The SMCC Beacon 4-14-2015

Campus News

2 The Beacon Goes to NYC

Other World

Op & Ed

5

7

A Monumental Month

Arts & Features

Sports

9

Let’s Talk About Race

11

Swallow This

Interview With Julia Howe

THE BEACON SOUTHERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE | For the students, by the students

April 14, 2015 Volume 12 Issue 13 mbeacon@smccme.edu

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Maine Mayhem Film Festival 2015

By Jennifer Lague Communications and New Media Major oming up soon we have a chance to see some SMCC filmmakers show their work at two different cinemas during Maine Mayhem Film Festival. The dates are May 5th at the Nickelodeon in Portland and May 6th at the Magic Lantern in Bridgton, both starting at 7pm so mark them down. Tickets are not on sale yet but as soon as they are it will be posted on the Beacon Facebook and Twitter pages.

It’s gonna be a hell of an event as we’ve got seven moviemakers and so far I’ve shot some behind-the-scenes footage from two of them for my Beacon Mayhem Documentary, which will be on our YouTube Channel, Facebook, Website and Twitter pages coming up. I had the pleasure of meeting up with cast and crew from the movies Necromania and At Arm’s Length and let me tell you....there are no holds barred on these films!

They are just gonna let it all hang out and let awesomeness fly to the heavens with filming, storylines and acting.

We have the movie Necromania, directed

by Gus Minott with his beautiful and talented Assistant Director Jessica Bedell, who is an actress in the film. By spending a little time, I got to learn the ins and outs of making movies. The first thing is always in getting the necessary equipment together and sometimes, depending on the shot, that can be a challenge. They were getting a shot of Jessica’s character hanging from a cliff. However, since we can’t really have her hanging from a real cliff, it’s all about using the blue screen effect! So, they had her hanging over two large platforms

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that had been painted blue. I hope it all comes out looking great as Jessica’s acting was superb.

Gus is an excellent cameraman and Director of Photography as I learned while working with him for a recent horror film done for Advanced Video on Location class called Man in the Backseat.

Necromania will be a Lovecraftian horror film about a young man who gets into black magic and unleashes something from the depths of hell.

Neat! Of course, Lovecraftian horror is always the best, who can get enough of that?

The following Saturday, I woke up early in the morning to shoot behind the scenes of At Arm’s Length. Some of you readers may remember an article we had in the Beacon in February about this film. I must say, it was an absolute pleasure hanging out with them and learning about this project.

This film has been sponsored by the club Styxx in Portland as it will be a drama about a gay relationship. The actors Megan Tripaldi and Estevan Flores were there for that shoot and I got to speak with them. They are very emotionally tied to the film and very moved by its content, claiming that the actual making of the film itself has been a therapeutic process. I could see that in their faces and it really made me feel moved to hear them speak of it. This movie will not just be just “another gay movie” in the least. They will be touching upon a subject that affects us all, and that is abuse in relationships. I could not think of a better topic to write about myself if I were going to make a film, as abusive relationships are very prevalent in our society and the more awareness there is the more people who feel alone and hurt can get help. Need (Continued on Page 2)

Art and Culture Class Aboriginal Australian Paintings

Teacher: Mary Hart hese paintings were inspired by our study of Australian Aboriginal culture, one of the oldest continuous cultures in the world. They are based on the idea of “Tjukurrpa” or the “Dreamtime,” which is both an Aboriginal creation myth and the source of actual maps of sacred places in the landscape.

In their paintings, students were asked to create an aerial map of a real or imagined place, inventing symbols to mark significant spots. The “dot” style is typical of contemporary aboriginal work.

Through readings, films and lectures, our Art and Culture course explores a variety of artistic and cultural traditions from around the globe.

A hands-on studio project accompanies each culture studied, helping students to deepen their understanding of aesthetic values.

On display through early May in the Learning Commons.

For more information: Mhart4@smccme.edu

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Left By: Kelly Dorr Middle By: Betsy Lagace Right By: Chris Doucett •

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The Beacon Does Business in NYC

By Garrick Hoffman Liberal Arts Major hen The Beacon staff was invited to a newspaper roundtable discussion held by Media Mates at the Harvard Club in Manhattan, excitement was immediately generated.

Staffers Erik Squire, Ashley Berry, Rebekah Marin, Alex Brooks, and I made our six-hour trek down to participate in the gathering. The Harvard Club proved to be an incredibly regal establishment, and upon entering, we all basked in the VIP feelings with a laugh.

Fifteen colleges, including Philadelphia’s Temple University, New Jersey’s Seton Hall University, and Massachusetts’s Bristol Community College attended the discussion, and they all had created a small mountain of newspapers on a table for everyone to examine. The Beacon, needless to say, helped augment the size of the mountain. According to the Media Mates host, SMCC arrived with the most participants of any of the colleges – something she was impressed to acknowledge and something we were proud to hear.

Some informal conversations took place first, with many of us “cross-pollinating” to introduce ourselves to each other and shoot the breeze as we warmed up for the real business. Finally, it all kicked off with an introduction speech from a Media Mates representative, who then introduced an adviser from Temple University, John DiCarlo.

The adviser gave a lengthy speech and referenced the famous “Acres of Diamonds” speech from Russell Conwell, Temple’s founder, which set the stage for Temple’s mission statement, as well as the Media Mates newspaper gathering. The “Acres of Diamonds” speech revolved around that which is immediately available to us – sometimes “in our own backyard” as one might say – bears the potential to be transformed into something great. There are “acres of diamonds” right in front of our faces for us to grasp.

A student from Temple, Justin Discig-

il, the advertising manager, also took the podium to deliver a speech. He mentioned he had written his speech on the 45-minute ride to Manhattan, and spoke about the “Three Cs” of advertising for a newspaper – confidence, competition, and compensation. Upon completion, we all had lunch and dove into the meat of the discussions.

Each table bore a theme for the discussions and had a host facilitating the conversations, similar to SMCC’s Community Café event. One table, for example, served a dual purpose and was labeled, “Online vs. Print” and “Social Media.” Another table was labeled, “Struggles of a Community College Newspaper.” This helped keep the discussions topic-specific for efficacy.

Learning the business, dynamics, and approach to newspapers from other colleges proved to be incredibly intriguing, which fostered some spirited discussions.

For example, The Beacon publishes every two weeks, and lands on the shelves every Tuesday. Temple University, who needs to generate $125,000 annually to operate, is able to publish in print every Tuesday and daily online, and distributes 5,000 copies on those Tuesdays. Another fun fact was that Seton Hall’s student newspaper has been in existence for over ninety years.

This caught us off guard, and we were all impressed to be in company of a newspaper with noteworthy tenure.

We also delighted in hearing both heartening compliments and constructive criticism. We received tremendously positive feedback pertaining to our design, writing, ad layout, and photography, with some of the criticism leaning towards inordinate text content. Tracy Furtado, Faculty Adviser of Bristol Community College’s “The Observer” newspaper relentlessly extolled the appearance of our newspaper, which made us incredibly pleased and proud to hear.

Furthermore, The Beacon walked away with some beneficial tips from the other colleges for how to operate more prosperously, such as how to generate readership, retain contributors, and how to get students involved. Other colleges seemed

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Art Director Graphic Designers Digital Media Editor Managing Editor Photo Editor

SECTION EDITORS Arts&Features Op&Ed Other World On Campus Sports

Alexander Brooks Cory Valentine Jennifer Lague Garrick Hoffman Nickolas Evan Acker F.A. Coletti Garrick Hoffman Rebekah Marin Erik Squire The Beacon Staff

CONTRIBUTING Nickolas Evan Acker WRITERS Ashley Berry Patrick Doyle Jennifer Lague Matt Mizrahi Lauren Michelle Nicholas James Miller Koren Sullivan Emery Thompson Ian Ziller

ADVISERS Chuck Ott Rachel Guthrie

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OnCampus

Beacon staffers, from left to right: Garrick Hoffman (Managing Editor), Rebekah Marin (“The Other World” Section Editor), Erik Squire (“On Campus” Section Editor), Alex Brooks (Art Director), and Ashley Berry (Contributing Writer)

to benefit from our presence as well, with ideas being jotted down by all parties.

