SMCC Beacon May 9, 2017

Issue Date 5•9•17

BY THE STUDENTS, FOR THE STUDENTS

Volume 13 No. 14

STUDENT KADEN CLARK AT SPRING FEST. PHOTO BY MAKALA THIBODEAU

By The Beacon Staff Congratulations, SMCC, we are but a few days away from classes ending for the academic year 2016–17, a week or so away from graduation ceremonies, and a bit more from the start of the summer semester.

The Beacon would like to take this column to highlight some of your accomplishments that we regrettably missed, while informing you of what lies ahead in the near future, the not-so-distant future, and what lies just over the horizon.

Monday a week ago, in addressing the audience at the CeSIL Awards ceremony, Rik Sawyer, student activities advisor and SMCC alum, spoke of the impact of participation: “Some of you took on goals that might have seemed small at the time, but probably had a greater impact than you realize, and some of you took on goals that were, well, simply put… great.”

Congratulating the graduating members of our student community, wishing all luck in their future endeavors — whether it may be continuing your education, starting a career, or traveling the world — seems the appropriate place to start. On Sunday, May 21, graduating seniors, family members and friends will join President Cantor, Dean of Students Tiffanie Bentley, Dean of Academic Affairs Charles Gregory, SMCC

faculty, residential-life staff and WCSH’s is underutilized — and with the intention Bill Green for SMCC’s 70th graduation of broadening their presence the Captain ceremonies in Portland’s Cross Insurance has the intention of being open Monday Arena. Ceremonies start at 2 p.m. through Thursday throughout the summer.

Joining the above dignitaries on the stage Volunteers are needed to help make this will be the 2016–2017 Student of the Year intention factual. If you are on or near campus winner, Devyn Vermette. Vermette was this summer and interested, please email nihonored along with recipients from all of colepwickstrom@smccME.edu. The Captain’s the Maine Cupboard community is looking Some of you took on goals that might colleges on to bolster have seemed small at the time, but probably its volunteer April 26 by the Maine ranks with had a greater impact than you realize...

Communiindividuals ty College System (MCCS) in Augusta. who are interested in helping others as agents The award, which is named after John H. of positive growth.

Lapoint, Jr., includes a $1,000 honorarium.

The Captain’s Cupboard opened in late Vermette is from Topsham and gradu2013 as part of a Phi Theta Kappa community ated Mt. Ararat High School in 2016. She project, with the intention of providing food majored in Liberal Studies at SMCC and is and other items to students and their families. transferring to the University of Southern Besides providing packaged food and hyMaine, where she will study behavioral scigiene products, the Captain’s Cupboard has ence with a focus on counseling. Vermette expanded its offering of prepared meals. The has been active in the Captain’s Cupboard Cupboard has partnered with the Culinary as a volunteer and works for the SMCC Arts program, packing frozen microwaveSecurity Department; she organized the able meals. The meals range from chicken recent food drive to help stock the Captain’s to seafood or beef, and contain a starch and Cupboard. a vegetable. Soups, pastries and other foods Speaking of the Captain’s Cupboard, items are available. and summer, the Cupboard is expanding While student involvement seems strong its hours this summer. The Cupboard is a on campus, but could always get stronger, wonderful resource — maybe even one that SMCC students will also be going interna-

Lights, Camera, Mayhem!

By Jack Gentempo

Before there were movies, humans drew pictures on cave walls to tell stories. Then humans invented community college, and everything changed. On Wednesday, May 10, five students from the SMCC Communications and New Media program will be premiering their short films at Nickelodeon Cinemas at 1 Temple Street in Portland. I reached out to a few of these young Spielbergs and Shyamalans to hear what they have to say about their films and the stories that inspired them.

‘It’s a Match!’

Director: Nicole Kumi

In the director’s words: “It’s a Match is a documentary, featuring Evelyn Waugh, that follows her navigating the online dating world using Tinder

a dating service app. The film shows a glimpse into her day to day life and follows her on two Tinder dates. When making the film I wanted to capture the awkwardness of dating in your 20s and how first dates can be so cringe-worthy. The film certainly captures that and much more.

People will have to come to the showing at Maine Mayhem to see if her dates were a Match!”

Why did you choose a documentary format?

“I chose a documentary format because I love sharing real stories. I’m fascinated with real people and real stories. Although, I like fictional narrative storytelling I do feel like a director can comment and shed a light on stories that need to be told in our community. I’m also interested in going into a career in reality television because I feel like it falls into

Q A

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tional next year. Congratulations to Michael Marino of Freeport and Max Lorber of Portland. Marino and Lorber have received George J. Mitchell Peace Scholarships to study in Ireland next year.

Marino and Lorber’s selection as Mitchell Peace Scholarship recipients raises the total to five SMCC students named since 2010.

Cork Institute of Technology is the destination of these SMCC students studying abroad, located on the south coast of Ireland. Their studies in Ireland are scheduled for the upcoming 2017–2018 academic year.

Marino, who is working towards a degree in Construction Technology, plans to continue his education in Construction Management upon graduation, with the end goal of starting his own construction company.

Lorber, who is enrolled in the Communications and New Media Studies, hopes to continue studying design graduating from SMCC and has a career goal of working in design and/or the advertising fields.

The Maine Community College System and the University of Maine System created the scholarship as a tribute to former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell for his efforts to facilitate peace in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

MCCS awards two Mitchell scholarships each year to Maine community college students.

C ampus N ews Why Do So Many Students Fail the ServSafe Exam?

By Capt. W. Russ Webster, USCG (Ret.)

Similar to other careers, culinary arts has standards that are supported with an exam process that establishes credibility. To culinary arts students, the ServSafe safety exam is a critical component for any serious food professional. Passing the exam is a gateway to higher wages for some and a requirement for SMCC’s two-year Culinary Arts degree. Test takers must pass the 90-question test with a 75-percent grade or higher. So, why are so many students — as many as 30 or 40 percent of them — having to take the exam more than once?

To better understand the issues, I spoke to my fellow Culinary Arts students and tracked my own successes and failures in the approach to the exam. At 62 years young and with previous schooling under my belt, Chef Rascati, the CULA 100 Food Safety course administrator, told me I could have skipped the course and just “taken the exam.” Having taken most of the CULA 100 course at this writing, I can

Year in Review (continued from page 1)

The scholarship covers tuition and fees, books, and room and board, while also providing a living-expense stipend and a travel grant.

The Beacon would also like to extend a belated congratulations to Matt Hayes, who won the Maine Association of Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Contractors’s apprentice contest on March 24. The contest was held in the Augusta Civic center and during the association’s annual trade show.

The competition consists of students installing pipes and fixtures in a bathroom to code. As for placing first, Hayes received a plaque, $500, and assorted cordless power tools. Hayes was awarded the prizes by

THE

assure readers that “I could not have passed the ServSafe exam without having been in the chef ’s course.” But, I’m a baby boomer.

It’s important to note that I studied like other students over 40 — I read everything, attended every class, got a grasp of concepts, did the Pearson online practice quizzes and took ServSafe’s study test. So, why did so many of my classmates, especially millennials, have difficulty passing the class? One 20-yearold student freely admitted to me that he “just didn’t study until the night before the exam.”

Several students were flummoxed by the Pearson online learning modules and ServSafe’s practice test.

My own experience with Pearson’s online “dynamic” learning module exposed a flaw in the system where if you got the question wrong, the system just kept asking you the same question until you got it right. A more valid system that tested “concepts” would replace the original question with a different but similar question in the same learning area.

My approach to learning was clearly

different from the other students, who were 40 years my junior. The younger students, to a fault, relied heavily on the online practice tutorials to pass the exam. Chef Rascati had told her students, “Study this, it’s on the exam.”

And, often, it was. But, answering the exam question about the minimum internal cooking temperature for hot-held macaroni and cheese meant you had to know the concept that mac and cheese fits into the grains (rice, pasta) category.

But, not every failure can be ascribed to generational learning differences and faulty online learning resources. I spoke to another chef, who made me aware that food-safety-exam “pass rates” for focused ServSafe-sponsored courses were much higher than SMCC student pass rates — as high as 80 percent. When I queried why, the answer was complex, and on some level, disturbing. The chef asked me to consider who was paying for the college course and what the motivations might be for the student versus for the outside culinary professional.

When I dug deeper, the chef explained that outside students had already been in the industry for a while, whereas most Culinary Arts students were just getting started in their understanding of food concepts. And, the outside students had added motivations to pass in many cases because a successful exam often meant an immediate bump in pay.

I’m still left with questions about responsibilities in the ServSafe exam dilemma. If the disconnect between online food safety learning resources is known, who has the responsibility to address the issue? SMCC certainly should advocate for more advanced technical resources that help new generations of learners. Pearson, the online vendor, should address the shortfall with more realistic questions provided by ServSafe. And, students should accept responsibility for knowing the concepts and doing whatever is necessary to “get it,” including forming a study group with some over-40 old farts.

SMCC Plumbing Department Chair Aaron Ford.

In the world of scholarship opportunities, on Feb. 10, the SMCC Foundation held a reception recognizing students who received scholarship this past academic year. This year the SMCC Foundation awarded more than 200 students, with scholarships exceeding $225,000. The Foundation is active year round, raising funds that support deserving students through scholarships. The Foundation also helps to enhance academic programs, and to revitalize classrooms and equipment.

