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advocate
Volume 51 Issue 6
October 28, 2016
Independent Student Voice of MHCC
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Mt. Hood's Capitol contenders ‘Walking Dead’ season premiere strikes a chord.
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2016 FIRST PLACE
General excellence Oregon Newspaper Publisher Association
49
OPINION
October 28, 2016
Editorial
Domestic violence can manifest in multiple ways Domestic violence isn’t always physically violent in nature. When people think of violence, they think of physical harm without really considering the mental and emotional harm done to the victim. There is always pain and a sense of being scared when in a situation of domestic abuse, no matter the age or gender. People generally abuse others to feel like they’re in a place of power and to control other people to do what they want. If someone has never been in an abusive relationship before, they may not even know that they’re in one, or want to leave – they think their partner is just overprotective. An abusive relationship contains these traits, by the abuser: insulting, demeaning or embarrassing putdowns; controlling who you talk
to or where you go; acts or looks in ways that scare you; acts like the abuse is no big deal, denies it or tells you it’s your own fault; and more. There are days where the victim may feel like they have no one to turn to or talk to, because they think it’s humiliating or embarrassing to ask for help. It’s not. A source of help is The National Domestic Violence Hotline (The Hotline), which is the only national organization that directly serves victims of a relationship and their families and friends. They provide help with victims 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. There’s another project called loveisrespect, which helps teens and 20-somethings learn about healthy relationships and dating advice. The Hotline and loveisrespect.
org are free, anonymous and confidential. According to The Hotline, over the last 20 years more than 3.8 million people have received help from The Hotline and loveisrespect around issues of domestic and dating violence.
Signs of Abuse Act or look in ways that scare you Demeaning or embarrassing put-downs Controlling who you talk to or where you go Acts like the abuse is no big deal Denys it or tells you it’s your own fault Insulting Go to thehotline.org for more information. 1-800-799-7233 or TTY 1-800-787-3224
Records of contacts 2015 show a 15 percent increase in calls, chats and texts received. The types of abuse reported was: 84 percent emotional/verbal
abuse (degradation, threats, insults, humiliation, isolation, etc.); 59 percent physical abuse (hitting, biting, choking, etc.); 19 percent economic/financial abuse; 8 percent sexual abuse (rape, exploitation, coercion, etc.); and 5 percent digital abuse (steal passwords, constant texts, etc.). Many victims experience multiple types of abuse, which can cause them to shut down or not show any indication to people they interact with on a daily basis. Victims should never be humiliated or shamed for not standing up for themselves, because sometimes their abusers never show any signs of violence or harm before certain events happen. A person of any gender can abuse their partner, no matter their background. If someone feels that they should have
more power or say in a relationship, they may resort to violence or abuse to try to get what they want. There can be women who hit men to get what they want and when the men want to say something, they are viewed as “weak” or “unmasculine.” What then? In that case, some people want to blame the man for not hitting her back or make fun of that person; if they have a child, the man can’t just up and leave, so there has to be a way to get out of the toxic relationship. What we’re trying to say is that no matter the race, gender and situation, everyone can experience domestic abuse and be affected by it. If you feel like you are in a situation that you can’t get out of without help, please call The Hotline or someone you trust.
I’m not with her when it comes to nukes Pavel Donchenko the advocate
“On the issue of war and nuclear weapons, it is actually Hillary’s policies which are much scarier than Donald Trump, who does not want to go to war with Russia.” This isn’t my opinion – this is the opinion of Green Party candidate Jill Stein. These words shocked some people. Several people I know were flabbergasted with the notion that Donald Trump is less likely to start nuclear war. These were the people who said things like “Trump will launch nukes at every foreign nation that offends him.”
In my opinion, Jill Stein is correct. First and foremost, I would like to say this is not an endorsement of Trump. This is merely my opinion on which candidate has been more hawkish. Several things Hillary Clinton has said have caused me concern. The main issue is her push for a no-fly zone over Syria. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford said this about it, responding to questions from the Senate Armed Forces Committee: “Right now, Senator, for us to control all of the airspace in Syria it would require us to go to war, against Syria and Russia.” Now, that can change, but as
the advocate Editor-in-Chief Gloria Saepharn
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of right now a no-fly zone is off the table. Also I highly doubt Russia would agree to such a proposal. Russia sees itself as in the right; after all, they see the Assad government as the legitimate government of Syria. Russia was invited by the Syrian government to help in the civil war. From Russia’s point of view, everything that has happened is legal. I doubt the legality of the actions worry Russia much, anyways. The Russians seem more concerned with ensuring that Bashar al-Assad stays in power. But I digress. Trump has received flak for his positions on Russia. Some say that he is a
Ad Manager Joseph Frantz Copy Editor Position open Advisers Howard Buck Dan Ernst Staff Writers Ryan Moore Pavel Donchenko Donovan Sargent Monique Mallari Kyle Venooker Greg Leonov Brody Mathews Maddy Sanstrum Cover graphics by Prisma Flores
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puppet of Vladimir Putin. Others say Trump speaks a bit too fondly of Putin. Trump himself says he wants to work with Russia on matters that affect the world. In the end, it does not matter if the conspiratorial version is true or not. None of these options lead me to believe Trump is willing to start a war with Russia. While Russia is not the only power in the world which has nuclear weapons, it is the only power with which war
Nathan Zbinden Andres Bernal Glenn Dyer
Contact us! E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu Phone: 503-491-7250 Website: advocate-online.net Twitter: MHCCAdvocate Facebook: facebook.com/TheAdvocateOnline Instagram: MHCCAdvocate #MHCCAdvocate Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham, Oregon 97030
is a realistic possibility. I do not want to sound conspiratorial, myself – I do not think that war with Russia is highly likely even if Clinton wins. However, when comparing the things Clinton has said w h a t Trump has said, I think the chance of nuclear war is higher under her than it is under him.