Overall The Beacon’s time in New York City proved to be not just beneficial but enjoyable. Walking away with new ideas and new connections – not to mention a flattered ego balanced by the constructive

criticism – made the trip worthwhile, and we look forward to seeing how we can implement newly discovered strategies put forth by the participating colleges.

One final note: The Beacon plans to return for Media Mates newspaper round table discussion, round two, in November!

Maine Mayhem

We also have a movie being made by Alex Balzano of our work/study office in the CNMS Department called Dynamic. On one of the Facebook page links, it reads, “Dynamic is a martial arts coming of age story about Jesse, a lonely teen struggling with anger issues, addiction and bullying. One night Jesse is rescued by Tom, a mysterious hermit skilled in mixed martial arts. Initially unwilling, Tom agrees to train Jesse to defend himself. Jesse and Tom will be forced to deal with inner demons that have held them back as well as new threats arising.” Alex describes it as partly based on himself, his friends and family members dealing with difficult challenges growing up. The challenges of bullying, addiction, anger issues and low self esteem are evident in Jesse’s character and are all very relevant in the world we share.

I have not had a chance to connect with Amanda LaGrange about her film Mama’s Favorite other than it will be a horror supernatural flick done family-style, but I will update our Beacon Facebook page as soon as I know anything. So, you’ll have to just stay on the edge of your seats until May. Guys, we are really in for a treat this year. By the way, there is a Maine Mayhem Film Festival page on Facebook with links to other sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo where you can learn about the films.

Maine Mayhem Film Festival, folks!

IT’S.....what’s for breakfast.

For ticket info, email Corey Norman at: CNorman@smccme.edu.

(Continued from Page 1) I say more? Please go to atarmslengthfilm.com to get more info.

There are still five more films! We have a film called Life of Change by Isaiah LeMay that is a drama and will touch upon the topic of those close to us having religious differences. Tolerance is always a good topic to cover in filmmaking or anything, for that matter, and I’m sure his film is excellent.

I will hopefully be getting an interview with Isaiah soon to put in my documentary although he seems like quite a busy guy.

Every interaction I have had with this bright young man when taking classes here at SMCC has been one of delightful kindness, sincerity and unusual maturity. Based on that, I know his writing will be a reflection of that outstanding personality.

We have Nogitsune by Brianna Michaud, who is an avid anime fan and is actually going to an anime convention out of state right now in April for a documentary she is shooting for our class. Her film for Mayhem involves a character who is a fox spirit played by Megan Tripaldi from At Arm’s Length who is out to seek revenge for her husband’s death. Things will get kind of bloody but that’s okay because that brings us into another film. We have a comedy horror film by Griffin Russell starring Ryan Marshall also included in the mix and we are talking Evil Dead sort of funny.Yay! What could be better!

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OnCampus

April 14, 2015 • Page 3

Alternative Textbooks and Additional Parking

By Erik Squire Education Major reetings fellow students! I certainly hope you’re enjoying the warm(er) weather. We now have less than a month to go before the semester ends; some of you have all your projects done in advance, some of you will finish everything in the last week, and some of you will hide under a rock. Whatever your personal style of getting things done may be, there are two things that all of us returning in the fall can look forward to: professors who are looking out for their students and increased parking availability.

Many professors around campus recognize the steep price that even used textbooks can come at, and they also realize what small budgets students often have.

Despite the seemingly high cost, course texts are required in order to complete many of SMCC’s classes. To address this issue a number of professors at SMCC have been looking at alternative ways for their students to acquire their textbooks. One of the predominant solutions being considered is open source textbooks. If you’re unfamiliar with that term, the New York Times explains, “Open-source textbooks are created under an open license, so they can be downloaded free or printed at low cost; instructors can even rearrange the sequence of material, to suit their preference.

There’s a movement to make faculty-written, peer-reviewed open-source textbooks available to professors and students, to help keep a lid on the cost of textbooks.”

In an E-mail of collaboration amongst his colleagues, Professor Harry Applin discussed his thoughts on open source texts and the impacts it might have on SMCC’s students. He writes: “There was a meeting a couple weeks ago on the direction of SMCC. One of the things that was mentioned was the cost of education, which in part is the cost of textbooks. I found the textbook used in my courses was around $200. But I could buy a small tablet computer Toshiba Encore 2 for less than that and I could find the replacement textbook as a PDF or Kindle version.

I don’t know about you, but I walk into class and half (at least) of the students have their face into their digital phone. Would this be an option in reducing education costs and maybe engaging the students?

Other things to think about is that the tablet could be used in other classes and students maybe more likely keep their textbooks (future access) than using them for doorstops.

“There was an interesting article in the NY Times that discussed the issue. Here is an excerpt...”

“College students could save an average of $128 a course if traditional textbooks were replaced with free or low-cost ‘open-source’ electronic versions, a new report finds.”

The Student Public Interest Research Groups, state-based advocacy groups that promote affordable textbook options, analyzed open-source pilot programs at five colleges and found that the savings for students can be significant.

Textbook costs are particularly burdensome for students at two-year community colleges; the cost, more than $1,300, is about 40 percent of the average cost of tuition, according to the College Board.

Previous research by the Student PIRGs found that the high cost of textbooks can interfere with education. Some students, for instance, may delay buying the required text for a class, and fall behind; or they simply don’t buy it at all, putting themselves at a disadvantage.

“If tablets and PDF files are used, a number of costs drop for the student

and the school. If a student comes into Math020 and gets a tablet and a PDF textbook (available) for the price of an equivalent textbook, the student will leave the class with the tablet and the PDF file. The tablet can be used in other classes and they still have the text for future review.

The positive attributes definitely outweigh the negative attributes and again, a pilot program should be setup. The world is going in this direction and education should lead.

As for having all students use tablets, is it necessary? If a student opted to purchase a book, fine. If a student opted for a laptop, fine.

What it does is that we move into the future, both the school and the student.

It also moves the school (and students) into a more sustainable future, reducing paper usage as well as reducing printer ink, and wear and tear on school equipment.”

Finally, as you may

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have read in your E-mail, SMCC’s South Portland campus is adding 66 new parking spots by demolishing two of our buildings.

The buildings being taken down were on Benjamin Pickett Street, and the additional spaces that will result from this work will be added to parking lot A. The parking construction should be finished towards the end of the summer semester and ready for the heavy parking demands of the fall

semester.

As you can see, there is plenty to look forward to, so we hope to see a good portion of you returning in August!

Photo by Nickolas Evan Acker

Get Off My Lawn!

Rantings and Ravings of a 40-year-old College Student

By Koren Sullivan Art Major t’s my last semester here at SMCC. I started college in 1992 and I’m finally graduating with my 2-year degree. Hilarious, right? Well, listen, life kinda happened and I landed some really decent jobs without needing to finish my degree. (Remember, this was “back in the day.”) However, I eventually got sick of holding a position that wasn’t what I really wanted to be when I grow up and that’s how I found myself digging in and getting serious about school this time around.

Along this wacky journey I’ve discovered a few things about myself. The main thing being that I still don’t really think of myself as a grown up. In my head, I’m just a girl... who can remember things that happened in the 70s. But in reality, I am probably more like that crotchety old neighborhood lady that yells at you to stay off her lawn. I mostly dig being a college student surrounded by, well, normal-aged college students, because you guys are pretty fun. But I’ve gotta admit that sometimes there are things about y’all that just sit in my craw...

Here’s a short list of old-lady-like complaints: • Cell phones. Everyone-- including your teacher-- is onto you when you think you’re being sly by texting just under the edge of your desk like that. WTH is up with that? Majorly annoying. Oh, and another thing...

• Stop complaining that your cell phone gave you bad directions. Oh, I’m sorry... do you mean that your own personal, handheld, GPS-enabled, camera/calculator/computer-thingie of the future is saying that you’re on THAT side of the road

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when you want it to position you on THIS side? Tragic.

• It’s called college, people. How come you guys come to class without your assignments done? And you’ve usually got some ridiculous excuse as to why it just couldn’t happen... I don’t get it. Don’t you know this isn’t high school anymore? You’re here for YOU now. It’s time to start learning... and stop being such jabronies!