Our last set of congratulations goes out to the five students who exhibited their work

at Zero Station last week on May 4 and 5. Lindsey Checker, Heather Cron, Marti DeCosta, Cheyenne Roberts and Desiree Willette exhibited work that ranged from Xerox lithoprints, colleges and assemblages to abstract, surreal and figurative painting, digital illustration, landscape photography and printmaking.

This was the 11th group of students to graduate from SMCC with an Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Studies with an art concentration.

As SMCC closes out academic year 2016–17, let’s look ahead to the fall. When we return in late August, The Beacon will

be hosting a student club and organization get-together. The purpose of the event is to connect the clubs and organizations directly with The Beacon so that we as a newspaper can help you promote and build your clubs, while getting the word out about your accomplishments. The get-together is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 5, and will take place in Jewett Auditorium on the South Portland Campus.

Have a wonderful summer in your adventures, travel well, stay safe, and we’ll see you in a few short months.

By Nathalie Mitchell

Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, One World Trade Center and the 9/11 Memorial, Chinatown, the Empire State Building, and, of course, the craziness that is Times Square. Some significant walking was done throughout the club’s trip.

Funding for the trip was provided by SMCC’s Student Senate, fundraising by the Business Club and contributions by the travelers.

Participants included students Haleigh Barrett, Savannah Barnes, Erik Beaudet, Matthew Brown, Gianna Dudley, Mosa Khalifa, Bronson Kieltyka, Nathalie Mitchell, Michael Moser, Joey Mullins, Steven Ntibandetse, Hali Parsons, Celetta Richard, Ray Richard, Valerie Roy; and Business Club advisor Professor Steve Strand.

BEACON Executive Staff

Managing Editor

Creative Director

Art Directors

Copy Editor

Illustrators

Alex Serrano Troy Hudson Max Lorber Paul Moosmann Oğuzhan Özkan Ben Riggleman Daniel Elliott

Section Editors

Arts & Features Jessica Spoto

Contributing Writers Andrew Constantine, Joel Congleton, Rebecca Dow, Jack Gentempo, Troy Hudson, Ryan Marshall, Eric Mekkelsen, Nathalie Mitchell, Yesenia Moguel, Paul Moosmann, Oğuzhan Özkan, Ben Riggleman, Crystal Shorey, W. Russ Webster Advisors Chuck Ott & Rachel Guthrie

2 The Beacon ■ May 9 ■ 2017

SMCC Business Club Heads to the Big Apple On Thursday, April 20, the SMCC Business Club traveled to the business capital of the world, New York City, for three days of education, sightseeing and bonding. The next morning, the club had a guided tour of the United Nations, where they observed sessions of the U.N. General Assembly and the Security Council. After a morning of watching international relations in action, the Business Club traveled to Wall Street.

On Wall Street, students visited iconic sights such as the New York Stock Exchange building, Federal Hall, the Trump building and the famous statue of the “Charging Bull,” along with the newly installed “Fearless Girl” statue.

Other NYC sights visited included the

C ampus N ews

CeSIL Awards 2017

Honoring Those Who Worked for the Positive

By The Beacon Staff

Students, resident-life staff, faculty and SMCC President Ronald Cantor were in attendance on Monday, May 1, for the annual CeSIL awards ceremony. CeSIL, the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, gives out these awards to honor students and club members who have shown

life and student activities, and Rik Sawyer, student activities advisor, welcoming the attendees and commenting on how wonderful it was to participate in this year’s awards.

While the attendance was sparse, those who attended cheerfully applauded this year’s winners as all shared in the jovial atmosphere. First, the Leader of the Pack award recipients were announced. This year’s Leaders of the Pack were: Megan Mcknight Whitney Cole

Nick Moll Bronson Kieltyka Isaac McIntire Alex Kennedy Brandon Buck Nicole-Raye Ellis

SMCC Director of Residential Life and Student Activities Jason Saucier.

Juniper Hathaway Nathalie Mitchell Scott Tresselt Tammey Cramer Ivan Picket Lindsey Faulkner Justin Cochran

The ceremonies continued with the announcement of a new CeSIL award entitled the “Rising Star Award,” given to students who showed promise in their first year of student involvement. The recipients included: Taylor Gerrish

Nova Witt Victoria Marga

Joey Mullins SMCC President Ron Cantor

exceptional dedication and leadership.

The ceremony opened with President Cantor, Jason Saucier, director of residential

Savannah Barns Jim Leblanc Ben Riggleman Michael Moser

The last third of the ceremony announced the winners for Organization of the Year, Program of the Year, Advisor of the Year, Res-Hall Program of the Year, and the Student Engagement Award. The respective winners were:

Left to right: Rik Sawyer, Tiffanie Bentley, Ben Riggleman, SMCC President Ron Cantor and Jason Saucier. BEACON STAFF PHOTOS The Veteran’s Club Southern Poverty Law Center on Campus Amy Lainoff Constant Tea Maggie Loeffelholz

Who Reads This Stuff, Anyway?

By Ben Riggleman

Have you ever wondered who reads this paper besides you? It’s a riddle that has kept us Beacon staff up at night, too: Who reads us? Are students our main audience? Professors? Millennials, baby boomers? Liberals, libertarians? What do our readers get from The Beacon, and what more would they like to see? And then what about those faceless multitudes that don’t read us: What turns them off, keeps them away? Is it us or them?

Desperate for answers, I wrote up a survey and broadcasted it to everybody with an SMCC email address. I took a risk: It was finals prep time, and really, who ever has time to fill out a survey when there’s no chance to win a new jet-ski?

But in the end, the SMCC community pulled through, with a hearty 147 responses.

I’m taking Statistics with Professor Adrian Ayotte, and the first thing you learn in that class is that voluntary-response surveys are crap. They guarantee a biased sample, because respondents will tend to have an active interest in the topic. But since this isn’t Soviet Russia and forced participation wasn’t an option, I had to make do.

Aside from their presumed interest in The Beacon, we can make several more guesses about this sample group: Since they cared enough to spend time on a questionnaire of no direct benefit to them, they’re either conscientious or eager to vent (or procrastinate). Also, they use

their SMCC email, which could mean they included a disproportionate number of faculty, staff and high-performing students.

The first question of the survey asked, “Before this survey, did you know about The Beacon?” About 12 percent said they did not.

The next question asked respondents’ connection to SMCC: student, faculty, employee or other. As expected, faculty were overrepresented: 28 faculty members responded, making up about 22 percent of the 129-person core sample. It’s worth noting, though, that an equal number of non-faculty employees also responded.

Aside from two individuals who selected “Other,” the remaining 69 respondents were students.

The most common age groups were 18–22 and 58–62, into which 31 respondents and 20 respondents fell, respectively.

The age distribution clustered around these groups and sagged in the middle, with only three respondents between ages 43 and 47. This tells us something important: We’ve got a generation gap. It appears that two discrete, very different populations — with different outlooks, life experiences and tastes — together make up the bulk of our readership.

The survey sorted responses in one other main way: It asked how often respondents read The Beacon. Based on their reply, each respondent was assigned to either the “Infrequent reader” or “Frequent reader” category. The groups were similar in size: 69 frequent readers and 60

infrequent readers.

Infrequent readers were asked why they don’t read the Beacon often. Fifteen picked “I don’t have time to read for pleasure,” nine each picked “I don’t read the news” and “The Beacon’s content doesn’t interest me,” seven picked “I don’t know where to find The Beacon,” and one lonesome soul picked “I don’t like the writing.”

Frequent readers were asked the question, “Why do you read The Beacon?”

Responses included the following: “I’m an older student and I like to see what is happening on campus. I feel as though that it’s part of being a student and staying connected. It’s like watching the news, I like to know what is going on while I’m working full time and being a student!”

“I like to know what’s going on from the student’s perspective as opposed from the faculty/administrative perspective.”

“The Beacon is one of the ways I can get a pulse of the SMCC community.”

The last two of these expressed common themes. Many respondents said they valued the student-directedness of The Beacon, and many others said they read it for the news — or, as one put it, “To see what’s happening!”

Oh, and then there was, “Just to see the cringe.” No comment.

Campus News was the best-liked section by a landslide, with almost 50 percent of respondents picking it as their favorite. Opinion and Editorial came in second with 16 votes. Sports seemed to be

The evening ended with new Director of Residence Life, Saucier asking the Resident Assistants to sand and be acknowledge for their hard work, dedication, and knowledge of SMCC, their fellow students and knowledge of the available resources.

unpopular, picked as least favorite by 22 respondents.

When asked what kind of content The Beacon should run more of, the top choice was “News about SMCC events,” (44 votes) followed by “News about local events” (30 votes) and “Reviews of local food, art, music and culture” (23 votes).

(Respondents could vote twice.)

There’s demand for more online content, too. While only 16 respondents said they read The Beacon online, 25 individuals said they “would.” We hear you, and we’ll definitely be building up our online side next year. “More live links in Wordpress,” one student suggested; we can do that.

