March 2014 - North Shore Community College

MARCH 2014
• A MONTHLY PUBLICATION FOR THE STUDENTS OF NORTH SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, DANVERS, LYNN, & BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS •
•READ THE PENNON ONLINE AT: NORTHSHORE.EDU/PENNON•
EXERCISE YOUR
MIND
Page 16
WINDOWS
VS.
LINUX
PAGE 2
FINANCIAL AID
FOOTPRINT POWER
ADVICE
Page 2
BY JESSIE NOCELLA
ENVIRONMENTAL WRITER
With so many things
going on in this world today it
can be hard to decipher what's
“right” from what is “wrong”
especially when it comes to
aspects of protecting our environment. This proves to be true
with a local controversy about
changing a 60-year-old coalburning factory to a new state of
the art natural gas, fire power
plant located on Salem Harbor
in Salem Massachusetts.
Footprint Power, the
company responsible for taking
over the plant has high hopes
and expectations for creating
wind and solar energy and using
the natural gas only when “nocarbon sources” can meet the
demand. Much like anything in
life, there are two opposing
forces debating over this up and
coming major power source. On
AIR” as well as a dread-headed
drummer and a whole army of
Go-Green soldiers behind him.
Naturally being my Earth loving
self, I laid on my horn and
waved excitedly at the passing
parade, showing my support for
their concern about our diminishing environment.
Later that day I found
myself feeling guilty for supporting one group without
knowing the intentions of the
other and decided to look into
Footprint Power and its future
plans. I found out that Footprint
Power in fact, wasn't trying to
pollute Salem anymore than it
already was, but to actually produce a better method for future
production of energy. On the
company’s
website,
www.footprintpower.com they
clearly state their mission statement:
“We are independent
doing what we can to reverse
our industry's impact on the
global community.”
This sounded promising as I found more information
saying that natural gas puts out
less carbon dioxide and pollutants like nitrogen and sulfur.
Natural Gases are known to
burn cleaner than oil or coal
production. The only problem is
that the process of the natural
gas is so dirty that it may just
cancel out the positive factors it
presents. Nobody seems to
agree one hundred percent with
natural gas resources but it happens to be a bridge of growth
until all energy sources can be
replaced by solar or wind production. I found myself rethinking my decision and feeling that
this factory could very well be a
good addition to Salem and
replace an old method of production that has been adding
February 8, 2014, I found
myself driving right through the
tension of a small group of proFootprint advocators with their
signs vs. a mile long march of
environmental protesters. As I
turned my car down the street
the environmentalists had bright
posters campaigning “CLEAN
AIR” or “WE LOVE FRESH
power industry veterans, adept
at evaluating complex situations, identifying opportunities
and structuring solutions to
address challenges. We are
active listeners and straight talkers. Most of all, we are concerned citizens, deeply committed to our planet's future and to
pollutants to the environment.
Maybe in the long run we will
regret natural gas because it is a
non-renewable resource, but for
now we can only hope that the
new factory helps us go a little
greener and create a more environmentally friendly form of
energy production!
RED SOX
BATTERS
Page 5
DYNASTY
ELECTRIC
DEAN’S CORNER
BY JOHN DUFF
DEAN OF ENROLLMENT
SERVICES AND STUDENT
RECORDS
As I type this, the latest
snow “event” starts outside the
window. Which one is this
Quintus? Rex? I’m not sure
Page 9
Between a third and a
half of all NSCC students take a
summer class while at North
Shore Community College.
With the average time that it
takes to get a degree slowly
creeping up, students should
take advantage of every oppor-
NORTH SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S REGISTRATION BUILDING
tunity to move closer to complewhen we decided that we needtion. The question is what to
ed to start naming snow storms.
take?
By the time you read this perFor some students the
haps we’ve moved on to snow
answer is easy. Each year many
storm Vulcan, Wiley or Zephyr.
students find themselves 1 or 2
Fortunately, we have a cure for
classes short in their final
anyone who is sick of winter.
semester and are able to use that
For those of you who need a
first Summer Session to satisfy
reminder that warmer days are
their final degree requirements.
coming, I offer this: Summer
According to NSCC’s Associate
Registration. Yes, even as the
Registrar, Mel Potoczak, a cousnow continues to pile up outple of hundred students find
side we are already planning for
they are able to finish their
the warm days of summer.
degree each year over the sumStudents can begin planning
mer.
their summer schedule on
The trick, is making
March 5 when the catalog goes
sure that the needed courses will
up for viewing on the web.
be offered. If you find yourself
Registration begins the followclose to getting your degree, but
ing week, on March 12. Have
not quite there, take a look at the
you thought yet about how
summer catalog and see if what
you’ll spend your summer
you need is going to be offered.
term?
In some cases, even if the
Many students use the
course isn’t offered, Program
summer months to complete
Directors will work with one or
those final credits they need to
two students who are close to
graduate, to re-take that class
completion to arrange an indethey withdrew from, or to use
pendent study or a suitable subthose 6 or 10 weeks to focus on
stitute course. The key for stuone course at a time rather than
dents in this situation is to work
juggle the demands of multiple
with their advisor or Program
classes. How could you best use
Director early to make arrangethe Summer Term to keep moving towards your goals?
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
DEAN’S CORNER
PAGE 2 – NSCC PENNON
CONTINUED
BY JOHN DUFF
DEAN OF ENROLLMENT
SERVICES AND STUDENT
RECORDS
ments.
Other students use the
summer to stay on track towards
timely completion. A student
pursuing a two year degree
while juggling work and family
commitments may find it difficult to complete the five courses
required each semester in order
to finish in two years. Using the
summer to take one or two
courses builds in a little wiggle
room in case they need to retake a course or take a lighter
load in the fall.
The key with any academic planning is to work with
an advisor who understands
your academic goals and can
help you plan a sequence of
coursework that helps you reach
those goals. FSN 210, Brewing
Science
and
Other
Fermentations may seem like
the perfect summer course, but
you may need to check twice to
make sure it applies to your program of study. If you need help
choosing classes, check in with
your academic advisor, your
program director, or an academic counselor in the Student
Support and Advising Center.
The summer can be a
great time to focus on something fun – and for every student this may look a little different. Maybe the perfect summer
course for you involves studying Marine Biology, while
someone else can’t wait to
immerse themselves in IDS205
Community Problems and
Social Issues. The summer catalog, while leaner than the Fall
and Winter/Spring terms, still
has plenty to choose from
including yoga classes, a class
on local literary legend
Nathaniel Hawthorne, or a
History Study-Travel Seminar.
The latter, a first time offering,
involves travel abroad to study
World War I and European
Culture.
Whenever you plan on
graduating, and whatever your
academic interests, our summer
catalog should have something
useful for you, particularly if
you begin planning now. For
more information on summer
registration, summer financial
aid, payment options and course
offerings, consult North Shore
Community College’s website
at northshore.edu/summer. And
get ready for tropical storm season!
BY CALVIN JAVIER GIL
EDITOR IN CHIEF
The operating systems
Windows and Linux have, in
general, a number of considerable differences, all of which
are either positive or negative.
Among the more significant of
these differences includes the
different types of hardware
these operating systems run on,
the software available for each
operating system, the file systems used by each operating
system, and the relative security
tives, but its positives outweigh
these negatives.
Linux is able to run a
very wide range of hardware,
including, but not limited to,
desktop computers, server operating systems, computer clusters, mainframes, and embedded
systems. Windows, on the other
hand, runs on a much narrower
limited range of hardware; it is
limited to running on personal
computers, mobile devices,
server computers and embedded
devices. This gives Linux a
Windows vs Linux
Pros and Cons
of each operating system. From
what I can tell, it seems as
though it would be in our best
interest to switch to Linux. It
does have its fair share of nega-
clear advantage, as it means that
Linux is a more flexible operating system that can be used on
almost all of the machines we
would need it for, allowing us to
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
FINANCIAL AID ADVICE
Financial Aid
Opportunities
By Lydia Wahl
Pennon Staff
Paying for college is a
constant struggle. It is difficult
for students to hold down a job
and study full time. Student
must always be on the look out
for new ways to pay for college.
Getting a scholarship is one way
of paying for school but according to gocollege.com “The odds
can be as low as 1 in 10,000 for
the most highly publicized competitions.” However, there are a
few government funds that are
available to anyone and a new
website that makes it easier to
apply for multiple scholarships.
Applying for FAFSA at the
beginning of each academic
year is the best way to fund your
education and communicate
directly with your school’s
financial aid office. FAFSA is a
Free Application For Federal
Student Aid. It needs to be filled
out at the beginning of each
year and will request your tax
information for the previous
year. Filling it out at the beginning of the year will not only
fulfill the deadline but will also
make aid available for all
semesters of the academic year
including the summer. This aid
is also based on whether you are
a full time or part time student.
There will be aid available no
matter what your circumstance
is and any bit can help. Even if
you are not paying for your education your parents will thank
you for the help. In fact, they
can fill it out themselves with
their tax information. At the end
of the form you can request
which schools you would like
your aid information sent. If
you are finishing at North Shore
this spring and starting at Salem
State in the fall the aid information will be available to both
schools. FAFSA is also the
website that determines loan
amounts. FAFSA provides
“more than $150 billion in federal grants, loans, and workstudy funds each year to more
than 15 million students paying
for college or career school.”
Financial aid is also based on
your academic progress. Good
grades can make more aid available to you. No matter what
your situation is FAFSA will
have something available to
you.
