Oct 22, 2014

MCCC celebrates National Student Day

Club volleyball wants more members Page 8

Page 3

Oct. 22, 2014 Vol. 60, Issue 3

MCCC human trafficking panel raises awareness Jaclyn Young Agora Staff

U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg

A panel discussion on human trafficing stressed the importance of knowing the signs and getting help.

Monroe is a prime location near lots of different highways and truck stops, says Crystal Martin, executive director of Family Counseling and Shelter Services for the county.

Martin was one of the four participants in the Horrors of Human Trafficking Panel at MCCC on Oct. 21.

The other three participants were Vivian Walczesky, the governor-elect of Soroptimist Monroe, Nicole McGee, an FBI victim’s specialist, and U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton.

The discussion started with what human trafficking is.

Walberg described a human traf-

ficker as someone who gains from forcing others to do things they don’t want to.

McGee noted that people have misconceptions about human trafficking.

“Typically, when we think of trafficking, we think of movement, but that is not necessarily true,” she said.

According to McGee, a person can be trafficked from home.

Walczesky described how people can tell if someone might be a victim of human trafficking.

She described a typical victim as a young girl who is withdrawn, getting poor grades in school, with few or no friends, and with an older boyfriend who is overly jealous.

Crystal Martin explained a situation involving a victim of human trafficking.

“She was 15, it was someone in high school, he was a cute boy, he gave her attention; she had never had that kind of attention before,” she said.

Martin also talked about the importance of noticing the other symptoms of human trafficking like domestic violence.

“People don’t recognize domestic violence, they don’t recognize sexual violence. I mean, that’s one step away from human trafficking,” she said.

All of the panelists stressed reporting human trafficking, and how to report suspicions to the right authorities.

Walczesky explained how we should all be on the lookout for potential victims and how to help.

“If you even think that you might have seen something that seems odd to you, do not be afraid to report it to

the trafficking hotline,” she said.

The panelists handed out cards with the trafficking hotline number on it.

Martin said that people can help by being informed about human trafficking.

“For you guys, I mean just really getting that education of noticing signs, is this human trafficking?” she said.

If you suspect human trafficking, or you are being abused, you can call: The division of the FBI in Michigan at 313-965-2323.

If you are having problems with domestic violence or you know someone who is having issues, you can call 734-242-SAFE (7233).

You can also call the National Hu- FBI victims scepialist man Trafficking Hotline at 888-3737- Nicole McGee 888.

Millage ready for final push Makailyn Ellison and Mariah Tevepaugh Agora Staff

MCCC’s campaign for a millage increase has shifted from getting students registered to vote to getting them out to vote.

The deadline for registering for the Nov. 4 election was Oct. 6.

“Our focus has shifted from getting people to register, to now – vote,” said Julie Edwards, leader of the millage volunteer effort.

Edwards, who is the Siena Heights representative on campus, added that students also can get involved in other ways.

“I have yard signs available in my office students can come get whenever, to help get the word out,” she said.

The millage campaign has been active since the beginning of fall semester, according to MCCC President Kojo Quartey.

He has been in classrooms, sent out e-mails, there are signs on-campus, and there was also a voter registration table on campus.

“The message is constantly going out to students; you can’t walk on campus without seeing signs,” he said.

Quartey also talked about having transportation available on election day to help get students out to vote.

“We will leave no stone unturned to make this millage successful,” he said.

“This is an investment for the entire community.”

One of the main reasons the millage was put on the ballot, Edwards said, was to stop the trend of raising tuition to bal-

Photo by Mariah Tevepaugh

Maintenance chief Terry Cole stands with Vice President Suzanne Wetzel to distribute signs on the corner of M50 and Raisinville

ance the college budget.

Many students attend MCCC because they could not afford to attend another college or university – rising tuition is threatening that advantage, she said.

“We should vote yes to keep costs down and to help maintain the high quality education students are receiving here,” Ed-

wards said.

State election laws prohibit college employees from campaigning for the millage while at work.

Because she’s employed by Siena Heights, Edwards can work on the campaign, and pass out signs from her office.

If the Nov. 4 ballot measure is ap-

proved, MCCC’s property tax millage will increase from 2.2 mills to 3.2 mills.

That will raise about $5 million more per year for the college budget, and will cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 about $50 more per year.

Edwards said there are several ways students can get involved in volunteering

to help spread the word.

“Number one, people should vote, and they should vote yes,” Edwards said.

“Students should tell all their friends why they should vote yes.”

Volunteers are participating in a variety of events to increase awareness of the millage. For example, a table will be set up at the Erie Orchard on Oct. 25 and 26 for volunteers to pass out flyers and inform people about the millage.

Volunteers were at the Monroe-Bedford football game last Friday night.

“We’re also asking any volunteers to make a list of 10 people you can call, and tell them why they should vote yes,” Edwards said.

Students are encouraged to go to monroeccc.edu/millage to fill out a volunteer form, which will explain the various ways they can help.

“I don’t want to put someone in a position where they have to talk in front of a ton of people, I want to work with students’ strengths,” Edwards said. “The volunteer form goes directly to my email and lets me know how a student can get involved.”

The college also has a Facebook page, led by Tom Ryder, Campus Community Events and Student Activities coordinator.

According to Ryder, the page’s purpose is to share accurate information about why MCCC needs a millage. The page is available to friends, family, students – anyone who wants to learn more about MCCC and the millage request.

The page, which will be up and available through the election, is at www.facebook.com/pages/MCCC-Millage-Information/721798461208551.

Convention connects students, employers Stevie Pipis Agora Staff

Students were able to attend a SolidWorks group meeting on campus Oct. 14 in the CTC Building.

The meeting served as a networking event for students, as well as offering free presentations on how to use the SolidWorks software.

“Students meet employers, and that’s really big,” said Dean Kerste, a professor of Mechanical Design Technology at MCCC. SolidWorks is a 3D parametric modeling software with 2 million users divided into 220 user groups. MCCC is a part of the Southeast Michigan and Northwest Ohio SolidWorks User Group.

The group meets two times a year, once in April and again in October. The event began at 5:30 p.m. with opening remarks

Inside:

and dinner.

However, guests were invited to come as early as 3:30 to take part in a 3Dconnexion Modeling Competition, a banner signing, and to look at displays set up by companies that use SolidWorks.

The companies came from surrounding cities such as Detroit, Ann Arbor, Pontiac and Cincinnati, Ohio, as well as from Monroe.

One of the companies present was Dasi Solutions. Dasi is a company that solves software problems for other companies, as well as consulting with them on how to better use SolidWorks.

Dasi comes to the meeting at the college every year.

According to Tom Healy, an Account Manager at Dasi, one of the best parts of the meeting is to see how people are using the software, as well as being able to meet students and talk to them about applica-

Campus News...............2,3,4,6 Features...............................5 Sports......................................8 A&E..................................7

tions.

One of the main reason why Dasi was at the meeting this month was to provide information about a new state-funded apprenticeship program.

According to David Darbyshire, a managing member at the Dasi Pontiac office, the government is pushing apprenticeship programs, and having one for design is unusual.

Photo by Stevie Pipis The apprenticeship will retrain people as well as train new people for jobs that Nearly 100 people attended the SolidWorks user group meeting in the CTC. use SolidWorks in various fields, including the automotive industry, the furniture state of Michigan.

Jacob Lindemann, a student at MCCC, industry, the defense industry, as well as The apprenticeship program has a part- attended the SolidWorks group meeting. anything that deals with animation. nership with MCCC to provide credit He is taking one of Kerste’s classes and “We chose this college because of Dean hours that equal out to a two-year appren- went to look at the companies.

Kerste’s reputation for teaching students ticeship.

“I like to see the companies that actuso well,” Darbyshire said.

According to Darbyshire, this allows ally use the software,” he said.

Darbyshire told two representatives the college and Dasi to line up students from AIS Automotive that Kerste’s pro- for companies.

See Solid Works, Page 2 gram is one of the best he has seen in the

Check out The Agora online at

www.mcccagora.com “Like” us on

Follow us on

Bookstore Hours:

Library Hours:

LAL/Writing Center:

Fitness Center Hours:

Mon - 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Tue - Fri: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Mon - Thurs: 8 a.m. 7:30 p.m.

