JN-134: Photo Essay, Science Week

Science week at LBCC allowed the college's science departments to share highlights of their offered courses and programs with students. The week began with presentations from the biology department, and followed with physics, geology, the ROV team and chemistry.

 

 Multiple skull models and fragments are displayed at LBCC's biology presentation for science week. Other exhibits included insects and other models highlighting the science of life.

 

LBCC chemistry instructor Brian Reed highlighted the chemistry presentation of science week. At one point an onlooker offered her Nintendo DS console as a "sacrifice" in the name of science. The handheld was dipped into liquid nitrogen for several minutes before being recovered and shattered.

Highlights of the chemistry presentation at science week also featured highly combustible materials, including both cotton and balloons filled with hydrogen.

Reed finishes his presentation by igniting materials in the palm of his hand. The item burns quickly without causing any burns or damage.

JN-134, Photographer of the Week: Bruce Davidson

Bruce Davidson is a documentary photographer who was born in 1933 and has been a staff photographer for Magnum Photography since 1959. He initially started contributing to them in 1956.

Davidson attended college at the Rochester institute of Technology and Yale. Davidson owes much of his technique to early instruction from the painter Josef Albers, who Davidson told the New York Times instructed him on how colors could capture the “movement” and “life” of a photograph. During his time at Yale, he had a photo of the school’s football team published in LIFE magazine. Davidson served time in the army after college and shot many photos of his surroundings for the newspaper at his post.

Bruce Davidson, Magnum Photos (Via TIME)

Following his work with the military, Davidson joined Magnum and documented a little bit of everything, including a photo which later became a Beastie Boys album cover. Davidson’s greatest claim to fame consists of many photographs he shot during the civil rights movement between 1961 and 1965.

According to the New York Times, although many consider him a "documentary photographer," Davidson himself disagrees. He believes as a photographer that he's a legitimate part of the photo, even though he's not literally in it.

"Documentary photographer suggests you just stand back, that you're not in the picture, you're just recording. I am in the picture, believe me. I am in the picture but I am not the picture," he said during his interview.

Among Davidson's mentors are Robert Frank, Eugene Smith, and Henri Cartier-Bresson, the man who recruited him to the Magnum photo agency.

Sources:

New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/28/arts/28iht-blume.4748533.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
 
TIME Magazine Online, Bruce Davidson Photo Essay:
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1975355,00.html
 
Bruce Davidson: Magnum Photos
http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.PhotographerDetail_VPage&pid=2K7O3R14QG6O&nm=Bruce%20Davidson

Action shots: LBCC activity center, "sand" volleyball

5-24-11: Following a sand volleyball class, students move into the gym to continue playing after the rain prevents them from finishing outside. The class also consists of some LBCC volley ball team members.

5-24-11: Two of the volleyball players shove the ball away from their team's end before a member of the opposing side attempts to slam it back.

 

5-24-11: Two of the volleyball players rush for the ball as it hurls over to their side of the net. 

LBCC: Foundations of Excellence Flash Mob

5-18-12: The first two contributors who helped with the Foundations of Excellence show up to form a flash mob in the LBCC courtyard. The flash mob was organized by Sally Moore, dean of academic development, communication arts and mathematics.

5-18-11: LBCC's dean of academic development, communication arts and mathematics, Sally Moore, arrives to join the courtyard flash mob of staff and faculty.

 

5-18-12: The flash mob of individuals who contributed to the Foundations of Excellence assembled in the courtyard at LBCC.

Neighborhood: Corvallis Park

5-13-12: The sign at the entrance of Corvallis's Chepenafa Springs Park behind the Timberhill Athletic Center. There are many parks within the city of Corvallis, and local citizens love spending time at them as a sunny day activity.

5-13-12: Eric walking his dog Ariel around the park. Due to high temperatures, he and Ariel often return to shadier spots after briefly wandering.

5-13-12: Braylon Crampton jams on chimes attached to one of the play structures. Corvallis park structures offer a zany variety of activities for children to enjoy.

