photo illustration by Florrie Bassingbourn

By Shawna Paul

We are all too aware of the lasting scars that soldiers have long after they leave the battlefield. Nightmares, flashbacks, images and sounds that are burned into their minds can be recalled without a moment’s notice. 

These symptoms are not relegated only to those who have fought during wartime, however.  There are women and men who have never been to war, but who bear the mark of their own private battlefield. In an instant they hear, smell and see what was happening around them at the time they were sexually assaulted.

The statistics are daunting: one in four college women will be sexually assaulted during their time at school, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, and nine out of 10 of these victims will know their perpetrators.

Sexual assault has been called a silent crime, with more than half estimated to go unreported for a variety of reasons including shame, fear, and the hope that it can just be forgotten.

At Fitchburg State University, however, steps are being taken to break the silence with programs such as Fitchburg Anti-Violence Education, a campus-wide effort to prevent sexual assault and relationship violence.

“You might ask, ‘How am I supposed to stop it?’”  Erin Travia, assistant director of Counseling Services and FAVE, said about students’ potential to end such violence. “We all play a part, we all can do something.”

One thing the college does each year is hold Take Back the Night, a rally to break the silence for survivors of sexual assault. The idea is to give these survivors a safe and supportive place to tell their stories, in hopes of taking back their own power and voice.

“The object is to break the silence about the issue,” Travia said. “We want people to continue to talk about these issues and to be good bystanders.”

At Fitchburg State’s fifth annual Take Back the Night rally last month, one survivor told a powerful story to the students and faculty who had gathered at dusk on the main quad to take a symbolic stand against sexual violence.

She took the crowd on a journey that involved the details of her experience.  She spoke of how the assaults had left her feeling betrayed, unheard and powerless.  Yet there was hope at the end of her speech. She told the crowd how she had looked forward to sharing her story and that she took solace in doing so. “So don’t worry about me – for the first time in a long time, I feel OK,” she said.

Events like Take Back the Night are not the only places where survivors of sexual assault can find their voices. Fitchburg State’s Counseling Services office is another place where help can be found.

“Violence against men happens all the time; we try to be more inclusive, everyone’s story matters,” Travia said. “Help is available for everyone – for people who are not sure what happened, for people who are sure, for men and women. Help is available for everyone; that is the bottom line. Help is here, it is free and confidential.”

To speak to someone confidentially, stop by Counseling Services in Room 207 in the Recreation Center, or call (978) 665-3152.

Workouts can help students beat stress.

By Kyle Anderson

Why do college students spend their time at the gym instead of in the library studying?  Is it only to stay in shape?  Or are there other reasons?

When asked, many students say that getting some exercise is a great way to balance out schoolwork and other related stresses. This may be especially true during stressful times like finals week.

Michael Baird, a senior at Fitchburg State, claims that exercising helps work off the anger and stress that can build up during the day. “When I go to the gym, it takes my mind off of all the negative things throughout my day,” Baird says. “I not only am trying to stay fit, but also am looking to work off all the stress that builds up with the amount of work I have.”

Working out is a great stress-reliever, according to FSU’s Health Services, leading to better sleep and a better ability to focus.

Baird agrees. “Without a doubt I sleep better at night thanks to working out,” he says. “Not only does it help me burn energy, but going to bed happy with a clear mind is the greatest feeling in the world.”

So why do many college students work out at their gym? Part of it seems to be the physical benefits that come along with a good workout routine, but the mental advantages are really a hidden gem that it’s easy to overlook.  If more students were aware of the positive benefits that come along with even the simplest of workout routines, maybe the stress level would drop campus-wide, leading to much happier and healthier students – even during finals.

By Tyler Trull

Finally, after an almost three-year wait, “Prototype 2” has hit the market. With the first game’s launch in early June of 2009, fans were immediately grabbing for more in the open-world adventure game. While the initial reaction for some Sony fans was that of skepticism (as the game bore a concept similar to the Playstation 3 exclusive title “Infamous,” which was released a mere week preceding “Prototype”), the gameplay and main character automatically gave a feeling of uniqueness. Fans of the game were then eager to get a sequel, as the first game had a very open ending.

“Prototype 2” is the sequel we deserved.

