Independent Student Voice of MHCC
Volume 52, Issue 3 OCTOBER 6, 2017 advocate-online.net
Gourmet coffee on campus PAGE 4
Dragon in the dungeon PAGE 6
SELFCONTROL OR GUN CONTROL?
Student leaders’ big plans PAGE 8
PAGE 2
Rebuilding the symphonic band at Mt. Hood PAGE 5
2016 FIRST PLACE
General excellence Oregon Newspaper Publisher Association
OPINION EDITORIAL
A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T
GUN CONTROL DEBATE MISSES THE MARK
S
hots fired! Shots fired!” A call that no one wants to hear came crackling over the Las Vegas police radio frequency at 10:08 p.m. this past Sunday. The gunfire snapped and bit into the soft warm air, filling the 22,000 concertgoers with sheer terror as the Route 91 Harvest Festival morphed from a simple country music concert into something resembling a war zone, as siege was laid from a 32nd-story window of the adjacent Mandalay Bay Hotel. By night’s end, 59 people are dead or dying and more than 500 people are injured, and the alleged shooter, 64-year-old retired accountant Stephen Paddock, has killed himself, denying his victims and their families any explanation or reason for their horror. Two years before, on the exact same date, Oct. 1, on the Umpqua Community College campus, 10:38 a.m.: Christopher Sean “Chris” Harper-Mercer walks into a writing class and commences a spree, killing nine and wounding nine more people before shooting himself. These two incidents involve the deaths of dozens and have affected the lives of thousands, and remind us that regularly the world can be a violent place. These kind of events that have become a part of our modern life. Every day, when
someone turns on the TV or radio, or decides to go online and look at the news, this kind of tragedy seems to be around every corner. This is a world we have inherited but not a world that many of us would have asked for. Regardless of whether we are happy about it, though, this is the only world we have, and unless we change it, it’s not going to change. In the U.K. and Australia, gun control seems to be the answer, though some research done that shows the strict gun control laws in these countries aren’t impacting or
“Our focus has to be on what we can do to improve this situation.” resulting in a stop to these events. Here in America, even if it was proven that anti-gun laws would work to stop this sort of spree, the current sharp split in public opinion would keep legislative action from happening anytime soon. In the meantime, we need to find a solution that works and that we can implement today. Where does that leave us? Well, it leaves us with ourselves. It leaves
NION I P O YOUR
MATTERS!
Editor-in-Chief Matana McIntire
Sports Editor Position Open
Associate Editor Greg Leonov
Graphic Design Team Prisma Flores
Co-Arts & Entertainment Editors Ryan Moore Noah Guillen
Photo Editor Open Position
News Editor Greg Leonov Opinion Editor Donovan Sargent Web Editor Dusty Sargent PA G E 2
us with 323 million minds here to come up with solutions to this problem. In this country, the gun rights debate has been a constant one between fellow citizens since 1776, and while many of us have an opinion one way or another on this issue, the endless argument doesn’t solve anything. We need to set aside this argument for a bit and focus our energy on solutions, rather than fighting over if something really is a problem, or not. There are a lot of smart students around here at MHCC, people who intend to make
Photo Team Fadi Shahin Fletcher Wold Video Team
Cory Wiese Megan Hayes Nick Krane Gabriel Donaldson
their way in the world as doctors, lawyers, politicians, policy makers and policy enforcers. Our focus has to be on what we can do to improve this situation. We need to ensure not only that the people in charge currently are working toward that goal, but also make sure we’re discussing options with the people who will be in charge in the next five, 10, 15, or 20 years.
