the
advocate
Volume 51 Issue 22
April 14, 2017
Independent Student Voice of MHCC
Hippity Hop or Rap? PAGE 2
Board member “Sonny” Yellott faces challenger PAGE 3
April madness: Softball and baseball score wild wins PAGE 8
The Big North Duo fine-tunes their act Take a look at upcoming events at MHCC
PAGE 4
PAGE 5
2016 FIRST PLACE
General excellence Oregon Newspaper Publisher Association
OPINION
April 14, 2017
Rap and hip-hop sound similarly different
Donovan Sargent the advocate
Waiting for a class to start the other day, a few of us were meandering around the front door talking about music. Now being
with being in Mt. Hood’s Integrated Media program with a focus on radio broadcast, I often find myself surrounded by a group of people with impassioned opinions about music, as you might expect. The topic of discussion this time, however, was one that I have heard since I was a teenager in the early ’90s. Is rap the same as hiphop? Are they two words that mean the same thing for most people, or are they distinctly different? Do the lines between them blur and fade between one musician to the next, or even between one song and another? Let me make something abun-
dantly clear: Rap and hip-hop are two completely different beasts. With rap, the focus is (or at least should be) the lyrics. At least in its beginnings, rap was poetry set to music. The topic can change, it can be about anything from a hard childhood, to scraping by through your underpaid life, to saints and sinners, success and virtues, or death and mayhem. Rap comes from a place of storytelling, a way to convey an emotion or feeling. It lets the listener feel your fear or sense of triumph, by painting a word picture on a canvas of instrumental music. Hip-hop is something else al-
together. Hip-hop is an amalgamation of thumping bass rhythms, melodies, and harmonies, mixed with words and chants to make a collage of sound to try and convey whatever the artist intends. Both of these styles can be expressed by the same artist, and because they originally came from the same place and cultures in history, can even fit on the same album, side-by-side, without seeming out of place. The late ’80s and early ’90s are often referred to as the golden age of rap and hip-hop, with a lot of experimentation and envelope-pushing with taboo lyrics, use of the
“N-word,” phrases about cop-killing and the description of gangster life as it is truly perceived by the people who live it. Currently, we have a different breed of music, much more polished, and much more focused. When I hear people like Joey Bada$$, Drake, and Childish Gambino, there are rap elements in their music, but the majority is hip-hop. It just seems a matter of convenience to call a hip-hop artist a rapper, since the styles are so close, but close is a matter of perspective. The moon is the closest thing to the Earth, and it’s 238,900 miles away.
Automated cars may be driving us to disaster
Dusty Sargent the advocate
Going about my normal routine one recent morning, I’m bombarded by ads from Tesla and Uber, and it makes me think, could any two transportation companies be any further apart right now? With driverless cars becoming more and more prevalent, it seems the world is about to change. Tesla Motors is leading the charge by
equipping their entire fleet with the capability to drive autonomously. The move brings with it all the benefits of automated control and all the soul of a robot. These include: safer roads, better gas mileage, less traffic congestion, that sort of thing. While that looks good on the surface, this doesn’t take into account quite a few things. Not the least of which, is human error. “Human error?” you ask, but how could that be possible with a driverless car? Well, for starters, the drivers of the average car aren’t going to switch to them just yet. The average car on the American road isn’t new, it’s over 11 years old, according to recent studies by HIS Markits. Meaning the vast majority of cars on the road will be without this capability for some time yet. So, while these new cars may be smart, they won’t be able to account for the unknown – the unknown of human
drivers and their unpredictable moves.
“The average car on the American road isn’t new, it’s over 11 years old, according to recent studies by HIS Markits. ” They also may be unable to account for the fear factor. What if the passenger/owner is riding along in the car, the car is navigating traffic, and someone comes out of nowhere to cut it off – does it just brace itself for the hit and slam on the brakes? Does it lift itself up and jump above traffic in some Inspector Gadget-esque feat of derring-do? That last bit may seem absurdist, but it’s there to point out, that sometimes, stuff just happens.
It also stands to reason, that while driverless cars should result in fewer impaired drivers, and that is a great thing, the unfortunate aspect, is they are only safer in preventable accidents. Is it better or worse for the driver to be reading a book, having a snack and not watching the road when their car is rear-ended? I know for me personally, I would prefer to know to brace myself for impact or at least throw my hot beverage to the other end of the car to avoid the burn, as well. Another giant worry I have is the possibility of a huge likely downturn in the number of jobs in this country. Sure, delivery drivers may be safe, job-wise, because people can’t be trusted to walk out to the truck or car and grab their own package or pizza. However, truck drivers, especially long-haul drivers – should be shaking in their boots right now, as a fair amount of the time, they
aren’t required to load and unload the trucks. Another example of job loss, off the top of my head, is Uber, Lyft and the taxi industry in general. Unmanned vehicles, picking up those with no use for owning cars, would put thousands more out of work. The final issue I’ll discuss is the legal aspects of it all. If the car misses the light, or the speed sign, etc.: Does the car get the ticket? Because the owner isn’t driving, and most statutes will mention the driver, how does this play out? Can we all call and text, now, too? I’m not saying I have a better solution. I’m just saying the speed at which our laws move is nowhere near as swift as our innovation. How about we fix the issues with our economy that are making us drive cars old enough to be in middle school, sit back, take a deep breath and work instead on something a bit closer to what we need.
