of the recession. While things are a little bit better, they’re not great. ... We’re not out of the woods yet.”
Sewage producing heat and electricity MCT Campus PHILADELPHIA The orange flare along I-95 near Castor Avenue isn’t lit anymore. It used to burn off excess methane produced at this Philadelphia sewage treatment plant. But with the completion of a $47.5 million project, the gas now is transformed into heat and electricity, putting the plant front and center in a sewage paradigm shift. These days, the stinky sludge, the stuff of our toilets, has a new future. Experts see not an abomination, but a resource. “We are just at the beginning of what we can do with sewage,” said Allison Deines, director of special projects at the Water Environment Research Foundation, a Virginia-based nonprofit for wastewater and storm water issues. She and colleague Lauren Fillmore, senior program director for energy, lauded Philadelphia as an early adopter. When municipalities started piping sewage away from residential areas, the receiving facilities were known as sewage treatment
plants. They did little but settle out the solids. Today, “we’re moving toward a new name,” said Philadelphia Water Commissioner Howard Neukrug. “The industry is calling them ‘water resource recovery facilities.’” The York County, Pa., plant has a process that recovers phosphorus a fertilizer in limited supply worldwide for processing and reuse. MCT Campus Photo Some day, Neukrug and others A General Electric Jenbacher 420 engine designed to run on say, it may be both technologibiogas, which is produced when bacteria digest sewage. cally and economically feasible to mine sludge for other nutrients and heavy metals. The remaining solid matter used After treatment to remove moisThere, sewage solids are sepa- to go to a landfill. Now, it’s sent to ture, hydrogen sulfide, and “sirated and sent to eight 2.1 mil- a plant near Philadelphia Inter- loxanes” residue from the decomlion-gallon tanks, where bacteria national Airport, to be converted position of soap, shampoo, and digest the material and reduce its into pellets to fertilize golf courses other personal-care products the volume. In the process, they give and farms, or fuel cement kilns. gas is burned in four massive reoff a flammable gas that is roughly It is piped to the new biogas “co- ciprocating engines. 63 percent methane. generation” facility on the site of The result is 43 million kilowatt Christopher Crockett, Water the Northeast plant. hours of electricity a year, enough Department deputy commissionIn essence, cogeneration is the to power more than 4,000 typier for planning and environmen- simultaneous production of elec- cal homes or, more pertinent to tal services, likens the process to tricity and heat from a single fuel the project, enough to meet 85 that in the human stomach, gas source, according to the U.S. En- percent of the power needs of the and all. Stuff arrives; microbes di- vironmental Protection Agency, sewage treatment plant. gest it. which endorsed the technology.
Golden Gardens beavers forced to leave
5 O’Clock $5 Nachos!!! Weekend entertainment
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MCT Campus SEATTLE For a decade and a half, everything was just great for those taking a leisurely stroll at the north end of Golden Gardens Park. A path led to two tranquil small ponds that had been dug out in 1995, fed by surface drainage and hillside water. The ponds were full of birds and surrounded by trees planted by volunteers. Then two or three years ago arrived one beaver, or maybe it’s up to a dozen beavers depending on which irate leisurely stroller you talk to. Seattle Parks and Recreation estimates the rodents have downed 65 to 75 trees so they could eat the bark, and build a dam and a lodge. Yes, beavers may look cute with their flat tails, but they are North America’s largest rodents, with adults averaging 3 feet in length and 40 pounds. The parks department says their tree cutting is just part of nature. It’s not going to
relocate the beavers. That means it’s in a continuous campaign against the beavers as the small dam they built, if left unchecked, raises the water level and floods the footbridge. Parks workers remove sticks from the top of the dam. But a beaver is a ferocious worker and can mow down a lot of wood. Anyway, says DeCaro, removing the beaver or beavers from the pond might work only temporarily. “If the beavers came here in the first place, it’s more than likely more beavers will come,” she says wildlife experts have told her. “I’m not a beaver hater,” says Burley. “But I don’t understand why they’re protected. They’re like rats. They multiply pretty fast. Why can’t they trap and relocate them, and save the birds?” Only half in jest, Linda Peterson says about the beavers, “Relocate them to Green Lake. Let them figure it out.”
MCT Campus Photo
Beavers started chewing down trees and building a dam One visitor says there has been talk of trapping and killing them. Beavers are not a protected species in the sense that bald eagles are. The beaver is classified as a fur bearer, and a license is required to trap or shoot one. It also is unlawful to trap a beaver and release it elsewhere without a permit. You can’t touch a beaver dam without a permit from the state to “modify” it.