We at the Advocate share the anger, frustration, fear and hurt that most Americans are feeling this week. It is easy to let feelings make you want to change things and to make things different, so this kind of thing doesn’t happen again. It’s logical for there to be a flare of gun control debate to rage on for the next while, but we need to put our focus elsewhere. (Especially while many details of the Las Vegas shooting remain unclear.) We can make a difference in the world about us: We should be looking at existing mental health programs to see how they can be used to help society help keep people from hurting others. As a people, humanity is capable of great atrocities, but also of great compassion and foresight. Our focus needs to be on prevention, on finding the people who are likely to commit these types of crimes and getting them the counseling or guidance they obviously need before it gets to a crisis point. This will need to be a crossdiscipline solution: Psychiatrists, doctors, police, lawyers and lawmakers will all have to come together and find a way to recognize when someone is going down this kind of dark path, there are treatments and programs developed to get them back into the light. “The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do
something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” -Barack Obama
IN THE EVENT OF AN ACTIVE SHOOTER: CALL 911 OR PUBLIC SAFETY AT 503-491-7911 RUN AWAY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. HIDE SOMEWHERE SAFE AND REMAIN AS QUIET AS YOU CAN. IF YOU HAVE TO ENGAGE, TRY AND FIND A WEAPON AND USE AS MUCH FORCE AS POSSIBLE.
DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OR OPINION YOU WANT TO SHARE? ARE YOU A MEMBER OF A GROUP, OR HAVE A HOBBY THAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT? LET EVERYONE KNOW! EMAIL US: ADVOCATT@MHCC.EDU
Ad Managers Megan Phelps Yen Le
Cover design By Prisma Flores
Advisers Howard Buck Dan Ernst
Contact us! E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu Phone: 503-491-7250 Website: advocate-online.net
Staff Writers Antonio Edwards Cassie Wilson Hanna Benson Summer Frickey Maddy Sanstrum Bethany McCurley Kyle Vanooker Clay Vitale Steven Rousseau
Twitter: @MHCCAdvocate Facebook: facebook.com/TheAdvocateOnline Instagram: @MHCCAdvocate #MHCCAdvocate Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham, Oregon 97030 Room AC1369
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.
NEWS
OCTOBER 6, 2017
NEW ASSOCIATE'S OF SCIENCE AT MHCC Theatre now offers a technician degree to students Greg Leonov the advocate
This year, Mt. Hood launched a program in which students can earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree as a Professional Theatre Technician major. Previously, the college offered only a transfer program, intended for students to continue their education at a four-year university. The associate’s degree option is designed to get students more experience and
directly into the workforce. The dean of the MHCC theatre department, Janet MacIntyre, has been suggesting an associates degree program for a while, according to Daryl Harrison Carson, theatre technical director and instructor. An advisory committee consisting of instructors from theatre departments at local high schools and representatives from the theatre tech union was established. After a couple of meetings, the degree program got approved this February.
Compared to the transfer degree, the associate’s program consists more on building specific skills. “The main thing that we heard from our advisory committee was they wanted students to have more practical skills, like more hands-on, and then, customer service skills,” said Harrison Carson. “I know it sounds funny to have theatre technicians be customer service-oriented, but the union says that’s huge,” she said. Communication and professional behavior are
Salmon Safe update A memorial garden dedicated to Alma Pacheco, former MHCC ASG president, will be cleared of invasive plants next week – and volunteers are invited to help. Pacheco served as ASG leader during the 2014-15 academic year. She passed away suddenly last December, while a student at Western Oregon University. A kick-off work party will take place outside of the Student Union on the lower level, coordinated by the Sandy River Basin Watershed Council that is helping Mt. Hood’s Salmon Safe campus improvements.
The garden work party will run 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12. Volunteers should dress for mud and wet weather, if appropriate. Friends and family of Pacheco will be present. Refreshments will be provided. Also on Thursday, the Council will lead a tour of MHCC’s Salmon Safe current and future campus improvements, from noon to 1 p.m. Snacks and a brief presentation will be given, on the Student Union lower level.
Domestic violence lecture Mt. Hood’s Public Safety office and the Title IX team will host Call to Safety Coordinator Fawn Livingston-Gray in the Student Union (AC 1051). Livingston-Gray will talk about resources for combating, and prevention of, domestic abuse. The event will be noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12.
