April 28, 2011 - Spring '11 Issue 12

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

Volume 73, Issue 12 www.theonlinebeacon.com Thursday, April 28, 2011

New Student Gov. inaugurated

By Edward Damon Managing Editor

The 2011-2012 Student Government was sworn in during Monday night’s meeting.

SGA President Jessica Krayson swore in the new president, junior Todd Foy, who ran unopposed for the seat. Foy then swore-in the 2011-2012 SGA executive board.

The first order of business was electing senate chair and senate secretary. Senator Jason Brown nominated Korinna Dennehey for senate chair, and President Foy nominated Rachel Kish. Senator Cat Chaput nominated Brown, who respectfully declined because he holds another e-board position. After deliberation among the SGA body, Foy announced Kish to be the new senate chair.

For the senate secretary seat, Student Trustee Jaynelle Bellemore nominated senator Jake Powers and Foy nominated Dennehey. Powers was chosen for secretary seat.

Foy addressed all present with a short inaugural speech.

Photo by Dan Sheehan/Beacon staff

Newly elected SGA president Todd Foy swears-in SGA members. From left: Treasurer Peter Swain, Student Trustee Jaynelle Bellemore, Parliamentarian Natasha Rothrock, Coordinating Vice President Jackie Nash, Executive Vice President Stephanie Esposito, and Public Relations coordinator Kate Moore.

“The university is evolving right before our eyes,” he said. “And the beauty of it all is that we, as stu-

dents, have the power to influence it.”

Foy said he foresees many op-

Earth Day sparks local forum discussion

By Nicole Knapp Staff Writer

A panel of five came together last Friday in Murdock Hall to celebrate Earth Day and address local environmental and green issues in an event called “An Earth Day Community Forum.”

Caroline Scully, coordinator of the MCLA Berkshire Environmental Resource Center, spoke about an energy study being done with the state to learn about what more can be done at MCLA. For the future, she said she’d like to look into transportation issues and add ways to carpool and bike.

She would also like to find a way for the campus to grow some of their own food and for students to become more involved.

“I think one of the things that North Adams does well is that they have MCLA here with an environmental studies program,” said Wendy Penner from the Center for Eco Technology. “When you take advantage of the programs here at MCLA, the world is your oyster. I think you have incredible opportunities here.”

Bruce Winn, the president of the Berkshire Environmental Action Team, said that the state has already set an impressive standard to reduce greenhouse

Photo by Cara Sheedy/Beacon staff

Local green issues were discussed at a panel last Friday. gas emissions by 25% by 2020. that a lot more could be done as Penner said that the city of North a community to raise awareness, Adams has also made a commit- but that there’s already been a lot ment to reduce emissions and of effort in becoming a certified that she would like to see a group green community in the last year of empowered citizens who will and a half. Looking forward, one educate people about renewable of his goals is that something will energy. She added that the goal be done with the landfill in the is to reduce the impact on the en- next few years and that the North vironment and also improve the Adams solar project, which will quality of life at the same time. save on electricity costs, will be a “I believe people are capable of success. true greatness and that we really EARTH continued on can change the world,” she said.

Richard Alcombright, the page 13 mayor of North Adams, thought

portunities for students to influence MCLA over the next year, including making the Green

Team a bigger part of the campus community, forming an SGA Residential Programs and Services committee, and creating a LGBTQ resource center.

“The decisions we make and the actions we take here will shape the MCLA of the 21st century,” Foy said. “But we should not be frightened by that. Rather, we should accept that challenge and meet it head on. We are inspired.

We are invigorated. We are ready.”

The 2011-2012 SGA e-board consists of: President Todd Foy, Executive Vice President Stephanie Esposito, Coordinating Vice President Jackie Nash, and Student Trustee Jaynelle Bellemore.

The Senate at-large representatives are Tyeson Belle, Jason Brown, Catt Chaput, Korinna Dennehey and Hanna Sterns. The Athlete Senate Seat is Dan Saunders, the Greek Senate Representative is Christopher Hantman, and the Commuter Senate seat is Sara Grimaldi. Class of 2013 senators are Juwonni Cottle and Nashua Rosa. Class of 2014 Senators are Rachel Kish and Jake Powers.

New major seeks accreditation

By Skyla Seamans Staff Writer

The athletic training program is in the process of being accredited, and the College hopes to achieve this distinction within the next year.

However, in the meantime, graduates of the program cannot be certified as athletic trainers without the accreditation, according to college officials.

The athletic training program was approved as a separate major under the Biology Department by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education in June 2009.

All majors must be accredited by New England Schools and Colleges (NEASC) but in order for students to become certified in athletic training, the athletic training major must also be approved by the Commission of Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), according to Monica Joslin, dean of Academic Affairs.

“It is a very thorough process,” she said. “Since the major is seeking its own unique accreditation, it needs to go above and beyond the standard process for all other majors.”

The major stemmed from a great

interest in the sports medicine concentration under the biology department. The department then decided to make a separate athletic training major to accommodate the needs of the students.

SPORTS continued on page 3

Inside the Beacon: Pg. 3: Do students utilize health services?

Pg. 5: The education club responds to the Beacon.

Pg. 9: Sam Adams comes to MCLA.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

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News

Stairwell Sea at EP

Photo by Tyson Luneau/Beacon staff

Devan Gardner, a student at MCLA and the vocalist of Stairwell Sea, played a show at Elf Parlor on Saturday, April 16.

That’s...interesting Stories of the bizarre from around the globe

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) _ Lincoln police are wondering whether other restaurant operators have noticed their grease is missing.

A total of about 4,000 pounds of grease has been stolen from six restaurants.

Its estimated worth ranges up to $900.

The grease could be used for a biofuel, but the exact reason for the thefts remains a mystery.

Police told the Lincoln Journal Star that the thefts are believed to have occurred in the past week.

There are no suspects.

CHICAGO (AP) _ Chicago police have a real headscratching case on their hands as they try to root out who stole human hair from a beauty-supply company.

Police say what they consider a “very valuable’’ amount of hair was taken early Sunday by burglars at the Beauty One shop.

Authorities say the culprits pried open a huge steel door that had been secured with two deadbolt locks, then swiped the hair.

No dollar amount for the hair was given, and there was no immediate explanation why thieves would want it.

A police sergeant says he’s been to a lot of robberies, but never one involving hair.

This week in MCLA History April 28, 1988 The Beacon reported that five North Adams State College students were arrested and charged with illegal sale of alcohol and procuring alcohol for minors. “This wasn’t just a party bust,” said Arthur Kelly, North Adams Pubic Safety commissioner. “The premises were entered and searched after we had received a warrant from a judge.” Several items were confiscated, including cash, party tickets, stolen property, kegs, beer dispensers and drug paraphernalia.

April 25, 1996 The College became involved in “normal procedures” after receiving several complaints of unprofessional conduct against a Music professor. The administration could not release any further details regarding the 11 complaints that the professor physically removed a female student from class. In addition to these complaints, two female alumni also filed informal complaints that the professor exhibited inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature.

April 24, 2003 The Beacon reported on a number of mysterious fliers that were appearing around campus. According to Doug McNeil, director of Public Safety, over the previous few weeks several bulletin boards around campus were stripped and fliers with the message “I AM BEING CENSORED” were left. Public Safety did not investigate the incidents as crimes, adding that there was no evidence that the fliers were put up by a student.

Police Logs 18 April 7:07 p.m.

Public Safety responded to a drug offense in the Campus Center. A report was filed.

19 April 8:03 a.m.

Public Safety responded to a report of vandalism at the Athletic Complex. An action was completed.

20 April 5:58 p.m.

By the numbers Public Safety responded to a report of an un- During the week endwanted guest in Vening April 23 Public able Hall. The subject Safety responded to: was warned.

24 Requests to unlock 23 April 3:48 p.m.

Public Safety respond- doors ed to a report of suspi- 4 Request to jump start cious activity in Venvehicles able Hall. The subject 4 Building checks was warned.

3 Reports of suspicious activity

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

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Abbot Cutler: Life as an American poet

By Edward McCormick Staff Writer

“I remember that the earth will hum into spring,” ends MCLA professor Abbot Cutler’s poem, “Leeks”. His poem was published in the March/April issue of Orion Magazine.

Abbot Cutler began his career at MCLA twenty five years ago.

After working as an adjunct he took a full time position in the late 1980’s. Cutler teaches poetry and introduction to literature at the College. He also teaches Contemporary American Poetry and the Times, a course he developed himself.

“If you read the poets over the past fifty years you get a different view of the country than if you read the newspapers and magazines,” Cutler said. In his poetry course, students read contemporary poetry then write their own poems.

“It gives them a better feel for what Ginsberg and Lowell and Stafford and Bly and all those guys were doing,” he explained.

Cutler was a British and American literature major at Harvard during the sixties. During his senior year, he took a course in contemporary American poetry. I was kind of hooked,” Cutler admitted. The poetry class had a profound effect on him.

Photo by Cara Sheedy/Beacon staff

Abbot Cutler has had his poetry published numerous times in book and magazine form.

News

tor’s trip to China.

“I got reading her letters and diaries; they were in my grandmother’s barn,” Cutler said.

His second collection, titled “The Dog Isn’t Going Anywhere,” was published in 2000

by Mad River Press.

Recently, Cutler recited one of his poems at a local reading. After the event, an editor of Orion Magazine, which is based out of Great Barrington, approached Cutler and asked for a submission.

“I sent her a bunch of poems and she chose ‘Leeks’,” he said.

He cautioned that the road to being published is not easy.

“There is way too much focus on being published,” Cutler said.

Instead he suggests future writers and poets to concentrate on their craft. This is a process that can take years according to Cutler. “Try to write good poems then think about getting published ten years down the road,” he stressed.

Cutler’s advice to MCLA students is to start with ‘Spires’. He has been the faculty advisor for the student publication for over ten years.

“The College magazine is a great place to get published, your friends see it, and your work is out there.” he said.

“They were talking about things that really mattered to me, and so that was interesting,” he said.

After graduating Harvard, Cutler joined the Peace Corps and journeyed to the island of Borneo. There, he began to write.