Fri: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Serving Monroe County Community College since 1968

Mon - Thur: 8 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Fri: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Sat: 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Mon - Thurs: 10 a.m. - 7:30 Fri - Sat: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Campus News

October 22, 2014

mcccagora.com • The Agora

|2

Board candidates square off at forum

By Eugene Kutz Agora staff

MCCC’s high quality education at an affordable price seemed to be the most popular theme at a candidate forum for the college’s Board of Trustees on Oct. 15.

Five of six candidates for the Board of Trustees spoke at the forum, which was in the atrium of the La-Z-Boy Center.

The event was hosted by the Agora, with co-editors Mariah Tevepaugh and Shelby Spencer serving as moderators. The panel was asked questions from the moderators and from the audience.

The five candidates were incumbent Mary Kay Thayer and challengers Ignazio Cuccia, Lynette Dowler, Jack Schwab and Barbara Verran. Incumbent William H. Braunlich could not make it, and wrote a letter that was read at the beginning of the forum.

Each of the candidates expressed their passion for MCCC and shared their own history with the college.

MCCC President Kojo Quartey spoke highly of the candidates.

“I was impressed by every single one of them. And the fact of the matter is, you can’t go wrong choosing any one of these individuals here. I know most of them, and some of them are in organizations I’m in; it’s a great group.

We’re going to do well with those people,” he said.

Current board member Mary Kay Thayer had only good things to say about her challengers.

“I really enjoyed listening to the other candidates, because this college is so blessed, that no matter what three win, the college wins.

And to me, that’s the key. I have a passion for this place. I love this place, but these are quality candidates,” she said.

William Braunlich is running for re-election, but endorsed fellow incumbent Mary K Thayer along with Dowler and Cuccia in his address to the forum.

Photos by Mike Kotanova

Five candidates forthe MCCC Board of Trustees spoke at a Candidate Forum Oct. 15 in the La-Z-Boy Center atrium: from left, Barbara Verran, Jack Schwab, Lynette Dowler, Ignazio Cuccia and Mary Kay Thayer. Below left, Cuccia makes a point while Dowler listens. Below right, Agora editors Shelby Spencer, left, and Mariah Tevepaugh, moderated the forum.

“While I would certainly appreciate your vote and support, I also encourage you to vote for any or all three of them for the position of MCCC trustee,” Braunlich wrote. “They are truly excellent and proven candidates.”

There are only two incumbents running for the three seats on the board. Board member Linda Lauer is not seeking re-election after one term.

Here is background information

on the six candidates: William Braunlich is vice chairman of the MCCC Board of Trustees and has been a member since 2003. He’s also chairman of the River Raisin National Battlefield Park Foundation and past

president of the Monroe County Historical Society. He is a partner in the Monroe law firm, Braunlich Russow & Braunlich, and has a law degree from Washington and Lee University.

Ignazio Cuccia owns a Monroe

insurance agency and has been a member of the MCCC Foundation Board and president of the MCCC Alumni Board. He was recognized as the Alumnus of the Year at MCCC in 2010. A graduate of MCCC, he has a bachelor’s degree from Siena Heights College.

Lynette Dowler is an executive at DTE who has been plant manager of the River Rouge and Trenton Channel plants, and currently is responsible for the company’s safety program. She has a master’s degree from the University of Toledo, and earned her associate’s degree from MCCC. She is a member of the MCCC Foundation board, and was recognized as Alumnus of the Year at MCCC in 2013.

Jack Schwab was the executive director of the Monroe County Opportunity Program (MCOP) for 12 years, and currently is an executive at Flagstar Bank coordinating community development programs. He was a student at MCCC before going on to earn a master’s degree in Urban Planning at Wayne State University.

Mary Kay Thayer has been a member of the MCCC Board of Trustees since 1990. Before that, she was a Monroe County Commissioner, a Bedford Township Trustee and a Bedford Park District commissioner. She is CEO of Thayer Consulting Inc., and past chairwoman of the Michigan Community College Association Board of Directors. She attended Jackson Community College.

Barbara Verran retired from the position of director of Michigan Works! Monroe County Employment and Training Department.

She has a master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling from Eastern Michigan University, and received her Associate of Science degree from MCCC. She also has been chairwoman of the Monroe County Human Services Collaborative Network and a member of the board of Monroe County Economic Development Corporation.

Ferguson leads to discussions about race Jaclyn Young Agora staff

The bullet that killed Michael Brown was a shot heard around the world.

His death sparked days of protests in the town of Ferguson, Missouri.

The incident also prompted the community college to host a panel discussion about race issues in the United States.

The panel was moderated by MCCC President Kojo Quartey and featured eight prominent citizens from Monroe.

One citizen was Angela Blunt, a local pastor and real estate broker.

She said that the problem in Ferguson is a symptom of racism in our culture and that it is an epidemic.

“There’s something at the root we need to discuss,” she said.

Deminique Heiks is a professor of criminal justice at the college.

She said there are problems with the criminal justice system as a whole.

Photo by Jaclyn Young

Angela Blunt, a local pastor, speaks as Jim DeVries, MCCC Board of Trustees member, listens.

She said that young African American males are four times more likely to be arrested, and that there is a disproportionate amount of minority involvement

in the criminal justice system.

Reverend Eric Tucker spoke about his son, who is in the sixth grade at Waterloo Elementary School.

He said his son was having a conversation with another classmate and she told Tucker’s son that her parents were talking about him at the dinner table.

Poetry night planned for Oct. 30 in the Little Theater

The Agora Co-Editors: Shelby Spencer Mariah Tevepaugh Adviser: Dan Shaw Staff Jake Adams Jeff Brown Stevie Pipis Julia Wells Makailyn Ellison Julia Grzywinski Mika Kotanova Eugene Kutz Mitch Perkins Dakota Sherrick Jaclyn Young Darryl White Editorial Policy The Agora is published by the students of Monroe County Community College, 1555 S. Raisinville Rd., Monroe, MI, 48161. The editorial office is located in Room 202 of the Life Sciences Bldg., (734) 384-4186, agora@ monroeccc.edu.

Editorial policy: Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of The Agora staff. Signed columns represent the opinion of the writer. All letters to the editor must include a signature, address and phone number for verification purposes. The Agora reserves the right to edit for clarity, accuracy, length and libel.

The Agora is a student-managed newspaper that supports a free student press and is a member of the Michigan Community College Press Association, the Michigan Collegiate Press Association, the Michigan Press Association, College Media Advisers, Associated Collegiate Press and the Student Press Law Center.

Story suggestions are welcome. Let us know what you’d like to see in The Agora - it’s your newspaper. E-mail submissions: agora@monroeccc. edu .

Tucker said he was disturbed when he found out that the parents identified his son as the “little black boy” and told their daughter not to be friends with him.

The panel talked about how discussion and education are the keys to alleviating the racial issues in the United States.

“I believe education is the key,” Blunt said.

Quartey pointed out that people are afraid to talk about the racial tensions in the United States.

Heiks said that the officer who shot Michael Brown has not been convicted, but something even bigger is coming out of the tragedy.

“What is important here is that we are starting a discussion on race,” she said.

Heiks continued with saying that because of what happened at Ferguson, the issues surrounding race will be discussed a lot more around the United States.

Quartey ended the panel with some final words of wisdom.

“You can make more progress with education than without education,” he said.

Photo by Dakota Sherrick

Student Scott Cousino gives blood Tuesday, Oct. 21, at the first blood drive of the year sponsored by Student Government. According to event chair Shelby Angilley, other blood drives are scheduled for January and March.

Get ready to tell some tales - in rhyme, if you like.

A Poetry and Storytelling Night is planned for 7 p.m.

Thursday Oct. 30, in the Little Theater in the basement of the C building.

The event is sponsored by MCCC’s Writing Center staff, which has been holding the event for several years.

Students and faculty can bring their own poem or story, read from their favorite author, or be a part of the audience.

Students are encouraged to

submit their own original poems and stories.

Writing Fellows will judge the original submitted poems and stories and will select one winner the week following the event.

The winner will receive a $25 gift card from the MCCC Bookstore.