The last question got political. It simply asked respondents to pick a political party or designation that best matched their beliefs; 13 options were provided, plus “Other.” Over 24 percent identified themselves as “Independent (unaffiliated)” — 19 out of 78 responses collected for that question. The next most popular category, “Democrat (Sanders/Warren type),” was chosen by 10 respondents. “I’m not political” and the general Republican and Democrat designations were tied for third place.

Our readers are not as liberal as I would have guessed, if this survey is any indication. The Beacon’s alleged liberal bias was singled out for criticism by a handful of students. It’s something we’ll try to keep an eye on.

Thanks to everybody who responded!

The Beacon ■ May 9 ■ 2017 3

Other World Tech Talk: Airline Uses Old Technology for Tech Talk: Understanding New Purpose Cell Plans

By Crystal Shorey

By Andrew Constantine

It’s important when making a purchase in the technology sector — whether that be a phone, tablet, laptop or anything else with a chip in it, even service plans and packages for these devices (think cell plan) — to realize there is more to the item then just the price alone. This is what can be referred to as the overall value of the item. Overall value means that the amount of money and time you’ve put into making the device work the way you intend it to, in the end, is worth it.

This leads us to the most important aspect of any tech purchase: Who am I and what am I doing? What are your expectations for service and support of the product or service you are paying for?

Probably the most prominent example of this is cell phone service. I have used every national and regional carrier since I’ve had a phone: AT&T, US Cellular, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon, which I currently use. This was where I got my first real lesson in overall value.

The smaller carriers offer a lower price and more heavy-hitting promotional offers; however, what I was expecting was strong service in most of the state. I found that the discount carriers lacked this: while the price was lower, I failed to get the value I was expecting out of the service. After a switch to a different carrier and more per month, I am finally getting what I need for phone service.

The same thought process can be applied to probably the first thing that a new college student thinks of: the laptop. As laptops range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, the choice is not an easy one. It’s important here as well to determine what you will be using the device for and what you need to get out of it. For some programs a laptop may not be the best choice. For example, a drafting program most certainly would run better on a desktop with enhanced graphics capability. Whereas if the program you are working in has an abundance of writing assignments, an inexpensive Chromebook will most certainly fit the bill.

These are only a couple of examples, but the overarching point is simple: Resist the urge to impulse buy, buy what your friends have, buy what some article online says you need. Take a step back and evaluate what it is you’re trying to accomplish with whatever it is you’re purchasing. Appreciate the overall value of something that may be priced a bit higher but gets you so much more out of it. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.

Andrew Constantine is a member of the Information Technology senior seminar course and is planning on a career in intelligent traffic systems. You can view this article online at andrewconstantine.tech/ beacon.

4 The Beacon ■ May 9 ■ 2017

If you’ve ever had your luggage lost during a trip, you know how frustrating it can be. I work in the baggage-service office at the Portland Jetport, and I’m the front line of customer service to help people recover their lost bags. These people are mad, and I get many “How does this happen?”s and “They promised my bag would make it!”s.

The moving of luggage to its correct destination involves a unique tag that associates the passenger with their bag and the routing of their trip. Up until recently, the process involved airline employees using hand scanners during the loading/unloading of the aircraft to scan each individual bag and verify and track it in the system.

This process requires the employees to be diligent with the scanners for an accurate count — and unfortunately, things often go wrong.

At the end of 2016, Delta Air Lines decided to make a change to this process in hopes of reducing the amount of lost baggage. The cost for this change totaled over $50 million. It uses a technology that has been around since the 1970s: RFID, or radio-frequency identification, which, as its name indicates, uses radio waves to allow for communication between two objects.

The way an RFID system works is that an object called a reader is used to capture the radio frequencies emitted by an RFIDtagged item. When it comes to the tagging

of an item, there are a few ways it can be done. The tagging RFID chips can either be considered active or passive, depending on their power source. Active RFID chips come with a self-contained power source and are constantly emitting a signal to be picked up by a reader. This technology is commonly used in beacons or other tracking devices for things that need to be tracked at a longer range. Passive RFID chips have no internal power supply, and the signal is picked up when it passes by the reader. The reader itself is the power supply; therefore, it needs to be in fairly close proximity to the tag in order for it to work.

bag’s unique signal as it passes by and forward the information on to an internal system. Now, when passengers are given a bag-tracking number and enter it into the tracking system, they can follow along with the location of their bag as it passes past any RFID reader. For some, this has given great peace of mind, when they are sitting onboard an aircraft and an app can confirm that their luggage has already been loaded as well.

The new RFID tracking system is not without fault. Human error still comes into play, as many workers are still involved in the moving of luggage to and from the planes and belts. Delta estimated that the new system would reduce lost baggage by about 5 percent. So far, RFID has only been implemented in a few stations, and only for a short period of time. So far it has shown an improvement of about .04 percent.

Whether the benefits outweigh the cost can be debated — $50 million for .04 percent less lost luggage. I personally find that passengers have been much more at ease having access to their bags’ tracking info, and more understanding when something does go wrong.

In Delta’s case, the new luggage tags were created with a passive RFID chip embedded inside. Delta has equipped its baggage-sorting and loading equipment with RFID readers, which pick up each

Crystal Shorey is a student in SMCC’s Information Technology program. You can read more of her writing online at http://crystalshorey.com/.

Tech Talk: Keep It Simple, Keep It Cheap

By Eric Mekkelsen

Have you ever had the need to buy a new laptop or computer because you feel like your system is just running so slow?

Many people out there run into this problem, and in most instances, sure, it’s time to get a new computer! Realistically, though, what many of us in IT or help-desk situations find is that a person’s system is often bogged down by various unnecessary applications; the hard drive is too full or maybe on its last leg. Very easy-to-repair, easy-tofix problems. Often it’s the case that people will just purchase a new system. Sure, if you can afford to just buy a new laptop every year, this is a possibility. However, for most people, it’s not that easy. What if I told you that a simple application, regular updates and just checking your hard-drive space every so often could resolve this.

What if a quick trip to Best Buy to buy a new hard drive and a screwdriver could save you hundreds?

If you feel like your system is running far slower than normal, there are some simple supplied features you can use. The first thing you should do is restart the device (yes, that same thing every tech-support person asks you to do). Secondly, make sure your machine is up to date. On Windows, this feature is right in your start menu under Settings. On a Mac, this feature is in your Apple icon under Updates.

Another option is to check how much hard-drive space you have. On Windows,

simply open up My Computer or File Explorer and click on your hard drive. It will give you a summary of how much free space you have. On a Mac, right-click your HD and choose Properties. This will also give you a summary of free space. After trying any of these methods, if you find that the issue isn’t resolved by a restart, update or clearing up some space, then don’t fret: There are still some easy solutions.

A next step would be to run a third-party application. I swear by CCleaner (and so should you), an application that will help clean up your system for you. It’s easy to find online and extraordinarily simple to use. Download the application and install it. Once installed, start it up — press Analyze, then Run Cleaner. That’s it! Nothing to it at all, and many support specialists use this tool all the time! If still your system is running very slow, there is a bit more that can be done. Yes, it may cost you money, but still far less than buying a new computer.

Next is hardware replacement, and please understand this is generally as easy as plugging something in or turning a screw driver. If your hard drive needs to be replaced, it may seem daunting, but it’s honestly very simple for most non-Mac machines. Just unscrew your computer’s case, you’ll see a large square box or thin square box with some wires running into it. The box will even say the size of the hard drive on it, so you know it’s a storage device.

All you need to do is unplug it, unscrew it from its case, take it to your nearest Best Buy and ask someone for a similar hard drive. Bring the new hard drive home, screw it in and plug it in. Yes, you’ll have to reinstall Windows on it. But that’s what those recovery disks that came with your computer are for. Installing Windows is no harder than any other application you’ve installed on your computer. Heck, if you get stuck, you can always just use Google.

There are tons of how-tos. Lastly, there is memory. If you know your memory is bad or lacking, go buy some — it can be so cheap! Take a few old sticks out (just Google what memory looks like, you can’t miss it), bring them to Best Buy and get the same type but with a larger size. They simply unclip from your motherboard and re-clip it back in. Now of course, these hardware swaps should always be done with the device off and unplugged.

That’s it, there isn’t too much to most computer problems that you can’t do yourself. So stop paying for tech support for your slow system. Open up Google, do a little reading and use some of these ideas.

Technology can seem scary. But really, with simple issues, it’s no harder than changing a light bulb or putting together a coffee table that you bought at Walmart.

Eric Mekkelsen is an IT / Information Security student at SMCC. You can view this article online at http://www.ericmekkelsen. com/home/beacon-article/.

Other World Lost in Addiction, and Finding My Way Back

By Joel Congleton

In the throes of addiction, the mind can get so diseased and unsettled that to imagine a life of sobriety is akin to wishing upon a star. It just seems so incredibly far away. Yet some people manage it, and go on to live healthy, productive lives. The odds are stacked, certainly, but knowing that these people exist is enough to tuck away a little hope.

My addiction led me to prefer the company of junkies, but occasionally I’d emerge from my self-created fishbowl existence long enough to cross paths with a recovering person. If they’d been working a program, they’d probably greet me with a solid handshake, a warm smile and a slightly intrusive stare. If I knew them from their past lives as active addicts, the contrast would be staggering, and I’d puzzle over how they could radiate so much confidence and coolness without the aid of a mind-altering substance.

