February 9, 2012 - Issue 2 Spring '12

Friendly Competition

Campus responds to Board vote

MCLA Entrepreneurial Club

Community members’ letters

hosts a venture compeition

voicing opinion on gun vote

NEWS, page 3

OPINION, page 12

Student Newspaper of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts North Adams, Mass.

Seventh annual Blues and Funk Fest

Women’s basketball wins against Westfield

Berkshire-based band Misty Blues headlined Friday night at PUBLIC Eat+ and Drink

Trailblazers climb to second place in MASCAC conference

Arts and Entertainment, page 6

The Beacon

Sports , page 9

Volume 75 Issue 2 Thursday February 9, 2012

theonlinebeacon.com

Students respond to arming of campus police

By Ed Damon Editor in Chief

The campus has been alive with conversation since the Board of Trustees voted 10-1 to arm campus police.

At Monday’s SGA meeting, President Todd Foy’s opening remarks concerned the Board’s decision, which he said marks the end of a chapter.

“Know that I, like many of you, are in no way pleased with the Board of Trustees’ decision to arm our campus police,” he said.

“Though they considered every piece of information and opinion with utmost scrutiny, I believe the decision reflects the disregard of student opinion. For that, you have every right to be upset and express that in appropriate ways.

I ask that we put aside personal feelings on the issue and focus on the issue at hand, which is arming our campus police,” he said, advising the Senate against motioning to condemn anyone involved with the decision.

“When we lose sight of the issue at hand, we lose sight of the sense of community that makes the institution what it is. And when that happens, nobody wins,” Foy

Photo by Ed Damon/Beacon staff

Senate Chair Korinna Dennehey, Executive Vice President Stephanie Esposito, and President Todd Foy speak at the SGA meeting Monday night. added.

Foy said he and Student Trustee Jaynelle Bellemore will be involved with a task force working on how to go about arming cam-

pus police. He also said President Grant and Joseph Charon, director of Public Safety, will be at the next SGA meeting, Monday Feb. 13, to answer final questions.

The sole vote against the issue was from Bellemore, who said it would change the campus climate.

“Students have negative and un-

safe feelings attached to guns,” she said Trustees cited increased violence and a changing world for their decision. Trustee Jane Allen said her decision to vote in favor of arming officers was based in part on her experience as an elementary school principal.

“I can honestly tell you nothing weighs heavier in mind than the safety of my students,” she said. “I will pass my vote in favor for the safety of students.”

The Board’s decision influenced a group of students to protest in front of Eldridge Hall for several mornings. Several students assembled near the parking lot of Eldridge and Mark Hopkins Halls to greet administrative staff as they arrive to campus.

Kate Larson, a senior present at the protests Friday morning, said she is upset over the student voices repeatedly being ignored.

“A repeated pattern has been ignoring student voices and concerns,” she said. “There’s a lot of things that the community cares about that the Administration ignores. And now they’ve ignored the student vote.”

GUNS, continued on page 5

Senator Kerry addresses student debt, stresses importance of education

By Andrew Roiter Managing Editor

With less than ten months to go until the November election, Emerson College of Boston, Mass. hosted Sen. John Kerry and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on Monday Feb. 6 in a roundtable discussion reserved for college presidents and a Q&A session, which was open to students.

The Q&A session, moderated

by Emerson College President M. Lee Pelton, lasted roughly 40 minutes and focused on the topic of education.

“The bottom line is that we have to adjust the model a little bit, we have to change the way we do things and what we’re doing,” Kerry said. “Here we are in a world that is far more competitive...and we’re still moseying along with this older system that has yet to really spring full gear.”

Kerry stressed the importance of easing the burden of student

debt. Kerry gave a small anecdote about President Obama, in which the president joked that when he married his wife, they doubled into poverty, because they absorbed each other’s student debt. Kerry added that student debt is now the largest personal debt in the country, topping consumer debt.

“The President is determined to try to keep down the interest rates. We have increased Pell grants to the greatest level in history. We took the middle people out of the lending process...so the banks are no longer taking their component of the lending and we’re able to lend to you at a lower rate and we’re saving about $68 billion over 11 years,” Kerry added.

As in the recent budget recommendation by Mass.

Governor Deval Patrick and in President Obama’s state of the union address, the Q&A emphasized the importance of community colleges in the

marketplace.

“This symbiosis between education and the marketplace could not be more real,” Kerry said.

“I think that Community Colleges have an amazingly important role to play…We’re trying to shine a huge spotlight and bring unprecedented resources [to community colleges]...in partnership with the department of labor, we put $2 billion into community colleges, $500 million a year for the next four years,” Duncan said.

The speakers discussed the topic of raising standards in both secondary and primary education. Kerry suggested that instead of holding entire classes back to keep the pace with those struggling, schools should support struggling students with extra help, specifically mentors.

KERRY, continued on page 5

Photo courtesy of Brycen Waters

Senator John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Arne Duncan, and Emerson College President M. Lee Pelton engage in a Q&A session with students on Monday.

IN THIS ISSUE

News World A&E Sports Op-Ed Science Comic & Games Photo Essay

2-4 5 6-8 9-11 12-13 14 15 16

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2

News

Thursday, February 9, 2012

SGA Briefs Monday Feb. 6

– SGA President Todd Foy addressed the Senate regarding Thursday’s vote by the Board of Trustees.

– Vice President of Academic Affairs Cynthia Brown, along with head of Student Development Celia Norcross, outlined the College’s upcoming New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation. Accreditation is a status granted to a college that has meet or exceed stated criteria of quality. Eleven “standards” establish minimum criteria for quality. Vice President Brown described how President Foy will be serving on the Student standard, which discusses all aspects of student life. Brown stressed student input is very important and informed the Senate about an email address they can use to send comments, NEASC2013@mcla. edu. Brown and Norcross also invited students to a kickoff meeting Thursday Feb. 16 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Church St. Center.

-President Foy told the Senate the Residential Programs and Services Advisory Board will be meeting Thursdays at 3:30.

Foy said this would be the board a RPS Committee on the Senate would prospectively sit on. He said if anyone would be interested serving on this seat to email him and attend the Advisory Board meeting. Foy said the creation of this seat would be taken care of during the SGA constitution amendment process.

-The meeting minutes from January 23 and 30 were approved by the Senate.

-Sustainability Committee Chair Jason Brown presented a draft of a document that outlined a revised mission statement and goals. Brown asked the Senate to look over the document and bring any comments to the next meeting.

Brown reminded the Senate of a campus garden meeting on Friday, Feb. 10 at 3 p.m. by the couches in Venable Hall lobby.

-SGA Treasurer Peter Swain presented supplumental budget requests from Black Student Union (BSU) and Nexxus.

Since no representatives from either club were present, no motion was made to approve the budgets. The budgets will stay in old business and the clubs will be reinvited to next week’s meeting.

Center for Service engages students Programs equip students with out-of-classroom experiences, allow civic engagement

By Holly Johnston Staff Writer

Through the Center for Service, students have the power to improve our community, in a place that is run by students.

It is where you can work with peers, and contribute your very own ideas.

According to its mission statement, the Center for Service “empowers[s] students to combine traditional coursework with community service and experiential learning.”

“It’s a competitive world, but the Center for Service can equip a student with powerful out-of-classroom learning experiences,” coordinator Spencer Moser said. “This is a place where students can take part in civic engagement.”

“We offer several community programs, including Write Stuff, STICS, Pathways and Building Bridges with Youth,” he said.

Sophomore Chris Hantman is the coordinator for Write Stuff, which takes place on Thursdays.

“MCLA students mentor local fifth through seventh graders, presenting an aspect of college

life,” he said.

Children are taken to experience a club or activity on campus. Creative writing is also incorporated, and children are given writing prompts connected to what they experienced.

“This program exposes children to college, showing them it is accessible,” said Hantman.

Student Teacher In-Class Support, STICS, is another community service program. “We recruit student volunteers to go into the local elementary schools for a set time based on the student’s availability on a weekly basis.”

In the past students have read to the children, helped with writing in elementary school english classes, helped out at the afterschool program, and sometimes were just present as a helping hand in the classroom.

Another program, Building Bridges with Youth, is coordinated by junior Nashua Rose and sophomore Meghan Davidson.

“Building Bridges with Youth is a program that promotes the volunteering of MCLA students in tutoring and mentoring,” said Rosa. “I would say we (the coordinators and students)

Beacon Archive

Spencer Moser is the coordinator for the Center for Service at MCLA.

want to encourage and support the Youth.

Under our program we have 5 volunteer opportunities: Adams Youth Center, Berkshire Art and Technical Charter School, Community Transition Program, Horizons for Homeless Children, and Friends of Foster Families,” she said.

Rosa urges all students to be a part of the Center for Service.

“I believe that others should

join this and other programs in the Center for Service because MCLA is not only a school, it is also a part of a larger community and we as students should do what we can for this school and the community,” she said.

For all information on other Center for Service programs visit http://www.mcla.edu/Student_Life/community/centerforservice/

Campus police investigate suspicious activity, harrassment

Excerpts from police logs Jan. 29 – Feb. 4 Sunday 1/29 7:20 pm – Public Safety investigated a report of suspicious activity at the Highland House. A citation was issued.

Monday 1/30 12:41 pm – Public Safety responded to a medical call in Bowman hall and provided transportation.

Tuesday 1/31 8:19 pm – Public Safety re-

sponded to a complaint of harassment in Berkshire Towers and referred to another campus.

Wednesday 2/1 9:08 am – Public Safety investigated a report of suspicious activity in Venable Hall. No action was required.

10:50 am – Public Safety responded to a complaint in Berkshire Towers and referred the incident to another campus.

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8:04 pm – Public Safety responded to a medical call in Hoosac Hall and rendered necessary services.

Thursday 2/2 12:53 am – Public Safety investigated a report of suspicious activity in Townhouse lot 3. The activity was unfounded.

7:05 pm – Test of the Berkshire Towers fire alarm system was performed.

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7:30 pm – Test of the Hoosac Hall fire alarm system was performed.

9:38 pm – Public Safety responded to a mental health issue in the Townhouse complex. Student was trasported to hospital.

Friday 2/3 10:41 pm – Public Safety responded to a complaint of disturbing the peace on Blackinton Street. Peace was restored.

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News

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Competition calls for creativity MCLA Entrepreneurial Club hosts a venture compeition to spark the imaginations of students.

By Skyla Seamans Staff Writer

The Entrepreneurial Club is hosting a Venture Competition for all interested students, which will consist of workshops and a final written competition with a deadline of March 26.

The first workshop is on Wednesday, Feb. 15, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Small Business Development Center in Pittsfield.

Students can meet in front of the Townhouses for a ride at 4:15 p.m., but seats must be reserved by e-mailing the club.