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I am always the only one who will laugh at the instructor’s Back to the Future jokes. Not that they’re not funny, but it’s just that most of you weren’t even born when that movie came out. But I totally remember it like it was yesterday. Figure out who Doc is and know how many gigawatts of juice it takes to operate the flux capacitor and then let’s talk.

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OtherWorld

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Smart Watches

By Emery Thompson hen someone says they have a “smart” watch people often wonder, “What does that phrase mean?” Smart?

Watch? In the same sentence? Yes! “A Smart Watch is a computerized wristwatch with functionality that is enhanced beyond timekeeping,” according to Wikipedia.

Earlier models could perform basic tasks, such as calculations and translations.

There is also another common feature called the activity tracker, which is basically a fitness tracker. This often tracks the steps

you take in a day, and has the ability to track your calories as well as water intake, usually through the help of an application from your phone. The watches usually connect using Bluetooth.

Smart watches were first introduced to the general public in 2009 and cost around $800. Now all the major companies have smart watches and the price has come way down, and the trend it still continuing in this downward progression. These devices have some awesome features, which adds to the appeal for people. One of these awesome features of owning one of these devices is that you don’t have to continually pull your phone to check the time, which can be annoying. Another cool feature is that you can sync your phone to the watch, which can be helpful in many ways, again usually using the Bluetooth connection to your phone. It will actually display text messages and calls right on your watch, allowing you to even answer calls. This can be very helpful for people who don’t have the time to constantly pull their phone out to check for calls or text messages. Now, without even pulling your phone out, you can see what text messages you have, any

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missed calls. This is great for professionals.

Another great advantage is that you can even answer calls on your watch, talking to people while you do all sorts of activities, no longer having to hold your phone to your ear or have an annoying headphone set with cumbersome cords. Plus it just looks cool, and isn’t that what it’s about nowadays?

Some of the disadvantages of owning one of these watches is that yes they still cost around $200, which is still a lot of money for some people. Another disadvantage is that you have another device with another battery that requires you to charge, though with time there is bound to be some kind of advancement that takes away the need to continually charge the watches.

Perhaps they will invent a smart watch that can be charged by movement?

Some smart watches, like the Moto360, which is the only circular watch, comes with a wireless charging pad; you just set the watch on it and it charges just like if you had plugged it in! Amazing! That itself makes charging a bit less of a hassle.

You don’t have to worry about finding an

open plug. Just get a plug and put your watch on the platform, and then allow it to charge without having to worry about it.

Emery Thompson is a member of the Computer Technology Senior Seminar course and is planning on a career in IT. Emerythompson.org

Attention Windows Users!

By Matt Mizrahi ooking for a simple and FREE solution to increase your computer’s performance? This article will discuss the benefits of Glary Utilities. This free download, available from Glarysoft, offers numerous, easy-to-use tools to optimize one’s PC. Anything from slow boot time, accidentally deleted files to decreased desktop performance, Glary Utilities can help!

What’s great about GU (besides the free part) is that all of its tools provide friendly user interfaces, which means they’re easy to use! Let’s start with a few of my favorites. GU comes with a registry cleaner, which will scan and repair errors on invalid registry entries that can cause freezing and system crashes, common problems most PC users are familiar with.

Shortcuts fixer will find all invalid shortcuts and will give you the option to either remove or repair them. This is a handy tool if your desktop is covered with shortcuts to applications or documents that are constantly being updated.

To help keep your disk (typically your

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hard drive) clean, the Glary Disk Cleaner is an excellent choice. This tool will find and delete junk files associated with incomplete uninstalls and temporary internet files.

These temporary files are cached browser files, used for quick loading of web pages that you have visited. Disk Cleaner can remove these, which means more free space on your hard drive! Next, I’ll touch on a nifty tool called File Undelete. This tool offers an effective way to recover deleted files from your hard drive or external devices (flash drives, etc.) and will display a list of files that have been recovered. Of course, not every single file can be recovered. File Undelete will classify the recovery status as Very Good, Good, Medium, Poor and Overwritten. Please note that if a file has been overwritten, it cannot be recovered.

My all-time favorite tool from Glary Utilities is the Startup Manager. Startup Manager allows you to manage all programs that begin running upon startup of the operating system. Many of these programs are unnecessary and consume valuable resources, which results in sluggish performance. For

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example, one could disable Adobe Updater from running on startup, freeing up memory and decreasing overall boot time.

This means that your desktop will be ready in less time upon starting the computer.

Startup manager will even provide details such as the percentage of users who disable a particular program, helping you decide if it’s useful or not!

Now if a user prefers a simplified approach to optimizing their PC, they may prefer the “1-Click Maintenance” panel.

This option will execute several main tools (registry, disk cleaner, etc.) in sequence, providing consistent and basic optimization of their computer. Running an older version of Windows? Not to worry, Glary Utilities is compatible from Windows XP on up!

Matt Mizrahi is a member of the Computer Technology Senior Seminar course and is planning on a career in IT.

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OtherWorld

The Student Dilemma, Part 2

anything an employer sees that sends up a red flag can impact the way they view your potential skills, abilities, and personality in the workplace. Refraining from posting those funny pictures you took at the bar last weekend can show the employer you understand that maintaining a professional social profile is something you are aware of and value. Staying away from posting the all-too-personal things on the previously mentioned forms of media doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use them at all, but one site to pay more attention to if you’re not already, is LinkedIn. Like Facebook is generally used to connect friends and family to one another, LinkedIn’s purpose is to create a forum for networking professionals with other professionals and businesses. Today, more than ever, employers pay attention to the things that they can find about you through the use of the internet, and becoming a Linke-

Interview Ingenuity

By Rebekah Marin Liberal Studies - English Major last week’s Student Dilemma column we examined the difficulties associated with choosing a field of study.

As students, once that decision has been made, the next step in our professional lives usually includes getting a job, starting an internship, or beginning your journey into a career path. In order to be successful at securing any of the previously mentioned positions, an individual must be prepared for the interview process. Here to help you be the best interviewee you can be are three unusual, yet crucial aspects of the interview process explained.

The early bird gets the worm, but the overzealous bird tires himself out circling the garden all night in search of the first worm of the day. In other words, being early to an interview is important because it shows punctuality, but being too early tells the interviewer that you don’t have any other pressing commitments to attend to that day. That being said, being late is out of the question. If employers see that you’re late to an interview, they can assume that issues like punctuality will carry over into the workplace, and they can easily avoid that issue by someone who is already on time to the interview. According to the experts, being fifteen minutes early to an interview is the proper time frame, to show that you are someone who has other commitments, but is also punctual, and values the opportunity to have the interview.

A second, but equally important part of interview etiquette is the presentation of your resume. Many people, myself included, have stressed over creating the perfect resume, but according to Forbes online, the best resumes are those that are precise and simple. Many employers are spending less time looking at your credentials on paper, and more time on the web looking into your more personal and private endeavors.

To avoid social media mayhem hindering your chances at scoring the position you want, be conscious of what you post on your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

To take that even further, be aware of what your friends and family post about you on their social media. Whatever pictures or statuses that are posted having to do with you are still a reflection of your personality to your potential employer. Regardless of how private you think your accounts are,

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dIn user is another way for the interviewer to see that you are professionally focused, well-rounded, and have qualities that the company is looking for.

As far as the actual interview process itself, an employer may ask questions like, “Do you have any questions for me?” or, “What would you do in a situation like this one?” The strongest interviewee will anticipate questions like these and be able to think on their feet, using their existing knowledge regarding the company and their own experience to produce well thought-out questions to ask the interviewer, and to respond thoroughly to situational “what-if ” style inquiries. Preparations such as researching the company you could become a part of, what they do, how they function, and what the objectives are, are all ways to better equip yourself to prepare for questions that require thinking on your feet. If you don’t have questions for the

April: A Monumental Month

By Garrick Hoffman Liberal Arts Major pril seems like it’s teeming with significant historical events, birthdays...and tragedies. Every time it rolls around, my brain begins the slow process of exploding as I try to keep up with birthdays of friends and family while also trying to remember each day’s historical significance as they pass.You know you have a weird month when it contains the birthdays of a spiritual sage and a fascist dictator.