-Greg Leonov
-Greg Leonov
important skills employers are looking for. Appropriate attire is the beginning of desired customer service skills. “A professional technician usually wears all black and presents as professional, even though a lot of what they may be doing is manual labor,” said Harrison Carson. Students in the program are required to put together resumés and portfolios. They are also put into small groups in which they learn how to communicate. “The union’s
going to give us feedback on what (graduates) we’re sending them so then we’ll adjust if they say, ‘You’re not training them properly,’ ” said Harrison Carson. All theatre tech programs are open majors, meaning anyone can take classes as electives and/or simply dabble in the world of theatre. “If you’re easily bored, tech theatre might be for you,” said Harrison Carson.
Last day to withdraw from a single class: Nov. 13
A LOOK AHEAD: COMING EVENTS ON CAMPUS
Parking lot tour A tour of the MHCC parking lots where the current asphalt will be replaced with rain gardens and pervious (self-draining) pavement will take place on Saturday, Oct. 7, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The tour will kick off in the Student Union. Pavement replacement – to eventually impact 57 acres on campus – is
part of Mt. Hood’s Salmon Safe certification project. The college is the first in the nation to achieve the certification.
-Greg Leonov
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NEWS
A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T
BLACK ROCK TO REPLACE LIBRARY COFFEE Kyle Venooker the advocate
Coming soon to the main MHCC campus: Black Rock Coffee Bar. The coffee bar, expected to open within the next two weeks in the currently vacant space adjacent to the campus library, will be operated by the same management staff as the Black Rock outlet on Troutdale Road, said Edward Yunkherr, owner of Geyer-Yunkherr LLC. He opened the coffee bar there about two years ago. Yunkherr said the library spot seeks to “provide an awesome place for our customers,” with WiFi, local bagels (Jazzy Bagels, made here in Gresham) and other “grab-and-go” fare. “We definitely have a lot of college students go through the Troutdale location,” said Yunkherr. So, the announcement that MHCC had put out an RFP (Request for Proposal, to solicit bidders for the available space) made it seem like a logical step, he said. With the closure of the Reader’s Cup (where Black Rock will open) and the St. Helens Bistro last winter, Mt. Hood students’ food choices were extremely reduced. The only options on campus for food have been through Vista Dining, which
Photo by Fletcher Wold
An inside view of the state of construction of the new Black Rock Coffee Bar as of Monday, set to open Monday, Oct. 16.
closes by 2:30 p.m. most weekdays, and the MHCC Bookstore café. Back in April, a “task force” determined what students wanted to see on campus when it comes to food services, according to Jamie Simms, campus director of financial services. Simms said the top three needs established were providing “a wide variety of fast fresh food at a reasonable price;” making
evening food services available; and bringing rotating food carts to the campus. Simms said Black Rock has leased the space for a five-year contract. The coffee bar will remain open until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, meaning that students who take evening classes
or who stay on campus past 5 will have choices for coffee and food. “Our managers got together...and we said, ‘Yeah, this could be a really cool thing,’ ” said Yunkherr. The Bookstore café is bracing for its new neighbor. “When we heard that Black Rock was opening in the library it didn’t come as a huge shock. We knew the college had been looking for
new people to run the cafeteria and open new coffee shops,” said Jackie Brown, a student and Bookstore café employee, by email. “What we didn’t expect was for such a major local coffee branch to go into the building next to us. “We are a little concerned that we might lose some business,” Brown wrote. “Thankfully, we have an awesome group of regular customers who make a huge impact on the coffee shop... I personally think it might be kind of fun to have some competition on campus. And also to offer the students and staff some variety for their coffee needs.” Regarding the Bookstore café, Yunkherr said, “There’s a coffee shop there, and it’s a great coffee shop, but I think as a company we’ll bring a really nice spot to gather, if that makes sense. Our biggest thing that we take pride in is our speed, so I think we’ll be able to get people what they need as soon as possible. “So, really, really quick food and beverages, ’cause I know college students are always in a hurry,” he said. Tentatively, the campus Black Rock outlet is slated to open Monday, Oct. 16. Hours of operation will be 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday-Thursday (closing at 5 p.m. on Friday), and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