There will be four more workshops to follow, which will be led

by President Mary Grant, Professor David Eve, and business owner, Bernie English, to teach students how to own and operate any business and to develop their own business ideas.

Senior and club president Michael Lattanzio said when the Entrepreneurial Club was established in Spring 2011, his goal was to bring in guest speakers and host the Venture Competition in order to encourage entrepreneurship on campus.

“This competition is something most business clubs put on for students,” Lattanzio said, “and students do not need to be business majors to come to our workshops or be in the competition.”

Throughout the workshops, students from all backgrounds will take their business ideas and learn how to develop them into a final written plan, he said.

Graphic courtesy of the MCLA Entrepreneurial Club

The 2012 Venture Competition is made up of five workshops and a final competition at the Orchards Hotel in Williamstown on April 11.

Students will then submit their written plans to the Entrepreneurial Club and a panel of judges will choose the top three profit businesses and top three nonprofit businesses to appear in the final competition. The deadline for submissions is March 26 and finalists will present their idea on April 11 at the Orchards Hotel in Williamstown.

“All students need is to have an idea they are passionate about,” Lattanzio said. “They need to re-

search their idea, create an action plan, and just do it.”

Junior and club vice president James Wetzel said the purpose of the workshops and competition is to push students to pursue their passions and to show students what they are capable of.

“Once a student graduates, he or she will most likely be working for a business of some kind,” Wetzel said. “We want to give students the tools they need to take their passions and develop them into

something lifelong.”

He said the skills students will learn are applicable to all fields: dance majors who may want to start a dance studio or English majors who want to start a publishing company, for example.

“These tools can be applied later on in life or can be used now,” Wetzel said. “If students want something strongly enough, our aim is to show them they can get it.”

The club has been working with

the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce, who is willing to give incentives for students to participate in the competition, he said.

“If students enter these workshops with a ‘can do’ attitude, this is something that will change their lives,” Wetzel said.

Lattanzio compared these workshops and competition to the Undergraduate Research Conference. Students take an idea and watch it develop into something meaningful, he said.

Senior and club secretary Jaynelle Bellemore said she has been helping with the planning process, brainstorming workshop ideas, and trying to spread the word.

“I would encourage every student to either attend the workshops or join the competition,” she said. “Being able to learn about the business-planning process and other aspects of the business world from successful entrepreneurs is an excellent resource and an amazing networking opportunity.”

For more information or to register for the competition, contact mclaentrepreneurialclub@gmail. com or Michael Lattanzio via First Class.

The Entrepreneurial Club meetings are held on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. in Murdock 302 and are open to all interested students.

Monthly forum to address poverty Press Release NORTH ADAMS – Join the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition (nbCC) for its monthly forum on Friday, February 10th, from 10 a.m. to noon at the First Baptist Church in North Adams (Eagle St. entrance). Forums offer an opportunity for the northern Berkshire community to come together in a safe environment and discuss important issues facing residents. This forum will look at different areas of struggle for those living in poverty, such as the lack of affordable housing and the unavailability of jobs that provide a living wage.

One goal of this forum includes identifying what is already happening to address some of the issues people are facing and find ways to work together more effectively with the hope of community change.

This forum will also introduce an emerging nbCC communityorganizing initiative, tentatively named nbOP (Northern Berkshire Organizing Project), whose mission is to break the cycle of

poverty by building community.

Membership of nbOP will consist of groups such as congregations, neighborhood groups, and community associations. The primary objective of nbOP is for people facing poverty to come together to identify their own leadership, their most pressing issues, and work in unison to make community and policy change.

For more information on this forum or nbOP, please contact Wendy Krom, Northern Berkshire Neighbors Program Coordinator, (413) 663-7588 ext.

15, or wkrom@nbccoalition.org.

The forum will begin with a round of introductions followed by brief announcements of your upcoming events or new projects. Please bring flyers about your events and announcements as there will be a table available for sharing them. Also note that the organizers of the Friendship Center Food Pantry at 43 Eagle Street ask friends who attend the nbCC Forums to please bring a non-perishable food item for donation to the pantry.

FINANCIAL AID ANNOUNCEMENT IT’S TIME TO APPLY FOR 2012-2013 FINANCIAL AID! MARCH 1ST PRIORITY DATE! * Log onto www.mcla.edu/aid and click on Application Forms for the links to complete the Institutional Application for Financial Aid and the FAFSA. REMEMBER TO CHECK YOUR FIRSTCLASS COLLEGE EMAIL FOR ANY REQUESTED INFORMATION FOR YOUR FILE!!

FILE EARLY AND DON’T MISS OUT ON MONEY! MARCH 1ST PRIORITY DEADLINE!

News 4 Rare rabbit topic of Green Living seminar Thursday, February 9, 2012

By Amy Cubello Staff Writer

The Environmental Studies Department is holding another Green Living Seminar today, Feb. 9 at 5:30 p.m. in Murdock Hall 218.

The presentation will be given by Doug Bruce, Stewardship Manager for the Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC).

“Bruce will talk about a collaborative project the BNRC is doing with the Natural Resources Conser-

vation Service on improving habitat for the rare New England cottontail rabbit,” Elena Traister, Assistant Professor of environmental studies, said.

Bruce is a native of Northern Vermont. He lived in North Carolina where he completed coursework toward a Master of Science at Wake Forest University.

“In addition to documenting and monitoring conservation restrictions, the stewardship department manages BNRC’s fee property, trails, habitat projects,

and forest-health improvement project,” said the BNRC’s Web site.

According to Traister, the Green Living Seminar Series is sponsored by EOS Ventures, Inc. and Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort and is a presentation of MCLA’s environmental studies department.

The Green Living Seminars are not just for Environmental Studies majors.

Adam Duchemin, a senior studying art, said it is a great idea that all types of students go to at least one seminar.

“You do not need to be an environmentalist in order to help the environment,” Duchemin said.

“Each one is different to spark different interests. If one student is not interested in one topic, they can just go to the next seminar,” Duchemin said on the different types of seminars offered.

If students cannot make the seminar due to prior obligations, each seminar is being podcasted and will be posted online following each presentation.

What: Green Living Seminar Who: Doug Bruce, Stewardship manager for the Berkshire Natural Resources Council When: Today, Feb. 9, 5:30 p.m.

Where: Murdock Hall room 218

Little sibs invited to MCLA

By Jessica Gamari Staff Writer

Students’ siblings are invited to a campus-wide sleepover for the annual Little Sibs Overnight at the end of March, sponsored by Residential Programs and Services (RPS).

Emily Schiavoni of RPS is the coordinator of Little Sibs Overnight. This will be the program’s fourth year, but the first time it is being held in the spring semester. The two-night program will be held Mar. 30 through Apr. 1, and will feature a toy theme.

“The toy theme lends itself to good giveaways and prizes,” Schiavoni said.

Kids ages eight to 17 are invited to enjoy these weekend activities. There is a $10 fee upon registration for the variety of events. Profit goes to the Resident Student Scholarship.

“RPS brought this program to MCLA a few years ago in hopes of building a new tradition on campus,” Diane Manning Director of RPS said. “We started it in Hoosac Hall and now all three residence areas are involved. I’m excited to see Little Sibs move to its own special weekend in the spring and hope that this move helps participation in the program to grow.”

Check- in begins at 5 p.m.

on Friday Mar. 30. That evening, students and their siblings are invited to attend the Allegrettos concert. On the morning of Mar. 31, there will be a complementary cereal bar and morning cartoons, followed by a pool party, and a “crafternoon.” The Students Activities Council (SAC) will host an animal adventures event, where exotic animals will come to campus.

There will be puzzles, lifesized board games, and a “How Well Do You Know Your Sibling?” game, based on the “Newlyweds” game show. Prizes will be awarded for all game winners.

Later in the evening there

will be a “Totally Toy Story” movie night, where students and their siblings can enjoy the Toy Story series along with milk and cookies. The morning of Apr. 1 will be a chance for siblings to hang out and explore the region.

“Since we no longer have The Harbor, we may use BT as home base or Sullivan Lounge,” Schiavoni said.

“Last year there were about 30-35 people. When it was just Hoosac, it was even smaller and only had about 20 participants.”

The Advisory Board is excited for this RPS tradition, and they are ready to help out with the program.

Schiavoni said programs

like these are great for students with younger siblings who otherwise wouldn’t be allowed to stay on campus (ages eight to 15 are not normally permitted to stay over), but this program allows them to do just that.

“This program means a lot to the familes who participate,” Katherine Stanton, Townhouse Resident Advisor, said. “My younger sister loves to tell stories about the weekends she has spent here on campus.”

Signups will begin this week. Contact Emily Schiavoni on FirstClass for more details.

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Environuts to meet weekly throughout the semester Press Release NORTH ADAMS, MASS – The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Environuts will meet Thursday nights over the spring semester. The group will discuss environmental policies, both federal and on campus, and plans for campus events. The meeting time and location is to be determined within the week.

“The Environuts is a student run group that focuses on sustainable practices on the MCLA campus,” Rebecca Geraci, Environuts vice president, said. “The club also provides a way for students to voice their concerns for the planet and gives them an outlet to try to improve them.”

The Environuts has worked with groups such as Williams College and Tar Sands Action on

Spires still accepting submissions Press Release NORTH ADAMS, MASS – At Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, the school’s literary magazine, titled Spires, has announced that the final date for entries will be Feb. 29. The artistic magazine accepts creative works by students, including poetry, art, photography, and short stories.

Submissions are selected anonymously through collaboration of Spires members.

“Everyone should submit their favorite work!” said Kate Larson, head editor. Pieces can be submitted via email: mclaspires@ gmail.com.

Spires has been an MCLA tradition for over a decade. The magazine’s committee is also known for sponsoring events such as Open Mic nights. This is a forum open to all students who wish to express their art to an audience.

The next Open Mic is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 22, time and location to be announced at a later date.

Anyone interested in more information about Spires, contact Alex Marshall or Kate Larson via FirstClass email.

Online at: theonlinebeacon.com

initiatives such as demonstrating against the transnational Keystone XL Pipeline. It is currently working on local issues such as recycling and plastic waste on the MCLA campus and sustainability initiatives in North Adams.

Students are invited to attend meetings to learn about the state of the environment, participate in group events, and contribute their thoughts on sustainability. Events this semester will include: sustainability conferences, camping trips, and documentary viewings.

For more information visit the Environuts online at h t t p : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / groups/113564435341087/ or contact: Rebecca Geraci on FirstClass or rg4350@mcla.edu.

Senator addresses students at conference KERRY, continued from page 1

“I think the law is pretty broken right now, [it] lead to a narrowing of the curriculum in reading and math and lead to states dumbing down standards...