LBCC Science week: Biology and Physics

OVERALL:

Multiple onlookers wait in anticipation as an LBCC student prepares to smash a cinder block atop Greg Mulder.

MEDIUM:

 

After stepping away from the bed of nails unharmed, LBCC physics instructor Greg Mulder gets his revenge on the students.

CLOSEUP:

Lester the bearded dragon is let out of his cage and held gently for observers to admire.

JN-134: Portraits

Mugshot:

Portrait:

4-26-12: LBCC geology instructor Deron Carter loves teaching students about physical sciences as much as he loves rocks.

LBCC in photos: Day of Silence in Courtyard

OVERALL:

4-20-12: For three hours in the courtyard, LBCC's Theater Department conducted a mild performance as a Day of Silence request from the Gay Straight Alliance. The boxes stand for categories of people, and the masked workers represent politics involved with sorting them out.

MEDIUM:

4-20-12: Three of the masked individuals slowly cross paths at the center of LBCC's courtyard.

CLOSEUP:

4-20-12: One of the masked performers stares off into space before slowly maneuvering to the opposite end of the courtyard.

JN-134: Campus (Part 1), Student Government voting Campaign

OVERALL

4-12-12: Kevin Lyon visits a class in White Oak Hall to discuss voter registration with students.

MEDIUM

4-12-12: Kevin Lyon wraps up his discussion right before collecting voter registration packets from students.

CLOSEUP

 

4-12-12: Rob Camp sorts through stacks of student voter registration cards. LBCC's current goal is to register 750 students, nearly an additional 100 from the current number.

Photojournalism: First shots

OVERALL

 Multiple LBCC students rush to change classes around 12:55 p.m.

MEDIUM

 Five culinary arts students prepare dough to be baked in the kitchen behind the commons cafeteria.

CLOSEUP

LBCC student Ethan Sneed engages in conversation with other students at the Diversity Achievement Center.

ACP: Interview Tips and Tricks

According to Nils Rosdahl, a retired reporter and interviewing expert who spoke at Seattle’s ACP journalism conference, enough distractions will cost you the interview.

When interviewing for the big job, it’s important to know both what to do and what not to do. It’s especially important to make sure your appearance -- both your attire and hygiene -- aren’t distracting. But fear not -- there are many ways to ensure you look appropriate for the interview, and therefore increase your chances of landing the job.

Know what to wear

Some clothing ensembles are more distracting than others. As an interesting example, Rosdahl claims professional clothing worn by police officers, doctors, and clergymen are among the most intimidating forms of fashion out there.

Of course, there aren’t going to be specific uniforms in a job interview, and the interviewer is likely to be more intimidating than the interviewee. Certain colors, however, still speak for themselves.

For instance, some colors present more power than others. If you’re looking to appear confident and in charge, dark colors like black and navy blue are the way to go. Brighter colors, like pink, beige, and orange, are some of the weakest color choices on Rosdahl’s list. Other common professional colors like ivory, red, and white are in between.

Know how (not) to smell

As Rosdahl phrased it, “The best smell is no smell.” Some folks might think this sounds obvious, as in “make sure you shower and shave properly,” though there’s more to it than that. If you walk into an interview reeking of some designer perfume and cologne, there’s a good chance you won’t be selected.

Of course, there are also routine “bad” smells to be avoided, such as attempting to remove your shoes on a hot day, or having lightly washed clothes reeking of cigarette smoke.

Always remember, the best smell is no smell.

Show up on time

Punctuality is a pretty big deal with most major companies, and even calling to tell them you’re late still distracts from other fine qualities you possess. Timing is everything, so if you think you’re going to be late, simply call ahead and reschedule so you’ll avoid showing up as “the person who was late before they even had the job offer.”

As for ideal times to show up, it’s usually better to be the first appointment in the morning or the last in the afternoon. Appearing at either one of these times is likely to make you more memorable by both the boss and -- if they exist -- receptionist.

