The Independent Student Voice of Mt. Hood Community College
Jan. 30, 2015
Volume 50, Issue 15
the
advocate FOUR OF SEVEN SEATS ARE OPEN MHCC BOARD OF EDUCATION
PREPARES FOR ELECTION PAGE 5
ROCKY START FOR ROCK WALL
PAGE 4
POWER COUPLE TALKS POWERS
PAGE 6
SAINTS STILL STALLED
PAGE 10
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the advocate
OPINION
January 30, 2015
Editorial | The Wi-Fi needs improvement; central spots are key Although Mt. Hood is technologically ahead of many other community colleges, it’s a huge disappointment for such a progressive school to lack sufficient Wi-Fi. In-fact, the Wi-Fi here at MHCC is causing widespread grief. Besides slow Internet, what’s especially wrong with our Wi-Fi is that it boots us off unexpectedly. It fails to efficiently notify our cell phone devices when we are disconnected. It’s a dire situation to be running low on data and unaware of it being used up while at school. For some of us, the log-in page to connect to student Wi-Fi doesn’t even show up.
According to the net-workers in the Information Technology department at Mt. Hood, there are 20 or so hubs installed throughout campus. They each hold a certain capacity and if the router reaches its capacity, it starts booting users off. First World problems, right? Of course, but Wi-Fi these days is a necessity. Online courses, FAFSA submissions, and research papers - much of our schoolwork requires the use of Internet. It’s the bread and butter of academic life, or life in general.
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Don’t get us wrong; we are beyond thankful for the resources Mt. Hood has provided us in the midst of a budget crisis. It is truly amazing how privileged we are at this college to work with advanced technology and equipment. The network department in the IT is working tremendously hard to establish more Wi-Fi hubs throughout campus while also attempting to reach more classrooms. However, Mt. Hood’s budget problems negatively affect the ability for IT to fix our WiFi woes. It’s not just a matter of a few nickels and dimes: Each router we currently have costs about a thousand dollars. The reality is, the budget crisis has stagnated our ability to use top-notch Wi-Fi. All parties have confessed to dead spots on campus, but due to our limited funds, we should continue to sacrifice those sparse areas for the most beneficial use of the coverage. MHCC could pool our immediate resources to generate most of the Wi-Fi hubs in those areas of the campus where the majority of students gather. The Advocate communicated with about 30 students who said they prefer better Wi-Fi in the Library, Student Union, and in Vista. So we think stronger Wi-Fi is better suited in common areas on campus, as opposed to in classrooms. We recognize that not everyone may feel this way. The most powerful tool in changing things is communication. The network department would love to know where students are expecting better Wi-Fi. It would be beneficial for students and faculty to reach out to administrators and let them know what’s most important to them - specifically where they want better Internet connection. There will be a variety of different concerns, but there are some things that seem to touch everyone. Internet is vital to our work as students, and we would love to see it working faster and not booting us off every 20 minutes or so.
Chat with Barney What do you think about the Wi-Fi at MHCC? Is it sufficient?
“In the performing arts area, there is no connection. In other places it’s there, but it’s really low. The only place it’s fast is in the computer lab, otherwise everywhere else it’s just fast enough.” Amy Veenker Student, General Studies
“It’s decent. I don’t know about the Guest Wi-Fi but I think the Student Wi-Fi is decent.” Cierra Wade Student, General Studies
chatwithbarney@gmail.com
Graphic by Shawnie Fortune
the advocate Editor-in-Chief Greg Leonov Lifestyle Editor Adam Elwell News Editor Hayden Hunter
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Sports Editor Brandon Raleigh
Opinion Editor Emily Wintringham
Copy Editor Hayden Hunter
Audio Engineer Jake Swindell
Graphic Designers Heather Golan Shawnie Fortune
Video Editors Aurora Angeles Thomas Stewart
Photo Editor Beka Haugen
Ad Manager David Ahlson
Reporters David Ahlson Will Darkins Austin Guerrero Isaiah Ishman Alex Seymour Jake Swindell David Teas
Advisers Howard Buck Dan Ernst Bob Watkins E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu Phone: 503-491-7250 www.advocate-online.net #mhccadvocate Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham, Oregon 97030
The Advocate encourages readers to share their opinion by letters to the editor and guest columns for publication. All submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name and contact information. Contact information will not be printed unless requested. Original copies will not be returned to the author. The Advocate will not print any unsigned submission. Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 600. The decision to publish is at the discretion of the editorial board. The Advocate reserves the right to edit for style, punctuation, grammar and length. Please bring submissions to The Advocate in Room 1369, or e-mail them to advocatt@mhcc.edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday the week of publication to be considered for print. Opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Advocate or MHCC. Cover graphic by Heather Golan - the advocate
the advocate
OPINION
January 30, 2015
Column | Batman is the best; Superman is a sellout “Our group of friends are “Itpretty reallydiverse.” depends on where I’m at in the building. In my anatomy classAlex it’s spotty Garcia at best.” Tristan Wellnitz Student, Radiography major
“The Vista has better Wi-Fi than the Library, which is ridiculous. I come in here (Vista) to use Wi-Fi.” Chris Nguyen Student, General Studies
“I think there are some dead spots. It’s either good or it’s nothing.” Joshua Westover Student, General Studies
“It’s fecal matter” Hayden Hunter Student, Psychology major
Adam Elwell the advocate
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uthorial intent is dead. Mass production is the standard; ergo, the masses determine what’s of merit in the art
world. The masses have spoken: Batman is cooler than Superman. I honestly feel as if I shouldn’t have to write this, but some people (Hayden) just can’t think rationally about characters from their childhood. And I understand that; nostalgia can be a powerful emotion – but it’s just as understandable that I would express concern when someone tells me that said nostalgia revolves around an illegal alien/felon who wears his underwear over his pants. I know some super-freaks out there would point to Batman’s relationship with Robin in an attempt to degrade the dynamic duo, and to those people I say: Shame on you. What they have is platonic and beautiful. You need help. Other naysayers complain that Batman is too dark. Oh, I’m sorry. I guess too many peo-
ple died in The Charge of the Light Brigade for your taste, too? Were Romeo and Juliet a little too heavy on the romance? But, concerning my original point, the canon is simply too big. For example, Aquaman might have been rebooted as a total badass in the New 52 with a bunch of new powers but that’s not the public’s opinion of Aquaman. There are so many contradictions in the DC universe, it would be just plain stupid to judge superheroes based exclusively on the super-powers attributed to them over the years. But, Batman has no powers, you say? Exactly! He earned his stripes, and you’re definitely not going to catch him crying over a few glowing rocks. What is Superman without his powers? Answer: a closeted spandex fetishist who never adjusted to life outside of Kansas. Go back to the farm, hayseed, Metropolis never asked for you. The people of Gotham, however, did consent to Batman’s vigilante shenanigans, clearly shown through the beacon of hope that is the Bat Signal.