What we’re doing now is using our authority to provide some regulatory relief... very simply, we’ll stick to doing the right thing: raising standards, not lowering standards, and holding

folks accountable. We want to give [the schools] more room to move,” Duncan said.

“We got to do a better job in K-12,” Kerry said. “Too many kids are going into college and immediately going into remedial math. And that means we’re not doing something right before they get to college and we’re wasting some of their college time. ” This discussion lead to a criticism of the political landscape

and a dig at the Republican presidential nominees.

“There’s a completely fraudulent debate taking place in American to the degree that there’s any real debate at all. And we’ve entered a terrible dumbing down of the American political system,” he said. “The other side is just talking about cutting, our side is talking about reducing the deficit in a balanced, thoughtful way while we invest in the future.”

Students voice concerns over Trustees vote to arm Public Safety officers GUNS, continued from page 1

The discussion began from a state Board of Higher Education recommendation in 2008 that stated, “Sworn campus police officers should be armed and trained in the use of personal or specialized firearms.” The report outlined steps colleges

should take to ensure the safety of students and faculty.

Charon argued for the arming of campus police since the department has sworn police officers with the same training and responsibilities as other police forces. The campus police are required to act if they see a crime.

Since the campus is expanding

farther into the city, the officers are being put at risk if they come upon a crime, he said.

The introduction of firearms will carry an initial cost of $24,635 and cost $6,026 annually. All officers will go through firearms training with the state Criminal Justice Training Council.

Black Student Union plans several events to promote Black History Month Press Release

NORTH ADAMS, MASS – Black Student Union (BSU) club is promoting Black History Month throughout the month of February. BSU is a student organization bringing the community together.

Professor Frances Jones-Sneed held a discussion on the background of African-Americans on Feb. 3.

Black Jeopardy, an educational

event game giving information on Black History, will be held in the Campus Center room 334B from 7-9 p.m. on Feb. 14.

As well as these events, BSU will also be holding social gatherings throughout the spring semester.

This gathering; Flash Back Party: Old Skool to New Skool on Feb. 10 in Sullivan Lounge 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

BSU is an ALANA club in which it brings the students together. This organization hosts

cultural events for MCLA students to try and bring all students together.

Black Student Union Executive Board consists of Alex Mukendi Public Relations; Secretary Esther Cazeau, Treasure Tyeson Bel; Co-Treasure, Marie-angie Anodjo, Vice-President Asia Andrews, and President Christine Brandao.

Brandao said that bringing the community together is what the school needs and BSU can do

that with the students here at MCLA. “Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much. So coming together is a beginning but staying together is a progress and working together is success,” she said.

For more information contact Christine Brandao by phone (774) 319-0780 or email cb7808@mcla.edu.

Campus Comment compiled by Aaron Crawford

What is your opinion of the Board of Trustees’ vote to arm Public Safety?

“I don’t have much of an opinion.

I don’t really don’t think it’s that big of a deal.”

- Allie Conlon ‘14

“While I voted for the arming of Public Safety, I personally feel as if more consideration and respect should have been shown to the Campus Voice in regards to the vote that was taken.”

- Caitlin Versailles ‘12

“I believe that they should be armed. But the protests are definitely understandable.

No one listened to the students.”

- Anthony Olivares ‘14

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News

Thursday, February 9, 2012

“I’d prefer a more proactive approach to addressing security concerns. We need to train our police to de-escalate crisises rather than making policies based on extreme hypothetical scenarios.”

- Britany Kissinger ‘12

“I am glad they voted to arm the officers and I hope that discouraged students will stay involved and aware of the process as it is happening.”

- Catt Chaput ‘13 “The fact that the overwhelming majority of students and faculty members voted against it should have been taken more seriously in the Board of Trustees’ decision.”

- Emily Burke ‘12

A&E 6 Comedian Open Mic Night attracts veterans, newcomers Thursday, February 9, 2012

By Mary Redstone

A&E Editor Tucked into the side room of Public Eat + Drink last Thursday night was Colby Durand, the host of Public’s Comedy Open Mic Night, standing in front of a small guitar amp. While the amp was quickly discarded in favor of what was called “an a capella comedy night,” the audience was small enough to hear every word.

Durand MCed the evening and gave little one-liners in between acts.

“I was recently told… I look like Jack the Ripper,” he said. “I still don’t have a comeback for that because Jack the Ripper was never caught… no one knows what he looks like.”

The first comedian of the night was the Albany-based Carlisle Carey. Her comedy ranged from pop-culture observations, such as the Jersey Shore, to online dating.

She explained that online dating is like being picked up in a divebar in slow-motion, and how you are going to say no to all of them anyway. It just takes longer online.

Another New York comedian, William Hughes, was the next comedian of the night. He stood next to the amplifier, but then changed his mind and grabbed a chair.

“I’m not just going to be cool,” he said as he turned it backwards, “I’m going to be don’t-do-drugs cool.”

Hughes’s routine focused mostly

on the duality of his job, going from working at a desk in an office to the warehouse, and just what happens when people go to geeky conventions.

“Nerds go to these conventions,” he said, “and it’s like salmon going to spawn.”

Hughes even got some audience reaction on one of his jokes.

“Wow, that joke went down faster than JFK Jr.’s airplane,” he said when the joke did not receive as much laughter as he had hoped.

The audience responded with mixed laughter and shock.

“Too soon,” senior Brett Hinchcliffe yelled.

“Too soon?” asked Hughes. “If that’s too soon, Lincoln assassination jokes are too soon.”

The third comedian of the night was Michael Berrouet, an MCLA student and only on his second performance ever.

“So, I’m Haitian,” he said in the beginning of his routine. “Yes we still exist after the earthquake.

Our country is God’s Etch-aSketch but we’re still here.”

Berrouet did a number of impressions including his mother worriedly warning him not to leave the house and the absurdity of Bruno Mars’ song, “Grenade.”

However, Mars was not the only celebrity to be on the receiving end of his jokes.

“The other day I was listening to Lady Gaga,” he said and paused. “I don’t know why I was listening to

Lady Gaga.”

The final comedian was Seth Brown, who apologized that he didn’t really have any new jokes prepared because he had been doing nothing but working on his book.

“If you want to hear about the Declaration of Independence of 1776 I could do that,” he said. The audience laughed but he continued on with jokes instead.

Like the comedians before him, he had a lot of nerdy jokes about nerds.

“At some point in their lives, every man has wanted to be Batman,” he said and explained it is because Batman is attainable.

Rather than being able to fly or shoot lasers out of his eyes, Batman is just really rich.

Brown spent some time talking about superheroes and superpowers, including how everyone who bowls believes they have telekinesis.

He was even prone to some great puns, or terrible puns depending on your opinions of puns in general.

“I like interesting headlines,” Brown said after talking about how newspapers need more headlines about penguins. “That’s why I bought a corduroy pillow.”

If you love comedy but missed this Open Mic Night, there will be one on the first Thursday of every month at Public. The sign-up is at 9 p.m. and the comedians will start at 9:30 p.m.

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Photo by Serina Stimpson/Beacon Staff

William Hughes, above, decided to be “Don’t-Do-Drugs Cool,” and MCLA student Michael Berrouet did many impressions, including his mother and the different people in dance clubs.

Allegrettos prep for PBS competition

By Nora Weiss A&E Writer

Photo by Serina Stimpson/Beacon Staff

Allegrettos founder and co-director Juwonni “Jay” Cottle has his hands full this semester, focusing on their Gospel Show next week and returning to “Together in Song” on PBS.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re black, or white; gospel is for everyone,” Juwonni “Jay” Cottle said. As co-director and founder of The Allegrettos, the junior sees only possibilities within song.

“Our goal for the gospel group this semester is to teach that gospel is a positive thing in everyone’s life.

Believing in God is only part of it,” he said.

After fine-tuning the new voices and the returning singers following fall auditions, Cottle and co-director Melody Rolph plan to have their hands full this semester. Fresh off from opening for Blitz the Ambassador for the Blues and Funk Festival, the group is planning to give gospel a new spin by exposing The Allegrettos talent throughout the spring.

“We have our annual gospel concert on Feb. 16 and 17 in Church Street Center,” Cottle said.

While Rolph manages the a cappella side of things when it comes to the Allegrettos (according to Cottle, she’s given the genre a bit of a “folk feel”), Cottle sees gospel as his calling, but really finds a home in general singing.

Originally from Dorchester, Mass., Cottle graduated from the renowned Boston Arts Academy, a high school institution where auditions are required to attend. Though he started as a theatre major there,

Cottle found himself drawn to song.

“I am both an actor and a musician, but always found myself drawn to music.”

Cottle had a role in the FPA department’s production of “Urinetown” last fall, and was the music director for Harlequin’s performance of “RENT”, but he has found his passion at its best when it comes to The Allegrettos, which means ‘light and lively’, according to Cottle.

While the group’s name may give the connotation of peace and serenity, Cottle assures that the Allegrettos plan to bring the fire this semester. After breaking out into the competition world last year, Cottle is already prepping his group to sing their hearts out once again at PBS’s “Together in Song.” As the only group to have done both a cappella and gospel, the Allegrettos met their collegiate competitors with a heavy challenge.

“We didn’t market enough,” Cottle said regarding the group’s loss.

“People’s votes were important; The Allegrettos were the only people who voted for The Allegrettos. This year we’re going to let people know who to text their vote to.”

The competition is during spring break, so Cottle is already busy. He is consistently practicing and rehearsing within The Allegrettos, as well as conducting them. With one year left, Cottle has just that much time left to create a lasting impression in the already popular three-

year old club he created his freshman year.

“Next year I’ve been thinking about stepping down to be more of a resource, but I’m nervous about musical withdrawal,” he admitted.

Many others have been touched by being a part of the Allegrettos and Cottle’s leadership. Senior Tony Tofani sees being a member as one of his best moments at MCLA. “Working with Jay is fantastic,” Tofani said. “Being with the Allegrettos has definitely been a high point for me here. It’s amazing to sing with such a group of talented people.”

Cottle admits he isn’t ready for his last year or so with the Allegrettos as it has been his passion since he found the club halfway through his first year of college.

“It will be tough to let go,” Cottle admitted with a nervous laugh. “I know I should begin the process of distancing myself so leaving the Allegrettos won’t hurt as much, but I will definitely be sad. This group is much bigger than I ever thought it would be.”

Cottle’s passion clearly runs through every rehearsal, show, and video. His dedication came with day one as a freshman, and his understanding for people has made the group grow physically and emotionally.

“Talent is color blind,” Cottle pointed out. “That’s what I want people to know.”