Another way to pay for
school is scholarships, although
this can be a tedious path. The
likelihood of winning a scholarship is slim but worth your time
because of the practice it can
give you. It will also help with
likelihood because so many students do not want to write
essays. Dosomething.org is a
new scholarship website that
has so far been an essay free.
Instead of writing, this website
gets you aware of issues in our
society. Currently you can be
entered for a scholarship by creating Valentine’s Day cards for
seniors. This summer there was
one for texting and driving
which entailed taking a creative
picture with texting thumb
guards that they would send you
and then posting the picture on
Instagram. There are several
things like this you can do to
enter a scholarship on
dosomething.org.
Although I
am all for dosomething.org there is
something you can
get out of doing
essays. Because they
are harder to attain
they can look good on
your resume. The
summer is a good
time to do scholarship
work because you
will have extra time
and it will keep you
writing. The best website I have
found for this is fastweb.com.
This website will match you up
with scholarships based on your
strengths and extracurricular
activities. They have over three
billion dollars in scholarship
funds and they are backed by
several credible sources.
Another way to get
money
for
school
is
Massachusetts Grants. FAFSA
will enter you for some grants
under certain conditions, “You
must be enrolled in 6-11 credits
and have lived in Massachusetts
for the preceding 12 months.
You may be required to submit
proof of residency”. The PELL
Grant is one of the grants
FAFSA can find for you and is
one of the only grants available
for students taking less than six
credits. Go to your local library
to find grants to apply for.
People or groups in your area
can create a grant for fields they
are enthusiastic about. They are
often available for people pursuing a Medical or Educational
field. The North Shore
Financial Aid Office has more
information on this and other
methods of paying for school.
What You Should
Know Applying for
Financial Aid
BY SUSAN SULLIVAN
FINANCIAL AID ADVISOR
The Free Application
for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) is now available for
students applying for financial
aid for Fall 2014. The FAFSA
is the first step in applying for
financial aid from all sources:
federal, state and institutional
funds. Complete it online at
www.fafsa.ed.gov.
The FAFSA provides
colleges with the information
they need to determine your eligibility for grants and waivers
(free money), student loans
(money that must be repaid)
and federal work-study (money
you can earn working part-time
on campus).
Completing
the
FAFSA is free, but you will
need to electronically sign the
application using a federal PIN
number. Apply for your PIN
early at www.pin.edu.gov.
NSCC’s school code is 002173.
NSCC requires only the
FAFSA. To receive the maximum aid available to you, it is
important that you submit your
FAFSA by May 1st.
Filing out the FAFSA
has become easier: The IRS
Data Retrieval Toll (DRT)
allows you to pull financial
information into the FAFSA
directly from the Internal
Revenue Service. To use this
tool, you must wait two weeks
after filing your federal return
electronically, or six to eight
weeks if you are filing by mail.
To use DRT, you must have a
tax filing status of single, married filing jointly, or head of
household.
Upon receiving your
FAFSA, NSCC’s Student
Financial Services Office will
provide you with a financial aid
award letter that details the
types and amount aid you are
eligible for. Your award may
include student loans, which
you are not required to accept.
Declining even a small portion
of your loan offer will make a
big difference in your monthly
repayment upon graduation.
More
information
about financial aid can be found
at www.northshore.edu/
financial-services/. Please contact Student Financial Services
in person at both the Danvers
and Lynn campuses or at
[email protected].
PAGE 3 – NSCC PENNON
SLICE OF CULTURE
HEALTHCARE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
BY KATHRYN BONOCORE
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
My interest in the
healthcare system in the
Dominican Republic comes
from working at Collins Middle
School in Salem. Many of our
students and staff are from D.R.
and I thought it would be interesting to do a little research into
their healthcare system and
learn about how our healthcare
systems differ.
We all know that here
in the U.S., private health insurance is mandatory for those of
us who work and must be provided through our employers.
Public health insurance, for
those who cannot work, is
offered through our government. Both insurances offer
individual plans and family
plans. Most of us in the U.S.
have a primary care physician
who takes care of our preventative and sick care. If we need a
specialist, we receive a referral.
Our insurance will cover preventative care 100%. For sick
visits, we must pay a copayment
and/or deductible. If we have a
good insurance plan, we have
coverage for dental and prescriptions. Unfortunately, if you
are lower-middle class, it is very
difficult to get affordable coverage. I believe that this is being
addressed
through
the
Healthcare Reform Act. I am
not going to touch upon this as it
is extremely complicated, and I
cannot even pretend to understand it. What I do know is that
the reform is trying to make
insurance coverage available for
everyone at an affordable cost.
BY PAMELA FERNANDEZ
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
In many Hispanic and
Mediterranean cultures, the
belief in "Mal De Ojo" or "Evil
Eye" is quite common. Mal De
Ojo is a folk illness primarily
affecting children and infants.
The evil eye can have many
causes, but primarily is a manifestation of energy. Many cultures believe it is able to cause
injury or misfortune for reasons
of envy or dislike. It is believed
that an admiring look or a stare
can weaken the child leading to
bad luck, sickness and even
death. It is believed that it is
caused either intentionally or
unintentionally by the stare of
someone who envies or admires
the victim without touching him
or her. The term also refers to
the power attributed to certain
persons of inflicting injury or
bad luck by such an envious or
ill-wishing look.
If you are under the
Care in the U.S. begins, hopefully, before birth and continues
at regular intervals after.
Everything from immunizations, which begin before you
even leave the hospital, to
screenings. Nutrition and development are part of our regular
care in childhood and follow us
into adulthood, though the level
of care and reasons for screenings change. I feel that we have
a pretty good healthcare system
and I hope that the changes to
come will be for the better and
allow all to have coverage.
Healthcare in the
Dominican Republic is very different from ours. They do not
have traditional health insurance
like ours. Offered to their citizens are (1) government health
services through Social Security
payments, (2) and a plan called
an Iguala, is purchased on an
individual basis. Payments are
made monthly to a certain clinic, which agrees to provide all
the medical services that you
need at no additional cost.
Problems can arise if you need
any type of specialist that is not
available at your particular clinic. You may need to go elsewhere and will have no coverage at other facilities. True medical insurance plans come in
various types. One type will
reimburse you for your expenses but you must pay your bills in
cash at the time of service.
Another type of insurance
resembles ours in the way that
you will pay just a portion of
each bill though there is a small
list of doctors and clinics that
accept this. And, lastly, you
may choose to purchase insur-
MAL DE OJO
evil eye it can result in physical
and emotional symptoms. A
person under the influence of
evil eye start to feel nervous,
scared and agitated without
cause, and then will have physical symptoms such as dizziness,
nausea,
diarrhea,
and
headaches. There may also be a
constant feeling of tightness in
the chest, like a bad feeling. In
young adults the evil eye manifests as loss of appetite, fever,
insomnia, chills, and inability to
concentrate. It is said that in
infants and children, Mal De
Ojo causes uncontrollable crying without apparent cause,
diarrhea, skin rashes, and nightmare.
In my country, the
Dominican Republic, our
beliefs are that as soon as a child
is born, we put a bracelet called
"Azabache". It has a tiny black
fist hanging from it. We usually
put it on the child's wrist or
ankle. This bracelet is supposed
ance directly from the companies at the same price offered to
your employer. There is a good
chance you will have to pay for
a year in advance rather than
benefiting from a monthly payment schedule. There are three
different medical systems in this
country. The first is a socialized
system, mainly for the indigent
and extremely poor. The theory
vide for free. Pharmacists play a
huge role in medical care in the
D.R. This is where a patient will
get supplies and medicine needed for care that they then bring
to the clinic with them. Many
medications are available without prescriptions and can be
purchased directly from the
pharmacist. The government
does sell low cost generic brand
MONROE COLLEGE STUDENTS DISTRIBUTING
HEALTH CARE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
is that the government provides
free medical care to anyone who
walks into the appropriate medical facilities, such as a clinic.
This system is far from adequate
though it does meet some needs
such as providing vaccinations
and supplies for infant rehydration. There is a lack of facilities,
trained personnel and medicines. Patients may be required
to pay for materials and for prescriptions, which in many cases,
is just unaffordable. Most medications are imported and they
are much too expensive to pro-
pharmaceuticals at its Promese
Boticas Populares (drugstores),
but it is not unusual for them to
have none in supply. The second type of system is the Social
Security system for those workers who earn less than RD
$4,000 per month. I could not
find accurate translation for this
but what I did find stated it is
about $100.00 per month. This
system is also far from adequate, though some clinics offer
good services. Those who have
alternative medical insurance
can also take advantage of ben-
efits such as the provision of
free milk. Social Security only
provides coverage for the workers themselves and just maternity services for spouses; children
are not covered. The third consists of private clinics, which are
in reality, hospitals, providing
The
fee for service care.
wealthy citizens of the D.R utilize this service. Here you will
find state of the art equipment
and premium services.
The insurance coverage in D.R. is kind of similar to
ours, except for the fact that
family coverage is not available
to all. The cost can be outrageous for the citizens to get the
care that is needed. For us, if a
family member is sick or needs
care, we take them to their
physician and care begins. They
receive what is needed whether
it is tests such as CAT scans or
MRIs to medications and specialist. This is not an option in
the D.R. unless you are wealthy,
and I feel that is a shame. To
have a sick child and not be able
to provide what is needed to
help them get better is just
awful. I can now understand
why so many immigrate solely
for the healthcare that is offered
here in the United States. I have
seen it with my own eyes. There
have been a few children at the
school I work at whose fate
would have been much different
if they did not get the medical
care needed that they received
here.