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
advocate-online.net
Yellott runs for office, no reply to ‘hostile’ media Joseph Frantz the advocate
George “Sonny” Yellott, our often controversial MHCC District board member, is running for office again. He’s currently in the waning stages of his third campaign as the Republican candidate for the 48th House District in the Oregon Legislature. While he finds himself in somewhat familiar territory in this race, it’s safe to say his campaign has not gone according to plan. That said, his political future is in the voters’ hands now, with the election looming. Yellott ignored the Advocate’s repeated attempts to contact him regarding his current candidacy. This is a recurring theme with him, dating back to at least 2013. At that time, he had announced his intent to run for the Mt. Hood board seat vacated by Rod Monroe after eight years of service. After being contacted by multiple media outlets, including the Advocate, Yellott told the Gresham Outlook
reporter Lisa Anderson, “I’m not going to get involved in any potentially hostile media outlets.” He added, “(What the media publishes) is not close to what the truth is. It’s totally misrepresented. I do not trust you to do what is right.” He directly declined the Advocate’s request, again citing the “lying media” that he said “has not been comporting itself properly over the last 10 years.” There is more that could have voters in the 48th feeling a sense of deja vú. This will be Yellott’s third try in this legislative district, having run unsuccessfully in both 2012 and 2014. All three times, the general election has pitted him against the same opponent, Democratic Rep. Jeff Reardon. That is likely where Yellott hopes the similarities end for now, as Reardon won both previous races easily with more than two-thirds of the vote. Libertarian candidate Gary Dye, a local landlord, is hoping to put a dent in both Yellott’s and Reardon’s plans this time.
However, with Reardon pulling nearly 70 percent of the votes in the last two elections, according to Ballotpedia.org, it remains to be seen if Dye or Yellott can mount any real opposition. While Yellott can hope for a different outcome this year, he didn’t do himself any favors in the court of public opinion over the past few months. After making disparaging remarks during the July 13 MHCC District board meeting where he referenced “illegals” as the reason Mt. Hood’s recent bond measure failed, he was then outed for posting offensive messages on his personal Facebook account, including a depiction of President Barack Obama being lynched. Yellott claimed he doesn’t know how the image of Obama made it onto his Facebook page. But soon after, his own party denied any ties to or support for him. In a statement to The Oregonian news website, Preston Mann, Oregon House Republican spokesperson, said “George Yellott’s Facebook
Sonny Yellott
post is absolutely abhorrent... He should immediately remove the post, withdraw from running for office, and apologize to Oregonians for posting something so blatantly offensive and disgusting.” On July 29, the MHCC board formally voted to censure Yellott for “repeatedly reprehensible comments” during board business,
while he resisted pleas that he resign his seat, he told television reporters. How this summer controversy will affect Yellott’s chances on Nov. 8 remains to be seen. One could easily ask how someone as controversial as him onto the November ballot, or a college board of directors, in the first place. The answer is really quite simple: he runs unopposed. In all three of his legislative primary elections, he was the only Republican on the ticket for the 48th district, advancing to November by default. From there, dethroning the incumbent, Reardon, has proved a much harder puzzle to solve. That was not the case in Yellott’s May 2013 bid for the 4th District seat on the MHCC board. In that race Yellott also ran unopposed and won the seat by default. Since then he has drawn criticism repeatedly and on several different fronts. He’s up for re-election in another six months, on the May 2017 ballot, if he decides to run again for the board.
MHCC leaders run head-to-head for state House seat Donovan Sargent the advocate
Michael Calcagno MHCC District board member Michael Calcagno is running as an Independent Party candidate for the Oregon House District 50 seat currently held by Rep. Carla Piluso, D-Gresham, finishing her first term in office. Calcagno, 28, is focusing his campaign on education reform. “Oregon has some of the shortest school days, and school years, in the country. Oregon also has the fourth-lowest graduation rate,” he said. “Oregon has chronically defunded K-12 education, as well as community colleges, over the past decade,” he said. Partisan politics in Oregon haven’t helped, Calcagno said. “Kids are suffering, and are not going to see a robust economy and quality of life until that (problem) is addressed,” he said. For more immediate solutions to Oregon’s future, Calcagno said he wants to focus on “the bridge between K-12 and the workforce.” He said funding needs to be bolstered to help local schools, including MHCC. He said priorities need to be re-evaluated
so programs such as Barney’s Pantry and housing vouchers get the funding they need. “We need to do more to level the playing field so that all people from all walks of life can earn a living wage, and that only comes through skills training,” he said. Calcagno said that “the incumbent (Piluso) represents a status quo. We are beginning, as a state, to realize that one-in-five (Oregonians) are living on food stamps. We’ve got to do more to address economic ability, and the status quo hasn’t helped that and in some respects have created the situation(s) we need to resolve.”
