the Current Issue ()

Soccer Shots
page 11
Art Club helps community
page 7
TheEBBTIDE
The student news Journal of shoreline Community College n www.shoreline.edu/ebbtide n volume 43, issue 2 n October 19 – november 1, 2007
Students get heated over
smoking shelter relocation
photo by Lindsay Ginn
Students stand in what remains of the previous shelter in protest of its removal.
By Lindsay Ginn
A&E Editor
S
tudents were startled last week when they headed towards the
smoking shelter between the 1700 and 1800 buildings to find that
it had gone missing. Facilities relocated the popular smoking shelter
across the street along the path to the parking lots and lower 2000
(VCT) building, right behind the daycare drop-off parking area.
However, the students who were loyal to the “smoke shack” have
decided to not move their between-class hangout to the “new” shelter, having been insulted by the unannounced transplant as well as the
message they felt was sent by the administration. Demonstrating their
outrage, students are bringing lawn chairs and desks. They also tried
to put up a tarp to protect them from the impending fall weather.
One of the many complaints from that shelter’s inhabitants is that
they feel segregated from the rest of the campus population. “It’s like
they’re trying to push us off campus,” one student says. With tobacco
still remaining a legal substance, students are feeling as though the
administration is embarrassed to have them. Pat Higby, a tutor in the
Math Learning Center says. “A lot of these kids are fulltime students;
they pay tuition just like everyone else. We shouldn’t have to hide from
people in the other shelter just because we smoke.” These feelings have
been punctuated since a row of trees were planted between the new
shelter and the street, hiding occupants from view.
Another heavy gripe from the ousted group of smokers is the proximity of the new shelter to the day care drop off. “Little kids are going
to be even closer to the cigarette smoke now,” one CEO student remarked. However, the old location of the shelter was on the same path
as the children’s daily walking route.
The Facilities Department was more than willing to offer up some
answers to the students’ questions. Randy Stegmeier, the Executive
Director of Campus Facilities, has been receiving complaints about
the noise from faculty members for quite a while now. “In the sum-
mertime,” Stegmeier says, “the instructors want to open their doors
but they can’t because of all the activity and noise (at the old shelter
location).” By moving the shelter, the noise pollution generated at that
shelter is dampened and the two benches inside the shelter offer ample
opportunities to socialize. “We don’t want to make this a fight. We
have provided a place for them to go. We’re trying to be as accommodating as possible.”
Currently, the administration is trying to update the Washington
Administrator’s Code (WAC), as the current WAC does not allow citations to be given for smoking outside the shelters. The revised WAC
was submitted to Olympia last year and has not yet been passed for
pending approval. “We definitely plan on following up on the new WAC
and seeing it through” says Stegmeier. “We don’t want to issue citations, but we do want a code that reflects our policies on campus.”
Stuart Trippel, acting as Vice President of Administrative Services,
was also eager to hear student feedback. “We should always find ways
people can coexist,” he says. Trippel pointed out that the administration doesn’t necessarily need to supply areas for students to smoke.
“I believe that if we conducted a vote right now, this campus would be
voted a non-smoking campus.”
Stegmeier and Trippel’s security and facilities team has been receiving a lot of disrespect from the protesting smokers. When the students are asked to smoke within the proximity of a designated shelter,
they refuse and stay put as a sign of the seemingly offensive nature of
the move. Trippel points out that they merely relocated the shelter,
instead of eliminating it, as complaining faculty would have preferred.
“However, if this persists,” he says, “we may be forced to close that
shelter.”
The cost of building the shelters, as well as the relocation of the
structures, definitely adds up and comes directly out of the Facilities
Department’s budget. But for now, the relocated shelter is the designated smoking area replacing the one previously located between the
1700 and 1800 buildings.
index n news 1–2 n opinions 3 n features 4–5 n a&E 6-8 n technology 9 n sports 10–11 n etcetera 12
Furniture
plans
produce
conflict
By Janelle Kohnert
Staff Writer
Over the past two years,
$138,000 has been set aside from
student tuition and fees and put
into the SS&A account to pay for
furniture that would fill the new
PUB this December.
Furniture was supposed to
be ordered by the company K.I.
and SCC administration by October 16 so that it would arrive in
time for the opening of the PUB
in December. Several meetings
have already been held between
the administration and K.I. to
discuss the furniture and layout
of that furniture. Students in the
SBA were invited to the meetings, but since they occurred
between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., only
four representatives were able to
make it to one meeting, and then
only for 30 minutes.
At this meeting, the few SBA
members who attended were
shown furniture and a layout that
was chosen for them, as opposed
to being asked what furniture
they were interested in or where
that furniture would go.
The senate has to approve
the movement of money out of
the SS&A account to pay for the
PUB’s furniture, but the lack of
communication between SCC
administration and the SBA
has pushed them to freeze the
$138,000 in the account.
Members of the SBA have met
with the administration on October 15 and are calling in a representative from the college to
answer the SBA’s questions at a
student government meeting on
October 17.
Because of these meetings and
the frozen state of the money in
the SS&A account, it is probable
that the furniture for the PUB
will be ordered after October 16.
It’s possible that when the PUB
opens, there will be nowhere to
sit, eat or study, although the furniture could still arrive in time
for the start of the winter quarter. SBA president Ivanhoe said,
“If we didn’t have the furniture
by the time we started, I feel like
we’d still have the furniture we
have for the time being. I would
hesitate to rush this decision.”
Furniture for the PUB was
originally included in the $15
million loan that was taken by
SCC to build the PUB. Currently, hallways, conference rooms
and student lounges are the areas in most dire need of being
furnished, while the SBA offices,
Women’s center, Multimedia center and Ebbtide offices are lower
on the list, since it is possible for
most of these organizations to
use the furniture they currently
have. The International Program area of the PUB is last on
the list of furniture in dire need,
since they are already state and
tuition funded.
NEWS
Red Wagon leads the way off campus
by Jonathan Lavigne
Editor in Chief
Outgoing Calls
For the few who haven’t purchased a
cell phone yet, placing a call off-campus
will get slightly more complicated. Certain
pay phones that are generating less than
$15 a month will be removed in the course
of the next six weeks. The phones located
in or around the 3000 (gym), 2700, 1700,
2100 and 800 (music) buildings will disappear, but cell-phone-a-phobes can still
shell out 50 cents at the 1300 building on
the outside east wall in the 2000 building
downstairs and outside the 5000 building
on the second floor.
Who you gonna call?
Sometimes things get out of hand.
Someone is following you around, you see
someone breaking into you car or something is happening. Rather than risking
you safety by taking things into your own
hands, let the professionals deal with it
and call campus security. To reach security, dial (206) 546-4499 or (206)
235-5860. Safety escorts are also available for students who stay on campus for
evening classes.
Steak for Nurses
The SCCANS (Shoreline Community College Association of Nursing Students) will
be hosting their annual fundraiser lunch
at the Outback Steakhouse on October
21 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. For $15, you
get an appetizer, main course and dessert.
Funds raised will be used to support the
club in their annual community activities
amongst other things. There is no need to
purchase tickets in advance - they will be
available at the door. Come to get a taste
of their onion bloom.
Zero Emission open house
Ever take a look in the back parking lot?
Overlooking the 1800 building, taking up
many valued parking spaces lies a house
like very few: the Zero Emission House.
Tours of the often-misunderstood structure will be offered from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
on Saturdays, beginning October 20 and
on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.,
beginning October 24 from Construction
Manager Brian Mast.
The house was designed and built by architecture, interior design and engineering
students at Washington State University.
The building will serve as the home of the
Northwest Solar Center and will serve as
“a demonstration” test facility to support
environmental sustainability in the Puget
Sound” according to a recent press release.
For more information on the Zero Emission House, please visit:
http://www.shoreline.edu/zeh/ or call
(206) 280-8167.
Student and staff alike will
need to start finding alternative
means of getting food as the Red
Wagon Food Cart is wheeled off
campus on October 18.
The closing came as a surprise to many. “I had no prior
knowledge about this either,”
said SBA president Ivanhoe. The
news which so far has only been
released on Day-at-a-Glance
(DAAG) is slowly making its way
to students as well, “When I tried
to get food there yesterday, they
told me that the grill was closed,”
said a Phil R. “I really didn’t want
to have to eat tacos... again.”
The demise of the Red Wagon
on campus does not imply the beginning of a famine. Students will
still have the Taco Truck, which
will remain open until the end of
the quarter. At that point, they
will relocate when the PUB reopens for the winter quarter with
a new food service supplier that
will be providing food for campus
denizens.
Whidbey’s Coffee shacks,
which will also be departing our
campus at the end of the quarter, currently serve snack foods,
which accompany their coffee
nicely.
The student lounge will continue providing food in the vending machines, which can then be
reheated in microwave ovens that
are provided on the premises. “I
like coming here because it’s cold
outside,” said Kim Li, a first year
student. You can always drop by
the bookstore for a quick pickme-up. They have a wide selection of energy drinks and water.
For students with longer periods between classes, there is
always the shuttle to Central
Market that runs approximately
every 15 minutes from 11 a.m.
to 1:25 p.m. each day. Edible options include Mexican, Chinese
and pizza, among other means of
nourishment.
The last remaining option is
to simply bring your own lunch.