After all, if you’re going to be remembered, you’ll want it to be as the person they hired instead of the distracting interviewee they set aside.

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At a Glance...


"The Eyes Have It"


March 2, 2012
Speaker: Nils Rosdahl, North Idaho College
Location: Seattle, Washington -- ACP Journalism Conference
Subject: Interview skills involved with non-verbal communication

Profile: Greg Hamann

For LBCC President Greg Hamann, there is no such thing as an average day. There are always people to talk to and communities to connect with.

When you first walk into his office, you’ll notice large windows facing sloped meadows with moss-covered trees. Even in the winter, the landscape was a magnificent emerald green. Though since Hamann's either always on the go or focusing on projects, he hardly has time to admire the view.

"In the perfect weather, you can see the middle of the Three Sisters," he said while gazing outward towards the mountains.

Hamann is serious about maintaining an efficient institution, advocating college completion and communicating with various organizations in and out of our school’s community.

But he's not all business -- he's even been known to surf with students during his time at Clatsop Community College. Though he’ll be the first to admit he’s not the world’s best surfer, Hamann says educating yourself in other areas is essential for character building.

“I think it’s important that we learn to do things we’re not good at,” said Hamann. “If we only do things we’re good at, it’s pretty limiting.”

Hamann enjoys physical activity in general. He goes running every afternoon and currently has plans to climb Mt. Rainer in the summer.

“I think everyone needs to do something that forces them to look inside themselves,” he said when referring to his outdoor adventures.

Roots as a teacher

Hamann was born on a dairy farm in Minnesota. He’s lived in many cities throughout the country, including Chicago, Spokane, Wash., Powell, Wyo. and Astoria, Ore. Hamann started his educational career as a teacher, and spent 15 years in administrative positions at many private liberal arts colleges before becoming president at Clatsop Community College.

When recalling his experiences at Clatsop, Hamann knew it was a task he was prepared for.

“The school was terribly challenged through accreditation and facility issues,” said Hamann. “During my time there, we solved every one of those, and so I decided it was time to do something else.”

As soon as he heard LBCC needed a new president in 2010, following the retirement of former president Rita Cavin, Hamann knew he needed to apply.

“I still love Astoria, but [LBCC] is where I need to be,” he said.

His first day at LBCC was on Feb. 1, 2010.

Spirited involvement

Renee Windsor-White, executive assistant to the president, remembers one of her first moments working with Hamann. During an inservice back in 2010, Hamann actually wore the roadrunner costume.

“He’s very creative,” she said when recalling the events. “He’s been involved since day one.”

Audiences roared in excitement as Hamann removed the roadrunner mask. When giving his speech, he brought up the topic of “beaver or duck,” stating he was most proud to be a roadrunner.

His involvement with the students didn’t stop there.

In January 2011, Hamann switched places with Ivan Merlin, a student who had won the opportunity to become president for a day. Casually dressed in a yellow LBCC hoodie and bluejeans, Hamann attended all of Merlin’s classes and activities.

“He loved it,” said Carol Schaafsma, LBCC’s executive vice president of academic affairs and workforce development, when describing the day. “Greg is eager to know and understand the student experience at LBCC, and this day gave him a chance to experience being a student.”

Windsor-White also remembers the event in January, as she finished describing his overall passion for both LBCC and his position here.

“He’s a big picture kind of guy,” she said. “You have to be in this job.”

Devoted leader

Schaafsma has always been impressed with his ability to help groups stay focused on their purpose.

“He thinks deeply about the issues and opportunities our students face, our employees face, and our college faces,” she said.

During his time at LBCC, Hamann’s primary focus has been on completion. He believes in students finishing what they’ve started, and not just at LBCC. Hamann says students must be prepared, whether it’s setting foot into the workforce or transferring to a four-year university.

“They’ll be more successful, and our communities will be more successful as a result,” said Hamann. “That’s the goal, and we as a community college need to work very hard at being more effective in that area.”

