The SMCC Beacon 9-25-2012

THE SOUTHERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER | Volume 8 • No. 2 • SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

November is Coming and so goes a Season of Changes all the way to Washington…

By Donna Chapman harlie Summers has an Olympian size task in front of him this election year, as he is running for US Senate, the seat that has become open with the announcement of the retirement of Olympia J Snowe. There is no doubt about it, Charlie Summers (R) who is running against Former Governor Angus King “Of the Mountain” (I), and Cynthia Dill (D), has what may seem an insurmountable mountain to climb, but it is not impossible.

Summers our current Secretary of State is not without his own political accomplishments. He was Appointed as the New England Regional Administrator, (Region 1) for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 20052007. He was elected to the Maine Senate in 1990 and became the first Republican to represent Maine’s 31st Senate District. His wife Ruth Summers is currently running for State Senate, they have 3 children.

Charles Summers was Olympia Snowe’s State Director from 1995-2004. Filling Senator Snowe’s seat is a tall order considering that, in 2006, she was selected by Time magazine as one of “America’s 10 Best Senators,” such is the reputation of beloved Senator Snowe, a hard act to follow. Senator Snowe never lost an election in 35 elections, remaining well respected throughout her career.

In 2008 TheWhiteHouse Project named her as one of the “8 in 08,” a group of eight females who could possibly be elected as President in 2008. How does one follow those footsteps, one would hope that the professional relationship Charlie Summers had with Senator Snowe would benefit him in this task. Consider that Olympia Snowe did not always vote a party line, as she pledged to be bipartisan, especially with health care reform and energy. In 2010 Senator Snowe opposed cutting loans through Small Business Administration and helping to reduce insurance costs to small businesses through legislation. A subject very well regarded to this candidate.

In a recent phone interview I asked Charlie Summers a few questions in regards to his candidacy, his service to our Country and what it will be like going into a seat vacated by Olympia J Snow his former employer.

Charlie, you both have similarities in SBA, what would you continue to advocate for in small business?

“97% of businesses in Maine are small business and they need access to funding to start and grow their

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businesses, most would rather work 18 hours a day for themselves than 8 hours a day for someone else. Programs like SCORE and CEI offering training and support to individuals starting a business or expanding one, they are vital. Small business includes agriculture and farmers are a huge part of our economy in Maine. They need access to funding for growth. We are not going to tax our way out of this economy we need to grow our way out. Small business provides opportunity for families to support themselves and help support government.”

As a Small Business advocate and business owner of Charlie’s Beverage Warehouse you have some first hand experiences of business ownership in Maine, understanding that community colleges, small business and the trades are cultivating a working partnership, how would you improve on that relationship to ensure skilled workers are developed in the health care and trades industry, when we currently have an 18% graduation rate with adults?

“Schools are doing a great job, I had not heard of the 18% adult graduation rate and would look into policies to help community colleges sharpen their focus on retention rates. College is expensive, but the value in the education in trades provides a great and healthy opportunity for success upon completion of a degree program, or going onto another higher degree program. A lot of small businesses hire community college grads trained in the trades, I was at D & G Machine yesterday and they hire a lot of community college graduates. We need a strong community college

system to train or prepare students for a higher-level degree. I was a community college graduate myself.”

If Mitt Romney wins the election for President, he mentioned cutting the Pell Grants. A mounting concern for students enrolled in higher education. If you are elected, would you consider revising the Pell Grant system or cutting it?

“I would not cut the Pell Grant System” People may not realize this but Charlie Summers has been in the Navy and served in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and most recently in Afghanistan as a public affairs officer in 2010. Should he be elected he would increase the number of Veterans in Washington, which is at the lowest level since World War II according to CNN U.S. Although the number dropped, the Veterans Affairs budget went up 16% two years ago, which only makes sense if you look at the mass numbers or returning from war.

It is interesting to note that this was the largest increase in the VA budget in 30 years. We have had conflicts in the past, President Clinton’s involvement in Kosovo, yet no increase in budget?

Should voters ensure our veterans a voice by electing a veteran to Congress from Maine? How important is that to our state? With the 16% veteran population of Maine it should be a consideration.

Continued as “November” on page 11

Flower Power!

By Mary-Alice Mercier n many cases the term flower power is the promotion of peace and love, but in this case it is quite literal. The instructors of the Horticulture Department use this term quite literally.

They use flower power to fuel their success by selling the arrangements that were taught to, and made by the floral design class!

I was able to speak with one of the instructors in depth about where the money goes from these sales, to loosely quote Instructor David Palm, “We use the money we earn from this to cover the cost of

I 2 Health Beat GI BILL 3 Free Money Culinary Chronicles 4 Elemental Distress Notice to Both Sides 5 Soul-Making Pepper Club 6 Volunteering George Carlin 7 Voter Fraud, Why Wa? 9 Let’s Rethink This Music Review 10 Poetry Scene, Paleo Diet 12 Soccer Profiles Patriots

These flower arrangements are sold to the SMCC Community almost every Thursday at the bargain price of only $15!

the flowers.” Think of it in the same terms as a choir putting on a concert to fund a music department. The costs of flowers today are expensive so when I heard this I found that it was an amazing idea! “We sell the arrangements for fifteen dollars and we keep them in the cooler over nights which help preserve them longer.”

The arrangements I was shown amazed me. I could not believe that students did these seductively beautiful arrangements! “We are all flower nerds here.” Palm said with a laugh. “At this beginning of the course I was simply astounded at the arrangements that were presented.”

Head of the Horticulture Department, Cheryl Rich, informed me that the arrangements are available Thursday and Friday mornings normally around nine. Palm also mentions “Anyone interested should feel free to come in, even when there is a class; someone is bound to get up and take care of them if the instructor is busy.”

That being said, the arrangements are very lovely and are different each week based on what the class is doing as the arrangements are available on Thursday mornings and are really a lovely sight, not to mention they smell fantastic too! So if you are looking for a gift for that special someone, or are simply wanting to bring some brightness into your week, you should definitely pick up one of these ever-changing arrangements!

CampusNews Paying for College with the GI Bill?

By Donna Chapman o write about the GI Bill, as a former service provider in emergency relief for military families, is a bit intimidating as it is a new area that I had not much expertise. I started to do a little research and ask a few questions. The more you ask the more complex it seems the issue becomes. I can imagine veterans feel the same! Not the Bill itself, that is clearly defined in details at www.va.gov. There you will find the percentage of maximum benefits available, qualifying post 9/11 service, who qualifies, spouse and children’s benefits, length of service ect. That is where it gets interesting, as it starts breaking down from months of service to maximum benefits. This can work out extremely well for most Veterans’ enrolled in a Community College. In a 2 year time frame you can have your degree and if you have planned accordingly leave with very little student debt. Yes, it does mean a tight budget, but it is a way to get a great education, and a degree and put you into a higher wage bracket in the job market.

Looking further there was another program called the VOW and VRAP acts. Vow, Vow to Hire Heroes is the statue of the VRAP, Veterans Retraining Assistance Program for unemployed veterans. These programs are in a working partnership with the VA and the DoL (Dept. of Labor). A main concern is that funding is only good for 12 months. The program clearly states that participants “may receive up to 12 months of assistance at the full-time payment rate under the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty program (currently $1,473 per month).” You want to do your homework so to speak on this program to be certain of funding sources, either student loans or other VA funding which may be available, as again it only covers 12 months of financial aid.

Under MRSA Title 20-A 10010. VETERANS:

Regardless of the state of residence, a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States using the benefits under the Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008

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must receive a waiver from the tuition that remains after the application of all payments from the federal Department of Veterans Affairs, including payments under the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program in the Post9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, and the application of other no repayable resources for which the veteran may be eligible.

The amount of the tuition waiver received by a veteran under this section may not exceed an amount that lowers the tuition to less than the in-state tuition charged by the institution. This section applies to all veterans enrolled at any campus or University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System or Maine Maritime Academy in an undergraduate program of education. IS your school of choice willing to waive these fees? If not you will be paying these costs and they can add quite a bit to your college costs that you may have thought was covered.

According to USA Today article of May 30, 2012, “The Post 9/11 GI Bill enacted in 2008 has paved the way

The Beacon Health Beat

By Katherine Frazier re you nervous about gaining the dreaded Freshman 15? Or perhaps adding to the Senior 25?

Maybe you would like to replace a sugar-packed sleeve snack with a filling go-to grab? Are you curious about trying the latest and greatest fitness buzz? Interested in toweling up the sweat to increase your activity level?

The Beacon Health Beat will be a student connection to wellness with snippets of information each publication to educate and motivate. Not fad, but researched and credited facts! Extreme measures such as the all-milk or juicing diets will not be endorsed, only those which celebrate maintaining balance and satisfaction in life.

Some topics may include the benefits of eating Greek yogurt - a creamier, thicker style of yogurt high in protein. Or three tips from a seasoned marathoner on how to hit the streets and start running. Upcoming health events on campus will also be covered to get

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for hundreds of thousands of recent veterans to enroll in college. Of 923,836 service members who received federal education benefits last year, 555,329 served after 9/11 according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.” It also stated that “1% of veterans each year do not make it.” To that I might add the adult graduation rate is only about 18%, so I would say 1% of 923,836, is not bad. The best thing a University or Community College could do for its veteran student body is provide a space that veterans can relate to and meet in, small cubicles don’t work. Respect what they have done in their service to our Country. Understand that, yes there is added paperwork for someone, work for a better retention rate within the campus community and ask your veterans what can we for you to make your college transition structured for improved graduation rates and transfers.

As for Veterans’ you made the commitment to go back to college, stay the course! People are here to help, seek them!

students moving and eating nutritionally right on their college doorstep.

The Health Beat will supply inspirational and perhaps eye-opening knowledge to the students and faculty at SMCC concerning wellness and keeping your body in top shape, especially as a new season approaches. All you have to do is read!

Also, a friendly shout-out to the Running Club this fall semester. Currently, the group is meeting Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in the lobby of the HUB at 3:30 pm. It is best to arrive a couple minutes early to make sure you’re with the pack and don’t get lost on the streets of South Portland! Expect to run for no more than twenty to thirty minutes. The Club welcomes individuals of all abilities, paces and running goals. As Coach Mike said, “I teach from mile to marathon and everywhere in between!”

Here’s to many happy, healthy Beacon entries in the future!