Here are just a few dates that distinguish April from the rest of the year: April 3: -Harry Truman signs the Marshall Plan, a bill designed to aid European post-war recovery and combat communism. (1948) -The Pony Express mail delivery service begins its first day of operation. The Pony Express, with delivery workers on horseback riding for up to a hundred miles, was a landmark means of communication from east to west. (1860) April 4: -MLK is fatally shot in Memphis, Tennessee.

His purported killer, James Earl Ray, died on April 23, 1998. (1968) April 6: -The Olympics are held in Athens, Greece after a 1,500-year hiatus. (1896) -The U.S. enters World War I in Europe.

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FINISH STRONG The race to May will be over before you know it – so take a minute now to make sure you’re planning for that home stretch:

-The plane carrying the Rwandan and Burundi presidents is shot down, thus igniting the Rwandan genocide the following day.

Between 500,000 and 1 million Rwandans were killed in the 3+ month massacre.

(1994) April 7: -Prohibition in the United States comes to its end. Did you know Maine was one of the leading states to spearhead prohibition?

(1933) April 8: -The Buddha is born (Between sixth and fourth centuries BCE. Date of celebration varies.)

April 9 -The American Civil War comes to an end at the Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia, with Confederate general Robert E. Lee surrendering to Union general Ulysses S. Grant. (1865) April 11: -The Civil Rights Act is signed by President Lyndon Johnson. (1968) April 12: -The American Civil War commences with the Battle of Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Strangely, there were no casualties.

(1861) -Russian Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space. (1961) April 15: -The RMS Titanic sinks. (1912)

SMCC BOOKSTORE

Don’t miss the chance to sell back your textbooks!

Come to the SMCC Bookstore, located in the Campus Center.

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• Monday, May 4th to 7th from 9 AM- 4 PM • Friday, May 8th from 9 AM to 3 PM

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up to

The Learning Commons is open 7 days a week, including evenings, to help you run every semester as your BEST semester!

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April 20: -Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold go on a shooting rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, rendering the massacre the most deadly high school shooting in US history. (1999) -Adolf Hitler is born. (1889) -The unofficial pot smoker’s holiday, also known as 4/20. Following its legalization in Colorado, tens of thousands of cannabis-friendly folks turned out to celebrate the holiday in Denver.

April 26: -The Chernobyl disaster occurs, known as one of worst nuclear power plant accidents in history, alongside the Fukushima disaster.

(1986) April 27: -Nelson Mandela is elected as the President of South Africa, a monumental day in which all South Africans were eligible to vote.

(1994) April 28: -Benito Mussolini, the fascist dictator of Italy, is executed by anti-fascist partisans.

(1945) April 29: -The Los Angeles Race Riots begin. (1992) April 30: -George Washington is inaugurated as the first President of the United States. (1789)

TEXTBOOK BUYBACK

Make time to visit Tutoring and sharpen your skills before final exams.

Drop-In to work with a Writing Tutor and make sure your essay structure is just right.

Put in some time with a Librarian to access top-notch sources and cite them perfectly.

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interviewer it shows a lack of interest. A lack of preparation can translate into lack of care, interest, preparedness and initiative in the job as a whole, proving to the interviewer that they should dismiss you as a candidate for the job, and find someone more interested in the position. In becoming prepared for an interview and the questions they may ask make sure not to become robotic. That is, make sure your personality still is noticeable, and it doesn’t feel like you’re just regurgitating what you think the interviewer wants to hear.

In conclusion, there are a number of different aspects to consider when preparing for an interview, and those who take into consideration the important parts of an interview that have been laid out above should feel confident in all areas of the interview process.

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of the new cost paid!!

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Fat Plus-Sized Fallacies

change for anyone,” a proclamation we consider bold. Ironically, those who accept this doctrine end up not mitigating their health [i]because[i] of people, [i]because[i] they don’t want to appear as conformists to media propaganda or to those who fat-shame.

They don’t want to succumb to those who judge and discriminate.

They essentially wave their middle fingers and become placid with their health merely just to contradict others, and because they are disgusted with discrimination. One can change for people’s opinions, and likewise, one can not change because of people’s opinions.

So if those who are overweight or obese loved themselves, shouldn’t they instead esteem their health and take the right measures to ameliorate their condition (within their capacity to do so, when considering hypoactive thyroids and other factors that can resist weight loss), rather than just rebel against those who judge and shame by remaining placid with their condition?

The Flaws of the Fat-Friendly Media and Movements

By Garrick Hoffman Liberal Arts Major any of us are becoming disillusioned to how the media both continually and criminally portrays women: they’re almost invariably thin – too thin – and alarmingly glossed in cosmetics. But lately another approach has been employed to combat the media’s status-quo with women. Unfortunately, it too is flawed, and some of it rejects scientific fact.

“Plus-sized” models – a vague euphemism used to circumvent the use of the words “fat” or “overweight” – are now being incorporated into magazines, television shows, and advertisements to showcase fashion products or to serve as characters on the opposite end of the weight spectrum. Although the intent behind this approach might seem admirable – combating the typical use of ludicrously thin women - it still promotes the wrong message: complacency, and the emphasis on beauty over health.

Although many of us extol those who use “plus-sized” models and are aware of the sinister implications in using skeletal models, we often fail to ask: What happens when you convince overweight or obese individuals that they should be content with their condition? If using pencil-thin models can gnaw into the subconscious of women by telling them they “should look this way,” thus cultivating troubling insecurity – something we should all detest – what does using overweight models do? Might it instead cultivate a complacency with one’s unhealthy condition? If we are telling overweight or obese people to embrace the mentality, “I love the way that I look and I am not going to change for anyone,” like overweight photographer Haley Morris-Cafiero says and promotes, is this not a slippery slope than can lead to destructive health conditions? Furthermore, if we are saying, “You’re beautiful no matter what,” aren’t we still placing inordinate emphasis on beauty rather than on health and well-being?

According to the CDC, an alarming 69% “of adults age 20 years and over… are overweight.” This same figure also takes obesity into account. Furthermore, the sub-header of the “Risks” page on the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) website proclaims, “Being overweight or obese isn’t a cosmetic problem.

These conditions greatly raise your risk for other health problems.” The risks, as presented on the same page, include coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, abnormal blood fats, metabolic syndrome, cancer, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS), reproductive problems, and gallstones.

Complacency can be the nefarious result of the Health at Every Size (HAES) and fat acceptance movements, two leftist crusades that have come under attack from the science community and aim to end fat shaming and to promote self-love “at every size.” Although the movements do indeed have a noble cause, they also, perhaps indirectly, encourage people with visible weight issues to “Love the way you look and not

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The movements, despite whatever merit they may have, nonetheless send a dangerous message. The message implies that one can be healthy regardless of their weight and that everyone should accept what they are, even though anyone with any rudimentary understanding of the science pertaining to the human body could recognize the fallacy in this. Surely, the scientific community condemns this message, and as reported in an article in TIME, “it’s simply not possible to be fit and obese,” indicating numerous studies to support this declaration.

The media’s “You can still be beautiful at any size” message is also flawed in that it’s still magnifying beauty rather than health, an incredibly counterproductive maneuver that doesn’t allow for the shattering of America’s obsession with the superficial. Although promoting self-love is indubitably of the essence, we should also be promoting good health, proper eating habits, and regular exercise proclivities.

Showing only “plus-sized” or dramatically thin women is, respectively, showing accep-

tance on one hand, and showing obscene and unrealistic expectations on the other, both of which comes at the expense of the audience.

Let’s also remember that, according to the same article in TIME, “[I]t’s also possible to be thin and unhealthy, and people can be at risk for the same metabolic problems at any size if they do not take care of themselves.” So essentially in this case, when you’re thin and unhealthy, your exterior says “healthy,” but your interior screams “help me.”

Indeed, we should absolutely not be shaming anyone for their weight; this belies any respect we have for each other, and it’s incredibly disparaging. But we shouldn’t be placing beauty on a higher pedestal than health, and we shouldn’t be saying, “You’re healthy the way you are; don’t let people tell you otherwise,” just to eschew offending people or to sugarcoat the truth.

Rather, we should dismiss the media, be conscious of body diversity (including those who experience difficulty gaining or losing weight), and embrace, in the words of Thích Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village, the Buddhist Mindfulness Center: “Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivating good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society…”

With this mindset, beauty will become a byproduct of effort, rather than the singular goal.

