The Advocate, Issue 10 - Nov. 20, 2015

November 20, 2015

the

advocate Independent Student Voice of MHCC

Volume 51 Issue 10

Oregon Promises help PAGE 3

‘Wild’ Art indeed PAGE 5

Timbers knock on wood PAGE 8

STRETCHED A LITTLE THIN THIS

Holiday Season?

Food! Clothes! Stress Relief! All here on campus.

Look Inside for Details– PAGE 4

VegFest – easier to say than imitation-meat-fest

PAGE 6

2 PAGE

OPINION

Editorial

advocate-online.net

The Oregon Promise: help, if you help yourself

O

n Tuesday, MHCC hosted two information sessions about the Oregon Promise at the Midland Library in southeast Portland. The college’s goal was to answer and clear up confusion that high-school students and their parents have regarding eligibility requirements. They also discussed how it will affect students enrolling at Mt. Hood.

As we all know, college affordability has become a hot-button issue for several years. Oregon, along with Tennessee, has stepped up in the effort help secure students’ opportunity to afford college.

The state Office of Student Access and Completion has set up an initiative this year, called the Oregon Promise. Oregon Promise helps eligible new high school graduates and GED completers afford community college, but it doesn’t just write off their tuition.

One of the common misconceptions about The Oregon Promise is

that it simply supplies students with free college. Its real mission is to step in and fill the gap where FAFSA and other state and federal grants fall short of meeting students’ needs.

As you might expect, there is a lot of work required to become eligible. To break it down, students must enroll nearly immediately – within six months after graduating or completing their GED. They must be proactive in taking the right classes and preparing a schedule in which they will earn a community college degree in a timely manner.

They must keep a 2.5 or higher GPA and must accept each state or federal grant awarded to them, as this may effect how much they are awarded through Oregon Promise. While eligible community college students will receive at least $1,000 dollars annually, there is a $50 co-pay per term.

Combined with existing financial aid, Oregon Promise dollars could free up students’ money to

spend on other needs besides tuition, such as books, rent, and food.

Oregon Promise has a cap budget of $10 million for 2016-17, a realistic amount to spend on a new program.

What sets Oregon Promise apart is that it offers aid to all students – none are barred by race or economic background. Nevertheless, the state may tighten the reins on the specifications for students they can support in the future.

It’s also important to keep in mind that the Oregon Promise is

“Oregon, along with Tennessee, has stepped up in the effort to help secure students’ opportunity to afford college.”

more like a covenant, or a two-way commitment. To receive the free aid, students must take the first initiative to secure any opportunity.

Unfortunately, current students at MHCC and other community colleges are not eligible, but if you happen to know seniors in high school or someone just completing their GED by next spring or summer, remind them of their role. If you’re a parent, mentor or adviser of an eligible student, keep encouraging them to turn in their application on time.

The application is available Online at Oregon Promise.org from now until March 1. Make sure they know to submit their FAFSA for 2016-2017 this January and to make sure their grades are up to par when they send in their transcript.

One speaker at the Tuesday information session, Sharon Juenemann, Director of TRIO College First at Mt. Hood, said the Oregon Promise rules may seem over-

whelming, but getting started really isn’t.

“It’s a very easy application (online). It’s about five steps,” she told the Advocate.

Juenemann stressed the importance of asking questions, during the process. She said that since this is a new endeavor on the state’s part, they will carefully consider each question anyone brings forth. For any eligible student, the best advice would be to, first and foremost, ask questions in order to know what’s expected and then meet those expectations.

It’s important to be in regular contact with those who know the information, as The Oregon Promise is still in its formative stages and its technicalities are still developing.

Questions on the Oregon Promise can be directed to staff at the MHCC Orientation Center, in Room AC 1002, or to TRIO, located downstairs beneath the Student Union.

Veterans Day gone, yet hopefully not forgotten

Joseph Frantz the advocate

Tuesday, the 10th of November, was last week. It was the day before Veterans Day and MHCC was filled with an adolescent fervor you can only find at a school the day before a holiday. It’s not the holiday that

had us so inspired; it was the simple prospect of spending a weekday doing anything but schoolwork. While that’s not really in the true spirit of Veterans Day, I’m a veteran and I felt the same way.

As the campus emptied that day I found myself walking past the bookstore. There was a sign offering free coffee to veterans the day after Veterans Day. My avidity for the free iced mocha that would carry me through my math class was quickly dashed by the four flags adorning the windows of the bookstore. The flags of the Marines, Navy, Army, and Air Force were all proudly displayed in acknowledgment of those veterans’ service. My dismay comes

from the feeling that my 12 years of service did not warrant a flag in our bookstore. By the time I was forced to retire from the U.S. Coast Guard, I felt I had done my fair share for our country. Injuries I incurred during my service have left me walking with a slight limp when it’s cold out, but that’s not enough to earn a place for my flag in that window?

That being said, its not the bookstore’s fault there was no Coast Guard flag; it’s not as though the staff purposefully left us out. Most Americans don’t even know there are five military branches. In all honesty, I spent enough time in the Coast Guard to know that we are the country’s forgotten service, and

that’s fine. None of us joined for the accolades of strangers. At least, that’s what I tell myself every time this comes up.

Soon, the day after Veterans Day had come, so I headed to the bookstore for my free cup of coffee.

Classes kept me busy all day but in the back of my head, I knew I had an iced mocha waiting for me. I barged through the door of the store and made a beeline for the coffee shop.

“You still open?” I asked.

“Nope.”

The sign on the register said the shop closes at 3:30. I pulled out my phone in time to watch the clock slip from 3:29 to 3:30. Once again, I had this sinking feeling my service wasn’t

quite enough. That’s not on the coffee shop, though. I did not make it on time, and just like the rest of the country, it was celebrating veterans during normal business hours only.