Michael Calcagno
“We need new ideas in Salem. For a lot of lawmakers in Salem, that is becoming less and less important,” Calcagno said he has a sincere desire to help his generation in succeeding to its full potential. He likened himself to the students here at MHCC, saying, “I’ve experienced six-figure student loan debt and the pressure to not be able to find good paying work coming out of college and (the) pressure to find a home with my wife, Katie.” Now, the Calcagnos are expecting a baby girl, and he is concerned his daughter will grow up in a school district with almost 40 children in a classroom that’s underfunded and understaffed – if reforms aren’t made. Stella Armstrong Stella Armstrong, running as a Republican for the Oregon House District 50 seat, is the Transitions program coordinator at MHCC. She’s taking on Independent candidate Michael Calcagno and incumbent Democrat Carla Piluso. “I see (my campaign) as a call for a change toward excellent stewardship of Oregon’s resources – transparent, accountable and prudent spending of taxpayers’ money, fixing holes in the processes before thinking about raising taxes or fees,” Armstrong said.
“It is also about protecting our life resources, the unborn, the elderly, and the marginalized...Because I am an educator and a process analyst by experience, I would like very much to contribute as much as I can in helping raise the quality of education here in our state.” Armstrong listed changes she would seek first. “We need to work right away in making sure that oversight, accountability, and transparency safeguards are put in place, especially in sectors that are negatively perceived, like education, transportation and health services. We also need to address our homelessness situation,” she said. Her proposals include a pilot program called “Transitions for men,” a program to help homeless men in the Gresham area. She is also “exploring an excellence pathway for our students to raise their chances of transferring and being accepted to higher-ranked universities,” she said. “It will expose our students to excellent benchmarks and give us an accurate assessment of what we are doing right and what needs to be done.” Armstrong hopes for a more collaborative effort to “honestly assess the way we address student needs” and create “feedback mechanisms that are collegial and constructive.”
Challenges she faces in her race include criticisms from other candidates. “Some ‘traditional’ politicians have tried to convince me to withdraw my candidacy because I do not have the financial resources... do not have political connections... do not have any political experience,” she said. “They said that decency and good character do not matter and do not guarantee winning the election. I think the challenge is these embedded structures and perceptions themselves.” She said it’s time young voters, such as MHCC students, are given the chance to discern the difference “between a politician and a public servant, or a servant leader. I am not running for office because I want to be a politician and be in politics. I see it as an opportunity for me to live my values in the midst of it and perhaps be a small part of that change toward having leaders we truly trust.” Armstrong thinks her viewpoint makes her the best candidate, “because I do not have connections. Because I am not beholden to anybody because of financial contributions,” she said. “Because I do not have any political baggage or political habits to unlearn, and because I am not affiliated with any of the entities of the state that are having major budget deficits.” PA G E 3
NEWS
October 28, 2016
Board member Tamie Arnold runs for State Senate Greg Leonov the advocate
One of Mt. Hood’s at-large District board members is running for the position of state senator for District 25. Tamie Tlustos-Arnold is a registered nurse with 17 years in the field. She graduated from MHCC, where she served as ASG president. She got her nursing degree at Walla Walla College.
If elected to the Oregon senate, Arnold hopes to help improve the state’s education system, contribute to solving the housing and homeless crises in her district, and focus her attention on the community she represents. Arnold said the education system is failing graduated students: “Only about 25 percent of high school students are ready for college- level coursework.” She
believes that students in Oregon need more class time. “Kids are shortchanged by about 10 days
Tamie Tlustos-Arnold
a year compared to Washington (state),” she said.
Giving students options other than a college education is an idea Arnold supports, she said. Resources for vocational training, or career technical training should be expanded. “We’re on the right track with one of our ballot measures,” she said about Measure 98, which would “distribute at least $800 per high school student each year (to public schools) for establishing or expanding career and technical education programs, college-level educational opportunities, and dropout-prevention strategies,” according to ballotpedia.com. For low-income families, Arnold wants qualifications for the Oregon Promise act (which covers community college tuition costs for
eligible students) to be expanded. “Some families are stuck, and they don’t necessarily have the money to send their kids to school” but they also don’t qualify for Oregon Promise funds, she said. On the issue of housing, Arnold wants to see regulations modified so that more creative solutions are possible. Allowing and building more mixed-use properties with commercial space below, and living space on top, is one idea she likes. She also supports allowing auxiliary dwelling units (ADU), such as converting a garage into an apartment.