There also will be a “Student Costume Contest.”

The costumes will be judged

by Writing Fellows and the best costume will win a $20 MCCC Bookstore gift card.

Solid Works meeting attracts students, employers Continued from Page 1

Lindemann wants to work as an engineer at DTE. Students were invited to attend presentations given by professionals who use SolidWorks.

One of the presentations was given by Kris Klika, a technical support manager from 3D Vision Tech. He is also one of the SolidWorks

sellers.

3D Vision Tech is located in Cincinnati.

Klika’s presentation included tips and tricks for using SolidWorks.

The main focus was to show surfacing tools that can be used to create more complex models.

Klika also hires tech support and engineers for 3D Vision Tech and says he looks for stu-

dents with good communication and problem solving skills.

The event was free for students, thanks to several sponsors, including DTE Energy, FEDCO, Rapid Sheet Metal Inc., and Centerpoint CAD Solutions.

The meeting ended with a giveaway of $1,000 worth of prizes including a 3D mouse, and shirts.

October 22, 2014

Campus News

mcccagora.com • The Agora

|3

Panel: ISIS terrorists, not Muslims

By Dakota Sherrick Agora staff

ISIS is not a Muslim group, but rather a political terrorist group.

That was one of the key points raised at a forum on ISIS held Oct. 2 in the La-ZBoy Center.

“Islam means peace. A vast religion that teaches peace between the Muslims and non-Muslims,” said Dr. Ali Awadi, one of the panelists.

Awadi is a professor at Henry Ford Community College and lends a unique perspective as an immigrant from Iraq.

Awadi also noted that ISIS is an extremist group.

“Extremism and radicalism – and honestly I believe that’s what ISIS really is,” he said.

“It’s a political agenda that they have, to conquer and kill, and they recruit using the Islamic name, or the Islamic faith.”

Awadi pointed out that there are rabbis who encourage their followers to eliminate all other religions from Jerusalem by any means necessary. One example he used was a young man who was killed in Gaza by the Israeli police.

Awadi also mentioned such extremist Christian groups as the Crusaders, the KKK, and the Radical Traditional Catholics.

“How many here have heard of the Radical Traditional Catholics?” he asked.

No one raised a hand.

“They’re pretty extreme. They basically follow the crusaders in killing everyone, including other Christians that are not Catholics.”

He followed this with his belief that none of these groups are really religious.

“One thing to consider, and I don’t know who’s religious and who’s not, but anyone that believes in God, and believes in the love of God, should not believe in killing humans, or other people. They’re liars, okay? Those two contradict one another.”

“ISIS is an insult to Islam. It was never a part of Islam, like I said earlier, it was used as a political strategy, and Islam was a blanket that gave them the ability to recruit people,” he said, a quiver in his voice betraying the emotion that was hid behind an otherwise passive face.

Awadi said that his goal was to give a brief understanding of Islam to those in

Photos by Shelby Spencer

Dr. Ali Awadi, an Iraqi who immigrated to the U.S. in 1974, explained the Muslim religion and was emphatic in his assertion that ISIS members are not practicing the Muslim religion.

attendance.

“Islam is a monotheistic religion, an Abrahamic religion. When you’re dealing with Islam, it’s very similar to Christianity and Judaism. They’re both monotheistic.”

He said that Islamic beliefs are centered on their holy book, the Qur’an, and the teachings of Muhammad.

One thing he said that most people don’t realize is that Muslims do believe in Jesus, they just don’t believe he was the son of God. Much like Judaism, Islam teaches that Jesus was a prophet.

He made it a point to stress that Islam is not a violent religion.

He said that Muslims fear retaliation toward their faith in places like Dearborn, a Detoroit suburb with a high concentrationof Muslims.

“Many Muslims here are in fear not just of ISIS, but of people attacking them.

And we have a lot of recruiters that are re-

“ISIS is an insult to Islam. It was never a part of Islam, like I said earlier, it was used as a political strategy, and Islam was a blanket that gave them the ability to recruit people.”

Dr. Ali Awadi Professor, Henry Ford Community College cruiting non-Muslims and a lot of people don’t understand that,” he said.

Awadi also claimed that some radicals fear the Muslims will force their beliefs, such as Sharia Law, on the rest of America.

“I don’t know if you’re familiar with

Sharia Law, but in Islam you cannot have Sharia Law, it is forbidden in our religion, unless 98 percent are Muslim, and it’s voted upon by the Muslim population.

So whoever tells you that Sharia Law is going to exist or exists in Dearborn or Michigan, it’s a lie. It’s a complete lie.”

“What fuels hatred and ignorance?

You’ve got politicians and lawmakers and individuals that believe that all Muslims should not be trusted,” he said.

He also listed religious leaders trying to preach Sharia Law in America, and religious leaders burning copies of the Qur’an to spark controversy to draw attention to their church.

“They will automatically assume that Arabs, or Muslims and even Christian Arabs are targeted, and they think they’re belonging to a terrorist organization.”

Amadi said ISIS has caused terror throughout the Middle East and Africa.

“Its recent advancements in Iraq and

Syria have begun to get it attention from global communities and world leaders,” he said.

“Its methods of conquering and brutally killing any and all in their way is horrifying to civil society, to say the least.”

He went on to say that Americans have begun to take notice of ISIS’ methods of recruiting “the not so obvious terrorists.”

“And what we mean by ‘not so obvious’ is it’s not your average Arab, or Muslim or Afghani terrorist, Afghanistinian or Pakistanian. They’re recruiting AfricanAmerican, they’re recruiting CaucasianAmerican terrorists in the United States,” he said.

“As Americans who have not previously converted to Islam are now considering converting to Islam, ISIS’s goal is to seize the new converts and educate them in their ideology.”

Another common fear Awadi addressed was that ISIS might infiltrate America. To help illustrate this, he projected a series of pictures.

“See the pictures I left up there? How many of them are Arabic? Any of them Arabic? How many of them originally Muslims? Those people are not Arabic or Muslim, they converted, they were tricked. So, really, we have to be vigilant that ISIS can infiltrate anybody in their own ways.”

According to Awadi, one of the ways ISIS is spreading its propaganda and recruiting new members is through the use of “slick videos” on social media.

Also speaking were Dr. Joanna Sabo, a professor of political science at MCCC, and Sherryl Edwards, a professor at the University of Michigan, Dearborn.

Edwards discussed how ISIS gets its funding.

“They steal museum artifacts from Iraq and sell ‘em on the black market for huge amounts of money, and of course oil, they’re taking over oil fields in Iraq,” she said.

She added that because this is in Northern Iraq, there aren’t as many oil fields for ISIS to take over as in the south. She further claimed that ISIS is probably the wealthiest terror organization seen to date.

“What they do is sell the crude oil for cash, they get the refined oil back, and they actually sell it to some of the people that they’re killing,” she said.

Several hundred people, many of them stu- The panel members, from left, MCCC Political Science professor Joanna Sabo, University MCCC Professor Joanna Sabo was interviewed after the panel discussion by a dents, attended the event. of Michigan/Dearborn professor Sheryl Edwards, and Ali G. Awadi of Henry Ford College. Muslim film crew that attended the event.

Ally week raises awareness of need

Ellyn Sandefur Jaclyn Young Agora staff

W

hen the Gay Straight Alliance promoted Ally Week, the goal was to gain as many allies as possible.

Ally Week is a week of educating people about the importance of having a more inclusive and comfortable environment for everyone on campus.

Penny Bodell is the faculty adviser for the GSA, and she said that the GSA’s visibility on campus brings all forms of diversity to everyone’s mind.

“Everyone has to feel like they belong,” she said. “I want it to be a friendly environment here, for everyone.”

Jill Denko, MCCC counselor

The GSA set up a table where allies could come and either sign the pledge sheet, have their picture taken with a sign stating why they were allies, or both.

Bodell said 67 people signed the pledge form, but she was not completely sure how many actually participated in the event.

“I would say, fairly, we had 75,” she said.

The pictures taken were featured in a slide show that was shown in the cafeteria on Oct. 16.

Bodell also stated that she is to looking into putting the slide show on the college website for anyone who wants to look at it.

MCCC President Kojo Quartey

“Maybe we could gain some allies just by them watching it and then they’ll watch for future Ally events,” she said.

