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Volume 82 ◆ Issue 4
Th u r s d ay, F e b rua r y 2 5 , 2 0 1 6 News
Gasoline, Oil, and the World Economy By Joseph Carew
Staff Writer/Columnist
Parlor on the Market Page 3
A&E
Spires re-opens submissions Page 7
Sports
Womens Basketball advances in playoffs Page 11
Five dollars has suddenly become gas money again; more than two gallons can flow into your car before the pump eagerly shuts off. Cheaper gas prices are typically celebrated by the public, but perhaps this enthusiasm should be replaced with a more uneasy feeling. Gasoline is derived from crude oil and the former’s price is heavily dependent on the latter’s. Since the beginning of 2016, the price per barrel (PPB) of crude oil has collapsed below $30. This comes in the wake of June two years ago, where the PPB was well over $100. Such a dramatic difference has had catastrophic effects both within the United States and around the globe. To help quantify some of these effects, journalist Jl Yastine writes in a piece on the thesovereigninvestor.com, “Oil service companies Baker Hughes, Halliburton and Schlumberger have already laid off over 50,000 employees. But it’s not just energy company employees who are impacted. The companies that
supply fracking equipment, employee housing, restaurants and consumer services all feel the pinch, and will follow suit and layoff tens of thousands more employees. Many of these businesses will have to close.” As Matt Egan of CNNMoney puts it, “Cheap oil is great for consumers but its dramatic downfall
continues to alarm investors who fear it signals that something isn’t quite r i g h t about t h e health of the broader economy.” The impact goes on past our shores and, due to the world’s reliance on oil, this resource
makes up one-third of the world’s energy sources. Companies affiliated with it make up a significant part of the most globally traded stock markets. In the month of December 2015, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which is the stock that represents the interests of dozens of companies, hovered roughly between 17,250 and 17,800 points. However, early January of this year was when oil took its most dramatic fall in 2016, and has dropped between 15,750 and 16,500 points, according to Yahoo Finance. Countries reliant on oil for revenue, like Azerbaijan and Venezuela, have been affected negatively by lower crude prices, and a s these low prices continue, countries edge closer to economic disaster. “For most of the world, and even most emerging markets, cheaper oil should only boost economic growth. For the oil exporters, however, it is a catastrophe,” Matthew Lynn
writes on marketwatch.com. Lynn also notes in the same piece, “The International Monetary Fund is discussing a bailout of Azerbaijan, hard hit by tumbling oil prices. Venezuela is out to go bust — again — for the same reason. Ecuador looks about to go the same way. More important countries may follow them — most significantly Russia and Saudi Arabia. Neither of them looks solvent for much longer with commodity prices at these very low levels.” Factors for the increase in Supply Numerous factors have lead to this downturn in the oil industry. To oversimplify it: supply and demand. To explain it a little better: there has been an enormous increase in supply with a relatively small decrease in anticipated demand, or as Moneyinstructor. com puts it: “The basic laws of supply and demand have a strong fundamental impact on the price of crude oil, which eventually dictates the price of other, refined oils. But, in addition, the perception of increased or
Gas prices continued on page 3
Op-Ed
Press space rental renewed by SGA
Sports Illustrated puts plus size model on cover Page 4
Campus Life
By Idalis Foster
Senior News Editor
Photo by Liz Quirk/The Beacon
Barbie introduces new body types Page 8
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The second round of the first-ever MCLA cook-off kicked off last night! This competition, modeled after the TV show Chopped, will have three contestants competing for culinary excellence. Competitors will be given a mystery ingredient that they must include in their recipes. The contest will be held Wednesday afternoons in the marketplace. The winner will go on to face last week's winner, Gascard Gaston, in the final round.
Contestant profiles on page 9
The rental of the Press Gallery space adjoining Gallery 51 has been renewed through June 30 for clubs to book events, fundraisers, and more. Currently, the Black Lives Matter exhibit is being held there, but after February the space will again be open for any club to use. Performance groups and clubs on campus have been encouraged to consider this space, located in downtown North Adams, as a way to connect with the community by holding events off campus. Already a couple of clubs, including Dance Company, are looking into booking the Press Space for future events. This is the first semester that SGA has taken on the cost of rent for this space, a total of $1,500 for the next four months, though the idea was originally initiated by Student Affairs. Senior Kelsey McGonigle, coordinating vice president of SGA, is optimistic about this decision and the possibilities it holds for clubs to gain a presence in the community.
“In the past, clubs have come to SGA saying that they don’t have enough space on campus,” McGonigle said. “We decided to rent the Press Space to give clubs different options and different avenues to hold events. Plus, now they have extra space to use.” At their most recent meeting, SGA made the final decision to back this venture after hearing from Celia Norcross, director of student development, and junior Bryanna Bradley, co-president of Dance Company. Norcross emphasized urgency in the matter, as renting the space gives clubs priority over local businesses and organizations, while Bradley wanted to learn more about the space to bring back to her e-board. In order to book the space, e-board members need to contact senior Gary Lavariere who is the one dealing with these club reservations. According to Lavariere, there are no restrictions on the space as of right now. “There are arts exhibits in the space but they are strictly 2D, on the wall exhibits. I was told that
Event space renewed continued on page 2
2
Thursday, February25, 2016
News
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Beyond the beacon Compiled by Idalis Foster
have monumental consequences. For reference, in Florida, there has already been predictions made that $69 billion worth of property will be at risk by 2030 due to sea rise and flooding.
Senior News Editor Sources from Tribune News Service
Snapchat Geofilters Now For Sale In its newest attempt to gain revenue from its app, Snapchat Inc. announced Monday that they would now offer retailers, movie studios and others branded geofilters as advertising through the app. Geofilters are digital graphics that can be laid on top of a photo or video taken by a user that indicates where they are which are only accessible within that location named. Currently, the service is available to users in the U.S., Britain and Canada and are as inexpensive as $5 at its lowest price. These geofilters would be temporary but the time and span of the geographic area it is used in is dependent on how much more the client is willing to pay. The current restrictions on the length of time are between an hour and 30 days and for the distance the filter reaches between 20,000 square feet and 5 million square feet. Previously, Snapchat has allowed users to send in ideas for geofilters for locations free of charge and has even picked up
Apple & FBI Continue to Fight Over iPhone Decryption
multiple geofilters for universities and colleges whose students have submitted filters. MCLA has its own geofilter which boast the MCLA Trailblazers logo.
Humans’ Role in Sea Level Rise Confirmed A recent study conducted by a team at Rutgers University found that without the carbon-spewing humans have taken part in
over the last century, Earth’s oceans would have risen only half as much or less. The rise of ocean levels in this century alone is faster than the previous 27 centuries and the prediction of a rise of three to four feet by the end of this century does not include the melting of polar ice. That could multiply that rate exponentially. Flooding has outpaced expectations of nature’s forces thanks to mankind which, in combination with sea levels, can
Apple and the Justice Department have been at war these past few weeks over giving the FBI the ability to unlock gunman Syed Farook’s iPhone. Farook, along with his wife, killed 14 people in a San Bernardino Inland Regional Center this past December; law enforcement hopes to gain more information about why those killed or wounded were targeted from Farook’s phone. While a Pew Research Center poll shows that fifty-one percent of those surveyed thought that Apple should unlock the phone, thirty-eight percent said they should not and 11 percent were unsure. Numerous other law enforcement agencies, including the New York District Attorney’s office, have iPhones they wish to be unlocked in criminal cases as well. The final decision in this battle could set a precedent for law enforcement across the nation to be able to do the same with a court order.
CCOR creating new digital magazine By Joseph Carew Staff Writer
Campus Conversations on Race (CCOR) and the Multicultural Center are looking to create a digital magazine that will highlight the recent and ongoing programs held during Black History Month to foster healthy conversations on oftentimes difficult topics. “Wouldn’t it be neat if we could have something that was digital?” said Thomas Alexander, the Multicultural Center coordinator. “You know, [something] that could combine print information about an event along with video, and even give people an opportunity to respond to some of their experiences and then have that response videotaped.” Through the use of this medium, Alexander and CCOR will be able to hold unlimited resources on events past and present as they seek to include articles, video, and audio about numerous subjects.
Financial aid announcement Attention fall 2016 returning students!!! Don’t forget to reapply for financial aid for next fall! Complete your 16-17 fafsa now!! March 1st priority review deadline date! Scholarship opportunity!