the advocate Editor-in-Chief Gloria Saepharn
Assistant Sports Editor Logan Hertner
Video Editor Open Position
Associate Editor, Arts & Entertainment Editor Matana McIntire
Graphic Design Team Prisma Flores Seneca Maxwell Joanne Merrick
Video Team Elizabeth Nguyen
Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor Megan Phelps
Photo Editor Open Position
News Editor Kyle Venooker Opinion Editor Donovan Sargent Sports Editor Open Position
Assistant Photo Editor Davyn Owen Photo Team Alex Crull Fadi Shahin Jessica Mitchell Porcha Hesselgesser
Ad Team Yen Le Advisers Howard Buck Dan Ernst Staff Writers Greg Leonov Jamie George Brody Mathews Maddy Sanstrum Glenn Dyer Maegan Willhite
Erik Walters Ryan Moore Noah Guillen Dusty Sargent Cover Design By Cover Photo By Alex Crull Prisma Flores Contact us! E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu Phone: 503-491-7250 Website: advocate-online.net Twitter: @MHCCAdvocate Facebook: facebook.com/TheAdvocateOnline Instagram: @MHCCAdvocate #MHCCAdvocate Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham, Oregon 97030 Room AC1369
The Advocate encourages readers to share their opinion by letters to the editor and guest columns for publication. All submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name and contact information. Contact information will not be printed unless requested. Original copies will not be returned to the author. The Advocate will not print any unsigned submission. Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 600. The decision to publish is at the discretion of the editorial board. The Advocate reserves the right to edit for style, punctuation, grammar and length. Please bring submissions to The Advocate in Room 1369, or e-mail them to advocatt@mhcc. edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday the week of publication to be considered for print. Opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Advocate or MHCC.
NEWS
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DAVID DOUGLAS VET BATTLES INCUMBENT
Annette Mattson runs for MHCC Board on ‘3 Rs’ Adam Elwell and Greg Leonov the advocate
W
ith three positions on the Mt. Hood District board up for grabs this year, controversial member George “Sonny” Yellott will be up for re-election. This time around, he will have competition for the job. Annette Mattson, who is retiring from her position as Government Affairs and Public Policy Specialist at Portland General Electric, plans to take six months off from any paid employment during her run for the Zone 4 seat on the MHCC board. The two face off on the May 16 special election ballot. Mattson’s campaign focus regarding the college is what she calls “the three Rs:” restoration, resources, and respect. Regarding respect, Mattson said the relationship between MHCC and her district (Zone 4 extends from Gresham into East Portland, west to about Interstate 205 and north to
I-84) is strained, in part by Yellott’s derogatory comments regarding undocumented students. “I believe a lot of damage has been done in the last few years,” she said. “East Portland and Zone 4 are extremely diverse, and I think respecting that diversity, our immigrant population, and others within that is important.” To bring resources to the college, Mattson said passing a new bond measure is part of a solution. As a member of the board for the David Douglas school district and as a volunteer, Mattson worked on four such bond measures, three of which passed. “In the very (service) area where the bond measures fail for Mt. Hood Community College, they pass for David Douglas,” she said. “Obviously people there see the value, even though our (David Douglas) poverty rates are higher in that area, of putting out their tax dollars to invest in education. “There’s a disconnect between the college and the folks in my communities, so I hope this bond mea-
sure passes, but if it doesn’t, I am going to use the skills I have from working on campaigns” to raise money for the college, she said. Mattson was involved with raising $3.5 million for Earl Boyle Elementary School’s early learning center. She also helped raise over $2 million for the Zenger Farm urban grange building, she said. When Mattson first started working for PGE, she had to take a typing class at Mt. Hood to get hired permanently. She was a nursing mother at the time, and had to take one class per term. “It took me 10 years before I finally got my bachelor’s degree, and it was well worth it,” she said. “But I think that really shows women are a valuable part of our workforce and when a woman, or any parent, any student wants to come to school here at Mt. Hood to further their education, to provide for their family, and be able to make a living, we should provide the resources we can in order to support them and make that possible, (to) at least, remove
obstacles.” Regarding focus on trying to improve graduation rates at a community college, Mattson said the standards for measuring success should be different than those at university levels. “It would be good to (have) more associates degree (graduates), but I think our success needs to be registered differently than it is at a four-year institution because it is a lot more certification, workforce development, helping people get into those career technical (industries)” at a two-year school, she said. Even though Mattson didn’t graduate with a degree from MHCC, she considers herself an alumnus of the college. Leaving behind a 34-year career with PGE, Mattson said she looks forward to trying to win the board seat, while she also plans to go back to work in a place that aligns with her personal values of servant leadership and complements her activity as a civic leader. “One of the reasons I so love living in East Portland – and I was
at the stand-with-immigrants-andrefugees-event last Friday night – is the richness that a community has when you have people with so many different backgrounds and so many different lenses, and I really value that,” she said.