A&E

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Two sides to The River: A&E Editor Mary Redstone and A&E Writer Nora Weiss take on the new survival-horror show The River on ABC

Public hosts first music open mic night

The River follows events after the disappearence of Dr. Emmet Cole, a famous TV jungle explorer. Tess (Leslie Hope) and Lincoln (Joe Anderson of Across the Universe fame), wife and son of Cole, head the expedition to find Cole and his crew deep within the Amazon. The search is funded by Dr. Cole’s ex-producer for a potential television show. The River is filmed documentary/found-footage style and is created by Paranormal Activity creator Oren Peli.

Second half: much better and really creepy. Imagine running through the jungle in the darkness … oh, and sleeping under a ton of creepy dolls hanging from trees. Don’t even wonder if they move; you know they move. The dolls won’t show back up since the mystery of them is solved (rather quickly, thankfully), so no worries.

Official rating? I would say a three out of five. I definitely dig the show, but I’m hoping to get over the technical stuff. I personally don’t like characters that are too clever because it’s not realistic. However, there are plenty of moments that got me thinking, plotting future moves, and holding onto the tattered arm chair in my living room. You can watch the pilot on Hulu now and judge it for yourself. Try not to watch it alone.

With the flow: Mary Redstone gives The River 4 out of 5 The River is not for the faint of heart. Creator Oren Peli speaks suspense as a second language. He makes you think that one thing is going to happen, or one freaky doll’s eyes are going to open, and then he throws you a curve ball, or makes a different freaky doll’s eyes open.

The acting is mediocre in parts, and some of the lines are indeed delivered in a way that makes it seem silly. Every time, yes it happened more than once, someone said, “There’s magic out there,” all I could think of was the explorer in Pixar’s “Up” that would say, “There’s adventure out there!”

However, the rest of the time I really believed that they were out in the jungle scared witless.

I will reluctantly admit that the pilot could have been better, but then again all pilots could be.

That’s why Tueday night’s premiere was the pilot and the subsequent episode, taking up two

horrifying hours of ABC’s prime time scheduling.

Plus, the horror of the second episode more than made up for any slow exposition of the first episode. Dolls, animals in human masks, dead hands, and more are lurking in the Amazon; they managed to find three things in the second episode alone that have the tendency to haunt my dreams. The show will maintain its main plot, but consist of standalone episodes with the crew encountering different horrors each week, kind of like an Amazonian X-Files. That alone makes me excited for the next episode.

Overall: I would give it 4 out of 5 stars. I love the found footage sub-genre. I have been waiting to see it adapted to the small screen, and I don’t think anyone could have done it better than Peli. The only reason I can’t give it 5 stars is for dialouge; sometimes it’s just silly and feels forced.

The River can be seen on Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. on ABC Missed an episode?

HULU streams the latest five episodes the day after they air.

7

Mary Redstone A&E Editor

New music really isn’t so scary, I promise

Against the current: Nora Weiss gives The River 3 out of 5

So Paranormal Activity and LOST had a baby. Part of me was eye-rolling and annoyed, but the other part of me was more like, “What took them so long?” Between the writers of LOST and the producer of the Paranormal Activity saga, The River was born and premiered Tuesday night with a two hour pilot and I was semi-glued to the TV. Real quick summary: the first hour was boring and a bit annoying, but most pilots are. The characters figured out complicated story lines too quickly and British actor Joe Anderson slipped too easily out of his forced American accent, stealing away from the show a little bit. Oh, and someone gets possessed by a dragon fly. Yup, a dragon fly. And the idea of “magic” is thrown around like confetti at a Giants Super Bowl parade.

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Photo by Serina Stimpson Michael Quinones performs music, including Jace Everett’s “Bad Things,” at Public Eat & Drink’s first Open Mic Night.

By Nora Weiss

A&E Writer Amidst the pair of flat screen TVs tuned on to college basketball, local eatery Public Eat + Drink was all about the music on Feb. 1. The good food and excellent drink was accompanied by the joint’s first open mic night, featuring local acoustic acts.

MCLA students, alum, and Berkshire folks crowded the main dining room, dividing their attention between the food and the entertainment. With sign-ups starting at 8 p.m. and the list full by 9, everyone was in for a treat.

“We’re really enjoying tonight,” MCLA junior Kate Moore said.

“The food is wonderful and it’s nice to get a glass of wine and listen to local music.”

From Bob Dylan sound-a-likes to Fender Resonator’s, Public’s first open mic night was nothing short of a success. Between renditions of True Blood’s opening theme song (“Bad Things” by Jace Everett, for those who have been wondering all these years) and original songs written by dreamy crooners, Public was really the place to be last week.

The college’s talent shone, of course. Freshman Tyler Bernard rocked old style to some Jimi Hendrix, but included a classicsounding style of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” toward the end of the night. Graduate student Mike Quinones took time off from teaching to give off a Jason Mraz feel early on in the evening. As Quinones is the belter of Everett’s

“Bad Things”, this reporter feels the general population needs to know that the singer has a Facebook, Mike Quinones Music, with links to videos and impressive MP3s.

While the musical side of Public last week was the highlight, the establishment itself has continued impressive upkeep since opening this past fall. Owner Jared Decoteau mentioned the menu changes to come, as well as the changes to the restaurant itself.

“We swapped out the art,” Decoteau pointed out, “and I’m looking at new entertainment acts.”

Decoteau pointed out new drink specials, such as the new Winter Delight, a decadent liquid equipped with Godiva liqueur and peppermint. Public has also started carrying Cheesecake Factory cheesecake, circling through multiple flavors each night, including caramel and peppermint.

“There are still drink and food changes to come,” promised Decoteau. “I try to keep it fresh. People like it here, they say it’s a nice urban place in a rural setting.”

While the next open mic night is still yet to be planned, Public features trivia every Monday night with the grand prize a $25 gift certificate towards a meal. Recently, the Decoteau has put Public up on Groupon, giving loyal patrons certain percentages off meals. They also hosted MCLA Presents! Blues and Funk Festival last week. Public is staying plenty busy in the entertainment department.

I want you to think of the music you listen to. Not necessarily your favorites but just the music you listen to and enjoy. Now, how many different genres do those bands fall into? Four? Five? One? This country is in a state of musical stagnation. Our popular culture consists of four genres: pop singers, pop “rockers,” hip hop, and classic rock once in a while for that nostalgic feel.

Think I’m wrong? Look at commercials. Look at the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Look at what is played on “mainstream” radio.

Make a mental tally every time you hear something that isn’t a form of pop, hip hop, or classic rock.

And no, Foster the People doesn’t count; they’re still pop. Arcade Fire, an indie band, won Best Album at the Grammys but still can’t get played on the radio.

Now I’m not discrediting any of those genres; I have some favorite pop singers, I love a good deal of hip hop, and classic rock has a large spot in my heart. What I am discrediting is the general listeners’ unwillingness to branch out.

I could be wrong though and there could be thousands of people out there who have tried listening to jazz and Afro-hop and hipsterfolk and just don’t like it. I could be right though, and those same thousands of people just don’t want to try listening to anything other than what’s on the radio.

I’m a musically daring person. I went to see Blitz the Ambassador on Saturday with an open mind and having absolutely no idea what to expect. I left the show in an incredibly good mood and with a new genre of music to explore.

But then, I was disappointed the next day upon watching the Super Bowl Halftime Show: pop, pop, hip-hop, and hip-hop with a smidge of R&B. The year before?

Black Eyed Peas. Before that was The Who, then Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Prince, The Rolling Stones… Although if you go back to 2003 No Doubt did make a small appearance.

Last summer, I spent three days in New York at a bluegrass festival. Prior to the trip, I had really only listened to Old Crow Medicine Show and still thought banjos were for Deliverence. Now, I can’t get enough of bands like the Punch Brothers and I actually own a banjo.

All I’m saying is that we need to branch out and not be afraid to experiment with new music. Find a radio station you’ve never listened to before. Type an artist you don’t know into Pandora. Go to a random concert. You just might find music you never knew you loved.

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A&E

Thursday, February 9, 2012

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MCLA Presents! Seventh Annual Blues and Funk Fest

Saturday Blitz the Ambassador at Venable Gym

By Tano Holmes

Photo by Serina Stimpson/Beacon Staff

Misty Blues, a powerful blues band from the Berkshire area, played at PUBLIC Eat + Drink as Friday’s headliners of day one of the Blues and Funk Festival

Friday Misty Blues at PUBLIC

By Mary Redstone

A&E Editor At first glance, one might wonder how a signature blues riffs, heavy-hitting drum cozy, chic looking place like Public Eat + fills, and Coleman’s rough, yet soulful, Drink might be suitable for a loud, emo- voice. It did not take long for the small tional display of the blues brought by local dance floor to fill with energetic dancers; band Misty Blues and MCLA’s Jazz Band. the restaurant was at standing-room only Those involved seemed not to worry about the entire night, and most of them could it, and it is a good thing too, because from 9 have been found around the bar or on the p.m. until closing time, Public was packed dance floor. to the walls with people simply having a While the audience had no problem good time. standing around, there definitely was a difIf the emotions displayed by the performference in audience enthusiasm depending ers had any effect on the audience, then it’s no wonder the audience was energetic and on whether one could only hear the band, happy; all of the members of Misty Blues or if they could both see and hear them. looked like they were not only enjoying The band was dancing and moving around themselves, but also excited to be there. almost as much as the audience and posThey even interacted with the audience sessed so much enthusiasm for what they in between songs. Singer Gina Coleman did that is was nearly impossible to watch rarely had anything but a smile on her face. them and not want to dance yourself.

Their set consisted mostly of cover songs, However, they were not the only ones including “Key to the Highway” and who were happy to be playing in front “Walkin’ the Dog”. They also did a song of everyone. Chantel Baptista, a junior off their Gospel album, “Roadhouse Reat the College, opened the night up with vival”.

A lot of their covers progressed to two songs that found her beaming at the blues shuffles as well, giving those dancing audience with pride. She began with an a a chance to switch it up mid-song. cappella cover of Adelle’s “Chasing PaveIf there was any doubt in the beginning ments” before moving to the piano to covwhether Public could house such a power Amy Winehouse’s “I’m No Good.”

Following Baptista was MCLA’s Jazz erful blues band, it was quickly dismissed.

Band delivering the bluesier side of jazz. The bands were at a perfect volume for the Tiniqua Patrick stood center stage, lend- blues – just loud enough that you can feel ing her powerful voice to their two-song the emotions but not loud enough that set, including a cover of Sam Cooke’s “A you literally feel the pain – and the tightChange is Gonna Come”. Each student packed space was a breeding ground for took turns soloing throughout the two dancing and enjoyment. As the night went songs and showed a fluid knowledge of on, the colored lights shone though the the music despite only getting together for front window and the faint sound of blues four rehearsals prior to their performance, carried down Holden Street, calling more and more people into Public to experience according to the band.

Misty Blues took the stage after the Jazz the blues power of Misty Blues.

