It Is What It Is

"Curiouser and curiouser"

2010-03-08T22:48:00.000-08:00

At A Glance:
What: Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Directed by: Tim Burton
Where: Most theaters
When: Showtimes

The newest version of “Alice in Wonderland” directed by Tim Burton is now in theaters and I’m sure most are wondering if it’s going to be anything like the older versions. Burton’s version is less like the Disney classic and more like “Through the Looking Glass, And What Alice Found There” which is another book by Lewis Carroll.

There have been 24 different television and movie adaptations since the book was released in 1865. They have come in several different forms from silent films to musicals. Burton puts his own gory and slightly twisted perspective into his work on this film. Not that it would be hard to twist and dement the story of “Alice in Wonderland.”

The original 1951 Disney classic was nominated for a Golden Lion award in 1951 and an Oscar for best music in 1952. So far the new version has grossed $116 million in its opening weekend and has been held to very high expectations. I believe that the movie will be nominated for some kind of award whether it’s another Oscar or a different award.

The movies animation was impeccable and flowed very well. However, I felt that some parts strayed away from both books. There is no talk about a white queen in either of them and the Queen of Hearts always had a King. Not saying that it’s a bad thing to change things up a bit but there are something that people expect to see and neither of those are in those expectations.

I never like to be one of those people who gives away the best parts or anything but as a fan of the Disney classic I felt that this version was a breath of fresh air being that it is very unique and not as run of the mill as all the others. I recommend seeing it and make sure if you do you see it in 3D.

Toyota Recall

2010-03-02T22:22:00.000-08:00

At A Glance:
Who: Thelma Jacoby
What: Toyota recall
When: Jan. 2010
Where: Salem, Ore.
Conflict: To buy or not to buy

As I'm sure most have heard, there have been quite a few recalls on several different Toyota models. This has consumers and the Toyota Company unsure about the future of Toyota cars. There are 12 different models that have been recalled and they are ranging in years from 2004 - 2010 which is an estimated six million cars.This issue may only seem to effect Toyota drivers but it can also effect those driving near the defective vehicle. Toyota has always been a leading car company that makes "high-quality, durable vehicles" says Jim Lentz, President and Chief Operating Officer, at Toyota in an apology video.

Thelma Jacoby is one consumer who is rethinking the possibility of buying a new Toyota. She has been wanting to trade in her Honda for a newer Toyota model. She already owns a Toyota Echo and says she loves the way that it drives.

When Jacoby first heard about the recall she didn't seem bothered by it and thought nothing of it. However once they started recalling more and more models it got her attention. "I didn't want to be driving a car with a sticking accelerator." However, you can go in to any Toyota dealership and have them take a look and fix your car if needed or you can go to their websites VIN checker and see if there is any information about your vehicle.

The reason she wanted to get a new Toyota in the first place is because of how well her older model is running and all the good things about it. She shares "they have really big trunks and have a lot of room, which is good for when we go on long camping trips." Jacoby also notes that she likes that they sit lower to the ground, which makes them easier for her to get in and out of.

After hearing about the recall Jacoby started to rethink getting a Toyota. She is still leaning more towards getting one but they recalls have definitely limited her choices about which models to pick from.

She is hoping that they can fix all the problems quickly so that within the next few years she can buy another Toyota. However, if the recalls continue to happen she might have to change her choices and start looking at another Honda or a Subaru.

Matthew Hall

2010-02-21T22:59:00.000-08:00

At A Glance:

Who: Matt Hall

Where: Salem, Ore.

What: Student at WOU

Bands: Hollie Pollock, The Volks, & Bottle Rocket

Enjoys: Hanging out with friends and playing music

When you first take a look at Matthew Hall he seems like your average every day guy, which he is, but he also balances being a full time student, work, and being in three bands with ease.

He was born in Edmonds, Wash., which is about 25 minutes away from Seattle. He moved to Oregon and graduated from Sprague High School. Hall is currently a student at Western Oregon University majoring in education emphasizing in history. While at school he mostly enjoys film and theater focused classes.