Career and Transfer Connections Service to Others Serves YourtiesCareer Goals!

By Shane Long, SMCC Director of the but in the short term they are very valuable sources of

Center for Student Involvement and Leadership re you hoping to get that amazing job, scholarship, award or admission to the transfer college of

CONTRIBUTING Chris Conlee your dreams? An excellent Grade Point Average

WRITERS Tiffany Crockett (GPA) might not be enough to separate you from the

Donna Chapman thousands of other students you are competing with. An

David Devine average GPA might not hold you back as much as you Daniel E. Gagne think, either. So what can you do to distinguish yourself when applying for jobs, scholarships, awards and transfer

Garrick Hoffman admissions? One of the best things you can do to help Gerry A. Foster your chances is to get involved in something on campus Katherine Frazier or in your community. You may be thinking that you don’t

Shane Long have time to devote to being involved either in the com Tricia Mancini munity or here on campus. The benefits, however, can far Mary-Alice Mercier outweigh the cost of juggling your schedule to carve out a Amanda Rock couple of hours a week to give you the needed edge over

KayLynn Russell your competition. The three most valuable assets that I Rik Sawyer have seen students gain from their involvement are:

Michael Scofield •A more impressive resume.

Thomas Sharp •Better letters of recommendation.

Jeff Toorish •Something to discuss in essays and interviews.

The top reason why most students get involved is

Shawn Veasey to have that extracurricular activity to include on their Brittany Williams resume. Just simply having community service or student organization experience, especially for those students that

ILLUSTRATIONS Andrew Holmes do not have a long or very impressive work history (3

summers at McDonalds usually doesn’t grab the atten ART DIRECTOR & Angelina Smith tion of many scholarship committees), can help get you PRODUCTION MANAGER noticed. Another perk of campus or community involvement is the development of what are commonly referred to as “soft skills” such as team work, problem solving, GRAPHIC DESIGN Will Porensky communication and ability to work with a diverse group

& LAYOUT Meo Pourreyron of people. These skills are important assets that employers want and can impress committees reviewing your applica ADVISOR Charles Ott tions for scholarships, awards or admissions.

Another perk of being involved is the personal connections you make with your advisors, supervisors and The Beacon is published by and for the students of other people you will work with. These connections are Southern Maine Community College great for networking to help you with future opportuni-

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letters of recommendations. Many students are able to get amazing letters of recommendation through their campus or community involvement. Personally, I am always happy to write a glowing recommendation for students that I know here at the College through their involvement. I can do this because I get to know them and their qualities like work ethic, character and potential which are not reflected in your GPA but are of interest to employers, transfer colleges and award and scholarship committees.

Finally, many students lack the types of experiences that make for good stories that can reflect their knowledge, skills and abilities because they have not had the opportunity to practice them outside of the classroom. In interviews or when writing essays you need to be able to talk about experiences that you have had, not just purely what you have learned. Here is an example of an essay for a major scholarship given each year: “Describe your most significant endeavor since attending SMCC in which you applied your academic or intellectual skills from your community college education to benefit your school, community or society”. Students that have experience volunteering in their community or being involved in student organizations on campus, especially in leadership roles, will usually find it much easier to write this type of essay than someone who does not. The ability to write great essays will help separate you from the other students vying for the same award, scholarship or admission to the same college. Students that are not great writers can always get help and advice on how to write a great essay. However, without something of substance to write about no amount of polishing can cover up a lack of quality experiences for which you can base your essay.

For help or advice on how to find opportunities to get involved both here at SMCC and in the community contact Shane Long at slong@smccme.edu, stop by the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership in the South Portland Campus Center or “like” us on Facebook at facebook.com/cesil.smcc

CampusNews Directions To “Free” Money – Part II

By Shawn Veasey members?” And on October 1st, the common application n the last article we covered briefly what, why and how. for the Hites Transfer Scholarship, the Guistwhite ScholWhat are scholarships? Why apply for scholarships? arship and several others will be available. Not a memHow can you win a scholarship? So now it’s time to ber of Phi Theta Kappa? SMCC’s chapter holds weekly move on to where. Where does one find scholarships? As a meetings if you’d like to join or find out more information. student here at SMCC I have applied for probably about Or you can drop by the Center for Student Involvement a dozen scholarships, but I first enrolled at SMCC, like and Leadership to see if you qualify and/or find out which many students, I had no idea how many opportunities other Honor Societies are here at SMCC. Honor Societwere out there—until I started reading my SMCC emails. ies like PTK often have scholarship opportunities that are

You’ll be amazed how many opportunities you can only available to members so it’s definitely an option to find by simply reading the emails Ms. Bannon sends out. consider.

Thanks to those emails I learned about the George J.

This may be a given but the World Wide Web is Mitchell Peace Scholarship, which is an exchange program another great resource for finding scholarships. Sites like with Ireland that “was created jointly by the Collegeboard.com, Scholarships.com and Maine Community College System and the Cappaex.com, to name a few, offer search If you’re thinking, engines and even offer personalized scholarUniversity of Maine System as a tribute to the Honorable George J. Mitchell in recognition “I could never win ship matches. Cappex.com not only gives of his efforts to facilitate peace in Ireland and such a scholarship you information about the scholarship but Northern Ireland.” If you’re thinking, “I could also tells you “How much competition is because...” let me stop there?” Remember, even though a scholarnever win such a scholarship because...” let me stop you right here because you’re wrong, you right here because ship is listed on one of the websites I listed, there’s a 50/50 chance you could. How do or any other, still do your research and be you’re wrong.

I know? Because I did. I’m one of the two careful when divulging your personal inforstudents named the 2012 George J. Mitchell mation to websites with offers that seem too Peace Scholars and living proof that the only definite way good to be true. Never give your credit card and/or bank you won’t win a scholarship is by not applying. If I hadn’t account information. A legitimate scholarship website will read the email Ms. Bannon sent out last January, I would not ask for these things. have never known about the opportunity and I wouldn’t be I still sense some hesitance in some of you and I know leaving for Ireland this January. exactly why. There’s a part of applying for scholarships

You can also find out about scholarships on Maine that a lot of us fear. Essays. Some of us barely want to do Community College System’s website - http://www.mccs. them when they’re required but do one voluntarily? Many me.edu/student/scholarships.html. They have an entire of your responses is going to be “No thank you” but hold page dedicated to scholarships available at Maine’s comthat “No thank you” until after our next installment, “How munity colleges as well as links to FAME (Finance Auto Write a Scholarship Essay.” If you need an essay for a thority of Maine), which has a scholarship search engine scholarship before then and don’t know where to start, try that lists over a hundred scholarships. visiting SMCC’s Academic Achievement Center or one of

Are you a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor the writing tutors at the Bath or Midcoast campuses.

Society? Did you know there are “more than $37 mil Part one of “Directions to Free Money” is available in the lion in transfer scholarships available to Phi Theta Kappa 9/12/12 SMCC Beacon, page 3.

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SOUTHERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Join Professor Bove and students as they begin the process of chartering a SMCC chapter of Sigma Kappa Delta.

What is Sigma Kappa Delta?

Sigma Kappa Delta is The English Honor Society for Two-Year Colleges.

Why should I join Sigma Kappa Delta?

• The prestige of membership in a national honor society.

• Opportunities to apply for scholarships and awards.

• Opportunities for Student Leadership and eligibility to serve as a chapter officer .

• Writing Awards and Opportunities.

• Community Services and opportunity to promote literacy.

• Networking opportunities on the local and national level.

Who is eligible to join?

• Students enrolled in at Southern Maine Community College.

• Students who have completed a minimum of one college course (excluding developmental courses) in English language or literature.

• Students who have no grade lower than a B in English.

• Students who have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) • Students who have completed at least one semester for a cumulative total of twelve credits.

PLEASE NOTE: Students do not have to be English majors to join SDK. Want more information about Sigma Kappa Delta? Visit the national SDK website at www.english2.com or contact Shawn Veasey at shawnveasey@student.smccme.edu.

There are several opportunities for chapter officers. We’re looking for students who’d like to serve as President, Vice President, Secretary/Historian, Treasurer, Communications Officer, Alumni Membership Liaison.

By Amanda Rock o it’s Friday morning and you are walking through the Campus Center and a delicious smell wafts across the lobby, and you notice that the other students are eating omelets.

Following the delicious smell you see it in action, an order being placed… Cheese, mushrooms green peppers, and bacon… Oh yes! So you reach for your four dollars and get in line to place your order. There are two students, 2 dedicated Culinary Arts students, there every Friday from eight to ten am. Fresh baked goodies including cinnamon buns, doughnuts and muffins. If you are looking for a treat for the weekend they have a variety of pies, cookies, and cakes, so stop in and grab something for yourself, or to share with the family.

Why are they are there selling their goods?

They are raising money to compete in the Knowledge Bowl which is a Jeopardy style competition with multiple rounds and only four players. Each person must be well versed in each category. The categories cover everything from metric conversions; serve safe (Safety of food), culinary math (how to make recipes bigger or smaller, and how to price items you are selling) baking, to Escoffier (The man who came up with kitchen organization as we know it today). As you can imagine that’s a lot of knowledge, and they have to be quicker than other teams. So, if you are a Culinary Arts major, or are interested in learning, or networking stop by one of the weekly meetings which are held Wednesdays at two fifteen in the lobby of the Culinary Arts building.

The Knowledge Bowl is a nationwide culinary competition that started in 1992 is the brainchild of Carol Kelly a chef who designed the competition to test her students. As the competition grew, it was named after former ACF President and longtime advocate of apprentices and junior members Baron H. Galand

Students compete in regionals and if they win they go on to nationals! Last year the competition was in Niagara Falls and this year regionals will be held in Verona, New York, March 18th thru the 20th. As a competing student you are earning continuing education credits toward your American Culinary Federation membership and to sustain your rank of Certified Culinarian, or you can use these credits toward your next rank. This is an amazing opportunity to learn more about the industry you are training for and also if you are unsure of what it is that you want to do after you graduate, it’s a perfect opportunity to explore and learn in a fun and creative environment.

If you are in class and you miss the chance to order an omelet, there is still a chance to support the team; you can buy baked goods from the lobby of the Culinary Arts building between eleven and one fifteen. Prices are listed next to the display case.