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor,

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here are the snacks on campus?

The other day I was trying to get work done on campus. It was during lunch and during a break from class that I was staying on-campus for. I usually dedicate this time to getting work done, but that day I hadn’t eaten breakfast and was in dire need of a snack to keep me going through my next classes. I do not have a meal plan at the cafeteria, so my only other option on campus was the Seawolves Café. While I was hungry enough for a meal, there was work I needed to get done, and my plan was to buy a snack and eat it on the walk back. Unfortunately, when I got to the Café, there was a line out the door. A friend of mine, snacking on an apple, told me it had been that way for at least half an hour.

While one may wonder why there was only one register open during a busy lunch hour, that might be a question for another op-ed. Unwilling to wait 10-15 minutes for an apple or a bag of chips, I walked back to where I was working and sat hungry and distracted through my next two classes.

Which got me thinking, why aren’t there any snack machines on campus?

There is currently a debate on whether vending machines have a place in public schools– critics see it as a cynical way to make money off of impressionable children with little regard to their health. One might wonder, however, about the curious lack of vending machines on our campus.

The food offered is already slopped before us with little regard to our health, and

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In my opinion this article manipulates the perspective of Surfsite. The article makes Surfsite sound like a dirty pit for students that aren’t expected to succeed. Although I can not deny the lack of cleanliness in the dorm, I can speak on behalf of the residents because I am one of them. Surfsite is not the cleanest place and I believe that is because of two things, the fact that it is an all male dorm, and the fact that it has not been maintained properly by the school. The school has not yet cleaned any of the black mold which is something that students should not have to take care of, neither should they take the blame for it being there. I think it is fair to assume that a male dorm is destined to be a “dirty” place because honestly most guys within our age group don’t pick up after themselves well.

I also believe that Surfsite is more of a community then a dorm, unlike Springpoint, the other resident building. The guys at Surfsite, no matter what the situation, treat each other with respect. They all show love and appreciation to each other because that is how a community works. Each resident living at Surfsite has gained my personal respect and proved to me that they are all good people. The article belittles the residents of Surfsite with out of context quotes and out of date statistics. This letter is not meant to be an attack on your or the author of the article in any way. It is meant purely as the unspoken truth about the wonderful men of Surfsite.

wouldn’t they like to make money off us impressionable children? Further, most buildings on campus already have a vending machine. How is it that, if we feel inclined to feed money to a robot in exchange for dispensed goods, our only option is a 20 oz bottle of soda? Why can’t we get apples, or trail mix, or a Dorito or Funyun?

Most vending companies offer an arrangement where, in exchange for a heavy cut of the profits, the vending machine itself is free or mostly free. And while the company might take their fair share, it would not be long before the vending machines are producing profit for the campus coffers from the happier, well fed, more intelligent, and better-looking students patronizing said machines. Maybe the money could help refill those depleted student activity funds.

In conclusion, snacks. I demand more snacks: for me, and for the rest of the student body. And for the staff and the faculty too. I demand them quickly and conveniently, and deliciously. If there’s a ten-minute break in a two-and-a-half hour class, my options as they stand right now are: cigarette break, or a pepsi. How about an apple?

Sincerely, Cory Valentine Dear Editor of The Beacon,

I

am writing in regards to the article Surfsite Exposed: Inside SMCC’s Dirtiest Dorm in volume twelve, issue eleven of The Beacon.

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OpEd

Detached Together

By Lauren Michelle Communications and New Media Major oxymoron; if you think about it for a moment maybe life is just that. It seems while everything we do, think and feel, we also experience the polar opposite; a balance of sorts.Yet, sometimes one side of this equation outweighs the other; this unparalleled balance is when we experience a challenge of sorts.

As we move through a progressive change in technology things may appear simpler, such as communication. We can now send a text, a status, an email, a tweet or a photograph to let the world know how we feel, where we are or what we believe.

This self-expression happens in just seconds, the blink of an eye. It is truly remarkable, with the touch of a button we reach everyone, even those we do not know. That in itself is no small feat, but does this serve

us well and our future generation? We must be hesitant here; a loss for words, contact, touch and feeling - that is a lot to give up.

Will our children know the great value of a hug, will they learn empathy, will they trust and know the value of love, attention and time? It is these things that make life truly beautiful; without this it will be a lonely world full of people going through the motions of living, but never coming close to our true destination.

We as humans have a few essential needs: water, oxygen, food, and last but not least love. We need the first three to live, to breathe, and to be healthy. The fourth item we need to survive, to be courageous, to know strength, trust, kindness and empathy. This is the block that creates life and everything in between. We need character, confidence and sheer bravery to compete in the race we call life. Does our need

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Let’s Talk About Race

By Ashley Berry Liberal Arts - Political Science he Civil Rights Act of 1964 is about 50 years behind us, and we have an African-American President for the first time ever, so does that mean the United States is past the days of bigotry and discrimination?

The answer to that incredibly loaded question is NO. That is a very hard no, there are no ifs, ands, or buts about it: race is still as much of a problem now as it has ever been. This country simply adopted a very similar ideology to “Don’t ask, Don’t tell.”

That particular ideology is used in more than one sector of the U.S. and it is just as damaging as the blatant discrimination and segregation pre-civil rights era.

Although it is considered socially unacceptable in most places to be openly discriminatory or prejudiced, it is still lurking around corners, just waiting for the perfect situation to rear its ugly head.

Having an African-American President has only made the subject more taboo. Now it is considered even more inappropriate to talk about why race is such a big problem in our society, and if anyone should think that it is not a huge problem then that person is obviously delusional and ignorant. The “let’s sweep it under the rug” mentality has lended itself to why race is such an issue post-civil rights act. Although all the ideas surrounding racial superiority are ingrained in us as people and in our society, it is 100% myth. There is no such thing as a “pure race” and it is scientifically proven that no one race is genetically superior to another. But regardless of all the hard scientific facts we are still battling against the many-headed demon that is race.

There are a slew of college classes that prepare you to deal with the real world.

The most important skill that these classes teach is critical thinking, a skill that most people in this country have unfortunately not mastered. They usually center around different topics but the goal is help students refine their critical thinking and make clear and reasoned judgments about a variety of topics and issues. One such class at Arizona State University has made the news in a very negative manner. The class titled, “U.S. Race Theory and the Problem of Whiteness” is taught by Professor Lee Bebout. Lauren Clark, who is a white

student but not a member of that particular class, had some issues about that class in particular and with classes about race in general. Fox News, which is known for its conservative viewpoints, used comments from Clark to do a segment on their show “Fox and Friends.” The ever-conservative and mindless Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who cohosts the show, said the classes were “unfair and wrong” while “Trouble With Schools” flashed across the screen. This may be a solitary opinion but she missed the mark on what is really wrong with schools. The more likely candidates would be teaching creationism in public schools, the shortage of qualified teachers and the increasing push back against higher education.

It is also worth noting that Hasselbeck did not contact Bebout to do an interview and she did not sit in on the class, so her knowledge is not based on fact and she has no real knowledge of what goes on in the classroom. That segment prompted emails and letters urging Bebout to commit suicide. Here is a sampling of some of the comments: “I look forward to your suicide,” reads

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to detach from those around us and attach to the world through social media take away the most important element of all? We as a race need company, a shoulder, a hand, a kiss, a smile; to laugh, to cry, to be tender - these are essential. The question remains: Are we getting those needs met as a community? Just a little Illustration by Gerardo Obieta food for thought. To be continued.

The following link provides a great talk regarding this topic: https://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together#t-14224

one.

“I’d enjoy seeing you swing from a light pole...Maybe just kill yourself and get it over with,” another says.

A youth group who calls themselves the National Youth Front covered Bebout’s neighborhood as well as the campus with flyers featuring Bebout’s picture and the words “Anti-White” on the bottom. Bebout himself is white. Still think race isn’t an issue?

There are other people who see the light, and realize that maybe this is something that should be discussed and it is something that should be taught in schools.