“I liked it there a lot, I learned a lot,” Cutler said. He spent two

years in a remote jungle village that could only be reached by a small steam train. “It took eight hours to go eighty miles.”

After returning from Borneo Cutler lived in San Francisco, New York City, Boston and Vermont before finally settling in the Berkshires. He also saw Allen Ginsberg read four or five

times.

“One time I went to see him read down in the Village and he read from his FBI files instead of his poems,” he revealed.

Cutler’s first book of poetry, “1843- Rebecca-1847” was published by Rowan Tree Press in 1981. He based the poems in the collection on one of his ances-

Director of Health Services, Jody Tierney, agrees that many students want a 24-hour Health Services, but says it cannot be done.

“It’s an issue that comes up every year,” Tierney said. “In order to do that [be 24 hours], we’d have to raise fees and it wouldn’t be as affordable for students to come to MCLA. It’s a financial issue.”

Tierney also said that during the extended hours on Tuesdays, they have only seen about eight to 10 students all year. She said they do not want to be open 24 hours or on the weekends and pay someone to not see any students.

Finally, Tierney said that they want to teach students to take care of themselves, which it seems many students already are.

“I have a whole pharmacy in my room,” Cooney said.

“I drink a lot of tea and take a lot of Dayquil and Nyquil,” sophomore Victoria Patnaude said. She

said it would have to be really serious for her to go down to Health Services.

Some of the services provided

by Health Services are: •Care for minor illness or injury •Physicals •Women’s health care •Prescriptions and select over the counter medications •Some immunizations •Laboratory testing •STI assessment and testing •Sports, work, and travel physicals •Travel clinic •Wellness programming •Health education •Referrals If there is something they cannot help a student with, or it is an emergency, Public Safety can arrange transportation to the North Adams Regional Hospital.

Press release – In conjunction with the annual Drag Dance, BGLAD (Bisexuals, Gays, Lesbians and Allies Making a Difference) is hosting a panel talk on queer issues tonight at 7 p.m. in Murdock 218.

The panel will discuss several talking points relating to contemporary LGBTQ issues.

These issues include the history and importance of drag, and the importance and meanings surrounding “coming out.” The fluid conversation will allow the different panelists to show their interests and expertise.

There will also be a chance for audience members to submit questions anonymously prior to the start of the event.

The panel will consist of five members of the MCLA community. The two professors on the panel will be Dr. Sumi Colligan, Sociology professor, and Dr. Graziana Ramsden, Modern Language professor. The three students on the panel will be juniors Andrew McNamara, Devan Monroe and Krystal Palmer. The evening’s discussion will be moderated and facilitated by Professor Amy Stevens and junior Ed Damon.

The panel is open to the public, and light refreshments will be served. For questions relating to BGLAD, email Edward Damon on FirstClass (ED5657@mcla.edu).

First, the self-study report must be submitted for review by CAATE, who then locates places for revision. Next, evaluators will visit the department, observe classes, and perform interviews to see if the commission’s standards are set in place.

Then the accreditation must be approved by the All-College Committee and the Board of Trustees for the college.

“The final process is for the institution to make sure the major has the resources and curriculum it needs to meet national standards as indicated by CAATE,” Joslin said.

Materials are being collected and the accreditation process is currently in the preparatory

phase. The proposal is planned for submission this July.

Joslin said, “When we knew we had an interest in the program, we quickly began this lengthy process. We want to make sure we offer high quality programs for our students.”

She also said current athletic training majors are able to obtain a job without the CAATE accreditation. She said they can seek certification as an athletic trainer in graduate school but can acquire jobs that do not need the certification upon graduating with a bachelor’s degree, such as working in physical therapy.

Senior Ryan Watari said he is concerned with the current state

and future of the athletic training program. He said the major is difficult not only because of the amount of skills and knowledge students must acquire before they graduate, but also because students are required to do clinical hours, or contact hours spent with an athletic trainer.

“Due to the fact that the curriculum is not accredited, it is not seen as competitive,” Watari said. “Therefore, it attracts less students.”

Sophomore Ashley Shuster and freshman Kristen Robillard are both looking to transfer in order to gain certification as athletic trainers.

“I am transferring because the athletic training program isn’t

completely accredited and I was unaware of this coming to MCLA,” Robillard said. “As far as I know, the major is not accredited because we currently only have one staff member teaching, as well as not having any equipment intensive sports like lacrosse, football, or hockey, although I have heard that the plans for accreditation have gotten going.”

Schuster also wishes to transfer in order to gain a bachelor’s degree while gaining her certification as an athletic trainer.

“Coming to school last year, I did not know that I wanted to do athletic training,” she said. “I had heard that it wasn’t accredited but I didn’t think much of it.”

BGLAD sponsors Do students utilize Health Services at MCLA? queer panel tonight

By Andrea Whitney Staff Writer When students at MCLA get sick they have a variety of options for dealing with their illness.

While health services provides care, many students choose to treat themselves.

“I drink at least seven bottles of liquid,” said junior Colin Topham.

“I basically stay in my room,” said freshman Lily Urquhart.

Freshman Marli LaGrone agreed when she said, “I just stay in bed all day.”

Students find it hard to get help from Health Services, especially with the hours. They are open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day except for Tuesdays when they are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on the weekends.

“The only thing I’d say is bad,” said sophomore Megan Cooney, “is they’re not open on the weekends and close early.”

SPORTS continued from page 1 Peter Hoyt, the athletic training program director, said the department is moving forward with the accreditation process, but it has taken much time and effort to be where they are today.

“The process for accreditation has involved us to perform a self-study and identify what the program is compliant with and what we are not compliant with according to the standards,” he said. “Through the self-study process, we have identified that we are missing two major things: a medical director and a clinical coordinator, in which we are actively searching for now.”

Thursday, April 28, 2011

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Op-Ed Allergy Accomodation

By Melissa DeGenova Copy Chief

If the school can’t accommodate students with food allergies and intolerances, it’s not for lack of concern or sympathy on the part of the servers and cooks in the Centennial Room. They have always been willing to do the best with their limited resources to help students find something that they can eat. However, this lack of resources is perhaps as well a lack of awareness among the staff of the needs of students with special dietary needs, which makes it impossible for those students to safely dine in the Centennial Room cafeteria.

Individual food allergies are difficult enough for the person suffering from them to stay on top of. There are all sorts of sneaky ways that allergens creep into food.

“Modified food starch” contains soy and wheat. “Binder” is code for egg, and “caramel color” comes from milk. While further education could help make the cafeteria staff more aware of this, it’s unrealistic to expect them to stay on top of every single hidden ingredient.

That is why the cafeteria should post lists of the ingredients their foods contain. This could be as simple as cutting out the labels on the recipes they use and taping them to the front of each station where students can read them.

Most of the food comes premade, and if not, the staff can simply post copies of their recipes. Or dining services could post the ingredients online. They already include the nutrition information on the dinning section of the College Web site. It would be simple to post them there.

Of course, this would do nothing to expand the availability of allergen-free food in the cafeteria. The fact is that there is very little food in the cafeteria that is free of common allergens, and nothing that is cooked in a way that prevents cross-contamination.

Students could always resign themselves to eating at the salad bar every night, if they didn’t mind forgoing dressing. However, many allergists and nutritionists recommend avoiding salad bars because it is so easy to mix spoons and other equipment.

The best way for the school to deal with this problem would be to set up a designated station to accommodate people with special dietary needs. This station would serve three designated meals: one that is free of common allergens (soy and legumes, nuts, eggs, dairy, etc.), one that is gluten-free, and one that is vegan.

The reason that there needs to be a separate gluten-free meal is because gluten-free cooking uses exotic flours that are often made from beans or nuts as a substitute for wheat flour. Nut and bean ingredients are also commonly used in vegan meals, so special care would still have to be taken to prevent cross contamination.

Until these measures can be taken, the school should attempt to expand the variety of allergenfree offers to students. The College should consider serving breads that contain no oils in the deli station such as ciabatta and French bread, as well as gluten-free breads. They could partner with a local bakery in the same way that they have partnered with Berkshire Bagels (which by the way are soy-free!).

The cafeteria has made some progress, switching from PAM spray, which contains common allergens, to olive oil. The cooks in the cafeteria can also answer any questions that students have about ingredients. But the safest bet for students with food allergens is to avoid the cafeteria until they can minimize the risk of cross contamination.

Campus Comment Have you even been to Health Services and how do you feel about it?

I have been but not this year.

They seem very helpful.

I’ve never been but based on the emails they send it sounds like they have a decent program.

-Kyle Innis ‘11

-Shannon Ciuk ‘13

I have, it was fine. I went when I had a cold, I liked it.

I have never been there for a medical reason, I’ve just been there to hand in paper work, so I don’t have much of an opinion.

-Juliana Correia’14

-Katherine Russell ‘14

I have been. It’s kinda cool. The doctor I had was very helpful and game me a lot of options and that is really nice.

I have been to Health Services but I feel like they need to make themselves more avalible to the students, like better hours.

-Will Herrero ‘14

-Wesley St. Marie ‘13

Compiled by SOME PERSON/Beacon staff

The Beacon

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Andrew Roiter Managing Editor Edward Damon Senior News Editor Chris Goodell Sports Editor Christopher Fries A&E Editor Mary Redstone Features Editor John Durkan Design Editor Siobhan Tripp Photo Editor Dan Sheehan Copy Chief Melissa DeGenova Ad Manager Tatyana Gorski Business Manager Melissa Notarangelo Web Editor Jeffrey Shapiro

Writers News Andrea Whitney Skyla Seamans Nicole Knapp Ed McCormick Laura Field Sports Brendan Foley Phil Mabey Kaitland Hager Costia Karolinski

A&E Robert Mangiamele Steve O’Connor Siobhan Tripp Contributors Cartoonist Kaleigh McKinley

Photographers Tyson Luneau Cara Sheedy Mark Burridge Dennise Carranza Videographers Kim Pincus Gena Conlon Columnists Mark Burridge Jack Deming Shataya Pride Horoscopes Angelena RouseMcCarthy

Copy Editors Shataya Pride Jack Deming Melissa DeGenova Liz Wear Jessica Wright Charles Baker

Crossword Jacob Wheeler

Design Team Kristy McCluskey

Policies

The Beacon is published Thursdays during the academic year and is distributed free to the College community. The Beacon is funded by the Student Government Association, the English Business Communications department and from ad revenues.