I wasn’t a stranger to detoxes and rehabs; I’d been force-fed plenty on the topic of recovery. But no matter how badly I wanted sobriety, I’d always revert to the familiarity and comfort of the drugs.

There’s a certain simplicity in being a junkie. You’re either high or you’re dope sick. You either have drugs or you’re looking for them. So many of the variables and skills involved with managing a balanced life are removed, and there’s a beauty in that. While everyone was frantically racing around from this birthday party to that doctor’s appointment, I was perfectly content sinking into the couch cushions, staring at the TV with a needle in my arm.

Some might think that the social stigma attached to this type of lifestyle would act as a deterrent, but I didn’t care what people thought. I was too focused on getting high.

Of course getting wrecked didn’t pay

the bills, and as my tolerance to the drugs self-deception only took me so far. After a went up, so did the cost of my habit. Trivial while, I knew the game I was playing, and problems began to arise — failed college played it anyway. courses, loss of jobs, etc. But I’d let the Years passed. Eventually I tried a methapeople who loved me worry about that done maintenance program, traveling over stuff. More importantly, the high stopped an hour each way to the clinic every mornworking, so I began to hunt for that perfect ing for three years before my Medicare got combination of narcotics — amphetamines cut and I could no longer pay for it. I imto bring me up, benzodiazepines to bring mediately entered into an outpatient rehab me down and a steady stream of opiates to for the sole purpose of being prescribed keep me from getting sick.

Suboxone, an alternative to methadone.

Combining benzos with opiates is After the counselors had deemed that I’d possibly the quickest way to an accidental made little to no progress in the weeks overdose, and one night in my apartment, that followed, they kicked me out of the I woke up from what I thought was a program. I continued to buy drugs off the typical heroin-induced “nod” to find my street for a while longer, but things began roommate in the middle of calling 911. He to feel different. The accumulation of years said I’d been unresponsive for more than of living the same mundane, repetitive 10 minutes. existence had My glasses ...I wrestled with the terrifying no- reached a tipping hung bent and tion of raising my hand and sharing point. Something crooked on my had to change. face from him my vulnerabilities with the room. But I I started going slapping me, to meetings kept showing up, and it got easier. my crotch was again. I got a wet from the ice cubes he’d shoved down sponsor, and he suggested 90 meetings in it, and I had an enormous burn in my nythe first 90 days, so that’s what I did. Every lon shorts from the cigarette between my night I sat in plastic chairs hastily strewn fingers. After the initial shock of almost into rows or semicircles or squares around dying, we had a good laugh and got high. tables, depending on what church baseIt’s not that I wanted to continue living ment we were occupying. I sipped cheap that way. I’d grown weary of it years ago, coffee out of comically small styrofoam but lacked whatever it took to change my cups, the caffeine only adding to my nerves trajectory. A favorite tactic of mine was the as I wrestled with the terrifying notion of “I’ll get clean tomorrow” mantra. It was raising my hand and sharing my vulnerathe best of both worlds — the moment I’d bilities with the room. But I kept showing swear it was my last hit and pump myself up, and it got easier. up for the epic battle between my demons On the date that marked my one-year and the real me (the one who wouldn’t anniversary of sobriety, I chaired a meeting steal cash from my folks). Those were at my home group, as is custom. I told the invigorating moments because I really room the things I’d done and places I’d meant them. And of course I needed that gone to get high. Longer than some and last hit so the hero inside me could take mild compared to others, my story was just one last breather before the dope sickness one out of millions that ultimately got us and depression took a grip. But this type of all to the same place: searching for a way

to fill the hole in our soul. As I fumbled nervously with the medallion my sponsor had handed me minutes ago, I talked about the tools I’d been given over the past year.

How I’d been practicing meditation, learning to set my diseased and unsettled mind aside entirely (if only for short bursts).

How the desperation and selfish motivations that got me to those meetings were slowly shifting to something more closely resembling altruism. I was starting to see the value in being helpful.

The thing is, it always made sense to me that I’d get clean at some point in the distant future. But I’m guessing most addicts feel that way. No one anticipates that last fatal shot that leaves them blue and face down, drowned in their own vomit. But I think I expected I’d do it on my own, relying on the same broken mind that had sabotaged me for years. It wasn’t an epiphany, but a slow, dull bludgeoning over the head that made me realize it would take a room full of broken minds. A church basement full of hardened, desperate junkies, alchies and outcasts that wanted what I wanted.

We weren’t all going to make it, but what mattered was that we shared the desire to get clean.

The path to a life of sobriety was right there, among my people, but it was invisible as long as I was confined to the walls of my own mind. To break out would take courage, strength, and a commitment to myself and the recovering addicts I’d surrounded myself with. It would take raising my hand and speaking in the meetings, despite the nearly crippling anxiety. It would mean asking for help, and forging a willingness to do the things that were suggested to me. And it would require that no matter how grim things look, I always cling to hope.

SMCC Out and About The Portland Symphony Orchestra

By Yesenia Moguel

As college students at SMCC, there are so many fun resources at our fingertips, whether that is on campus with our awesome activities committee, on our beautiful Willard Beach, or in the culture-rich cities of Portland and South Portland.

Involvement in community has always been a major part of my own experience at college. It is fun to work hard and concentrate on my college education, but it is also good to go out and explore the neat places around us that we never notice.

My violin instructor is second stand in Portland Symphony Orchestra. I went to hear Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 at Merrill Auditorium on April 25, attending the second of two sold-out performances with my roommate.

The evening’s program started with Robert Moody, the orchestra’s music director, welcoming the audience to the evening’s performance He mentioned that that evening’s performance of Beethoven’s Ninth would be the last in a series of Beethoven symphonies that the Portland Symphony Orchestra started three years ago.

It is interesting to note that while we call Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 as

the “Ode to Joy” symphony, Beethoven referred to the piece as the “Chorale Symphony,” mainly because it is the only symphony in which Beethoven used a chorus. In the words of Robert Moody, the Ninth was “a groundbreaking moment at the time. A symphony with chorus as the finale.”

Beethoven’s Ninth has been used over the course of its 200-year history to celebrate the end of war. It was played extensively at the end of World War I and World War II, and Leonard Bernstein brought together East and West German orchestral performers to perform it after the Berlin wall fell.

The evening’s performance started off with the orchestra playing Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings,” a solemn 11-minute piece that is “heart-achingly beautiful,” as described by Moody.

I was engulfed in the rich tones and emotional energy of the music, listened in awe to the soloists and enjoyed the expressions on the face of the concert-master. After the concert, we enjoyed a Q&A with the performers and listened to their thoughts and stories.

If you were not able to make the April 25 concert and want to hear the Ninth as

performed by the Portland Symphony Orchestra, the Portland Choral Arts Society and the Oratorio Chorale, tune into Maine Public Broadcasting (MPBN) on May 10 at 8 p.m.

I would recommend visiting Portland Symphony Orchestra to anyone. Expand your horizons and indulge in the enriching culture of music. The beautiful chords and melodies still resonate with me now.

The Beacon ■ May 9 ■ 2017 5

O pinion & E ditorial Why Must the Human Race Be Destroyed?

By Oğuzhan Özkan

We, the human race, are the defilers of the earth. I have strongly believed this fact throughout my entire life, even when I was a little kid. What we do has been reprehensible to me from the beginning. Everything our species has done is a guarantee of our future deeds. The factual evaluation of the causes of our greed, lust, consumption, savagery, bloodthirstiness and so on must be done by someone who dares to say that his own kind is scum and expendable when it comes to the greater good of the universe. Our acts here, on Earth, do not only affect us, but also inhabitants of our warm blue planet, and maybe someday, they will affect other life forms in space. We must become extinct if we have the slightest dignity left.

Our earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old. Human life began only 6 million years ago, and the oldest signs of civilization go back no more than only 8,000 years. So to be specific, we have been destroying this planet only throughout 0.178% years of its age and we already made a huge progress toward total annihilation. That takes a special effort and a special gift of barbarism. The impact we cause on the extinction rate of species is 10,000 times higher than the natural extinction rate, and, 0.1% of species are becoming extinct each year. There are nearly two million different species are out there, and it is painful to estimate the numbers and impending doom. We are hunting, we are killing, we are bombing and we mow down

other species. ing. Deforestation causes the extinction of Animals are not the only example. We a vast number of species. Even reforesting are also sharing our planet with trees. We is not ever enough: Once the biodiversity is have been cutting down the trees since gone, it is gone for good. Plant and animal the beginning of agriculture. We need species will go extinct or lose a great deal to eat and satisfy our endless desire of of their genetic diversity and variation. consuming. We are obese, we are fat, we Rare animals or many potential medicines are insatiable and we eat more than we are lost because of deforestation. need. We need fat for our junk food, we In nature, everything is linked to one anneed oil for our vehicles, we need wood for other. As a result of our consumption, we our furniture and our sense of aesthetics, lose species and forests. Losing forests cost we need plants to die in a few days for our us our atmosphere, the very atmosphere girlfriends or for our ceremonies, we need we share with animals and plants. Losing cotton and silk for our clothing, we have to the atmosphere impacts the water cycle. kill alligators for our purses or we need to Species die because of lacking water. We kill furry try to ease animals Our instincts drive us to lunacy and we are our conjust for our science by desperate, helpless about it. It is the essence of donating vanity and our souls: We are unique killing machines. showing money or off. We donating need everything that nature does and does food for African kids, but as long as we not offer. But we need to consume more keep consuming the way we consume now, than anything to maintain ourselves and it is nothing but just an endless circle of pursue our goal of self-destruction. poverty.