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of this project. What began as a week with Abraham Lincoln’s and Frederick Douglass’ birthdays became a set of seven days to recognize the often neglected African American contribution to history. Later, this grew into a nationally recognized month in which all come together and celebrate the impact African Americans have had on the world, and Alexander plans on Photo by Agnella Gross/The Beacon expanding it even further. Videos of CCOR sessions, similar to the one pictured above, will Among the first be in the digital magazine. resources to be included on According to the MCLA website, “CCOR this site is videos from the is a program that fosters student discussions recent Diversity and Inclusion Symposium, on race and ethnicity.” Alexander will which featured MCLA and Williams’ be working with a team of students College faculty and staff. experienced in CCOR and with diverse “In what ways can we capture, you know, backgrounds in order to ensure the success really opportune moments when someone PRESS GALLERY , Continued from page 1 they have had performances, speaker nights and art galleries,” Lavariere said. “There are also no time restrictions on the space, currently.” He also said that, since it’s an open space that isn’t large enough to feel overwhelming, it will give the audience a close knit feel during performances. Multiple clubs have already shown interest in the space, and SGA is encouraging clubs to reserve so next year’s senators will also choose to rent the space. Norcross expressed that in the past, student organizations haven’t used the space as much, which is why a request for funding was submitted to SGA. Junior Abigail Baker, secretary of Dance Company, is excited to seize this opportunity, as her club is hoping to connect more with the community through events, including the upcoming event FIGMENT. “We want to start doing more events
revolving around the community,” Baker said. “It would serve as a venue to hold dance and movement classes for the community, as well as hold showcases and promos for upcoming events.” Other organizations include the photography club, which could use this new space to show the MCLA community, as well as the North Adams community, their artistic efforts. Senior Domonique Ackley, vice president of the photography club, was not aware that clubs could interact with the Press Space before the SGA funding, and looks forward to working with the space now. “We would like to exhibit photos in the space now that we know it’s available,” Ackley said. She expressed interest in sharing a postcard project the club has been working on with the local community and looks forward to sharing this news with her e-board.
says something, [when] someone advocates for something that we realize, ‘wow, we all should have heard this,’” Alexander said. He stressed the importance of making the digital magazine a place where information is displayed, as well as where healthy and safe conversations can be had. “We want to get to a place of action, really making a difference, finding solutions that we can all participate in, you know, to make our community even better,” Alexander said. “And so, with that as a goal, we want to move things [forward] and we think having this digital magazine gives us the opportunity to do that.” Though the magazine effort is in its early stages, Alexander notes that with the numerous events held during February, “we’re seizing it as an opportunity to kind of jump start this effort.”
Campus News
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Beacon.MCLA.edu
3
The Parlor is on the market By Harmony Birch Co-Editor-In-Chief
Most students on campus are familiar with The Parlor. The small cozy, coffee shop is one of the most convenient destinations for students or professors to grab a cup of coffee or a bottle of beer. The business as we know it has been thriving since 2012 and is used as a performance venue for student and community members. However the College may have to find a new hotspot to frequent if The Parlor is sold. Jason and Elizabeth Morin purchased The Parlor together in 2012. The two were frequent customers of the previous business a vegan café called The Elf Parlor. While they may have changed the menu up, the business model stayed largely the same, a coffee shop for the college community. The Parlor was listed on the market last June after the Morin’s decided to get married. “We’re selling the Parlor because we want to start a family,” Jason said. The two love the business they’ve built together, Jason described it as their “baby.” The business has been profitable each year and has shown growth each year, but is hard on the newlywed couple who must alternate shifts to run it. GAS PRICES, Continued from Page 1 “For most of the world, and even most emerging markets, cheaper oil should only boost economic growth. For the oil exporters, however, it is a catastrophe,” Matthew Lynn writes on marketwatch.com. Lynn also notes in the same piece, “The International Monetary Fund is discussing a bailout of Azerbaijan, hard hit by tumbling oil prices. Venezuela is out to go bust — again — for the same reason. Ecuador looks about to go the same way. More important countries may follow them — most significantly Russia and Saudi Arabia. Neither of them looks solvent for much longer with commodity prices at these very low levels.” Factors for the increase in Supply Numerous factors have lead to this downturn in the oil industry. To oversimplify it: supply and demand. To explain it a little better: there has been an enormous increase in supply with a relatively small decrease in anticipated demand, or as Moneyinstructor. com puts it: “The basic laws of supply and demand have a strong fundamental impact on the price of crude oil, which eventually dictates the price of other, refined oils. But, in addition, the perception of increased or decreased demand and supply also has a major impact on prices.” This industry can be highly susceptible to any and all changes in production, economic growth, and geopolitics. When the technology called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, spawned a movement known as the Shale revolution in the United States, the global market was bound to
Photo by Agnella Gross/The Beacon
One of many hot and fresh drinks sold at The Parlor Cafe. The two have always had close ties to the The couple dreams of their next stage in College. Elizabeth graduated from MCLA life where they can live on a farm and start in 2009 with degrees in Education and a family together, they’ve already begun Interdisplinary studies. The two were sad looking at houses.
be affected. The technology to extract oil from oil shale has created an influx in the amount produced within the United States and curbed its reliance on importing the resource, notably crude oil from Venezuela and Canada. Josh Clark summarizes what this new source of oil is on howstuffworks.com: “Think of oil shale like liquid crude oil that made it through every stage of development, save the last part that converted it into a liquid.” According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the United State’s production of crude oil has reached a point not seen since 1985. This increase has contributed significantly to the world’s supply-glut. As Egan put it, “America officially banned exports in 1975. It came two years after an OPEC oil embargo that banned oil sales to the U.S. and had sent gas prices skyrocketing. Fast forward 40 years and the world has changed drastically, with booming U.S. oil production from the shale revolution creating an epic supply glut that recently sent oil prices below $30 a barrel.” A collective especially affected by this surge in production is the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC. OPEC has been trying to work out an agreement on cutting production to decrease the enormous supply in the market, but requires promises from non-members, like the Russian Federation, in order to have the intended effect on the price. Barani Krishnan on reuters. com notes that there has been a 75 percent price slump since mid2014 that has brought the price down to a 12 year low. No oil exporting country enjoys seeing such a dramatic decrease, but all equally fear a decrease in their
when the owners of The Elf Parlor decided to sell and saw an opportunity. “We knew that the area needed this place, or at least wanted it,” Jason said. “It was a smart business decision it just doesn’t fit our vision for our personal lives.” So far there have been a couple of people interested in buying but nothing official yet. Ideally the two hope whoever buys will want to continue their vision for the business. “It would be best if they intended on keeping it the way it is because this is what works,” Jason said. “It wouldn’t be the smartest decision for someone to put a Chipotle in here, but who knows.” The couple agreed that the business had a life of it’s own and that they were just hoping to pass the torch on to the next owner. One employee, Zoe Villane, stated that she would be sad to see the Parlor close, as a former customer who enjoyed it’s atmosphere. “The piano alone is reason enough to keep it open,”Villane said. Both Jason and Elizabeth would like to see there seven employees continue on with the new business. “For the right buyers we’d be willing to work with them on an owner finance or means to buy option,” Jason said.
production will mean less of a com that “cutting foreign- around 800,000 barrels in recent market share when oil eventually imported oil by half would go a weeks. This decrease is a small rebounds. long way to making the U.S. less step in curbing supply but won’t To summarize the position the oil-dependent. In January 2008, dramatically alter the price of market is in, Mark Thompson and the U.S. imported an average crude oil on the global market. John Defterios of CNNMoney of about 3.8 million barrels per What could alter the fate of oil write, “World markets are still day from Venezuela, Nigeria and is OPEC and other oil producers awash with oil because OPEC Saudi Arabia combined.” successfully limiting production. and Russia are pumping out The Chinese economy has also There have been meetings barrels at a record rate, and U.S. been seen as slowing in its growth, between OPEC and the Russian shale production is falling only which dramatically impacts the Federation as of this month but very slowly. At the same time, amount of oil demand worldwide nothing has been agreed upon. demand is faltering due to weaker as these two nations are two of the Judging just how low oil will go global economic growth. OPEC largest in the world. is exceptionally difficult, as shown members such as Nigeria and Biman Mukherji states on msn. by the numerous factors that Venezuela have been leading the com that, “the International have been noted in this article. calls for a coordinated production Energy Agency and the EIA In an interview with The Energy cut to boost prices, but Saudi said this week they expect Report, Brian Bagnell, a research Arabia and other low cost such oversupply to persist for analyst for Macquarie Capital producers in the Gulf have thus months, keeping prices low. The Markets, said, “I think anything far refused to play ball.” Organization of the Petroleum could happen down here,” about Adding to all of this is the recent Exporting Countries earlier the current oil trading value. “I reemergence of Iran into the world Wednesday [Feb. 10] cut its just don’t think it could stay there oil market. The United States and forecasts for global oil-demand for any period of time because the United Nations held sanctions growth, citing lower consumer essentially nobody in the world on Iran that restricted its ability to appetite in places such as Russia would be making money at sell oil in the global market. With and Brazil despite low prices.” $20/bbl crude. That is just not the removal of these sanctions The U.S. Energy Information sustainable.” in January of 2016, Iran may Administration has reported that add about a million barrels per crude oil inventories have fallen day to the world supply of oil by An all-star collaboration from Paola Prestini, Rinde Eckert, Julian Crouch, Mark Stewart, the end of the and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus under the direction of Dianne Berkun-Menaker follows a year according to man as he journeys to the fantastical world of Coney Island. Defterios. Demand decrease and possible reprieves As mentioned before, the United States has seen an increase in production in crude oil. With more oil internally, the country is importing less. Josh Clark notes on howstuffworks.