That is not the coffee shop’s fault; it’s the American way.

And with that, another Veterans Day had come and gone. Our annual day of mendacious thanks from apathetic citizens was over.

I know it’s supposed to be the thought that counts, but, to be honest, some of us veterans can’t help but get a little agitated on Veterans Day. It’s not as though we don’t appreciate the sentiment; it is the inconsistency at which this sentiment is expressed.

the advocate Editor-in-Chief Adam Elwell

Sports Editor Clay Vitale

Associate Editor Hayden Hunter

Graphic Designers Ayla Buckner Cody Holcombe

Arts+Entertainment Editor Ivy Davis News Editor Gloria Saepharn

Photo Editor Nick Pelster Opinion Editor Adam Elwell

Public Relations Manager Emily Wintringham Features Editor Jon Fuccillo Video Editor Chuck Masi

Video Team Members Ben Baxter Thomas Stewart

Nicole Kaadi Monique Mallari Joshua Mc Laughlin Konah Nimo

Ad Manager Joseph Frantz

Web Editor Matana McIntire

Copy Editor Quincy Smith

Advisers Howard Buck Dan Ernst

Staff Writers Lena Simon

Front cover by Ayla Buckner and Cody Holcombe

E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu Phone: 503-491-7250 www.advocate-online.net #mhccadvocate Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham, Oregon 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.

NEWS

November 20, 2015

PAGE PAGE

Save money on textbooks with OER Barney’s Pantry provides Lena Simon the advocate

It’s no secret that many students find it difficult to afford classroom textbooks.

That’s why Open Educational Resources held a conference on Friday, Nov. 13, in the Town & Gown room.

Open Educational Resources (OER) are high quality, open licensed online resources for students to use for free and for teachers that conform to their instructional needs and use for their curriculum.

Mt. Hood’s Associated Student Government president and vice president, Seth Albert and Lindsay Patiño, kick-started the conference. They shared their stories of how expensive textbooks have affected them. Albert explained how he expected to pay $300 to $400 on textbooks per term, and how some teachers require the purchase of a classroom textbook, despite only using a chapter or two. He said that most of the time, he doesn’t even

read the whole assigned reading.

If a teacher assigns an hour worth of reading, and then three other teachers assign the same amount of reading, that’s four hours. That doesn’t include the worksheets. Most students don’t have time to finish four-plus hours of homework and take care of other responsibilities, he said.

Albert said he only reads enough of his textbooks to finish the worksheets. He talked about one teacher he had who wrote (his) own textbook and provided it as a resource for students to use. The textbook covered everything that was taught in the class and would be administered on the quizzes and final, he said.

Patiño followed up, putting in perspective the stress students deal with when signing up for classes and buying textbooks. She said the saddest thing to see is students choosing classes to take, based on the cost of the required textbooks. Other students choose not to purchase the textbook and suffer greatly – often failing the class, she said. Instead, all textbooks should be free to students, she said.

David Wiley then took the podium. Co-founder and Chief

Academic Officer of Lumen Learning, he is credited with developing the concept of open pedagogy. He seeks to help colleges make the switch to OER and shared the moment he first thought of open pedagogy, or OER. Wiley grew up in Marshall, West Virginia, where educational resources were very low. In 1996, he was working as a webmaster for a university. At the time, he was developing a JavaScript calculator that could be used on a specific website. Then, he had a realization, he said: Unlike physical calculators, no one is waiting to use the JavaScript calculator – millions of people could use it at one time. And it costs nothing to make copies of it and distribute it. If you first develop something, you can distribute it for free.

Wiley then thought about how he could apply it to online educational resources. He explained at Mt. Hood how, at first, he was motivated by moral obligation, but now the love for the work is what drives him.

For more information on Wiley and on Open Educational Resources, visit: opencontent.org/blog

New law benefits future college students Joshua Mc Laughlin the advocate

Students graduating from Oregon high schools, as well as recent GED recipients, can breathe a little easier during their 2016 college endeavors. Starting next fall, the long-awaited and often-debated Oregon Promise grant applications will be put into effect.

The state’s Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC) began accepting online applications for the grant on Nov. 1, following the passage of the Oregon Promise Act by Oregon Legislature and its signing by Gov. Kate Brown in July.

The measure pays nearly any remaining tuition costs for eligible, beginning community college students who have exhausted federal grant and loan options.

The Oregon Promise application window is open from now until March 1.

OSAC’s website that’s hosting the online form has been set up with an “Oregon Promise Toolkit,” which comes complete with an introductory video, info graphic, an FAQ section, and even a fact sheet written by the Higher Education

Coordination Commission.

Potential recipients must have graduated high school or received a GED by the spring or summer of 2016, must be enrolled at least half-time in college (at least 6 credit hours) and must enroll and attend a college within the six months of said graduation.

Students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and must maintain the GPA throughout their community college work.

All students must have resided in Oregon for at least a year prior to enrolling at community college.

Students must file for FAFSA in addition to the Oregon Promise.

The 2016-17 FAFSA filing period will open on Jan. 1.

The Oregon Promise is not necessarily 100 percent free – there will still be a required $50 co-pay per academic term as part of the grant agreement, and it’s yet to be determined whether the grant will include standard fees in addition to tuition, said the HECC. Oregon is now the second state in the nation, just behind Tennessee, to roll out such a program. An estimated 4,000 to 6,000 students are predicted to take advantage of

the historic program in its first year, according to the HECC report.

Sharon Juenemann, director of TRIO College First at MHCC, explained the importance of filling out the application, even if a particular high school student feels they are unsure if they will meet the GPA requirement.