Bodell said that she has noticed a big change in the campus since the GSA promoted Ally Week last year.

“Last year, when we showed it, I had people say it brought tears to their eyes,” she said.

In an email sent out to faculty, Bodell outlined ways that anyone can help handle negative situations on campus.

“Provide support, a listening ear, and a welcome environment by serving as a resource, an educator and an advocate for a climate that not only tolerates but embraces diversity,” she wrote.

Susan LaVigne and her son, Wesley LaVigne

Bodell also promoted the “Safe Space” signs.

She said that having the signs and Ally Week usually comes with training, but because of the limited budget the campus cannot provide training for faculty to help with handling negativity in the classroom, the office, and anywhere else on campus.

“They have limited resources, but at least they know what to do after that,” she said.

Bodell said that implementing the training to accompany Ally Week is a hope for the future.

“I would love to see a campuswide ally training,” she stated. “That’s one of the next things on my list.”

Bodell further explained the kinds of negative language that should be avoided in the classroom.

She said phrases such as “that’s so gay,” and “I gypped him out of that,” are used so often that people do not think they are disrespectful even though these phrases are offensive.

Bodell called the type of intervention that can be used to stop the negativity “bystander intervention.”

“You don’t have to be getting involved in a hostile situation, but just try to help stop it,” she said.

“And help bring it to people’s forethought that maybe you shouldn’t use that kind of language.”

Campus News

October 22, 2014

mcccagora.com • The Agora

|4

MCCC Student Day: music, food, fun Julia Grzywinski Agora Staff

MCCC’s fourth annual National Student Day on Oct. 9 gave students a chance to celebrate their work so far this semester.

The annual event was sponsored by the bookstore and many clubs both on and off campus set up booths and games for students to enjoy.

“It is a great stress relief, and an excuse to have some fun,” student Tyler DeLaRosa said.

Event coordinator Jean Ford, Bookstore

manager, explained the perks offered to students throughout the event.

“There are clubs from both on and off campus here. We have pizza, snacks, music, prizes, and Pepsi even donated drinks for everyone,” Ford said.

The event ran from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the A building.

“I’d say we had anywhere from 110-150 students come through today. I’m very pleased with that number and the student response,” Ford said.

Jared Hehl was one of many students who attended the event.

“It’s great to just be able to relax for once, and the music and atmosphere is great,” Hehl said.

National Student Day was started by the National College Store Association, and according to its website, aims to celebrate students who go above and beyond their schoolwork to make a difference.

“It is important to celebrate the students, volunteerism, and social responsibility,” Ford said.

Photo by Mika Kotanova

Student Government member shows off the Student Government scrapbook.

Crime Report: Jaci Young Agora Staff

In the past month there have been three burglaries and one theft on campus.

The theft was discovered on Sept. 17 when seven Gay Straight Alliance signs were stolen.

There were five stolen from the center of campus, one by the L building, and one by the Tech building. The signs have not been returned.

The first burglary occurred on Sept. 24 in the Career Technology Center.

According to the office of Randy Daniels, vice president of Student and Information Services, the reporting officer was called about a missing Bluray player.

The officer met with the complainant, and was shown the empty spot where the player had been, with all of the wiring still in place.

The complainant explained that the room is used on Mondays and Wednesdays, and the instructor does not use the player.

The last time someone saw the Blu-ray player was Sept. 17, and it was discovered missing on Sept. 22 in the evening.

A report was made to the I.T. Department about the missing player.

The second burglary occurred in the automotive lab in the CTC sometime between 2 p.m. on Sept.

Photo by Mika Kotanova

Member of HippieChick sang in the cafeteria.

Photo by Mika Kotanova

Student Government member Kierstyn Wiggins helped passout snacks.

16 and 1 p.m. on Sept. 29.

The instructor reported that when he left on that Friday, the doors were locked.

When he arrived on Monday, four car batteries totaling to a cost of $400 had been stolen from the automotive area.

Two of the missing batteries were taken from cars on hoists, and the other two were missing from the south center of the room.

The third burglary occurred in the CTC on Sept.

30.

The reporting officer was on patrol when he was flagged down by an instructor.

The instructor said he was walking into the automotive area when he heard a scraping noise.

He went to investigate the noise and he said he saw the suspect running out an open garage door.

The instructor followed the burglar, who then

sped out of Parking Lot #3.

There is still no known knowledge of what was stolen, only that the 10-drawer tool cabinet had been pushed to one of the doors.

The instructor said that he would take inventory and get that list back to security.

On Oct. 1, a witness was interviewed by phone.

The witness said that he, another witness, and the instructor were walking into the Auto Lab while talking on Sept. 25.

Another person came into the lab and inquired about the auto classes.

When the witness was shown a photo of the suspect, he identified the suspected burglar as the same person in the Auto Lab on Sept. 25.

This case has been referred to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and is pending further investigation.

Contributors honored for battlefield success Jeff Brown Agora Staff

Citizens of the community gathered Oct. 11 to celebrate U.S. Rep. John Dingell, U.S. Sen. Carl Levin and state Sen. Randy Richardville for their efforts in the restoration of the River Raisin Battlefield National Park.

Dingell, Levin, and Richardville played a key role in pushing legislation through Congress and the Senate to make the River Raisin National Battlefield Park.

Congressman Tim Walberg introduced Dingell.

Dingell was on the frontlines of passing the legislation, coordinating local support, acquiring a multi-million dollar acquisition for the foundation and cleaning up the site.

“These are my people. I worked for them a long time to see this happen. We’re proud of it,” Dingell said.

Dingell is the longest serving member of Congress in the history of the United States and plans to retire this year.

Richardville was introduced by Brian Calley, the lieutenant gover-

Photo taken by Julia Wells

Senator Randy Richardville attended the Inaugural River Raisin Legacy Awards.

nor of Michigan.

Richardville was instrumental in the acquisition of $2 million from the state of Michigan to help make the River Raisin National Battlefield Park possible.

“I just want to let you know that this is a great reward, but you

Briefs MCCC schedules College Night for the community On Oct. 28 from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Health Education Building representatives from a variety of Midwest colleges will be available for questions, information, and assistance for high school, college, and prospective transfer students.

The colleges attending include: Adrian College, Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Ferris State University, Hillsdale College, Grand Valley State University, Henry Ford College, Lawrence Technological University, Madonna University, University of Michigan, Wayne State University, and Western Michigan University.

Other colleges and universities will be in attendance; grant, loan and scholarship professionals will also be available for information.

For more information call 734-348-4140 or

don’t have to thank me,” Richardville said. “It was really a labor of love for me.”

Richardville also added that he was proud that the national park was made possible due to bi-partisan cooperation.

“What I’m most proud of about this reward is that it didn’t matter if there was an ‘R’ or ‘D’ after your name. We knew that there was a legacy and the history and the group of people back home that were depending on us, so we worked side by side to get this done” Richardville said.

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow introduced Levin.

With the help of Stabenow, Sen. Levin was able to introduce and usher through legislation that established the park as a unit of the National Park System.

“It’s always important to be mindful of our history and to learn from it and on occasion to take inspiration from it,” Levin said.

“That’s reason enough to preserve the history of this battlefield.”

All of the night’s presenters voiced their support for MCCC’s millage, which will be on the ballot in November.

1-877-YES-MCCC.

Merchant Marines explained at Whitman The United States Merchant Marine will present a discussion at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, in Room 6 at the Whitman Cenrter.

The discussion is free and open to the public. The many types of vessels of the U.S Merchant Marine and the types of cargoes they carry to and from their ports of call will be discussed.

Resume and interviewing workshop planned

Anyone is welcome to come and learn how to develop an effective job search at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11 at the Whitman Center.

Included in the workshop are “seven keys” of experience and tips for writing cover letters and interviewing. You can also learn about upcoming job fairs. The workshop will be in Room 9.

For more information, contact Cheryl Prenkert, administrative assistant, at (734) 847-0559 or cprenker@monroeccc.edu

Photo by Julia Wells

Honored for his contributions for the River Raisin Battlefield, Congressman Dingell spoke at the ceremony.