And one more thing: What is “Superman” if not a corporate catch-all, targeted towards children? It might have seemed humorous at the time, but conversations like the one in “Stand by Me” that compared him to Mighty Mouse are very relevant. It’s right there in his name- he’s just “super.” He needs no depth or integrity because he’s a walking ad.
Graphic by Adam Elwell and Emily Wintringham
Take part in the college-wide survey LET ASG AND THE ADVOCATE KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT DESIGNATED SMOKING AREAS. TAKE THE SURVEY AT: HTTP://SURVEYMONKEY.COM/S/MHCCSMOKING EMAIL THE ADVOCATE AT: CHATWITHBARNEY@GMAIL.COM Graphic by Sarah Hyndshaw
Mt. Hood’s Associated Student Government is currently taking a survey to find out if students and staff would like to see the campus tobacco ban changed. Smoking and use of tobacco-related products is currently prohibited on campus, and has been since 2010. The Advocate has been working with ASG to gather statistics from other colleges and universities to see how their policies are working for them. We will following up our editorial from Oct. 31 with another in which we will discuss the results of our research.
-Greg Leonov
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the advocate
NEWS
January 30, 2015
Return of the rock wall Hayden Hunter the advocate
Come one, come all: Climbers, athletes, thrill seekers, and even the average Janes and Joes can seek to better themselves, or just have fun, on the reopened rock wall in the MHCC Aquatic Center. According to Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education (WLEE) student Mike Summers, the campus rock wall has not been getting the attention it deserves. He works at the facility three days a week, helping students traverse the wall safely. “So far I’ve had as many as eight or nine people in here,” Summers said. He said the rock wall has been open only for a few weeks and not a lot of people know about it. The rock wall is 35 feet tall and 75 feet wide, formed against two walls in the shape of an “L.” There are 20 different routes that climbers can traverse on the wooden-construction wall. Summers said that the rock wall is not just for climbing enthusiasts or athletes. “It’s for anyone who likes to push themselves, for anybody who needs exercise and is looking for a fun way to do it,” he said. “People are having fun with it,” Summers continued. He told a story about how a dad and his son started coming in the first week, then the following week they convinced the daughter to come, and the week after that they somehow convinced the mother to try it out. He said they are now coming in once a week as a family, getting their exercise and enjoying it. The wall was recently was inspected by
two outside corporations – a local Tigard company, Synergo, and a national climbing company, Rockwerx – to make sure that it is up to standards. According to Josh Stratman, WLEE program coordinator, “nothing real major had to be changed.” Stratman himself spent his summer pulling together bits of policies and procedures to form the training manual for the student workers, including Summers, who help belay students (tend the safety rope all climbers use). He also created a computer system that tracks students who are certified to belay (other) students, among other things. One significant change that was implemented was taking out the safety nets and putting in foam carpets that are meant to absorb falls from higher up the climbing wall. “Trying to make everything run smoothly,” said Stratman. The rock wall is open to MHCC students and nonstudents from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. It costs students $4 and nonstudents $6 per visit. A cool option for the rock wall is the 10-punch pass, which can be bought for $54 by community members, or $30 for students (an average of $3 per climb). Students who sign up for rock climbing courses - Interim to gym climbing, beginning rock climbing, and intermediate rock climbing (PE 185 series) - may climb for free during the term they are taking the class.
Photo by Beka Haugen - the advocate
The MHCC rock wall, located in the Aquatic Center.