Band and filled the cozy restaurant with

A&E Writer The campus was spiced up by the second ers used the filling dance floor to show off night of the 7th Annual Blues and Funk some pretty flashy moves, like some break Festival. dancing and rolling on the ground.

Four musical acts performed in Ven“It was a great experience playing for able Gym where the gym was temporarily such an energetic audience,” Maguire said. transformed into a stage of colored lights.

“It was sweet playing for people who were The Allegrettos started off Saturday there to hear the blues we wanted to play.” night’s festivities. Conducted by junior “I want to give a special thanks to the Jay Cottle, the group performed a num- MCLA Presents! members,” Jonathan Secber of songs full of soul. They received an or said between Jungle Work’s set and Blitz extremely warm applause upon finishing the Ambassador taking the stage. their 20-minute set.

After a ten minute break in which free “This concert was awesome,” alumnus pizza was delivered, (much to the approval Samantha Kone said. Kone traveled from of the 100-plus students who where in atBoston to be on campus for the weekend. tendance), Blitz the Ambassador took the “I am so happy to see the MCLA students stage to a roaring round of applause. performing so well as openers. And Blitz The band consisted of a trombonist, a the Ambassador was so energetic,” she trumpet player, a saxophonist, a guitarist, added. a drummer and a keyboardist. The horn Immediately following the Allegrettos, section was especially full of life as they the Jazz Band hit the stage for a lively per- danced, swayed and raised their horns in formance. The band played some jazzy synchronized movements to the music and tunes, warming the audience up. Allan the lights. At one point the horn section Krause, the bassist, showed off some fancy took the front of the stage blaring funky footwork as he spun around the stage. tones and making the crowd wild. AdThroughout the concert, the lighting work was conducted by alumnus Ray ditionally, Blitz the Ambassador took out Ratchup. He used the lights artfully, high- a djembe drum and began to play during lighting certain aspects of the music and one of his more African-style songs.

“This is fantastic,” Corey Sloane, a junior, accentuating crescendos. said discussing Blitz the Ambassador’s set.

Jungle Work was the third opener for “It combines the energy of a rock concert Blitz the Ambassador. As soon as the lead with the rhythm and music talent of a jazz singer and guitarist Patrick Maguire startconcert, all the while incorporating the ed strumming the opening notes of his first lyrical skill of a rap concert.” song, two students rushed onto the previApproximately 80 people crowded in ously unoccupied dance floor and began front of the stage at Blitz the Ambassador’s dancing extremely enthusiastically. This request, dancing to the funky tunes his broke the ice and soon there were more band played. The crowd was extremely rethan 20 people jamming and grooving to sponsive when Blitz the Ambassador asked the classic rock and blues that Jungle Work the audience to scream louder, clap their hands and to sing the refrains. played masterfully.

Not to be outdone, the original two danc-

Photo by Carly Samach/Beacon Staff

Blitz the Ambassador and his band brought a new mix of hip-hop and Afro beat to Venable Gym Saturday night as headliners of day two of the Blues and Funk Festival

Sports

Thursday, February 9, 2012

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9

Lady Trailblazers climb to second place in MASCAC conference with Westfield win

By Ariana Tourangeau Staff Writer After an up and down week, in which the Women’s Basketball team lost to Worcester State but triumphed over Westfield, the team has found itself the second place team in the MASCAC conference.

After struggling to keep strong defense, the Trailblazers fell 6957 at Worcester State, on Saturday Feb. 4th, but that doesn’t stop their drive to win.

With a conference record of 5-4 and an overall record of 12-10, the team still sees a win of the tournament in the near future.

“It’s never over. We have three games left and we can win those games. The question is who wants it more us or them?” said sophomore and guard for the Trailblazers, Kaitlyn Chenevert.

She ended Saturday’s game with a high of 16 points and six rebounds along with Lucy Tremblay and Jen Wehner. Chenevert has a total of 72 rebounds and 150 points, so far this season.

Worcester’s defense made it hard for Tremblay, Wehner, and Dobrovolc, (MCLA’s highest scorers who rank among the top five scorers in the league) to score.

The trio kept the heat the whole game though, trying to push pass Worcester’s defense.

“For us as a team, our shots just weren’t falling and it was tough getting the ball to Wehner

because she was being double teamed in the paint,” said junior and guard for the team, Lucy Tremblay. “With two of our main scorers in foul trouble in the first half, we just needed to play good defense.”

“It’s never over.

We have three games left and we can win those games. The question is who wants it more: Us or them?” said Kaitlyn Chenevert.

Jen Wehner, Senior and Forward for the team, has a total of 258 rebounds and 363 points this season. Alie Dobrovolc, a senior and guard, who has a total of 180 rebounds and 374 points this season.

The Lancers defense may have made it difficult for the Trailblazers to score, but it didn’t stop the defense from doing the same to the Lancers offenders.

Tremblay said, “I felt I played with a lot of intensity on defense.

I was lucky to come up with a couple steals and crashed the boards.” She ended the game with 10 points and six rebounds and has a total of 76 rebounds and 274 points this season.

The battle continued on for the

Photo by Will Casey/Beacon Staff

Senior Jen Wehner flew to claim a rebound against Sage. rest of the game. The Trailblazers would take the lead, only for the Lancers to come back on top. At halftime, the Lancers came out strong with a 25-18 lead, quickly increasing it to 38-23 in the first four minutes of the half. Chen-

evert drove to the basket to bring her team to a 48-41 lead.

“On Saturday, I was feeling confident with my shot, “ Chenevert said. “Worcester shut down Jen defensively and in turn that left our guards wide open on most

occasions (including me).”

Chenevert agrees the game was a struggle, but the team played as hard as the Lancers would let them.

WOMEN, continued on page 11

Men’s Trailblazers drop two games Westfield State junior nails game-winning lay-up with .03 seconds left on the game clock

By Brendan Foley Sports Editor The Men’s Basketball team dropped two nail-biters this past week, severely hurting their chances at a chance for the MASCAC title. The losses have left the team with a conference record of 4-5 and an overall record of 7-15.

The team has not won a game since Jan. 25th.

The Trailblazers travelled to Worcester State on Saturday, Feb. 4th. MCLA headed into the game having won their previous matchup on Jan. 14th. They would not be so lucky with this game, as Worcester came out ahead by only three points. The final score was 81-78.

MCLA went into the half with a lead of nine, but Worcester quickly made up the difference.

Worcester was able to capitalize on MCLA foul’s to gain the advantage.

Second halves are proving to be a great difficulty for the Trailblazers as the season winds on.

Basketball, continued on page 10

Photo by Will Casey/Beacon Staff

Tyriq Rochester blazed by the competition in the hopes of giving the Trailblazers another victory.

10

Thursday, february 9, 2012

Sports

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Intramurals Men’s basketball struggles begins 2012 after 3-game losing streak Spring session Basketball, continued from page 9

Debuts new online presence for campus

By Kayla Koumjian Sports Writer The Intramural Sports program began this week and will try something new for this semester’s sessions.

The program started a new system for participants and staff members. They are now using a website designed for intramural sports within colleges.

“Gone are the days of filling out paper rosters and picking up a paper schedule,” explained Adam Hildabrand, director of Intramurals. “Now it is all online.”

Prior to this change, sign-ups were limited to hand-outs in Bowman Hall and the Amsler Campus Center. This limited the number of students who could be reached.

The paper system also made it difficult to produce schedules and rosters.

“You sign up online, check your schedule online, and check your stats and standings online,” said Hildabrand.

The Intramurals program has, in the past, struggled with scheduling and notifying participants about changes and updates in the schedules and times for their tournaments and games. This frustrated athletes and administrators.

Students participating in intramurals will now use the website for everything they need.

“You sign up online, check your schedule online, and check your stats and standings online,” Hildabrand said.

Students can also use their Facebook to create an account on the website.

“The system is set up to make everything easier all around,” co-supervisor John Ripepi said.

“Whether it’s to allow players to access the schedule at all times, or finding out who won a recent game throughout the session.”

Hildabrand, who also serves as the coach to the Men’s Soccer team, agrees with Ripepi.

“It will be easier in the long run,” Hildabrand said. “Right now it has been a bit cumbersome because everyone that is involved with IM’s has to register, but you only have to register once.”

Along with being easier for participants, it is also a faster and more efficient way to find schedules and standings throughout the sessions.

“It will allow the Intramurals department to be more organized

and to communicate with the campus more effectively,” Hildabrand explained. “Once you are signed in you can pull up your IM’s schedule very easily.”

The communication within the Intramural program will improve from the new technological aspects of the website as well.

“The website will contact you even if you aren’t online; it will send updates to your phone via text messaging,” Ripepi said.

Hildabrand also felt communication will be better .

“It allows us to communicate more effectively with our staff,” he said. “They can look up when they are working a month in advance as opposed to a week or two days in advance.”

The website will also update everyone’s schedule when there are any changes.

“If we need to change a game time it will be reflected on everyone’s calendar,” Hildabrand said.

Students have already signed up and started playing games this week. On Tuesday, participants played their first game of pingpong, and on Wednesday indoor soccer began. The third sport this session is badminton and the first games start next week.

“There are about 25 teams participating this session,” Ripepi said. “We hope there will be more teams and people playing this semester.”

Intramurals were successful last semester. More students got involved once the second session started.

“A lot of new students to the college participated more towards the end of the semester than the beginning,” Ripepi said.

Now, with returning freshmen aware of intramurals, the program is hoping to increase in participants this semester.

“Using the new website will really help us get the word across campus,” Ripepi said. “We also have a page on Facebook to help the campus know about what’s going on with intramurals.”

Ripepi and the rest of the staff encourage all students to play.

“It’s a time to just relax and do something active indoors while it is cold outside,” he said.

Students who have yet to sign up still have a chance to play if they’d like.

“They can try to sign up as a free agent once they register and a team can pick them up if they need players,” Ripepi said.

After 22 games, the team has scored 750 points in the first half and 842 in their second half. Unfortunately, the team has allowed the opposition to score 809 points against them in the first half, and a staggering 903 points in the second.

But if the Worcester loss was difficult, the team’s loss to Westfield State on Tuesday, Feb. 7th, was flat-out heart-breaking. The Trailblazers were headed into the final seconds of the game with a one point lead when Westfield junior Matt Devine sank a lay-up with .03 seconds left on the clock.

Westfield walked off with the game, final score 69-68.

This has left the team in a very deep hole in the MASCAC conference standings. The conference is currently being led by

Salem State and Bridgewater who are tied for first place with 7-2.

Westfield junior Matt Devine sank a layup with .03 seconds left on the game clock. Westfield walked off with the win.

MCLA, Westfield and Worcester had been in dead-heat with each other for third, but after these losses the Trailblazers have fallen into fifth place, a hole they may not be able to dig themselves out of in their last three games.