In his free time, Hall likes to play basketball and badminton and hanging out with his friends and family. He is very easy to get along with being that he is a very open person. From his body language to the way that he chats with his friends you can tell that he isn't opposed to meeting new people and making new friends. Blake Ferrin a friend of Hall's said, “I like Matt mainly because we see eye to eye on a lot of things and he’s a good looking guy.”

Hall and Ferrin work together in a band entitled Bottle Rocket, which is also Hall’s favorite band to play in. Hall is also in two other bands, HolliePollock and The Volks. When writing music for any of the bands, Hall gets his inspiration from friends, family, and other bands. For the time being , his most focused band is HolliePollock because they were just signed to record and produce albums with Lucky Dog Records. Hall plays the bass in all three bands which helps show a little bit about his personality. He doesn't need to be the center of attention to have a good time.

He likes to shape himself after several different people, a few being Harold from Harold and Maude, Matt Sharp, David Bowie, and Jim from the Office. The character Harold is not the normal choice for someone to shape themselves after. In the movie he fakes his own death several times. Harold has fun faking his own death and going to funerals of those whom he doesn't really know. Not that Hall has tried to fake his own death for attention but I believe that the reason he would be fun to shape yourself after is simply because he lives his life to the fullest in an odd sense. He has fun with his life in a less normal way than most.

He hopes to in the future play in Europe or at the Miles Davis Hall during Montreux Jazz Festival. Hall feels as if music is what he was born to do and when he is on stage he just plays because he loves it. Ferrin also states that “Matt Hall is the Matt Sharp to my Rivers Cuomo.”

Restaurant Review

2010-01-25T11:19:00.000-08:00

P.F. Chang's at a glance:

What: China bistro
Where: 7463 S.W. Bridgeport Rd Tigard, OR 97224
Hours: Sun. - Thurs. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Fri. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Phone: (503)-430-3020
Pros: Great dining enviornment
Cons: Should always come with 3 or more people.

If you enjoy dining with cute center pieces and in a classy and tasteful atmosphere you should definitely check out P.F. Chang's. This restaurant is conveniently located in the Bridgeport Village shopping center. Bridgeport is just off of I-5 north right off of the Lake Oswego/Durham exit. It is probably, for most, very different from your regular dining experiences being that it is a little more upscale than most. Their claim to fame seems to be their delicious lettuce wraps as well as how they take seemingly simple dishes and turn them in to something elegant, fun, and enticing.

When you first walk in you notice the dim lighting, quaint tables, and a tantalizing smell of steamed rice and sauteed meats. Some of the tables are pretty secluded while others are more out towards the center of the restaurant. With the way the tables are placed you'd think they are way to close and you will be able to over hear everyone's conversations. However, they are placed in a way that you may be a little close to other people but they have the lighting designed as if your in your own little bubble.

The staff is really polite and the atmosphere seems really informal, which is always nice when your trying to relax and have a good time with friends or family. The waiters treat you as if you've met before and will know the answers to most of your menu questions.The staff dress' in all black and the waiters are mostly in pants and loose fitting tee shirts while the hostess' dress in skirts and button up shirts. Everyone is really helpful and all have smiles on their faces when they are serving, taking orders, or helping you to your table.

They have a varied menu that has things from Mongolian beef to lemon honey chicken. They don't have a lot of single meals so it's easier if you go with a few people. The waiters bring each person a plate and your food and you dish up your own food, that way you can decide how much you want to eat which is a big help with those worried about portion control. The average meal consisting of 3 entrees, drinks, and dessert will run around $60. Which is a little on the expensive side but the portions are enough to feed about 3 or 4 people.

In addition their dessert menu has quite a few options including shot glass desserts and a six layer cake called the Great Wall of Chocolate. Instead of having a normal, boring, regular paper dessert menu, they bring out a dessert try which features all the desserts, made out of life like plastic, that show you in better detail how big the dessert is and what it's going to look like.

However, there are some cons about dining at this restaurant. One of which is the long wait to get in. Sometimes the wait to get a table is close to an hour, but their pagers work all though-out the mall that way you can put your name on the list and then go and get your shopping done. It's better to check the wait time, put your name down, and go out and shop.

