The Advocate - Issue 8 - November 8, 2019

Volume 54, Issue 8 November 8, 2019 advocate-online.net

FOR THE STUDENTS BY THE STUDENTS

The new conflict in Syria PAGE 2

Oregon’s bigfoot museum PAGE 6

Car thefts spike on campus PAGE 7

RUBEN TREJO’S LEGACY ON DISPLAY

PAGE 5

The importance of Veterans Day PAGE 8

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2019 FIRST PLACE

General Excellence

Pacific Northwest Assoc. of Journalism Educators

EDITORIAL | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

ANOTHER POWER VACUUM IN THE MIDDLE EAST

P

resident Trump has seriously mishandled the situation in northern Syria. Even though the ISIS caliphate has been considered defeated and the ISIS leader, Abu Bakhar Al-Baghdadi, is now dead, the power vacuum in Syria is getting worse by the day.

The biggest event to happen so far is that Trump gave the president of Turkey permission to occupy the northern part of Syria, by withdrawing U.S. troops that have been patrolling the northern border of Syria for a few years. Millions of Syrians have sought refuge in Turkey, to the point where this is affecting the Turkish economy and employment.

Throughout his presidency, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has mentioned multiple times the idea of a safe zone in that region of northern Syria to harbor all the refugees. Although this plan has been in the making for several years, it has not been able to be pursued because of United Nations disagreements and the U.S.

occupation at the border.

However, now Trump has pulled American troops from Syria.

The problem that arises is the possible genocide of the Kurdish ethnic group in that region. An outburst of violence has risen between Turkey’s army and the Kurdish people, ever since the U.S. troops ended their occupation. The Kurdish people have played a big part in the retaking of ISIS territory and they’ve worked closely with the U.S. coalition. To use the Kurds for their help in the removal of ISIS and then give Turkey – a longstanding rival of the Kurdish people – military control over the region and ultimately the Kurdish people is a stab in the back to them.

What’s more hundreds of ISIS prisoners have escaped due to ongoing violence and the lack of authority in Syria at this time.

But the worst of the situation is the way things are being handled.

The discourse in our politics isn’t new to public announcements regarding foreign policy, but the

way Trump talks about these things, whether it’s on Twitter or his own rallies, is very uncalculated.

Trump tends to make light of situations he has to deal with because, in his view, it makes him likable and relatable. In one of his recent rallies he describes the brutal violence that is going on in Syria to be “tough love” and “a brawl between brothers” that just needs to be fought out. He is de-sensitizing the situation and making his followers believe that what he did was a great strategy.

The reality is that the U.S. pullout has provoked more violence. We are losing ground in terms of ISIS because all the prisoners are escaping yet he is presenting the idea that ISIS is “gone” when it is still of concern. There is nothing remotely funny about the possible land war between the Turkish army and the Kurdish rebels – it’s making light of a conflict that is piled on top of the other several conflicts of the past century.

In total Trump fashion, there’s

“IT IS CRUCIAL FOR INDIVIDUALS TO DO RESEARCH AND EDUCATE THEMSELVES ON WHAT IS TRULY GOING ON IN THE WORLD...” that reassurance from backlash phase: the stage where negative press in the media makes him roll back in some way. In this case, it was the relationship between Trump and Erdogan.

Trump has told citizens that Turkey isn’t going to make the drastic military campaign against the Kurds that experts are inferring.

But, considering that Erdogan’s way of ruling Turkey borders on dictatorship, and Trump tends to appease dictators – this assertion

by Trump is now being proven to be false.

We at The Advocate agree that the conflicts of the Middle East have stemmed from U.S. intervention and have spider-webbed into a continuum of policy flip-flops that don’t reflect the views of the American people.

It is crucial for individuals to do research and educate themselves on what is truly going on in the world and not take what Trump is saying as the gospel.

DECOMPRESS AND LEARN ABOUT DIVERSITY Kurt Larson

The Advocate Midterms might have just now ended, but for students all over campus, the work is never really over.

With over a month of classes before Christmas break, it’s all too easy to focus on maintaining grades and completing the seemingly endless homework assignments. But making time to decompress and forget about the stresses of your college courses is just

as important as studying.

And what better way to decompress than a good movie?

Thanks to MHCC’s Multicultural & Diversity Resource Center, you’ll have the opportunity to escape from the incoming winter weather and watch a new documentary film every Friday for the rest of the school year.

Screenings of these documentaries are being held in the MDRC’s Room 1050 inside the Student

Union, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays.

While the films focus primarily on telling stories of diversity and cultural analysis to provide an outlet for students to learn about other cultures and ways of life, students are encouraged to explore the Kanopy video streaming service and provide suggestions for future screenings.

Today’s film (screening Nov. 8) is “The Mask You Live In.” The film follows boys and young men as

they struggle to stay true to themselves while negotiating America’s narrow definition of masculinity. Pressured by the media, their peer group, and even the adults in their lives, the protagonists confront messages encouraging them to disconnect from their emotions, devalue authentic friendships, objectify and degrade women, and resolve conflicts through violence.