Music + Theater: Work-in-Progress
AGING MAGICIAN Produced by Beth Morrison Projects and VisionIntoArt
Sunday, February 28, 2pm HUNTER CENTER $8 STUDENTS | $12 ADVANCE $18 DAY OF | $22 PREFERRED THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED BY THE ANDREW W. MELLON FOUNDATION.
TICKETS: massmoca.org or 413.662.2111 87 Marshall Street, North Adams, Mass.
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Opinion & Editorial
Thursday, February 25, 2016
The Beacon
Editorial
Sports Illustrated’s “plus-sized” intentions It's 2016 and the Sports Illustrated finally decided to feature a size 16 model on the cover of an internationally adored publication. The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition released each February has become a staple for American men since its establishment in 1964. The beloved magazine features wellknown models wearing various swimsuits in exotic locations. The cover has always displayed a “bikinibodied” model with plenty of additional pictures from the shoot inside. Originally invented to “fill the winter months,” a typically slow time in the world of sports, the Swimsuit Edition has also focused on female athletes in shoots, yet not on the cover. This year, however, Sports Illustrated (SI) has something unique and exciting to offer. For the first time ever, SI crowned three different models for the cover, one being plus-size. When picking up the magazine, potential customers will either see former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey, American high fashion model Hailey Clauson, or plus-size Lane Bryant lingerie model Ashley Graham on the cover. “The three covers of Hailey, Ronda and Ashley celebrate the new SI Swimsuit,” Assistant Managing Editor MJ Day said in an interview on SI's website. “All three women are beautiful, sexy and strong," Day continued. "Beauty is not cookie cutter. Beauty is not ‘one size fits all.’ Beauty is all around us and that became especially obvious to me while shooting and editing this year’s issue.” Though many consumers are pleased with
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the breakthrough of the size 16 cover model, others are curious what SI’s intentions are for their future issues. In an interview with People Magazine, Graham and Day equally agree that the leap SI is taking with this issue is amazing. “MJ came over to me...she had tears in her eyes and she said, 'This is going to make
the ad-heavy inclusion of plus-size clothing lines in the new edition suggest that SI is focusing on plus-size models for the right reasons. The Lane Bryant advertisement on the first two pages of SI features African-American model Precious Lee Stuns, along with a slogan reading, “This body is made to be uncovered.” Below the slogan, the ad asks the question, “What is your body made for?” and provides a social media tag, titled “#ThisBody.” Graham is also the face of a new online retailer’s “#swimsuitsforall” campaign, which introduces their new “Swim Sexy” line. It is complete with bikinis ranging from sizes ten to 34, and includes a #curvesinbikinis tagline. A full page ad for this new line can be found in this year’s SI swimsuit edition, highlighting Graham in a black string bikini. The Beacon appreciates the efforts SI is making to be more inclusive of women of all different shapes and sizes. The cover of the magazine is viewed as the pinnacle of success within the swimsuit modeling industry. Models who have graced the cover in the past, such as Kate Upton and Tyra Banks have broken Photo from the Odyssey online through into acting and other career ventures. The fact that SI is showcasing this diversity is a For the first time in 52 years, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition featured a plus-size model on sign of the changing interpretations of beauty the cover. that society is developing. In addition to those ads, a side-byhistory,'" Graham said. “In that moment, I side of Stuns and Graham in gold swimsuits knew that I wasn’t just there as a favor. I wasn’t can be found on the inside pages of SI, with [just] there like, ‘Oh, let’s put the big girl in.’ I #swimsuitsforall captioned underneath. was there because I was supposed to be there.” "I know my curves are sexy and I want Graham’s prior work with plus-size everyone to know that theirs are too," Graham clothing companies such as Lane Bryant, and said
The Beacon is published Thursdays during the academic year and is distributed free to the College’s community. The Beacon is funded by the Student Government Association, the English/Communications department, and ad revenues. Single copies are free, additional copies may be purchased at 50 cents each. Contact information: News desk number: 413-662-5535 Business number: 413-662-5404 Email: Beacon@mcla.edu Web site: beacon.mcla.edu Office: Mark Hopkins Hall, room 111 Mission Statement The Beacon strives to provide timely and accurate news of campus and local events. Editorials Policy Unsigned editorials that appear on these pages reflect the views of The Beacon’s editorial board. Signed columns and commentaries that appear on these pages reflect the views of the writers. Letters Policy The Beacon welcomes Letters to the Editor. Deadline is noon on Mondays for that week’s newspaper. Letters should be kept to 500 words or less and are subject to editing for grammar and content. The Beacon will not publish anonymous or libelous letters. Letters must be signed by the writer and include a phone number. Letters may be dropped off at the office or emailed 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 emailed 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 Co-Editors in Chief Gionna Nourse Harmony Birch Co-Web Editors Jake Mendel* Matt Aceto*
Sports Editor Jesse Collings
Which presidential candidate do you support?
A&E Editor Mitchell Chapman
Senior News Editor Idalis Foster Buisness Manager Sam Slocombe
Copy Chief Brittany Gallacher Photography Editor Agnella Gross
Staff Staff Writers Emily Gabert Torin Gannon Joseph Carew Jonathan Hoel Paige Pomerantz Tyler Bacon Isabel McKenzie Matt Aceto*
Photographers and Videographers Elizabeth Quirk Domonique Ackley Shunquell Dennis Dan Wohler Natalia Reyes
Cartoonist
Caitlin O’Neill*
Ad Representatives Adam Sams Jeff Orgeat
“Bernie Sanders since he actually cares about young people and is concerned for the future of America.” - Paige Brosofsky, 2017
“Bernie Sanders because he’s moving America in the right direction.” - Michael Rooney, 2017
Copy Editors Caitlin O’Neill* Lauren Levite Jake Mendel*
Advisers
Jenifer Augur Shawn McIntosh
*Holds more than one position
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“Bernie Sanders. He seems the most level-headed out of them. I don’t want Trump or Hillary to win.” - Brenna Cerniglia, 2019
“I have no idea, but Trump scares me.” - Ally Thienel, 2019
Photos by Agnella Gross
“Bernie. A lot of his views are the same as mine and I think he will do a great job coming through with his ideas.” - Karina Mattera, 2019
Opinion&Editorial
Thursday, February 25, 2016
By Isabel McKenzie Columnist
t s Ju ing tt e d g e rt a st
My professor for Corporate Communication is always peppy at eightthirty on Monday mornings. I don’t know how she does it. Maybe it’s coffee, or maybe it’s Disney Magic. I am in the middle of two courses here at the Disney College Program. As a program participant, I have the option of taking no more than two classes. Disney works it out this way so participants can still work and have time for their courses. Some participants choose not to take courses, simply because it is not necessary for their school. Other participants are recent graduates, and are here to work as much as possible. Disney offers collegiate courses, seminar courses, as well as a professional development series! There are so many ways to learn and take advantage of my time here, and I plan on participating in every opportunity I can. Deciding which courses to take was hard as every single one seemed interesting. I was able to register for Organizational Leadership and Corporate Communication back in November and am enjoying the course content. There are a lot of group projects, as well as the workload for a normal, three credit hour collegiate courses. Each of my professors has been with the company for over 25 years. It’s inspiring to be in the same room as these people, who have countless connections as well as knowledge about how Disney operates on a management level. For example, my professor for Corporate Communication was part of the opening cast for Disneyland
Paris, and has worked in management for front desk operations and housekeeping at the Grand Floridian Resort. On top of courses, Disney also offers workshops on the topics of everything from Networking 101 to personal branding and interviewing skills. Scheduled on many different days during the next three months, there’s bound to be a day you’re available and not working during one, or can plan ahead and take time off for it. Each workshop is two hours long and taught by a professor in a classroom here in the housing complexes. It is not necessary to take courses to participate in the workshops, as they are open to everyone in the DCP. In Organizational Leadership, one of our projects is to write a “Journey Paper” outlining our goals for the future and how I can achieve them. I already know I want to come back to Disney after graduation, so taking part in these educational opportunities helps to lay the groundwork for my future. If you have any specific questions about the Disney College Program, or would like to read even more about my experience, you can read my blog at izzyindisney. wordpress.com. You can also contact me through email at im9993@mcla.edu. Through the Disney College Program, I will document my experience so you can follow along. Join me as I "earn my ears" with none other than Mickey Mouse here in Orlando, Florida!"
