The Pennon - February 2014

FEBRUARY 2014

• A MONTHLY PUBLICATION FOR THE STUDENTS OF NORTH SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, DANVERS, LYNN, & BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS • •READ THE PENNON ONLINE AT: NORTHSHORE.EDU/PENNON•

HISPANICS AND HEALTHCARE PAGE 3

FAST FOOD,

GRAND THEFT AUTO

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FAST DEATH

AN UNLIKELY URBAN ARBORETUM

BY CANDICE L. HORGAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

By definition, cemeteries are occupied by mausoleums, headstones, and other memorials to the dead. They are hushed places where we remember departed loved ones and place mementos on their graves. With a deep-rooted reverence, we walk lightly; after all, we are walking on consecrated ground. Childhood tales of sickly creatures crawling out of crypts and haunting the living coupled with society’s avoidance of the subject of death have created a sense of superstition, fear, and even horror. Our view of cemeteries has thus been set. If we could only “see the forest for the trees,” as the old saying goes, we would notice how the horticultural world abounds within the confines of the burial grounds.

Strapping trees silently greet the sky while Endless Summer hydrangeas burst into their

autumn fuchsia. Ruby red geraniums peek at visitors from various little gardens spread throughout. Cemeteries, with their arboreal and botanical treats, offer life in the midst of death and mourning.

It’s a comfortably warm afternoon in the middle of October at Greenlawn Cemetery in Salem, Massachusetts. The main gate is guarded by a large black iron gate supported by massive stone pillars on each side of the road. Just past the gate lies a large circular patch of sparse grass covered in fallen pine needles, with a few trees and a quaint little row of red and white geraniums. Small boulders, about the size of two basketballs put together, line the outer rim of the circle. On the other side of the circle, opposite the entrance, lies a modest red brick building that serves as the office. The roof slopes heavily and is covered in pink and gray CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

THE FRUIT OF AN OSAGE-ORANGE TREE

V REVIEW

GOOGLE’S

SYNOMONOUS

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ROBOTICS

WAGGER

THE PRESIDENT ON A DATE

BY PATRICK GRAVLIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER Many of us have had some type of heartbreak. We have been on a date that did not go well and I had such a date last semester. It was probably one of the most influential dates I have ever been on because it went so bad. However, the other one on the date was and remains special. It wasn't her who was at fault, it was me that got in the way. I was given so much opportunity last year and many challenges at the same time. Everything was set and ready to go and then my plan came under attack by my life.

Everything fell apart in every way it could last September through December. My health and different areas of life were torn apart in countless ways and with great pain. It took my eyes off of her, the one I desired the most to keep.

You see my date was not a woman, though she possesses beauty just the same. She was and is wisdom. Wisdom is the thing all of us desire subconsciously or consciously to receive here in our classes, yet many us don’t see it that way.

Many just want to pass a course and if that is your mentality you will find it difficult to find her.

Wisdom is not just information; she is knowledge and the understanding of its application. It is the best thing to receive in this life and comes with the most perks.

Knowledge is not enough in this day and age with others who also have competitive degrees. Wisdom is more competitive because she is a shelter just like money is a shelter but the advantage of her is she prospers the one who understands her beauty. You can receive wisdom if go after her in everything you do or read. It is the element that lies at the fingertips of everyone but it is also the one passed by most.

She was my date last year but at the time I figured I could postpone her, focus on my crumbling situation and then once sorted out, I would get back to her table. It didn't work.

I dropped my business class and the financial wisdom I could of earned from that class.

She was gone but not forgotten, as I asked out her out again this semester and she said the most beautiful words, “yes.”

This time around the chains of life have been loosened in a wonderful way. Now within my heart lies greater love and resolve that can only be learned from the times that we fail. The plan is improved this semester and just like a date, I have envisioned how all the pieces will come together.

Bordering it all is a

plan, one to keep life at bay and the date at school in the forefront. Wisdom is in my class and in my responsibilities as president. Wisdom is my lassie throughout. She is the most worthwhile thing to earn here at college. She is knowledge with legs, since with wisdom you know how to apply what you learn. Wisdom is the reason I took the position within the Student Government Association. I wanted to gain her and since the SGA is free save for my time, I went after her. She is the reason I want to finish better with my class. She is the hope that inspires me to finish better than I started within the Student Government Association. I won’t quit. It won’t be easy but love never is.

The class I dropped was financial accounting. It is CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

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AN UNLIKELY URBAN ARBORETUM, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

slate tiles. Before the office lies an assortment of flowerless shrubs: rhododendrons, azaleas, and a yew bush with its little, amaranth-colored berries. On each side of the office there stands an assortment of trees of varying sizes, shapes, and species. From a distance, most of them appear to be the usual pine, maple, and oak trees seen in the cities and woods around the local area.

From the heights of the collective trees, I can hear an opera of a hundred European Starlings trickling down. I move closer toward a sturdy red-barked tree whose base resembles an elephant’s foot, and I look up to catch a glimpse of these hidden voices. I notice a little blue sign nailed into the bark of the tree. It’s posted rather high, well over my head, so I have to stretch to read it.

Dawn Redwood, the sign declared. The scientific name, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, was listed beneath the common name. My eyes widened in sudden excitement. This was not a usual southern New England tree. Smiling, I wonder what other unexpected life this cemetery will harbor.

I return to the office building. I call out a greeting and raise my hand to knock on

the partially open wooden door.

The black paint on the door seems to swallow the light beyond the threshold. Just as I’m about to knock, warm eyes and a friendly smile materialize out of the darkness.

Ron Malionek steps into the daylight and joins me outside. He sports a cloud gray mustache that matches his short cropped hair.

His khaki pants are dirt free and paired with a white, collared shirt. A forest green fleece vest tops the ensemble. Indeed, he resembles a tree. His eyes sparkle with a hint of laughter while his demeanor suggests an endearing kindness.

“I’ve been superintendent here for about 8 years now, but I’ve been affiliated with Greenlawn for more than 30 years,” he states. “I worked here part-time when I was in high school.”

Greenlawn Cemetery has been around for far longer.

It started out as a small chunk of land in an area known as the Northfields back in the early 1800s.

“Here, I’ll show you the first recorded burial here –1807– but there were burials before that.

They’re just off the record.”

Ron points out the slate gravestone of Mr. John Symonds.

The name and 1807 date are barely legible due to

erosion. I can make out the inscription declaring to the world that Mr. Symonds was a captain. The rest of the 200 year old engravings seem lost to time. Ron tells me that the captain was a native of Salem, and his family featured prominently in the beginnings of Greenlawn Cemetery; in fact, they inspired the initial purchase in 1807.

The cemetery is bordered by Orne Street, Appleton Street, Sargent Street, and Liberty Hill Avenue. These are all residential neighborhoods tucked into an urban corner of North Salem. To the south lies North Street, a busy main street that is peppered with restaurants, gas stations, and many other businesses.

As Ron informs me that the size of the cemetery is about 100 acres, it’s hard to believe that such a picturesque parcel of land is right in the middle of a concrete jungle.

Ron tells me that Greenlawn is in the process of trying to get listed on the National Historic Places Register. He adds, “A couple other Salem cemeteries are on the register. We’re hopeful.”

As we walk along, Ron points out a tree by the side of the road. He tells me it’s a Siberian Elm that has been damaged in recent years by storms.

The branch growth is stunted and the tree twists as though it were a 20 foot tall bonsai tree.

The leaves are small, graygreen, and are single-toothed.

The current layout of Greenlawn was a product of the Rural Cemetery Movement that swept New England in the late 19th century to the early 20th century. The goal was to provide a final resting place that was aesthetically pleasing. In the 1880s, Greenlawn benefitted from this movement and the first act in transitioning it into an unlikely arboretum was underway. Signs, which include the tree’s common as well as scientific name, were later added to the trees to identify them. A pleasant side effect of so much botanical life is the presence of so many different species of birds and other wildlife.

“If it weren’t for the graves, it’d make for a nice park.”

The Rural Cemetery

Movement inspired the overall appearance of Greenlawn, but how it got such a vast collection of trees is another story. There are over 200 different tree species there and many are not native to the area. How they got there is a story mixed in rumor and fact. During the early 1900s, a man by the name of Francis Sargent served as Greenlawn’s superintendent.

One story alleges that Sargent traveled all over the world and brought back different species of trees with him to see if they could grow in our climate.

Ron states a definite fact and tells me, “There was a nursery nearby that closed, and when it did so, they donated the trees and plants to the cemetery.

They brought them right over across the street and added to the trees already here.”

Ron works with a skeletal crew of only four men to keep up the 100-acre grounds.

By comparison, when Sargent was superintendent nearly 100 years ago, he had a crew of 25 men. Ron’s crew does most of the basic tree care, but they do have a tree expert due some time soon to start working on the trees along the perimeter of the cemetery. His hope is that once those trees are taken care of, as money allows, they can start working on the trees toward the interior. This is another area that would benefit from Greenlawn’s inclusion on the National Historic Places Register.

There would be money that would open up that could go toward taking better care of the trees. There are no special funds set aside for the trees, and so they’re covered under the usual perpetual care package allotted to city cemetery upkeep.

As for planting trees, Ron shares, “I’d like to get into random stuff. We plant native.

We’ve lost 25 trees to hurricanes.”

It’s sad to think of any of these trees being lost to weather, disease, or even lack of proper care due to financial limits. In various stages of fall plumage, the trees really show their individuality and variety.

Japanese Maples’ plum starshaped leaves have remained the same color they carried through the summer; they will

not change. Larches, Amur Corktrees, and Osage-oranges are turning gold. The ginkgo has slowly faded from lime green to pale yellow, nearly all the leaves turning at the same time. Red Maples and Scarlet Oaks are aptly named as their leaves change into various shades of this warm color.