These gender stereotypes interconnect with race, class, and circumstance, creating

for the students by the students

a maze of identity issues boys and young men must navigate to become “real men.”

The release schedule for the rest of the term will be as follows (further films TBA): Nov. 15: “More Than A Word: Native American Sports Mascots,” is an exploration of Native American-based sports mascots, especially the NFL Washington Redskins, and their impact on reallife attitudes, issues, and policies.

@mhccadvocate

Editor-in-Chief Chloe Collins

Sports Editor Position Open

Broadcast team Gage Linhares

Ad Manager Parrish Chang

Outreach Manager Melanie Roberts

Associate Editor Omar Saradi

Opinion Editors Sadie Klein Omar Saradi

Graphic Design Team Leydi Perez Carrasco

Staff Writers Brad Le Daniella Young Kel Buell Ash Espinoza Omar Carrillo Carson Koch

Social Media Manager [Position Open]

News Editor Chris Barney Arts & Entertainment Editors Kurt Larson Eli Rankin

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Graphic Design Editor Eli Rankin Broadcast Editor Naethaniel Lile

Photo Editor Maysee Thao Photo Team Bethy Fallgren Landon Spady

Copy Editor Corwin Benedict

Distribution Specialist Julia MacDonald Advisers Dan Ernst Howard Buck

@theadvocateonline

Nov. 22: “Call Her Ganda: Fighting for Justice After The Murder of a Filipina Transgender Woman.”

The description provided: “When Jennifer Laude, a Filipina transwoman, is brutally murdered by a U.S. Marine, three women intimately invested in the case – an activist attorney, a transgender journalist, and Jennifer’s mother – galvanize a political uprising, pursuing justice and taking on hardened histories of U.S. imperialism.”

@mhccadvocate

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OPINION

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

TRIMET HAS A NEW APPROACH TO ENFORCING FEES

Omar Carillo The Advocate

In our metro community, as in many others, the public transit system is far from perfect. There are underserved neighborhoods, inconvenient schedules, and late buses. And just over two years ago a brutal murder on the MAX Green Line made national headlines and forever tainted the image of Portland’s public transportation for its citizens.

However, you cannot argue that transit systems like these are not necessary: They are how thousands of people get to work and back home every single day, after all. So,

reform in some way seems clearly required if TriMet hopes to see sustainability in the long-term.

But it seems TriMet officials and the people who use its services have very different ideas of how to go about it.

On Oct. 22, TriMet announced from its official Twitter page (@ TriMet) that it would begin taking initiatives to ensure that riders of both the MAX trains and buses pay their fare before boarding – this initiative being adding “nine new dedicated fare inspectors out on our system” with the job of “checking fares, helping riders, and making sure that our system stays a safe place that is welcoming to all.”

It was a solution decided after the agency’s obvious concern over what it considers a large problem for its institution.

A solution that citizens, mostly fare-paying ones, made vocally clear was a misguided one.

In reply to these tweets, over a thousand Twitter users criticized TriMet’s statements.

In one example, user @

ghostspiderss replied with the response, “This doesn’t make me feel any more comfortable or safe.”

This person goes on to cite their personal experience of witnessing “fare inspectors ask people of color for proof of fare and ignore me because I’m white.”

Evidently, the everyday Portland metro transit riders did not and do not believe this is the right move for TriMet to take. By making its “solution” to this problem (a problem that many transit users do not believe even particularly exists) a simple crackdown on fare evasion, the agency seems to misunderstand the needs of those people it’s meant to help.

In another tweet in response to TriMet, writer Chris O’Connor (@ChristopOConnor) argued that “We all want a fare-less system and better, more reliable service.

Your leadership is unelected, not responsive to public demands, and I suspect they aren’t commuting to the board meetings by public transit.”

Many others agreed and elaborated on O’Connor’s statement, particularly on the proposal of a completely fareless system.

How is it then, that TriMet believes the answer lies in the assurance of fare payment, while much of Portland’s ridership population seems to widely agree it should be just the opposite?

The suggestion of a fareless transportation system is one much deeper – profound – than people simply wanting a free ride, as it might be interpreted from a more shallow perspective: There is a precedent for this kind of reform.

Several cities across the world have successfully transitioned their public transportation services into fareless operation, and seen their traffic and pollution levels decrease as a result. Less total vehicle usage will do that.

Additionally, it would promote increased usage of the transit system, which means more of its tax-supported budget could go toward the better maintenance and innovation many feel is TriMet’s biggest current issue these days, not fare evasion.