This is even more disappointing for the team considering that the 2010-2011 was one of the team’s strongest. MCLA finished the

season with an overall record 1710 and a conference record of 7-5.

The 2012 team will need to win all three of their final games to match that record.

This current team can take solace that they are still ahead of the 2009-2010 and 2008-2009 squads, who finished with records of 9-17 and 1-24, The Trailblazers will play at home on Saturday, Feb. 10th against Framingham.

The team’s final two games will be away games against Fitchburg State and Bridgewater State.

The Bridgewater game will be particularly difficult for the team, as Bridgewater, as of press time, is the leader of the MASCAC conference with a record of 7-2.

Photo by Marissa Zelazo/Beacon Staff

Tyrell Mosely and Brendan McDonald raced for the ball.

Attention MCLA Clubs!

Want to gather interest and bring in more members?

Looking to spread the word for an upcoming event?

Did you know that The Beacon offers you a

Free Ad!

That’s right! Each semester, your club or organization is eligible to run one free advertisement in The Beacon newspaper!

For more information, contact Dylan Glaser on FirstClass

11

Sports

Thursday, February 9, 2012

theonlinebeacon.com

Another Super Bowl heartbreaker for New England

By Brendan Foley Sports Editor

Brendan Foley Sports Editor

Safety First The Patriots’ loss to the New York Giants wasn’t nearly as bad the second time around.

It was so very, very much worse.

See, last time the entire game had the stench of poor referee calls and bad luck hanging over it. Sure, defeat is always bitter, but the die-hard fans of the team could console themselves with the belief that the loss had been a fluke, a mistake, a freak occurence that time would eventually ease.

This? This was just a failure on the part of the Patriots. They handed the game away and allowed Eli and his cronies to walk away with a second title.

There are certainly some mitigating factors. The injury of Gronkowski was an albatross around the team’s neck, one that they simply couldn’t overcome.

If Gronk was playing at full strength, then the entire tempo of the game would have been different and who knows how that would have turned out.

And that safety. That safety.

There are not words printable in this family-oriented newpaper that I can use to describe the wrath which that safety has inspired. In the years hence, as the game is discussed, debated and referenced, that safety will be spoken of as one of the worst freak incidents in the history of Boston sports, side by side with Bill Buckner and Bucky Dent. It was that jaw-droppingly bad play, that bone-headed and misguided call.

But you can’t blame an entire loss on two points and one lousy call in the first half of the first quarter in the game.

No, the bulk, the vast weight of the loss rests entirely on the shoulders of the Patriots themselves.

All season long, the recurring worry on the lips of every one of the red-and-blue faithful was that while Brady and his offense looked as sharp and dominant as ever, the defense simply was not playing up to snuff.

Again and again throughout the season, offensive charges were left unstopped, easy plays bungled.

This was simply not the defensive end of a Super Bowl-qualifying team, let alone a winning one.

But such is the might of Brady and Belichick, that we allowed ourselves to believe that this gaping hole in the team’s structure wouldn’t matter. We thought that such was Brady’s might and Belichick’s brains that no team would possibly take advantage of these weaknesses.

It was arrogance. Lesson learned.

The New England Patriots suffered another difficult Super Bowl loss to their rivals the New York Giants on Sunday, Feb. 5.

The Patriots entered the game as the odds-on-favorite to win, thanks to a much stronger regular season record than the Giants.

Many Patriots fans were excited by the possibility that the team could avenge their last Super Bowl appearance, which ended in defeat. Many New Englanders reacted bitterly to the loss and many fans developed resentments toward both the Giants and Super Bowl officials, who were deemed to have called the game unfairly.

The Patriots won the coin flip and elected to kick-off to start the game. The Patriots’ defensive line found themselves struggling to block the Eli Manning-lead drive.

The game stayed decidedly in the Giants’ control, with the New York team possessing the ball for 37:50 minutes out of the game.

The Patriots only had possession for 22:55 minutes.

The Patriots have not won a Super Bowl title since 2004, when they triumphed over Philadelphia.

Standings

(As of Press Time)

Men’s Basketball salem bridgewater westfield worcester MCLA fitchburg framingham

All

Conf

14-7 12-9 14-9 8-15 7-15 11-10 8-15

7-2 7-2 6-4 5-5 4-5 2-7 2-8

Women’s Basketball bridgewater MCLA salem worcester westfield fitchburg framingham

All

Conf

15-6 12-10 9-13 11-12 11-12 15-6 12-10

8-1 5-4 5-4 5-5 4-6 3-6 3-7

Women’s Basketball

Photo by Lionel Hahn/Abaca Press/MCT

Super Bowl Sunday was not a good day to be either a Patriot or a Patriots fan.

The loss especially stings because the Patriots had dedicated their season to CEO, chairman and owner Robert Kraft’s late wife, Myra. Myra passed away on July 21, 2011 from cancer. The

team’s uniforms were emblazoned with her initials, MLK. After the Patriots’ first touch down, Brady touched his lips to the sky in tribute to the late philanthropist.

2/11 Framingham 1 p.m.

2/14 @Fitchburg 5:30 p.m.

2/18 @Bridgewater 1:00 p.m.

Men’s Basketball 2/11 Framingham 3 p.m.

2/14 @Fitchburg 7:30 p.m.

2/18 @Bridgewater 3:00 p.m.

Women’s Trailblazers improve MASCAC standings with Tuesday WOMEN, continued from 9

Chenevert said, “On the defensive end we couldn’t stop Charette and we got in early foul trouble.”

Charette is number 15, Worcester’s leading scorer of Saturday’s game who had a total of 26 points.

Not having the home advantage could be the Trailblazers’ key factor to their losses.

The team is 0-3 in MASCAC away games, while they are 4-1 at home. Chenevert agreed that Worcester’s home advantage had to do with their win.

“Worcester has an atmosphere that no other school in our conference has. It’s a very outdated gym (small, loud, bad lighting, etc.). They definitely have an extreme home-court advantage,” Chenevert said.

Although this was a fight for the Trailblazers, they aren’t giving up on the rest of their season.

With three games left, the team is working hard for the wins.

Tremblay said, “I think we can definitely win the MASCAC tournament. When we work together on the court we are unstoppable.

We just have to show up and we will win and be able to go to NCAA’s. “ The team won Tuesday’s game at Westfield State with a score of 72-70, bringing them up to 5-4 in conference and 12-10 overall

from a 4-4 record in conference and 11-10 overall on Saturday.

Dobrovolc finished the game with a high of 13 rebounds and a total of 19 points and 9 assists.

Tremblay said, “I think we can definitely win the MASCAC tournament. When we work together on the court we are unstoppable...”

Wehner, who was strong on the offensive end, ended the game with a high of 21 points and 13 rebounds. Tremblay ended the game with 19 points including four three-pointers.

With this win, the Trailblazers are now tied with Salem State for second place in the MASCAC conference. The conference is led

by Bridgewater State with a record of 8-1 in conference play and 15-6 overall.

The Trailblazers will play Framingham at home on the 11th at 1 p.m. MCLA will then travel to play Fitchburg State on the 14th, before going head-to-head with Bridgewater on the 18th in their final game of the season.

Photo by Marissa Zelazo/Beacon Staff

Alie Dobrovolc stared down her opposition in the Trailblazers’ game against Salem State.

12

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Opinion

Dear Editor,

There is only one thing that a handgun is designed to do. Let us hope that the recent vote on arming the campus police costs us only money.

Sincerely, Christopher Thomas

Letter to the Editor The MCLA Faculty Association is disappointed and confused by the Board of Trustee’s vote to arm campus police officers against the will of the vast majority of faculty and a significant majority of students.

Many faculty have worked hard to cultivate a relationship of respect, shareddecision-making, and cooperation with the administration.

I cannot imagine a scenario in which the Faculty Association would endorse a policy or plan with such far-reaching implications if the MCLA administration, Board of Trustees, and/or other relevant constituencies on campus “strongly encouraged” us not to do so. The Board’s vote, and the flawed process of deliberation that led up to it, leave many faculty wondering if our views on a range of issues are sincerely solicited or valued.

The events established to gather “input” from the

A Final Word The issue of arming our campus police has dominated the MCLA campus for what seems an eternity now. Meeting after meeting and report after report have sought a resolution in some way or the other. But when the decision finally came, it appeared we had no resolution at all. I am writing today, on behalf of the Student Government Association (SGA), to say that we do.

It is well known by now that SGA produced a student referendum in December that garnered 455 votes with a resounding 68 percent of them firmly opposed to the arming of campus police. To follow this up, the Student Senate supported the majority of their constituents and opposed the arming of campus police in a vote of 10-4. Thus, it is safe to say the majority of students strongly

community were neither effective nor convincing.

The forums were rushed and lacked opportunities for faculty to be meaningfully involved, offer nuanced opinions, and introduce valid evidence to back up or counter various claims.

Moreover, these events seemed like they were staged as a means of convincing the community that the arming of MCLA campus police was necessary and pressing.

An unjustifiable and unpopular outcome was inevitable because of this seriously flawed process. The Board stated that they were acting in MCLA’s “best interest” but, in the end, they did not seem too interested in the opinions of people who live and work on or near the campus. The vast majority of people who are at MCLA every day believe that the arming of campus police at this time WILL NOT make the campus a safer place.

“Moving on” for the Faculty Association will require soul-searching and

reflection on behalf of the Board and the administration. To this end, we believe it is in the best interest of the MCLA community that the Board and administration commit to a self-study of their roles and decisions in a process that led to such an unpopular, and perhaps invalid, final decision.

We “strongly encourage” the Board to agree to the self-study and include two members appointed by the Student Government Association and two by the Faculty Association.

The recommendations that come out of this self-study could serve as a means of providing assurance that the College has matured in its ability to discuss significant issues, as well as a basis for rebuilding the trust and confidence that many faculty and students would like to have.

opposed this decision.

Yet, in what appeared a blatant disregard of this, the Board of Trustees voted 10-1 to arm our campus police. Student Trustee, Jaynelle Bellemore, stood courageously in the face of major opposition and voted with her fellow students. I strongly commend her and hope we will all display such courage when the time calls.

In the end, as President of the SGA, I tell you now that I am disappointed and discouraged by the decision.

Though we have been told all parties were considered to the “fullest”, there is something to be said about a decision that blatantly disregards the majority. A liberal arts institution fosters community and discussion as a means of education towards participation in overall society. I believe the arming of campus police and the disregard of student opinion harmed that mission in the present and will continue to do so even after implementation.

Regardless, the decision

has been made and a course is set. Students have protested. Words of disgust and disappointment have been uttered. And now, it is time to move forward.