Sugar Maples appear as though the ends of some branches are on fire; amidst green leaves, others have turned yellow, then saffron, then bright red. The pine trees, with the exception of the deciduous larch, will hold onto their needles. Scotch and Eastern White Pine stand bluish-green while Austrian Pine and Douglas Fir remain an emerald color.

Ron is a busy man and it’s time for him to go. Not only is he superintendent of Greenlawn Cemetery, he’s also head of the city’s Cemetery and Shade Tree Department as well as Assistant Director for the Department of Public Works. I have one last question, so I ask him what tree in the cemetery is his favorite. His eyes smile and he chuckles.

“Metasequoia glyptostroboides.

[Dawn Redwood] When the kids come here, I try to get them to say the name before they leave. It’s funny to hear them try to say it. I love the sound of the words.”

We part ways and I continue wandering around the grounds, taking it all in. I notice an aged woman tending to a fresh new planting of ginger mums. They contrast wonderfully against the backdrop of monochrome granite headstones surrounding her. In the distance I can hear a Carolina Wren singing, “Tea kettle, tea kettle, tea…” Towering above us is an enchanting Silver Maple with its two-tone leaves that are silverwhite on one side and deep green on the other. As they dance in the air, they make the tree appear to shimmer. A Gray Squirrel slinks down another tree and collects acorns for its winter store. In a place that typically commands mourning and lamentations on death, there is abundant life surrounding us. I don’t feel weighed down by my own mortality; in fact, I feel very much alive.

WANT YOUR OPINIONS HEARD?

THE METASEQUOIA GLYPTOSTROBOIDES

INTERESTED IN WRITING REVIEWS, OPINIONS, OR ANYTHING THAT INTERESTS YOU? WRITE TO THE PENNON AND BE INCLUDED IN NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE! CONTACT US AT PENNON@NORTHSHORE.EDU OR COLLEGE EXTENSION X5469

SLICE OF CULTURE

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HISPANICS AND

HIGH-CONTEXT AND LOW-CONTEXT

ing with a translator from

BY ANGELA CASELLA Puerto Rico during an admisCONTRIBUTING WRITER sion of a patient from Honduras, I’m writing about this the patient described how he fell topic because in my workplace I into a pot of hot water, but the have many Spanish-speaking translator understood the word patients, many of whom are for “pot” in her local dialect as from Central and South “grill”. Because I knew there America. Sometimes, confusion was hot water involved, the grill or miscommunication comes did not make sense to me. After from the education level of the further discussion, the miscompatient or regional differences, munication was cleared up. even when we use a translator.

Regardless, this demonstrates The ethnic background that a lot of trust is placed in the of Hispanics is usually mixed, translator, but regional and but generally comes from Latin country differences within the America or Spain. They all have Spanish language could still the Spanish language and, usucause medical errors. ally, the Catholic religion in In general, Hispanics common. Catholic beliefs can have more children per family, influences medical actions or but higher rates of overweight preferences. For example, some and childhood obesity. believe that they should leave Alcoholism is also a major decisions in God’s hands and problem, causing cirrhosis of will not seek medical help in the liver. According to the certain situations.

Another CDC, cancer and heart disease source of confusion for medical are the leading causes of death staff of non-Hispanic origin can in the Hispanic/Latino commube very long names. For examnity. The belief system of ple, “Traditionally, most Hispanics also affect when Hispanics have a four word medical advice is sought. name. For Example, Juan Pablo Family members are the first Garcia Perez is Mr. Garcia asked for advice because they Perez or Mr. Garcia, but not Mr. are trusted. The ties of the famiPerez.” (Poma, 1983, p. 942) ly are very important and can be Whether or not a woman uses lost because of migration. her husband’s name can cause Attitudes about sharing probconfusion on medical charts and lems outside the family can possibly when filing insurance limit discussions with medical claims. Also, signing documents personnel. For an extreme can be difficult either because example, an individual may of illiteracy or because the sigbelieve that some diseases may nature is highly personalized be only treated by a healer, or and not representative of the “curandero”, through a ritual. actual name.

The father/husband is also usuSome Hispanics report ally the final decision maker that they do not consider themand younger patients may pay selves permanently settled in more attention to their parent’s the US. This influences their advice than the doctors. integration into American socieBecause of this tradition, physity. If they live in a Spanish cians are expected to give speaking community, learning orders for the patient to follow.

English may not be viewed as a While alternatives sometimes necessity or priority. However, must be presented, leaving a most Hispanics prefer American decision in the patient’s hands doctors because they are permay be viewed as a sign of ceived as better trained as docweakness or indecision causing tors than those from Hispanic the patient to seek another doccountries. Hispanics also tend to tor who will just tell them what respect authority. This can cause to do. them to nod and say yes even It would be unfair to when they do not understand generalize and create a stereowhat the medical staff is saying type of all Hispanics, but medto them. This means that the ical staff members need to keep staff must verify understanding. these factors in mind when There is a language barrier not treating Hispanic patients. My only between English and experience in hospitals have Spanish, but within the Spanish shown me that I need to learn language there are regional difmore of the Spanish language, ferences and slang expressions in order to insure that the highwhich can cause misunderstandest quality of care is provided. ing. For example, while workSources: Poma, P. A. (1983). Hispanic Cultural Influences on Medical Practice. Journal of the National Medical Association, 75(10), 941946.

spectrum, High-Context culimportant to note that the definiBY ADA GOLDEN tures value the spoken word and tion of High-Context or LowCONTRIBUTING WRITER use fewer words to get a point Context culture is not an allCulture is defined as across. This culture focuses on encompassing characteristic of the beliefs, customs or ways of relationships, tradition, and those who are from those counthinking of a particular group. learning by observing.

A patient tries.

The traits of those culture In the medical field, health care from this cultural group may types relate to communication providers will encounter many on family members to make rely ideals and values of the and patients, all of whom have difimportant decisions, or they country as a whole. Not all ferent backgrounds and cultural might provide less information individuals have all these traits, beliefs. Therefore it is critically to the health care provider, since but I think it is really interesting important for us to understand have internalized and they see such dramatic differences to different cultures and how each processed the information. I in communication and it made one is unique in their style of that the health care think curious as to how I might me communication. provider needs to have strong encounter this in the medical Edward Hall was an listening and observation skills, field. anthropologist, who defined two so that they are able to make Patients from a Lowcategories of cultures; High the patient understands the sure culture might want to Context Context culture and Low information.

An extreme of this get right to the point and address Context culture.

In Highculture could be conflict avoidthe problem. He/she may want Context cultures, people have ance. A patient may tell the direct information and instrucclose relationships over a long health care provider what they tions and tell you in detail what time periods and put a strong think he/she wants to hear as they are experiencing.

This emphasis on personal, face-toopposed to telling them what type of communication is taskface relationships (culture-atthey really feel. A patient may oriented and seen as a way to work). There is less verbal comalso not understand what is exchange information and to munication and more focus on being explained to them, yet focus on rational solutions.

I non-verbal cues, facial expreslead the health care provider to would imagine a patient like this sions, and internalized underbelieve that they do. would be one that came in with standing of what is being said.

Communication is a notes, questions and a list of In this cultural type, an individbig part of what we will do in things to discuss with his/her ual identifies himself/herself by the medical field. We will be health care provider.

I see this the group they are a part of and talking to patients, listening to type of culture as fast-paced and the traditions of that group. patients and talking to others in quick to the point; they’re not Some examples of Highour field.

It is helpful to have interested in small talk.

The Context cultures are African, knowledge of other cultures and Low-Context culture is characLatin American, Italian, a respect for how they commuterized by goals, speed, and Chinese and French. nicate. We want to make all solutions. A patient might A Low-Context culture patients feel at ease and respectalready have an idea of what is more factual and direct in ed for who they are and where they want and be ready to discommunication and tends to use they came from. I think that cuss it and quickly take care of more words. Low-Context culthose in the medical field should it.

This cultural group may also tures are characterized by many be educated in types of cultures want more written communicashort-term relationships and an and communication styles so tion, as they place more value individual’s identity is based on that all patients can receive the on that than they do on spoken his/her accomplishments. best possible care. word.

Communication in a LowOn the other end of the Context culture is direct, shorter, task oriented and seen as a way of exchanging information.

This cultural group focuses on speed and getting things done by procedures and rules. Most of the United States, (excluding the southern states), Germany, Ireland and Scandinavia are examples of Low Context cultures.

As health care providers, we often communicate with patients and their families. It is important to have an understanding of the patient’s culture to help make the communication more efficient and beneficial to the patient and everyone involved. I think it is Sources: Beer, J. E. (n.d.). Communicating Across Cultures. Retrieved from http://www.culture-atwork.com/highlow.html Gupta, S., Dr. (n.d.). A Quick Guide To Cultural Competency. Guptaconsulting.com. Retrieved from http://www.guptaconsulting.com/docs/CrossCulturalSamplePage.pdf Highand LowContext Cultures. (n.d.).

En.wikipedia.org.

Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-_and_low-context_cultures High Context vs. Low Context Communication [Web log post]. (n.d.).

Singleton, K., & Krause, E. M. (2009). Understanding Cultural and Linguistic Barriers to Health Literacy.

The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 14(3).

HEALTHCARE

CULTURES

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THE VETERAN’S CORNER

DEAN’S CORNER:

DR. LLOYD HOLMES, DEAN OF STUDENTS

BY LLOYD HOLMES DEAN OF STUDENTS

BY GABRIEL NUNEZ STAFF WRITER

I’m proud of my Military service. I served multiple tours, and have experienced things that would be considered and horrific. traumatic However, there is a new war that veterans are fighting when they come home; the war of stereotypes.