The Beacon is located in room 111 of Mark Hopkins Hall at Ad Representatives MCLA. The news desk phone number is 413-662-5535. The business Andrew Elliot Corinne Beauchemin office phone number 413-662-5404. To contact us via the web, the e-mail address is Beacon@mcla.mass.edu. The Beacon webJennifer Kesewa site address is www.theonlinebeacon.com Jacob McCall Mission Statement Tano Holmes The Beacon newspaper strives to provide timely and accurate news of campus and local events.

Advisers Editorials Policy Unsigned editorials that appear on these pages reflect the Jenifer Augur views of The Beacon’s editorial board. Signed columns and Paul LeSage commentaries that appear on these pages reflect the views of Gillian Jones the writers.

Letters Policy The Beacon welcomes Letters to the Editor. Deadline is noon on Mondays for that week’s newspaper.

Letters should be kept to 500 words or fewer and are subject to editing for grammar and content. The Beacon will not publish anonymous or libelous letters.

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

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Op-Ed Just A Thought

By Shataya Pride Columnist This time of the semester is crunch time for everyone. Paper, project, and presentation deadlines are looming in the air. The change in weather causes summertime jitters. Finals are right around the corner. However, this

Jungle Work

By John Deming Columnist Last week I was informed that journalist Tim Hetherington was killed in Misurata, Libya while covering their civil war from the

Who Needs Help? We all do. time of year can also cause anxiety because of all of the pressure of what needs to be finished and what is to come.

These things can contribute to depression. According to a list compiled by the National Institute of Mental Health, some of the causes of depression in college students include greater academic demands, changes in social life, financial responsibilities, being on your own in a new environment and preparing for life after graduation.

These are all common things, as is depression, but oftentimes people don’t realize that they are depressed or won’t admit and accept that they are. Another predicament is that although a person might know that he or she

is depressed, the people around might not.

Some symptoms include a loss of interest in usual activities, appetite and weight changes, and sleep disturbances. All of these things can be attributed to regular stress, and aren’t necessarily recognized as symptoms of depression.

Another issue that might arise is unwillingness to get help when people realize that they are depressed.

Although depression is very common, especially among college-aged people, counseling is still a very taboo issue. There are people who would rather “selfmedicate” than receive treatment.

According to an AOL Health ar-

ticle by Ronni Koenig, “Concerns that college students’ emotional problems will negatively influence time management skills and good decision-making when it comes to drugs and alcohol have administrators worried.”

There are some students who, when dealing with negative emotions, would rather drown them in partying and alcohol than face the issue head on. These same students might also come from an environment where counseling is denounced and they’re left with very minimal options.

Friends can be a great support system, but even they have limitations.

It is important for administrators to acknowledge the issues that students are facing and help

guide them through it. A way to do this would be to have advisors and other administrators go through training programs; students might be more inclined to confide in their advisors than a counselor.

Another beneficial thing would be a mentor system. One important aspect of human nature is acknowledgment of the fact that one is not alone. When people can relate to others, it can alleviate the pressure of a troubling situation.

Although it may take a while before counseling is more widely accepted, help is still needed for people who are struggling. As hard as it might be, set your pride aside and ask for help. Good luck with your work, loves!

For Hetherington front lines. If you do not know who this man was, that is understandable; after all, how often do we actually think about those who are risking their lives to keep us informed?

After seeing Hetherington’s hauntingly stark documentary “Restrepo,” a film that follows members of 2nd Platoon of Battle Company on a 15-month tour of duty in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan, I was fascinated with how dangerous the journalism profession can be, and how dedication can heroically replace fear. Never had I seen a journalist constantly risk his life to capture the story of those fighting and surviving in a place referred to at the time as “the deadliest place

on earth.”

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a non-profit group that promotes press freedom and the rights of journalists worldwide, Hetherington is only one of 21 journalists who have lost their lives in action this year, with five total journalist deaths occurring in Libya alone.

The number of those who have become martyrs for this noble profession and its goal has risen steadily for 15 years, with 34 journalist deaths in 1996, and a peak of 110 journalism and media worker deaths in 2007.

This alarming rise of mortality in the line of duty (or should I say objectivity), is staggering, and a tell tale sign of

the violent state of the world.

As each decade comes and goes a new area of the world seems to usher in conflict, while some have known little else.

Wherever the truth need be told, journalists have a duty to expose, while staying unarmed and objective. As New York Times Reporter David Carr wrote in a recent article, “Missiles can be guided from great distances, and drone aircraft can be commanded by a joystick, but journalists still have to go and see where the bombs landed.”

Living in a country where the focus of journalism is to somehow survive and evolve in an ever changing media environment, these recent events can

serve as a stark but assuring reminder that this profession and all of its facets of expression are essential to our day to day lives.

The number of places from which we get our news continues to expand at a phenominal rate; unfortunately this causes future division concerning what news angle we focus on depending on our beliefs (Liberal, Conservative, Religious etc.)

Hetherington’s job was to document humanity at its most extreme and terrifying; it was not conservative news created for Fox, and it was not Liberal news created for MSNBC; it was extreme news with no fabrication necessary; it was real life.

communication and involvement between the education majors, the education department and the community surrounding MCLA. In order to do this, we have been working with the education department.

The following is our mission statement that we formally adopted on Wednesday, April 20: The Education Club’s mission is to provide students interested in the field of education with the power to voice issues, the means to form and strengthen relationships within the field, and a community of students who collaborate with the department to better our collective educational experience at MCLA.” Just to clarify, the education faculty and department have been more than cooperative with listening to our ideas and have done nothing but encourage the Education Club’s efforts.

The Education Club will be working with the department and community to set up a time for local school administrators, cooperating teachers, department heads as well as MCLA pre-practicum students to meet and begin networking with one another.

The Education Club would like

to strengthen the relationship between all other departments and the education department by having student liaisons that are present in department meetings that relay the students’ concerns to the faculty. Aurora Cooper and I were asked by Susan Edgerton to be the student liaisons that attend the education department meetings and voice student concerns.

Education majors took action by first speaking with Susan Edgerton and getting the education department on board with allowing the students to start to help make changes. We were embraced, and the members of the education department are more than welcome to come to meetings to express their opinions and offer advice.

Thank you for allowing me to correct the inaccuracies that were printed about the Education Club.

I can only hope that those of you that are thinking about not only being teachers but coaches, counselors and social workers would like to join our club to better the community of MCLA as a whole.

Response from the Education Department.

education department has been given a splendid opportunity to get ongoing feedback from this hard-working group, and with that, a chance to tailor our programs to better serve students, the college, and the community.

It has also been gratifying to see that many of the initiatives we have recently begun work on are closely matched with what our students are asking for. That said, Education Club members have already come up with a number of excellent ideas that have extended our thinking. At the same time, students in this club have now had the opportunity to learn from us more about the kinds of community outreach and program planning we have been doing that were not previously evident to them. We look forward to a long and fruitful collaboration.

Letters to the Editor

We were misrepresented.

I want to thank the Beacon for agreeing to write a story about the Education Club. However, there were a number of misunderstandings in the transaction that could lead to significant misconceptions. In order for the Education Club to get started on the right foot, we need to clarify our meaning and correct any inaccuracies.

The Education Club was cofounded by Alex Lenski, Ken Borter, Aurora Cooper and myself, along with several others.

We are a democratic, student-led club, and there is not a decision made without consulting the club members. We were not assigned these positions, but we were instead nominated by our peers to represent them while beginning to work with the community and Education department to better the educational experience here at MCLA. The Education Club meets every Wednesday from 6:30-8 in Mark Hopkins on the second floor in the Education Conference Room.

One of the focuses of the Education Club is to establish better

Sincerely, Caitlin Powers Education Club President

I echo Caitlin’s thanks to The Beacon for agreeing to feature the new student-run Education Club.

Education department faculty members are thrilled about the formation of this club. Unfortunately, some misunderstandings that came through the interview process might have offered the impression that the Education Club is working at cross-purposes or in an adversarial role with the education department. Nothing could be further from the truth.

We are very proud of the students who have worked so hard despite busy schedules to create this vibrant club. We are also extremely pleased to have this new avenue for communication with our students. They are terrifically focused on their future careers and on their education at MCLA, and are to be commended for taking such a strongly proactive stance toward making the most of their experience while here. The

Sincerely, Susan Edgerton Education department Chair

Thursday, April 28, 2011

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Fun&Games Aries (Mar. 20-April 20) With Mercury out of retrograde, you’ll be able to communicate more effectively. You’ve never been the one to hold your tongue, and sometimes without knowing it, you hurt people’s feelings. But this week you should have greater clarity. Be sure to approach your tasks with heartfelt honesty, and things will go your way.

Taurus (April 20-May 21) Lately you feel as if you don’t know who to trust. Remember they will come around on their own time or they won’t come around at all. You can’t continue to be so aggressive; a lot of people are nodding their heads to whatever you say simply because they’re too afraid of what will happen if they say no.

Gemini (May 21-June 21)

You’ve got the strongest chart right now but, you’re not making any progress because you’re hung up on negative energy. You’re wearing your game face but on the inside you look like a lost puppy. If you’re having a hard time finding balance in your life, talk to a Libra.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) You reap what you sow, and lately you’ve been planting weeds. The

universe is giving you the go for some necessary changes. This energy will start off slow and then it will consume you. Get your head in the game, as this too can be fun.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) Since the beginning of the year you’ve felt ready to take over the world, but the retrograde of Mercury had you questioning your direction. Luckily this week things

Comic by Kaileigh McKinley

are back to normal. You’re in danger of spreading yourself too thin.

Rule of thumb: no more than three; two would be even better.

You consider yourself a jack of all trades but the more you over commit the lesser the impact you’ll make.

Virgo (Aug. 23- Sept. 23) Taurus isn’t the only one dealing with trust issues this week. You worry because you have no control over situations. If you want others to be honest with you, you have to show them the same. You can’t keep secrets and expect others to spill their guts. Stop being shy and give some of your love away.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) You must keep moving forward.

