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The Mount Observer

(Archive November 2016) Preview: 2016 Boston Celtics

By editorialteam on November 8, 2016

By Nicholas Cherico | Observer Contributor

In the 2015-16 season, the Boston Celtics finished 48-34, their best record since the 2011-12 season. After a first round exit in the playoffs for the second straight season, the Celtics went into the offseason looking for more pieces to build off their success from last year.

After failing to sign top free agent Kevin Durant, the Celtics made arguably their biggest free agent signing in team history. They signed All-Star power forward/center Al Horford to a max deal through the 2020 season. Next to Durant, Horford was the best free agent available. He provides the Celtics with a deadly mid range shot. He also is going to create a lot of scoring opportunities for the guys around him with his versatility. The Celtics have lacked a skillset like this from the big man position in quite some time. read more

(Archive October 2016) REVIEW: W. Kamau Bell’s “Semi-Prominent Negro”

By editorialteam on October 12, 2016

By Jason D. Greenough | Web/Social Media Editor

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A lot of us are infuriated with the current state of politics in our country.

– Uh, scratch that –

All of us are infuriated with the current state of politics in our country.

Many of us choose to express that feeling with anger, others with disenchantment and apathy. Both paths are very understandable. But then there is another path, that many have used over the years, and that the path of humor. George Carlin, Dick Gregory, Bill Hicks, Jon Stewart…So many comedians have made politics and current events the centerpiece of their hook, their message. W. Kamau Bell, the socio-political comic who you may have seen on CNN as the host and creator of United Shades of America, is no different, and brings the heat, once again, with Semi-Prominent Negro, his newest stand-up special. read more

(Archive October 2016) Football is Back, But Pats Fans Await Brady’s Return

By editorialteam on October 10, 2016

By Andrew Hoenig | Observer Contributor

 New England –  It’s that time of year again! Football is back!!

Every September when fans of the game hear those three words, their hearts soar a little higher with a joyful glee.

But this year has a different feel to it in New England. And that may be because of the suspension that has loomed over New England all offseason and that will continue to loom till October.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had his suspension decision by Judge Richard Berman from last year overturned by a federal court which stated the primary reason for the 180 degree turn as being “Roger Goodell has the given power to impose the penalty based upon the agreed upon CBA by the NFL and NFLPA”.

Because of this decision and eventually Brady’s sacrifice of giving up the fight that could tarnish his name just based on the ridiculousness of the whole supposed scandal with no supporting evidence, Patriots fans now watch their team go the whole first month(four games) without the man who’s led the team to four Super Bowl titles.

For some fans, it feels like the season hasn’t truly started. A feeling reiterated by a fan by the name of Matt Pilcher, a Peterborough local. “Ya of course we think and know it’s wrong and it feels weird but hopefully Jimmy comes in and does well for now.” “Jimmy” is in reference to Jimmy Garappolo, the Patriots second string quarterback. He gets the starts while Brady takes the suspension.

The whole team has seemingly gathered around Jimmy G singing his praises. Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski said that he has confidence in Jimmy G and that he believes Jimmy can steer the team in the right direction in Brady’s absence. “Guys just have to get behind him”, said Gronkowski.

So will the fans. Some fans seem ready and willing to jump on the Jimmy G train which is all fine and good so long as the media doesn’t overblow his play. Bill Belichick really isn’t one for headlines and won’t much care what we think. The Patriots head coach has already, in a shocking development, TOLD the media of his future plans at quarterback this season; a rare thing indeed.

“Jimmy will be the quarterback the first four weeks and Tom will take over again in week 5 when he comes back,” declared Belichick in one of his news conferences before the start of the season.

This just laid a nail in the coffin of an already resounding echo by Belichick all season that Brady is his quarterback and wouldn’t want anyone else. There’s something to be said about loyalty. It might be why Belichick and Brady have enjoyed so much success over the last previous 16 seasons. Or at least a small part of it.