The original “Prototype” followed a man infected and against a system. The infection had caused the entire city of New York to become barricaded and quarantined, the special Blackwatch services moving in to control the masses. Your character, Alex Mercer, was there to fight the powers of the Blackwatch and Gentek biological research team, eventually foiling their plans to nuke the city to eradicate the virus.

Now, the story may have been weak, but it was not the reason most played this game; the main draw stood in what your character could pull off. Mercer could shape-shift into the last person he “consumed,” allowing him to gain knowledge and health.  He could also shift his appendages into weapons and fly through the air.

“Prototype 2” is a refinement of the controls and key selling points behind the first. Players are also given the convenient option to watch a quick video recap of the first game in the main menu. The new game follows a character that, unlike Mercer, has a strong emotional drive because of the death of his wife and daughter to the infection, which has broken out once more. Sgt. James Heller is motivated for revenge against Mercer, blaming him for the outbreak. This gives a stronger motivation and a stronger investment in the character.

With a refined control scheme, adjusted graphics, and a stronger storyline, the sequel may win fans even among those who were not fans of the original. The result of the work is one of the best-reviewed open-world games this year.

“Prototype 2” hit the shelves on April 24 for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. GameStop has both a Special Edition and what is known as the Radnet edition; both include exclusive missions that are released every couple of days.  The Special Edition includes a paid voucher for new content released May 9, the game soundtrack, hardcover art book, 20 percent off anything in the “Prototype” merchandise store, and a digital comic book of “Prototype” from Dark Horse Comics. The Radnet edition is priced at near $60, while the Special Edition is near $80 and is rated M for Mature. Both prices are reasonable for the 12 to 14 hours it will take to finish the game.

I would rate the game a solid 8.5 out of 10.

photo illustration by AJ Cann

By Emily Varno

We all know how it goes: mindless clicking, endless scrolling, pointless reading of things we don’t even care about. We are the Facebook generation, and we’re taking it too far.

“I use Facebook a couple times a day, but I still think it’s very overused,” says sophomore Gina DiTommaso. “I gave it up for Lent and didn’t really miss it. I think it causes a lot of drama and jealousy and impacts self-esteem and confidence. I honestly think not using it for that long made me realize life goes on and if someone really needs to talk to you, there are more direct ways of communication.”

These days, though, Facebook seems to control our lives. We have it at our disposal wherever we go: on the laptops we bring to class, on the iPods and cell phones that we have on us at all times. Many advertisements now, online or on TV, say something like, “Like us on Facebook!” or “Be the first of your friends to like this!”

But when it comes down to it, what difference does it make whether we like this or that, or have 1,037 “friends,” or update our statuses every five minutes, or upload hundreds of pictures just for the sake of those 1,037 people seeing them and possibly saying something about them?

“When I got to college, I didn’t have a Facebook and I didn’t want one,” says senior Dan Schmaelzle. “My roommates actually made it for me; they wanted me to have one because everyone else was getting them at that point. Now I go on once every two weeks or so, mainly to keep in touch with family and friends who live far away. If it wasn’t for that I’d probably never use it.”

It seems that most college students who use it know that Facebook wastes their time. It’s as if we believe that if we keep scrolling, clicking, reading, posting, commenting, liking and sharing, we’re going to get something extremely worthwhile out of it, something terribly important that all our other duties and responsibilities can wait for. Of course we know this isn’t true, but it’s to the point now where this has become a habit, so we don’t even realize how much of our own time we’re actually wasting.

“I go on Facebook several times a day out of pure curiosity,” says sophomore Kylie Martin. “I definitely think it’s used too much, I’m totally guilty of that. People’s’ lives basically revolve around it. I know this, but it’s so addictive! I know it’s pointless and there’s really nothing important to see, but I just can’t stay away.”

Player Spotlight: Manu Ginobli; shooting guard, San Antonio Spurs (50-16)

Manu Ginobli puts his court vision to good use for the San Antonio Spurs. (file photo by Keith Allison)

By Kendell Sweeney-Thomas

A team effort really carried the Spurs into the next round of the 2012 playoffs as they truly showcased the depth of their current squad against the 8-seed Utah Jazz. Ginobli didn’t exactly leave San Antonio or Salt Lake City fans’ mouths agape with superstar numbers, but his ability to come off the bench and influence each game of the sweep with his court vision and hustle was more than apparent. His hustle was more surprising due to his return from injuries to his hand and oblique before the playoffs and Coach Gregg Popovich expertly monitored his minutes as he’s done often in the past.

