The Advocate, Issue 12, January 7, 2011

Volume 46, Issue 12

January 7, 2011

Prez wooed

by PA college

A cold start to winter quarter page 3

Sygielski finalist for Harrisburg position

Students brave sub-freezing temperatures Monday waiting to purchase textbooks at the MHCC bookstore. Public Safety helped control the lines and the Associated Student Government tried to help make students more comfortable by providing hot coffee.

5

Top 10 MHCC sports moments in 2010

6

Yes, there's an app for that. MHCC gets an iPhone application

7

By Jen Ashenberner The Advocate Two Harrisburg Area Community College board members visited the Gresham campus Wednesday as they consider whether to hire MHCC President John Sygielski to be their new leader.

Associated Student Government Director of Diversity Tra’ Ford said the trustee interviewed select members of ASG. According to Ford, the board members wanted to know what it has been like working with Sygielski. It was unclear who else the HACC board members talked to during their MHCC visit.

Sygielski is one of two finalists nominated for the HACC presidency at Harrisburg Area Community College and may soon be packing his bags for central Pennsylvania.

In an email sent Dec. 13 to college employees, Sygielski, the third president MHCC has seen in four years, announced he would be visiting the Pennsylvania college as a finalist for the position. According to the HACC website, Sygielski met with representatives at the college’s five campuses on Dec. 15-16.

“I’ve decided to explore it further. My status as a finalist will soon be announced publicly, so in the spirit of transparency, I wanted to make you aware of it,” he said in the email.

President of MHCC since July 2008, Sygielski told The Advocate Wednesday he has mixed emotions about the possibility of leaving MHCC. He said he could not speculate about the impact his departure would have on the college.

See Sygielski on page 3

Get your zen with R. Samuel Santi

2 OPINION Editors-in-Chief

Jen ashenberner & Jordan tichenor

Sports Editor Jon Fuccillo

Advertising Manager Copy Editor David Guida

Living Arts Editor David Gambill

Assistant Living Arts Editor Anevay Torrez

Photo Editor

Devin Courtright

Opinion Editor L. John King

Reporters Jill-Marie Gavin Chanel Hill Riley Hinds Laura Knudson Yuca Kosugi Mike Mata Jess Peterman Kylie Rogers Mario Rubio Shelby Schwartz John Tkebuchava Jessica Winters

Adviser

Bob Watkins

Assistant Adviser Dan Ernst

E-mail advocatt@mhcc.edu 503-491-7250 (Main) 503-491-7413 (Office) 503-591-6064 (Fax) www.advocate-online.net

THE ADVOCATE

JANUARY 7, 2011

Editorial

Faculty contract talks require concessions from both sides This should be self-evident, but based on a few of the news stories posted on the website in the last few months, apparently it is not.

During finals week of the fall term, a posting titled “Comment on Dec. 3, 2010, Advocate article” was published to the MHCC website which claimed that the full-time faculty association, and not the administration, has been delaying contract negotiations.

Before that, on Nov. 22, a posting titled “Financial Statement from the Mt. Hood Community College District Board of Education,” was posted to the front page under the heading of News. The posting briefly explained a general overview of the financial situation of the college, before delving into how this information supports the administration’s bargaining position.

On Nov. 9, a posting titled “Negotiations Update, Nov. 9” was published, saying “We want to take this moment to lay out a few simple facts so that all may be informed about the college’s package contract offer and the ongoing reality of the college’s financial situation.”

In this update, it is stated that “The proposal is fair and equitable,” which seems odd to put on the college website, since a large portion of the faculty feels that this statement isn’t true.

The update also stated “the college’s financial health suggests a Mt. Hood-level, not a Mt. Everest-level, is warranted at the top of the salary schedule.”

According to Director of Communications Maggie Huffman, who said she writes “99 percent” of the articles published to the MHCC

Is modern communication technology a tyrant?

Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham, Oregon 97030

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Front-page photo

by Devin Courtright

website, the website is all fact-based and intended to inform the college community.

On something that is supposed to be a unifying webpage for the entire college, it seems in bad form for the administration to use this tool against the faculty as part of their bargaining strategy.

