Monthly Archives: December 2014

Opinion

Massachusetts legalization of marijuana

 

By Duane Sherman

On Nov. 6, 2012, the voters of Massachusetts approved the legal use of medicinal marijuana, yet there still is not one dispensary open. Why?
Question 3 passed with 63 percent approval. On Jan. 1, 2013, the law took effect, eliminating criminal and civil penalties for the possession and use of up to a 60-day supply of marijuana, provided that the patient possesses a state issued registration card. The card is obtained through a recommendation from a doctor. A total of 35 state licensed dispensaries are scheduled to open in the Commonwealth after the regulations have been set.
Therein lies the problem: bureaucracy. The regulatory meetings have been postponed and rescheduled. The original target date was May 1, 2013.
Many communities have tried to ban the dispensaries. These oppositions took time to sort out, with Attorney General Martha Coakley ruling in favor of the dispensaries, allowing cities and towns to regulate them. An outright ban would be in direct conflict with the new law.
Although some states are now allowing both medicinal and recreational use of the plant freely, it still is an illegal substance in the eyes of the federal government.
This discourages many banks and other financial institutions from getting involved with a company that produces marijuana or sells it from a dispensary.
Even the local medical community is split. You can get a registration card on Newbury Street in Boston, but finding one on the North Shore is tough.
“North Shore Physicians’ Group has decided as a whole not get involved with medical marijuana. We will not provide any paperwork,” said Dr. John Trautman of Beverly, a member of the group.
So not everybody is on the bandwagon. The Massachusetts Medical Society still maintains that there is no proof that the use of marijuana is safe and effective.
Perhaps the bandwagon should make another pass through. According to Time.com, a recent study from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus seeks to show that a strain of marijuana called ‘Charlotte’s Web’ is an effective treatment for Dravet Syndrome, a type of epilepsy.
The study follows an apparently successful use of this strain to treat Dravet Syndrome.
Some think that having no dispensaries open in Mass., is not good.
“I’ve done a lot of reading about it and it all keeps coming down to bureaucracy. They make it seem like policy is being held up,” says NECC sophomore Tim Lavin, 21, of Methuen.
Lavin is educated in the potential healing powers of CBD, and well versed on the subject of the healing properties of the plant. “I believe in the science of it,” said Lavin. “There is no reason why an 80-year-old cancer patient can’t get what they need.”
Lavin says, “In the marijuana trade, it all comes down to economics. You can’t understand it if you don’t understand economics.”
The decriminalization in Mass., back in 2008, coupled with the passage of medicinal use, has left it in a sort of gray area, as far as citations. The law says that the user can have up to one ounce and only receive a ticket for $100.
Shortly after the election and passage of the law, it seemed like every convenience store and gas station suddenly had a supply of bongs, hookahs and pipes for sale. How could they be prepared, but still no dispensary anywhere?
According to Marijuana Policy Project’s website, “Although the Department of Public Health failed to meet its deadlines for implementing the law, patients have been able to apply for ID cards since October 2014. The registration is mandatory. Unregistered patients will not have any protection from arrest beginning on Feb. 1, 2015.”

Opinion

Texting in class can be a distraction

 

By Rachel Sarcione

Although many NECC professors request that students refrain from using their electronic devices during class, texting and social media continue to be a distraction during lectures and exams.

“I feel bad for the professors,” said NECC student Melissa Dow, 37. “They spend all that time preparing lessons and then people are texting the whole time.”

Social media can be fun. However, it is social grace that could be the deciding factor in landing your dream-job.

Laurie Yennaco, 48, a salon owner said, “the time for good ethics is before you enter the workplace.”

Yennaco has employed more than 20 stylists and said she “has never seen a stylist stop cutting hair to return a text” because her employees keep their phones in the break area.

“Texting in class is ignorant to the people that want to learn,” said Bruce Augustonavich, a returning NECC graduate. “It’s rude the person teaching.”

Unfortunately, the classroom is not the only campus location where social media is disturbing NECC students and staff. The library has computers available for students to do research and writing assignments. However, some students are using the computers for purposes other than academics.

“It’s difficult not to be distracted,” said Gail Stuart, Head of Research Services at NECC’s Bentley Library. “It’s important to focus on one thing when you’re trying to absorb information.”

News

NECC students share opinions on Ferguson

 

By Emily Marsden

On Aug. 9, Officer Wilson shot and killed unarmed Michael Brown after a confrontation in a Ferguson street. The shooting triggered protests that went on for weeks. While often peaceful, some protests would turn violent, and police would respond by firing smoke canisters and using tear gas and rubber bullets.

Over 1,000 miles away, NECC students are forming their own opinions over the Ferguson case and the protests happening because of it.