“When any student... comes to Mt Hood to further their education to provide for their family, and be able to make a living, we should provide the resources we can in order to support them and make that possible.” -Annette Mattson Running for Director, Zone 4
Conservative-minded Sonny Yellott runs for re-election Kyle Venooker the advocate
G
eorge “Sonny” Yellott – formally censured by his MHCC District board colleagues last year and reportedly urged to resign over his controversial public comments and Facebook posts – is running for re-election on the May 16 ballot. Finishing his fourth year as the Zone 4 director, Yellott said he’s running again because he “thought it was fun the first time around. I think I have things to offer; I do consider myself a student and... because I am a student I see things through a different perspective or prism than (how) some businessman or -woman might see things.” During Yellott’s time on the board, “most of what the board has accomplished has been a result of my individual initiative,” he said, such as the creation of an alumni association: “Not long after I was seated... I was informed there was no alumni association. I proceeded to prod the administration about [it]... at the last meeting... I was informed there was
“Because I am a student, I see things through a different perspective or prism than some businessman or -woman.” - Sonny Yellott Board of Education Director, Zone 4 now an alumni association,” he said. He also advocated for the formation of Mt. Hood’s “Krav Maga program” for martial arts/selfdefense, he said. Regarding the latter, Kim Hyatt, Dean of Health and Physical Education at Mt. Hood, told the Advocate that “We have not offered it in the seven years that I have been here and I don’t believe it has ever been offered.” Asked what he’d like to do if reelected to the board, Yellot identified
faculty turnover as a challenge facing Mt. Hood. “Based on my experience with Portland Community College and (the) University of Nevada-Las Vegas, I cannot recall anyone ever having such a high turnover” as Mt. Hood, he said. “I don’t know what the problem is, but something isn’t functioning right. Instructors [that] students know, trust and respect should be considered an asset.” He re-asserted that Mt Hood was not doing enough to encourage that. As far as Yellott’s position on undocumented students attending Mt. Hood – in board sessions, he has said he believes many problems stem from their presence – he related that his stance was identical to that of President Donald Trump: “His (Trump’s) position on this [is], they’re all going home,” he said. “That’s my position on this... Those who don’t belong here don’t belong here. I don’t feel that the taxpayers of Multnomah County should be forced to learn with all these people who have no legal right to be here. If they want to come to this country legally, fine! But if they
just want to run across the border when nobody’s looking… that’s’ breaking our laws.” Regarding the $75 million general obligation bond put forth by MHCC, also on the May ballot, Yellott said he “cautiously” supports it. Specifically, he “support[s] what it is intended for but my fear is that it might be used for something else... the problem with this is, to misdirect funds from something like this is a violation of public trust,” he said. Yellott said he “didn’t know of any specific instance” where this had happened at Mt Hood in the past, but stressed the recent accounting errors in the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development as a prime example of “white collar crime... Look at what just happened. It looks like Ben Carson, a neurosurgeon, just found $500 billion in the HUD account. It took him 30 days to find it, and he’s a neurosurgeon, not a CPA.” (The fact-checking website snopes.com rated this claim “mostly false,” since errors in HUD accounting were found in an audit ordered during the Obama
“Those who don’t belong here don’t belong here. I don’t feel that the taxpayers of Multnomah County should be forced to learn with these people who have no legal right to be here.” - Sonny Yellott Administration.) If re-elected, Yellott said in the next four years he would like to see “the cost of education go down.” He has proposed a book buy-back program through the Student Union, a program he said was “successfully engaged at PCC when i was there.” The program would sell used books to incoming students “at a price that is what the person who sold it thinks it’s worth, which is well below what some profit-oriented businessperson who’s operating the bookstore feels that they’re worth,” he said. PA G E 3
NEWS
April 14, 2017
Barney’s Briefs
2017 Outstanding Support Staff
Commencement book deadline
by Gloria Saepharn
This year’s 2017 Outstanding Support Staff Awards have been given out to three Mt. Hood employees. Carrie Toth, Paula Cady and Corey Huston were recognized for their outstanding service, during Wednesday night’s MHCC District board meeting, and each was presented with a $500 check. Toth is the executive assistant to the MHCC board; Huston is a science lab coordinator and classified employees association president; and Cady is an administrative assistant for the Mathematics Department.
If you’d like to attend graduation ceremonies on June 17 and include your name in the 2017 Commencement Book, today (Friday, April 14) is the last day to sign up. You can apply online at: mhcc.edu/AR/GraduationApplication. aspx. If you have any questions, speak to MHCC Executive Dean John Hamblin or email him at: John.Hamblin@mhcc.edu.
Historians’ roundtable
What can the President do?