Things are taking time, but trust that they’re getting there. If you’ve had a disagreement with a loved one, now is the time to lay your cards on the table and resume negotiations. Tell him/her your fears, and they will respect you more because of it. The “perfect couple” is the one who can handle their disagreements with open and honest communication.

The Beacon’s Crossword

By Jacob Wheeler

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) You will begin to see the men behind the masks. Don’t get hung up on the details or you could miss out on this unveiling. The universe is calling you to rise above other people’s pettiness and get yourself back on track. A compromise is in order and there’s no need to grit your teeth. Compromise is a sign of maturity, not defeat.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) The statement “No weapons formed against me shall prosper” is true of your sign at this time.

Even when people are mistreating you, they’re helping to make you stronger! You are intrinsically committed to creating a better life for yourself and your loved ones.

Start by taking better care of yourself.

Capricorn (Dec. 21-Jan. 20) Many of the world’s most fruitful inventions have happened by pure chance. What’s stopping you from making that wacky idea a success?

Your mind is like a tea kettle blowing off steam, more power than you know. Everything is already set up for ultimate success; you just have to stay committed to the game.

Last week’s solution can be found at: The Beacon Online at www.theonlinebeacon.com

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Take a deep breath and look at all the progress you have made – especially when it comes to your relationships with others. It may seem as if you’re meeting people for the first time. Now with this fresh perspective you can make new friends and lasting bonds.

This is a great energy to have in your chart, just be sure that you listen more and talk less.

Pisces (Feb. 18-Mar. 20) You have been in a very prosperous cycle and will continue to be for years to come, but now is the time to rid yourself of the stragglers – those people who contribute nothing but seem to always have a seat at the table? Pull that chair out from under them. Pisces is by far one of the most giving signs, but you do more harm than good when you give of yourself to people who don’t appreciate you.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

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They’re back!

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Features

Wilco returns to MASS MoCA in June rabble! rabble! for the second Solid Sound Festival.

By John Durkan Features Editor

Photo by Caleb Hiliadis/TheBerkshireBeat.com

Bright orange letters spelling WILCO were set up on the MASS MoCA roof during the Solid Sound Festival weekend last summer.

The Levon Helm Band and Thurston Moore will also perform during the June 24-26 weekend.

By John Durkan

A look back at the first Solid Sound

Features Editor

Here we go again!

After last summer’s success, Solid Sound Festival returns to MASS MoCA on June 24 for three days of music, art and comedy.

This year, Wilco, hailing from Chicago, will play two sets at Joe Thompson Field – one on Friday night and the other to close out Saturday.

Perhaps the biggest addition to this year’s festival is Levon Helm & His Rambling Band, which headlines Sunday afternoon. The group is scheduled for an hour and a half.

Another enormous addition is Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore.

He gets his own set on Saturday evening and will share the stage with Wilco guitarist Nels Cline on Sunday afternoon under the name of Pillow Wand.

A slew of other Wilco side projects will also play, including Pronto, and The Autumn Defense, both of which played at last summer’s festival. Pronto features Wilco keyboardist Mikael Jorgensen and The Autumn Defense features John Stirratt and Patrick Sansone.

Syl Johnson & The Sweet Divine will supply an hour of blues on Saturday evening.

The Comedy Cabaret also returns to Solid Sound with a very

By John Durkan Features Editor

Photo by Caleb Hiliadis/TheBerkshireBeat.com

Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy rocks out during an outdoor set on the final afternoon of the first Solid Sound Festival. promising line up. This year, Morgan Murphy, Eugene Mirman, Wyatt Cenac and John Hodgman will try and stir some laughs at the Hunter Center.

Cenac and Hodgman are both regular corespondents on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.”

Also returning this year is the Charity Dunk Tank.

Again, the gallery will be open and free for all festival attendees.

Free hourly tours will be held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Photo by Caleb Hiliadis/TheBerkshireBeat.com

Pronto, featuring Wilco’s keyboardist Mikael Jorgensen, plays at the Hunter Center on the first night of last summer’s festival and is scheduled to perform again at this summer’s festival.

Although the official announcement was not made until December, MASS MoCA knew the second wind was coming since that late August weekend.

“We knew right from the end of the festival last year,” said Deb Bernadini, who runs the public relations operation for Solid Sound Festival.

According to Managing Director of MASS MoCA Katherine Myers, 5,000 fans flocked to the inaugural Solid Sound Festival.

Bernadini expects this year’s to surpass that number.

The festival happens to take place on an already busy weekend. DownStreet Art, which occurs on the last Thursday of each of the summer months, kicks off on June 23.

“We want the city alive and full of art,” said Jonathan Secor, director of Special Programs at MCLA. Secor said he’s looking at a late night for the galleries on Saturday. During the day on Saturday, a craft and farmer’s market will be hosted downtown.

Elf Parlor owner Mike Blakeman said that he expects the coffee shop to stay open until 2 a.m. that weekend. No musical acts have yet to be scheduled, but that will change as the date approaches.

Date: June 24-26 Tickets: $124.50 For more information, including volunteering info, visit www.solidsoundfestival.com

Just outside my buddy Eli Jace’s third-floor apartment that overlooked Marshall Street (the street that MASS MoCA is on), hot dog carts and an ice cream truck competed for sales.

Tourists from all over the country browsed the galleries on Main Street. In fact, the streets were alive late into Saturday evening, a night when Jack’s Hot Dog Stand stayed open until midnight. Street musicians performed (including MCLA’s Mike Martin) and the lights shined bright. Officially, downtown was open until 2:30 a.m.

The Books, who record at the local Eclipse Mill off of Route 2, played an extended set – roughly an hour and a half – at the Hunter Center the first night. The cram-packed Hunter Center crowd loved the visual backdrop and skillful precision of the musicians, who only had roughly 20 seconds to breathe after they got offstage and before the encore.

Saturday was busy. The options were endless. Four comedians, including the hilarious Todd Barry, performed at the Hunter Center. Early-afternoon music blared over the courtyards. Later, soul legend Mavis Staples and Wilco performed at Joe Thompson Field. Music blared from the field until around 11 p.m.

On Sunday afternoon, Jeff Tweedy performed his solo act, where him and other musicians (advertised as “and Friends”) entertained the masses. By the end of his set, the entire Wilco band wound up on stage with Tweedy, properly sending off the first Solid Sound Festival.

Inside the museum, Wilco showed off a couple interesting devices. One was a series of guitar pedals set together in a loop that any passerby could play with to produce sounds.

Eli later dubbed the festival a “wubulicious time.” Round two looks likely to repeat the Dr. Seuss status of wubulicious.

Another solid summer in North Adams Oh MASS MoCA, you did it again. Just trying to keep North Adams on the map, huh?

(Let’s face it – if it weren’t for MASS MoCA, Jack’s Hot Dog Stand would stand uncontested as the number one tourist attraction to the city.)

After the extremely successful innagural Solid Sound Festival, it’s no surprise that the event’s returning.

After all, Wilco guitarist Jeff Tweedy looked like he was having the time of his life during the three-day event last August.

And here we are again, less than two months away from another round of Solid Sound.

But the festival isn’t all the museum brings in for music and entertainment.

In fall ‘09, MASS MoCA brought the extremely talented jazz trio Medeski Martin and Wood.

Hopefully they’ll return to MASS MoCA again. Hint hint.

Last fall, so much happened.

Alec Baldwin, noted as the best actor of all time according to the film “Team America: World Police,” joined Turner Movie Classic’s host Robert Osbourne for a talk about the legendary film director Billy Wilder.

If it weren’t for spontaneous illness, Leonard Nimoy (SPOCK!) would’ve spoken to the public the following week.

Musical wizard Marco Benevento – who previously performed with Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon of Phish, and skilled drummer Joe Russo – also performed in Club B-10 last fall.

Can’t forget other notable Club B-10 performances like “The Prince of New Orleans” Davell Crawford and MoCA regular and violinist Todd Reynolds and his robot bandmates.

Without MoCA, who knows where the MCLA and North Adams art scene stands. MASS MoCA is the largest contemporary art museum in North Adams (oh, and New England), a town that now features a handful of student and independent galleries.

With that said, this summer looks solid for the city. The monthly DownStreet Art brings Main Street to life. The Elf Parlor will continue to host music.

Thousands will storm the city for Solid Sound Festival.

If you don’t live here in the summer, come visit. It’ll be fun.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

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A&E

Allegrettos Spring Concert 2011 Photos by Cara Sheedy

Thursday, April 28, 2011

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A&E

Sam Adams lights up MCLA

By Tano Holmes A&E Writer

Although many students returned home for Easter weekend, MCLA was brought to life last Friday by Sam Adams’ energetic performance.

“I was excited to see the whole school so involved,” said Jon DelSordo, a senior and the MC for the concert. “Vanessa Leikvoll, Sean Snead and Nora Weiss did everything and more putting this concert on.”

The concert was held in Venable Gym, and a stage was brought in for the event. There was also a wide array of spotlights and flashing lights, some of which were so strong that concert officials warned people with epilepsy to be careful. About 300 people attended the concert, which had approximately the same attendance as the Ghostface Killah concert.

Thick as Thieves was the first opener. They did a variety of covers in their trans-hop style. They used unorthodox instruments like bongos to create their unique sound.

Following Thick as Thieves, DelSordo came on stage to announce that Tim Range would be giving a quick lesson on dancing amid chants of “Pi Epsilon Pi.” He proceeded to teach the audience “how to Dougie,” as well break out a few of his own moves.

Rap Rock Group Vonnegutt came on after Range’s dance lesson. Although there were some hecklers, demanding Sam Adams and no more openers, the audience was quickly won over by the

Photo by Cara Sheedy/Beacon staff

Sam Adams headlined at SAC’s spring concert last weekend in Venable Gym. band’s choice of popular songs for covers and the lead rapper’s crisp delivery style. Vonnegutt has previously opened for OutKast, which explains why they chose to cover a few classics from the hip-hop duo.

The fact that they had a band with bass and drums added a distinctly different sound to their covers.

The lead rapper hyped the crowd

with by jumping around the stage, and demanding that people “keep their hands up!”

