2 Hiring Process 158 Pickett Street 3 Free Money 4 Elemental Distress Smoking Effects 5 Soul-Making Bump in the Night Tour de Cure Lipton Tea 6 -7 Op-Editorials 9 Sustainability Greek Yogurt Music Reviews 10 Pumpkins & Poetry 11-12 Sports

BEACONTHE SOUTHERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER | Volume 8 • No. 3 • OCTOBER 9, 2012

Cynthia Dill and the US Senatorial RaceBy Dawn Smith and Rik Sawyer

Cynthia Dill does not have an easy month ahead of her. In her bid to replace the highly respected Olympia Snowe as the next Maine Senator, she faces tough competition. Her opponents: Maine

Secretary of State Charlie Summers and former Governor Angus King, have large leads over her, but she is gaining ground. According to the Washington Post, recent polls show Dill is gaining considerable ground. She has risen to 17% from 11% in just a couple of weeks. People are starting to take notice of the underrated State Senator. Cynthia is a resident of Cape Elizabeth who is also an adjunct professor at SMCC. She has served in both the state Senate and state House of Representatives, along with the Cape Elizabeth Town Council. Dill helped champion the “Three-Ring Binder Project,” an effort to create greater broadband access to rural and underprivileged areas of the state. She has also been an outspoken proponent for gay marriage. Aside from her political career she is a civil rights attorney with her own practice. She is also Director at the Common Cause Digital Democracy Project. Recently Cynthia took time out of her busy schedule to talk with us about her the issues and her campaign. Among the topics that we talked about, controlling higher educational cost, the Balanced Budget Amendment, replacing Olympia Snowe and the perceived role of being the spoiler in a three candidate race. Of all the topics that we covered, educational cost should be at the forefront of every one’s mind here at SMCC, simply because we are either starting our post-secondary educations, or are solidly a few years into it, with the likelihood that many of us will be transferring to a 4 year institution. The fact remains there are concerns about paying for education and the ability to access future funding that need to be addressed. “Clearly, affordable education for everyone in America is just critically important to jobs and income security. When it comes to college education in particular, Pell grants, not only do I support the distribution of Pell grants, but also tying

them to inflation so that they will increase over time and keep their importance and relevance. I also support the GI Bill.” She also pointed out that there is legislation currently pending that would enable students to pay back loans based on a percentage of what they earn in salaries. This could provide incentive for people to get into public education or professions that don’t necessarily pay a lot, but are ones that people are passionate about. We asked about student loans and the current exemption from being cancelled out in bankruptcy. “I think that under some circumstances they should. I don’t understand why student loans were exempted from discharge-ability in bankruptcy. It strikes me that it’s not quite fair.” Affordable education and the ability to pay back loans are major decisions students face when they decide on pursuing a college degree. Knowing where our candidates stand is important when choosing our next U.S. Senator. When asked about jobs, and the employment market that students face entering, or re-entering after their post-secondary education, Cynthia advocates for re-prioritizing things in Washington. “I think by taking smart course of action that includes reforming our tax codes so that super-wealthy people and big corporations pay their fair share as well as reducing some unnecessary spending will free up revenue that should be directed towards fully funding, adequately funding, quality education from early childhood through adult education.” Mrs. Dill views our combined need to rebuild our infrastructure, roads and transportation as a long-term viability for jobs. Education is the tool to equip students for the job; supporting President Obama’s Jobs bill would do a lot to build out a lot of the infrastructure projects and fund research and development. It could have the potential to create over a million jobs, but it still is sitting in Congress without action. “I am committed to the people of this state, that, should I have the honor of becoming Maine’s next United States Senator, I will fully back the President’s Jobs Bill.” When asked about the Balanced Budget Amendment

and her record of speaking out against it, Cynthia states, “I should state clearly that I’m all for balancing the budget; it's Congress’ job to balance the budget. As a State Legislator, I presided over votes that reduced state spending for many years. I voted to support balanced budgets, but the current debt and deficit were caused by three things: the Bush tax cuts, unfunded wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the collapse of Wall Street. I think we need to address those three things.” Following up on the impact that market has had on the recession, Cynthia believes that we should hold Wall Street accountable. “I propose what’s called a ‘Financial Transaction Tax’ which would be a very, very, very small tax on the trade of stocks that would contribute to the domestic programs that we all need to really thrive as a community.” She adds that she is currently the only senatorial

INGiving the Gift of Life: Blood Donations at a GlanceBy Mary-Alice Mercier

With Maine’s blood supply at stable low blood drives have been increasing and Red Cross phone calls have been a little more frequent.

The question that should be asked is why? Last Thursday, October 5th, I took a few moments to speak with a member of The American Red Cross to answer this inquiry. “The reason why Maine is low on our blood supply and donations is mostly

because people do not have a very large initiative to do so.” they explained, adding, “during the summer months our supply gets really scarce and low because it is simply that, summer, no one wants to donate on a nice day when they could be enjoying the time they have away.” The tone of this brief conversation was really interesting. There was a sense of worry, and with good reason considering if Maine were to have a natural disaster we could be in a bit of trouble because of the shortage in our state. “When some are asked why they do not donate the response has often been, ‘Well, I was never asked.’ Well. We are asking.” The Red Cross representative would say as a final sentiment. The information I received here is very interesting;

such as, blood that is donated gets sent to Massachusetts to get processed before it comes back to Maine, 90% of that blood given stays in Maine the other 10% is distributed between Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire and so on, and two pints of your blood can save up to three lives! I spoke with a few donors and asked them why they donated, “I want help the cause and save a life.” Said Tim

Johnson. “I donated once when I was in basic training but had a hard time donating again because of tattoos and some other things.” Johnson ended his statement there and it was not long before another donor would come to answer the same question. “It is something I do to give back,” began Bryan Bonin, while another donor waiting to help the cause continued, “this will be my sixth time donating blood. I started a few years ago when I was seventeen, I had learned about the blood supply and how much my blood could help. It is and was an easy way to give back for me, and I would be very happy if I were in the hospital and was saved by someone’s blood.” He ended on that note, a good outlook for anyone considering donating blood. I also had a chance to speak with got a chance to speak with a ten times blood donor, Kristina Hoch, who has a very interesting blood type. “I have Type O, which is a very universal blood type. I get asked a lot to donate because of my blood type, though I donate at least once a year because I feel it is very beneficial as well as, a very good way to give back.” A little more information from redcrossblood.org about Type O is that it can be donated to any of the blood types. Not everyone that goes to register gets to donate

Ashley T. enters the donor bus

Timothy Johnson

excitedly going to donate

(continued on page 10)

(continued on page 2)

side:

2 • October 9, 2012 • Beacon

CampusNews

CONTRIBUTING Sharon Bannon WRITERS Chris Conlee Tiffany Crockett Donna Chapman Gerry A. Foster Katherine Frazier Daniel E. Gagne Garrick Hoffman Jeff Meuse Kaila Magliozzi Tricia Mancini Wes McInerny Mary-Alice Mercier Amanda Rock KayLynn Russell Rik Sawyer Michael Scofield Tom Sharp Lin Maria Riotto Dawn Smith Shawn Veasey Brittany Williams ART DIRECTOR & Angelina Smith PRODUCTION MANAGER

GRAPHIC DESIGN Will Porensky & LAYOUT Meo Pourreyron ILLUSTRATIONS Andrew Holmes Wes McInerny Badger's Illustration Class

ADVISOR Charles OttThe Beacon is published by and for the students of

Southern Maine Community College

The Hiring Process from the Employer’s SideBy Sharon Bannon, Director of Career and Transfer Services

Imagine that you are well along in your career. You are the director of a particular division in a large organiza-tion and you supervise a team of five. Your crazy-busy

time of year is just around the corner and today Bethany handed in a letter of resignation. In two weeks, she will be gone. Bethany was a great worker. She is leaving to pursue a master’s degree. She has a lot of potential and it is hard to begrudge her wanting to pursue her dreams. It is also hard not to. (Grrr!) This is going to be awful. Not only do you have to get through your busy time down one staff member, you have to conduct a search for her replacement AT THE SAME TIME! It is not at all unusual for an employer’s search for a new addition to their staff to begin this way and not many people would tell you they consider trying to fill open positions a fun activity. This poor supervisor, who is trying to make sure things run smoothly while the divi-sion is temporarily understaffed, is under a lot of pressure to find the right person for the job as quickly and ef-ficiently as possible. This isn’t part of their regular routine and, in fact, it may have been three or four years since the last time they had to conduct a search for a new employ-ee! There are forms and budgets and human resource rules and Federal regulations that are all part of the process, not to mention trying to coordinate the various schedules of the people who will be involved in the search! Not fun. Definitely not fun. Once a position is advertised, an employer can eas-ily get over 100 resumes in application. Rather than get right to work selecting the three or four best candidates to interview, the first task for the hiring committee is to get rid of 96 candidates. The first round is an elimination round and the trick is to make it through that round! What might eliminate a candidate? Dumb mistakes could do it. Proofread all of the materials you submit very care-fully. Wrong company names, egregious spelling or gram-mar errors, no apparent effort to learn about the company, not addressing the content of the job description and the

minimum job requirements are all things that can land your cover letter and resume in the reject pile. These mis-takes are dumb because, with a bit of care and effort, they are easy to avoid! Remember, you are in competition with other people for the job! If they put in the care and effort and you don’t, you are out of the game. Of course, if you really don’t have the qualifications for the job, that is a problem, too. The employer generally has several questions in mind as they consider candidates: Does this person have the best skills and experience to fill the requirements of the job?Will this person fit in with this team/company?Is there any reason to have concerns about this person?What excitement/commitment will this person likely bring to the position/company? They will carefully examine the application materi-als that you submit for the position with these questions in mind and how you describe your work experience is important. The tools they have available with which to ferret out the answers are the position description for the open job, the questions they come up with to ask the candidates and the candidates’ references, applicants’ cover letters , applicants’ resumes and the interviews. They will come up with behavioral interview questions that ask for specific examples of how you have dealt with a variety of scenarios. They will ask questions to probe how familiar you are with their company, and maybe even their competitors! They will ask questions about your previous positions/employers and then listen carefully for signs of enthusiasm, camaraderie, excitement, effort and, also, possibly excuses, discord, blame and bitterness. They will ask the people you list for references to address similar questions about you and your experiences, behaviors and attitudes! Remember, the tools they have available to obtain this information are the same tools that you use to make sure that they receive this information about you! Know-ing what they are looking for, make sure you include and can talk about all of that information!