“Go ahead and apply, don’t count yourself out,” she recommends.

The online application is “easy... it’s about five steps.”

Students who are undocumented and ineligible to register for FAFSA will be able to fill out an alternative application that will be provided on the Oregon Promise website in January, she said. According to Juenemann, there are many resources to further assist students with language barriers, such as IRCO (Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization) in Portland.

More information, along with the application, can be found online at: oregonstudentaid.gov.

For the full fact-sheet by the HECC, go to: oregonstudentaid. gov/osac-doc

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essential foods to students

Gloria Saepharn the advocate

During this time of the year, some Mt. Hood students aren’t as fortunate as others who are celebrating the holidays, and, in fact, aren’t able to obtain certain necessities.

Barney’s Pantry, located in the Student Union, strives to help provide that assistance.

“Food insecurity is often a problem that goes unnoticed on college campuses,” said Adilene Valencia, Associated Student Government director of community of affairs at MHCC who is in charge of Barney’s Pantry this year.

That’s not the case at Mt. Hood, where the Pantry has been helping students for years to get food and other supplies they might badly need. Because many are just transitioning to college, they may be having a tough Photo by Nick Pelster time, so the Pantry can help alleviate the stress of having to pay for college, Valencia said.

It provides food items such as microwavable meals, canned and boxed goods, and some snacks. There are also toiletries available to students, she said.

“Running Barney’s Pantry has been one of the greatest experiences I’ve had” since she joined the ASG, Valencia said. She aims to continue helping her peers and enjoys interacting with students who come in. She tries to pay attention to what students like and dislike, and asks for suggestions about what they need and give them information about events happening at MHCC. “I realized how little food one can get with $50 at the grocery store. I’ve been trying to come up with new ways to get more for your money and reducing costs by shopping at places like WinCo,” Valencia said.

Barney’s Pantry is open to all MHCC students between the times of: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 4 to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and from 11 to 3 p.m. on Friday.

Students may visit up to three times per week.

In the Pantry, visitors are welcomed by an ASG member and will be asked to type their student ID into a computer (for keeping track, and keeping statistics).

Their options are: a) one meal box, one food item, one snack and two toiletry items; or b) two food items, one snack and two toiletry items.

Students then will be asked to log out after their visit.

During the fall term this year, there have been generous donations from various community and MHCC faculty donors. ServePro of Gresham provided assistance to the pantry, along with a second donation from Mt. Hood’s Part Time Faculty and Tutor Association, made on behalf of Robie Webb, a writing instructor who passed away in August.

There’s another effort to collect donations going on right now.

“Our departments on campus are competing in the Fall Food Drive Challenge 2015, where department faculty members have been working together to gather donations of food and toiletry items for the Pantry,” said Valencia.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance is also going to happen today in the Town & Gown from noon to 2 p.m. Barney’s Pantry helped provide assistance with Threads of Change, which encouraged people to donate clean clothes for the Transgender day clothes swap from Nov. 2 to Nov. 19. Every five pieces of clothes that were donated by people entered them into a raffle.

“The departments have done a wonderful job and I’m impressed with the amount of donations they’ve accumulated throughout the month of November,” she said.

Valencia said fall term will be the Pantry’s busiest time, but she hopes students will continue to visit to grab resources through the year.

Anyone with questions on Barney’s Pantry may email her at: asgdca@ mhcc.edu

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NEWS

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Friday the 13TH takes a darker turn Terrorist attack in Paris reaches across nations Joseph Frantz the advocate

Justine Mouline, a 23-year-old business student, was due to transfer to the SKEMA Business School in Raleigh, N.C., according to the News and Observer newspaper in Raleigh. Justine’s friend, Julie de Mélo, told the News and Observer, “She was a wonderful person. She was always smiling…”

On Friday the 13th of November, Justine decided to go out for dinner. She chose her favorite restaurant, a small corner diner called Le Petit Cambodge.

At 9:25 that evening a small black car pulled up to the front of the diner, next to the outdoor café-style seats. Masked gunmen exited the vehicle and opened fire on La Petit Cambodge’s large glass storefront. They fired about 100 rounds into the diner, killing Justine Mouline and 14 others, before returning to their car and

speeding off.

Justine was one of 129 people killed in Paris that evening by terrorists affiliated with the Islamic State extremist group.

Another 350 people were wounded in the various attacks that were spread across the famed “City of Light.” Mimicking the terrorist attack in Mumbai, India, in which 164 people were killed in November 2008, heavily armed men moved across Paris attacking various unprotected locations, also referred to as soft

ASG Multicultural celebration

Japanese floral arrangement

Mt. Hood’s Associated Student Government is sponsoring a Multicultural Holiday Celebration from 4 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 30 in the Student Union.

The event will celebrate some of the different holidays this time of year that are recognized by members of the MHCC community this time of year. It will feature storytime with a historian, a buffet-style dinner, and other fun activities.

The celebration is free for MHCC students and children; the fee for other community members will be $2, which will support Barney’s Pantry.

MHCC’s Japanese Club will host an Ikebana (Japanese floral arrangement) demonstration by Nana Belleured, Japanese Culture instructor, today, Friday, Nov. 20.

Ikebana is the act of creatively placing flowers into a container and making them into art. There are certain ways and rules practiced in an event like this that involve Japanese principles and culture for more than 600 years.

Anyone interested is welcome to participate, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the Visual Arts Theater.

- Gloria Saepharn

-Gloria Saepharn

targets. Justine’s restaurant was the first soft target they attacked.

From there two more restaurants were attacked, leaving another 24 people dead, before the assailants reached the Betaclan concert hall. An additional 89 people would be killed during the ensuing two-hour standoff that cut short a show by the “Eagles of Death Metal,” an American band. During a police raid, all the gunmen but one would be killed when they detonated their suicide vests; police shot and killed the other assailant.