Sam Adams was introduced on a huge screen, by a video showing his rise to fame. He then appeared from behind the screen and went right into his first song. The audience was extremely excited for his appearance, and greeted him with

screams and a few declarations of love.

After a few opening songs, Sam Adams rapped a few hit songs from his debut album “Boston’s Boy.” The crowd responded positively to songs like “Commin’ Up” and “Coast to Coast.”

Sam Adams then asked the audience if they liked dubstep, a new

genre of music that uses repetitive electronic chords mixed with hip-hop beats. He preformed a few new songs which had heavy dubstep backgrounds. These songs gave an excuse for the production team to use the colorful strobe lights, and there were some vivid special effects.

“I actually got some new Music coming out real soon,” Sam Adams said. “Some of it will be a like that.”

He then came back into some of his “Boston’s Boy” tracks and preformed the song that made him famous: “I Hate College,” an ode to partying, being cool and learning a thing or two along the way.

The show finished up with Sam Adams rapping “Driving Me Crazy,” which was on iTunes’ top most sold singles chart for a short time in 2010.

Following the show was a short meet-and-greet with Sam Adams and his entourage, where he signed posters, took pictures with fans and granted me a brief interview. He was pleasant and humble, and answered my questions with sincerity.

“Right now I am just trying to duck [major] labels and stay indie,” Sam Adams said. He is currently signed to 1st Round Records, an independent label that produced “Boston’s Boy.” After the meet-and-greet a small number of female students were invited to socialize with Sam Adams and Vonnegutt on Sam Adams’ tour bus.

“The concert was cool,” said Kyra Kirsch, an MCLA sophomore.

“But partying on Sam Adams’ bus was awesome!”

Photography Club opens Spring Gallery in Campus Center

By Steve O’Connor A&E Writer

In an independently run project, the Photography Club opened its Spring Gallery in the Campus Center Achievement Lounge on Thursday, April 21, set up to coincide with the Accepted Students Day on April 22.

According to Club president Alex Massar, this is the first gallery opening the club has performed in about three years. Refreshments and music were provided to commemorate the event, with soda, chips, and easy listening music to establish the mood.

After only a few signs available around the campus center, the achievement lounge filled up very quickly once people saw the photos or passed through the room.

The provided photos have a great degree of variety to them, indicative of the quality of the group’s work over the past three years. Benjamin Mancino’s “Synchronized Sillhouettes” depicts a pair of returning kayakers on a sunset lake, capturing a very powerful natural image despite the simplicity of the colors provided.

MCLA also features in at least one photo of the gallery.

“Untitled” by Morgan Nankivell is a surprisingly ominous shot of Murdock Hall set against a dark, cloudy sky. The picture shows a strong sense of centering, framing, and has a great deal of atmospheric scale to the image.

Alex Massar himself provided a strong picture to the gallery in “The Phoenix,” a surreal but powerful photograph

of an array of golden light beams fanning out against an open exit door. The open door manages to center the piece in reality, while the golden lights create a strong sense of beauty in the piece.

Technical experimentation is also present at the gallery, in the form of Jeffrey Gagnon’s “Kids Clothes.” A picture taken of a shop window creates a reflection effect of the street, a result of light’s impact on certain optic systems, according to the contributor’s notes.

Although it is uncertain, according to Massar, the gallery will probably last until the end of the semester. The group plans to cycle the pictures in the gallery once per month.

The gallery can currently be seen in the Campus Center Achievement Lounge.

Photos by Tyson Luneau/Beacon staff

Photography on display at the Photography Club’s gallery opening last Thursday.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

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A&E

Private lessons students showcase their skills

By Laura Field Staff Writer

A blend of yellows and blues from Church Street Center’s stained glass windows shined onto the stage Wednesday night.

Beneath the spot lights, a lot of hard work from students’ numerous private lessons paid off. Of the over 40 performances during the Spring 2011 Private Lessons Recital, only about half were vocal renditions. Others played percussion, flute, trumpet, alto sax, violin and other instruments.

Some were computer-generated.

“I thought it was all going to be singers and stuff and I was really surprised when Peter Mitchell did that improvisation,” said senior Dan Sheehan. “He did this really crazy electric improvisation with a computer; he brought in this different medium. It kind of caught me off guard; it was really cool.” One of the few performers to get a standing ovation

was John Hurley, with his vocal performance of “Ol’ Man River” from “Show Boat.” He pushed his vocal range to hit every note as deep as the singer in the original production and was very well received.

While some sang songs from musicals, others played more classical pieces. Rachel Wright performed two separate classical renditions. On the first one, she played clarinet to a Brahms Adagio, and later she played a soft piano to a Chopin piece.

Sean Simmons’ rendition of Bach’s Bourree in E Minor made him the only classical guitar performance of the night. Donald Washburn even made a guest appearance with his composition, “Courting the Elect.”

Audience member Jimmy Dunn was very pleased with the overall performance. Like many in the crowd, he came to provide moral support for someone he knew on stage. His friend Joel Praino performed Sinatra’s “Stormy Weath-

er.”

“I loved it. I was really impressed with his range and his ability to hit the high notes,” Dunn said. “Everyone performed extremely well.”

Jacqueline Coughlin, with her rendition of “The Music and the Mirror” from “A Chorus Line,” also met a standing ovation.

Though her voice was strong, much of the ovation was likely due to her comical performance.

During parts of the lyrics such as “play me the music,” she made a display as if yelling at her pianist, David Denhard, to “play the music.” Thomas Leidenfrost put on another especially engaging performance by walking directly into the crowd while singing and playing the accordion to “Les Jours Tristes” from “Amelie.”

For more musical events, be sure to check out the Vivid Rhythms Festival put on by the Performing Arts Management class on Sunday, May 1 on the MCLA Quad. Admission is free

Photo by Tyson Luneau/Beacon Staff

Joel Praino performed ‘Stormy Weather’ by Frank Sinatra in the Chuch Street Center for the private lessons recital. for all MCLA students, and food Jazz Band Wind Ensemble conwill be available. Church Street cert on May 4 from 5-7p.m.

Center will also be hosting the

Vivid Rhythms Festival comes to MCLA Quad

By Mary Redstone A&E Editor

Dan Sheehan/Beacon Staff

Last Comic Standing Season 1 winner Dat Phan entertained MCLA students last Tuesday night.

MCLA not a fan of Dat

By Siobhan Tripp A&E Writer

Last Tuesday students gathered in Veneble Theater to see Dat Phan, a Vietnamese comedian who has been on Family Guy, Jay Leno and was the original winner of Last Comic Standing. His performance was part of SAC’s Spring Fling week.

He entered the stage wearing brown corduroy pants, a blue t-shirt and a blue sweatband.

For his first joke he commented on the fact that he looked like a “gay ninja.” Most of his jokes relied heavily on making fun of people who were gay and Asian. The ones focusing on gay people received mixed feelings from the audience.

A few students laughed but a good portion of them stayed

silent. It was so noticeable in fact Phan even commented on it.

“What, you don’t like metrosexuals?” he said after finishing one of his jokes.

Even though the majority of his jokes were about Asian people and gay people he also had a couple about Facebook, and every college students favorite food: ramen.

At one point water began dripping onto the stage from the leaky roof. Phan directed the audience’s attention to it.

“Is it raining that bad that the water is common indoors?”

Phan quipped.

A second unplanned event also took place while Phan was on stage. Someone from off stage threw two paper airplanes at him, something he

commented had never happened to him before.

At the end of the act SAC raffled off a t-shirt, a blanket, and a signed cardboard cutout of Dat Phan to audience members. Olayemi Owojori, a sophomore, won the SAC blanket.

“It was funny, but our crowd didn’t laugh as much as we should have,” said Owojori about his performance. “We felt awkward because most of his jokes were about race and people were really uptight. He did have a good one about the water leaking though.”

“Everybody was wonderful,” Phan said of his experience at MCLA. “It was an honor to perform among fellow theater people. And the clam chowder is fabulous here.”

MCLA is forcing Spring to come out from wherever it’s hiding on Sunday with the Vivid Rhythms Festival, held in MCLA’s own Academic Quad.

Headlining the day of music and arts is Badfish, a Sublime tribute band. The band became famous for playing around college campuses, and now they are coming to MCLA. Eight other bands will play before Badfish, some of which are made up of MCLA students.

The day starts off with Spooky and the Nomads, followed by The Smokey Wambas, led by MCLA student Mike Martin. Next up will be MCLA’s own step team NEXXUS, and after their performance, Providence, R.I.-based The Rice Cakes and power-reggae group Wolfman Conspiracy will play.

Following these performers are MCLA student Cameron Hamlet, Williamstown and Amherst area hip-hop/experimental duo Bakez & Dion, and just before Badfish, Full Service, a jam band coming all the way from Texas will perform.

The day is not only about music.

There will be vendors throughout the quad all day selling art as well as food. Jack’s Hot Dog Stand, Lickety Split, Christos’ Famous Pizza, Spice Root and Sushi House will all be there selling food.

Toonerville Trolley Records, Persnickety Toys and NAACO

will also have items for sale.

There will be yoga sessions and a planting station, while the Art Club will tie-dye t-shirts and the Advanced Art Lab will hold a papermaking workshop.

Gallery 51, Dance Co., STAGE, SEANCE and SAC will all have booths around the quad as well.

There will also be a contest taking place throughout the day called a Plein Air Art Contest.

Each participating artist will be asked to create their own painting of their representations of the Vivid Rhythms Festival as it is happening. At the end of the evening the pieces will be judged, for first second and third places, by a select jury. For more information, email Kristen Parker at kp9740@ mcla.edu.

“Everyone is really excited for this contest,” senior Parker said.

“We wanted artists to be working during the Festival. The contest adds a unique element to this concept.”

The festival will open its “doors” at 1:30 p.m., and the music will start at 2, running straight to 9.

The event is free for MCLA students and $5 for MCLA faculty, staff and all other college students. MCLA Alumni will have to pay $8, and all others will cost $12.

The event is put on by MCLA’s Performing Arts Management Class and is Part of the MCLA Presents! 2010-2011 Series, part of the BCRC.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

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‘Arthur’ disappoints; offends fans of original

By Robert Mangiamele Staff Writer

Steve Gordon and Dudley Moore would be upset.