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Thursday, February 6, 2014
Arts & Entertainment
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Something old, something new: Blues and Funk Festival returns By Shannen Adamites
Arts & Entertainment Editor MCLA Presents! and the performing arts management class showcase a weekend of soulful jams in their ninth annual Blues and Funk Festival this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Venable Gym. “We were looking for something old and something new,” Berkshire Cultural Resource Center (BCRC) director, Jonathan Secor, said. “Each night will feature upbeat and danceable music that the [MCLA] community will enjoy.” Both nights will open with the College’s own jazz band under the musical direction of music professor, Jeff Link. Along with this, Friday night will feature Berkshire County’s own reggae jam band, The Rebel Alliance, who have toured throughout the Western Mass. and southern New England regions since 2008. Saturday night features Pittsfield-based blues band, the T-Bone Daddy Trio, which includes Link as well as Board of Directors Chair, Tyler Fairbank. Headling on Friday night is Jesse Dee, a rising star in the world of blues hailing from Boston, Mass. As one of Secor’s
recent favorites in the genre after being recommended to him by a former colleague, Dee features an old-school sound while still maintaining a youthful and fresh energy that will appeal to both dedicated blues fans and today’s generation of listeners. “He writes all of his own music, but writes it almost as if he’s in a different era,” Secor said. “It’s sort of like with the artists at FreshGrass, where contemporary musicians are writing very vintage, but very innovative music.” On Saturday night, New Orleans’s classic funk and R&B sensation Walter “Wolfman” Washington headlines with a great deal of history and power behind his music. “I’ve seen him multiple times in New Orleans and elsewhere and he’s just great, old-school blues and R&B,” Secor said. “He’s played and opened for some of the greats, and if you were to go to B.B. King’s club on 42nd Street, or the Maple Leaf Bar and Grill in New Orleans, he’s who you would see.” Washington, a “living history of the blues,” has been performing since the 1950s and continues to create and adapt to the today’s ever-changing music
scene, and bringing back reminders of the past in his performances. Through this festival, as well as other MCLA Presents! programming, Secor hopes to share exceptional artists that the local and campus community would have never seen or heard of before, as well as uniting people of all backgrounds through art, performance, and music. Merchandise from the performers, as well as concessions from Christo’s Pizza, will be available for purchase. Students enrolled in the performing arts management classes are helping run this weekend’s festivities, and other events this semester. A recent change to the curriculum has allowed for two divisions of the class: the original, and a new advancedlevel class focusing on curatorial studies. According to Secor, students in the advanced division will serve as mentors to students helping run several different aspects of the festival, such as marketing, programming, and production. Tickets for the Blues and Funk Festival are $10 for the general public, $8 for alumni, $5 for faculty and staff, and free for students.
Beacon File Photos
Above: The College’s Jazz band opens for a performance. Below: Last spring’s Bluse & Funk Festival featured Maya Azucena.
SAC strives for a diverse semester By Rachel Fitterman
Arts & Entertainment Writer The Student Activities Council (SAC) continues to bring entertainment and excitement to campus this semester with a host of new events and old favorites. “By the nature of it being at the end of the year, the things we do in the spring are bigger than the things we do in the fall,” SAC vice president Tess Favini said. One of the most anticipated is the annual spring concert, which has previously brought in big names such as Four Year Strong, Mayday Parade, and We the Kings. “The spring concert is looking fantastic,” said concert chair Joelle Dumont. “Everything is falling into place. We’re going to have a release party for the release date [of the spring concert performer], which is set to be March 29 at 6 p.m.,” Dumont noted. “It really is dictated by what my budget will look like after the spring concert, just because it’s the big whopper, but hopefully, if there is money afterwards, we’re going to plan more events for the end of the semester as well,” she added. As for right now, Dumont and Destinations chair Daniel O’Connell are planning a trip to see Green Day’s “American Idiot” musical in Albany, N.Y.
“Tickets [went] on sale [yesterday,] and the actual event is on Valentine’s Day. We’ll go to Albany, get dinner, see the show, and come back,” Dumont said. SAC will provide transportation. O’Connell, who said his role as Destinations chair mainly involves “bringing people off campus for an affordable price,” will have an off-campus event planned for every month of the semester. Coming up, SAC will take students to the March 4 Bruins game. Discounted tickets will go on sale Feb. 24. In addition to going off campus, SAC also brings the fun right to campus. “My job is to bring in a comedian or some other performer once a month, usually on a Tuesday or Wednesday night when there’s nothing going on,” said Comedy Stop chair Anthony Olivares. “I’m excited for Spring Fling week, because hopefully I’ll get a bigger comedian that everyone will like to see,” he said. “Spring Fling is much bigger than Welcome Fest and Family Weekend, because it’s not just for our campus, it’s for the community. We bring in kids from Williamstown and North Adams, so we get bounce houses and other things for them, but anyone can go to it.” said president Allison Conlon.
Saturday Night Spotlight chair Devon O’Dowd also works to make sure students always have something to do every weekend. “[I plan] an event every Saturday night as an alternative to ‘college life,’” she laughs. “[We’ve done] movie on us, where I bought 80 tickets, and students can just come to the movie theater downtown and see whatever they want for free. I’m also going to do bowling again, since it was a really big turnout last semester,” O’Dowd said. “I’m working on planning Little Sibs [Weekend] right now, and hopefully animals will come back. I know that’s always a big turnout, so there might be some snakes, there might be some chinchillas, and sugar gliders and bush babies,” she added. SAC’s main goal is to combat the idea that there’s nothing to do on campus. “We also have a very diverse campus, so I think that’s why people tend to think that there is nothing going on for them; but we try to get a variety of events so that we have something that will appeal to everyone,” said Favini. O’Dowd also urged that students contribute their ideas to SAC in order to see particular events they want happen. “I think if people say that there isn’t anything going on on campus, then they’re not paying at-
tention to what’s happening, to our emails, our flyers. We’re really active on our Facebook and Twitter thanks to Tess, and if they still don’t think that there’s anything going on, they should come talk to us and be like, ‘Hey, I think this would be cool if this happened,’ and we’ll see what we can do about making that happen,” she said. Treasurer Alex Lopez added, “We’re always looking for more input, because the idea is that we want to bring entertainment to the students. We as a group don’t entertain ourselves, we want to entertain everyone else [on campus,] and that’s what we’re looking to do.”