Ginobli, Tony Parker, and Tim Duncan have been the nucleus of this Spurs team season after season. Now their experience with working in tandem toward championships combines with the depth of size and athleticism filling in around them. Ginobli showed in this series that he trusts in his talented teammates but also has no fear handling the ball on any given possession. The Spurs’ formidable team defense will be essential for battling either of the two high-powered offenses they could face in the upcoming Conference Semis, with Ginobli showcasing his perimeter defense along with Parker as they aim to give all guards the toughest of times for at least four games.    

Ginobli’s 2011-2012 statistics: 23.3 MPG, 12.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 4.4 APG, 52.6 FG%, 41.3 3PT%, 87.1 FT%, 0.4 BPG

Ginobli’s Playoff Statistics: 24.8 MPG, 8.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 4.5 APG, 39.4 FG%, 21.4 3PT%, 62.5 FT%, 0.5 BPG

Interesting Stat Line: With help from his many ailments over the shortened regular season, Ginobli only played in six losing games with the Spurs, making his record including the playoffs 32-6.

About last year’s first-round loss and this year’s first-round win, Ginobli said, “It’s always hard when you go home after the first round. But like I said many times, last year the Grizzlies played better than us. When that happens, you can’t do much but shake their hands and congratulate them and get ready for the next season. I think we played better this year. We didn’t let them [the Jazz] get in the game. We played very solid basketball.”

Students prepare their work for exhbit in “Visions.” (photo by Colleen Magyar)

By James Paleologopoulos

Communications students who submitted their work and were accepted had the fruits of their labor on full display during Fitchburg State’s yearly “Visions” exhibition, with selected works remaining on view through June 29 in the hallway of Sanders Administration building.

Students majoring in film/video, graphic design, and professional communications had their “best original work” selected by a panel of communications faculty members; the works were presented to the campus and community on April 25 during a five-hour-long showcase covering a variety of mediums and subject matter.

“It’s different every time in terms of major diversity,” said Rob Carr, a communications media professor. “I was glad to see … a number of outstanding students participate.”

“Visions” 2012 took place in four separate sections, commencing with a brief introduction to the event by Dr. Randy Howe in Hammond and concluding with screenings of chosen student films in the Conlon Fine Arts building.

After his introduction, Howe led a Q&A session with several alumni on a post-graduate panel. Members of the panel explained the role Fitchburg State played in forming their careers as well as their gratitude toward the school as a whole.

“I think that I got a little taste of everything … but found sections that built off of my interests,” Deidra Scott, a class of 2003 film/video major, told the crowd of faculty and prospective students. “I was given the fundamentals of film here.”

The second act of the exhibit continued in Hammond with the “Visions” forum presentations, featuring a student-run discussion of analyses in three separate fields: Josh Hey’s “To Lead, or Not to Lead?” focused on the aesthetics and importance of various leadership practices in film directing; Kelsey Sterczala’s “The Evolution of the Home Theater” looked at the home video market; and Leah Bianchi’s “Serious Comedy” offered exploration and explanation of a comedy-based environment such as an improvisation club.

“I (felt) good about the presentations,” Carr said. “All of them did a great job advancing their ideas and fielding questions. They realized [their own] expertise, were honest about their views, and ready to speak as experts in their fields.”

Also opening at “Visions” was a gallery of work in the Sanders Administration building. Lining the hallways from Fitchburg State President Robert V. Antonucci’s office to the beginning of the Condike science department and labs were the polished products of the interactive media and motion graphics students, along with dozens of photographs, posters and album covers selected to remain on display in the hall through June.

Finishing the day of student accomplishments and presentations, “Visions” concluded in the Weston Auditorium with two hours’ worth of student films, including the comedic “Jukebox,” the inspiring short “Moving Road,” and a music video for the local hip-hop/reggae group The Alchemystics.

