The Pennon - North Shore Community College's Student Newspaper

FEBRUARY 2012 THE PENNON IS ONLINE AT:

northshore.edu/pennon • A Monthly Publication For The Students of North Shore Community College, Danvers, Lynn & Beverly, Massachusetts •

Gabrielle Giffords Out of Difficulty

BY NELSON BAKER

A year has passed since Representative Gabrielle

Six died and thirteen more were wounded, for no apparent reason.

At the time, Giffords’ condi-

Gabrielle Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly

Giffords was shot in the head in Tucson, Arizona on January 8, 2011. It was an emotional time for many people, not only in Tucson, but around the country.

tion did not look promising. In an article from the Huffington Post, published on the day of the attack, Dr. Richard Carmona of

BY DONNA L. RICHEMOND VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AND ENROLLMENT SERVICES

Services Building (HPSS)

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Election Update

Romney Widens Lead After Big Win In NH

BY ANTHONY HARRIS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

For all the flaws of the 24/7 election season that has developed in recent years – and there are plenty – there is no doubt that it makes for a highly entertaining political yarn. Consider the race for the Republican presidential nomination, now in its tenth month. Watching the campaign progress through its various stages has been fascinating.

First it was the rampant “will they/won’t they” media speculation on figures ranging from Donald Trump to Chris Christie, then came the instant hoopla when each new candidate threw their hat into the ring, and of course the endless procession of debates with all of their priceless moments, from Rick Perry’s ill-timed brain freeze to Mitt Romney’s uncharacteristi-

cally rash offer of a $10,000 bet.

At times, the whole thing has resembled a circus sideshow, with nearly every candidate in the field surging to the front of the pack only to suffer an equally rapid collapse.

Romney has been the fron-

trunner from day one, but he has struggled mightily to gain acceptance from a large portion of his own party. In poll after poll, Romney has consistently garnered 20-25% of Republican voters, but has been unable to

remain), a tutoring usage analysis was conducted. The results of the analysis indicated that transitioning Tutoring services to the Danvers campus would be a more efficient and effective use of resources. Tutoring services are available on the Danvers campus in DS208 and DB101. Because the tutoring space at the Hathorne campus was used as a multi-service area, computers (new ones!) will be available for student and faculty use in that space (Barry Hall B104). A few new computers will be available for student and faculty use in Maude Hall as well.

In accordance with a provision of the federal Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008, NSCC has implemented an online Net Price Calculator, a tool that will help students estimate eligibility for financial aid and out-of-pocket expenses.

Best of all, it demonstrates just how affordable an NSCC education can be. The calculator is a great planning tool. It provides an early indication of how much and what types of financial aid you might qualify for as a new student attending school fulltime in the academic year indicated. Younger students and their parents can also use it to learn about college costs and

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Real Opportunities in Winter/Spring 2012

Welcome to the Winter/Spring 2012 semester! We are welcoming over 750 new students and welcoming back over 6200 returning students. With the rigors of academics, heightened campus activities, students and services settling into a new building, and NSCC becoming Smoke-Free on January 1, 2012, we have begun what is sure to be an exciting semester. Allow me to share a little of what awaits us in the Winter/Spring 2012 semester.

New Professions & Student

INSIDE:

For the first time this semester, students in the nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, radiology, respiratory, surgical care, and animal sciences programs will be taking classes in the new state-of-the-art Health Professions and Student Services building. This Zero Net Energy Building (ZNEB) is the first Massachusetts state-owned ZNEB. The HPSS building is designed for optimal efficiency – reduced energy consumption, maximum resource conservation, and minimal waste. This building, with its many sustainable features, is also the new home to many services. On the

Republicans on the Issues Page 2

lower level, you will find the Student Support and Advising Center along with Disability Services and the Adaptive Technology Lab. Housed on the second level, you will find a Welcome Center, Admissions, Enrollment Services, and Student Financial Services.

Please be sure to stop by, and make full use of all of these services, and enjoy the new building!

Changes in Tutoring Services

With most of NSCC’s academic programs having moved from the Hathorne (Essex Aggie) campus, (only Culinary Arts, Horticulture and Cosmetology

Iraq Page 7

Net Price Calculator

“New Year’s Eve” Review Page 8

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Pennon Challenge Page 16

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Real Opportunities Continued from page 1

receive early financial aid information. It's also useful in creating "what if" scenarios based on expected family income and anticipated expenses. No matter where you are in the planning process, you'll be able to make more informed decisions about when and how much to save.

You can find this tool at http://www.northshore.edu/adm issions/netPrice/. Contact the Student Financial Services office for more information.

Winter/ Spring 2012 Events

There are a myriad of activities planned for the Winter/Spring 2012 semester. Be watchful for the many events that are scheduled throughout the month of February to celebrate Black History Month, including “A Motown/Civil Rights Movement” presentation by Tom Ingrassia; participation in

the National African-American Read-In; the Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King discussion; showing of the movie, The Help; a liturgical dance performance by M’Kaddesh Dancers; and several other activities. There are also activities being planned for Women’s History Month in March and a host of activities scheduled for Arts in April.

You can also look forward to the tournaments being brought to you by your Recreation and Wellness Department. Some of the tournaments being offered include pool, ping pong, volleyball, dodge ball and intramural soccer and basketball.

There will be more information about all of these activities in the Pennon, on Campus Link monitors, and on Pipeline.

Please make it a habit of checking your Pipeline email for general announcements, updates on

events, and for important information from the college. Don’t forget that you can link your Pipeline email to your personal email accounts!

Finally, I am excited to announce that this semester the PAC spring production will be THE MEDICINE SHOW ~ A Festival of Farces from around the World. Dates of performance are May 3rd – 5th, 2012 at Lynn Arts, 25 Exchange Street, Lynn, MA. Our Performing Arts Coordinator, Matthew Woods, and the team of student and faculty actors never disappoint!

(See the announcement and open call for auditions on page 13.)

So, there are a lot of great things happening at NSCC. Please take advantage of all the real opportunities available to you. All the best for a productive and enjoyable semester!

Election Update Continued from page 1

rise above that ceiling. His problem lies with the party’s conservative members, many of whom view him as a flip-flopper with a long history of changing his positions at politically advantageous moments. His dilemma was highlighted in a recent TIME magazine cover story entitled “Why Don’t They Like Me?”, which took a closer

Republican Party announced on Jan. 19th that Santorum had overtaken Romney in the caucus results by 34 votes. Two days later, the party officially declared Santorum the winner, a victory that came far too late to be of any help to his campaign.

Despite the setback, Romney’s performance in Iowa was convincing evidence that he has the

look at why many on the right are hesitant to support the former Massachusetts governor.

And yet, for all of the difficulty he’s had broadening his appeal, Romney has thus far delivered where it counts – at the ballot box. On Jan. 3rd, Romney claimed an apparent victory in the Iowa caucuses, the absurdly hyped yet vitally important first-in-the-nation contest that marks the beginning of primary season. After reportedly edging out former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum by eight votes, Romney rode his Iowa momentum for two weeks. However, in an unexpected twist, the Iowa

necessary funds and organization to win a highly competitive race.

From there, it was on to New Hampshire, which holds the first presidential primary every four years. Throughout the fall and into this year, Romney had maintained a sizable lead in the Granite State. Its brand of moderate Republicans, combined with its proximity to the state he governed for four years, made it friendly territory for Romney.

This time, there was no photofinish – Romney coasted to an easy victory in the Jan. 10th primary with 39% of the popular vote, while Texas congressman Ron Paul finished second with

22%. After his impressive showing in Iowa, Santorum placed a distant fifth, raising doubts that the new “nonRomney” would stay competitive as the race headed south for primaries in South Carolina (Jan. 21st) and Florida (Jan. 31st).

Of course, there’s still a long way to go in primary season – even longer until a Republican nominee is officially chosen at the national convention in August – which is why Romney is maintaining his uber-cautious demeanor and staying focused on the task at hand. You may recall that Hillary Clinton was often portrayed as the “inevitable” Democratic nominee in the run-up to the 2008 election, and we all know how that turned out. As of this writing, however, Romney has all the momentum, and unless the badly fragmented conservative base can quickly coalesce behind one candidate, it looks increasingly likely that he will be facing off against President Obama in November.

Still, as the campaign trudges onward, many unanswered questions remain. Will the tenacious Ron Paul play spoiler by running as a third-party candidate, as he did in 1988? Can Republicans make inroads with Hispanic voters, who supported Obama by a more than 2-to-1 margin in 2008? Will the Massachusetts health care mandate Romney signed in 2006, which served as a model for Obama’s health care reform, prove to be his undoing? Stay tuned.

