Posts published in “News”

Government Deceit, or Willful Ignorance?

By editorialteam on April 6, 2022

Parents That Received 2021 Child Tax Credit Surprised at Affects on Tax Returns

By Bushrah Namirimu | Observer Contributor

Social media has been awash with complaints and frustration from many parents who are quite displeased after filing their 2021 tax returns. This is due to the discovery that they’ll be receiving smaller refunds than what they had anticipated, following the advance child tax credit which hit their bank accounts between July and December 2021.

Millions of families across the country received monthly checks from the federal government as a part of the American Rescue Plan. Krista Russell, a student at MWCC, is one of those parents who benefited from last year’s ARP package. read more

Artistic Crime

By editorialteam on April 6, 2022

Museum Curator and Local Artist Express Views on Graffiti

By Shaye McKeen | Assistant Editor

Art and crime, a mysterious mixture of expression and struggle–the origins of spray-paint graffiti, an art form that began in the New York projects, which can often be traced back to the 1960s in the Bronx, where African Americans attempted to reclaim their place in society which was previously barred by segregation.

Current perspectives surrounding graffiti art vary, as the act of creating graffiti art in its traditional sense of using various buildings and structures as its canvas is inherently illegal. Marjorie Rawle, an Assistant Curator for the Fitchburg Art Museum, offers her insight on the form of art’s ethos: read more

What Can We Gain from Traveling?

By editorialteam on April 6, 2022

Student and Staff Share Traveling Experiences and the Importance of Travel in College

By Maddie Willigar | Assistant Editor

With the end of the pandemic in sight and many individuals looking for travel opportunities as countries open their borders, Science Professor Heather Conn, and former MWCC student Chyrone Ragland, share their experiences with traveling and why they believe it is important for schools to have more travel opportunities.

Between his time in the military and his job afterward as a Military Outreach Coordinator, Ragland traveled to over 25 locations, including Dubai, Afghanistan, Germany, and Poland. Out of all of these locations, Ragland said Dubai is one of his favorite places he has traveled to. Between the leaf-shaped Palm Islands and the “remarkable” architecture, he also explained it was the most beautiful. read more

Review: The Batman

By editorialteam on April 6, 2022

The Latest Adventure of the Dark Knight Goes Detective Noir

By Eoin Haggerty | Observer Contributor

Matt Reeves’ take on the Dark Knight is a grisly yet familiar story of redemption and how one must face their past, no matter how unwanted it is. Its epic runtime of nearly three hours is not unwarranted as it lets the city of Gotham live and breathe–along with the characters that inhabit it. Though, at points, the world may seem fantastical and over the top, that is just the nature of The Batman.

Robert Pattinson stars as the titular hero, with Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, and Colin Farrell filling the following roles of Cat woman, Commissioner Gordon, and the Penguin. Pattinson’s approach to Batman is one previously seen, with him only in his second year of being the caped crusader. Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne is also secretive and cold, perhaps still reeling from the trauma that made him into what he is. Kravitz’s Selina Kyle is one we have seen before as well. As she is established as a worker at a local lounge, who makes her money on the side as a thief, not unlike the animated adaptation of Cat woman, which also begins a will-they/won’t they with Batman. read more

Follow In The Footsteps Of Fossil Fuel Giants

By editorialteam on April 6, 2022

Recent Events in Russia Causing Re-Evaluation in Fossil Fuel Dependence

By Daniel Dow | Editor in Chief

With the recent outbreak of war between Russia and Ukraine, the stability of the global market has come under question, and no commodity has been affected more than the price and supply of natural gas and oil. With the price of oil currently at a record high, and demand growing for countries to separate themselves from Russia’s fossil fuels, now seems the opportune moment to shift from fossil fuels and to reinvest in renewable energy.

The hostility of Russia has rallied nations to end their dependence on imports of the country’s oil and natural gas. The United States has immediately cut its imports, and Britain and Poland have announced a plan to cut Russian natural gas imports by the end of 2022. read more

Immigration Borders: The Line Between Life and Death

By editorialteam on March 7, 2022

MWCC Student Shares Her Family’s Experiences With Travelling to the U.S.