158 Pickett Street CaféBy Amanda Rock

Victory! I get to school and claim my parking space only to find that the class I am here to take had been canceled, what to do now? I know I’ll walk

over to Café 158 just up the road. So I do not lose my coveted parking space. I walk in and notice that they have a black board over the cash register with a drink menu, and cute paper menus for the food. I look over

both and decide that I will have a large cappuccino with hazelnut and two eggs over easy with fresh made wheat bread! I sit and wait while I take in the seating area; there is a fun artistic feel to the building. Roasted red pepper cans serve as napkin dispensers, and the tables are metal. There are paintings on the wall they are for sale and I notice that some have been sold. Mmm I can smell my eggs cooking before too long I have my coffee which I noticed is Coffee by Design, my coffee is lovely! Great thick foam sits upon the creamy espresso milk subtly flavored with the ha-zelnut. My eggs arrive… They are seasoned with salt pepper and dill, I break my yolks and they spread out over my bread crating this amazing flavor profile. I look at the menu some more and I notice that they have many more options, bagels with spreads, omelets, and pastries baked fresh daily. Muffins and cookies are made fresh daily. The same goes for all the bread in the building... yep you guessed it, that means the bagels are freshly made also! Most breakfast options are be-tween 3 and 8 dollars, a good price for yummy breakfasts made fresh daily. If you are looking for something a little later in the day they offer lunch too! So I went back for lunch another day, I ordered the curried chicken sal-ad; this comes with almonds, apricots, green apples, and green lettuce. This had a perfect amount of crunch. The apples complimented the curry in the chicken salad. It created a flavor that rolled around very pleasantly on my taste buds. The sandwich was quite large I was glad that I was hungry, or I may not have been able to fin-ish this delicious sandwich. Items on the lunch menu are right around 8 dollars; they do offer daily specials that are at a lower rate. The staff of 158 is friendly and welcoming, they want to get to know who you are, and make sure that you

have a wonderful experience at their establishment. 158’s hours are: Tuesday-Saturday, 7am- 3pm Sundays 8am-2pm Monday 8am- 3pm So if you are looking to get a fresh cooked meal not far off campus. I would recommend 158 for breakfast or lunch.

though. First in the process is to get your iron level tested. Some do not pass that and it is most frequently the cause of diet. “Eat a lot of dark greens and red meats!” said deferred donor Ashley Thibodeau. “I have given blood since my sophomore year of high school. I did it as a way to get over my fear of needles and then I simply continued to donate.” One of the more interesting reasons to have

begun donating. “They had told me my HB was low. They tested me twice just to make sure because the first it was very close to being what they needed.” She would say. “They told me how I could improve my diet to donate next time.” Iron Rich foods are a good place to start, considering if it is low you are not eligible to donate. Also having a good level of vitamin C has been beneficial to donating. Giving blood is a great way

to give back to the community and where supplies are at a low it should be a strong consideration. Before you donate, though, make sure to eat right and drink plenty of water, or fruit juice to stay steady and energized. You could save a life by giving the gift of your blood. Car accidents, fires, floods, and hurricanes are only a few tragedies that could use transfusions to give loved ones a second chance. Donating blood, its a gift you can choose to give or keep. The choice is yours.

Blood(continued from page 1)Josh Potocki, owner of 158 Pickett Street Café

Beacon • October 9, 2012 • 3

CampusNewsDirections To “Free” Money: How a well-written essay can pay offBy Shawn Veasey

Welcome back to “Free Money” – part III. Just in case you didn’t read “Free Money” parts one, and/or two, once again I’ll apologize

in advance. This isn’t a map to find “free money,” this is a scholarship guide of sorts, and in it so far we’ve briefly covered what, why, how and where? What are scholarships? Why apply for scholarships? How can you win a scholarship? And where to find scholarships? While we can’t cover everything about scholarships, hopefully what we do cover will be helpful to you, the SMCC student and the readers of The Beacon. Especially since right now is about the time many of us, including me, are in the process of applying to transfer from our beloved SMCC to four-year universities. It is also about the time many scholarship opportunities, such as, the Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship (check your SMCC email the week of September 24th for more information), and many others open to applications. One requirement many transfer and scholarship applications both have is one some of us dread. The essay. As college students, we’re all pretty familiar with essays. Heck, some of you have probably written and/or turned in one this week. And while you toiled over a graded essay, did it cross your mind that you’d write another one that wasn’t required? I know it didn’t cross mine and I had never written an essay that wasn’t a class assignment until I began to apply for scholarships. While English is my favorite subject, I was still hesitant. I knew how to write a “Persuasive” essay, a “Compare and Contrast” essay, and several other kinds, but I wasn’t sure I knew how to write the essay that some of scholarship applications required. I remember staring at an open Word document and being

totally clueless, so if you suffer from the same malady, “Scholarship Essay Cluelessness,” hopefully the following information will serve as somewhat of a cure.

Tips For Writing a Scholarship Essay

1 The most, absolute most, important thing when writing a scholarship essay is to read the directions and follow them exactly. For example, many scholarships call for a “500-word maximum, typed

essay,” and if you’re anything like me you’ve wondered how rigid the word count is. Well, of course you can go past that 500-word maximum, but do you want to? What if you get to 500 and you’re not done? Do you keep going? No. Even if you’re tempted not to, follow the directions as closely as possible. The last thing you want is a administrator of a scholarship thinking that you don’t know follow directions or even worse—don’t bother to.

2Take the scholarship essay as seriously as you would any essay that you would receive a grade on, because in a way you might possibly receive a grade on it, in the form of a scholarship award.

If you wouldn’t turn in a required essay with typos, misspellings and the like, neither should you submit a scholarship essay with the same. It doesn’t hurt to have more than one set of eyes read your essay to give you feedback. My method of proofing my essays is print a copy and go over it with red pen and then after making corrections I read the final draft out loud to myself.

3Don’t forget the most important part of your essay—You. A well-written, immaculate essay is a great thing, but if it is lacking the main ingredient it doesn’t serve its purpose, which is to tell the

scholarship administrator why you would be the perfect candidate for the scholarship. Think of the essay as you would a job interview. If a prospective employer asked

you a question, you’d do your best to answer it in the best way possible while putting yourself in the best light, right? The same should go for a scholarship essay.

Unfortunately, we’ll have to conclude Part III of “Free Money” at tip three but never fear we’re not done quite yet. We’ll be back with part 2 of Part III with more tips on writing scholarship essays. In the meanwhile I’ll leave you with a reminder to check your SMCC emails. You’d be amazed how many scholarship opportunities you’ll learn about by simply reading the emails Sharon Bannon, the Director of Career and Transfer Services, sends students.

ILLUSTRATION BY ANDREW HOLMES

Club Membership is open to all SMCC studentsJoin the association and help us to be a

larger presence on campus by:

• Organizing and scheduling public speaking events

• Have a stronger presence on the Opinion/Editorial pages of the Beacon

• Organize and schedule trips to Washington DC, New York, or Boston

All interested should contact Rik Sawyer atrichardsawyer@student.smccme.edu

The next meeting is Thursday, October 11th, at 7:30 p.m.

in the Lower Lounge of the Campus Center

T H E Political Science Association

I S S E E K I N G M E M B E R S

4 • October 9, 2012 • Beacon

TheOtherWorldElemental Distress: A Stir of EchoesBy Daniel E. Gagne

While doing research on harmful pesticides for this article I was asked to take a look at a documentary on Rachel Carson,

(1907-1967), a legendary naturalist responsible for the movement to ban DDT, and a longtime vacationer here in Maine; her research still resonates today in the field of naturalism. Dr. of Zoology and author of several books on nature conservation and even several pamphlets for the Department of Fish and Game, Carson was a force to be reckoned with. Her passion to save nature from the massive overuse of chemical pesticides was second to none. Way ahead of her time, she even published works on the effects of global warming, specifically referring to the temperature rising in the oceans.After watching a brief video of her I found myself actually crying: this woman was not only extremely motivated, but passionate and poetic as well. I could see, hear, and feel the passion in her voice—her words were like music, soft, but crystal clear, specifically chosen and carefully enunciated; from somewhere deep within me, emotions rarely felt were being stirred. It was her testimony to the House and Congress that gave the environmental movement its momentum and feeling of pride. She made it cool to be a naturalist. Her book, Silent Spring, published in September 1962—fifty years ago this September, enlightened many people on the dangers of the overuse of DDT that eventually lead to the formation of the Environmental Protection Agency. Her provocative work in this book and others still echoes today in the argument against genetically modified organisms, specifically Roundup ready seeds produced by the multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation, Monsanto. Contrary to popular belief, genetic modification is different from natural breeding and poses special risks. Natural breeding can only take place with related forms of life (e.g. corn with corn, dogs with dogs, but not tomatoes with fish). Natural breeding uses selective breeding within the species to highlight specific traits, but maintains gene integrity. Unwanted mutations can more easily be observed and discarded. Although both can use plant tissue modified in tissue cultures and marker-assisted selection, only genetic engineering uses special bacteria and gene guns as well as other advanced techniques, to insert tiny pieces of recombinant DNA, i.e. genes, into a donor species other than the organism being modified. After this new gene is inserted, cells are then exposed to chemicals designed to kill all but the cells which have adopted these new genes, leaving only the modified cells alive. These cells are then treated with hormones to stimulate cell propagation to expedite growth rates. The remaining cells are now grown

into plants in order to observe the development of newly desired traits. Plants showing signs of undesirable traits or mutations are discarded, and the plants which remain are selected based on commercialization factors, without any further testing for health, environmental, or nutritional factors. This artificial process is not, however, what makes these new plants dangerous—it’s the lack of testing after development. The results of genetic engineering are crude, imprecise, and unpredictable. Proponents claim that GE allows for desired traits to be harvested in plants with no unexpected effects. Although cutting and splicing of genes is now able to be done quite accurately, the results—however, cannot be relied upon. Heritable traits coupled with cross-pollination can produce unpredictable mutations. Just one or two changes in the DNA sequence can interact with other genes, causing diverse interactions and mutations known as pleiotropic effects, which are impossible to predict because of the sheer complexity of the living ecosystem, since DNA sequences are billions of proteins long. This is especially dangerous because, even though pesticides like Roundup eventually break down—living organisms do not, and the consequences are, unfortunately, irreversible once they are encoded into the ecosystem. Although genetic mutations occur frequently in nature, unsuccessful mutations rarely survive for long, as they are extremely vulnerable to change. Conversely, successful mutations slowly become adopted throughout the species in the process we know as evolution—this is natural selection. Corporations like Monsanto use confusing terms in an attempt to deter people from learning the truth, and blur the lines between the controversial and the incontestable. In the end, what they are actually attempting is genetic engineering; and how arrogant is it to think that in just few a thousand years we can control what nature has taken tens of billions of years to perfect. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an organization intended for the purpose of facilitating international trade, not the protection of public health, the term “Substantially Equivalent”, means that if a GMO contains similar amounts of basic components like fat, protein, and carbohydrates as its non-GM counterpart, then it is “Substantially Equivalent” to its non-GM counterpart. A quote from, “Beyond Substantial Equivalence”, (Nature 1999), reads, “Substantial Equivalence is a pseudo-scientific concept because it is a commercial and political judgment masquerading as if it were scientific. It is, moreover, inherently anti-scientific because it was created primarily to provide an excuse for not requiring biochemical or toxicological tests.”