Anthony Harris can be reached at pennon@northshore.edu

Republicans on the Issues Jobs, Healthcare, Immigration, and Foreign Policy

Newt Gingerich

President Obama could not pass one with a Democratic Congress. Immigration reform can be outlined as a complete

Newt Gingerich

On Jobs

1. Stop the 2013 tax increases to promote stability in the economy. Job creation improved after Congress extended tax relief for two years in December. We should make the rates permanent.

2. Make the United States the most desirable location for new business investment through a bold series of tax cuts.

On Health Care 1. Make health insurance more affordable and portable by giving Americans the choice of a generous tax credit or the ability to deduct the value of their health insurance up to a certain amount and by allowing Americans to purchase insurance across state lines, increasing price competition in the industry.

2. Create more choices in

proposal but has to be passed in a series of steps, with each one understood and passed on its own merits.

• Under no circumstance can a path to citizenship be created which would allow those who have broken the law to receive precedence over those who patiently waited to become residents and citizens via the legal process. Those who adhered to our immigration law cannot be usurped by those who violated it.

SOLUTIONS • Control the border. The United States must control its border. It is a national security imperative.

• Create a 21st Century Visa Program to dedicate the necessary resources to eliminate inefficiencies for all visa processing at our consular facilities.

For more information visit http://www.newt.org/solutions

Mitt Romney

Medicare by giving seniors the option to choose, on a voluntary basis, a more personal system in the private sector with greater options for better care. This would create price competition to lower costs.

On Immigration • No “comprehensive” plan can work. President Bush could not pass one during six years with a Republican Congress.

Mitt Romney

On Jobs • The American Competitiveness Act- Reduces the corporate income tax rate to 25 percent • The Open Markets ActReinstates the president’s Trade Promotion Authority to facilitate negotiation of new trade agreements CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Slice of Culture

BY NANCY GORMAN

I have always lived in cold, upright New England. The Puritans who came here as colonists frowned on all the more exuberant Christian celebrations, even Christmas, and the newer immigrants’ traditions have not yet come to the small towns. I have never seen carnival. I chose this subject because carnival sounds like such fun.

Carnival (el carnaval in Spanish) is a holiday celebrated right before Lent (la cuaresma).

The date changes from year to year because the date of Easter (Pascua de Resurrección) is based on the date of Passover, a date which is determined by the Hebrew calendar and changes

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El Carnaval

Some scholars believe that the word “carnival” comes from the Latin carne, meaning meat, and vale, meaning goodbye. Others believe it comes from the Latin carne, meat, and levare, take away. Still others believe that the word comes from the Latin word carrus navalis, or ship of fools. Several ancient western cultures used these ships. A decorated ship was pulled by the people of Babylon to the temple of Marduk, Egyptians brought a decorated ship to their goddess Isis, and the Greeks used floats in their parades honoring Dionysus.

As the Roman world converted to Christianity, the pagan rituals were banned during Lent.

The traditional pagan spring rit-

pageants and partying, a time for fantasies to come to life.

Carnival is celebrated differently in different places. In Laza, Spain, carnival is a time of political commentary and mockery. People throw dirt at each other and a symbolic donkey is divvied up and the parts assigned to various towns people who have been involved with scandals or mishaps. Some of the costumes represent the Renaissance tax collectors, who were hated and feared. In Mexico, the costumes are based on those of the 19th century clothing of the rich Europeans, the cowboys, and the overseers of the cattle ranches. In Trinidad and Tobago, carnival originates from the pre-Lent balls given by

“The Fight Between Carnival and Lent,” a painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder from 1559 uals and celebrations had to take the rich and the celebrations of from year to year in our calenplace before Ash Wednesday. the newly freed slaves. In dar. Traditionally, Christians As Christianity became more Eastern Bolivia, it includes celebrate a period called Lent widespread, the pagan gods water fights.

Tourists have to be before Easter. This is a time of began to be converted to devils careful not to get their cameras fasting and repentance, a time of and demons.

Mock battles were wet.

England’s form of carnival focusing on the soul, not the celebrated between Lent and the is very subdued.

Pancake Day flesh. It has its roots in the tradicarnival. is the day before Ash tion of Christ’s fast for 40 days These, in turn, developed into Wednesday.

Traditionally, peoand 40 nights in the desert. Lent masked balls held by the nobles ple served pancakes on this day begins on Ash Wednesday (el and revels held by everyone to use up the butter and eggs miércoles de ceniza). The time else.

The rich brought the tradithey would not be allowed to eat right before Ash Wednesday is tion of pre-Lent masked balls to during Lent. In contrast, carnicalled carnival. It is the time the Americas.

The African val in Rio de Janeiro is a huge when people exuberantly celeslaves and native peoples added four-day event for which people brate the things they will have to stories, costumes, and music spend months preparing. It forego during the more sober from their traditions.

Now, carstarts when the Fat King is time of Lent. crowned and given a giant gold nival is a time of parades and

Performers of El Carnival enjoying the spotlight in Bolivia and silver key to the city and with dancers dressed as conculminates with the samba quistadors and their horses. parade in the sambadromo.

Others tell the story of the Samba schools, many of them priests who converted the from the favelas (slums), comindigenous peoples to pete. Like many places in South Catholicism. Other dances tell America, carnival in Brazil of other historical events. In grew out of the balls of the rich 1790, in an effort to keep carniduring the 1800s. The poor riotval from becoming unpleasantly ed during the balls until carnival out of control, the priests named became an accepted event, one the Virgin of the Mineshaft the which turned social rules upside patron saint of the festivities. down. Slaves were freed for The indigenous miners worried three days. The rich dressed as that their own God of the underthe poor, the poor dressed as the world, Supay, would be jealous, rich, and men dressed as so they began honoring him durwomen. ing the carnival too in a dance Western Bolivia’s carnival is called La Diablada. The particularly interesting because dancers, los diablos, dress in it is one of the ways the indigescary costumes to scare away nous Andean culture preserves evil spirits. and celebrates its stories, histoIn 1913, the morenda dance ry, and customs. In 2001, was added in remembrance of UNESCO declared the Carnaval the African slaves brought to de Oruro a Masterpiece of Oral work in the mines. In this dance, and Intangible Heritage of the dancers dressed as slaves Humanity. Oruro is a mining shuffle sideways as though their town in the Andes. Carnival feet were bound with chains. there takes the form of parades Caporales, or slave drivers, of dancers. The dancing goes on dance aggressively. for 8 days and 8 nights. Dancers The third day, ch’allas are train for months to be able to do burned. Ch’alla literally means this. Traditionally, dancers sand or cement. The ch’alla is a believe that this physical sacrismall bundle of incense, dung, fice to the devil will ward off staple foods, candy, and gold evil and bad luck the rest of the and silver paper. It is doused year. Costumes are very elabowith alcohol and burned outside rate and are heavy. Some weigh homes and businesses. The up to 80 lbs! Participants drink Aymara traditionally are aniheavily, believing it will sustain mists. This is a sacrifice to them through their ordeal.

Mother Earth, to thank her and Some dances tell the story of ensure that the coming year will the conquest of the Aymara and be successful. the Quechua native peoples,

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“Long Acting Reversible Contraception” Best for Preventing Pregnancy

BY MICHELE CHAUSSE HEALTH QUARTERS

The term “long active reversible contraception (LARC)” may not roll off the tongue, but it describes a concept whose time has come. According to David Grimes, a top reproductive health researcher in the United Kingdom, “(LARC) is a method that can be started and then forgotten…the default option is protection against pregnancy.”

“Forgettable” birth control methods only require your attention anywhere from every three to 10 years.

Grimes writes that the effectiveness of contraception is influenced by five principal factors: efficacy (how well it works), compliance (how well

clients buy one month at a time for as little as $15, depending on insurance and income.

“Forgettable” contraception offers a range of other options.

There is the permanent route – male sterilization (vasectomy) or female sterilization (tubal ligation) – most likely not a practical choice for college age persons. Many women are trying a relatively new product, Implanon, which is inserted under the skin. Implanon is a match stick-size capsule or implant; it works by slowly releasing etonogestrel, a hormone that prevents pregnancy over the course of three years.

Because Implanon does not contain estrogen, this may be the right option for women who cannot use estrogen.

the user follows directions), continuation over time (how well the user sticks with it), ability to conceive (how easy it is to get pregnant on a given method), and frequency of sex (how many chances there are to get pregnant each month). Of these, compliance and continuation are the factors that have the most impact on the successful use of any birth control method.

And they are especially significant in determining the effectiveness of oral birth control.

Currently, the Pill is by far the most popular method among Health Quarters’ clients and young American women, but it is also often the hardest to use faithfully. While the stated effectiveness is 96-99%, in reality this rate can be much lower – around 92%. Poor user habits are the reason for the discrepancy: taking the Pill at different times of day, missing days, or skipping pills all decrease its effectiveness. It appears that its popularity is based on its low cost, as many Health Quarters

For even longer protection against pregnancy, an IUD is the ultimate LARC. The IUD has experienced some bad publicity in the past, but today's IUDs are quite safe and have one of the lowest failure rates of any contraceptive method, less than 1%.