As a veteran in college trying to recreate myself from soldier to student, I have found that it is crucial to move away form the stereotypes our Generation of Veterans has been labeled with. It is time to change how we see and deal with PTSD, and it starts with the Veteran. No more T-Shirts, patches, web posts, or stickers that celebrate PTSD as some “badge of honor”. It’s an ugly, disgusting by-product of warfare, and it must be treated as such. We must reinvent ourselves as a generation of veterans who are willing to adapt and move on. We must look to the future and shed this stigma by silencing it through personal actions and triumphs of the human spirit. We served honor-

ably, and amazing things have been done by this generation of soldiers. We must not let ourselves and others define our generation with the word “PTSD”, which I have come to despise ever so much.

It took me years to realize that you cannot approach PTSD as a simple enemy that can be medicated or talked away. You must attack the vile enemy (PTSD) on multiple fronts and accept that you are bigger than PTSD. Through school, work, physical exertion in the gym, yoga and martial arts, you can begin to find yourself, and regain that piece of humanity you had to put away in order to survive in the emotionally taxing environment of a warzone. It is going to take lifealtering changes only you can make. You must, however, realize the power of change will have to come from within and you are not alone. Thousands of Veterans just like you have been through this same process and have gone on to do amazing things. Take charge of your life and your destiny and do what thou wilt.

Welcome to the Winter/Spring 2014 term. The start of a new semester is always exciting for the college, and I encourage you to really take advantage of the services that NSCC has to offer. Faculty, staff, and other students are here to support you as you strive to achieve your goals.

It is important that as a member of the college community, you are given certain information related to the college.

Please note the following: 1.

As a member of the College community, you should know where to find the electronic version of the Student Handbook. Not only will you find information related to your rights and responsibilities, but also you’ll find information related to academics, student conduct, student services, and information related to getting involved on the campus. I encourage you to go to www.northshore.edu/download s/student_handbook.pdf.

2.

Last year, the college adopted the Massachusetts community college system-wide policy related to bathroom and locker room use.

All students may utilize bathroom or locker room facilities on campus that are designated as gender-neutral. Students are permitted to use bathrooms or locker rooms on campus that are gender specific based on the gender designation contained in the student’s College records.

Please note: Bathrooms designated as gender-neutral are as follows: Berry Building 136, 137, 352, 353 Math & Science 126A, 126B McGee Building LW-125 MBTA 123, 124 HPSS Building 135, 136, 332, 333 3.

Student Consumer Information

As noted on the College’s website, “the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 requires that colleges and universities make available to current and prospective students important information concerning each institution's academic programs, retention rates, graduation rates, crime reports, financial aid procedures and much more in an effort to ensure fairness and transparency for all

Follow the Donna L. Richemond, Vice President for Student and Enrollment Services on Twitter at VPofSES_NSCC for tweets on leadership, success, and for notes of encouragement.

DR. LLOYD HOLMES

higher education consumers.

NSCC has developed this page to serve as the central portal for obtaining necessary information about our institution and allow all students to access the information they need to make the best college decision possible for them and their future.”

Please go to www.northshore.edu/disclosure to view the information.

4.

Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy& Crime Statistics Act Though Douglas Puska, Chief of Campus Police, shares the following information with the campus community via electronic mail each year, it is important to share this information with you now as well.

North Shore Community College is committed to assisting all the members of the college community in providing for their own safety and security. The annual security compliance document is available on the North Shore Community College Web site at http://www.northshore.edu/safet y/police/pdf/disclosure.pdf If you would like to receive a booklet called the JEANNECLERY DISCLOSURE OF CAMPUS SECURITY POLICY & CRIME STATISTICS ACT, which contains this infor-

mation, you can stop by the Campus Police Desk at our Lynn Campus or you can request a copy be mailed to you by calling (978) 762-4090.

The website contains information on campus security and personal safety, including crime prevention, college police law-enforcement authority, crime reporting policies, disciplinary procedures, and other important matters about security on campus. It also contains statistics for the three previous calendar years on reported crimes that occurred on campus and certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by North Shore Community College, and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.

This information is required by law and provided by the Campus Police Department.

As a member of our community, know that you have so many rights. Of these, the student handbook states that the most important is the right to a quality education.

While pursuing this quality education, I encourage you to think of what your responsibilities are in the educational process. I wish you much suc-

THE SPORTS HAYES:

PAGE 5 – NSCC PENNON

THE WINDS OF CHANGE: 1992

BY KEVIN HAYES STAFF WRITER This month will be a little bit different, as we stroll down memory lane back to 1992. Today it’s known as World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE, if you will, but back then it was the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). 1992 was one of the most important years in company history, as outside events almost overshadowed what went on in the ring. It led to a period of change from January to December that changed the face of the company.

By 1992, the World Wrestling Federation was in a state of change. The big news was that noted steroid supplier Dr. Zahorian was busted for distributing and soon WWF owner Vince McMahon would be next on the list. In early 1992, McMahon called a team meeting and said everyone needed to cut out the steroids or find another line of work. This meant that guys such as Hercules, The Warlord and Hulk Hogan himself were in deep trouble. Hulk Hogan had been on national television claiming he had never taken steroids, when it was painfully obvious he did. When the steroids wore off, and fans took notice, he'd look like an even bigger fraud than ever.

Since he was the greatest politician to ever play the game, he simply would retire after

Wrestlemania 8, before the fans could turn on him. As it was, Hogan was leaving as The Ultimate Warrior was coming back. The company would then lose its top 2 heels (bad guys) when Jake Roberts bolted for WCW, to be with his father, and Sid Justice left after his contract came up. Papa Shango, who had recently spent a stint in USWA and had to be pushed to the moon to make up for the loss of Roberts and Sid, would replace Justice.

While all this was going on, undercard guys like Shawn Michaels, Bret “Hitman” Hart and The Undertaker (after he lost to Hogan at Tuesday in Texas he would work the undercard for a whole 2 years) were putting on the best matches of the night, while “Macho Man” Randy Savage and “Nature Boy” Ric Flair fought over the World title. While those two were both over 40, they were

BRET HART

still in great shape, and usually rocked the house when they wrestled.

As the summer approached, Vince knew that Flair and Savage weren't going to cut it, and he leaned heavily on the Warrior. Only problem was off steroids, Warrior was far from the superhero he had been portraying for the last three years. He could work better than he did a few years earlier, but he was in no shape to carry a company that had survived without him for almost a year. Add to that the fact that Shango had not gotten over due to his inexperience and goofy gimmick, and the WWF was in deep trouble going into the summer.

They tried anything they could, even signing the beast of man named Kevin Wacholz as the prisoner Nailz to feud with the Big Bossman.

They brought in long time World Class Championship Wrestling and former WWF villain Kamala to feud with The Undertaker. Finally, the company had long time mid-carder “The Model” Rick Martel feud with Shawn Michaels and Tatanka to get them over as a future stars. The problem was that they weren't selling tickets because they had little time to prepare the new faces because the old faces were either just midcarders during the 80's run (Hart, Michaels) or they had run their course and were only tag teamers (Earthquake, Ted Dibiase). Hogan had squashed all the heels over the years, and Dibiase just wasn't a credible contender anymore outside of Money Inc. The ones that Hogan didn't squash were squashed by Warrior instead.

Believe it or not, the top of heels going into Summerslam 92 were Flair, Nailz, Kamala, Money Inc, Shawn Michaels and Rick Martel. Not exactly Andre the Giant, “Macho King” Randy Savage, Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect, Earthquake, Sgt Slaughter or King Kong Bundy. Even the guys they were trying to push, like Tatanka, just didn't have a spectacular move set of Bret Hart or the microphone skills of Hogan to get over.

Summerslam, held in

Wembley Stadium in London, England, ended up being the passing of the torch. Vince McMahon wanted one of his best workers, Bret Hart, to put over “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith, in order for Davey to reach the main event level. Things ended up backfiring, as Davey Boy spent all summer smoking crack with brother-in-law Jim “The Anvil” Niedhart, and forgot the match he and Bret Hart planned out. In front of 80,000 screaming fans, Bret carried Bulldog for 37 minutes, in what was Davey Boy's best match ever. What was supposed to launch Davey Boy ended up launching Bret instead. After Summerslam, Ric Flair came down with an inner ear imbalance, and Road Warrior Hawk decided to quit, eliminating the Legion of Doom from the roster. Now needing a new heel, Vince purchased the services of Scott Hall, who was working in WCW as The Diamond Studd. Hall then came up with the gimmick Razor Ramon based loosely on the characters of the movie Scarface, which Vince had apparently never seen. Since Hogan and Warrior had squashed every heel in the roster, Vince had no choice but to put Hall/Ramon immediately in the main events. Costing Savage the title against Flair, and tormenting the Hitman any chance he got.

Then came the reward for Bret Hart's 5 star matches every night; he was getting the world title. With Ric Flair unable to work a full schedule, and Savage's time come and gone, Vince turned to Bret to carry the company, in the wake of Hogan and Warrior. It was a novel concept, a wrestling champion who was just that; a wrestler. Not a 6'8 bodybuilder who moonlighted as an actor, or a face painted, muscle-headed, living superhero that the fans were used to. Much to the chagrin of everyone, Bret's title win wasn't even shown on national television, and virtually no one saw it coming. Still, it was a cause for celebration that someone who deserved to be champi-

on had finally got his due, when guys who broke their butts for years such as Ted Dibiase, Randy Savage (the heel years), Rick Rude, and Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat never got their chance.

Then it came time for the true change, the fall of 92.

As if McMahon didn't have enough headaches with all the heels needing time to develop, his Thanksgiving eve Survivor Series pay-per-view was up in smoke before the event could take place. Vince wanted Davey to drop the Intercontinental championship (mid-card belt) to Shawn Michaels in order to set up a big rematch at Survivor Series, and the main event was supposed to be Flair and Ramon teaming up to face Warrior and Savage. Then, just weeks before the pay-per-view, Warrior and Bulldog were shown the door.

