Wednesday, April, 22, 2015
Volume 28, Issue 3
What is economics?
Written by Jacob Hallberg Economics is known as the staple between any transaction known to man. Simple actions such as going to Starbucks, or getting a pack of gum from the gas station, consists of economics. Although these trivial actions may seem unprolific they have large scale impacts on the total economic status of the area you are in. Moreover, economics may and likely is simple as a concept, but there many branches of economics that add to its complexity. Thankfully, Matthew Wilson, Economics Ph.D. holder from the University of Texas and a current macroeconomics professor at FRCC’s Westminster campus has agreed to help answer some very interesting questions regarding economics.
including individual people and also organizations, like business firms.” Essentially, microeconomics is the study of individuals and companies, hence the micro. Contrastly, when Wilson was asked about macroeconomics, he stated, “Macroeconomics deals with the economy as a whole. It studies business cycles, which are the recurring periods of expansion and contraction in the general business environment. It also studies the longrun growth trend of the economy.” Despite the fact that these two different types of economics may seem to be conflicting of each other, they act as complements and are very useful when tied together. Taking these classes in two consecutive The two most common economics semesters is highly recommended. classes taken at FRCC Westminster appear to be macro and micro How does economics affect the economics. What truly is the daily lives of the FRCC students? difference between these two separate Well, economics as an idea does not branches of economics? According only deal with currency. There are to Wilson, “microeconomics focuses numerous concepts within economics on individual decision makers, that can be broadly applied to multiple
Economics at work- Photo by Robin OConnell
areas of one’s life. Take opportunity cost as an example. Wilson clearly states the true definition of opportunity cost by saying, “It is the highest valued thing that you sacrifice in order to pursue a course of action. The true cost of anything is its opportunity cost.” This applies to any action you do. Deciding whether or not to study has its own opportunity cost. Your highest value thing you sacrificed may very well be the time you could be spending with your friends, or working, and the decision to study is what you sacrificed your time for. Albeit opportunity cost may seem trivial at first, but it has a large amount of advantages when planning out the future. Deciding to pursue an education for various students is a big decision. You have an opportunity cost of the time that could have been spent elsewhere, instead you spend that time in pursuit of a degree or more knowledge.
changing. Every microtransaction creates a cascading effect that furthers or inhibits the progress of the area’s economy. The money you spend repairing your car is paid to the mechanic who can then spend that money on food for his family from a grocery store and that grocery store can then pay their workers and the workers are now capable of paying for their needs and so on and so forth. This makes decisions very hard for economist. They need to account for a myriad of details when creating an economic program. One example of the cascading effect is tax cuts. “Tax cuts increase disposable income,” explains Wilson, “ When people spend their tax cuts, the money they spend is received by the producers of goods and services. This amounts to additional income to those producers, who, in turn, spend these additional incomes, which provides even more income to the sellers who they buy from.” Economists call this the “tax The economic state of the area multiplier” because each dollar or society you are in is constantly of tax cuts cascades into multiple Story continued on page 6
American Sign Language The Front Page
Page 2
Written by Alyssa Ojibway Learning another language can be an incredible experience by bringing to life dreams of visiting abroad and speaking the romantic languages we had studied hard to learn. With these dreams of walking the banks of Venice, speaking perfect Italian, it’s easy to see how many would lean towards French or Spanish while overlooking American Sign Language (ASL).