WORKS CITED:
HTTP://WWW.NEWCABARETE.COM
/DOMINICAN-REPUBLIC-HEALTHCARE-SYSTEM/
to push away evil and protect
them from Mal De Ojo. It is said
that if the black fist falls off the
bracelet it means that somebody
was doing Mal De Ojo on the
child and it fell off to prevent
the baby from having any symptoms that comes from it. A common cure is to pass a raw egg
over the child's body to absorb
the negative energy. Mal De Ojo
is believed to be a simple superstition to a lot of people, but it
has been described since the
Middle Ages, and is a common
belief found in Latin America
and also in Muslim countries.
WORKS CITED:
HTTP://VOXXI.COM/2013/03/01/C
URANDEROS-MAL-DE-OJO/
HTTP://WWW.MEDICALSPANISH.C
OM / CULTURAL - TOPICS / MAL - DE OJO.HTML
HTTP://WWW.LUCKYMOJO.COM/E
VILEYE.HTML
AZABACHE
PAGE 4 – NSCC PENNON
BY LYDIA WAHL
PENNON FACULTY
American legal tender
received an overhaul equipping
each bill with new security features.
The
website,
www.newmoney.gov, where
you can virtually tour the new
bills, was created to inform the
public of the new protective
measures. There are several
features that make the 100-dollar bill America’s most secure
note and similar measures are
used to protect every US dollar.
A blue 3D trimming and an
inkwell with The Liberty Bell
inside are just two of the things
that keep the 100 bill safe.
Although America’s largest bill
has the highest security all US
currency has existing and new
features to prevent replication.
NEW MONEY
This ribbon has its own design
of alternating pattern of “USA”s
and “100”s. On the presidential
side of the bill, a lower right
hand 100 is printed in gold letters and will change into green
when slanted, similar to the
Liberty Bell. For quicker recognition of the bill a largely printed 100 is placed on the other
side. There is also micro printing lining Franklin’s collar, the
quill, and around the space for a
lit up Benjamin Franklin. The
final feature is raised with
intaglio printing creating a
rough feel on the Franklin’s
shoulder. Raised printing has
made American money traditionally distinguishable. The
more interchangeable bills have
also received new features.
The smaller bills have
six defensive features. The five
ferent bills. The only bill that
has remained unchanged is the
dollar.
For a long time, many
features have protected the dollars value. The Federal Reserve
Bank Seal is printed with a
reserve name and letter, specific
to that note. There is also printed “A combination of eleven
numbers and letters twice on the
front of the note.” After the
1969 series, an English inscription appeared on the new U.S
Treasury Seal. In tradition with
other notes the dollar features
raised printing creating a coarse
feeling
on
President
Washington. The bill is printed
on approximately “one-fourth
linen and three-fourths cotton,”
and intertwined with red and
blue
threads.
George
Washington is printed on what
FORMER 100 DOLLAR BILL
At first glance the 3D
ribbon across the 100-dollar bill
is decorated with several little
Liberty Bells. When tilted, the
bells change to multiple 100s.
The weaving of the ribbon onto
the bill helps prevent the distribution of counterfeit money and
ensure financial security.
Reproduction of the 100’s and
bells would be challenging as
they have a different pattern of
reflection based on them being
moved side to side or back and
forth. The Liberty Bell, placed
in a copper ink well provides
protection with another tricky to
replicate function. The Liberty
Bell, when angled, will match
the green US Treasury seal.
When tilted back the Liberty
Bell returns to copper, creating
the illusion of invisibility in the
ink well. When held to the light,
a second Benjamin Franklin
appears right below the quill in
an empty space to the right of
the Treasury seal. A second, less
visible ribbon will appear in
ultraviolet light as a pink vertical line adjacent to the blue one.
NEWLY RELEASED 100 DOLLAR BILL
is the only one without color
shifting ink and the only other
bill, beside the 100, with larger
visual assistive print. All other
bills, including the new 100
note have color shifting, that
change to another color gradually or when tilted. Each of the
other bills has a security thread
that runs up the different sides
depending on its monetary
value. All American bills have
small printing of their numerical
value scattered on both sides.
The watermark is probably the
most well known defensive feature; each bill has a smaller portrait of its featured historical figure that appears in the light on
both sides. Each figure has also
been adjusted to have a higher
portrait with broadened shoulders and outlining lines have
been removed. There are also
several symbols of freedom
decorating American bills
depending on their denomination. The American seal, with
an eagle and shield, a small
torch, the US Treasury seal and
occasionally stars from our
countries flag all appear on dif-
is considered the front of a dollar and The United States seal
on its back. With these guaranteed measures in place, the
Treasury does not plan on making any changes. The Financial
Services
and
General
Government Appropriations
Act also prohibits redesigning
the dollar. The design of the
dollar has not changed since
1963. It is considered to have a
low risk of counterfeit.
As credit accounts
become less and less secure our
cash is adapting into a financial
safety net. Using cash is one
way to prevent bank accounts
from being hacked and maintain
privacy. People can help keep
US bills secure and uphold their
value, “Even with the most
technologically advanced security features, it is you – the educated user of U.S. currency –
who continues to be the first and
best line of defense against
counterfeiting.” Knowing the
signs of a secure note will protect people from unexpected
financial losses.
ANIMAL
EXPERIMENTATION
AT SALEM STATE
UNIVERSITY
BY KRISTINE DOLL
KALIN CHAMBERLAIN
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
AND
It has recently come to
the attention of the Salem State
Philosophy Club that Salem
State University uses animals in
certain courses on campus and
when these animals are no
longer needed for the course,
they are killed. Imagine that you
attend a state university, where
the cost of attendance is approximately $12,000 per academic
year. After attending this school
for years and paying your
tuition and student fees you find
out the university you are
attending uses animals in
behavioral experiments. This
university is using your money
to purchase and house about fifteen Norwegian White Rats
each year, and at the end of each
year every one of the rats is
killed.
After much investigation from the Salem State
Philosophy Club and many concerned students and faculty
members all that has been discovered is that the course that
uses and kills the Norwegian
White Rats is an elective psychology
course
titled
Psychology 431. This course is
not required for graduation and
does not even use the rats to
provide new and significant scientific evidence to the scientific
community. The rats are subject
to behavioral experiments in
which they are trained to perform or react in certain ways.
The methods in which the rats
are utilized are monotonous and
already well-proven. This
means that the rats are simply
pushed to perform in ways that
the scientific community has
already proven they can do,
time and time again. After these
rats are forced to perform in
such derogatory and demeaning
ways, and after the rats have
formed an emotional bond with
the student who is experimenting on them, they are gassed to
death.
Morally how can a person let this happen or be a part
of this? Innocent animals are
subjected to meaningless experiments that hold little to no scientific value and are gassed to
death when they are done being
manipulated. Why can’t these
animals simply be adopted after
the experiments? Well, this
question was asked and has not
been answered by the department responsible for the experiments on the animals. This
department claims that since the
rats have been experimented on
that it would be illegal to adopt
them out into the public.
However throughout investigation no such law was found; in
fact we have discovered that
rats are not covered under federal litigation and do not count
under animal protection laws.
What gives anyone the right to
deem a living and sentient being
unworthy of moral and legal
protection? Another question
asked by the Philosophy Club,
students and faculty was why
can’t we use virtual programming like other schools? The
department claimed that doing
so would result in non-scientific
results. However in reference to
Barbara Stagno’s article that
was supposed to be published in
the Salem State Log “the drug
industry has recognized the
widespread failure of using animals to test the safety and efficacy of drugs for human use,
noting that 95% of drugs that
enter clinical trials do not make
it to the market, despite the
promise seen in animals during
the development phase. . . In
education the trend away from
using animals as stand-ins for
humans can be seen dramatically in medical schools, with 97%
of all U.S. medical schools now
utilizing alternatives to animal
training programs. [Of the 159
medical schools in the U.S., all
but five are using non-animal
labs.] Studies show that when
given the choice, students
choose non-animal labs over
live animal exercises. Research
in this area has also shown that
many students experience stress
when being forced to harm live
animals, which interferes with
their ability to learn (Stagno)”.
So why should a student at North Shore care about
the death of animals at a different university? Firstly one
should identify that it is morally
reprehensible to let an innocent
animal die. These rats have
done nothing wrong and they
are highly intelligent and sentient beings who do not deserve
to be treated like tools.
Secondly the use of animals,
according to Stagno’s article,
fails seeing as 95% of the drugs
tested on them never even make
it to the market. This is a waste
of resources and of life, further
testing should be done before
these dangerous medications are
ever brought near any living
creature. Thirdly, Salem State is
a state school which means tax
payer money funds the school
along with tuition and fees from
students. Your tax dollars are
being used to degrade living
animals and kill them because
they are no longer deemed useful for “science”. To protest the
use of animals at Salem State
University please write a letter
to Salem State, tell the people
you know about this horrible
occurrence or even be willing to
adopt an animal into your home.
THE SPORTS HAYES:
PAGE 5 – NSCC PENNON
WHO THE HECK ARE YOU? THE TOP 10 MOST OBSCURE RED SOX BATTERS OF THE 2000’S
BY KEVIN HAYES
SPORTS WRITER
About a year ago I
wrote a column containing the
Top 10 Most Obscure Red Sox
Pitchers of the previous decade.
Now it is time to look at some of
the batters that nobody remembers. Great offense is hard to
find, for every David Ortiz there
is a Julio Lugo. For every Ted
Williams there’s a Darren
Lewis. Not to say Julio and
Darren were lousy players
(Darren played great defense in
the outfield), but certainly not
many remember them. Well
here is a list of ten batters that
would make Darren and Julio
seem like Ted Williams and
David Ortiz. As I did with the
pitchers, I do not include stars
that didn't pan out or guys that
had long careers despite failing
in Boston. These are the guys
only the smartest of fans can
remember; blink and you miss
them.