“I think its sad that Michael Brown is dead, but I agree with the verdict,” said sophomore Barry Pietrantonio. “If Brown didn’t try to fight Officer Wilson, and struggle with him inside the vehicle, I’d be all for the indictment of Officer Wilson. But due to the evidence brought forward, along with multiple testimonies in Officers Wilsons favor, I believe Wilson did the right thing. No one should attack an officer of the law and not expect to be shot.”

“I think what’s happening in Ferguson is just people reacting to the accumulation of events in the past couple of years or so,” said sophomore Kevin Brito. “Its not just one thing. People are fed up and decided to take things into their own hands.”

“Trayvon Martin and Eric Gardner, both unarmed black men killed and there were no consequences,” Brito continues. “Now the same thing happened to Michael Brown, [an] unarmed black killed with no consequences.”

Some students are not so eager to share their opinion because the subject is so controversial. “I don’t have much to say besides that if the victim was white, none of this would have happened,” said sophomore Olivia Eleftherious.

While many students see the Ferguson case as a racial feud, Pietrantonio has a different opinion. “I disagree with the fact that this shooting was a white versus black scenario,” said Pietrantonio. “I don’t think race mattered in Officer Brown’s decision but I do think the black community is fed up with racism in the 21st century.”

Opinion

End of semester blues

 

By Eduardo Souza

To students, the end of the semester can feel like a mixed blessing.

On one side, it’s almost over. Students are almost done and winter break is coming. However, there’s still so much to do. There are papers to write. There are final exams to study for. There’s a multitude of work still to be done and it seems like it all falls on the same week.

Every student has their own reasons for pursuing an education at NECC, and at times like these it’s important to remember what those are and keep focused on your primary objective.

NECC has a diverse student population. Some of the students here have recently graduated high school; some haven’t stepped inside a classroom in years and have decided to give it try. It can be a daunting experience coming back to the classroom. It takes courage to step out of one’s comfort zone and give something new a chance.

“I came to NECC because it provides a good education at a low cost compared to other colleges and universities,” said Jensy Veras, a sophomore majoring in human services. Veras plans to transfer to Merrimack College after getting his associate’s at NECC.

“My goal is to get involved with human services,” said Veras. “In this area, there are many paths I can take. I can work with kids. I can work with at-risk youths. I’d like to do something where I’m helping to better the community.”

Melanie Fortin, a student at NECC majoring in radiology, said she’s happy with the school and is impressed at all the different programs the school offers. Fortin said to succeed at NECC, a student needs to try hard and be engaged.

“You have be really motivated and engaged here,” said Fortin. “You can’t just go home and do nothing. You have to try.”

As with Veras, Fortin said her education’s not ending here. “I’ll probably continue to a four-year program,” she said. “I’m thinking of going to the University of New Hampshire.” Fortin plans on pursuing a career in radiology and NECC provides the first step into that path.

Some students have spent decades outside of the classroom and have just come back to pursue a different career path. Duane Sherman, a freshman majoring in liberal arts: writing, has spent the last thirty years working in radio broadcasting. After leaving radio behind, Sherman decided it was time to go back to school.

“This is the first time I’m back in the classroom in thirty years,” said Sherman. “I’m happy and I’m proud that I’m doing well.”

Taking that first step to go back to school after so many years can be a difficult decision.

“I was skeptical going in on some regards,” said Sherman. But Sherman gave it a try and is now looking forward to his future. “I would like to be a writer of books,” said Sherman. “I’d like to write a memoir. Write some fiction and non-fiction… My goal is to make a living off my own words.”

News

GSA holds trans awareness workshop

 

On Friday, Nov. 21 the NECC Gay Straight Alliance held a trans awareness workshop.

Three students spoke to educate students, staff and faculty about the issues they face every day, and the proper ways to talk about it so no one gets hurt.

At the beginning of the workshop, Kelly Schwing, the president of the GSA, asked everyone to ponder a thought. They were asked to think about how many trans students they interact with every day?

The panel started off by reading a slide giving a description on what it means to be transgender.

The slide said, “transgender people are individuals who have a gender identity that does not match their sex they were assigned at birth. Typically people who are transgender have a self-image that varies from the body or gender role they were born into and wish to take steps to change that. Some people opt to identify as transgender as opposed to transsexual. The two words are similar in meaning however, some people find the term transsexual very offensive so it is always better to ask them what they want to be called.”

When they were finished giving that information, student presenter Emily ______ said, “I feel like it’s a good rule to keep in mind with anything. If you do not know what someone wants to go by, just ask them.”

“People will be more offended if you guess rather than say, ‘what do you want to be identified as?'” said student presenter Jake_____.

