Where to go for PokĂŠmon at UMass Lowell â–ş Page 6
THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
September 13, 2016
UMass Lowell holds 15th anniversary rededication ceremony for 9/11 victims
In This Issue UMass Lowell police log
Jessica Kergo
â–ş Page 3
Connector Staff
Classic Game Review: ‘Double Dash’
â–ş Page 5 Cross country shows strong at Dartmouth
â–ş Page 8
Final River Hawk Scores Team
Score
Overall Record
Volleyball at Boston College
L 3-2 5-5
Men’s Soccer at Quinnipiac
W 2-1
Volleyball vs. Rider
L 3-0 5-4
Volleyball vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
W 3-2
5-0
5-3
River Hawks win fifth straight, down Quinnipiac 2-1 UMass Lowell Athletics
HAMDEN, Conn. – Wuilito Fernandes (Praia, Cape Verde) scored two goals as the UMass Lowell men’s soccer team notched its fifth straight win with a 2-1 victory at Quinnipiac, on Saturday afternoon, to mark the program’s longest winning streak in the Division I era. “It was a good performance overall,� remarked Head Coach Christian Figueroa. “We made some good adjustments at the half. It was a game where we dictated play for the majority of the game other than a couple minutes here and there.� The River Hawks opened the scoring in the 53rd minute, when Carlos Ruiz (East Boston, Mass.) sent in a cross from 30-yards out and Fernandes flicked on a header from just beyond the penalty spot and inside the left post to freeze Brian Westerman. Just moment before the tally, the duo almost connected, but Fernandes’ header went wide. Fernandes added his second tally on the afternoon in the 66th minute, off of great passing from Ivan Blaskic (Zagreb, Croatia) and Ivan Abramovic (Zagreb, Croatia). From just beyond midfield, Blaskic sent a ball to Abramovic on the top of the 18-yard box and he sent over a pass to Fernandes, who was able to send it in under the sliding Westerman.
In honor of the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, UMass Lowell held a memorial ceremony to commemorate the seven members of the campus community who tragically lost their lives that fateful day. At approximately 9:30 a.m. Friday morning the remembrance service began outside Leitch Hall. The ceremony took place under a tent, just in front of the 9/11 memorial to the right of the building. Among those of attendance were friends and family of the victims, Chancellor Jacquie Moloney, UMass Lowell students and other members of the Lowell
Courtesy of UMass Lowell
Margaret Hatch, John Ogonowski’s widow, stands at the memorial after the ceremony.
community. Beginning the ceremony was a presentation of the colors by the Air Force ROTC Honor Guard and the Lowell Fire Department. Next,
Moloney introduced the first speaker, a member of the UMass Lowell campus ministry to begin the services with words of comfort. During his speech, Gary Gumu-
â–ş See “Remembering,â€? page 3
‘War Dogs’ review: “We kinda liked it!� Andrew Sciascia Connector Staff
Ever ask yourself where tax dollars are spent by the federal government? Todd Phillip’s film “War Dogs,� the true story of how two pot smoking nobodies in their twenties were contracted with the biggest arms deal of the Iraq War, may just make you wish you’d never asked. Based on Guy Lawson’s Rolling Stone article “The Stoner Arms Dealers,� which was later adapt-
ed into the novel “Arms and the Dudes,� this picture gives a dramatized take on the biography of David Packouz (Miles Teller), who joins childhood friend Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill) in establishing a fraudulent arms dealing business with hopes of getting rich quick and abandoning his job massaging old men in Miami. Get rich quick schemes? Someone getting in too deep with shady people and doing questionable deeds? Have we seen this before?
â–ş See “Men’s soccer,â€? page 8
Sections News.............................3 Campus Life..................6 A&E.............................. 4 Sports........................... 8
chian, a pastoral intern, stated that “the fellow who coined the phrase, ‘time heals all wounds’ never suffered such a tragedy,� highlighting the
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Studios
Packouz (Teller) and Diveroli (Hill) as ill-prepared for their meeting as audiences were for what this movie would bring to the table.