Number 10: Andy Sheets
Nomar Garcia Parra
was the man in Boston from
1996 to 2004. He was their
superstar shortstop and from 9703 was one of the top players in
the game. Unfortunately, he was
so good the ownership wasn’t
prepared for what would happen
if he got hurt and in late April of
2000, he would. Even though he
wouldn’t be out for too long he
was still out. The Sox turned to
28-year-old utility infielder
Andy Sheets. Andy didn’t have
the most reliable bat but backed
up Alex Rodriguez in Seattle
plus future Pawtucket Red Sox
manager Gary Disarcina in
Anaheim. He came to Boston
looking to back up Nomar but
instead he became a laughing
stock. He was hitless in his first
16 at bats. He did have one
moment of glory, replacing the
injured Garcia Parra, his first hit
of the season brought in the goahead run on May 11, 2000
against the Baltimore Orioles
which held up for a victory.
After that, Nomar got healthy
and proceeded to hit .372 for the
season; no one has come close
to that in the 13 years following.
As for Sheets, he was finished in
Boston but would play for the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays the following two seasons before calling it quits. He may have had a
lifetime batting average of .216
but he did get one moment of
glory.
Number 9: Calvin Pickering
What a name. The
hefty Calvin had bounced
around the majors and minors
throughout the late 90’s but he
had one run in him. The 2001
Red Sox fell apart amidst crippling injuries to Nomar Garcia
Parra, Jason Varitek and Pedro
Martinez. Noted pains in the
butt Carl Everett and Manny
Ramirez were acting up and
manager Jimmy Williams got
the heave-ho. Interim manager
Joe Kerrigan, had the respect of
no one, not even Tim
Wakefield. With the season
falling apart and injuries
abound, the Sox played out the
string following the terrorists
attacks of September 11, 2001.
One fella who stood out was the
6’5 Pickering. In 17 games,
Pickering batted .280 with three
home runs; seven runs batted in
and 14 hits. Pickering and
Ramirez saved the Red Sox
from going under .500, finishing
82-79. There was talk that
Pickering could compete with
Brian Daubach for the first
basemen’s job in 2002 but a season ending injury wiped that
idea out. By the time 2003
rolled around the Sox had
moved on, signing Jeremy
Giambi, David Ortiz and Kevin
Millar. Pickering made a valiant
comeback in 2004 with the
Kansas City Royals, playing in
35 games and hitting seven
home runs. His career ended
after just seven games the following season. Still, a threeweek period where he almost
carried the Red Sox offense and
coming back from serious injury
three years later is admirable.
Number 8: Bryant Nelson
In 2002, the Red Sox
were looking to regain
respectability after the disaster
the previous season. They
played way over their heads for
most of the season before crashing down to earth in September.
They still managed to win 93
games but both the New York
Yankees and the Oakland A’s
won 103 games apiece. Along
the way the Sox tried everything
to spark their lineup from the
rejuvenated Carlos Baerga to
43-year-old Rickey Henderson
to Tampa Bay folk hero Benny
Agbayani. At one point 28-yearold Bryant Nelson, a career
minor leaguer got his shot.
Nelson wasn’t hyped up to be
anything special and he didn’t
play like it either. Supposedly
speedster, Nelson stole only one
base, walked just four times and
had just nine hits in 39 at-bats.
Unlike the previous two, Nelson
didn’t assist in any game winning plays and he was gone
shortly after. Only the most
hardcore of Red Sox fans would
have known he was there and
when he was gone.
Number 7: Andy Abad
The term “career minor
leaguer” is usually dignified for
players that spend virtually their
entire career in the minor
leagues. They had the talent to
make it to Triple but just didn’t
have the talent to compete at the
major league level. Anyways,
Abad personified this. The 2003
Red Sox sparked a re-birth in
fan interest that’s still there
today, 3 World Series championships since then helps, and
they had some colorful characters on the team. As it is with
every team, injuries and ineffectiveness lead to replacements
having to come up from the
minors along the way. Abad
was 31 years old by the time he
got the call in 2003 and had just
one, yes ONE, game of major
league experience previously.
Abad played in nine games but
only had two hits in 17 at bats
before going back to Pawtucket.
He bounced around the minors
before having a cup of coffee
(term for short term appearance)
with the Cincinnati Reds in
2006. Again, if you blinked,
you missed him.
Number 6: Andy Dominique
The 2004 Red Sox
broke an 86-year-old phony
curse and won the World Series
for the first time since 1918.
Along the way injuries paved
the way for a few guys to make
some guest appearances. One of
them was 3rd string catcher
Andy Dominique. With Jason
Varitek and Doug Mirabelli
patrolling the plate, they tried
Dominique at first base. He
played in seven games but had
just two hits and committed an
error. He was left off the postseason roster and signed with
Toronto the following season.
He played in just two games and
that was it in the big leagues.
When you get a shot in the big
leagues and you fumble the ball,
chances are you won’t get that
many future chances.
Number 5: Shawn Wooten
The 2005 Red Sox was
the end of the “idiots” so to
speak. The group of guys we fell
in love with in 2003 would be
dissolved by the end of the 05
season. Along the way the Red
Sox had some catching woes
with the decline of Doug
Mirabelli. For one game, they
called up Shawn Wooten.
Shawn was a backup catcher/DH/first basemen for the
Anaheim
Angels
and
Philadelphia Phillies before
signing a minor league contract
with the Red Sox. He got in just
1 game in 2005 and went hitless
in his only at bat before getting
sent back down to Triple A,
never to resurface in the majors.
Once again, if you weren’t
watching the game he was in,
chances are you didn’t even
know he was there.
Number 4: Corky Miller
The 2006 Red Sox fell
apart amidst injuries and an ago-
nizing five game series loss to
the New York Yankees in
August. As with Shawn
Wooten, Corky Miller got his
one game of sunshine with the
Red Sox. Miller had been a
serviceable backup since 2000
but went hitless in his four atbats before getting sent down to
Triple A. Unlike most of the
others, Miller hung around the
majors for 4 more years after. In
the end Miller played in 216
games in the majors but just one
with the Red Sox. Another blink
and you missed him.
Number 3: Joe Thurston
The bronze medal goes
to Joe here. He had 55 games of
major league experience before
hooking on with the 2008 Red
Sox. He played in nine games in
2008 and went hitless, although
he was hit with a pitch once.
After being sent back down to
Triple A, he signed with the St.
Louis Cardinals for the 2009
season. Out of nowhere he
became an every day starter,
playing third and second base in
124 games. He hit just .225 but
going into the season he only
had 64 games of major league
experience and he nearly doubled it. He made one more vanity appearance for the Florida
(now Miami) Marlins in 2011
but that was it. Sometimes, a
few guys just need a chance to
start to prove dependable. Joe
just wasn’t going to get it in
Boston with Mike Lowell,
Kevin Youkilis and Dustin
Pedroia around.
Number 2: Aaron Bates
The silver medal winner is Aaron Bates. Bates was
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
PAGE 6 – NSCC PENNON
THE SPORTS HAYES:
CONTINUED
one of the 2007 Lancaster
Jethawks “Killer B’s”. There
was Bates, Bubba Bell and Brad
Correll. Along with Zach
Daeges and Scott White, all five
of them hit over 20 home runs
and set offensive records for the
California League. Two years
later Bates got his chance for
the
2009
Red
Sox.
Unfortunately, it was proven
that Lancaster was just a hitter’s
park as none of the guys that
reached the majors showed any
kind of power displayed in
Lancaster. Bates was no exception, as he did not homer in
twelve plate appearances in five
games. He hasn’t appeared in
the majors since although he’s
still currently with the Los
Angeles Dodgers minor league
system.
Number 1: Niuman Romero
Gold medal goes to
Romero (no relation to Ed).
Unlike most of the others,
Romero had a chance to be a
hero for a day. He was purchased from the Cleveland
Indians on May 1st and spent
time with Triple A. A rash of
injuries prompted the Sox to
call up Romero on July 6th and
he was thrust into a big situation
right away. The Sox were in
Tampa to play the Rays and
Kevin Youkilis left with an
injury, leaving Romero hitting
behind David Ortiz. An Eric
Patterson RBI triple brought the
Sox within one run at 3-2 with
two outs in the ninth. In stepped
Romero who barely anyone
knew he was on the roster, and
now the game is in his hands.
Unfortunately he made the final
out and the Sox lost. He played
in one more game during the
season but that was it. Like
Andy Sheets, he had a chance to
be a hero for a day but he failed.
Oh well, the 2010 season was
doomed anyway.
Honorable mention:
I reserved this spot
because of all the names that
qualified, there were some that
caught my eye with something
interesting. So in this honorable
mention, it’s an honor to mention some of the accomplishments these guys had.
Earl Snyder: He played
in just 1 game in 2004 (a game I
attended actually) and had just 1
hit. His best accomplishment
was in Pawtucket where he hit
36 home runs that year. He may
not have had an impact in the
big leagues but 36 home runs
for a team that went 78-66 goes
a long way.
Ed Sprague Jr.: Since
this is just an honorable mention, I’ll forego the “no stars”
rule. Sprague was the starting
3rd basemen for the 1993 World
Series champion Toronto Blue
Jays and had some great years
for the team. By 2000, he was
all washed up but that didn’t
stop Red Sox general manager
from sacrificing future major
leaguers Dennis Tankersley and
David Eckstein (2002 Anaheim
Angels won the world series
with him starting) to get him on
June 30th. They wanted him
because John Valentin blew his
knee out and Wilton Veras
proved ineffective. Sprague was
even worse than Veras as he hit
just .216 before being released
in August. He did have one
moment of glory. A home run in
mid July caused my 50-year-old
father to throw himself on the
ground in mock fainting
because Ed actually did something good.