Brown bagging it may possibly
be the healthiest option. As campus becomes unable to provide a
healthy alternative, students will
be left to fend for themselves unless they are prepared to leave
campus to get their nourishment.
Will the lack of food and proper
facilities make things even more
difficult for the administration as
they try and retain currently enrolled students?
“Why even bother staying
on campus? There’s nowhere to
hang out anyway. When I have
a 3-hour break between classes,
it’s just easier going back home,”
said Jason W., a 2 nd-year student.
“Sometimes, I don’t even bother
coming back.”
Outside Agency Assist
Aid Call
Vandalism
Aid Call
September 1, midnight
September 12, 8:15 a.m.
September 27, 8:30 a.m.
October 8, 10:09 a.m.
A Security Officer contacted police
when he found a stolen vehicle on
campus. The vehicle had been stolen
from Everett.
An employee was injured on the job.
Several of the Automotive Program
vehicles were damaged. A report was
filed with Shoreline Police.
Medics were called for a student who
was ill.
Theft
August 30 - September 5, time unknown
Items were stolen from an office in
the 5000 building.
photo by Dennie Chong
Red Wagon food cart rolls off campus October 18.
Suspicious Person
Criminal Trespass
September 24, 1:30 p.m.
A student witnessed an interaction between a male and female on campus.
It appeared as if the female was very
uncomfortable with the interaction.
Aid Call
October 9, 12:10 p.m.
October 1, 12:45 p.m.
Medics were called for an employee
who was ill.
Shoreline Police were contacted, and
an individual suspected of criminal
activity on campus was trespassed.
Hit-and-Run
Harassment
Theft
Vandalism
September 26, 1 p.m.
October 3, 5:30 p.m.
October 9, 1 p.m.
September 5, 2 p.m.
A vehicle was hit and damaged in
the Visitor Lot. There were no known
witnesses.
A student reported a verbal confrontation that happened on campus.
A student reported that his backpack
was stolen out of the bookstore.
A car was vandalized in the parking
lot.
Breaking
the silence
By Lindsay Ginn
A&E Editor
T
his quarter, the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance
(FMLA), a student club on campus, and the Women’s
Center are reviving one of Shoreline’s most evocative and
personal exhibitions: The Clothesline Project.
This display is comprised of color-coded t-shirts bearing
messages of hope and experience from survivors of violence
against women. These decorated garments symbolize the
strong stance that women are taking against abuse, as well as
the rally of support from friends and loved ones as they hang
side-by-side on a clothesline. Founded in Cape Cod, MA in
1990, The Clothesline Project began as a source of education
and support for abused women. Over the years, word of the
project has spread wide enough for us to be able to have our
very own chapter here at SCC.
This display of feminine power can be seen at the Multicultural and Women’s Center from October 29 to November 2.
2 n THE EBBTIDe n october 19 – november 1, 2007
Ask your questions here
SBA announces open press conferences.
By Dennie Chong
Photo Editor
AND Vivian Luu
Copy Editor
The SCC Student Body Association (SBA) is holding open
“press conferences” for students,
faculty and administration members. The goal of the SBA is to inform the SCC community of their
activities and to receive feedback
about their decisions.
“Our goal is transparency and
accessibility,” says Ivanhoe, SBA
President.
Although the format is currently flexible, they will always try to
have a question-and-answer ses-
sion that is open to all. Participation is encouraged because the
conferences were established to
provide SCC with the most upto-date information on SBA activities. The SBA is attempting
to facilitate more interaction between the student government,
its affiliates and the SCC community in order to improve their
representation of SCC students.
“If you’re asking questions,
the best place to do it is the press
conference or the student government office. It depends how
much confidentiality the student
(or faculty or administration
member) wants to have,” says
Ivanhoe. “It’s a really good op-
portunity for students to ask us
general questions in a more informal setting than the senate
and executive board meetings.”
SBA
Press Conferences
Room 1508 at 1–2 pm
Monday, October 22nd
Monday, November 5th
Monday, November 19th
Monday, December 3rd
OPINIONS
Parking opinions
on campus suck
By Wes Abney
Staff Writer
Photo by David Kasnic
Caption: Cars line up along side of Greenwood
St. just north of the greenwood parking lot on
friday, october 12. Shoreline police gave $20
parking tickets to every car.
I really hate every single opinion that complains about parking, traffic or the congestion
associated with going to Shoreline Community
College.
Is it really a surprise?
Honestly, if you didn’t know, then here you
go: parking sucks.
Going beyond this simple revelation, can
anyone offer a solution? Assuming not, it seems
to me that there are already options available
that bypass this problem.
There is a magical transportation system
known as the bus. Certain people are aware of
its existence, but those who whip by in cars are
blissfully unaware of their existence.
Beyond the need to break the control of a fossil fuel addiction, for $1.50 at most, a student can
take the bus to school without any problems.
Not your style?
Shuttles run continuously from the Sears
parking lot to the SCC campus, and they are
100% free. Showing up 15 minutes early and
taking a shuttle seems reasonable, compared
to waiting as long to park on campus. Trade
away time and take the shuttle, and your parking problems will be gone just as quickly.
Maybe this makes sense. Could it be that
there are other options beyond parking on
campus?
In the end, it only takes a will to get to class
on time and the patience to work with a college
in transition. Whichever way you choose to get
on campus, the anger with parking should be
left behind.
We all live with it, and it sucks. So deal with
it, go to class and remember that we choose to
be here.
TheEBBTIDE
Volume 43, Number 2
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JONATHAN LAVIGNE
DESIGN DIRECTOR
WILLIAM FANARAS
COPY EDITOR
VIVIAN LUU
A&E EDITOR
LINDSAY GINN
SPORTS EDITOR
LAVI AULCK
PHOTO EDITOR
DENNIE CHONG
WEBMASTER
SEAN MCCALLUM
BUSINESS MANAGER
WES ABNEY
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
AIMEE ZHANG
I’m no prize, but you look ridiculous
By SEAN MCCALLUM
Webmaster
I’m not big on contrived personal appearances. I can appreciate
good-looking people as much as
anyone else, but it seems pointless
to me when people spend hours on
hair, makeup or large chunks of
money on clothes and jewelry.
I understand the concept of status symbols, but to me, “status”
pales in comparison to real personal development. I also understand that many people use their
appearance to assist their self-image, and that someone putting all
kinds of effort into his or her looks
will most likely have nothing to do
with my opinion.
There are all kinds of reasons to
why people try so hard to look like
something greater than they are
when they wake up in the morning. I can accept that.
What I will never be able to
accept is any rationale for creating holes in one’s skin in order to
insert large pieces of unsightly
stainless steel. Seriously, what is
with body piercing?
Is it to look cool? If so, strike
one! You don’t look cool at all. You
look like Satan’s court jester. That
title might sound cool, but when
you get a look at the actual job
description, you’ll probably start
padlocking your belt shut and
sleeping with one eye open at all
times.
Is it a personal statement of individuality and a flip of the bird to
the man? If so, that would normally be strikes two and three, but
since the last one is a 3rd-strike
fowl (the bird, get it?), you get a
freebie. It would only be a statement of individuality if it hadn’t
been done to death since the early
90s, and the man is more than hap-
py with you for demolishing your
economic viability by looking like
a circus freak after a nailbomb
attack. There are few things that
the man likes better than the divide between haves and have-nots
getting wider on its own.
Is it supposed to be a sexual ornament or sexual enhancement? I
don’t care if I beaned the batter
on that one. It’s still strike three
and you’re out. I’ve never had a
problem with sexual performance,
but I’ll be damned if I could get it
up for anyone with a large facial
piercing or a body piercing. If the
most beautiful woman in the world
sent me her sex tape, I wouldn’t
even click on the thumbnail if I
thought I spied a belly button
ring. No way.
If you believe that having metal implants is somehow going to
make sex more pleasurable, you’re
doing it wrong.
FACULTY ADVISOR
PATTI JONES
STAFF
DANIEL BERMAN
LINDSAY GINN
DAVID KASNIC
JANELLE KOHNERT
JOE LOUIE
LACEY PENNER
SCOTT STILWELL
SPENCER WEINBENDER
ERIC YANG
JORDAN MCGILL
ANGELA DEBRUYN
DAN GAYLE
The Ebbtide is the official
student newspaper of Shoreline Community College (SCC).
Opinions published within do
not represent the views of the
Ebbtide staff or its representatives of SCC.
Photo by Lindsay Ginn
Necklace & nipple ring.
Visit
www.shoreline.edu/ebbtide
Missed an issue? Check out
The Ebbite’s website. All issues
are archived online.
Contact The Ebbtide:
Shoreline Community College
16101 Greenwood Ave N,
Room 1502
Shoreline, WA 98133
[email protected]
206-546-4730
BY ANGELA DE BRUYN
staff photographer
“What do you own that you would sell for the most money on eBay?”
Submissions from students,
faculty, staff and administration
are welcomed and highly encouraged. All articles, letters to
the editor, artwork and/or photographs must include the contributors name and phone number for verification. Submissions
are subject to editing for clarity
and content. Articles and letters
should be 350 or less. Art and
photography should be submitted as high resolution .tif files.