Feeling the heat from the upcoming steroid trials, Vince got word both Davey and Warrior received shipments of HGH, and promptly fired them both. Now, the pay-per-view was out its top two matches and Vince was left scrambling for answers. He then managed to salvage the main event by inserting long retired Mr. Perfect into Warrior's spot, turning him babyface (good guy) in the process. Then, he realized that without Davey Boy there would be no IC title match, so why not put Shawn and Bret together? Sure enough, the Savage/Perfect vs Flair/Ramon match was a wild affair, while Bret and Shawn put on a 20minute classic for the WWF title that seemed completely unthinkable just seven months earlier, when neither one of them were anywhere close to the title picture.

As the scene shifted to 1993, one can only be amazed at how things could change in one year. Going into 1992, The Undertaker was in the main events and by the end he was feuding with Kamala in a casket match. Jake Roberts, Jimmy Snuka. Roddy Piper, The Warlord, Hulk Hogan, Hercules, The Barbarian, The British Bulldog, Jim Niedhart, Sgt Slaughter, The Texas Tornado, The Road Warriors and Sid Justice would all bite the dust.

This led to possibly the weakest field of Royal Rumble contestants in history. Although even more amazing, the winds of change between 1993 and 1994 were even more drastic than 92 to 93....but that's a story for another day.

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FAST FOOD, FAST DEATH

BY DALTON DELIMA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

As many as 7,000 premature deaths every year can be directly linked to fast food consumption, according to Dailymail.co.uk. This is an epidemic. People are literally dying in front of our eyes, and, 99% of the time, we do little to nothing about it. We have all come to know fast food as being an easy and cost-efficient way of obtaining food on the go; it just makes sense, its logical. But what are we really putting into our bodies? Fast food is bad for America because it is the leading major cause of obesity and cardiovascular issues in America, and it causes a change in daily lifestyle.

One way that fast food is bad for America is the fact that it is a leading cause of obesity and cardiovascular issues.

Fast food is known for being tasty and cheap; that’s a fact.

Most people in today’s day and age rely on some form of fast food to get through their everyday lives, with one of the more common sources being McDonalds, the nation’s superpower in the fast food world.

Experts say that McDonalds sells approximately 6.5 million burgers per day, which equals out to about 234 billion burgers sold per year. That is an unprecedented sales amount.

One has to consider, however, that these sandwiches are terrible for you.

One of McDonalds’s fan favorites is the Big Mac. One Big Mac meal with a medium fries and medium coke contains a whopping

1,140 calories, 30 grams of protein, 48 grams of fat, 152 grams of carbohydrates, 1,345 milligrams of sodium, 66 grams of sugar, 12.5 grams of saturated fat, and 75milligrams of cholesterol. Doesn’t sound so good anymore, does it? That is a cardio deathtrap. Eating a meal like this more than once a day can put your heart though some serious work, leading to potential health risks down the road, including congenital heart disease, increased risk for heart attack, and blood clots. Not to mention all that fatty goodness has to go somewhere, and that somewhere is going to show.

Another reason fast food is bad for America is because it can cause a significant change in the daily lifestyle of the average person. The average day for your typical working American today consists of waking up, getting ready, most likely eating either nothing or some fatty food for breakfast, taking off to work a 7-10 hour day, coming home to get whatever they can find for food, sleeping, and doing it all over again. Where in there do you find the time to sit down with your family to a home cooked meal? The answer is simple; nine out of ten times, you don’t.

This is where fast food played their sneaky card and made a move. Fast food became the easy and cost efficient alternative to a home cooked meal.

Now, where the economy is going down the tubes, jobs are being lost, and money is tight, people do have time to cook meals at home, but it’s no longer cost efficient anymore. Fast

food seems to have manifested itself as the only cost efficient way to obtain food, and this has put a damper on American society. Now, even when people have the opportunity to cook a home cooked meal, they choose not to, order a pizza, Chinese food, or make a run to the local Mickey D’s, not even considering the fact that this is an extremely unhealthy lifestyle choice. People have come to rely on fast food more than they should. One must ask, however, why shouldn’t they? It tastes good and its costs less, and those are two pluses in today’s world and people always look for ways to save money. But think of it like this; what is more important, good food, or your health? Fast food industries have changed the American view to lean towards tasty food, a move that is sure to doom whoever falls down that path.

America has fallen victim to the fast food craze, plain and simple. People need food that tastes good and that is cost efficient. Fast food seems to be the only way to make that happen, but please, think before you bite into that burger or drink that coffee. You are hurting your body in ways you couldn’t begin to realize. Look at the facts, 7,000 premature deaths have been confirmed in direct link to the consumption of fast food; that number alone should be enough to open your eyes.

Fast food is bad for America because it changes our lifestyle and it is a leading cause in cardiovascular problems and obesity. Don’t fall a victim to this.

Think about yourself.

AMERICAN PSYCHO: A RETROSPECTIVE

BY CALVIN JAVIER GIL EDITOR IN CHIEF I recently finished reading American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis’s 1991 novel, made famous by the film adaption of the same name. The book, which was very controversial due to its graphic depiction of violence, was a very interesting read; it shed light on the materialistic, superficial atmosphere that occupied much of the 1980’s, and offered an insightful, and often disturbing, look into the life of a yuppie turned serial killer, with it’s colorful depiction of it’s main character, Patrick Bateman. Through his character, the reader can see the vapid consumerism that consumed much of the 1980’s, and how it negatively affected both men and women. consumerism The depicted in American Psycho affects men and women in different ways. Fashion, first and foremost, is a common theme throughout the book, and applies to both men and women.

The price and brand of clothing is particularly important, with expensive designer clothes being very appealing, particularly to the wealthier, higherclass characters in the book, such as Patrick, and his many friends and coworkers. Fashion, however, ties into the objectification of women, to some extent. Patrick always jumps right to a woman’s attractiveness when describing her; whether or not she’s a ‘hardbody’, which of her features are particularly nice, and whether or not he’s interested in her.

Their clothing is usually involved to some capacity; Patrick always describes the clothing of women, with the women’s clothes usually being

somewhat revealing. Bustiers, tank tops, and high-heels are among the articles of clothing that Bateman routinely describes. Even the less provocative fashion, however, retains an association to objectification, simply due to Bateman’s comments on clothing and attractiveness being paired so closely together.

Next, it seems as though many of the women in the story rely on men for cash.

Whenever Bateman brings a girl out on a date, he almost always pays for the meal, and any other expenses that happen to be incurred. Women’s careers usually are not discussed, and when they are, they are not of much importance. For example, at one point in the story, Bateman and his friends dine with several models. The models, who are probably paid very well, are depicted as shallow and unintelligent, and are objectified themselves, to an extent; the only reason they are with Bateman and his friends is that they are very attractive. They have nothing to offer intellectually, with their shallow banter being the butt of many jokes made by Bateman. The men of the story, however, have very prestigious, high-paying jobs, for the most part; this applies to pretty much every man Bateman associates with, aside from the homeless people he encounters. One must also consider that the character of Bethany, Bateman’s ex-girlfriend, and one of the few independent, prideful women in the story, is horrifically tortured to death by Bateman. Her graphically violent death is perhaps a CONTINUED ON PAGE 15 reflection of his feelings about ‘The Women’s Movement’, which he makes a disparaging

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GRAND THEFT AUTO V: BREAKDOWN AND REVIEW

BY CALVIN JAVIER GIL EDITOR IN CHIEF Grand Theft Auto V, commonly abbreviated as GTA V, is a video game that was made by developed and published by Rockstar Games, and was released on September 17th, 2013. The game is an open-world crime simulator, in which you control one of the three main characters, Michael, Franklin, and Trevor. The game has a compelling, hollywoodquality story that focuses on the intertwining lives of crime of the three main characters. While the Grand Theft Auto series is commonly smeared by the media as nothing more than gratuitous violence and sexual content, it is far more than that, and Grand Theft Auto V demonstrates this with polished gameplay, excellent writing, and a compelling main storyline.

Grand Theft Auto’s gameplay and environment are great, and a large improvement over it’s predecessor. The gameplay is a large improvement over the game’s predecessor, Grand Theft Auto IV, which featured clunky, stiff movement and gunplay; the gameplay worked okay in the installments of Grand Theft Auto prior to IV, but was decidedly unsatisfactory when implemented in a ‘next generation’ game. Grand Theft Auto V fixes this by implementing gunplay and movement found in their recent video game Max Payne 3, which is quite fluid and feels very good, especially when it is compared to IV’s. In addition, V’s environment, which consists of the city of Los Santos and it’s surrounding countryside, is a large improvement over the smaller, grayer, and less diverse Liberty

City, where IV took place. The city of Los Santos offers a wide range of sun-soaked areas to explore, from inner-city slums rife with gang violence to sleepy suburbs lined with mansions.

The surrounding countryside offers a nice break from the dense, busy city, allowing you to explore the diverse wilderness and dusty small towns that it encompases. The gameplay mechanics and environment are great, and definitely a vast improvement over GTA IV. The Main Story Mode of GTA V is also one of the game’s highlights, featuring a cast of memorable and eccentric characters, exciting, diverse missions, and several unique endings. The story mode allows you to take control of one of the three main characters, Michael, Franklin, and Trevor. Michael is a middle-aged, ex-bank robber, enjoying a life luxury, which he obtained by entering the witness protection program, after being involved in a bank job gone wrong. Unfortunately for him, ‘The American Dream’ is not all it cracked up to be, as he lives an empty life, faced with debt and a crumbling marriage and family life. Trevor, one of michael’s former partners in crime, is an aging, criminal, still addicted to a meager life of crime. An unstable, psychopathic meth addict, Trevor runs a small criminal enterprise with his gang of wannabe criminals, doing his best to gain control of the meth business in the small town of Blaine County. Franklin is a young, african-american male, doing his best to escape the life of small-time gangbanging he is trapped in. He desperately want to do more than repossess expensive cars and rip

off drug dealers, an aspiration that his friends do not share. The lives of all three take an unexpected turn when they intersect with each other, with Michael going back to a life of crime, Franklin moving up in the criminal underworld by doing bank jobs with Michael, and Trevor coming back into the picture, upset that Michael faked his death and abandoned him. The story develops beautifully, and the ability to switch between all three characters and see the story from their point of view is a groundbreaking mechanic that adds another dimension to the classic GTA storyline. Though it is somewhat lacking in length compared to the previous installments, it is an emotional thrill ride that players will not soon forget.