Find out what’s happening between the United States and Russia, at the May 3 historians’ roundtable on Russia. MHCC instructors Janet Campbell, Elizabeth Milliken and Pat Casey, along with insight from Mt. Hood student and Moscow native Eleanora Kazaryan. will discuss the complicated relationship. Questions from the audience will be answered after the panel presentation. The roundtable will be in Room 2728, from noon to 1 p.m.
Interested in learning about what President Trump can actually do – or not do – in his position? Visit the next political forum on MHCC’s Gresham campus on from 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19, in Room 2553. The forum will be hosted by Janet Campbell, MHCC political science teacher.
Poetry writer coming to MHCC
Earthquake drill on campus On Tuesday, April 18, MHCC will run an earthquake drill on the main Gresham campus, from 10:40 to 10:43 a.m. The alarm will be sounded on the school’s P.A. system, or with whistles. General guidelines include: Remain calm; don’t run outside, as falling debris may cause injury; and duck, cover, and hold on. Move away from windows, crouch next to a supporting wall or substantial piece of furniture, and cover your head with your arms, backpack, or purse. A good mantra is, “Think Safety, Not Escape!” There is a Red Cross pamphlet available at: redcross.org/images/ MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m15540073_TWPO_2008.pdf.
EARTHQUAKE
Carl Adamschick, a published poetry writer, will be reading some of his works from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26, in the Visual Arts Theater. There also will be a poetry workshop on the same day, from 2 to 3 p.m. If you’d like to participate in the workshop, please email writing instructor Jodie Marion at: Jodie.Marion@mhcc.edu. Gra
phic
by P r
ism
a Flo
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More information? If you information or stories that you’d like to publish in The Advocate, email us at: advocatt@mhcc.edu or visit us in room AC1369.
Abused resident shows student the power of change From 1951 to 1955, renowned journalist Edward R. Murrow hosted “This brief essays about their personal philosophies, values, and core beliefs Public Radio resurrected the essay series and again invited Americans about their core beliefs. This year, the Advocate also invites anyone Carynn Cozad
MHCC Funeral Sciences Major I believe everyone comes into our lives for a reason. Some have taught me life lessons, some have just been there for me in a time of need, others have helped show me that I deserve better. One person, in particular, showed me people really can change, even when it seems hopeless. I used to work at a facility taking care of people who are both mentally ill and developmentally disabled. I got to know a lot of people who had experienced a great amount of hate and pain. It was there that I had the chance PA G E 4
to meet a man who had a major impact on me. I’ll call him “John.” When John was brought to us, the first thing I noticed were the scars. They literally covered him from head to toe. They were thick, long, and deep, in all directions, some new and some old. There were probably over a hundred of them. In the past, John had been abused sexually, emotionally, and physically. His own mother sold him for prostitution as a child. John was diagnosed with severe depression, among many other things. I couldn’t even count the number of times he attempted suicide while living in the facility.
I Believe,” a daily radio show where individuals read that shaped their daily actions. In 2005, National of all ages and perspectives to write brief essays in the MHCC community to contribute the same.
The worst was when he broke his bedroom window, grabbed a shard of glass that seemed like it was a foot long, and sliced his entire forearm open. The cut was so deep that I could see everything inside of his arm. The blood painted the floor; it looked like a scene from a horror movie. We were told by his psychologist that John was doomed to eventually kill himself, that there was no hope of recovery for him and nothing we could do about it. My co-workers and I were furious. It was impossible not to emotionally care about our clients, and the idea that someone was beyond hope wasn’t something we were
willing to hear. But over months of treatment, medications, safety precautions, endless reassurances and our support, John made a complete turnaround. The cutting, threats, violence and lies all stopped. I had never witnessed such a miracle before. And that’s honestly what I consider it: a miracle. We had thought his pain would never end, that he would live in a home forever – if he lived at all. Yet he went from body checks four times a day and having to be within arm’s reach of a staff member at all times, to complete freedom. He went from constant crying and frowning, to constant
smiling and laughing. It was the most rewarding feeling to watch someone come so far. After all of the suffering he had been through in life, he was able to find hope and happiness. I’ve seen how strong people can be, and how important it is to lend a hand to those in need. I believe we would get nowhere without the support of the people who care for and about us. It’s hard to imagine most people changing their bad habits or overcoming their struggles, but miracles are possible. I’ll never again believe people are incapable of change.
FEATURE
advocate-online.net
Portland pair fills seats at The Hoppy Brewer The Big North Duo executes a lively night of swing and blues right away, and when one of them doesn’t play chords and the other is way high up in the sound spectrum – like, if he solos, it’s sort of like the middle of the music can disappear,” he said. “And if I’m soloing, the chords to certain point fall apart or fade. But we figured it out; we’ve gotten better.” Since that first, self-titled winter record, “The Big North Duo,” the pair has released a second album, “Sunday’s Waltz,” and is about to release a third, “Two Wheeled Twister.”