An IUD is a very small, Tshaped device – about one inch in size – that is inserted into the uterus by a health care professional, such as the clinician at Health Quarters.

There are two types of IUD available in the U.S.: the ParaGard, which contains copper but no hormones and is effective for at least 10 years; and the Mirena, which releases a small amount of the hormone progestin, and is effective for at least five years. Both prevent sperm from joining with an egg, thereby preventing fertilization/pregnancy. The Mirena can also prevent ovulation. The IUD is a good choice for those who are not at high risk for sexually transmitted diseases or infections, and is one of the least

expensive forms of birth control available today. (At Health Quarters, there is no cost for the device with most insurances, although there is a fee for the office visit. Women who do not have or are not using insurance will likely pay anywhere from nothing to $200, based on a sliding fee scale.) This one-time cost certainly compares favorably with monthly charges for the Pill.

And there are many other benefits: There’s nothing to remember to take (unlike the Pill), put in (unlike the NuvaRing) or take off (unlike the Patch); the ParaGard IUD does not change a woman's hormone levels; and the Mirena IUD may reduce period cramps and reduce menstrual flow by as much as 90 percent. For some women, periods stop altogether, yet the ability to become pregnant returns quickly once the IUD is removed. And a recent study published in the medical journal Lancet reports that women who use the IUD halved the risk of developing cervical cancer compared to those that had not ever used the device. These results are contrary to popular belief that the IUD could be a risk factor of cervical cancer.

Overall, the IUD is simple to use, long-lasting, reversible, can be hormone-free, and economical. Ninety-nine percent of IUD users are pleased with them.

Of course, LARCs, like other birth control methods, do not protect against STDs. We advise using a condom during sex as well unless you and your partner have tested negative for HIV and other STDs. Some final words: We at Health Quarters support the use by sexually active women of any birth control method they will use correctly. If we had to rate them, though, we would favor the NuvaRing (which you change once a month), Implanon, and IUD because they all have that “forgettable” quality that helps ensure effectiveness. And “forgetting” is definitely NOT what you should do with the Pill!

For more information on LARCs or to schedule an appointment, call Health Quarters in Beverly at 978.922.4490 or email info@healthq.org

The Gift of Giving Back

BY SHANNON HORGAN

My semester at NSCC began just like any other, stressful and hectic. I made an appointment to see my advisor, Donna Davis, to see where I was at and how I could help out in TRIO. She mentioned this organization called Cradles to Crayons, describing it as this huge factory that takes orders for kids in need and tries to fill those orders as best they can. She said that she was hoping to get a group of students to go there

We organized a bake sale and several TRIO students contributed to a super successful event. We raised $250 for the purchase of new items to be brought with us in volunteering at the factory!

We did a lot of sorting and organizing the month before the field trip, but I loved every minute of it. Just knowing there were little kids who would be getting a package of things that they truly needed was magical.

In the end, even I was surprised at how successful the entire clothing drive went.

NSCC students walk by bags filled with items for “Cradles to Crayons” TRIO collected over 1500 items and volunteer. I was already in to bring with us to Cradles to love with the idea and the Crayons.

They even said it was organization because it sounded the biggest amount coming simply adorable and so heart from a college group that they warming. ever received!

We hit well over Donna said she was looking the original goal and my own for a student to really get behind personal goal as well. this project and organize the The students attending the trip clothing drive. I jumped at the met on December 2nd in the opportunity to take on this aweTRIO office of Danvers campus some project for such a good and started loading all of the cause. bags onto a huge cart. It was a I started stocking up on mithuge team effort to load and tens, hats, and socks. It was unload the bus; thankfully we funny because I always have the had plenty of students that volurge to shop; only this time unteered for the trip. Once we instead of shopping for myself it got there, we ate and then got was for a really cool cause, to ready to work. help kids stay warm this winter.

There were two groups: one Then I decorated boxes and group was assigned to sort used them as the collection through new items and place boxes to be put up around them into the right bins while school. I felt like November the other group was assigned to couldn’t come fast enough so I put together the packages. I was could begin spreading the word. placed with the group making The original goal was about six packages.

It was the most prehundred, but I had my hopes set on a thousand.

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Scholars Provide Holiday Meal

BY ALYSE COMEAU

If you were to ask any one of the North Shore Community College Presidential Scholars how they felt when they had been asked to take on the challenge of providing about 100 needy people from The Welcome Table with a holiday meal, any of them would tell you that they had doubts.

Questions like “Will there be anyone to help us?, Will there be enough time?, and “Will we really be able to do it?” ran through the scholars’ minds.

One sure indicator of a good leader is the ability to do exactly what the scholars did next.

They took their doubts and

Tucson, stated, “With guarded optimism, I hope she will survive, but this is a very devastating wound.”

Giffords somehow pulled through. A process of rehabilitation, aided closely by her husband, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, soon began to bring signs of her miraculous recovery.

During this time, she even wrote a book, along with her husband,

turned them into questions that they could get a definite answer from, such as “Who will we reach out to that can help us?, How will we organize our time?, and How will we do this?”

The scholars wasted no time taking action. Under the help of their advisors, Joanne Lite and Victoria Pasciutto, they planned and organized while abiding by the 5 Core Values of a Leader.

Model the way. The scholars were lucky enough to have the privilege to meet with a man named John Call at their orientation in August. Mr. Call was the one who presented the scholars with the challenge to put on a holiday dinner to feed

100. He shared with them stories of his own experiences and accomplishments that made the scholars believe such an event would be possible.

Inspire a shared vision. After accepting the challenge, the scholars really came together to formulate and carry out a plan of action – not only for the day of the event but for all of the steps that needed to be taken prior to the dinner. Teamwork was key. With everyone helping out and working together, the scholars’ ideas became realities.

Challenge the process. Every road to success has its bumps.

On Friday December 2, the night of the event, the scholars arrived at the Maple Street

Congregational Church with high hopes – and plenty of nerves! There were a few minor hiccups, but through the process of trial and error, the scholars weeded out the plans that did not work and focused on those that did.

Enable others to act.

Throughout the duration of the event, collaboration was utilized in every way. Each scholar played their part in different areas such as making salads, cooking pasta, making sauce, setting tables, serving food, and last but not least, everyone’s favorite – cleaning and doing the dishes! The ability to come together and willingness to be flexible was crucial to that

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night.

Encourage the heart.

Although everyone was stressed out and had a lot of work to do, the scholars kept a positive attitude at all times. The good energy was truly felt throughout the whole hall. Smiling faces and laughter filled the kitchen and the dining room. The scholars knew they were making so many people happy and the joy that brought them was indescribable. The cheer that was felt that December night is something that will never be forgotten – along with the delicious food, of course!

Gabrielle Giffords Continued from Page 1

called Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope. It was published in 2011.

One year later, to the day, Adam Nagourney of the New York Times wrote about the event at the University of Arizona, commemerating the anniversary of the tragedy. He mentioned Michael Wood, who said, during the event, “It gives you goose bumps. She looked

really good.”

Patricia Maisch was one of the people involved in physically stopping Loughner from continuing his attack. Her words were also in Nagourney’s article. “We refuse to let this tragic day define us,” she said.

Most of us will never know how hard it really was for the people who were shot and their loved ones. We can read about

them, that things are improving in their lives, but the hardships that went on behind closed doors we may never truly understand. Giffords’ progress was far greater than anyone expected, and her recent decision to resign is in no way a sign of her giving up. As far as she has come, she is just not ready to retake her seat in Congress. But that doesn’t close any doors for the

future.

Because of Loughner’s cowardly act of violence, good people suffered. He succeeded in proving to the whole world that he is a weak and insignificant man. Anyone can sneak around, whining about their own problems and distorted ideas, taking it out on everyone else. That’s a child’s game. Not everyone can build a life out of difficulty.

From left to right: Christina Green, the youngest victim of the shooting in Tucson, AZ, Dorothy Morris, a 76 year-old retiree, federal judge John M. Roll, Phyllis Schneck, a great-grandmother, Dorwin Stoddard, who blocked his wife from gunfire, and Gabe Zimmerman, a former aid of Giffords

Local Business Review

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Charlie’s Garage

BY NELSON BAKER

Mechanics are not hard to find, at least not on the North Shore.

They seem to be everywhere, yet, finding one that is trustworthy can feel like a shot in the dark. We all hear stories of friends getting burned one way or another, because they didn’t know any better. But if we knew about cars, we’d probably be fixing them ourselves.

I first met Lou Russo, owner of Charlie’s Garage, about ten years ago. Soon, I realized I’d finally found the mechanic I’d been searching for.