To advertise
For ad rates and file requirements contact Wes Abney at
[email protected] or
or206-546-4730.
Mike Tipton
“I don’t think I would sell anything.
EBay is evil.”
Nigel Goodridge
“I would sell my soul to save
someone else’s life!..on eBay.”
Jonathan Worthe
“I really do love her, but if i needed
the money probably my mom.”
Son Tran
“Umm...
I would sell... myself for money.”
Copyright © 2007
The Ebbtide
THE EBBTIDE n October 19 – november 1, 2007 n 3
FEATURES
Rachel David’s story
By Safwan Ahmed
contributing writer
“Melissa, I’m going to come kill
you tomorrow at 3 p.m.,” said Instructor Rachel David from the
front of the classroom to one of her
students, “I’m going to bring my
bazooka.”
David isn’t actually involved in
killing college students—she was
only making a point about self-defense laws in her Gender Violence
and Social Justice class.
David has been teaching Women’s Studies at Shoreline Community College since 1999. Her classes include Gender Violence and
Social Change, which is taught almost every quarter; Gender, Race
and Class; and Women of Power.
David says that much of her
interest in the subject came from
observing her mother. When David was 11 years old, her parents
got divorced. After that, David
watched her “change from primarily a wife and a mother into a
career woman.” David also points
out the differences between herself and her mother. When it came
to interacting with men, “She feels
the obligation to be nice,” says David, “I’m definitely not like that.”
David grew up in Palo Alto, California and attended UC Berkeley,
where she studied sociology and
formed her interests in human behavior, especially in what she calls
“social construction of knowledge.”
During her time at Berkeley,
David also became interested in
environmental law. In 1992, she
moved to Seattle to attend law
school at the University of Washington.
While attending the
University of Washington, David
switched gears and began to focus
on discrimination law. “I realized
that environmental law is really
boring,” said David.
David graduated from the UW
with a law degree in 1995. From
1996 to 1999 she worked as the
Legal Advocate for Seattle Rape
Relief, a non-profit organization.
During that time, she was involved in lecturing police officers
and other groups about rape and
gender issues.
While working at Seattle Rape
Relief, David also did a great
deal of volunteer work. She was
involved in the “Sexual Minority
Advisory Council,” which advocated an awareness of sexual minorities such as homosexual and
transgender individuals.
David said that the council gave
advice to police departments, especially in the area of transgender issues. “Sometimes the police
would pull a person over, and the
information on their license didn’t
match up with the person driving,” said David.
At the time, the chief of police
was Norm Stamper. David describes him as an individual who
was sensitive to the rights of minority groups. In fact, Stamper
released a book, “Breaking Rank:
A Top Cop’s Exposé of the Dark
Side of American Policing in
2005,” which addresses the unfair
treatment of women and minorities by the police.
It was David’s experience in
teaching police officers at Seattle
Rape Relief, she said, that brought
her to teaching in a classroom.
David said that her experience in
law helps her teaching by helping
her to think in a structured manner. However, she pointed out
that in courtroom cases, there
is always a winner and a loser;
whereas her teaching is not oriented toward right and wrong. In
fact, David said that “there is no
right answer.”
In class, David presents an environment of open communication. Throughout her gender violence class, student input took up
a large portion of class time, and
several of her students were communicative about their own personal experiences. One woman
in the class described her experiences with sexual abuse in astonishing detail.
Another student’s mouth hung
open and several others whispered
to one another when David presented the fact that in 1970, there
were only two battered women’s
shelters in the entire country.
Out of at least twenty students
present, only two were male.
David explained to her students
that in domestic abuse cases, male
offenders usually serve lighter
sentences than their female counterparts. A student asked, “How
do they get away with that?”
According to David, the class
is aimed at giving students a better awareness of the issues that
plague our society today and to
help female students become more
Photo by Daniel Berman
Woman’s Studies Instructor stands in front of the world.
assertive.. She says that many
students ended relationships either during or after her class
when they realized the extent of
the abuse that they were unjustly
tolerating.
David explains that she has no
intention of leaving SCC for a long
time. “I love it here,” she says.
“I’m working with people that are
passionate and dedicated.”
Spittin’ the truth
By Aaron Hunter
Staff Writer
In this era of the hip-hop world,
artists often become too concerned with trying to please their
audience by way of flashiness;
rapping about which cars they can
afford, their 15-room mansions,
and how many bodacious females
they got with last night. For those
of you wanting a taste of real hip
hop, the kind an everyday student
can relate to, let me welcome SCC
student and Seattle’s very own
Anthony Shears.
SCC’s Shears, 23, has been a
hip-hop head since the age of nine,
and realized that he wanted to
pursue rapping as more than just
a hobby at the age of 13 when he
won a music video contest at Whitman Middle School, impressing
judges with the phrase “Edutainment,” combining the words “education” and “entertainment.”
His accomplishment resulted in
$450,000 worth of K-Swiss gear
for his entire school. Since then,
he has pursued his dream, rapping about the truth and real-life
circumstances.
Growing up Shears biggest influence was LL Cool J.
“The first time I heard ‘Can’t
Live Without My Radio,’ I was like
wow,” said Shears. “I went home
and tried to write something like
that, but I was frustrated because
it just wasn’t good enough.”
Everyday after that, Shears
would write something when he
woke up, and before he fell asleep.
He would put everything he wrote
into shoeboxes.
“I had, like, 40 shoeboxes of
rhymes. The more I wrote the
better I got, so I’d write from 9
o’clock until I went to sleep.”
Growing up in Seattle, Shears
is proud of the city in which he
resides and doesn’t hesitate in
letting people know through his
music. His song “SEA” is a tribute
to the Emerald City, tying all his
lyrics to the area in some shape
or form. He created this song because felt he hadn’t heard an anthem that properly represented
Seattle.
“It’s frustrating that we can be
from Seattle, love it, but be in the
club getting hyphy or two steppin’,
representing Atlanta and the Bay
area,” said Shears. “No knock to
them, but they rep where they’re
from so I felt we need to rep where
we’re from.”
Shears has been all over the
U.S. attending many different colleges. He’s attended Morehouse
College in Atlanta, Dartmouth
College in New Hampshire and
the University of Washington. He
has also lived in Boston, Chicago
and New York for music-oriented
purposes.
Shears decided to attend SCC
to take a break from everything.
“With the CD coming out and over
40 shows in the next two months,
I didn’t want to end up half-assing
anything,” said Shears. “Being at
Shoreline has given me the opportunity to detach, focus, and work
on myself as an artist.”
Shears is taking an acting class
to work on his on-stage performance, as well as a guitar class to
work on his song writing.
4 n THE EBBTIDe n october 19 – november 1, 2007
“I appreciate that Shoreline has
given me the opportunity to make
my dreams become even more of a
reality,” says Shears.
On November 6. Shears and
SMG (Shears Music Group, consisting of 11 members) will be releasing their first major CD titled
“The Growth: My Endtroduction”.
The title reflects his development
from the experiences and troubles
he faced since the release of his
last CD “Welcome to Seattle,”
marking the end of one era and
the beginning of another. “The
Growth” contains sleek, fetching
hooks from track one to 17 and is
filled with his personal, unique experiences. When asked if he could
explain his music in one word
Shears said “Honest.”
“I don’t feel (that) an alias is
necessary, because what makes
my music special is that it’s one
hundred percent real. If I add an
alias, I’m adding artificiality.”
His song “Mea Culpa” (Portuguese for “My Fault”) is an apology to family, friends and fans after cutting off all contact with the
outside world when his grandma
died, and his best friend and dad
were killed. His verse referring to
his father, “I had to come to grips
with the fact he wont be comin’
back, but as long as I’m spittin’
dude he’s livin’ through my raps,
but as long as I’m livin’ dude he’s
livin’ through my tats” is one of
the many lines in the song which
explain he must continue with
what he’s doing.
Shears and his manager, J.
Speaks Love, who is from Chicago
and has over 25 years of experi-
photo by Dennie Chong
SCC student Anthony Shears doesn’t need an alias to make his music
special. It’s one hundred percent real.
ence in the music and entertainment business, have a deal on the
table with a subsidiary of Universal Records.
“We have 10 songs to win their
hearts, but honestly I have full
faith we are capable of sustaining
ourselves without the backing of a
major label,” said Shears, “so they
will have to step up their offer, or
we’ll continue what we do independently.”
Their 10-song CD will be called
“Redemption” and should be ready
in the spring.
From KUBE 93 to KEXP,
Shears’ music has been heard
over all the major radio stations
throughout Washington. He is increasing his exposure through his
major in-house PR out of Los Angeles and by performing at ven-
ues throughout the state. Among
his notable performances, he will
be doing a show on November 3
at Eastern Washington University with local big name group, the
Blue Scholars.
Shears will kick off his release
of “The Growth” at local nightlife
hotspot, Babalu’s, on November 6
at 8 p.m.
In five to 10 years Shears just
hopes to have a full-time job and
be able to support himself. “If I’m
bagging groceries in 10 years and
I can get someone to recognize me
and compliment me on my music,
then I’ll be satisfied,” said Shears.
“But I know the next big artist is
a kid on a school bus somewhere,
writing his rhymes, and I want to
sign him.”