On two separate occasions, scientists have been caught by the EPA falsifying test results on behalf of Monsanto for the study of glyphosate, Roundup’s main ingredient, once in 1978 by Industrial Biotest Laboratories. The second time, in 1991 by Craven Laboratories, resulting in twenty felonies by three of their employees combined. In 1996, The New York Times reported that the Attorney General of New York had ordered Monsanto to pull ads which stated that Roundup was “safer than table salt” and “practically nontoxic…”, and in 2009 France’s highest court confirmed an earlier judgment that Monsanto had engaged in false advertising for claiming that Roundup was “biodegradable” and “left the soil clean”. When the first “oil eating” bacterium was patented back in 1971, it opened the floodgates to attempt to patent life itself. Since then, it has been rumored that Monsanto currently holds 11,000 patents, many of which are for seeds, and the majority of those had not been engineered. Monsanto is said to have raided seed banks for heirloom seeds in an attempt to create a monopoly in which they can control the world food supply, with GM seeds designed only to survive if used in conjunction with their own chemical spray—Roundup. The only prerequisite is that no one else already holds the patent. Although companies are allowed to put any GMO product they wish to on the market, they can also be held liable for any resulting harm to consumers. This is quite likely the reason Monsanto has continued to fight so hard to keep legislation from being enacted to mandate labeling of foods containing GMO’s as they fully understand that this is the first of many steps in linking harm to the consumer by their GMO. And, contrary to popular belief, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require safety testing for GMO’s. These operate under voluntary self-testing by corporations wishing to bring a new product to market. How can we as a society make any informed decisions about the safety of the food we consume if the ingredients within those foods are not properly labeled? Proposition 37, in California, being voted on this year, is The California Right to Know Genetically Modified Food Act. One can only hope that this sets precedence for others to follow. It is our sovereign right to know what it really is that we are eating and how safe it is. With rising cancer rates, increasing food allergies, diabetes, and brain tumors as well as learning and neurological disorders like autism, we have a civic responsibility to our families and communities to demand that we have a right to know what is on our plate. This article is dedicated to the memory of Rachel Carson whose book Silent Spring was Published 50 years ago, September 27, 1967, and spawned a modern environmental revolution.

The Effects of SmokingBy KayLynn Russell

Whenever I see, or walk past a person holding a cigarette butt in their hand, I cringe and hold my breath; I have had the very unpleas-

ant experience of getting a full-on blow of second hand smoke in the face. This brings up the question, “Why do people smoke?” Why people smoke stems from all kinds of reasons. They could be stressed, and find that smoking is one of the many answers to relieving it, masking it, or avoiding it. They could also be under peer pressure from their friends. Many teenagers think that it is kind of cool to smoke, thinking that it will make them get in with the “in” crowd, make friends in “higher” places, and be accepted. Some people smoke to control their weight. Smoking reduces appetite and lessens their smelling senses, thus reducing their intake of food and allowing them to weigh less than people who don’t smoke. The effects that smok-ing has on people, however, can be harmful and deadly. Smoking can damage your lungs, which in turn affects your breathing. You can have a hard time exercis-ing because of the amount of pressure your lungs have to breathe in oxygen; it can cause colds to last longer than normal, or turn it into something worse, like pneumonia or bronchitis. Another effect that smoking has is leaving a permanent “stain”. It stains your teeth, leaves a pungent smell on your clothes, hair, body, upholstery, and makes your voice gravelly and coarse. It also kills body cells,

causing cancers to form, such as bladder, throat, stomach, and lung cancer. In addition to cancer, it can cause heart disease. Studies show that men are ten times more likely to suffer and die from heart-related diseases than non-smokers. This happens because the chemicals in the cigarettes cause the arteries in the heart to clog up, leading to a heart attack. It also causes poor circulation. Just as with heart diseases, it can cause arteries all throughout the body to clog, leading to limb amputation. Smoking while pregnant, as we all know, is very dangerous to the fetus. It can cause deformities, health risks, and even stillbirths. According to research, pregnant mothers have to either smoke, or be exposed to, as many as 10 cigarettes a day. While pregnant, smoking increases risks of stillbirth up by 23%, and the risk of birth defects up by 13%. These risks can not only be a factor from second-hand smoke, but sometimes by men who smoke – cigarettes causes negative effects on the development of sperm. It is also very costly to smoke. In the year 2004, cigarettes cost around $40 a pack, meaning that one could spend over $100,000 a year alone just to smoke cigarettes. Smokers can also be expected to pay more for health, life, and car insurance; rates for home ownership will go up; and the value of cars and homes will be decreased. The health benefits of quitting smoking are amazing and somewhat mind-boggling. Within 20 minutes, your

blood pressure returns to normal, along with your pulse rate and temperature of your hands and feet. At the 12 hour mark, the oxygen level in your blood increases to normal and the level of carbon monoxide in your body will drop to normal. After 48 hours, nerve endings that were damaged from the smoking start to regrow; your sense of smell and taste return to normal. Within 72 hours, your body will test absolutely 100% nicotine-free. Over 90% of all nicotine metabolites – the chemicals it breaks down into – will have gone from the body. After 10 days or so, the addiction to nicotine is no longer doing the talking, and the blood circulation in gums and teeth become similar to those of a non-smoker. Within 3 months, the risk of a heart attack drops; lung function is improving; circulation is substantially im-proved; walking is easier and your chronic cough, if you had any, is most likely gone. After an entire year after quitting smoking, the risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke drops to less than half that of a smoker. It is estimated that over 400,000 people in America die each year from diseases related to smoking. In the end, all people get from smoking is bad health, and end up paying more for everything – including cigarettes. If only people can realize that smoking is very bad for not only them but others who don’t smoke, but breathe in the second hand smoke, we can help improve lives of every-body around us.

Beacon • October 9, 2012 • 5

TheOtherWorld

By Tricia Mancini

Annually the American Diabetes Association holds a fundraising ride held in cities across the country, the Tour de Cure. Last year it moved to the Wells

Reserve at Laudholm Farm, to accommodate the increase in participants it has experienced for seven consecutive years. The money raised is used to fund research and edu-cation to raise awareness and community inclusion efforts from diet choices to exercise to public school advocates. I first volunteered for this event while I waited for a friend to complete their Ride, over four years ago. It was early and the weather was a bit gloomy, but if you are going to ride a distance of 20 to 100 miles, this is the lesser of two evils. No matter how this day begins you will find sunshine by the end. While waiting at the finish line I was impressed by the number of participants, and how so many entire families from parents to infants arrived. Some were teams of coworkers others individuals in training for other events. Many are riding with diabetes AKA “Red Riders”, and they are the reason we ride and why we volunteer. Most apparent with this group is the energy and fun that is nearly tangible in the air. The excitement of the crowd and the fun of groups of riders with costumes to boost team spirit, I have to admit it is contagious! Meanwhile, back at the finish line after the group sets off (departures are staggered by distance). I figured I would just hang out awhile with everyone else. Well, that’s not really how it works, all the supporters who were there to rally around all those riders immediately began prepping for the next wave of riders who were going to be leaving, checking on route supporters at rest stops, counting the riders who passed them and tracking progress as well as preparing for the meals and activities after the ride when they all return. There is no lack of opportunity to get involved. Upon their return that day, riders would receive T-shirts and bags so I helped some of the high school students who were there volunteering to combine the two, I assisted with taping extension cords down so no one tripped on them, and pitched in at the next registration crunch time, as well as cut up veggies for the salad to serve at the lunch when riders returned. Time flew by. While cheering the return of several riders I experi-enced, what returning volunteers refer to as -My Mission Moment; A young boy crossed the finish line I knew he was a Red Rider because he was wearing a jersey espe-cially designed for them by the tour, he was riding his BMX bike, I bet he was about 9, judging by his height and mid growth spurt look. He dropped his bike and put his hands on his knees exhaling deeply saying, “I did it!… I did it!” I didn’t know him, but I was so proud of him! I go back every year and bring my family with him in mind. Because every year there are more but the mission of the Tour is Cure so that one day maybe there will not be so many new cases of diabetes. The TourdeCure is a volunteer driven event; it truly cannot happen with out them. The 2013 is shaping up to be the biggest event yet, with a Goal of 1000 Riders. This will require a total of 250 Day of Event Volunteers! The money raised for education and research is a whopping $440,000. There was a single rider, Brandon Fogwell, of New Hampshire, that raised over $20,000! An amazing and inspiring accomplishment! Joined by sixty Cham-pion Riders (those who raised over $1000), they enjoyed an exclusive catered meal and other perks available to all riders, such as massage, lunch and a Fabulous T-shirt! There are committees that meet throughout the year organizing everything from food vendors to recruiting riders and assisting with fundraising tools to identifying potential donors for equipment to enter-tainment. The Associate Director of the event is an amazing woman named, Emily, she inspires me with her commitment and enthusiasm every time we meet.If you are not able to make the commitment of a com-mittee, the Day of Event is the perfect solution! It promises to be a day full of gratitude and appreciation for your efforts while packing a big punch on return for your time. It is not a day you would soon forget! Your group of coworkers or school organization can make an impact to so many with the devotion of just a few hours of your time. I used to joke that there were a lot of things I would do for a T-shirt, this is definitely one of my favorite!