But in fairness, the administration was mostly responding the faculty’s comment that the administration has been delaying negotiations. The entire discussion has been reduced to a high-stakes game of “he said, she said.”

If any substantial progress is going to be made when negotiations start again, with a mediator due on campus Jan. 11, both sides are going to need to sit down at the table as though the last eight months never happened and start fresh. All ego and preconceived notions are going to need to be checked at the door.

A strike doesn’t benefit anyone, but if impasse is declared and the administration ultimately implements its last best offer, it will likely only create resentment among the faculty.

This isn’t a game, and the actions of these two bargaining teams are going to spread and affect, in one way or another, up to 30,000 people. — the 30,000 students who the faculty are paid to teach, and who the administration are paid to serve.

Both sides are going to have to make concessions, and no one is going to be completely happy. But the only way everyone is going to benefit at this point is if both sides recognize where they can take some hits, and are willing to do so in the name of amicability and progress.

By L. John King The Advocate

"What we have here is a failure to communicate"; these are words that were first spoken in a speech about the Cold War by President Lyndon Johnson. A similar phrase was later made famous in the 1967 movie, Cool Hand Luke are now a part of our popular culture.

Let me suggest that in the information age, we as a society have no failure to communicate, far from it. Most every one of us is inundated with dozens of messages in the form of phone calls, voice mails, ordinary snail mail, email, IMs, text messages, and social networking postings every day of our lives.

The Nielsen Company states that the typical American spends four hours a day in front of a television. Of those four hours, one will be afflicted by up to 160 commercials; messages designed to compel us to purchase items and experiences that may or may

not bring us lasting fulfillment.

According to a Harris poll, we daily spend about two hours on the web, bombarded by pop-up ads promoting work at home schemes and male enhancement products.

Is it any wonder that we have become the A.D.D. generation?

An endangered species?

What we really have is a failure to contemplate. In an era with a thousand daily distractions how often do we meditate, ponder, and reflect? Of the distractions and attractions vying for your attention how many will truly matter a year or even week from now?

The electronic interruptions are a lot like never ending drops of cold water splashing on the forehead of someone being subjected to Chinese water torture?

How many moments of your day really belong to you? How many of your thoughts today will really be created by and birthed in your own mind?

Studies state that using a cell phone while driving is as detrimental as a blood alcohol level of .08%. Doesn’t all this technology affect our life skills and our job performance as well. Being so distracted, could we be walking though our daily lives just as impaired as if we had a “four beer buzz.”

Unplug the TV. Turn off the cell for 24 hours. Have a Facebook-free Friday. The world will not grind to a halt.

Rebel, rage against the machine, and familiarize yourself with your own personal philosophy. Think and live in the moment once again.

SPORTS

JANUARY 7, 2011

3

"In fighting terms, we took a lot of punches and weren't dishing them back."

Geoff Gibor, Saints mens head basketball coach

Overtime victory makes sweet Pendelton homecoming for Gibor

By Jon Fuccillo The Advocate

It’s a small world we live in and that cliché held true Tuesday night for head coach Geoff Gibor, whose team eeked out a 94-90 victory over the Blue Mountain Community College Mountaineers in Pendleton.

Saints men's basketball team

As Gibor walked into the Mountaineers’ gymnasium, memories came flooding back for the secondyear coach Saints coach. He was standing on the same court he once called home during his first two seasons of collegiate basketball back in 1996-1998 Gibor didn’t expect a homecoming parade; what he got was even better – his second victory over his alma mater in two tries this season. They beat the Mountaineers 65-57 on Dec. 12 at home.

“It’s good, it’s different,” Gibor said of returning to Pendleton. “I just know a lot of people who come out to support me. It’s a trip back home. You also want to go there and put a show on. I enjoy it.”

It wasn’t a pretty victory by any stretch of the imagination, but the Saints held on after losing a 13-point advantage in the first half to the Mountaineers (1-9). The game went into overtime thanks to freshman guard Otho Lesure, who knocked down a three-pointer at the buzzer after receiving the ball with 5.8 seconds on the clock. He dashed through traffic into the offensive end, found an open spot behind the arc and drained the shot that forced extra time.