“21â€? or “The Wolf of Wall Streetâ€? are just two examples. This is one of the most classic plotlines ever put to film. The silver screen is oversaturated with good guys trying to get by and just happening upon relationships with dangerous people. At the end of the day it’s two idiot young adults selling guns to the government. In Packouz’ own words from the film, “What could go wrong?â€? A whole heck of a lot. But, surprisingly enough, things only go poorly for the bonehead protagonists. The film itself holds up relatively well. Before going into the positives, it is important to address the elephant in the room when it comes to this movie: the marketing for this film was appallingly misleading. The trailers are chalk full of one-liners, hilarity and foolishness, the posters poke fun at genre contemporaries like “Scarfaceâ€?, and it stars Miles Teller from ‘Project X’ and Jonah Hill of “21 Jump Streetâ€? fame. And yet the movie itself barely qualifies as a comedy. Is that to â–ş See “Jonah Hill,â€? page 4
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September 13, 2016
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS Remembering 9/11: A Remarkable Moment Jacob Solomon UML Student
Friday morning, I attended the 15th Annual 9/11 Remembrance on East Campus. A seating arrangement had been set up under a tent, in front of the memorial titled “Unity,� a work commissioned by UMass Lowell and the Student Government Association in 2004. I found myself at this event because I wished to better understand the significance of our nation’s annual tradition of solemn remembrance at this time of year. I remember sitting in my second grade classroom, having just turned seven years old, when my teacher received news that she didn’t know how to explain to our class; it was the first time I can recall seeing an adult completely at a loss for how to act, and I did not understand. I remember coming home from school that
day to my parents who, like everyone, it seemed, wanted to talk to me about something horrible that had happened, but didn’t know how. I would say that it took years for me to understand what they and my teacher wanted to explain to me, but as the gravity of our tradition sinks in a little deeper each year, I feel that there is still more I must learn. So, I looked forward to this event, where I hoped to hear speakers bring clarity to this mystery, now that the nation’s wound has become a scar and my capacity to understand it has grown. I wondered what words would be spoken under that tent, as I approached, that could stamp a clear explanation over my foggy but potent memory, and finally wipe away my unceasing questions. I heard no such words. The speakers gave the condolences, respect, hope, and wisdom that they had to offer, and the
words sounded so strangely similar to those I had heard during September of the past 15 years, though I strained to hear more meaning in them this time. I wondered how anyone could possibly arrange or deliver a speech that could help me to fully appreciate this commemoration, and
call could be heard across the river. Sirens echoed as the pastor spoke to the valiance of the first responders. I heard the sturdiness of this spiritual leader’s voice, and the quavering of the students’ who subsequently read off the names of members of the “UMass Lowell family� who
Courtesy of UMass Lowell
The ceremony included the honor guards from the Lowell Fire Department and UMass Lowell Air Force ROTC Detachment 345.
deeply admired the speakers for attempting this near-impossible yet critical task. During the speeches, the response to an emergency
had been lost on that day. I felt the immense weight of the audience’s compassion. Though my questions about the tragedy itself remained
unanswered, I sensed the unity and strength that followed. As one speaker mentioned, students in Lowell High School just a few blocks away would be learning about the terrorist attack of September 11th as a historic event from before their time. I remembered how I felt visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. just two weeks ago, trying my best to understand a war around which many people’s lives were shaped—a war that has only existed in my generation’s mind as a story told by our parents and their parents. Though I can only try my best to give personal meaning to a tragedy that can feel so impossible to grasp, this morning I witnessed a remarkable manifestation of our nation’s honor. Jacob Solomon is a junior majoring in mathematics and English.
THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
UMASS LOWELL CONNECTOR
EDITORIAL BOARD COLE FITZGERALD Managing Editor
MARLON PITTER Editor-In-Chief
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ALEXA HYDE DAN RAFFERTY Social Media Managers
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September 13, 2016
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NEWS Remembering UMass Lowell 9/11 victims ►Continued from front page
the great loss felt by Americans everywhere. Next to speak was Chief of Interpretation and Education of the Lowell National Historical Park Linda Sou. Sou represented the park as a part of the construction of the 9/11 memorial outside Leitch Hall. State Senator Eileen Donoghue also offered her words at the ceremony on behalf of the Massachusetts state delegation. Donoghue’s words looked positively on the actions of the American people in wake of the attacks claiming “make no mistake the attacks were horrific, unthinkable but we saw a nation that was stunned come together.” Following a description of the memorial, UMass Lowell students Mary Connell, Niyah West and Amaris Torres dedicated a few words about the UMass Lowell community members who were lost on 9/11. The individuals who were memorialized are Douglas A. Gowell, a 1971 graduate of Lowell Technical Institute; Robert Hayes, a 1987 graduate of UMass Lowell; Brian Kinney, a 1995 graduate of UMass Lowell; John Ogonowski, a Lowell Technical Institute 1972 graduate; Patrick Quigley IV, son of a former Lowell mayor and UMass Lowell
Exploring downtown Monique Reyes Connector Contributor
As a River Hawk student, exploring beyond the three campuses can be a daunting task. Whether you come from a small town or another major city you can find an array of activities. Mill No. 5 is by far the most buzzed about location. A unique market area that houses a theater, live music, along with other one of a kind vendors. The mills capture the antique atmosphere of Lowell without losing its excitement. Parking is accessible but walking is definitely more ideal, especially before the frenzy of New England’s frigid temperature arrives. If you are looking for a day on the town with friends catch a film at the Luna Theater. Visit their website to see upcoming films and grab a cappuccino at the Coffee and Cotton cafe or a customized accessory while you’re at it. Brew’d Awakening is a great place for coffee with friends or to just sit and enjoy scenery. The concept of cozy is reinvented with a flare for the dramatics. In the bathroom you will encounter the unexpected company of a skeleton and cool wall paintings. The place has spunk and great iced coffee, and a play area for children. There are rushes of customers but it is worth the wait. If there is no available siting, grab your items walk around the Downtown Lowell area. Lowell is known for its ample different food selections. You can treat yourself to traditional chocolate pastries, Mediterranean cuisine, The Ramen Bar, pizza and many other different types of foods. If you are over 21 you can also explore the many bars and clubs downtown as well. The downtown area offers a wide variety of things to do for everyone and is a perfect way to explore the city of Lowell beyond campus.