To view the full unabridged story, visit: advocate-online.net
Anderson runs to keep Senate seat Greg Leonov the advocate
Laurie Monnes Anderson is the incumbent in this year’s Oregon state Senate District 25 race. Anderson, a Democrat, is running against MHCC District board member Tamie Tlustos-Arnold, a
Republican, and Libertarian Party candidate Jeffrey Ricks. During her three-term tenure as senator, Anderson was able to contribute to getting $2 million worth of funding every biennium (two-year budget cycle) to the East metro gang prevention team, she said. Anderson has also been suc-
cessful in bringing resources for mentoring families in Rockwood. During her campaign, Anderson said that housing is a major worry that constituents share.
To view the full unabridged story, visit: advocate-online.net
Micro sample of MHCC students disenfranchised with elections Kyle Venooker the advocate
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With Election Day coming up (Nov. 8!), we at the Advocate wanted to get a picture of how the student body was feeling about the election. We interviewed 20 students around campus, asking each the same list of questions. Of the students surveyed, 25 percent said they weren’t voting for any candidate for U.S. president. A couple of people said they weren’t voting because they didn’t know enough about any of the candidates to feel comfortable casting a vote. The rest seemed on the same page – as Angela and Ciela, both freshman students, said of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, “Neither of them are good candidates. They both have a ton of problems.” Another 25 percent said they’d probably vote for Clinton. Asked which specific policies of hers they supported, however, the answers tended to be a little vague. Abby, a sophomore, said she was leaning towards the former Secretary of
State because of her stances on taxes and trade, while Tyler, an Eastern Oregon University student, said she had earned his vote due to her stance on gun control. Virtually everyone else, however, said they were voting for Clinton mostly because she was not Donald Trump. The phrase “lesser of two evils” cropped up quite a bit. Say what you want about Trump’s supporters, they had a firmer grasp of policy than the HRC supporters we interviewed. While fewer in number (about 15 percent of those interviewed, they tended to have detailed, supported answers. Tougher policies on immigration was a common theme, as was reforming the political system. As Jericha, a sophomore, put it, “We need to put a term limit on Congress...and we need to overturn the system and restart it.” Jesse, a freshman, liked Trump’s tax plans, as “I think that when people work for their money they should be able to keep it; they earned it.” We didn’t run into anyone who was voting third party, though there
was one student who was writing in Bernie Sanders’s name. Kayla, a senior, said she was writing in Sanders, because of his stances on international policy, education, and health care. The last of the Oregon election ballots have been mailed out, so if you haven’t received yours, you should any day now. Ballots must be mailed, or turned in at official drop boxes, 8 p.m. on Nov. 8. If you’d like to learn more about candidates’ policies, ontheissues. org is a terrific independent resource to find quotes and stances for each of the 2016 presidential candidates. You can also learn more about the candidates from their respective websites.
Candidate Websites Trump: donaldjtrump.com Clinton: hillaryclinton.com (Gary) Johnson: johnsonweld.com (Jill) Stein: jill2016.com *(Darrell Lane) Castle: castle2016.com *(Evan) McMullin: evanmcmullin.com *These candidates are not on the Oregon ballot.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
advocate-online.net
Music Vulfpeck’s album shines ‘Joanne’ shows new Gaga Kyle Venooker the advocate
Vulfpeck (like, wolf pack with a German accent) first came to my attention in 2014, when they released the album “Sleepify.” Ten tracks, at roughly 30 seconds apiece, of absolute silence. The idea was to play this album on repeat while you slept, hopefully garnering enough money to fund a tour that would not charge money for tickets. Historically, it’s been this kind of rulebreaking, paradigm-destroying mindset that has set Vulfpeck apart. That, and their kick-ass music. Rooted in thick, tasty funk, Vulfpeck merges zeal, articulation, elegance and beauty into a seamless musical integration of the past 40 years. Simply put, these guys have it figured out. So. The album. Let’s get to it. It’s called “The Beautiful Game.” It’s. So. Funky. Steeped in the golden, sun-drenched sounds of the ’70s, the album is a winner, start to finish. Starting with a winsome, melancholy clarinet introduction, it grooves right into “Animal Spirits,” one of my favorite cuts. If you’ve ever listened to The Jackson 5 and said
THE Ryan Moore the advocate
5/5 on the bloody cleaver scale.