COLLEGE TEAMS UP WITH LOCAL REPAIR CAFÉ Summer Frickey the advocate
On Saturday, MHCC will host its first, and hopefully annual, Repair Fair, inside the Vista Dining room from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Repair Fair gives community members a chance to have their broken electronics, bikes, and fabrics fixed, for free. Roughly 100 local volunteers connected with Repair Café Gresham will be there to help out. “We can fix almost anything you can carry in. Popular (items) have been lamps, vacuums, blenders and mixers, old VCRs and even some computers,” Repair Café coordinator Carol Rulla said. “We just ask that you don’t show up with PA G E 4
your fridge behind you.” However, items such as microwaves, televisions, and furniture will not be repairable at the event, simply due to the amount of time it takes to fix each one. Anyone who brings something to be fixed will be asked to sign a liability form that states they understand there are no promises on fixing the problem, as some repairs take more time and resources than what will be available at the fair. “We’ll absolutely try our best to fix any problem presented to us, but that being said, some things require a lot of attention. If we fixed every huge appliance, we wouldn’t have time to get to everyone,” Rulla said. To best ensure that your item can be fixed though, bring along
anything you may need to help fix it: cables, chargers, old instruction manuals, etc. For those people who have a knack for fixing things, and are interested in getting involved with the Repair Café, you can stop by Gresham City Hall for more information. “We’re always looking for more volunteers, specifically people who know bikes at the moment,” Rulla said. Along with the fair, there will also be various workshops educating visitors on how to conserve water, prevent pollution, lower home-energy use, and tips on how to inexpensively renovate a back yard. The workshops will be located in
the Jazz Café and Town and Gown rooms. They start at 11:30 a.m. and will end at 2:15 p.m. More than 15 different local exhibitors will be attending the event, each with their own environmentally friendly specialties. One of the most prominent contributors is known as the 2017 EcoChallenge. MHCC was first introduced to the EcoChallenge last year, after the Mt. Hood sustainability director, Troy Builta, began challenging Saints students, employees and community members to earn points towards bettering the environment. Participants earn points by completing challenges; from adding a profile picture to their page, to composting their own food. Each
point gets users closer to prizes. Last year MHCC took first place in the national EcoChallenge and won $1,500. This year’s challenge begins on Wednesday and ends Oct. 25. Within those two weeks, anyone connected with the Sustainable Saints team can earn points for the school. Anyone can visit 2017. echochallenge.org to sign up. Also during Saturday’s event, there also will be educational learning activities for children, as well as giveaways for adults, including free coffee, raffles, and tours led by the Sandy River Basin Watershed Council.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
OCTOBER 6, 2017
MUSICAL COUPLE BRINGS MORE NOISE TO MHCC Danielle Davey looks to bring more students to the symphonic band Cassie Wilson the advocate
Danielle Davey is the new symphonic band director at Mt. Hood this autumn and is eager to boost recruitment for the college’s performing arts program. “I have been given the task of rebuilding our symphonic band, and it’s been really fun to meet all the students and see how much these students love music,” said Davey, who has a lot of experience growing band programs at other schools. Her first job was conducting a high school band in Lebanon, Oregon. It was also her first experience in a rural community, since she grew up in Tigard. “I never knew that people had to do their chores in the morning,” she said. “Chores, to me, is vacuuming, but chores to them is feeding their hogs at 6:30 in the morning.” From there Davey went to another rural community, this time in Minnesota, in an even smaller town where she helped to grow its marching band in her three years there. She then met her husband – MHCC Jazz Band Director Dan Davey – in graduate school at the American Band College of Sam Houston State University, and soon moved to Boston to join him for a couple years. By 2015, Dan came to MHCC, while Danielle was hired to revamp the band program at Beaverton’s Westview High School. But she was excited about the history of success in Mt. Hood’s music program, which attracted her to the position here when it opened up. “It’s pretty much my dream job and I get to work with my husband,” said Davey. She enjoys sharing many of the same students with him and the two getting to work together on recruiting. “We get to commute together. We have a carpool pass and it’s great.” Davey also enjoys the change of pace from the high school level to college, she said. “I have different responsibilities here. I no longer have the competitive marching band anymore, so I can focus a lot more energy on symphonic band,” she said. That means working hard to increase musicians’ enrollment. She already has plans to visit local middle schools and high schools in the area,