professor; Jessica Leigh Sachs, whose parents are alumni; and Christopher Zarba, a UMass Lowell 1979 graduate. The 9/11 memorial, “Unity,” was designed and constructed in 2004 by alumni art students. The design came from a competition within a sculpture deign course and was selected by a committee of campus and community representatives. The idea for the structure is credited to Andre Gorgenyi, a former student and member of the Student Government Association at UMass Lowell. The memorial is a circular piece complimented with Karl Forester grass in the center to symbolize the cycle of life and rebirth. The slate top is divided into 12 segments to represent the 12 months of the year. One segment is polished and inscribed “September 11th 2001” and is risen above the others. UMass Lowell’s 15th anniversary rededication ceremony was not merely a commemoration to the individuals of the campus community who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, but also a celebration of the courage and strength of their friends, their family and the UMass Lowell community to unite and persevere through such horrific times. “It’s important to remember how tragically and suddenly they were taken from us,” Moloney said.
Courtesy of UMass Lowell
Chancellor Jacquie Moloney, right, laid a wreath at the memorial to alumnus Brian Kinney ’95, located on the corner of Pawtucket and Fletcher streets in Lowell, with the help of Kinney’s widow, Alison Lewandowski, center, and mother Darlene Kinney, left.
Police log highlights For Date: 09/02/2016 - Friday 16-23646 1704 FIRE ALARM False Alarm 3 Location: DONAHUE Narrative: Fire alarm activation. Units 133, 158, and Lowell Fire are enroute. Lowell fire is on site. Narrative: Mike Canfield has been notified of the alarm and is enroute. Narrative: Lowell Fire believes it is due to burnt food. Narrative: Fire alarm has restored. Narrative: All units are clear. Alarm was due to burnt food in room Narrative: Mike Canfield has been cancelled, the panel had already been reset. For Date: 09/03/2016 - Saturday 16-23730 1817 ALARM False Alarm 1 Location: CAMPUS REC CENTER Narrative: Received multiple burglary alarms for the Campus Rec Center. The alarms all immediately restored. Narrative: #133 is off with a female who entered the Rec Center through a side door that was not closed properly. The female states there is supposed to be a movie showing tonight. Narrative: Dispatch confirmed there is going to be a movie playing
tonight at 21:00 on the Campus Rec Center lawn, not in the building. Female was advised. Narrative: Campus Rec Center is secure. Alarm restored. For Date: 09/04/2016 - Sunday 16-23801 1622 ALARM False Alarm 1 Location: CAMPUS REC CENTER Narrative: Perimeter Alarm: Campus Rec Center - CRC Middle Entry Motion & CRC Main Lobby Motion Narrative: Dispatch reviewed footage and observed 2 individuals, one male, gray tank top, black shorts and one female gray t shirt and jeans enter into the Campus Rec Center then promptly turning around and leaving. Units were advised. Narrative: 141 Unit checked area and all doors, all secured. Individuals GOA. For Date: 09/06/2016 - Tuesday 16-23929 0537 ALARM False Alarm 1 Location: LYDON LIBRARY Narrative: Burglary alarm for Lydon Library, side entry motion. Narrative: Accidentally set off by Starbucks employee . #151 cancelled. #156 to check conditions. Narrative:
Confirmed accidental. Alarm restored. Unit is clear. For Date: 09/08/2016 - Thursday 16-24206 1341 ALARM False Alarm Location: FOX Narrative: Lowell Fire called to advise their firefighers will be accessing the Fox Hall roof. 180 is enroute to assist as well as Rick Wood. Narrative: Immediately after speaking with Lowell Fire, the Fox Hall roof alarm sounded. Rick Wood was notified and en route to Fox Hall to speak with Lowell Fire about going through the proper channels first. Per Rick Wood, #180 was cancelled. Rick will reset the alarm. Narrative: Dispatch did review the cameras to confirm Lowell Fire was on the roof. Narrative: Alarm restored. Narrative: Rick Wood advised that Lowell Fire has cleared and that the Fox roof is resecured. 16-24234 1850 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY Unfounded 2 Location: FOX DINING HALL ID: Narrative: Caller reports a male left a black backpack on the ground near a table of girls he didn’t know & walked away. Narrative: Area was clear.