Their 1981 original version was nominated for four Academy Awards and John Gielgud won Best Supporting Actor. Arthur’s theme song won Best Original Song. This film received mostly positive reviews and even earned number 10 on Bravo’s “100 Funniest Movies.”

Unfortunately for Russell Brand, while trying his best, at times he overdoes it. But don’t point your finger at just him.

While the remake story matches some aspects from the 1981 original, it does fall short in other places.

Right off the bat, Russell Brand is again typecasted as the lovable, fun, good looking and charming man with lots of money in another typical larger-than-life role. As if he hasn’t done recent movies in the same fashion (Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek). Arthur (Brand) tries to earn sympathy from the audience, but doesn’t usually get it. Arthur’s manchild personality gets old after a while and the constant babysitting from his nanny and best friend can make the most immature person feel like an adult.

The comedy of Brand in the film is nowhere near the stand up career that made him and sky-rocketed him towards stardom. The dull drunk gets by with a few quick funny lines every now and then but no more than a chuckle from audiences is necessary. Jennifer Garner’s role in the film seemed out of

place in this comedy. It would be easy to say she merely served as the “hot” chick in this tedious movie.

The love aspect of the movie is way too cliché and has been done a billion times already.

Only one scene, in the kitchen, is where Arthur and his love interest, Naomi Quinn (Greta Gerwig) have the chance to earn audience’s heart before the mood is killed by one of Brand’s typical juvenile jokes. At one point, Arthur continues to go on and on about how much he dislikes and distrusts horses. This is a two minute bit I would’ve liked to have back. And after seeing his earlier stand up, it was easy to realize this “horse rant” wasn’t his idea.

Naomi does provide some innocence in the film, which does add a different tone to the mix.

Her pure, relentless charm softens the tempo at times. She is the only one who isn’t insanely rich, which counters nicely with the charismatic party boy.

Arthur’s two sidekicks, his nanny Hobson (Helen Mirren) and driver Bitterman (Luis Guzman) are his only real friends and caretakers. They take some pressure off of Brand and the back and forth between the three of them is silly and pure stupid.

However, they let the audience know that they are all Arthur has other than money. Characters like these that push the film forward but let us know that true friendship is worth more than money can buy.

With it’s immature antics which get old fast - and the film’s slow pacing, “Arthur” is an insult to the original.

Singing contest ‘The Voice’ adds a twist LOS ANGELES (AP) — ­ “The Voice,’’ TV’s newest singing contest, is intent on making noise in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

The NBC series, which debuts 9 p.m. EDT Tuesday with a twohour taped episode that will be repeated at 9 p.m. EDT Wednesday, offers a distinctive gimmick: Contestants are initially heard but not seen by a panel of pop stars.

It’s when Christina Aguilera, Cee-Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton spin around in their thronelike chairs that they glimpse the singer they backed or passed on. The pros themselves compete to assemble a team of

would-be pop stars, with the goal of guiding one toward a record contract and a $100,000 prize.

No need to alert the Society for the Protection of Pretty People: The deck is stacked with some talented lookers.

Viewers may need to take a breath as they encounter unfamiliar terrain: The judges aren’t judges. They’re “coaches’’ who also serve as hands-on mentors; each coach has to dump half of his or her team before the audience steps in to vote, starting in June; NBC late-night host Carson Daly is in charge.

And, some may say mercifully, “The Voice’’ skips an “American Idol’’-style extended audition

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WJJW Weekly Programming SUNDAY 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. – Nate Pichette and Alex Massar: “Northern Eclipse Evening Radio”

A&E

Mary and the Banshees

MONDAY 10 p.m. -12 p.m. - John Breen: “The Record Collector’s Show” 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. – Sara Federico and Jarret Widdop 7 p.m. -10 p.m. – Emily Breunig 10 p.m. -1 p.m. – Joanna Finfer: “Jojo on the Radio,” featuring some of the most eclectic music on the air waves, from Britney Spears to Dethklok, and Kanye West to The Kingston Trio.

TUESDAY 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. – Stephan Rochefort and Sara Federico: “The Great Gig in the Sky” 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. – Devan Gardner: “Against the Grain” 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. - Ken Swiatek: “FolkenS.uch,” a blend of old and new folk, singer-songwriters, folk rock, and blues since 1996.

8:30 p.m. -10 p.m. – Amanda Ok and Ali Johnston: “The Sweet and Milky Show” WEDNESDAY 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Caleb Hiliadis: “Kaleidoscope of Environments,” a fresh eclectic mix of music and conversation that breaks through the standards of genre.

4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Mark Burridge and Chris Fries: “Sports Stuff,” a sports talk show.

6 p.m. – 8 p.m. – Jeff Bliss/Production class 8 p.m. – 11 p.m. – Mary and the Banshees (Mary Redstone) THURSDAY 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. – Stephan Rochefort and Sara Federico: “The Great Gig in the Sky” 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. – Sara Federico 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. – Shane Gaetani: “Shane-O’s Rock Fest,” classic to modern rock.

7 p.m. – 9 p.m. – DJ Draco Blackheart: “High Serendipity” 9 p.m. -12 am – Tyson Luneau: “The Big Takeover,” featuring the classics and the latest in underground music, spanning genres such as punk, emo, hardcore, indie and pop punk.

Reviews and more on the show’s blog at: http://thebigtakeover.tumblr.com.

FRIDAY 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. – Jarret Widdop 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. – Sara Federico 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Shane Gaetani: “Shane-O’s Rock Fest,” classic to modern rock.

6 p.m. – 8 p.m. - Jacob Roessler and Brian McGrath 8 p.m. -10 p.m. – Samantha Schneiderman 10 p.m. -12 am – Boston Livingstone: “Red Light Roulette” SATURDAY 9 am -12 p.m. – Jerry Tyler: “The Country Music Show” 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. – Kyle Serino: “Pro Tier Radio,” a rolling ball of rock, ska and surf.

process. The NBC series jumps into action with singers either recommended by industry insiders or otherwise scouted in nationwide performance spaces.

That’s not to say surprise is lacking, as proved by a lively New Jersey homemaker and a Florida belter in the first episode.

There’s a handful of familiar faces, including former “American Idol’’ contestant Frenchie Davis, who has already appeared on Broadway in “Rent’’ but says she still yearns for a recording career.

The big twist comes when contestants get to turn the table on the panel. If more than one pro wants them on their team, it’s up to the contestant to accept or re-

ject the likes of Maroon 5’s Levine or country star Shelton.

The device would be even more engaging if the contestants didn’t seem to be drilled in the reality TV art of theatrically dragging out decisions. Word of advice: Leave the drama to a future series for aspiring Oscar or Tony winners.

More entertaining is the panel and its interplay. Shelton turns out to be a natural comic, Levine an avid competitor and Green a charmer. Aguilera, whose recent stumbles include a mangled version of the national anthem, settles comfortably into the role of queen bee, sparring nicely with her male cohorts.

By Mary Redstone A&E Editor

“The Voice” isn’t just another beauty pagent I’m not usually a fan of reality TV. I shun Survivor, avoid The Amazing Race and can’t help but change the channel from anything on MTV involving 16-yearold pregnant girls.

There is one small exception, though. I have become completely hooked on NBC’s “The Vocie” that premiered Tuesday night.

“The Voice” isn’t like “American Idol.” It isn’t built around the pretty people, the people who are easily marketable on their looks more than their voice. Admit it, that is pretty much the premise of “American Idol.”

Singers on “The Voice” are chosen entirely on their voice, not their appearence, and not even the two of them combined.

When singers come to the stage, all four judges’ backs are turned; they can only hear the singers, not see them. If they are interested in the singers and want to recruit them to their team, the judges push a button and their chairs turn around; only then can they actually see the singers.

I like this premise for two reasons. One is that the judges can only pick them based on their voices, and not if they’re pretty or look like their appearence can be marketable.

The other reason is the fact that when yout cut off one sense, the others become stronger. When the judges’ backs are turned, they have no reason to keep their eyes open, and they rarely do. By closing their eyes while their backs are turned, they are allowing their ears to become more receptive and listen better to the singers.

The judges are also immeasurably more likable than the American Idol judges. In fact, they’re not even judges, so they don’t get to insult the contestents like certain “American Idol” judges feel that they have to. On “The Voice,” they are vocal coaches, aiming to build up a successful team of singers.

“The Voice” is the show for people who really appreciate singers for their talents, not their marketability. Also, it’s a show for people who enjoy entertaining, funny judges, like the competitively amusing Adam Levine or the naturally jolly Cee Lo Green.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Page 12

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News

Final ‘Green Living’ seminar returns to the Water Wars

By Andrea Whitney Staff Writer

Shimon Anisfeld will give the last Green Living Seminar. Anisfield is a senior lecturer and research scientist in water resources and environmental chemistry from Yale University.

Anisfeld received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1993. Since then, he has been at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, where he teaches courses in water resources, environmental chemistry and coastal ecology.

He has been teaching at Yale for a number of years, and recently

published a book about water resources management.

His primary research interests lie in understanding human impacts on rivers and wetlands, especially in urban coastal settings.

This will be the keynote lecture that ties the whole series together, according to Professor Elena Traister.

“We are expecting it to be a good lecture with a lot of information,” Traister said.

This semester’s Green Living Series, “Water Wars: Protecting our Water Resources,” was aimed at informing students and the community about the impending global water crisis and giving an overview of the local water infrastructure.

“We want to make sure we have enough clean water for people,” Traister said.

The series has been about the general principles of to addressing the water crisis, she said.

The Green Living Seminars is also a for-credit class where some students had to attend each lecture, and are completing a service learning project, explained Traister.

The lecture, titled “A Better Approach to Water Management,” will be held tonight at 5:30 p.m. in Murdock Hall, room 218. It is free and open to the public.

Student presentations on maintaining water quality will sldo be held on May 5.

2011 Wellness Fair - Curious Wellness (Curious George on the t-shirts)

Wednesday - May 4th from 11am - 2pm Venable Gym and Quad Please mark the date! Come by for a visit, food samples, a massage, nutrition advice, help quitting smoking – fling some monkeys and earn yourself a t-shirt!