As stated previously, TriMet’s services are the only method of commuting for thousands of workers daily, and even with lower fares for low-income riders,

it is not by any means affordable for everyone. The pricing for the repeated amount of tickets required for everyday commuting can still easily set you back, and the consequences of such hit those in need the hardest, by far. It is not logical to demand that those most desperately in need of help just to get by, or even just the casual riders of TriMet, pay significant fractions of their total earnings simply to get where they need to be.

TriMet was correct in that change very much needs to take place within our public transportation system. But the agency doesn’t seem to understand how careless monetization even further victimizes commuters.

The outspoken riders in the Portland metro area have made it loud and clear that this is not the way to go, and it is therefore surely in TriMet’s best interest to listen to what they have to say and realize that going fareless very well could be the best “solution” to apply.

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GET TO KNOW THE ADVOCATE

Cover by: Maysee Thao On the cover:

A piece called “4 Brushes” by Ruben Trejo in the show, “Searching for the Sunrise” currently displayed in the Visual Arts Gallery.

Contact us!

E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu Phone: 503-491-7250 Website: advocate-online.net Mt. Hood Community College Room 1369 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham OR 97030

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.

Carson Koch Staff Writer It’s not rocket science! Oh wait, it is. Carson is a first-year cybersecurity student with a fixation on all things science and space. He enjoys taking on the idea that science is too complicated for people to understand and moving far out scientific ideas to The Advocate, so people can understand that it really isn’t rocket science, it’s just a new way of looking at the world through the eyes of a space nerd.

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OPINION | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

JANE FONDA IS BACK IN THE ACTIVISM GAME

Chloe Collins The Advocate

Jane Fonda is not just Grace from “Grace and Frankie.” (For the record, Lily Tomlin is not just Frankie from that television series, but that’s a different article.)

Fonda recently moved from California to Washington, D.C. to pursue a string of weekly protests.

The subject of these protests? The future of the planet if we don’t do something about climate change.

These protests have been coined “Fire Drill Fridays.” Each Friday for the last four weeks, Fonda has been taken into custody and even spent the night in jail on Nov. 1. Activists joining this protest are urged to wear something red and bring a sign. The

group then enters one of the Senate buildings on Capitol Hill (where protesting is not allowed), and chants.

On Tuesday, Fonda was asked in a CNN interview where she stands on President Donald Trump’s impeachment troubles. She took the opportunity to say that Trump is not a very environmentally friendly person, calling him an “oil president.”

While being seen as an environmental hazard is not an impeachable offense, Fonda has a point in calling President Trump an “oil president.” Upon taking office in January 2017, he disclosed many plans for environmental policy change. So many, in fact, that National Geographic has a running list of legislation that affects the environment.

Early in 2019, Trump rolled back some of the regulations and safety measures for offshore drilling.

A new set of rules was enacted in 2010 after the BP explosion and resulting leak that dumped over 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of

Mexico. The Trump administration has reduced safety requirements for testing of “blowout preventers” used in oil drilling. There also has been a dramatic increase in fracking and other, unethical oil practices since.

People should remember the outrage surrounding the explosion and pollution in 2010. The Deepwater Horizon blowout was not an event to be taken lightly and this new policy change should not be, either.

Trump has also signed two

executive orders that affect the checkpoints oil companies must go through in order to construct pipelines.

The first of these two orders asked the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to change part of the federal Clean Water Act. Previously, oil companies working on projects that might contaminate water had to get state-level approval and permission. This change would allow those companies to continue construction without state-level

Web Photo and Graphic

Jane Fonda at “Fire Drill Friday” on Nov. 1, in support of addressing climate change.

approval.

The second executive order allows the president himself to “issue, deny, or amend” permits for pipelines that cross international borders. This power used to lay with the Secretary of State, so, good-bye to that check and balance, I guess?

All this change in oil policy is part of Trump’s “Energy Dominance” initiative, which has a goal of increasing domestic energy production. From an economical point of view, it is clear where he is coming from.

However, as Fonda once said, “You don’t have to choose between the environment, and the economy.

That is a false choice.”

Cutting back on crude oil exploration, and use, is going to help the environment exponentially.

The collecting of oil alone is hard on the planet, and that’s not even getting into the heavier issues like emissions.

It is reassuring to know that we have influencial people, like Fonda, fighting the good fight.

SEVEN MOVIES TO ADD TO YOUR MUST-WATCH LIST Daniella Young

The Advocate

I’ve always loved going to the movies, and I saw a number of entertaining films in theaters this year. These are some of the ones I would recommend, based on interests: “THE LION KING” I love this musical! I actually saw it twice in the theaters. I thought it was a great remake of the original. The music is amazing and powerful, and the digital effects are great. Although the plot is heartbreaking at times, I really enjoyed the happier ending of the movie. It was especially fascinating to see the movie in a live-action setting.

I also love the underlying message of the film, that doing what’s morally right is key and obtaining power doesn’t precisely equal happiness. I would recommend this for those who are fans of live action or drama/ adventure films.