SAC Events for February Feb. 12: Lucky Bamboo from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. in the Campus Center Marketplace Feb. 14: Trip to American Idiot the Musical at the Palace Theater, shuttle leaves at 5 p.m. for students with tickets Feb. 19: Comedy Stop presents Chloe Hillard at 8pm in Sullivan Lounge Feb. 24: Tickets on sale for the destinations trip to the Bruins game on March 4 starting at 9 a.m. in CC 311 for $20. Only 10 seats available
Photo by Kayla Degnan/Photo Editor
SAC members Joelle Dumont, Samantha O’Brien, Anthony Olivares, and Devon O’Dowd table at the Nacho Average Club Fair.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Arts & Entertainment
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“Spirit” transports viewers to culturally-rich Haiti Review by Raanan Sarid-Segal
Arts & Entertainment Writer “Persistence of Spirit” snuck up on me. The vibrancy and energy on display in this exhibit immediately drew me in, though I knew next to nothing about it. One could argue that this show is specifically attuned to the interests of the artistically-minded college student. It is full of nonrepresentational art and willful disturbances to the reality presented, lending it an intellectual appeal to our post-realism generation. It will definitely appeal to those who can appreciate an emphasis on color and abstraction over strict adherence to natural form. This is not to say that there is anything too experimental in the show. Everything presented can easily be linked to artistic movements which have come before, and in some circles still continue. Instead, the attraction of the show lies in the craft on display. The show invites visitors in with the fractured art of Philippe Dodard. His works’ use of bold colors and abstract forms, in particular mask-like creations, evokes traditional Haitian imagery. His goal seems to be to fuse these traditions with more modernist Western approaches. Gontran Durocher is the artist who shows the most variety. His work ranges from largely realistic and representational to almost post-impressionistic fusions of form and surrounding. From the bold colors and design of “Tambou Ezili” to the muted palette of
“Taino Dream,” he forgoes neither form nor detail. Durocher’s first work in the gallery neatly encapsulates this idea. His “triptych” very clearly represents people and the places in which they live. He accomplishes this using few defined lines, relying on colors to suggest shapes and the subjects. By necessity, objects in the foreground have more detail put into them, defining them more clearly, but the artist suggests activity in the background through shrewdly placed shadows and faint silhouettes. These relatively minor details hint at activity beyond what is seen. Ronald Mevs’ work might be the most inscrutable. His style is dominated by deep fields of color upon which exist carefully placed shapes and details. He paints on canvas, textile, and other surfaces with bent or otherwise texturally interesting qualities, but all of his pieces clearly belong to him. “Debate on the Blue I” shows a lot of Mevs’ technique. He represents people and locations counterintuitively, forcing the audience to wonder why he chose particular colors or shapes. Mevs’ “Flamme” is another example of this. It consists of large blocks of painted color on textile, with shapes and a flame on the left side of the canvas. The clear shapes suggest order, but the shifting colors and the lack of detail lend a mysterious quality. He does something very similar in his other piece, “Dressed in White,” but on a grander scale. The overall intent of the show seems to be to introduce Haiti, and
Photo by Amy Modesti/Beacon Staff
Curator Guy Michel Telemaque (left), and Director of Gallery 51, Jonathan Secor (right) pose together near a set of paintings that were created by three Haitian artists. images which may hold relevance in Haiti, to a broader audience. Though some of the symbolic order may be lost on Westerners, artistry can reach across borders and gulfs in experience. The look of Mevs’ or Dodard’s work may be different from classical EuroAmerican molds, but a piece like “Mother and Child” still communicates easily. Photos by Amy Modesti/ Beacon Staff
Left: Gontran Durocher’s painting, “Joker Polymasque” focuses on the idea of Mardi Gras. Right: Philippe Dodard’s painting,”Gran Bwa.”
Students venture to NYC for professional development By Jenna O’Connor
Arts & Entertainment Writer Students attended the annual Association of Performing Arts Presenters Conference (APAP), in New York City the week before heading back to start the spring semester. These students had the chance to be completely submersed in the arts management field on a professional level. In five jam-packed days of performances and a trade show, everyone worked very hard to make the trip as beneficial as it could be. It was led by Director of Special Programs Jonathan Secor, Jennifer Crowell of the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center (BCRC), and Fine and Performing Arts (FPA) Professor Lisa Donovan. “Letting the students experience things that they wouldn’t experience otherwise through APAP is great,” Secor said. “They see the variances from artist agents, to artist managers, artists, theatre producers, venue producers, and festival producers.” Chosen through a competitive application process, the primary goal for the students who attended the APAP Conference is to program a season of cultural and exciting activities for MCLA’s BCRC’s public performance series, MCLA Presents!, program-
ming four to ten shows with a budget of $25,000. “The budget obviously limits the students in terms of what showcases they would see and who they would think about bringing to campus,” Donovan said. “It narrows their focus so that they can come up with compelling themes that will attract students and the community.” Each student’s season, which is their planned and booked events, may include all performing arts, or a combination of visual and performing arts discovered through the APAP conference. The season should reflect the school’s mission and purpose, as well as keep the audience entertained and creatively inspired. However, the limited budget did not get in the way of the students’ spirits. Students were able to adapt to the professional world of arts management, learn valuable life lessons through networking, and were able to connect with their professors and peers on a deeper level. “The networking possibilities I made through APAP was amazing,” senior Tiniqua Patrick said. “We had the chance to meet so many different people who can help us in life, and now I can keep those connections for a long time.”