“In fighting terms, we took a lot of punches and weren’t dishing them back,” Gibor said.

The coach said they had a designed play to set up Lesure for a good look at pushing overtime.

“We set a pick at half court for him,” Gibor said.

“Spencer (Clayton) set the pick for him. The guy (guarding Lesure) ran right into the pick.

Second -ear assistant coach Corey Nielson added, “It was crazy.”

Nielson and Gibor said they believe the team’s real issue Tuesday night was turnovers (19), a problem the Saints have had all season. They lead the NWAACCs with 234 turnovers.

But Nielson also gave credit to the offense of the Mountaineers.

“They ran their offense pretty well and we didn’t until the very end of the game,” Nielson said. We have to cut down our turnovers — and that’s coming from a guy who turned the ball over a lot as a player.”

Photo by jon fuccillo/the advocate

Head coach Geoff Gibor prepares his players Monday afternoon in the Mt. Hood gymnasium during practice to face his alma mater Blue Mountain Community College Tuesday night. The Saints walked away with a 94-90 victory over the Mountaineers in Pendleton. The Saints are 2-0 on the season against the Mountaineers.

Sophomore guard Delroy Gibbs added, “I don’t know what it was. We were up by double digits (during) the first half. But they were hitting shots.”

Gibbs, who scored 14 points, was one of five Saints who ended the contest in double figures.

High scorer was freshman guard Coletun Tarr who dropped 21 points (7-of-11) from the field. Freshman forward Rei Jensen added 19 while Lesure chipped in 15 and freshman forward Clayton added 13.

The Mountaineers have struggled to do anything well but lose during the early portion of the season.

They are mired in a four-game losing streak and their lone victory came Dec. 18 against the Edmonds Community College Tritons (2-6). Prior to that victory they started the season with five losses.

Without sophomore point guard Drew Johnson, who is recovering from a stress fracture in his left foot the Saints have depended on freshman point guard Marcus Moore from Las Vegas, to take over as offensive leader. During Tuesday’s game, Moore

and the coaching weren’t seeing eye to eye on a variety of offensive sets and they eventually had words with one another, that sent Moore to the bench after only six minutes of action. According to Gibor all issues have been resolved and Moore is expected to be back in the starting lineup Saturday when the Saints travel to play the Portland Community College Panthers (5-5) at 6 p.m. at the Cascade campus in Northeast Portland.

“It’s one of those deals where you have to make good decisions,” Gibor said on the issue. “It’s fine.

It’s a growing year for him (Moore). He showed his frustration and we showed our frustration.”

Heading into Southern Region play this Saturday, Gibor said he feels his team is prepared but still learning to adjust. He likes the direction and strides that his team is taking.

“I like that we have a lot of room for improvement,” Gibor said. “Every game is going to be a dog fight (in league play).

Tuesday's box score Saints: 94 Mountainteers: 90 Saints Jake Rickert Marcus Moore Coletun Tarr Otho Lesure Delroy Gibbs Robby Rivers Alan Yates Gerron Powell Rei Jensen Spencer Clayton

Min FG, M-A FT, M-A 10:08 1-2 0-0 5:34 2-5 0-0 29:00 7-11 5-7 33:22 3-6 7-8 28:20 6-10 0-1 13:36 1-3 0-0 11:06 1-3 0-0 15:29 1-2 0-0 28:15 5-9 9-14 25:10 6-11 1-2

A Pts 0 2 0 4 5 21 3 15 3 14 0 2 1 2 0 2 3 19 2 13

Mountaineers Min FG, M-A FT, M-A Gavin Burt 16:04 3-7 2-2 Keifer Kuhn 10:27 1-5 0-0 Sam Hermann 21:03 3-5 0-0 Sam Grogan 27:43 5-13 4-4 Kyle Davis 30:00 2-4 2-2 Ryan Strand 7:21 1-3 0-0 Robbie Church 29:58 3-11 0-0 Derrick Metcalf 6:01 0-1 0-0 Derrick Chambers 24:44 10-14 9-14 Tavin Hurley 31:00 2-8 12-14