Talk planned on Hollywood Halloween Bash planned Student Government is sponsoring a Halloween communism witch hunt Bash. on Oct. 28 from 8p.m.- midnight in the dinA leading socialist will make a presentation at MCCC on the hunt for communists in the movie industry in the 1940s and 1950s.

The MCCC branch of the IYSSE (International Youth and Students for Social Equality) is sponsoring a presentation by David Walsh, Arts Editor of the World Socialist Web Site and author of the recently published book, “The Sky Between the Leaves: film reviews, essays, and interviews.”

Walsh is speaking to Professor Terry Telfer’s Film & Society class at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22, in the Little Theater in the basement of the C building. MCCC students and employees are invited.

Walsh’s subject will be the House Un-American Activities Committee’s witch hunt from the late 1940s to 1960 and its impact on Hollywood movies in general and “film noir” specifically.

ing room of the A building.

Admission is free, but students are asked to bring a canned food as a donation.

There will be food, dancing, and haunted rooms.

There will also be a costume contest; one male and one female will win a gift basket.

Cuisine 1300 opens Oct. 27 Bring your appetites, because the student-operated Cuisine 1300 is taking reservations for its opening day, Oct. 27.

The restaurant is run by second-year culinary students, while first-year students prepare the restaurant for opening. The students are led by Head Chef Kevin Thomas.

The point of the restaurant is to teach culinary students not only how to prepare food, but also how to interact with customers.

The menu includes such items as halibut and Cajun duck, with prices ranging from $3 to $12.

Features

October 22, 2014

mcccagora.com • The Agora

|5

Generation Y forgotten or careless Mariah Tevepaugh Agora staff

Those born in the 1990s and into the millennial years are said to be the least active in political history.

According to MCCC History Professor Edmond La Clair, participation by young people is at an all-time low.

“Besides 2008 for the Obama election, participation is lower than any other generation,” he said.

How could this be if Generation Y is considered the digital generation, having media-galore covering every volunteer event or scandalous activity at the tips of their fingers?

Maybe it’s because a majority of these younger voters say they think the candidates are crummy.

MCCC student Courtney Mink said she isn’t interested in politics because she couldn’t trust their word.

“I just feel like you can’t believe anything they say,” she said.

Student Alexander Basile agreed that politicians seem to miss the truth.

Basile said he considered running for a position until he realized what the job might entail.

“I considered trying to run for something, but the other side of me doesn’t want to deal with the bull-crap,” he said. “To get anywhere I’d have to lie and stab them in the back.”

Not every young voter dislikes politicians.

Hayley Koszegi said there are some aspects she likes about politics and politicians.

“I love politics because it raises issues to the public about the state, country, and world,” she said. “I love politicians because sometimes they make good decisions and actually care about the people.”

Graphic designed by Darryl White

La Clair said that students should care. Otherwise, there is a stronger liklihood they will get “extreme politicians.”

He said that if voters felt strongly only one way or the other, politicians would tend to those requests.

This would leave no room for compromise.

“Moderate voters will not vote, if we only have the extreme vot-

ing, the candidates will be more extreme,” he said. “And in a country built on compromise, that’s very problematic.”

Student Jacob Boes said he doesn’t like politics or politicians because he already sees politics as all-or-nothing.

“I don’t like the bipartisan system and corruption that goes on.

All the lobbyist and special interest groups that play in,” he said.

“Everything in life is a compromise and when these people don’t get their way, they literally throw a fit.”

So, if the younger generation is unhappy with Washington, then why aren’t they doing anything to change it?

Some students say they could, and that they do have a voice, while others say they think it’s pointless.

“The more people that have an

MASS students lend a helping hand

opinion, or a voice, could potentially make a difference,” Mink said.

“I don’t really make it a huge priority, but I kind of care what’s going to happen because it’s going to affect us so we should kind of pay attention.”

MCCC student Heaven Wuest said the opposite — that if she felt she mattered, she would probably care more.

Ebola strikes: US worried Eugene Kutz Agora Staff

Photo provided by Lori Bean

Six Math and Science Society students, with professors Kathy Shepherd and Lori Bean, visited Hidden Lake Gardens recently. MASS has been working with the gardens since March and on Oct.17 lent a hand to help “winterize” the gardens. Student Josh Czarniowski gave some green plants a sniff as tour guide Julie Conley explained to MASS that the plants give off an aroma just like flowers do.

Facebook corrupted, users unaware Jake Adams Agora Staff

Facebook, the world’s largest social-networking site, has been under scrutiny with a myriad of protests against its recently uncovered manipulation of users News Feeds.

In June, Facebook admitted to machinating users’ news feeds in early 2012, in an unprecedented and unauthorized psychological experiment.

Over half of a million Facebook users’ News Feeds were tweaked, to show either an unusually high amount of positive or negative posts.

Facebook spokespersons declared that users did give consent – by using the service and having previously agreed to its terms and conditions.

Shortly after the news of this experiment broke to the national media, the lead researcher of the Facebook study, Adam D. I. Kramer, posted an explanation to his personal Facebook page.

“We felt that it was important to investigate the common worry that seeing friends post positive content leads to people feeling negative or left out,” he said.

“The goal of all of our research at Facebook is to learn how to provide a better service.”

While he didn’t apologize, he did own up to the fact that the experiment took place.

He went on to say that the experiment only affected 1 out of 2,500 users, or what

amounts to about 0.04%, for only one week of experimentation in early 2012.

Kramer spoke further about the experiments, citing that valuable conclusions were drawn.

“We found the exact opposite to what was then the conventional wisdom: Seeing a certain kind of emotion (positive) encourages it rather than suppresses it.”

This kind of experimentation within social media brings forth many concerns from users, however, who may not be inclined to brush off Facebook’s brazen disregard for explicit consent.

“When I heard about the experiment, I swore I wouldn’t use it [Facebook] anymore,” Lindsay Nichole, an avid social media user.

“I did use it long enough to get my friend’s phone numbers and stuff, but then I deleted my account.”

Her concerns were not abnormal, as others shared similar notions.

“I’ve never trusted Facebook. Mark Zuckerberg seems shady. There are plenty of other social sites I can use to talk to my friends, or even just use texting,” said William Miko, a Writing Fellow at MCCC. “It’s [Facebook] such a dumb website. I didn’t know about that [the experiment] but it makes me not want to use it anymore,” said Michael Dimovich, a former student at MCCC.

While Facebook has been open about its marketing and even experiments like this one, it is far from the only company to participate in these kinds of activities.

Google, Microsoft, Yahoo (does anyone use this anymore?), Twitter, Instagram, and any other social media or internet company you can name, analyzes and utilizes user data in some shape or form.

These companies harvest information from your activities, without explicit consent, to better target you as an individual for marketing purposes.

The things you search for, the pictures you post, and the messages you send, are viewed, analyzed, and filed, so that the companies can present targeted advertisements and marketing, tailor made to fit your interests.

The explicit consent part of this whole debacle is debatable.

Most of these companies reserve the right to any and all use of the data you utilize, within their terms of service.

Simply put, by using their service you consent to having not one shred of privacy.

Whether or not you feel that Facebook was unfair with their experiment, there really is nothing to be done.

Users are left with only one choice – to continue using Facebook because of its dominance of the social media space and its ease of access, or to stop using it and forgo those conveniences.

“I don’t think our votes count,” she said. “I feel as if the government controls the world – they make everything happen the way they want it to happen.”

How can baby-boomer offspring get more involved when they feel so useless?

According to La Clair, information is more available to this generation than prior generations.

“This generation, ages 18-24, even 30, are more aware of politics, they know more and have more access to information,” he said.

Facebook, Twitter, and other social media blow up with information on political parties, candidates and issues.

However, Boes said that his main gateway of information on politicians comes from TV and in the mail.

Boes disagrees that the younger generations are as informed as research says.

“They probably aren’t as involved or educated as they should be,” he said. “It’s hard to be involved when you’re not the ones who matter.”

Koszegi agreed that people don’t know as much as they should.

“People don’t know the facts about what’s going on and they make a big deal about things that they don’t know,” she said.

Although it seems as if members of this genertion are forgotten children, La Clair said this is not the case.