Besides the mass casualties inflicted at the various soft targets around Paris there were also three suicide bombers who detonated their vests outside that evening’s soccer game

between the French and German national teams, killing four other peoples. A fourth suicide bomber detonated near the stadium, with no other reported casualties.

It is to soon to know what the ramifications of this new threat will be.

That being said, the immediate future holds tighter security at events here in America. Back in Europe, Tuesday’s scheduled soccer match pitting Germany against Holland in Hanover, Germany, was canceled after French police notified the Germans of a plan to launch Paris-style gun and bomb attack.

Americans may face many such responses as authorities try to prevent violent outbreaks here.

“...The immediate future holds tighter security at events held in America.”

Science-fiction convention

OryCon, a science-fiction convention that welcomes people who enjoy reading, writing, watching TV, and arts and crafts, is running in Portland this weekend, starting today.

The event may appeal to those who classify themselves as a ‘nerd’, ‘geek’ or those who just enjoy sciencefiction in general. Visitors may participate in a range of activities: There will be “Doctor Who”-based events, writing workshops, cosplays and readings from books.

OryCon 37 starts Friday, Nov. 20, and runs through Sunday at the waterfront Portland Marriott Hotel.

For more information, or to volunteer, visit their website at: 37.orycon.org -Gloria Saepharn

Q&A courtesy of Dr. Janet Campbell, MHCC political science department.

?

In the past two days France has made 296 raids against unrelated terrorist groups through emergency actions, is this an unjust redistribution of power?

That would largely depend on your perspective. It is a common tactic. The US did the same thing after 9/11…you pick up folks you’ve been tracking in a sweep…question them and sort it out as you go along. The positives is that it may lead to a) good info b) prevent actions from occurring (they are in jail…) The negatives are that it majorly chills free speech and chills the ability for legal organizations to challenge their government as well as messes with due process. At this point in Paris, which is more important?

What does this mean for the events in Syria now that France is involved?

Well, France has already been involved in Syria…so the strategy hasn’t changed but probably the level of popular support for it will.

Could the attacks have been worse but weren't because of a fault on the terrorist's half?

We have no way of knowing because we don’t really know that the plan was.

We do know the suicide bombers wanted to get into the stadium itself but were prevented. Were they able to get in, causalities would have been higher.

Do organized efforts typically have more warning signs than lone wolf events? Is there a general strategy for preventing these things?

They do have more warning signs because individuals must communicate with each other. That’s what French intelligence is asking right now: why didn’t we pick up their communiques?

The worry is they are using sophisticated encryption, which means tracking communication would be difficult.

Portland Night Market

Foolish sketch comedy

Portland Night Market will be open tonight, from 4 to 10 p.m., and again Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. at 100 S.E. Alder St. in Portland’s eastside Industrial District.

The market will cover the entire block inside an 108-year-old industrial warehouse.

Visitors of all ages are welcome to the event, which features a variety of vendors and will offer food, culture, drinks and more. It should be like a farmers market, but at night, with a whole lot more beer involved, since it’s Portland.

“Romantic Fools” by Rich Orloff is a student-directed evening of sketch comedy, coming to Mt. Hood this weekend, starting tonight.

The MHCC Drama Club will act in 12 two-character sketches that will examine love, lust, dating and romances. They’re influenced

by Monty Python, “Saturday Night Live” and classic vaudeville comedy.

The acts are of mature subject matter and aren’t appropriate for children.

Admission is $5 and tickets will be sold at the MHCC Studio Theatre.

The comedy will start at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, email: tickets@mhcc.edu or call 503-4917154.

- Gloria Saepharn

-Ivy Davis

November 20, 2015

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Artists inspired by wildlife, nature

Nicole Kaadi the advocate

Leave it to Portland to combine fun and supporting the arts, while donating to the cause of helping the environment.

The Audubon Society of Portland is hosting its Wild Arts Festival this weekend. It celebrates nature in the work of regionally and nationally known artists (70 total) and writers (35), including the works of painters, sculptors, jewelers, photographers, woodworkers, glassblowers, poets, photographers and writers of nonfiction. The underlying theme includes natural materials as medium and art promoting environmental sustainability.

One featured artist is Shannon Buckner, a blacksmith.

“Often inspired by seed pods and insect bodies, my work explores our interconnection with nature and how human concepts of incubation, birth and evolution are present in organic forms,” Buckner wrote on her website. “Using the ancient art of blacksmithing, I render steel into imaginary-metaphoric plant species to ponder this idea.

Also a lover of mythology, some of my sculptures come with fictional stories about their unique purposes and where one would find

them if they were to exist.”

The steel worker hopes her art will “delight the viewer’s imagination,” and also improve structural and aesthetic elements in one’s home, she writes.

Dean Crouser, also featured, is a painter from Gresham, born and raised in Oregon, who tries to keep his work simple. His post says, “I am always striving to say the most with the least and like to keep my work loose and spontaneous.”

Several companies worldwide license Crouser’s work and his watercolor paintings of hummingbirds, fish and wildlife are enjoyed by thousands of art enthusiasts and collectors around the world. “My goal is to capture the beauty and simplicity of a scene in a manner that people haven’t seen a million times before,” he continues in his post.

Wood turner Jim Piper started his woodworking as a hobby while working as a professional photographer.

Starting in 2011, he “continued to find wood turning both mesmerizing and obsessive,” he said. He now sees trees in a completely different manner: “I have learned to recognize the nuances of each piece of wood that

I acquire and the different characteristics of various species of wood.”