UPCOMING MT. HOOD MUSIC CONCERTS
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“It’s pretty much my dream job and I get to work with my husband,” – Danielle Davey and plans to go to events such as a state music convention in Eugene, coming in January. “Our symphonic band has already doubled in size” to about 40 musicians, said Davey. It’s her hope that those students remain in band every term that they’re on campus, whether they’re music majors or not, she said. Besides directing the symphonic band, Davey will also be instructing aural skills. It’s an academic music course where students train to be able to look at a piece of music and sing it at sight, or hear a melody and be able to write it down. “It’s really fun,” she said. Outside of instructing at Mt. Hood, Davey said she and Dan love anything to do with the
MT. HOOD ORCHESTRA & CHOIR CONCERT College Theatre 7:30 P.M. FREE
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Photos by Fletcher Wold
Danielle Davey, the new symphonic band director at Mt. Hood, hopes to recruit more musicians to the program. Her husband, Dan, directs the MHCC Jazz Band.
outdoors, including hiking and running. “We have a boat so we like to go boating and tubing, but my ideal day would be camping,” she said. She also has two cats and her current favorite band is an indie-rock group called The Temper Trap. Davey is loving her time at MHCC so far. “I also really like all my colleagues in
MT. HOOD JAZZ ENSEMBLE & SYMPHONIC BAND CONCERT College Theatre 7:30 P.M. FREE
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our Performing Arts department. I feel like everyone works really well together,” she said. She’s optimistic about the future of Mt. Hood’s music department with the already increasing enrollment, and support from the college President Debbie Derr and Janet McIntyre, dean for Performing Arts.
MT. HOOD SMALL ENSEMBLES CONCERT Jazz Café 12:00 P.M. FREE PA G E 5
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T
FAMOUS DRAGON HIDES IN MT. HOOD BASEMENT Theresa Snyder’s fictional dragon helps gain over 60,000 followers Hanna Benson the advocate
Working in the MHCC mailroom inside the school’s basement – a room most students don’t even know exists – is writer Theresa Snyder who has authored over 25 books and has created a fictional dragon who has become famous on the internet. Snyder published her first book, “James & the Dragon (the Farloft Chronicles),” in 2013. It is considered a fast read and an irresistible book to dragon-lovers. The main character is based off of Snyder’s young nephew, James (then 10 years old), who in the story nearly drowns in quicksand when he is rescued by Farloft, a century-old dragon who was ostracized by humans and has many stories to share. The character Farloft came to Snyder in a dream and was made into a story to help teach her nephew important lessons in life, because what 10-year-old wouldn’t listen to a wondrous, mystical dragon? she explained. Since she began publishing her work, Farloft has become Snyder’s best character, receiving 4- to 5-star reviews on Amazon and attracting fans from all over the world. Farloft has become what she calls her ‘mouthpiece’: She uses her the character online to advertise “James &
Photo by Fletcher Wold
Theresa Snyder showcases various fan art of Farloft the dragon to the left and concept art to the right
the Dragon” and some of her other works, which helps them sell much more successfully. Some of Farloft’s fans bring the dragon to life even further, sending artwork to Snyder that seems to cover every square inch of her Mt. Hood mailroom office. She takes so much pride in this fan art that even some of Snyder’s book covers are formulated by graphic design students. Not only is Farloft artistically
alive, the character also has his own social media and dedicates the last Friday of every month to tweeting and interacting with his 60,000 followers. In fact, Farloft has become so well-known that Snyder is looking into a five-year agreement to turn his story into an animated movie. Snyder grew up with a passion to write, she said. Her mother worked as a librarian and would supply her journals where she would be able to
write down her thoughts. She was raised moving all over the country – following her father who was in the U.S. Air Force – and has lived in 29 different places, but in 1971 she finally claimed Oregon as her own. “It was like coming home. I looked around and it was cool and it was damp and it was green and I could wear a sweatshirt almost 365 days a year,” Snyder said with a laugh.