By Ashley Morganelli

Studying for finals is very hard, but not knowing how to balance your daily life with multiple tests at once is even harder.
Luckily, there are strategies for making this stressful time more manageable. The following top 10 tips and tricks for surviving finals were provided by Access Services Librarian Linda LeBlanc and her colleagues:

1. Don’t wait until the last minute to contact a librarian for help.

2. Set a schedule. Budget time for material review several days ahead of a final, and then a refresher the day before.

3. Take the time to get organized. Make sure you review what is on the exam or required for the final paper. Make sure you have all the appropriate notes and readings readily available before you sit down to study.

4. Reduce distractions. Don’t study in your dorm or house – find a quiet place in the library or get a table at a café. Find a place where you’re unlikely to run into your friends. Don’t keep the Internet open on your computer. If you work better with background noise, use headphones to listen to low-key, non-distracting music.

5. Plan to take short breaks as a reward. For example, “If I study uninterrupted for two hours for this history exam, I’ll allow myself an hour coffee break with a friend or 30 minutes on Facebook.”

6. Save your celebrating until ALL your finals are completed. It’s hard to study effectively while recovering from a night out with friends.

7. Don’t try to proofread on the same night you finish your paper. If you can, put a night of sleep in between your completion and a proofread, especially if you have the time. It’s amazing the number of mistakes you can find with fresh eyes.

8. Try not to pull an “all-nighter,” but if you can’t avoid it, rather than trying to power through the entire night, schedule 20-minute “power naps” every four hours, with an alarm (more than one if necessary).

9. Try to avoid excessive doses of caffeine; that may keep the body awake, but not necessarily the mind. Drinking a lot of water, and taking brisk 10-minute walks (to bring the heart rate up) can work better.

10. Get a good night’s sleep the night before your final.

In addition to the tips above, other members of the Fitchburg State community offered advice and reminders for students.

“Prioritize your classes – don’t cram it all in. And, working with a study buddy absolutely helps,” said Meghan Mahoney.

“You most definitely have to space out your studying and balance your work and fun,” said Shaylee Bowman.

“Go to bed early, don’t wait till the last minute to study, and give yourself some time to relax,” said Eric Collins.

LeBlanc noted that the library is open until midnight Sunday through Thursday from May 1 through the end of finals; it will also be open from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, May 12.

Spring 2012 finals are scheduled to take place from May 14 to May 18. To check the dates and times of your finals, go to the Registrar area of the FSU website, and click the link under Most Requested in the top right-hand corner; or, simply click here: http://www.fitchburgstate.edu/uploads/files/Registrar/sp_12_final_exam_schedule.pdf

Brendan Shanahan

Last spring, when Brendan Shanahan accepted the job as NHL vice president of player safety, fans knew it would only be a matter of time before the future Hall of Famer became one of the most unpopular figures in the National Hockey League. At first, the move was considered a breath of fresh air, as Colin Campbell had been in the position for 12 years, but it would not be long before somebody got mad about a suspension or lack thereof.

Unpopularity comes with the territory. The vp of player safety is the one ultimately responsible for handing out supplemental discipline (fines and suspensions for misconduct on and off the ice) to players and coaches. No matter how fair and consistent the league disciplinarian tries to be, they are bound to upset every fan base in the league at some point. Midway through the first round of playoffs with “Shanaban” in charge, it has become obvious that Shanahan’s series icing empty net goal in 2002 or his mocking of a female fan will not be the most memorable moments of his career.

Shanahan won over many hockey fans early in the season when he started making video explanations for all the suspensions that were issued. However, questions have risen recently about Shanahan’s consistency. One of the first suspensions he issued was an eight-game ban for Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman James Wisniewski, for a hit to the head in a pre-season game. In his first disciplinary action of the playoffs, Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber was issued a $2,500 fine for smashing Detroit Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg’s head into the boards. The fine seems especially low considering that star players like Weber make a lot more money than coaches and that New York Rangers head coach John Tortorella was recently fined $20,000 for saying what everyone else was thinking and calling the Pittsburgh Penguins an arrogant organization. This came a few months after Torts was fined $30,000 for accusing the referees of trying to get a nationally televised Rangers game into overtime.