Veteran women managers discuss change at MHCC Hayden Hunter the advocate
The American Association for Women In Community College (AAWCC) gathered in the Town & Gown room to hear a discussion on the changes the college has been through, led by three veteran AAWCC members. Brenda Brady, IT project and portfolio management manager, started at MHCC in 1988. Sheri Mosher, director of accreditation, began working at the college in 1979. Raye Ann Yapp, program director and full-time instructor of dental hygiene, started here in 1984. The panel answered questions centered around how women can succeed in the workforce. They began by explaining their MHCC employment history. Each woman started out at an entry-level, low-income job and worked her way up to her current position. A fact thrown out by Brady, and repeated quite frequently, was that when they first
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started working at MHCC, women got paid 60 percent of what men got for an equivalent job. Now (on average) they get paid 81 percent. The biggest change the three women experienced at the college is how technology changes most everything about how people do their daily tasks. But, Brady went on to say that the real startling thing was what hadn’t changed: “What struck me was how little facilities had changed” at Mt. Hood, she said. One transition they all could agree was positive was the change in leadership. The AAWCC audience clapped excitedly at the thought of the change President Debbie Derr is, and will be, bringing to Mt. Hood. The women discussed when they first started and why they stayed on here at MHCC. Although each had unique stories, most agreed that the community and experience of working at the college is what keeps them here. “For me, it’s primarily the students, those
‘Aha’ moments, watching them go on and make life decisions,” said Yapp. After the panel discussion, the trio fielded the audience’s questions. All three had advice to pass on to their fellow AAWCC members. “Have a goal. Look around and learn
where your opportunities are,” said Yapp. Mosher said, “Always look at ways to grow yourself.” “There is always something to learn from your colleagues,” said Brady.
Photo by Beka Haugen - the advocate
Left to right: Brenda Brady, Shirli Mosher, and Raye Ann Yapp talking to fellow AAWCC members about working at the college for more than 20 years.
the advocate
NEWS
January 30, 2015
Board of Education goes fishing for new members
Hayden Hunter the advocate
Mt. Hood Community College District board of education is looking for community members to fill at least three open seats. In all, the designated four-year terms of four board members - Robert Coen, Diane Noriega, Paul Capell, and Tod Sloan - are up this year. Each must face the decision of whether or not they are going to run for another term, or time out this spring. Board members will have from Feb. 7 to March 19 to formally file for re-election, in the May 19 election. When Diane Noriega, the current board chairwoman, first ran for a position, there was another board turnover of four seats. Only one incumbent decided to run again, leaving four (experienced) members on the board, total.
According to Noriega, this was a difficult time, and something that many boards try to avoid, if they can stagger elections farther apart. “Wow, this could be a big change. It’s worrisome,” she said, about the coming turnover. “Continuity” is one reason Noriega said she plans to file for re-election. “Given that we are such a young board I felt we should at least have one board member step up for another term.” Noriega also serves on the MHCC Foundation’s auction committee.. She has also served on many other boards, including the board of trustees for the Monterey College of Law in California. The open seats in May cover Districts 2 and 5, and one of two at-large seats that cover the entire Mt. Hood voting district. Tod Sloan, representative for District 2, was appointed to his position. He took over for Maggie Nelson at the beginning of the academic year (last summer) because Nelson moved out of her zone and was no longer eligible to serve. One reason he accepted the short-term assignment is that he knows the college well, having served on the school’s Foundation board for many years. Sloan said it was understood when he took on the rest of Nelson’s term, it would only be temporary. He is retired and sits on the board of his church now. As Noriega joked, “his biggest priority is going fishing.”
Paul Capell joined the board in late 2012 when he was appointed to fill an at-large board seat, which does not have zone regulations. His day job is being the vice president of HDR Engineering and Architecture, in the Pacific Northwest region. Capell has a strong background in public service, has been a longtime supporter of MHCC, and has been a Foundation board member since 2009. Currently, Capell has not committed to seeking another term. He said personal matters have diverted his attention from the board. “I had every intention of running again, (but) something personal has come up – nothing earth shattering – but some things that will potentially be taking up large amounts of my time for the next couple of years, preventing me from serving how I would like to,” he said. Capell said he has enjoyed his term. “It’s a really positive experience; it’s a wonderful board,” he said. Robert Coen, currently board member for District 5, was first elected in 2011 and will not seek re-election, he said. Coen said he makes his “day-to-day living” as the CEO and board chairman of the BCI group, and is involved with various other boards of directors. According to Coen, he is definitely leaning towards not running for another
term: “not because of personal commitments, but because of time commitments.” Recently his company has made an investment in a company called Ruby+Solberg telecommunications, he explained. Between his many board seats and his children, Coen said, “I got a full load, but it’s a fun load.” Coen said his replacement will see plenty of action. “There are a lot of big decisions ahead for the community college,” he said.
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Clockwise, from top left: board members Paul Capell, Diane Noriega, Tod Sloan, and Robert Coen.