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Rap
I ndus
Insig
Fetty Wap is here to stay
try
hts
5
Matt Aceto Web Editor
For an up-and-coming artist, there’s nothing more scary than releasing a breakout hit in the music industry. It’s a recipe for a dissapointing career. Once the bar is set high, it can be hard to catapult over. Being labeled a one-hit wonder is almost worse than having no hit at all. Following the release of his breakout smash “Trap Queen”, New Jersey rapper Fetty Wap didn’t crumble under the pressure. Instead, he came back with hit after hit. It didn’t take long for Wap to turn his doubters into believers. In August of last year he had four singles inside the top 10 of Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart. No other rapper controlled the radio charts like he did. This coming summer, I expect the result to be no different. Wap’s fusion of pop and rap is suited for the warmer months, and his latest single “Jimmy Choo” gives us an excellent taste of what he’s cooking up for this year. All of last year’s success earned Wap his first headlining tour. Right now, he’s traveling across the country alongside Post Malone and his righthand man Monty on the "Welcome to the Zoo Tour." This city-to-city journey will undoubtedly increase his fan base, and give him even more exposure moving forward. In his hometown of Paterson, N.J., Wap is a godlike figure. This past August, the mayor of Paterson rewarded him
with the key to the city. It’s impossible to make everyone a fan, though. Wap’s music may be catchy, but some people find his songs to be extremely repetitive. “Once you’ve heard one Fetty Wap song, you’ve heard them all,” I’ve heard a few people say. However, I believe the same to be true about Adele, and she’s one of the most popular singers on the planet. An artist may make repetitive music, but that doesn’t make them any less talented. Wap can sing, that’s for sure. Not only does Wap have an incredible voice, but he’s also a naturalborn songwriter. “Trap Queen” was nominated for Best Rap Song at the 2016 Grammy Awards, alongside “All Day” by Kanye West, “Energy” by Drake, “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar, and “Glory” by John Legend and Common. The only two songwriters credited on “Trap Queen” were producer Tony Fadd and Wap himself. In comparison, “All Day” credited a total of 19 songwriters. Wap may not have won the award, but the Recording Academy recognized his pen game to be among the best in hip-hop. Wap’s exponential rise to fame in 2015 was nothing short of spectacular. He conquered the industry on his own, and now the whole world knows his name. Being a one-hit wonder was never part of the blueprint.
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Thursday, February 25, 2016
A Curious
Case of
REDRUM Game Trailers’ demise highlights instability in games media and journalism in general Mitchell Chapman
A & E Editor
To many, the sudden closing of Game Trailers, a longtime media outlet in video game journalism that has been responsible for the rise of many popular gaming icons such as Kyle Bossman and The Angry Video Game Nerd, has been shocking, though to others it has been no shock at all. Gaming Web sites get shut down, as do journalism sites in general. In the past, it’s happened to similar online-only publications 1UP and GameSpy. Game Trailers is only the most recent site to get the boot. The Internet can be a great place for creative works to thrive. However, whatever medium that may be in, several legal and practical roadblocks often prevent content creators from getting paid, unless they hold a salary under a traditional media company, like Game Trailers. Despite the fact that several new age media publications have achieved resounding success, they are still subject to the same trends print journalism has fallen victim to. Journalism in general has seen a decline, even before the Internet was a viable option for publication. If you take a journalism class on campus, you will learn of the glory days of print, where outlets could put out both a morning and evening edition of the same newspaper. Today, many towns are lucky to have a daily paper at all, as there are approximately 4,000 fewer papers in the U.S. since 1940 and most notably, 21,000 full-time newsroom jobs have been lost in the last ten years alone, according to Pew Research and the American Society of News Editors. The laying off of an entire publication’s staff has been, unfortunately, an increasingly common occurrence, even with all the new types of content and creative choices digital media allows. However, with games journalism, those online benefits are substantially better than other flavors of journalism. YouTube has been optimized for gaming, allowing several different forms of expression to take root, such as the “Let’s Play” (game playthroughs with commentary) and “Livestream” (unedited, live footage, often of gameplay and commentary, streamed directly to the site) both of which take advantage of how YouTube promotes videos based off of minutes watched rather than views, while traditional video reviews remain strong. Some journalists have even “staked it out on their own,” dropping the need for an outlet like Game Trailers entirely, and survive directly off of Google Adsense money and donations from their fans off an online service called Patreon. However, this independent approach isn’t always viable. One issue has to do with benefits; YouTube and Wordpress (most journalists have a personal site that centralizes their work) do not offer health plans for contributors, and content creators live from video to video, and/ or article to article, if they wish to still create content that way. Game Trailers specialized in video content, so they had all the benefits of a “lone wolf ” YouTube personality, though all their staff were salaried, which is an unfortunate rarity in the field of journalism. For games journalism, video is the preferred way of making content, and the only viable site to publish video content is YouTube. The problem with YouTube is that it suffers from an automated content ID system that falsely identifies content as copyright infringing, and penalizes channels accordingly. The burden of proof is on the user, so it has become common place for YouTubers to go weeks without pay, and often views, for no fault of their own. Game companies also have the ability to issue a DMCA takedown notice that can take away money for weeks, put the channel in question in bad standing with YouTube, and even allow the company to make money off of said channel’s videos for 2 to 3 weeks--and the takedown notice doesn’t even have to be legitimate. This is a perfectly fixable problem within the site, but YouTube refuses to protect their content creators from false claims, which has severely hurt the world of games journalism. There is no penalty for submitting a false claim under the current system. There needs to be deep reform within the website if this area of journalism is going to grow. Organizations like Game Trailers and 1UP will always come and go, but the personalities they leave behind will need a place to stay, and there should also be an alternate route for those who want to get into this field but want to do their own thing. As it stands, you either join an organization that might not be around next year, or leave your well-being in the hands of a broken algorithm and hope you don’t anger any copyright holders, because they can decide if you get your next pay check.
Arts & Entertainment
Beacon.MCLA.edu
SAC has promising spring semester ahead By Paige Pomerantz
A & E Writer
Student Activities Council (SAC) furthered their progress on the Spring Concert and other planned events and elected one new E-Board member on Friday. Spring semester is arguably the busiest for SAC as they make final arrangements for the much-anticipated concert, and having empty positions on their E-Board only makes it harder. According to concert chair Jordan Goyette, ’17, the artist has been selected but will not be announced for another few weeks. Openers are currently being gathered as well. Tickets for the Spring Concert will be sold in March, and there will be tee shirts for concert volunteers and shirts will be available at the show. SAC will be co-sponsoring flag football with Intramurals at 8 p.m. in Venable Gym this Saturday. The winning team will receive a pizza party. They will also be hosting a karaoke night in Sullivan Lounge at 8 p.m. on Saturday March 5. Celia Norcross’ intern Gary Lavariere will be selling tickets for MassMoCA’s “High Mud Comedy Fest with Tig Notaro” at a very discounted price. The event is being held Photo by Shunquell Dennis/The Beacon March 11 and 12. Transportation will be SAC President Alex Lopez speaks during a SAC general provided. meeting, which anyone is welcome to attend. “High Mud is destined to be one of the most hysterical late-winter comedy festivals in the history Subsequent to her speech and prior to voting, the of Western Massachusetts. Unless there’s a blizzard,” group had a round table discussion. “[Esposito] definitely has the drive needed to fill television comedy writer Jay Tarses said. In addition to the comedy festival, comedian Josh this position,” president of SAC, Alex Lopez ’16, Johnson will be here on March 29. He claims to be said. Traditions is considered a great introductory your “favorite sad funny man” on his Facebook page. chair and learning experience, due to it having some Both the Traditions and Saturday Night Spotlight guidelines that are followed year after year, hence the (SNS) SAC chair positions were open, but only the title. Although there were no nominations for SNS, there Traditions one was filled at this time, by Shannon were two write-ins: the SAC spider and Bill Murray. Esposito, ‘18. During her nomination speech, Esposito said that Since neither of them were present to make a speech the very first activity she wanted to join on campus nor accept the position, the chair is still open. General meetings are held on Friday at 3:15 p.m. was SAC, but was too busy her freshman year. “I found my second home in SAC,” she said with in 324A of the campus center and anyone is invited to attend. confidence.