Maybe that openness is what will lead us to understanding and more tolerance. It is not just colleges and universities that are trying to open the door with knowledge and understanding. Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks, has started the “Race Together” campaign that encourages people to talk about the issue. In the video that he made for his employees explaining the new campaign, he talks about his thoughts on race and specifically on the fact that people say race is too inflammatory of an issue to

discuss in a coffee house type setting.

“I reject that. I reject that completely,” he said in the video address. “It’s an emotional issue. But it is so vitally important to the country.”

Employees at Starbucks are certainly under no obligation to talk about race if they do not want to. It is simply an open door of sorts to get the discussion started.

It is also notable that Schultz made efforts to follow through with the campaign, meeting with about 2,000 employees in cities like Oakland, St. Louis, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Seattle, where racial tensions are very prevalent and destructive.

The in-person visits really demonstrate that this was an honest attempt at trying to do some good with a problem that just seems impossible to solve.

So, if the next time you get your latte or frappuccino and the cup has “race together” written on the side, do not be afraid to start up a conversation. Those small conversations may revolutionize how people deal with race issues, and it is an issue that our society should be very desperate to solve.

Roman Senate vs. the U.S. Congress

By Ian Ziller Political Science Major hen we think of democracy we often look back to the Romans, and by the same extension, we think of the Roman senate as being the equivalent of the U.S. Congress. However, the truth is very different. At the heart of the Roman political system were the consuls who were senators elected by the people of Rome.

They had the power to appoint people to the senate and then they served for life.

The idea behind this was to have a group of wise lawmakers who would make the best choices for ruling. The Romans elected the consuls each year so that there was a new one each year, and once elected a consul could not be elected for anotherten years.

On the other hand, however, the U.S. Congress is elected by the people and serves a set amount of years before they have to run for reelection, so this way there

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is a greater degree of accountability to the people. In the U.S. Congress, both houses make laws that are signed by the president.

There is the House of Representatives, which serves as the body closer to the people and is elected every two years, and the U.S. Senate, which is less connected to the people and serves as the leaders who are less concerned about public opinion and more about what is in the best interest of the nation. Senators serve for six years.

The United States Congress is the better model because it mixes Roman ideas of indirect democratic rule and serving the people, with the democratic theory of

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pure democracy of ancient Greece. With that said, it is important to have good leaders and so citizens should elect people who they feel are the best people to represent them. They should elect people who have a strong sense of morals who shall serve the people and not their own ends.

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Arts&Features

Page 8 • April 14, 2015

Metal Up Yr Ass, Part 4

By Garrick Hoffman and Patrick Doyle Liberal Arts and Liberal Arts – English Majors

that makes me a coward as a diehard fan is certainly debatable. I never grew overly invested in it, and I think it’s because the album never totally captured me.

Regardless, …AJFO is completely fortified by the songs “One” – a legendary gem that stands as their third-most played song – “Blackened” and “The Shortest Straw.” The title track, “…And Justice For All” and “Eye of the Beholder” boast some seriously killer riffs. Strangely, the title track and “The Frayed Ends of Sanity” have a sound that one might mistake for American patriotism, but then enter the lyrics and, “Ahh… nevermind” is what comes to mind. The lyrical content in the album largely revolves around politics and injustice, as well as war (“One”) and discrimination (“The Shortest Straw), which was fairly unique at the time for thrash metal bands.

Overall impression: …AJFO is a strong-ish album with a bounty of infectious, instrumental prowess, but both the production and the overall sort of “forgetability” hinders its infallibility. Once the last track ends, a sour, disappointed look spreads across my face, and the only word that comes to mind is “meh.”

Good lord, someone give me The Black Album to clean my system of Justice.

Review of the Issue: …And Justice For All

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Garrick:

second-least-visited ‘Tallica album of their first five (save for Kill Em All, which is my least favorite),…And Justice For All nonetheless boasts some killer songs (“One” and “Blackened” in particular) and doesn’t come up short in the ass-kicking department.

But what happened with that production? Even though its raw, gritty sound gives the album teeth, thus enhancing its genuine metal quality, it still sounds a bit flat. The bass is virtually inaudible, and the drums sound like they’ve lost some sonic dimension to them. Evidently the bass inaudibility is credited to drummer Lars Ulrich, who, according to the …AJFO mixer Steve Brown, was solely the culprit for the album’s lackluster sound quality. Brown also said in an interview with Ultimate Guitar that the bass playing itself “was perfect,” but Ulrich insisted on lowering the sound of it because they may have been “looking for more garage-type sound without bass.”

As a former Metallica fan boy who once foolishly considered getting a Metallica tattoo on my arm, I’ve never really given …AJFO my time of day. Whether

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Patrick:

nd Justice For All is noted for being the first Metallica album to arise from the death of bassist Cliff Burton. A bus fell on top of him.

The album begins like the others with a bunch of hazy guitar licks, then suddenly it takes a turn into a sudden riff city. The production here seems a lot weaker than the others. Lars Ulrich’s drumming sounds like he is hitting a soup can. It sounds really tinny.

Did he say “die” again? He totally said “death.”

You can’t even hear the bass guitar.

I wonder if that’s because they were all scared that with Burton being gone that they’d bomb the whole thing.

This is Metallica’s most political album. They sing and play music about political subjects. It doesn’t seem to purport any stance in particular, but just makes observations, or the stance is opposition against “The Man” and the “sh*t” that goes down.

The title track’s opening is very pretty. It has a sort of Celtic sound.

Why does the guitar sound that present but then when the whole band joins in, it sounds like it got sucked into a black hole that isn’t cool and mysterious, but confusing?

I switched headphones, curious if the ‘phones are the culprit, or if the band is just bombing.

-sigh The saving grace is that the songs are really algebraic and constantly shifting in focus, like when you step outside on a hot day and the sun is in yr eyes. Maybe Metallica were in Adult Ed while this album was recorded.

Wow, the mixing is really odd here.

The comments on the YouTube page (I tried three different videos to see if the mixing is the same) are all about how the mixing is odd or the lack of bass. Are we all insane?

Error 404 Bass Not Found.

Why am I dreading on this? It just doesn’t sound like the albums from before, that had that particular thrash sound that people come to ‘Tallica for. This album just sounds really flat and like if an ant colony picked up instruments and were trying to overthrow their queen, but less badass than that.

It makes me feel sort of awkward sitting in the library on Easter Sunday with this playing.

“Eye Of The Beholder” has nothing to make it stand out from the rest.

“Freedom of Choice/Choice is made

for you, my friend” are some of the lyrics.

I like the album Freedom of Choice by Devo.

Maybe they should’ve taken tips from Devo.

And here we go into the intellectually diverted, beer-guzzling success story of “One.” The song I’ve been told I “just have to listen to” by people who say Metallica aren’t just a bunch of bros who totally lost the plot.

Enter the same Celtic sounded guitar thing. Hetfield’s singing is starting to make me feel really weird. I want to scratch itches that don’t exist.

Holy sh*t, I remember on a trip to a house on the beach for a week, my dad’s girlfriend’s daughter and her friend sang “One” when it got heavy. I really like the heavy part.Y’know, where it goes “dundudndudndudndun.”

The rest of the songs after “One” sort of fade into one another, still showing the geometric song structures, that hollow sound and pronouncing the beginning of “the end” for me with them.

Frankly, when Cliff Burton died, so did the parts of Metallica I especially like.

“Blackened” and bits of “One” (the heavy parts, not the pseudo-humble-intellectual-soft-spoken-bullsh*t) have some flavor, but the taste is mostly stale. I feel like if you bought this album you’d get one of those salt packets you aren’t supposed to eat with it, to maintain the flavor. Hmm. If you’re mad about how I think of ...And Justice For All, just wait ‘til I listen to The Black Album.

Up Next: Metallica (AKA “The Black Album,” 1991)

SMCC also partners with our local libraries, so you can make the most of:

 South Portland Public Library

 Curtis Memorial Library (in Brunswick) As a student in Cumberland County, you’re even entitled to a library card at:  Portland Public Library!