Another con of the restaurant is that around dinner time the place can get pretty busy and very loud. It's not that you can't hear the other people at your table but there is a lot of background noise including music that could put a hinder on your hearing abilities.

Even though there are some cons, this is still an amazing place to eat and everyone should try it at least once in their lives.

Another close location is 124 Coburg Rd. Eugene, OR 97401.

Parking Problems

2010-01-15T22:56:00.000-08:00

At A Glance

Who: LBCC students

What: Parking problems

Where: In LBCC lots

Why: LBCC overcrowding

As you’ve probably already encountered, there is a pretty big problem with the parking situation and Linn Benton. We are all aware that the reason for the parking problem is the fact that LB is reaching max capacity.

Most of the time you can barely find a spot, and when you finally do, it’s the spot all the way at the very end in the back corner. Then after spending all that time finding the spot you have to almost run to make it to class on time.

“It can take up to about 10 minutes to find a spot,” states Chris Osborne, a student at LB, “You just have to keep driving around until you find someone who is leaving.” For most students, its also a waste of gas. Osborne adds, “ There have been some days where I would rather just go home then wasting my time and gas waiting for a place to park.”

Still it seems that not all students seem to have this problem. Donna Chavez, another student at LB, remarked, “I have classes around the time that everyone starts leaving so it only takes me five minutes at most to find a spot to park.”

When asked how we can solve this problem, the response was unanimous. Leeanna Barton explained to me how she believes we need a new parking lot. “ We should either build another parking lot or make everyone have a certain areas where they are allowed to park.”

However, with these changes LB might run into more parking problems. For a quick fix to try to solve the problem Barton continues, “ I just try to make sure that I always get to school early so that I have time to look for a spot.”

For the time being, we are all just going to have to deal with the problem until LB decides to make it a priority for students to have more parking spaces.

Rewrite

2009-12-01T21:27:00.000-08:00

As of February 1st, 2010, Linn-Benton Community College will have a new president. According to LBCC news, Gregory J. Hamann will take over for retiring president Rita Cavin.

Hamann has a very qualified background as far as his education. He has attended many schools including Gonzaga University where he got his doctorate in educational leadership, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where he received his masters in counseling psychology, as well as University of Minnesota for a bachelor's in psychology and social studies.

He also has great qualifications from his previous jobs. His most recent job includes serving as the president of Clatsop Community College. In addition he was dean of admissions at Northwest College and worked for 12 years in student services and administration at Whitworth College.

In LBCC's search for a new president, members of LBCC Board of Educations Richard Running, Ron Mason, and others went to see Hamann at Clatsop Community College. They board is overjoyed that Hamann has decided to take the job.

Follow up stories: How is he doing as president? What changes has he made or will he be making in the future?

WHAM Meeting

2009-11-16T14:41:00.001-08:00

Last week Marquis Spas had their monthly W.H.A.M meeting at the warehouse in Independence, Oregon. It was a meeting to go over What’s Happening At Marquis (WHAM). The meeting lasted about 30 minutes in which several members of Marquis talked about the different things that were going on. The meeting main objective is to get everyone in the factory on the same page.

Marquis has not been doing very well because of lack of sales since the economy went down hill. Also this is the off season for them and the company is just "trying to keep their heads above water until summer rolls around again." commented Mike Oravetz However, they are starting to bring their numbers back up and trying to conserve as much money and supplies as possible.

First to speak was Oravetz, and he just welcomed everyone and said what the meeting was going to be about. Next was Wes Prindel who discussed the financial numbers and showed how the company was doing as a whole with selling spas. Tony Gonzales went over the quality control and congratulated everyone on "having half as many defects as they did last month." Next birthdays and anniversary reminders were presented by Dave Leclerc.

Lastly Cheryl Porter told everyone about the Marquis sponsorships. "We are going to be having a tree with about 50 kid’s names on it that won’t be able to have Christmas this year." She asked that whom ever has a little extra money to buy a gift for a child. Also she talked about the office Christmas party and what everyone needed to bring.