This means influencing not just the process of arming our campus police, but influencing every decision we make as an institution from here on out.

Students should not sit down or be quiet, but rather speak up even louder than before. Make sure that the administration hears you and cannot ignore you. Do not make this a protest of firearms anymore, but a protest for the right of your voice as an influence at this institution. To that end, you will always have my support and that of your SGA. It has been an honor to serve you all through this and I will continue to serve you all as we begin to move on together as one student body.

Dana Rapp President of the MCLA Faculty Association

Todd B. Foy, Jr 2012

To President Mary Grant, the Trustees, and the current Students at my Alma Mater: I know a lot can change in four years, but I highly doubt that both the atmosphere and the student demographic at MCLA have changed enough to warrant Public Safety bearing arms.

When I attended MCLA (Class of 2008), it was one of the most low-key places I had ever been to: provided the Red Sox hadn’t won the World Series, and you stayed off of Blackinton Street on a Saturday night. MCLA always had a safe and peaceful quality about it, which is why I chose the school in the first place.

MCLA was the only campus I have visited where I could walk around at night and not be afraid for my well-being.

The decision for Public Safety to carry guns is a decision to alter the entire atmosphere of this small college. I see gun-toting Public Safety Officers as a threat, and I›m sure the current students will too. I suspect that recent

The Campus Voice via Nicholas Lanza

«Occupy» events, such as the one at UC Davis, may have changed the way the Trustees see Campus Safety, but MCLA is not UC Davis. With a difference of about 23,000 students, MCLA hardly has the need for guns.

Officers at UC Davis are not armed, incidentally. And, as UC Davis has demonstrated, there isn’t much that can›t be solved with a can of pepper spray...

I know MCLA aspires to grow and change, and I can appreciate that.

A good College should make advancements to keep up with the times, (the Campus Center remodel is beautiful, by the way) but I cannot accept that MCLA needs the presence of guns. If I were a current student, you better believe I would be out there with the other 10 students protesting the Trustees’ decision.

I am disappointed in you, Trustees, and I do hope you reconsider.

Please don’t turn my Alma Mater into something it’s not.

Respectfully, Sondra J.B. Murphy Class of 2008

test on Feb. 6 and 7. The Board’s decision came as a shock, given the outcome of the student and faculty vote just a few months earlier, and tempers were high. Regardless of the intent of the decision, we felt as if our voices had been ignored.

We are no longer content to have this happen.

In light of the protests this past weekend, the students and faculty involved have gathered together to create a group that we are calling The Campus Voice. Our intent is to gather student and teacher concerns on current events and to The issue of arming camconvey this opinion to pus police is over. In the the administration and spirit of moving forward, the Board of Trustees. the matter at hand is the implicit lack of attention The Campus Voice would to the concerns of the like to formally apolofaculty and students who gize to the members of make up the majority of the Board of Trustees for our campus community.

Massachusetts College of We will continue organizLiberal Arts, president ing our efforts so that, in Mary Grant, SGA, and the future, the voices of any others who took ofstudent and faculty will fense to some of the signs be delivered loud and displayed during the proclear.

Women and girls need self-esteem; sign the petition

Skyla Seamans Columnist

The women’s magazine Off Our Chests has started a petition called the “Protect our Girls and Pass the Media and Public Health Act,” which is seeking ten thousand signatures nationwide.

The petition will encourage the passing of federal legislature that will require advertisers and editors to stop airbrushing and photoshopping models or call for labels to inform readers that a picture or model has been altered.

The magazine’s website says: “The simple fact is there’s an epidemic crisis of confidence affecting girls and women, and both its causes and effects are going largely ignored and unspoken in and by the mainstream.”

In the United States, over 50 percent of 13-year-old girls say they are unhappy with their bod-

Nora Weiss Columnist

Disclaimer: This editorial has no connection to guns, referendums, etc. Any and all English majors looking to deeply analyze and find a hidden meaning in this piece of writing, please cease and desist your actions immediately.

Let’s be honest: there is such thing as a stupid question. However, stupid is in the eye of the beholder. We may not be completely educated on a certain topic or policy, so that’s why we ask questions.

It seems that some of us, many of us, are embarrassed to catch up and don’t want to ask that ‘stupid’ question. So, we get defensive and accusatory. How many times have we grimaced about the way ARAMARK runs its to-go policy, or about how the new Starbucks kiosk is open at an awkward time?

Count how many times we’ve sat in a circle with our friends and really just bitched about how bored we were. Are things really this hopeless, or are we just so afraid to double check that we’ve gone mad with being defensive jerks?

A conversation many people have concerns the quality of

13

Opinion

Thursday, February 9, 2012

ies and by the time they have reached 17, that percentage has reached 78, according to change. org.

These girls are exposed to over 250,000 television commercials sending them the message that body size matters and the only way to achieve success and approval is to be perfect.

According to the Girl Scout Research Institute, one-third of all girls have a distorted idea about their weight and one in four college women are suffering from an eating disorder.

These figures are startling. If modified advertisements are required by law to be labeled as such, then at least this would illustrate to girls and women that no one is perfect. Not even models.

Off Our Chests states that 80 percent of women said they lose confidence and feel bad about themselves after they have seen a beauty advertisement. But this is the point.

Advertising companies spend 20 billion dollars on beauty marketing in the United States annually. By making women feel inadequate, this persuades them they need the product in the advertisement to feel beautiful,

when the narrow idea of beauty portrayed is not even attainable.

“If we save one life, if one girl or one woman feels better about herself because of truth-in-advertising labeling, how’s that a bad thing?,” the Off Our Chest website says.

Freshman Carrisa Sacherski, the newest staff member at the Women’s Center, said she is in full support of this act and has signed the petition.

“Girls seem to be affected by these media images the most,” Sacherski said. “They grow up having this idea of how they are supposed to look. It creates boundaries, limitations, and issues for them. It makes them more susceptible to lower selfesteem.”

She said these images have affected her because of how rare it is to see a full figured model in the media, even though the average woman wears a size 14.

“I grew up seeing these images everywhere,” she said. “It is not healthy. It does not make girls feel good about themselves, especially since women don’t really look like that.”

To start your own petition or to search and sign this one, go to www.change.org. I did.

ARAMARK. From the food to the policies on our campus, complaints fall out of everyone’s mouth, no one is innocent. Probably one of the biggest gripes during the fall semester was the loss of to-go containers from the cafeteria. We students were so upset that we filled the SGA open meeting forum… oh wait. No, we didn’t. But, we must have gone to the Food Meetings between ARAMARK managers and students, right? Nope, we didn’t go.

One virtue our SGA pushes is students having a voice. It’s true: we all have that opportunity to go to forums and meetings and whatever else is going down to give our opinion. With all these issues made to seem so important, though, it’s easy to get lost in the tornado of things to fix and be passionate about. So, how can a student use their voice to the simplest degree?

Ask. Seriously, just open your mouth and ask a question… politely.

Many students complained about how the cafeteria would never allow to-go containers; I saw my peers crippled by such policy this semester with less students in the caf and more at the grocery store buying snacks. Here’s the odd thing, though: I asked an ARAMARK worker about the to-go option, and guess what? I got to take my lunch to-go that day.

I politely asked the sweet women who work the Starbucks kiosk why their operation hours are so weird. Their response gave me hope. While adjusting the technology and implementing the coffee operations, the kiosk had to properly align itself with ARAMARK and its in-house policies.

In a few short weeks, the kiosk will be open earlier; eight in the morning to be exact, so those of us plagued with having to buy Green Mountain coffee or actually make our own, have no fear, for we will soon be saved.

There is also the function of asking ourselves how we can make a difference in the way we perceive things. Bored? We need to ask ourselves what the school may be offering that night. Check First Class Announcement for Students, the “What’s Happening” pamphlet, and Facebook. There is always something happening somewhere, even a pick-up game in Venable Gym. Just like change won’t happen without our voice, our questions won’t be answered unless you ask. We may not even like the answer, but now we’re just that more informed.

Still, the school could meet us halfway. There could be a sign by the Info Desk in the Marketplace (yup, that’s what that odd-shaped desk is), announcements emailed directly to students about policy changes, and more banner space to give information about MCLA events.

We students need to realize sooner than later that the real world barely gives out information; we have to find it ourselves.

We can complain all we want, but these harps are never received well and usually met with lousy service, or just silence. By using our voice in a more positive manner, we’re more likely to be more informed, see change, and actually appreciate it.

Metaphors, Illusions and Firearms Imagine you and give-or-take 2,000 of your closest friends go out for ice cream.

The establishment you go to advertises lots of new and improved treats, and you’re excited. But when you get there you find they have only two flavors of ice cream: Mint Chocolate… and Bubblegun.

And while some of your group elects to try Bubblegun, the majority of y’all pick the former, because gunflavored ice cream, admittedly, sounds kind of uncomfortable and unnecessary.

You wait a long time to get your ice creamy results. Then the owners come out to greet you by saying that after much consideration, they’ve decided by a vote of 10-1 it is in your group’s best interest that y’all receive Bubblegun. Also the first round of ice cream will cost you $24,635, and that you’ll have to eat Bubblegun for $6,026 annually after that. Also also, the owners have locked all the exits, and the only way to leave is to accept your gun-flavored ice cream, or to never ever come back. Sounds kind of ridiculous, huh?

Thanks to the wonders of extended metaphor and hyperbole, this is how the process of arming campus police went down.

For almost a year, we were subjected to an all-but-endless circus parade of meetings scheduled at the most inopportune times, of polls where the results meant nothing, and, the coup de grâce: last Thursday’s Board of Trustees vote of 10-1 in favor of armaments.

As an aside: Why the goshdarned heck is there a Williams provost on our Board, yet MCLA is not represented in

Jessie Wright Columnist

Williams’ own gaggle of trustees? Shouldn’t one of our own help decide “what’s best” for Williams students when “Dr. William C. Dudley” does the same for us? Doesn’t seem fair to me. But I digress.

Guns. I’m torn. They seem to be one of those necessary evils in this day and age. (Or, at least, that what our society has been lead to believe.) Better to have guns and never need them than to need them and be without, right?

Also, in four or five years, no one will give a crap about the fact that this one time, the administration blatantly went against the wishes of students and faculty members in favor of what they thought was “best” for us. Institutional memory is fun like that.

Yet… I can’t shake this sickening feeling that the decision to introduce firearms to this fairly quiet campus was an all but definite “yes” right from the get-go.

The administration gave students and faculty the illusion that our opinions mattered, that voicing our displeasure held any sort of sway. And we fell for it.

Of those that cared enough to vote, 67 percent of students and 90 percent of faculty said “No thanks.”

I can’t help but feel like we’ve been played for a fool. Did we who said NO think that we could really change anything?