A clay sculptor by the name of Babette Harvey will also be featured.

She uses juxtaposition of natural imagery and human-centered objects creating outlandish scenes within her sculpting.

She wrote, “Animals with planets and books on their head or women dancing on bears are a way of keeping hope and humor alive,” in describing some of her art. It’s important to her that while she is playing with the imagination within her art she is also addressing issues she

deeply cares about, she said.

Jeffrey Zigulis is a mask artist who has displayed in over 60 galleries across the U.S. He seeks inspiration from African, Mexican, and Micronesian culture along with objects and creatures from nature, he said. Using clay, he carves his masks and fires them, then uses acrylic paint and colored wire for the finishing touches.

The proceeds of this show go towards helping the environment, while promoting talented artists.

The Festival runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Montgomery Park building, 2701 NW. Vaughn St. in Portland. Tickets are $8 for adults; children ages 16 and under are free.

Photos from Web

Left: Metal flower by artist Shannon Buckner; top: one of many bowls woodworker Jim Piper has carved; above: Dean Crouser’s watercolor humming birds.

Struts blow writer’s mind: how?

Thomas Stewart the advocate

4/5 on the Struts scale!

Portland’s Crystal Ballroom hosted The Struts on Nov. 10, and they killed it!

Just like any other stereotypical

concert, they had lights, they had amps and they had a huge crowd.

The difference was that their opener killed it, The Struts were on point, and there wasn’t a time where we weren’t screaming and yelling for more music. The crowd was crazy, too. With drunk people everywhere, die hard fans, and sweaty people singing, it was surprisingly still really enjoyable.

The opener, Andrew Watt, shredded it, too. He started out slow but then he picked it up in the middle, making the crowd go wild. His

Band members Luke Spiller, Adam Slack, Jed Elliott, and Gethin Davies.

Photo for Web

tools to make us lose our minds were a couple covers of Led Zeppelin and a few songs from his new EP, which warranted an explosion from the crowd. Some crazy fan then threw a lighter at Andrew Watt; he took the lighter, then proceeded to electrify the crowd by moving onto a kick-ass guitar solo using the thrown lighter.

He followed with two more guitar solos behind his head, and one in the glorious lights on stage.

Watts by himself deserved a encore for how outstanding he was.

Finally, The Struts rushed on stage with each band member taking their place, looking out to the huge crowd that was us. When they started playing it was like everything in life was finally coming together: The long, cold line we had waited in and the huge sweaty crowd that we were moshing in all meant nothing when they started to play.

They started the show with more of their upbeat tracks, pumping up the crowd with various solos from the band. But then they got lost

in the crowd and the lead singer just kept pumping up the crowd, asking the crowd to yell. He did this for such a long time, the people started screaming for him to go back to singing. After that, the concert began again and the crowd was happy again.

With all of them rocking the show, the crowd had never been happier. The Struts were definitely worth the 94 cents.

The Struts were a 4 out of 5 stars. The music was really good, the opener was really good, but The Struts had too much filler. They were especially fond of call-andanswer-vocals – at least 45 minutes of the whole concert was spent that way for their lead singer’s amusement.

But after that they continued the show and God damn, did they melt our minds. Overall, it was a really good experience and if they come back to Portland, guess who will be first in line?

5

Scorpio- Sure, Almond milk might be a poor imitation, but if you eat it with cereal you never know the difference. Don’t act surprised.

Sagittarius- We both know you’ve been planning on gambling away your midlife crisis.

Let’s at least be original about it: Discover the intense competition that is real-cash monopoly.

Capricorn- Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be Spiderman? That’s got to be a weird feeling to have in your wrist, right? That’s how this week is going to feel.

Aquarius- Know when to throw in the towel; a new towel rack wouldn’t hurt either. Try and avoid Bath & Body Works, though, let’s be real, it’s much closer to hand soap and candles.

Pisces- Now would be the time to start working on your cabin in the woods. Pro tip: Hang chains from the ceiling, maybe break a window, too, and no one will mess with it while you’re gone.

Aries- The results from your vision quest were inconclusive.

There is more than one way to skin a cat, but now you need multiple cats, so that’s kind of a bummer.

Taurus- Opposites attract, right? Maybe a surprise mosh pit is the breath of fresh air that your workplace so desperately needs.

Gemini- If the colder weather has you feeling blue, your natural course of action is to eliminate anything blue. Start with your wardrobe, then move on to the rest of your house.

Cancer- Not sure about the rest of your week, but I’m pretty sure you’re going to finish reading this prediction… I’m technically not wrong?

Leo- Believe me or not, I don’t care, but shaving your head this week would feel so gratifying.

You might move on to an eyebrow without stopping, and with no regrets.

VirgoCongratulations!

You’re the 94th reader, click here to claim your prize. Or don’t. It is a pretty sweet prize, though.

Libra- A fishing trip always soothes the nerves – it doesn’t matter if the fish are in a bathtub and you’re in there with them, even if some people would call it an ”abomination.”

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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VegFest falls short for veggie lovers Gloria Saepharn and Matana McIntire the advocate

VegFest came to Portland last weekend promising many delicious free samples for the vegetarian-minded.

Going by the name of the event,

one would expect lots of vegetables.

VegFest vendors, however, seemed to want to one-up that: While many booths offered food samples, nearly a third of the large convention room was dedicated to the ‘restaurant’ section of the event – a whole area dedicated to full meals for sale.

Entering the restaurant section

Photo by Gloria Saepharn

A range of vegetables and fruit, starting with tomatoes, in color order was used to describe what each color is good for - whether it be healthy for your eyes, skin, or dying the clothes on your back.

The Advocate brings you weekly words.

With these words, you can impress your instructors, whoop ass at Scrabble, or simply wait for more new words next week.