Since the precedent was set by the Weber fine, dirty play in the Stanley Cup playoffs has ramped up significantly. The series between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers, with the Flyers taking a 3-0 series lead, was the most highly anticipated playoff series. The series has been turned into a bloodbath in which the Penguins have resorted to the kind of cheap goonery that gives hockey a bad name. Aaron Asham, a veteran player who has earned a reputation as a tough guy, has transformed into a dirty player this series and has been suspended for four games for his hit on Flyers rookie Brayden Schenn. He also elbowed Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Aldredsson. Rangers forward Carl Hagelin has been suspended three games. After opening the door for dirty hits with the Weber ruling, Shanahan, must crack down to prevent the foul play in the playoffs from getting even more out of hand.

Recently, Chicago Blackhawks All Star forward Marian Hossa was the victim of the most egregious cheap shot of the 2012 playoffs. Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres hit Hossa so late that the cameras that follow the puck were nowhere near the scene. This is not the first time Torres has made a dirty hit against Chicago in the playoffs. Last year, when playing for the Vancouver Canucks, Torres was the center of controversy when he targeted Brent Seabrook’s head in the first round of the playoffs. Torres received only a minor penalty, despite being a repeat offender. Later, he scored the game-winning goal against the Boston Bruins in the first game of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Off the ice, Torres is no model citizen. Last Halloween, he and his wife were heavily criticized when pictures surfaced of them wearing black-face, dressed as Jay-Z and Beyonce. For a sport that has been trying to gain a wider and more diverse audience, this was not the type of publicity the NHL needed.

This is a player that Brandan Shanahan really needs to drop the Shanhammer on. Torres is right up there with Dale Hunter, Ulf Samuelsson, Claude Lemieux, and Matt Cooke as one of the dirtiest players in the history of the National Hockey League.

The NHL has the best playoff tournament in all of sports, and the physical aspect of hockey is what makes it superior. These games need to be cleaned up or there will not be any star players standing by the beginning of June. Playoff hockey is best when the officials swallow the whistles and let the players play, but it is up to the players and the league disciplinarian to play a clean but tough game. Shanahan is still the new sheriff in town, and he needs to lay down the law.

Photo credit: Lost Cabin Recording Studio’s Facebook page

Legendary blues pianist Ray Charles once said, “I was born with music inside me. Like my ribs, my kidney, my liver, my heart. Like my blood. It was a force already within me when I arrived on the scene. It was a necessity for me – like food or water.” That same force that Ray Charles speaks of can also be seen in local music studio owners Patrick “Sev-One” Burns and Bob “BeastOnBoards” Jameson who, two years ago, opened the doors to their “place of music worship” Lost Cabin Recording Studio.

But the real question is do local recording studios, like Lost Cabin, really have a big effect on the music industry? Some local musicians, like local rappers Javier “40 $tacks” Ramos and Zackary “Keatsa” Keating, would agree; others, like local musician Robert Reynolds II, would choose to disagree with this claim.

“Definitely, they (local recording studios) keep it (the music industry) going,” says Ramos, “they’re (Lost Cabin Recording Studio) doing professional work at a low price and if you’re serious about pursuing a career as a musician…investing in your career choice is key.”

Lost Cabin Recording Studio’s rate for a single recording session is forty dollars per hour.

“Well yeah it is a little expensive,” says Zachary “Keatsa” Keating, “but if you think about it…the equipment they use is very expensive which makes the quality of the music produced that much better…and the producer working with the equipment does so in such a way that the songs are made at a professional level unattainable in a personal studio setup in someone’s house. So in the long run it’s worth the forty dollars.”

However, not every local musician feels the same way Javier and Zachary do. Robert Reynolds II is a local musician who has his own personal studio set up in his home and records and edits his own music himself.

“Money is one reason I choose to record my music in my own studio setup, as is the truth that I’m not sure of the right places to look for specific quality needs,” says Robert, “but the biggest reason I choose to record my music in my own studio setup is more so because I enjoy doing it myself. I like to get as much hands on experience as I can because I hope to be a producer as well as a musician someday.”