Matana McIntire the advocate
I was raised on country and classic rock. Now, as an adult, I favor hip-hop and rap over other genres. And while I’ve sworn off all country since I was old enough to assert dominance over the radio station, I can appreciate music that crosses over into the blurred lines of genre – even if it sort of, maybe sounds a bit like country. The Big North Duo, a twoman string band based out of Portland with Paul Prato on the bass and Christian McKee on the mandolin, fits somewhere within those blurred lines. Self-defined as a classic American swing, blues and country music band, TBND is a pair that has many sounds and many vibes. Last Saturday, April 8, the band played a three-hour, close-knit concert to a group of local Gresham bar-goers at The Hoppy Brewer. The two Portland men played three sets, all a mixture of original songs and covers. Each set was as diverse in sound as the previous.
“We figured out a way to make it work... where he can solo and it doesn’t fall apart.” - Paul Prato
At first, the duo called themselves The Mandalinos, but that was quickly thrown out. Prato grew up on the East Coast and came from a punk rock background, musically. He said that when he moved out west in the ’90s, that was when he started to explore alt country and eventually, bluegrass. He met McKee in 2003 when he answered an ad in Willamette Week – “pre-Craigslist,” as he put it – that asked for musicians interested in joining a five-piece band. “So, we’ve got a lot of history between us,” he said. It wasn’t until 2009 when McKee and Prato broke off into their duo. Originally, it was a suggestion from a friend who owned a Italian restaurant and was looking for live music. Prato initially tried performing with a fiddler from the five-piece band. “We tried that, but
Photos by Alex Crull
TOP: Paul Prato (left) and Christian McKee as they finish a song in their second set. BOTTOM: Close-ups of both Prato and McKee as banter between themselves and the audience flourishes; jokes about a “fully functional tip jar,” among other quips are exchanged between McKee and the audience.
we did a couple gigs and it just didn’t really work with the upright bass and the fiddle. So, I was like, why don’t I talk to Christian,” he explained. At first, the duo called themselves The Mandalinos, but that was quickly thrown out. After roughly two gigs at the Italian restaurant, McKee suggested their current name, and Prato agreed. With a correct name under their belt, they just had to figure out the music.
“We tried to learn some Italian folk songs. We even brought a book,” Prato remarked. “Those lasted about four months,” McKee interjected, laughing. “But we brought the house down with ‘That’s Amoré.’ ” The pair stayed at the Italian restaurant awhile, holding their Thursday night gigs through the summer. From their, more gigs were prompted and the two grew as a duo. The following winter, they
recorded their first CD. “We figured out a way to make it work.” Prato said. “Where he can solo and it doesn’t fall apart – it doesn’t sound like we need a chord instrument behind to carry the music.” McKee nodded in agreement: “That was the challenge. You know, in a four- or five-piece band there’s so much sound. Which is not a bad thing – it’s great. But when you go from that, to two players
Songs from all three albums were performed on Saturday night, with a healthy balance between instrumental and lyrical tracks. Speaking with the pair, it’s clear they focus a lot on the technical side of things – making sure the music sounds full, making sure they get the notes right – but listening to them perform live, one doesn’t get that impression. Prato, believe it or not, seems to find a way to dance to the beat while still plucking his large, upright bass. McKee keeps the audience engaged effortlessly with banter between songs, and after each track the pair looks at each other with an expression of triumph. Couple that with the tasty draft beer offered at The Hoppy Brewer and you have a perfect Saturday night. Asked what exactly they think of when performing such an intimate concert, both McKee and Prato replied, simultaneously: “Don’t fuck it up.” You can find The Big North Duo on their website, thebignorthduo.com. You can also find their second album available to listen to for free on bandcamp. com. They will be back at The Hoppy Brewer on June 24. PA G E 5
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
April 14, 2017
JOEY BADASS ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADASS
Screen grab from music video on web
Vespere Sebastien-Oaks the advocate
4 out of 5 stars
Last Friday, Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott – better known for his stage name, Joey Bada$$ – released his highly anticipated second full studio album, and his fifth project overall: All-Amerikkan Bada$$. The album is a remarkable vision, mostly fulfilled. The album features 12 songs. In the first six tracks as well as last, we hear Joey’s range as a solo artist. In the rest, he brings in star talent to complete his vision. On track seven, “ROCKABYE BABE,” listeners are introduced to features notable TDE artist Schoolboy Q. Even with popular Schoolboy Q, he falls short of being the biggest-name match, in terms of collaboration/features to appear on the Brooklyn native’s new work.