As LBCC moves forward, Hamann hopes to maintain a learning environment that caters to every individual’s needs. He realizes there are many great challenges ahead, and

“We’re all human,” Hamann said. “This is supposed to enrich our lives, so I think we need to be really careful, and that’s a great challenge for us.”

---

At a glance...

Greg Hamann, President, Linn-Benton Community College (Feb. 2010-present)

Birthplace: Minnesota

Education:  M.A., Conseling Psychology, Ph.D.,  Educational LeadershipFavorite activities: Running, hiking, surfing, reading.
Contacts:
E-mail, windsor@linnbenton.edu
LBCC Administration website

Column: SOPA Man Strikes Again

Texas Rep. Lamar Smith resents the idea of internet freedom – at least that’s the impression he excels at leaving.

Just weeks after the whole SOPA/PIPA crisis, we have another attempt of internet censorship from the same man who initially introduced SOPA into the House of Representatives. It's not surprising to see such an adamant politician revive another one of his forgotten nightmares of a bill so soon. As a representative who receives loads of financial support from the TV, movie and music industry, Smith views average internet users as misguided copyright delinquents undeserving of their First Amendment rights.

The man behind SOPA and its highly unethical drive, Smith’s desires to regulate internet traffic didn’t start with the infamous “Internet Blacklist Bill.” Smith's first controversial bill was a piece of legislation known as the “Protecting Children from Internet Pornographers Act of 2011.” Dubbed the “Internet Snooping Bill” by internet users, this previous law of Smith’s – and once again a current focus after SOPA’s defeat – aims to retain valuable consumer information. Phone numbers, home addresses and even credit card information could be stored over a period of 18 months, all in the name of “protecting children.”

Let’s start with an obvious hole in this bill. According to techdirt.com, H.R. 1981 will actually exempt WiFi providers, and only target major providers housing individual customers. One would think that open WiFi networks would be an excellent outlet for anonymously transferring files, so why leave them out? All this would do is – whether or not they were on these WiFi networks to begin with – provide an affirmed safe haven for pornographers who want a way to not get caught. Meanwhile, presumably innocent consumers have personal data sent from their ISP to Uncle Sam.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like supporters of this bill will settle for anything less. Reports from CNET in July indicated that an amendment to only include IP addresses (and not the vital information we’re all so picky about) was rejected, with seven votes to approve and 16 to keep the bill where it’s at in the land of intrusive garbage. In other words, it looks like freedom lovers are in for a vigorous battle in the name of free speech – again.

As usual (It’s like this happens every week now), an online organization known as Demand Progress is asking citizens to speak up for their rights and contact their local Congress representatives regarding H.R. 1981. On the organization’s official website, an excerpt reads “The American Civil Liberties Union, the American Library Association, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Demand Progress, and 25 other civil liberties and privacy groups have expressed our opposition to this legislation. Will you join us, by emailing your lawmakers today?”

Like other past causes (including SOPA), a form to automatically e-mail congress was posted on the same page. Demand Progress also promoted a post on Reddit this week, in order to spread awareness on the topic (and get more internet users fumed by just hearing “Lamar Smith” and “regulate internet” for the umpteenth time this season).

If Smith continues with his "anti-freedom on the internet" agenda, there’s a good chance he’ll be voted out of Washington sooner or later. Fool us once, shame on you – fool us twice, we reevaluate your qualifications to serve as one of our representatives.

---

At a Glance...

H.R. 1981

May 25, 2011

Full bill title: "Protecting Children From Internet Pornographers Act of 2011"
Introduced by: Lamar Smith (R, Texas - http://lamarsmith.house.gov/)
Broad implications: retention of data (phone number, home address, credit cards) for 18 months.

Bill text: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-1981

For additional involvement, contact Demand Progress.

SoulCalibur 5 Offers What it Promises -- Another SoulCalibur

The "SoulCalibur" series was always impressive, but Namco has yet to recreate what players felt during the early years. Granted, SoulCalibur games need not be entirely fresh to be enjoyable -- but like all things in life, the obvious “lather, rinse, repeat” cycle becomes dull for fans craving more.