A Pts 0 9 1 3 6 9 3 15 2 6 0 2 1 2 1 2 2 22 1 16

Totals

200

17

Totals

17

33-62

22-32

94

200

30-71

22-28

90

For more Mt. Hood men’s basketball game coverage and information visit:

www.advocate-online.net

4 SPORTS Lady Saints coach proud of team's reaction to adversity JANUARY 7, 2011

By Jon Fuccillo The Advocate

Head coach Larry Davis likes where his Lady Saints stand after 12 games, although their record would say otherwise.

Lady Saints women's basketball team The Lady Saints (4-8) traveled approximately six hours to play in the Camosun Christmas Classic Dec. 28-30 in Victoria, B.C. The tournament gave the Lady Saints one last chance to compete before league play starts Saturday on the road against the Portland Community College Panthers (4-7) at 4 p.m.

Davis said he feels he has learned a lot about his young team, which has had its fair share of injuries and setbacks in the early going.

“We have been hit by the injury bug,” Davis said. “We’re the Portland Trailblazers of (community) college basketball.

“It’s been one thing after another. We’ve had other things (besides injuries) here and there. But we’re doing our best. I’ve probably been harder on them than different groups in the past. But it’s been good. Can’t penalize this group for their effort. (We’ve) faced a lot of adversity.”

Two of those “other things” was the loss of 5-8 freshman guard Sarah Finlay from Reno High School, who originally committed to playing for the Saints before a sudden change in mind and she ended up signing with Cal-State University-East Bay. The team also lost freshman forward Mary Suing from Spring Creek, Nev., due to being “homesick.” Suing was also signed on to compete for the track and field team. She was expected to be a major impact player for Davis.

Sophomore post and Concordia transfer Jackie Cannon added to Davis’ comments.

“Our team has definitely had a lot of adversity,” Cannon said. “And going into conference (Saturday) will be challenging for us, but I think things are finally starting to click and starting to flow. I think we all are starting to get the feel for the level of play.”

The list of injuries is quite lengthy for the Lady Saints. Freshman forward Noelle Laffoon has suffered two concussions and a total of six over the years; her future is still up in the air. Freshman guard Natalie Humble had a concussion that sidelined her for two weeks. Freshman forward Melissa Carey broke her left hand in a freak accident and will sit out three to four weeks. Sophomore guard Charlie Neilan is battling a kidney infection. Freshman guard Gina Bianchi tore ligaments in her shooting hand in her thumb. Freshman forward Teri Gilbert is fighting through back spasms.

Through the panic of it all, they managed to pick up two victories during the Canada tournament, including a 66-57 win over the Langara College Falcons on Dec. 28, followed by a victory over the Capilano College Blues 74-61 on Dec.

photo by Devin Courtright/the advocate

Sophomore guard Charlie Neilan, right, shown earlier this season defending sophomore guard Ashley Jacobs from Pacific University in a scrimmage in the Mt. Hood gymnasium.

29. Then they fell short 84-78 on the final day to the host Camosun College Chargers.

“It was good,” Davis said of the Canada trip. “The overall experience. Girls did really good. This team is a lot faster than we have been in the past. So the style of play (during the tournament) transferred well. So overall it was good and the refs let us play (rough). We’re a physical team so that was good.

“It was more of a men’s hockey game up there. We took a beating.”

Davis said one of the biggest incentives has been that players are filling new roles and doing so with no complaints.

“They have shown tremendous growth,” he said. “(We are) having people accepting new roles.

Davis has a message for his critics and those who have doubted his team’s ability.

“From the outside looking in, it might not look good. People have no idea.

Our girls never quit. People have no clue what this team has gone through. It’s one of the funniest groups I have coached. (The players are) completely buying into the system. These girls have gone above their call of duty.”

"It was more of a men's hockey game up there (Camosun Christmas Classic). We took a beating."