Emily ____ also made an important point about the dangers of outing a transgender student. She explained that many trans people are in the closet to family, coworkers, employers or strangers because of a real risk of mistreatment, harassment or abuse.

Colby, who is a genderqueer student, said, “Although they are out, if you were talking to your friends out at a bar and your friends ask about bottom surgery or what is it like being trans, the wrong person could hear that, and in this day and age, it could be very dangerous.”

“You would never ask about certain medical procedures other people had. So don’t ask what [a trans person] has,” said Emily _______.

The presenters also discussed misconceptions about trans people. There are a lot of misconceptions of what it means to be transgender, and the panel wanted to give the guests the correct information to combat stereotypes.

“What transgender people are not are creeps, perverts or abominations. We are not aliens or inhuman. We are just people, really,” said Emily _______. “It is not a fetish for us. We are just trying to be comfortable in our own skin.”

One misconception or stereotype that transgender people have is they are perverts and are greedy. They want both sex organs to have sex with as many people as they can.

“We just want to be ourselves,” said Colby ______. “We are not perverts. Not trying to have as many genitalia as we can so we can have sex with as many people as we can.”

Jake said that he hears, “you’re just a confused gay man or a confused lesbian,” which is not true. This is harmful language that perpetuates trans erasure, or the idea that trans people do not actually exist.

The panel also wanted the guests to know the differences between cross dressers and drag queens and kings, as opposed to transgender people.

“Cross dressers are people who like to dress in the opposite genders clothes,” said Colby. “Drag queens and drag kings are usually performers. … for most it is not their entire life.”

The panel did say that some transgender people to choose to perform in drag shows.

Emily read some statistics and said that between 2 and 5 percent of the population is transgender. The trans population is difficult to quantify because not everyone is comfortable with coming out or is safe to come out, so not everyone is counted.

The slides also stated that 20 percent of all murders in the United States between 1985 and 1998 were murders of transgender people and that one out of 12 trans women are murdered.

Fifty percent of trans people have been victims of domestic violence and 41 percent have attempted suicide.

Arts and Entertainment

Romantic Violin and Piano Concert at NECC

 

By Jessica Freeman

On Monday, Nov. 24, at 5:30 p.m. NECC held a concert, “Romantic Violin and Piano” on the Haverhill Campus in Building C, Lecture Hall A. The music was performed by George Kucera on violin and Alisa Bucchiere on piano.

Kucera, born in Prague, and a math teacher at NECC, says in regards to playing the violin, “[I] shouldn’t be doing this stuff.”

Kucera is passionate about music.

“The violin is my wife; I’m married to her,” said Kucera,

Bucchiere, a music teacher at NECC, said this is the first time she and Kucera had played together for a concert. Bucchiere is also involved with the music for the school’s upcoming production of “A Christmas Carol.”

The music for the evening consisted of songs played on the violin and piano, composed during the romantic period, spanning from the late 1700s to the early 1900s. Bucchiere, referred to the concert as a, “musical journey through time.”

The program was made up of 12 songs, including music from Tchaikovsky, Paganini and Chopin. Before each piece, Kucera gave an anecdote about the history of the song or information about the musical elements found in the song.

One story shared was about the third piece played titled, “On the Wings of a Song” by Mendelssohn. Bucchiere shared the story of how the song has been credited only to F. Mendelssohn, and that this may have referred to, the composer Felix Mendelssohn’s sister Fanny.

During this time period of the 1880’s Mendelssohn’s sister couldn’t have published music under her own name because she was a women, but that she was known to publish songs under this name.

Despite many European composers on the list, one American song “Banjo and Fiddle” by Kroll was included. Bucchiere said with the song’s upbeat tempo and fast pace, the only thing she could think of was, “a bugs bunny cartoon,” and that it was like a “cartoon chase” and “it’s a lot of fun to play.”

Many of the pieces played were not originally composed for the violin and piano, but were later translated to accommodate these instruments. One song, “Thasis” by Massenet, has been “translated for every instrument under the sun, except for the kazoo” according to Bucchiere. She said it sounds “most beautiful on the violin.”

Another song, “Mazurek” by Dvorak, was composed specifically for the violin and piano, and the two instruments echoed each other throughout the piece.

After the show was over, Nancy Nickerson, a teacher who works in the math department with Kucera, presented both of the performers with bouquets of flowers. Nickerson is involved in the school orchestra with Kucera. When asked about the show, Nickerson said, “the program was extraordinary,” and that “they’re both such professionals.”

Bucchiere said it was okay to have a small crowd and that it was better than a large crowd who didn’t care and didn’t really want to be there. Kucera was glad to see some of his math students came to the show as well.

Looking to the future, Bucchiere, says the next month is, “a month of concerts for her,” but that she hopes to have another performance with Kucera in the spring.