As an FPA major and a jazz singer, Patrick was enthused by the trip and all of its beneficial advantages. “Because I sing jazz, I don’t get a lot of opportunities here,” she said. “But when we went to New York City for APAP, there was a huge jazz conference that I was able to go to and meet many people in the jazz field that are extraordinary.” Having over thirty events planned for the trip, including experimenting with Dominican, French, Indian, and Italian foods, the students were not only able to broaden their future careers in each aspect of the arts management field, but were culturally immersed in the world of New York City. “It’s a field that I love,” Secor said. “I’m an arts presenter, and to be able to share that world with our students is great. This is a world of people who make a living, and love being arts managers. It’s a field—not a secondary job— and it’s an amazing career choice.” “I learned a totally different side of the arts management field that I probably wouldn’t have learned around here,” junior Alex Butfilowski said. “Seeing people from all over the place and how they interact with one another was awesome.”
“The students got a lot of advice from artists who were sharing different aspects of their work,” Donovan said. “They got a lot of exposure to what’s cutting edge, and what’s current. I think that we offer real world experiences in ways that other colleges and universities can’t.” “It was probably the most thrilling experience I’ve ever had on a school trip,” Senior Veronica Gibson said. “It really reinforced my confidence in my ability to act professionally, and within the performances we have here at MCLA. The technical ability we have with such a limited budget is just as good, if not better, than what they do in New York City.” Learning opportunities atAPAP are seemingly endless, for both the students and the instructors. “I love New York,” Secor said. “It has its ups and downs, but it really is the epicenter of so many cultures, worlds, and genres. So to be in the middle of all that with the students is wonderful.” “The students are hungry to learn, and passionate. Spending a week with them and hearing what’s relevant and interesting to them was incredible for me, as well as informative,” Donovan said. “It shifted the way that I think about my work and the classes I’m teaching.”
Photo by Alexander Butfilowski
Senior Veronica Gibson avidly takes notes during a showcase at APAP.
Correction: In last week’s issue “Oscar and Felix” was said to be $10 for general admission. The price has changed to $5.
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Thursday, February 6, 2014
Fair territory
Seahawks manhandle Manning By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
After a recent string of competitive Super Bowls, Super Bowl XLVII reminded sports fans that sometimes, when the two top teams meet in the final game, it is anything but competitive. Both teams had clearly earned the right to compete for the championship, but it was even clearer that the Seattle Seahawks deserved to be the Super Bowl Champions.
Seattle was able to pressure Manning with only four men rushing him, and even the most mediocre secondary can play good defense if they have seven defenders back in coverage. Prior to the game, the media presented it as a clash between a dominant offense and a dominant defense. In the Super Bowl, Seattle flawlessly executed what brought them to the dance. For most of the game, Seattle made Peyton Manning and the highoctane Denver Bronco offense uncomfortable and prevented them from achieving any form of rhythm. After the game many questioned how Denver’s offense, which scored an NFL record of 606 points during the regular season, was made to look so amateurish on Sunday. The answer is actually quite simple: Seattle was able to get a pass rush on Manning using only four defenders. The strategy behind beating Peyton Manning
was that teams could never blitz him, because if they did he would quickly pick apart the opening in the pass defense created by the blitz. Seattle was able to pressure Manning with only four men rushing him, and even the most mediocre secondary can play good defense if they have seven defenders back in coverage. Seattle’s combination of forcing Manning to make quick decisions and having the numerical superiority to double-team Denver’s top receiving targets powered their defense to a dominant performance. The other big reason for Seattle’s victory was that quarterback Russell Wilson pretty much played the perfect game. Although Seattle had been a predominantly power running team throughout the season, Denver’s run defense held star running back Marshawn Lynch to just 39 yards on 15 carries. That left the offense in the hands of Wilson, who coolly delivered on almost every play of the game. Wilson’s stat line was not overly impressive: 18-25, 206 yards and two touchdowns, but it was his total control of the game that really signified his presence in the victory. On several key 3rd downs, Wilson calmly delivered passes to his receivers exactly where they needed to be to pick up the first down and keep the drive alive. Despite 25-year-old Wilson’s relative lack of experience (especially when compared to Manning), never once did it seem like he was flustered by the Super Bowl. Wilson was nearly immaculate on the biggest stage possible, and only a handful of other, legendary quarterbacks, can make that same claim. For every winning performance there is a losing performance, and on Sunday the biggest loser was Denver’s quarterback. Manning had one of the greatest regular seasons in NFL history. But for someone like Manning, a veteran quarterback with a record book the size of an encyclopedia, the statistics he put up during the regular season look a little bit hollow right now. After last season’s disappointing exit, Manning was driven to success this year, and up until Sunday night he had played pretty much perfectly. But against Seattle, Manning lost and he lost badly. Although some of the miscues were clearly not his fault, the narrative will state that Manning came up short when it mattered most, a storyline that is unfortunately becoming more and more prevalent as his career comes to a close.