Larry Davis, Saints women's head basketball coach

Freshman guard Natalie Humble

Upcoming Southern Region schedule

January 8 Mt. Hood vs. Portland

Portland

4 p.m.

Clackamas vs. Chemeketa

Salem

4 p.m.

Linn-Benton vs. Lane

Eugene

4 p.m.

SW Oregon vs. Umpqua

Rooseburg

4 p.m.

January 14 Lane vs. Mt. Hood

Gresham

5:30 p.m.

For more Mt. Hood Women’s basketball game coverage and information visit: www.advocate-online.net

SPORTS 5

JANUARY 7, 2011

Top 10 memorable moments during the 2010 Saints sports year The Advocate

By Jon Fuccillo

LaHeisman James returning to UO next year; Ducks looking for first "Natty" title My index and middle fingers have never been this crossed and clinched for any sporting event.

It's to the point that painful blisters are starting to form in anticipation of Monday’s BCS National Championship game in my former town of Glendale, Ariz., between the Oregon Ducks (12-0) and the Auburn Tigers (13-0).

I had two major New Year's sports resolutions for 2011 and one of them is in place: Heisman finalist and Oregon sophomore tailback LaMichael James, decided to further his education and prove to himself and his fans that he is more than just a student of the game, but also a superstar in the classroom.

The 5-9, 180-pound Texarkana, Texas, native choose the U of O for a few reasons, and one he says is its educational system, something the first team All-American running back takes great pride in. "I came to the University of Oregon to get a quality education as well as to play football, and feel I have yet to complete that goal," James said last Thursday in a statement to the press.

Second-year head coach Chip Kelly couldn’t have been more fired up when he heard the soon-to-be Ducks all-time leading rusher would be available next year. To say he was happy with James’ decision would do it justice.

“School is very, very important to him,” Kelly said. “I wouldn’t say the only part, but a big part (of his staying). I applaud him in his decision. He’s a very intelligent young man who works extremely hard at (school).”

Whether he's sincere about his education or not, Duck fans can start to breathe again and take it all in. A probable first-round selection in this year's NFL draft is coming back for one more season to shine on and off the gridiron.

What a beautiful statement for the young kid who dealt with so much off the field pressure and who had early run-ins with the law after being charged with a domestic violence offense before the season was under way.

Let it be known that an Oregonian through and through is rooting for the Ducks come Monday. Which brings me to my second resolution for 2011 – a beautiful BCS Championship trophy back in Eugene sparkling next to the rest of the bling that Mr. Nike Phil Knight has supported this Ducks team with over the years. I will even go out on a limb and say the Ducks will walk away with a 13-point victory (48-35) over the high-powered Auburn offense led by Sir Cam Newton, the Heisman winner and one of the top offensive players ever to touch a college football.

One thing is for sure: This is going to be one helluva game. It’s a win for the Ducks who made it this far. But with a fierce leader like Kelly, the Ducks have some unfinished business to prove to themselves, the fans, the biased sports world and, most importantly, anybody who has ties to the lovely state of Oregon, even those Beaver fans who didn’t get a bowl game to watch this year.

File photos

Clockwise from top left; Meadow McWhorter gets a shower of water after winning the NWAACC Championship at Delta Park on May. 24; Freshman Tahir Chakisso won the Southern Region Championship at Southwestern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay on Oct. 30; Sophomore volleyball player Kyra Speer earned Southern Region Player of the Year; Former Saint baseball player Taylor Ard was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 35th round (1067) but decided to take a full-ride scholarship with the Pac-10’s Washington State University.