She wrote her first book in 1990, and she would follow with another every few years. Soon, years turned into months, and months turned into weekends, making her a skilled, fast-paced writer. She says she really started to find her author’s voice in her third book. A previous book reviewer once told her that if she was finding her voice by her third book, she’d learn to sing by her sixth, and that’s exactly what happened, she said. Snyder now specializes in writing fantasy, science fiction and paranormal books for all ages. Writing multiple stories at once and at a rapid pace, she’s come up with some of her own selling strategies, such as books with coloring options for children, series targeted for moreadult and young-adult readers, and short stories for quick reads. She continues to write and build Farloft’s character, along with her other characters. She even includes herself, Theresa, as a role in the Farloft Chronicles as a friend and healer of the dragons. Snyder is not only a great character in her own stories, but in real life, too. The MHCC mailroom/ print production scheduler takes pride in her stories and does everything she can to make her characters truly come to life. For more information visit: theresasnyderauthor.com
THINK LIKE MACGYVER, AN AMERICAN IDOL Steven Rousseau the advocate
A lot of people are good at planning ahead, versus just staying loose and keeping an open mind. A lot of people are logical, versus illogical. Some people are
Web Photo
creative thinkers, versus creative on paper. Some people have morals, ethics, and compassion for others when they’re on-the-clock, then drop these traits when they’re offthe-clock. Sure, we all have our own idols in life and I know I had an idol – TV idol, that is. He was a mix of action-Boy Scout hero and was very much alive from the mid-1980s-throughearly 1990s. His name was MacGyver, but his friends called him “Mac.” MacGyver was a great action hero because he didn’t use violence to fight, but the power of his mind to
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fight the bad guys in order to get himself and others to safety. He used a Swiss army knife to help improvise his way through problems. He even made time to reach out to others in need and mentor people in later seasons. I enjoyed the show because he was an action-Boy Scout hero. He was a hero with a difference. He basically was a mediator. There aren’t many TV show characters like MacGyver anymore. When MacGyver used weapons, the weapons were used as tools to divert himself and others to safety. He often put others first, before himself. In one episode, his boss, Peter Thorton, said, “It’s time we think like MacGyver. His mind doesn’t work like yours or mine.” The last few weeks-to-a couple
months, I’ve been comparing myself to my TV idol. We, as staff for the MHCC student newspaper, The Advocate, are supposed to write something that’s never been written before. And so, as I compared myself in society and how I handle or rather cope in society in all sorts of ways, well, I noticed similarities in my TV idol. I think MacGyver may have had ADHD, or a possible case of autism. He was never organized, he always improvised, or rather survived, at the last minute: ADHD trait. For me, this was the excitement of the character and show. My place always looks like a bomb went off, but I am always pulling things off at the last minute. He was also intuitive: ADHD
trait. It was hard to figure out on what he was going to do next. He had lots of empathy and sympathy: autistic trait. He had a lot of morals and ethics on- and off-the-clock. He was a loner with few friends and solved problems solo: autistic trait. MacGyver likes to help, and even resolve conflicts (make friends with enemies if possible), not get even or seek revenge on others: autistic trait. In real life, MacGyver wouldn’t last long without assistance from people like his boss, Thorton, who value him as a human and his mind. So, beyond “thinking like MacGyver,” it’s just as important for more of us to believe in and support people we may know who share his valuable traits.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
OCTOBER 6, 2017
THE ADVOCATE’S TOP FIVE ALBUMS OF THE SUMMER
Noah Guillen the advocate
DEATH FROM ABOVE “Outrage Now!” The latest from rock duo Death From Above, formerly known as Death From Above 1979, “Outrage Now!” is more of the good ol’ abrasive, fast-pace rock the band’s made their ever-changing-name on, and not much else. Distorted bass, frantic drumming, shouting lyrics – Death From Above finds their stride in simplicity. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find bands making music as genuine as Outrage Now!, with almost zero regard for trends. The political messages are vague and often share songs with romance. With the exception of the opening song “Nomad,” which is reminiscent of ’80s nerd metal, and “Moonlight,” a notable favorite of mine drawing from operatic influences, the album doesn’t mirror nostalgic blues-y rock as is so popular as of late (I’m looking at you Black Keys, Arctic Monkeys, and Queens of the Stone Age).