Spires reopens submissions, announces website updates By Jonathan Hoel A & E Writer
Spires, the campus literary magazine has been a staple of students’ artistic expression since its inception in 2001. The upcoming issue will be published April 20 and see the magazine continuing its standard of serving as a compilation of art, an exhibition of the talents of the college. Submissions have just been reopened until tomorrow. “This semester we are trying to obtain a proud, higher quality,” said adviser to Spires and professor of English Zach Finch, “and a greater outreach to the students.” Spires comprises of a combination of artistic endeavors, ranging from poetry and prose, to photography and painting, as well as digital art. While perhaps not everybody at school indulges in the magazine, those that do seem to be in agreement that the quality is and
Students and staff remember Harper Lee (1960-2016) By Jonathan Hoel
A & E Writer
has been of a very high standard. And that quality is continuing to be upheld under the current coeditors, Avery Woodbury and S h a n n o n Cahill.
“It’s a great outlet for people who want to share their art, and become published,” Cahill said. “As for the innerworkings of the magazine, it’s a good stepping-stone for anyone who wants to go into publishing, because you learn to really advocate for the things you are passionate about.” Previously known as Kaleidoscope, Spires was renamed in 2001 by then-editor Sarah Knowles, who wanted to give the magazine; “a more serious and focused feel.” Fifteen years later, the magazine is going strong as ever, and strives to maintain the quality it has begun to be known for.
“We’re healthily competitive,” Woodbury said. “The voting is anonymous, none of the work has authors attached, so it allows for an unbiased voting.” For this coming issue, the Spires organization has more than 80 submissions to review for publication, before they begin designing the magazine. In addition to the upcoming release of their magazine, Spires is planning a complete revamp of their Web site, and establishing themselves as an online presence. “Coming this fall, we’re updating the Web site completely,” Cahill said. “It’s going to be more cohesive and feature weekly publications.” The submissions for this year’s Spires will be concluded on February 26 and the authors of submissions that were accepted will be informed by March 3.
Arts & Entertainment
Thursday, February 25, 2016
On Feb. 19 Harper Lee, 89, passed away in her sleep in her hometown Monroeville Ala. Lee was an American novelist and icon. Her magnum opus, the Pulitzer-Prize winning “To Kill a Mockingbird,” is widely regarded by literary critics as one of the greatest American modern novels. “‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ was one of the only assigned books I liked in high school,” said Gillian Russo, a junior English major. “It’s still one of my favorite books. I’m pretty sad that I won’t get to meet Harper Lee in my lifetime—that would have been awesome.” The novel has gone on to such success that it has been an absolute stable in American school systems for decades. Lee attended Huntingdon College in Montgomery as well as the University of Alabama, but she didn’t receive a degree from either. In 1960, she published “To Kill a Mockingbird” to mass acclaim. The novel, essentially a courtroom drama about adolescence and race inequalities, has been lauded by critics and fans alike.
While still riding the successes of “Mockingbird”, Lee accompanied her childhood friend and close companion novelist Truman Capote to Holcomb, Kan. where they began research for his truecrime novel “In Cold Blood”, which was dedicated to Lee from Capote. “Growing up in South Dakota, my school was very racially homogenous,” said Amber Engelson, professor of English & Communications. “It was the first time I came across something politically and racially relevant in the classroom.” Famously, in 1966, a Hanover County School Board in Va. attempted a ban on the novel from its high-school library for immorality. Subsequently, Lee herself wrote them a letter, asking if the members of the board were literate and offering to pay for them to attend first grade. The novel was later adapted by Horton Foote and Robert Mullivan into an extremely successful film starring Gregory Peck as lawyer and father Atticus Finch in 1962. Last year, 55 years after the novel’s publication, Lee released a quasi-sequel “Go Set a Watchman”. This novel was the original draft of “Mockingbird,” where protagonist
Scout Finch and her father are civilian can receive in the U.S. Her both considerably older. funeral took place on Feb. 20. She This second novel was received was buried in a family plot in her mildly by critics, who seemed hometown of Monroeville. to generally see the novel as a very weak first-draft of “Mockingbird” as opposed to a strong sequel, as the publicity of the novel’s release indicated. The legacy of “To Kill a Mockingbird” remains in its continuing impressive sales figures. The novel has sold 40 million copies to date. The personal significance it has for people solidifies its immortality as well. “[Harper Lee] opened my eyes to preconceived judgements about people and race,” said Mike Friedman, a junior. “I grew up in Photo from Life a small town too, so it Harper Lee only authored two books in was very relatable.” her lifetime, but her words have reached Lee received the millions. “To Kill a Mockingbird” is presidential Medal considered a literary classic to many and of Freedom in 2007, will continue to enthrall audiences for the highest award a generations to come.
Where is Crash Bandicoot? Possibly coming to next-generation consoles By Mitchell Chapman A & E Editor
So many Playstation mascots from the days of PS1 and PS2 have yet to make a proper return to gaming, and understandably so. Sly Cooper, Ratchet & Clank, and Jak & Daxter haven’t seen true sequels in years, while others, like Spyro and Crash Bandicoot, have gone through series re-imaginings that have pretty much taken their course. However, one of those mascots might be returning to Sony consoles, and soon. “We’ve got a lot of stuff going on with Sony,” National Entertainment Collector’s Association Director Randy Falk said in a recent interview at the New York Toy Fair. “Looking at some of their other titles, I see that they’re bringing Crash Bandicoot back.” Though the statement Falk made was later clarified by NECA as merely showing interest to do figures for the franchise, if indeed it is coming back. An image posted by PlayStation’s Middle East Twitter account of Crash Bandicoot reading “Most wanted… Where are you Crash?” in Arabic has ignited an already high interest in the critically acclaimed series. It is not uncommon for tie-in products, especially toys, to spoil an upcoming film or video game, especially if it is a merchandise-heavy franchise like “Star Wars” or “The Avengers,” or even a merchandise-soft franchise like Crash Bandicoot that wouldn’t necessarily sell action figures to the masses. That being said, many people across the nation, especially MCLA, have fond memories of the character, and want to see him back on disk. “I didn’t play the very first Crash games, but
some of the later ones for the PS2, like ‘Crash Bandicoot: the Wrath of Cortex’ and ‘Crash Bandicoot: Twinsanity,’” junior Stephanie Foote said. “I haven’t played ‘Twinsanity’ in a long time, but I always liked to stop the fight between Crash and Cortex whenever they fought in that dust ball to see who was beating up who and in what position. It made me smile each time.” “I don’t know if there could be a Crash Bandicoot game as good as the old ones but crash was my life back in t h e day,” junior Matt Luz said. “I played ‘Crash’ one, two, and ‘Warped’ a lot, and on the last two, I got all the gems, crystals, and relics. I 100 percent-ed on both each like five times.” However, Crash has been through a “re-imagining” period before, and it proved disastrous for the series, prompting Crash Co-Creator Andy Gavin to suggest
that the marsupial needs a “total reboot.” Much of this can be attributed to Radical Entertainment’s then-new direction for the series,
through “Crash Tag Team Racing,” “Crash of the Titans” and “Crash: Mind over Mutant,” which received mixed-to-poor review scores and failed to live up to the precedent established by Naughty Dog and Traveler’s Tales through the first four Crash installments. There have also been concerns about Crash’s ability to compete within the triple-A market that largely dominates the PS4, some of which have built off of the basic 3D platforming principles the first few Crash games established. Still, there is great optimism for this icon to return to where he belongs. “Crash really hasn’t been all that popular recently, as far as I know of, but he was one of my childhood icons in gaming,” Foote said. “And with the new technology and all the advancements being made, Crash’s world could be even more extensive with more things to do in it. To me, he’s such a lovable character, and I would love to see him in more games again.” With any luck, Ac tivision has just enough Wumpa fruits to give this marsupial one more life.
Beacon.MCLA.edu
7
Upcoming A&E Events Tonight
“Experimentor”
Film Showing SSDP, Psychology Club, and Psi Chi Movie Night
6 p.m. in Bowman 208 There will be a brief discussion after the film
“Vanguard of the Revolution” Creating Equality Series Film Showing 7 p.m. in Murdock 218
Tomorrow Spires Submission Deadline Midnight
Guidelines at Spires.mcla.edu
Next Week
A Doll’s House Directed by Laura Standly
March 2-5 8 p.m. at the Venable Theatre. Matinee March 5 $2 for students
What’s Next? Solo show by Karen Moss Opening reception March 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Gallery 51 “What’s Next?” will be on display through April 24
FIGMENT
Call for Submissions March 13 Deadline via the FIGMENT Artist Submission Portal Go online to see our upcoming FIGMENT coverage!
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Campus Life
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Meet the new SGA members
SGA Highlights
By Emily Gabert Staff Writer
Resignation
• Senator Mackenzie McCarthy resigned after recieving a full time position with the College’s Public Safety department that conflicts with SGA meeting times. New Members
• New senators include Rebecca Godbout and Siobhan Greene. The Greek Seat position is now filled by Adazae Shepard-Edwards; the Athlete Seat is filled by Margaret Allen.