BumpHidden in Portland, Maine’s Longfellow Square is a

menagerie of creatures seen by few, feared by many. I am not talking about the street people along outer

Congress Street. I am referring to the inhabitants of the International Cryptozoology Museum. Cryptozoo-what? Cryptozoology is the study of hidden, unknown and out-of-place animals, such as Bigfoot, The Loch Ness Monster, or the Chupacabras. The ICM is home to these zoological specimens, sort of like an island of misfit animals, if you will. The International Cryptozoology Museum, founded in 2003, was relocated from Loren Coleman’s (the world’s greatest living cryptozoologist, author of over 30 books) home in 2009 to downtown Portland, Maine. It currently resides in Longfellow Square, 11 Avon Street, Portland, Maine 04101. The ICM is a nonprofit organization of the State of Maine. It has a scientific and educational mission to share the items cryptozoologically collected since 1960 by Loren Coleman, with Mainers, New Englanders, tourists, teachers, researchers, scholars, professors, colleagues, students, documentary filmmakers, news people, scientific cryptozoologists and the general public. The collection includes an eight and a half foot, nearly five hundred pound artist’s representation of a Sasquatch, a fourteen foot model of a juvenile sea serpent Cadborosaurus, foot casts from around the globe taken at Bigfoot sightings, hair samples, local artist’s works representing cryptozoology and fecal samples taken from a Sasquatch (not an easy task, let me tell you). The ICM houses over 7000 items that are regularly rotated into exhibits to keep things new and different. What better destination for Halloween than the International Cryptozoology Museum? The one night of the year when all the cryptids (animals of cryptozoology) get to come out and play, dressing up as Nicki Minja or Lil’ Wayne.

On Halloween the ICM is open from 11:00AM to 4:00 PM and is reduced admission ($2.00). Halloween night, doors reopen at 5:00 PM and we will be holding a benefit for $10.00 admission, entitled “Casting for Sasquatch with Maine Guide Dustin Howe.” This program is a behind the scenes look at how Sasquatch track casting is done, identifying tracks and a casting demonstration with our docents. Docents are a valuable asset to the ICM. Interested in house breaking some Chupacabras? Teaching a FeeJee Mermaid a bit of feminine hygiene? Treating Loch Ness Monsters for swimmers’ ear? Brushing the snarls out of a Bigfoot’s mane? How about treating a Yeti for frost bite? If any of these tasks sound interesting to you, or if you would just like to help out the ICM, we are always looking for great people. We currently are looking for docents to help with special events, serve as tour guides, staff the gift store, as well as many other day-to-day tasks. Do you have a special talent that you think would help the museum further its scientific and educational mission? We would love to hear about it and see what you have to offer. The docent position is a volunteer position and is unpaid but really, how hard do you think it is to babysit a Sasquatch? Contact the museum at museumheroes@gmail.com for more information or with your questions. The museum’s hours are Mon, 12-4:00pm, Wed – Sat 11:00AM-4:00 , Sun: 12-3:30pm. For more info visit www.cryptozoologymuseum.com Can’t make it out Halloween night to go ‘squatchin’? Why not give it a try at the International Cryptozoology Museum?

Soul-Making: Power & Evil Have the Same DNABy Tom Sharp

I was in the mayor’s barrack for about one hour. During this hour, I learned that when given power with no limits you must use it wisely and be willing to accept any and

all consequences for the use of such power. All eight of the compounds were communicating with each other concerning the situation. Of course this is done without the knowledge of the Coalition Forces guards. To this day I never figured out exactly how the com-pounds communicated with each other. During this situation it was proposed by the mayors of the each compounds that with my permission they would do one of the following. Kill the twelve detainees that are threating my life. The detainee’s guards, at risk of bodily harm to their self, would force the twelve detainees to the opposite end of the compound and cause a riot so the detainee guards could safely get me to exit the compound. The final proposal, that still haunts me today, is they would bring the twelve detainees to me so I could

have the honor of killing them. I could not believe what was being proposed to me, and according to Iraqi customs and traditions, I had to choose the fate of these twelve detainees. I have been in combat were its either kill or be killed. As terrible as that is, a soldier can find more justification for his actions in those situations. However, when giving the power to play “God,” then how would any-one with a conscience be able to justify their actions without regrets or guilt? The story will continue but first I would like to ask those who are following to email the Beacon on how you would handle this situation, if you had to decide the fate of the twelve detainees. Keep in mind you have been given three proposals from the mayors of the compounds. Additionally, you are the “Teacher” and have the power to choose a course of action of your choosing too. Please send your submissions to mbeacon@smccme.edu Attn: Tom Sharp

Lipton 100% Natural Green TeaBy Kaila Magliozzi

My new favorite thing is absolutely delicious - and can be found right here on campus in the Sea-wolves Café. Lipton’s 100% Natural Green tea is

so yummy and there are so many flavors to choose from (13 in all JUST for the iced green teas). My personal favorite is Passion Fruit Mango, but the Blueberry Pomegranate is a very close second. In this 20 fl oz bottle of perfection, there are only 150 calories (50 for each serving) and a total of 33 grams of sugar. I know the sugar content seems a little high, but the benefits of green tea completely outweigh any harm sugar can do. With a little research, I found out a few things about green tea that makes it as wonderful as it is. Green tea has been used in Chinese medicine for over 4,000 years. It prevents the growth of cancer cells because of the amazing antioxidants it contains. It has also been shown to lower cholesterol, prevent tooth decay, and lower the risk of heart disease. If you look at your bottle of deodorant or body cream, green tea just might be an ingredient. There’s only one downside: researches found the only negative thing about green tea is it causes insomnia because of the caffeine (and really there’s approximately thirty to sixty mg. of caffeine in six to eight ounces of tea, compared to over one hundred mg. in eight ounces of coffee).

Who can we thank for this wonderful drink? Sir Thomas Lipton (1848-1931). Lipton was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1848; he grew into a wonderful entrepreneur and innovator. When he was 40, he had the opportunity to make tea universally accessible (remember, back then tea was only for the richest people in only a few countries) and easily afforded. BY 1893, he had tea estates in Sri Lanka and his headquarters in Hoboken, New Jersey, and officially created the name Thomas J. Lipton Co. Now, you may be wondering why he is “Sir” Thomas Lipton. Lipton’s teas were an imme-diate hit in the USA and UK, and to recognize the contribu-tion he made to the countries, Queen Victoria knighted him when he was 48 and became Sir Thomas Lipton. Really cool story, right? Now, although Lipton has passed on, his tea is the lead-ing brand in over 150 countries, and even on our campus. Lipton’s equally delicious black tea can also be found in our café. Head down on your break between classes and give it a try (even those of you who don’t like tea will probably like it). Send in your responses to what your favorite flavors were. I’d love to hear them! To let Kaila and the Beacon know what you think of Lip-ton, please email her at mbeacon@smccme.edu, with Regarding Lipton Tea in the subject line.

in the NightBy Jeff Meuse

6 • October 9, 2012 • Beacon

Editorials&OpinionsMitt Romney WINS!! (the first debate, that is)By Jeff Toorish

President Barack Obama and Former Governor Mitt Romney faced off for their first debate a few days ago at the University of Denver. I tried to come up

with some sort of clever boxingesque title similar to “The Thrilla’ in Manilla,” but the best I could work up was “The Blender in Denver” which really didn’t work very well.

LEADERSHIP BY ZINGERS Without doubt, Mitt Romney won the debate on

style, flash and energy. President Obama is not much of a debater. In 2008 he beat John McCain because McCain isn’t much of a debater either. Romney clearly appeared more prepared and was far more aggressive. By the time you read this. polling data should begin to show the im-pact of the debate on the race; whether this debate was the game changer Romney needed. It is also clear that Romney’s perceived win was far more on style than substance. In fact, from that perspec-tive Obama was the winner. Romney was the master of the zinger, but we are not electing a Zinger in Chief, we are electing the leader of the free world; the commander in chief; the President of the United States. We are also electing an idea and an ideal, and in both of those categories Romney still falls far short.

TAX-A-SKETCH During the debate Romney essentially disavowed positions he has held for years. This is the classic “Rom-ney Etch-a-sketch” we have come to expect and abhor. At one point Romney essentially disavowed his own tax plan. For years Romney has called for a massive tax cut of 20 percent across the board. Independent analysts say that translates to a $5 trillion dollar cut in revenues over a decade. Romney repeatedly stated that his tax plan has no cut even approaching that number. But that is simply not true. Romney has touted exactly those numbers for literally years. Even more importantly, Romney has insisted his plan is deficit neutral which is, simply put, idiotic. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center and other analysts say Rom-ney’s plan would dramatically increase the federal deficit. Essentially, Romney has been campaigning all over the country on a tax policy and deficit program that are mutu-ally exclusive. Then, suddenly, during the debate in Denver Romney says none of that is true. If Romney were to have the chance to actually enact his ideas, the federal deficit would swell and eventually Romney and his right wing buddies would come calling on the middle class to absorb a tax hike to pay for what will ultimately be another huge tax cut for the richest 1 percent of Americans. That is exactly

how we got into this economic mess in the first place.