Think that you might be interested but you have some questions? You can talk to Chef Boardman, Adam Robichaud who is the president, or Megan Manseau who is the secretary of the team. Adam went last year and he had a lot of fun and is looking forward to going again. This group of students is working very hard to raise the money to go; they get here as early as five thirty in the morning to ensure that they have enough bakery items to satisfy all the hungry bellies that walk through the campus center early Friday morning. So please keep your tummy happy and stop by and get an omelet.

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We thank the English Department Chair, Professor Sweeney and the English Department Faculty for their support in this endeavor.

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TheOtherWorld Elemental Distress The Human Element By: Daniel E. Gagne ife began on Earth sometime between 3.5 and 4 billion years ago, most likely in the depths of the ocean near volcanic vents due to a combination of heat, water, carbon, and other nutrients. The very first form of that life was bacteria. Humans however did not evolve until about 100,000 years ago—a mere microsecond in geological terms. However in the past hundred years or so we have come to believe that we can somehow control these massively higher evolved organisms.

“Superbugs” like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, (MRSA), multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB), enterococcus faecalis, and carbapenem-resistant klebsiella pneumonia (CRKP-a relative of E-Coli), as well as many others are among a growing list of pathogens that are developing a high resistance to antibiotics. In nature, many of these bacteria have been held in check by both natural selection and competition. Today with the advent of very pure natural and synthetic antibiotics these bacteria have quickly evolved resistance to these antibiotics, antiseptics, and antimicrobial products.

How has this happened? First of all bacteria have 100 times more genes than those in humans. Since they were the very first life form to ever appear on the planet, they have had billions, yes, billions of years longer than us to learn to adapt. Not only can they share genes with each other essentially adopting traits from one another, they also reproduce extremely rapidly allowing for a much higher rate in the evolutionary process.

Since the purification of penicillin in the 1920’s, many other forms of antibiotics have been introduced like amoxicillin and methicillin, as well as others like tetracycline, vancomycin, and Cipro among many others. As these antibiotics have been introduced it seems that within just ten years most of these pathogens have developed resis-

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tance, some have even done so in less than two years, and even couple within just a few months. The more progress we make to fight these deadly bacteria, the more resistant they become, and the more difficult they are to fight once they have infected us.

One of the largest factors that allow these “superbugs” to become so resistant so quickly is the massive over use and misuse of antibiotics for non-therapeutical use on industrial animal farms. These animals live in such a horrible, nasty, environment often times knee deep in their own feces, that the only way to keep them from getting sick is to pump them full of these antibiotics. The bacterial pathogens develop their resistance in these feed lots and cross species into the human world because of the distribution of infected meat.

Another problem is the fact that some bacteria, like those living in our stomachs, intestines, and on the surface of our bodies are actually beneficial. As we become more concerned about our health many people actually believe that killing 99% of bacteria is helpful. However, this view is an illusion. If just one percent of these bacteria and pathogens survive, then there is no competition for that 1%, and consequently they are now capable of breading at an accelerated rate. When new bacteria are introduced whatever resistance these new bacteria lacked they can now incorporate the DNA from the more resistant microorganism into their own. Huntington Hospital infectious disease expert Kimberly Shriner has said, “Perhaps we have underappreciated how crafty bacteria are in becoming resistant to all the antibiotics we throw at them.”

So how do we solve this life threatening problem?

There really is no easy answer, however we can takes steps that will lead us on a path toward the reduction of illnesses brought on by resistant bacteria.

Perhaps one of the easiest preventative measures is

proper hygiene, both at home and in hospitals. Which may include using much less antibacterial products accept in only the most necessary circumstances.

A second possible solution is to regulate the use of antibiotics on industrial feed lots to only animals who need them for therapeutic reasons, which seems to be an issues the CDC is reluctant to tackle as opposed the their European counterparts. Another is to provide a cleaner, healthier environment for animals meant as a food source to decrease the likelihood of infections.

Another solution is to find more homeopathic remedies for our own health problems. Perhaps instead of taking high doses of antibiotics every time we get a cold, maybe we should try eating a much healthier diet, incorporating foods high in vitamin B-12, and Omega-3 fatty acids both known to help boost our immune systems.

Regular exercise and frequent doses or sunlight, 20 minutes a day, to help our bodies to produce vitamin D, which is essential for our bodies to absorb calcium and many other nutrients that are key to our mental and physical health.

In our zeal to better control these pathogens we have forgotten that they not only play a vital role in this world such as weeding out species with weaker immune systems, but also that nature maintains a balance that we cannot control. By purifying natural antibiotics and creating and manipulating synthetic antibiotics, as well as overusing them on an epic scale we have more or less created a breed of super, sometimes even deadly microorganisms. When it comes to causation of current world wide problems with respect to preventative infections and disease, we must never forget the human element.

A Notice to Both Sides of the Political Divide It’s Time to Back Off

By David Devine ociety can and does execute its own mandates: and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself.” -John Stuart Mill

After recently changing my affiliation from the democratic party to the libertarian party, in support of Ron Paul, Mill’s statement about government mandates leading to social tyranny, rings more true than it once would have. In the face of an election that leaves an individual choosing the lesser of two evils, Democrats being fiscally and socially liberal, and the Republicans fiscally and socially conservative, I see the only option is to vote for the libertarian candidate, where we might receive some fiscal conservancy and a more hands off policy from federal entities, leaving smaller state governments to regulate themselves in both respects. To discuss this phenomenon it is easy to use two current policies of each party. On the Democrat’s side, Obama’s health plan is an easy target, and on the Republican’s side same sex marriage presents itself.

I am worried about Obama’s health plan, not only as an individual concerned in the direction my country is going, but as an individual worried about my own ability to afford it, while still affording other things which I have

deemed more necessary, such as food, electricity, and a roof over my head. The federal entity which governs us seems to be growing in size and power while the United States are looking less like states united and more like territories of a federation. Under Obama’s health plan this federation is requiring all residents of the states to purchase good’s and/or services from private entities: healthcare from private insurance providers. This is a clear violation of the Constitution, if taken at face value. The White House has been tyrannous in working this required expenditure of personal earnings to somehow be referred to as a tax, which makes it no less illegal, but easier for the masses to swallow, rather than calling it something which we have to buy.

In a general philosophical overview of the entire health care scenario, it appears to me that, while masked as a manner in which to keep the country healthy, it will require people who can not now afford it to work longer hours, and have less free time to think, play music, paint, write, or do things of a creative manner which do not result in monetary profit. Regulations from the Democrat party seek to entrap the population into similarity. Long story short, a lot of the people who would continue to make this country such a beacon of culture and invention in the world, will end up not painting that masterpiece, or not writing that love song because the hours they would have spent doing so are taken up working extra hours, acting as another cog in the machine, just the same as every other one.

Workshops in Studying Here at SMCC, is a series of three one-hour workshops with an emphasis on college study and success skills. These workshops are free to all SMCC students and no advance registration is required. Come to one or all three of the workshops.

Workshops are held in the 1st floor classroom in the Hutchinson Union Building (HUB) on the South Portland Campus, and on the Mid-Coast Campus, in room 117 of the Academics building. Please see the attached schedule for details.

These workshops are also available as video tutorials on SMCC’s Portal. Students may download them under the student tab/resource page. Recorded in MP4 format, they can be played on a computer or mobile device.

Resources are available for all WISH topics on the Portal under the academic departments tab/academic student support/academic achievement resources.

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Beacon

Wednesday 9/12 12:30-HUB Conference Time Management & Avoiding Procrastination Thursday 9/13 12:30-Mid-Coast Time Management & Avoiding Procrastination Tuesday 9/18 12:30-HUB Conference Effective Reading & Note Taking

On the Republican agenda lays social policies influenced by religious zealotry, like same-sex marriage. I am not opposed or for it. I honestly don’t care. It doesn’t effect me in itself. What it does effect is my idea of the country, which I am a part of, and I have trouble priding myself in a country that doesn’t follow its own rules. Discrimination against any group of people by the federal institution is illegal. While, on the health care issue, the injustice is a little better disguised, the same-sex marriage issue is blatant disregard of the constitution. While trying to service and please, what I consider the broken part of modern religion, would-be federal entities are playing to a minority of the population’s over-zealous ideals. In Mill’s word’s, ”enslaving the soul itself ” has a bit of a pungent meaning when there is a possibility of blatant denial of rights, maybe even human rights, that deny a select group of people the ability to share their life with someone in the same manner as the majority. There may be an argument for denying same-sex marriage if we were officially a Christian nation, but we are not. We are a nation that supposedly values individuality, freedom, and many religions, as well as lack thereof.

Our government continues to grow in size, while laying upon the populace more and more regulations and amendments to our forefather’s greatest ideas, while losing site of our original goal. Freedom cannot be regulated.

Sacrificing some for the whole is acceptable until the whole is forcing us to sacrifice for the some.

Wedsnesday 9/19 12:30 HUB Conference Effective Reading & Note Taking Thursday 9/20 12:00 Mid-Coast Effective Reading & Note Taking Tuesday 9/25 12:30 HUB Conference Study Skills & Test Taking Wednesday 9/26 12:30 HUB Conference Study Skills & Test Taking Thursday 9/27 12:00 Mid-Coast Study Skills & Test Taking

TheOtherWorld Soul-Making Power and Evil Have the Same DNA: Part 2

By Tom Sharp was struggling with the “God Like” status that had been bestowed upon me, and the unlimited power that came with it. I lived by the detainees’ rules (Iraqi Culture), and by winning their trust as the “Teacher,” I gained the power to do what I thought was in their best interest.

I could, without question, expel anyone from the school, move detainees to a different compound, order corporal punishment, and have food withheld.

As the “Teacher,” I had to administer discipline when the compound Imam found a detainee in contempt and at the same time ensure my actions did not violate the Geneva Convention and the additional protocols which

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The Pepper Club

By Tiffany Crockett ortland, Maine definitely is a place of variety. With this variety comes a plethora of delicious food around every corner. For breakfast I decided to visit The Pepper Club and Good Egg Cafe.

Upon entering I was greeted with business cards galore tacked to the wall adjacent to the space where you can hang our coats. There was also info of local events and maps of our beautiful state. Once inside the common area on of my favorite musicians of all time greeted my ears, Andrew Bird.

The interior of The Pepper Club definitely made a great first impression upon me.

I walk further in with the sound of violins and wobbly whistling filling my ears. The decor is so colorful and very comfy! I had a choice of sitting in booths (with pillows), chairs or couches. I came with a friend and settled on a booth near a window.