Ranked number five on Complex.com’s "50 Best Fighting Games of All Time," "SoulCalibur" -- following success in the arcades -- found a new home on the Sega Dreamcast. The first sequel launched in 2003 on all three major consoles of the generation, followed by two additional chapters and a bombed segue ("SoulCalibur: Legends"). According to VG24/7, the latest, "SoulCalibur 5," was initially announced at a conference in Dubai last May.

But like every other sequel after the second installment, "SoulCalibur 5" gives players what's expected -- and that’s about it.

The next chapter in a tale “told for all eternity” (and they’re not kidding) continues in medieval times, 17 years from the last game. The main protagonist, Patroklos, searches for his lost sister Pyrrha while attempting to locate an evil "malfested" girl -- demoncically possessed individuals -- who kidnapped her and killed their mother. Players switch back and forth between character perspectives, revealing experiences from both Patroklos's and Pyrrha's point of view.

Following in the footsteps of its immediate predecessor, "SoulCalibur 5’s" offline story only takes away from other quality aspects of the game. The general plot is painfully predictable, and the overall fighting routine becomes quickly repetitive, presenting you with limited items to be unlocked. In fact, the only real objective is to reach the next cut-scene, so "SoulCalibur" veterans will probably yearn for the early days when there were plenty of missions, collectible items and the ability to choose your character. This is, however, still an excellent time to experiment with character moves.

"SoulCalibur 5" lacks innovation, but the visual appearances and general mechanics remain golden. For starters, everyone's favorite characters look more realistic than ever. With reoccurring appearances from fan favorites like Nightmare (obviously), Sigfried, Ivy, Astaroth and Voldo, there are 29 selections total (not counting custom fighter options).

Like previous entries before it, character movements and animation are almost flawless, and feature some of the smoothest graphics ever witnessed in a "SoulCalibur" title. Move patterns seem nearly identical to their predecessors, placing an emphasis on both classic and modern "SoulCalibur" mechanics. Thankfully, none of the fighters seemed too heavily overpowered, which is a minor flaw (button mashers using characters like Astaroth) prominent in the first games.

The second installment to offer online matches, "SoulCalibur 5" has a sturdy match lobby, allowing for both random pairings and selectable challenges. Spikes in online latency are rare, though unfortunately devastating when present. There's a chance you’ll get pinned up against someone greater than you in the first match, but balancing seems to even out after completing more fights.

Though it might sound strange, the most immediate fun in "SoulCalibur 5" involves the character creator. Whether you’re looking to construct the babe of your dreams or an ideal macho destroyer, you’ll probably spend most time playing with the different equipment types -- additional accessories can be unlocked -- and physical features.

You’ll laugh, cry and maybe even throw up a bit, because there are some pretty gnarly looking characters created by others in the “quick match” offline mode.

Other reviewers agree that "SoulCalibur 5" is an entertaining package, but a little too much like the original. Gaming news giant IGN.com assigned the title 7.5 out of 10, stating "the fighting is still great, but is the fifth installment of this series a worthy upgrade?"

Joystiq.com also took notice of the game's classic qualities, but explained how hard it is for returning players to experience that first spark they encountered in "SoulCalibur" and "SoulCalibur 2."

Overall, exceptional visuals and a sturdy match-up system make "SoulCalibur 5" a reasonable but all too familiar package. Repetition makes the full $60 price tag of the game difficult (if not impossible) to justify, since most features are already available in "SoulCalibur 4. Like every other relaunch of a popular fighting game, the greatest appeal in "SoulCalibur 5" is how it offers a (technically) fresh battleground for both new and returning players to embrace.

Perhaps someday Namco will recreate what everyone felt in 1998 and 2003. Meanwhile, you could simply rent the newest chapter and create a cleaver-wielding Richard Simmons to fight player X's "generic skimpy school girl," and player Y's "outrageous sumo surprise."

---

At a Glance...