Everybody reads “The Residue Years” Hayden Hunter the advocate
Multnomah County Library’s Everybody Reads 2015 project is featuring Mitchell S. Jackson’s novel, “The Residue Years.” In the past, the Everybody Reads project has chosen authors who “talk about issues that matter” and “promote greater understanding,” according to the library’s webpage. Megan Dugan, Mt. Hood Library manager, said, “The point behind it is that throughout the year people in the community (who) read the book can come to programs and be thinking about, talking about, sharing ideas all around the same topics.” Readers are supposed to pass the book on to another person, so that they can read it as well. Dugan said some readers who don’t have someone to pass a book to will
leave it on a bus seat or “under the bench in the park.” The MHCC Library has decided to incorporate the Everybody Reads into its facilities. It asked the Multnomah system for some copies of Jackson’s novel. A few copies have gone to the Diversity Resource Center (DRC), but the Library kept a substantial amount to give out free to students. Dugan said there are still close to 60 copies left. If any students still want one, they should ask for one in the Library. The novel’s author, Jackson, grew up on the streets of Portland, struggling with an addiction to crack cocaine. According to Dugan, his close ties to Portlanders is what made her think this would be a good book for students. The DRC is partnering with the Library to promote this program. Melinda Bullen, DRC coordinator, just started the Layers of Learning book circle, focusing on Jackson’s book. Participants will meet
at noon Monday, and the following three Mondays in February, in the DRC. On Tuesday, Mt. Hood’s “Lunch and Learn” session is the kick-off for events that will be related to “The Residue Years.” It will be centered around “Guns and America” and is being presented at noon in the Town & Gown Room by Pablo Savery from the Oregon Humanities Project and Reed College. On Feb. 18, the DRC will host a panel discussion that will be solely focused on “The Residue Years.” Reading enthusiasts and academic advisers will gather at the Maywood Park campus at 6 p.m. Another event related to Jackson’s novel is the 7:30 p.m. presentation that Jackson himself will be giving at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in downtown Portland, on Mar. 10. Tickets can be bought at http:// www.literary-arts.org/event/everybody-reads-2015-mitchell-jackson/
Photo by beka Haugen - the advocate
Mitchell S. Jackson’s novel that is being read for the Multnomah County Library’s Everbody Reads project.
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the advocate
LIFESTYLE
January 30, 2015
‘super’
writers lecture on comics industry on Wednesday, Matt fraction and Kelly sue Deconnick spoke to students on the business of the comic book industry, artistic integrity, and how tradition affects superheroes.
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Greg Leonov & Adam Elwell the advocate
Comic book writers Matt Fraction and Kelly Sue DeConnick gave a presentation in the Visual Arts Theater on Wednesday as a part of the Mouths of Others speaker series at Mt. Hood. Aside from being colleagues, the two are married. After being introduced by Humanities instructor Chad Bartlett, they started their presentation talking about each other’s career paths. Fraction told the story of DeConnick. She was born in Ohio, was raised on Air Force bases as a child, and then pursued theater at the University of Texas, Austin. She went to New York City with her friend to pursue theater, where she met playwrights and “realized she didn’t want to be a professional anorexic” her whole life, her husband said. She became a writer because of her outspoken nature. DeConnick told everyone Fraction’s about path to the comic book industry after jesting that “this is how we’re going to get divorced.” He went to art school and dropped out to pur-
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sue film, but then dropped out, again. He was talking about “creator-owned” work. When a doing some work with advertising, and both writer comes up with a superhero or idea that writers were into comics and regularly con- isn’t one that’s been around for 70 years such tributed to websites where they would review as Superman, Spiderman, or Ironman, then and critique comic work. that new idea is almost always pushed and enFraction and DeConnick met through the dorsed by the creator. comic book fan circles. DeConnick talked about the difference beBoth artists write for Marvel Comics. They tween the medium of comics and the genre of also do some independent work. Fraction is superhero comics. best known for his work on “The Invincible Fraction said that aside from the costumed Iron Man,” “The Unsuperheroes, “there is canny X-men,” and another industry that “Hawkeye.” The last Ideas don’t matter, I have has grown outside of earned six Eisner hundreds of ideas every the comic book shop,” awards for Fraction with titles that inday. and company. clude “The Walking -Kelly Sue DeConnick Dead” and “Maus.” Deconnick’s best Marvel Comics writer known works are “Comics have had “Captain Marvel,” to move around the “Avengers Assemble,” “Ghost,” and “Bitch comic book stores and the superheroes had to Planet.” grow up,” he said. While the two have written several story “Democratization” seemed to be the operarcs for brand-name companies, they said that ating function when Fraction talked about the they try to write two solely artistic pieces for comic book industry. He stressed the growing every big industry piece they do. availability of the market. DeConnick added They spent a lot of time Wednesday to his point, asking the audience who owned a
smartphone (nearly the entire audience raised hands) and then saying that everyone has an entire comic book shop in their pocket. DeConnick said that creator-owned work is the best strategy for a writer in the industry because “Marvel and DC are the two largest shared universe publishers in our industry, and they are now corporate entities,” so they each set up charities “to support the older creatives in our industry who put years of work into these characters, but they were paid work for hire,” she said. “They don’t own any piece of these characters.” Noted Fraction, “Every time they endorse their paycheck, there is a miniature contract that says by signing this paycheck so I can deposit it, I am relinquishing all rights to the corporate entities of DC and Marvel. “So, it is on us who are coming up in the industry right now to make sure that we don’t find ourselves in that position,” because a lot of them don’t have healthcare, Fraction said. The duo works on their own creations, but they also contribute to material for DC and Marvel. “I’m not 20 anymore... we have to be thinking about the next generation,” he said. With their job being artistic in nature, Fraction and DeConnick stressed the fact that they still had to work. “If you are going to wait for the muse to inspire you to make your art, then I hope you have a day job. You don’t have the luxury of that,” said DeConnick about the discipline required for the field. “People who do this for a living produce,” Fraction said. “That’s the difference between a pro and an amateur.” The pair talked about the difference between having ideas, versus producing work. “Ideas don’t matter, I have hundreds of ideas every day, and hundreds more will come,” DeConnick said. “Ideas are not goals. Your limiting resources are time and courage. More ideas will come.” They couple ended their talk with a Q&A and autograph session. Again, they were relatively jovial. Fraction joked that they would “literally sign anything. It doesn’t even have to be one of our books.” The next Mouths of Others event will feature Jerry McGill, author of “Dear Marcus: A Letter to the Man Who Shot Me.” McGill has been wheelchair-bound since the age of 13, when he was shot by an unknown assailant.
the advocate
LIFESTYLE
Janurary 30, 2015
T P5 SONGS
Playing the drowsy chaperone
Each week the advocate supplies you with our top five songs for your playlist. Since we’re nearing the end of January, this week’s theme is depressing songs. We had an editor eat Taco Bell by himself to think of these. We’re that serious.