“TOY STORY 4” This was a sweet film! I’ve always loved the Toy Story movies and the PA G E 4

plots behind them. The ending is a little sad, as it’s heartbreaking to see Woody and the crew go their separate ways. However, there are several twists I didn’t expect, which I really enjoyed.

This movie reminds me of some of my childhood, as I remember going to watch the third one not too long ago, it feels like. It’s definitely a great movie for those who enjoy animated and adventure films.

“YESTERDAY” As a fan of Ed Sheeran and Lily James (who I previously saw in “Mamma Mia 2,” one of my favorite movies of all time) this was an amazing musical experience.

I also got to know the music of The Beatles more after watching this film, since I hadn’t listened too much. I think their music is beautiful!

I love the message of the film and that the main character, Jack, stays true to himself in the long run.

This movie reminded me of my passion for music, and inspired me to keep singing and playing guitar.

Although it’s a tough business to get into (as demonstrated in the beginning of the film) it never

hurts to try, and you never know what can happen. This is a mustsee for music lovers.

“ROCKETMAN” This musical was very insightful. I’ve always enjoyed Elton John’s music, and this movie is a great look at his life and musical story, as I wasn’t that familiar with it. It’s really inspirational to see all the problems and heartbreaks that he faced, but it’s great to hear that’s he’s doing well, based on the ending of the movie. Throughout, he’s used music as a source of therapy and a way to convey his emotions, which was also encouraging to see.

I tend to do this, as well. I use music to convey my emotions and what I’m feeling, and that’s why I have such a connection to songwriting. The music was uplifting, and my fascination for John’s music only grew. Some of my favorite songs from this film are “I’m Still Standing,” “Rocket Man,” “Your Song,” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” Like “Yesterday,” this is the perfect film for those who love music.

“JEXI” This was definitely an

interesting film that I thought was unique. One thing that maybe could use some revision is that there is some negative language throughout. I would say for me, personally, when watching the trailer for Jexi I was expecting it to be based more on our society’s involvement with technology, and what can happen if it goes too far, as well as what we can do to possibly change this for the future.

However, the message is positive, and the movie outlines our technological age and the strong reliance that can develop with cell phones, especially. This film supports the idea that cell phones shouldn’t be the focus of our lives.

“OVERCOMER” This movie was very inspirational! It highlights the experience of a teenage girl in high school, who undergoes challenges as she runs for the cross country team. It reminds me of my high school experiences, including taking pictures at a cross country meet during my junior year.

This movie is definitely a feelgood film, and these are probably

some of my favorites to watch.

It makes me think about life in a different way, and to always be grateful for everything that I have.

I also love how it emphasizes family values and the importance of them.

“THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON” This was another sweet and pleasant film that I enjoyed. It tells the stories and adventures of a grown man with Down syndrome and the experiences he encounters.

It also encourages the idea that one can do anything they want if they put their mind to it, regardless of the circumstances.

Personally, I’ve always been more of a shy person, and sometimes I feel reluctant and hesitant to do certain things.

However, I’ve learned that loving yourself, not giving up, and taking risks and chances can be really rewarding. It’s important to remember that and to always know your worth, because you are worth much more than you may think. I would recommend this movie for anyone who seeks inspiration or innovation!

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

NOVEMBER 8, 2019

Photos contributed by Pat Hanrahan

Both photos were taken at a lodge in Namibia. The left photo was taken at a 30 second exposure and shows a clear image of the stars. The right photo was taken at a 20 minute exposure and shows the star trails.

PHOTOGRAPH THE NIGHT SKY LIKE A PRO Chloe Collins The Advocate

A nebula is nothing more than an “excited gas cloud” in space, according to MHCC’s Planetarium director, Pat Hanrahan.

The most exciting thing about nebulae, though, is how beautifully they photograph in the night sky. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, Hanrahan hosted “Amateur Astronomers Photograph the Night Sky with Amazing Result” at the Planetarium, which

showcased photos by many local astronomers, as well as some from around the globe.

Much of the work was by the Rose City Astronomers group, based in Portland.

Many of those amateur astronomers had higher-end telescopes and cameras, but it was clear that anyone with a telescope is capable of photographing space.

The most common technique is to use a hollow tube attachment on the back of the telescope and attach

the eye of a camera to the end. There are even attachments available that allow someone to set their phone up to the telescope. Some of the photos displayed in the show were taken on an iPhone. The moon, specifically, can be photographed well with an iPhone, Hanrahan said.

Many astronomers like to take video of the moon and other features in the sky, he added. This can cause issues with clarity of the photos because while photographers can get better images when they allow

for the movement, they also capture all the turbulence in the atmosphere and beyond.

Some photographers can work around the blurriness by using free websites such as RegiStax to toss out images that are too blurry.

Then, they take the photos that are deemed clear enough and layer them on software such as Adobe Photoshop.