In each seating area, there was dainty fresh flowers and organic brown sugar in little vases. My breakfast guest and I received service with a smile and was handed a very

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established the standards of international law for the humanitarian treatment of detainees. The orders to execute my mission were crystal clear to me, and I understood the risk to my personal safety, as well as the benefits for the war efforts and for the detainees.

Four months after the school opened, I couldn’t resign as the “Teacher.” It would have generated great suspicion and be considered a sign of disrespect to 5,200 detainees who had put their trust in me. Moreover, when you’re given such unlimited power by those whom you are helping, they expect that you would never abandon them.

I found myself spending 18 to 20 hours a day among the detainees. My contact with American soldiers at this point was almost non-existent. My Iraqi counterpart was relay-

humble menu; construction paper with the offerings typed out which had been laminated. I liked it. First off I noticed how affordable everything was and that they indeed served my favorite local coffee, Coffee by Design.

I was very impressed with the creative breakfast choices. At first impulse I almost got the Thai scrambled egg with coconut sauce and mooshoo pancakes, but decided on tomato and pesto scram with honey wheat English muffins. Service was very quick as we even went the extra mile to ask questions about the food in the item I was unsure of. It was quite the exotic breakfast!

We received our food and it was delicious and only 10$ including coffee. The Pepper Club also invites vegans, vegetarians and people with gluten free diets to come in and give them a taste.

The Pepper Club/Good Egg started off in the 80‘s and 90‘s and was very popular. An employee from the beginning has kept this wonderful place running and maintains the aurora from the good old egg. For a warm, comfy environment and to be shocked by the creative cuisine definitely stop by The Pepper Club Café, 78 Middle Street, in Portland.

WOMEN IN TRADES AND TECHNOLOGY CLUB WANTS YOU!

You are invited to our first official club meeting of the semester.

Light refreshments will be served!

DATE Thursday, September 27 TIME 12:00 p.m.

LOCATION Building Construction, Room 1

Women in Trades and Technology Club seeks to:

• Encourage women and men to become members.

• Provide career exploration activities for SMCC students.

• Encourage more women and men to consider trade & tech programs.

• Provide support for students in these fields.

• Invite guest speakers to campus.

• Provide interactive workshops for girls and boys in area schools.

ing information to MI so I would not be seen conversing with American soldiers or Coalition Forces jeopardizing the trust I had established with the detainees.

Without my realizing it, I had become deeply embedded among the detainees and found myself confused at times. The detainees are by all accounts the enemy, but I did not feel that way anymore. I saw them as men, fathers, brothers who wanted the same thing I did, to be home with their families and not live in fear. I was called a “traitor,” “Benedict Arnold,” and “Taliban sympathizer” by men from my own platoon because of the amount of time I spent with the detainees. Hearing these accusations made me feel as though I had let my country down. I started questioning who I was and if what I was doing was wrong.

When I was in the secure area of the camp where our platoon was housed and fed, I noticed men I served with for years avoided me or wouldn’t even acknowledge my presence.

I was surrounded by 5,200 detainees and thousands of American soldiers, but felt isolated, trapped and alone.

I could not abandon the mission and felt that I could not return to my platoon. I was fighting my own personal war that had no battle lines or clear objectives. A war that was destructive to my soul, to who I am, and all that I believed in. My training taught me that the mission always comes first. I kept reminding myself of that.

During a visit to Compound ______ to welcome twenty five new detainees, I found myself in a delicate situation. Within minutes of entering the compound, the detainees who were guarding me indicated my safety was in jeopardy and to follow them to the compound mayor’s barrack. Each compound had a mayor (elder detainee) to help maintain order. I was apprehensive but did as they said. The mayor of Compound ______ informed me that twelve of the new detainees had threatened my life because I was an infidel. He suggested I remain in the barracks until the detainee guards could ensure my safe passage out of the compound.

All this was happening without the detainee guards alerting the Coalition Forces guards. If the Coalition Forces guards suspected I was in any danger, special extraction teams would enter the compound with overwhelming force. This would likely end with bodily harm inflicted upon the detainees and the detainees believing I had tipped off the Coalition Forces guards. I could not allow this to happen. It would eliminate all progress made with the detainees trusting me, and compromise the mission.

Part one of this story can be found on page 5 of the 9/12/12 SMCC Beacon. Tom Sharp retired from the military after 26 years of service. He served 13 years in the Submarine Service and 13 years in the Army. Additionally, he served a 13 month tour in Iraq. He is the President of SMCC Veterans Club and currently studying Business Administration.

The Library is online Learn how to use these resources to address your research needs.

September 26, 1:00 p.m.

October 2 and 5, 12:00 p.m.

October 11, 5:00 p.m.

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October 3, 2:00 p.m.

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Beacon

• September 25, 2012 • 5

The Volunteering Spotlight The Ronald McDonald House

Editorials&Opinions

By Tricia Mancini ost of us have heard of the Ronald McDonald House. Maine Medical Center works closely with the Portland house, one of the 315 locations worldwide. Family members are able to remain in close proximity to the hospital where there is a sick child who is in-patient at the hospital. Portland is able to house 21 families on any given night. Recently they were able to purchase an adjoining property where in the future they will be more ready to answer the need of families who are living outside the proximity of the urban area of Portland. This invaluable asset to families is available because, five paid staff and a small army of 300 volunteers make this dream a reality annually.

The McDonalds Corporation is the largest supporter but there is a long list of other area businesses partnering to fulfill RMH’s mission. The list includes the Portland Pirates, Hannaford, Coke, as well as several other local small businesses like jeweler Compositions, and Sea Breeze landscaping. It takes many hands to bring such an undertaking to fruition. I volunteer here because it feels good. I love to cook and I feel comfortable in my abilities there, I continue to return because when parents allow I get to hold babies while the parents eat dinner. This is truly a win- win. If anyone is aware of a baby holding opportunity more beneficial, please contact me immediately! No matter how cute the baby, a parent knows the challenges of juggling mealtime in an entirely different way when their hands are full of squirming baby curious about what is on their plate.

How can you help? Well as I mentioned in my previous article, the options are many. The axis where successful volunteers turn commitment into connections can uncover great potential opportunities.

Depending on your availability, RMH has events throughout the year. Corporate fundraisers ranging from Purses with Purpose sponsored by Sea Bags in June, to Helping Hands Caring Hearts Gala event in November, to the Project L.O.V.E, which was started as a Girl Scouts Gold Award that collects, “Lots of Varying Essentials,” this happens all year as location provides benefiting those families in need during their stay. October brings the Great Pumpkin Golf Tournament, or Toriano, a local waste management company, sponsors another Golf Tournament in June. The McDonalds on St. John Street provides parking spaces during Sea Dogs games at the rate of $10, turning all proceeds over to the RMH. This could not happen without a volunteer to collect these donations. Each event requires many tasks, there are marketing options, identifying donors and gathering auction items.

Are you skilled at motivating others or recruiting friends or coworkers? Why not get a group of friends, classmates or colleagues to volunteer at one of these fun and worthy events?

A program known as Guest Chef holds a special place in my heart. Families gather at mealtime. These families are divided by illness and holding onto hope.

Having a hot meal ready after a potentially emotional day at the hospital can say your community cares in ways words cannot. I participate once a month. This is ideal for a group, of eight or less. They provide a large double kitchen and cookware and there are basic pantry items typically in stock (provided by donation) so your family or group will provide the main meal items. You can get creative, or stick with a good ol’ heap of comfort food. I am always sure to double check that perishable items in the shared refrigerator are rotated out but that’s just a left over habit from working in commercial kitchens and budget minding in my own home, to allow for the freshest/ stable items to remain on hand. I digress Consider volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House, who knows maybe you, will get to hold a baby too. If you are interested in connecting, www.rmhportlandme.org, should be your first stop. The House Manager, Gabrielle, housemngr@RMH port.org, is the contact for any questions that the web site does not answer, and it is pretty comprehensive with downloadable applications needed for different areas of volunteering.

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6 • September 25, 2012 •

Beacon

George Carlin’s Food For Thought

By Garrick Hoffman t’s probable that George Carlin has been accused of many things: of being a self-righteous proselytizer, in all its irony; of being a potty-mouthed, ignorant, cynical old man; perhaps of being the anti-Christ, as far as I know. But many of his arguments were undeniably irrefutable. We can extol many of his points not only because of their validity paired with his creative deliveries, but because he was audacious enough to verbalize them to the world. Certainly, he offended this person and that person, he stirred the pot in this city or that city, and he infuriated this cohort and that cohort. But nonetheless, he was able to garner an enormous fan base over the course of his incredibly successful, nearly 50-year career, becoming one of the most beloved (and hated elsewhere) and highly-regarded comedians in the past century.

Presented here are a few of Carlin’s rants that indeed are food for thought.

“Consumption. This is the new national pastime.

[Forget] baseball, it’s consumption, the only true, lasting American value that’s left. Buying things. People spending money they don’t have on things they don’t need so they can max out their credit cards and spend the rest of their lives paying 18 percent interest on something that cost $12.50. And they didn’t like it when they got home anyway. Not too bright, folks, not too [expletive] bright.”

This sounds about right, wouldn’t you say? You see hoarders on television or in the flesh. You see people strolling along placidly on the sidewalks with handbag upon handbag of the same stuff that hides in the closet at home because the stuff at home isn’t enough. You see in Facebook statuses or under interests: “Shopping!” You hear it from time to time - or all the time. America doesn’t run on Dunkin; America runs on consumption, and here Carlin, again, delivers with a humorous presentation of an ugly truth.

Clothes. Trinkets (likely to eventually end up gathering dust in the garage or in the deep, dark crevices in the basement). House decorations. Cars. Clothes.

China. Glasses, jewelry, and other flashy wear. All of those “As Seen on T.V.” items, whether through retail, or through the commercial or program themselves.

More clothes. And more ludicrously expensive and/or unnecessary merchandise and gatherings that offer little or nothing that is practical, useful, or otherwise beneficial.

Consumption has not only evolved into an economic crutch, it has deplorably evolved into a less-thanproductive hobby, and we are willing to rape the earth of its resources in the name of it.