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September 13, 2016
September 13, 2016
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ery ounce of added political pressure as they attempt to fill their contract. Hill and Teller’s chemistry throughout could not have been more believable. There was a legitimate feeling that these two were estranged best friends rekindling a relationship. Their witty back and forth was worthy of a few laughs, but it’s clear from the outset that their friendship is anything but healthy. Everyone has that one friend they love dearly who may mean well, but does unintelligent things that get everyone wrapped up in situations that could only go wrong. They showcase it brilliantly here. It is abundantly clear that the stress building from this work relationship is building into an unstoppable force to shatter them. The lack of trust and downright stress of working closely with a friend is not only believable, but allows the audience to empathize with their struggle. Surrounded by excellent supporting actors such as Bradley Cooper, this dynamic duo seems to gain more dimension with each passing misfortune. As the events spiral out of control the tension builds and the audience is, quite frankly, left on the edge of their seats waiting to see what will befall the company next. The tension is infrequently cut short by a scene or two that drag towards the end. This
Classic Game Review: ‘Mario Kart Double Dash’ Courtesy of Warner Bros. Studios
The film was originally set to star Jesse Eisenberg and Shia Lebeouf as the film’s leads.
has a very limited negative effect on the movie. In the end, the tension building and sticky situations are incredibly drawing, the acting is stellar and the movie jumps every hurdle in its path (even if said hurdles were laid by the creative and marketing teams). In closing, “War Dogs” is cliche, simple, not so true-to life and not the movie it was marketed to be. It was not a comedy by any stretch of the imagination; no matter what the trailers say. Yet, these are the most enjoyable parts to the movie. It was not
what was expected, but for those very reasons exceeded all expectations. It has audiences walking into theaters expecting low brow comedy, but exiting theaters with their socks knocked off by a well acted commentary on government spending and US military arms dealings in Iraq. It will leave audiences happily saying, “We kinda liked it!” as Packouz does in the film. Grade: B+
Indie Game Spotlight: ‘Legend of Grimrock’ Brendan Jacques Connector Editor
“Legend of Grimrock” is a fantasy dungeon crawler which was released by four-person indie studio Almost Human back in 2012. In the game, you play as a group of four adventurers, who for various reasons have just been sentenced to death for treason. However, rather than execute you personally, the king of the realm has given you the chance to escape your fate, provided you’re able to survive the titular Mount Grimrock, a massive stone mountain housing one of the most deadly prisons ever built. Many before you have entered Grimrock seeking their freedom, but none have ever come out alive. Perhaps if you build your characters well and play smart, might just be the first. If it sounds like the plot of this game is barebones, it’s because it is, and that’s okay. While there is some background lore to be found in the dungeon proper, as well as a side plot involving the fate of the prisoners who attempted Grimrock before you, the plot is mostly there as an excuse for putting the player in a dungeon with seemingly endless floors. Where the game ends up differentiating itself is in the gameplay department, and it accomplishes this by playing like almost nothing else on the market today. From the offset, the game gives you control over all four adventurers as they explore Mount Grimrock, which involves your usual assortment of puzzle solving, monster fighting, and secret room searching. What makes the game unique is that the entire dungeon is designed in a grid pattern, and the player’s party of heroes move in a fixed square formation across this grid. Using this mechanic, the game is able to sidestep one of the common issues with party-based role-playing games: micro-managing a party of adventurers with inconsistent AI
is frustrating and over-complicated. By making the gameplay occur on a grid, the player is left with both total control over their party and clear information about how the party can move and what it can do, which gives them more room to make strategic decisions and manage their party’s needs on the fly. This grid system underlies one of “Legend of Grimrock’s” greatest strengths: it takes gameplay systems that would normally be complicated and makes them easy to understand and intuitive to use Courtesy of Almost Human Studios
The game has sold one million copies since its release.