THE
Ryan Moore the advocate
Lady Gaga’s latest album, “Joanne,” was a bit experimental in comparison to what the pop singer is typically recognized for. “Joanne” is Gaga’s fifth studio album, and it was just released last Friday with the album’s leading single, “Perfect Illusion,” already receiving radio airplay. It features 14 tracks, with collaborators including producer Mark Ronson, the mind behind the breakout hit “Uptown Funk” with Bruno Mars, and singer Florence Welch from Florence and the Machine. But although Gaga’s vocals are as strong as ever, the main thing that makes this album so unique is how distinctly different it is to her previous music, genre-wise. Many of the tracks are considered to be heavily influenced with a countryrock sound, but characterizing the album as a country album would be pretty far off. These songs are composed with a lot of guitar and piano, with a certain twang that many Gaga fans may find quite surprising. This is showcased very well on the album’s title song, “Joanne,” an acoustic ballad written as a tribute to her late aunt. But this was exactly Gaga’s goal, as she said in an interview: She wanted the sound of this album to be unexpected. “Perfect Illusion” and “Hey Girl,” a boldly vocal duet with Florence Welch, may be the two biggest exceptions to this inexplicable new sound of Gaga’s, as they stray pretty far from
the country-like theme of other songs. As an artist, this album just adds to the list of different paths that Lady Gaga has taken her career in recent years. From singing with traditional pop singer Tony Bennett on a collaborative album back in 2014, to diving into her acting debut and earning a Golden Globe award for her role in Season 5 of “American Horror Story,” it is clear that Gaga takes pride in pushing herself as an artist and that her artistry is constantly evolving. At Super Bowl 50, she was fortunate enough to sing the national anthem, and afterwards she was praised for her performance, sparking a flurry of positive online feedback by fans and celebrities alike. Beforehand, she said she considered it “one of the highest honors of my career.” On top of this, it was recently announced that Gaga will perform at the Super Bowl 51 (officially, it’s the roman numerals, LI) halftime Web photo show, an equally prestigious honor. All accolades aside, looking at the album solely by itself, those who aren’t as familiar with the creative nature of Lady Gaga may be a little put off by these songs. The sound is a far cry from her previous releases. But, that’s not to say the pop figure won’t return to her origins in making more pop hits in the future. It’s not uncommon for artists who have found success to take part in more artistic and experimental projects, and “Joanne” is a very good example of this concept.
Season Seven premiere hits Mt. Hood Community College Wednesday viewers right in the feels show is based, marked a very big turning point in the story. It also took place on the comic’s 100th issue, a move put in place by creator Robert Kirkman for the reason that after reading a comic for 100 issues, many readers tend to check out other things but in the case of this world, another act of the story has only just begun. This could not be more true in regards to the TV adaptation. At the end of last season, many of the main cast members were on their knees surrendered to this man, Negan, and his group, called the Saviors, stripped of all of the control the group is used to having. Due to their actions against the Saviors in Season 6, the group has been captured and Negan threatened to kill a member using his beloved baseball bat, wrapped in barbed wire, named “Lucille.”
This caused an uproar as fans of the show tried desperately to figure out who the victim would be all summer, leading up to Sunday’s premiere. But, even with all of the hype and buildup to this pivotal moment, finally witnessing the inevitable result was a gut-wrenching, horrific sequence that will likely impact the story for seasons to come. Following the premiere, the series’ official aftershow, “Talking Dead,” aired a live 90-minute special in LA for hundreds of fans who attended despite a little bit of rain on the set.
To view the full unabridged story, visit: advocate-online.net
Career Fair November 2, 2016 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Vista Dining Room, Room AC2000 Mt. Hood Community College 26000 S.E. Stark St., Gresham, OR 97030 ›
JOBS
Businesses from all industries will be hiring interns, part-time and full-time employees
›
RESOURCES
Educational resources, internship search and job search resources
›
ALL ARE WELCOME
Open to all MHCC students, alumni and community members
Presenting Sponsor Supporting Sponsor
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT
mhcc.edu/CareerCenter People requiring accommodations due to disability should contact the Disability Services Office at 503-491-6923 or dsoweb@mhcc.edu. Please call or email at least two weeks prior to event.
DC7207
Many fans of “The Walking Dead” are in mourning after Sunday’s incredibly dramatic Season 7 premiere. Those who tuned in to the Season 6 finale saw the huge cliffhanger that led to the impending result of the first episode of Season 7. Over the summer the network behind the popular zombie drama, AMC, began teasing and promoting this premiere with the introduction of a new villain, named Negan. The character’s presence in the comic book series, on which the
to yourself “Hey, these guys are alright,” odds are pretty good you’re gonna love it. The album keeps the energy high in the next song, “Dean Town”, a driving, houseinfluenced song that marks a stark departure from the group’s usual style. In fact, this whole album feels different from their usual stuff. For one, it’s got a ton of vocals. Their past EPs tend to be almost completely instrumental, with maybe one song with a vocal part. Not so “The Beautiful Game,” with six of the 10 tracks featuring singers. Two of these Web photo highlight Antwaun Stanley, an R&B singer who’s done some work with Vulfpeck in the past (check out “Wait For the Moment,” one of my favorite tracks). “Aunt Leslie,” the penultimate cut, stands out as one of my favorites. Channeling Lionel Richie, Stanley is arguably at his most soulful and heartfelt. This song also features Cory Wong, a jazz guitarist from Minneapolis who provides the namesake for the final track, titled (you guessed it) “Cory Wong,” a barn-burning, slaphappy, goddamn party of a closer. Have I laid it on too thick? I can’t say enough good things about these guys. 5 stars. Listen to Vulfpeck. Buy this album on their Bandcamp. Listen to their other music on Spotify. Your life will be better.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
October 28, 2016
Notice the ‘angels’ all around you Nathan Zbinden the advocate
The Portland area has really grown into its own nationally recognized culture over the past 30 years. What better way to admire it than to visit a showcase of 48 street portraits of individuals who resemble the core of Portland’s culture? We don’t know anything about them, but it’s through the eyes of artist Michael Hoeye that we get a chance to admire those around us while living in a world that is becoming more and more self-centered. The “Angels Passing” art exhibit is on display at MHCC for the month of October in the Diversity Resource Center, after being shown at the Portland International Airport and the Rose Villa retirement community. This collection of art has been in the making for 10 years and still continues to grow as Hoeye puts his inspirations on paper to share with our local community. Fascinated by strangers he passes by, he aims to “capture the moment of an individual and be amazed by them, to feel enormous admiration,” he said during a visit to the DRC. He also said, “There’s something mysterious art does that nothing else can duplicate.” Not only his paintings, but also his books, photography and choreography
have taken him to New York, where he spent 16 years working a variety of jobs. After having enough of the busy and oftentimes out-of-control life that New York brought him, he returned to Portland in 1991 to focus more on “smaller” business and sharing his art to people in a more personal way. It was here that he settled down and began to admire the unique culture that Portland proudly provides and to reflect that in his artwork. To him, “Angels Passing” is a way to “help people notice each other and get to know each other,” he said. He describes his paintings as “like a self-analysis” of the heart of Portland that he feels is becoming less noticeable in a society where people spend more and more time on their phones. He hopes they can bring out the best in us and allow us to appreciate those around us without even knowing anything about them, he explained. “Angels Passing” will only be at Mt. Hood through the end of October. Don’t miss the chance to feel inspired and connected in the community around you. Hoeye’s works of art are a reflection of who we are as a community, and that’s something that can help us all find admiration in ourselves and those we silently pass by every day. The DRC, located in the rear of the Student Union, is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
ABOVE: Artist Michael Hoeye discussing his inspiration and purpose for the exhibit in the DRC.
Reviewer in ‘Dyer’ need of comedic relief Glenn Dyer
the advocate
1/5 on the Glenn Dyer scale.
Is there any movie name that frightens you? I don’t just mean a disturbing title like “There will Be Blood” or “Inglorious B*st*rds,” I mean a name that terrifies you right to the core and fills you with such dread you are left a quivering mess whenever such a name is uttered. There is only one film with a
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Web Photo
name like that...well, technically there are six...and a bunch of plays...and an animated film...anyway, it’s “BOO! A MADEA HALLOWEEN.” For those of you that don’t know, Madea is a character created and portrayed by comedian Tyler Perry. She is an elderly, no-nonsense woman characterized by her distinctive voice, phrases, and ideology. The plot of this particular film involves Madea and her friends being called to babysit her niece, resulting in a clash with the local fraternity and a series of Halloween-themed pranks performed by both parties. However, the plot isn’t very important here. The majority of the movie is... talking. T w o to-five characters will just sit around a set and talk
about stuff for 10 minutes at a time. They will talk about one character’s medical marijuana card, then about the importance of discipline in child-rearing, then maybe something about the plot. Nothing they say is particularly funny or interesting. It reminds me of a group of old family members talking about their day to each other; they might think they are saying some pretty cool things, but nobody in their right mind would make a movie about it, yet alone several. In a way, this is somewhat fascinating, not unlike listening to a lecture from Socrates after he spent a long night with a cask of Assyrtiko. Bear in mind, on a technical level this is not the worst movie ever made. Heck, it’s not even the worst comedy I have seen this month. It appears to have a script, the actors look like they are enjoying themselves, and the set design is middle-to-average. But at the very least, when you see a horrendous comedy, such as “Masterminds,” you might leave with some kind of emotion: hate, bafflement, boredom, etc. The true nefarious power of “A Madea Halloween” is that it
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GLENN’S CORNER creates no kind of reaction whatsoever. One leaves at a loss of words and with a vague sense of regret, but nothing else to speak of. However, the worst part about this film is something I have not mentioned yet. When I saw this movie, there was a long line of people outside the concession office purchasing tickets for it, one after another. The theater was packed with people of all ages. But the most confusing part is, they were all laughing. By all appearances, most of the people in there loved it. Though I could not pick out an actual joke, quip, or comedic element in the film, everyone still cracked up when Tyler Perry would say “Hollerween” or suddenly return to his male voice for a moment. As of right now, A Madea Halloween had the highest box office returns of any movie this weekend, putting it ahead of both the “Jack Reacher” sequel and the “Ouija” sequel. So clearly, it has some hidden attributes that I have yet to discern. Luckily, my opinion is always right, so I am going to assume there was a mass hypnosis scheme hidden in the advertising, combined with a nitrous oxide leak.
SPORTS
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Saints victory brings hope of playoffs Jamie George the advocate
After two big wins in a row the Saints lost Wednesday to undefeated Linn-Benton (34-0 on the season) in four hard-fought sets. But those two wins, Oct. 21 - 22, boosted them into the tight race for the fourth and final playoff spot in the NWAC South Division. On Oct. 21, the Saints hosted their annual “Dig Pink” night against the Southwestern Oregon Community College Lakers. The night stands for breast cancer awareness, as all the team wears pink jerseys. Mt. Hood entered the game 1-6 in NWAC South play, and 1220 overall. The Lakers entered 3-4 in division play, 15-12 overall. This game represented the start of the second half of the season, and the opportunity for Mt. Hood to turn it around. The first set started out tight, with the Saints leading 10-7. SWOCC then scored 10 straight points, before Mt. Hood scored four in a row. The score now 1714, the Lakers took control and ran away with the final eight points. The Saints scored just once more in the 25-15 loss. Mt. Hood outside hitter Hannah Spears had this to say about
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Hannah Spears with a the game winning kill over Southwestern Nov. 21 in the second set. She finished with 10 kills.
the first set: “We weren’t communicating out there, and it lead to a lot of mistakes. My passing was struggling that set.” Saints setter Erin Perry explained how they entered the second set differently. “We came out a lot looser. We focused on communicating and having fun,” she said. The game plan worked, because the Saints battled a tight set and won 28-26. The set’s biggest moment of drama with Mt. Hood
leading, 19-18. A Laker shot went out of bounds on the Saints’ side near Perry, but she didn’t seem to touch it. The refs disagreed and awarded the point to Southwestern. Saints head coach Kimberly Lissinna was shocked by the call and came out to argue. The call was not overturned and the game was tied at 20-20. After the match Perry insisted, “It didn’t touch me, I was confused when they gave the point to South-
western.” The call would inspire Mt. Hood. “At that moment we were so angry at the call, that we used it to win,” said Spears, who came up with the final two kills to win the set. Set 3 was similar, staying close all the way through, and the Saints pulled out a 25-21 victory. Again, it was Spears with the final kill to close the set. Perry said, “After the third set we knew we were going to
Defending champs eliminated
Timbers finish the season winless on the road Andres Bernal the advocate
The Portland Timbers made history Sunday afternoon – not in a good way – by losing against their Cascadia Cup rival Vancouver Whitecaps in embarrassing fashion, 4-1 at BC Place, to end their season. The Timbers were just one win away from making the playoffs, sitting in seventh place in the West with 44 points, but only two points behind Real Salt Lake, entering their season finale. That made the Vancouver game crucial, and though the Whitecaps were already out of the playoffs, they had the chance of taking their rival out of the playoffs with a win. Portland came to Vancouver without a single road victory, with a dreadful record of six draws and 10 losses. That left many fans to lose hope in the Timbers making the playoffs. Worse, they were without
Liam Ridgewell and Diego Chara to yellow-card suspensions, which meant they had to play Jack Jewsbury in midfield and Jermaine Taylor on defense. The Timbers and Whitecaps both played with the defensive-minded 4-2-3-1 formation. But the goals would come quickly, anyway. The celebrations in Vancouver began early as the ’Caps scored in the 13th minute on a thunderous left-foot shot by midfielder Giles Barnes into the top right corner of Jake Gleeson’s net. Nineteen minutes later, Barnes scored again to give the Whitecaps a two-goal lead, with a finessed shot inside the box. Down 2-0 at the half, the Timbers needed to score three goals in order to win and advance into the playoffs. They made only one change to their formation, taking out forward Lucas Melano for English youngster Jack Barmby.
Portland’s day went from bad to worse, however, as the Whitecaps scored two more goals within two minutes, in the 54th and 55th minutes, giving them a 4-0 lead. The scorers were Pedro Morales and Nicolas Mezquida. The Timbers earned a consolation goal in the 72nd via penalty kick from Argentine playmaker Diego Valeri, after Barmby drew a foul. The match ended without further scoring, ending the Timbers’ dreams of defending their MLS Cup championship from 2015. They ended the season in seventh with 44 points, having a record of 12 wins, 8 draws, and 14 losses, 11 of those on the road. The Timbers and Columbus Crew made MLS history, but not one to be proud of, as they are the first pair of teams in MLS history to miss the playoffs after being the two finalists the previous season. Perhaps roster changes through-
win the match. We felt really good and were playing extremely loose.” The fourth set was the quickest, as the Saints won in much less dramatic fashion, 25-14. They held an early 9-3 lead, then ran it up to 2012 and never looked back, to win the match, 3 sets to 1. Perry was crucial on the day with 44 assists. Ashlyn Huntington and Elisha Levasa both came up with 12 kills and Spears had 10. Courtney Smith led the team with 15 digs. It’s just the Saints second division win, but it came at a crucial time, and could be exactly what the Saints need to get going in the second helf. Spears said, “We feel more confident as a team now and we feel good about how we’re going to finish the season.” The Saints also defeated Umpqua in Gresham on Saturday afternoon, taking the match 3-2. As of Tuesday, Mt. Hood is 3-6 in the NWAC South, tied for fifth with Southwest and Umpqua. Mt. Hood now sits just a game behind fourth-place Clackamas, and the final playoff slot, with three matches remaining in the season. The Saints face off against Clackamas on Nov. 3. The series is split at one a piece so in the case of a tie, the Nov. 3 match could be the deciding factor.
Read about the Ducks dramatic overtime loss against Cal: advocate-online.net
out the preseason transfer window proved to be Portland’s biggest loss and the reason they struggled throughout the season. They sent off defender Jorge Villafaña and striker Maxi Urruti, then missed the leadership and strength of veteran defender Nat Borchers to a season-ending left Achilles tear in July. Or maybe the Timbers were still in their honeymoon stage, even though almost a year had passed since they won the MLS Cup. Regardless, this season overall was a disappointment and the Timbers are going to need to make some changes, whether it be the roster, the staff, tactics, or so forth. Let’s hope that the Timbers come in next season with enough motivation to make them a team to be reckoned with. As any Portland Timber fan would say, “Onward Rose City.” ’Till next season.
Timbers blow a scoring attempt, and Online Photo playoff hopes, in Vancouver Sunday. PA G E 7
SPORTS
October 28, 2016
Aiming for the big leagues
Provided by Isaac Benard
Former Saint Isaac Benard chasing his lifelong MLB dream Jon Fuccillo the advocate
While cleaning and packing his apartment in Gresham for the summer, Isaac Benard, a standout sophomore baseball player for the Saints last season, waited patiently to hear his named called during the MLB First Player Draft. But after 15 rounds, the 5 foot-10 inch, 215-pound outfielder and catcher started to give up hope. “After the Dodgers didn’t draft me during the top 15 rounds... I stopped watching,” said Benard, the son of former MLB outfielder Marvin Benard, who played for the San Francisco Giants from 1995-2003. “I went out there for a workout in Los Angeles in front of all of their guys and then they didn’t draft me.”
So Benard went about his business and continued packing until he heard the news from his mother, Allison. “All of a sudden my mom comes running in excited and said I had just been drafted by the (Tampa Bay) Rays, which is funny since I only worked out for them once. But I was excited to get drafted,” he said. Benard, 20, was drafted in the 23rd round. While he slipped significantly from where he thought his slot was, the West Richland, Washington, native was nevertheless excited for the chance to pursue professional baseball. “It’s hard coming from a community college in the Pacific Northwest,” he said. “But I think it was reasonable where I got draft-
ed. Just makes me want to work that much harder. I was surprised, shocked, and happy all at the same time.” Coming out of Hanford High School, Benard initially committed to the University of Washington. He didn’t score as highly on his SATs as he wanted, however, so the search for a community college became his No. 1 priority. “I took the SATs eight times and couldn’t get over 1,600, which I needed. I kept getting 1,500,” said Benard. He said it was difficult not being able to play in the Pac12. “I really wanted to go there. It was my dream school,” he said of Washington. “But then when I was searching for schools I came across Mt. Hood and head coach Donno (Bryan Donohue). He
was the best catching coach I met during my search for a CC. It all just seemed like a very good fit.” This past season Benard mainly played centerfield for the Saints. He helped the team win, with a
Benard hit .255 with the Class A Princeton Rays this summer.
record of 18-6 in the Southern Region and an overall NWAC league record of 26-19. Benard finished the season batting .296, with four home runs and 28 RBIs. He said he learned a lot at Mt. Hood. “It really toughened me up mentally. I played in a field (Oslund Field) that was ankle deep in water, but I played my ass off. The group of guys was awesome,” he said. “We were one big family and did everything together for both years that I was there. We all went through the same grind together. I wouldn’t second-guess that decision to go to Mt. Hood. It turned out amazing.” Benard, humble as ever, said he never faced much adversity growing up since his father was a pro player. Now, “I want to someday PA G E 8
give my family the luxury I had,” he said. “My dad has done eveything for me. He has been a big-time coach to me and gives me all the inside tips. I learned the whole game from him and couldn’t be more thankful.” This summer, Benard played in the Rookie Appalachian League for the Princeton Rays (located in Princeton, West Virginia) As a back up outfielder, he hit .255, with three homers and 16 RBIs, in 34 games. “It’s hard only playing (once) every five or seven days when you’re trying to find a rhythm,” he said. “Again, it’s hard to be the best that you can be when you don’t play every day, like I’ve been used to in the past.” Some of the top Rays prospects were among his teammates. He said that only motivates him further since some of these guys were drafted before him. “I was one of the youngest kids on the team,” he said. “Playing around a high draft pick is fun... You compare and compete better than them, and they got bigger contracts. But at the end of the day, we’re teammates and rooting each other on.” Asked what he learned most from his first season in the Rays system, he said it was adjusting to the skill level. “You don’t have many opportunities, so when you do you have to bust your ass off when you’re in there playing.” Benard said to watch for his name in the near future in the big leagues, though. “I think I can make it. I have all the confidence in the world that I will go to the top someday,” he said.