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BLACK HOLE SUN | SOUNDGARDEN
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Greg Leonov the advocate
Photo by Becca Haugen
Merry Bishop will be playing the Drowsy Chaperone in Mt. Hood’s production of “The Drowsy Chaperone,” running Feb. 20-21 and Feb. 27-28 at 7:30 p.m. and March 1 at 2 p.m.
MHCC sophomore and theater major Merry Bishop will be playing the namesake role of the drowsy chaperone in the Mt. Hood Theatre’s production of its winter musical, “The Drowsy Chaperone.” The “Drowsy Chaperone” is a play that consists of a narrator, the Man in Chair, who spends his time listening to musical theater to combat his loneliness. “He’s playing a recording for the audience, and he’s just talking through this play because it’s his favorite musical, and his favorite character is the ‘Drowsy Chaperone,’ ” said Bishop. Bishop plays the part of Beatrice Stockwell, who portrays the Drowsy Chaperone. “She definitely tries to make herself the main character in any way she could possibly do it,” said Bishop about the Drowsy Chaperone (Stockwell), an actress who doesn’t get cast in lead roles as she gets older. “She’s kind of bitter about it, so every moment she can upstage someone, she will.” Although Bishop plays the character of the play’s title, she considers the Man in Chair to be the main character, and she understands him the most. The Man in Chair had a rough life, so he spends his time listening to musical theater. Bishop said that this
“shows that musical theater can change your life and it can make you so happy, regardless of the crap going on. It can be an escape, and it is my escape.” Her start in the world of performing arts was a process that involved a lot of impromptu work. “I grew up throwing together random sketches and skits all on my own in the garage,” she said. She would hold her “own Britney Spears concerts that no one came to. ‘Oops, I Did it Again’ – that’s the one I most fondly remember,” she said “I would literally put on a bathing suit top and go out into the garage, and I would put on the boom box – hidden so no one could tell that the boom box was on,” she said. “I still find myself in front of the mirror with a hairbrush every once in a while. Who doesn’t do that?” Bishop said that growing up with parents who were arts-oriented was most likely the reason for her love for theater. “I just grew up in a very accepting and theatrical (home.” Both of her parents were music majors. Bishop said she encourages people who are interested in performing to try theater. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to shape your life and by playing other characters you learn more about yourself, and you learn more just about humanity in general.”
PERFECT DAY | LOU REED
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BUKOWSKI | MODEST MOUSE
HEROIN | THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
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MR TAMBOURINE MAN | BOB DYLAN
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the advocate
LIFESTYLE
January 30, 2015
Wraptitude: burgers, wraps and coffee
Isaiah Ishman & Adam Elwell the advocate
IsaiahI don’t know what Wraptitude is. The joint is a play on words about its wraps; however, the drive-through is mainly for its coffee and the burgers are better than the wraps - at least the one I had. Wraptitude is a winter sportsthemed restaurant recommended by The Advocate writer Adam Elwell. It is located in the misty hills of Welches, near the (real) Mount Hood. While a bit of a drive, I personally think that the place is worth the trip. If you find yourself with nothing to do and are looking for a nice solid meal and a scenic drive, Wraptitude would be perfect. Given that the interior looks like your standard ski lodge restaurant and its claim to fame is burgers and wraps, I didn’t expect that much, but I was wrong. The ingredients used are all-natural and you can tell – the menu is simple quality. I had the Big Kahuna burger and The Santa Fe wrap. The Big Kahuna is a beef patty with swiss cheese, ham, pineapple and teriyaki sauce. This burger alone is worth the trip. Each ingredient added to the experience and was of great quality, including the buns. The Santa Fe wrap was okay. I could see how this wrap would be the best thing life had to offer after a long day of skiing or snowboarding but as I had only been sitting in a passenger seat the previous 15 minutes it was okay, at best. The wrap tasted like someone had wrapped a nacho platter in a tortilla. Nothing wrong with that, but it was served cold and didn’t compare to the Big Kahuna. The big surprise was the coffee. I ordered a shot of espresso which, for those of you who are familiar with coffee industry, is the base for any specialty coffee drink: mochas, lattes, cappuccinos, etc.. Nine times out of ten, when you order an espresso at a restaurant, what you
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get is the standard dry, bright, acidic, Italian roast shot. Wraptitude was different. The espresso seemed bold, dark and mild - most likely a high-quality bean from Colombia, maybe even Asia. Overall, Wraptitude did not let me down. The dishes average out at around ten bucks and they’re worth it. If you are ever near, by check it out. 4/5
AdamFor a burger joint with a drive-through, man, was it good. I think that’s the key to enjoying Wraptitude: just take it for what it is. If the thought of pineapple and teriyaki sauce on a burger scares you, then this probably isn’t for you. At the very least, though, if you consider yourself a self-respecting Pulp Fiction fan, you should eat here. The atmosphere in the restaurant would definitely benefit from you acclimating yourself to the territory. Go on a hike, hit up SkiBowl, do what you have to justify eating a burger bigger than a brick, and then relax in a warm, cozy wood-paneled nest while you sip a