Charlie’s Garage is a full-service shop with competitive pricing, towing, and often has several vehicles on location available for purchase. They are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00, and are located in Salem at 43 Mason Street.

The shop has been in Salem for thirty years, but it was purchased by Russo in 2002. In 2007, it was expanded from a 2bay to a 6-bay garage. Business continued to grow, and the expansion was necessary to maintain this progress.

On Foreign Affairs • The threats we face are complex, but the one unifying thread that forms Mitt Romney’s strategy to address them is this: when America is strong, the world is safer. It is only American power—conceived in the broadest terms—that can provide the foundation for an international system that ensures the security and prosperity of the United States and our friends and allies.

Setting a New Tone: Eight Actions for the First Hundred Days 1. Restore America’s Naval Credibility: Announce an initiative to increase the naval shipbuilding rate from nine per year to approximately fifteen per year and sustain the carrier fleet at eleven. This will restore America’s presence and credi-

With thirty years of experience, Russo has been around.

“I’ve done everything you can do in the automotive business,” he said. “But you have to be socially skilled. You have to be a people person, if you want to succeed.”

If you have questions, or need further explanation about why your vehicle may need repair, Russo and his team will take the time to make sure you understand what is happening. This is why he believes his customers keep coming back. “We are a neighborhood shop. We service customers within a two-mile radius.”

Besides Russo, Charlie’s Garage has two full-time mechanics and one part-timer,

Giving Back

Continued from page 4

cious thing I have ever been a part of.

I was assigned to the 12-18 months age group. We picked out five outfits, one sweater, and two pajama sets. It was so much fun to match all these teeny, tiny outfits and then know that they were going to be put on a teeny, who happens to be his son.

“David has always been around cars. He will probably be the one to continue the business in the future,” Russo explained.

Russo acknowledges that the industry changes extremely fast, and the training required to change with it always needs to be there. It can be extremely busy at the garage, but Russo is where he belongs. “I enjoy helping people solve their problems,” he said. If a mechanic can make you believe these words, then you have found the right place.

Call Charlie’s Garage and ask for Lou (mention this article) at 978-744-1111 to receive $5 off your next oil change.

NSCC TRIO students

tiny little girl. We put so much thought and care into every package and outfit, which made us feel like we helped out so much, like we personally dressed this little person in our own taste of clothes, almost as if we were dressing our own children.

That is what felt so awesome

Republicans on the Issues Continued from page 2

bility on the high seas with a view toward deterring aggressive behavior and maintaining the peace.

2. Strengthen and Repair Relationships with Steadfast Allies: Take swift measures to restore and enhance relationships with our most steadfast allies. Actions include reaffirming as a vital national interest Israel’s existence as Jewish state, declaring the U.S.-U.K. special relationship to be a foundation for peace and liberty, and beginning talks to strengthen cooperation with Mexico on the shared problem of drugs and security.

For more information visit http://www.mittromney.com/iss ues

Ron Paul

On Jobs • Veto any unbalanced budget Congress sends to his desk.

• Refuse to further raise the debt ceiling so politicians can no longer spend recklessly.

On Immigration • Enforce Border Security – America should be guarding her own borders and enforcing her own laws instead of policing the world and implementing UN mandates.

• No Amnesty - The Obama Administration’s endorsement of so-called “Comprehensive Immigration Reform,” granting amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants, will only encourage more law-breaking.

• Abolish the Welfare State – Taxpayers cannot continue to pay the high costs to sustain this powerful incentive for illegal immigration.

As Milton Friedman famously said, “you can’t have open borders and a welfare state.”

about this trip; you get attached to this little child that you don’t even know but you hope you made them smile when they open up their packages with all their little outfits picked out just for them.

The entire trip was awesome from beginning to end and I

Rick Santorum

On Jobs 1. Cut and simplify personal income taxes by cutting the number of tax rates to just two 10% and 28% and return to a Reagan era pro-growth tax rate; 2. Simplify the tax code and reduce middle income taxes by eliminating the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT); 3. Simplify the tax code, encourage savings and investment, and reduce taxes by eliminating the Death Tax;

On Healthcare • Priority number 1 = repeal ObamaCare • Strengthen patient-driven health coverage options such as Health Savings Accounts coupled with high deductible insurance plans • Reduce costs through competi-

really appreciated the chance to just be a part of it. I appreciated the chance to make a small difference in a few kids’ lives that day! I wouldn’t have had the opportunity had Donna Davis not enchanted me with her story of helping little kids and she was the extra push that made me glad to take on this project!

tion, increased transparency, electronic records, and health care literacy – empowering patients and their doctors with information and options On Immigration • Secure the border first, and then tackle other aspects of immigration reforms to solve an urgent national security challenge and gain credibility with the American people first.

• Streamline the legal immigration system to avoid unnecessary bureaucratic delays and burdens.

For more information visit http://www.ricksantorum.com/i ssues This information is not a comprehensive list. For a complete list of the candidates’ views and all related information, visit their websites.

On Healthcare • Repeal ObamaCare and end its unconstitutional mandate that all Americans must carry only government-approved health insurance or answer to the IRS. • Allow purchase of health insurance across state lines.

Ron Paul

For more information visit http://www.ronpaul2012.com/th e-issues/

Rick Santorum

PAGE 7 – NSCC PENNON

The End of PIPA and SOPA... or is it?

BY JOHN HRUSKA

PIPA, and her sister, SOPA, have been making headlines lately. The minute details of their lives have been plastered, ad nauseum, on magazine covers, in newspapers across the country, and all over the internet. While I personally can’t stand PIPA or SOPA, I am certainly not sick of seeing them and hearing about them in the media. In fact, the only way to make them go away is to spread the word about the dangers that they pose.

PIPA (Protect Intellectual Property Act) and SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) are two pieces of legislation that were on their way to being voted on in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, respectively.

Both bills aimed to curb the ability of websites to offer unauthorized, copyrighted material to users. PIPA and

SOPA target websites, especially those located outside of the United States, which host unauthorized content and grant the U.S. government the power to limit the relations that American companies have with those websites.

Essentially, if a website provided unauthorized, copyrighted materials to users, then the holder of those copyrights could request that access to the offending sites be blocked and could request a denial of funding to those websites. These bills do not just target the sites that infringe upon the rights of copyright owners, they also propose sanctions on sites, such as search engines and blogs, that provide links to websites that are in violation of U.S. copyright laws.

At the beginning of January, the sections of these bills that required Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block access to violating websites were

removed. Additionally, many websites, including online giants such as Google and Wikipedia, took part in an internet “black out” that was meant to show the solidarity of web sites opposed to PIPA and SOPA. After the coordinated protest of thousands of websites along with a petition on Google’s website which collected approximately 7 million signatures, both bills began to lose supporters in the legislature.

President Obama issued a statement which, while acknowledging the dangers of the unauthorized use and distribution of copywritten material, removed White House support from legislation that hinders the free and innovative nature of the internet.

PIPA and SOPA have been sidelined for now but they, and the impetus behind their creation, are far from dead. The

Motion Picture Association of America Inc. (MPAA), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and many other high-powered groups in favor of PIPA and SOPA-like legislation are not going to stop lobbying for internet censorship. It is up to us, the users, purchasers, and creators of creative content, to ensure that the PIPAs and the SOPAs of the world get so much attention that they crumble under the spotlight.

If you are really sick and tired of PIPA, SOPA, and other threats to our civil liberties, then give them the attention they deserve. Do what you can to spread the word about the dangers of internet censorship.

After all, if web sites were forcibly “blacked out” due to restrictive government intervention, the internet, and the world in general, would be a much darker place.

America’s Iraq Disaster

BY HARRY BOWEN PROFESSOR EMERITUS NSCC

So now that the Iraq war is over, can we all rest a little more easily knowing that, as Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said, “an independent and sovereign Iraq is now a reality”, and the sacrifices of American soldiers have made possible “the remarkable progress we’ve seen here in Baghdad and across this country”?

To begin with, we haven’t left Iraq. We in fact plan to maintain almost 20,000 military, security, intelligence, and diplomatic personnel there indefinitely, as well as the largest and most expensive embassy ever built. Those personnel and maintenance costs will amount to billions a year which at the end of the day is pretty insignificant when compared to the several trillions of dollars we’ve spent or will spend on war costs, veterans benefits, and medical care for tens of thousands of physically and psychologically injured Iraq War veterans. Then there are the 4,500 American service men and women who have died in this needless war. But that’s just the beginning of what we are now faced with as a result of the Iraq War. What most Americans may not know is that since 1990, when we first invaded Iraq, to the present, millions of innocent Iraqis have died or have been permanently disabled as a result of American “collateral damage,” and cancer caused by the chemical and depleted uranium waste we left behind after the first Gulf War, as well as diseases caused by our embargo throughout the 1990’s of medical and water treatment supplies to Iraq.