Sports
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Practice makes perfect By Kelsey Marini Sports Writer
Ruben DelRosario is in the zone. Basketball is not just a sport to him; it is a way of life. With his phone shut off, headphones in, and music blasting away, he can’t hear a single distracing noise. A quick stretch before the start of the game helps his muscles relax. He performs this pregame ritual every time he plays. He’s about to play one of the biggest games of his junior year. Bridgewater State has always been a tough competitor. The last time the two MASCAC teams went head to head, Bridgewater topped MCLA. This time, DelRosario is not going to let that happen. Keeping his focus all through warm ups, he is ready to show his passion for the game. DelRosario is a Massachusetts native. He grew up in the Springfield area and started playing basketball in middle school. In high school he was a “player to watch,” developing a reputation for his skills as a guard. When it was time to choose which college to attend, he looked to his basketball coach for advice. “My high school coach helped me choose MCLA,” DelRosario said. “I liked [Coach] Morrison’s style of play.” Now in his third year, he has gained a starting position as guard. Although he has played in many games, one stands out in particular – last year’s game against Westfield. It was a nail biter that ended with seven players from MCLA’s bench getting thrown out of the game. With just seven players left to finish the game, MCLA lost 71-69. Delrosa-
Photo bt Kayla Degnan/The Beacon
DelRosario sneaks a layup by a defender rio showed great leadership as one of the lead scorers of that game. “It was a rival game, and it showed a lot of character for our team,” said DelRosario. This year, MCLA is working toward a spot in playoffs. With three quarters of their season down, the team now stands with an overall record of 6-13 and are 3-4 in conference. “We’ve had our ups and downs this season,” DelRosario said. “It’s definitely a learning year.” Each year, he has seen himself grow into a better player. His role on the team does not go unnoticed. He earns an average 10 points per game and 55 assists so far this season. On the court he
handles the offensive plays with confidence. On defense, he holds his own and is scrappy against players who have height over him. His training won’t stop after season. For DelRosario, basketball is year round. When he is not in season, he focuses on training for the next year. The reason he has mastered his ball handling skills is his dedication to the team and sport. You can always train to make a better outcome,” said DelRosario. DelRosario is looking to finish the season in good standing. His personal and team goal is to win MASCAC and have a winning season.
Celebrating female athletes
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Clockwise: Courtney Parent sets up Raegan Rose and encourages them to hit the ball into a big cart. Darien Quick shows two third graders how to correctly hit the ball to send it over the net. Local girls and women joined together to celebrate sports and teamwork.
Sports
Thursday, February 6, 2014
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9
Men go 1-1 on homestand Scores By Kaleigh Anderson
However, as the game proceeded, Bridgewater began to close the gap. Sports Writer The Bears came out strong at the start of the second half, scoring MCLA stumbled at home against six straight points and shortening Worcester State Tuesday, but still MCLA’s led to 6. MCLA answered built momentum over the week once again, spreading the lead out with recent victories over Bridgeto 10, until the Bears closed it once water State and Salem State. again in their only lead of the night, The Trailblazers fell behind early making the score 46-48 with 10:02 to the visiting Lancers, as Worcesremaining to play in the second half. ter opened the game on a 17-5 run. The Bears were led by Kyle Gibson, MCLA would cut the lead down and the leading scorer of the game, who go into the half trailing by only five, ultimately accumulated 21 points. 36-31. However, Worcester quickly Brendan Monterio scored 17 points jumped out to a double digit lead for the Bears, including his 1,000th to start the second half and would career point. nurse that lead all the way to the fiAs the second half wound down, nal buzzer. MCLA’s Anthony Barbosa went on Worcester was lead by senior the attack to break the tie. Todd Dane Jobst, who finished the game Hunt followed with a tough turn with game highs in points with 22, around the basket that made the and rebounds with 10. MCLA was score 67-64 with 1:20 left to play. led by senior John Jones, who fin“Th e last few minutes of the game ished with 15 points. are always a war, so you have to have After a close win versus Salem a tough mindset and really focus on State, MCLA attacked again, defeatgiving it your all so that you can ing Bridgewater State 72-67. With close out the game,” junior Todd these two past triumphs, the TrailHunt said. blazers defeated the MASCAC’s After an illegal screen call, MCLA top two teams, improving to 3-4 in scored an uncontested layup, wrapleague play. ping up the key victory. “We played team basketball,” “It always feels good to win,” Hunt sophomore Paul Maurice said. “We said. “It feels even better to beat haven’t been playing together lately, them at home, but it’s not over yet; but Tuesday was a good game for us we still have a long road.” and started a good thing.” Photo By Kayla Degnan/The Beacon MCLA is set to face off against MCLA was led by four players in Junior forward Kraig Page launches a shot over a defender. Fitchburg State this Saturday, where double figures. John Jones led the figures. In the first half MCLA dominated they hope torebound. Fitchburg is currently Blazers with 14 points. Maurice, Jeremic Ben- Bridgewater, scoring 37 points in the first half, 2-6 in conference play. net and Todd Hunt also produced double as opposed to Bridgewater’s 25 points.
First conference win eludes women By James Hunter Sports Writer
The Trailblazers came up short Tuesday to the visiting Worcester State Lancers, 59-48. MCLA was without senior forward Kate Chenevert for the night due to a stomach illness. However, other players stepped up and performed well in place of the starter. Kayla Hotaling had another double double on the night with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Courtney McLaughlin added 13 points off the bench. The Trailblazers never led throughout the game. Worcester State took advantage of this and doubled up the scoring run 12-6. MCLA would cut the lead to just two points as freshman Kayla Hotaling scored four straight points. Worcester State responded going on a 9-2 run making the score 2112 with 7:35 left in the first half. “With these home games left and already playing these teams, it gives us motivation to get revenge on the teams that we previously lossed to,” Rainwater said. In the closing half, MCLA never was a threat to the Lancers and was unable to get within single digits. Worcester led by as many as 16 points on three occasions throughout the game. The Lancers defense held the Trailblazers to just 31 percent shooting and dominated the rebounding, 19-9. On Saturday, the team suffered a tough loss to Bridgewater State, 73-52. It wasn’t until the second
half when Bridgewater ran away, even with a two point deficit at the end of the first half. The Bears almost doubled their points in the second half, 47-26. “I try to show leadership as an upper classman especially to my teammates that play the same position as me. I consider myself, the ‘heart of the team’,” center Tashari Rainwater said. Jenna Williamson of Bridgewater led all scorers with 19 points scoring 16 of her points in the second half. Elisha Homich added 15 points while Chanelle Melton had 14 points and Melissa Dailge had 10 points on the night. The Trailblazers were led by senior Kaitlyn Chenevert with a team high of 14 points and 4 rebounds while freshman Kayla Hotaling ended the night with 10 points and a rebound shy of another double double. “I think we also need to remember the importance of never settling when we get a lead, and never giving up when we are losing,” senior Danielle Scolpino said. The Bears dominated the second half, holding the Trailblazers without a field goal for nine minutes. From then, the Bears went on a 28-3 run which gave them a 65-41 lead with 3:50 remaining in the game. “We have better focus compared first semester and as a team our maturity level has gotten better,” said Rainwater. The Trailblazers play away against Fitchburg State Saturday at 1 pm.