as an interpreter does not sound exciting for you, the skill has a wide array of uses that could help in the work field. Many customers or business partners may know
Although it is easy to miss, American Sign Language is actually a top contender for widely ASL and your proficiency would used languages in the United States; make you an asset to the company. making the need for interpreters and speakers of the language all ASL classes are available through the more valuable. Even if a career Front Range Community College in a
variety of options. The Westminster Campus also offers an Interpreter Preparation Degree organized and lead by Michelle Stricklen. The academic program's description, found on F R C C ' s website, gives information on what it is like to be an Interpreter, the requirements of being admitted to the program, as well as special activities offered. Students who want to be accepted into the program must be fluent in ASL, as well as English, and are
Mental Illness Affects Us All
April 22, 2015
expected to attend classes on a fulltime basis (no part-time enrollees). These activities include the IPP lab where students can watch videos available through the lab library that cover everything from the basics to situational instances that an interpreter would encounter. Non-accredited classes are also offered through the Larimer Campus for a flat rate. They normally meet twice a week and are taught by a certified interpreter. You could also sign up for classes directly through the Westminster Campus for the basics all the way up to being accepted for the Interpreter Preparation program. ASL may not send your mind to the Louvre in Paris, but like learning any great language, it will still open up great doors and opportunities. For more information, please contact Michelle Stricklen @ Michelle.Stricklen@frontrange.edu.
Written by Alexis Bauer
Not every adult has had a form of mental illness, yet most have been affected by one. The National Alliance on Mental Illness states that 1 in 5 adults suffer from mental illnesses annually. If twenty percent of adults feel the effects of these common ailments on an intimate level, chances are you may too. Despite the public knowledge regarding this concern, many of those who struggle with these challenges are too uncomfortable to look for a solution. With increasing awareness about mental health through channels like social media, help is becoming more readily available. As wonderful as this has been for those who actively seek it, there’s a high portion of the population that are too embarrassed to do so. Countless comics, blog posts, and status updates express the frustration that comes with the social stigma of mental illness. A popular advocate for raising awareness, George Takei (Star Trek actor), recently posted an article on Facebook about anxiety and the way it is perceived by those who do not have it. A common misconception is that you can “just get over it”, or think the problem away. To put this idea in to Ricky Gervais’s (creator of The Office) words, “Telling someone with depression to pull themselves
together is about as useful as telling someone with cancer to just stop having cancer.” Celebrities may be able to help spread the truth more easily than the rest of us, but is it
Telling someone with depression to pull themselves together is about as useful as telling someone with cancer to just stop having cancer. -Ricky Gervais
enough for the 10 million Facebook users who follow these two celebrities to skim over this information in their News Feed? While there have been positive changes towards the attitude
and perception of mental illnesses, we still find ourselves in the midst of people who refuse to believe that the brain can’t possibly have a debilitating illness affecting emotions. As a personal sufferer of anxiety, it astonishes me how often I hear “get it together” instead of “someone can help you work through this.” As is the case for almost all illnesses, there are multiple support groups, physicians, and anonymous services that provide a multitude of avenues for help. Whether you or a loved one suffers from anxiety, depression, OCD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, or any other malady, there is a method of support available. The only time a mental illness cannot be treated is if the affected person(s) does not seek treatment. If an untreated mental illness goes unnoticed it could become more obvious when placed under the pressure we are all placed under in order to succeed. Students are affected by stress factors that are unique to the school lifestyle; such as studying, homework, juggling life outside of school, student debt, and endless other sources of stress. Luckily for Front Range Students, our college is very understanding about
the struggles that students endure individually, and as a student body. Under the Resources tab in eWolf there are many options available to find someone who will be able to help you. Each FRCC campus has a free counselor who can help with stress management, overwhelming feelings, and they can offer an open ear. These counselors are confidential, supportive, and full of information regarding outside help if that is what is best suited for your concerns. Understandably, it can be intimidating to approach someone for assistance when you feel negatively about your mental health. These counsellors may be reached through telephone, or email, if coming appearing in person is not your ideal setting. If you have a concern regarding another student who may suffer from an illness, do not hesitate to fill out a Student of Concern Report (under Resources>Academic Resources). This report is kept confidential (and can be anonymous) and may help someone who is too apprehensive to reach out for help. Another way to help is to offer support to those you know who are affected by mental illness. Sometimes a simple compliment, or reassuring word here and there, can do more than you are aware of.