As fans who know what Brady has done for the team and the situation he has been forcibly put in by the league, mainly commissioner Roger Goodell, loyalty might be the best thing to show during that four game stretch no matter what promise(or not) Jimmy Garappolo shows. One day Tom Brady will retire and there will be another quarterback leading the charge in New England but today is not that day. One thing is for sure… Tom will come back and he will be hungry. He’s still got further to go. #DriveFor5

(Archive October 2016) Lessons I Had to Learn on My Own Because of You

By editorialteam on October 10, 2016

By Rachel Vargeletis | Observer Contributor

Never in my life do I remember my chest physically hurting more than it did the moment I realized I meant nothing. I breathed, I was alive, but I wasn’t living. It, pathetically enough, seemed like my world was over. It felt as if he was ringing my heart dry in his clenched fists, drawing out every last bit of worth and feeling I could try to muster. There was a new crack developing in every one of my bones as each word bounced off his tongue, one by one in a calamitous nose dive.

“I didn’t mean to use you, but I guess I did . . .” Crack.

“I guess I just don’t find you emotionally attractive . . .” Snap.

“You wouldn’t be enough . . .” Total heartbreak.

And from that day on, I swear I was worthless.

It’s like learning how to ride a bike, but on a tightrope. That is how it feels to try and make yourself believe (if you even tried) that you are more- more than this anyway. More than that dumb boy who added to this dumb seemingly perpetual feeling that I will never be enough- or I never even was to begin with.

To clear some things up; yes, as cliché as it sounds- I, a young woman, got my heart broken by a young man that probably wasn’t worth my time in the first place maybe once or twice. Like an abusive relationship, I kept coming back and coming back, trying to make things work – somehow – with a boy I was never actually in a relationship with. I had already told myself I’d find no one better. I was so messed up in the head, I convinced myself I wasn’t settling, per say, I just earnestly believed I deserved nothing better than what I was “dished”. It didn’t feel like he wasn’t worth my time- for the longest time- and as accurately as I can try and appropriately explain that sad situation to be, all that really matters- all that I can actually benefit from now were the lessons I had to learn from that one person. Lessons I believe with every ounce of my (now) well-being, every single man or woman, girl or boy, need to come to know.

Going through a pain like the one I did where my whole world was demolished at the blink of an eye and for years afterwards, is something I would never wish on anyone. And one of the biggest accomplishments in my life, honestly, is overcoming that nothingness that was so deeply imbedded in me.

Life, itself, is falling down, but living is getting back up- and that’s why what I can take from this is far greater than what I went through.

This accomplishment in my life, of getting back up, has really given me the greatest satisfaction. It may seem petty from an outsider, however especially necessary to me in my journey through life. What I have taken from this experience I call: “The Lessons I Had to Learn on my Own Because of You”:

Lesson Number One: I don’t need somebody; I may want somebody- but I am not lacking anything on my own.

Lesson Number Two: My worth is not determined by the arch of my curves, or the flutter of my eyelashes, and even the weight of my step.

Lesson Number Three: If I am not worth someone’s time and effort, they are not worth my affections.

Lesson Number Four: I am altogether lovely, from the girth of my hips, to the snort when I laugh, the width of my feet, and the heart on my sleeve.

Lesson Number Five: Sometimes the end of your world is the beginning of something better.

Lesson Number Six: I am not nothing; I am not even something. I am everything even if you can’t see that.

Without a bottom low, and a (small) desire to keep going, I will have never known how high I can possibly go on my own- by myself- without any boy, because I am worth it, can capable of amazing heights. And I don’t need anyone else to come to that realization. Just as I hope you will too.

(Archive October 2016) Political Opinions From Across The Pond

By editorialteam on October 10, 2016

By Courtney Wentz | Assistant Editor

Everyone knows what the United States thinks of the upcoming election, but other countries have opinions about the election too.

Giada Lancellotti, 21, from Ostigliano, Salerno, Italy, is worried about who the next president will be. She said, “I know that who we elect in Italy does not really affect other countries, but you are going to elect the president of one of the biggest world powers.”

Lancellotti has never been to the United States, but she understands the rights and how important it is to vote. She knows three languages: English, French, German, and some self-taught Spanish. She is starting University in Pescara, Italy to become a translator in London, England to translate books.