Creatures on this planet were given resources to use to their advantage so they can survive, flourish, and evolve. Beavers use trees to build dams. Bees pollinate

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ANDREW HOLMES ILLUSTRATION

flowers. King Kong used the Empire State Building for an attempted escape with Ann. But it seems, because we are beyond basic survival, that resources are ours to take, or so our twisted logic and economical trends suggest. And the politicians and economists are likely thinking that, well, with unhealthy shopping comes a healthy economy, until, of course, everyone’s wallet is drained, and there’s no money left to support the habit!

I’ll end this passage with another commendable, yet simply worded Carlin quote: “Property is theft. Nobody ‘owns’ anything. When you die, it all stays here.”

“We’re so self-important. So arrogant. Everybody’s going to save something now. Save the trees, save the bees, save the whales, save the snails. And the supreme arrogance? Save the planet! Are these people kidding?

Save the planet? We don’t even know how to take care of ourselves; we haven’t learned how to care for one another. We’re gonna save the [expletive] planet?

And, by the way, there’s nothing wrong with the planet in the first place; the planet is fine. The people are [dysfunctional]! Compared with the people, the planet is doin’ great. It’s been here over four billion years. The planet isn’t goin’ anywhere, folks.”

Surely, maybe we as humans in the 21st century feel it’s necessary to “save something” because we have unabashedly pillaged the planet, stripping its resources and tainting its integrity. And with the population still constantly swelling, you can bet that we’re not going to stop stripping its resources and tainting its integrity for our selfish interests and survival mechanisms.

But who are we – how are we - to play some supreme role of Earth’s restoration? Is this even a realistic notion?

Furthermore, as Carlin argues, how is it we think we can maintain the Earth’s integrity if we, as a race, already have a plethora of work to do to remain stable and survive?

To collectively and individually get along and perfect our being? If you want to make a spaghetti dinner, you have to boil the water before you cook the noodles.

I’m not sure if Carlin was really suggesting that the planet is fine or if he believes it will be fine. Assume it’s the former. Is it fine, right now? We hear about it all: oil spills; rainforest destruction; land, air, and water pollution; and of course, the titanic, rapidly-worsening global warming. Are we degrading the earth’s health, sending it faster and faster into an eventual demise that could eliminate all living things? Is that the overall fear? Or do people think the earth is just going to eventually combust into a thick cloud of Milky Way dust?

Either way, I believe Carlin is suggesting that the earth has seen a lot of the threatening things that its nature and the universe have to offer and will continueto (continued on page 11)

Editorials&Opinions

Voter Fraud The Good, The Bad, The Republican

By Jeff Toorish ary Bauer is a conservative commentator who used to run the ultra-right wing Family Research Council. Speaking at the Value Voters Summit last week he said, “voter fraud is rampant in urban areas.” He expects that to help President Obama.

Concerns about voter fraud have been a particularly strident theme among the Republican right wing and Tea Party crowd since President Obama’s election in 2008.

Republicans have started numerous investigations aimed at rooting out fraudulent voters and bolstering their case for stringent new laws requiring various forms of official ID so legitimate voters can exercise their franchise while those of the fraudulent persuasion are kept away from the neighborhood polling place.

In Maine, Republicans led by GOP state chairman Charlie Webster passed a voter ID requirement after an investigation by Maine Secretary of State Charlie Summers.

The law was later overturned by a citizen’s veto. Maine voters do not have to show identification when they vote which is the way it has been for decades. Maine citizens can also still register to vote on election day with proper proof of identity.

Voters in other states are not so lucky. In states like Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, Ohio, Colorado and others, Republican lawmakers and governors have enacted legislation making it far more difficult for people to cast ballots.

You will notice, no doubt, that those are also incredibly important states necessary to win the White House.

The Republicans argument is simple, there are literally tens of thousands of people, maybe more, who are overrunning polling places with fraudulent ballots, which in turn are stealing elections for the Democrats.

How else could that black guy have won the White House, right?

There’s only one problem. None of this is true. Not a single part of the GOP campaign to enact voter ID laws in the US is based in anything resembling fact. The only real voter fraud is the systematic disenfranchising of perhaps millions of people by this heinous GOP plan.

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THE TARGET IS YOU

In Maine GOP boss Charlie Webster specifically singled out college students as the primary culprit in a massive voter fraud scandal when he was pushing for a voter ID law. When the secretary of state investigated, he found two cases of possible voter fraud. That’s two cases in 38 years of elections. As Gary Trudeau wrote in a Doonesbury cartoon at the time mocking Webster, that is “the same number of confirmed Bigfoot sightings.” When announcing the results of the investigation, Secretary of State Summers had to practically bend over backwards to avoid making the chairman of his own party, Charlie Webster, not look like a nut.

It is important to remember that Maine regularly enjoys the distinction of being the state with the highest voter turnout in the nation. That is something to be proud of unless you are the chair of the Republican State Committee, then it’s a distinction to be destroyed by making it more difficult for citizens to actually cast ballots.

VOTER FRAUD IS VIRTUALLY NONEXISTANT

According to a study by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, “fraud by individual voters both irrational and extremely rare.” The study went on to say anecdotes of voter fraud tend to be proven false or do not actually demonstrate fraud.

The Brennan Center study concludes allegations of voter fraud suit a particular policy agenda; namely the right wing Republican/Tea Party agenda. Think about this, a

party that actively works to ensure the fewest people voting; is that a party you should trust? For me, the answer is no.

There have been many other studies and reports into these allegations of voter fraud. With the exception of the ones conducted by right wing partisans, those studies have unanimously concluded that voter fraud in the US simply does not exist on any scale that affects elections.

Voter ID laws area cynical attempt by the GOP to eliminate from the voting roles those people most likely to vote for Democrats. Statistically, people who live in inner cities, the elderly and the poor are more likely to vote for the candidate with the D after their name. They are also far more likely not to have a government issued ID, the universal requirement in GOP backed voter ID legislation.

In many cases, these folks will not know they can’t vote until they show up at the polls on election day when in most states it would be too solve the problem.

THE ACORN GAMBIT

Those who back stringent voter ID laws --you know, the right wing-- love to trot out the grass roots organization ACORN as an example of massive voter fraud. You might hear them talk about this when they are trying to push their draconian agenda.

ACORN was the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. It was a left leaning social activist network that helped low income primarily urban neighborhoods.

It was involved in housing and had partnered with the US Census Bureau to ensure an accurate census count. It also organized voter registration drives.

After the 2000 election ACORN was investigated by right wing groups for possible voter fraud.

To be clear, there was none. In fact, it was ACORN that blew the whistle on itself when it determined that some of the people it had hired had created false voter registrations cards, ostensibly to boost the amount of money they were paid.

None of these voter registrations translated into an actual fraudulent vote. In April of 2010, amid hounding and investigations by the Republican Congress, ACORN shut all its offices effectively closing down. That is a dramatic loss for American’s inner cities and the people who live there. It was also a victory for the right wing anti-voter campaign.

MILLIONS DISENFRANCHISED

By some estimates, more than a million young minority voters could be barred from voting in the November election because of recently enacted, GOP backed voter ID laws. It is safe to assume the vast majority of those voters would have cast ballots for President Obama. This is a coordinated effort by the right wing and the Republican party to assault the voting rights of millions of Americans.

To put it simply, the GOP wants a more traditional voter base in the United States, one that harkens back to the intent of the Founding Fathers. Essentially, Republicans seem to believe that the only people who should be allowed to cast a ballot are rich, conservative white men who own land.

Sound familiar?

The true irony here is that when left to their own devices, the Republicans seem to be the folks more accustomed to rigging elections. Here’s a little recap I’ll call...

GOP ELECTION SHENANIGANS:

Five Republican Supreme Court Justices vote to discontinue the recount of contested Florida ballots during the 2000 presidential election paving the way for George W. Bush to become President of the United States.

In Maine, supporters of Ron Paul were fraudulently denied their voice by the state GOP leadership.

At the Republican National Convention, those same Ron Paul delegates were fraudulently denied their right to sit on the convention floor (where all the action happens) by procedural maneuvers.

Right wing “documentary filmmaker” James O’Keefe hired people to pretend to be fraudulent voters so he could film them voting fraudulently. In so doing, he actually created vote fraud.

Maybe the reason Republicans are so sensitive to voter fraud is because they are so good at it.

Jeff Toorish is a former television political journalist, anchor and talk show host. He has written for magazines, newspapers, the Internet, television and radio. He is currently studying paramedicine at SMCC.

Why War? Follow the Money Trail for Answers

By Michael Scofield merica today is very different from the country that fought the Revolutionary War and framed our Constitution. Then, we were a nation of farmers; today, we are a nation of corporations. Most Americans now work for corporations, the largest of which command resources and money on a scale beyond that of many small nations. Yet when it comes to public issues like jobs, the distribution of wealth or even plain old politics, we still talk as we did 200 years ago. Remarkably, too few citizens discuss the effects of corporate behavior on jobs, health care and the economy, even though corporations affect all of these through their influence on elections and the actions of government. “We The People” must educate ourselves and participate in political process.

The Iraq war is many things to different people. It has been called a strategic blunder and a monstrous injustice and sometimes even a patriotic mission. For many big companies the war is something far different: a lucrative cash cow. The years long, ongoing military effort has resurrected fears of the so-called “military-industrial complex.”

Some government officials and the tax payers are outraged at private companies scooping up huge, no-questionsasked contracts to manufacture weapons, rebuild infrastructure, or anything else the government (politicians) deems necessary to help with their reelection bid. No matter what your stance on the war, it pays to know where your tax dollars are being spent and why.

Let’s examine one of the corporations that benefited financially from war. I would like to refer to a few lines from my statement “Why War… It’s a tool used for those in power and politics” from the September 12, 2012 issue of The Beacon. I stated, “Those in power will continue to make money as the world burns. For this to work, the people have to remain ignorant of the problems until it is too late. This is why those in power have triggers in place; 911, Weapons of Mass Destruction (Real or Perceived), and War on Terror.”

What you are about to read is true and supports the above statement.

Halliburton is the top beneficiary in profiting from war. According to MSN Money, Halliburton’s KBR, Inc. division defrauded government agencies to the tune of $17.2 billion in Iraq war-related revenue from 2003-2006 alone. This is estimated to comprise a whopping one-fifth of KBR’s total revenue for the 2006 fiscal year. The massive payoff is said to have financed the construction and maintenance of military bases, oil field repairs, and various infrastructure rebuilding projects across the war-torn nation of Iraq. This is just the latest in a long string of military/KBR wartime partnerships, thanks in no small part to Dick Cheney’s former role with the parent company.