Craig Grebeck: One of
the biggest cases of career evaporation ever. Craig had a solid
career as a backup infielder with
the Chicago White Sox and
Toronto Blue Jays before being
signed as a backup shortstop to
Nomar Garciaparra before the
2001 season. He had just come
off a 2000 season where he batted .295 in 66 games. The problem was Nomar was hurt in
spring training so Grebeck
would be the opening day
starter. He then proceeded to get
just TWO hits in 41 at bats in 23
games before manager Jimmy
Williams pulled the plug. The
silver lining was he didn’t commit an error although his batting
average stood at .049 by the end
of the season. Better than Bluto
Blutarsky’s 0.0 but still terrible.
You can make the case he was
36 and past his prime but to go
from serviceable to completely
useless at bat is astonishing.
NEW COUNSELORS AT NORTH SHORE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
The Student Support and Advising Center is pleased to
announce the addition of two trained counselors to assist with crisis
intervention, brief counseling, and resources for students.
On the Lynn campus, Debbie Campbell is a master’s level
mental health counselor who has recently joined the NSCC family.
Debbie comes to NSCC with over 12 years of work experience within the mental health field. She is familiar with the Lynn area, and is
looking forward to re-building the local community resource connections to assist students with their various needs.
On the Danvers campus, Donna Davis is a licensed mental
health counselor with over 13 years of experience, most of which
have been at NSCC. Her specialties are self-esteem building, anxiety, grief and loss, transitions and adjusting, and relationships and
families. Referrals from faculty are welcomed. Students may stop
by the Center, call, or email either counselor to discuss personal
issues that may be interfering with their academics.
DEBBIE CAMPBELL AND DONNA DAVIS
CONTACT INFORMATION ON PAGE 13
PAGE 7 – NSCC PENNON
PAGE 8 – NSCC PENNON
ONCE UPON A TIME
IN WONDERLAND...
BY LYDIA WAHL
PENNON FACULTY
After several successful Once Upon A Time seasons
the writers took on a new
endeavor: Once Upon A Time
In Wonderland. Recurring writers Edward Kitsis, Adam
Horowitz, Zach Estrin, and Jane
Espenson are behind the spin
off of this show. Though the
stories are related through
magic and plots you do not need
to watch both to know what is
going on. While Once Upon A
Time focuses more on the
reunion
of
a
family,
Wonderland tells the story of
several reunited loves. This
show also centers more on one
fairy tale, the one of Alice in
Wonderland and Through The
Looking Glass by Lewis
Carroll. The show revolves
around the main character at an
older age that has fallen in love
with a genie. Her separation
from him is what sparks the
adventure back to Wonderland
from the asylum to which her
father and stepmother had sent
her. The Knave of Hearts and
The
White
Rabbit
help
rescue her and
return
to
Wonderland.
Alice
is more formidable
and
mature of a
character than
she is known
for in her tale.
Armed
with
determination
and logic, she
is also handy
with a sword
and
knows
exactly what
she wants. Cyrus, who is a genie
and desired by many for the
wishes he can grant, is her true
love. The many connections
between them are what help
them find each other again. But
that is not the end of their journey; they must both struggle
against those attaining his wishes. Alice has many wishes herself and a lack of their use is
what keeps him from becoming
another’s genie. Alice is very
careful with her wishes knowing that using them will give up
Cyrus but also that wishes come
with a cost. The idea of instantly wishing to be reunited with
him is explained by Alice as
that it could be very unfortunate
conditions in which he would be
returned. Characters must constantly tiptoe around the unpredictable consequences of magic.
This is a consistent caveat following through the two series
that “magic always comes with
a price.”
As with the original
Once Upon a Time, the
Wonderland series also falls
into other story lines. The plot
has aligned The Red Queen
with Jafar from Arabian Nights.
So far there has been no appearance of an Aladdin character.
Jafar has an interesting story to
tell twisted with The Sultan’s
and The Red Queen will leave
you guessing until the very end.
Her love for wealth and power
and also for The Knave of
Hearts gives her questionable
motivations. Though the Knave
of Hearts is also a questionable
character he is more like a
Prince of Thieves accompanying Alice through Wonderland.
There are some episodes that
place him with Robin Hood and
his merry men, displaying his
art of thievery but also
of betrayal.
He
fools
several
characters
including
T
h
e
Caterpillar,
R o b i n
Hood, and
Jafar
but
only really
feels guilty
w h e n
deceiving
Alice who
he owes a
life debt to.
The show has just finished its first season and is still
hanging on a decision for season two. According to TVLine,
ABC entertainment president,
Paul Lee believes that airing the
show on Thursdays is something that ruined its exposure.
He believes that if it were aired
in the same Sunday spot as
Once Upon A Time it would
have been more transferrable
for the fans. You may think you
know these stories but the writers skim the line between creating new scenarios and staying
true to the plot of the characters
for authenticity giving these stories a new perspective.
FIVE, ONE HIT WONDER’S
SONGS TO BE REMEMBERED
By Tripp Carey
Contributing Writer
Whenever a popular
song has been played countless
times in our collective consciousness, we usually play the
same one or two songs for any
artist. Sometimes from a natural
business standpoint it’s always
about the number one hits or the
awards from a given song. We
then tend to dismiss various
musicians as one hit wonders.
Sometimes justifiably like
Simple Minds “Don’t You
Forget About Me.” As that’s the
only song that is decent of theirs
and was what made them successful in the first place being
used on a soundtrack to a
notable John Hughes movie.
For the rest of these they
deserve at least a less harsh title
like at least “two hit wonders
“or starters of a new sound or
trend.
Kajagoogoo
(aka
Kaja) - Are Most well known
for making the soundtrack title
of the original The Neverending
Story and for their single “Too
Shy.” The songs that I love and
feel they should be remembered
for instead is actually “Turn
Your Back on Me” and “Hang
On Now” preferably the extended 12” cut album version. Both
have music videos, but “Turn
Your Back On Me” is a great
example of a great 80’s music
video, where all the elements
lined up just right and create a
beautiful juxtaposition of emotions and ideas. The latter song
being a little less repetitive but
having a nice dreamlike atmosphere that starts off in a cartoon,
becomes live action and back to
cartoon again, they employed a
great drawer. Back on tour now
and have made another good
new songs, from their 2010
album Gone on the moon, such
as “the last day” “table for one”
and “smile.”
Rick Astley - Go
ahead and laugh, unlike others
I’m immune to the rick rolling
and actually enjoy his obviously
bland commercialized bubblegum pop. Songs that he
should be remembered for
instead are “Take Me To Your
Heart,” “Giving Up On Love,”
“Whenever
You
Need
Somebody” excluding the obvious one that gave him second
fame as an internet meme. Far
from a great singer, at least he
gave it his all, poured his heart
out into his work and is now living as a family man in the Mid
West, just think of him as a red
head cowboy a record company
commercialized the hell out of
and when things were running
slow, escaped out of the fading
limelight to get back to real life,
an example of a guy who knew
when to quit and knew what a
sham the music fame was.
Maxi Priest
Remembered today and in the
sands of time for irresistible
“Close To You.” I really always
thought he was Bob Marley’s
son, not to mention how much
they resemble each other in
singing and style, but then later
realized he wasn’t. But in my
imagination assume he is and
makes for a funny conversation
on your boat, house or at a party
and people never realize they
are not actually listening to Bob
Marley, not that it really matters
and very few people probably
heard of the name so let’s just
Bob Marley Jr./Bob Marley
II/Still Bob Marley/ for the sake
of the rest of this article and
going forward. Anyways, the
songs he should be known for as
well is “Won’t Let It Slip
Away,” “Best Of Me,” “Never
Had A Love So Good.” In fact,
I’m going to make myself a nice
virgin pina colada and chill out
the rainbow lights in my living
room, slowly pass out while
mentally imagining myself on a
small sunny island catching sun.
Vanilla Ice - Besides
resaying the obvious, the big
difference between him and
Eminem and why I like the former better is because he never
took himself too seriously and
kind of is making fun of himself
at the same time. The best of his
other songs are on the soundtrack and performed on the
beyond space and time film, it’s
just amazing Cool as Ice, which
I enjoy in my spare time.
Nowadays he has taken his rise
and fall with stride, bounced
back from the lowest selfdestructive period of his life and
has returned as a cult comedy
icon who instead of rapping,
flips and buys abandoned
homes, remodels them and sells
then for a profit seen on his
tongue in cheek hilarious reality
series, the vanilla ice project,
recently you can enjoy more of
his priceless entertainment starring as the other lead with Andy
Samberg and Adam Sandler, in
the missed gem That’s My
Boy.” Also if your bored, trying
to kill time; check out the sound
from his mind blowing album
Roll Em Up on YouTube, it’s
like an afroman album tribute,
but before they were even
around yet. I just find this guy
mindlessly entertaining and
whatever this guy does is just
really funny. He is a great
example of probably the most
mismatched profession example
ever, had he been a standup
comedian/comedic performer
instead, he would have been
rich right off the bat and stayed
that way. It’s his self-awareness
of himself that wins my respect
for him and his natural thought
process when he is interviewed
on talk shows how naturally
funny he is, but like completely
unintentionally and he is not
really trying to be which is why
it’s great. He is his own walking
punch line, no need for writers,
he writes it himself by living as
himself. Being true to yourself
by living as who you really are
no matter the obstacles or rejection is really cool.