without taking away the difficulty. Another good example of this philosophy is with the combat. Fighting monsters happens entirely in real time, with the player left in charge of deciding how each of their fighters attack while also dodging around the enemy’s attacks where possible. While in most other games this kind of balancing act would be incredibly cumbersome, the game streamlines this by making it so that each character can only attack with weapons they are currently holding, and all attacks are done by right-clicking each weapon they want to attack with. This allows the player to micro-manage their party’s abilities more easily than otherwise possible, which gives them more time to concentrate on dodging enemy attacks and observ-
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Jonah Hill brings the big guns ►Continued from front page say “War Dogs” doesn’t have its moments? Absolutely not. Jonah Hill’s offbeat brand of comedy, the childish one-liners and stupid, downright rude remarks are still present. But these are fleeting moments in an otherwise intense film. At best the minimal amount of comedic material is there to lighten the mood during intense and nerve racking moments. The funniest part of “War Dogs”, for the most part, is its absurd premise. Not to mention the quirky signature laugh Hill developed for Diveroli. Luckily for audiences, bad marketing doesn’t always result in a bad movie, and the poor decision to market the film as an outright comedy was certainly overcome by the final product. “War Dogs” is a well done audiovisual production. Phillips does an excellent job of juxtaposing scenes of sunny Miami with the miserable rainy days in Albania. The camera work is passable. Above all else the music was very well selected. Fun, upbeat pop and rap tracks decorate the early scenes; the fun and games of working with a friend. Upbeat music is replaced with a more dark and serious orchestrated sound that beautifully builds the tension as Diveroli and Packouz’ friendship crumbles with ev-
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
ing their environment. However, the combat stays difficult because, while the act of fighting is itself simple to understand, the process of managing each of your character’s abilities, creating health potions, or switching your character’s weapons mid-battle is left purposely cumbersome, making more challenging battles that much more intense. Sadly, if the game has one major flaw, it’s with its graphics, or if you want to be more specific, the lack of variety in its graphics. The game as a whole looks perfectly serviceable; the environments have a good level of detail, spell effects and lighting are simple but well done, and the monster designs and animations are great for the most part. The problem arises with how often the game is forced to reuse those same assets for different areas to the detriment of the game’s aesthetic. There are times where you’ll need to backtrack to previous areas in the dungeon, but don’t know where to go without a map because all the tunnels use exactly the same vine-covered stone texture. This isn’t a deal-breaker by any means and it’s mostly excusable since the game otherwise looks fine, just bear in mind that this game was made on a pretty tight budget. The lack of visual flair aside, “Legend of Grimrock” is an excellent example of stripping the role-playing genre down to its bare essentials to offer both a fresh take on that genre and a love letter to it. If you’re interested in picking it up, the game is available on PC and Mac for $15. A port of the game is also available on iPhone and iPad for $5, though it’s important to note that we at the Connector haven’t played this version and don’t know how it compares to the original edition, so it’s recommended you play the PC version if interested.
Shane Foley Connector Editor
For Nintendo fans, “Mario Kart” games have become as expected as the rise and fall of the sun each day. Bundle package for the Gamecube, bundle package for the Wii, bundle package for the Wii U; it has excalated to the point where a new addition to the “Mario Kart” franchise is practically guarenteed with the release of every new console. How do these games separate themselves from each other then? How do you pick favorites in a franchise in which every game doesn’t stray from the single kart racing experience? Well, one reason why “Mario Kart: Double Dash” is dominating lists on Youtube and Reddit is because they do stray from this experience. “Mario Kart: Double Dash,” released for the Gamecube in 2003, is aptly named for it’s feature mechanic; each kart in this game has two drivers. The player selects two characters before each race, and one kart that they share. During actual gameplay, though, only one character begins on the steering wheel, while the other character rides on the back of the kart. Players can switch the characters
by pressing a button. This mechanic, in conjunction with the advent of character exclusive items, led to a large amount of new strategy that had to be taken into account for every race. The character exclusive items were special items that changed depending on which character was in the backseat. (Mario had fireballs, Yoshi fired an egg, Donkey Kong spawned a large banana, etc.) These mechanics meant that players spent a lot more time in the character select screen. Whereas in previous games, each character was pretty uniform ability-wise to the rest of the cast, in “Mario Kart: Double Dash” the characters were vastly different. While players in previous games might gravitate toward crowd favorites like Yoshi or Luigi, in this game they may be inclined to instead choose Wario for his bomb item, or Baby Mario for his Chain Chomp. The kart select also became an important feature to gameplay. Different karts had different stats, and the kart selections changed based on the weight of the characters selected. Heavy characters like Bowser and Donkey Kong selected from heavy
‘Sully’ doesn’t crash Owen Johnson Connector Staff