Jazz Appreciation Month April 22, 2015
The Front Page
Page 3
What is it? Where does it come from? Written by Julian Hamilton
Since 2002, every April, museums American communities in the south. across the country have taken to The harsh and unjust conditions following the Smithsonian in a by African-American celebration of one of America’s endured most widely beloved and unique peoples during this time gave limited opportunities for musically-inclined individuals to flourish, much less pursue their own careers, but two distinct musical styles would eventually emerge: Ragtime and The Blues. The former, an upbeat style of music played in dancehalls and parlors in the red-light districts of Missouri and Louisiana, would eventually go on to become quite popular across racial boundaries. Rags, as arrangements in this style were often called, supposedly http://www.nmjazz.org stemmed from marching tunes and carry an energetic tempo that contributions to the world, often encouraged dancing and a good time. considered its “original” and sometimes only true art form: Jazz music! Unfortunately, as rags grew Jazz has deep and complex roots in popularity in our country, intertwined with some with white of the largest and most important c o m m u n i t i e s societal and cultural periods in they were American history for the better i n c r e a s i n g l y part of the last century and Jazz subject to racist Appreciation Month (JAM) aims alteration. In to bring this to the forefront of the time, the genre public’s attention, explaining where degraded into the musical art came from and how it d e r o g a t o r y came to be what it’s known as today. “coon songs” to meet with popular Jazz is a distinct and influential demand, a harrowing shift in tune part of African-American history and right at home with the underlying music culture, which is particularly sentiments of the other major relevant as music played a huge and musical genre to emerge before jazz. integral role in the eventual process of dismantling societal segregation in The Blues, an emotionally charged the states. The origins go as far back and often wistful alternative to the as 1817 New Orleans where slaves airiness of ragtime ditties gains in French colonial districts would traction in the working south, as gather in a government-sanctioned well. Soulful, and evocative of the public park, deemed “Congo hardships and struggles faced by Square”, on Sundays for community African-American laborers for many, performances celebrating the music many years, the Blues call upon and dances of their diverse heritages. influences as old as field hollers and Though this was, in general, frowned slave working songs and are meant upon by white slave-owners and to be a positive, cathartic listening eventually stifled by increasingly experience in spite of their often oppressive laws, the unique sound sorrowful or tragic lyrical content. and personality of the performances Influential African-American like these captivated onlookers and composer and musician W.C. Handy, contributed greatly to the ongoing while traveling through Mississippi presence of music in early African- in 1903, recounts his first exposure
to this uniquely southern music as follows in his 1941 autobiography: “…As he played, he pressed a knife on the strings of the guitar in a manner popularized by Hawaiian guitarists who used steel bars....The singer repeated the line three times, accompanying himself on the guitar with the weirdest music I had ever heard.” Handy describes the singer as a “ragged man”, and the repeated line in question was about “goin’ where the Southern cross the Dog”, apparently a reference to making tracks across a pair of prominent southern railroads to look for work and a new life elsewhere. Handy was fascinated by the man’s haunting musical soliloquy and as he travelled further south he was repeatedly exposed to similar sounds and performances that he would learn was called The Blues. Inspired by the unique sound, which he would http://wemu.org d e s c r i b e again as “haunting, though not unpleasant”, Handy became the first composer to transcribe sheet music for traditional blues music in 1912 with the hit “Memphis Blues” which is often accredited with helping to grow the popularity of the genre outside the working south and making it more readily available to a much wider range of musicians. With Ragtime and The Blues both enjoying a great deal of popularity, especially in New Orleans, always known for its music, a new style would begin to emerge. Inspired musicians began to improvise and would begin playing their own instrumental solos as a sort of emotional “call and response” during breaks in the music,
charging each member of the band with their own personality and artistic inflection. This new personalized hybrid movement marked the very beginnings of jazz. Influenced by the personality and emotional weight of the blues and the upbeat tempos of rag, it very quickly exploded out of New Orleans and became one of the most popular musical styles in the south. The deeper complexity and variety in jazz songs began to put ragtime on the decline, but racism’s tight grip on the city and the closing of many of New Orleans’ most prominent musical districts pushed many jazz musicians northwards out of the city and towards Chicago, bringing the music to new ears. Despite these migrations, jazz remained alive and well in New Orleans for many years to come and a large and colorful cast of characters and beloved musicians arise out of the movement, including, but not certainly not limited to, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, Thelonious Monk, Jelly Roll Morton, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday, and King Oliver. Because the heart of jazz music is improvisational, each of these musicians, among many others, brought their own unique flavor and flair to the genre and contributed wildly different techniques, ideas, and instrumental styles into the melting pot of music. Further expounding on the collaborative nature of jazz, and contributing greatly to its diverse nature and perpetual growth, is the concurrent prominence of the blues, which unlike ragtime never faded out of popular favor, and the overlap of these two genres, one young and one
www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org Continued on page 6
The Front Page
Page 4
April 22, 2015
Midterm Madness! FRCC’s Community Engagement Committee (CEC) sponsored a midterm dodgeball tournament on April 7, 2015 to build community amongst the Faculty, staff, administration and instructors. The Student Services team won the competition. Good Job Student Services!