The meeting was really important for all the people at the company. It helped to point out what the company needed to work on both as a whole and individually. I believe that having it all laid out and compared to prior months helps show everyone how the company is doing. The meeting wasn’t really formal just a little something in the middle of the workday. Everyone in the office and warehouse attended and helped with input.

"Smoke 'em if you got 'em"

2009-11-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

Legalizing marijuana? Is it closer than we think? According to last weeks Commuter story "Smoke 'em if you got 'em" by Adam LaMascus, the California legislature are having meetings debating whether or not to legalize marijuana. In this story you will find that it helps point out different drug topics that are being discussed in other states.

While reading this story, there were a lot of easy to follow money facts. One of which was "Tax officials estimate legalizing and taxing cannabis could bring in an additional $1.4 billion in revenues to the financially cramping state. I say go for it, and I don't even smoke." It's in plain English that everyone can understand.

Also, the LaMascus states that while in college he has seen the effects of both cannabis and alcohol. He points out that alcohol causes accidents and alters judgments, which some legalization prohibitionists believe marijuana will do as well. However if alcohol, which we know has those effects, is legal then why isn't cannabis when we don't know the exact effects it will have on citizens?

LaMascus also brings up Harry J. Anslinger who opposes the legalization of marijuana. Anslinger says that cannabis will cause accidents and make people under the influence become angry. I really like the fact that the story tells little bits of each side. It gives the reader a chance to decide for themselves whether or not to go with the choices of legalization.

I really enjoyed reading this article because it helps to show you the facts on legalization and what both sides are thinking and fighting about rather than just showing to pros and it gives everyone the chance to make their own choice about which side to be on. LaMascus uses money facts and the topics that are still being debated to help give the reader information on legalization. Also all the facts about the presidents and marijuana use from the past lets you in on the fact that not everyone has been against it and not everyone will be against it.

News Reporting

2009-11-12T12:24:00.000-08:00

When I first came into the news reporting class, I didn’t really know what to think. However, after the first few days I knew it would be one of my favorite classes. It’s taught by Rob Priewe, and he really lets you be yourself. So if you’re into writing this is a great class to take.

So far in the class I’ve learned that there are so many different ways of writing a story. You don’t have to stick with one specific style. You can choose one that fits your story best. I’ve also learned that not everyone is going to cover a news story the same way. It’s okay to do things your own way as long as you get the coverage that you need. One of the other things that I learned was on one of the first days of class. Less is more. This is probably one of the best rules I learned. Its helps to cut the rambling and just makes your stories easier to read.

I like the fact that Rob really allows us to talk about what we think about the stories and he actually takes in what we think. It’s really nice to be able to express what I have to say and also listen to what other people are thinking as well. Everyone in the class gets the chance to express their own individual writing styles and give feedback to you and show you something you may have never noticed before. The only reason I really took this class was to just get a feel for reporting stories, and I never thought I’d learn so much. News reporting has really helped me grow as a writer and that then helped me in some of my other classes.

Tara Lee Profile

2009-11-04T10:59:00.000-08:00

Has there ever been someone in your life that really influenced you? Maybe more than you realized at the time? Well for me, that person was Tara Lee. She really helped me grow as a person and, in some ways, prepared me for college.

She is 33 years old and a theater teacher at Sprague High School. Lee started out at George Fox as a pre-law pre-med major but switched to majoring in education after she realized that her true love was, and always had been for education. Lee started out as an elementary school teacher and then moved around from grade to grade.

One day she was counseling at a church camp when she got an unusual call for a job offer from the Salem-Kiezer school district to be the new high school theater teacher at Sprague. Lee asked, “are you sure? I’m just an elementary school teacher.” Even though she thought she would be unqualified, she went to the interview.

During the interview she was telling a story about one of her students and the principal started to cry because of the way Lee descirbed her connection with her students. As she left the interview office, she was pretty sure she wasn’t going to get the job. Once they called her back, she was a little skeptical but decided to take the job. “It was so weird and out of the ordinary I knew that I had to pay attention to it.”