• Parliamentarian Tyler Spencer was also sworn into his new position as the president of
•
the class of 2019. The public relations representative Samantha Giffen was sworn in as the class of 2018 vice president. Constitutions Five club constitutions were passed: The political science club, the debate club, the education club, the multicultural society, and the Latin American society.
• After having only three members in the club, the political science club was revived last
•
• • •
• • • •
academic school year. They had a budget tabled last semester and so were held at club status. Their constitution was simply resubmitted and approved at the meeting. Budgets Another meeting will be held to discuss budget requests for clubs and organizations this Monday. The budgets will then be voted on by the senate on March 7. The committee is asking for those interested to attend the meetings. Further budget information will be available in the beginning of March. African Student Association The African Student Association is hoping to receive a donation from SGA for the annual African night event. This will be the first time it will be hosted under their name as a club. The club currently does not have a budget. Last semester, SGA provided the organization with a sum of money toward their pot luck fundraiser. There were many questions passed among the senate about whether they should vote during the meeting or wait until a written document containing budget requests is submitted from clubs including what it will be used for. The senate decided to table the request until provided with written evidence of what exactly the club will use the donation for. Food Committee The food committee held their first meeting of the semester on Monday and asked for students to attend the meetings that take place every other Monday at 3 p.m. in the Centennial room to bring student concerns to attention. Dining services is promoting different opportunities for the campus community, such as the cook-off competition that is much like the show Chopped on Food Network. The competition will be held on Wednesdays for the next three weeks. Aramark is also holding an open house on March 7 to give out different creations that students can try for free. The event will run from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Location is still to be determined. They are also looking to start hosting grab-and-go breakfast in the café in Bowman Hall, due to the success they’ve had so far with the current products available for purchase. Garden Initiative
• Senate Secretary Evan Pirnie mentioned that the Community Service Committee is working together to help bring a garden back to campus. The group is working on a date and time to meet. Pirnie urged those with questions about the initiative to contact him.
SGA has encountered more obstacles than usual this academic school year. Many students have resigned and a lot of positions have sat open all year, with the most recent special election having a low nominee turnout. Open positions included Senator at Large, Athlete Seat and Greek Seat, along with Class of 2016 Senate Representative, Class of 2018 Vice President and the Class of 2019 President. Rachel Sullivan, who ran for president of the class of 2019, did not win the election. Sullivan majors in Psychology and Early Childhood Education. She is active in many organizations across campus and holds the Residence Life representative position in SGA while also volunteering with the Office of Admission, where she hopes to become an Admission Ambassador. “Tyler and I are both qualified and participate in multiple leadership roles on campus,” Sullivan said in regards to the election, “so whatever happens, happens. I am sure we will both put our best foot forward to make [sure] the class of 2019 is in good hands.” Sullivan hoped to connect with members of the class by getting to know everyone and helped with fundraisers using creative methods. Tyler Spencer ran and did not get elected for the class of 2019 president in the fall, but won the election this time around. Spencer is a Political Science major, SGA parliamentarian and a member of the political science club and Hoosac Hall’s advisory board. He is also involved with the Campus Center Cares Committee, and the
Write Stuff volunteer program. “I think there’s a real need for positive power,” Spencer stated. “I have the experience to lead the class.” Spencer hopes to use his experience from the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA), an event planning workshop, to help organize things for the class. Spencer believes by building a community, it will help with the College’s retention rates. Students who are more engaged on campus are more likely to be successful, he believes. Psychology major and sophomore Samantha Giffen won vice president of the Class of 2018. Giffen was also a member of SGA before the election and served as the public relations representative. Aside from being active in SGA, she is also a resident adviser in the Flagg Townhouses and dedicates her time to the RPS recycling committee. “I like [that] through SGA, you can know everything going on [around] campus,” Giffen said. “You can see the changes [happen].” Though she is an active member of the MCLA community, Giffen is able to manage her time well. Giffen hopes that students will attend more events happening on campus, along with taking advantage of opportunities offered. Siobhan Greene ran to become a Senate at Large along with Rebecca Godbout and Victoria Munoz. Both Greene and Godbout won their positions, while Munoz did not. Among other nominees, Adazae Edwards-Shepard won the Greek Seat position and Margaret Alan won the Athlete Seat. Both seats act as liaisons between SGA and the departments of their positions.
Barbie diversifies its new line of dolls By Gionna Nourse Co-Editor-in-Chief
After years of promoting a virtually impossible body image and being criticized over unrealistic proportions, Mattel, Inc. has introduced the 2016 Barbie® Fashionistas™ Dolls. According to Barbie.com, “throughout the year, the line will release four body types, seven skin tones, 22 eye colors, 24 hairstyles, and countless on-trend fashions and accessories.” Mattel is categorizing these changes as “The Evolution of Barbie,” urging girls everywhere to engage in the diverse culture surrounding them. According to the website, “Girls everywhere now have infinitely more ways to play out their stories and spark their imaginations through Barbie. Along with more overall diversity, we proudly add three new body types to our line.” A brand new advertisement for this line
of dolls aired last month, featuring a group of diverse young girls talking about and playing with the dolls. “It’s important for Barbies to look different, you know, like the real people in the world,” one of the girls said at the beginning of the commercial. Arguably, the most controversial change is the debut of curvy Barbie. Since Barbie first hit the shelves in 1959, girls everywhere have seen the iconic blonde doll as an inspiration. As the country’s milestones came and went, so did Barbie’s; from the first female astronaut in 1963 to “The Year of Women” in 1992, iconic women have always been re-created in Barbie form. According to Barbiemedia.com, “Barbie’s debut as the “teenage fashion model” mirrored the sophisticated glamour of 1950’s stars like Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth and Elizabeth Taylor, donning high arched brows, pursed red lips, a sassy pony tail with curly bangs and a coy,
sideways glance.” Barbie has followed high-fashion and mirrored timely models for decades. Only now is she beginning to resemble every day women from various cultures and backgrounds. “Even her figure was high fashion and model-esque, with pale, ivory skin, long slim legs and a narrow waist and hips. Barbie – though well known for her blonde locks – was sold as both a brunette and blonde,” the website mentioned. Reasons why Barbie is “evolving” vary from celebrating diversity to recognizing the limitless opportunities women all over the world have today. “This is radical because we’re saying, ‘Look, there isn’t this narrow standard of what a beautiful body looks like,’” Robert Best, senior director of product design, said in the online video. The company is not only introducing different body types, such as taller, more petite, and curvy, but is also adding new
career opportunities for Barbie, varying from game developer to president. “They are seeing the differences amongst their friends and family being celebrated,” senior designer Nicole Guice says in the video. According to an article recently published in The Huffington Post, when girls examined the dolls, many of them saw themselves reflected. “It’s going to be so much fun for the girls to pick out dolls they can really relate to,” Shirley Fujisaki, Barbie hair designer, said in the video. “Some of the kids identified with the new hair styles, and one little girl said she appreciated the curvy body type because some people don’t look that much like the original Barbie dolls,” The Huffington Post article stated. “We have to let girls know it doesn’t matter what shape you come in, that anything is possible,” Tania Missad, director of Consumer Insights, added in the video.
Campus Life
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Cook-off week one:
Cook-off week two:
Meet the contestants
Meet the contestants
By Idalis Foster
By Torin Gannon
Senior News Editor
9
Staff Writer
La’Juan Allen
Last week’s winner:
Gascard Gaston Photo from Facebook
Photo by Natalia Reyes/The Beacon
Year: Senior Major: Biology with a concentration in physical therapy What was your motivation behind joining the competition? “I heard about the cooking competition from La’Juan. He was the one that asked me and motivated me to do it. He wanted to do a cooking event and asked me if I was interested, and I said sure.” What is your favorite dish to cook? “My background is Haitian, so I like to make traditional Haitian dishes. I like making rice and beans
or rice by itself and mixing it with something else.” What was your final dish on Wednesday? “My final dish Wednesday was pasta with beef, vegetables, pineapple, and pretzels. Each contestant was given a bag that had different food we had to use to make our dish.” How did it feel to win this round? “It felt great winning, I was a little surprised to hear my name because I never participated in a cooking competition before where I was given what to use.”
This competition is very near and dear to LaJuan because it is his brainchild. He got the idea from watching Chopped and contacted John Kozic, the director of ARAMARK, and after meeting the competition was planned. “It was a really fun idea for a lot of people. I feel like a lot of the staff of ARAMARK
Ritshly Bissereth
Alphonsina Disla
Photo by Liz Quirk/The Beacon
Year: 2017 Clubs/organizations: President of Latin Society
Vice American
What was your motivation behind joining the competition? “I was asked to participate in the MCLA cook off and I knew how to cook so I decided to try out the friendly competition.” What is your favorite dish to cook? “My favorite dish to make is rice, beans, and chicken.” What was your final dish on Wednesday? “the final dish that I made for the judges was called the tropical phonsi, it was a plate with rice, meat, blood oranges on the side, and a side of yogurt, it consisted of all the four ingredients given to me, I utilized the pineapples mixed with rice and coconut to give it a tropical taste.”
