Posts published in November 2016
By Joshua Needham
For three days during October, something strange happens at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester, NH. People from all over the country gather to share their love of anime, video games, and pop culture. Colorful costumes and home-made props fill the halls and courtyard for nearly a full 72 hours and it is clear, Another Anime Convention (AAC) is back in town.
When people outside of that culture think of such events, they likely think of the socially inept gathering to discuss Star Trek, individuals dressed as their favorite characters and roleplaying their favorite scenes with one another. What they may not think about is the professionals that make the journey to attend the gatherings.
By Jason D. Greenough
The temperatures may (finally…possibly) hit freezing, but the metal is burning hot! November 2016 is sure to bring any metal fan a few moments of bliss.
Want to get away from the awkward family get-together? Need something to keep you awake before you go shopping on black Friday? With retrospective releases galore, ranging from Queen’s …On Air: The Complete BBC Sessions, and Pink Floyd’s The Early Years: 1965-1972, to REM’s Out of Time celebrating it’s 25th anniversary with a re-issue, and Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger, you’re pretty much all set. But, I have a few other suggestions as well…
By Mariah Boisvert
Over the past year MWCC has undergone some major construction with the addition of the new science building and renovations in the main building.
By Tyler Morgan
Hiking a mountain can be a tough obstacle for some, but it is also a way to relieve any stress one may have or even just to clear one’s mind. For Nancy Regan, who works in Health Services on the Gardner campus at Mount Wachusett Community College, this is a way of life. She hikes nearly every weekend and does it year round.
“I love it. For me, it is exhilarating. I consider it a lot of soul-searching that you can do when you’re out in nature and I think it’s great for anyone,” said Regan, who is currently in her third year as the advisor of the MWCC Hiking Club.
By Liam Scanlon
Most students at Mount Wachusett Community College may know Aliza Miller as their math professor. She teaches a wide range of levels of math classes. She is a Project ACCCESS (Advancing Community College Careers: Education, Scholarship, and Services) Fellow with the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC). She posts a Math Problem of the Week on the whiteboard outside her office.
Aside from her work with the math department at The Mount, she is also the Chair of Interdisciplinary Studies at The Mount, has traveled all around the world, and is an artist. Miller has lived in New York, Kaohsiung (in Taiwan), Montreal, Vermont, and here in Massachusetts.
By Rebekah Chiasson
Democratic operative, Robert Creamer, stepped down from his position at Democracy Partner and Scott Foval was fired on October 18, just two days before the third and final presidential debate, due to the release of an undercover investigative video from James O’Keefe.
O’Keefe’s Veritas Project, a non-profit dedicated to uncovering dishonesty, corruption, waste and fraud in public and private cooperations, released its latest investigative video project claiming illegal activity from the Clinton campaign. MWCC student and Trump supporter, Jack Korman says, “Honestly, I don’t even care about Creamer and Foval, I am more worried that the mainstream media is barely covering it.”
By Jamie Parker
One of the most talked about questions of this election year for Massachusetts is Question 4: Legalization, Regulation, and Taxation of Marijuana. A “yes” vote on this question would, “allow persons 21 and older to possess, use, and transfer marijuana concentrate (including edible products) and to cultivate marijuana, all in limited amounts, and would provide for the regulation and taxation of commercial sale of marijuana and marijuana products.” A “no” vote would keep the laws on marijuana in Massachusetts the same as they are now. So let’s take a deeper look into what the “Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act,” the “Marijuana Tax,” and the “Regulation of Use and Distribution of Marijuana NOT Medically Prescribed.”
By Courtney Wentz
The Humanities Project at MWCC is in its third year with events that can be attended throughout the year.
The project started in 2014, and is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to enhance humanities programs at MWCC. The grant is up to $500,000, which is matched 50 cents on every dollar raised.
According to the pamphlets scattered around the building every year, Henry David Thoreau was chosen because he considered himself a scientist and a poet. Last year’s theme was Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, but it didn’t just focus on the book. It also focused on the science of the monster and even psychology. This year’s theme is Imagining Work that shows how artists, writers, and photographers viewed work in the 19th century.
By Tyler Morgan
Traveling across the United States on tour with a popular musician is something not many people can say they have done. The rock star lifestyle is not fit for many, especially with what goes on from day to day while traveling from state to state.
Imagine not being able to take a shower for over a month while being stuck on a luxury tour bus traveling around the U.S having the time of one’s life? For Travis Collier, 21 a graduate of North Middlesex High School in Townsend, the time spent touring was well spent.