Finally, the online component of GTA V proves to be an interesting diversion that will surely improve with further development. After going through an odd, subpar character creation phase, the player is thrown into an introductory sequence, in which you meet

and race Lamar, one of GTA V’s side characters, and are then tasked with breaking up a backalley drug deal. After that, you are let loose in the world, free to rob liquor stores, wage wars with your fellow players, or do one of the many story missions available to you. The game features a leveling system, which dictates what clothing, weaponry, and vehicles you can buy. It’s definitely a slow grind, but is ultimately quite rewarding; it’s very satisfying to drive a tank around the city, causing mass chaos, knowing that you earned the right to do so. Still, the online mode has some negatives, such as unsporting players, missions that are repetitive and don’t live up to those in the single-player campaign, and rampant money hackers.

Combine with this the fact that Rockstar still hasn’t given players the ability to do heists yet, and you have an entertaining online mode that has an abundance of unfulfilled potential.

Still, Rockstar has promised that it will continue to support the online mode for many years to

come, even hinting at adding new cities to explore, meaning that there will certainly be more to come.

GTA V is an outstanding game, with great mechanics, an exciting, well-constructed story mode, and an entertaining, if somewhat disappointing, online mode. Playing through the story mode is a blast, allowing the player to connect with each of the characters as they see the story from each of their perspectives. Although it is slightly short by regular GTA standards, it largely makes up in quality what it lacks in quantity.

The online mode is an enjoyable ride as well, though the missions are inferior to those of the story mode, the character creator is decidedly subpar, and it contains a few incomplete elements. All-in-all, however, GTA V is a great game, and a must buy for fans of the series and newcomers alike.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

BIRTHDAY FEBRUARY 1, 1971 FEBRUARY 4, 1948 FEBRUARY 6, 1962 FEBRUARY 8, 1974 FEBRUARY 9, 1943 FEBRUARY 14, 1970 FEBRUARY 18, 1965 FEBRUARY 16, 1958 FEBRUARY 20, 1966 FEBRUARY 21, 1946 FEBRUARY 23, 1983 FEBRUARY 25, 1949 FEBRUARY 26, 1953 FEBRUARY 28, 1955

NAME MICHAEL C. HALL ALICE COOPER AXL ROSE SETH GREEN JOE PESCI SIMON PEGG ANDRE YOUNG (DR DRE) TRACY MARROW (ICE T) CINDY CRAWFORD ALAN RICKMAN EMILY BLUNT RIC FLAIR MICHAEL BOLTON GILBERT GOTTFRIED

OCCUPATION ACTOR MUSICIAN MUSICIAN ACTOR ACTOR ACTOR MUSICIAN MUSICIAN MODEL ACTOR ACTRESS WRESTLER MUSICIAN COMEDIAN

AGE 43 66 52 40 71 44 49 56 48 68 31 65 61 59

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JAKE BUGG:

ROCK AND ROLL FOR A NEW GENERATION

BY ANTHONY HARRIS SENIOR ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR The Simpsons has made many lasting contributions to the world of pop culture, but perhaps its greatest legacy

will be the music of Jake Edward Charles Kennedy, also known as Jake Bugg. The Nottingham, England native had no musical ambition until age 12, when he heard Don

McLean’s “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)” in an installment of the long-running animated sitcom. From that point on, Bugg knew what he wanted to do with his life, and the world is better off for it.

Fast-forward 8 years and Bugg has come a long, long way. After several award nominations and performances on BCC Radio, plus a gig opening for Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, his self-titled debut album dropped in October 2012 to wide acclaim. It debuted at #1 in the UK and charted in over a dozen countries – not bad for a lad of eighteen. Not one to rest on his laurels, Bugg teamed up with legendary producer Rick Rubin to record his 2013 follow-up Shangri-La. Touring in support of the album, Bugg played Boston’s House of Blues on January 11th and made good on his reputation as a rising rock prodigy.

There were plenty of enticing sonic appetizers offered up before the evening’s main course. First up were The Skins, a youthful Brooklynbased rock outfit that plays with a power and intensity well beyond their

years. The towering riffs on “Summertime” echoed legends like Zeppelin and AC/DC, while Bayli McKeithan’s primal voice sounded like a blend of Janis Joplin, ZZ Ward, and Brittany Howard from Alabama Shakes.

With massive grooves and snarling attitude, this is the kind of music that is meant to be blasted from rooftops, the kind of setlist that cuts through your chest like an earthquake. If you’re looking for a group that puts the “hard” in “hard rock”, do check these guys out.

Also on the bill was Albert Hammond Jr., guitarist for The Strokes, who recently dropped a new EP after issuing solo albums in 2006 and 2008.

His guitar-heavy brand of rock built on repetitive, infectious riffs, and reminds one of Delta Spirit, Arctic Monkeys, and Best Coast. “Postal Blowfish” kicked things off with gritty, pummeling guitars and an infectious stop-start rhythm. The anthemic “Scared” used a quietloud dynamic to great effect, and the wailing, siren-like guitars were especially impressive.

Hammond has a gift for writing songs that are unapologetically heavy yet retain a strong sense of melody.

To say the crowd was fired up for Jake would be an understatement – Bugg took the stage to a deafening roar of applause, a testament to the popularity he has achieved on both sides of the Atlantic. There’s nothing terribly complex or groundbreaking about his music – just good old-fashioned rock and roll built around tried-andtrue chord progressions, with plenty of watch-the-world lyrics and catchy choruses. It was fitting, then, that the stage was distinctly stripped-down for Bugg’s performance, with the

man himself dressed unassumingly in jeans and a black-andwhite T. Bugg kicked things off with the shimmying “There’s A Beast And We All Feed It,” his twangy, Dylan-esque voice every bit as powerful and iconic as it is on the record. “Seen It All,” the night’s first ballad, was equally compelling, carrying real emotional weight over a hard-driving beat. Bugg has clearly studied the fathers of rock and contemporary folk, drawing influences from The Everly Brothers, Donovan, and even Johnny Cash. Those farreaching influences were also apparent on “Storm Passes Away” with its plodding beat and wistful intonations. Bugg’s vocals really shined on the slow-burning “Ballad of Mr. Jones,” perhaps the evening’s hardest-rocking number. He shifted into solo acoustic mode for “Pine Trees” and “Broken,” the latter of which really showed his potential. Gorgeous fingerpicking, haunting vocals, and a sparse arrangement made for a truly transcendental moment. For the encore, Bugg fired off a rousing cover of the Neil Young standard “My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)” and concluded with fan favorite “Lightning Bolt,” a fitting end to a highly entertaining set.

Bugg is still quite young and has a ways to go in his musical development (his stage rapport in particular could use some work). Yet, I doubt you could find one patron in attendance that night who didn’t thoroughly enjoy the show. It was loud, it was raw, and it was fun – and isn’t that what rock and roll has always been about? @JakeBugg jakebugg.com

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CREATIVE

WRITING SUPERCLOWN EPISODE 4: A HARD DAY’S WORK

After talking with my confidant Chris down at the bar to see if he knew anything, I began to put my life into place. It took a day to get my apartment into decent shape, and by the evening, it looked brand new, like a car that had just exited the car wash. Of course, I got help from a few friends and neighbors, who provided invaluable info as I was slowly building details towards my project, which would someday make me a free man again. I started making notes of what everyone around me was saying, and, by the end of the process, I had stacks of sheets with bullet points on them but no substance. That's when I came across the brilliant strategy of my scheme, which would serve as the overlay to the rest of this adventure and, if I get to keep my job on the Police force afterwards, my career shtick; going undercover.

I looked at the newspaper article on the kitchen counter, which contained a picture of fire fighters saving an apartment complex from burning down, and then the enormous concert poster I have of Bruce Springsteen, and then back again multiple times subtly. Then, I thought of all those hardworking Americans doing the complicated dirty labor out in the cold and dangerous weather, as well as other environments year round. Few could tolerate the stress and handle the long term risk those positions provided. Then I remembered all those men modeling and those colorful situational programs on HBO or other after dark programs, and realized exactly what place to begin asking questions, as there weren’t any real leads except for the tool belt in the background in one of the compromising, over the top photos the police detective showed him at the crime scene earlier. His wife was clearly cheating on him with another man, and, unfortunately, his face was obscured or cut out of the frame in all of them (the initials on his belt said K.O.). So, the digging for details commenced.

I showed up to the construction site on the other side of the city, in a dusty, orange pickup truck and made it my goal to find at least one lead and a possible suspect. As I parked the truck and walked onto the site, I saw a half finished building, with people sprawled all over the place all in their solid yellow helmets and tool-belts wrapped around their waists. At first I thought they would all break out in song and tap dance around, sawing on random things, but I then shook the thought from my head, because I reminded myself I have watched to many musicals growing up. Before I traveled far, I heard a loud voice call out to me and turned to see the supervisor approach me and ask if I was the extra hand they were looking for. He read a name off a clipboard, Roger something, and before I could think of anything I said “yes, sure, I am he” in my gruffest voice possible, and then giggled like a little ladybug and stretched out my hand to shake with the supervisor, but he was greeted with nothing more than awkward silence along with a bemused stare. I then explained that I had something spicy for breakfast and that the fictitious rehearsal last night wore out my windpipes. The gruff supervisor laughed and before telling me to get to work, confessing quickly in a whispered tone that he does ballet off the clock most days of the week, and that's why he orders others around and he therefore is too sore to participate in the hard work. Then he leveled with me and asked me if he had a chance at making it as a hit dancer and I said anybody can if they tried hard enough, though all the awkward tension made me slowly walk away. He quickly nodded his head and gave him the lips sealed gesture and hurried straight to the nearest construction entry point to jump in. For some reason, this thick-skinned supervisor felt he could trust this peculiar goofball.