Even at eighty-six years old, Clint Eastwood proves that he is still all there when it comes to filmmaking. Based around the event that became known as the Miracle on the Hudson, “Sully” focuses on Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberg (Tom Hanks) and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles (Aaron Eckhart), two airline pilots who are forced to land US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River after a flock of birds jammed both engines. Following the near disaster, questions are raised as to whether Captain Sully’s actions were the right choice. To make a decent movie based on a historical event, one needs at least one of two things: one needs an interesting figure to follow or you need an interesting event to base the movie around. The character of Sully as he is written is not very interesting, so that leaves the event to keep the movie flowing. There are two events that the plot deals with. The first event, which is presently occurring, details the aftermath of the emergency landing. This half of the movie is easily overshadowed by the flashback sequences that depict the plane landing in the Hudson, which is nearly perfect. Alone, either one of these stories would not work well for a feature-length movie. The plane’s landing and the rescue of the passengers and crew would be too short to fill a movie’s needed runtime, and only focusing on the follow up investigation would
make it seem like it could be about any airline-based irregular situation. By merging the two events, the story manages to work and be interesting enough to warrant a movie based on them. Despite the masterful handling of the events, the movie does fall prey to some pointless ideas and ridiculous clichés. There are multiple points in the film where Sully has hallucinations and dreams of the plane crashing, which all come off as pointless and dumb. There is also a “House M.D.” style moment where Sully gets an idea of how to handle the investigation based on hearing or thinking of something. The strangest of these moments is right at the end of the movie, where Skiles makes a joke about how he wishes everything had taken place in the summer, and the movie just ends right then and there. While Eastwood is a master when it comes to directing his actors and how the story of the movie is handled, he does have a problem when it comes to sound editing. Many lines of dialogue are almost impossible to hear, and I know it isn’t the actors faults because this occurs on and off for both Hanks and Eckhart. Though there are some minor slip ups scattered all throughout the movie, “Sully” is a step up from Eastwood’s last movie, “American Sniper,” and is one of only two movies I’ve seen this year that I could deem as above average. Final Grade: B
speed karts, while lighter characters like Toad and Baby Mario selected from karts with low speed but high acceleration. There was also a mid wieght class for characters like Peach and Yoshi with karts which had more balanced stats. Unlike the dual driver mechanic, this feature would appear in most subsequent “Mario Kart” games. Also straying from the typical “Mario Kart” formula were the track designs. This game alters the standard “Mario Kart” tracks to a great degree and not only in the area of track hazards. They go as far as to dynamically change the number of laps from the traditional three to whatever number best fits the current map, from the longer Wario Colliseum getting two laps to the much shorter Baby Park getting seven. Some other fun mechanics are a sand pit that sucks the racer in if the racer doesn’t avoid it in Dry, Dry Desert, two sets of huge Thwops on both lanes in the game’s version of Bowser’s Castle and a cannon that shoots you to the top of the track in DK Mountain. They also change up common motifs in “Mario Kart” games. For instance, they take the idea behind
Toad’s Turnpike from “Mario Kart 64” and add extra lanes and a bunch of shortcuts in Mushroom City. They also took Koopa’s Beach from “Mario Kart 64” and added multiple flippies in Peach Beach. Of course, since this game’s release, we have seen many more changes to the Mario Kart formula, including underwater/air travel in “Mario Kart 7” and anti-gravity tracks in “Mario Kart 8.” The racing mechanics in these games, however, still stay true true to the classic elements of racing games. This is why “Mario Kart: Double Dash,” while it certainly isn’t everybody’s favorite, will be a game that we will probably still be talking about for a while. This is because, as with other games that dared to stray from the formula in their franchises, like “Super Smash Brothers: Melee,” “Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” or “Metroid Prime,” they stand out in their franchises that much more.
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September 13, 2016
CAMPUS LIFE
UMass Lowell PokeNav for ‘Pokemon Go’ Pokemon habitats discovered for the region of Lowell Christina Laderoute Connector Contributor
Assuming that you did not live under a rock for the summer, chances are you know about “Pokemon Go.” It’s one of those games that you either love or hate, and it seems that basically 99% of the population loves it. If you are part of that 99%, then keep reading because you are about to get the low down on the go-to spots around campus. The ICC and Riverview Suites are swimming with water-type Pokemon. That includes Psyducks, Staryu, Magikarp, Goldeens, Poliwags and yes, even Dratinis. According to Pokemon Trainer sources, there are reports of Slowpokes also lingering around the ICC. Leitch Hall is known for spawning female Nidorans in the morning as well. There are two spawn nests next to the Leitch Gym that usually spawn Staryu, Goldeen or Poliwag. Also, the spawn nest in front of Starbucks on North Campus spawns Rattata and Bulbusaur. They should make a River Hawk Pokemon specif-
Photo Courtesy Christina Laderoute
Several rare Pokemon can be found on campus, including Dratinis behind Donahue.
ically for UMass Lowell. That would be so cool. The blue line, which travels from South Campus to North Campus, can bear witness to very interesting Pokemon. At first, it was ex-
tremely disappointing in the lack of Pokestops. There were also little to no Pokemon. Of course, you had the occasional Weedle and Rattata, but then again, where are they not? As the bus drew near to North campus my phone
started to heat up. All of a sudden a Tauros came out of nowhere, which was really exciting. Also, on the Mammoth Road bridge crossing to North there was a Jynx. Per usual with bridges, the water type Pokemon started showing up. The ride on the blue line from North to South was actually a lot better than the one from South to North. There were quite a few Pokestops that I passed and a decent amount of Pokemon. It was a successful morning to be a Pokemon Trainer. Overall, “Pokemon Go” is a great app. It gives so many people the motivation to go out and be active. It makes us all feel like kids again and that is never a bad thing. This app blossomed when it was released and I can only predict even more wonderful things from it to come in the future. Pokemon Go is a must have app today. It is available on Android and iOS. Happy hunting everyone!