They’ll be a surprise event in the quad - Zumba going on outside of Venable - Intramural games and of course the baseball pitch.

Join us for some fun!

2011 Participants: Wild Oats Papa Ginos REACH Fitness Center Health Services Counseling Services ARAMARK Coke Sharon Scace - Zumba Massage Reiki Career Services Intramurals CHOICES Berkshire Vegetarian Group

Extended Library Hours are in effect!

Until Monday, May 17, the library will be open: Monday -- Thursday 8 am -- 1 am Saturday & Sunday 10 am -- 1 am For details, see our website at www.mcla.edu/library.

Best wishes for success -The Freel Library Staff

BGLAD’s Annual *Drag Dance!* This Sat. April 30 8pm, Venable Gym Contests & prizes! Refreshments!

Student DJ! Papparazzi!

Come and break at least one gender norm for the evening and have a great time! *BGLAD is still looking for student performers! Email the members of your act and what music you need to BGLAD Secretary Krystal Palmer on FirstClass.* Tickets $2 singe, $3/couple, on sale at door *All proceeds benefit the Live Out Loud Youth Project, a group for queer and allied teens in Berkshire County.*

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Page 13

www.theonlinebeacon.com

News EARTH continued from page 1 Cortney Tunis, education coordinator at MASS MoCA, said that although the museum is interested in reducing energy costs and looking at environmental sustainability, financing is still a problem and that energy costs take away from programming.

“We have to make short-term sacrifices for these long term goals,” she said.

An artist is currently installing an outside plant life area at MASS MoCA, which will make a beautiful space out of a run-down building and possibly have a bike path going through it.

The panel also discussed various ways to educate people about becoming green, including bringing local environmental issues into the classroom and putting recycling bins next to trash cans.

“If you just do the right thing for the environment, then the environment will take care of you,” Winn said.

Take Charge, a partner with Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, presented the event, and the discussion was moderated by sophomore Jason Brown.

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

On the Mark

Page 14

Sports

Senior Profile: Pirzl, siding with old foes

By Shannon Boyer

was a wakeup call, saying welcome to college softball.”

Since second grade, Kelly Pirzl Pirzl adjusted with has been playing softball. Her the help of her previous father, who coached her all the teammates at Pine Manway through middle school, was or College. They let her a big influence on her, along know when she wasn’t with watching USA player Jen- doing something right ny Finch. in her hitting and when Kelly, now a senior, said a lot she made mistakes in has changed in her life. pitching, they made sure “My influence to play my last she corrected them and year of softball has been my fi- worked harder at it. She ancé,” she said. “He encouraged also spent extra hours in me to play and get back into the gym practicing her what I enjoy the most.” hitting and pitching on When Kelly was in the third her own. grade, her team needed a pitchShe also looked to Nier. She stepped up to the plate cole Vocaturo for help, and said she’d give it a try. From the starting pitcher for that point on she enjoyed pitch- her team at Pine Maning. She continued to pitch or. Vocaturo’s pitching through her four years of high techniques and attitude school at Wahconah Regional rubbed off on Pirzl. Voin Dalton. Her senior year she caturo taught her a lot made the All-Eagle team. about pitching, and her During high school, she spent strong and aggressive her summers playing on various attitude influenced Pirtravel teams. She received many zl to present herself in MVP awards and player of the similar ways. week, and won many tournaPirzl works hard in orments. der to play at her best.

Before attending MCLA, And it shows in her perPirzl went to Pine Manor Col- formance on the field. lege where she was placed on She’s made many imthe GNAC 2nd All Conference provements through out Team as a freshman. her years of playing with She came into MCLA her ju- the help of coaches and Photo courtesy of Ian Grey nior year. Her decision to trans- teammates.

Kelly Pirzl has a 3.90 ERA on the pitching mound and bats .192 from the fer had to do with the purchase MCLA’s Coach Ameen plate. of an apartment in Pittsfield. has impacted Pirzl’s MCLA was close to her new game. He’s helped her home and they had a softball with certain technique whenever she can. Pirzl also days. And like Coach Ameen team. issues that she struggles with helps coach the Dalton All-Star said, her focus is contagious to “There was a huge difference and also gave her the confi- team, where she can practice the rest of the team. in high school to college play, dence to hit. She says his heart hitting ground balls and base Off the field, Pirzl is a busiespecially pitching,” Pirzl said. and drive for the game carries running with them. She makes ness major with a concentration “I remember pitching one game along with the team and she ap- sure that there’s always time for in accounting. She is working in Florida, feeling pretty confi- preciates all he puts into coach- softball. It’s something that’s towards becoming a manager at dent, in the second inning I had ing. been a part of her life for a while her current job, Stop and Shop. two home runs hit off me. That Coach Ameen speaks very and she works hard to keep up If that plan doesn’t fall through, highly of the with her game. she plans on looking into insenior soft“The most important part ternships through different acball player. of the off season is to keep in counting businesses.

“Kelly has shape, I try to keep myself busy Aside from her future plans been a criti- with running outside and lifting after graduation Pirzl would cal part of weights,” Pirzl said. like to stay involved in softball. our team this As far as this season goes, Pir- She plans on continuing to help year,” Ameen zl is quite pleased. She believes with the Dalton All-Star team said.

“Her her leadership and confidence and play whenever she can. l e a d e r s h i p , gives the team the boost that College softball has taught intensity and they need. She’s sure that they Pirzl a lot and has helped her d e d i c a t i o n can finish with a record of .500 gain confidence in many difto her game or better and make the MAS- ferent areas. It has also brought is contagious CAS tournament. her new friendships and memo,and she does “Falling one run short of the ries that she won’t forget. e v e r y t h i n g NCAA’s my freshman year of “I will miss playing with my at full speed college at Pine Manor was dis- fellow high school competito challenge appointing,” Pirzl said. “I know tion, Megan, Jackie, Hadley, herself and what it takes to make it there and Amanda,” Pirzl said. “It was her team- and we defiantly have that.” awesome to play with them and mates to give On game days she stays fo- not against them.” e v e r y t h i n g cused and concentrates on what With the support of her teamthey can.” needs to be done to win the mates and family she hopes to Her dedica- game. On the bus Pirzl keeps to finish the season on top. She tion to the herself and relaxes. She rarely believes that her team has what game carries talks until game time to keep it takes to win a championship on in the off- her composure. and she’s going to work hard to Photo courtesy of Ian Grey season. She Her technique defiantly serves get them there.

Kelly Pirzl gave up six hits and only two earned spends time a purpose to her and the team.

runs though seven innings in her last start. at the gym Pirzl is never off track on game

Special to the Beacon

By Mark Burridge Sports Columnist

Celtic Strong

Without getting any recognition for it, the Boston Celtics are the team to beat in the NBA right now. With the Lakers losing a second game to the Hornets and Kobe Bryant hobbling around with a sprained ankle, and the Heat and Bulls dropping game fours to the 76ers and Pacers, there remains only one team, and that team is about to get Shaq back.

The Celtics played better and better in every game of the opening round series against the Knicks, solving their only perceivable issue in game 4, with the Bench contributing 25 points. The only issue that is brought up now is their lack of a big man, and with extra rest because of the Heat’s lost, it is safe to assume they should have the presence of a 7-foot-1, 325 pound monster during some of their second round series against in all likelihood, the Heat.

So, why aren’t they getting this credit? To be fair, the Lakers are the defending champions (thanks to Joe Crawford, the ref that almost stole game two against the Knicks as well) and the Bulls had the best record in the NBA heading into the playoffs. The Heat are also for some reason put in this mix, even though they dropped a game against the 76ers where they had the lead with 1:32 left and missed a buzzer beater that would have won it, as well as losing three of four to the Celtics and all three to the Bulls in the regular season.

The Celtics have a history of not being credited with the favoritism they deserve. Last year, many had them figured to lose in the second round to the hugely favored thenLeBron-led Cleveland Cavaliers.

After they upset the Cavs, they were equally supposed to have met their match against the Orlando Magic. After beating them, it took a completely ridiculous Lakers referee advantage, (51 more free throws in the series, including 20 more in game seven, and 42 more over the last three games) for the Celtics to fall.

So, will they be given their due this year? Unless if Joe Crawford referees three games in the Finals again this year, including the 37 to 17 Free Throw travesty of a game seven, I have to believe the odds are pretty good. Adding Shaq to the Big Three and Rondo is hard for any team to guard, but a team like Miami, who are shallow on the bench and Chicago who don’t have a player that can adequately handle O’Neal could propel the Celtics into the Finals. Where the biggest concern for them might not be the Lakers, but their old friend Kendrick Perkins and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

www.theonlinebeacon.com

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Page 15

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Celtics fly past Knicks in four games

By Costia Karolinski Sports Writer The Boston Celtics finished off the New York Knicks with a clinching and sweeping victory this past Sunday, winning 10189 in New York. The Knicks were without Chauncey Billups for the third game in a row, meaning the only statistically relevant performances came from Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire. Although they collected 32 and 19 points respectively, those numbers were achieved on a combined 15-44 shooting. The Celtics defense stood out once again.

Every Celtic showed up to play, especially for the last two games.

They will need the same kind of performances to win against the Heat. Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo both led the team, with 26 points and 10 rebounds for Garnett, and 21 points and 12 assists for Rondo. Glen Davis also showed up off the bench with 14 points. Doc Rivers gives credit to his players’ attitude and grit.

“Adversity is good,” Rivers told the Boston Globe. “That’s what I take away from it. It’s a good thing, and I told our guys that. I told them to expect it going into the series. We’re going to have it, it wasn’t an if. Be prepared for it. Embrace it, it’s a good thing.

Enjoy the adversity. You find out who handles it well and who doesn’t, but even the ones who

[don’t] at times, you hang in there with them, and eventually they’ll come through for you.”

Jermaine O’Neal is one player who has been a surprising factor in these playoffs so far, demonstrating the adversity Rivers talks about after spending most of the season recovering from injury. O’Neal only took two shots on Sunday, but his presence defensively was consistent all four games.