*Top 10 events unranked

1 2 3 4 5

Saints softball team wins second consecutive NWAACC championship at Delta Park

Baseball's Taylor Ard gets drafted by the Florida Marlins but signs with Washington State University

Softball head coach Meadow McWhorter honored as the Southern Region and NWAACC Coach of the Year

Women's basketball team places 9th during the NWAACC tournament in the Tri-Cities

Baseball team misses the postseason for the first time in 16 years

6 7 8 9 10

Volleyball takes second place at NWAACC championship in consecutive years at MHCC gym

Sophomore Kyra Speer is honored as the Southern Region Player of the Year and as an All-American

Cross country's sophomore Tahir Chakisso wins the Southern Region and finished in 11th place at NWAACCs

Men's basketball team places 7th during the NWAACC tournament in the Tri-Cities

Sophomore Jr. Velasquez breaks 40-year mark in the shot put with a throw of 54'8.25 at Twilight

6 NEWS

JANUARY 7, 2011

Construction underway on new Childhood Development Center

Photo by Devin Courtright/The advocate

Construction of the new Childhood Development Center is underway in parking lot Z, at the north end of campus. Paul Dunlap, MHCC manager of capital construction projects, said Walsh Construction and independent contractors have poured the concrete to build the foundation and are laying out the underground plumbing and the electrical “rough-in.”

Dunlap said the new Childhood Development Center will be completed by September and will be fully operational for the early childhood care operators of Head Start by Sept. 1.

Bookstore line leads to frozen students

By Yuca Kosugi The Advocate

Students filled every aisle of the MHCC bookstore and eventually lined up outside in the cold as a rush to get textbooks overflowed the bookstore Monday and Tuesday.

Julie Godat, bookstore manager, called Public Safety because the bookstore, customer service, and coffee shop lines were converging and things became congested. The officers helped comb out the three lines and formed a line outside to regulate capacity.

“We were extremely slow the week before the holidays,” said Godat, adding it might be one reason why students have been piling in this week. Winter term books were available starting Dec. 6.

The bookstore was also open Dec. 31 and Jan. 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and there were people from the Business Office at the regis-

ters to help students with financial aid vouchers.

The first day financial aid was scheduled to be available was Monday, but Godat convinced the Financial Aid office to make it available earlier and they made the vouchers available on Sunday.

Another factor that may be affecting the long line is that 234 out of about 800 textbooks have rental options and students can take a few extra minutes at the register if they decide to rent a book, said Godat.

Godat suggested that students order books online, and pick them up 24 hours later at the customer service in the bookstore to cut waiting in line.

“There were hundreds of orders on Saturday and Sunday night,” said Godat. “We’re open to suggestions on ways to run this smoother,” she said.

Board approves classified employee pact; association scheduled to vote Thursday

By Jordan Tichenor The Advocate

The MHCC District board ratified a tentative three-year agreement with the Classified Employee Association Dec. 21, although the employees have yet to vote on the contract A general membership meeting of the classified association is scheduled Thursday, said Jennie Burlingame, president of the classified association.

The administration presented its final proposal after

a second mediation session on Dec. 13, and both sides tentatively agreed to the proposal, Burlingame said Thursday.

According to an update posted on the MHCC website, “The board’s action was intended to demonstrate clearly its good faith interest in bringing the negotiation process to a prompt and successful conclusion.”

Under this proposal, classified employees would receive a 1 percent cost of living increase in the second year, a 2

percent increase in the third year, and contribute 13 percent to medical and dental benefits. Early retirement health coverage would be selfpay, with the college contributing $525 a month, with a 5 percent annual increase until age 65.

Burlingame said, “If the members vote not to accept the tentative agreement, the college will most likely impose their last and final offer.”

Sygielski:“I would rather have a strong leader in place for a few years than a weak leader in place for many years" Continued from page 1 “Change can be challenging sometimes, especially when it occurs at the highest levels of leadership,” he said.

“The quality of a leader’s tenure cannot be determined only by how long he or she remains in a position. Instead, the quality of the tenure has to be evaluated by how much was achieved and how much progress was made,” he said.

“I would rather have a strong leader in place for a few years than a weak leader in place for many years. Therefore, quality matters, not quantity.”

Jack Schommer, MHCC Faculty Association president, said Wednesday, “He is a good president and he has been nice to work with.” According to Schommer, MHCC has benefited by having Sygielski as a president because he has redirected and connected MHCC with the community.

“Our ties are much stronger with the community,” Schommer said. “The effect of his leaving would be felt by higher levels but not so much by the students.”