As the sun approached noon, I tried to figure out how to get in the action, and saw two guys carrying a huge, long plank of wood. I figured this would be a great way to join a task. I quietly walked up to them and asked if they needed a hand. The guy in the back happily accepted the offer, as he badly needed to have lunch and water before he burned out. I grabbed the back end of the load from the worker and followed the guy up the stairs. I went up four flights before I finally stopped and my immortal arms barely felt a thing as I lifted weights thankfully in my spare time while in exile, so I wasn't completely out of shape back in the life of tough work.

As I helped the guy put in the last plank into place I announced that it was officially lunch time and then one of the other workers that went up the upstairs called me out, demanding why he was so late when they were all there since seven. I tried to sell the story that I was replacing the other roger but that didn't go so hot.

“Bulls---, the other Roger was fired yesterday because he couldn't perform any of the tasks assigned to him. Hell, he took a long p--- off the side of the building one-day, and ended up taking home more lumber than he was bringing in, that clown! (But then looked back at him and realized who he was talking to and retracted) I mean you get the idea, hopefully no offense taken.”

“Why, none at all, clearly this ‘Roger’ who previously worked here left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth, and I assure you that I will be different than that guy. Hell, the supervisor made no distinction of there being any other Roger, and probably never bothered to update the attendance list.”

“Well, I guess we will have to wait and see.”

I proceeded to go around and shake other’s hands in character, but besides a couple, very few were hesitant to shake my hand and proceeded to shake off their coldness and continue down the stairs. I noticed a small circle near the center fountain near the various buildings in mid-construction around me, where people were opening their lunchboxes to begin consuming lunch. I looked longingly at the various sandwiches, sliced cold cuts stacked neatly between slices of bread, and then remembered the twenty dollar bill I had stored in one of the tool-belt pockets. I then ran to buy a sandwich at the nearest deli. Unfortunately, since I couldn't find anything of that sort, I ordered some spicy Vietnamese food to go and proceeded to start munching it down as I was walking back to work, farting out fiery puff clouds every couple of steps I took. When I got there I saw some people still finishing lunch and, proceeded to start chatting it up quietly with a few people. Before I knew it, I was singing songs as I began to hammer it away, and proceeded to show off my tap dancing abilities. I ended up wowing the lunch crowd. The people who were also working begged for more, and I kept going. I figured at this point, as the hours passed, the amount of sweat flowing from my forehead ever increasing, that the least I could do is have fun. After I beat a few people with my dancing prowess, I noticed this big, wide guy, around 6’5, skin as orange as a pumpkin, come up and slowly walk into my space and look down on him, with discolored menacing eyes and a full beard with red eyebrows.

I knew I was in trouble. As I looked up at him, cold, icy fear moving up my, spine I weakly stretched out my hand to shake the towering intimidating figures, expecting his whole arm to pop right out of it's socket with a yank of the guy’s gorilla arm, but then, all the sudden, he started talking in this loud, high pitched Hillbilly voice and gave me a big hug, the tension in the moment snapping in half.

“Howdy, there. You must be new, I haven't seen you around these parts before.”

(Taking a second to get my voice back in my throat) “Why, yes, I just joined today” The Lumberjack scanned him seriously then smiled again, “Well, then, welcome aboard! My name is Nueva Air-Ron, also known as Kerry O'Reilly. You?” “Roger, Roger Willis,” I said confidently back.

“Well, Roger, I'm considered the expert around these parts. Everyone looks up to me, I may look young, but I’m wise, even though I don't carry any official title to distinguish myself.”

“That's cool. What are we going to do now?

“Well, I thought you would never ask, I just need someone to help me finishing building the wall.”

“Ok” I said, while making a mental note of the tool-belt as well as the initials he was wearing.

“So, do you get around much?”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Kerry demanded angrily “Uh, I meant do you travel around a lot or stick to the construction site.”

“Oh, yeah, sorry. It’s just as a religious man who goes to church every Sunday, I find it rude that people assume since I’m an in a position of great influence, that I must be abusing it somehow. Yeah, I only travel with my wife and kids and that's that. Do you travel too? (Having successfully backtracked his previously explosive out burst.)”

“Yeah, whenever I can.”

I proceeded to help him finish building the wall. I made an effort to hide my quiet resentment of the guy, and was able to pull off some neutral conversation while we finished the job. I made a few mental notes about my first suspect and proceeded to gather my belongings as the sun was going down and, headed back home inconspicuously to clean up and figure where to go next. I drove home, the back way through a lot small roads, and parked my pickup truck in a random parking spot to return the truck I borrowed and drove home in my rainbow spotted Cadillac, took a long shower and sat in my personal automatic massage chair as I faded out into the evening.

BY PRITT YERAC

The Mansions at Newsport

BY ROZI THEOHARI Merry Christmas!—Newport of Rhode Island Queen of America by “The Gilded Age” of your land, Step by step along the spectacular Newport Bay The very best living accommodations, “summer cottages” That money could buy…

You are born for a Christmas Festival—Newport Inviting the ice sculptors from the Maine snow And people dining in elegance aboard a luxury rail car Celebrating evening Christmas at the Mansions—everyone Visiting the summering place for America’s wealthiest Of the “Golden Age”… A dramatic powerful impression!

History you can touch: Italian marble castles, richly colored and decorated Louix XIV and Renaissance style, early American colonial architecture, The gilded bronze chairs and chandeliers, the mahogany cabinets, the carpets, The image of butlers, parlor maids, footmen, gardeners…

But…owners? What about rococo-dressed rich men and women?

Oh, they were not all happy!

While visiting the marble mansions You as a tourist can listen through earphones To the secrets of the family generations: “ The lady of the house, who did dress her monkey In a Tuxedo…Insisted and pressed her daughter To marry with a Duke against her will…”

So, my dears Their money couldn’t buy everything!

High Flight Ballistic

BY CANDICE L. HORGAN

[Author’s Note: This is a direct take on John Gillespie Magee’s poem High Flight. I wrote my own version of the poem that deals with a main theme of drug and alcohol addiction, but uses the language of describing flight and space exploration similar to Gillespie's "High Flight."]

Oh, I have slipped into the surly bonds of earth And danced aloft with demons at my arms; Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling souls Burnt all to hell - and done countless things You wouldn't think of - rocked and soared and smoked High in the screaming silence. Trembling there, I've chased the light away and flung Myself through dark, delirious nightmares.

Up, up, into the blue, burning I've been so high, saw nothing but stars 'Cause anything less would never do...

And while with racing, intoxicated mind, I've crashed Through the shadows of space, Reached out with arms, and lost all sight of God...

The Abyss: Part One

Living and Falling

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BY TRINIDAD MARTINEZ HUDSON

Unknown Song

BY CANDICE L. HORGAN A ray of light, solo, Teased her with promises of a warm embrace.

Such things were but a dream And the void of space a frozen -270 degrees.

Stars hung in a dim and silent display, The velvet ink of night but a dark stain As dusty moons passed overhead, Waiting...waiting...

Things grow quieter still.

Falling into sleep.

Waiting...waiting...

She notices something.

Tawny hawkweed hiding in the night Like a miniature sun, rays of petals springing bright.

She shakes off the shadows And melts into the light.

Walter sat with his head in his hands, staring at the tiles on the train floor. His thoughts were completely drowned out by the rickety locomotive. Although in this state of trance, the bleak circumstances gnawing at the back of his skull left him emotionally drained. Mortality can be a tough concept to bear. Its finality

BY MICHAEL OLSON can only be surmounted by our innate need to leave a legacy, whether that legacy is a memoire, a company, or even a child. It’s a burden we all carry, like a parasite deeply rooted in our psyche. To put it bluntly it’s the next best thing to cheating death. But over time your influence wanes, and your contributions become obscured by the march of “change” and “progress”. Nobody cheats death. Neither could Walter’s recently late mother. What was Walter but her legacy? Granted he didn’t come from a rich family, and wasn’t the greatest looking guy in an era of oversaturated marketing of sex and undeserved sense of planned, yet somehow projected as “spontaneous” grandeur. It still left a huge impact, as death usually does when it hits home. It makes you question every fiber of your being. That of which is something we are slowly groomed not to do. To truly question not our place in civilization, but our place in the existence that spans beyond elections, beyond spamming our stimuli to the point of addiction, even beyond what we can comprehend. There are so many things that hold great importance to the abyss that is space. We are born to go to school, get a job, get married, have kids, and raise them in hopes that they carry on only the good traits and not fuck up when everyone around you is either going insane or becoming junkies. This bothered him.

The train took a sharp turn, breaking his trance and causing Walter to slide in his seat. He lost track of which stop he was in transit to. Above the seats in front of him was an LCD screen that was supposed to show the progress along the track but just had a hole big enough to cover sixty percent of it’s surface; most likely from one of the many vagrants who call the subway system home, as well as latrine. Walter got to his feet and walked to the front of the train car. The homeless had a scent that made him cringe. It was awful.

The smell of liquid garbage and urine seemed as if it was soaked into their sun damaged skin. One of which was nodding off whilst holding a needle. Walt kept his distance as he looked on with disgust. You begin to question how long one can really blame “the system” for the homeless’ misfortune whilst they do nothing to get out of their own way. You can make the debate that it is an assumption that he or she chooses the needle over getting their life together, but if you can afford narcotics like that, that removes you from your corporeal being with no chance of physical or spiritual growth, and choose to just sit on your ass and shoot your way to paradise, you squander what could have been a great gift.

Walter decided to take the chance and walk past the junky and bang on the door to the train conductor’s cabin.