We built palaces, houses, stone walls, The human race has a lot of disgusting fortresses, mansions, skyscrapers, farmqualities, but hypocrisy is the worst. World houses, statues, roads, highways, pavepeace is what we seek, but on the other ments, sewer systems, subways, churches, hand, we preserve nuclear weapons that cathedrals, mosques, wells and even the have the capability to easily wipe off every world’s seven wonders while we were single living creature from the face of the searching the meaning of life. And what earth. Science, sociology, philosophy, folkwe need on our road to destruction is more lore and cultural learning has brought us to space. Space for ourselves and our descena point where now we have our own selfdants. Space for our tools, machines and made weapons for our doom. Everything facilities. Cutting down trees is not the we aggrandize, such as scientific research, only problem when it comes to creating is only an instrument to satisfy our endspaces; biodiversity is what we’re also ruin- less greed. Our religions preach us good

behaviours, but only again, in our own human terms. We still kill our own kind for some gods that have probably never existed in the first place. A phenomenon such as religion that is widely accepted and feared by people is still not enough intervene against our instincts.

Our instincts drive us to lunacy and we are desperate, helpless about it. It is the essence of our souls: We are unique killing machines. When we become a society, we are unstoppable. When we were kids, we were killing bugs just for fun. I have a recollection that I killed a hedgehog that was no threat to me when I was 10. It was fun, and I still recall that specific memory in shame. I rolled it down from the top our neighbourhood’s slope to the main road and it gave me a great pleasure to see it killed by the car tires again and again. I watched the dead hedgehog or what was left of it about an hour as the cars were running it over continually. Then I went home and watched cartoons like it never happened. That was only the effect of a 10-year-old boy on nature.

If time has taught me one or two things, one of them is definitely that I am, too, a unique killing machine myself deep down inside. I am not excluding myself while I am sticking the knife in my race — I must be destroyed for innocent species’ good. We will become extinct someday, happily, and recent studies show that it won’t be long.

You may say, “What about the good people?” Exceptions make no rule; if you can’t stop it, you are a partner in crime. Every breath you take is blood on your hands.

Promote Your Club!

• Increase club awareness • Raise club earnings • Boost membership • Have more fun!

We can help you find ways to utilize campus resources and social media to make your club more productive.

Tuesday, September 5, 6:30 p.m.

Jewett Auditorium, SMCC Campus Refreshments will be served 6 The Beacon ■ April 9 ■ 2017

O pinion & E ditorial

From the Final Desk of the Managing Editor

By Alex Serrano

This is my last paper here at the Beacon as managing editor. Let’s just say I’ve learned quite a bit. I learned about effective communications. I learned to take criticism, especially when I deserve it, and dish it out, in a school-friendly manner. I learned all about that mythic quality, “journalistic objectivity.” I have really enjoyed going out and covering events I normally wouldn’t have gone to, and meeting people I wouldn’t have met.

I must admit that I never truly grasped a creative vision or aim for the paper. Maybe the paper has stumbled for it. Last year, the front page was a place to take a stand, rile some feathers, made a fuss. This year, usually I’d put it off, not think about the front page for a week, and then scramble to find an unsuspecting on-campus event to fluff up.

Why Design?

By Troy Hudson

We live in a wondrous age, when the marks of human design can be seen on everything from our phones and computers to our office chairs and toothbrush handles. Designers have sculpted the objects and experiences of our modern existence, striving to make life more beautiful, more efficient, more human. But this is also an age of extreme social and political division, ethnic and religious violence, and widespread ecological anxiety. In times like these, it is fair to question the role of art and design. Aren’t there more vital concerns demanding our attention?

I think it is brave to struggle with the question of why we design, especially when it gets uncomfortable to consider that it may not truly be necessary. I must begrudgingly admit that in history’s darker moments, beautiful design is not necessarily an essential pursuit.

John Adams once wrote in a letter to his wife, “I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture,

As William Randolph Hearst once said, “News is something somebody doesn’t want printed; all else is advertising.” I certainly feel that without a positive direction to work towards, we haven’t been doing the kind of riveting journalism that would ruffle some feathers. Our controversial topics of the year? The dissemination of Gaming Club into three separate factions. Insulting the entire Midcoast Campus. Petty things.

We haven’t exactly been making waves here, folks.

So while the thrill of seeing one’s writing in an official printed source will probably never fade, I must pass the baton into the capable hands of Ben Riggleman, currently our copy editor. I hope you all pay him the same sort of obliging respect you paid me.

So here goes nothing. Get ready for another great semester of The Beacon.

statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.” Adams knew that in the throes of the American Revolution, his energies were best applied to political matters if our young country was to survive long enough to produce Hemingways, Warhols, and Beyoncés.

We embrace design to elevate the experience of brushing our teeth, using apps on our phone or beautifying our homes, while people in other parts of the world struggle to find enough food to survive another day. It can seem that design is a frivolous occupation. But as human beings, we cannot help but strive for improvement.

We are an ambitious species. Even though we have not yet solved the problems of today, such as how to feed the world’s 7.5 billion people, we are designing the world of tomorrow.

Design may be a luxury today, but it reflects our longing for an idealized world in which our major problems have been solved and the experience of being a human is better than it was for our ancestors.

We may have a long way still to go, but designers have the potential to help create a better world for everyone. Design, at its best, is about serving mankind. That attitude can help ground us and bring perspective to our love for beautiful objects even, and especially, when the world is at its darkest.

READ WRITE

“Speak Out” is a new regular column by the Beacon’s Arts & Features editor and inspitational writer, Jessica Spoto, Communications & New Media major

Freedom From Fear

Life is a battle that we all have to face. You can’t just turn away and give up.

(Well, you can, but that won’t be very productive.) Life is so full of opportunities that with every second that goes by, those opportunities will disappear if you don’t take ahold of them now.

Take life with all your force: Charge forward and face your fears. Fears do not define you, because everyone has the power and the choice to face them. Many people hold back and don’t even try new things because that fear is holding them back.

Going for that dream job but fearing you will fail at it. Going to the gym but fearing that everyone will judge you. Answering a question in class but fearing you will answer it incorrectly. We all fear, but very few will conquer their fears. You don’t need to be an expert on something, you just have to try. Practice makes progress. If you try and fail, it’s okay — you learned, grew and conquered your fears.

You may have struggles along the way trying to surpass your fears, but this is for everyone, so don’t feel alone. Every tick-tock on the clock counts down to your deathbed. Don’t let fear strangle you and hold you back. You only have one life, so live it in freedom.

Dear Maniac Driver

You are not better than anyone else. So don’t think you have the right to speed, cut people off and not let people into another lane. You don’t have the right to honk at other drivers for no reason. You have no right to get angry when someone is driving the way that you don’t like.

You have no reason to go 50 miles over the speed limit on the highway. It’s doubtful you have a place that important to be.

You have no right to text and drive. You have no right to put someone in danger because you feel the need to text someone at that moment.

You have no right to turn on your brights when it’s dark to make people in front of you drive faster. No one likes it when you get on their tail and drive really close to them, just so you could drive a little more over the speed limit. And why can’t you use your turn signals? Why do you constantly, with an ignorant attitude, put other people in danger?

You are a jerk, and no, you are not better than anyone else on the road. So stop your inconsiderate thinking and drive the way considerate people drive.

Sincerely, Every driver everywhere

Ways to Save Money

You may be in a situation where you are stuck in a financial situation, but don’t fret; there are many ways to save money! There are four simple ways you can start saving money as soon as possible!

The first way is to budget. Now, this seems obvious, but many people neglect this. They get their paycheck and instantly go out and buy something they want.

They do not focus on what they need first. One way to budget is to write down your necessities first, then your wants second. Pay off the necessities first, and then whatever you have left over, you can spend on wanted items.

The second way is write down everything that you buy. Writing down what you purchase brings attention to where all your money is going. If you notice that most of your money is going to dinners out, then you may need to cut that out in order to help your bank account. Just simply writing purchases down can absolutely help you manage your money better.

The third way is to look at what you have already. Let your home speak to you, rather than the store shelves. Let’s say you need new clothing; before going to the store, look in your closet and see what you need. Listening to your home will help you cut your spending on unnecessary items.

The fourth and final way to save your money is to write lists of what you need when you go shopping. Writing lists is not just limited to the grocery store. Write lists when you go clothes shopping, toiletry shopping, etc., etc.

Hopefully you now have the tips and tricks you need to start saving your money.

Contact: cott@smccme.edu

The Beacon ■ May 9 ■ 2017 7

A rts & F eatures Marshall on Cinema

Director’s Profile: Ben Wheatley Though it may be true that, now more than ever, filmmakers are intrigued by the prospect of pastiche, it ultimately requires a singular vision to transcend imitation alone. In this regard, English writer/director/editor Ben Wheatley, born in 1972 in Essex, certainly has that ever-elusive magic touch that many of his contemporaries lack, in the sense that he decidedly wears his influences on his sleeve and yet his work retains a sort of strangely distinctive quality, as if the artist is conjuring visions of old to go with the new.