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April 14, 2015 • Page 9

the action in the kitchen if you manage to tortilla chips, topped with cheddar jack find a spot at the fire bar - a fine spot to sit cheese and chili - made with the burnt ends on a chilly winter or fall evening! of the brisket - and served with a side of On this particular occasion, our sour cream.You definitely must try them. party of five popped into Elsmere around We also ordered a Smoked Sausage Link 8:15pm on a Saturday night, in hopes of ($8) - it’s their secret, house-smoked-andcatching a table grilled recipe. without much of a It arrives sliced wait. We were in into easy-to-share luck because the portions, with place was hopping a mustard BBQ and all the seats sauce that is to die were full... except for. for one booth.

Lastly, we had The booths here a Side Sampler are pretty roomy ($10). The Side and the five of Sampler comes us fit perfectly with a piece of without being warm cornbread, too squished. as well as your So we plopped choice of three down, ordered sides; we picked our drinks, and collard greens, Photo by Koren Sullivan perused the mac and cheese, menu. We decided and BBQ beans. I on ordering several appetizers to share and, must admit: I’m not a huge fan of collards. in less than ten minutes, we were already That was all for my husband because he eating. loves them... and he wasn’t disappointed First, we chose two plates of the Burnt with Elsmere’s version. All of us loved End Outlaw Chili Nachos ($10ea). These the BBQ beans - they were tangy and are maybe one of my most favorite things delicious. The macaroni and cheese was a to eat in the world. So, so good. They’re crowd-pleaser, too. It’s laced with gouda -

Elsmere BBQ & Wood Grill

By Koren Sullivan Art Major you spend any time at all roaming around looking for somewhere to eat, then chances are you already know about this place, since it’s been around since 2013. However, if you tend to finish your last class of the day, then toss your books into the backseat of your car and peel out of the parking lot headed up Broadway, you just might not have ever stumbled across this cozy little joint located at 448 Cottage Road here in SoPo. If that’s the case, you’ve really been missing out, because Elsmere BBQ and Wood Grill is really rocking it.

The restaurant is owned by longtime friends Adam Powers and Jeremy Rush.

Adam is a former Seawolf - he was a student of the SMCC Culinary Arts Program - and Jeremy grew up with a family who loved to barbecue. Elsmere’s meat smoker is custom-built from a vintage fridge; her name is Mama and she holds a whoppin’ 600 pounds of meat. Adam and Jeremy have created a pretty awesome neighborhood barbecue spot here and can be found working the line most nights.You can even watch

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very rich and filling without being at all like that goopy Velveeta stuff our moms used to make in the ‘80s. (Wait, most of you probably don’t remember that. Never mind!) If you want to amp up your food a notch, you can select from the various squeeze bottles of homemade sauces sitting on the table.

So, listen... you need to know that I live with four dudes: my husband and our three sons. My life is basically like living in a frat house, except that I’m the only one in college right now. These guys eat approximately 19 tons of food per week. For us to spend only ten bucks each - including sodas - and leave a place with no room left for dessert is quite a feat!

I’ve gotta say, Elsmere is definitely a solid place worth trying out next time you’re in the mood for barbecue. They even have vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Maybe more importantly, though: they’ve got a classic video game arcade table in the bar area and it doesn’t require any quarters to play! While you’re waiting for food, you can catch up on Ms. Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Galaga, Frogger, Donkey Kong, and/or about a zillion other games, all for FREE. With happy hour specials Tues-Fri from 4-6pm and Sundays from 1-3pm, Elsmere BBQ and Wood Grill really has a little something for everyone.

“Get Hard”: A Review

By Nicholas James Miller there’s one thing I’m certain I always will be, it is an extreme cheapskate.

Now, I almost never am willing to pay the ten dollars required to see a new movie on opening night, but there are instances where I am so incredibly excited to see a new film that I will go against everything I stand for because I am looking forward to a movie too much. This instance, I saw the trailer for Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart’s latest project, and I knew I absolutely had to see it. If there’s anything I can say about this movie, it’s that I was anything but disappointed.

The premise of the film is that Will Ferrell, playing a white-collar high roller working for a large Los Angeles firm, is framed for tax fraud, which causes him to face a ten year sentence in a maximum security prison. With only 30 days to prepare and get his affairs in order, he goes under the wing of Kevin Hart’s character, who pretends to be a past convicted felon in exchange for the $30,000 he needs to

put a down payment on a new house in a nicer neighborhood. Over the course of the film, Kevin Hart teaches Will Ferrell how to “Get Hard” and survive on the inside, although the sinister person who framed Will Ferrell is someone whom he would never expect.

The cinematography is very well done.

As a film student myself, I started noticing new tricks and techniques that I’ve even started experimenting with myself.

It’s interesting how different movies look when you become used to creating them yourself. This film was the directional debut of the director, Ethan Cohen. As someone just getting his foot in the industry’s door, I was nothing less than very impressed.

The premise is funny, the jokes are gold, the whole film had me on the edge of my seat, the theater echoed with roof-shaking laughter. For anyone who is looking for a good bit of hilarity in their week, I will say this is by far the funniest movie I’ve seen in years. Definitely check it out.

IF

By Patrick Doyle Liberal Arts – English Major oems about internet videos should exist more. ‘Fail videos’ are little bits of time captured that make us either go “eek!” “ahhh!!!” or “haha.” There is something about them that gives me a great deal of joy. The ones of exceptional pain, not so much, but nonetheless they are captured. We all have phones and cameras all the time so ‘weird things’ that happen become the open playing field of us all. I watched probably three hours worth of ‘Fail videos,’ all the while feeling that this truly is ‘living.’ The pieces enclosed are to commemorate the ‘Fail video.’

P

The Spectator Becomes the Sport The best Fail videos are when the projectile, accident or misgiving comes flying at the camera, which then spirals deeply out of control into pixelated Hell, being dropped and then comes the black.

The Worst Date I have literally had a girl over at my house and tried to put on Fail videos for comic relief. They hardly laughed and it didn’t help me very much with them. It did help me feel better about not being helped very much because I laughed.

SUBMIT TO WRIT SMCC’s own Literary Magazine

Cars

BY STUDENTS FOR STUDENTS

(Read aloud to Gary Numan) All the vids featuring automobile cars are way more traumatic for me because I have done things like backed up into a telephone pole really fast or hit another head on going 75mph.

send creative writing and art to: anaisttruman@smccme.edu

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Sports

April 14, 2015 • Page 11

An Interview with Julia Howe Nickolas Evan Acker

Liberal Arts Major sat down a few weeks ago with the head coach of the Women’s Basketball Team Julia Howe. We discussed how the season went and how she feels going forward into next season.

I

So you guys went to Nationals this year, quite the accomplishment after such a long season.

We had gone to nationals more than once prior in our history, but had never actually won a game down there. We lost in the first round but won our consolation game so that was a first win at a national tournament for the women’s team, so that in itself was a great feat. It was a season tying record for most wins in a season I believe, so obviously any time you can get 20 wins or more thats a pretty good accomplishment. So definitely a very good season in terms of what has been accomplished so far.

Amira Jones earned the YSCC all conference honors this season and is obviously a big impact for the women’s team, but how big of an impact is she both on the floor and off of it for team chemistry, and did you know she was going to be a big contributor to the team before the season even began due to her win in High School at the Western Massachusetts Finals with Chicopee High School?

Amira, actually when she was at Chicopee, was a different type of player.

She’s much more dynamic now and will shoot from the outside. Obviously she’s a very good rebounder, a great scorer, and very smart about where the ball is going to be. She exceeded expectations, that’s for sure. We wanted her to come in and be a good presence for us underneath, but didn’t know what we were going to get.

She’s an undersized post, probably only 5’7 where our other starting post player is 6’0, but she definitely plays much bigger. She earned second team conference all honors, she was an All American honorable mention, she’s done some really great things for the team and has been very consistent. She posted twelve double doubles, so definitely getting done on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. I think she only didn’t score double figures in maybe seven games this season, so she definitely was a leader on the floor. Off the floor she has a great attitude, very funny, someone all the players really like so she really brings that element of fun you need to maintain team chemistry. It’s a really long season, September when pre-season starts to March when the National Tournament is, so she’s definitely one of those players that keeps fun in the season.

So lets talk about another player. Jordan Turner came first in the conference in assists. What kind of presence on the floor did you see in her at the beginning of the season and do you think she’ll have a larger presence next season if she returns?