The method Hanrahan personally prefers is to take photos of the night sky with wide angles, set at

different exposures. Short exposure times show very clear images with no movement, while longer exposure times show a lot of movement.

If any of this information sounds fascinating, or if you just like to see cool photos of space, Hanrahan suggests following “Astronomy Picture of The Day” on social media.

There are repeat showings of Hanrahan’s tribute to amateurs at the Mt. Hood Planetarium tonight (Nov. 8), set for 6 and 7:15 p.m.

VA GALLERY: ‘SEARCHING FOR THE SUNRISE’ Wensdai Pearson The Advocate

Ruben Trejo was a Mexican-American artist, sculptor, educator, father, mentor and inspiration to many.

Now, his impressive works of art are on display in the Visual Arts Gallery at MHCC, where his influence on art instructors remains strong.

The show, which runs through Nov. 21, is called, “Ruben Trejo: Searching for the

Sunrise,” and is his first solo art showing in Oregon.

Trejo was born on Jan 7, 1937, in St. Paul, Minnesota – in a boxcar – to a migrant farmworking family who were indigenous Tarascan natives from Mexico. He was one of 11 children, and he and his family worked on many farms and helped build the railways.

Despite all the obstacles and tribulations of that start in life, Trejo still managed to get his Master of Fine Arts degree at the

Photo by Maysee Thao | The Advocate

Nathan Orosco describing how influential Ruben Trejo and other pioneers of art and culture have been in the Northwest. A showing of Trejo’s work runs in the Visual Arts Gallery through Nov. 21.

University of Minnesota. Through his works, one can see the influences of Mayan and Aztec civilizations and Chicano and Mexican-American culture within his love of contemporary art.

It’s also clear to see the love and care he used for the materials in his pieces. Some of his works have been entered into the Smithsonian American Art Muesum.

The Mt. Hood show is a posthumous retrospective (Trejo died in 2009) of four-tofive decades of his work, including sculpting, printmaking, collage, installation, and more.

Some of his works have been entered into the Smithsonian American Art Muesum.

Later in life, Trejo was an educator at Eastern Washington University, and helped start and develop the Chicana and Chicano studies program at the school. At EWU, he also earned the highest award given – the Trustees Medal – for faculty achievement and teaching excellence.

While no longer with us, his work continues to shape and influence many lives.

Trejo was important “for me and young Chicano artists like me who were influenced by these pioneers of art and culture, especially in the Northwest,” said Nathan Orosco, sculpture, drawing and design instructor in Mt. Hood’s visual arts department.

“I want to present (the display at MHCC)

as a sunrise. Because we don’t want to forget artists like Ruben Trejo,” said Orosco. “I think that this... shows that struggle, that intense drive to succeed and to make a mark in the world and to people around you.”

Orosco and Gallery coordinator Miles Browne coordinated and helped installed Trejo’s work. Orosco worked with Trejo’s family and friends who provided some personal pieces, and said he really tried to show a range of all of the artist’s materials from all of the series.

“In a case like (his) it’s about family, it’s about connecting, about providing a narrative for people to enjoy,” Orosco said.

Besides the many treasures to see and enjoy, a special artist reception occurred on Oct. 31, the start of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations – in which for a day or a couple of days, living persons take a photograph and light a candle on an altar to honor, celebrate and remember someone they wish to honor who has died.

This art exhibit of Trejo’s work is Orosco’s altar to honor him, the instructor said.

Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The display is free and open to the public, an amazing and historical show those who enjoy art should not miss.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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MAKE TRACKS TO BORING’S NEW BIGFOOT MUSEUM

Web Photo

Thomas Silk The Advocate

Nothing is boring about Boring’s bigfoot museum.

Owned and operated by the husbandand-wife team of Cliff and Melissa Barackman, the new North American Bigfoot Center is the first center of its kind to open in Oregon. The center opened in early August, and two weeks ago, unveiled its main hall, an exhibit dedicated to the sightings, bigfoot casts, and history surrounding bigfoots.

On the sign that wraps around the balcony above the center’s entrance, it says, “Explore the mystery, discover the legend.”

The center is a museum for all things bigfoot.

Visitors will find inside the front room a gift shop, as well as an information center about bigfoot. There are all kinds of bigfoot related merchandise: hats, hoodies, keychains, books, posters, hand-crafted sculptures of bigfoot footprint molds, and more.

There are many displays set up around the room, each giving a little information on certain topics relating to bigfoot, also known in our region as “Sasquatch.”

The Barackmans actually met while working on Animal Planet’s television show, “Finding Bigfoot.” Cliff was one of the series’ hosts and Melissa worked as a production crew member for a few episodes. Both are happy to answer any questions guests have at the center. During a recent visit, Cliff was very accommodating with his eager fans, taking photos in front of a large bigfoot statue the couple affectionately refers to as “Murphy.”

The information center and gift shop in the front room are free for any guest to roam, but the real attraction is the exhibit halls in the back.