HEALTH CARE In another area critical to all of us, health care, Rom-ney talked about his experience as Governor of Massachu-setts. He spoke of the bipartisan approach to reforming the Bay State’s health care system, eventually creating Romneycare. Incidentally, Romneycare and Obamacare are essentially the same thing. The difference is Romney created the system in Massachusetts, Obama created it at

the federal level. And here is that Etch-a-sketch moment; Romney will destroy it at the federal level if elected. Romney claims after he devastates one of the most significant accomplishments of the Obama Administration and congressional Democrats during the past four years, he would then sit down with many of those same Demo-crats and work in a bipartisan manner to create his own health care insurance system based on the free market. Good luck with that, governor. Forgetting for a mo-ment that it is highly unlikely Democrats are going to want to work with Romney after he nukes their big accomplish-ment; Romney also claimed

during the debate that his new plan would cover people with pre-existing health condi-tions. That is a major component of Obam-acare. Romney has made this claim before and each time his campaign has later clarified that his plan would NOT cover people with existing medical conditions. Just last month the Romney campaign confirmed that his plan would simply allow people with continuous coverage to maintain their health plan even if they have a preexisting condition. That means if you lose your job, you can continue to pay for your own health insurance on our old employ-er’s policy. That is something most American simply can’t afford to do. That will create a gap in your health insurance. So when you get a new job, or try to purchase health insurance on your own, your existing medical conditions will likely not be covered.

MAGIC During the debate Romney said he will eliminate any federal program that does not pass this test: “Is the program so critical it’s worth borrowing money from China to pay for it? And if not, I’ll get rid of it.” Those are Romney’s words. That is an incredibly broad concept. Rom-

ney went on to say he would eliminate Obamacare under this test, as well as funding for PBS (something of a dig at Jim Lehrer, the moderator of the debate and a PBS anchor) and presumably a lot of other federal programs. But if Romney is will-ing to gut health care reform, something that has taken six decades to complete and was at the top of his agenda as a Mas-sachusetts governor, is there anything that does not fail his test? With the exception of de-fense spending, Romney seems to be saying he will get rid of pretty much everything else. The only problem with that is

every federal program has champions and those champi-ons come from across the political spectrum. So clearly

what Romney is saying is disingenuous at best, or perhaps he is just living in some sort of magic bubble where tax cuts for the wealthy produce jobs; trillions of dollars in taxes can be cut while budgets are balanced; and during all that economic activity will magically increase. Of course decades of economic data shows conclu-sively that is simply impossible. But in Magic Romney-land, facts are secondary to political rhetoric. And how would Romney do all this? By shifting the burden to the states. For example, Romney would give states grants to come up with their own health care pro-grams. The problem with this concept is health care and health insurance is a national issue. Research has conclud-ed this is a matter that can only be solved with a national policy and program. Romney likes to talk about using competition and the free market to bring down the costs of health care and insurance which is pretty much exactly what we have now which is not working. The free market and competition will work in health care when people shop around for the best deal in critical medicine; checking to see if the heart surgeon or oncologist is planning to have a sale anytime soon. Romney can talk all he wants about competition and free health care markets but that will simply never work. Again, we have decades of data to definitively illustrate that.

WHAT DEBATES MEAN By the standards we use to judge presidential debates there is no doubt Romney came out ahead and probably gave a needed boost to his flagging campaign. It is impor-tant to remember that historically there is absolutely no known correlation between winning a debate and being an effective leader.

This debate looked like exactly what it was; a conver-sation between a college professor of constitutional law and a business consultant, which is essentially a high-end salesman. Romney’s entire business career consisted of selling people on the notion that he could come in and work his wonderful magic to save a company and jobs. In many cases all he did was come in, load the company up with debt, offshore the jobs or eventually shut down the company forcing people out of jobs. And he looked like exactly that kind of guy on that stage in Denver. The next presidential debate is at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. It will be a town meeting style debate and will focus on both foreign and domestic policy. Maybe we can call that one the “Blusta at Hofstra.”

Jeff Toorish is a former TV anchor and political reporter, he has written for newspapers, magazines, television, radio and the Internet. He is currently studying paramedicine at SMCC.

Beacon • October 9, 2012 • 7

Editorials&OpinionsWhy War? Better Question Are we going to war…Again?By Michael Scofield

After a decade of exhausting and demoralizing conflict between the United States and two of the weakest, most impoverished countries in

the world, Iraq and Afghanistan, many within the US political establishment are calling for the country to engage in yet another conflict; this time with a relatively powerful enemy… Iran. In the past, top Republican figures such as: John McCain and Joseph Lieberman have called for increasing belligerence towards the Iranian regime, bringing the two countries closer to the brink of armed conflict. The heightening standoff with Iran over its nuclear program, curious in itself, for its recent rapid escalation, given that leading American and Israeli intelligence estimates have both concluded that Iran has neither developed, nor is planning to develop nuclear weapons, is leading to increasingly belligerent rhetoric out of Washington calling for war with Iran. Leading members of the House and Congress from both parties as well as, the closest advisers to Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney have called for attacking Iran, with some high-ranking GOP advisers even suggesting that the time is now for a Congressional resolution formally declaring war on the country.

Romney and many other leading Republican figures have called for pre-emptive war against Iran and have continually upped the ante in terms of threats of military action throughout the election campaign. This alarming and potentially highly consequential rhetoric is occurring in a context where the American people are still recovering from the disastrous war in Iraq and winding down the US occupation of Afghanistan. While at the same time coping with the worst economic drought since the Great Depression. Public statements claiming that the extent of the conflict would be limited to targeted airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities are utterly disingenuous, ignoring the escalating cycle of retribution that such “limited” conflicts necessarily breed. As did the war in Libya start off with calls only for a benevolent “no-fly zone” to protect civilians and seamlessly turned into an all-out aerial campaign to topple Muammar Gaddafi, any crossing of the military threshold with Iran would also likely result in a far bigger inferno than the public has been prepared for by their leaders. War with Iran would be no quick and clean affair. Many senior political and military figures have pointed out it would make the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, which cost TRILLIONS of dollars and the LIVES of thousands of soldiers and civilians, seem like “a cakewalk”. The fact that it is becoming increasingly likely, inevitable in the eyes of many, and that it is high on the agenda of so many leading political figures warrants exploration of what such a conflict would really entail. War with Iran would be on an unprecedented scale. This war would not be of weeks or months, but a “generations-long war.” The consequences of open conflict with Iran would cause problems globally. The “cakewalk” was with Iraq and Afghanistan, both countries with relatively small populations which were already in a state of relative powerlessness before they were invaded. However, Iran commands the eighth largest army in the world, a Navy as well as, highly trained Special Forces and Guerilla Organizations that operate in countries throughout the region and beyond. Retired US General John Abizaid has previously described the Iranian military as “the most powerful in the Middle East” (exempting Israel), and its highly sophisticated and battle-hardened proxies in Lebanon and Iraq have twice succeeded in defeating far stronger and better funded Western military forces. Any attack on Iran would assuredly lead to the activation of these proxies in neighboring countries to attack American interests and would create a situation of borderless war unprecedented in any past US conflicts in the Middle East. None of this is to suggest that the United States would not “win” a war with Iran, but given the incredibly painful costs of Iraq and Afghanistan; wars fought against weak, poorly organized enemies lacking broad influence, politicians campaigning for war with Iran are leading the American people into a battle which will be

guaranteed to make the past decade of fighting look tame in comparison. A recent study has shown that an initial US aerial assault on Iran would require hundreds of planes, ships and missiles in order to be completed; a military undertaking itself unprecedented since the first Gulf War and representative of only the first phase of what would likely be a long drawn-out war of attrition. For a country already nursing the wounds from the casualties of far less intense conflicts and still reeling from their economic costs, the sheer battle fatigue inherent in a large-scale war with Iran would stand to greatly exacerbate these issues. Let me end on this note; the fragile American economic recovery would be completely upended were Iran to target global energy supplies in the event of war, an act which would be both catastrophic and highly likely if US Iran hawks get their way. Not only does the country itself sit atop some of the largest oil and natural gas reserves on the planet, its close proximity to the shipping routes and oil resources of its neighbors means that in the event of war, its first response would likely be to choke off the global supply of crude; a tactic for which its military defenses have in fact been specifically designed. The Strait of Hormuz, located in the Persian Gulf is the shipping point for more than 20 per cent of the world’s petroleum. Iran is known to have advanced Silkworm missile batteries buried at strategic points around the strait to make it impassable in the event of war, and has developed “swarming” naval tactics to neutralize larger, less mobile ships such as those used by the US Navy. While Iran could never win in straightforward combat, it has developed tactics of asymmetrical warfare that can effectively inflict losses on a far stronger enemy and render the strait effectively closed to naval traffic. The price of oil would immediately skyrocket, by some estimates upwards several hundred dollars a barrel, shattering the already tenuous steps the US and other Western economies are taking towards recovery. War with Iran could drag out years and would have economic consequences “devastating for the average American,” but these facts are conspicuously absent in public discussion of the war. Every conflict has blowback, if US politicians are attempting to maneuver the country into a conflict of such potentially devastating magnitude, potentially sacrificing ordinary Americans’ economic well-being for years to come, it would behoove them to speak frankly about these costs, and not attempt to confuse, or downplay them in order to make their case. I will be contributing more articles to The Beacon on this subject Why War. Please refer to my first article “Why War… It’s a tool used for those in power and politics” and see if what I am saying is true. I would enjoy your feedback on my Why War articles. Please submit feedback to mbeacon@smcc.edu Attn: Michael Scofield.

The deadline for voter registration for new voters is October 16th.Are you a part of the SMCC student population who is? Great.

If not, consider your civic duty.