Those honors go to Style P on “SUPER PREDATOR” and J. Cole on “LEGENDARY,” tracks nine and 11, respectively. Chronixx, who had a feature on his first studio album, B4.DA.$$, makes another guest appearance on track 10, “BABYLON.” Track eight, “RING THE ALARM,” includes three features on it, from Nyck Caution, Krik Knight and Meechy Darko. As well as featuring Knight here, Bada$$ also utilizes the Pro Era producer alongside Pro Era artist Chuck Strangers, keeping the project close between colleagues and friends. Other producers Joey reached out to while working on this album were Adam Pallin, Powers Pleasant, and Statik Selektah. They are all individuals the rapper is used to working with, and I understand his style as well as vision artistically. It should also be noted Joey Bada$$ released two different album covers for All-Amerikkkan Bada$$. The first cover released was an im-
age of the American flag, using red, white, and blue color schemes with a paisley bandana print. The flag uses zero stars, but the image, along with the title, speaks for itself. It is a bold, profound statement of patriotism. The second album cover that was released for the All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ album used more images, but was still basic compared to those for his first studio album, B4.DA.$$. The one thing that both of the All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ covers share is the symbolic use of the American flag, as well as the same design pattern for the flag. That is the only thing the two covers share. The flag can be seen blowing in the wind as Joey Bada$$ gives two middle fingers (pixelated) to the camera with his upper body nonchalantly leaning out of the driver side window with a carefree “I don’t give a f*ck” demeanor. The artist is wearing what seems to be a dark blue, almost black denim, jacket with white tassels. He has
translucent blue sunglasses covering his eyes, gold rings on his fingers as well, and his braids are tightly done and slick back. All of this is presented on a light, sky-blue background with the album’s title words in white floating through the sky. The image resembles clouds on a sunny day. This second album has more impactful imagery as well as a more spirited sense. It opens with more of a light poetic feel, with clapping and instrumentals in the background as we the listeners are introduced to the first track, “GOOD MORNING AMERIKKA.” The song is a wake-up call, but more importantly it is a call to act. In the intro we hear Joey telling us to wake up and free our minds. The song itself only has one verse, and he presents it beautifully as if he was an open mic poetry slam, asking his audience the initial question: “What is freedom to you?” He then expresses his confusion with the term while making refer-
ences to police brutality, questioning whether freedom as just an abstract thought while also expressing how ill-informed people are, comparing them to mindless zombies. Joey sees himself as a different individual conscious to what’s going on in America. He uses weed to self-medicate in the morning. Although the song is less than two minutes long, he shows his lyrical prowess and his deep poetic roots. Songs “GOOD MORNING AMERIKKA,” “FOR MY PEOPLE,” and “TEMPTATION” have what I believe to be the smoothest, most silky transitions, of the whole album, perfectly flowing into each other. It is not to say the whole album doesn’t have a nice transition between songs; it’s just that the transitions aren’t smooth throughout the rest of the album.
To view the full unabridged story, visit: advocate-online.net
Artistic integrity shines in high school art show Ryan Moore the advocate
Most students who have taken an interest in the fine arts are in search of ways they can share their work with the world after putting in a notable amount of effort into their projects. Luckily for a few local high school students, just such an opportunity for recognition rests here at the MHCC campus. The Visual Arts Gallery is hosting its annual High School Show, giving artists from the region a chance to showcase their hard work. All of the art will be open to Mt. Hood students, staff and the public through May 3. PA G E 6
For students, being involved in fine arts subjects like ceramics or painting can be very beneficial to their overall success in school. It gives them a chance to work productively on something other than their regular studies such as math and science, and it often includes something they find fun and interesting. Especially with high school students who already bear a sizable amount of academic pressure, it is important that they find an extracurricular subject they enjoy that can give them a break from their core classes and help balance their workload. Centennial was among the high schools to submit work to the gallery this year, including four
Photo by Porcha Hesselgesser
paintings from two juniors. One of the paintings looked representative
of Vincent van Gogh’s “The Starry Night,” and each of the paintings that were sent in took about a couple weeks to create. According to Centennial art teacher Michael Grubar, the high school didn’t send in work for last year’s show, but the two students were excited to share their paintings in order to overcome whatever fears they had of their work not being perfect, or up to their own standards. As Grubar explains to his students, “I may make this look easy, but that’s because I’ve been doing it for 30 years.” He has been teaching art for 13 years now, and he says he has noticed a big decline in the school district’s attention
towards the fine arts, primarily due to budget cuts made back in 2007 to 2009. He is now the only art teacher at Centennial, whereas other local high schools such as David Douglas and Reynolds have about four or five. Budget cuts have also led to arts being removed from the middle school, and Grubar says this has caused a “decline in quality” as students who take his art classes now are unfamiliar with the subject and use the class to expect an easy grade. This also has a lot to do with the district’s emphasis on repeated testing on core subjects (math, writing, science), which is a far cry from the interest of any student with a creative mindset.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Animation supports character malleability and power Maddy Sanstrum the advocate
Rating 3 out of 5 stars
Some of you may have seen it already, but over spring break I decided to binge the Netflix original anime, “Ajin: Demi-Human,” based off the manga series. The story takes place in Japan where there are people known as Ajin – humans who come back to life if they die. Kei Nagai, a prep school student, learns this after being hit by a truck on the way back from school, and flees to escape being captured by the government for experiments. Kei soon meets another Ajin called Sato who tries to persuade him to join his cause in gaining civil rights for other Ajin while also helping him escape from capture within a government testing facility.