In addition, Iraq’s infrastructure today is in worse shape than it was when we first invaded the country in 1990. Many of Iraq’s electric, water, and sewer facilities destroyed by U.S. bombing

in the Gulf War were never rebuilt. And what is working is not working well. According to the United Nations and the International Red Cross, only one in five families outside

ian violence continuing as a basic feature of Iraqi life, one wonders for how long Iraq will remain intact as a country.

Troubling also is the fact that Iraq’s current Shia dominated

Professor Bowen

Baghdad have access to functioning sewer facilities, almost half of those living in rural areas are without safe drinking water, and Iraq’s electric generation today is less than its pre-Gulf War output.

The overthrow of Saddam Hussein and his secular-oriented Sunni Arab government may have brought cheers from most Americans, but the Islamist-oriented Shia Arabs who control Iraq’s government have done little to instill confidence that Iraq will be a better place now that they are calling the shots.

Corruption is as rampant as ever. Millions of Iraqis who left Iraq during the war haven’t returned, and Iraqi jails are filled with thousands of political prisoners. The fact is that most Iraqi Sunni Arabs, who constitute about 20 percent of Iraq’s population, detest the current Shüte establishment; and the Kurds in northern Iraq, who comprise another 20 percent of the population, have all but declared their total independence from Iraq. And with sectar-

government is not only Islamist, meaning that it heavily relies on the Koran as the basis of law, but is also closely connected to Islamist Shia-dominated Iran the very country the U.S. is now most worried about in the Middle East.

More problematic still is the fear that the American assault upon, and occupation of Iraq for 9 years probably contributed in no small way to what is now obvious and growing proIslamist and anti-American sentiment, not only in Iraq, but throughout the Middle East and across North Africa. This is confirmed by the recent elections of large numbers of Islamists in Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco.

Instead of opining about the American success story in Iraq, Americans ought to be seriously contemplating the damage we have done to Iraq and it’s people; as well as to our own soldiers, the American economy, and any future influence we might hope to have in the Muslim world.

We need your written opinions to fill up this page!

Send us your opinion about anything! Up to 500 words.

Preferably in MS Word Document.

Send to pennon@northshore.edu It will be edited for spelling and grammar. Opinions and editorials are not necessarily those of The Pennon.

PAGE 8 – NSCC PENNON

“Courageous”

“New Year’s Eve”

Movie Review

BY NELSON BAKER

Four officers who work together are each challenged in ways beyond the dangers of their

careers. Friends and co-workers, they share their problems, and sometimes their faith. Each man has his own struggle in which he must face head on, or risk the consequences.

This film is directed by Adam Kendrick (Adam), who also stars alongside Ken Bevel (Nathan), Kevin Downes (Shane), and Ben Davies (David). When an unexpected death in the family knocks one of the men to his knees, he is tested in a big way. But in time he makes a decision that he believes will change his life, and hopes that it will do the same for his friends.

What comes out of this bold decision is the promise to be a better father, and by doing this, a better man. When he urges the other men to follow in his footsteps, each of their lives undergoes changes that make a lasting difference. But not all of

them will succeed.

This is an uplifting story that has action, suspense, drama, and also carries through elements of love and faith.

By making such a positive

decision after suffering a great loss, the officer showed what kind of a man he really is. He realized how he had been living his life, and the mistakes he had been making, and then put in the time and effort to make it better.

Courage comes in many forms. We may think we are brave, but we may never have been really tested. Real courage is portrayed when we are at our most vulnerable. It is here, when fear and death and loss are present, that we find a way to show what we are made of.

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride when watching this film. Even if just for a couple of hours, it made me really think about what I’m doing with specific aspects in my life. Am I making the smartest decisions, or am I just doing what I think is right? It’s definitely something to think about.

Movie Review

BY NICK STILIANOS

How does one celebrate New Year’s Eve? Millions of people spent the last 24 hours of the year in the Big Apple, expecting a huge celebration, and they should because New York has been celebrating the New Year’s Eve ball drop since 1907.

Whether you are there in person or watching it at home with your loved ones, not one person should feel down. After watching “New Year’s Eve,” you may never be depressed again.

When “Valentine’s Day” grossed $217 million worldwide, director Garry Marshall gave the all-star casting, oneday celebration, multiple storytelling another shot. Of all the given days, he went with New Year’s Eve probably because of the dramatic effect it has of bringing people around the country together for one night to celebrate a new year of opportunities, dreams, and resolutions.

Exactly like “Valentine’s Day,” “New Year’s Eve” is a movie with over a dozen main characters, each with different New Year’s Eve stories. Some are cheerful and others start out

miserable, but somehow in the end show compassion and sympathy right before the ball drops, bringing the New Year upon them.

Big role or small role, cameo

Yeardley Smith; Hilary Swank.

You may think having a huge cast ensemble is corny, but once you immediately feel in tune with the different characters’ lives, you will change your

Ashton Kutcher and Lea Michele

or uncredited role, this movie has a long list of stars. They include James Belushi; Halle Berry; Jessica Biel; Jon Bon Jovi; Matthew Broderick; Robert De Niro; Josh Duhamel; Zac Efron; Hector Elizondo; Katherine Heigl; Cherry Jones; Ashton Kutcher; John Lithgow; Alyssa Milano; Larry Miller; Sarah Jessica Parker; Michelle Pfeiffer; Ryan Seacrest;

view. Other films containing multiple story-lines are “A Few Good Men,” “Pulp Fiction,” and “Outbreak.”

So what is your New Year’s resolution? Maybe it’s to travel more; give up smoking; be a better person to others; make new friends; the list can keep going on and on. Remember, making a resolution is making a promise, and if you break it, you may not be able to trust yourself again.

Celebrity Birthdays

BY NICK STILIANOS

Birth Date

February 7, 1965 February 7, 1978 February 8, 1974 February 9, 1943 February 11, 1936 February 11, 1969 February 17, 1981 February 18, 1954 February 20, 1964 February 21, 1946 February Birthdays

Facts:

Name

Chris Rock (Death at a Funeral) Ashton Kutcher (New Year’s Eve) Seth Green (Family Guy) Joe Pesci (The Good Shepherd) Burt Reynolds (The Longest Yard) Jennifer Aniston (Friends) Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Dark Knight Rises) John Travolta (Wild Hogs) French Stewart (3rd Rock from the Sun) Alan Rickman (Harry Potter)

Age 47 34 38 69 76 43 31 58 48 66

- Seth Green based the gravelly voice of Chris Griffin in “Family Guy” on the Buffalo Bill character from “The Silence of the Lambs.”

- Alan Rickman was hand-picked by author J.K. Rowling to play Severus Snape when Tim Roth turned down the role to star in Tim Burton’s “Planet of the Apes.”

- All six “Friends” cast mates were making $1 million dollars an episode on the final two seasons.

- John Travolta is in pre-production of another family project with his wife, Kelly Preston, and daughter, Ella Bleu Travolta, entitled “Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father,” the biographical story of mob boss John Gotti and his son. Travolta will be portraying John Gotti.

“Underworld Awakening”

BY JESSIE PAIVA GENERAL EDITOR

Movie Review

WARNING: Spoiler alert!!

This review reveals parts of the film that may impede your viewing pleasure.

Another installment in the

time to take a stand against the humans and to fight their murderous rampage, the duo are hunted by police, Antigen, and mega-powerful lycans, all who want to capture the “special” prodigal child.

I did not view Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) which

Kate Beckinsale

Underworld saga was borne into the theaters January 20, 2012; nearly a decade after the initial film rocked the silver screen.

And to top it off it is in 3D. The story resumes six months after the events of the second film (Underworld: Evolution, 2006). The humans have discovered the existence of “nonhumans” (vampires and lycans) and decided to eradicate them in a mass genocide. Vampire death-dealer Selene (Kate Beckinsale) and her one-of-akind vampire-werewolf hybrid

was a prequel to the saga.

Having seen the previous two films I still felt a little lost at times during the fourth installment. The film continues with the gory, exaggerated attacks and violence of the epic battles, which is unfortunately lost on me. The plot development was weak at best and the mythology of the preceding pictures were replaced by common clichés of good vs. evil, underdog vs. corporation, the single police officer on the force who believes the lunacy of the protagonist,

Michael Ealy

lover Michael (Scott Speedman) have been captured during the first great “purge.”

We discover that Selene has been frozen in a capsule at a laboratory called Antigen.

Released by another escaped POW, Selene follows the visions she believes to be from Michael’s eyes but are in fact those of her daughter’s, whom she did not know existed. The child was born a hybrid, as her father had been turned, and is twelve years old, revealing how much time has passed since Selene had been frozen. Aided and abetted by a young, tenacious vampire who believes it is

and the sought-after miracle child who has more power than everyone else in the film if she only learned to use it. The 3D effects were amazing at times but overall few and the film squandered many opportunities to utilize the technology.