Following the end of the first Gulf War, the Pentagon, led by then Defense Secretary Dick Cheney, paid Halliburton subsidiary Brown & Root Services over $8.5 million to study the use of private military forces with American soldiers in combat zones. Some controversy arose in February 1999 when KBR was awarded a substantial contract to provide emergency support to US military operations in the Balkans despite DynCorp

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Beacon

(continued on page 9)

• September 25, 2012 • 7

I’m learning the difference between being in business and succeeding in business Take the next step!

Transform your Associate’s degree to a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree

Husson University in South Portland offers graduate and undergraduate programs in Business, Counseling, Criminal Justice, and Education.

Degree programs offered in South Portland UNDERGRADUATE (Bachelor’s) ■ Accounting, ■ Business Administration ■ Business & Technology ■ Computer Information Systems ■ Criminal Justice ■ Elementary Education (plus an Alternative Teacher Certification Program) ■ Paralegal Studies GRADUATE (Master’s) ■ Business ■ Criminal Justice Administration ■ Clinical Mental Health Counseling ■ Human Relations ■ Pastoral Counseling ■ School Counseling

You’ve done the work – mastered balancing school, work and personal commitments, and have achieved a milestone. Congratulations!

Now is the time to make sure you don’t lose momentum.

Husson University’s Division of Extended Learning in South Portland is the path to continue your college education.

At Husson, we’ll accept your credits; you won’t take any steps backward. We believe in your ambition and in the skills that you’ve acquired, and we’ll work with you to keep you moving forward.

Husson offers you ■ an at-your-own-pace program where you can sign up for just one course a semester, if that’s what’s best for you ■ flexible class schedules – mornings, afternoons, evenings, weekends – pick the ones that work for you ■ a reasonable tuition rate ■ financial aid for eligible students ■ supportive faculty and staff who know what it means to work and go to school at the same time ■ a student body comprised of working- and family-oriented individuals who share the same ambitions and challenges ■ a convenient location at 220 Maine Mall Road, with plenty of parking

Take the next step If you have questions and would like to meet with Russell Strout, Center Director of Husson in South Portland, contact him at 775-6212, or stroutr@husson.edu.

You may also contact your Student Services Office to make an appointment to meet with a Husson representative during their next campus visit.

220 Maine Mall Road South Portland, ME 04106 www.husson.edu/extendedlearning | 800.562.1294

B U S I N E S S | L E G A L S T U D I E S | E D U C AT I O N | C O U N S E L I N G | H E A LT H | P H A R M A C Y | S C I E N C E & H U M A N I T I E S

8 • September 25, 2012 •

Beacon

Editorials&Opinions

Let’s Rethink This Protecting Your Right to Vote

By Rik Sawyer ow is nobody outraged right now? By this I mean our democracy is slipping away right in front of us and no one is talking about it. Around the country Republicans are taking away the most fundamental component of our government: our right to vote.

For over two centuries we have been working to create “a more perfect union,” one that grants better access to the voting booth for all. Over the past two years, since the 2010 midterms, when Republicans took over many facets of state and federal governments, they have been working diligently to reduce access to the voting booth. In Maine, voters overwhelmingly defeated the largest efforts, when Republicans tried to end someday registration. In other states though, efforts have been far more successful and of even greater consequence.

In several states they have implemented new voter ID laws. Many have been fighting these measures, because they block many demographics from even registering to vote. Essentially it amounts to a poll tax because you have to pay for an ID in order to access the polls.

Many Americans already have an ID of some sort, but there are many who simply never had one or felt the need for one.

In Pennsylvania, which has become the key battleground for voter ID laws, there have been fierce battles in court. Even though the law passed the first Judge as lawful, The New York Times pointed out the defense offered no evidence there is widespread voter fraud or that it will even happen. The Commonwealth’s supreme court recently sent it back to a lower court for review. They didn’t say any part was unconstitutional, but did find that the state isn’t following through on it’s own requirements to provide alternatives if an ID isn’t readily available.

Even more disturbing is many states efforts of excessively purging voter rolls.

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Why War

(continued from page 7)

having been awarded a contract, known as LOGCAP II, in 1994 to provide emergency support in exactly these sorts of circumstances. A large contract, Restore Iraqi Oil (ROI), was awarded to KBR without competition when the United States Department of Defense (DoD) determined that KBR was the only contractor that could satisfy the requirement for immediate execution of the plan.

Congressional hearings were conducted into the RIO project over possible billing, management, and procurement violations.

Furthermore, there is also controversy about the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) report on billingmethods for meals in which the auditors allegedly knew about, but disregarded the Army requirement that directed KBR to have varying amounts of meals prepared at certain locations without respect to how many people used the service. Although KBR paid for the food, the DCAA did not believe they should be able to charge the DoD for meals prepared but not served. In June 2008, Charles M. Smith, the senior civilian Defense Department official overseeing the government’s multi-billion-dollar contract with KBR during the early stages of the war in Iraq said he was forced out of his job in 2004 for refusing to approve $1 billion in questionable charges by KBR. Smith refused to approve the payments because Army auditors determined that KBR lacked credible records to support more than $1 billion in spending. Smith stated, “They had a gigantic amount of costs they couldn’t justify.” He said that following this action he was suddenly dismissed and according to a “New York Times” source, Smith’s successor, after taking unusual steps of hiring an outside contractor to consider KBR’s claims, approved most of the payments he had tried to block. In May 2010, KBR was selected for a no-bid contract worth as much as $568 million through 2011 for military support services in Iraq.

War is a violent competition between two Governments to determine who will make the laws, levy the taxes, and regulate the behavior of individuals within a given

This is normally a non-political, non-event. A few states though, have begun to go a little too far. Texas has purged 80,000 dead people who, well, are not dead. For many Hispanics this becomes a huge problem because the possibility of being targeted as an illegal immigrant is incredibly high. Florida’s voter purge was so obviously politically oriented and racist that many towns refused to compile with the state orders. This is not an isolated event either.

Iowa was forced to end their purge by court order too.

The republicans in charge say it is all this is to protect us from all those who are trying to commit voter fraud.

This is really just a thinly disguised ploy to their true intentions; to purposely create low turn out in order to favor a Republican outcome in elections. This cannot continue.

It does not matter what side of the political divide you are on; we need stop this degradation of our democracy.

Greetings from

You Said WHaT?

A regular column in the Beacon, “You Said What? “ features quotes from our nations leaders that shock the Beacon writers

“...we’ re in trouble as a nation”

By Rik Sawyer

A

ll politicians should be accountable for what they say. When running for office, or already in office, no comment or action can be considered as something to be ignored. For some one who seeks to obtain any seat or office in our country, every word must be scrutinized. That is the case with recently found video of Mitt Romney at fundraiser with wealthy donors.

Most who commented on this speech, commented on the part about is his partisan position with his now infamous “47%” comment. There are deeper comments that create even greater concerns about his candidacy for President. Romney told the contributors that “women are open to supporting me,” but that “we are having a much harder time with Hispanic voters, and if the Hispanic voting bloc becomes as the Artic committed to the Democrats as the African American voting block has in the past, why, we’re in trouble as a party and, I think, as a nation.” He also adds, “had [my father] been born of Mexican parents, I’d have a better shot of winning this. But he was unfortunately born to Americans living in Mexico,” Romney goes on to say, “He lived there for a number of years. I mean, I say that jokingly, but it would be helpful to be Latino.”

Mitt Romney is only human and is allowed to misspeak and make offhanded comments that can be taken the wrong way, so he should be allowed to fix his mistakes. A full explanation of these comments needs to be made. A request for clarification has been send to the Romney’s campaign headquarters. The response to this inquiry will be publicized as soon as the Romney Campaign ILLUSTRAION: ANDREW HOLMES responds.

geographic area. War is ugly. It is brutal. It is about killing others until they submit. There is nothing more serious in the world than the taking of another individual’s life. It is the most grave of businesses. And if you believe in Natural Rights and the Principles of Individualism it should only be conducted as a defensive act against an aggressing Government. Unfortunately, war is looked upon not as a grave business but business as usual for political and financial gains.

Today, the United States Government has military personnel on 900 installations around the world and over a trillion dollars of taxpayer money is used to fund the wars overseas and the continued “projection” of military power around the world. This is all done for the production of security for the American people. We are told by the propagandists inside, and outside of the United States Government that we are all safer because of the endless war in Afghanistan, the continued military presence in Iraq, and the continued military drone assassinations of individuals deemed “terrorists” across the world. We are also told that it is our moral imperative to kill warlords like Kony in Uganda, to help oust dictators like Assad in Syria and help kill dictators like Gaddafi in Libya so rebels could take over the reigns of government and bring about democratic reforms. We are told that this is in the big scheme of things being done to protect “American Interests” overseas which in turn benefits all of us at home.

However, in reality this is the government propaganda machine and its allies in the media looking to benefit itself and the few who profit when war will be the desire of those in power. A war of those in power promoting fear and war will become the people’s desire under the illusion of patriotic duty.

Look in future issues of The Beacon for more commentary on “Why War: Follow the Money Trail for Answers” from Michael Scofield.

A student organization sponsored by the Rotary Club Breakwater Daybreak of South Portland.

ROTARACT provides an opportunity for students to enhance the knowledge and skills that will assist them in personal development, to address the physical and social needs of our communities, to promote better relations between all people in our communities and around the world by a framework of friendship service.

—

Members of ROTARACT will work on community service projects here (in the USA) and abroad (any place of concern, or interest outside the USA).

ROTARACT Student international service trips or projects will be organized each year.

— You can learn more about ROTARACT here: http://www.rotary.org/ridocuments/en pdf/562en.pdf For more information about Breakwater Daybreak, visit: http://www.breakwater-rotary.org —

If you are interested in the efforts of promoting world peace, development, and international understanding through ROTARACT, please email Chomba Kaluba at: ckaluba@smccme.edu.

Mr. Kaluba is the SMCC ROTARACT Club advisor.

Beacon

• September 25, 2012 • 9

Paleo, Paleo, Paleo

A diet worth looking into

By KayLynn Russell nown as either the caveman diet, Stone Age diet, or the hunter gatherer diet, the Paleo diet is formed to help heal our bodies. The diet consists mainly of fruits and vegetables, fish, meat, eggs, and healthy oils, and excludes the grains, legumes, dairy products and refined sugar, as well as processed food.