Thank you for helping us build community across the Westminster campus! The CEC team: Jessica Mahoney Mike Ruberto Steven Yamiolkoski Heidi Strange Brandon Stow
Photos Courtesy the CEC
April 22, 2015
Page 5
The Front Page
Upcoming Events Wednesday, April 22nd, 11:30 am -12:30 pm, Rocky Mountain Room C0770Enjoy a FREE MEAL* as we present the Hunger Banquet! Nearly 1 in 7 Coloradans struggled with hunger in 2013, facing times when there was not enough
money to buy food for their families or themselves. If you receive “food stamps” your average allotment per meal is only $1.38. Join us to learn more. Presented by students in the CCR 093 course taught by April Lewandowski.
Saturday, April 25, 2015, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Rocky Mountain Room C0770
Monday: April 27, 2015 Thursday, April 30, 2015, High Plains Fitness Center
The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) Spring Induction Ceremony
Intramurals Volleyball: Playoffs
ENGLISH FACULTY READING
PUTTING OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTHS ARE WHEN
April 28 6 pm – 730 pm th
WHERE
FRCC College Hill Library Room L211 3645 W 112th Ave, Westminster, CO 80031
FEATURING · Prose · Poetry · Creative Non-Fiction · Essays · and MORE! ·
EVERYONE WELCOME!
FREE EVENT!
FEATURING
Jonathan Montgomery Nick Morris Mark Ducharme Victoria Ashford April Lewandowski Kathy Mullins Tino Gomez And MORE!
REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED!
The Front Page
Page 6
Economics
Continued from Cover amounts of the initial
value.
Many of you may have previously heard of market monopolies. Monopolies can be extremely detrimental to the economy of an area depending on the type of the monopoly. Competition is needed to create successful markets and return the economy to equilibrium, the point when supply and demand are even. Standard monopolies “restrict the output and charge a higher price,” explains Wilson. Monopolies with full market control are able to supervise most variables of sale, meaning they are able to restrict the amount of product released as well as the price. This leads to an inefficient use of resources, the exact opposite ofan economist’s dream. According to Wilson, perfect competition, the near opposite of an monopoly “leads to the efficient use of resources.” Perfect competition is when a market is extremely saturated with
Jazz
Continued from page 3 much older, created some of the most memorable sounds of the era. One of the most famous blues singers of her day, Mamie Smith, incorporated the new inspirations of jazz into her work during this time and renamed her band the Jazz Hounds, for instance. Though born out of the unfortunate, racist, and heavily segregated circumstances of the time, “Color Records” creates a separate music industry for African-Americans. This does nothing to dissolve social tensions or relieve discrimination, but it does allow for a broader range of opportunities and audiences for African-American musicians. In the 1920’s jazz picks up across the country as it moves further out of the south, following the earlier migration of blues artists. King Oliver’s band, with Louis Armstrong in tow, starts performing out of Chicago as does Jelly Roll Morton, who brings with him collaborative performances with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. Louis Armstrong develops the singing
buyers and sellers. This leads to no individuals having any direct impact on the total control of the market. Although that may seem unfavorable at first it actually grants better gains for buyers because they know they have variety when considering a product. With the decrease in the cost of moving a product from point A to point B market efficiency has the capability of rapidly improving. “Markets have geographic boundaries. These boundaries are determined by things like transportation and communication costs as well as returns to scale and population density,” Wilson added, “Decreasing transportation and communications costs, in particular, have caused the geographic boundaries on some markets to expand so drastically that, basically, a market may now be the whole world.” In essence this may seem inadequate to have a global market, but as proclaimed in the perfect competition explanation, greater amounts of buyers and