Lancellotti doesn’t like either presidential candidate, saying Trump “is a stupid, racist, xenophobic ‘being’ who shouldn’t be able to speak” and Clint to a “freak,” even though she does think Clinton would be the better choice, saying Trump running the United States “sounds like a joke.”

James Corcoran, 26, from Carlow, Ireland, thinks the election is a “highly important matter,” saying he doesn’t find either candidate appealing. He said President Obama may be hard to live up to because of what he’s done for the United States and its allies.

Corcoran travelled to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2006. While he was there, he went to an American school for a day and from what he saw we actually do have cliques. When he was in school he studied television, film, and journalism.

He does think Clinton is the better candidate, saying, “Hillary has the capacity and potential to run the country the way in which it should be.” Corcoran believes Clinton could provide a stable economy for the United States. Corcoran also said Trump’s public image wasn’t welcoming, compassionate, or empathic enough.

Tasmin Poole, 18, from Caldecott, South Wales, said “If I were an American citizen, I would vote Clinton and pray that she has the ability to listen to the people because I truly believe Trump will not.” She thinks “Clinton is the lesser of two evils,” which seems to be a common thought.

Poole has been to Orlando, New York, and New Jersey in the past ten years. She said while in New York, Trump was starting to get covered by the media. She is also doing a degree in Modern history.

Poole said if Trump won, “America would lose any respect from the Middle East, Mexico, and South America, along with strong, female led countries.”

(Archive October 2016) Gateway Student Voice

By editorialteam on October 10, 2016

What It’s Like to Come Back to School After 4 ½ Years

By Eden Shaveet | Observer Contributor

During the spring of my 7th grade year, I decided that I did not want to go to school anymore.

A seemingly tactless and unrealistic decision, I know, but I hoped it would make me happy after years of struggling with what seemed to be an unexplainable, perpetual sadness that worsened with each year I ignored it. After nearly a decade of jumping from school to school and transforming myself to fit each new social environment I was placed into, I grew tired of my “new girl” status and wanted space from everyone and everything I had once so desperately tried to become. read more

(Archive October 2016) A Few Good Men (And a Woman)

By editorialteam on October 9, 2016

“Comics on a Mission” Coming October 29th

By Jason Greenough | Web/Social Media Editor

“Comics on a Mission”, a night of stand-up comedy to support veteran students at MWCC, will be hitting the stage on Saturday, October 29th, at The Theater At The Mount.

The event, with all proceeds going to supporting veterans on campus, will be hosted by Brockton native Comedian Will Smalley, and headlined by Boston Comedy vet and legend Tony V, who will be joined by a number of fellow Bay State comics including Andrew Mayer (son of MWCC Director of Veteran Services, Bob Mayer), Kate Procyshyn, and MWCC student Brian Dickens, who a lot of you may know, even if he is taking a semester off from classes here at the Mount. Dickens, a greenhorn when it comes to bringing his unique brand of stand-up to the stage, has always found himself comfortable in the spotlight, and for him, this opportunity, which was granted to him as an award at a stand-up contest in the spring, is no laughing matter. read more

(Archive October 2016) #Adulting

By editorialteam on October 9, 2016

By Jamie Parker | News Editor

“Adulting (v): to do grown up things and hold responsibilities such as, a 9-5 job, a mortgage/rent, a car payment, or anything else that makes one think of grown-ups.” This is how Urban Dictionary defines the phrase that has blown up among millennials, especially on social media. Saying things like, “I scheduled a doctor’s appointment AND paid my credit card bill today, I hate adulting,” is intended to be completely harmless, and even used as a funny anecdote to relate to other millennials. But let us get something straight; adulting is a terrible trend. It makes the entire generation look not only immature, but also unwilling to participate in the responsibilities that come with growing up. So how did this happen? Were we just born a bunch of lazy degenerates who expect the world on a silver platter? No. This is the result of not being pushed towards responsibilities at a younger age, and not being given the proper education to prepare us for adulthood.