Women’s Basketball February 1st, 2014 Bridgewater St. 73, MCLA 52 February 5th, 2014 Worcester St. 59, MCLA 48 Men’s Basketball February 1st, 2014 MCLA 72, Bridgewater St. 67 February 5th, 2014 Worcester St. 82, MCLA 76
Standings Men’s Basketball Salem St. Westfield St. Bridgewater St. Worcester St. MCLA Framingham St. Fitchburg St. Women’s Basketball Bridgewater St. Framingham St. Salem St. Worcester St. Fitchburg St. Westfield St. MCLA
February 8th
Men’s Basketball MCLA @ Fitchburg St. 3 PM February 11th Women’s Basketball MCLA @ Framingham St. 6 PM Men’s Basketball MCLA @ Framingham St. 8 PM February 13th Women’s Basketball MCLA @ Suffolk 5:30 PM Photo Bt Kayla Degnan/The Beacon
Webster earns scholar award
MCLA senior Drew Webster was named an honorable mention selection to the NSCAA Scholar All-East Region team on Monday. The NSCAA (Natinonal Soccer Coaches Association of America) Scholar teams honor college students who excel both in the classroom and on the field. To be elligbile, a student-athelete must be either a junior or a senior, carry at least a 3.3 cumalitive GPA, and
start in at least 50% of their teams games. Webster, who was a captain on this year’s Mens Soccer team, started nine games for the Trailblazers and scored one goal, while also doubling as one of MCLA’s best defensive backs. The Petersburg, NY native also carried a 3.75 GPA and is working towards a degree in English Communications.
6-2 5-3 4-3 4-3 4-4 4-4 0-8
Schedules Women’s Basketball MCLA @ Fitchburg St. 1 PM
Point guard Mariah Brown makea a pass against Bridgewater.
6-1 5-3 5-3 4-3 3-5 2-6 2-6
Men’s Basketball MCLA vs Keene St 7 PM February 18th Women’s Basketball MCLA vs Westfield St. 5:30 PM Men’s Basketball MCLA vs Westfield St. 7:30 PM
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Opinion
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Beacon.MCLA.edu
The Beacon
What do you hate most about winter? “I hate it when the wind blows so cold that it knocks the air out of my lungs and I can’t breathe.”
“One thing that I hate about cold weather is that my cheeks get frozen and then I have to massage them to get the warm feeling back.”
–Aria Hatfield, 2015
–Denis Sinclair, 2015
The Beacon is published Thursdays during the academic year and is distributed free to the College community. The Beacon is funded by the Student Government Association, the English/Communications department and from ad revenues. Contact information: News desk number: 413-662-5535 Business number: 413-662-5404 E-mail: Beacon@mcla.edu Web site: beacon.mcla.edu Office: Mark Hopkins Hall, room 111 Mission Statement The Beacon strives to provide timely and accurate news of campus and local events.
“Having to put on a coat, a hat, and gloves everytime I want to go get dinner.”
“All of the sand and mud that gets in my house.” –Samantha Thomson, 2015
–Jordan Goyette, 2017
Editorials Policy Unsigned editorials that appear on these pages reflect the views of The Beacon’s editorial board. Signed columns and commentaries that appear on these pages reflect the views of the writers. Letters Policy The Beacon welcomes Letters to the Editor. Deadline is noon on Mondays for that week’s newspaper. Letters should be kept to 500 words or less and are subject to editing for grammar and content. The Beacon will not publish anonymous or libelous letters.
“What I hate most about the cold weather is that my hair freezes in the morning when I walk to class after I shower.”
“The cold winds. It’s hitting your face like sharp needles.” –William Raymond, 2014
-Shelagh Conley, 2015
Letters must be signed by the writer and include a phone number. Letters may be dropped off at the office or e-mailed to Beacon@mcla.edu. Contributions Policy The Beacon accepts stories, photos, and opinion pieces for publication. Submissions should be dropped off at the office by Monday at noon or e-mailed to Beacon@mcla.edu. Advertising Policy The Beacon reserves the right not to publish any advertisement it deems to be libelous, false. or in bad taste.
Editorial Board
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In my humble opinion...
My hero...in By Nick Arena Editor-in-Chief
This weekend we saw another tragic and early death of a celebrity caused by drugs. Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in his New York apartment due to a heroin overdose. He was 46 years old. We hear about these troubled actors and actresses, musicians, politicians, and celebrities across the board, dropping like flies due to some form of addiction or another, and it is heartbreaking. What we do not see as much is the slew of everyday people dying from heroin overdoses. I never saw articles in my local newspapers when numbers of Weymouth High School students, kids that I knew, started dying from “natural causes,” as natural as OD’ing is.