REGISTER & VOTE

candidate that supports President Obama’s proposal to eliminate Bush-era tax cuts for incomes over $250,000. She also supports reforming the tax code so that everyone pays their fair share. “The thing about the Balanced Budget Act is that it’s really a gimmick – like passing a law that Congress needs to do their job. They just need to do their job. We don’t need to change the entire Constitution.” In regards to the frustration that retiring Senator Olympia Snowe has been noted to express about the lack of bi-partisan cooperation, we asked Cynthia to expand on how she would approach this in the U.S. Senate. “I think unfortunately right now what’s holding up the Congress is not so much both parties being equally partisan. I think there is a faction of the Republican Party that’s exceptionally obstructionist and that, combined with the Filibuster Rule, has really stymied any progress.” She supports repealing the Filibuster rule stating that what was once a noble tool to express opinions has been manipulated and that it’s time may have passed. Following up on Cynthia’s U.S. Senatorial goals, she sees herself following a similar course as Senator Snowe, serving on committees that directly concern the people of Maine. “Clearly the Small Business community is really important to the state because 97% of businesses in Maine are small businesses.” She expressed interest in the Finance Committee (Social Security, Medicare, healthcare), and in the Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Internet and the FCC. This is of particular interest as Cynthia’s record as a State Legislator includes expanding internet and broadband to rural Maine through the Three-Ring Binder Project. She would also aim to serving on the Intelligence Committee. While it has been suggested that Cynthia is the ‘spoiler’ in a three-way race, reminiscent of Maine’s 2010 Gubernatorial election, she reminded us that she was in the race before Angus King suggested that he was interested, running successfully in the four-way Democratic primary, and elected to be the Democratic nominee. “I’m not the spoiler. I’m actually the candidate who used the process to get on the ballot.” She expands that Maine has had three-way races before, “…it’s how Maine does elections.” When looking back at the 2010 Governor’s election, it’s interesting to note that at this point in the election, Eliot Cutler was polling between 9-11%. In the final weeks, he had a surge in momentum. “Right now, I’m at 15% and there’s nothing to prevent a similar course of events,” comments Cynthia. She is proud to represent the Democrat Party and believes there is room on the ballot for a progressive, Democrat woman. “I’m the only candidate that’s actually talking about these issues and being clear where I stand. There’s room on the ballot as far as I’m concerned.”For our full interview, including questions regarding poten-tial Supreme Court appointments, interpreting the use of “Our Founding Fathers” by other politicians, the Filibuster rule and expansion of our other questions, visit The Beacon’s YouTube Channel.

Cynthia Dill(continued from page 1)

8 • October 9, 2012 • Beacon

I’m learning the difference between being in business and succeeding in business

Take the next step!Transform your Associate’s degree to a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree

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

Now is the time to make sure you don’t lose momentum. Husson University’s Division of Extended Learning in South Portland is the path to continue your college education.

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

Husson offers you■ an at-your-own-pace program where you can sign up for just

one course a semester, if that’s what’s best for you■ fl exible class schedules – mornings, afternoons, evenings,

weekends – pick the ones that work for you■ a reasonable tuition rate■ fi nancial aid for eligible students■ supportive faculty and staff who know what it means to work

and go to school at the same time■ a student body comprised of working- and family-oriented

individuals who share the same ambitions and challenges■ a convenient location at 220 Maine Mall Road, with plenty

of parking

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

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

Degree programs offered in South PortlandUNDERGRADUATE (Bachelor’s)

■ Accounting,■ Business Administration■ Business & Technology■ Computer Information Systems■ Criminal Justice■ Elementary Education (plus an Alternative Teacher Certifi cation Program)■ Paralegal Studies

GRADUATE (Master’s)

■ Business■ Criminal Justice Administration■ Clinical Mental Health Counseling■ Human Relations■ Pastoral Counseling■ School Counseling

Take the next stepIf you have questions and would like to meet with Russell Strout, Center Director of Husson in South Portland, contact him at 775-6212, or stroutr@husson.edu. You may also contact your Student Services Offi ce to make an appointment to meet with a Husson representative during their next campus visit.

BUSINESS | LEGAL STUDIES | EDUCAT ION | COUNSEL ING | HEALTH | PHARMACY | SC IENCE & HUMANIT IES

Beacon • October 9, 2012 • 9

Arts&Features

Striking Gold with Greek YogurtBy Katherine Frazier

Rich, thick and slightly tangy to the taste, Greek yogurt has quickly become a food sensation. Com-mercials light up tv screens, grocery stores advertise

deals on six ounce cartons, magazines herald the positive wonders of the product on every page and well-known brands are adopting this kind of yogurt to fit the masses. The big question seems to be: “is it worth the hype?” Well, I’m here to tell you there are a few significant health benefits to this food product that will persuade you to try a spoonful of Greek goodness. Greek yogurt contains approximately fourteen grams of protein- double the amount found in traditional brands. Relatively low in carbs, it has the same amount as a me-dium apple. Those on a diet or looking to lose weight will fill up faster on a carton of Greek yogurt due to this high protein content; even without the fiber, this snack will strive to hold you over between meals, classes or drawn out bouts of studying. Perhaps it will fuel you to pull an all-nighter for that next big test. The texture of Greek yogurt is more satisfying, like the full fat of ice cream. The reason that it maintains a heartier substance is because the liquid whey is removed during the straining process. Despite the creamy consis-

tency, Greek yogurt is a fat free food item, contributing to a lifestyle low in harmful saturated fats. Digestively speaking, this dairy-derived food, with good bacteria and probiotics, is also easier on the stomach and colon. The lactose level is slightly lower than other cow products. However, for those who are severely allergic or intolerant, there are a few alternatives without giving up Greek yogurt all together. Some brands such as Chobani and Yoplait have started marketing lactose free versions to fulfill the needs of the general public. As a product yielded from animals, yogurt is usually a food that cannot be eaten by vegans, but the lactose free kinds have provided suitable choices for the restrictions of this particular diet. Some tasty ways to eat Greek yogurt include topped with raw almonds, all natural granola or sliced fruit. Ber-ries add antioxidants and fiber while bananas give a double dose of potassium. A serving of plain yogurt contributes to bone health as an essential source of calcium. Greek yogurt can be poured into smoothies to amp up the protein or provide a healthy substitute in frostings. From creamy salad dressings to potato salads, frozen des-serts or chicken marinades, Greek yogurt is both versatile and fortifying.

Fun - Some Nights By Kaila Magliozzi

We have all heard the song “We Are Young” on the radio… and basically everywhere else in the world. But we have probably never really

considered the band behind the great song. Beneath the surface, the band “FUN.” is truly more. While listening to their newest album Some Nights (which, for me, is almost constant) the audience tends to want to dance, but also feel melancholy from some of the lyrics. This album is one in which you can listen to practically anywhere: in the car, in the shower, before bed, and even dancing at a club. The infectious drum beats and ridiculous guitar rhythms are fantastic, and not to men-tion lead singer Nate Ruess’ voice. Anyone who loves an alternative/indie band will fall in love with FUN. just like I did. Some of the more upbeat songs, such as “Some Nights,” “It Gets Better,” and “Out on the Town” are so catchy; the drums are incredible and the emotion in Ruess’ voice is heartwarming. The few slower songs on the album like “Carry On” and “Why am I the One” will pull on heartstrings- but will also make ANYONE sing like they’re in their own personal music video. Once listened to, the songs are stuck with you forever; this isn’t just because of the lyrics, either, but the amazing variety of instruments as well. The three man band has the basic instruments - guitar, drums, and keys, but also instruments such as glockenspiels, accordions, flugelhorns, and trum-pets. And get this: the band writes all of their songs and plays all the instruments. Crazy, right? This band is clearly not to be messed with. Some Nights is the second album for this band. Thanks to “We Are Young” it is also the most successful. As of September 4th, the album sold over 541,000 copies. It hasn’t left Billboards top 50 and was certified gold on September 12th. Click on Spotify, or YouTube and listen to this amazing album. You may think this is a one hit wonder band, but after you listen, you will regret think-ing that in the first place. If you want an actual “FUN.” experience, join me (and a lot of other SMCC students) at FUN’s concert in Portland on Halloween night at the State Theater.

What This Guy’s Spinnin’By Garrick Hoffman

I’m one of those people who love to spread the wealth of good music. I think it’s unfortunate that music from the radio infiltrates the mind of so many, and people just

accept it. Certainly, not everyone is a complete audiophile or even that into music, period. But to limit oneself to one genre – or a minimal amount of genres – or to confine oneself to the pollution of the radio is a crying shame. Many a person will concur that FM radio only scantly provides decent tunes, and due to this fact, I believe digging for music or being open minded to suggestions is in one’s best interest. There’s music out there that I cannot tolerate, that makes me cringe, that I absolutely loathe; and then there’s music out there that I cherish, that literally crawls under my skin, because, from time to time, I find myself getting the old case of goose-bumps when listening to a powerful, enriching, just amazing song. It’s the chills that say a song has really moved me, and the cringing that says a song has repulsed me. And when it’s the former, I just wish everyone could feel the way I do, wish that everyone knew about this song or that band or artist. Perhaps you can relate. The trouble, of course, is what one may love, another may hate, and that goes for anything. Anyhow, the purpose of this column is to introduce you, the reader, with some music you may have never heard before.

Love it or hate it, just get your feet wet. I want to tickle your ear buds.

THE ACOUSTIC – Andy MckeeIt’s ironic that this artist seems so unknown, because, accord-ing to his biography on his website, at one point he held the #1, #2, and #3 positions for Top-Rated Videos of All Time on YouTube. Back in 2009, a friend of mine showed me his enchanting song “Drifting,” which now harbors nearly 45

million views on YouTube, and that then triggered my elation

of his music. He’s so unique because of his unparalleled talent and wondrous ability to make any given song sound like it has four active instruments within it – there could be two guitars, a percussion set, and a harp or bass guitar (he actually plays a harp guitar sometimes; see for yourself and be amazed) somewhere in the mix. He truly proves a guitar’s versatility. You don’t see much music like his around these days, which is saddening, because the less worthy and genuinely inferior music and musicians out there are hogging all the fame.Some of my favorite songs by him include: “Hunter’s Moon,” “Ebon Coast,” “Rylynn,” and “Gates of Gnomeria.” He also

Sustainability: The Elephant in the Roomby Lin Maria Riotto

This fable may have originated in India. Or in China. There were three blind men. Or maybe six. They were monks. Or not. There may have been a con-

veniently passing elephant caravan. Or the king may have called the blind men to his palace. Or there were no monks, no caravan, no king: just three (or six) blind men in the sunlight, prodding one patient elephant. However varied the garnishings meant to make this fable palatable, there are narrative constants cherished by all the cultures that feast on it. With one piece of elephant per man, a predictably spirited discussion on the nature and con-figuration of the beast must follow, illustrating the theory of manifold predictions, the relativity of knowledge, the limits of perception. As John Godfrey Saxe wrote, “Each was partly in the right, and all were in the wrong.”So it has been with developing a definition of sustainability. How did the tail become the entire elephant ? Much of the problem with defining sustainability begins with a 1987 report by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development, published as Our Common Future. Thought to define sustainability, the report in fact defines something quite different: sustainable development (“development that meets the needs of the pres-ent without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”). Informally named for the commission’s chairperson, Nor-way’s first female prime minister, Gro Harlem Brundtland, the report diagrammed the enduring three components of