For a modest fee ($8), guests can further explore the mystery that is the PA G E 6

elusive bigfoot. On display are handprints, footprints, native American knowledge, historical evidence, photos and video footage, and much more.

There’s also a viewing room for guests to watch short films created by Cliff and others about bigfoot and/or other cryptid sightings and stories. It is these exhibits that are the real draw for bigfoot enthusiasts and people curious about bigfoot.

Cliff Barackman has been a “bigfooter” – a bigfoot researcher – for 25 years, but he wouldn’t classify himself as an expert, he said.

“I am still a learner. We’re all still learning,” he said. But he does have what he says is the second-largest bigfoot cast collection in the world. This includes casts and molds of bigfoot footprints, handprints, and other parts of the body. Only a portion of his collection is currently on display.

In the coming year, the couple plans to start a lecture series held at Nuts on Sports Pizza, conveniently located just across the parking lot. “They have a larger space then we do here, and it would be perfect to hold speaking events there,” Cliff said.

This Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 2-3), for the Halloween weekend, any guest that comes into the center in costume (but no masks, please)can enter the exhibit halls at the reduced price of $5. Next year, the Barackmans are hoping to convert their exhibit halls into a Halloween haunt for guests to come in and experience.

The North American Bigfoot Center is a fun and informative place that families, individuals, enthusiasts, skeptics, and curious-about-bigfoot people can all enjoy.

It’s at the Oregon Highway 212/Compton Road exit off U.S. Highway 26, on the east side of the freeway.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Monday (closed TuesdayWednesday).

MHCC theatre students rehearse for “The Sword in the Stone.”

Landon Spady | The Advocate

A NOBLE PRODUCTION AT MHCC

Eli Rankin

The Advocate The MHCC Theatre Department has begun to perform Kathryn Schultz Miller’s “Sword in the Stone” this week, with busloads of elementary school students from all around the Northwest coming to see the show.

We were fortunate enough to sit in on one of the dress rehearsals to get a glance at the play before the seats were packed full of restless children, and found the production enjoyable.

The script has been brought to life by the students of the Mt. Hood Theatre program, and tailored by the director, Julie Akers, to interact with audience members’ imaginations.

There are plenty of parts where the characters break the fourth wall and beckon the audience to help them in their quest, which takes them to the skies, moats, and dragon-infested mountains of Arthurian England.

All of these elements would not be nearly as exciting if the actors did not bring their individual talents to the characters of Arthurian legend. All but three of actors are first-year students at Mount Hood, and when asked, Akers expressed excitement at being able to work with such young talent.

She said there were some challenges in working with the script when it was handed to her by the department’s head, Mace Archer (who is currently on sabbatical). The script calls for drastic and rapid scene changes that transform the stage from a castle, to the sky, to a field, and to many other difficult-to-depict locations. There are also lots of magic, special effects, and sword fighting in the play, which require a lot more rehearsal time for the actors and tech crew to pin down, in order to put on a smooth performance.

Despite all of these challenges, the cast and crew has risen to the occasion. Akers said that she can’t wait to return to direct the upcoming spring production at MHCC, “The Miracle Worker.”

The Theatre Department will open its show on Saturday, Nov. 16 to MHCC students and the general community. Entrance fee is $2, but the amount can be waived if necessary. The curtain rises at 2 p.m.

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THE ROCKY LAUNCH OF ROCKETS WITH BELL ENGINES Carson Koch The Advocate

Rockets dish out ludicrous amounts of power. The lunar mission rockets, Saturn V’s first stage F1 engines, dished out an amazing 7.1 million pounds of thrust.

Although remarkable, powerful and useful, the Saturn V and essentially all modern-day rockets suffer from a big problem: Performance at altitude, meaning remaining efficient in flight. To put it bluntly, rockets today don’t remain efficient. In fact, they’re awful.

Current rockets use what’s called a bell-type engine, named for their shape. As the fuel quite literally explodes out of the bottom, the force of the explosion propels the rocket upward. But, this creates an issue. At high altitudes the plume expands, meaning the bell does not absorb as much pressure and the rocket will not have as much force pushing it. Not efficient, at all.

So, rockets use what’s called staging. Stages serve the dual purpose of cutting weight, as well

as swapping engines for greater efficiency. The Saturn utilized three stages to go to the moon. Each stage used smaller and smaller engines to further concentrate the plume.

What then happens to these spent boosters? Well, if you’re SpaceX, your first stage will land itself, but the second is wasted. If you’re the Space Shuttle, you ditch your fuel tank and side boosters into the ocean. If you are the Saturn V or pretty much any rocket, you are entirely single use, meaning the boosters fly once and that is it.

All of this racks up a hefty price tag. Stages are wasted; rockets are wasted. Even with SpaceX’s reuse of the first stage, the company is still racking up million-dollar price tags. The Saturn V, adjusted for inflation, cost a jaw-dropping $1.23 billion per launch.