Farewell MCLA from Jim Clemmer
From the first time I visited our campus as a high school senior, I knew that I wanted to be a part of this community. I am fortunate to be an alumnus, a former Trustee, and, finally, to have served as your Interim President. I am looking forward to Dr. Jaimie Birge’s arrival next week as our permanent President. I believe Dr. Birge is the right leader for MCLA. His experience, intelligence, personality, and commitment to quality Public Higher Education will help guide MCLA in the coming years. The list of people who enable MCLA to be such a special place is long. President Mary Grant who led our successes over the past dozen years; Dr. Cindy Brown who served as Interim President during our first search; and the senior team, administrators, faculty and staff who tirelessly commit to fulfilling our mission.
I am proud of our students who keep us feeling young and creative. Your continued pursuit of academic excellence and commitment to service both on and off campus inspires us all. In addition, you’ve impressed us with your presentations, entertained us on the stage, shared your artistry at Gallery51 and PRESS, harmonized with the Allegretto’s, and shared your talent and dedication as student athletes on the trails, links, courts, and fields. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in this role and being a part of this dynamic and caring community. I offer my thanks to everyone at MCLA. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve you. Sincerely, Jim Clemmer
was excited about it,” Allen said. Allen is still an amatuer cook, having only been cooking for about two years, but he’s been watching his mother cook for a number of years. Allen said his strategy is to be, “creative as possible,” and use everything in the basket.
Photo from Facebook
This freshman Business major was convinced to join the competition by Allen. Bissereth has the advantage in that he’s been cooking since he was young. He enjoys making simple things like pasta and BBQ and also likes cooking traditional
foods from his culture. “Cooking is a big part of my family,” Bissereth said. Bissereth’s main strategy is to use his brain, what skills he has as a chef and to make the most out of the ingredients he is given.
Be sure to check out week three of the competition at the marketplace this Wednesday, March 2 at 4:15pm!
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Thursday, February 25. 2016
Sports
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Men’s basketball season ends By Jesse Collings
MCLA comes up short in final game against Bridgewater State
Sports Editor
Going into their match-up Saturday against Bridgewater State, MCLA needed two things to happen to qualify for the MASCAC playoffs. They needed to beat the Bears and they needed Fitchburg State to defeat Framingham State. While Fitchburg beat Framingham State, the Trailblazers were unable to triumph over Bridgewater, falling to the Bears 78-75. The loss ends MCLA’s season with a record of 6-19 overall and a conference record of 2-10, leaving them in last place in the MASCAC and thus ineligible for the conference tournament. The first half saw Bridgewater State shoot 47 percent from the field and they used a run early in the quarter to build up a lead that fluctuated between 8-12 points. A pair of free throws from MCLA senior Khalil Paul at the end of the half reduced the lead down to single digits heading into the locker room, down 38-30. Bridgewater was anchored in the first half by junior guard Fawaz Mass, who scored 11 points on an efficient 5-6 shooting from the field. MCLA was buoyed by a strong performance off the bench from junior forward Anderson Dalmace, who had 10 points in 8 minutes for the Trailblazers. With their season on the brink, MCLA came out strong in the second half, going on an 11-4 run that ended when Paul drained a deep three-pointer to make it 4241 Bridgewater with 17 minutes remaining in the game. Despite the run, Bridgewater remained resilient, never relinquishing the lead and eventually increasing it back up to 10 following a pair of free throws from junior Greg Romanko that put the Bears up 57-47 with 11 minutes to go. Bridgewater remained in control until 4:59 remained in the game, when MCLA went on a
Photo by Agnella Gross/The Beacon
MCLA’s two seniors Khalil Paul and Paul Maurice combined for 41 points in their final game for the Trailblazers. quick 6-0 run thanks to a pair Bridgewater point guard Patrick rice would again get fouled when of layups from junior Dakari McGuinness, who immediately MCLA brought the ball down and Hannah-Wornum and two free fouled Maurice. Maurice nailed he made both of his free throws to throws from senior Paul Maurice. both free throws to make it 74-71 make it 76-75 Bridgewater with Again, Bridgewater withstood the Bridgewater with 1:08 left. 26 seconds left. run by MCLA and built their lead Bridgewater forward Michael Forced to foul, the Trailblazback up 7 following a lay-up from Soares made one of two free ers targeted Carty, who calmly Mass with 1:46 remaining and up throws and Maurice quickly knocked down both free throws 74-67. scored a layup on the other end to put Bridgewater up by three With MCLA in need of a rally, to make it 75-73 Bridgewater with with 18 seconds left. Down to the two senior captains came 47 seconds remaining. The Bears their final possession, the Trailthrough for the Trailblazers. Paul would again go one of two from blazers looked to Paul, whose would quickly convert a lefty la- the line, this time sophomore three point attempt missed, but yup and on the ensuing posses- Joe Carty missing his first shot MCLA caught a break when the sion Maurice picked the pocket of before making his second. Mau- rebound bounced off the hands
of a Bridgewater player and out of bounds, giving MCLA one more chance. Paul would attempt one final three pointer, but the shot was blocked by Mass and Romanko secured the rebound as the buzzer sounded, giving Bridgewater the 78-75 victory. Bridgewater State improved to 12-12 on the season and finish the regular season with a record of 8-4 in MASCAC play. They were led on Saturday by Mass who had 19 points and 9 rebounds. Romanko played 36 minutes and scored 15 points while McGuiness added 9 points and 6 assists off of the bench. MCLA were led by Paul who had 20 of his game-high 25 points in the second half and by Maurice who had 16 points in what ended up being the final game in a Trailblazer uniform for both players. Hannah-Wornum had a strong performance with 10 points and 16 rebounds. For the seniors, it was a bittersweet ending to their college careers. Both Maurice and Paul were honored before the game for their accomplishments at MCLA and their contributions to the program and were supported by friends and family in the crowd. For next season, the Trailblazers will bring back several key players. Juniors Careem Kirksey, Isshiah Coleman, Adam Conquest and Dalmace should all be back after playing key roles this season. They will also have HannahWornum for one more year, which should provide a huge boost on defense as well as fearsome offensive rebounder. Hannah-Wornum finishes his junior season ranked second in the country in rebounds per game with 13 rpg and and fifth in total blocks with 77, which was also a school record for most blocks in a season. MCLA saw positive impacts from a pair of freshmen point guards in Ki-Shawn Monroe and Colin Parrott, who combined to average nearly six assists per game.
Chicago Cubs top spring training power rankings Their lineup does not have many holes but the pitching might be the weak spot on the team. They have not won a World Series Title since 1908 and this team looks like the best team the Cubs have had in a while so there are high expectations for them this season.
By Tyler Bacon
Sports Columnist 1. Chicago Cubs- The expectations have never been higher for the Cubs. Based on the young talent and their offseason additions, it’s going to be World Series or bust this season. The Cubs finished with 97 wins last season and have since added Jason Heyward, John Lackey and Ben Zobrist.
2. New York Mets- The Mets have easily the best starting rotation in all of baseball. They have two aces, Matt Harvey and Jacob DeGrom, and an ace-in-training in Noah Syndergaard. They round out their stellar rotation with a stud prospect in Steven Matz and the ageless wonder Bartolo Colon. They brought back Yoenis Cespedes for another season to add power to the middle of the lineup. They added Antonio Bas-
tardo to help the back of the bullpen. The Mets won 90 games last season and they should improve on that number. They went to the World Series last year and I would expect the same thing from them this year. 3. San Francisco Giants- The Giants biggest need was starting pitching help. They fixed that need by signing Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto in the offseason. Those two joining Madison Bumgarner should make their pitching a strength. Their lineup will be solid since they have one of the best catchers in the game in Buster Posey. They added Denard Span to lead off and be the table-setter. It’s an even year so I would not count out the Giants.