Termagant Noun: A harsh tempered or overbearing woman.

Scurrilous Adjective: Making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation.

Perfidy Noun: The act of betraying someone or something.

looking for a bite to eat, VegFest goers found many meat alternatives, and not many vegetables. The air was filled with the scent of what one would think is the smell of cooked meat – a smoky barbecue aroma.

Though many visitors enjoyed the food offered and booths had long lines of people waiting to try their food regardless, vegetarians and vegans who came for the vegetables may have been left wanting.

In the walkways, people stopped to look at foods, causing a backup behind them. Most didn’t seem to mind the backup, as they were also entranced with the foods around them and actually were conversing with strangers about different techniques in their diets.

This convention wasn’t a social gathering as much as it was a learning event; people got to learn different ways to consume healthy and organic foods without worrying over what they were putting into their bodies provided by other people –

the vendors.

While eating lunch, strangers at a table would look at other’s plates and wonder what they were consuming, and would ask where they bought it. The curiosity and honesty had a calming effect, especially since visitors had a common interest. The event was a nice place to understand why and how people choose to live their lives without meat and not have to worry about what other people think.

The VegFest had activities for kids and teenagers. It offered a “kid’s stage” for presenters, speakers and group activities. The vegetables in this area were arranged in a rainbow display. The “teens area” was virtually empty, as most teens were probably sleeping in late on a Saturday morning, however.

For adults, there was a fitness stage where presenters were able to express their passion for being a vegan or vegetarian. Wilfredo Benitez, a runner for about 10 years, spoke

about how running has impacted his life, along with following a plantbased/vegan diet. While encouraging the audience to stretch and sit on the floor, he told visitors about how to live their lives in a healthy way.

True, VegFest vendors stuck to the non-meat, non-animal-bi-product theme in nearly everything.

Aside from imitation meat, there was also a surplus of sweets and baked goods - also vegan and gluten free. Booths also offered a variety of cooking ingredients derived from vegetables, such as oils and soy.

But vegetarians who don’t like meat may have been frustrated a bit with the reality of the VegFest event turnout.

While the name gave the illusion of a true vegetable festival, the event seemed to be more focused around health-conscious ideals and alternative lifestyles.

Watch the video: Watch a video for the VegFest at: youtube.com/MHCCAdvocate

Feels like home at Silk Espresso

Matana McIntire the advocate

You walk into Silk Espresso and you feel at home – or at least, how you always wished your home would look (channeling World Market in the best of ways).

There is an incredibly comfy atmosphere from the get-go at Silk, thanks to the tasteful, soft tungsten lighting paired with the flood of natural light from the wall-to-wall glass along both exterior walls. Comfort comes also in the form of eclectic furniture choices, from beautiful wooden bars along the windows to plush couches and staple dining-style tables. Hand-made Silk logo artwork can be found around the room, and a well-organized, pleasing-to-theeyes chalkboard menu hangs on the far wall. It’s a well-put-together coffee shop, and reflects the laid-back, down-to-earth style of many coffee

shops out of Southeast Portland, which can be a breath of fresh air for some customers.

So, just by walking in the door, I already likes Silk. I want to like it, and I was excited to see what they offer.

I started by ordering two 8-ounce, single-shot drinks and a build-your-own-style sandwich.

The first drink that came to me was the Ghiradelli Mocha, which was described to me as a “dark chocolate mocha.” Now, I hate mochas – half because I don’t prefer them but also half because I like to be angry about petty things. Chocolate and coffee don’t go well together, in my opinion, but the Ghirardelli put that to the test, if I’m being honest. It wasn’t bad; heck, it was good. It’s the first mocha to really catch my attention. What I do regret, though, is only getting a single shot. Silk uses Stumptown’s Hair Bender roast, and

let me tell you – a double would have served me better. Also, I was happily informed upon ordering that I could make it a double for the same price, so I really should have upped my shot count. The 8-ounce Ghirardelli Mocha was $3.80.

The next drink I received was the Caramel Creme Latte, and it was by far my favorite. It was so good! Unlike the mocha, the Caramel Creme was very light and fluffy, with expertly steamed milk on top that held the flavor and made the drink what it was. I especially loved how the barista blended the caramel flavor with vanilla. Like the mocha, my only complaint was the lack of espresso in the blend. While drinking it, I regretted not upgrading to the double shot. The 8-ounce Caramel Creme Latte was $3.55.

The sandwich I ordered was a half-veggie on Jazzy’s Tillamook bagel, with cheddar, romaine, toma-

Photos by Matana McIntire

toes, cucumbers and pepperoncinis.

It was delicious, as well, and was simple enough to hit the spot without overdoing it.

I’m excited to explore Silk further. I like the message they convey, one of a close-knit, community involved staff and a thoughtful, well-organized business. Everyone who came into the shop in the 30 minutes I spent there seemed to love coming in, and baristas often greeted them by name. My only hope is that Silk can extend its hours, since they are so close to the college and I’ve yet to find a 24-hour place to study around Mt. Hood (and that may just be me). Overall, I give Silk Espresso a 5/5 on coffee-shop scale.

Silk Espresso is at 3030 N.E. Hogan Drive in Gresham (in the shopping mall on the southeast corner of Hogan Drive and Stark Street).

SPORTS

November 20, 2015

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The NFC West division is full of turkeys We’re turkeys, bro...

Web Photos

Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman enjoy a holiday turkey after defeating the 49ers last Thanksgiving.

Fitting they should turn into turkeys themselves this season; Pete Carroll breaks the news to his QB.

Clay Vitale

the advocate Just what exactly is going on in the NFC West?