Marc Almond and
Soft Cell - Though Marc had
clearly showed himself as an
enduring artist in his own right;
I feel it’s important to mention
the band he is most famous for.
He and David Ball met at the
Polytechnic Institute in Leeds
London in the late 70’s and one
of the early bands who kind of
set the musical groundwork for
the eighties with sytho-pop
music, recently my editor
Calvin showed me a band that
came even earlier making that
music called New Order. But
regardless they are probably the
most famous example of a modern one hit wonder “Tainted
Love,” which achieved pop culture status to the point that
Coneheads had it on the film’s
soundtrack and was used as part
of the plot device near the awesome climax of the movie.
PAGE 9 – NSCC PENNON
THE EUPHORIC SOUNDS OF DYNASTY ELECTRIC
BY ANTHONY HARRIS
SENIOR ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
New
York
art
rock/EDM duo Dynasty Electric
took an unorthodox approach
when recording their recent
album Euphoria. The band
Jenny
Electrik
(vocals/theremin) and Seth
M i s t e r k a
(gutars/saxophone/production)
put early versions of the songs
on social networks and asked
electronic musicians across the
globe to remix the tracks. The
response was astounding: hundreds of submissions in a dizzying array of genres, from classical to dubstep. I talked to
Misterka about the origin of the
open-source as well as the
band’s decade-long journey.
I’m intrigued by the opensource, crowd-funded concept
behind Euphoria. How did
that idea come about? Do you
see increased fan involvement
becoming commonplace in the
music industry?
In 2012 we had a remix
contest on Indaba Music for our
single "Eye Wide Open." We
loved hearing what different
producers brought to the track
and in the end we received nearly 500 remixes from around the
world. Based on that experi-
ence, we thought it would be
great to make an entire album in
an "open source" manner, incorporating the styles and perspectives of the international community. We started a media
company
NewSonic
(Frenchkiss Label Group), and
launched a crowd-funding campaign on PledgeMusic. With
both remixing and crowd funding, fan involvement is definitely becoming more commonplace in the music world
You don’t see a lot of
Theremin mentions in band
biographies. What attracted
you to that instrument?
Before getting into
dance music, I was heavily into
experimental music and loved
the Theremin. We wanted a
space-controlled instrument for
Jenny Electrik, and the
Theremin was what immediately came to mind.
You’ve been making electronic dance music since 2003.
During that time, the genre
has exploded in popularity.
What’s it been like seeing
some of your contemporaries
become household names? Do
you see this as a positive development?
In New York, EDM
was very underground when we
started. No one even called it
EDM at the time. I think the
overall rise in popularity of the
music has benefited us.
Your hometown Brooklyn has
given rise to some pretty
acclaimed musicians. What is
it about the borough that
makes it a hotbed for sonic
creativity?
Brooklyn, and NYC in
general, is a global magnet, and
what's happening is more of a
global phenomenon. All these
great artists from around the
states and the world have
descended on Brooklyn and
everyone is inspiring each other.
It's pretty amazing to have been
part of a major evolution in
Williamsburg.
Your music has a highly infectious quality. Can you
describe your approach to
songwriting?
Each time we write a
song, it feels like the first time.
Generally, one of us will have
an idea about the music or lyrics
that serves as a spark and then
we keep sharing and building
from there. It's a very collaborative process between the two of
us.
Psychedelia and EDM seems
like an unlikely combination.
What inspired you to put
these two genres together?
Were any bands or artists
influential in this regard?
We came from the
band world so when we started
off with electronic music, we
wanted to keep live instruments
in the mix. The idea was something like what would Hendrix
or Jefferson Airplane sound like
with beats?
I’m curious about the party
series put on by Newsonic,
your multi-media and events
company. Tell us a little about
these parties.
The NewSonic parties
are an eclectic scene of musicians, visual artists and visionaries. They usually get pretty
wild. We lived in a big loft in
Williamsburg until 2011, and
that's where it got started.
Sometimes the parties lasted for
days, featuring everything from
Latin electro, to hip-hop, experimental, indie rock, folk, metal,
classical, you name it. With the
wealth of talent in Brooklyn, the
Newsonic loft became a hub for
many great musicians and bands
including
Battles,
Twin
Shadow, Oneida, Brian Chase
and also attracted a number of
visionary organizations, including Evolver, Unitribe, Green
Bus Tour, and Damon Dash's
DD172. We've recently moved
the party to the Greenpoint
Gallery.
“Floating Around The Sun” is
a personal favorite. Was there
a specific inspiration or story
behind that track?
While working on our
open source album, we received
the instrumental of the track
from a producer in Jamaica, TC
Campbell. The idea for the chorus came to me right away, then
Jenny wrote the verses and I
added electric guitar parts. Then
the track was mixed and mastered in London, England by
Nova Glam.
What are your plans for the
rest of 2014?
We are making videos
for the other songs on the new
album EUPHORIA. We just
completed one for "Sea In Your
Eyes,” next we'll be making one
for "Night Light". Also, check
out Supersonic. We'll be doing a
bit of touring this summer, and
we're also working on new
music. Stay tuned!
www.dynastyelectric.net
PAGE 10– NSCC PENNON
CREATIVE
WRITING
VISTITING AMISH
CEMETARY
BY ROZI THEOHARI
RESIDENT AUTHOR
Plain and simple graves.
No flowers, no bushes, no trees.
So small and so tight beside each-other…
With handwritten names—carved on cold stones:
Mosses C. Kopslund Jr.
Born Jul 6- 1892
Died Aug. 9- 1970
Age 78 Yrs.- 1 Mo. & 3 Dys.
Rachel L. Wife of Mosses C. Kopslund
Born Mar. 9 – 1896
Died Nov. 5 – 1981
Age 85 Yrs. – 7 Mos. & 27 Dys.
Oh, ye, blessed Rachel and Mosses’ ghosts
O, ye, walking, laughing, singing across
The sweet aroma of broad cornfields—watching granddaughters
Over the windmills
Cleaning, feeding and milking cows.
O, ye, grabbing a dark dress and trousers
Hung out on the clothesline—drying in the air
O, ye, driving the horse-drawn buggies clip-clopping everywhere.
Oh, your spirits guiding at night—telling chilling Dutch tales
Following fireflies—with twinkling lights
Until they get tired—lying in the grass
Covered and wrapped by a white-cloud-quilt-sky
White—as Rachel’s girlish tiny cap
Dreaming the existing world of Amish life.
SOMETIMES THE REASON
WE’RE LOOKING FOR,
IS A REASON TO STAY
BY MATT LABRIE
CREATIVE WRITER
Fear, confusion, remorse, apathy.
Attention seeker, medication, therapy.
The order of these steps is not always the same,
but they are warning signs, of being no longer sane.
Not all of these signs are subtle or quiet,
and believe me, it isn’t easy to hide it.
There aren’t always scars, cuts, or burns,
behavioral changes are most common, people must learn
that just because the scars are starting to heal,
does not make it any less real.
“Why is that boy tucked away in the corner?”
‘Eh, he’s just kind of a loner.”
“Did you hear ____ is giving things away??”
She must be moving.” a few of them will say.
But the girl isn’t moving, the boy doesn’t want to be alone.
If you just looked a little closer, the truth is shown.
Why would she need her things if she was gone tomorrow?
It would help ease her remorse, and some of her sorrow.
And that boy in the corner needs to know,
that if he wasn’t around, how on people it would show.
You see, he needs a reason, a sign he should stay,
on this earth, in this life, that he shouldn’t go away.
If you see that boy or that girl, walk over to them and speak.
If no one does that, you’ll find they may not be here next week…
THE ABYSS: PART TWO
(CONTINUED FROM FEBRUARY 2014 PENNON ISSUE)
PAGE 11 – NSCC PENNON
BY MICHAEL OLSON
CREATIVE WRITER
There were no delusions in Walter’s mind. The only way he was getting off this train alive was by getting to the conductor’s cabin and activating the breaks; albeit the road to safety was blocked by a homicidal drug addict. It was either be stabbed or be beaten to death, or die in a train crash.
“The train will certainly crash if I don’t intervene” Walt said to himself, peeking from behind the hard plastic seating. “On the other hand his needle
is broken, so I have a better chance as long as I move quietly”.
After weighing the options, he decided to just get it over with. “Quick, like a band aid” he thought to himself as he rose from behind the seats and crept forward. One foot,
after the other, followed by the other, slowly making progress but quiet enough as to not draw attention. It was going smoothly. Pretty soon he was at the conductor’s cabin’s door
when he heard a loud thud and some footsteps. Walter flung the door open, then slammed the door shut and locked it once he was inside. Pressed up against the door, his pulse racing, he listened for signs of movement from the other side.
The door rocked on its hinges as the crack head flung himself into the door. With his back against the aforementioned door, he scanned his surroundings. The break was
in the center of the console. Acting quickly, Walter bolted to the break and pulled with all the strength he could muster. This sent the junkie flying through the door like a ragdoll.
Walt held on to the break, pressed up against the console for dear life until the train came to a complete halt.