They’ve won championships in 2010, 2012, and 2014 so why not 2016 as well? 4. Boston Red Sox- The Red Sox have gone from worst to first before when they won it all in 2013 and the offseason moves they made have them on the cusp of doing it all over again. There’s a lot of optimism among Red Sox fans with the signing of David Price to anchor the rotation and adding Carson Smith and Craig Kimbrel to the back end of the bullpen. Pablo Sandoval’s weight and Hanley Ramirez’s defense are legitimate concerns for Boston. It’s David Ortiz’s farewell tour and it looks like the Red Sox are preparing to send Big Papi out on a memorable final season.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers- The Dodgers starting rotation took a blow when Zack Greinke signed with the Arizona Diamonbacks for $206 million over six years. But even without Greinke the Dodgers have the best pitcher on the planet, Clayton Kershaw, an All-Star closer, Kenley Jansen, and a deep, talented roster. The Dodgers have won three consecutive National League West Titles and their hopes of making it four in a row rest on the shoulders of 21-year-old shortstop Corey Seager and 25-year-old right fielder Yasiel Puig. They both need to live up to the massive hype that surrounds both of them for the Dodgers to go on a deep postseason run.
Sports
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Beacon.MCLA.edu
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MCLA advances in MASCAC playoffs
Trailblazers knock off Salem State 67-53 in MASCAC Quarterfinals, will advance to play at Westfield State on Thursday By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
The Women’s basketball team outscored Salem State 22-9 in the fourth quarter to knock off the Salem State Vikings Tuesday night by the score of 67-53. With the win MCLA advances to the second round of the MASCAC Tournament to face the Westfield State Owls on Thursday. The Trailblazers opened up their first playoff game since 2012 hot, nailing their first five field goal attempts. A pair of free throws from junior Kayla Hotaling put MCLA up 12-4 early with 6:34 to go in the first quarter. “We were shooting really well early on, made a couple buckets right in the first couple minutes,” Head Coach Holly McGovern said. “That got us off to a great start and it forced them to adjust their zone which was something that we had an issue with prior to this.” Salem countered with 7-0 run of their own, with a layup from junior Kaitlyn Byran put Salem ahead 13-12. MCLA would go on a little run to end the quarter, getting five straight points from freshman Courtney Pingelski and ending the first quarter with a 2115 lead. Things would remain tight throughout the second quarter as both teams continued to shoot strong from the field. Hotaling would nail two more free throws at the end of the half and MCLA went into the break with 37-33 lead. The Trailblazers shot 50 percent from the field and Salem State shot 40 percent throughout the first half. The game would slow down
in the second half as both teams looked to grind out the victory and advance to the second round. The Vikings would tie the game at 39 with 5:37 to go in the third quarter on a layup from sophomore guard Kate Lipka. A layup from junior Ashley Clawson gave MCLA a two point lead, but Byran nailed a three pointer for Salem to give them a 42-41 lead. The Trailblazers would get four straight points from Pingelski to go up by three, but a buzzer beating layup by Salem freshman Kia Fernandes cut the lead down to one heading into the final quarter. Fernandes started the fourth quarter converting an and-one layup that put the Vikings up by one. MCLA responded by getting a huge three pointer by freshman Mckenzie Robinson to put MCLA back up by one. The teams traded buckets and a jumper by Tahira Peralta put Salem up by one with 8 minutes to go in the game. MCLA would then go on a 17-2 run to close out the game and send Salem State home. The Trailblazers got a big boost during the run from freshman Karina Mattera, who scored the first 9 points of the run and 12 points overall in the fourth quarter, sealing the fate of Salem. After the game, Mattera talked about building up confidence as the game wore on. “I was nervous at the beginning of the game because I didn’t know what it was going to be like at all. We played them twice and we had two totally different outcomes,” Mattera said. “As the game was going on and we started scoring and we got ahead, I definitely built more confidence.” Despite playing in their first playoff game, MCLA got plenty of production from their freshmen, as they combined for 40 points
Photo by Shunquell Dennis/The Beacon
Kayla Hotaling pulled down 19 rebounds in the MCLA victory over Salem State on Tuesday. during the game. McGovern talked about getting contributions from her less experienced players. “Mckenzie made a couple big threes for us, one in the first half and one in the second half,” McGovern said. “Karina just plays really hard, she is a gamer and I’m so proud with what she has accomplished this season.” The Trailblazers were able to dominate the fourth quarter in part because they attacked the offensive glass, pulling down 19 offensive rebounds compared to Salem State’s 11. Junior forward Courtney Durivage pulled down 4 offensive rebounds in the game and talked about the importance of crashing the offensive boards.
“We do our best getting offensive rebounds because we get that extra thirty seconds to figure out what we are going to do next. The last three minutes alone we got a bunch of offensive rebounds and that it what set the tone for us and how we were going to close out the game.” The playoff victory was the first for the Women’s basketball team since 2012, a stretch that saw several tough seasons for the program. For the large junior class that has endured those difficult seasons, the victory in their first playoff game was a long time coming. “I think it was really good to get the win that we did,” Durivage
said. “We are a young team with one senior and seven juniors, and to pick up this win it really boosts up our morality heading to Westfield.” MCLA will face off against the number one seeded Owls, who easily beat MCLA in their two previous encounters this season. McGovern discussed about what the Trailblazers need to do to pull off the upset. “The biggest thing for us will be our confidence, we need to go there and believe that we can win and that is the first thing we are going to start working on tomorrow.” Westfield finished the season with an overall record of 18-7 and a MASCAC record of 11-1. Westfield finished first in the conference in team scoring, averaging 89 points per game, 16 more points per game than the next closest team in the conference. In addition Westfield finished third in the NCAA in scoring average. The Trailblazers lost to Westfield State in Westfield back in January , 90-69. MCLA didn’t fair any better at home when the Owls came to North Adams and flattened the Trailblazers 105-66 on Feb. 3. MCLA will have their hands full trying to contain Jill Valley who finished second in the conference in scoring average with 17.6 ppg despite only playing 19.3 minutes per game. Senior forward Forbasaw Nkamebo is third in the conference in scoring with 14..8 ppg and first in field goal percentage, shooting better than 54 percent from the field. If MCLA can get by Westfield they will advance to the MASCAC Championship game on Saturday, where they would play the winner of the Bridgewater State vs Framingham State game.
Baseball team hosts clinics for local players By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
Before the baseball team heads down to Florida for their spring break slate of games in the Sunshine State, the program hosted a youth clinic for local ballplayers. “One of the best things about the clinics is that it’s gets our players out there working with kids, which is so important,” Head Baseball Coach Mike Gladu said. “Some of our players are looking at education in their future careers and this gives them experience on how to work with an 8 year old.” The clinic, which ran from February 15-17, has been taking place during school vacation in North Adams for over 15 years. The clinic, which was available to kids between the ages of 8-12, is focused on sharpening the skills of Little League players as they prepare for their upcoming sea-
sons while getting to work with players at an advanced level. “The players look forward to helping the kids and teaching them new things and help them improve in the long run as baseball players, and that is great,” Gladu said. “In return, the kids get to work with college players at the collegiate level, so it is pretty much a win-win situation.” Senior shortstop Ryan Shook, a Pittsfield native, spoke about working with local kids. “I really see myself when I was their age, coming to these camps and working with college players. It’s really nice to give back and I enjoy working with the kids, I have as much fun as they do.” Baseball in Berkshire County has a strong tradition and features several collegiate summer basbeball teams, including the North Adams SteepleCats, who play their home games at Joe Wolfe Field in North Adams. The baseball team at MCLA features 13 players from Berkshire County,
Photo by Domonique Ackley/TheBeacon
Baseball players lead the participants in excersises during the clinic on Wednesday. several more than any other varsity team on campus. Senior utility player Nate Gutmann, an Adams resident, discussed growing up in Berkshire County and attending the clinics. “It’s cool growing up around here and coming to these clinics and now getting a chance to give these kids the same kind of treatment that I was given when I was here, and working with the kids is just a blast.” Gladu, who is the manager of Cages at the Mill, a local indoor
baseball training facility in North Adams, works with different players at all different levels. Gladu mentioned that while he did recognize about half of the players taking part in the clinic, it was always nice to see new faces that he didn’t recognize. Gladu also talked about the importance of baseball and the lessons it can teach. “Baseball is obviously important, it is America’s past time. It’s important for kids to start playing the game at a young age and learn more about it as they get older.
It teaches them discipline and it teaches them life lessons and it is all wrapped up in a game, a game built on failure. Maybe you don’t get all of that when you are eight years old, but there are lessons that stick with you for life.” The baseball team will host another one-day clinic for players aged 13-18 on Sunday, March 6. Parents who are interested in the clinic can visit the baseball page at www.mcla.edu/athletics or contact Gladu at Michael.Gladu@ mcla.edu.
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Photo Essay
Thursday, February25, 2016
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Museum-goers pass through the exhibition.
The Man and the Empty Space A new exhibit now on display at MASS MoCA, created by Richard Nonas.
A stone chair and footrest. An overview of The Man and the Empty Space. Wood and other earthy materials are commonly used in Nonas’s sculptures.
A young girl jumps over one of the displays while a man oberves it.
Photos by Liz Quirk