So, what can we do? Well, there is hope – with the Aerospike engine.

It actually is a remarkably simple alternative to bell-shaped engines.

To explain how it works, imagine an upside-down triangle. Now imagine standard rocket engines angled down, so they breathe fire onto the sides of this triangle. It

seems like a useless addition at first, but trust me, this is revolutionary.

This changes the force being absorbed into a spike, rather than a bell, so the spike takes the force from either side of the triangle and pushes the rocket up.

This engine eliminates the need for multiple engines, and to an extent, eliminates the need for staging. It does this by using altitude not as an enemy but as a friend. See, at low altitudes, the pressure of the atmosphere keeps the plume tight and performance high, which is necessary at launch.

At high altitudes and space, it the pressure is low to nonexistent, and the plume expands, keeping the engine at maximum efficiency the whole flight.

This is one of the biggest of deals in rocketry history. This is an SSTO or Single Stage To Orbit engine, the proverbial holy grail of rockets.

Why aren’t they more commonly used? Money. New companies such as SpaceX are profit-based, so dishing out millions to develop a flight-ready Aerospike might leach away profits in the long run.

NASA, a government agency,

has been the driving force, moneywise, behind Aerospike engines as they exist today. They have actually been tested since the 1970s, again in the ’90s and in the early 2000s. The Space Shuttle replacement, the X-33, was actually going to have an SSTO Aerospike, but was ultimately canceled due to budget overruns unrelated to the engine.

Until we can greatly reduce launch costs, it doesn’t make sense to reinvent how we fly rockets.

It makes more sense to stick with the safe bet until we have the spare money to continue to develop the future of spaceflight.

Meantime, we can wait and dream of a future where

we can use rockets like planes, reduce costs and build futures and maybe one day vacation to the moon on the back of an Aerospike engine. We can all rest easy on the fact that the innovative spirit of space exploration never rests, and experts are constantly thinking of new ways to reinvent the wheel.

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MHCC SEES A RISE IN CAR THEFT ON CAMPUS Valerie Heikes The Advocate

As temperatures drop, car thefts on the MHCC campus are on the rise.

The Gresham campus is no stranger to car thefts, but as the weather gets colder more thefts are likely to happen. And there were six vehicles stolen from Mt. Hood lots in October, said Wayne Feagle, manager of Public Safety.

“We believe they (thieves) have some kind of masterkey” that allows easy access to popular car models, Feagle said.

There is a selection of cars thieves look out for, so it’s good to know if your car might be targeted.

Late 1990s and early 2000s cars are a large portion of the cars stolen, with many Honda models at risk, including CRX, CRV, Civic, Accord, and Del Sol models.

Subarus are a large target, as well, with many Outbacks being taken off campus. A Jeep page 7

Cherokee was stolen on campus this year, too.

CAMPUS A ‘HOT ZONE’ Why are so many cars being taken? It seems that most thieves aren’t doing this for profit, but for a free ride.

Six out of 13 on-campus car thefts this calendar year happened in October and, unfortunately, this is normal for this time of year in the Gresham area. Data collected by the city of Gresham shows MHCC as a hot zone for car thefts.

Public Safety officers do have the authority to arrest someone if they see a crime committed on campus, but there is a problem: it’s very hard to spot an actual theft in progress.

“You would never think they’re

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committing a crime,” Feagle says.

With a masterkey, (thieves) can just walk up to a car and get into the vehicle without a fuss, causing no damage at all.

“We can’t just go up to everybody and ask if that is their car,” he said.

COSTLY LOSS Basically, it’s become a huge issue of criminals being hidden in plain sight. Many thefts are caught on camera with the thieves coming up right to the school’s front spaces to steal vehicles.

That only adds to the frustration of victims such as medical student Ashley Porter, who had her car stolen at MHCC last spring.

“It mostly just pissed me off,” she said. “We have security officers handing out tickets to students, while cars are being stolen.”

Her car had been parked right next to Building 17 in Lot H when it was stolen. She had left it alone for just

5 minutes before the thief took off in it. This thief didn’t have a “masterkey,” but jimmied the lock to get in.

Porter was able to recover the car some days later, but it had been totaled by then.

“For the longest time I was Uber-ing,” she said. Living in Vancouver, that meant $30 oneway to school. Having her car stolen came at a high cost for her, before eventually finding a friend for some rides and then getting another vehicle.

Very little was offered to her in

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terms of help, no persons of interest were ever identified, and her contact with police was very brief, Porter said. “If this is a common thing (in Gresham/ at MHCC) that people’s cars get stolen, why aren’t there more cameras (on campus)?” she said.

She questions why there isn’t more security: “I get that it’s a money thing... but we need to step up the game,” she said.

Even if your car doesn’t appear on the most-stolen list, it is still a good idea to not leave anything in your vehicle when you leave for classes, to help prevent break-ins.