As the story progresses, however, Kei and even those working for Sato begin to realize that Sato simply wanted the thrill of battle rather
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than a quiet life for him and others. Normally this isn’t my cup of tea, and with every episode I watched I kept thinking, “Why am I watching
this, again?” The animation was a little odd since it used computer animation rather than the traditional 2D sketch, but there is some merit to the technique. Ajin are also able to summon ghosts that are invisible to non-Ajins, and the animation used in the anime brings out both their fragile malleability and their quite fearsome power. That, and some of the fights within the series get incredibly intense, especially ones involving Sato. To avoid capture while in the testing facility, this guy cuts his own arm off with a knife after it was hit by a tranquilizer; guns down some guards; shoots himself in the head after being hit by more tranquilizers; and then kills them off, after playing dead for a few seconds. The flow in this fight is incredible, and the same goes for ones that involve other characters. While the graphics are great and the story good, there are some
problems involving the black ghosts and how they worked. Originally, no one except other Ajin could see them, except in certain conditions. As the story progresses, it seems to be that the Ajin could let non-Ajin see their ghosts, and in other cases some people can see the ghosts completely. I’m not sure if it is a mistake made by the screenwriter or the original writer, but there does seem to be some sort of loophole. Also, at the end, Sato is captured before wreaking havoc to the whole of Japan. He manages to escape, calling Kei and others back into action, after everything seemed to finally be okay. It leaves me feeling half-,satisfied and confused, and there have been no announcements for a third season to the show. I will remain optimistic, though. Overall, to those who enjoy something with suspense, action, and a little supernatural element, go for it. You only live once, after all.
Wonder Ballroom hosts iconic pop-punk band Megan Phelps the advocate
Taking a moment to reflect back on my junior high and high school interests, last December I purchased a ticket to go see one of my favorite bands, Mayday Parade. The pop punk band has been together since 2005 and came out with their first album 10 years ago, “A Lesson in Romantics.” Their current tour is in dedication to that album, and I was honestly swept away into the music on Tuesday when I finally heard this band live at Portland’s own Wonder Ballroom. First, I had to wait through the opening acts, both up-and-coming bands. The first band to preform was Milestones. Formed in the U.K. in 2014, their “emotional and melodic sound” attracted Fearless Records to sign them last year, the same label that signed Mayday Parade. Their sound seemed to connect with the genre of Mayday Parade with its emphasis on harmonizing, highpitched emo-rock vocals. The tone of lead singer Matt Clarke’s voice faintly reminded me of Joe Jonas in a way. Milestones still has... miles to go to make it big in the pop-
Mayday Parade lead singer Derek Sanders performs on stage at the Wonder Ballroom.
punk scene, but I think they have potential in the area of teen angst and heartbreak. The other act was the band Knuckle Puck, a Chicago band that seemed to be fairly well-known. However, I wasn’t really into their style. They seemed a bit harsher in vocals and instrumentals compared to the other groups. A handful of people had already seen the band before, and the crowd was into their harsher sound; there were probably about 20 crowd-surfing incidents
during the set. But I felt like their songs all sounded the same and they took forever to do their sound check, and judging by the staff, they seemed to be running past their time frame to perform. After the long wait through the opening acts, the moment for the headline band had finally come, after yet another long intermission for a sound check. It seemed odd while waiting, because at the back of the stage the smoke machines seemed to be malfunctioning, like they couldn’t
Photo provided by Nitrah Neon Photography
turn off. When the lights went down, it looked stark white and all I could see was the bright lights and the silhouettes of the anxious fans in front of me. But I’m so thankful the light staging was used dynamically for this show, because it really heightened the atmosphere in the venue. I was surprised how much Mayday Parade performed. They played the 12-track anniversary album in its entirety, and in addition played several other popular songs
including “Terrible Things,” “When You See My Friends” and “Kids in Love.” Lead singer Derek Sanders even threw in an acoustic cover of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” two-thirds of the way through the show. That performance alone really helped me appreciate his raw vocal talent. Honestly, my favorite part of the show was hearing the acoustic songs. You really could hear and feel the fans’ love of the band throughout the room. Another enjoyable part of hearing Mayday Parade live was hearing the stunning guitar solos by Alex Garcia, one of Mayday’s lead guitarists. Thankfully after a minute of cheering of pleas for more, they came out for one last song, “Oh Well, Oh Well.” As a longtime listener of any artist, it can be bittersweet going to an anniversary tour, because generally that means the band will soon be dissolving. In this case, though, Sanders firmly emphasized that Mayday Parade would continue to create and perform music for years to come. I think the impulsive decision to buy the $25 ticket was well worth it and I look forward to hearing more from this iconic, melodic pop-punk band. PA G E 7
SPORTS
April 14, 2017
Saints drown Lakers 20-18 in lengthy doubleheader Jamie George the advocate
Photo by Davyn Owen
Saints pitcher Ryne Lopez started against Chemeketa on April 8. He was knocked around for seven earned runs, but Mt. Hood rallied for a dramatic 12-11 victory.