Coming Out Day
By Lindsay Ginn
A&E Editor
On Thursday, October 11, SCC celebrated Coming Out Day - a day intended to help students feel
comfortable with their orientation and letting others know about their beliefs. It was supported by
the Multicultural/Diversity Education Center and
the Women’s Center.
“We have met several students over the course of
the past few months who have indicated to us their
fear of revealing their sexual orientation to others,”
says Lynette Peters of the Women’s Center, “especially on campus.”
Included in the day’s events was a meeting with
Barb Clark-Elliot, president of the Seattle PFLAG
(Parents, Families and Friends for Lesbians and
Gays) chapter and self-proclaimed PFLAG Mom, as
well as Valerie Zimmer, who is also a PFLAG member. Clark-Elliot became involved with PFLAG in
2001 when her niece, a valedictorian of her high
school, fell in love with the prom queen at their high
school reunion. “They’ve been together ever since,”
she says fondly. Zimmer became involved the night
that her surrogate son came out to her. “We want
to help parents and their children deal with coming
out. The parents need to respond fairly, but their
children also need to be aware of how they present
it.”
PFLAG started in 1972 when one proud mother
walked side-by-side with her son in New York City’s
Gay Pride Parade. After being enraged by the abuse
that her gay son and his friends were experiencing
based on their orientation, the support she displayed bloomed into what we now know as PFLAG.
Now, they have events and confidential meetings all
over the country, with the Seattle chapter holding
three per month. They provide a safe-haven for homosexuals of all ages, as well as an arena for advice
and support for family and friends.
“When (people) come to a place of love and acceptance, it’s a wonderful thing,” says Clark-Elliot. “I
can’t tell you how many people have been dragged
out of our booths (at Seattle PRIDE, a gay-positive
event) by their parents.”
One student, Adam Rost, is ready to do all that
he can to provide support to homosexual students
on campus. Rost is reviving the Rainbow Club - a
club that’s been dormant for a few years on campus.
“The point of a GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) is to be
a source of support. When I was younger, I didn’t
have a support group,” says Rost. He is surprised at
the apprehension surrounding the topic of sex and
sexual orientation, being a quarter Chinese, German, Italian and French. “I grew up in Germany
and Italy, where it wasn’t uncommon for one to
walk down the street and see a nude woman holding a bottle of perfume on a billboard,” he says. “In
America, it seems that no one even wants to say the
word ‘sex.í They’d rather say ‘oh, you-know-what.’”
Rost is ready for the controversial elements of this
endeavor, understanding the abuse and bullying
that some students receive for their preferences.
“Our (Rainbow Club) flyers are already being torn
down.” That aside, Rost, the Multicultural and
Women’s Center and PFLAG plan on persevering
and carrying on their positive messages.
If you’d like to be on the Rainbow Club’s mailing list to learn about future meetings and events,
send an e-mail to Rachel David at [email protected].
For more information on Seattle’s PFLAG chapter, visit www.Seattle-PFLAG.org or www.pflag.
org.
photos by Lindsay Ginn
Barb Clark-Elliot is president of the Seattle PLFAG chapter.
SCC students concerned about
campus security
By Vivian Luu
Copy Editor
photo by Dennie Chong
Emergency boxes are available for student use at any time.
SCC students are voicing their concerns about security measures on the campus grounds.
In spite of the fact that many are aware that
there is a Safety and Security Center at SCC, they
are skeptical about the effectiveness of campus patrols and how security protocols respond to possible
threats.
“I always see an officer riding his bike all over
the place. But then again, who else is there?” said
Jessica Woon. “I never see anyone else,”
Todd Ferguson also mentioned, “I haven’t seen
campus security around,” and another SCC student
noted that he has never seen officers patrolling the
grounds in the evening.
“I think it (campus security) is pretty okay,” said
Hakson Teh. “I just wish there was more visibility.”
Many other students also noted that they hadn’t
seen many officers thoroughly patrolling the campus. As a result, students are concerned for not only
their personal safety while traveling to and from
classes, but also for fellow students that take classes
during the evening when the campus is less populated.
Although campus security appears rather invisible to students, the reality is that the members of
SCC’s Safety and Security center have established a
well-moderated patrol system and believes that they
are ready to deal with anything that can harm students and faculty at SCC.
“Our officers patrol all areas of the campus 24/7,
including the Greenwood Lot and the Sears Lot. We
do foot patrol, bike patrol and vehicle patrol. This
campus is quite spread out, and we do our best to
cover as much area as possible,” said Security Sergeant Becky Gibler, “We can respond to any location
quickly – usually within two-three minutes.”
Emergency phones are also located in various areas of the campus, and serve as a means for students
to obtain help when it is needed. These call boxes are
yellow and are located in the following areas (from
http://www.shoreline.edu/safetyandsecurity/howtoreportemergencies.htm):
•On the North side of the Music building (800)
•On the NW corner of the 1500 building.
•On the NE corner of the 1800 building.
•On the South side of the 2000 building (lower level)
•On the NW corner of the Automotive building
(2100)
•On the North side of the 2500 building, lower level.
•On the West side of the gym (3000) upper level
“The emergency call boxes can be used if a student is in a situation where they need immediate
assistance (i.e., they are being followed, harassed
or threatened, they or someone else is ill or injured
or they need to report a crime in progress),” said
Gibler.
As for security coverage in the evening, there is
always at least one officer on duty. Not only do the
officers patrol the perimeter of the campus, they
also escort students around campus if the service is
requested. “All they have to do is call [the Campus
Security number] or go to one of the call boxes and
tell the officer where they are,” said Gibler.
Whether or not you believe that SCC’s security
measures are an effective way to keep students safe,
don’t forget that preventing crime and staying safe
can be bolstered through self-efficacy. Remember
where the alarm systems are located so that you can
get help when you or someone you know is trapped
in a dangerous situation. Have the emergency phone
number for campus security (which just happens to
be 206-235-5860) handy, and don’t be afraid to call for
help if you are in a possibly compromising situation.
THE EBBTIDE n October 19 – november 1, 2007 n 5
A&E
Weekend Warriors
Unite For Film Contest
by Janelle Kohnert
Staff Writer
The SCC Film Club will be hosting a not-soshort film competition on the weekend of October 26, raising the length of the competition
from 24 hours to 65 hours and the resulting
movie length from 2½ to five minutes to five
to10 minutes.
Film Club President Jennifer Forbes claims
that last year, of the four teams who participated in the 24 hours contest, “A lot of the
filmmakers wanted more time to tell bigger
stories.” A team participating in the contest
usually ranges anywhere from four to 10 people, and only the leader of the group has to be
a student at SCC. The actors and crew can be
anyone that the film leader chooses.
This year, the same line of dialogue, prop,
and character are being required for use in
each team’s movie while the genre, which is
assigned by a judge, will differ from group to
group. Last year, both the prop and genre were
random between groups. With new consistencies this year, “It’ll be easier to judge,” states
Film Club vice president Sheryl White.
In repeating and extending the Weekend
Warrior film competition since last year, the
Oct 19 thru Nov 12
Film Club aims to “get more people interested
in the concept of film” and to “open the door
for people who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity,” according to White.
The films will be judged during the week following the contest, and will be presented at a
Film Club meeting on Wednesday, November
14 in Room 1524 at 4 p.m., which is open to all
curious viewers.
Although six teams are already signed up,
the sign up deadline for the Weekend Warrior
competition has been set for October 23 at the
Club Kickoff.
Center on Contemporary Arts
6413 Seaview Avenue NW
Shilshole Bay Beach Club
Seattle, WA
October 4 – November 1, 2007
A
n exhibition of eerie mixed media
by eight separate artists, Necromorph (necro
meaning “the dead” and
morph meaning “move”)
presents both artistic and
unsettling elements that
come with this macabre
time of the year.
Upon strolling into the
small gallery that the
Shilshole Bay Beach Club
accommodates, one is
greeted by the neo-gothic
head sculptures of Ben
Hirschoff. Entitled “Play
Decay Series.” The work
is enough to make viewers want the classic European gargoyles, if only
due to the fact that even
those are more comforting
than Hirschoff’s decaying
heads. Both disturbing
and exciting, Hirschoff
made me wish that I had
the cash in my pocket to
scare trick-or-treat-ers
away with these ghoulish
deformities.
Katharine Houpt’s work
follows, and was decidedly
out of place amongst the
sinister creations of her
fellow exhibitors. Being
more politically infused
motel art than anything
else, I had a hard time
figuring out what her
work was doing among
the likes of dirt-covered
babies, terrifying clowns
and a few (delightfully)
Tim Burton-esque works.
One of her creations, entitled “Fishing Squirrel”
was the most confusing of
the bunch. “What’s creepy
about a squirrel fishing for
koi?” asked Lindsay Ginn.
I didn’t have an answer.
The work of Roger
Wheeler was at once contrived and inspiring. The
aforementioned
clown
was his work, but it was
straight out of the Stephen King novel “It” accompanied by eyebrows
that seemed to have been
stolen from a Sesame
Street puppet. However,
his “Mortified Monk” that
hung over the exit was
wonderful. It was similar
to Hirschoff’s “Play Decay Series,” but served to
be more of an omen and
left a lasting impression
as visitors left the exhibit.