Wheatley began his career in animation and short films before 2009’s small-town crime drama “Down Terrace” marked his feature debut. If this wasn’t

quite enough of a success overseas to guarantee the director’s household-name status, 2011’s “Kill List” certainly did the trick, combining kitchen-sink realism and gritty gangster-movie tropes with “Wicker Man”style occultism.

2012 proved to be a busy year for the multitalented Englishman, as he directed a segment for the infamous “ABCs of Death” anthology as well as his third feature, the pitch-black

romantic comedy “Sightseers.” 2013 brought the exceedingly trippy blackand-white phantasmagoria of “A Field in England,” thus signifying new horizons — ones which Wheatley would explore further with the brilliantly bat-shit “High Rise” (2015), a ‘70s-infused dystopian nightmare which was easily his most ambitious production yet.

Most recently, Wheatley directed the witty and ultra-violent “Free Fire,”

which feels like an appropriate culmination of the filmmaker’s aesthetic obsessions even when it doesn’t aim as high, thematically speaking, as some of his earlier work. Even still, these films share common attributes; they are (almost) equal measures maddening and misanthropic, and totally committed to the chaos.

There’s something genuinely fresh in Wheatley’s evocation of mania, and one gets the sense that he’s always chasing after his own definition of excess; his films aren’t exorcisms so much as they are representations of what it looks and feels like to release what’s been fermenting for so long — and then bottle it all up again for observation.

Ryan Marshall is a Communications & New Media major focusing on cinematic journalism. You can also read his writing at www.podcastingthemsoftly.com

Film Review: ‘Free Fire’ From wherever his ever-growing stateside audience stands, the bearded Englishman by the name of Ben Wheatley seems to be one of the busiest and most consistent minds working in the industry today, having sent no less than one feature film overseas per year since his debut in 2009.

If anything has changed since then — and plenty has — it’s the director’s unabashed penchant for pastiche; with the previous year’s “High Rise,” and now the similarly fleeting “Free Fire,” Wheatley no longer appears to be interested in entertaining subtlety where his influences are concerned.

Just as he conquered ‘70s occultism and dystopia prior, here we have Wheatley taking on the single-location action-thriller that’s become all the rage as of late. An arms deal gone wrong in a warehouse somewhere in Boston, men (and a woman) shooting off at one another according to no plan, you get the picture. A sort of misanthropic streak runs throughout and once the show’s on the road, it rarely stops for even a quick

breather.

In the interest of maintaining its modest 90-minute run-time, this is perhaps the wittiest of Wheatley’s output thus far (once again, the director co-wrote the script with his wife Amy Jump), and it’s genuinely remarkable how even the most repugnant involved in the ordeal are able to elicit honest chuckles.

This is as strong an argument as ever for stricter gun-control laws, and in that sense it’s unexpectedly timely, but first and foremost it’s a spectacle of stupidity where banter is as frequently hysterical as a bullet to the leg.

It’s all fun and games when someone is getting hurt, but Wheatley remem-

Portable CD Player or Smartphone?

By Jessica Spoto

Many people listen to music on their smartphone because, well, it’s very convenient — and who doesn’t have their smartphone on them? Now, before we jump in here too soon about listening to music on your smartphone versus a portable CD player, you should know a little history about the smartphone.

Amazingly enough, the first smartphone came out in 1994, and it cost only $900.

(That was a lot to many people back in the ‘90s.) The IBM Simon, it didn’t do much; it featured apps like solitaire. This smartphone only worked in the United States, and only in 15 states. The practicality of it outweighed the hefty price tag

8 The Beacon ■ May 9 ■ 2017

for most people. Because of the price of the first smartphones, and many after that, the popularity of the smartphone didn’t pick up until 2007. In 2007 the cost of a smartphone was a lot cheaper and more accessible.

There must have been a time in your life when you didn’t have a smartphone. Anyone remember? You may have been in middle school, even elementary school.

You may remember the flip phones — you know, phones like Blackberrys? Many flip phones did not offer an option to play music.

bers to allow for the moment of the kill to be flawlessly articulated so that the impact can be felt amidst the immaculate absurdity. There’s no good guys here, just the bad — Ord (Armie Hammer), Justine (Brie Larson), Chris (Cillian Murphy), Frank (Michael Smiley), Vernon (Sharlto Copley) — and the ugly, the latter of which includes the likes of the spectacularly sleazy Stevo (Sam Riley), Bernie (Enzo Cilenti), and Harry ( Jack Reynor), but the cast achieves such harmony that one hardly minds the commitment to the dark heart at the core of the affair.

Mileage will surely vary as to how the viewer receives the over-the-top violence

If any of you remember the portable CD player, it was commonly equipped with features like these: options to turn up the bass, skip through songs and plug into speakers. You may be thinking, what’s so great about that? Well, think about it: How many times a day do you use your phone? On average, a typical smartphone dies within five hours (depending on how much you use your phone). A portable CD player usually takes two double-A batteries and lasts on average about 22 hours and 15 minutes.

and slick cynicism inherent in the film’s worldview, and it could easily have more of an agenda at the end of the day, but surely the film’s technical merits should not be overlooked. Reuniting with D.O.P. Laurie Rose for another crack at colorful claustrophobia, Wheatley (whose editing remains as sharp as ever) crafts a clever, condensed slice of psychedelic madness, albeit this time it’s notably more grounded than certain earlier endeavors, but that’s not to say that it’s any less delectable as a result.

In fact, more than anything, it seems to suggest a smoother path for the director moving forward. He thankfully has yet to lose even a sliver of the flair that marks his strongest work, and while this is hardly an abstraction à la “A Field in England,” it’s still well within Wheatley’s wheelhouse. The obsessive, snarky, bloodthirsty spirit remains intact, providing a much-needed pick-me-up for the wicked — simplicity as a sly cinematic illusion.

As deadly as it is positively delightful.

If you do not use your phone and use a portable CD, then you can conserve your battery life throughout the day. That way you can leave your phone for those much-needed cat videos and important chats from random people on your Facebook friends list. Well, in all seriousness, you can absolutely save battery on your phone, meaning you won’t have to have the irritation of having it die or having to charge it every five hours.

So strongly consider using a CD player for music — not only for saving money and battery, but also for your enjoyment.

So, go back to the early 2000s and crack out your portable CD player!

A rts & F eatures

Kafkaesque Bukowski

By Oğuzhan Özkan

Kafka and Bukowski may seem miles apart from each other by plain logic: they lived in different eras; they had different personalities; Kafka’s poetic skills are not what he is famous for; Bukowski was an alcoholic and a drug addict; Kafka saw himself as sexually inadequate while Bukowski used sexuality as a cure for his problems. Their differences look vast, but they shared one thing in common: they had a same feeling of repulsion for society.

They directed their criticisms not only to society, but also to what they had become in the process of being a part of society, what they ended up being as a result.

Bukowski’s poems are intense. He uses intensity as a tool to shock the reader. “A Smile to Remember” is an example. He lets us hate his father and highlights her mother as the only beautiful thing in his childhood — the only person who tries to stay positive despite everything. In his poems, there are immoral people, prostitutes,

Maine Mayhem (Continued from front page)

that same category. This documentary was such a learning experience for myself since I worked so hard on it.”

‘The Windigo’ Director: Ness Hutchins

alcoholic and wife-beating men, villains, drug addicts and so on, but on the other hand, in the middle of all the mess, there is his mother. She is a blooming flower and he remembers her with a heavy heart.

The very same symbolism is apparent in “The Metamorphosis.” In the middle of the same chaos, but this time arising from the burden of being a responsible man for others, Kafka symbolizes Gregor Samsa’s sister, Grete, as the blooming flower. She is seemingly his only friend. She feeds him and treats him better than their parents.

Samsa sees her as the only good in the world; she weeps for him. But Samsa feels bad for her, because he’s no more able to support her future career as a violinist. This is as little Henry feels bad for his mother; they both feel sorry for the ones they love, even if the time is rough and the situation is unclear.

Kafka is a man of solitude. His character, Samsa, turns into a cockroach. This is his way of loathing the society that he has to be a part of in order to earn a living. His soul shrinks and his personality diminishes as he serves the needs of people, so much so that he finally becomes a cockroach, a symbol of human disgust. He hates himself

and what he does so much to a degree that he himself is no more a human, but an insect. He is better off as a cockroach rather than being a human, but also he feels that he deserves to be a cockroach.

This sickening urge for human race and his abhorring for what he has become complete each other. He welcomes his transformation as a long lost friend, of course he finds it odd at first but he gets to see it very mundane within the process. Bukowski, even though not as much as Samsa does, hates himself and society as well. He asks the girl ‘’where were you when I was living on one candy bar a day and sending short stories to the Atlantic monthly?’’ and he never gets even with the society.

To become accepted by it, he thinks that you, first, have to lose your soul and mind.