“sustainability.” Environment, society, and economy were conceptualized as three equally-sized, interlocking bubbles, with sustainability central, occupying the intersection. This diagram was the theoretical foundation for “Agen-da 21,” the UN’s voluntary and non-binding action plan for environmental sustainability, which in turn came out of the UN’s 1992 “Earth Summit.” That conference, according to chairperson Maurice Strong (Where on Earth Are We Going), was nearly jettisoned by develop-ing countries who interpreted sustainability as a ploy by indus-trialized nations to thwart the potentially-competitive economic growth of their less fortunate neighbors. From the beginning, develop-ing countries had regarded the West’s concern with ‘the environment’ as just another fad of the industrialized countries; in their view pollution and environmental contamination were diseases of the rich, which could only divert attention and resources from their principal concerns: underdevelopment and poverty. They were understandably sensitive to the possibility that measures designed to protect the environment would impose new constraints on their develop-ment. Most of them would gladly exchange a little pollution for the benefits of economic growth. There was a growing movement

to boycott the conference. I knew the conference would fail if we couldn’t persuade the developing countries to take part, and I knew they’d never agree to come unless their concerns were addressed. The draft confer-ence agenda I’d inherited didn’t even attempt to do so. On the contrary, it was heavily skewed toward issues affecting the more developed countries—air and water pollution and deterioration

of the urban environment. If I was to get anywhere, I’d have to radically remake the agenda. Strong’s revised agenda “called for a redefinition and expansion of the concept of environment to link it directly to the economic development process and the con-cerns of the developing countries.”Leading with the tusk Of course concerted global cooperation is a piece of sustain-ability, but missing from the Brundtland model and its reitera-tions is the personal responsibil-ity of the individual – that’s you

and me – especially in industrialized nations where global resources are consumed with such reckless nonchalance. We know the stunning simplicity of sustainability math: that you can’t consume more than you can replace or replenish; that you can’t produce beyond what the ecosystem’s carry capacity can absorb; that if it cannot be replaced, it should not be consumed. For us, for you and me, a better definition of sustain-ability – one that we can live with without improvising our progeny and theirs – might be that sustainability is the abil-ity to support a behavior indefinitely into the future, with no foreseeable negative consequences to than imagined future. As Edward Everett Hale once said, “I cannot do everything. But still, I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something I can do.”

(continued on page 11)

10 • October 9, 2012 • Beacon

Arts&FeaturesZanne Langlois & the Portland Poetry SceneBy Tiffany Crockett

Another week of poetry and interviewing the hidden gems I find in the Portland area. Recently I had the honor of sitting with Zanne Langlois, a

local poet, who has competed nationally in poetry contest and slams. She is the current Champion of Champions of the Cantab Slam in Cambridge and has to defend her title on Oct 10th. Zanne also has competed in Women of the

Worlds in Denver as a storm poet, has made it to finals for both indys and nationals team for the past two years, Every time I have heard her read I am left with my mouth wide open and my soul moved. Zanne moved here about 15 years ago, she is an English teacher at Falmouth High School, and is the adviser to school Poetry Club, and a damn good poet. After teaching for a bit she decided to take a year off and get her Masters Education at Harvard Graduate School. What kept Zanne going while at Harvard was the weekly readings at the Cantab Lounge in Cambridge. Every Wednesday she would take four hours off from school and go to what, for her, was a church like experience. At first, Zanne suffered performance anixety when performing at Cantab, and her hand would shake when holding her poetry. It was that moment where she started to experiment using her memory to recite poetry rather than bringing her poem on paper to the stage. In 2003, Zanne moved back to Maine and slowly but surely found another poetry community. Zanne currently reads Tuesday nights at Bull Feeney’s, Sunday’s at Dobra Tea with Rhythmic Cypher, occasionally at Mama’s Crowbar on Mondays and then sometimes makes the mad dash to Cantab in Massachusetts. When asking Zanne to touch on whatever else her heart desired, she decided to elaborate on the poetry community. “The poetry community, though not without its share of small dramas, is one of the tightest communities I’ve been part of. I think it was to do with the fact that all the five conditions necessary for intimate connection between people are met in an open reading.” She went on to further describe these 5 conditions, “Proximity: we’re all in the same room at the

same time. Connection: we all share a common interest: poetry. Resonance: poems evoke a strong emotional response so, a bunch of people listening to poems together are likely to be feeling the same thing at the same time. Vulnerability: there’s not much out there more vulnerable than reading your poetry in front of a bunch of people. Trust: When you get off stage after doing a vulnerable poem about some feeling / experience that you feel like

only you have known, someone comes up to you and tells you that they’ve experienced the same thing.“ The following poem is from Zanne’s chapbook, Birthmarks. Birthmarks for me, speaks about an

entering and departing life that has taken place in Zanne’s life. I really enjoy her idea of how a birthmark comes to be. In the third paragraph she says that a birthmark is when one soul stains another when brushing by.

BIRTHMARKIn our grief, we are apt to ascribe Traits of the recently departed to the newly arrived.The baby has her uncle’s eyes.He used to look just like that when he was perplexed.Her laugh is a more buoyant version of his.

They missed meeting on earth by mere months. And while I’m not usually a believer in traveling spirits, I am soothed by the thought that maybe their souls met in passing. Perhaps the one who left,having traveled too far down the road to turn aroundsuddenly remembered he had all our joytucked in the pocket of his overcoat,and seeing her going the other way,handed it over, saying“Here, bring this back with you.I didn’t mean to leave with it.”And he gave her as much of himself as she could carry.

I think of these passed-on attributes as birthmarks:Stains one soul leaves on the other as it brushes by.I suspect it is nothing as supernatural as that,but perhaps no less magical.

Some traits are immediately apparent—the shape of the eyes,

the shade of the hair—while others are latent, lurking just under the skin.These are the traits we nurture into fruition;because we look for them,they are there.Still others we carve out with the sharp edge of our longing.

Our grief is a hollowed out spot in our heartsexactly the shape of the one who has left us. We feel this space echo with loss,and we look for something to fill it,and if we have to stretch and tug to make what we find fit, so be it. After all, the resulting shape is a thing of beauty.

This is an inheritance— perhaps welcome, perhaps not.Some of it, a gift to her,some of it, a gift to us,but all of it, a gift handed over on a roadwhere one walked into darknessand the other walked into light.

“I feel like spoken word cre-ates a situation wherepeople who might otherwise never spoken to one another can love and be loved, even it it’s in 3 minute increments.”

Charlie Brown, The Great Pumpkin Has Been FoundBy Donna Chapman

The fall harvest of the pumpkin patch has begun, yes Charlie Brown the Great Pump-kin has been found. The Jack ‘0’ Lantern of

all time weighed in at one ton in Topsfield, MA this week and is currently the record holder sitting in a throne of glass waiting to be professionally carved! This news sent me on my quest for the great pump-kin. Every year about this time I head over to Estes Berry Farm and give my sister and brother-in-law a hand in the fields of pumpkins. Which leads me to this article, I never realized the different colors, shapes and sizes could be so daunting! To think we just seemed to plant the seeds and here we go picking them up, and sending them off to market. After load-ing two or three trailers you have your daily workout. Time is of the essence during pumpkin season. Fall means frost, which can damage the pumpkins left on the vine. Diseases can kill a crop of pumpkins, which seemed to be the issue last year for many farmers and created the pumpkin shortage. Not to worry this year a lot of local growers have a great crop of pumpkins this year in all sizes and shapes. We have so many vast varieties to eat and carve Rachel Raye would be proud. Starting with a soft pink shade to support breast cancer awareness, small orange pie pumpkin (you know the “Chucky” kind) that you can cook and use in your muffins, pies, and cookies, to the gross green pimpled variety, white baby boos and little bears. The names alone send you a little Halloween message. Check out your local farm stand, or farm for your pick of the crop. Dare to be different and look for a colored pumpkin that fits your style. Paint it, carve it or just group them with a lot of mismatched, odd shaped varieties and enjoy the beauty and bounty of the fall harvest. This crop certainly shows a unique va-riety to decorate with for the serious pumpkin buyer, these names speak for themselves; Red October, Moonshine, Speckled Hound, Knuckle Head, Jack Be Little, and Orange Smoothie. Speaking of Orange Smoothie, try this pumpkin smoothie recipe you can make with just a blender in your kitchen or dorm;

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie1 banana ¾ cup vanilla yogurt ½ cup pumpkin (canned)¼ cup oatmeal1 tablespoon honeypinch of cinnamon and ground ginger Blend all ingredients together until smooth. If needed add milk or water. You can add or adjust honey to your sweetness level.

Beacon • October 9, 2012 • 11

SportsReportsCaptain America VS Roger GoodellBy Gerry A. Foster

The battlefield was littered with bodies. It’s hard to quantify the setting, as it seemed to have stretched on for miles and miles and thousands of miles, from sea

to shining sea, over amber waves of grain, into the mountains of Appalachia and beyond, and there upon the precipice of the greatest country in the world, the two titans stood. Clutching close to their chests the morals and principals they held so dear. With their free hands they shook fists, exalting their truths and justices, and in the other hand a shield to protect themselves from any tragedy the other could throw in their respective direction. What strange beasts they were. One was clad in a three-piece business suit, blue tie blazing in the sunlight. This less handsome version of Conan O’Brian was standing tall. His hair was brushed carefully to one side, seem-ingly untouched by the brutal battle that had taken place, his blue tie seemed to glitter in the sunlight of the free world. His shield was adorned with the letters “N.F.L.” and had 4 stars on each side of a football. The other titan was in a sleek spandex unitard, the colors of the United States of America the scheme for his outfit. His shield was circular, with red and white circles receding toward a blue center with a large white star. The suited opponent fought for money, the spandex clad man fought for justice. There could only be one winner. One of these creatures fought alone. He had no support, no one to help him when he fell, no one to patch his wounds, stop his bleeding. His participa-tion in the battle was something to be remembered, he fought with such conviction and passion, even though all odds were stacked against him. Blow after blow landed in his face, smashing bones and crushing his spirit, yet he would not lament. He stuck by his cause. He was going to destroy the evil, he was going to win.