It took a few knocks to get his attention. A disgruntled man opened the door. “What do you want?” he shouted. “What stop is next?” Walt asked, almost hesitantly. Dismissively the conductor retorted “Check the screen” and shut the door in Walt’s face. It left him more stunned than offended. But that comes with the times. Many people take public service jobs and become irate because the public requires service. Like a farmer scolding his cow for producing milk. Walter slammed on the door; this time louder than the first three times he did it. The cabin door swung open, interestingly revealing the same conductor was on his cell phone. Was he on it the whole time? Can you imagine all of the safety regulations he was violating? Operating tons of careening steel tubing packed with people while fucking around on a little handheld machine.

The conductor didn’t say a word, he just stared with contempt. “The screens broken and I need to know what stop we’re at.” Walter explained with a considerable degree of assertion. The man popped his head out and looked at the screen, cell phone still in hand. “Did you see who did that!?” the man said, still barely acknowledging Walt. “No, can you answer my question?” Walter replied. The conductor continued to evade Walt’s inquisition while pursuing his own. He began to shout obscenities at the bums, still neglecting the careening death contraption he was in control of. This made Walter nervous. Either this guy was so much of an asshole that he found it fitting to endanger everyone’s lives over a few crack heads and drunks, or he was just too oblivious to be trusted with such a responsibility.

Walter walked back defeated, as the conductor continued to berate the homeless, picking up some trash and slamming it on one’s head. He continued to walk to the door that joined the two train cars, when he heard a blood curdled howl. Walt spun around and to his horror witnessed the junkie with the needle stab the conductor in the eye repeatedly. Around this time he realized that there was no one to stop the train. He quickly ducked behind some seats and watched the scene unfurl. The conductor now lay motionless in a pool of blood. The tip to the syringe snapped inside the man’s skull, making the junkie resort to pummeling the carcass with a telephone book. After a good ten minutes the psychopath got tired and walked back to his seat and sat with his head in his knees, laughing to himself.

PAGE 12 – NSCC PENNON

GOOGLE’S ROBOTICS

BY CALVIN JAVIER GIL EDITOR IN CHIEF

It looks like Google is going to venture into the field of military robotics. The multi-billion dollar company, made famous by it’s self-named search engine, has recently acquired Boston Dynamics, according to CNN. The business business is known for it’s development of unique robots, and its firm connections to DARPA, a branch of the government dedicated to researching and developing defense technology, as well as the United States Military. One of the company’s best-known inventions is a catlike robot that can run as fast Usain Bolt, climb vertical surfaces, and leap as high as thirty feet in the air; it’s a groundbreaking accomplishment, to say the least. After confirming the purchase, the founder of Boston Dynamics, Marc Raibert, expressed his excitement towards joining Google’s team, telling CNN “We are excited and looking forward to

Boston Dynamics’s Alphadog robot

taking robotics the next couple of steps, working as part of Google’s gangbuster team.”

Google’s latest purchase is the latest of many lowkey purchases of robotics companies, and is part of its larger push towards entering the robotics field, led by Andy Rubin, the man who developed the smartphone android platforms. This leaves many wondering exactly why Google is trying so hard to get into the robotics field; are they only interested in the considerable profits that can be gained from participating in government defense projects, or do they have deeper motivations? Do these acquisitions, Perhaps, have something to do with their development of driverless cars or military technology? There are many questions and suspicions right now, but only time will ultimately reveal Google’s true motives. Until then, the general public will certainly be awaiting further developments in this intriguing story with bated breath.

Source: http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/16/technology/googleboston-dynamics-robots/index.html

Important Numbers

Lynn Campus: (781) 593-6722 DanversCampus: (978) 762-4000 Beverly Cummings Center (978) 236-1200

Library: Lynn: (781) 477-2133 Danvers: (978) 762-4000 x5526 Book Store: Lynn: (781) 477 2127 Danvers: (978) 762-4200 Weather Hotline: (978) 762 4200

Club Directory

A C AD E M IC C L U BS :

JKREEFT@NORTHSHORE.EDU AKOSHIVAS@NORTHSHORE.EDU GREPPUCC@NORTHSHORE.EDU FALTIERI@NORTHSHORE.EDU KERBETTA@NORTHSHORE.EDU PBANKS@NORTHSHORE.EDU RDELISIO@NORTHSHORE.EDU KKAUFMAN@NORTHSHORE.EDU

A V I A T I O N : JOHN KREEFT C R I M I N A L J U S T I C E : ANN KOSHIVAS F O O D S C I E N C E C U B : GREG REPPUCCI P H I T H E T A K A P P A : FRED ALTIERI P S Y C H E D F O R P S Y C H : KRISTIN ERBETTA S O T A : PATRICIA BANKS AND RUTH DELISIO D E B A T E C L U B : KARA KAUFMAN

S P E CIA L I NT E RE ST C LU BS : C H R I S T O N C A M P U S : TIM WHITMAN E N G I N E E R I N G : MARY BETH STEIGERWALD E NVI RO NME NT A L C L U B : JOSEPH MODUGNO F I L M C L U B : JOHN ZAMPARELLI M E D I A C L U B : JIM HARRINGTON M UL TI - C UL T URA L S O C IE TY : ESPY HERRERA M U S L I M A S S O C I A T I O N : YUSEF HAYES P H I L O S O P H Y C L U B : FRED ALTIERI Q UE E R S TR A I GH T A L L I A N C E : ANNE TABET S T A R S C L U B : NANCY TUFO S U R F R I D E R S C L U B : SEAN HANLON V E T E R A N S C L U B : MIKE MONAGLE Y OU T H G R O U P U N IT ED : ALEXANDER GUZMAN

TWHITMAN01@NORTHSHORE.EDU MSTEIGER@NORTHSHORE.EDU JMODUGNO@NORTHSHORE.EDU JZAMPARE@NORTHSHORE.EDU JHARRISO06@NORTHSHORE.EDU EHERRERA@NORTHSHORE.EDU YHAYES@NORTHSHORE.EDU FALTIERI@NORTHSHORE.EDU ATABET@NORTHSHORE.EDU NTUFO@NORTHSHORE.EDU SHANLON@NORTHSHORE.EDU MMONAGLE@NORTHSHORE.EDU AGUZMAN@NORTHSHORE.EDU

Organizations

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

VPASCIUT@NORTHSHORE.EDU

MATWOODS@NORTHSHORE.EDU VPASCIUT@NORTHSHORE.EDU

VPASCIUT@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.

Attention Club Advisors and Members!

Information about your club can be featured here!

Contact us at: PENNON@NORTHSHORE.EDU

PAGE 13 – NSCC PENNON

PAGE 14 – NSCC PENNON

YOU CAN BE THE VOICE OF 15,000 STUDENTS

BY PATRICK GRAVLIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER How would you feel to be the voice of 15,000 students?

Would you feel the honor?

Would it motivate you to be better? It is a challenge, but it is rewarding. I am the voice of 15,000 students and every member of the Government here at the college can say the same.

We are the voice of all the students and represent them as the go between within the school. It can be tough but the honor is exceedingly motivating.

Opportunity lies before us now. Student Government is different than Washington; our impact is local, direct, and strives to always be positive. It is also without the overdone politics, money, or huge amounts of power.

At the college my power comes from the people that I work with and I want to grow that team and include you. I need you. I need people with a heart.

People who want to grow and challenge themselves. Many pass through the doors of a college and get a degree, but few

walk the narrow road to improve college for all others.

Few serve people out of heart and fewer still leave a legacy that impacts thousands. You, however, can within the Student Association.

Government Within the SGA lies greater Strength, Goodness and Altitude for those who seek to soar.

Interested or have a question?

Send me a text message at 978595-1623! The name is Patrick.

Please include your first name, (last name optional), let me know if you have data or a smart phone. Then include the email you do check and the “words SGA info request” or at least explain what you are asking in full. I will reply back within a professional time frame and may include an audio clip explaining info depending on your data.

If you have a comment, suggestion or question for SGA and would like to voice it please feel free to email us at SGA@northshore.edu. It is why we are here; we want to be your voice, one student at a

time.

If you have any questions about this article and would like to learn more about me or you have any suggestions for future articles email my personal writer account at: Getintouchwithpatrick@gmail.c om Give me time, I will respond to your email.

Current Open positions: Executive Positions: 1. Vice President

2. Secretary or Administrative Assistant

3. Treasurer --- --- ---

Dozens of Open Senator Positions Are Also Available

Again contact: SGA@northshore.edu

PRESIDENT ON A DATE, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

not my forte but to understand her is key. Yes, financial accounting is my date this semester, and I am ready for the challenge. I know exactly when I will work on my school work and I know when I will precede over my responsibilities as president. Each hour is already in my calendar on my phone and computer. The date is set, and it depends on me.

You see, this relationship depends upon me. Since I am paying for the table, the class that is, you better bet I am going to learn about financial accounting and I will remember her name. Because one day I am going to be leading a team

and her financial life, her knowledge gained from the class will come most beautifully handy in my hands. I mean business this time around and when I am running a business her name will matter. Wisdom will be well worth my efforts to attain her. I got a date this semester. What about you?

Will you make it a date, or just let wisdom pass you by in order to just pass the course? Think about it, and learn from my mistakes. It can be kind of cool for both the girls and guys to consider this applying to school.

This time around put your best foot forward, and think of it as a date. Have fun with it.

PAGE 15 – NSCC PENNON

AN OVERVIEW BIOGRAPHY OF SYNOMONOUS WAGGER

BY GEORGE CARREY STAFF WRITER

In May of 1948, a man was born on a faraway island off the coast of the United States Virgin Islands. He was born to dark skinned natives who lived in a hut near the coast. He had a few brothers and sisters, but all of them were white skinned, which naturally surprised their parents, but they simply assumed it was some kind of recessive trait. Eventually, the parents fought a lot and struggled raising the many kids they had. One day, they rode in one very long canoe off the island, and all the kids, including Synomonous, were so little that they didn't realize it was a suicidal mission; life on the island had gotten too much for the parents. Then, a wild hurricane came into contact, and the tidal waves rose to be twenty feet high. In all the commotion, he was thrown from the boat, like the rest of his family, into the water. He never saw any of them again. No one knows for certain how long he was at sea; minutes, hours, days or weeks.