technique of scatting which he puts to use in his first commercially successful original arrangements with the help of his own recording group, the Hot Five (later the Hot Seven). Meanwhile in New York, jazz pianist James P. Johnson records a song called Charleston for a Broadway production which becomes an international sensation, inspiring the famous dance of the same name and up and coming artists, composers, and bandleaders like Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway begin to frequent the Cotton Club. Though the establishment was “whites only” it was famous for its black music and entertainment. Jazz’ cultural relevance and popularity carry over into the 1930’s when the great depression hits. The uplifting musical stylings and feeling of collaboration in jazz performances keeps dancehalls alive and pioneers the term “swing” to describe the collaborative rhythm between the musicians and the dancers alike. In 1932, Duke Ellington records “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing)” which marks the formal acceptance of the term and its first official
April 22, 2015
Spring 2015 OPEN HOUSE! Date: Thursday, April 30, 2015 Time: 4:30-7:30pm - Stop by at any time! Location: FRCC Westminster Campus - Rocky Mountain Room Learn about our academic programs and talk with our faculty members. Get detailed information about financial aid, advising, and transfer options. Take a tour of campus. Talk to current students and find out if FRCC is the right fit for them. Enjoy food, giveaways, and other surprises! sellers improves resource efficiency. Resource efficiency appears to be the driving force behind the study of micro and macro economics. If you think you are capable and are interested in being more efficient in
your spending of multiple resources, not just currency, then the micro and macro economic classes may be right up your alley. The Front Page would like to thank professor Wilson for answering some of these thought-provoking questions.
appearance in a recorded song title. any artists before them. Musical tastes in America were beginning By this point jazz had infiltrated to expand, opening new avenues the heart of American culture and and opportunities for the art form. was booming in the largest and most successful parts of the country. The Though it would finally begin most popular and famous venues to see its decline from mainstream were alive with the vibrant sounds popularity in the 1950’s when electric of this rich music and foreigners instruments became more popular, visiting the establishments of up jazz would not be forgotten. The and coming America took notice. blues, one of the primary building It wasn’t long before they began blocks for and contemporaries of bringing the sound overseas with the jazz movement, would enjoy a them in the form of tours and radio large resurgence at the onset of the broadcast. Louis Armstrong in age of rock ‘n’ roll with artists like particular enjoyed a wide number Muddy Waters ushering in a new of international tours, playing for a age of contemporary music from great number of different audiences. the south. Jazz became considered a more classical style of music Swing jazz dominates airtimes as times changed and today it is and concert halls for much of this not only remembered as one of era but yet another change was on the most beloved and influential the horizon. The 1940’s saw what eras of American music, but as some might call the last great age an important part of our national of jazz, the introduction of more history as ongoing exhibits and complex styles such as bebop celebrations like JAM attest. and “free-form jazz” heralded by Thelonious Monk and Dizzy Information Researched at PBS. Gylespie. The improvisational core org, americanhistory.si.edu (The that has always been at the heart of Smithsonian), and jazzinamerica. jazz was taken to new extremes as org (A Timeline of Jazz). Additional bands and artists experimented with information cited from W.C. Handy’s further freedoms and influences than autobiography “The Father of Blues”.