If you are invested in this series, if you like the deep contrast style of Marvel comics, or if you like to watch bodies being throw into the air, against walls, and destroyed in unnatural ways then this film is for you. Otherwise, unless you’re obsessed with Kate Beckinsale you may be disappointed at what your money buys you.

“11/22/63”

PAGE 9 – NSCC PENNON

Book Review

BY NELSON BAKER

Stephen King has become one

when he is called upon to confront the demons of history.

In fact, Epping does have the ability to change the future, but

der of maybe the most popular president in history.

King is the author of over fifty New York Times best-selling

The entire cover of Stephen King’s novel “11/22/63”

of the great writers of his time.

His latest novel, “11/22/63,” is one that veers slightly off course from his usual antics of horror and the supernatural, but at the same time, it has its gruesome moments.

Jake Epping is the main character of a story that collates time travel with some of the most significant events in history.

Epping is suddenly faced with a reality where every decision he makes could alter the future of the lives of all others, as well as his own.

We follow a timeline that has been altered due to Epping’s stumbling upon this great mystery -time travel.

Epping enters the world of the time before the assasination of the beloved President John F. Kennedy, who many believe, started a chain reaction of events that led all the way to the war in Vietnam.

Though the story is more of a drama and a mystery, King’s dark imagination shines through

this gift does not come without its consequences. He spends the

Stephen King

next few years of his life fostering the best path that could aid in his attempt to thwart the mur-

a fan standing with author Joe Hill

books. They include The Dark Tower series, Carrie, Maximum

Overdrive, Misery, The Shining, It, Bag of Bones, Duma Key, and Under the Dome. Many of his books have become bigscreen films. He has won countless awards and has truly distinguished himself as a writer.

At 64, King is a wildly successful author who has not yet shown signs that he is slowing down. He lives with his wife, Tabitha King, in Maine, who is also a novelist.

King’s son, Joe Hill, yet another author, has written three books of his own, all New York Times best-sellers. They are titled 20th Century Ghosts, Heart-Shaped Box, and Horns.

PAGE 10– NSCC PENNON

CREATIVE

WRITING

Bulldog

BY MARY ANN HONAKER

On the cliff's edge between exhaustion and sleep, I found my wound mind insisting time is a bulldog.

Fine, then. Time is stout, tine-nailed, scratching over vinyl floor.

Time huffs along measuredly, and if she loves you she will heave a squashed nose under your bare arm hoping for a touch, besmirching you with unknown damp, mucus or drool.

If this happens you should stretch out your hand.

Time is short. So lean

down, lean out of yourself, touch the stiff bristles of fur, breathe in the warm stinking musk of living beast.

Time may walk with you down the street. If so, do not hurry her; she likes to nose the earth and air for scent-secrets.

Let her stop and snuffle by the lamppost.

When you take time and let time this way, you have time to awaken your eyes

to this ant navigating the valleys and hills of tree bark, the separate digits of each maple leaf.

You will see squares of sun on your neighbor's stoop, sliced like bread and bread-pure, clean.

Then you will be thankful time is so squat and slow.

Your heart and time's heart

will meet in sweet morning, leashed or unleashed, if you but let time stop.

To Take the Plunge

BY ROZY THEOHARI

My dear grandson, Jan, on Thursday, February 12, 2004, behind our building, on the iced coast of the ocean unexpectedly, a seal appeared.

At the moment I thought If you were there, with me, to see…

Oh, you seal The harp-shaped seal Mottled—black and grey Stuck on the white Lynn Harbor ice Like a child’s drawing on paper.

“Hey, we have a visitor, there!”

She left the ocean underworld Escaping from her caring mother Alone in icy February, after Traveling many miles with acrobatic Flippers splaying…curious about the earth!

You fluffy pup—frightened and panicked In a morning fog mixed with cold air.

There, On the edge of Lynn Harbor.

Did you want the fresh air in your lungs?

Or are you hoping to meet…Whom?

Coming slowly in this gentle, peaceful place No noise. Only the winter silence On 50 Lynnway, the ocean’s shore.

Is it your first venture so near spring?

A long journey in the ocean Navigating without mother’s guidance A dangerous game?

You lift up your small head Directing Your black bulging eyes To the eight-story building’s windows Watching many grandmothers’-grandfathers’ faces In this tower for elders.

Their compassionate eyes are a message: “To your shelter and family—go back…go back!”

Oh, you seal The harp-shaped seal Before your fate is sealed: Do return to your mother, harp seal.

Shyly, she takes the plunge into the icy

A Catechism of Dreams

BY DEBBIE SCARFO

Apples and oranges, nuts and berries; it does not matter if we refuse to see the big picture. Love, they say, makes the world go around. And hate stops it dead in its tracks. But a shadow of wisdom is never enough if we spin in a world with no brakes, one eye open, the other always on each other. We will only be left to perish in our private hells; lying in beds of our own absurdity. So blame yourselves as you chase your tails, running circles in no-man’s land. I’ve always wondered about no-man’s land. Is it a land with no men, or men with no land? Either way it is not a place you would want to call home. Or would you? If you knew the beginning was really the end, would you continue to l’ve your days lost in sentiment of realism and pretense, missing the tirade of people who have trained for this, the ones who will know the score? When you and I will be no more?

This is how it was and always will be. So look for the heavens to open—and your will eyes too—at the beauty and awe that is hell on earth. Then it will all make sense. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust; a candle blows in the wind, breaking your chains. It is time to be reborn, time to follow the source to faraway planets and make the distance, jump galaxies to a new world. But it will take you longer than you ever dreamed, longer than standing in line at the supermarket, angry at the time spent standing. Because waiting is not a word in their language, nor guilt nor shame. Only the burst of a brand new life, a newborn to the universe of openness and faith, harnessed through each owner, flowing from fingertip to fingertip, never-ending.

No need for light or wealth, talent or health, in this circle of magnitude and grace. You will never want for the perishables you seek now, every minute, every day longing, craving, spinning out of control like an errant child fed too much sugar. You cannot take anything with you.

The time of day will be your own and you will see order brought to your world, see how small you really were.

But God help the ones who try to stop the reel from spinning. They will never become beings who reside in the heavens, never wanting in a perfect world.

Instead, spending their days trying to steal another slice of hell, always destroying it in the making. It’s all so simply complicated.

To dream is to dream. But too often we dream of whom we want to become, and never who we really are.

PAGE 11 – NSCC PENNON

BY ROZI THEOHARI

From Lynn to Nahant on Skis!

Winter woke up. A symphony of snow plays over Lynn and Nahant. The early morning February wind-snow-storm

skis onto their feet, and they begin to ski around the building grounds. From the eight-story building's windows watch many grandmothers and grandfathers, with envious faces and under-

Igor Abdevich and Larisa Goldenberg

causes shivers and blood chilling to old people, the residents of 50 Lynnway. But not to the Russian-American couple Igor Abkevich and Larisa Goldenberg. This old couple, Igor and his wife Larisa, adjust

standing eyes.

After two or three circles, Igor and Larisa begin skiing along the causeway to Nahant - faster and faster, sometimes pushed by the wind, sometimes pushing against it. Their goal is to arrive in Nahant as soon as possible!

This is their day's triumph!

They both breathe deeply while singing with low voices Russian folk songs. With their red faces, warm sports gear and rhythmic moving of legs and arms, they look so happy!

More than a hundred years ago, going from Lynn to the island of Nahant, people walked or rode horses. Later, of course, they rode cars, not to mention: boats, yachts, wind-surfers, fighting the towering waves, and sand-surfers, going over the wet sand giving you a spectacular view. Now we can add the winter snow ski as a mode of transportation!

One January morning, I visited Igor and Larisa in their apartment. Igor had just come back from walking the beach alongside the causeway. He walks twice a day, every day, whatever the weather: sun, rain, wind or snow. He never takes the elevator to the fifth floor; he always climbs the stairs.

Larisa has cooked a traditional Russian dish. A tasty aroma filled the air, steaming the windows where snowflakes crashed. The old couple reminisced about winters in Moscow where they lived before coming to America. Igor showed me pictures hanging on the wall.

They both were skiers and loved the mountains. When Igor was 16, he had been a ski champion in Russia.

Snow - a natural smile. The waves of the ocean are applauding while Igor and Larisa ski past them on the shore. On their smiling faces shine forth passion, energy and spirit.

Good morning, Mr. Igor Abkevich! A champion of winter!

Unaware

BY NELSON BAKER

Dugan was always one to think things through until there was no more thinking to do. He didn’t like making decisions without coming to a complete and satisfactory conclusion in which he had faith his chosen path was deserving of a future.

Never a loner, but far too often alone just the same, Dugan

confused, bewildering perplexities, but alongside things that are more powerful than he ever would have imagined.