THE NATIONAL “Sleep Well Beast”
BRAND NEW “Science Fiction”
VINCE STAPLES “The Big Fish Theory”
LORDE “Melodrama”
There’s a lot to be said of an album that delivers on the expectations of fans, and simultaneously betrays the band’s signature sound. Dancing between heart-broken, primarily acoustic ballads and synthpop laced experimental tracks, The National’s “Sleep Well Beast” is confusing, surprising, and stupendous. The album’s themes will seem familiar to fans; from break-ups to depression, to imagery of New York in winter (no one is saying it’s a “happy” album). From the opening songs, “Nobody Else Will Be There” and “Day I Die,” the listener is treated to new old National. Trailing into “Walk it Back” and “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness,” however, The National breaks into more experimental, even exciting, material. There’s a guitar solo in “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness” for Pete’s sake, and Matt Berninger even breaks out of baritone! If that wasn’t weird enough, then there are tracks such as “Turtleneck” that could be mistaken for new material from Talking Heads or The B52’s, with bizarre voice inflections and guitar slopped on like guitarist twins Bryce and Aaron Dessner are pompously disregarding the song’s structure. The rest of the album treats the listener to inconsistent melds between the two styles, as either sounds fights for dominance. There are notable wins for the sound of old National too, with “Carin in The Liquor Store” playing like the last call in a New York bar. Then the album closes with title track “Sleep Well Beast,” which delivers a perfect balance between the two.
It would seem appropriate to call “Science Fiction” “much anticipated” if anyone remembered Brand New. Not to discredit the band’s brilliance over the years, but following the decline of “emo” and the band’s divisive 2009 album “Daisy,” one can be forgiven for having not anticipated the band’s return. But, sure enough, eight years later, Science Fiction – and much to any fan’s delight, not a whole lot has changed. It is apparent that Jesse Lacey is still struggling with depression, and religion, which were common themes in the band’s last two albums. It is also apparent that the southern influence Brand New introduced in “The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me,” and later toiled with in Daisy, have been solidified into what can be heard in grand songs such as “451” and in a weary twang, such as my personal favorite “Dessert. The band has also yet to sever their ties to their angsty association with more simplistic songs such as “Get It Out,” which is one of only a handful of songs that utilize, however subtly, screaming vocals (and incredibly well, I should add). Though it is apparent that the band has matured in many regards, they still hold true to some key characteristics such as climactic song structures and haunting acoustic melodies.
Trickery. “The Big Fish Theory” has an allure of a hyped-up party album, with deceitful hooks and titles such as “Yeah Right” and “Party People.” Under the playful, bassy club music mask is a darker avant-garde album that explores themes of oppression, depression, love, and loss – all the good stuff. The simplistic production of the album compliments the concealed themes by juxtaposing the two tones flawlessly. There’s also a good sum of assistance from contributing artists such as Damon Albarn, Kendrick Lamar, A$AP Rocky, and the increasingly impressive Kilo Kish (who made a prominent appearance on Gorillaz’s Humanz earlier this year). Though many songs risk sounding similar, each has its own individuality expressed in gripping moments to keep the album consistently enthralling. Staples’s capability to seamlessly integrate old and new style hip-hop raises the bar for artists who share in the industry.