HACC’s presidential search committee narrowed the search from six candidates in November to Sygielski, Dr. Don Doucette, vice president

President John Sygielski

of Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana, and a third candidate who later withdrew for unannounced reasons.

HACC has about 23,000 credit-seeking students and 50,000 non-credit seeking students enrolled at the college’s five campuses and its online campus, compared to MHCC’s 30,000 students.

Sygielski is an Ohio native, earned his doctoral degree in Illinois and was president at Lord Fairfax Community College in Virginia before coming to MHCC. MHCC Director of Communications Maggie Huffman said, “Whatever college that has Dr. Ski as their president is very fortunate.”

i wonder ...

Confused at MHCC? There's an app for that

By Riley Hinds The Advocate

In an effort to keep up with modernization, MHCC has developed an iPhone application downloadable at the MHCC website.

The application took six months to produce, and is the brainchild of several MHCC employees: Michael Callaghan, Chris Smith and Robert Hoard, who developed the program for Apple over a six-month period.

One of the program’s multiple funtions is to help students obtain their instructors’ contact information and includes a telephone directory, online maps, library access, homepage

access and MyMHCC. Callaghan, manager of network infrastructure and telecommunications at MHCC, said monthly updates are planned for ongoing improvement to the application.

So far the program is only available to iPhones; an update to expand availability is expected to be in place Jan. 30.

Callaghan added that although they have reports from iTunes stating 160 individuals have downloaded the application, they have had zero feedback so far.

“We want to hear feedback and ideas to make it better,” said Calaghan.

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LIVING ARTS 7

JANUARY 7, 2011

Photo by Mike Mata/The Advocate

Art by R. Samuel Santi being displayed in the Fireplace Gallery, at the Student Center, as part of “The Zen of Jazz,” through Jan. 27.

Grants Pass artist inspired by jazz radio station

By Jessica Winters The Advocate

“The Zen of Jazz,” on display in the College Center Fireplace Gallery through Jan. 27, was inspired by the music R. Samuel Santi heard on KMHD, the former MHCC jazz radio station.

“I have been working on this show for 10 years,” Santi said. He worked on it a little at a time when a jazz piece on the radio inspired him. He said, “I would work on one piece, put it down and pick up another.”

Santi began creating abstract art in the late 1950s coffeehouses where he painted bent guitars and banjos as backdrops for staging areas. He also painted abstract musicians, landscapes and mountainscapes to hang on the walls.

He moved to New York City in the mid-60s, but

eventually traveled west, selling his art along the way. He has lived and created art in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Ten years ago, he and his wife moved from California to make Grants Pass their home and where he shows his art regularly downtown.

He creates paintings, sculptures and constructions, but he said, “I am more of a painter than anything else.”

“I am always creating something and seeing art in everything,” Santi said. He enjoys abstract art because “it means different things to different people.” He doesn’t create art for the money. He said, “I do it because that is what I do.”

This is Santi’s second show in MHCC’s Fireplace Gallery. In February 2009, his exhibit called “40 Years of Founds & Rounds” displayed art in

CD Review: Cage the Elephants' new direction Jessica Peterman The Advocate

Cage the Elephant, a Kentucky-based rock band, will release its second studio album, “Thank You Happy Birthday,” on Tuesday, Lead singer Matt Shultz, in an interview with Artisan News Service, said, “It’s definitely a departure from what we did before, I mean it’s still us but we’ve grown a lot as a band, as writers, and in our musical tastes.”

The track “Always Something” is an upbeat, rigid, makes you want to get up and bounce around to the music kind of song.

If you ever get to see Shultz perform any of Cage the Elephant’s songs live, you’ll see him do exactly that. The lyrics have something everyone can draw a connection to.

“Aberdeen,” the second track on the album, is very ’90s Everclear-esque but with an ambient, urban twist.

The track “Indy Kidz” is definitely the hidden gem of this al-

bum. The breakdown in the last two minutes of the song will send you into a trance reminiscent of songs by The Doors. On stage, it almost seems as if Shultz channels Jim Morrison.

Shultz ironically chants to his listeners, “I wanna be just like you” and “You’re so cool.” The lyrics are surely a force to be reckoned with.