It first came about in the 1970’s by gastroenterologist Walter L. Voegtlin, and has been adapted by numerous authors and researchers. It is believed that human bodies are genetically adapted to the diet of our Paleolithic ancestors – hence where the name came about.

People are placed on this diet to help cleanse their bodies, purge themselves of toxins that are damaging to us, and overall, to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

There are many health benefits to this diet; it raises immune health and energy, clears your face and helps with weight loss. There have also been many reports that people with immunological diseases, such as diabetes, eczema, Crohn’s, or Celiac, have had significant relief from the diet.

I was placed on this diet myself earlier this year to help cleanse my own body and to help heal my stomach. As you may recall from my article “From a Gluten Free Perspective” in last week’s edition, I come from a long line of carb-oholics and I love bread. So naturally, I had a hard time adjusting to it. Thankfully, after one failed attempt, I stuck with it from day 1 on the second try, and I am very glad I did. I even found a great “bread” recipe that was absolutely delicious (please see recipe below).

Even though I was only on it for 3 weeks, I am very glad I did. I felt great on it; the best I have in years! For quite a few months after I stopped the diet, I could eat everything that I hadn’t been able to before the diet.

To learn more about the Paleo lifestyle, visit whole9life. com, or type “paleo diet” into your search engine.

K

GRAIN FREE PUMPKIN “BREAD” Directions: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Grease a loaf pan. Combine wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl together until well beaten: butter, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin and honey/maple syrup. Measure dry ingredients (coconut flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, allspice/nutmeg) into a sifter and slowly sift into the wet ingredients. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for about 40-50 minutes to an hour. If you want that sugary taste, mix some cinnamon with some sugar and sprinkle it on top of the INGREDIENTS: bread before you bake ½ c melted butter or coconut oil it. The bread will come (I use the butter for flavor) out very moist, so don’t 6 eggs, beaten mistake it for being 1 teaspoon of vanilla ½ cup pumpkin puree (I use canned uncooked. Variations: You can place the batpumpkin pie filling) ter into muffin tins, and ¼ cup honey or maple syrup bake them for 15-18 ½ cup coconut flour minutes. You can also, ½ teaspoon of baking powder in place of the pump1 and ½ teaspoon cinnamon kin, use applesauce (plus a little more to your taste) (jarred or homemade). ¼ teaspoon cloves ¼ teaspoon allspice/nutmeg Pinch of salt

Arts&Features

The Portland Poetry Scene

By Tiffany Crockett poets will be judged by random audience members, as he written word, one of the oldest forms of the audience plays just as much a role in the event as expression and oh so satisfying. I have quite the the poets. The audience gets to judge the judges with love affair with words and want to share with loud applause and exclamation for good scores or booing you what I can. For my piece in the newspaper I will be for scores they don’t like. Anyone who has never been interviewing poets in the Portland area that I just think to a poetry slam is welcome to be a judge. It is a very are the bees-knees and other times I will be sharing ways interactive community event. to improve your writing and/or performance. I recently

In 2012, Rhythmic Cypher increased its programming moved to Portland and to include a monthly 3-2-1 started reading in a poetry Poetry Slam, a Nerd Slam, movement called Rhythmic a Haiku Deathmatch and Cypher. My inspiring coming in February 2013, roommate/landlord Tina The Encyclopedia Slam. Our seemed to be the most goal is to send local poets appropriate to start off this to the 2013 National writing adventure. Do you Poetry Slam, Individual write, play music, or just World Poetry Slam and The enjoy being entertained? If Women of the World Poetry you are, then join us every Slam. You can read more Sunday at Dobra Tea, 151 about our event and our Middle Street, 7pm. group at: http://poetrising.

I am Tina Smith. My wordpress.com/ stage name is, TLOVE. I

The Poet Rising Project am the co-founder of will also be working with The Poet Rising Project Portland Poet Laureate, and co-host of Rhythmic Bruce Spang to start an Cypher. The Poet Rising inter-high school Youth Project is a collective of Poetry Slam this year at poets, musicians, and Scarborough High School artists who facilitate in collaboration with workshops and organize Falmouth High School. performance events in

I’ve always written schools and community safe and told stories. When I spaces. We host a weekly was in grade school I wasn’t avant-garde, open mic with a very good student. I musical accompaniment, pretty much just did what Rhythmic Cypher. Our I needed to get the grades stage is a live canvas, which Tina Smith, the First Individual Slam Champion, 2009, in action. to play sports. I didn’t even offers a safe, supportive read. When we read and empowering space Beowulf in school I for creative community didn’t read it. When Her back feels like thanksgiving turkey. collaboration. we got our essays back

Rhythmic Cypher the teacher asked me Those around the table do not say grace before they dig in. started in January 2010 to stay after class and She splits herself at the shoulder blades every time they get hungry. and has recently moved asked, “You didn’t read She lets them eat of her flesh believing it will always grow back. from its first home, the story at all, did Slainte Wine Bar. In our The salt of her meat stings their taste buds like a mouth’s an open wound. you?” She said, “I know search for a new venue you didn’t read this but And muscle memory remembers suffering even during digestion. we have had shows at I am going to give you Far too often, she’s been spit out, chewed up and poked with forks.

Mayo Street Arts, Local a B- anyway because Sprouts and Dreamship this is a really wellEventually scraped off the plate and thrown into the trash.

Studio. Moving written essay. You have Other times she is fed to the dogs. around has increased a great imagination.” I When will she learn to keep away from their pen? our audience and on have a lot of memories September 23rd, we of teachers who 30:30 – 5 – Apr – 2012 will move to our new complimented my home, Dobra Tea at 151 Middle Street. This will be a very writing and encouraged me to be a writer. special night, which will begin at 5:30pm with a tea-time Now that I have rediscovered writing, it has become reception and poetry workshop facilitated by Portland a necessity for me, as much as breathing, as much as food.

Poet Laureate, Bruce Spang. The night will also include It has completely saved my life. Before I started writing our monthly 3-2-1 Poetry Slam Competition. Poets in the poetry, I was in a very dark place. Writing and especially competition must read original work within the time performing has given me a positive and creative outlet increments of 3 minutes in the first round, 2 minutes in for processing life. It is a very cathartic and empowering the second round and 1 minute in the last round. The experience for me that I can’t imagine living without.

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Turkey

Ben Sollee Bikes His Way to Notoriety

By Brittany Williams here are a few things that seem to be incredibly important to the world right now, of which includes the always-popular feeling of connectivity and community in an ever-changing world, and of course bicycles. I am well aware of the bike culture in Portland, and around the area (you can’t make it through Cape Elizabeth without nearly missing a few of those intense, marathon bikers.) Although I am not a cyclist myself, it is an intriguing concept to me. Becoming more in tune with the surroundings a person is dealing with when riding a bike is an entirely enthralling experience. You must become aware of everything at once, the feel of the road and the people around you, protecting your body while still enjoying the ride is quite the metaphor for life. Yet, what does this have to do with music?

This summer I scored the chance of a lifetime, a ticket to the Newport Folk Festival. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go,

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10 • September 25, 2012 •

Beacon

which put a sour note to my plans, as one of my all-time favorite performers was to be playing on the Sunday afternoon I wished to attend. In a funk, I was looking up listings for the folk fest, and stumbled upon the best news of my life. Ben Sollee, a modern cellist from Kentucky, was to be performing here in Portland. Snapping up (cheap!) tickets from One Longfellow, I perused their description to see what exactly would be happening that night. And there I found that Ben Sollee would be accompanied by his friend and percussionist Jordon Ellis on stage. The greatest part? They would be transporting all of their gear using only bicycles.

Immediately after their set at the Newport Folk Fest they hopped on their bikes to cycle nearly 200 miles to play in Mass, New Hampshire, and Maine. Fortunately for them, we were their last stop, but they certainly did not show any weariness during their set. I’m not the type to get too overly excited about a show, more interested in the actual show than the anticipation, but I was nearly comatose when Sollee ap-

peared on stage and began to play. And honestly? I couldn’t have asked for a better show.

th his roots and a head full of interesting thoughts. Luckily, due to the small venue, I was perched just a few feet away from him, and could see every mistake he made. While he made up for them with boyish laughs and grins exchanged with his percussionist, the audience was entranced throughout the two hour set, asking for more even after the encore.

There was something completely alluring by the way the two worked together, driving through each song as an absolute team, making some parts up as they went.

Sollee is incomparable to any other musician on the scene right now calling his music “Appalachian,” weaving in heavy roots of R&B and classical sounds. While on stage, he shared a few personal experiences, as it was charming to learn how the music is influenced even by the rhythm of his bike, and the constant pedaling day in and day out. Sollee discussed why the tour was necessary for him, and (next page)

OtherStuff

Carlin (Continued from page 6)

November (continued from page 1)

spin in the years beyond human existence. After all, an entire species was eliminated from the face of the planet, and, sure enough, the earth just kept on spinning.

Prese

“How come when it’s us [humans], it’s an ‘abortion,’ but when it’s a chicken, it’s an ‘omelet?’”

What Carlin is asking here is, why is it that we apply that term “abortion” as if we’re violating life, treating it as if we’re a sacred existence, yet a broken chicken’s egg isn’t considered an “abortion,” it’s considered your breakfast? During many of his routines, Carlin broached the subject of humans existentially placing themselves on a pedestal, believing we’re some kind of form of life, when, really, we’re merely just a form of life like anything else. There’s no superiority or inferiority; everything just is. Why do so many believe terminating our own unborn and undeveloped children is an act of murder, but it’s not regarded as murder if we claim the life of an unborn chicken? Why is it that aborting a chicken’s egg doesn’t receive the same reproach as aborting a human egg?

Are chickens suddenly inferior to humans? Is it because humans are so consumed by our ids and our conscience that we think we can, or should, somehow play God? Why do we believe each fertilized human egg must be developed and delivered in and into this architecture of life? I’m willing to speculate that religion plays key role in the matter. I’m also willing to speculate that most people who believe that aborting a human egg is the essence of sin are the same people who order French toast and breakfast sandwiches.

Finally, riddle me this: if masturbation is, in some shape or form, genocide (because not a single sperm cell is being used to conceive a child), wouldn’t masturbation be a breaching of an anti-abortionist’s sacrilege?