Lorde’s “Melodrama” is the perfect soundtrack to the summer now past. Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor is the drama queen. She’s not “a drama queen” – she is “THE drama queen” and the key word is ‘queen.’ Melodrama wears the crown with an anthemic stride as it explores desire and regret through young eyes. The erratic changes in tone, from optimism to reminiscent frustration, from complicated electric drive to melancholy acoustics, immerse listeners in a world of ambition and plight. The album finds strides in dreamy moments like “The Louvre,” which somehow sounds like the Fourth of July looks. Lorde’s follow-up to 2013’s “Pure Heroine” bridges melodramatics with maturity in a way that ties listeners of all ages to a specific time and age. The sounds and theme of the album resonate over a wide spectrum, either as a reminder or an embrace of youthful endeavors.
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ASG EXECUTIVES PURSUE RESOURCE ACCESSIBILITY Leaders plan to bring affordable alternatives to students Bethany McCurley the advocate
so I would really like to talk with them and see who funds it,” said McIntosh. Peterman is interested in increasing online presence for commuting students who want come and go for classes as quickly as possible. If a framework can be developed that is more productive and streamlined it will be easier to survey and get connected with students, he said. The increased use of online platforms is a long-term ASG goal. Peterman has discussed a fiveyear plan with Justin Core, the new director of student life and civic engagement at Mt. Hood this autumn. As part of this plan, Peterman wants to explore the possibility of earlier ASG elections (now ending in midMay) so that the new president and vice president could be trained and transition faster and more productively into their positions for the following school year.
Mt. Hood’s Associated Student Government (ASG) is off to a slow start this fall due to understaffing and communication barriers, but remains focused on its top three goals, its leaders said. New ASG President PonyBoy Peterman and Vice President Carey McIntosh aim to expand the campus food bank, increase MHCC’s online presence, and promote textbook affordability. Additional proposals are in question, but the ASG is sure to move forward with these three, said Peterman. A main goal is to expand and move MHCC’s food bank for students, Barney’s Pantry, into the back room of the Student Union. McIntosh hopes to get the Oregon Food Bank or other Portland food banks involved in revamping the pantry. ASG already has a big fridge and aims to stock it with meat, vegetable, fruit and actual meals, she said. Portland State CAREY MCINTOSH University’s student food ASG VICE PRESIDENT bank “is like a minimart,
“I am not sure if we can actually do that, but these are the kind of questions we need to ask,” said Peterman. This year’s leadership has also struggled with some critical MHCC vacancies, including a permanent ASG faculty adviser. The position formerly held by Meadow McWhorter has remained unfilled since spring of 2016. Textbook affordability was a main part of the ASG president and VP’s campaign last spring, and is still a big priority, the two said.
As ASG’s senator of library last school year, McIntosh used her connections to find resources and conduct surveys to pinpoint student needs. Both she and Peterman work with Heather White, MHCC technical services coordinator, and Mark Peterson, faculty librarian, on a textbook affordability team where t h e y
discuss potential resources such as open-source textbook and online resources. Navigate is one of the online resources that guides students applying for financial aid, filters classes searches by cost, and provides other help. The barrier with open textbooks is that a Mt. Hood faculty/staff member would have to spend uncompensated time to write a textbook unless someone is willing to fund the project. The textbook affordability team has discussed visiting Portland Community College, which has promoted Open Education Resources (OER) and saved and students an estimated $1.3 million on textbooks between the Fall 2014 and Winter 2017 terms, according to the official PCC Library website. “Why not promote this culture of continual collaboration and open knowledge?” said Peterman.
PONYBOY PETERMAN ASG PRESIDENT
Photos by Fadi Shahin
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