Samsa lost his soul and mind, and he had a good job with a good salary, well enough to feed his family. He and Bukowski react differently, but they get to the same place eventually: the point of no return. The moment Bukowski understands the terror that the society causes and the moment Samsa begins to detest himself intersect.

They come to hate themselves neither more nor less they hate people. The idea of

being one of them seems inescapable and they already are, knowing that they hate to be so makes everything more complicated.

Bukowski seeks comfort in addiction to whatever he can get, alcohol, women and drugs to have a serene mind, but he fails.

His poetry gives us the hints of a disturbed man, a man who flunks every single time he attempts to try. We already begin to witness the final chapter of Samsa’s life and there is no doubt that they come each way in different directions; Bukowski despises and Samsa dreads.

There is no happy ending for their stories. Samsa dies as something he yearns and hates to be at the same time, Bukowski’s blooming flowers wither in the end with their bitter smiles. The certainty is they feel the absence of peace, it is not that they lack the perseverance that is necessary to achieve, they just appercieve the longevity of happiness lies within lies and self-deception. Most people build fortresses around to keep themselves from heart breaking brutal facts, but not Samsa and Bukowski. They complete and hail each other from different worlds, inexplicably and surprisingly.

There will be a 7 p.m. screening at the Nickelodeon, followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers. If you don’t have a car or you miss the bus into Portland, there will also be an encore screening at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are available right now on the Nickelodeon website. If you are an expert procrastinator and find yourself without tickets on May 10, there will also be a screening on May 12 at Central Gallery, 89 Central Street, Bangor. Additional information can be found at the Maine Mayhem Film Festival’s FaceBook page.

After Effects, and learning After Effects, he said, “Nicholas, we should do a video off this.” I’m like, “Okay. What would my character be?” He’s like “Nicholiavage.” I’m like “Okay.” So that’s how Nicholiavage came to exist.”

know where my bar is and where I need to surpass myself next time!”

‘Wizard Wars’

‘The Mustang, The Hand, and the Big Man’

‘Leap of Faith’ Director: Chris Motley

Director: Andrew Anzora

Director: Nicholas Cavanaugh

In the director’s words: “The Windigo is about a young Native American woman, Kaye, who is tormented by a monster in her dreams after her beloved grandmother passes away. Meanwhile, people in their small town start turning up dead, and Kaye believes it’s her grandmother back for revenge.”

Do you have a personal connection to Native American culture?

“I don’t have Native American heritage, although, like Kaye the protagonist, I lost a grandmother I was very close to.

She was a great storyteller. Writing Kaye as Native and including the oral storytelling tradition felt like a way to bring her character to life by tapping into some of my own (white) experiences. Being a white person writing about a culture different than my own, I wanted to show Kaye through a filter of life challenges everyone faces and can relate to. But, I also tried to subtly show how her experiences might be different, like being alienated from your white small town and not having a good support system from your community.”

Q A

In the director’s words: “Wizard Wars is about two wizards who battle to the death for different reasons.

Nicholiavage who is a wanted wizard and has supposedly been dead for years is the only one who can fight against Kelcey, the power hungry witch. Kelcey is also Nicholiavage’s first and only love. Now he must decide does he destroy her or does he save her from the dark path she is on. Throughout the film, Nicholiavage will struggle to try and turn Kelcey back to being good, but he also must stay ahead of the law.”

Are any of the characters in “Wizard Wars” based off of real people?

“Nicholiavage is based off me because it was the nickname given to me by my co-writer (David Beane). He used to call me Nicholiavage when there was another Nick in the room. One time after using

Q A

In the director’s words: “The Mustang is searching for memories stolen from her- stolen and distributed among high-ranking​employees of the shadowy organization known as The Company. As she tracks down these members, she must evade the gun for hire after her on behalf of those she’s hunting- The Hand, and face off with the one in charge of it all — The Big Man.” What was the hardest part of making “The Mustang, The Hand, and the Big Man”?

“The hardest part was something no one ever told me about. I knew all about the pitfalls of production… My hardest problem was my expectations of myself and of the movie. I’m constantly trying to outdo not only my contemporaries but really myself. I want the growth to show, you know? So, finding out where my limitations were and kind of being humbled by them has been a process, but now I

Q A

In the director’s words: “Leap of Faith is a religious comedy about a young man named Lu, who believes he is being punished by God. He longs for a girl named Eve but never makes his presence known to her because he has isolated himself due to his condition. Then Lu befriends his new neighbor, a pastor with a serious alcohol problem, and they try to put their heads together and finally answer the big question: Why is Lu being punished? And more importantly, can he put a stop to it? The film aims to make you laugh and think at the same time.”

Is there anything in your life that you drew inspiration from while making “Leap of Faith”?

“I had the idea sitting in a church, thinking it was funny how not religious I am. I thought it wouldn’t be surprising if being in the church made me burst into flames. And the idea went from there! I did draw a lot on the need to have a scapegoat. I think we all feel more comfortable when we have someone to blame for our problems other than ourselves. It lets us be flawed without feeling guilty about it.”

Q A

The Beacon ■ May 9 ■ 2017 9

A rts & F eatures From the Mind of Daniel Elliott

Poetic License

By Jessica Spoto

The last poem for this year’s Poetic License comes to The Beacon from Rebecca Dow. Last week Rebecca read her piece to me while we shared a few moments together in a somewhat subdued Oceanview Dining Hall. We all suffer from spacing out, consciously avoiding, delaying the inevitable, deferring, postponing, dallying, taking the obligatory raincheck, even maybe dragging your feet, while always knowing…

I Ought to Stop Procrastinating

By Rebecca Dow

Cluttered mind, Sleepless, A cup of coffee Sours my mouth Through the hours.

A mountain of responsibilities Crumble in the wake of a Rectangular projection, Illuminated on my black, Wadded bedsheets.

Who will build it back up?

Stone by stone, my focus Looks to the sky.

10 The Beacon ■ May 9 ■ 2017

When the clouds fall, Kissing the grass and soil, Then I shall see with Clarity.

Sleepless; By rising higher It becomes harder to view a Cloudless summit.

My hope, nonetheless, Is to shed my skin And emerge a wisp Of crisp, clear air.

Above my mountain There exists an Unattainable mind Where stones are merely Pleasant smells, And dreams lay waste To solid things.

For now, my feet expect the Ground.

So, I’ll build with gritted teeth, Climbing as my breath grows Cooler; Until stones and haze, And coffee staved Rest Collect like dew in the Valley, Below me.

Vintage Era

By Jessica Spoto

Ever go into those vintage clothing stores in downtown Portland, but you just never seem to know what era the clothes you are buying are from? Well, there are specific details you need to look for when identifying a piece of vintage clothing from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

First, start by looking at the tag. The tag says everything about the piece. Clothing tags from the 1960s are usually small, slim and rectangular. Usually the print on the tag is in cursive, and it will also commonly say “Made in Korea.” Tags from the 1970s are slightly bigger than tags from the 1960s. The tag’s writing may still be in cursive, but have a more bubble-style font.

1980s tags are much, much bigger than 1970s tags. They are way more colorful and use a lot more geometric shapes than previous tags.

After you can identify the tag, feel the fabric and look at its pattern. 1960s fabric is stiff, but has a slight give to it. The pattern usually consists of trippy floral print, weird animals such as frogs, tigers and snakes, and also, bright and vibrant colors.

1970s fabric is of course made of itchy polyester. Pantsuits were a trend in the 1970s. Pantsuit patterns often used plaid and solid colors, with white as an accent.

1980s fashion is far removed from any of the other eras. The 1980s look consisted of very colorful clothing and geometric shapes, and also used color blocking. Color blocking is when each piece of clothing and accessory is a different color, with no pattern, and they all seamlessly go together in a funky, dysfunctional way.

So, that’s basically all you need to know to identify women’s clothing, era by era! If you want to look for vintage clothing, the best places to go are thrift stores. There are so many thrift stores in Portland!

On Display in the Learning Commons

By Paul Moosmann Painting has been part of the human experience since the ancient days of the cavemen. While we may have moved from pigment on rock to pigment on paper and canvas, the core desire to create has never changed. Students of John Knight’s Painting II class joined together with SMCC’s Art Club on April 28 in the second-floor lounge of the South Portland Campus’s Learning Commons to celebrate human creativity with the public.

The Painting II class featured students’ takes on full-body portraits. The works ranged from realistic to abstract, each capturing something about the human form in their own way. Works from the Art Club featured paintings on panels that ranged from pure abstraction to landscape, and more experimental artwork. The show will remain in the Campus Center through the end of the semester.

The Learning Commons will host a show of select Beacon front pages. The show is scheduled to be installed in the summer.

SMCC S ports

Men Bring Home

(Continued from page 12)

Chambers would ground out to third ad as there was no play at home or third, Leeman scored and Chabot took third.

With Chabot 90 feet from pushing SMCC’s lead to three runs, Edgar Montan secured first with a walk, promptly swiped second base, and a few pitches later watched as Nathan Huot joined Montan on the bags.

With the bases loaded and the Seawolves threatening to pad the lead even more, Nathanial Cyr was given a free pass to first advancing the ‘Wolves runners and pushing Chabot across home plate.

The inning ended with Kyle Weeks grounding out to the pitcher, but the damage was done as SMCC plated three runners and took to the field to support Kyle Parmley has he dueled it out with the Lynx batters.