The division has perennially been among the strongest in the NFL, sending a representative to the Super Bowl each of the past three seasons. From top to bottom, each team has been largely competitive in recent history, which now begs the question: “What the hell happened?”

I won’t mention the results from the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run against the evil empire of New England just nine months ago. This year’s team returned largely intact though, with fan favorite and Pro Bowl QB Russell Wilson, “Beast Mode” RB Marshawn Lynch, and “Legion of Boom” puppeteer DB Richard Sherman. The Hawks were touted as the best of the bunch in the west, and another Super Bowl appearance didn’t seem to be far fetched.

Seattle’s management knew they had to bolster an offense that came up just short of last year’s title, though, so it gave Pete Carroll a shiny new toy in the form of tight end Jimmy Graham. Graham is an elite skill player out of the oncepotent offense in New Orleans, and plays a position that Wilson could really exploit. With a matchup

appearing so perfect, why, then, has he been a non-factor? And, while Wilson has outperformed the suddenly inept Colin Kaepernick, he isn’t exactly setting the league on fire.

He’s already thrown seven picks, the same total he had all of last season, and with only 10 TD’s in nine games, he’s inhibiting the receiving corps’ production. This partially explains Graham’s disappearing act, but he’s only being targeted 23 percent of the time, anyway. Graham also cost Seattle its Pro Bowl center Max Unger and the 31st overall pick in

Colin Kaepernick can’t handle the ball on account of all the turkey grease.

the draft. Whoops.

With St. Louis poised to either build a new venue or lose the Rams to a new Los Angeles stadium, management felt the need to shake up an offense that had been stagnant since No. 1 overall draft pick Sam Bradford took the helm at QB in 2010. He always struggled to stay healthy during his tenure under coach Jeff Fisher, and his performance left a lot to be desired – frankly, he’s flat-out sucked.

Philadelphia head coach Chip Kelly, and his uncontested reign over the Eagles franchise, coveted Bradford’s skillset and thought it to be a perfect match under his offensive scheme, so Philly swung a deal for him this summer, sending a 2nd round pick and starting QB Nick Foles to St. Louis. Typically there are winners and losers in trades of this nature, with the possibility of both teams accomplishing their goals; rarely do you see each side losing out, but that’s precisely what’s happened here. Both Bradford and Foles have been replaced by their backups after nine games, with the Eagles resorting to last year’s starter, Mark Sanchez, and left without that No. 2 pick. The Rams took a shot on Foles, by signing him to a three-year extension before he even took a snap for the team, and missed... badly.

Whoops.

San Francisco suffered perhaps the most tumultuous offseason in team history. They ran head coach Jim Harbaugh out of town, lost star running back Frank Gore and premiere wideout Michael Crabtree to free agency, and All-Pro defensive End Aldon Smith is too troubled off the field to stay on it (with SF ultimately cutting ties with him). Two other defensive starters abruptly retired after very brief NFL careers. The team is having to start from scratch, with the only hope for a salvaged season resting in the “almighty” Kaepernick’s arm and legs. Yeah... Here are his numbers after nine games: 59 percent completed passes, 1,615 passing yards, 179.4 yards per game, six touchdowns / five interceptions, while rushing for 256 yards total and just one score. If those numbers

don’t improve, he will have regressed beyond the point of his rookie year, and unfortunately for him, he’s now getting the Harbaugh treatment and is all but considered finished as a Niner. Whoops.

Arizona is the only winning team out of this once-mighty division, and they’ve looked good enough at

times to warrant their No. 4 status in the NFL’s Power Rankings. They rely on a stout defense and the capabilities of QB Carson Palmer, who, while healthy this year, has already thrown for 2,749 yards and 23 scores. They’re well rounded, well coached, and send opposing defenses scrambling. Phew.

Saints race until the end Clay Vitale

the advocate Mt. Hood capped the 2015 Cross Country season, along with 11 other schools, last weekend at the NWAC Championship outside Battle Ground, Wash.

Both the men’s and women’s teams fielded complete rosters and officially placed their runners – the Saints women earning sixth place overall, the men 10th.

Highlighting the race for the Saints, as usual, was Leah Norquist. She placed 13th out of 64 women runners with a 5k finish time of 19:42, good for a pace of 6:21 per mile. Kayla Watkins finished second for the team, 33rd overall with a 21:51 time, trailed by Lindsey York, just one spot back with a 22:05, then Hailey Valitski at 23:46, placing 43rd, and Reeghan Lehnert at 49th, running a 24:33.

The top men’s finisher was Jonathon Zacarius, who paced at an impressive 5:30 per mile to close out the race in 42nd place, running the 8k course in 27:30.

Luke Lowe was not far behind at No. 47, with a time of 27.55. At a pace only five seconds per mile

photo by Jeff Hinds

slower, Lowe showed just how thin the margin of success is in this sport. Dean Nizer was third for the Saints men with a 28:58, good for 62nd overall, then Troy Ryals finished one spot and three seconds behind, ahead of Jacob Barnett, who rounded out Mt. Hood’s finishers in 69th place with a 29:52 time.

Next season will bring some more challenges for head coach Jim Satterfield. His most polished runners and team leaders this year were sophomores, leaving the fate of next season up to extended recruiting efforts. The program is on constant lookout for dedicated runners either looking to transfer or to compete out of high school.

Satterfield remains dedicated to building out his team, and squeezing the most out of his runners’ potential.

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SPORTS

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Changing of the Guard Blazers’ front court steps up in Aldridge absence

Monique Mallari the advocate

Does the Lillard-McCollum duo pose a legitimate threat?