With a gaping mouth and
ghostly eyes, it achieved
its purpose perfectly. It
was enough to leave an
impression of the exhibit,
and perhaps ensure that
the nightmares you’re
bound to incur from this
show actually present
themselves.
The highlight of the exhibit was undoubtedly the
photography of Margot
Quan Knight. Her photograph of “Dirt Baby” is
featured on the museum’s
website, and with good
reason. The haunting blue
eyes that peer out of a
baby’s dirt-covered face eyes you can’t seem to look
away from - embody the
ambiance of Halloween:
mysterious, spine-chilling
beauty. Another work of
hers shows two women in
a lily pad-ridden lake. A
blonde presents orbs containing seemingly dead
fetuses to a brunette, who
is posed cautiously on the
edge of a dock. The blonde
floats tranquilly among
lily pads, pulling the disquieting spheres from beneath the supposedly innocent surface of a lake.
For those of you who are
short on time (or simply
short on attention span)
10/12/07
Apollo Sunshine
@ Crocodile Café
8 p.m. $12
10/18/07
Interpol
@ Showbox
8 p.m.
$27.50 advance,
$30 at the door
10/22/07
Flaming Lips
Zaireeka Listening Party
@ Crocodile Café
FREE
Necromorph:
The dead moving the living
by lacey penner
staff writer
Music
Art
Current – January 6th
Patricia Piccinini: Hug
@ Frye Art Museum
Current – November 10th
Matthew Offenbacher:
Captain of a
Huckleberry Party
@ Howard House
Current – October 26th
Ben Hirschkoff:
Atmosphere Attached
@ Gallery 4Culture
10/4 – 11/1
Necromorph
@ Center on Contemporary Arts (6413 Seaview
Ave NW, Seattle, WA)
FREE
Movies
courtesy of Center On Contemprary Art, cocaseattle.org
Artwork by Margot Quan Knight
but would still like to get
a little culture out of the
haunting season, Necromorph is the show for you.
Short, effective and lovely,
it resonates adequately
with the soul and perfectly
with Halloween.
Artists being featured
at Necromorph:
Jeff Hengst,
Ben Hirschkoff,
Katharine Houpt,
Kamala Dolphin-Kingsley,
Margot Quan Knight,
Andrea Rogalski,
Darin Shuler,
Roger Wheeler
10/19
Gone Baby Gone
Starring Casey Affleck, Morgan Freeman, Michelle Monaghan and Ed Harris.
Directed by Ben Affleck
Rendition
Starring Reese Witherspoon
and Jake Gyllenhaal
30 Days of Night
Josh Hartnett and
Melissa George.
Directed by Sam Raimi
Halloween
“Untamed”
Halloween Party (21+)
@ Showbox 10/27
American Gangster
By Lindsay Ginn
A&E Editor
The audience at the pre-screening of “American Gangster” likened itself to that of a college
frat party - a ratio of at least four men to every
woman.
I assumed this going in, seeing as the previews
for this flick were full of seedy point-blank assassination and chase scenes. However, I was
surprised to see that the movie had more to offer
than a bunch of sausage fest material.
Don’t worry, there was still gratuitous nudity
as well as bloody gangster antics, but the plot is
much more substantial. The story of Frank Lucas
was an (oddly) refreshing look at the gangster history of America, straying from the typical “Al Capone, Bugsy Seigal, & Lucky Luciano” stereotype
that we usually receive from the silver screen.
This time, it was a peek into the nefarious
double-life of a family man whose loyalty to his
mentor drives his ambitions to a world of crooked
business. The acting was spot-on and the casting
was perfect. 
The talented Denzel Washington and Russell
Crowe were joined by top-of-the-charts hip-hop
starts like RZA, Common and T.I. However, while
Crowe displayed his absolute versatility (having
pulled a 180 from the recent 3:10 To Yuma), Washington seemed to be encroaching on the pigeonhole of “stern, well-spoken, and determined”. This
is great - but may end up unveiling future films
that he’ll be starring in.
Overall, I would recommend this movie if you’ve
2½ hours to spare. If not for the glamorous peeks
into the wealthy life of an urban desperado, then
watch it for the fascinating story of one of America’s most successful businessmen.
6 n THE EBBTIDe n october 19 – november 1, 2007
Submissions from
students, faculty, staff
and administration
are welcomed and
highly encouraged
Contact The Ebbtide
Today
[email protected]
206-546-4730
“Saturday Night”
Costume party, dance band
and tarot card readers.
Pumpkin Prowl
October 26, 27 and 28
5 –8 p.m.
$9 for adults, $7 for children
Trick or treating
glowing pumpkins
family entertainment
KUBE 93 Haunted House
Monday – Sunday
7-10 p.m. and 7-12 a.m.
on Thursdays
$13
Bastyr University
Haunted Trails
Oct. 20 and Oct. 21
$9-10 with
nonperisble food donation
photo by Dennie Chong
Melissa Essig LEFT and Sigourney “Siggy” Toyonaga RIGHT pose with
their coloraboration that helps brighten up the Arden Rehabilitation
and Healthcare Center.
photo by Dennie Chong
SCC Art Club President Keli Cushing with her oil painting at Arden Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center.
Art Club helps local healthcare center
By Dennie Chong
Photo Editor
Members of the SCC Art Club were recently recognized for contributing artwork
to a local healthcare center. The Arden Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center on Aurora Avenue in Shoreline contacted Natalie
Niblack, Art Club advisor and associate
professor at SCC about acquiring artwork
to hang inside their facilities.
The Arden Healthcare Center is the
oldest skilled nursing facility in the area
and specializes in physical, speech, and occupational therapy. Marilyn Lockhart at
the Healthcare Center got in touch with
Niblack to request some pieces by students. The Art Club she advises had three
members who were interested in making
the facility more welcoming with their visual pieces.
Melissa Essig and Sigourney “Siggy”
Toyonaga collaborated on a four-foot square
acrylic painting for the center. Their piece
includes various fishes, and was inspired
by the nautical theme that the center is
planning to create for the area.
“I found it challenging because I didn’t
have much experience drawing fishes,”
said Essig.
Keli Cushing helped the center out with
a six-foot wide by four-foot tall oil painting.
Cushing is also the President of the Art
Club and felt that her artwork will be appreciated at the Healthcare Center.
“It (the artwork) has really made a difference in here. It has brightened the place
up,” said Louetta Wood. She is a Licensed
Practical Nurse (LPN) that works at the
center.
For their contributions, the artists
received a small commission from the
Healthcare center and will be recognized
with their photos and biographies next to
their artwork.
To easily view other work from the SCC
Art Club, just look at the panels on the
smoking shelters around campus and the
large mural inside of the lobby of the music building. Look for new artwork for the
smoking shelters soon, as pieces were recently finished and should be up soon.
If you’re an SCC student interested in
joining the Art Club, they meet on the second Tuesday of every month. Their next
meeting is on Nov. 13 at 10:30 a.m. in Room
2069.
photos courtesy of Chris Bennion/Seattle Repertory Theatre
Get Published In The Ebbtide
Sarah Rudinoff as Minka.
Joan Porter Hollander as Lucy.
Mark Anders as Gerald.
Murderers Review
By Wes Abney
Staff Writer
Whether as a passing thought or a serious intention, everyone has thought about it. Even for a fleeting moment, on the tip of the conscious, murder captivates and intrigues the human mind.
With serious content and a wicked black humor
outlook, the Seattle Repertory Theatre’s “Murderers” offers a different look at the faces behind the
crime.
As with all opening night premiers, tension and intrigue dominated the theater audience on all levels.
From the opening scene with the admission of guilt
and of crimes committed, there was no denying the
electric connection between the actors and the audience.
Composed of three separate monologues, the direct address of the actors to viewers takes down the
separation between the characters and the audience.
Instantly, the play draws you into the minds of three
murders and the depraved humor that comes with
this lifestyle.
You see, inside Riddle Key Retirement Community, everyone is waiting to die. It is just a matter
of time and how one passes away. Within the world
of perfectly manicured lawns, golf carts and social
security wealth, there exists murderers. These residents are ready to tell all.
The three characters all have one thing in common: they are all killers. It is not the facts that are in
question, but the great question of why. What leads
a person to commit this taboo can be undeniably insane, and in the case of “Murderers,” absolutely hilarious.
The play was written by Jeffrey Hatcher and directed by Seattle’s own Steven Dietz. The actors
who performed were Sarah Rudinoff, Mark Anders
and Joan Porter Hollander.
“Murderers” will be playing at the Seattle Repertory Theatre through November 10.
www.ppww.org 1.800.230.PLAN
Jeffrey Hatcher’s Murderers. Directed by Steven Dietz. Plays in the Leo K. Theatre through November 4, 2007.
3.75x5LCnew.indd 2
8/29/07 2:13:35 PM
THE EBBTIDE n October 19 – november 1, 2007 n 7
A&E
REVERBfest
makes Ballard the
life of the party
By Vivian Luu
Copy Editor
Music junkies, adventure seekers and specialty beverage experts filled the age-old streets
of Ballard as local bands, independent artists and stand-up
comedians worked the works of
the entertainment scene at REVERBfest.
The showcase was amazingly
versatile. It not only presented
hot Rock bands and screaming
Emo bands, but also featured
vibrant talent that flaunted the
likes of Indie, Electronica and
Hip-Hop genres.