He was much too young to have a firm grasp of time, so he just remember the waves playing volleyball with him. Finally, he crashed onto the shores of Great Britain. Wearing nothing but a

remark about.

Finally, the depiction of prostitution within the story also relates to consumerism. It seems as though Patrick’s hiring of these prostitutes has something to do with his penchant for pornography. Patrick is quite fond of lesbian pornography in particular, purchasing much of it throughout the story. This most

BY GEORGE CARREY STAFF WRITER

With the new semester beginning and classes starting up again, you must all be familiar with the classic situation of having to get the required reading materials for your respective subjects. As such, I decided to provide a list of resources in this article to help anyone find their materials at reasonable price. It is a well-known fact that college textbooks are becoming more and more expensive; their standard prices are far too expensive for the average American. You use any given textbook for 5 months max, and then don't even get half your money back if at all when you resell them at the end of the semester, fol-

hula dress and a thin cloth as an over-shirt, he crawled up onto an umbrella to get a better view of where he was, seeing then that there was an extremely wealthy couple that was basking in the rays below.

This couple came from a well to do and extremely private, but powerfully rich, family, known as the Waggers. They had political as well as financial ties that go back centuries, and, to this day, people are unsure of how much influence they actually wield in the U.K., as well as abroad; the extent can only be speculated. They had always wanted kids, but struggled with genetic impotence, hoping that one day the long string of miscarriages would end, and they would hit the jackpot, so their legacy could continue. Then, as if their prayers were answered, this beautiful toddler stumbled off the umbrella and landed on the wife's lap; they looked at each other as if they shared the same thought at the same time.

They marveled at his amazing features; even as an infant they knew he would go into the history pages as a famous figure.

So he grew up in a privileged family, with every need, whim or cry answered immediately. His parents were always traveling the world and he was partially raised by the

nanny and wet nurse in the household. They could never think of a name for him, they were trying to think of something synonymous with something else, but couldn't, so they left his name Synomonous, but spelled it uniquely. He went by the nickname “Timothy” growing up so kids wouldn't tease him. He attended multiple private schools and grew up with a life of luxury and an elite education. He had no interest in furthering his studies after high school, much to his parents’ chagrin. Fearing his privileged upbringing had vastly unprepared him for the cruelties of life outside of the estate, he decided to join the army, and ended up in the Royal Air Force.

He helped out in Vietnam, and did undercover operations in the secret Laotian Civil War, around the same era. Though he never won any awards, these experiences gave him three dimensional thinking and creative problem solving skills, which have helped him ever since. He has thick skin, yet, unlike others in his situation; he never gave up his goofy, charming personality, and wonderfully elegant sense of humor that has made him a magnet socially. He always assumed he was born and raised within the Wagger family, and was never truly

aware that his origins were from elsewhere until he was 35, and about to settle down for the first time with his wife, who also happened to be his first cousin, Candace.

As shocked and astounded as he was about discovering the truth of his origins, he immediately forgot about it, and settled into a blissful thirty year marriage with Candace, though they never had any children. It was an uneventful thirty years, in which they lived off his family’s wealth. He did a few odd jobs to stay busy, and eventually had a mid-life epiphany where he realized he hasn't done anything notable at all, and had no real legacy to pass on. Then, he remembered how good he was at writing, and how much joy it gave him. He subsequently unearthed all his unpublished manuscripts, in an attempt to get back on the horse.

His marriage was slowly dying, and he finally had enough of his wife when she wouldn't even help him move all of his belongings out of their manor. He divorced Candace, and the proceedings went quickly and without hassle. Basically, they departed their separate ways without even a goodbye between them.

When Synomonous Wagger arrived in Boston in the

fall of 2011, he was astounded at how beautiful the States were.

He showed up with a few dressers, a king size mattress, a book shelf, his classic suit, top hat, cane and attire, with all purpose weather shoes and one crate full of the rest of his clothes (including his native baby clothes that represent his island origins). He felt like an immigrant who arrived through the famous port of Ellis Island, New York. He was ready to chase the American Dream.

Fortunately, he wasn't completely broke, as he was carrying one bank account full of bills in a barely-contained money clip in his pocket. It took him a few days to settle in and get some help moving his stuff with him.

He started out camping out at the Bunker Hill Monument for the first month, before he found himself a legitimate home where he lives to this day in Boston. His goal in life, he stated, was to prove the idea of being past your prime is wrong, and to show that no matter how old you are, it's never too late to chase your dreams; some people are just really late bloomers. He is 65 years of age, and plans to release his autobiography in the near future.

likely has something to do with him hiring two prostitutes to have sex with each other.

Bateman is acting out the scenes he watches and fantasizes about, and does so by hiring those desperate enough to actually do such things for money. On some level, the pornography caused him to do this. The implication would then be that the pornogra-

phy industry, to some extent, fuels prostitution, and, consequently, the exploitation of women and the destitute in general. This is a reasonable conclusion, assuming it is understood that the cause-and-effect is not something that applies to every consumer.

American Psycho is a great book that delves into the

consumerism-steeped culture of the mid-eighties in many interesting ways. It shows the obsession with fashion and material possessions, which often intertwined with the underlying sexism that also plagued the era.

The importance placed on one’s place in society, particularly their place of employment, also highlighted the materialism, and

showed that many women were still below men. Finally, the book’s depiction of prostitution and pornography was another criticism of materialism, which was the common thread between the two unsavory practices. The book’s exploration of materialism was insightful and revealing.

lowed by the company printing up a new edition every 12 months to quickly make your text even more obsolete. In short, the whole process is a joke. In the options that follow that standard $150 book can be found at roughly half price or less, I would definitely recommend checking multiple resources for the same book as you can probably find a better deal with free shipping. Being tech-savvy will help the process go smoother.

1.

Amazon- A popular online store choice, they give a ton of options, and if you read the fine print under the advertised price (unless you really need the MyMath Lab or code), just go used. Many times the new and used prices under the bog-banner price tag are not the

same; the common difference of 20 dollars can be tilt your decision. Having said this, read the descriptions carefully with each seller, and be aware of the shipping cost (i.e. A new $50 book with only a $20 expedited shipping option probably is not better than a used, but like new $25 with only $10 or qualifies for Amazon free shipping.)

2.

Kindle Book Store- If you don't feel comfortable carrying around a lot of books and just want to be green and just have a digital version, this a great option; the device even comes with great highlighting and page marking applications, which you can use in their digital copies of text. It is at times still pricey, but still better than the bookstore. However, be careful which edition you pur-

chase and if it's abridged. I use a Kindle Fire 16Gb HD, but I’m aware there are also Nooks and various other mobile platforms that work in a similar manner.

3. eBay- I was impressed with them, even though they can sometimes they can be iffy, depending on what you are shopping for. Every required textbook I needed for my class had a lot more affordable prices and options. For example, I found my required Listen Book for 28 dollars, with 4 dollars shipping, on eBay, and it still had all the cd's and additional materials. It was a great deal, considering I normally would have paid $70-$100. However, at times, Amazon had a better selection compared to eBay; one such case is my history book.

4.

Friends and Family- if

you have a younger or older sibling who is enrolling before or after you, or a friend you know who took the same class, they are also a great opportunity to save money and time, though this may not always work out.

5.

Keep an eye and ear out on the students/teachers returning books. See if the person ahead of you or behind you in line happens to have a textbook in one of your subjects; you might luck out and score a free textbook like I did.

Thanks for reading this article and hope you find these resources and tips helpful, save some of your hard-earned money, and feel good knowing you are not contributing to the rip-off cycle of the college textbook company business. I wish you all luck.

AMERICAN PSYCHO: A RETROSPECTIVE, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON TEXTBOOKS

PAGE 16 – NSCC PENNON

ALUMNI CORNER

ARE YOU GRADUATING THIS YEAR? PLANNING TO CONTINUE YOUR EDUCATION AT A 4-YEAR SCHOOL? NSCC’S ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CAN HELP!

BY SANDY ROCHON ALUMNI COORDINATOR

Each year, NSCC’s Alumni Association awards scholarships to our graduates who are going on for a bachelor degree. Scholarship assistance may be available to help you reach your goals!

Here is what some of our previous NSCC Alumni Scholarship recipients had to say about the assistance they received to help them complete their undergraduate degrees: “In addition to the financial assistance, being chosen for a

scholarship gives you a boost of confidence and makes all the work and time invested in your education worth that much more.”

-Luz, NSCC grad from the TRIO program, currently in Salem State’s Master of Social Work program

“Applying for a scholarship is a lottery in which you cannot lose. You either get the financial support for your efforts which is always rewarding, or you get great experience

in stating your case and showing that you are worth something. It is a win-win, so why not apply?”

-Albert, graduated NSCC and went to Northeastern University for Electrical Engineering

“It is always worth applying for scholarships. Every bit helps and that is why my current student loan is so low.”

Ana, transferred to UMass Lowell for undergrad degree, now an IT/Marketing Specialist

All agreed that scholarship assistance is invaluable, not only for the financial assistance but also for the encouragement to continue and recognition of their hard work. The application process is simple and the deadline to apply is not until March 3,2014. If you are continuing your education after graduation, let us help!

Scholarship applications can be found on the alumni page of the North Shore Community College website, in

the Alumni Office, Student Support and Student Financial Services offices. For questions or additional information please contact Sandy Rochon, Alumni Coordinator at 978 762 4000 ext 5481 or srochon@northshore.edu