On campus group creates dialogue about feminist issues Shane Foley Connector Editor
In their third full year of operation, Feminism Represents Equality for Everyone (FREE) continues to raise awareness for issues of inequality. “We are an intersectional feminist group welcoming anyone of any race, gender, sexual orientation, romantic orientation, religion; pretty much anyone, to start a dialogue about inequality both on campus and in the world,” said Kelcey Paine, president of FREE. Saying a group is intersectional, as Paine does about FREE, signifies that the group recognizes how individuals can be oppressed for multiple charac-
teristcs. For instance, FREE recognizes how oppression a modern female might expreience is expounded for a female of color, homosexual female, religious female and more. On a weekly basis, FREE meets to discuss a different topic of inequality that pertains to feminist interests. Topics range from everything from gender in horror films to sexual harrasment at work. “We provide a lot of information so that everyone is on the same page, and then we have a discussion about it,” said Paine. FREE is also looking to build a larger presence on campus through envol-
ment in more events. They are planning on sponsoring some programs on their own, including a Feminist Fondue night. For the members of FREE, the concept of feminism is one still misunderstood by the public. “Some people think that feminism only has to do with women and women’s rights,” said Jackie Cao, secretary of FREE, “but it’s also about anything else, so, like, social class and other countries and in terms of the world there is so much more that needs to be done.” While being strong supporters for female rights, FREE also recognizes that the conversation around femi-
nism can be quite subjective. The club welcomes any and all perspectives. “I also feel like everyone’s personal definition of feminism and personal definition of what oppression looks like or what progress looks like are so different,” said Benjamin Hayes, Vice President of FREE. “And I think that’s why this club is important, because it gives us a space where we can talk about that.” FREE meets on Tuesdays from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in University Crossing Room 365. “Equality in the world is what feminism means, at least to us,” said Cao.
Students get humanitarian experience at eNable Lowell Jessica Kergo Connector Staff
Of the 200 plus student organizations at UMass Lowell, one club stands out with regards to its noble effort to change the lives of physically disabled children across the world: eNABLE Lowell. eNABLE Lowell is UMass Lowell’s very own chapter of an international volunteer organization that designs and provides disabled children around the world with original 3D printed prosthetic devices free of charge. Since its establishment in September 2015, the Organization has aimed to provide kids with appropriately sized prosthetic devices for what many would consider every-
day activities such as walking, swimming and writing. While insurance agencies will often neglect this issue, eNABLE Lowell recognizes the need for individuals in unfortunate circumstances to have empowering devices in order to independently live their lives as they grow older and their bodies change. Although its formation dates back less than a year ago, the Organization has already attained a notable list of accomplishments. Five-year-old Emily from Germany was born without hands and part of her left leg. She yearned for the ability to swim and hold utensils. The members of eNABLE Lowell
made her dream come true with two prosthetic hands and a swimming device created by Design Lead and senior Plastics Engineering Major Alex Lambert. Emily’s best friend, Dennis, was also gifted with eNABLE Lowell’s prosthetic devices along with seven-year-old Lily from Ireland and ten-year-old Ethen from Florida. eNABLE was awarded the Campus All-Around DifferenceMaker award last fall and plans to invest the winnings in a new 3D printer so that they can continue to change lives around the world. The Organization has both short term and long term aspirations. The next recipient
of an eNABLE prosthetic is seven-year-old Liam from Maine; the Organization hopes to personally visit him when delivering the device. Isiline, a woman from Haiti, has also reached out to the organization with a desire to be able to use eating utensils and writing implements by herself. In order to help these individuals become more independent, eNABLE will be working diligently to provide necessary devices. The current members also hope to establish a sustainable organization so that kids can continue to receive help for generations to come. eNABLE Lowell has ap-
proximately 10 regular members but expects to see that number increase as the new freshman class, as well as other students, have shown great interest in joining. The club meets every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Falmouth Hall in the MakerSpace. Anyone wishing to join is welcome. “The club is not limited to Engineering majors” said Secretary Katie Elwell. Elwell said that she became an engineering major “not because [she] likes math, but because [she] wanted to do something to help other people.” Anyone who shares her desire should join eNABLE Lowell’s effort to help children around the world.
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September 13, 2016
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SPORTS
Women’s soccer taking confidence from slim, hard-fought defeat Andrew Sciascia Connector Staff
After an aggressive Thursday night game, sights set on a redeeming victory over the Blue Devils after last year’s 4-0 loss, the River Hawks fell short of the win with a 1-0 final score. The end result in favor of Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils was not, however, the entire story. It was a hard fought back and forth game. Turnovers plagued UMass Lowell early on and resulted in an increased presence from Central Connecticut in the first half. The River
Matt Dwyer/Connector
Freshman back Elle Cooper
Men’s soccer wins fifth straight ► Continued from front page
The hosts got one back in the 73th minute on a header from Ryan Scheiderman. Quinnipiac was outshot 11-9, including 8-3 in shots on goal. Westerman made six saves on the day. Austin Kroll (Baltimore, Md.) made his two saves in the 75th and 77th minutes, respectively, on point blank opportunities from the Bobcats for his 20th career win. In a scoreless first 45 minutes, the River Hawks provided most of the offense with two shots on goal from Guilherme Rodrigues (Lowell, Mass.) and Franky Martinez (Englewood, N.J.). The River Hawk defense held strong and knocked away any Quinnipiac chance, recording multiple blocks in the half. UMass Lowell goes for its six straight win at home, taking on Brown on September 14 at 7 p.m.