In this place, Dugan became less and less aware of his own, actual life. The deeper in he searched, the weirder things became. But he was not so afraid of it any longer. He was getting to know his darkness.

He had befriended it.

remained seated on his favorite recliner in his apartment.

Staring straight ahead but at nothing, he awaited something that might take him away from such frightening silence.

He considered what options he had for the Saturday that lay ahead. He had tasks to accomplish – several, in fact. Things that, for years, motivated and captivated him. But as the uneventful days and long, quiet nights turned into too many to count, Dugan’s thinking started to change.

As morning turned into afternoon, a shrill of desperation poked around Dugan’s mind.

Time was wasting, yet again. He sat still, for the most part, listening to the sound that wasn’t there, except for the traffic in his mind. His thoughts moved faster as his anxiety persisted through the passing of the day.

In this overwhelming nothingness, Dugan had little ability to let in any of the positive that had often accompanied and led his actions since he was a kid. In a sense, he was powerless. But he was allowing himself to explore this unknown region. It was his choice to search further into his mind, blindly, without armor.

It wasn’t the first time he had taken this kind of trip, but it was the furthest he had ventured.

This was not a form of meditation. This was something else.

He wasn’t watching his thoughts pass by. He was stalking them, following closely. He was traveling to a dark place filled with not only his own

The clouds hovered above, but he paid no mind. It had created a shade. Faces appeared in the pitch black that surrounded him at all angles. Sometimes, just eyes. But he was not disturbed by them, only curious.

Having forgotten what purpose he had in coming to this place, he continued on.

Something in the silence had clouded his former way of thought. He was utterly unaware.

Walking into the deepest of the dark, Dugan was confronted by fears he had also forgotten about. All eyes were on him, some of them attached to the most hideous of creatures.

Some had bodies, some didn’t.

Dugan lied down on his back, and their eyes became the stars in the sky. He was feeling a tremendous wave of emotion.

The creatures began eating into his flesh, but he had forgotten that pain was something he would normally fear with the highest regard. In this moment, it was illuminating.

He was suffocating, sweating, bleeding, and worse, but he was unaffected. Unaware, except toward his new dark friends and the rush they were giving him, Dugan decided to return the favor. He felt it was his place to do so, that it was the right thing to do. And so he opened his mouth, and tore into flesh.

Sometime later, when emotions withered and actions subsided, Dugan returned to his reality. He was back, aware again, but, unfortunately, just not the same.

PAGE 12 – NSCC PENNON

Are you graduating?

Need money to continue your education?

The Alumni Association awards $1000 scholarships every year to students completing an NSCC certificate or degree program and continuing on to a 4-year school. Awards are based on merit, academic scholarship and campus/community service. You must have already completed a program or be graduating in May or August of 2011 to be eligible. Information and applications are available now in Student Support, Financial Aid, and Alumni Office located at DB 330, as well as online on the NSCC Alumni webpage. Application deadline is March 5, 2012.

Healthy Heart Awareness National Wear Red Day®

–

Do you know The Heart Truth® about women and heart disease? More women die of heart disease than any other disease—even breast cancer. And living with it can lead to disability and a decreased quality of life. Join The Heart Truth campaign on Friday, February 3, 2012 — National Wear Red Day — to help spread the message that "Heart Disease Doesn't Care What You Wear, It's the #1 Killer of Women.®" Wear your favorite Red Dress, red shirt or red tie to inspire women to take action to protect their hearts. Having just one risk factor can double your risk of developing heart disease. Multiple risk factors multiply your risk. Know the risk factors for heart disease that you have control over: • Smoking • High blood pressure • High cholesterol and high triglyceride levels • Overweight/obesity • Physical inactivity, and • Diabetes and pre-diabetes.

Stop by the Health Services’ Healthy Heart Awareness tables on Thursday, February 2nd from 11am – 1pm outside the Danvers & Lynn cafeterias. We will be offering free blood pressure checks and lots of information on how to maintain a healthy heart. Also, find out from your doctor if you are at risk and take action. Through heart healthy eating, physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking and taking prescribed medications, you can help to control and even reduce your risks for heart disease. To find out more on women and heart disease, visit The Heart Truth Web pages at www.hearttruth.gov or call the NHLBI Health Information Center at 301-592-8573. ~ The Health Services team

From left to right: Jessica Igboama, Naima Usuman, Airen Briceno, Theresa Toe, Isatta Bangura and sitting in front is Diana Nalubega, wearing t-shirts they made at the World AIDS Day event on Thursday, Dec 1st.

For more information, contact Sandy Rochon in the Alumni Office at (978)762-4000, ext 5481/5482 or srochon@northshore.edu.

Club News Club Directory

A F R I C A N S O C I E T Y : LOVE MAYA A V I A T I O N : JOHN KREEFT B G L A D : TIFFANY MAGNOLIA B I O L O G I C A L S C I E N C E C L U B : SCOTT STIMPSON C H R I S T O N C A M P U S : TIM WHITMAN C I V I C E N G A G E M E N T : LAURIE MESSINA C R I M I N A L J U S T I C E : CONSTANTINE SOURIS & ANN KOSHIVAS E C O N O M I C S & F I N A N C E : MOONSU HAN E N G I N E E R I N G : MARY BETH STEIGERWALD F O O D S C I E N C E & S A F E T Y : GREG REPPUCCI F R E N C H & S P A N I S H C L U B : IRENE FERNANDEZ M A R K E T I N G : PATRICIA MANNINEN M EDI A C LU B : J IM H A RR ING T O N M U L T I - C U L T U R A L S O C I E T Y : ESPY HERRERA ANKANA BARUA M U S L I M A S S O C I A T I O N : YUSEF HAYES N U R S I N G C L A S S F R E S H M A N : LINDA GOODALE N U R S I N G C L A S S S O P H M O R E : LORINDA LATVA P H I T H E T A K A P P A : FRED ALTIERI P H I L O S O P H Y C L U B : FRED ALTIERI P O E T S & W R I T E R S : JOE BOYD P R E - M E D C L U B : RAY PARKER P S Y C H E D F O R P S Y C H : KRISTIN ERBETTA Q U E E R S T R A I G H T A L L I A N C E : ANNE TABET AND VICTORIA PASCIUTO R E S P I R A T O R Y C A R E : LEN LEBLANC S O T A : PATRICIA BANKS RUTH DELISIO S T U D E N T A R T C L U B : JAMES CHISHOLM S U R F C L U B : SEAN HANLON V E T E R A N S C L U B : MIKE SMITH W O M E N I N T R A N S I T I O N : MARGARET FIGGINS-HILL Y O U T H G R O U P U N I T E D : ALEXANDER GUZMAN

LE219 X.6693 DB366 X.5592 LW229 X.6622 LW288 X.6288 ...................................

LW366 X.5512 DB366 X.5419 DB367C X.5418 DB367 X.5456 X.6650 LW321 DH216 X.4375 DB367A X.5442 LE306 X.6665 LE307 X.2159 X.6274 LW113 LW113 X.6274 DB367B X.5414 DH206 X.4438 DH206 X.4427 X.5556 DB267H DB267H X.5556 LE232 X.6238 LW112 X.6683 DB367E X.5580 DH106 X.4051 DB125 X.5471 DH203 X.4170 DH 203 X.4174 DH 223 X.4168 DB366A X.5548 DB367E X.5467 DH106 X.4368 DB366B X.5515 LW157 X.6601

P E N N O N : VICTORIA PASCIUTO P E R F O R M I N G A R T S C O U N C I L : MATTHEW WOODS P R O G R A M C O U N C I L : VICTORIA PASCIUTO S T U D E N T G O V E R N M E N T : VICTORIA PASCIUTO W O M E N ’ S C E N T E R : VICTORIA PASCIUTO

DB125 LW172 DB125 LW125 DB125

Organizations

X.5471 X.6228 X.5471 X.5471 X.5471

Attention Club Advisors and Members!

Information about your club can be featured here!

This is your page and if you want other people to know about your club or what your club is doing, then contact us!

PENNON@NORTHSHORE.EDU

Join Program Council!

THIS GROUP PLANS AND COORDINATES A VARIETY OF SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMS FOR THE ENTIRE COLLEGE COMMUNITY. PAST ACTIVITIES HAVE INCLUDED AIR BRUSH T-SHIRTS, PSYCHIC READINGS, AND MASSAGE THERAPY. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT VICTORIA PASCIUTO AT (978) 762-4000 X5471 OR VPASCIUT@NORTHSHORE.EDU.

Pennon

PAGE 13 – NSCC PENNON

As we continue our effort to improve the student newspaper, we have a couple new changes to mention for this coming semester. They will remain ongoing until further notice.

1. For those of you who have read an article and wanted to contact the writer, either because you really liked it, or you have a question, email your response to pennon@northshore.edu, and we will forward it to the writer.