cup of coffee with a kick. That’s not to say it’s bad if you don’t. It’s a very inviting environment, but if “Fireball Fridays” makes you roll your eyes, maybe just go for lunch the next time you’re passing through. If you need a better image, picture a justgot-trendy sports bar, and a roadside coffee stand. Now smash the two together, and ta-da: Wraptitude. As for the actual burger, though, wow. The first thing you notice when you bite into one is the sheer amount of meat. So much I felt like a caveman who had just slaughtered an unsuspecting bovine creature. Except, cavemen don’t cook that well, and then – Oh, my god – is that pineapple? And it comes in a hot tub of teriyaki sauce, too. The real trick, though, is figuring out how to sever the line of melted swiss cheese between your mouth and the plate. Not that you would care at the moment – it’s sheer ecstasy. I heard a quote the other day by Nora Ephron: “The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of cof-
fee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who don’t know what the hell they’re doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall. Decaf. Cappuccino.” While this might be true at a chain coffee shop, it’s not true at Wraptitude. The menu is a feast for the eyes, and whatever your selection is, you probably picked it solely because it sounded delicious. I want to say it was only a 4/5, and to be honest, they would probably be okay with that, but I won’t be surprised in the slightest if I have dreams about that burger. Soul food plus pineapples? I don’t know who is responsible for it, but I do know that they’re going to heaven, right next to whoever is responsible for Hawaiian pizza. 5/5
the advocate
NEWS
January 30, 2015
Nutshell News Tips to stay safe this term Greg Leonov the advocate
The MHCC Environmental Health and Safety office and Risk Management and Safety and Security Management office have released their quarterly safety tips for Mt. Hood students. If there is a serious emergency on the campus, anyone present should first call 911, then call Safety and Security Management, at 7911, from any campus emergency phone (or call (503) 491-7911 from any other phone). If an event occurs that requires evacuation, anyone on campus should know the location of evacuation parking lots. When the evacuation alarm starts, staff and students should walk from their classroom or workstation and go to the perimeter parking lots. Everyone is to be 300 feet away from their building. The building is safe to enter when all alarms stop and an official announcement is made to
Modular buildings in disrepair
re-enter the building. In the case of an earthquake, staff and students are asked to stay away from windows and (movable) furniture and instead “crouch next to a counter top, a piece of substantial machinery or the back of a chair” if there is no other shelter available, according to the tips. In case of an active shooter threat, anyone in the vicinity of a threat is asked to run, hide or fight. Escape, if at all possible, and help others if possible. Hide when escape is not an option, and barricade doors and windows. Fight only “as a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger,” according to the tips. For students or staff who have to stay late on campus at night, Public Safety is available to escort anyone to his or her vehicle, 24 hours a day. For an escort, call (503) 491-7310. Also, staff and students are encouraged to sign up for FlashAlert! which is a service that alerts the user of school closures, and delays. To register, go to www.FlashAlert.net.
Greg Leonov the advocate
MHCC has existed since the 1960s and has faced many different renovations and improvements. Now, one constant through the years has met its end. In November, all classes in the modular buildings (the mobile-home looking wooden things past the pedestrian tunnels to the lower parking lots) were vacated due to disrepair. “These buildings are original classroom modules that occupied that space during the construction of the college,” said Russell Johnson, MHCC’s associate director of facilities.
BSU to honor Black History Month every week in February Hayden Hunter
“Exploring our Nearest Galaxies” is Tuesday’s Planetarium show MHCC’s latest Planetarium show, “Exploring our Nearest Galaxies,” will be shown on Tuesday. Each show takes place at the Planetarium Sky Theater (Room AC 1305). Showings are every first Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m., 7:15 p.m., and 8:30 pm. Admission is free for students with school ID and only $2 for non-
students. Mark your calender for Mar. 3, as well; the Planetarium show will highlight Leo, Virgo, and the Spring Sky. For more information, contact Pat Hanrahan, Planetarium director and astronomy instructor at pat.hanrahan@mhcc.edu.
-Emily Wintringham
The buildings are not condemned, but are not available for use. Their future is uncertain at the moment. “Considerations will be made in our planning process next year,” said Johnson. Demolishing the buildings would be a costly process, so Al Sigala, MHCC Foundation and alumni relations director, considered getting a building removal company to take the buildings away, as a donation. The buildings have received a lot of work over the years, but recently, workers mostly just patched holes, said Sigala. “As temporary buildings they may have outlived their structural life. The repairs are expensive and may not be advisable,” Johnson said.
the advocate
The BSU, or Black Student Union, is gearing up for Black History Month in which the group will be unrolling a series of events dedicated to memorializing Black Pride, beginning Thursday and ending Feb. 26. Each week, the BSU will have a presentation and discussion. The first week features the history of Black music, from tribal roots to hip-hop. Feb. 12 will cover the history of Black film; Feb. 19, the history of Black faith and the civil rights movement; and Feb. 20 will be a showing of a movie called “Dark Girls.” There will be a dinner on Feb. 26 that will feature performers, entertainers, and even activists.