“There are over 38,000 drug overdose deaths per year in the United States, 75 percent of which are opioid-related,” The Daily Beast reported. That’s a pretty big number, especially when you start factoring in the ages of people addicted to the drug, but when you look at the pricing, it’s easier to understand. “Currently, in the world of heroin, prices vary across the board because of purity and risks incurred by distributors, but the average is approximately $400 per gram, at 25 percent purity,” according to The Daily Beast. “The unit of sale is usually a “stamp bag,” which goes for about $10 a bag.” The other issue that we find is the number of people being arrested for the drug. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Report, there were 1,552,432 reported arrests for drug abuse violations and 82.2 percent of those violations were possession, not distribution. This is where we develop a real social problem: drug addiction is being criminalized. People who become hooked on drugs like heroin are grouped together with your standard larcenists, pedophiles, and murderers, when they should be treated as the victim to a serious condition. Am I saying that no blame should fall on the addict? No, of course not. We all have to take responsibility to the things we have done, but everyone should be able to ask for help. We all have made stupid mistakes and I am sure we would all prefer if the rest of the
world weren’t holding them in our permanent record. Even though we are providing rehabilitation facilities for people with addiction issues, we as a society need to start taking steps to change how we view people suffering from addiction, and how we combat it altogether. First, we need to start acknowledging that addiction is a thing that can happen to anyone at almost any age. When we turn a blind eye, when we think that our neighborhoods are too nice to have drugs in them, when we think that our children are too “proper” to ever do such a thing, think again. Most of the high schools I grew up around had heroin rings running in the restrooms. A good step towards decreasing addiction would be actually educating people about it. Second, stop criminalizing people who are addicted to anything. If they made a stupid mistake, they made a stupid mistake. We are in no place to judge. If they ask for help, offer them some help that does not involve locked, equidistant iron bars. Finally, we need to start educating other people. We’re not going to change society by keeping these things to ourselves. Get active in the community, volunteer at shelters or churches that provide Narcotics Anonymous meetings, or even just talk to people you know. By educating our peers, we can get the ball rolling to change the world for the better. Every little bit helps, and it could save a life or two, so get out there and do your part.
“I’m a lot of fun at parties, I swear!”
Editor-in-Chief Nick Arena Sports Editor Jesse Collings
Managing Editor Jess Gamari Photography Editor
A&E Editor Shannen Adamites
Kayla Degnan Web Editor Michael Dahlroth
Copy Chief Avery Finnivan Advertising Manager Darcie Sosa
Senior News Editor Gabriel Kogel
Staff Staff Writers Kaleigh Anderson Rachel Fitterman
Photographers Nathan Buchanan Richard LaRocque Amy Modesti Andrew Ricketts
Octo-what?
James Hunter Marc Latour Chunyu “Judy” Leng
Managing Editor. It happens to everyone at one point or another. You’re trying to tell your best friend about some crazy octopus you saw that one time. Before you know, it the two of you are conversing about the legendary Kraken sea beast and other crazy octopus shenanigans. Who doesn’t love a good story about octopuses? But wait, is it octopuses? Octopi? The correct form is in fact, octopuses, or if you’re feeling ornate, octopodes. This is because the word octopus is Greek, meaning octopi is technically incorrect. Fungus, for example, is a Latin word, making fungi the correct plural form. Webster’s dictionary recognizes octopuses as the correct term, although all three have been used in daily conversation. Now that you know the difference, go out and spread the knowledge. The octopodes thank you.
Shannen Adamites* Nick Arena* Jess Gamari* Raanan Sarid-Segal Nicole Ngoon Nick Swanson
By Jess Gamari
Kelsey Marini Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Alexander Moore Jenna O’Connor
Copy Editors Yvonne Camacho Rominda DeBarros Nicole L’Etoile
Design Team
Advisers
Jenifer Augur Gillian Jones Jim Niedbalski
*Holds more than one position
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Thursday, February 6, 2014
Freshman 15 and plyometrics By Maykayla-Courtney McGeeney Staff Writer
Entering college brings on many new changes in a student’s life, one of them being the decision of what to eat and when to eat meals. It also means plenty of downtime to lie in bed and snack on an endless pit from the P.O.D. Living without parents around does not have to allow the notorious “Freshman 15” to sneak in and tighten up your jeans. So, where do you start? A healthy, balanced diet and active lifestyle is a simple way to stay away from unnecessary snacking. Beginning the day with a handful body-weight exercises will help jump-start your way out of bed and away from boredom-driven munchies. If the fitness center is too intimidating, try simple plyometric exercises right in the dorm.
Opinion & Announcements Plyometrics is an area of fitness that focuses on muscles exerting maximum force in as little time as possible. Some exercises include jump squats, alternating jump lunges, burpees (jump up and down to push up position), and mountain climbers. These explosive exercises are the best way to burn fat and keep the heart rate going. Pair a full half hour of plyometric exercises with a ten minute abdominal session to make a quick an easy workout. Those chips and salsa won’t feel as guilty afterwards. Exercise of the week: Shooting squat flips As part of the high intensity exercise group, include this new move into any workout or between sets. Face sideways, standing with legs hip-width apart, and knees soft, not locked. Quickly squat down, preparing to jump, while pretending to throw a ball in the air. Jump so that your body is facing the opposite side. Essentially, it should feel like you’re squatting down to pick up a ball, throwing it and switching sides. Perform this move for one minute, three to five times, and rest in between each set. Snack of the week: Tasty frozen yogurt bites Use a plastic zip-lock sandwich bag and fill it up with one cup of yogurt. Cut off one of the bottom corners to make a small hole. Then, pipe the yogurt out onto a baking sheet or plate, just as you would pipe frosting onto a cake. Once you have rows of yogurt dots, freeze for 40-60 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
FINANCIAL AID ANNOUNCEMENT IIT’S TIME TO REAPPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID FOR 2014-2015! *MARCH 1 PRIORITY DEADLINE* Log onto www.fafsa.ed.gov to complete the federal form. Note that we no longer require an institutional application for financial aid. File early and don’t miss out on money! Any questions? Call the Financial Aid Office at 662-5219 or visit us on the main level of Eldridge Hall. *** Scholarship Opportunity Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts Deadline March 31 Apply at www.communityfoundation. org.