Tell us what you think. We would love to hear if our work has been insightful or helpful. Your article responses, your valued input, will only make the Pennon more valuable to everyone 2. The Pennon Challenge invites any student or graduate to submit to the Pennon, and each submission will count as an entry. At the end of the semester, three names will be pulled from a basket, and prizes will be awarded. Entries will begin being tallied starting with the March issue. See the flyer on page 16 for details.

Contact Nelson Baker for more information or to submit at pennon@northshore.edu.

Nursing Club

Jackie Ashton and myself, Melanie Maloney, attended the Gala & Auction Fundraiser entitled "Investing in a Sustainable North Shore," held at the Black Swan Country Club in Georgetown last October 6th 2011.

All of the proceeds benefited NSCC scholarships, equipment for health programs and educational initiatives. It was an honor to have been in attendance and we are very excited to begin our last semester of Nursing school in the new building.

Our nursing class will the the first graduating class to utilize the new building and we are all very excited.

From left to right: Nursing Class VP Jackie Ashton, President Waynne Burton and Nursing Class President of 2012 Melanie Maloney

Food Drive

The Nursing Club is collecting nonperishable goods from Friday 2/3/2012 until Friday

2/24/2012. Donations can be dropped at the nursing skills lab (DH210) in the new building (HP - Health Professions). The food pantry is low on food so the more donations the better. Besides canned goods they also love to receive cereal and oatmeal - yummy staples.

For more information, contact secretary of the Nursing Club Briana Curran at bcurran02@northshore.edu.

This semester the PAC spring production will be…

THE MEDICINE SHOW ~ A Festival of Farces from around the World

We’ve all heard the old adage “laughter is the best medicine!” Well, the PAC is setting out to prove it with a presentation of a wide range of farces from around the world and across the theatre history time-line.

What is a farce? It’s a short, quick-paced play in which a comical struggle for power is enacted between opposing forces – husband and wife, parent and child, master and servant. Our festival will feature two unique programs, allowing our audiences to experience a full spectrum of farcical situations!

At the heart of many a farce is a deception, and Program A, entitled BAD MEDICINE, will consist of a series of plays in which tricksters and quacks take center stage. Program B, entitled GOOD FOR WHAT AILS YOU will focus on the subversive and often satiric nature of farce with a selection of plays that illustrate the complicated relationships between men and women.

Featured authors will include Moliere, Federico Garcia Lorca, Anton Chekhov and the Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage. The festival will include a medieval farce, a Japanese kyogen play, and a Spanish puppet play.

Dates of performance are May 3rd – 5th, 2012 at Lynn Arts, 25 Exchange Street, Lynn, MA. Times to be announced.

Interested in auditioning? Join us on any of the following dates: Wednesday, February 1 from 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., DANVERS, Math / Sciences Building, 119 Thursday, February 2 from 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., LYNN, LE-303

The NSCC Philosophy Club offers students a unique forum where they can dis-

cuss the deep, nagging questions they’ve been asking themselves. The club meets weekly in an informal, friendly, and moderated environment where you can hear the arguments and constructive criticism of some of your most thoughtful peers on the subjects of politics, morality, religion, science, activism, and anything else relevant to philosophy. Come debate any topic you like or talk at length on ideas covered in your philosophy classes! The club advisor is the professor of philosophy Frederick Altieri.

The club meets weekly on both campuses.

For more information contact Benjamin Lithgow (club president) at blithgow01@northshore.edu

Program Council As we all know caffeine is an addictive stimulant. Fifty four percent of

Americans are regular coffee drinkers, a large percentage of that is made up of college students. Even if some students do not drink coffee, they are consuming other forms of caffeinated beverages, weather it is soda, tea or energy drinks. With February being Caffeine Addiction Awareness month, North Shore Community College’s Program Council would like to test North Shore students to see if they can spend one day drinking decaffeinated coffee. Program Council will offer free decaffeinated coffee to the students at a table in the lobby of the Berry building on the Danvers Campus as well as coffee tastings , to see if students can tell the difference between decaffeinated coffee and caffeinated coffee. Take the challenge February 7th 2012. For more information contact clovasco01@northshore.edu

PAGE 14 – NSCC PENNON

One College One Country Challenge Appreciate Asia Beijing Bicycles Buddhism Buses

Ceramics China Exercise Fortune Cookie Gingko Tree Great Wall

Learn Minnan Move NSCC Panda Putonghua

Shanghai Table Tennis Taoism Xiang

SUN

5

12

19

26

February 2012

MON

TUES

6

Pool Tournament Danevrs Student Life Lounge 10:30AM 1:00PM 13 Blood Drive Lynn Campus gym 9:00 - 2:00PM HIV Clinic Lynn Campus LW126 11:00AM - 1:00PM 20

27

8

14 Karaoke Day Student Life Lounge 10:30-2:30PM PC Valentine’s Day Balloon Sales TBA 10:00AM - 1:00PM Ping Pong Tournament Danvers Student Life Lounge 10:30AM 1:30PM Black Histor Event Lynn Gym 10:30AM Danvers Cafe 1:00PM

28

Gym 10:30AM - 11:45AM QSA meeting Danvers 202 12:30PM-3:30PM

Important Numbers

CONNECTING ALL DEPARTMENTS: Lynn: (781) 593-6722 Danvers: (978) 762-4000 Beverly Cummings Center (978) 236-1200

Math & Writing Lab Lynn x6254 Danvers x5417 Hawthorne x1544 Computer Lab Lynn x6296 Danvers x5569

1 Performing Arts auditions “The Medicine Show” Math/Science 119 2:30PM - 4:30PM

7

21

Black History Event “Malcolm and Martin” Lynn

WED

Library

Lynn (781) 477-2133 Danvers (978) 762-4000 x.5526

Book Store

Lynn (781) 477-2127 Danvers (978) 762-4046

Weather Hotline (978) 762-4200

PC = PROGRAM COUCIL WC = WOMEN’S CENTER PTK= PHI THETA KAPPA SGA = STUDENT GOVERNMENT

PAC = PERFORMING ARTS COUNCIL

Events are Subject to Change

15

22 Student Government Association Meeting (SGA) DB208 & LW307 2:30PM - 4:00PM 29 Talent Show Audition DB130 1:00PM-4:00PM

THURS

PAGE 15 – NSCC PENNON

FRI

2 Performing Arts auditions “The Medicine Show LE303 2:30PM4:30PM

3 Go Red Campaign/Heart Disease Danvers/Lynn Cafeterias 10:00AM - 1:00PM 10

11

16 Black History Movie “The Help” Lynn gym 5:45PM Pool Tournament Lynn gym 11:30 - 2

17

18

24

25

9

23

Motown and the Civil Rights Movement Lynn Campus Gym TBA 30

Black History Event “Malcolm & Martin” Danvers Math & Science Cafe 11:00AM12:30PM

4

SAT

NSCC Fall/Spring 2011/12 Schedule Deadline to withdraw from 15-week classes and receive 100% tuition Jan 30, 2012 to Feb 5, 2012

Deadline to change from audit to credit or credit to audit Feb 10, 2012 President's Day - no classes Feb 20, 2012

Deadline to petition for spring graduate & ensure name in program Mar 9, 2012

Evacuation Day - no classes day or evening

Mar 16, 2012

Classes in session Mar 17, 2012

Spring recess, day and evening classes Mar 18, 2012 to Mar 24, 2012 Classes resume, day and evening Mar 26, 2012 Patriot's Day - no classes Apr 16, 2012

Final Exam Schedule posted on Pipeline Announcements Apr 17, 2012

Deadline for IP Contracts for Fall

2011 Apr 20, 2012

Last day to drop a credit course or withdraw from the College with a "W" grade Apr 21, 2012 Day classes end May 11, 2012

Evening classes end May 14, 2012

Final Exam period, day classes only May 14, 2012 to May 16, 2012 Summer Session One begins May 21, 2012

PAGE 16 – NSCC PENNON

Faces in the Hall

Question: What do you wish President Obama had been able to accomplish during his first term?

BY JESSIE PAIVA GENERAL EDITOR

“I think that people think too highly of presidents so even though he didn’t get done everything that I wanted accomplished, I was satisfied with what he did do.”

“That’s a deep question for such a short answer. To completely take the troops out and use more safe and sustainable energy resources. And free education.”

Kathleen Gaffney Environmental Studies/ Health and Wellness

Ben Lithgow Liberal Arts “I would like to have seen more done to end the war on drugs.

Drug use is a freedom adults should have and we need the tax revenue.”

Corey Cahill Liberal Arts

Mary Garland Undecided “To fix the economy, somehow.

Also, making education more affordable.”

Asa Seeley Criminal Justice “Ideally, I wish he had been able to set up a universal healthcare system, like Canada.”