His opponent was far too powerful though, and had too many backers. Hell he had the entirety of the United States on his side. Every gender, every race, every singular person, all on his side. He had the unions, the workers, the governors who hated unions, government leaders and senators, he had the whole of the American people! He had Barack Obama AND Mitt Romney AND Big Bird! Everyone was on his side. The battle was almost too easy. It was not without loss though. Our hero lost great battles, almost lost an entire limb in one fight sequence, but fought back with all his strength, and was assisted by the fury of the American people as they threw manure into the eyes of the business man. Finally he gained an upper hand, finally he stood his

ground, he would not be bullied any longer. He stood, with feet shoulder length apart, and he thrust his shield into the

sky with a giant roar “AAARRRRGGGHHHH BR-RIIINNNG THEM BAAACK!” Lights seemed to shoot out of him in every direction, the clouds parted, and the lights of heaven shone down on him. He had become the victor. He had defeated this enemy in the name of the United States of America! He had won for the people! After the fight, when the business man was asked about why he had been fighting at all, and what was it that he now believed in, the only response reporters were given was quite literally this: “Referees are important, blah blah blah. Goodell out.” America responded in kind, sending his ratings through the roof and returning to football in full force.Game Recap(s): This is a bit of a tricky part to present to you, the reader. See the way this paper is set up, I am generally a game behind the mix. What am I to do? Recap the most recent game? Go a full two weeks back and write snarky things about both

weeks? Your suggestions are welcome. E-mail me at gerryafoster@student.smccme.edu with your thoughts. In the meantime game recap for last week is as follows.Patriots 7,000,000-Bills 28 The first half of the football game was saddening. I was literally calling it a season, asking my friends if we had cashed in the chips, if we should stop praising Brady and start looking forward to the days of Mallet (Yes, he is the replacement). I had a walk around the block break. When I came back to the tv the patri-ots were winning by 75 points. Only 3 minutes had passed in the 3rd quarter. I was excited, for sure. I sat and watched the rest of the game and was happy to see there wasn’t one penalty called on either team while the patriots racked up eight billion yards of total offense. It brought me back to the days of non-cry-baby Randy Moss and seasons of 52 touchdown passes. It was awe-some. That being said…is our defense actually better?

does a few covers, which happen to be a couple of my favor-ites, including Tears for Fears’s “Everybody Wants To Rule The World,” and Toto’s “Africa.”

THE CHILL – Devin Townsend Project Listening to this music, I feel like I’m in the Planet Earth series while flying on a cloud with a giant marble fountain on it and butterflies and pixies and fairies buzzing around me, getting messaged from ear to toe while doing so. I randomly discovered the song “Ghost” one day and it all escalated from there. I got hooked. It sounds like music to play for meditation on an island, in the dark, with a hundred candles lit, surrounded by wildlife, with no room for angst, tragedy, or horror. It’s fantasy-like music, carrying a feeling of relaxation and tranquility. Within it are acoustic guitars, banjos here and there, angelic-like ambient vocals, and loads of other instruments and sounds. There’re even effects that’ll send you into that fantasy-like land of imagination, such as sounds of trickling water, crashing waves, and chatting frogs. It’s the ulti-mate “chill” music.“Ghost,” the title track, stands as my fa-vorite song off of the album. Others in-clude “Blackberry,” “Fly,” and “Texada,” but the entire album has infinite replay value because of the relaxing nature to it. After hours of long-boarding with metal and electronic music in my ear, I would drive home listening to the Devin Townsend Project to soothe me. Maybe it can do the same for you.

THE FUN/EUPHORIC – Rusko I once had an idea of who Rusko was, and jumped to the presumption that he was probably just another bor-ing, one-dimensional dubstep artist, offering music with mere sounds, bass, and completely lacking any melody or depth like most dubstep music that I’ve heard. But then my friend, played me his new album, while on a camping trip – quaintly titled Songs - and I returned from the trip excited to dive into the

wealth of this new musical discovery. Songs has exactly the type of tunes that I described for him – fun and euphoric. From beginning to end, it contains songs that have a plethora of influences and elements, from reggae to club to chill. To be honest, I still have some work to do, because I haven’t much listened to any of Rusko’s songs released prior to this album. But this one’s a gem. As I mentioned, his album spans all over the electronic rainbow in terms of its contents. “Pressure” is a thrilling, jo-vial, upbeat, and up-tempo song that could be fun to exercise to, to board to, or to dance and party to. “Be Free” is in the same vein, but with a dubstep foundation, both ferocious and melodic reggae vocals, and various instruments that all blend magically together. Another happy tune. And then there’s “Thunder,” a bass-heavy, high-energy club tune with melodic synthesizer and vocals that makes you feel like you’re sub-merged into darkness with colorful strobe lights flickering all around you; like you’re surrounded by people having the time of their lives dancing, illuminated by black lights and glow sticks. A couple other favorites of mine are “Somebody To

Love,” “M357,” and “Dirty Sexy.” It’s great that the album really has a wide spectrum of songs, so as to be able to please anybody one way or another. By the way, I think Songs contains the only electronic music that has actually dressed me with goose-bumps. I think that says something.

Spinnin’ (continued from page 9)

The Mid Coast Campus Club is Seeking Members

Opportunities include organizing and facilitating other clubs and activities for the Mid Coast Campus.

For meeting times and location, please contactwendelinmchoiniere@student.smccme.edu

Help make the Brunswick Mid Coast Campus the vibrant campus it should be. ”“

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

October 11, 5:00 p.m.October 15, 3:00 p.m.October 19, 1:00 p.m.Tech 102

NoodleBib WorkshopsDo bibliographies scare you?

Let NoodleBib take the guesswork out of MLA, APA,

and Chicago formats.

October 9, 3:00 p.m.October 18, 12:00 p.m.

Tech 102

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been using Google for a long time and it’s very difficult to find the results you’re looking for. These methods make it easier to nar-

row information down to wht you need. It’s also easier to cite sources.

Thank you!”

12 • October 9, 2012 • Beacon

SportsReports

SOUTHERNMAINECOMMUNITY

COLLEGEen v i s i o n a f u t u r e

Odyssey Day is a nationwide event to showcase alternative transportation technologies. Odyssey

Day is coordinated by the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC), whose mission is to

educate the nation about alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles.

Over 30 exhibitors!Featured Technologies & Fuels:

Electric Propane

Natural GasBiodieselHybrids

and more!

For more information visit www.nationalafvdayodyssey.org. For directions visit www.smccme.edu/southportland.

October 19, 9:00 am – 4:30 pmOctober 20, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

at the Automotive Technology Center at Southern Maine Community College

The Celtics, and the moves that could have been, have been, and still may beBy. Chris Conlee

All in all, Danny Ainge has had a pretty good offsea-son. The trade for Courtney Lee, the signing of Jason Terry, not to mention re-signing KG, Green, and

Bass, were all solid moves expected from a former executive of the year. He’s also made some head scratchers though. Re-signing Chris Wilcox is kind of an up in the air move. It seems like this is just an aim at adding depth but, how much do you expect to get out of a traveled, thirty-year-old veteran with heart problems? This makes the signing of Jason Collins all the more puzzling. Why sign the 33 year-old (34 in Decem-ber) space-eater, for lack of a better word. Andray Blatche and Joel Pryzbilla were both still available at the time of the Collins signing. Both players far exceed Collins in numbers and talent but, were signed to virtually the same deal (Blatche is actually making less). Collins, on a per 36 minute basis, has failed to ever register even 8 rebounds per 36 minutes and never more than 6 per game during a season, bringing his career rebounding average to 6.6 per 36 minutes and 3.9 per game for his career. Both Blatche and Pryzbilla have averaged better rebounding numbers for their careers. It’s possible that both players weren’t interested in the Celtics job but, seeing as their destinations couldn’t have been farther from the Eastern Conference Finals, I doubt that is the case. What Ainge has done is still pretty solid and does inspire confidence in the team moving forward but, I was kind of hoping for a bit more of a youth movement. Jason Terry is an exceptional NBA player and one of the best sixth men there is around. No doubt his addition will certainly help the Celtics this year. What about the future? Terry has shown no real signs of slowing down and has a pretty good chance of playing out all three years of his contract but, it’s hard to completely ignore the fact that Terry (35) got a very similar (he’s actually making $1 mil more) contract to O.J. Mayo who is over a decade his junior. Mayo’s numbers match up pretty well with Terry’s over his first four NBA seasons and he’s also used to coming off the bench

after spending the last two years doing so. Now that’s not to say Mayo wouldn’t have pushed for only two years with the Celtics and then dipped when his contract was up but, the thought of adding a 24 year old (25 in Nov.) to a group of already talented youngsters, like Green, Bradley, and Rondo, certainly would have instilled a much brighter view of the Celtics in the post-Pierce/KG era.

Also, seeing as how the Celtics front court looks paper thin beyond Bass and KG, I was hoping the Celtics would have tried to sign and trade for Michael Beasley (23) instead of Courtney Lee (27). This is not so much an age issue although, adding Beasley would also serve the point about Mayo. Courtney Lee is really the only true wing in the Celt-ics’ guard rotation (Mayo could have filled this role as well)

so it makes sense but, Beasley would have added depth to the front court and given the Celtics another player who (at least in theory) could match up pretty well with LeBron. It’s made more understandable by the fact that Avery Bradley is likely not going to return until December. Still, the Celtics may have been better off scrimping on the back court than the front. Veterans like Tracy McGrady, Michael Redd, or Anthony Parker (all still UFA’s) may have been a nice cheap way to add depth to the back court and seem like just as good (if not better) options than bringing Wilcox back. All in all though, Ainge’s moves have certainly instilled faith in winning now but, it does nothing for the confi-dence in the team moving on after KG and Pierce depart. However, we are where we are and there are still some UFA’s the Celtics could sign to bolster depth and help the Celtics win right now. Moving forward, the Celtics may look to add even more front court depth depending on the health and progress of Jared Sullinger. There are several players on the market that could do this. Solomon Alibi showed improve-ment in his second NBA season and could help give the Celtics a true center. Kenyon Martin also is an option adding some veteran experience and all around game to the Celtics front court. Also, the Celtics could look to add backcourt depth signing one of the aforementioned veteran guards. [Since the writing of this the Celtics have signed Darko Milicic]