Volunteers are still needed for all these events. According to Acting President Terrence Rawls, Mt. Hood’s BSU has been in good shape this year, its members’ base growing rapidly. BSU members attended the MLK Jr. event, as well, visiting the Oregon Food Bank to volunteer. Meetings are held every Friday, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Diversity Resource Center. Anybody can stop by; there are no ethnic requirements. “It doesn’t matter if you are black, white, pink, purple, or blue,” Rawls said. Although BSU’s primary focus is African American students, it also caters to other ethnicities. Rawls said the group has a couple of Hispanic descendants. “Our club is all about the awareness of our cultures,” he said.
WRITERS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY Do you write passionately and purposefully? Join The Advocate newspaper staff to create MHCC’s annual magazine. Attend the next Venture meeting on Wednesday, Feb.4, at 7 p.m. in Room AC 1369. Send an email now for more information. advocatt@mhcc.edu
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the advocate
SPORTS
January 30, 2015
Saints lose second-half battle to Clackamas
Aaron Marshall
Guest Contributor On Wednesday night, the men’s basketball team suffered another close defeat, losing to Clackamas Community College, 75-70, in Clackamas. “I told our guys that they did a lot of really good things,” said Saints head coach Geoff Gibor. “We absolutely battled to the end. They need to be proud of their effort. “Unfortunately, we lost out on some scoring opportunities due to some turnovers. Down the stretch of a game, you have to take care of the ball and get good shots. There are times we do that well and other times that we do not,” he said. The Saints unfortunately are way too familiar with close games not ending in their favor. They lost to Chemeketa, 81-76 in overtime, on Jan. 14 and to Portland, 77-75, on Jan. 21. Now 5-12 overall and 2-4 in league play, Mt. Hood sits at sixth in the South Region – two spots out of the NWAC playoffs. On Wednesday, Mt. Hood led Clackamas 39-32 at the half, but then were outscored 43-31. The Saints outshot the Cougars, 46 to 43 percent, and outrebounded them, 4132. But turnovers and free throws were the big difference. The Saints’ 19 turnovers, to Clackamas’ eight, were crucial, leading to 21 Clackamas points. Clackamas also shot 19 free throws, to just four for Mt. Hood. “I feel like we were pretty aggressive but just did not get some calls,” said Gibor. “You can’t count on the officials to make all the calls.” A non-call late in the game turned out to be huge. Mt. Hood trailed 71-70, but Clackamas would score its last four points off free throws, after a missed shot by Saints sophomore Oleg Marandyuk that turned into two technical fouls when he argued with referees. “It’s always a physical game with Clackamas, but I was definitely frustrated with the way the calls were going all game. I felt like we were attacking well and just weren’t getting the calls,” said Marandyuk. “That last one was just very upsetting. I felt like I got hit and I should have been shooting free throws,” he said. “Overall, we didn’t lose because of the refs, we lost because we didn’t close them out,” he added. Saints guard Jamal Muhammad finished with a teamhigh 17 points and Marandyuk, a guard-forward, scored 16 and grabbed 10 rebounds. Freshman Kody Kennedy added 12 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore Kylelle Brown contributed 9 points, seven assists and five rebounds.
“You have to learn from the Clackamas game and move forward. You have to be resilient in athletics,” Gibor said. “These situations are where your toughness shows through.” The coach did see some positives. “Our defense has been pretty good. We have been rebounding really well,” Gibor said. “This team is competing at a very high level. We just have to get better ball movement offensively and execute. When we move the ball, we normally get a good shot.” Last Saturday, the Saints were on a roll as they beat Linn-Benton Community College, 69-55, in Gresham. Marandyuk and sophomore Jason Wallace each scored 15 points. Marandyuk grabbed 10 rebounds as Wallace came off the bench, adding nine rebounds. “I just felt good,” said Wallace. “Honestly, I’m tired of losing. The advantage I saw, like always, is I felt like nobody can hold me in the paint. Only thing I need to work on is getting deeper position in the post more.” Brown, co-captain along with Marandyuk, showed his presence on defense with seven steals. Through 17 games, Muhammad is Mt. Hood’s leading scorer, at 17.8 points per game. But the scoring doesn’t mean that much to him if wins aren’t being produced. “Being the leading scorer on the team never really mattered to me,” Muhammad said. “Yes, it feels good to know other teams are worried about me scoring, but the last few games I’m more focused on winning games and getting other people on my team to score. I gotta get better on dropping it off to my bigs and kicking it out to open shooters. I’m gonna do whatever I have to do to make us go to NWACs (playoffs).” On Saturday, the Saints host Umpqua Community College, currently riding a three-game win streak. The pressure is on Mt. Hood to get past its run of tough luck. “Defensively we are a strong team and we have great chemistry, on the court and off,” said sophomore Sterling Anderson. “We’re just a few tweaks away from being a great team and I believe we will get there.” Brown knows that every game now is crucial. “Just gotta have short-term memory... We will get another chance at (Clackamas) but we have a home game and we need to protect our house,” he said of Saturday’s contest. “It’s so serious I don’t know how much to stress on. (Winning now) is life or death for me and the other sophomores. We don’t know where we’re going next year and this could be our last time playing.”