Walt sat there disoriented for a good five minutes. He suffered a concussion from the incident. The sound of complete havoc could be heard from inside the other train
cars. This droned through Walt’s scrambled brain. It was as if there was a massive riot. Left arm, over right, Walt crawled to the door whilst nursing his debilitating headache. The
physical activity intensified the nausea, causing him to vomit on the cold floor. He continued, though. Left, right, and his left hand rested on the corpse of the junkie. Ninety percent of the guy’s bones were broken, including most of his spine. But Walt didn’t think about that. How could he? In moments like this all you can think of is getting some place
safe. You would consider anything but rat filled train tunnels, but Walter did not have the luxury of choices. He crawled, and flopped out of the train car through the busted door,
landing on the tracks. The bones in his back were on fire. With a struggle, he got to his feet and slowly shuffled down the tracks. Whatever chaos he left behind in the metal tubing of death slowly drifted away. After a certain point nothing could be seen but pitch blackness. Walt reached for his phone and activated a flashlight application releasing a narrow beam of light through the dank, dark tunnels. He stood for a moment with a pale, hopeless expression. Then puked.
Dust particles intercepted the beam of light as the flashlight illuminated the dark metro tracks. It resembled something out of a horror movie. His breath reverberated with
his footsteps down the tunnels. The tube was completely deserted, as if untouched for decades. Buried and forgotten by civilization above. A few more feet down the tracks he
found a door. Walter ran his hand over the doorknob. It was covered in a thick layer of dust like everything else down there. He began to slowly open the door until it began screeching loudly. He pushed it open and held it with a face one would give if they had just broke an invaluable collectable and looked over to be greeted by a bus speeding right for him.
The piercing screech tore through the cavernous pipe. Walt stood there for a minute, and then said to himself “Quick, like a Band-Aid”. He let go of the screeching door and crept
into the room.
A narrow corridor led to multiple doors on both sides and one at the end which had an exit sign overhead. We staggered to the door and put his hand on the crash bar. This
whole ordeal really took a toll on poor Walt. He needed a solid few minutes to relax, but he couldn’t afford to. he knew that if he went to sleep there was a chance of him slipping
into a coma. No one will find him in this desolate place. Unfortunately for Walter he didn’t have a clue as to where exactly he was, or if he could even find a way out in the direction he was heading. After a fit of dry heaving, he stood there, looking at the ground. That’s when he heard the wisp of someone’s breath from one of the rooms behind him. Walt
froze. It felt as if his blood pressure dropped, as he dizzily turned his head to the source of the sound. A small coughing fit erupted in a stifled manner. This person was not disturbed by his loud entrance. This lead Walter to wonder whether or not the person needed help. Or, you know, wanted to stab him to death. He pondered these questions for a few
moments and decided he should check very quickly. Walter crept over to the door and hesitated. He was scared after all. Who wouldn’t be after what happened? Standing by the
door he pressed his hand on the metal and said “Quick, like a-“.
Maniacal cackling erupted in the next room that sent a chill down Walt’s spine. The laughing got closer. He panicked and ran down the hallway, into the crash bars, and
entered a room that was slightly less dark than the others. There was a ladder in the center which led to an opening that exposed the stars. Walter lunged toward the ladder and
climbed as fast as his body would allow him. Right, left, right, left, for a good minute.
A cold chill blew through the trees. Walt never would have thought he’d be so grateful to be breathing fresh “dustless” air again. He sat there for a good twenty minutes.
Reflecting on what just happened to him. To the train conductor. Not that Walt particularly cared for the conductor. That junkie definitely got what he deserved. What happened
with all those people? The screams were etched into his mind. “I have to get home” He said to himself as he rolled over in the grass and got to his knees. Walter recognized where
he was. He was in Glendale Park a few blocks away from the station, and his apartment on Fernwood. He didn’t want to go to the police. He also did not want to sit in an emergency room for twelve hours. What he wanted was his chair. That was all he wanted in this world at this very moment. So he walked, one foot after the other, down the street, to
his house, up the front steps, took off his shoes, and sat down, and succumbed to his concussion as dreamless sleep took over.
Dear Victoria Pasciuto,
Over the years you have helped the students of North Shore with many
endeavors. You have provided students with experience and opportunities that have
helped launch their careers. Thank you for all the advice you have given students
and the work you have done with the clubs and the Student Government
Association. You have helped aspiring artists, photographers, and writers
through both The Spark and The Pennon. Thank you for the care and time you
have invested into this college. Good Luck! We know where ever you go you will
be cherished.
Our hearts go out to you,
The Students of North Shore Community College
PAGE 12 – NSCC PENNON
Important Numbers
Lynn Campus: (781) 593-6722
DanversCampus: (978) 762-4000
Beverly Cummings Center (978) 236-1200
Library: Lynn: (781) 477-2133
Danvers: (978) 762-4000 x5526
Book Store: Lynn: (781) 477 2127
Danvers: (978) 762-4200
Weather Hotline: (978) 762 4200
Club Directory
A C AD E M IC C L U BS :
A V I A T I O N : JOHN KREEFT
C R I M I N A L J U S T I C E : ANN KOSHIVAS
F O O D S C I E N C E C U B : GREG REPPUCCI
P H I T H E T A K A P P A : FRED ALTIERI
P S Y C H E D F O R P S Y C H : KRISTIN ERBETTA
S O T A : PATRICIA BANKS AND
RUTH DELISIO
D E B A T E C L U B : KARA KAUFMAN
S P E CIA L I NT E RE ST C LU BS :
C H R I S T O N C A M P U S : TIM WHITMAN
E N G I N E E R I N G : MARY BETH STEIGERWALD
E NVI RO NME NT A L
C L U B : JOSEPH MODUGNO
F I L M C L U B : JOHN ZAMPARELLI
M E D I A C L U B : JIM HARRINGTON
M UL TI - C UL T URA L S O C IE TY :
ESPY HERRERA
M U S L I M A S S O C I A T I O N : YUSEF HAYES
P H I L O S O P H Y C L U B : FRED ALTIERI
Q UE E R S TR A I GH T
A L L I A N C E : ANNE TABET
S T A R S C L U B : NANCY TUFO
S U R F R I D E R S C L U B : SEAN HANLON
V E T E R A N S C L U B : MIKE MONAGLE
Y OU T H G R O U P U N IT ED :
ALEXANDER GUZMAN
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
ST. PATRICK'S DAY
BAKE SALE
PAGE 13 – NSCC PENNON
Sponsored by The 2014 Nursing Club
When: March 11, 2014,
10:30AM-2:30PM
Where: Berry Building Lobby
Come satisfy your sweet tooth
and support future nurses!
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Organizations
P E N N O N : VICTORIA PASCIUTO
P E R F OR M IN G A R T S C O U NC IL :
MATTHEW WOODS
P R O G R A M C O U N C I L : VICTORIA PASCIUTO
S T U D E N T G O V E R N M E N T : VICTORIA PASCIUTO
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Feeling overwhelmed or stressed out?
The Student Support and Advising Center
(SSAC) at NSCC has trained counselors ready
to help with crisis intervention, brief counseling, and resources. Stop by, call, or email to
meet with us.
Blood Drive
Danvers - Donna Davis, LMHC, Room
DH160 [email protected] or 978-7624245
Lynn - Debbie Campbell, MA, Room LW114
[email protected] or 781-593-6722,
ext. 6615
Nursing Club 2014 is sponsoring a blood drive with the
American Red Cross. Please bring a driver's license or
two other IDs. see www.redcrossblood.org or call
1-800-REDCROSS for qualifications. E-mail
[email protected] to make an appointment
or sign up in the old cafeteria.
Where: Math&Sciences Room 111 (old cafeteria)
When: April 7, 2014 10AM-3PM
WINDOWS VS. LINUX
PROS AND CONS CONTINUED
PAGE 14 – NSCC PENNON
BY CALVIN JAVIER GIL
EDITOR IN CHIEF
use one operating system for
everything, which would simplify things in general.
Linux certainly has
less software than Windows,
particularly when it comes to
proprietary software. However,
with Linux, much of the software available is either free or
low-cost, and it has alternatives
for much of the popular proprietary software that is currently
being used. This particular
attribute is a trade off; Linux is
cheaper, in this regard, while
Windows has a larger, more
fully-featured selection.
In a similar vein
to its hardware support,
Linux supports a wide
range of file systems,
such as the UNIX file
system (ufs), extended
file system (ext), high
performance file system
(HPFS), Journaled File
System (JFS), among
many others. Windows,
on the other hand, has a
much more limited
selection, using only the
File Allocation Table
system (FAT), Extended
File Allocation Table
(exFAT), New Technology File
System (NTFS), and Resilient
File System (ReFS). This is
another advantage for Linux, as
it allows for a greater degree of
choice and flexibility when it
comes to storing and retrieval of
data.
Linux is an opensource operating system, meaning that it is available free-ofcharge. Windows, on the other
hand, is not available free-ofcharge anywhere. It is, in fact,
fairly pricey, with Windows 8
Pro currently selling for
$199.99 on the Microsoft Store.
This is another advantage to
Linux, compounding upon the
abundance of free software it
has.
The next difference
between Windows and Linux is
the relative security of each
operating system. The general
consensus seems to be that
Linux is considerably more
secure than Windows, for many
different reasons. As Katherine
Noyes talks about in her article
for PC world, “Why Linux Is
More Secure Than Windows,”
the more significant reasons are
the program and platform diversity of Linux, which makes it
less likely viruses will be tailored to infect a particular plat-
form, Linux’s smaller audience
size, which makes it a smaller
target for hackers, and Linux’s
open-source nature, which
ensures that there are many eyes
looking at the code and discovering
potential
exploits.
Windows’s attributes are the
polar opposite of these, meaning
that it is much less secure than
Linux is.
Linux is open-source,
and Windows is not. What this
means is that users are able to
open Linux up and modify it’s
code at any time, while
Windows does not allow this.