According to a report by The Pew Research Center, 32% of people ages 18 to 34 still live at home. To put that into perspective, during the 1960s that number was at 20%. Now to add to this most millennials who still live at home do not really have to help contribute to household expenses such as groceries, bills, etc. This does not teach us how to take care of our own finances, homes, or what we need in a home. Like most baby boomers say, we are a coddled generation, but not in the way they assume. We are coddled in the sense that we have gone so far in life without knowing what it is like to have a mortgage, or how to do our taxes, or how to even cook basic meals for dinner. How could this have been prevented?  Well our parents had something that our generation is lacking. The proper education.

Back when most of our parents were in high school, there were many elective classes that revolved around life after school. Classes like Financial Literacy, and Home Economics classes were immensely popular. These classes are what taught the next generation how to do things that the current generation lacks knowledge on. Since then schools have shifted to be much more focused on college preparation rather than life preparation. While it is important to prepare teenagers for their academic future, there are some essential skills that we are missing out on. Baby boomers always like to comment on our “lack of basic knowledge,” but do not understand where it comes from. Well I say we need a serious education reform. Bring back “Life Prep” classes. Let people decide if they want to take on that extra AP class, or if they want to take Weekly Meal Prep 101. Maybe then we can find a balance between academic knowledge, and how “adult.” Adulting can finally become a thing of the past, and we can finally stop saying things like, “Ate something for dinner that wasn’t Nutella today! #adulting.”

(Archive October 2016) The Land of the Morning Calm

By editorialteam on October 9, 2016

By Jamie Parker | News Editor

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South Korea’s nickname, “the Land of the Morning Calm,” comes from the Ming Dynasty when the emperor of China commented on the countries beautiful mountains, clear waters, and its amazing tranquility. But that all changed on June 25th of 1950 when the North crossed the 38th parallel and attacked the South to begin the Korean War. Over the next three years, the country would be torn apart by war. After the war it was said that it would take over one hundred years for the Republic of Korea to rebuild from the ashes of war. Earle Stone, a veteran of the Korean War describes the capital city of Seoul as a post-apocalyptic wasteland that he could only relate to Berlin at the end of World War II.
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(Archive October 2016) Pentagon Loses 6.5 Trillion Taxpayer Dollars

By editorialteam on October 9, 2016

By Rebekah Chiasson | Assistant Editor

The Defense Department had to present their audit this June and could not account for $6.5 trillion. Investigators, including Reuters who first released the report, believe the missing money is due to “unreliable” data and “fudged” numbers.

The Defense Department’s annual budget is roughly $600 billion, but according to their audit report, “The Defense Finance and Accounting Service Indianapolis (DFAS Indianapolis) did not adequately support $2.8 trillion in third quarter adjustments and $6.5 trillion in yearend adjustments.” The DFAS managed to double their already enormous loss in the last quarter of the fiscal year. In addition to the trillions lost, more than 16,000 files “vanished” from the DFAS’s computer system because of “a flaw in the computing software,” according to the report.

The Defense Department, located in the Pentagon, is responsible for wars, healthcare, personnel, housing, equipment, and procurements appointed to them by Congress. “Though there are a high number of adjustments, we believe the financial statement information is more accurate than implied in this report,” said Dov Schwartz, an Army spokesman. Schwartz added that Army is still reviewing the report.

The Pentagon, who apparently has a reputation for bad accounting practices, has never completed an audit before June of this year. In 1996, all federal agencies were ordered by the court of law to perform routine financial audits. However, the Pentagon has failed to complete an audit within the last 20 years. Scott Paltrow’s 2013 Reuters investigation revealed the Department of Defense commonly “fudges” or misrepresents their financial accounting numbers.

The Department of Defense’s errors are almost 1000 times higher than last year’s $7 billion in financial errors. If the Defense Department stuck to their budget, the “missing” 6.5 trillion taxpayer dollars could have paid for over one-fourth of the national debt, or pay off the student loan debt roughly five times over.

Capitol Hill Lawmakers are trying to keep the Pentagon accountable by imposing penalties if the Pentagon cannot complete a legally mandated full audit scheduled to happen September 30, 2017.