Jordan started in the preseason definitely as that player that you’re like, “This kid has great fundamentals.” She can see the floor, she has great ball handling skills, she can attack the rim. It was a very solid preseason. In the first semester up until the CMCC away game we played her at the SOUTHERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Photo by Nickolas Evan Acker

two-guard position, so at a shooting guard position. That was just the position where she really wasn’t comfortable and wasn’t really getting enough touches on the ball.

So she didn’t make as big of an impact as she could. After some discussion among the coaching staff we switched her to the point guard position which was probably the best decision we made all season.

One of her biggest strengths is she can be anybody’s press, distribute the basketball, and see the floor very well. Putting her at the point guard position gave her the opportunity to do that because the ball was

Next season, if she chooses to come back, which right now she’s leaning towards, definitely now she has some experience, we know what position she’s supposed to be in. It isn’t so much a learning curve because we already know what we’re supposed to know. She’ll be more of an impact. Obviously we’d like to get her a little more involved in the offense. She gave us what we needed to have this season, but I think if we tap into that a little bit more we can she can give us more on the offensive end next season.

I realize that you want to have a

like that, we always had someone step up and contribute which was nice. Towards the end of the season we shifted our focus towards defense. We have three very good defenders so we played a lot of face guard type defense probably the last three weeks of the season and the tournament. We had those three players take turns really just focusing on one person, the opponent’s best offensive player, and really try to just get in their head and shut them down. I think that proved extremely effective for us. We did it against CMCC both of the last games we played them. Obviously we came out on top which was nice. We did the same thing against St. Joe’s and unfortunately didn’t win, but our mindset switched towards playing some lockdown defense and I think that helped.

So this is your second season as Head Coach of the Women’s Basketball Team. You were 12-3 last season and 12-4 this season in the YSCC, both of which are great records. Do you see this continuing on in the future and do you see the Women’s Team as a strong presence in the playoffs?

I think that based on the core group of returners we’re going to have, and some good recruits we have coming in, we definitely should stay strong. Of course the difference in record came from an increase in the talent of St. Joe’s, so obviously you never know what other teams are going to bring to the table. We’re doing the best we can and definitely have a philosophy of hard work and team chemistry. Everyone contributes, and if we can maintain that and get the players to buy in we should be just fine.

Thank you for the interview, congratulations and keep up the good work!

Photo by The Beacon Staff

in her hands most of the time. Teams that we struggled against in the past because of their pressure she could sort of beat single handedly, which made that less of a factor.

Obviously her seeing the floor as well as she does creates great opportunities for her teammates, which obviously leads to her records and assists. All of those things kind of spur from the fact that she had the ball in her hands a lot more. In big games later in the season she played a lot of good minutes.

She’s tough, she’s played hurt, played without breaks when other players get in foul trouble, so she’s really played through some adversity.

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great offense and defense, but would you categorize the team this last season as a more defensively or offensively oriented team?

I would say that we did a good job scoring the basketball, offensively we were pretty good. We averaged roughly seventy-six points a game; we only had two people averaging double figures. We were very offensively well rounded, a lot of people on the team average six points a game, so I’d say that offensive was probably our strength. When people scouted us they couldn’t say, “Hey, stop this one kid and you stop the whole team.” It wasn’t

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-- There you go readers, two basketball teams still going strong and feeling competitive. This last season was a great one for SMCC, but I’m really looking forward to what happens next season after interviewing our two head coaches Matt Richards and Julia Howe.

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SMCC SPORTS

Romancing the Diamond munity College, Carl Sandberg Community College and Henry Ford Community College all of which dropped their games with scores of 9-5, 8-4, 5-1 and 8-7, respectively.

After numerous cancellations because of a winter that did not transit properly to the southern hemisphere, the Men Wolves finally started the spring season with an extra inning home opener win against

Baseball and Softball Get Underway

By The Beacon Sports Staff ith the quietly underachieving arrival of spring and the belligerent departure of winter, the SMCC Seawolves baseball and softball teams have taken to the diamonds, resuming play in the YSCC. According to the YSCC website 4 schools are currently fielding baseball teams: The College of St. Joseph’s of Vermont, who sports a 4-1 record; New Hampshire Technical Institute, who are playing .500% ball at 6-6; and Central Maine Community College, who are experiencing a rough season as they are posting a 1-9.

The Men Seawolves currently hold a 17-10 overall record, which includes exhibition games against Bridgton Academy, the University of New Hampshire Club team, and Navy Prep. In the YSCC, the Men Wolves have posted a 6-2 record.

The fall part of the 2014-15 season saw the Men Wolves earn their way to the NECA (New England Collegiate Association) finals, dropping the championship game 9-4 to the University of New Hampshire Club team.

The spring part of the season started with a road trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, taking the field against an array of teams such as Genesee Community and Penn State Mont Alto, against whom the SMCC squad posted 2-1, 11-0 and 7-2 victories.

SMCC also pitched it out Cuyahoga Community College, Northampton Com-

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lead, going into the 9th inning in which Bunker Hill plated the tying run, forcing a 10th inning. BHCC grabbed a 1 run lead in the top of the 10th only to watch it evaporate in the early spring weather.

Phillip Langley started the rally off with a leadoff double to which SMCC veteran centerfielder Alex Brown drove in with an RBI single. The BHCC pitching staff then proceeded to implode, walking

Lady Seawolves have found themselves in a rougher predicament. The Lady Wolves are currently sporting a 4-9 overall record and dropped their spring season opener, a double header, to the University of Maine-Presque Isle (2-4 and 7-9) on April 11th.

In the first game the Lady Wolves grabbed an early lead in the bottom of the first when Shannon Blanchard drove in two-runs with a double to centerfield, bringing home Abigail Nielsen and Anna Allard. Unfortunately, the Lady Wolves would not be able to get onto the scoreboard again in response to UMPI scoring one run in the 4th or the three in the 6th.

In the second game, UMPI grabbed a two-run lead after scoring a run a piece in the first two innings. The Lady wolves responded by scoring 4 runs in the bottom of the second inning with creative base running and a double off of Amber Jones’s bat.

After holding UMPI scoreless in the top of the third inning, SMCC’s Danielle Mobbs crossed the plate padding SMCC’s lead to 3. The lead would prove to be short lived as UMPI opened up the flood gates, plating 7 runs and building a 9-5 lead that the Lady Wolves would not be able to overcome. In true fighting fashion, SMCC would plate two more runs UMPI’s lead to two, 7-9.

Highlights from the games include: Erica Brochu, who batted two for three, stole two bases, crossed home plate twice and ripped a double.

The Lady Wolves take to the field on April 14th when Northern Essex Community College visits South Portland and the Men Wolves pitch it out against Bunker Hill Community College on the 15th.

Alex Brown leads SMCC in their search for another YSCC Championship.

(Photo from Spring 2014.)

Bunker Hill Community College (9-8) last Wednesday and followed with another one run victory against Navy Prep (12-11) this past Saturday.

In the spring season opener, the Wolves spotted Bunker Hill, a 4-0 lead in the third inning and immediately started to chip away and take the lead over the next three innings, scoring 6 runs over the course of the 3rd, 4th and 5th innings.

The 8th inning saw both teams plate one run as SMCC held on to a two-run

three straight SMCC batters, which gave Alex Brown a free pass from 1st to home plate and a 9-8 victory over.

Highlights from Wednesday’s game against BHCC include: Alex Brown and Phillip Langley batting for 5-11 at the plate, collecting four RBIs, two stolen bases and three runs. Phillip Langley also picked up the win, pitching the final two innings and giving up three runs.

While the Men Seawolves are experiencing a season that is north of .500%, the

As the spring season unfolds, the Men Seawolves look to improve in the YSCC standings. (Photo from spring 2014.)

ACTION ON THE DIAMONDS Baseball

Softball

4/15 - BHCC 3:30 4/16 - CMCC 4:00 4/18 - NHTI 12 & 2 4/22 - NECC 3:30 4/23 - CMCC 4:00 4/26 - Quinsigumond 2:00 4/27, 28, 29 Bridgton Academy

302 Cup Challenge 5/2 YSCC Playoffs

4/14 - NECC 3:00 & 5:00 4/16 - CMCC 4:00 4/18 - NHTI 12:00 & 2:00 4/23 - CMCC 4:00

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