Thank you, George Carlin.

Who is best going to ensure that our veterans in our state are taken care of but a veteran? So I asked Charlie what piece of advice would you recommend for those veterans currently enrolled in college?

“Veterans who return from combat come back with maturity and leadership skills based on vast experiences, I would encourage those to use those skills and share your experience and be mentors to someone else.”

Ending our interview I asked Candidate Summers, who is your favorite famous veteran and why.A sampling of the names included: Former President George Bush Senior, Alan Alda, Tony Bennett, Johnny Carson, Clint Eastwood, Malcom Forbes, Rocky Marciano, George Steinbrenner, Drew Carey, Bill Cosby, Jocelyn Elders, R. Buckminster Fuller, Chuck Norris, Fred W. Smith (FedEx) Dave Thomas?

“I would like to name two, first Former President George Bush (former Naval Aviator Lieutenant (j.g.), US Navy) he is such a nice person and exemplifies our Country and he is also the Chair of my Veterans Coalition Group. I also am a fan of Clint Eastwood, he tells it like it is, then sees it through.”

That ended our phone interview I guess it is what we all hope to get in a Public Servant, someone who will tell it like it is and is willing to carry it out. This US Senate Seat is reportedly by some already won by Angus King “King of the Mountain” to some; let us see when the election is won who Maine voters support. The polls may say Angus will win, but do not leave out Charlie Summers; he has Small business experience, supports the Community College Systems and is ready to tackle that mountain! A veteran who has served, and is ready to serve his country again in Washington as a Public Servant!

Math Tutoring Available

Do you need some extra help in math?

Drop-in to room 202 in Preble Hall Mondays & Wednesdays 10:00- 2:00 • Tuesdays & Thursdays 11:00-3:00 • Fridays 11:30 - 1:30

Join Phi Theta Kappa at Bayside Bowling October 17th 7-10pm Friends & family welcome!

When: Wednesday, October 17th 7-10pm Where: Bayside Bowl @ 58 Alder Street, Portland, Maine 04101 (207) 791-2695 Lanes, snacks and shoes for Phi Theta Kappa members are on PTK. $3 for shoes for friends and family.

RSVP on or before October 15th via email phithetakappa@smccme.edu with the total number of persons in your party.

See you there!

Southern Maine Community College

BUSINESS CLUB Thursdays - 12.30pm to 1.15pm Hague-1st floor (Biz Club Lounge) A student run organization open to ALL

Plan business activities, meet fellow students, investment real $$ in stocks, help with the bi-weekly Newsletter, join the annual spring trip to NYC! INFORMAL • FUN • INFORMATIVE Stop in and check it out!

For more information please contact: Steve Strand at sstrand@smccme.edu

Sollee, from previous page how he was able to connect with the cities and towns he was performing in because of closeness to them. Suddenly he had to have experiences with people without the metal casing of cars and vans, and was able to see the tiny details up close and personally. There is something to be said about biking, and how near it had put him to the communities he was playing for, and sharing his ideas with. After all, if you’re going to preach, you got to hope the right people are listening.

I cannot explain to anyone how incredibly personal and moving this performance was. It is a once in a lifetime experience to be able to sit so near to someone you admire not only musically but also individually. When a piece of music can inspire you to do something great, or even remind you of what’s important, nothing will beat being able to share that with the person who made it. Needless to say, next time Ben Sollee is around, I recommend you say hi and ask him how his calves are feeling.

Beacon

• September 25, 2012 • 11

SportsReports State of the Patriots Forbes Confirms Cloning Project

By Gerry A. Foster Forbes magazine recently released a report ranking the value of the each of the 32 NFL teams, showing the New England Patriots had an overall value of 1.6 billion dollars, putting them second on the list behind the mighty Cowboys. The Patriots however, have something that neither the Cowboys, nor any other team in the NFL possess: a fully functioning, capable and verified cloning facility.

Robert Kraft would have you believe he erected “Patriot Place” as a Mecca for fans and media alike, but all of those who know better, know that deep beneath the monstrous steeple that Tom Brady built lays one of the most advanced scientific facilities in the world, a facility that can successfully clone humans, whiskey, and dollar bills. Someone may want to alert Roger Goodell, as he hasn’t yet made a rule about it.

The Patriots have tried before, but failed in their attempts.

Matt Cassel was almost a perfect Brady replica, but he lacked the mental toughness and the ability to attract a supermodel level lady friend. Reche Caldwell was supposed to be Troy Browns replacement, but the scientists messed up his eyes, affecting his ability to see the ball into his hands. They attempted to clone Corey Dillon, and we got Laurence Maroney. The problem is Maroney, liked to dance instead of hit the hole. They liked his spirit though, so they cloned Maroney and gave us Merriweather. We all saw the result of that. While he was the “party starter,” and really enjoyed dancing between snaps, he lacked of mental prowess, which was painfully obvious during media interviews.

Fast forward to the present, and step aside Dolly, make room for “Danny Woodhead” and “Julian Edelman,” both clones of the original super-wonder-boy Wes Welker, and both a perfected science. The Patriots have a three pronged Hobbit attack powerful enough to rival that of the “fellowship of the ring.” Not since Frodo dropped the ring into Mount Doom has any one furry footed humanoid wielded so much power, never mind three. Keep your eyes peeled dear Patriots fan, for you never know when another player will be carefully crafted, perfectly executed, and dropped into a new number.

GAME RECAP: Cardinals: 20 – Patriots:18 It became noticeable that Tom Brady’s strength may very well have been tied to the length of his Beiber hair. Brady had a lackluster day, which was magnified by the receivers’ inability to do what they are supposed to do: receive the ball. Hernandez leaves early with a high ankle explosion and crushes fantasy owner’s hopes across the country.

Offense falls flat as a result. Defense plays well, considering they are on the field for 95 minutes of the 60 minute game. The officials have an official bad day and ruin the hopes of squeaking one out. Gostkowski nails 4 field goals from ranges of 89, 76, 54, and 53 yards respectively, but misses the game winner from 2 yards. Pats lose. Wah.

The Beacon is looking for sports writers and photographers to cover sporting events. Build your resume, build your skill set, join the staff of the Beacon

On The Lady Seawolves Side of the Pitch

By Chris Conlee he Lady Seawolves have had a very similar season to the Soccer Team so far, so much so that both teams can credit their losses to the same opponents. The similarities don’t end there however.

Coach Adam Perron is entering his second year as the coach of SMCC’s women’s soccer program. He’s had various high school and youth coaching jobs. He also played soccer for four years at the University of New England.

The coach also noted that, much like their male counterparts youth may be the Lady Seawolves biggest strength and weakness. Coach Perron noted the athleticism of his youth as well as an unexpected polish. “Most of them are coming from strong high school programs so they are coming in with a high soccer IQ’s and an overall understanding of what’s to be expected on the field.” He also notes however, the transition from high school to playing against more veteran athletes could pose a challenge to his young team. “They’ll be playing against some real tough, older competition, especially from some of the four year schools.”

The Lady Seawolves also had an extremely strong showing against Central Maine CC. They came out strong with two goals in the first six minutes and never looked back. Despite a few lapses in defense and coming out of the half looking kind of sluggish, it was an overall dominating performance. During one of the aforementioned lapses on defense, Goalie Erica Desjardins made a spectacular save, which sparked the defense. “Erica came up big. She stayed home and cut off the angle on the long shots” Central Maine failed to record another shot on goal after it. Forward Michela Desjardins turned in an amazing effort recording a hat trick to go along with two assists. She was dominant with the ball easily out running

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defenders and putting shots on goal. The whole team put in a great effort and when reached for postgame comments, the coach’s comments reflected such.

“We had a game plan and the girls should be proud of themselves because we took what we discussed in practice, some strategy and marks there, [on] #15 she scores a lot of their goals [executed] and played to our strengths.”

The Lady Seawolves also followed up an astounding conference performance with a letdown against Machias, falling 3-0. However, matching the men’s team, they rebounded very strongly against Eastern Maine CC. They took the game 11-0 and added another conference win pushing their record to 2-1. It also pushes their scoring ratio to an imposing 21 Goals and 10 against.

The Sewolves and Lady Seawolves continue their stretch of four road games Wednesday at University of Maine-Augusta followed by a game Saturday at Unity College and then come home Sunday to face Northern Maine CC men’s at 11am and women’s at 2pm. Come out Sunday and support your Seawolves!

Seawolves Soccer Looking Dominant to Start the Year

By Chris Conlee he Seawolves Soccer teams are off to strong starts to kick off the year. Both teams bolster a 3-2 record and winning conference records. The men’s team is 3-1 in conference while the women hold a 2-1 conference mark. I took in each team’s game against Central Maine Community College and talked with the Coaches of both teams to shine some light on their success so far.

Men’s coach Brian Dougher is entering his 8th year as head coach for the Seawolves. Coach Dougher has had an extensive coaching career in soccer including coaching for the Region 1 Olympic Development team. He has also had past success within the SMCC program winning the Yankee Small College Conference in 2007 and 2011 as well as runner-up in 2010.

He was also honored all 3 years as the YSCC coach of the year. When asked about a certain philosophy he takes to coaching the coach said, “To win with honor and respect for the game.”

The Coach relayed to me that his team’s biggest strength and weakness maybe one in the same.

This year’s team is exceedingly young and full of fresh faces, only returning 5 players from last year’s YSCC champions. On one hand, the coach expects this infusion of youth to add a lot of athleticism and enthusiasm to the team. “We’re going to be able to play a very high pressure, high intensity game.” On the other, he noted that the addition of so many new comers could also pose problems, noting that the change from high school soccer to college soccer is a vast one. ”Understanding the college game... the game moves faster, the ball moves faster.” Coach Dougher expects a lot of this team and hopes to repeat last year’s success.

With so many newcomers, the coach expects to lean on those 5 returners. Especially his two captains Peter Doer and Drew Payne. Their contributions will be pivotal to the success of the team as proved in the recent game against Central Maine CC. Peter Doer was essential on the offensive side, scoring two of SMCC’s four goals with spectacular headers. As important as Doer was to the offense, Drew Payne’s efforts on the defensive end came up huge.

Payne’s play on defense allowed SMCC to completely dominate the time on the attack. The coach had this to say about Payne’s performance against CMCC.

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