The result of this eclectic mixture of old-school names and fresh
faces was a kick-ass rummage of
unexpected satisfaction. Before
attending REVERBfest, I didn’t
know half the bands that I went to
see. While walking down Ballard
avenue and Market street to listen
to groups with the hodgepodge of
fellow amusement seekers, I had
no idea what I was getting myself
into. Because of that, I wasn’t up
for judging artists and critiquing
their music before I actually heard
them for the first time along with
a live audience.
As a result, I was easily amazed
when Sunday Night Blackout
screamed their way into the hearts
of fans as I bobbed my head along
to “Son of Stone” at the Outdoor
Stage. When PWRFL Power,
the successful Japanese studentturned-Capital-Hill-Block-Partyworthy-phenomenon strummed
his acoustic guitar and sang
“Tomato Song,” he got listeners
a little closer to heaven as they
warmed up at Miro Tea House.
They were also sent into a trance
at Bop Street Records when Aaron Goldman started wailing on his
miniature xylophone to produce
the distinct overtones in Throw
Me the Statue’s number, “Lolita.”
REVERBfest didn’t stop when
the local Starbucks, which kept
devoted fans and curious listen-
photo courtesy of Eduardo Brambila
Throw Me the Statue rocks the house at Reverbfest
ers out of the cold weather, closed
for the night. Instead, alcoholserving venues filled up as Fleet
Foxes, D. Black and Child of The
Dust came to give fans a listen of
their auditory paraphernalia.
How much?
It’s up to you how much you’ll pay for Radiohead’s new album
By Dan Gayle
Staff Writer
Radiohead has once again captured the attention of the music
world with their new album “In
Rainbows.”
“In Rainbows” was announced
October 1 on their website, Dead
Air Space (radiohead.com/deadairspace), with a simple message
from Jonny Greenwood, one of
Radiohead’s guitarists. It said,
“Hello everyone. Well, the new
album is finished, and it’s coming out in 10 days; We’ve called it
“In Rainbows.” Love from us all.
Jonny,” followed with a link to inrainbows.com.
The album is creating massive
ripples in the music industry,
prompting news outlets such as
TIME Magazine, the Telegraph,
NPR, Rolling Stone and NME to
ask a simple question: Did Radiohead manage to kill the concept of
the record label?
Incidentally, the discussion over
the album has nothing to do with
the content of the music. It has to
do with the way that it is being
marketed and distributed. Specifically, Radiohead is not on any
record label since the expiration
of their contract with EMI and
aren’t selling their album through
any distributors like iTunes.
It is at the “In Rainbows” website that the most stunning discov-
ery is made. The first thing you
read is, “Radiohead have made a
record. So far, it is only available
from this website. You can preorder it in these formats: Discbox
and Download.”
They’re not the first band to
have a digital distribution-only
album release, but they’re certainly the largest band so far to
circumvent the middlemen and to
deal directly with their listeners.
Neither advanced copies were
given to the media for review nor
advanced warnings given to their
fans. All were caught completely
off guard by the Grammy Awardwinning band’s decision.
Most shockingly, no price was
listed for the download.
Instead, there is a little empty
box with the English pound sign
next to it under the price column
of your shopping cart. To aid you
in your confusion as to the miss-
[email protected]
206-546-4730
Room 1502
16101 Greenwood Ave N
Shoreline, WA 98133
shoreline.edu/ebbtide
8 n THE EBBTIDe n october 19 – november 1, 2007
ing price, there’s a little question
mark that leads to a page that
says, “It’s up to you.” Select the
question mark again and you’ll
read, “No really. It’s up to you.”
According to an interview with
Rolling Stone, Greenwood stated,
“It’s fun to make people stop for
a few seconds and think about
what music is worth, and that’s
just an interesting question to ask
people.”
Radiohead is banking on the
fact that honest fans will want to
compensate musicians a reasonable amount of money out of appreciation for the hard work that
goes into the making of an album.
That attitude is directly opposed to the attitude of the major
labels that are insistent on suing
middle-aged mothers and college
frat boys for illegally downloading and sharing music online.
Will Radiohead’s strategy be a
success? Have they have sounded
the final death knells of the major
record labels already reeling from
changes to the industry?
The big questions remain to be
answered and will only be proven
in time. But until then, pundits,
critics, bands, labels and fans will
all be watching how Radiohead’s
fortune rises or falls from to their
new venture.
So how much would you pay?
Unfortunately, that’s when I all
the fun ended for me, because I
can’t legally drink alcohol. I definitely wished that REVERBfest
made more venues available for
music lovers of all ages to enjoy,
because listening to local bands in
Seattle is where it’s at when you’re
looking for music that is unique,
edgy and far from the mainstream media that’s been playing
from your stereo since July.
How good?
Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows’
worth the hype
By Dan Gayle
Staff Writer
With all of the noise concerning the manner in which Radiohead’s new album “In Rainbows”
has been released, it’s easy to forget that there’s a new Radiohead
album to listen to, and boy am I
excited.
I downloaded “In Rainbows”
yesterday, and according to
iTunes, I’ve listened to it at least
five times through. (In answer
to the other question, I paid £5,
whatever that works out to be in
American dollars.)
So I’m going to come right out
and say it: this is Radiohead’s best
album since 1997’s “OK Computer.” It’s been 10 years and three
albums since that classic came
out, and it’s almost possible that
the wait was worth it.
So far, it’s an album that is definitely getting better with each
successive listen. They’re finally
starting to play the music that we
as Radiohead fans have wanted
them to play for a long time.
“In Rainbows” is clearly a
combination of their Grammywinning “OK Computer” and the
best parts of their last album,
“Hail to the Thief.” Toss in a little
bit of the sonic experimentation
of “Kid A”, and you might be able
to grasp the concept.
To the great relief of many of
their fans, Radiohead have scaled
back the digital blips and bleeps
of their recent albums in favor of
a more guitar and piano-oriented
production, not to mention the
emphasis on Thom Yorke’s haunting vocalisms that have no peer in
the music world.
The best song is a slow number called “Nude.” To highlight
the similarities between “In
Rainbows” and “OK Computer,”
it should be noted that this song
was originally written during
that era and has been kicking
around in live versions for quite
a while.
The other songs’ alternate between high energy rockers such
as “Bodysnatchers” and “15 Step”
to the more pensive and delicate
songs like “All I Need” and “Videotape.” There’s not a stinker in
the whole bunch, a phrase that
perhaps could not be applied to
“Hail to the Thief,” “Amnesiac,”
“Kid A,” or “GASP! the Bends.”
Overall, “In Rainbows” is the
most consistently good album
that Radiohead has put out in a
long, long time and is worth whatever you decide to pay for it.
TECHNOLOGY
Everything but the kitchen SYNC
By Sean McCallum
Webmaster
I
had an MP3 disc player for some time and
got great use out of it - mostly in the car
through a cassette adapter. If I were wearing clothes with big enough pockets, I’d walk
around with it too. Its own bulk, along with
that of the stack of disc I carried with me was a
hassle. Burning a new disc each time I wanted
new sounds was both expensive and environmentally unsound. Nobody I knew needed
that many new beer coasters, so I decided that
I needed a new non-disc MP3 player.
For the past couple of years, I’ve also been
pining for a digital camera that takes good
pictures and won’t break my budget. I have
4-year-old son, so I always have a great personal need to capture his image at any given
time. I received two cameras as gifts at different times and they were both off-brand, bargain models. One of them took terrible-looking
photos and the other stopped working as soon
as the warranty expired. It was almost as if it
had its own doomsday clock. While it did work,
my camera was cumbersome to carry around,
so I seldom had it with me when I needed it.
Then one day I dropped my janky, ancient
Nokia 3125 on the sidewalk and the casing
shattered. The sound of it breaking was like
angels singing. The stars had aligned. I hated that phone since the day I got it. Not that
there was anything inherently wrong with it,
it was actually a very functional little squawk
box. It’s just that I had dreamed of customized
ringtones, full color displays and a sleek, elegant design that said (in a silky, smooth Barry
White voice) “Is this watcha wont?” Instead I
got an Atari 2600 in an XBox world that woke
me up in the middle of the night sounding like
a robotic rooster singing “This Old Man” while
being murdered with a hatchet. Plus, it was
so small that I invariably got a neck cramp after two minutes of talk time. When it finally
broke, I was a little surprised that I hadn’t
done it intentionally.
I began flipping through the gadget ads
in the Sunday paper to see what new-fangled
phones were available, and found a sale on the
Samsung SYNC SGH-707 MP3 phone. The
ad said that it contained a 2-megapixel digital still and video camera and had awesome
internet capabilities. When I signed a new
two-year AT&T contract, the phone was only
$60. In my past experience, any device with
that many features for such a low price was
worth its weight in poodle poo, so I figured
that Smokey’s mama was right when she said,
“You better shop around.”
I did some pretty thorough research on the
web and found that for a phone with an MP3
player, a good quality digital camera and a
low price, people seemed to be happiest with
the SYNC. It has been available for almost a
,
Dan s Application Advice:
By Dan Gayle
Staff Writer
Nut-graph: At work or school,
portable apps can make your day
just a bit more bearable
Boring desk job? Got a computer locked down tighter than
Granny’s “medicine” cabinet? I
happen to have one of those jobs,
and let me tell you: being forced to
use the loathed Internet Explorer
on our ancient PCs isn’t the greatest thrill ride in my life.