Under the bodhi tree
Pausing like your life depended on it By Gabe Kogel
Senior News Editor What is happiness? In the Declaration of Independence, the pursuit of happiness is listed along with life and liberty, as inalienable rights, but must happiness be pursued? Thomas Jefferson borrowed the phrase from capitalist guru Adam Smith, while substituting “happiness” for “property.” While property requires pursuit, we’ve all heard money can’t buy happiness. Money may even make us less happy, as it isolates us with suspicion about the motives of those around us. Some may argue having money allows us to buy things that can make us happy, going on lavish vacations or buying beautiful things. While that may bring temporary happiness, vacations end, newness fades and we return to emotional homeostasis. Many of us spend our lives planning to be happy in the future, saying “if only” I had a new relationship, a better job, an ideal body, etc. What if happiness doesn’t require pursuit?
What if it’s an inalienable right that’s within our grasp this very moment? Consider the happiness of children, exuberant, spontaneous and completely without reason. Where did that utterly irrational happiness go when we grew up? Sadly, we paved over it by fitting in, worrying about our image, and following the crowd. Essentially, we’ve internalized the rules governing what a normally “adjusted” adult should be. The good news is that the joyous freedom children experience is always still within us, all we have to do is pause and become mindful of the present moment. Maybe you’re thinking, “I don’t have the concentration, time or willpower to meditate, and all that new age stuff is weird.” Sadly, our ideas can dictate our reality, leaving us at their mercy when emotionally charged thoughts race through our minds. Meditation practice is about finding a place within the immediate moment, being conscious of the flow of thoughts and feelings through bodily presence. Through an anchor like focusing on breathing, we stay grounded in our body, returning to awareness of the present moment. In this way we become observers of the play of thoughts and emotions in our mind/body, without becoming lost in them. Scientific analysis of the brain readings of meditators indicates the practice stimulates the prefrontal cortex, an area known to foster well being and compassion. It also suppresses the sympathetic nervous system, responsible for “fight, flight or freeze” reactivity. With regular practice and an intention to accept the feelings that arise with kindness, you feel your defenses easing a bit. You may take joy in simple moments, enjoying your life just as it is, accepting yourself just as you are. Namaste.
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Check it out! Upcoming events on campus!
Today, Feb. 6 Black History Month Lunch Workshop with Dr. Jean H. Shin Murdock Conference Reception Room 218 noon to 2 p.m. Slam Poetry Night Amsler Campus Center 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. CVSA Valentine Candy Gram Amsler Campus Center Marketplace 1 to 3 p.m. The Write Stuff Amsler Campus Center 3 to 5 p.m. Service Learning Meeting Murdock Conference Room 202 3:30 to 5 p.m. Vermont Pearls Amsler Campus Center Marketplace 11:00 a.m. 5 p.m. Green Living Seminar Murdock Conference Reception Room 218 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 7 Sexy & Safe Valentines info table Amsler Campus Center Marketplace 4 to 6 p.m. Lead Academy Gathering Amsler Campus Center 5 to p.m. MCLA Presents! Blues and Funk Festival Venable Gym 7 to 9 p.m. STEM Pipeline Meeting Science Center Conference R128 9 to 11 a.m.
Saturday, Feb. 8 Leadership Conference Amsler Campus Center Gym, Sullivan Lounge, and Achievement Lounge, Murdock Conference Reception Room 218, 202, 302, and 321 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, February 8, 8pm
MORTIFIED Hear personal redemption through hilarious public humiliation in heartfelt tales of teenage tribulations. We don’t do comedy unless it’s this good.
Tickets: massmoca.org / 413.662.2111 87 Marshall Street, North Adams, Mass
MCLA Presents! Blues and Funk Festival Venable Gym 7 to 9 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 10 Tricks of the Trade: The Art Gallery of Tomorrow IS183, Stockbridge, MA 6 p.m. Join Leslie Ferrin for a discussion of what Art Galleries will look like in the future.
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Thursday, February 6, 2014
Photo Essay
Beacon.MCLA.edu
From left, Carrisa Sacherski, Tramel Griffith, Emily Hebert, Emily O’Toole, Sophia Capozzoli, Alison Gilbert, Khalil Dancy, Alyson Carey, and Pat Sullivan gather in the Women’s Center for Women’s Center Wednesdays.
From left, Courtney Parent, Destiney Scarfo, Samara Maxwell, Raegan Rose and Allie Chang take a break from playing volleyball to take a picture.
Wet Feet Week A Showcase of Clubs and National Girls and Women in Sports Day
Photos By Kayla Degnan With an MCLA ID, students were able to get a free ticket to see any movie at the North Adams Movie complex.
Tashari Rainwater teaches a young girl how to shoot the ball.
Lily O’Neill and MaryEvelyn Lucier inform students about Good Vibes yoga club which takes place every Tuesday and Thursday at 8 p.m. in the dance complex.
Student Activities Council members Joelle Dumont, Samantha O’Brien, Anthony Olivares, and Devon O’Dowd table at the event.
Kelley Bryant teaches fifth graders Caroline Cellana, left, and Hannah Stack, right, how to control the ball.
At left, Kristina Alexander and Michael Vogt represent Students for Sensible Drug Policy at the Nacho Average Club Fair. Above, student athlete Rachel Mills instructs a Zumba class for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders.