Vol. 92 No. 5 - March 13, 2020

Band makes it big

Mustangs beat Comets

Curtains won’t rise

Local garage group AG Club is on the verge of breaking into the music industry — page 3

The Los Medanos College baseball team beat the Contra Costa College Comets 5-1 March 10 — page 4

Drama Department’s “Thanksgiving Play” canceled in response to novel Coronvirus pandemic — page 6

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F.Y.I. Important Dates March is Women’s History Month March 16

Estimated date all lecture classes will go online.

March 29

Spring Break. No classes, the college will be closed until April 4.

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CLASSES MOVE ONLINE District reacts to COVID-19 pandemic

By JORDYN TOSCANO and KRYS SHAHIN Staff Writers

As more cases of the novel coronavirus are identified in Contra Costa County, the Contra Costa Community College District is working to provide new guidances to its three colleges to protect students, employees and the general community.

The district is actively tran-

sitioning all lecture classes online, restricting travel, canceling or postponing all nonessential events with gatherings of over 50 people and encouraging students and staff to stay home when sick to ensure student and faculty health.

“We are trying to mitigate exposure by intending to transition face-to-face lecture classes online,” said Interim

“We are trying to mitigate exposure by intending to transition face-to-face lecture classes online.”

— Interim Chancellor Gene Huff

Chancellor Eugene Huff.

As of publication, March 12, there are no confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus at any district college.

“Consistent with guidance

provided by the California Department of Public Health and Contra Costa Health Services, the district confirmed that all colleges and centers will remain open, and instruction and operations will continue, with modifications,” said Tim Leong, district Public Information Officer, in a press release sent out March 11.

To address concerns about

the impact of the COVID-19 virus on staff and students, the Los Medanos College Academic Senate held an emergency meeting March 11. Staff and students came prepared with questions, exceeding the 50 person gathering limit restriction set by the county in conjunction with the virus.

“We are strongly urging See VIRUS, page 5

Crab Feed: CALLED OFF The Classified Senate organized a Crab Feed fundraising event to raise money for student scholarships. This event has been canceled due to concerns about the COVID-19 virus. Contact brobertson@losmedanos.edu for more info.

‘Selma’ film: POSTPONED

Psychology Professor Estelle Davi voices her opinion March 11 on the Academic Senate’s contingency plan for alternative instruction.

The screening and discussion of the movie “Selma,” co-hosted by the LMC Library, Office of Equity & Inclusion, LMCAS, and the Office of Student Life, has been postponed until further notice. Keep an eye out for updates on the LMC website.

All lectures on Canvas

Spencer Batute • Experience

ONLINE TRANSITION

LAB CONCERNS

By SELENA BUITRAGO and WESTON HOPKINS

By HILLARY HETRICK and JORDYN TOSCANO

Staff Writers

Staff Writers

With the potential threat of the COVID-19 virus spreading in the Contra Costa Community College District, Los Medanos College will begin a trial period of online-only lecture classes in place of face-to-face lectures for the targeted time period of March 16 to April 13.

The campus will remain open to students, but that is subject to change depending on how the situation advances.

As it currently stands, students will have the option to utilize student services and technological support from the school.

According to the Contingency Plan for

The transition of all Los Medanos College lecture classes to online lectures will take place from March 16 to April 13, or until further notice, based on health recommendations from the Contra Costa Community College District.

As a result, many students and staff are concerned about what will be happening to lab resources for the next month.

Hands-on LMC classes such as Automotive Technology or pottery are being negatively affected by the transference of all lecture classes online, as such classes rely on in person interactions to sufficiently

STUDY ABROAD

FISCAL IMPACT

Resources to remain open

See LABS, page 5

See ONLINE, page 5

MIXED lunch: POSTPONED Due to campus travel considerations from their universities, guest speakers Charlene Martinez and Marc Johnston-Guerrero can’t travel. Equity & Inclusion is working on rescheduling the event for a future date.

Follow Us On: @lmc_experience @LMC Experience

@lmc_experience

While classes are online during the pandemic, keep up with the news at lmcexperience.com

LMC is back from Italy

Krys Shahin • Experience

LMC Student Mary Abusafieh wraps hands in sweater while holding a mic at the Academic Senate meeting.

Coronavirus tanks sales

By YESENIA MENDEZ and SPENCER CAMERON

By BAILEE LEWIS and ADRIANA IVANOFF

The Contra Costa Community College District is canceling all unnecessary trips that consist of traveling for staff and students. As of March 10, Los Medanos College reports to have zero confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus on the campus, but they are following specific guidelines from the Contra Costa Health Services to reduce the risks of disease transmission.

Travel measures will be effective immediately and will be in effect until April Spencer Batute • Experience 30, 2020 or until further notice.

All of the travel requests within LMC Paul Cutino and Erlinda Jones sanitize their hands amidst

The worldwide pandemic caused by the massive spread of novel Coronavirus is not going to just affect people’s health, but all businesses relying on face-to-face communications or outsourced factories.

This scope includes Los Medanos College, in Pittsburg and Brentwood, the Bay Area, and the rest of the world.

The stock market is dropping severely due to the effect that the COVID-19 virus has on the public and while business may vary depending on the company, the Dow Jones is dropping quickly.

Food industries will also be drastically

Staff Writers

See TRAVEL, page 5 discussion over the effect of COVID-19 on CTE courses.

Staff Writers

See FISCAL, page 5

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“Be great in act, as you have been in thought.”

— William Shakespeare

Dante Harrold

Spencer Cameron

HOPEFULLY USEFULL

SPENCER’S SAY

America isn’t overly sensitive

Social media impacts kids

Many people bemoan modern society as having become too politically correct. You hear it on nearly every media outlet talking about it both in the U.S. and in other parts of the developed world as well.

President Donald Trump is often commended for not being afraid to use politically incorrect rhetoric surrounding a lot of pertinent issues. A man who speaks his truth regardless of how anyone, especially those “liberal snowflakes” get.

America’s populace is not more easily offended than it has been in the past.

At its worst it gets more offended at things that should offend people, such as racism against non-whites, and homophobia.

First we have to define what exactly politically correct is. But politically correct as a concept doesn’t have an ideological bent.

It’s ultimately a neutral phrase.

“Political correctness (PC), term used to refer to language that seems intended to give the least amount of offense, especially when describing groups identified by external markers such as race, gender, culture, or sexual orientation,” according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.

I must reiterate something, or someone being politically correct is not a good or bad thing. It does not have to be a socially progressive thing.

Much of the Southern part of the U.S. paint a politically correct approach towards discussing the civil-war in their schools and textbooks. Framing the secession by the confederate states as not being about preserving slavery-but merely combating an overzealous federal government.

This narrative overlooks all the evidence that conclusively show the confederate states only rebelled to preserve the institution of slavery.

It just happens the cultural group they’re trying most not offend is southern whites, who’d like to see their ancestors as heroes for fighting in the conflict.

I am not arguing that southern whites need to feel ashamed for being southern or white. I am just pointing out that this is an example of not wanting to offend someone helps hurt liberal and progressive goals-one of which is racial inequality.

If much of America do not comprehend how disastrous slavery was, and its effects on those who were descended from African-American slaves, it makes it so much harder to combat things like racism. The first step towards having a good future, is acknowledging the shameful parts of U.S. history.

Many Americans favor making it illegal to burn the American flag is seen by many as not only justified, but completely necessary given it would cause people who’ve served in the military and the fact it denotes a rather negative message of America as whole.

This is not to say political correctness could stifle conversations due to liberal sensibilities. It certainly can. In my senior year at high school, I asked an admittedly contentious question during a Socratic seminar. I was immediately called xenophobic and compared to Trump.

The teacher interceded on my behalf-by saying I was asking something completely different than the one I was asking. The question she posed was more politically correct given the social setting. Some readers could similarly go through things like this.

But the actual data shows America to not be sensitive. Gallup reports “one in five Americans still believe same-sex relations should be criminalized outright.”

Roughly a dozen states still have laws on their state books that criminalize same-sex relations. America in general has not become overly sensitive in regards to a lot social-issues, but in a progressive way of course.

Social media has accomplished great things. Whether it has allowed you to connect with old friends, post a picture of your fancy dinner, or join powerful groups such as the #MeToo movement. Social media has been an integral part of society for the majority of my life.

While social media is great and a useful tool, it can be just as bad.

A lot of people don’t realize the power they have with internet access. Social media has blinded society.

YouTube is another perfect example.The platform that launched February 2006 used to be a place where everyone could create content for fun and share the videos they put a lot of effort into.

Today, all has changed. Once companies found a way to monetize creators, they began creating content that sells.

On any given day, if you browse the trending page, you’ll only see what the money wants you to. Rarely will you see a good, well-thought video trending on the site.

Appealing to a younger audience has almost ruined the site to no return. Most of the creators with a gigantic following have figured out ways to maximize their profits, putting money over quality and the well-being of their easily-influenced viewers.

“Content” creators such as Morgz, Jake Paul and Logan Paul all create content that is centered around getting clicks and views.

With their ridiculous titles and cartoon-style thumbnails, each of these content creators thrive off creating “family-friendly” content for money.

There’s a pattern with these videos.

They all follow the trends and what’s popular. Morgz, the youngest of the three, is a genius when it comes to pandering to a kid/family-friendly audience. Thumbnails showcase a variety of eye-catching things like overly-animated people, girls, bright colors, emojis and the popular logos such as Tik-Tok flood his page.

The Paul brothers follow a similar pattern as well. While they both follow the same style and trends as Morgz, they appeal to a slightly older audience. With the overly-animated people, emojis and girls, they decided to sprinkle drama.

They constantly clash with other YouTubers, setting up a desire for kids to be a part of a certain group. They’ve even gone as far to set up “real” boxing matches against other content creators. This enables them to gain more views from the competitor, sell tickets and more merchandise.

These three aren’t the only culprits. This formula of fake titles, fake thumbnails and exaggerated content plagues the top creators on the website. Famous creators such as Badabun, MrBeast, Markiplier, who are all a part of the top-26 in most subscribed content creators, all follow this formula.

So, why does this matter so much to me?

They all pander to one audience, and that is children. Parents nowadays would rather stick a tablet in their kids face to keep them occupied instead of taking them to a park or playing with them.

This is a dangerous trend for kids. They start to idolize these people, and they’re too young to realize all this content is not real and is being created just to generate money.

Instead of aspiring to become doctors, artists, scientists and even movie stars, kids in America want to become “YouTubers/ Vloggers” at an alarming rate. According to an article on Business Insider a group of 1,000 children from America were asked what they wanted to be when they grow up.

With the ability to choose up to three options, becoming a vlogger topped the poll with 29% of children voting for it.

YouTube isn’t the only platform setting up unrealistic expectations within children.

Aminah Shakur • Experience

Editorial

Thank you for your effort

A

mid the declaration of the COVID-19 virus as a worldwide pandemic and the beginnings of domestic disease outbreak, colleges up and down the state of California are being tasked with the challenge of ensuring both student safety and fulfillment of their education.

We believe that Los Medanos College is doing not only everything that it can do, but making good decisions in ensuring both of these outcomes for its students are completed.

LMC began by issuing instructions for proper hygiene and how to avoid the flu when concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 virus in California were first being raised.

This guidance, based on instruction from the Contra Costa Community College District, was appropriate at the time, and was posted publicly on campus. All students received an email Monday, March 9 briefing them on the college’s actions, including the decision to return students studying abroad in Italy.

The Academic Senate passed a contingency plan during an emergency meeting March 11 for alternate instruction which includes various plans for the switch for lecture-based classes to an online format. During this meeting the faculty proposed to push for all lecture-based classes to be moved online, and to limit public nonessential travel and gatherings on campus.

These restrictive actions are in line with what community colleges around the state have been doing and were taken before any students or faculty within the district are infected with the virus.

Of course, the school’s communication on the matter hasn’t been completely perfect.

For example, no email was sent out to students regarding the Academic Senate meeting Wednesday, and the only reason students were present was because professors advised them to attend. But even then, despite the meeting’s importance to students, it was a meeting that is, by nature of the Academic Senate, of primary relevance to faculty.

We commend the college for what efforts they have taken and the level of transparency they’ve achieved with faculty and students to ensure the community is as healthy as possible.

Tardiness can’t always be avoided In a recent issue of the Los Medanos College “well if I can be on time you can” because a Experience, there was an article on page two majority of people are living their own “hard titled “Stop skipping the class, you paid” by truth” and dealing with it on a daily basis.

Former LMC student and frequent public student Luis Martinez.

While the article had valid points on skipping transportation user, Monica Baugh said, “Goclass, I believe there is a different way to look ing to school was very difficult because I was at the matter that could provide everyone with going to work and going to school.” a better perspective.

While larger priorities can arise in anyone’s I completely understand how annoying life, causing them to be thrown off course, it can be when other students show up late things like depression and sleep deprivation to class. This can be could also be the reason especially irritating if why that one student is it’s happening on a daily too “lazy” to go to class. basis. But I also feel that No one should make it can be difficult to pinit a habit to be late, there point each individual’s is no foolproof way to specific reason for being completely deter tardilate or not attending ness within the students SELENA’S SIGHT class entirely. because, at the end of While school is imthe day, they’re the ones portant, we go to classes every day with a paying for their own education.

Although performance and effort matters, large amount of diverse students from different backgrounds. We go to school with parents, college simply isn’t a job. It is engraved into students who take the bus, students still in our brains that college takes our money, it high school, those with demanding jobs and doesn’t bring it.

Keep in mind that the same professors people with disabilities.

It would be rude and ignorant to generalize preaching not to be late are human beings everyone’s absences. No one should argue too and also have some off days.

Selena Buitrago

Reader Opinion Policy

The Experience welcomes Letters to the Editor and Guest Columns. All members of the Los Medanos College community — students, faculty and staff — are encouraged to write.

If you are interested in expressing your opinions on campus, national or world issues, bring your submissions to room CC3-301 and put them in the Perspectives Editor’s mailbox or mail them to Experience c/o Los Medanos College, 2700 E Leland Road, Pittsburg, CA 94565. You may also send them electronically through the Experience online newsite lmcexperience.com.

Letters and columns must be typed, signed and include a phone number for verification. They may be edited for clarity, content taste and length at the editor’s discretion.

Voices

LOS MEDANOS COLLEGE

Is the district doing enough about the virus?

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Experience L M C e x p e r i e n c e . c o m

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Member California Newspaper Publishers Association

“Were it left for me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Editor-in-Chief .......................... KRYS SHAHIN

“There could be some improvements but for what we have now this is good.”

— Evelyn Leon

“Yes, the way they took drastic measures so quickly was inspiring.

It shows concern for the students.”

— Josiah Glover

“Yes, I’m glad we’re shutting down schools and classes.

Online is safer.”

— Lailani Souza

“Yes, I think so. They’re taking a lot of precautions.”

— Reina Sharrer

“I think it’s just a matter of planning.

They’re on the right track.”

— Sabrina Sorrar

“Yes, they are doing what they can.”

— Seth Rosenberg

Perspectives Editors........ ADRIANA IVANOFF and DANTE HARROLD Campus Editors ................ HILLARY HETRICK . and CHARLES REED Features Editor...................KATIE LOUGHRAN Sports Editor..............................ERICK AMAYA News Editor .......................JORDYN TOSCANO

The LMC Experience is published Fridays by students in the Journalism Program. The newspaper serves both as a laboratory for journalism classes and as a First Amendment forum for campus communication. Opinions expressed in the Experience are solely those of the students and do not represent the views of the college.

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Band on the edge

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“Words of art make rules; rules do not make works of art.”

— Claude Debussy

Member Mick Anthony riffs on his guitar after discussing thrash metal inflences on his music.

Photos by Spencer Batute • Experience

Above, AG Club crafts a song in their garage studio. Seated left is Loui, who uses a digital keyboard to mix together the instrumental. Seated right, reaching over, is Babyboy, who asks Loui how certain affects can be added to make his vocals more interesting. Behind them is Jody Fontaine, mulling over lyrics he wrote.

Garage group grabs attention

By SPENCER BATUTE @batutie_

W

hen the members of local hip-hop collective AG Club were in middle school, Odd Future, a soon-to-be supergroup, was revolutionizing the course of hip-hop with its innovative, anti-establishment style and multimedia approach to art.

Like many contemporaries, AG Club bears the influence of Odd Future and similar acts in both its diverse sound and creative ambition.

Following the recent release of AG’s debut album and the positive reception to the rollout of several music videos, the band is riding an upward momentum almost too hard to keep track of — and their idols, Odd Future, have taken notice by sending words of support.

The group has also received offers from labels, prospective managers and even a jewelry company interested in using the young men for modeling.

And on Spotify and social media, AG Club’s numbers measuring song plays and content interaction has skyrocketed.

AG Club is at a high point in their three-year career, but things weren’t always so certain. Before things took off, AG worked hard to be noticed.

“We’ve gone hungry, we’ve missed sleep, gone late on bills,” said singer-songwriter Marcus Henderson, whose stage name is Jody Fontaine.

Inside the group’s makeshift garage studio, behind drywall pecked with holes the size of baseballs and walls lined with music posters ranging from Frank Ocean to Miles Davis, sits a huddled group of artists stringing together songs for the group’s next major release.

A laptop gasping to breathe through the stress put on it by music software, sits upon a fold-up table which sags in the middle from the weight of the computer and speakers placed on it. Follow a line of wires from the speakers, and you’ll find a microphone in a

corner jacked up on a rake “for more stability” than its previous stand, a broom.

Perched in front of the rake-microphone sits Benjamin Guzman, aka Mick Anthony, singing sweetly of love lost.

At the helm of the cramped music ship, steering the struggling computer, is Luis Garcia, also known as Loui, who makes all of the band’s beats using his training as a practicing trombonist.

From Loui’s beats flow an eclectic contribution of musicality from the group’s other members. Their recent debut album, “Halfway Off the Porch,” features nine songs just as diverse in sound as the members’ musical influences.

“Sneaks” contains elements of R&B, including a catchy guitar riff, and is reminiscent of the softer, soulful sounds of Frank Ocean.

Conversely, the album’s most popular song, “Memphis,” has a hard-hitting flow and lyrical tone evocative of the horrorcore sounds of the Memphis hip-hop scene influenced by artists like Three 6 Mafia.

Such tracks are made pos- Babyboy practices his singing in the doorway of the garage studio while looking up at the only light source sible only by the unique back- in the room, a Bluetooth-controlled LED, which exposes the handpainted, hole-ridden drywall on the right. grounds of each of the group’s four cur rent contributing Although musicians. singing efforts, but guitar licks Loui’s Loui, who raps and pro- and basslines as well. duces the all of the group’s primary Alternatively, singer-songmusic, hails from a musical writer Jahan-Jayubo Wilcontribution background: his mother sings, liams, also known by his artist to AG’s his stepdad taught him to play name as Babyboy, laughingly music is piano, and his dad plays three describes what he likes as through instruments. “singy-songy stuff,” having production, “This is the only thing I know been influenced by the work he also how to do,” he said. of singers like Michael Buble raps.

Using his skills as a musi- and Chris Brown. cian, Loui completed a recordMeanwhile, Jody Fontaine’s ing arts class at LMC in spring inspirations of both hardcore 2019 with music professor rap and gospel allow him to Rick Shiner. spew high-energy hooks and “He was an inquisitive stu- rap verses. dent who always participated in “It’s kind of like you’re class discussions,” said Shiner. hooking me up to a machine Loui is not the only product and it’s just coming out,” of a musical family: Mick An- Fontaine said. thony’s father was in a thrash AG Club’s diverse sound metal band in high school, has been compared to that and has influenced Anthony’s of Brockhampton, another varied musical palate. Today, influential, and more curAnthony contributes not only See CLUB, page 5

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“I’ve failed over and over again in my life.

And that is why I succeed.”

— Michael Jordan

Bailee Lewis BAILEE’S BRAIN

Season forced to finish

Weston Hopkins • Experience

Assistant coach Andre White and pitcher Kristian Hurtado, No. 27, celebrate a 5-1 win against Contra Costa College.

CCC ya later, Comets

By WESTON HOPKINS Staff Writer

The Los Medanos College Mustangs (15-5) defeated the Contra Costa College Comets (CCC)(6-13) 5-1 Tuesday evening March 10. The Mustangs took control of this game in the first inning, scoring two runs, and they never looked back after that.

James Biles started on the mound for the Mustangs, and he pitched a productive game. In the seven innings he pitched, he held the Comets to seven hits and one earned a run, while not giving up any walks, and striking out seven batters.

The starting pitcher for the Comets Connor Rudy had a tough outing, allowing seven hits and four earned runs through six innings. He had four strikeouts and gave up two walks.

Offensively, both teams struggled, as they both left double-digit runners on base throughout the game. LMC left 14 runners on base and CCC left 10 stranded. Though, LMC was able put up the runs necessary to win the game.

In the first inning, CCC made two errors on bunts by LMC which led to LMC scoring two runs.

The score would remain the same until the fourth inning, when Neko Capsaliaris hit a single which allowed Seth Salter to score.

The Comets would finally scoredvia Fernando Duenas with a score of 3-1.

It wouldn’t take long for LMC to put up another run in the bottom of the sixth inning, when Jesus Hernandez hit a double down the right-field line.

Milan Mijanovic was on first base when this happened, and he was able to score on the double, putting LMC up 4-1.

Jesus Hernandez would come back in the bottom of the eighth inning and one up himself by hitting a triple, which, once again, allowed Milan Mijanovic to score. Soon after, LMC had the bases loaded after the Comets gave up two straight walks.

Unfortunately, they weren’t able to add to the lead and the inning ended with a score of 5-1.

After a quick top of the ninth, the game was over. LMC took the win with a final score of 5-1.

“We need to take better at-bats with runners on base. If we can do that, we need to run away with the game earlier, ” said head coach Anthony

U.S. soccer: Time’s up, pay up. Now! The United States Women’s National Soccer Team has long-battled the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) for better treatment on and off the field.

After many years of this on-going issue, the U.S. women’s team filed a lawsuit against its federation.

The women are fighting for equal pay as their male counterpar ts.

H o w e v e r, the USSF does not believe that their women’s team deserve equal pay.

It is unclear to me how this federation believes that the most successful team in women’s soccer does not deserve equal pay compared to the U.S. Men’s National Team.

The U.S. Women’s National Team is a four-time International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) Women’s World Cup champions, including back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2019.

There is no way that after

winning back-to-back world championships you can still think that equal pay is not an option.

These women are working hard and sacrificing a lot of things in order to be able to compete at the highest level.

They also earned four gold medals in six editions of the Summer Olympics.

W h e n comparing both teams based on ERICK’S EYE accomplishments, the men’s team just doesn’t compare to the women’s team.

Let me put it this way, the men did not qualify for the 2018 Men’s World Cup, that alone should signify that the women deserve better treatment; they are constantly winning titles for the USSF. Perhaps Cordeiro is correct, these women are not worthy of equal treatment and pay.

These women deserve to be treated at a superior level to the men’s team.

Statistics and silver ware do not lie.

Erick Amaya

Erick Amaya • Experience

Andrew Evans, No. 3, attempts to hit the baseball.

D’Albora after the game.

Jesus Hernandez had a great day at the plate, and he had this to say after the game, “We’re riding the momentum we’ve built from our first 19 games. Today

they were playing a shift when I was up-to-bat and I took advantage of the hole they gave me.”

For more information on the LMC baseball team, visit https://www. losmedanos.edu/baseball.

The coronavirus has arguably been the number one talked-about topic for months and is now the reason for a cancellation of the rest of the National Basketball Association (NBA) 2019-2020 season. COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has been affecting schools, jobs, and now sports, so the NBA has taken matters into their own hands.

The NBA first announced it was limiting locker room access for safety precautions. Another statement was released recommending a way for players on how to avoid the potential spread of the Coronavirus by advising them not to high-five fans and to not sign autographs.

The Thunder-Jazz game entered a 30-minute delay after tr ying to get confirmation with the league if it was safe to continue the game or not. All 10 players were on the court and ready to start the game, when the head medical staff of the Thunder sprinted onto the court to have a discussion with the referees.

It has been unclear on what exactly was said, but it soon led to the game being postponed.

All players from both teams were quarantined in their locker rooms and were being tested for the coronavirus.

No fans in attendance were tested and all fans were asked to leave after the news broke out.

Gober t’s teammate, Donovan Mitchell, made headlines Thursday morning after test results came back stating he tested positive for the Coronavirus. Mitchell came out with a statement on Instagram expressing his appreciation for the supportive messages he’s been receiving.

When I found out the news about the Warriors banning fans from home games, I was very upset. NBA player, Lebron James, says “he plays off fans energy” at the arena. Without fans, it would be quite a boring game.

After hearing the news about two NBA players testing positive, it makes me appreciative that the league cares about players’ and the community’s health to suspend the rest of the season.

I am a huge NBA fan so it is going to be extremely hard to come home from school and not be able to watch any games. I also follow a lot of basketball related pages on social media, so not seeing any new basketball highlights for a long period of time will almost feel like it is off-season, but it feels different.

The NBA is suspending all games following the positive testing by Gobert and Mitchell. They plan to use the hiatus to determine further steps moving forward in regards to the Coronavirus pandemic.

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for Alternate Instruction, laid out by the LMC Academic Senate during an emergency meeting March 11, these services include “the Child Study Center, the Center for Academic Support, the Math Lab, English/Writing Labs, the library, and all computer labs.”

While the campus will remain open for the time-being, Canvas will increase traffic from not only students, but also LMC staff members.

According to the Canvas website, “Canvas simplifies teaching, elevates learning, and eliminates the headaches of supporting and growing traditional learning technologies.”

Canvas provides many resources for increased ease of communication and learning between professors and students. Professors can add discussion topics to Canvas that require students to work together, a list of assignments, their due dates, quizzes, post videos and powerpoints.

Canvas also has programs that can connect teachers with students in real-time, such as Zoom and Starfish.

“In the math department we’re talking about using Zoom,” said Statistics Instructor Charles Twitchell.

According to Zoom’s website, “Zoom is the leader in moder n enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, collaboration, chat, and webinars across mobile devices, desktops, telephones, and room systems.”

The use of Zoom can mitigate the lack of face-toface interactions that many students and teachers are concerned with.

Star fish is par t of LMC Connect, which is “an ‘early alert’ technology and communication tool that will help the LMC community identify students who need additional suppor t in real time and connect students with critical resources,” according to the LMC website.

Starfish allows teachers to use a “flags” and “kudos” system to raise concerns or positively reinforce students related to their performance.

Although there are many resources, a change from face-to-face lectures to online classes is a drastic shift for many professors and students who may not have used Canvas before.

The concerns for the change range from issues navigating an online class, to not having internet access at home or students struggling to adapt in an online environment.

“My biggest concern online is trying to meet what’s online compliant or ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. If we’re going to move labs online, I need additional support,” said art instructor Eric Sanchez.

With the influx of users on Canvas due to the COVID-19 virus, there has been a concern on whether the server can accommodate the amount of new users.

According to an email from Satish Warrier, the Director of Information Technology for the Contra Costa Community College district, “Canvas is hosted by the vendor in the Amazon cloud and like many other higher education institutions they should be able to handle the influx of traffic.”

A concern for Insite and Canvas users is a new cyber scam that came to fruition recently. In an email sent out by the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency, they warn of a new COVID-19 cyber scam.

“Cyber actors may send emails with malicious attachments or links to fraudulent websites to trick victims into revealing sensitive information or donating to fraudulent charities or causes.”

While most students and teachers are sharing their issues with changing to only online classes, some students are okay with the change.

“I’ve taken a lot of online classes. I personally prefer online classes, I don’t enjoy lectures at all,” said student Jae Wakefield.

The district has decided to move lecture classes online until further notice.

teach students.

“It might get to the point where you can’t teach welding or appliance repair online,” said Natalie Hannum, Dean of Workforce and Economic Development. “For courses that will still meet face to face, I’m here to reinforce the directives put out to protect oneself such as handwashing, not touching your face, encouraging students, staff and faculty to not come to work if they are sick, and to report if they are symptomatic of the COVID-19 virus, so appropriate measures of containment can be made.”

The nursing program is one of many hands-on learning experiences at LMC that has felt an impact on their studies due to the COVID-19 virus thus far.

In order to graduate, nursing students must have training or clinical hours completed in a hospital setting for experience, yet all hospitals in the area have suspended clinicals at this time.

“Many of our clinical sites have temporarily suspended nursing student clinical schedules until further notice,” said nursing instructor Maryanne Hicks. “It is unfortunate that nursing facilities had to resort to suspensions, but we fully understand the temporar y policy implemented by the healthcare organizations.”

In order to acquire the training they need to transfer, there is clinical simulation available for all nursing students at LMC. There are 3 types of simulation available, ranging from low to medium to high fidelity.

For example, students can listen to heart and lung sounds and find abnormalities in a low simulation.

Medium and high fidelity simulations both allow a more realistic experience for students since the devices used are mannequins.

Medium fidelity is “a more technologically sophisticated device which more closely resembles a real human,” said Hicks in a presentation.

High fidelity simulations feature “a mannequin which is realistic in multiple aspects such as vitals sign depiction, heart and lung sounds, and procedural realism.”

Albeit, simulations cannot replace all the training hours required for state nursing licensure.

“About 25 percent of [training] can be done through … simulation but it’s not going to be all the clinical credit they need,” said Nursing Department Chair Joanne Bent.

Students need about 300 hours of clinical training to fulfill state licensure requirements and because nursing facilities have suspended their clinical schedules, students might not have enough credits to transfer.

For more information on the effects of the COVID-19 virus From page 6 on lab classes, please contact Norse Mythology. your lab class instructors.

The date has also had its “I would encourage students significance stated in writing to use valid resources such with a novel from 1907 titled as the Contra Costa County “Friday the Thirteenth”, by Health Department to be inThomas W. Lawson. The book formed as well,” said Hannum. is about a businessman who tries to use that day to take down Wall Street, fur ther confirming the superstitions.

While the date was strongly From page 1 apparent in past art, it is also affected as people’s fear of eataddressed in today’s art and ing in public places increases.

The LMC cafeteria is affected media.

In fact, one of the world’s by the same fears.

“I do think about it,’’ said biggest horror franchises is named based on the date. The LMC student Majhane’ Wilfranchise had started off with liams. “We should be a little the first film being “Friday the weirded out by fast food 13th”. The first film was highly restaurants because people successful making $59.75 are nasty behind the counter million in the box office with and they don’t think twice about other people’s health.” a budget of $550,000.

On another note it’s not just With the large success of the first film, there have been the cafeteria being affected eleven other movies made but those employed in LMC’s along with comics, novels and programs such as the Transfer even a video game where you Center or the Bookstore.

Gigi Arango is a student can play as the antagonist of the franchise, Jason Voorhees worker whose only income or the counselors he torments. is administrative work at the With the significance of the Child Development Center. date still growing, chances are There is a lot of face-to-face there will be more art, media work that the child development administrators do as and history to connect it to.

Superstitious or not, Friday they help out parents who the 13th continues to be con- come into the building and sidered an unlucky day. The the community.

“As of right now we don’t day’s mysterious origins will always be much more than just know if we [child development another day on the calendar. center] will be closing or not,

the cancellation and rescheduling of gatherings of more than 50 people,” said Dr. Ori Tzvieli, acting Contra Costa County Health Officer. “We want to create social distancing. We know these measures help in the early stages of epidemics and pandemics.”

The first major step to maintain district health and safety was to bring home students and staff who were studying abroad in Italy. Two LMC students were on that trip and have since returned home.

“We are urging returning students to self-quarantine in compliance with County regulations,” said Poni Fannin, Head of district Study Abroad Programs. “When students began leaving Italy, the CDC and Contra Costa County were recommending self-quarantine of two weeks.”

While there have only been 11 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus within the county, some medical professionals are concerned that the numbers will increase as more testing becomes available.

“We think there is more of it out there than we have detected. We expect the number of cases to rise significantly,” said Tzvieli.

In response to the potential of unknown cases within the district, “hospital grade cleaners” have been incorporated into each college’s nightly custodial routines, according to Huff.

Despite the precautions being taken, some students are still concerned about health concerns in the community.

“There is an increasing risk of COVID-19 being transmitted to students and spread to the most vulnerable members of our community such as immunocompromised family.

[Monday] the Bay Area had its first fatality in Santa Clara,” said Dale Satre, former Vice President of Los Medanos College Associated Students.

“The spread of epidemics is exponential, and we should plan for an increasing rate of new cases in the near future.”

Students posed questions during the Academic Senate meeting about ways that the COVID-19 virus may affect how classes are being taught.

“Not all students have the technology necessar y for the online classes. Not every teacher uses canvas, will those teachers be available to students?” said Student Gillary Carrasco.

With this COVID-19 virus now being declared a pandemic, the district is working alongside each school to ensure not only safety as a main priority but also students’ education.

For more information on what the district is doing to combat the COVID-19 virus, please visit www.losmedanos. edu/safety/tips.aspx.

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hip-hop collective. The efforts of the group create a sound distinct from other Bay Area names.

“We started this group because we didn’t want to make Bay Area music,” Fontaine said.

When it comes to the creation of their music, the group follows a democratic songwriting process.

“Everyone gets to play that Freddie Mercury role,” Fontaine said. “It comes from us trusting each other, in having complete faith in each other.”

Lyrics from the four contributing artists on the record are varied, too. Some songs contain hints of unabashed braggadocio, while others hold self-reflective stories of life experiences and love.

The club’s ear-grabbing sound and prose didn’t develop overnight. In fact, few of the musicians knew one another growing up. Instead, they joined forces through social media. Since they created AG Club in 2017, the group has released dozens of songs, per formed for audiences around the Bay Area and put out visually appealing music videos.

As a result of time spent together, they’ve pushed each other to grow outside their comfort zones.

“We weren’t comfortable with ourselves enough yet to get out of the box. We were still trying to figure out what we wanted to sound like. Now that we got that, it’s just like, we’re running with it,” said Loui.

Sound isn’t the only thing AG offers, either. The group’s popularity has been boosted by their charismatic, conceptual music videos. The polish of the videos is accomplished through the savvy skills of their subsidiary group, 777 Media, composed of AG musician Babyboy and the group’s in-house video expert, Manny Madrigal.

The two videographers, Antioch residents, took video production classes while attending Deer Valley High School. Their former teacher, Kiel Olff, is not surprised to see where the two men have taken their talents based on the initiative he saw in them in and out of class.

Despite their combined skills, the group has struggled with the small-city problem: based in Brentwood, Antioch and Oakley, the group doesn’t enjoy the benefits a larger city like Los Angeles gives to aspiring musicians. The result is that they have struggled to break through to an audience because of the limited venues to perform at and fewer artists to work with in the surrounding area. But in time, they reached audiences.

AG Club’s most momentous moment came after the release of one of their most popular songs to date, “Ay, G,” and its accompanying music video last summer. This potent combination caught the attention of local fans and proved to them that the group was capable of putting out both a competent visual and audio-based project.

Soon after, AG began work on a full-length album. Shortly before the release of the album

in Januar y, Oakland-based rapper Ovrkast, who has collaborated with Earl Sweatshirt of Odd Future, reached out to them to perform at his own album release party.

A large crowd of people from the East Bay Area showed up to the event for AG Club.

Normally, Fontaine doesn’t like situations where people put him on a pedestal — they make him feel awkward — but when he looked out from stage, he realized they were on the rise.

“I go onstage, and I look around, and I see all these people who’ve come up and dapped us up, who have said they love our music. And I look down and I’m like ‘Yeah, they want to see us,’” Fontaine said.

Since the release of “Halfway Off the Porch,” AG has garnered a following on social media like they’ve never experienced before.

Their popularity picked up when a writer for Lyrical Lemonade, a popular music multimedia company, found their new music scrolling through Soundcloud and posted an article about them on Lemonade’s social media.

This was an important step for AG, because up-and-coming artists who have been publicized by L yrical Lemonade have enjoyed immense growth in popularity. AG soon followed that trend.

After being added to Lyrical Lemonade’s Spotify playlist, AG experienced a boost of 1,000 streams in two days. The explosive rise is “Just fun to look at,” said Madrigal.

Next, AG Club will be driving down to Hollywood to meet with manager Brad Scoffern, who has previously worked as a day-to-day manager with Tyler, the Creator, and Mac Miller.

As they roll toward a stepping stone in their career, the group feels both excited and cautious.

“These people, we don’t know them at all. And they’re offering us a lot of things. That’s what’s scary to me. There’s always a catch, I feel like.”

Jahan paused, and continued, “It could be a catch, but it could be somebody really believing in us.”

With access to high-quality studios and more income through merchandise, records and shows, AG is excited to see what kind of art they can produce without worries of money. They are interested in other projects outside of music, such as an idea for a sketch comedy show in the vein of “Loiter Squad” and the “Eric Andre Show.”

But no matter what success awaits, the group is confident they will not lose themselves in the limelight.

“We did this shit when nobody believed in us. We did this shit when we didn’t have a single fan. It doesn’t change.

The audience around grows, but the circle stays the same,” said Fontaine.

Fresh music, enticing music videos and sketch comedy are among the ways AG projects they will change the idea of tying themselves to a category.

“You love music? We all make music. We do whatever calls us, and we don’t worry about what they label us,” Fontaine said.

“That’s why we’re Avant-Garde Club… The art comes first.”

so I don’t know if I will be impacted or affected but if they do decide to close it, it will be a financial burden on me,” said Arango.

Student worker Alycia Teal, who works at the LMC transfer department on the second floor of the welcome center said she depends on her job for all of her financials.

“I cannot speak for everyone, but for most of us this is our only job we probably would all be [affected by the campus closing],” Teal said.

“It wouldn’t just be me.”

Her employers have not provided any plan to help employees in case business is affected. There are meetings that will be held in the coming days including this information among United Faculty, the Academic Senate and the district office. “[Financially] there is no trend, we have only been here for three weeks, so it’s really hard to estimate what the financial losses could be,” said Bookstore manager

Robert Estrada.

He explained that there was $5,000 in one day with possible expenses of $2,000 for paying employees and in product purchases. Though Astrada voiced concern for students’ health rather than any monetary gain, highlighting that students and staff mattered most in the scenario and he trusts the administration to “make the right decision.”

The campus will stay open until otherwise stated, however, all lecture classes are being transferred online.

Some programs really cannot be taught over Canvas and have specific needs of hand-tohand training and face-to-face instruction.

Many things cannot be predicted for the future except references on the economy from the past until we know the result or full reach of the coronavirus pandemic. But as it has been spreading rapidly, so has administrative response in providing protection for its students.

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will be evaluated based on the exposure and transmission risk levels associated with the mode of traveling to certain destinations and the type of gathering. All employees will be compensated for any lost travel costs in the result of the cancellation.

With that being said, many events and trips domestically and internationally are being postponed and canceled to reduce any risks from outside exposure.

One event that was supposed to take place in Fresno from March 11 to March 15, the 2020 California Community College Forensics Association (CCCFA) State Championship Tournament, was cancelled.

“I can not tell you how many hours I’ve put into paperwork, planning and booking travel for this tournament,” said LMC Professor Star Steers.

The tournament was especially cautioned because like many other community college tournaments it is what’s called a hotel tournament, “meaning that the competition actually takes place in the competitors’ hotel rooms,” said Steers.

“Numerous people cycle through a given hotel room for speech and debate rounds during the day, so I can see and understand that the cleanliness situation would be vir tually impossible to control.”

The tournament’s cancellation didn’t come as a surprise to the debate team but they understood the precautions and advice from the County Health Services, to limit gatherings of 50 or more people.

“As a human and as a teacher, I find it extremely frustrating that people are politicizing the COVID-19 outbreak and downplaying its potential seriousness.

It is not just media hype to make President Trump look bad or to distract us from the election. It is not just a bad flu, it is a new strain of virus, and it is harmful to vulnerable populations. It doesn’t need to kill thousands of people on American soil for us to take it seriously,” said Steers. “It’s not asking too much for us to practice the ‘social distancing’ that the CDC is asking for.”

The cancellation of student-based programs doesn’t stop domestically. In February, 25 91 CCCCD students embarked on a trip in which they would be studying in Italy.

However, that trip was cut short for the 23 DVC and two LMC students.

Italy is currently experiencing the second-largest outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. The country, known for its many tourist attractions first joined the list of infected countries on January 30, when two Chinese tourists were tested positive for the virus.

Italy cur rently has the highest number of reported cases in Europe, and the highest number of reported cases outside of China.

As of March 11, there are 12,462 reported cases with 827 deaths and 1,045 recoveries.

With 11,417 active cases and with the virus spreading like wildfire, it was time to end the trip.

“Most of them should be home today; some of them elected to stay in Italy,” said Toni Fannin, the CCCCD Northern California Study Abroad Consortium (NCSAC) Director.

Their return from a heavily-infected country resulted in some questions regarding safety.

“We are urging returning students to self-quarantine in compliance with County regulations,” Fannin said.

“When the students began leaving Italy, the CDC and Contra Costa County were recommending self-quarantine of two weeks. I have heard as the Bay Area moves from containment to risk mitigation that may change,” she continued.

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“Be positive, stay happy, and don’t let the world get you down.”

— Germany Kent

‘Thanksgiving’ is canceled

Theater agenda on hold

By YESENIA MENDEZ Staff Writer

The theater department’s upcoming comedy, entitled “Thanksgiving Play,” has been canceled due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. All other future drama productions have been cancelled until further notice.

The decision to cancel the play was made by Drama Department Chair Nick Garcia, based on the County Health Services rule that District locations are limited to gatherings of 50 people or less.

Drama students and staff have been rehearsing for the comedic production for almost five weeks, since the beginning of the Spring 2020 semester.

“The Thanksgiving Play” by Larissa Fasthorse, is a work of satire wherein four “woke” teachers try to create a culturally sensitive pageant that both celebrates Turkey Day and Native American Heritage month.

“What I think is interesting about this play is that, I think we live in this progressively more ‘woke’ culture, where people are trying very hard to say the right thing and do the right thing to heighten their consciousness,” said Nick Maccarone, Adjunct Faculty member and Director of the “Thanksgiving Play.” “A part of the fun of this play was exploring and kind of unlearning.”

The theater cannot perform in front of an audience until further notice in order to ensure health and safety, according to Cesar Reyes, Senior Lab Coordinator of Art, Drama and Journalism. Even close friends and family cannot attend.

Jordyn Toscano • Experience

The set of the “Thanksgiving Play” will remain empty due to the cancellation of the show, which was supposed to open March 19.

Dress rehearsals and production are all coming to a halt, although they were originally supposed to take place this week. Tech week, the week of March 16 to 20, will also be canceled.

“It’s just a bummer. In a situation like this, I don’t want to be self-centered but we’re all really upset. But the bigger picture is public safety,” said Grace Pruett, Drama Stage Manager and Student.

Around 700 people come to every production the department showcases.

“Theater at LMC is a very important part of the community here,” said Maccarone “It’s an important part of the college.”

The department has tabled the idea of pushing the play to the end of the semester or the beginning of the Fall 2020, depending on the severity of the COVID-19 virus. Drama students

and staff may also have a small script reading with limited tech and a small amount of students in the audience.