April 22, 2015
The Front Page
Balancing Life With School
Page 7
Written by Alyssa Ojibway
The act of balancing every avenue in one’s life has long been a trait many have wished for, especially when taking those first few steps into the college life. As important as schooling is one can always find themselves with too many things to do, so many new people to meet, and so many dreams to pursue. Current Front Range student Viktoriya Martinez, is taking anywhere from two to three classes per semester while maintaining a full time job at a local grocery store. Furthermore, she is the mother to two young children.
work; making sure her son makes it to his swimming and karate lessons and picking up and dropping off her daughter at daycare. All while still finding the time to take them to the
Martinez says, “Currently I am enrolled in the Retail Management Program. I am also on the waiting list for Nursing Program at FRCC.”
park nearly every day.
Though her work schedule varies from week to week she takes care of her children before and after
This workload alone puts her at fifty-plus hours a week she is devoting to the necessities. Yet,
possible? Balance is defined as “a state of equilibrium or parity”; the act of maintaining equal parts, effort, and enthusiasm throughout. Martinez states, “I choose the life I
Wolf Play
Coloring Corner
Intramurals
For Wolf Play Intramurals Final score was 63 Flint Tropics, 57 Ball is Life! Playoffs were a double elimination tournament with Flint Tropics ending undefeated. Ball is Life fought back from a loss in the second round to make it to the championship game. 32 High Plains Fitness Center members participated in our inaugural Wolf Play 4 on 4 Basketball Intramurals Spring 2015 season, we are excited to offer it next year. Stay on the Lookout to register at www.imleagues.com/frcc Final
Game
Rosters:
Flint Tropics: Andrew Jauregui (captain), Matt Lieberman, Dillion Medina, Stuart Miller, Ruben Pena, Elijah Smith, Cody Strock. Ball is Life:Dirk Bowman (captain), Keith Artis, Kody Bettcher, Edwin Lopez, Matthew Pike, Noah Proskey.
Scan here with your Smartphone for our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/thefrontpage
How is this all even
live. It can be hard sometimes, but I can't imagine it any other way.” These are the people who take on the challenges of obtaining a degree with every other activity they have in their lives. Whether it is their growing families, working full-time, or juggling part-time positions to obtain a forty hour work week, there is always something keeping them occupied. Along the lines of discovering one’s self, they can become lost in the schoolwork and fall behind. When asked if she had any advice for us to better balance our lives, Martinez shared, “Don’t ever slow down! Everything is worth it!”
The Front Page
Page 8
All clubs meet in the Student Organization Center C-0501 Monday:
April 22, 2015
Wednesday: Future Business Leaders of America 12- 1 pm Active Minds 1- 2 pm
Student Government 4- 5 pm
Genders & Sexuality Alliance For more information, please contact: Alana McCoy Academic Advisor alana.mccoy@frontrange.edu
Thursday: Future interpreters of Colorado 9-10 am
Tuesday:
Friday: Writing Club 12:30- 2:30 pm The Science Society 1-2 pm
Active Minds 10-11 am
PTK 12-1 pm Astronomy 3-4 pm
Wednesdays: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm, located in C0501 Thursdays: 10:00 am - 11:00 am, located in C0501 Rae Gandy / President of Active Minds, FRCC Westminster Chapter sgandy2@student.cccs.edu Tracey Carreon / Faculty Advisor of Active Minds, FRCC Westminster Chaptertracy.carreon@frontrange.edu
Advisors Julie Beggs
Tino Gomez The entire content of The Front Page is Copyrighted by the FRCC Board of Publications. No part of the publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The staff of The Front Page is encouraged to subscribe to the principles of the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. Inquiries may be referred to the Office of Human Resources, 3645 W. 112th Avenue, Westminster CO 80031-2199, (303-466-8811); The Director of Affirmative Action for the Colorado College System, 9101 E. Lowry Blvd., Denver CO 80230-6011; or to the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Dept. of Education, 1961 Stout St., Denver CO 80204
303-404-5534 | Frontpage@frontrange.edu
Nick Morris Managing & Layout Editor Robin OConnell Copy Editor Koa Avery
Staff Reporters
Alexis Bauer Andy Goad Jacob Hallberg Julian Hamilton Alyssa Ojibway