Now that Lee is the theater director at Sprague she handles all of the productions. Her favorite thing about directing is the progression and growth and seeing all of it come together right in front of her.

In addition, she doesn’t like that she’s always flying solo. She doesn’t want to bring any parents into it because “they muddy the water.” The stress is also a problem when it comes to directing by yourself. Mainly because it’s all on you, if you mess up everyone looks at you. Also, It's hard to be so close to your students and not be able to have all of them in your show.

One of the things I enjoyed most about having Lee as a teacher, was the way she connected with her students. She’s really passionate about them and even though she’s never had kids, she feels like she’s had hundreds. “I’ve learned a lot from just watching and observing.”

One of her former students, Brent Duford, commented "I liked how she could be official, and disciplinary like a good teacher, but also be so very casual and conversational at the same time." While she's directing she actually gets on stage to help you understand what she's asking you to do.

Her teaching styles are very hands on and I believe that helps her connect with her students because they are shown what to do rather than just told. Another student of Lee's, Dani Potter, shared "she is so willing to help us. Like if we have a problem with anything, she is super helpful. from school to the future."

The next production the Lee is directing is Diviners and it is showing at Sprague High School November 12th - 14th and 19th – 21st at 7pm.

Standing Out in Business

2009-10-23T11:02:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had an idea that you thought was amazing and turns out it was actually the stupidest idea you've ever made? Well so has Seth Godin. Seth is a guiding light in new age marketing and in his speech about standing out, he shares his little secrets on how to make your adds sell better and make you more money.

Godin started off by talking about sliced bread, he stated that in the first 15 years no one really knew about it or what it was. Then once wonder bread came along they helped it spread. "Ideas that spread win" was the quote on many of the pictures he showed throughout his speech. The heart of spreading ideas is using the T.V. and media. This helps to get your idea to more people and also to try and get them to remember your product.

That bring us to the TV-industrial complex, which is the idea that if you buy ads which gets you more distribution, then the distribution help you sell more products, that makes you more profits to buy more adds. However, they have realized that over the last few years that same thought process and way of working is no longer working. One reason why that is, is because consumers "have way more choices than they used to and way less time."

Seth goes on to say that they things that are going to sell are things that are remarkable. It used to be that companies were making average products for average people and just going for the center, but now we should instead market to the innovators and early adopters because they care "and if your lucky they'll tell their friends and it will spread through the curve."

A Well Matched Game

2009-10-14T11:33:00.001-07:00

At A Glance:
Who: Sprague volleyball team
What: Game versus North Salem
When: Tuesday October 20, 2009
Where: Sprague High School
Why: Game play
Next Game: OSAA playoffs 2nd round @ 7:00 against Canby
Results: Sprague won
Scores: 14-25, 13-25, 22-25

Tuesday October 20, 2009 the Sprague Olympians varsity volleyball team took on the North Salem Vikings. Each match was incredibly close but Sprague ended up taking home the win due to thier impeccable teamwork. This win helped Sprague move closer to getting into the playoffs. Both teams fought incredibly hard and worked together till the very end and both skill levels were equally matched. Sprague's 2009 varsity team has a record so far of 9-1. North seemed a little psyched out seeing as Sprague was last years Central Valley Conference winners. The entire game kept you on the edge. It makes your heart race and your body clinches, you can only imagine how the players were feeling. With every hit the crowd would watch intently hoping their team would get it over and score the point.

Despite North’s effort, Sprague over took them winning three out of five games. The girls worked together really well and came together as a team, which was one of the main factors that helped them win. Some of the top players of this game were Kaleigh Nelson and Emily Oslie, both seniors at sprague, had some amazing blocks against the other team.

After the game Jessie Wright, one of Sprague’s assistant coaches and a player on last year's varsity team, told me that in order to win the next game “the girls need to communicate better and be more confident in themselves and in their skills.” The team didn’t talk very much or even very loud and that’s when they started making mistakes because some of the team didn’t know what was going on.

Saydie Leach, a former student at Sprague, shared with me that some of the teams strengths were that they helped each other out “if one girl messed up or didn’t get where they needed to be another one was there to step up and get the ball over the net.” She really enjoyed that the teams were so evenly matched. “Those games are the best because you never know what’s going to happen.”