By Kelly Johnson | Observer Contributor

Do you know anyone who has walked 4,000 miles over three months? What about someone who did that while carrying their infant children? To a place they didn’t know the language or if they would be accepted? The ambition of an individual to risk everything for a start at a new life happens every day, and you might be in class with someone who could share their family’s story with you.

Isabelle Mascary is a Professional Writing major at MWCC and is first-generation born in the USA. Her mother immigrated from Haiti at 17 years old, seeking better opportunities for herself and the future of her family. America provided many options over the years for Mascary’s mother to make a living, including attending cosmetology school, owning a children’s clothing business, and working as a CNA for more than 20 years. read more

Review: The Book of Boba Fett

By editorialteam on March 7, 2022

The Middling Adventures of Star Wars‘ Original Mystery Man(dalorian)

By Thomas Hill Jr. | Observer Designer

Disney and Lucasfilm’s third foray into the live-action Star Wars series (after two seasons of The Mandalorian) brings us The Book of Boba Fett. Acting as a sort of sequel/spin-off of The Mandalorian, Boba Fett follows the titular bounty hunter as he attempts to take over the criminal empire built by the now-deceased Jabba the Hutt on desert planet Tatooine and turn it to his own devices. To do so, he must build a team of other bounty hunters, gangs, and Tatooine’s own denizens to chase off rival crime lords looking to take a piece of the pie, including the spice-dealing Pyke Syndicate (drug dealers, essentially) and Jabba’s own family. On the surface, this seems like an intriguing set-up; a deep dive into the seedy underbelly and criminal politics of the Star Wars galaxy. Unfortunately, the execution of this idea leaves quite a bit to be desired. read more

Heroiam slava!

By editorialteam on March 3, 2022

By Daniel Dow | Editor in Chief

President Vladimir Putin addressed the world, creating a false and unjustifiable narrative for the invasion of Ukraine; a narrative that calls for the “de-Nazification” of the sovereign nation of Ukraine.

This claim comes after nearly a month-long build-up of troops along the Ukraine border, with Ukraine and its allies calling for peaceful negotiations and for troops along the board to disperse. These pleas were ignored by Russia, with Putin falsely declaring Russia would begin withdrawing troops, which was quickly spotted to be a lie by the United States and British intelligence, as troops continued to gather on the border. read more

Burnout Through a Magnifying Glass

By editorialteam on March 3, 2022

MWCC Mental Health Counselor and Student Discuss Burnout and its Contributing Factors

By Maddie Willigar | Assistant Editor

Though many may be familiar with the term “burnout,” what may be unfamiliar is the variety of factors that can contribute to it and the various ways it can be experienced in the body. MWCC Mental Health Counselor Melissa Manzi and student Cami Stephens share what burnout is, what factors could contribute, and advice on how to overcome this issue.

According to Manzi, during the beginning stages of burnout, people may find their thought process becoming more limited, causing them to shut down new ideas quicker than normal. She explained that though burnout symptoms can overlap with symptoms of depression or stress, burnout is a different experience that is dependent on someone’s environment, whether that be school or work. read more

A Tale of Dungeons & Dragons

By editorialteam on March 3, 2022

Teacher Describes the Benefits of the Role-Playing Phenomenon

By Gabriel Drouin | Observer Contributor

Dungeons and Dragons, also known as D&D, has often been passed off as satanic due to the monstrous art on the cover of its books, but is now becoming the savior for many, acting as a safe outlet for creativity, personal expression, and even therapy. Dice rollers both old and young have partaken in the game for decades, since its creation in 1974.

It is hard to believe that a game that, in recent years, has become so widely popular was once seen as literal evil. Some even believed that by playing the game you were opening yourself up to demonic possession. Oddly enough, fighting off demons can be a common occurrence for the heroes in a D&D game. read more