This definitely gives Linux a
Event
large advantage, for several reasons. The main reason is that
open-source software generally
makes better software; all of the
users are collaborating to
improve it. In addition to this,
open source allows for Linux to
have a very low cost and
increased security, which I elaborated upon earlier.
. This category is one
that Windows clearly wins on;
in fact, it could be said that its
ease of use is one of its main
draws. Windows is a operating
system that is generally easy to
use, a fact that is amplified by
its extreme popularity. Given
that it is one of the most used
platforms, most people
are very familiar with
using, and changing over
to Linux may be difficult
for some. The coding
portion of Linux also has
a considerable learning
curve, meaning that it is
generally more difficult
for most people to get
the most out of Linux.
While Windows does
have a few positives,
such as it’s greater selection of software, ease of
use, and greater popularity, Linux seems to have
more positives. It’s hardware compatibility makes it a
complete solution for the entire
company, it is the more secure
operating system, and it’s opensource nature reduces costs and
allows for customization of it’s
code. Linux is the better overall
operating system, and I would
recommend making the switch.
SOURCES
<HTTP://WWW.TECHSUPPORTALE
RT.COM.
<HTTP://WWW.LINUX.COM/DIREC
TORY/DISTRIBUTIONS>.
<HTTP://WWW.GUARDIANDIGITAL
.COM/PFILES/GUARDIANDIGITAL
_LINUX_VS_WINDOWS.PDF>.
VETERAN’S CORNER:
Another American Minority
By Gabriel Nunez
Contributing Writer
A hidden minority
exists in America today. This
minority has no color or racial
profile; it spans all religions,
sex and ethnic groups and has
been failed and mistreated
throughout history much the
same way other American
Minorities have been. This
minority is given sub par healthcare and its civilian leadership
has called it a threat to national
AMERICAN AND CANADAIAN TROOPS
security and a danger to the
public. Police approach with
caution and often with excessive force when dealing with
this minority. This minority
throughout history has been
considered expendable, poor,
lower class, and uneducated.
This minority has been protest
against because a confused public did not understand them.
They have been spit on and
called baby killers. They have
been forgotten in foreign lands,
left behind, considered not
worth the political inconvenience. This minority suffers
from employer prejudice and
society has a perception that
they are violent and mentally
disturbed at times. This minority suffers from substance abuse
March 2014 Calender
PTK Danvers Orientation
Student Government Meeting
White Ribbon Day
PTK Lynn Orientation
Deadline for Spring Graduation
St. Patrick’s Day Bake Sale
Program Council Meeting
Spring Recess
Classes Resume, Day and Evening
Student Government Meeting
Program Council Meeting
Student Speaker Deadline
Presidential Scholar Meeting
Location
Danvers
Danvers
North Shore
Lynn
North Shore
Danvers - Berry
Danvers
North Shore
North Shore
Danvers
Danvers
Danvers
Danvers
and unemployment, broken
families and a high divorce rate.
It also suffers from political
infighting and is not united or
monolithic. And like all minorities in contemporary America,
life has improved on the surface
and things seem to be getting
better slowly but surely. We
now have underfunded programs to help this minority and
people no longer spit in their
face and yell profanities at
them. People stop and shake
their hands and say “Thank
you”. It is a step forward but
this minority is still silent without a voice, this minority never
had a Dr. Martin Luther King to
lead them. But times are changing and a new generation of this
minority is rising from the ashes
of its own personal struggle.
The leaders of this new generation will lead this country one
day and will never forget or forgive how history has treated the
minority of Veterans. They will
emerge as the most educated
class of Veterans this country
has ever seen and will be better
prepared to lead and change
their fate forever. The minority
of the United States combat
Veteran has not even been heard
yet.
Date and Time
Mar 5, 2014, 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Mar 5, 2014, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Mar 6, 2014
Mar 6, 2014, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Mar 7, 2014
March 11, 2014, 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Mar 13, 2014, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Mar 16, 2014, to Mar 22, 2014
Mar 24, 2014
Mar 26, 2014, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Mar 27, 2014, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Mar 28, 2014
Mar 28, 2014, 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
PAGE 15 – NSCC PENNON
PAGE 16 – NSCC PENNON
ALUMNI CORNER
CATHIE EMERSON ’11
CULINARY ARTS GRAD FINDS A SWEET CAREER
BY SANDY ROCHON
ALUMNI COORDINATOR
Cathie Emerson is a
2011 graduate of NSCC’s
Culinary Arts program. She
worked in the food services
industry for several years both
before and after completing her
degree, gaining a broad base of
experience in cooking, customer service and management.
Cathie recently shared her perspective on NSCC’s program
with me, saying how much she
loved the program and that she
felt the professors and the
instruction were fantastic and
did so much to prepare her to
advance her career. “I would
love to share with everyone
what a great experience I had at
NSCC’s
Culinary
Arts
Program. “I loved everything
about it and because of what I
learned while attending, exciting things are happening!”
Recently, Cathie and her husband Eric Emerson have taken
over operations and ownership
of Putnam Pantry, a Route 1
landmark that is part of the
homestead of General Israel
Putnam, one of the most popular heroes in American history.
General Putnam is best known
as commander of the forces
which resisted the British attack
on Bunker Hill and the direction
“Don’t fire until you see the
whites of their eyes”. Putnam
Pantry is listed on the National
Register of Historic Places, and
has been known to generations
of locals as the place to go in
Danvers for homemade chocolate, candies and a legendary ice
cream sundae buffet.
Cathie and Eric Emerson are in
the process of renovating and
updating the store, while still
maintaining homemade candy
making
and
operations.
Ultimately, the plan is to maintain the historical significance
and the country store feel, while
incorporating a more contemporary, open kitchen concept.
Customers will be able to
observe the candy making
process, as well as on-site
homemade ice cream making
operations.
Although
the
Valentine’s Day rush has
passed, with Easter right around
the corner they will be busy
making traditional delights as
well as their own unique specialties. Keeping up with the
demand for their delicious
selection of candy and ice
cream is such a sweet problem
to have and Cathie is up to the
ttask!
By Lydia Wahl
Pennnon Faculty
People know plenty of
ways to kill their brain cells but
few know ways to encourage
them. There are more ways to
damage your brain than to exercise it. RealSimple magazine in
their article titled “Boost Your
Brainpower,” suggests using
will help your mind. It can be as
simple as driving a new route
home, walking a new way to
class, or even eating foods that
you normally would not try.
“New behaviors, new learnings,
and
even
environmental
changes or physical injuries
may all stimulate the brain to
create new neural pathways or
reorganize existing ones, funda-
ing this but without the membership the website will still
track your responses and give
you three new games everyday.
This is just enough games to get
your mind going for the day and
can help students take in information in class and study.
Everything else will be locked
including a brain test. The test is
taken periodically through inter-
mentally altering how information is processed.” Your brain
profile will give daily activities
that practice speed, memory,
attention, flexibility and problem solving. These areas compile a BPI that monitors the progression of the mind while taking on these activities.
Everyday Lumosity will give
you three free tasks to participate in. If you purchase a membership you will have unlimited
access to all of their games; as
well as a customized training
based on your strengths and
weaknesses. Students will probably have a difficult time afford-
vals of training which are the
daily activities. The test will
give you information outside of
your BPI and you will “gain
access to cognitive and neuropsychological tasks based on
outside research.” The website
can give a very tailored experience but on a budget the daily
your nondominant hand for
activities like brushing your
teeth. “This challenges your
brain to exercise nerve cells on
the side that you don’t typically
use.” Lumosity.com is a new
website that will exercise your
brain. A small dose of daily puzzles will help get your mind
going for the day.
Lumosity focuses on
the principle of neuroplasticity:
promoting changes consistently
for the brain. Exercise the brain
by finding alternative solutions
and new experiences. Creating
new experiences for yourself,
no matter how small it may be,
CATHIE EMERSON ’11 AND HER HUSBAND ERIC EMERSON ARE PICTURED WITH A
VALENTINE’S DAY CANDY DISPLAY AT PUTNAM PANTRY. (PHOTO CREDIT KEN YUSZKUS, SALEM NEWS)
LUMOSITY: EXERCISE YOUR MIND
activities will help you get started. If you are impressed with the
progress you are making then
purchasing a membership may
be beneficial.
If you can only afford
the three exercises you will still
have a good experience. Even
with limited access you will be
given different tasks each day.
A lot of these games will be on
a timer. One will have you
quickly identify cards with a
vowel or an even number but
will be mixed with odd numbers
and consonants. Points are
based on how accurately you
can do this and how many cards
you can go through in the allotted time. Another game has a
submarine starting on the ocean
floor. To bring the vessel up you
must find as many endings to
words as you can. It will give
you three different word beginnings like -alr or -imp and you
will get points based on the
length and count of the letters.
Another game will give you a
flash of a letter and a bird, both
of which you must remember.
You must pinpoint where the
bird was in an outdoor environment and the letter in the middle
that will help you spell out different types of birds. You will
also have opportunities to guess
what bird it is. Points are based
on how closely you can locate
the bird, remembering the letter,
and guessing the birds type.
With three games you will have
finished your training for the
day and the site will give you
points towards your BPI. Watch
your BPI’s progress with a consistent streak of training, which
the website will also monitor.
Giving your mind
practice will help give you clarity through the day. There are
many other ways to exercise
your mind. Just changing simple
things in your day will help.
Change the sound of your alarm
clock, explore alternatives, and
keep things fresh. Recalling
information will become easier
and you will find yourself forgetting less. Challenging the
mind will improve your memory and every day.