Photo by Beka Haugen - the advocate
Oleg Marandyuk rises up for a jumper against Chemeketa on Jan. 16. On Wednesday, Marandyuk scored 16 points in a 75-70 loss to Clackamas.
STAT LEADERS Points
Jamal Muhammad
17.76
Rebounds
Oleg Marandyuk
7.35
Assists Kylelle Brown 4.65
Cougars trap turnover-prone Saints for win David Teas
the advocate The Saints women’s basketball team went to Clackamas Community College Wednesday night, and were turned back with a 81-62 defeat. It was a competitive game in the first half, with the Saints trailing by only seven points at halftime, 32-25. As the second half started, a couple of quick baskets by guard-forward Delanee Martin and Mt. Hood’s sparkplug of a point guard,
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Jesse Morris, pulled Mt. Hood within five. But, every time MHCC would start to chisel away at its deficit, Cougars shooting guard Cassidy Edwards would come up with momentum-killing shots, keeping Clackamas on top. She would finish with 27 points. The Saints never let up, or gave up, but the Cougars proved to be too strong, adding to their lead. Mt. Hood head coach Tyler Rose was pleased with the grit his team showed. “Earlier in the season we would’ve given up,” Rose said of his players. “They kept fight-
ing tonight.” He gave the Cougars’ trapping defense a lot of credit for not allowing the Saints to get comfortable bringing the ball up the court. Clackamas forced 23 Saints turnovers. Martin had a strong performance, finishing with 18 points, nailing five of six threepoint attempts. Sophomore guard Hannah Wahlers added 16 points, hitting four threes in only 20 minutes of action. The Cougars’ lengthy post players gave the Saints trouble, holding sophomore post player Marley Yates to nine points and seven
rebounds. Wednesday’s loss dropped the Saints to 3-16 overall (0-5 South Region). With 10 freshmen and only two sophomores, the young Mt. Hood team is looking to improve however it can. Rose has remained patient, and points out the positives. The Saints’ next opportunity to come out on top will be Saturday, when they host Umpqua Community College in the MHCC gym. Tipoff is at 2 p.m.
the advocate
SPORTS
January 30, 2015
E E B S I R F E T A M I T L U The greatest game of all time? Brandon Raleigh the advocate
Two teams, two end zones, and one Frisbee: That’s all you need to play arguably the greatest game of all time: Ultimate Frisbee. I began playing the game back in high school. Having never been too great of a Frisbee thrower, I made up for it by tiring opponents, running every which way, flashing my hands when I was open and sometimes making the spectacular catch. In Ultimate Frisbee, teams line up on opposite sides of the field. In what is known to many American football fans as a kickoff, a member of the team “throws off” the Frisbee, yelling “Ultimate!” The receiving team then begins to pass the Frisbee, from one player to another. Each receiver is only allowed three steps after every catch. In a sense, the player that catches the Frisbee becomes the quarterback on every completed pass. Moving without the Frisbee is vital in a successful game plan. If the Frisbee isn’t caught, dropped, or is caught out of bounds, the opponent gets to
pick the Frisbee up where it landed and begin an attack of its own. To score, a team must take the Frisbee the length of the field and must catch the Frisbee within the end zone, similar to football. After a score (worth one point), the scoring team throws off the Frisbee to the opponent, just like regular football. The only break in Ultimate Frisbee is the break from jogging across the field to receive the next throw-off. At any moment, a player may throw a deep bomb to a teammate, and before you know it, you have just surrendered a score to your opponents. Ultimate Frisbee was created in the mid1960s as Amherst College students in Massachusetts created a game that combined football, soccer, and basketball. Soon after, the first ultimate game was played at Columbia High School in Maple Wood, New Jersey. The game featured the class council and the school newspaper. Ultimate Frisbee later gained steam in 1972 as it first hit the collegiate stage: Rutgers University vs. Princeton University. The Scarlet Knights triumphed, 29-27. In 2012 the American Ultimate Disc League was created in the United States. A year later, another professional league was created: Major League Ultimate.
Major League Ultimate is comprised of eight teams, including the Portland Stags, who for two years played home games at our very own MHCC stadium. This season, the Stags have moved, and made Hillsboro Stadium, next to U.S. Highway 26, their home field. The first game will come against the Seattle Rainmakers on Saturday, April 18, at 2 p.m. (For more information, see portland.stags.mlultimate.com/) Ultimate may seem a little complex, but it is easy to learn and quite fun to play. In Ultimate, you can compensate for a lack of ability in one aspect of the game with success in another. Those who can sling the Frisbee with relative ease don’t always have to be the greatest at catching. In fact, it’s smart for talented throwers to stay close to the Frisbee and have the athletic/‘jump out of the gym’ ability players run deep for the long bomb. Personally, my favorite part of the game is eluding defenders and leaping out of my shoes for a snag in the back of the end zone. Ultimate is unpredictable, which adds to the fun. On one play, you might be swatting down a pass from the opposing team. On another you may be diving for a game-winning score. Next time, instead of getting the group together to play some football, give Ultimate a try, instead. You might fall in love with it.
Ultimate Terms: Get Big: yelled out to a player who needs to jump great lengths to get the disc.
Bid: When a player dives or
jumps for the disc either on offense or defense.
Bidginity: Similar to the word
“virginity,” bidginity relates to the first time someone bids. Bidding is a mindset everybody has to overcome (risking one’s body for the catch).
Huck: A long throw down field. ultimatefrisbeehq.com
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