For example, he said that most students are graduating with loan debt. The interest rate on the loan is controlled by the government, but why would the government make it more favorable to students when students don’t vote?

“If students don’t vote, the government is free to ignore them,” La Clair said.

The Ebola virus was recently contracted in the U.S. for the first time.

Nina Pham was a nurse in Dallas attending to Ebola patient Eric Duncan.

Pham is now receiving a blood transfusion from former Ebola survivor Dr. Kent Brantly, the third time he has done this for Ebola patients.

Nina Pham’s condition is said to be stable, with hopes that antibodies from Brantly’s blood will help Pham’s body fight the virus.

How she contracted the disease is not clear. In the recent weeks, Americans have been left wondering if the Ebola virus will spread and become an epidemic.

The public is largely uneducated on Ebola, and in the past the entertainment industry has left misconceptions about its symptoms and its ability to spread.

The Ebola virus is transmitted through bodily fluids only and is not airborne, which many Americans believe.

Ebola has a survival rate of forty percent.

Many believe Ebola always causes you to bleed from your eyes, nose, and ears. This is actually not true, with a study showing only 41 percent of Ebola victims showing external bleeding.

Most symptoms of Ebola are very flu-like, with fevers being the main symptom.

It is only possible to become infected if you are in direct contact with an infected person who is showing symptoms. It is not contagious during the incubation period, or contact with environments that the stricken had contaminated.

Most Americans who have become infected were aiding the afflicted in the West African countries.

“Ebola is scary. It’s a deadly disease. But we know how to stop it,” said Dr. ����������������������� Thomas Frieden, di��� rector of the Center for Disease Control.

There are now over 4600 currently confirmed deaths abroad suspected to be from Ebola, the largest outbreak of the disease by far (said the Geneva-based UN agency).

Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea are considered the three worst

effected countries.

The American public is showing concern, and rightfully so.

However, most Americans are un-

MCCC hosting Ebola panel

MCCC will be hosting a panel discussion on the Ebola crisis on Monday Oct. 27 at 5:30 p.m. in the La-Z-Boy Center atriu..

MCCC biology professors Dr. Maris Fonseca and Dr. Philip Wahr will both sit on the panel.

The even is free and open to the public.

educated about the disease itself, and are expressing unwarranted fears toward the situation at hand.

Social media and sensationalist internet news sites are only causing the public’s ideas about Ebola to become more confused.

The Obama administration is carefully addressing the way news and information on Ebola is being delivered to the public, cautious not to cause panic.

JFK airport is now implementing advanced screening of travelers coming into the U.S. from the African states afflicted, with four more airports soon to follow.

The airports that will be screening for the Ebola virus receive 94 percent of the passengers entering the U.S. from the countries suffering the worst.

This measure should significantly reduce the chance of the Ebola virus spreading within the U.S. Meanwhile, the CDC is still prepping for the worst case scenario even in its growing unlikelihood, which could serve as an example for Americans in helping assuage the pandemonium.

Whether or not Americans should be concerned — it’s hard to give a definite answer for a disease as deadly as Ebola.

However, recent circumstances are pointing at our ability to handle this virus.

There has been no outbreak in the states, and there is not a strong case for arguing that it will become an epidemic here or in other developed countries.

Ebola is devastating parts of West Africa, but this isn’t surprising given the state of development in those regions.

Lack of general sanitation and clean environments cater to the spread of illness.

Campus News

October 22, 2014

mcccagora.com • The Agora

|6

Great Pumpkin Pursuit fun for all ages Mariah Tevepaugh Agora staff

Residents of Monroe County and surrounding areas went for a crisp, fun run Saturday on the MCCC campus.

Toledo resident Catie Perry said that the weather wasn’t the best this year for the Great Pumpkin Pursuit, but the race was up to par.

“It was cold, but it went well,” she said.

The participants enjoyed a 5k at the main campus on Saturday, Oct. 4. The proceeds went to the Foundation at MCCC for the Endowed Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships for studens who atted MCCC. There was also a raffle for a hand-made quilt to support the Mary Mossingo Cobb Memorial Scholarship.

Runners were awarded based on time for different age groups, ranging from 10 to 60-plus; every runner was given a participation ribbon.

Monroe County resident Jeannie Brott said she thought the race went well.

“It was an awesome race,” Brott said. “We’re always looking for fun races.”

(Above and below) More than half an hour after the winners, runners are still having fun crossing the finish line.

Exhausted runners group together after they cross the finish line.

Photos by Mariah Tevepaugh

There was an overall winner for the men and women, as well as all ages.

3Vote es!

Y

MONROE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

For all the details about MCCC’s Millage Request, For all the details about • Keep tuition affordable please go to Request, • Keep tuition affordable.

MCCC’s Millage • • Maintain high-quality academic programs.

Maintain high-quality academic programs www.monroeccc.edu/millage. please go to and student support services • Update aging computer technology and equipment. www.monroeccc.edu/millage • Make critical repairs to aging campus facilities Passage Millage Request is vital PassageofofMCCC’s MCCC’s Millage Request is to: vital

to:

• Make critical repairs to facilities, such as fixing leaking roofs and flooding basements.and student

and upgrade outdated computer technology

Y es!

Vote 3 MAIN CAMPUS

WHITMAN CENTER

MONROE COUNTY COMMUNITY • Voting YES on Nov. 4.

• Talking to friends and family about the importance COLLEGE of the millage.

1555 S. Raisinville Rd. 7777 Lewis Ave. Students can get involved by: Monroe, MI 48161 Temperance, MI 48182

Paid for by: Citizens for MCCC 310 Payson Ave., Monroe, MI 48162

• Stopping by L221 in the Life Sciences Building and Passage of MCCC’s Millage Request is vital to: For all the details about picking up a “Vote Yes” yard sign.

• Volunteering to to pass out information at events at MCCC’s Millage Request, • Keep tuition affordable please go to www.monroeccc.edu/millage.

• Maintain high-quality academic programs www.monroeccc.edu/millage.

• Posting support for the millage on social media. and student support services • Student clubs can organize a table on campus to • Make critical repairs to aging campus facilities promote the millage. and upgrade outdated computer technology

MAIN CAMPUS

1555 S. Raisinville Rd. Monroe, MI 48161

WHITMAN CENTER

7777 Lewis Ave. Temperance, MI 48182

Paid for by: Citizens for MCCC 310 Payson Ave., Monroe, MI 48162

A&E

October 22, 2014

mcccagora.com • The Agora

|7

Shadow of Mordor is sleeper hit

By Jeff Brown Agora Staff

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor is a fun and challenging game that adds its own unique twist on the open world action genre.

In fact, this sleeper hit is some of the best fiction added to J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy universe in sometime.

You play as Talion, a Ranger of Gondor who is stationed at the Black Gate. The game starts in a time of peace on the wall, walking you through a tutorial on how to play the game in what might be the least annoying tutorial sequence in video game history.

The prologue takes you through times when Talion is training his son how to fight with a sword all while teaching the player the mechanics of the combat.

Next, it displays the stealth mechanic by making you “stealth kiss” your wife in an adorable scene that displays the love and affection this family has for each other.

Events then take a turn for the worse.

The Black Gate is assaulted by a horde of Uruk-hai. All the rangers posted on the wall are massacred, Talion and his family are captured then ritually executed.

Talion then awakens to find that his soul has been bound to that of an amnesiac elf ghost and for unknown reasons, their spirits aren’t able to pass on to the afterlife.

This all happens within the first 20 to 30 minutes of the game and from that point forward Talion swears to help the mysterious elf ghost discover who he is and to take vengeance on the ones that slaughtered his family, it is assumed that after they complete their mission, their souls will finally be able to rest in peace.

This adventurous game takes a lot of inspiration from games like Assassins Creed and Batman: Arkham. Actually, if Batman: Arkham and Assassins Creed had a baby, then they gave it the One Ring, this is the baby they would make.

The combat is both brutal and elegant.

It is the same general concept as the Batman games except more responsive, more challenging, and much more graphic. After playing for over 40 hours, I not once found myself tiring of the action.