“Shake Me Down” is a single off this album and you will definitely recognize it if you are a frequent listener to Portland’s alternative rock station.

Track five, “2024,” has quite an upbeat feel. It has a breakdown that is an interesting mix between surfer and alternative punk rock. This song can be downloaded straight to your iTunes from the band’s Myspace page.

The album takes it down a notch or two with “Rubber Ball.”

This song is quite charming. It’s one of those songs that works for either driving aimlessly around town or singing you to sleep.

Track eight, “Right Before My Eyes,” is already well-known to devoted Cage the Elephant fans, though it has never been officially released until now.

The song was formerly known as “Timber Me Shivers.” It is another one of the slower songs on the album that definitely shows a softer, more sensitive side to Shultz.

His passion shines through in most all of his songs. With track eight, the personal factor is amplified through his lyrical capabilities and vocal strain.

Though this album seems to have taken a very progressive step toward a new sound, the track “Sabertooth Tiger” reverts to the band’s punk rock core.

The track “Around My Head” retreats to good old Cage the Elephant as well. However, it brings together a new twist of strange articulations and passionate, quirky vocals to make you smile. The song epitomizes the new direction the band is taking.

which he had used paint skin, wood shavings, glue and acrylic paint on plywood. At that time, he said he was still putting “The Zen of Jazz” together.

Santi said that Pam Kuretich, the student events and special projects coordinator at MHCC, knew about his jazz project and encouraged him to let her know when it was finished so it could be displayed in the Fireplace Gallery. He finished recently and his art went on display Tuesday.

Santi attributes the show to KMHD and the “wonderful jazz that seems to flow effortlessly through my brush on to these canvases.” He plans to donate 30 percent of the sales of the paintings to KMHD. An artist’s reception will be Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the College Center.

C a l e n d a r Monday, January 10

Skip vonKuske's "The Guest List" with Cellotronik 7 p.m. Edgefield winery 2126 S.W. Halsey St., Troutdale

Tuesday, January 11

Reel Music Festival 'The Anatomy of Vince Guaraldi' at Mission Theater 7:30 p.m.

1624 N.W. Glisan, Portland

Wedensday,January 12

Deadmeadow and Sweetapple to perform at Doug Fir Lounge 9 p.m.

830 E. Burnside St., Portland

Thursday, January 13

Billy D to perform at The Grand Lodge 7 p.m.

3505 Pacific Ave., Forest Grove

Friday, January 14

Women's basketball game vs. Lane CC 5:30 p.m. MHCC gym Men's basketball game vs. Lane CC 7:30 p.m. MHCC gym

8 THE FLIPSIDE 7 Saturday Showers 40o F

Day

THE ADVOCATE

JANUARY 7, 2011

Sunday Monday Partly Cloudy 38o F

Partly Cloudy 36o F

Tuesday Snow Showers 34o F

Wednesday Thursday Friday Rain/Snow 41o F

Showers 43o F

Showers 42o F

Bookstore offering anti-car theft devices

By Jill-Marie Gavin The Advocate

Forecast Forecast gathered from www.weather.com

BCS national championship game predictions

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AT www.advocate-online.net

The Mt. Hood Community College Bookstore is offering anti-car theft devices for an exclusively discounted price starting this winter term in the wake of a recent rise in campus crime.

Distributed from an outside buyer, “The Club” will be offered at nearly half retail price.

The bookstore bought the product in bulk to offer this student discount.

The device will sell for $12.99 Customers are limited to two devices per person. More will be ordered if the first shipment sells out.

Public safety and the bookstore have teamed

up to offer a partial solution to the on- campus car theft problem. Seven vehicles were reported stolen from campus lots in the last three weeks of November Public safety has issued a warning to those with older model cars because they are easier to steal.

Asked why car theft is escalating on campus, Maggie Huffman, director of communications, said, “Thieves are committing crimes of opportunity.

People are not locking their cars and leaving valuables behind.”

Huffman said she does not use “’The Club” offered by the bookstore but does use another device in her car that she’s owned for nearly 10 years.

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