Hawks maintained a strong defense throughout the half, playing strong on the ball with good tackles. A number of fouls in the first and second half showcased the official’s intention to keep the game moving, never removing the cards from their pockets. The Blue Devils took control as the half dragged on, applying a lot of pressure on offense. A series of near-breakaway runs by Blue Devils’ forward Danielle Pearse were challenged by the River Hawks’ defense, and disrupted by aggressive goalkeeper Julia Schneider. Giving up four tough corners near the end of the half, UMass Lowell allowed one goal with only seven seconds remaining. The corner kick by Central Connecticut’s Kelly Halligan was headed in by Back Jennifer Cafferky; her first goal of the year ended Schneider’s two game shutout streak. The game was what River Hawk Women’s Soccer Head Coach Joel Bancroft called, “A tale of two halves.” Coach Bancroft cited the desperation with which Central Connecticut State played as a result of a 0-6-0 record prior to the game. Coach Bancroft said, “…the second half was all us.” Indeed, it was. Coming back reinvigorated after the half,
U P C OM I N G
River Hawk Games the team’s focus was on one key concept: response. Tuesday, Sept. 13 7 pm WVB vs. Northeastern The River Hawks’ Wednesday, Sept. 14 7 pm MSOC vs. Brown, response was solid. Their defense grew Friday. Sept. 16 1 pm WVB vs. SIU-E stronger, responding faster and harder 4:30 pm FH at Siena College Friday, Sept. 16 to shaky passes and touches by the Blue Saturday, Sept. 17 11 am WXCTF at BC Devils. Possession time greatly improved 7 pm MSOC vs. Dartmouth Saturday, Sept. 17 in the second half, as For more sports information and full game schedules visit goriverhawks.com did ball movement and transitions through the middle. Being just a Sure. We were looking forward to step behind up front, however, resulted in an inability to get this game,” said Bancroft when asked through balls and crosses efficiently to about whether or not his team came their targets. A couple close calls in out aggressively in response to the big and around net, including a loose ball loss last year. It was not, however, all bad takefloated wonderfully to the left post by Senior Mid-Fielder Carolyn Ragon, aways from Thursday’s game. Both just could not find their way into the Coach Bancroft and Captain Rachel Morrier stated that it was not their best net. An incredibly responsive and hard- night, but there is no quit in the Womworking UMass Lowell came up just en’s Soccer Team at UMass Lowell. With a major road trip coming up short of bringing the match into overnext weekend in Colorado, the team time. “I hope my program has a chip has focused intently on preparation on their shoulder… We should step and plans to take confidence from into every game with a chip on our their close defeat at the hands of Censhoulder… Does it add a little extra? tral Connecticut State.
River Hawks drop pair of matches in final day of Beantown Challenge UMass Lowell Athletics
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell Volleyball team lost a pair of matches in the final day of the Beantown Challenge on Saturday at Power Gym. The River Hawks fell to Rider (3-0) and Boston College (3-2) in non-conference action in their third in-season tournament of the year. The set scores against the Broncs were 20-25, 16-25 and 28-30. The set scores in the match vs. BC were 25-22, 24-26, 25-21, 18-25 and 16-18. With the losses, the River Hawk fall even at 5-5 overall, while Rider improved to 4-6 and the Eagles upped
their record to 5-3 overall. In the late contest vs. the host Eagles, sophomore Haley Shimon (Des Moines, Iowa.) totaled a team-high 15 kills, six total blocks and four service aces. Senior middle blocker Lauren Bennett (Wilmington, Mass.) and freshman Madi Bell (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) each chipped in with 12 kills apiece in the loss against the Eagles. Sophomore middle blocker Lade Adeniyi (Springfield, Ill.) also turned in a solid performance with seven kills and a career-high 12 total blocks. Bennett and Shimon were named to the Beantown Challenge All-Tournament Team for their efforts in three
Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics
The River Hawks have a 5-5 record after losing two matches over the weekend.
matches over the weekend. Sophomore setter Delaney Mendez (Phoenix, Ariz.) registered a career-high 42 assists running the River Hawks offense. Sophomore libero Lindsey Visvardis (Homer Glen, Ill.) posted 17 digs in another strong defensive effort. In the early match against Rider, Shimon led the River Hawks’ offensive attack with 12 kills and a .308 hitting percentage. Bell chipped in with another 11 kills in the losing effort, while Visvardis totaled 14 digs and four service aces. The River Hawks fought hard with a match-high 17 kills in the third set, but it wasn’t enough to extend the match. UMass Lowell hit a .263 clip with eight kills in the middle stanza. UMass Lowell returns to action on Tuesday, September 13th for a home match at Costello Athletic Center against Northeastern (7pm).