While fighting the Uruk-hai horde, Talion builds up a combo meter. After getting so many hits in a row without getting hit himself, he can perform devastating finisher moves instantly killing most enemies in a glorious and gory fashion. Just like the Arkham games, an icon will appear above Talion’s head when an enemy is ready to attack allowing him to counter

October Video Game Releases October 24 - Bayonetta 2 (Wii U) October 24 - Civilization: Beyond Earth (PC) October 24 - Fantasy Life (3DS) October 24 - Pokémon Art Academy (3DS) October 28 - Big Hero 6 (3DS) October 28 - The Legend of Korra: A New Era Begins (3DS) October 28 - Lords of the Fallen (Xbox One, PS4, PC) October 28 - NBA Live (Xbox One, PS4) October 28 - Power Rangers: Super Megaforce (3DS) October 28 - Singstar (PS4) October 28 - Sunset Overdrive (Xbox One) October 28 - WWE 2K15 (360, PS3)

Middle Earth:Shadow of Mordor is a stunningly visual look at a mystical and violent side to the Lord of the Rings franchise.

the attack and continue his combo.

There are different types of enemies, some that will instantly counter any of your attacks unless you stun them, some have great tower shield and cannot be dealt with until you get behind them or break their shields.

Talion also has the power to bring out a wraith bow that will slow down time and allow you to charge up and shoot enemies from afar or during a combo. The wraith bow also allows the player to quickly teleport to distant enemies.

Straight forward combat isn’t the only way to engage enemies; Talion is extremely acrobatic and can easily sneak around the world taking out enemies unseen. Talion can sneakily defeat his enemies; if some Uruk-hai are having a feast, Talion can sneak in and poison their grog enraging the Uruk-hai and making them slay each other. Talion can also unlock the cages of great beasts known as Caragor who will then wreak havoc among the Uruk-hai.

As you progress through the game, Talion gains experience and shards for his weapons to give him skills and making him more powerful.There are passive skills like reducing the combo you need to perform a death blow and other more practical skills for instance Talion learns how to mount and ride exotic beasts.

There were parts in this game that I was facing upwards of 30 or 40 enemies on screen at a time. After decapitating dozens of Uruk-hai and watching the remainder flee in terror is one of the most morbidly satisfying things you can do.

Even though the combat is excellent, by far the best part about the game is he Nemesis System that is featured in the game.

The nemesis system is an in-game mechanic that randomly generates a hierarchy of Uruk-hai that can be manipulated.

Each captain is uniquely named and there are hundreds of different dialogue pieces that they’ll say. When you encounter one of these captains, the game will zoom into a cinematic sequence that will introduce the captain with him telling Talion how much he’d like to see him die. The cool thing is, if you’ve ran into a captain more than once, he’ll remember you. For instance, if last time you ran into a captain you injured him and he ran away, next time he’ll have scars or bandages on his body that weren’t previously there and they’ll perform specific dialogue pertaining to your last encounter.

Each captain has different bonuses that can make fights with them particularly challenging. Some Captains can only be hurt by combo finishers and will flee if they see a Caragor. Others can only be

defeated via stealth. There a hundreds of different combinations the captains can have. Some are tougher to fight than others.

The nemesis system is pretty basic, if you kill a captain, he is removed from the chain of command and if Talion is killed by a random Uruk-hai, he’ll get promoted to a captain. Thus giving the player an endless amount of missions he or she can do. But when the second half of the game starts, is when the Nemesis system really gets interesting.

Through the progression of Talion’s adventure, he eventually acquires the ability to mind control Uruk-hai. This means that you can take over the mind of lesser captains and help them become bodyguards of higher ranking war chiefs; you can then have them betray the war chief and take over in his stead. There are tons of creative ways you can pit the Uruk-hai horde against each other and most of my 40+ hours of game time was experimenting with that.

The game starts out in the damp fields of Udun, a valley in Mordor, which is very grey and gloomy most of the time. In the second act of the game, Talion finds himself in the colorful and fertile volcanic plains of Nurnen.

There were multiple occasions where I stopped to just look around at the beauti-

fully crafted environments. One of these was when I entered an Uruk-hai stronghold when it was raining. The entrance way was muddy and trampled and the way the water puddled and the mud glistened with moisture blew my mind.

Traversing this world is easy and fluid, Talion will automatically run up walls and climb building. The mechanics are exactly the same as what you would expect from Assassins Creed, except they’re a little more polished and quick.

The world is really big but with the some movement abilities that can be unlocked traversal of the world becomes faster and faster.

While exploring these areas, there are plenty of side quests, activities, and collectibles that can become distracting.

Most of these side missions come in the form of basic yet satisfying combat challenges and missions to free slaves. When you find any collectable, an entry is made in to the game appendices giving you a more in-depth look at the characters and world of Middle Earth.

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor is an excellent game. The over-the-top combat makes you feel powerful without taking away the fear of defeat, the graphics are stunning and the nemesis system is an awesome feature that hasn’t been successfully pulled off before. It will take around 15-20 hours to just finish the main story, but all the extra side missions and collectibles will keep you playing for well over 40 hours easily.

Hey Rosetta! brings new sound on album Leauge of Legends: The

By Mika Kotanova Agora Staff

Indie-rock band Hey Rosetta! have released its fourth album Second Sight on Oct. 21.

The seven piece band hails from the icy streets of St. Johns, Newfoundland.

Their sound has been compared to Arcade Fire, Half Moon Run, Said The Whale, and Wintersleep.

It has been about three years since their last album, Seeds.

Since then they have added a new member, Mara Pellerin, on french horn and backup vocals. Her addition has added a wide variety of new sounds to the band.

Second Sight was produced by Marcus Paquin at Montreal’s MixArt Studios and will be released through Sonic Records and Warner Music Canada.

The album is currently available to stream at exclaim.ca.

Second Sight starts off with “Soft Offering (For the Oft Suffering).” This track is the perfect way to begin the 12 track album.

Their single “Kintsukuroi” will definitely be a radio hit.

Kintsukuroi is a reference to the Japanese technique of fixing broken pottery with gold or silver making more beautiful than it was unbroken.

This album has less of a string section compared to their other albums which is a slight disappointment but they make up for it with experimental pop songs “Kid Gloves” and “Neon Beyond”.

“Harriet” and “Dream” deliver a melodic harmony that will make any concert crowd get up on their feet to sing along.

Second Sight is everything you want in an indie-rock album It is now available for purchase at heyrosetta.com.

Hey Rosetta! will be playing at The Majestic Theater in Detroit on Nov. 22. Tickets are available at majesticdetroit.com.

Pitt’s Fury meets high hopes

By Julia Wells Agora Staff

Fury, the World War II drama starring Brad Pitt, Shia Labeouf, and Logan Lerman has been anticipated by film buffs and movie critics alike since its announcement in 2013 and it did not disappoint.

Movie-goers will welcome this film with open arms as it marks the beginning of an impressive fall movie season.

This is a movie that requires its audience to emotionally prepare themselves ahead of time. The actor’s brilliant performances combined with a compelling script make you feel the pain of every death, every tear shed, and the disappointment of each losing battle.

Fury dismisses accusations that the World War II film genre is growing tiresome. The people claiming that are also probably the people who didn’t see the point in studying history in high school. The film’s truth about the senseless loss in war is every bit relevant today as it was in 1944.

Fury focuses on a particular tank called Fury that managed to outlast every other American tank, despite being severely outnumbered and surpassed in technological advances by the Germans. While the story itself may be a fictionalized version, the script was composed from veteran’s accounts. Making the tank the focal point of the film added a different dimension that made for visually stimulating battles, keeping every audience member clenched.

What Fury accomplishes is portraying the burdens of war in a gruesome and gut-wrenching manner with a special effects and makeup department that leaves nothing to the imagination.

The same way that Saving Private Ryan did when it won its Best Director Academy Award in 1999. 15 years later, Fury director David Ayers could have a shot at that same title.

Performances from these A-list actors have arguably never been better. After a slew of public missteps, Shia Labeouf reminds us why co-star Brad Pitt called him one of the best actors he’s ever seen. A Best Supporting Actor nomination would not be unfounded for Labeouf.

Semi-newcomer Logan Lerman, who had previously been seen in young adult hits, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Percy Jackson:The Lightning Thief, held his own against the incomparable Pitt, who is never more at home than he is in

Pitt gives an impressive performance as sergeant Don “Wardaddy” collier in his second World War II era movie.