As most Portlanders expected, it’s been a tough start to the season for the Trail Blazers. After dropping Wednesday’s away game, a 108-103 overtime loss to the Houston Rockets, the Blazers currently sit at 4-9 with seven straight losses, ranking 13th in the Western Conference and last in the Northwest Division. So, what’s the difference between last year’s playoff team and the current losing squad?

During the offseason, Portland turned over four of its starting five players. Incumbent superstar

forward LaMarcus Aldridge bolted for San Antonio, signing a lesser deal to be a Spur, while leaving a sour taste in the mouths of Blazer fans. Following suit, shooting guard Wesley Matthews hooked on with the Dallas Mavericks, forward Nicolas Batum was traded to the Charlotte Hornets, and center Robin Lopez is now a member of the New York Knicks. This leaves All-Star point guard Damian Lillard to lead a completely different team, one missing both the talent level and consistency that afforded it two consecutive winning seasons.

With Aldridge’s departure, Lillard had no choice but to step up his role on the court and in the locker room. He has embraced this new role, as evidenced by his elite

All photos by Nick Pelster

Left: Damian Lillard and Al-Farouq Aminu waiting for a rebound during pregame warmups on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Bottom: Blaze waves the Portland flag as players are announced before their game with the Spurs. Above: San Antonio heads to the foul line during the first quarter at the Moda Center on Wednesday, Nov. 11.

play this season. Ranking fifth in the NBA, through Monday’s games, he’s averaging 25.1 points, 7.2 assists, 3.9 rebounds, shooting 43 percent from the floor, and 81.5 percent

from the line. He wasn’t performing like this with a better supporting cast last year, so what has changed?

One thing for sure is that he’s very effective from the corner. He can pull up for the three or get his way to the rim and finish, something he’s struggled with in the past.

A question many have wondered was whether or not the Blazers would be able to find that a complementary offensive presence to Lillard. And based off of the first 12 games, C.J. McCollum is that guy.

After his breakout performance in last year’s playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies, he’s proven himself as an elite scorer that can create shots, and is very aggressive behind the arc. With Matthews out of the picture, McCollum has

the opportunity to start every game and put his skills on display. He’s averaging 21.4 points, 4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game, making him a possible nominee for the Most Improved Player award. Without Aldridge’s presence in the post, he and Lillard will be relied on most to run the offense. He’s effective off the dribble, and can easily drive down the lane. This then would allow Lillard to play fewer minutes and would help improve the Blazer bench.

The key with McCollum is consistency and health, as he’s had a very hot start to the season. And now that he has a defined role that fits his style, the Blazers hope he can he sustain this high level of play for the remainder of the season.

Timbers knock on wood, hoping for Cup appearance Emily Wintringham the advocate

The Portland Timbers will face a young and fearless FC Dallas team in Game 1 of the Western Conference final this Sunday at Providence Park, airing on FOX Sports 1 at 4:30 p.m.

The winner of the two-game series moves on to the MLS Championship, facing either the Columbus Crew or New York Red Bulls of the Eastern Conference for the MLS Cup. The Timbers have outplayed their No. 3 seeding thus far, and reached this stage of the playoffs for the third time, most recently in 2013. (Their inaugural season in 1975 saw their other semi-finals match, long before the MLS was formed.)

Fortunately for both teams, the Portland weather looks to be clear on Sunday, but FC Dallas must still

brave the storm of the Timbers Army.

Despite their home advantage, it would behoove the Timbers to tighten their defense. FCD is the top-ranked seed in Western Conference, dauntingly matching Red Bulls with 60 points and 18 total wins (compared to the Timbers’ 53 points, and 15 wins). Even Portland’s hero, Adam Kwarasey, has a contender for goalkeeping stardom in this series. Although Kwarasey is considered a phenomenal asset to the Timbers, Dallas keeper Jesse Gonzales statistically surpasses his success. For being a backup to Chris Seitz, the 20-year-old homegrown player Gonzalez looks to be hot, with a history of 37 saves in 11 games late this season. Kwarasey has a save percentage of 69 percent, 10 percent below that of Gonzalez on the season. Gonzalez now also has the legacy of saving PK shots

from FC Sounders veterans Andreas Ivanschitz and Chad Barrett in the series-deciding Nov. 8. playoff match.

FC Dallas’ plan of action will be to “play the kids” as stated by head coach Oscar Pereja.

Dallas, which wears bright red kits, has watched its very young, but talented, lineup swarm opponents, especially at home (13 wins, 2 losses, 2 draws in 2015). The Timbers’ habit of clearing the ball – as seen in the victorious match against Vancouver, also Nov. 8 – might be a promising tactic to stomping out some “fire ant” fury, that is, the home team’s youthful vigor.

Portland will need to target the deadly duo of Fabian Castillo and Mario Diaz, who killed the Timbers in a 4-1 Dallas win back in July.

This may prove to be difficult, since Diego Valeri and Rodney Wallace, both Timbers midfielders, will be

missing from the lineup on Sunday say that FCD has the better record. due to accumulating yellow card There is a strong possibility that fouls. This looks grim, but Timbers luck will have to step on the pitch fans can hope that defensive for Portland to win.

Whatever the outcome, it could midfielder Diego Chara can deliver good defense, once again. On the be the budding of a new rivalry, so long as the Timbers continue to other hand, Dallas will strengthen their need to keep a close game. eye on Portland’s elusive Darlington Nagbe, who has scored 22 percent Portland FC Dallas of his all his Record 15-8-11 18-6-10 career goals against Goals 41 52 Shots 166 148 Dallas.

Assists 43 53 T h e r e shouldn’t be a knock-yourOffsides 78 58 scarfs-offSaves 87 83

kind of reaction if Save % 66.7 68.06 Fouls 421 412 Timbers were to win this series against Dallas.

But, let’s just Web Photo