Release Date: Jan. 31, 2012
Developed By: Namco-Bandai (Website)
Price: $59.99
Additional Games: Soul Edge/Blade, SoulCalibur, SoulCalibur 2, SoulCalibur 3, SoulCalibur: Legends, SoulCalibur 4

What Works: Astonishing visuals with amazing animations, returning characters with fluid moves, solid online match system, fun and wacky character creations.

What's Lame: Mediocre story mode, yet another sequel still missing the classic SoulCalibur essence.

Overall: A satisfactory addition to the series for both fans and newbies.

Institutional Advancement: What do they do?

If you’ve walked down campus hallways and seen colorful posters advertising LBCC events or student productions, there’s a good chance the department of Institutional Advancement created it.

But community flyers are just the beginning of what they do. They also handle course catalogs, press releases and online outreach via social media outlets.

Dale Stowell, LBCC's new executive director of Institutional Advancement, began his work in the department this week. Stowell succeeded Marlene Propst, who acquired the position herself in 2003.
As an alumnus and former Commuter editor, Stowell is naturally excited about his new responsibilities.

“I’m constantly reminded of how much this feels like home,” he said while shuffling through the 1978-79 Commuter archives in his administrative office.

Stowell’s personal experiences with the college make him an ideal choice for LBCC’s chief information officer. He says the department of Institutional Advancement is about meeting and connecting with people while reaching out to students, improving relationships and strengthening the overall community at LBCC.

In other words, the department reaches out to current students, future students and college friends by distributing information for anyone seeking it. By doing this, both students and staff are more likely to accomplish their goals.

“We find ways to make this a better community,” he said. “Creating opportunities is really what we do.”

As for future goals, Stowell hopes to transform our current web services into a “world class” system for both prospective and current students preparing for success at LBCC.

“We have a solid suite of web services now, but I’d like to see it go up a notch,” said Stowell. “We have the people that can make it happen.”

Joe Sherlock, manager of LBCC’s publications (online and offline), is one of these individuals. Sherlock is constantly striving to enhance community experiences in our college.

“Our job is to help promote college programs and activities,” he said. “We want to have a consistent image that identifies the college.”

Sherlock says the department of Institutional Advancement also works closely with admissions, which allows LBCC to efficiently distribute recruitment materials to high schools throughout the area.

“We work with them to develop materials they take with them,” he said.

There are currently two video features under construction, including a behind the scenes video of an LBCC play and information regarding a sleep tech program here at the college.

But the department of Institutional Advancement doesn’t just market the college’s general image and activities; they also promote student achievements.

Lori Fluge-Brunker, the publications assistant, says the department regularly keep tabs on accomplishments of students on campus, which include a variety of student success stories and tales of individuals overcoming adversity.

“It’s a great way to talk about students and their success,” she said.

Fluge-Brunker says the department regularly keeps contact with local newspapers in order to promote the college’s community and get more individuals involved.

Under Stowell’s fresh leadership, the department of Institutional Advancement has a bright future. Like every project in life, Stowell says there’s always room for improvement.

“It makes sense to strive for the best,” said Stowell. “When you’re looking to be the best, you’ll stretch out further.”

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At a Glance...



Contacts:
Lori Fluge-Brunker, Publications Assistant
College Advancement, College Center 109
(541)917-4410
E-mail: flugebl@linnbenton.edu



Joe Sherlock, Manager of Publications and Web
E-mail: joe.sherlock@linnbenton.edu

LBCC News Blog
LBCC Facebook
LBCC Twitter

• Dale Stowell is a former LBCC student, who first attended in 1977. He was on the commuter staff during the '77-'78 year and served as the editor in chief during the '78-'79 school year. Stowell succeeds Marlene Propst as the executive director of Institutional Advancement.

• The department of Institutional Advancement is located in Calapooia Center near the administrative offices on the first floor.

• Lori Fluge-Brunker manages many of the college's press releases. Joe Sherlock is responsible for overseeing production of course catalogs and on-campus flyers. He also manages web services and publications.