Another crowd member was Kayla Kiger, a freshman and Chemeketa and also a former student at Sprague. She told me that she “watched a lot of games last year and this year's team really needs to work on their blocking.” She also added that the girls fell into the net a lot and need to work on digging the ball out. Although Sprague did win they have a few things that they need to work on if the want to continue on a winning streak. Wright also shared that she loves “watching the girls play because they have fun and such enthusiasm.” I’d have to say I agree, these girls play hard and leave their hearts on the court. If you enjoy watching a well matched game, go to the next Sprague game which is the 2nd round of the OSAA playoff's at 7:00pm against Canby @ Canby.

An Interview With Linda Taylor

2009-10-09T11:40:00.000-07:00

On Friday, October 9th, 2009 I got the chance to sit down and chat with Ms. Linda Taylor. Linda is a student here at LBCC who has ambitions to become a political writer. She grew up about 8 miles west of Sweet Home in a city called Crawfordville, Oregon. "I loved being in the country and hiking and horse back riding." Linda shared with me that she is going to be a grandma this coming January. "It's my first grand child" she added and its going to be a baby girl. While chatting with her she seemed to have a lot of hope that he family will live happy lives and be able to have bright futures. She really hopes her son gets engaged and has more grand kids for her. Linda commented that one person she'd love to meet is John Cougar Mellencamp "I have collected all his Cd's and love listening to his music". Also if Linda could go on one game show, she decided she'd want to go on Name That Tune. It was really awesome to be able to sit down and talk with her. She seems to have a lot of neat stories to share, so if you ever get the chance, maybe ask her to share a few. I'm sure she'd be delighted.

Crammed Classes

2009-10-05T11:13:00.000-07:00

At a Glance:
Who: LBCC staff and students
What: Crammed classes
When: Fall term 2009
Where: LBCC
Why: Staff lay-offs and student increase

This year students are finding it hard to get into the classes they need due to the increase in students at LBCC. The staff at LBCC is doing everything within their power to help students get into classes, even if it means denying cost of living increases and cramming more students in their classrooms. After talking with Peter Jensen, an English teacher here at LB, he said it’s the worst year he’s seen in his career “this years staff voted to give up cost of living increase to save the jobs of other teachers.” With such a huge increase in students and a major decrease in staff members it’s hard to accommodate all the students. Most people seem hopeful and think that this problem won’t last long. Freshman Courtney Hogan commented “I’m sure over time things will get better and that they will create more classes.” In addition Jensen thinks it will take awhile but we will get out of it.

I chatted with Danny Aynes of Enrollment Services to see what his thoughts were. He shared that there a lot of older students this year “so many are coming back and trying to start fresh, they are starting lower so they can get a better degree.” Seeing as that’s the case most of the developmental classes such as writing, reading, and math are filling up the quickest. Also Aynes says that the most important classes are study skills and time management.

I’ve noticed that there are a lot of mixed feelings about waitlists as well. Freshman Hogan states, “I’m not on any of them, but for anyone who is it’s probably really frustrating to just sit and wait.” Aynes told me that the waitlist are limited by technology and it could be better. He also adds “the staff wants kids in class, even if you’re on the waitlist try and get in.” If you show up and you’re on the waitlist, most of the staff will let more students take the class. However thats not always the case, Jensen commented “some classes I may add two or more but others like writing 227 there are only 25 computers so we can only allow 25 students.”

In addition there are some class alternatives for a few classes. If your not an English major you can take any introduction class, but with writing classes your stuck with what you have to take and may have to put it off till next term. Also if you don’t get the classes you need this term just make sure to look into early sign ups for next term. The staff wants to see you finish here rather than some where else, so show up even if your wait listed. Although it may not be available to you now if your a first term student just know that you can sign up early later on when it’s more crucial for you to get you credits and graduate.

If you have any questions or are looking for more information, you can either call the LBCC Admissions office at (541) 917 4822 or email Danny Aynes in Enrollment Services at aynesd@linnbenton.edu