“I’m starting to feel like I’m covering a lot of ground. I feel healthy,” O’Neal told the Providence Journal. “It may not always show up on the stat sheet, but I feel that I can really help this team on the defensive end. I can make guys guess when they go to

Photo courtesy of nba.com

Paul Pierce drives past Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire in game four.

the cup.”

Captain Paul Pierce ended up with only 13 points on Sunday, shooting a lame 5-18 that didn’t resemble his 38 points from the previous game, but his defensive intensity on Anthony remained the same throughout the series.

“You’ve just got to understand what’s at stake,” Pierce told the Boston Globe. “Everybody understood what was at stake. You give a team some confidence, even with a 3-0 lead, to win a game; you never know what can happen. It was very important for us to win this game.”

The Celtics have a full week off before facing the Miami Heat next week. Celtics guard Ray Allen knows that the team’s play will be scrutinized no matter the performance.

“We make story lines either way,” Allen told the Boston Globe. “You can talk about going from one series to the next series without rest and having a good rhythm or you could have too much time off. You could look at it either way, but I think for us the rest is good. Either way, if it’s good for us, we’ll talk ourselves into it whether we have no rest or got plenty of it. It’s all mental.”

The Celtics are hoping to have center Shaquille O’Neal back in time for the Heat series. A successful cortisone shot Tuesday for O’Neal’s right achilles should see him back in practice as early as this weekend. Regardless of Shaq’s status – the Celtics will look to stop LeBron James and Dwyane Wade on their way to banner 18.

BASEBALL continued from page 16 from the offensive side of the same game.”

When asked what the team could do to improve, Gaines replied, “Make routine plays and score more than one run.”

The Trailblazers did indeed play better in the next game, getting seven hits and two runs, while holding the opposition to only four runs.

Both of MCLA’s runs came in the sixth inning, but they just couldn’t keep the momentum going to get ahead.

The team then traveled to Westfield State and took another two losses. The first was a last-inning nail-biter, with the game going to eight innings.

The Trailblazers fought hard and managed to tie the game at 3-3 at the bottom of the sixth, forcing the game into extra innings. A scoreless seven inning put neither team on top, but in the eighth inning, two Westfield players made it on base thanks to a walk and a hit-

Photo by Dan Sheehan/Beacon Staff

Salem State outscored MCLA 13-3 in two games on Friday, April 22.

by-pitch. A fielding error gave Westfield the winning run, then a throwing error gave up another, putting Westfield up by two.

The Trailblazers failed to

answer in the bottom of the eighth, giving Westfield the win.

Westfield then steam-rolled MCLA in the next game, winning 8-3.

The Trailblazers have only four games left. If they do not win any, it will be the second season in a row in which MCLA baseball fails to win more than eight games.

Sports

FriesStyle

By Chris Fries Sports Editor

Go ‘head MLS Major League Soccer has grown up. They have come along away from the six-team league that used to decide regular-season games by shootouts. That’s right: shootouts, as in hockey-style one-one breakaways with the keeper. They are no longer that stunt-pulling league starving for domestic attention and looked down upon by our friends across the pond.

The MLS is actually pretty legitimate now.

Many of our nation’s best players have made their start in the MLS and in some cases have spent almost their whole careers here (e.g. Landon Donovan). But think of how many guys have launched their careers here and have become some of our greatest American success stories – DeMarcus Beasley (who became the first American player to reach the Champions League semifinals with his club, PSV), goalkeepers Brad Friedal and Tim Howard (who have become fixtures in the Premier League as two of the most reliable and talented keepers of the last decade), and of course the most recent successes of Fulham’s Clint Dempsey and Bolton’s Sturt Holden. And that’s just a few of many of America’s best and brightest who have used the MLS as a launching pad to the big leagues.

Recently though, the MLS has become much more than a simple launch league, which is an accomplishment in of itsself for a country that lacked the enthusiasm of the big leagues of Europe and South America. Now, the MLS is getting big names. David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez, Freddie Ljundberg, and Juan Pablo Angel, some of the biggest names of the world, have chosen to come play in the MLS, in most cases with a few good years left in them. Beckham, for example, came to L.A. at the age of 31 after winning the La Liga with Real Madrid.

With the arrival of David Beckham, a surge of enthusiasm not just for soccer but for our own league came along with it. All of sudden, all of the biggest media outlets in the country were paying attention to the MLS. In the Beckham/designated player years, attendance and fervor for the league has skyrocketed. In Seattle, for example, more fans are attending Sounders FC games than going out to support the Mariners.

The league has also been expanding and building new soccer stadiums at an incredible rate. Since 1999, the league has seen MLS teams play in eight soccer-specific venues and a ninth (in Kansas City) is under construction. Since 2005, the league has added eight teams (now with a total of 18), and is planning on adding two more: the Montreal Impact (expected to debut next season) and plans to return the famed New York Cosmos.

IN THIS ISSUE: Celtics sweep, Baseball team drops two vs. Salem State, & Senior Kelly Pirzl Volume 73, Issue 12

Sports The Beacon

Celtics sweep Knicks (p.15)

Page 16

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Softball team slipping in MASCAC standings

By Phil Mabey Sports Writer

Photo by Dan Sheehan/Beacon Staff

John Ripepi walks back to the dugout after disagreeing with a called third strike.

Baseball team winless since April 14 victory at Williams

By Brendan Foley Sports Writer

The MCLA Trailblazers team has dropped three straight double-headers, putting their record at 8-18, with a conference record of 1-9. Two of the double-headers were away, giving the Trailblazers an away record of 1-7. The baseball team is 2-6 at home.

The Trailblazers have not won a game since April 14, against Williams.

The first double-header was held on April 16, against Worcester State, with the Trailblazers away. The game was a close one, with Worcester narrowly winning, 4-2. The baseball team hit well, getting eight hits to Worcester’s six. Daniel

Gaines pitched all six innings for MCLA. MCLA got on the board first with Osiris Mendez hitting in Rick Massey with an RBI single.

Worcester was scoreless until the bottom of the third, when with four hits and one Trailblazer error, they took the lead.

MCLA would score again in the next inning, but simply couldn’t make up the difference.

The Trailblazers were dominated in the next Worcester State game, getting shut out, 6-0. With 23 at-bats, the team managed just two hits, courtesy of Osiris Mendez and Vince Bordino. Worcester scored early and often, putting the score at 3-0 by the end of the second inning.

The Trailblazers came home

Last Week’s Scores BASEBALL 4/22 4/22 4/26 4/26

vs. Salem State (L) 1-9 vs. Salem State (L) 2-4 vs. Westfield State (L) 3-5 vs. Westfield State (L) 3-8

SOFTBALL 4/22 4/22 4/26 4/26

@ Salem State (L) 1-4 @ Salem State (L) 0-4 @ Westfield State (L) 0-3 @ Westfield State (L) 0-3

to face off with Salem State on April 22, but fared no better.

The first game was a blow-out, with the baseball team being put down with a score of 9-1.

Salem State had 31 at-bats and racked up eight hits and six RBI’s.

In contrast, the Trailblazers had 24 at-bats, three hits and one run with seven errors.

Pitcher Daniel Gaines had this to say: “The only positive that came from that day was that in the second game we battled and kept the game close even after losing badly in the first game.

The negatives are obvious when we make nine errors on the day, seven in one game and only get three hits

BASEBALL cont. on page 15

The softball team continued its slide, losing the last six conference games and eight out of the last 10 overall. They are now in seventh place in the conference standings.

On Friday, the Blazers lost both ends of the double header to Salem State 4-1 and 4-0. In game one, Salem jumped out to an early lead in the top half of the first inning with a two-run double. The Blazer’s answered back in the bottom half of the second inning with a sacrifice-fly from Megan Boyer to score Kate Ouellette who lead off the inning with a double.

However, the one run wasn’t enough. Lauren Dicredico, Salem’s pitcher, was brilliant, giving up only two hits through five innings of work. The sac-fly in the second would be the only run the Blazers scored. Amanda Borsotti had the other hit for MCLA. Dicredico had seven strikeouts while allowing one walk.

The Blazers struck out a total of 12 times in the first game. The win gave Dicredico nine on the season.

Game two was almost a mirror image of the first. Dicredico was back out on the mound, allowing three hits during her complete game. Kelly Pirzl also pitched well, allowing only two runs during her complete game. Dicredico picked up her win number 10 on the season while Pirzl’s record dropped to 3-7.

On Tuesday, the bats remained silent for them. They dropped another double-dip to Westfield State, losing 3-0 in both games.

In game one, Westfield’s pitcher allowed four hits while going the distance for the Owls striking out

11 batters. Robillard, Koumjian, Ouellette, and Greenwood all had one hit each for the Blazers.

Ainsley MacDonald pitched well for the Blazers allowing three runs and striking out five in a complete game.

Both teams remained scoreless until the late innings when the Owls put one across in the sixth inning and tacked two more on in the seventh. The owls played small-ball to get the winning run across in the sixth. They bunted for a base hit, and after a wild pitch, the runner scored on a perfectly executed squeeze play.

In game two, the Blazers were faced with the challenge of hitting against the reigning MASCAC pitcher of the week, Alcott.

Alcott pitched another complete game for the owls serving up only four hits.

Hadley Ameen pitched for the Blazers allowing three runs on seven hits with five punch-outs.

Ameen didn’t allow a run until a two run double put the Owls ahead for good in the fifth inning. Westfield added one more in the top have of the seventh inning to win 3-0.

During the recent skid, the Blazers’ bats have been silenced.

What was considered to be a problem earlier in the season has resurfaced. In the past eight losses, they have managed only eight runs.

Currently, the Blazers are 1016 overall, 3-7 in the MASCAC, which is good enough for seventh place. They have eight important games remaining on their schedule including conference matchups against Framingham State and Bridgewater State this weekend. The Blazers host Springfield College this afternoon in an attempt to stop their current losing streak.

Upcoming Schedule BASEBALL

4/30 Framingham State (Away)* 5/1 Bridgewater State (Home)*

SOFTBALL

4/28 Springfield State (Home)* 4/30 Framingham State (Away)* 5/1 Bridgewater State (Home)* 5/2 Williams (Home)* * = Doubleheader

Photo courtesy of Ian Grey

Kayla Koumjian swings at the plate.