World War II films.

Ayer’s script has his characters walking the lines of moral ambiguity, evident in Pitt’s “Wardaddy” persona. The troubled war hero tries to keep some semblance of honor all the while turning his soldiers into Nazi-killing machines. Machine just so happens to be the nickname given to Lerman’s character as he finally realizes that it is kill or be killed in the midst of war.

It’s almost celebratory for the crew when Machine loses his last shred of innocence.

Fury isn’t all gloom and doom though, Michael Pena’s character Gordo delivers some humorous spots in an otherwise dark film, which almost make you feel guilty for chuckling at a war film. The stark contrast of emotions allows the audience to experience it rather than just watch it.

Fury took in about $23.5 million according to the New York Times, taking the number one spot in its opening weekend and has been reviewed positively by notable critics. The release of Gone Girl about a month prior may have taken some of the burden off of Fury to be the next movie that wowed viewers after what some would call a disappointing summer box-office.

With that in mind, there was still an enormous amount of expectations for this movie to perform well. Viewers should leave their preconceived thoughts at the door and simply enjoy it for what it is. The storyline is strong, the actors are incredible, and Fury is a movie that still manages to shock, sadden, and even make you smile.

most played game ever

By Jake Adams Agora Staff

League of Legends World Championship 2014 has just wrapped up, with Korean team Samsung White taking the title, and the $1,000,000 prize.

“I’ve never been able to win in Korea.

I’ve never been able to hoist that cup up.

Winning today means a lot to me,” said Heo “PawN” Won-seok, a team member of Samsung White, after his team won the tournament.

The Championship took place over the last month and a half, with different stages of the tournament taking place in Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea, and the closing rounds in Seoul, South Korea at the Sangam Stadium, which previously held the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Sangam Stadium was packed to capacity, with a sell-out crowd of 40,000 people.

There were also over 3 million internet viewers streaming on services like Twitch. tv.

Popular alternative band Imagine Dragons, performed live at the event as well.

League of Legends, developed and maintained by the company Riot, is currently the most popular game in the world, with no signs of losing that prestigious title. With over 65 million monthly players, it has shattered previous records by close to over 60 million.

The last game to hold the title was World of Warcraft, which had a peak player base of only 6 million players – almost nothing by comparison.

With that many players, it was almost guaranteed that some students on our campus would be regular players.

Nathan Bates, a student and veteran of League of Legends, has been playing for quite a while.

“I’ve been playing for two years,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun and hard to quit once you’ve started.”

“They bring a different aspect into the game as far as the competitive scene.

They make you care about the players and what’s going on.”

Nathan, who has been playing since before Riot implemented its ranking system, which matches players based on skill level, said he won’t be stopping any time soon.

“I want to get into the LCS,” he said. “I want to be a pro and compete against the best.”

The LCS, or League Championship Series, is the League of Legends equiva-

“All of my friends are really into it.”

James Patrick Quick Student lent to the NFL. Teams play matches in divisions and seasons, culminating with a season champion. Winners from the LCS move on to face teams from other countries, which is why a tournament the size of the World Championships is needed.

The average League of Legends match consists of two teams of five players, which pick their characters (called Champions) and battle it out in an effort to destroy the opposing team’s base. Though it may sound like a simple premise, the game is much more complex than is possible to describe in this article.

Justin Zboch, a Middle College student, said he wants to get in on the action.

“I have a lot of friends that play, it looks really interesting,” he said.

James Patrick Quick, a student and member of the GSA, shared the sentiment.

“All of my friends are really into it. I’m actually going to check it out tonight,” he said.

On the other hand, the popularity and attraction to the game turns some people away.

“It’s just too competitive,” said student Jesse Redman.

“I don’t like what it does to my friends.”

Robert Morris University in Illinois recognizes the popularity and legitimacy of League of Legends as a sport. They are the first University in the country to offer athletic scholarships for playing League.

Kurt Melcher is the Associate Athletic Director at Robert Morris University.

“I was shocked at the scale and the size, and how passionate the players are,” said Melcher.

“The goal here [with offering scholarships] is to turn e-Sports into a division of athletics, just like with other sports,” he said.

“The end goal is to have collegiate tournaments and divisions.”

E-Sports have been gaining popularity for years. With the rapid adoption of new, easily accessible games, and the advancements in internet connection speeds, true e-Sports are coming close to reality. They certainly show no signs of losing popularity any time soon.

Sports

October 22, 2014

mcccagora.com • The Agora

|8

Volleyball club team recruiting new members Mitch Perkins Agora staff

MCCC is offering club volleyball to any female students interested in a fun and competitive opportunity.

Club volleyball at MCCC is student run and coached, giving all players equal opportunity to play while fine tuning their volleyball skills.

Karen Turner, MCCC’s Fitness Activities coordinator, is the club adviser and has scheduled the team to compete in a tournament offered at MCCC this December.

This tournament will be held in the gymnasium in the Health Building and is open to any women’s team.

Alexandria Giovanucci, a third year respiratory therapy student, plays outside hitter in her second year on the club team.

Giovanucci said she was looking for an opportunity to continue playing the sport she loved while in college.

“I wanted to play my freshman year, but didn’t know where I could play, but my sophomore year I got an email about the team and that’s how I got started,” Giovanucci said.

Nicole Denman, a second-year player, said the team practices on Monday and Wednesday nights.

The team also competes in a recreational league held at the Arthur Lesow Community Center (ALCC) in Monroe, which is on Wednesday nights.

Denman is a back-row player who looks to take control while on the court. She encourages any female student with an interest in volleyball to come out and join the team.

New members are welcome and for any questions or other information, Denman can be reached at ndenman@my.monroeccc.edu.

Photo by Mitch Perkins

Bill Gill, the league’s leading scorer, dunks two of his 32 points during a game Oct. 17. It wasn’t enough, however, as Team 2 won the game to become the league’s only undefeated team.

Top team cites chemistry Only one team still unbeaten Mitch Perkins Agora staff

Photo by Mitch Perkins

Nicole Denman practices her jump serve.

The basketball season is back in full swing at MCCC and one team is proving why they deserve to be number one.

Team 2, led by captain Travis Boggs, a sophomore criminal justice student, captured its second win of the season this past Friday, Oct. 17.

Boggs leads his team in scoring at 24.5 points per game to this point in the season.

After the game, Boggs spoke about his team’s success. He

talked about the team’s chemistry, noting that most of the players have played together before.

Travis Boggs, A.J. Carpenter, Tyler Loveday, and Lucas Little, all sophomores, have been playing basketball together for nearly six years in the Dundee schools program.

They all attended Dundee High School and played all four years together in their basketball program.

Spending countless hours in the gym helped them to have a better understanding of how each other plays. They learned how to play off of each other’s strengths to put together wins.

Teammates Jacob Skaggs and Gabe Deal add their talents to the

“We are all still fresh out of high school, playing in programs where we had to look to pass first before looking to score,” Tyler Skaggs Team 2 point guard mix with a variety of options.

“Jake controls the offense, while Gabe grabs the rebounds,” Boggs said.

Skaggs, a sophomore English education student, runs point guard for the team and facilitates

the offense through his passing.

“We are all still fresh out of high school, playing in programs where we had to look to pass first before looking to score,” Skaggs said.

A solid performance in week two by their whole team led to a win over team three and the league’s leading scorer, Bill Gill.

Gill, through two games, is scoring an impressive 35.5 points per game with double digit rebounds in both performances.

Even with another great outing for Gill, the Dundee team chemistry was too much as team two improved to 2-0 and remains the only undefeated team left in the league.

What are your next steps?

You can finish your bachelor’s degree on the MCCC Campus!

Siena Heights University has a degree completion center right here on campus!

Undergraduate classes available in: • Accounting • Bachelor of Applied Science • Business Administration • Criminal Justice • Multidisciplinary Studies • Professional Communication • Psychology • RN to BSN

CONTACT US TODAY!

Phone: (734) 384-4133 Email: monroe@sienaheights.edu Web: www.sienaheights.edu/mccc Stop by our office located in L-221

www.sienaheights.edu