But never fear, dear readers,
there is a happy solution to our
problems: Portable apps
Thanks to the Free Open Source
Software (FOSS) movement, popular applications such as Mozilla
Firefox can now be run from small,
portable thumb drives, external
hard drive, and even iPods.
Are you like me and can’t stand
“Internet Exploiter”? The fleet
footed Firefox is a fast, full-featured web browser that only takes
year now and does not appear to have shown
any major defects. In addition, my wireless
provider offered it for only $50 with a two-year
contract renewal, so I went for it.
Of course, as soon as I had it out of the package, I realized that I would need some accessories for it, so I went to Amazon.com and purchased a Bluetooth earpiece, car charger, PC
data cable for speedily synchronizing my Windows Media Player playlists, a couple of 2GB
SD micro memory modules (with free PC card
reader) to store pictures, music, video, etc. and
a headphone adapter. The accessories ran me
about twice as much as the phone itself, but
now I can do all those things I’d been dreaming about, without having a different device in
every pocket.
I recommend this phone to anyone who
doesn’t have the dollars to spend on something
in a Blackberry or Treo. My only real complaint about the SYNC is that the user interface is not entirely intuitive and is only slightly
customizable. Commands are often not on the
particular menu you’d expect to find them in
and you occasionally have to select items with
a different button than the usual one. I frequently find myself bounced out to a previous
menu and having to find my way back to the
one I need, but I imagine that after using the
same features a number of times, using the
SYNC will become second nature.
In the
realm of
warping
reality...
By Joe Louie
Staff Writer
Today started out so easy.
Get out of the relaxation chamber, listen to the oddly friendly
computer voice over the intercom, throw my coffee cup and
the radio into the toilet, walk
through a fiery gate ripping a
hole in space and time to escape
my glass prison, put a box on a
giant red button, and enter the
elevator right after my fillings
are vaporized out of my head by
a wall of energy. And now, here
I stand, staring down a hallway
with beams of red light shining across hunting for me while
small robotic laser-guided egg,
shaped-machine gun turrets are
asking me nicely where I’ve gone
and if I would please come back
out. What exactly did I sign on
for, and why am I a girl?
I have two defenses, hopefully
intertwined unerringly: my wits
and a gun that tears the universe
thumb drive (Although, I wouldn’t or someone decides to steal it, a
a new one and then tears anothtry this one at work….)
common occurrence, then your
er new one to connect to the now
For what I need at work, I info can be floating out there for
slightly older new one. I shoot a
downloaded Pidgin Portable, an prying eyes to dig into.
hole behind the laser turret, and
instant messaging client that supLastly, and possibly the most
turn to my right and fire again,
ports every I.M. protocol that you important: don’t get caught downcreating the second hole in the
could want. MSN, Yahoo!, Google loading torrents by your boss or
wall next to me. I reach my arm
Talk, ICQ, AIM and a whole slew TSS.
through, watch it pop out down
of other protocols are within your
If you do, I don’t know you. I’ve
the hall and step through and
grasp.
never even heard of portable apps
grab the small egg shaped death
So here are a few warnings that and I don’t know what you’re talkdevice from behind. I toss it
you should keep in mind when ad- ing about.
back through the wormhole beventuring through the world of
hind me, and see it fall and fire
portable apps.
at random. Somehow, I can even
Relevant websites to check out:
First, a Mac app can only run
ignore its pitiful cries and its
on a Mac, and vice-versa with a
claims that it doesn’t hate me.
For Googlepedia, Scribefire, or Web Developer
PC. If you use both systems, then
Okay, that may have been a
1-&"4&$0/5"$5648*5):063$033&$5*0/4#&'03&1..0/%":
Toolbar extensions for Mozilla Firefox:
you’ll need two different versions
little hard to follow. That’s rehttp://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox
of each app. *'8&%0/05)&"3'30.:06#:5)*4%&"%-*/&8&8*--"446.&5)&3&"3&/0
However, the same
ally because the game is that far
$033&$5*0/4"/%:063"%7&35*4&.&/58*--36/"44$)&%6-&%5IBOLZPV
thumb drive will
work for both, so
from normal. “Portal” is filled
For portable apps for PCs:
no worries there.
with innovative level design
http://portableapps.com
Secondly, be careful about storand intriguing puzzles that will
ing'03%&1"35.&/564&0/-:
sensitive information in your
keep you on your toes and thinkFor Portable apps for Macs:
programs
such as passwords in
ing for a few hours. The biggest
O "11307&%CZ@@@@@@@@@@@@
http://www.freesmug.org/portableapps
Firefox or emails in Thunderbird.
drawback to the game is that
Should
lose your
thumb
drive2x6.25” (1/4V) BW Jessica/Neil 00001251
it’s really short. Beatable within
8-08-07you
Relationship
Research
Institute
a few hours for what could be
considered the story mode. Additional challenges are included
as well, which have been compensating for the length of the
overall game.
Visually, the game is wonderful. Overall, the attention to
detail is very good. The physics
engine that they’ve used makes
the game feel as real as you can
get when you’re running around
with a wormhole generator. Everything ties together and is
surprisingly easy to maneuver,
if not simply disorienting as you
attempt to make yourself upIf you . . .
right when you pop out of a hole.
- Are at least 18 years old
Aside from the imaginative
- Are currently in a relationship that you have been in for at least a year
design and well-done graphics
- And your partner have at least one child together who is 12 years
and control, the game is funny.
old or younger
It’s written by the same group of
- Experience some disagreement or conflict in your relationship
guys who wrote “Psychonauts,”
- And your partner have a total income less than $40,000/year
and it’s just better if you really
. . . we invite you to learn more about how to participate in the
pay attention to the writing on
Couples in Conflict: Creating Healthy Relationships Research Study.
the walls and what’s being said.
Participants will receive:
Jonathan Coulton crafted a song
- Tools and useful information developed by Dr. John Gottman about how to improve
for it as well, which is included
conflict resolution and parenting
with the cake at the end of the
- Compensation for their time and involvement
game.
- Referrals to community resources
I give “Portal” a 10 out of 10. It
To learn more, please contact the Relationship Research Institute
exemplifies what a first person
1-888-6Couple / (1-888-626-8753)
shooter puzzle game is. Oh, and
www.rrinstitute.com / [email protected]
some other stuff came out with
Credits & Disclaimers
Funding for this project was provided by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families,
“Portal” in The Orange Box. I
Grant: 90OJ2022
haven’t gotten around to those
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily
reflect the views of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.
yet.
Portable apps
up 6.1MB of space, which is pretty
much small enough to fit in even
the oldest first-generation thumb
drive. If there is one program that
you should get for your own use,
this should be it. Because it is extensible, you can load up all of your
favorite Firefox extensions such
as Googlepedia, Scribefire and the
Web Developer Toolbar and take
them with you.
Need a word processor? Abiword. Need an e-mail app? Thunderbird. Want to download torrents (ooh, you naughty boy)?
µTorrent for Windows is your best
bet (Sorry to disappoint you, my
Mac brethren, I’m still searching
and will keep you posted.)
There are other apps that are
available for photo and image editing, web development, ftp, zip
archiving and many other purposes. Heck, if you’re adventurous
enough, you can even run a Linux operating system off of your
4&"55-&8&&,-:1300''03:063"11307"-
Are you experiencing
DIFFICULTY in your relationship?
THE EBBTIDE n October 19 – november 1, 2007 n 9
SPORTS
Photo by David Kasnic
Caption: Coach Jeff Menday observes from a far as the men’s basketball team practices screening and shooting drills at the first scheduled practice on October 15.
Basketball coaches lacing up for
upcoming season
By Lavi Aulck
Sports Editor
C
oaches for men’s and women’s basketball are both eageCoaches for men’s
and women’s basketball are both eagerly
optimistic about the upcoming season. After a disappointing season in which the
men’s team finished near last place in the
division and the women’s team folded after
just five league games, both coaches are
starting out strong with devoted athletes
and foolproof game plans.
Starting the season with a full roster of
talent, the women’s team is looking to avoid
the causes of last year’s collapse while growing into the realistic aspirations of first-year
Head Coach Derek Witt. “I think that for
whatever reason, the interest wasn’t there,”
recollects Witt as he diagnoses last year’s
ailments. “They started with low numbers,
they had a couple girls get hurt, and I think
they had some grade problems that caused
some other girls to be ineligible.”
Witt has focused much of his tenure at
SCC towards eliminating previous troubles.
“We’ve worked very hard in the weight room
and the conditioning part and hopefully that
will limit some of the injuries,” states Witt.
“We have team mandatory study halls two
nights a week for academic purposes. We’re
doing grade checks on every girl.”
Witt is also keeping a realistic stance on
the upcoming season. Unwilling to make
any predictions, he believes that success is
directly related to the effort that his team
exerts. “I believe if the work that our team
has put in so far translates to what happens
on the floor, then we will be successful,” he
explains. “We have an approach that we
want to take on the girls’ team - we want to
be better today than we were yesterday.”