The top of the fourth inning saw three Lynx batters walk into the batter’s boxes and return to the dugout, leaving the bases empty. The Seawolves would get one runner on base in their half of the inning, as Amos Herrin singled. A few pitches later Herrin was thrown out trying to steal second. Leeman’s flew out to left field to end the inning for the Seawolves.

The Lynx would get their first two batters of the fifth inning on base courtesy of an error by the Seawolf catcher and a single by Mason Gaudette. An unassisted double play to first base caught Gaudette leaving a Lynx runner on the base paths alone. The inning would come to an end when Poisson struck out swinging.

The bottom of the fifth started out beautifully for the Seawolves as the first two batters, Chabot and Chambers, stood safely on the corners with no outs. During the next series of pitches Chabot would be picked off of third base, and a few pitches later Chambers would steal second. After a fly out by Motan, Huot would earn a walk and again the ‘Wolves would have runners threatening to cross home plate. Nathaniel Cyr would end the inning with a fly out to right field.

Again NHTI would not be able to rally as only four batters stood in at the plate. Their efforts for the inning included grounding out twice and striking out while leaving a lone runner on first.

SMCC was not able to generate any of-

C

fense in their half of the inning, setting up what would be a dramatic final half of an inning.

When the top of the seventh inning began, SMCC held a three–nil lead. As quickly as the weather changes in southern coastal Maine, the energy changed just as quickly on the SMCC diamond.

With three outs standing between SMCC and the YSCC Championship ring, Parmley took to the mound. Joe Levesque, NHTI’s first batter to address the plate, earned first base with a single. The next Lynx batter, Kernan, followed with a single.

In a matter of a handful of pitches, NHTI had a legitimate rally brewing.

NHTI first baseman Gaudette pooped out to SMCC shortstop Herrin and only two outs stood in the way of SMCC and the ring.

NHTI catcher Jeffrey Quimby reached first base on a fielder’s choice, pushing Kernan to second base; however, the second out was recorded as Levesque was thrown out at third by the Parmley.

With two out in the record book, NHTI’s Poisson smacked a single to load the bases, and the Lynx looked alive and in a position to complete a bona-fide rally. The sixth batter that Parmley faced in the top of the inning would provide a dramatic edge to the contest.

NHTI’s center fielder, Simard, would single driving in two runs, cutting SMCC’s lead to one, as the score stood 3 to 2. With the tying run 90 feet from home, Parmley faced the seventh batter of the inning, NHTI’s second baseman McFarland.

After a series of pitches, McFarland hit a sharp grounder to SMCC first baseman Max Salevsky, who came in to replace Chabot at first at the top of the inning. As Parmley covered first base, Salevsky tossed a soft underhand throw to Parmley, who touched first with his right foot, ending the contest and finalizing SMCC as the winner of the YSCC Championship.

On May 3, SMCC traveled to New Hampshire to play the Lynx in a make-up game. The 18–11 win by the Seawolves would not foreshadow Sunday’s game.

NHTI’s Steve Moran was awarded Defensive Player of the Tournament. SMCC’s Herrin was named Offensive Player of the Tournament, and Parmley the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Heartbreaker

(Continued from page 12)

The championship would unfold unlike the semifinal games, as the game would stretch to eight innings of play. Sarah Guimond who take to the pitcher’s circle for the Wolves, as Briana Whitcomb would for the Lady Lynx.

NHTI would get on the big board first in the top of the second inning on a grounder to Guimond, scoring Lynx Stephani Gauthier from third. Gauthier advanced to third from second on a passed ball. Gauthier’s trip around the bases started with a free pass to first as the lead-off hitter for the inning.

Kaylah Abdul would equalize the scoring in the bottom of the inning, when Samantha Rioux would single her in.

Abdul started the inning off by singling to shortstop. After the next two Seawolf batters walked back to the dugout, Abdul was able to score from first on Rioux’s hit.

Over the course of the next four innings, the Lady Lynx would cross home twice, once in the third and once in the sixth, to pad their lead to two runs. SMCC would answer in the bottom of the sixth.

A passed ball in the third would open the door for the Lynx to plate a run, and a solo home run by Kabrina Roy in the sixth would give NHTI a two-run lead when SMCC batted in the bottom of the inning.

Roy’s home run would tie her with Abdul for the conference lead in homeruns.

The bottom of the sixth would see Ellie Burbank and Abdul get on base with a single to center field and a seeing-eye single through the right side of the infield, leaving runners at the corners. Kahli Philibotte would double, driving in two Seawolves runs and knotting the score at three.

Neither team would be able to generate runs in the seventh inning, as NHTI would leave a runner stranded on third and the Seawolves would be retired in order.

The bats came alive for both teams in the eighth inning, as they would combine for six runs, five hits and one walk, arriving safely at first on an error while leaving four runners on base.

The Lynx would score four times in the extra inning, jumping out to a four-run lead, 7–3. In the bottom of the inning, the Seawolves’ magic would come to a halt after scoring two runs and cutting the NHTI lead to two, 7–5.

After the last SMCC out, the Lynx took to the field celebrating their 2017 YSCC Softball Championship. Lady Lynx Brianna Whitcomb would be acknowledged as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

NHTI catcher Alyssa Columb earned the Defensive Player of the Tournament and SMCC’s Kaylah Abdul would earn the Offensive Player honors.

Stephanie Mullins tries to get around on the pitch against the Mustangs a week ago.

S N S M O I C T A C L A U T T H A L R E G T N ES O The Beacon ■ May 9 ■ 2017 11

SMCC S ports

Softball and Baseball Finish out their Seasons

SMCC pitcher Kyle Parmley gets NHTI second baseman Gavin McFarland to ground out to first base ending. The final out ensured SMCC the YSCC championship.

Wolves Drop Heartbreaker to Lynx in NH

By The Beacon Staff

Seawolves celebrate repeating as YSCC champs.

Men Bring Home the Ring

By The Beacon Staff

The Seawolves baseball season ended on Sunday against the Lynx of New Hampshire Technical Institute. Their final game of the season played out with the winner taking home the YSCC Championship. The contest, for all intents and purposes, was a pitcher duel.

Kyle Parmley would take to the mound for the Seawolves, pitching seven complete innings. Michael Kernan would start for the Lynx the last four and two-thirds innings before handing the ball over to Jared Booth.

Parmley would catch the “W” after facing 27 batters, as Kernan would be tagged for the loss after dueling it out with 24 Seawolf batters. Booth would face four batters.

Parmley started off the contest sending the first six batters he faced back to the Lynx dugout. The top of the third inning started with Zack Poisson reaching first base on an error by Amos Herrin, the Seawolf shortstop. Poisson would be thrown

out at second when Lynx batter Mike Simard reached first on a fielder’s choice.

The top half of the inning would come to a grinding halt for NHTI with an inning ending double play ball by Gavin McFarland.

The bottom half of the inning would see the Seawolves score three times and leave the bases loaded, while taking advantage of wild pitches and stealing bases.

After Jakob Latini flew out to start the inning off, Herrin jump started the offense for the Seawolves with a single. A wild pitch later Herrin stood on second, 180 feet from getting SMCC onto the big board. The third batter of the inning Justin Leeman drew a walk which set the stage for Carter Chabot.

Chabot would single driving in Herrin from second base as Leeman would follow Herrin pulsing at third. As Kernan battled with Caleb Chambers, Chabot stole second.

With runners on second and third (Continued on page 11)

The softball and baseball seasons came to a close this past weekend, as the Lady Seawolves traveled to New Hampshire to compete in the YSCC championship Saturday and the Men Seawolves hosted the season ending baseball tournament on Sunday.

The Lady Seawolves entered the tournament as the No. 1 seeded team in a fourteam field. In semifinal action, the Lynx of NHTI took on and defeated the Knights of the College of St Joseph’s of Vermont 9–0 in a five-inning contest.

The Seawolves took to the diamond, taking on the Mustangs of Central Maine Community College. The Seawolves swept the spring-season series against the Mustangs, winning all four games in the last weekend in April. Over the course of the four games, SMCC outscored CMCC, 38–5. Saturday’s score would pad the scoring differential 52–5.

In Saturday’s action against the Mustangs, the Seawolves only need five innings to finish off CMCC, as the Lady Wolves plated 14 runs over the course of the contest. Behind the batting of Kaylah Abdul, who went two for two and collecting three runs batted in, the Wolves scored six times in the first inning, while scoring four more in the second and third inning.

Abdul’s batting average of .603 and the 46 RBIs that she has driven in lead the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA).

Sarah Guimond took to the pitcher’s circle as the starting pitcher for SMCC, pitching three scoreless innings. Kristen Mackenzie took in the top of the fourth, continuing the scoreless effort that Guimond started. Both pitchers combined for nine strikeouts while holding the Mustang’s scoreless over five innings of work.

Mackenzie also brought a hot bat to the plate, recording her fifth multi-hit performance of the season.

(Continued on page 11)

Above: SMCC’s Kaylah Abdul scores on a pass ball against CMCC a week ago.

Danielle Goodwin breaks for home as an unidentified Lady Seawolf puts the ball in play against CMCC.