When asked if he would record his music in a studio if he had enough money to do so Robert replied, “I’m honestly not sure because I truly would enjoy having some else do the recording and editing for once and have a song be more at radio quality sound, but at the same time I enjoy keeping my music to myself and seeing what I can do with it.”

In regards to the importance of local recording studios to the music industry Roberts commented, “Yes and no, because sadly a lot of people today look at quality as fame. The better the quality of your song the more famous you seem to sound and the more listeners you seem to attract. I’m not saying studios aren’t important, I’m just saying that talent is more important than a clearer sound.”

For further information about Lost Cabin Recording Studio, or to set up a recording session, you can look them up on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thelostcabinstudio or give them a call at 1-(978)-855-2065.

Dana LeMarbre (Photos by Stephanie Beresh)

While traveling through the halls of the Sanders Administration Building several weeks ago, I couldn’t help but notice the art work that covered the walls of the pedestrian plaza. What caught my eye was not only the uniqueness of the visuals, but the display of some historic figures that are unfavorable to American ideologies and should arguably not be displayed on the walls of an American University.

The lenticular images displayed by artist Richard Cutrona caught my eye for two reasons. First, the artwork is of a three dimensional quality, and who doesn’t like 3D? When viewing Mr. Cutrona’s art, many positions have to be taken in order to see and understand the image. It is kind of like being a small bird that pecks away at sunflower seeds from a feeder. Images of worldly events such as President Bush being told about the attacks of 9/11, while reading to school children and familiar images of Osama Binladin are clearly displayed through this cool and intriguing medium of lenticular art. Images such as these are important for us as American citizens to remember the tragedy’s that occurred on that fateful day in September of 2001.

The second reason I took interest at Mr. Cutrona’s art, is that some images were not so favorable to my eye. Although most of the art takes a little focusing and head turning to really capture the images, and some were direct and needed no squinting or the cocking of one’s head to absorb that three of the figures were person’s of question to any American.

Gathered in a small cluster on the top of one of the images were the busts of Kim Jong Ill, Mahoud Ahmadinejad and Benito Mussolini. Clearly these individuals represent ideologies unfavorable to not only Americans, but anyone with respect to human rights, equality and associations of a free and democratic society.

I just found it very odd that these individuals were displayed on the walls of an American University. I needed more answers as to why; just thinking of the prints as art and blowing it off wasn’t enough. The old cliché “art is left up to interpretation” was not going to cut it.

So I wrote the artist and told him I wanted more than just a visual of what he was thinking, or what his point might be. After a lengthy letter from Mr. Cutrona it was clear that he hooked a fish on his bait of imagery. The letter was more about him, how smart and important he was and less about the images on the walls of my campus. In all fairness to Mr. Cutrona, I find him like any other artist with some success or integrity, to be articulate, engaging and a bit complicated. After hearing about his disfavor for the Bush administration, its practices and legitimizations of wire tapping’s through the patriot act. It was clear that Mr. Cutrona’s dislike for George W. Bush’s tenure in the oval office was not to his liking, thus linking American personas, ideologies and perspectives to Mussolini, Ahmadinejad and Kim Jong Ill.

How would these tyrants feel about having their pictures displayed in the halls of an American institution with no explanation of why they are there and what they represent?

Not everyone was a fan of George W. Bush, including myself, but to be connected with the likes of Ahmadinejad and the other two, thankfully deceased, leaders is questionable and unworthy of being hung on the walls of Fitchburg State University.

I am glad for Mr. Cutrona and his success as an artist, but what I am not glad about, is his way of sending his message or messages of distaste for an administration that clearly had some wrong doings in the eyes of some. but to link the Bush administration to the likes of Fascism and the direction of sustaining basic human rights, does not warrant the display of his ambiguous art to be displayed on the walls of an American University. I find Mr. Cutrona’s medium of visual art to be interesting and unique in nature, but to hide behind it with your political views in tow, lacks character, by not explaining why these individuals’ images have made it to Fitchburg State University and what messages they convey. This is a classic example of an artist leaning on the notion that art is interpretative and subjective and although I believe that to be true, just don’t connect your anti-American opinions to the likes of the three tyrants in your picture. I’m sorry, you have every right to have an opinion, just hang it on your own wall, not mine.