Feagle says the best way to avoid your car being stolen outright is to immobilize it somehow. There are the steering wheel “club” devices, easily found in stores, and he mentioned one student who is planning on putting a “kill switch” in their vehicle.

Meantime, if you see someone breaking into a car, or your car has been stolen, you are encouraged to call 911 and then MHCC Public Safety, at 503-491-7911.

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DUTCH BROS. SERVES UP AMERICA:THE HOME A NEW STAND OF THE BRAVE Veterans Day is more than a simple day of festivities

Chris Barney The Advocate

America is a truly unique country. Our style of government is vastly different from those of countries whose governments predate our own. And of all the people to whom we owe immense gratitude for this wonder of a government, veterans rank among the top.

Nov. 11 is a day set apart for us to remember this, and honor those who have served. This being the purpose, the day originally deemed “Armistice Day” (celebrating the end of World War I) was later bestowed the moniker “Veterans Day.” Some may wonder, “What is Veterans Day? Is there more to it than honoring veterans?”

The answer is a resounding “Yes.” Beyond the surface description of honoring our veterans there is so much more to learn. To truly derive respect for these men and women, these soldiers, who have fought to protect this “land of the free,” it is vital to comprehend the blood, sweat, tears, and hell many have been through.

One such individual who has experienced this first hand is Troutdale resident and MHCC alumnus Bruce Wasson.

Wasson, 70, is a classic car and train enthusiast who served during the Vietnam War. He has, for multiple years, participated in Reynolds High Schools’ “Living History Day,” which takes place every November. Living History Day allows veterans to visit a Reynolds district school to share their experiences and give students a better idea of what the military is, or was, like.

Wasson generously shared PA G E 8

with The Advocate his perspective on serving in the military and the meaning of this holiday.

When asked, he explained that the holiday was established, in part, “to pay our respects to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Because we who have survived have the blessing of life that those who died do not. We should not forget what they sacrificed to keep this unique nation as one.”

As for his view of what being a veteran means, he said, “It means that I gave up three years of my life, voluntarily, to serve a country that is unique, compassionate, and God-fearing. I believed in the goodness of the American people and its leadership.”

To dig even deeper, it seemed appropriate to obtain Wasson’s thoughts on what it is that makes this nation so unique and learn a bit of his personal story.

To him, America is unique because of “its form of government, [which was] founded by very, very wise men and based on godly principles put forth in the Bible.”

While this is one of his reasons for serving the country, there remains the fact that war is not easy.

Veterans’ scars come from many sources, as Wasson describes it.

“The only [American] war where returning troops were not honored was Vietnam,” he said.

“For those of us who were called to duty, either drafted or enlisted, the pain of being spit on, disrespected, and called ‘baby killers’ still lingers and has as much to do with PTSD as actual combat.”

Asked why he chose to enlist, Wasson said, “I joined because I had no idea what I wanted to do after high school and felt that the Army would help me grow in ways college would not. Plus, there was the G.I. Bill, so I knew that once I got out I could go to college, go to school if I wanted to.”

Veterans are truly a group to be appreciated. As we take this day to honor them and also to remember the fallen, let us not forget that this is “the land of the free” because of the brave.

Melanie Roberts The Advocate

The Dutch Bros. Coffee stand on Southeast 223rd Avenue and Burnside Street in Gresham has been around to serve customers since 2009.

Fast forward to 2019: There’s now a new and improved coffee stand building. It looks small on the outside, but it for sure it is bigger, safer, and better for the Dutch Bros. workers to make the drinks inside their building.

The place needed a remodel for a long time, due to many repairs that couldn’t get fixed. “Broistas” is

how employees refer to their Baristas (expert coffee servers) work, because their coffee brand is called Dutch Bros., after all.

I remember when I went to Gresham High School, which was right by the stand. When I had the chance to go there, I thought about the building and just how small it was. I wondered how the Broistas were able to always be successful with the drinks they made in that small tight space.

Their flooring inside was falling apart, so it was hard to walk on. The small patio at their stand was unstable and unsafe, the freezer door didn’t open, and the stand’s air con-

ditioning/heating did not work at all.

Also, their blender pitcher rinser station did not work so they had to wash their dishes most of the time by hand. Most of their equipment did not work at all and the Broistas were in a very tight and small space as they always had to bump into one another while making the drinks.

The Broistas are much happier in their new stand, and doing a better and faster job of serving the Gresham community. Everything inside works correctly because they have a bigger space inside of their drive-thru with more and better equipment, they have more space to stock all their products, and it is easier for them to move much faster and more efficiently.

Graphic Eli Rankin | The Advocate

Community Poll Results

4%

IS ‘THE

NIGHTMARE 48% BEFORE CHRISTMAS’ A HALLOWEEN OR CHRISTMAS MOVIE?

HALLOWEEN 47 VOTES

48% CHRISTMAS 47 VOTES

BOTH 3 VOTES