Saints win two out of four games against Chemeketa Logan Hertner the advocate
Over the past weekend, Mt. Hood split the four games it played against Chemeketa Community College, in a most dramatic turn of fortune. On Saturday, the Saints swept the Storm in an incredible doubleheader, played at Sandy High School due to damp weather: They came all the way back from down 9-0 in the opener and 7-1 in Game 2 to win both contests, 1211 and 8-7. The momentum turned back to Chemeketa on its home field on Sunday, however, as the Storm took both games played in Salem. Saturday, the Saints bats were alive and well during their stunning, walk-off rallies. Trailing 11-3 entering their half of the eighth inning, the Saints got six runs in the eighth and three more in the ninth to shock the Storm. Catcher Luke Grindy led the Saints, going 3 for 4 with four RBIs and scoring twice. Mt. Hood’s ninth-inning rally was really more of a Chemeketa meltdown, PA G E 8
sparked by two hits, a walk, two errors, a wild pitch, and two batters hit by a pitch. The winning run came home when infielder Trevor Nannini was struck by a pitch with the bases loaded. It was nearly a rerun in the second game. Mt. Hood trailed by six runs entering the bottom of the fourth inning, but pulled within 7-5 entering the seventh (and last) inning. More timely hits, wrapped around another error and a batter hit-by-pitch, led to three runs. Again, Nannini brought in the winning run, this time with a clutch two-out single to score rightfielder Thomas Lampkin. On Sunday, however, the struggles returned as the Saints’ hot hitting went out of style. They only scored three runs total in the doubleheader they played on Chemeketa’s home field in Salem, losing the first game, 7-1, and the second, 9-2. There was not much of an offensive effort in the opener, as the Saints tallied only four hits compared to Chemeketa’s nine. Michael Hults went 2 for 3 for the Storm with two doubles and three RBIs. Hunter Bruno pitched four innings for Mt. Hood and only gave up one run.
The trouble came when pitcher Chris Stone gave up six runs of his own, giving the Storm the upper hand. The second game’s story wasn’t much different. The Saints were outhit again, with five base hits to Chemeketa’s 11. Collin Runge was clearly the one who made a difference for the Storm in this one. He went 3 for 3 with two runs scored and two RBIs. He made a living at the plate, while the Saints just couldn’t find their rhythm. Meantime, Travis Klampe was absolutely outstanding on the bump for Chemeketa, giving up the only two runs to Mt. Hood in the first and second innings. After that, he found his inner beast mode and was unstoppable. The Saints (3-5 South Region, 6-16 overall) are scheduled to play doubleheaders today and Saturday against the Southwestern Oregon Community College Lakers (2-6 South Region, 5-19 overall). All four games are set for Mt. Hood’s Oslund Field, with starting times of 4 and 7 p.m. today, and noon and 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Tuesday afternoon wasn’t your typical day for college softball, as the Saints took on the Southwestern Oregon Lakers in a scheduled doubleheader: Mt. Hood won the first game, 20-18, in a crazy shootout that lasted over three hours, and due to its length, the two sides were unable to finish Game Two as daylight turned to dusk. In Game One, starting pitcher Sammie Byron took the mound. Despite picking up the victory it wasn’t her best start: She allowed 10 earned runs in three and twothirds innings of work. Fortunately, the Saints scored nine runs in the second inning, to add to the two they scored in the first, giving them an 11-2 lead. The third inning is when Byron appeared to lose control as the Lakers tallied four runs. The Saints responded in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two more runs of their own. She took the mound again in the fourth and Southwestern’s bats stayed quite alive, adding another five runs before the Saints had to pull her. Her ERA is now 5.56 on the season and her record is 5-7. After the game Byron said, “I felt good on the mound. My spins were working well; they are just a very good hitting team. They are disciplined and when they make contact, they hit it hard. That’s probably the toughesthitting team we have faced.” Leading only 13-11 at that point, the Saints once again responded to the Lakers’ big inning with one themselves, scoring five runs in the bottom of the fourth. Shortstop Makiah Johnson brought in three of those with a three-run home run. She would finish the game 4 for 5 with four RBIs, bringing her to a .400 batting average on the season. Yet again, in the top of the fifth, Southwestern made another push to come back, scoring three runs. Mt. Hood scored two more in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead to six, 20-14. In the final two innings the Lakers were able to put four more runs on the board, but it wasn’t enough. In the end, both teams had huge offensive games with Southwestern (10-3 in the South Region, 20-6 overall) slamming six home runs and Mt. Hood (4-8 in the South, 12-11 overall) three. The Saints won despite getting just 14 hits, compared to the Lakers’ 25. After the game Byron reflected on her feelings on the three-hour, 24-minute game. “Each inning dragged on because we were both just going back and fourth,” she said. “Each inning felt like it took so long. That was probably the longest game I’ve played in.” As a result, the second game was suspended. The two teams got through four innings of play with the Saints trailing, 8-0. The rest of the game will be played May 12, when Mt. Hood plays Southwestern in a doubleheader, this time in Coos Bay. The suspended game will pick up in the fifth inning. Next up on the Saints’ schedule, however, is rival Clackamas Community College. Mt. Hood and the Cougars will play two on Saturday at home, starting at noon.