“Having a production just for us, just because the kids worked so hard on it, we wouldn’t charge for tickets, just a smaller and more informal gathering, where they can get up and perform it one night,” said Maccarone The Drama Department members

are all very close and are hoping to adapt to the situation of class and performance cancellations as a group.

“Part of the performance is the reaction of the audience. So it’s sad that they had to cancel,” said LMC president Bob Kratochvil.

For more information about the impact of the COVID-19 virus on the Drama Department, please contact ngarcia@losmedanos.edu.

UMOJA event put off till April

By CHARLES REED @Staff Writer

Library of Congress

This photograph from the Library of Congress archive is titled, “College day in the picket line.”

19th Amendment commemorated

By SPENCER CAMERON Staff Writer

It has been 100 years since the 19th Amendment granted women the power to vote. Although women were granted the right to vote in 1920, the movement began about 80 years prior.

In 1848, the first woman’s rights convention was held. While nothing was accomplished legally at the Seneca Falls Convention, the gathering of women launched the women’s suffrage movement.

In 1869, the first national organizations were formed for women’s suffrage. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stone established the National Woman Suffrage Association, and Lucy Stone established the American Woman Suffrage Association.

Shortly after the two organizations were established, the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was established in 1873. Being the largest group of organized women at the time, the WCTU pursued women’s suffrage as well.

In efforts to see if the U.S. Supreme Court would rule that women had the constitutional right to vote, many suffragists made attempts to vote and then filed lawsuits when they were denied.

While they didn’t succeed, Susan B. Anthony did. She was arrested for it, and in trial she was found guilty. This gave the movement fresh momentum.

In 1890, the NWSA and the AWSA joined forces to create the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA).

While Lucy Stone would pass in 1893 and Susan B. Anthony would pass in 1906, they did plenty of work for women’s suffrage.

Between 1870 and 1910, the movement conducted 480 campaigns in 33 states.

Within those 33 states, 17 added the instance to their ballots. The efforts led to women’s suffrage in two states, Colorado and Idaho.

In 1916, suffragist Alice Paul formed the National Women’s Party (NWP). The

NWP was a militant group that focused on passing a national suffrage amendment.

A group of the women known as the Silent Sentinels were arrested for picketing the White House in 1917. Some women went on hunger strike and went through forced feeding after being sent to prison.

Eventually in 1919, new NAWSA president Carrie Chapman Catt led 2-million NAWSA members.

After a series of hard-fought votes in the U.S. Congress and state legislatures, the Nineteenth Amendment became part of the U.S. Constitution on Aug. 18, 1920.

After decades of fighting, martyrdom and hardship, women in the United States finally achieved suffrage.

LMC student Jennifer Escajeda shared her thoughts on how the movement affected her. “I got to vote, I was happy to vote. I know it’s a privilege not many people had back then. I think it’s important.

If we’re all able to vote we should vote,” said Escajeda.

The State of the Black Student event is postponed due to the new Coronavirus rules and regulations. This event is a continuation of Black History and Heritage month to inform students of what’s going on in their school.

This meeting was originally set for March 16 in the Library in conference room L-109.

Since the virus awareness circumstances evolved, the date has been changed to a to-be-determined date in April.

Mostly student lead but is facilitated

by Thyra Cobbs the LMCAS president as well as other student leaders from the Black Student Union Club.

This event is meant to inform and elaborate on the concerns and opinions of Black students giving them an opportunity to speak up and be heard. “[I’m] excited to hear what students have to say about their experiences on campus” said Program Assistant, Marcelo Clark. “[I want to] understand what areas to improve on.”

The new development of the changes at the LMC Pittsburg campus has changed the tim and location for this event is only one of many so the

information we have now it is, “the location and date are to be determined. Most likely the event will take place in mid-late April,” said Jamila Stewart Umoja Scholars Program Coordinator.

LMC Pittsburg campus is currently dismissing a majority of the lecture based classes due to the recommendations of the Contra Costa County Health Department.

They’ve also made the decision to cancel multiple events that would involve a big group of students.

Among these events include the local high schools coming to LMC for the four day science fair.

A few of these events are as follows; The LMC Classified Senate Scholarship Crab Feed, the conversation with Boots Riley, the Mixed at Los Medanos event with speakers Charlene Martinez and Marc P. Johnston-Guerrero due to travel restrictions.

For more information and updates on State of the Black Student, visit the LMC UMOJA home page at losmedanons. edu/umoja/ For updates on how the coronavirus may affect future school events, visit the LMC home page and click the COVID-19 link.

Grab your rabbit’s foot, it’s Friday the 13th

By SELENA BUITRAGO and KATIE LOUGHRAN Staff Writers

Photo illustration by Katie Loughran • Experience

As the superstitious grip their lucky rabbit’s foot and nonbelievers go about business as usual, Friday the 13th makes its way into the lives of many once more.

The origins of this infamous day are just as mysterious as Friday the 13th itself, though it’s not always been this way. The late 1800s saw the earliest recorded occurrences of dread associated with Fridays that fall on the thirteenth day of a month. Even then, their fear had less to do with the day itself and more to do with the number 13.

A variety of cultures have associated the number 12 with a feeling of wholeness or completeness. This idea has been exemplified time and time again through things like

the 12 gods of Olympus, the 12 disciples, 12 astrological signs and, the most obvious, 12 months in a year. The issue for many arises when another variable is added to the equation, therefore ruining the sense of completeness and replacing it with unease.

A well known instance of this phenomenon can be seen in the Christian tale of the “Last Supper”. In this story, similar to a Norse myth depicting the dinner party of 12 gods, an uninvited thirteenth guest shows up and causes a major disruption.

Both tales end in the loss of an important figure, solidifying the idea that 13 of anything is rather unlucky.

Not only has Friday The 13th held a significant spot in history, it has also held a prominent spot in media and art.

With the long history of the unlucky

number ‘thirteen’ it has some relation to many paintings from past religious events. It is believed the number has strong connections with the painting “The Last Supper”.

The painting was crafted by Leonardo da Vinci in the late fifteenth century and depicted the last meal of Jesus Christ, who sat with his twelve disciples at a long table. It relates to the idea that 13 was an unlucky number because it is believed that Judas, the disciple that betrayed Jesus, was the the last and thirteenth member to sit at the table.

The idea of 13 people being bad luck also shows up in another painting from 1817, called “The Death of Baldur” by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg. The painting shows the death of Baldur, the son of Odin in See FRIDAY, page 5