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14

Thursday, February 9, 2012

World and Science

NASA remains US Sanctions Iran to confident in Russian head-off Israel, prevent space shuttles depite violence from breaking out recent glitches Associated Press

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) – NASA says it still has confidence in the quality of Russia’s manned rockets, despite an embarrassing series of glitches and failures in the Russian space program.

A leak developed recently during a test of the next Soyuz capsule scheduled to launch astronauts to the International Space Station, so Russian space officials have decided not to use it. That delays upcoming launches.

NASA relies solely on Russia to take crews to the space station.

NASA space station manager Michael Suffredini said he still considers the Soyuz rocket the world’s most reliable space system.

“I have confidence in the focus and abilities of the managers who build the systems and fly those systems,’’ Suffredini said Thursday during a NASA teleconference.

The Soyuz leak means that the six crew members at the space station now will spend a few extra weeks in space.

American Dan Burbank, who is the station commander, and Russians Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoly Ivanishin will stay in orbit until the end of April. American Don Petit,

Dutch astronaut Andre Kuipers and Russian Oleg Konenko, will stay in space through the end of June for about 193 days in space, pushing close to the limit of 200 days that NASA likes.

The latest problem comes after a series of failures in unmanned Russian rockets that raised questions about quality control in the nation that launched the first satellite and human into space.

Last month, a spacecraft that was supposed to have gone to a Mars moon crashed back to Earth after a launch failure.

And in the past six months, a Russian communications satellite and a cargo ship to the space station have crashed.

“They’ve had a pretty challenging year, that’s true,’’ Suffredini said. But he said that really has nothing to do with the workhorse manned Soyuz capsule.

A private U.S. rocket _ the Dragon, built and operated

by Space Exploration Technologies _ probably will not launch before early April on a first-ever commercial resupply of the space station, Suffredini said. It had been set for a launch this month, but already was delayed.

SpaceX spokeswoman Kirstin Brost Grantham said the company ”will not launch before late March.’’ A date should be set in about two weeks.

Center for Science and Innovation construction update In January 27 “Notes and News,” President Mary Grant said the next phase of construction on the Center for Science and Innovation will begin in February. The Administration expects the pouring of the building foundation and footings, but specific dates will be determined based on the weather.

Web cams are capturing the construction progress. To see time lapse photos from three different spots on campus, visit www.mcla.edu/CSI.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Additional U.S. sanctions on Iran are more significant for their timing than their immediate effect on Iran’s economy, coming as the United States and its allies are arguing that Israel should hold off on any military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities to allow more time for sanctions to work.

The U.S. ordered tough new penalties Monday to give U.S. banks additional powers to freeze assets linked to the Iranian government and close loopholes that officials say Iran has used to move money despite earlier restrictions imposed by the U.S. and Europe.

Israelis officials have been open about their worry that Iran could be on the brink of a bomb by this summer and that this spring offers the last window of opportunity to destroy bomb-related facilities. Many Israeli officials believe that sanctions only give Iran time to move its nuclear program underground, out of reach of Israeli military strikes.

Nonetheless, the sanctions were endorsed Tuesday by Israel’s hawkish foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman.

“We appreciate the very crucial decision regarding the sanctions,’’ Lieberman told reporters in Washington, in between meetings with U.S. senators. “We are awaiting that the Iranians, they will give up their nuclear ambitions,’’ said Lieberman, who also met with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said the sanctions are not doing enough. “We are pleased to see increasing sanctions but so far they have not been deterred from their course,’’ he said of Iranian leaders.

Like previous economic penalties, these are intended to persuade Iran to back off what the West contends is a drive to build a nuclear bomb. Israel increasingly is concerned that sanctions will never be enough to make Iran drop what has become a national priority for a clerical regime that has vowed to wipe Israel off the map.

The faster and more effectively the sanctions can be seen to work, the better the case to shelve any plan by Israel to bomb Iran, a pre-emptory move that could ignite a new Mideast war. Taking this initial step against the Iranian

Central Bank, the first time the U.S. has directly gone after that major institution, is one way the Obama administration can show momentum now.

In Tehran, Ramin Mehmanparast, the foreign ministry spokesman, dismissed the sanctions as “propaganda.’’ He said Iran’s central bank has no financial transactions with the United States and would not be affected by the measures.

“Many of these (U.S.) activities are in the sphere of psychological war and propaganda, and they cannot affect our work,’’ he said.

“Many of these (U.S.) activities are in the sphere of psychological war and propaganda, and they cannot affect our work,’’ he said.

Israel considers Iran to be its most dangerous enemy and has vowed to prevent it from going nuclear. But an Israeli official in Jerusalem on Monday said the country’s prime minister has told Cabinet members not to be so outspoken about the possibility of attacking Iran.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing a closed meeting.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself often has commented about keeping all options on the table in dealing with Iran.

The new, stricter sanctions, authorized in legislation that President Barack Obama signed in December, will be enforced under an order he signed only now.

The U.S. and Europe want to deprive Iran of the oil income it needs to run its government and pay for the nuclear program. But many experts believe Iran will be able to find other buyers outside Europe.

The European Union announced last month it would ban the import of Iranian crude oil starting in July. The U.S. doesn’t buy Iranian oil, but last month it placed sanctions on Iran’s banks to make it harder for the nation to sell crude.

The U.S., however, has delayed implementing those sanctions for at least six months because it is worried about sending oil prices higher at a time when the world economy is struggling. Iran exports about 3 percent of the world’s oil.

White House spokesman Jay Carney denied that Monday’s unexpected announcement of new banking sanctions was a sign of heightened worry

about an Israeli attack.

“There has been a steady increase in our sanctions activity and this is part of that escalation,’’ he said.

Carney said U.S. sanctions on Iran already are squeezing Iran’s economy and have exacerbated tensions within the Iranian leadership.

“There is no question that the impact of the isolation on Iran and the economic sanctions on Iran have caused added turmoil within Iran,’’ he said.

Iran is the world’s third-largest exporter of crude oil, giving its leaders financial resources and leverage to withstand outside pressure. Last year, Iran generated $100 billion in revenue from oil, up from $20 billion a decade ago, according to IHS CERA, an energy consulting firm.

If Iranian oil is prevented from getting to market, other suppliers could make up the difference. The U.S. has been pressuring other Middle East and African nations to step up production for sale to Europe.

Saudi Arabia has said it could increase production to make up for any lost Iranian crude.

Iran’s disputed nuclear program became a global concern more than five years ago, when the extent of the country’s research and uranium enrichment began to be known. Since then a web of international economic and other sanctions have failed to stop Iran’s progress toward a point when it could build one or more nuclear devices.

U.S. intelligence agencies say Iran is indeed close to that ability but has not yet decided to go ahead. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful and denounces sanctions as aggression.

The White House previously had said it would take months to evaluate the likely effect on the fragile global economy before taking the next large steps, including new penalties on the Central Bank.

Now, U.S. institutions are required to seize any Iranian state assets they come across, rather than rejecting the transaction involved.

The value of Iranian assets affected by the new order was not clear. Iran does almost no direct business with the United States after three decades of enmity, but its money moves through the world financial system and its oil is sold in dollars.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

15

For Fun

Horoscopes

Aries: March 21-April 19 Your daring side is you in force today, and you may find that you need to push for something bigger, better and bolder. If your people can’t get behind it, then you need to step up and push harder.

Taurus: April 20-May 20 Relax and let go today -- of all things, including ego, power and control. You may find that your energy is best spent on things that didn’t seem to matter all that much to you a few days ago.

Gemini: May 21-June 21 Your debating skills are honed today, though you may not want to deploy them unless things start to get rough. Your opinions are clear, and others should know just where you stand on any issue.

Cancer: June 22-July22 You are showing off a little and finding new ways to impress your people. You may find that your new crush (or long-term squeeze) looks at you in a new way when all is said and done.

Leo: July 23-August 22 You are at your peak today, so make sure that you get to work on something that means a lot to you. Alternately, you could kick back and relax -- quit while you’re ahead! The good energy stays, no matter what you do.

Comic by Aurora Cooper This Week in MCLA History February 7, 1991 The College approved a contract that would officially affiliate the Greek organizations and the Inter-Greek Council with the College.

Sudoku Fill in the empty cells, one number in each, so that each column, row, and region contains the numbers 1 through 9 exactly once.

Virgo: August 23-Sept. 22 You may feel like an underdog today, but there are plenty of others who share that feeling, so band together and see if you can jointly get something good done to reverse that trend.

Libra: Sept. 23-Oct. 22 You need to get with your friends today -- they’ve got almost everything you need to succeed, and they are sure to help out as soon as you ask. It’s a great time for collaboration!

Scorpio: Oct. 23-Nov. 21 You’re facing a big challenge right now, so see if you can make yourself focus. When you’re fully engaged, nothing can compete, but if you have to multi-task, things might start to go south quickly.

February 6, 1997 An improvised explosive device was found at the Beta Chi Gamma fraternity house at 31 Blackington St. The bomb, made from a plastic bottle, contained unknown chemicals. A member found the device, and after it began to bubble and smoke, he dropped it and ran out of the house. Police determined the bomb was thrown into the house after everyone had gone to sleep.

Sagittarius: Nov. 22-Dec. 21 Your natural advantages are shining today, so make the most of them! Don’t worry about playing fair, as you can tell that your energy is just outmatching the competition, no matter what.

February 9, 2006 The College announced plans to introduce a new web portal for campus email. Administration said that FirstClass could go into use as early as the following March.

Capricorn: Dec. 22-Jan. 19 You can’t quite trust your instincts today -- people are hiding their true motivations, and some may even be concealing their identities! That just means that you’ve got to deal with what you’re sure that you know.

February 11, 2010 The Beacon reported on a memorial service for MCLA student Rolinda Mondesir, who passed away in December of 2009. A cappella group Hoosings performed “Lean on Me,” and Paul Miranda performed a dance set to “Fear” by One Republic.

Aquarius: Jan. 20-Feb. 18 Your energy is stretched out pretty tightly today, making things seem like they’re more important than they really are. Still, it’s fun, and you might be able to convince someone you’re right!

Students responded to the proposed Wal-Mart super-center on Curran Highway.

Courtesey sudoku.au.com

Pisces: Feb. 19-March 20 You’ve got a serious fantasy life, and on a day like today, it may start to take over. See if you can get your people to give you the space you need to dream yourself into a better life.

Horoscopes courtesy of Yahoo.com

16

Thursday, february 9, 2012

Photo Essay

theonlinebeacon.com

Students gathered in front of Eldridge Hall last Friday to protest the arming of Public Safety.

Students protest Trustees’ decision to arm campus police Photos by: Ed Damon & contributors Professor Joseph Ebiware joined the protest.

(Above and right) Protesters made signs expressing their displeasure at the Trustees’ decision.