The men’s side has also been hard at work,
trying to prepare for the upcoming season.
Coach Jeff Menday enters his 3rd season as
SCC’s men’s coach with high expectations.
“My gut feeling is that we should be towards
the top (of the NWAACC North),” Menday
explains. “I’m just not used to not making
the playoffs.”
Recovering from a season where the team
finished near the bottom of the division,
Menday has taken a classroom approach to
the upcoming season, holding a basketball
class in addition to regular weight lifting
and cardio training. “We have a basketball
theory and strategy class so we’ve been
teaching (the team) my philosophy on basketball.”
Understanding the importance of fan support, Menday has also focused on spreading
word about the team around campus. “We
have to do a better job of promoting the
games this year,” Menday declares. “We
need to get schedules up on campus. We’ve
never had them up there so the basketball
team is going to circulate those. We also
need to get into the student newspaper and
the ‘Day at a Glance.’”
Menday understands that the result of
promoting the team will only go as far as
the players will allow it. “If you build it,
they will come. If we’re a good team, we’ll
get people out there,” Menday foresees. “If
we’re a so-so team and not very exciting, I
don’t expect people to come out and watch
that. But if we’re a good team, I’m hoping
that people will come.”
All in all, the coaches seem ready and eager to get the season started in November
and are hoping their respective teams are
not only good athletes, but good ambassadors of the school as well. “Give us a chance
by coming out and supporting us,” Coach
Witt requests. “I think you will see a team
that works very hard every single minute
they’re on the floor and is also going to be a
good representative of the school.”
Bring back the limelight
By Lavi Aulck
Sports Editor
It seems more and more that
people forget one thing about athletes - they’re people. They’re not
superhuman, they’re not God’s
gift to the world and they’re not
immune to mistakes. They’re human and along with that, reality
follows another point that everyone needs to understand - they
will make mistakes. Whether it’s
in the sports they play or the lives
they live, athletes, because they
happen to be human, will make
mistakes.
On no grounds am I saying
that the mistakes athletes make
should go overlooked in any
way; justice should be served at
all times. What I am saying is
that we, as fans, should look for
what’s right with sports. Despite
baseball being mucked in steroid
allegations, quarterbacks using
their “hard-earned” money on
dog-fighting aspirations and basketball referees making money
by betting on their own games,
we need to look for what’s right
in sports. With athletes being
people and many people generally being stupid enough to make
10 n THE EBBTIDe n october 19 – november 1, 2007
mistakes, we should never forget
that athletes can and will make
mistakes. We should never forget
that we should be focusing on the
good while punishing the evil.
While the Michael Vicks and
Tank Johnsons are sitting at home
suspended, we can applaud the
Peyton Mannings and LaDainian
Tomlinsons for the plays they
make. While the Ron Artests are
jumping into stands, we can admire
the leadership of the Steve Nashs.
While the likes Barry Bonds are
arguing with reporters over steroid allegations, we can look to the
Ryan Howards for long balls.
Above all, we should grasp the
fact that just like outside of sports,
athletes have different beliefs
and different morals accompanying them. For every yin there is a
yang, and as with all people, some
athletes do the right thing while
others constantly make mistakes.
What we, as fans need to do is to
not turn sports into tabloid news
or a daytime soap opera by dwelling in the negatives.
We’ve allowed drug allegations and weapons charges to occupy the front pages of our daily
sports sections while the athletesupported charity auctions and
food drives have been pushed to
the back. Fans need to wake up
and people need to wake up to
see that athletes aren’t any more
or less human than any one of us.
They make mistakes. They get
punished for their mistakes, and
we don’t need to religiously follow
what happens in the process. We
need to start bringing attention
back to the positive aspect sports.
We need to turn the spotlight to
what’s right with athletes and the
people they are.
SCORES
Tashayla Ray
serves it up on the
volleyball court
By Eric Yang
Staff Writer
Tashayla Ray originally wanted
to play football in high school, but
after heeding a coach’s guidance,
she went for volleyball instead.
After watching a few practices,
she liked it and was convinced to
play volleyball in the off-season.
From there, Ray kept practicing
improving her skills. Her hard
work paid off as she received a
position on the varsity volleyball
team at Ingraham High School
the following year.
During her high school volleyball years, Ray made the first
team in Seattle high schools’
Metro League, starting a reign
of victories that lasted from her
sophomore year until her senior
year. In her senior year, Ray
was a Metro League MVP and
received an honorable mention
for the state team while making
the state all-star team. Ray also
played in a tournament that was
held in July.
Ray
is
from
Syracuse,
New York, but moved to Seattle when she was three
years old. “Everything in Seattle
is fine except the rain,” says Ray.
Ray is currently a sophomore
at Shoreline Community College. After she completes her two
years at Shoreline, Ray plans to
attend a four-year university and
major in architecture and/or interior design.
“I
like
Shoreline
much
more
than
high
school,”
says Ray. “It’s more relaxed
and not as much stuff to deal with.”
Teachers and classes at this school
make it easy for a student to
learn.”
At 6`1, she plays middle blocker
or right side hitter depending on
what Coach Raquel West plans
for the game.
She
has
known
Coach
West for five years. “Her
style of coaching is good
because
she
understands
what we’re going though,
no
matter
what
happens,
and teaches us why we play volleyball the way we do and to love
the sport,” says Ray. “She also
shows us what we’re doing wrong
and how to fix it, and she’s just a
outgoing and loving peson. I love
having her as a coach.”
She has a bond with
her team as they look forward to winning as much as
they can. “The team is good
and each player is good at
their
position,”
says
Ray.
“Volleyball is about chemistry
and how we gel as a team. This
team has a lot of potential, but
will need to bond some more.”
MEN’S SOCCER
Oct 5Treasure Valley L 3–0
Oct 6 Walla Walla L 7–0
Oct 12 Columbia Basin W 3–5
Oct 13 Spokane L 4–1
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Oct 5 Treasure Valley W 3–1
Oct 6 Walla Walla L 1–0
Oct 12 Columbia Basin D 1–1
Oct 13 Spokane D 0–0
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Oct 3 Skagit Valley
L 29–31, 30–25, 35–37, 30–28, 18–16
Oct 5Umpqua*
W 30–19, 30–17
Oct 5
Clark*
L 30–16 30–25
Oct 6Mt. Hood*
L 30–26, 30–21
Oct 6
Wenatchee Valley*
W 30–19, 26–30, 15–8
Oct 6Yakima Valley*
W 30–25, 30–13
Oct 10Edmonds
L 30–27, 30–16, 26–30, 30–23
Oct 12 Whatcom
W 30–25,18–30, 30–24, 30–25
Oct 15Everett
W 30–15, 30–14, 30–20
* Bellevue Crossover Tournament
(SCC did not place)
STANDINGS
photo by Daniel Berman
SCC Freshman Tashayla Ray bumps the ball during a recent game.
MEN’S SOCCER
NWAACC
NORTH
W-L-DP
7-3-2
23
Everett
6-5-1
19
Edmonds
2-10-1
7
Whatcom
Shoreline
Skagit Valley
Women’s and men’s soccer shots
0-12-0
0
WOMEN’S SOCCER
NWAACC
NORTH
W-L-D
P
8-3-2
26
Everett
3-7-2
11
Green River 3-9-0 9
Edmonds 1-12-0 3
Skagit Valley 0-12-0 0
Casey Berlin (8) of SCC eyes the field as
Spokane’s Jordan Ingalls chases after him.
2-11-0 6
Shoreline
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
NWAACC
NORTH
W-L
Whatcom
7-1
Bellevue
Skagit Valley
Edmonds
Shoreline
Olympic
Everett
5-2
5-2
4-3
4-4
1-6
0-8
SCHEDULE
Nance Hill (18) of SCC plays keepaway from
Spokane’s Stephanie Hopkins.
MEN’S SOCCER
Oct 20 2:00
Whatcom
Oct 24
4:00
@ Everett
Oct 27
2:00
@ Skagit Valley
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Oct 20 12:00Green River
Oct 24 2:00
@ Everett
Oct 27 12:00 @ Skagit Valley
Sarah Bissinger (21) of SCC races Spokane’s Amanda Swenson (2) to a loose ball.
Photos by Dennie Chong
photo editor
SCC’s Julio Villalba tracks down the ball.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Oct 19 7:00
Bellevue Oct 24 7:00
@ Olympic
Oct 27All Day @ Mt. Hood CC
Dorian Harris Tournament
Oct 30 7:00
@ Skagit Valley
W – WIN L – LOSS D – DRAW
P – POINTS
THE EBBTIDE n October 19 – november 1, 2007 n 11
ETCETERA
The ‘Pit’ Falls
By Jordan McGill
Staff Writer
W
hile students play musical-search-for-a-parkingspot, the “Pit” sits lamely unused. The last issue of
the Ebbtide told only half the story. Here’s the rest.
Shortly after fall quarter started, surrounding homedwellers awoke on Saturday nights to what a severely disturbed neighbor described as, “Shrieking screams of death
- evil incarnate.” The neighbor purportedly heard, “roars
and bellows emanating from the woods.” The residents assumed that the sounds of horror were, “coming from the
school grounds,” specifically, “the ‘Pit.’”
“Hell itself had come alive,” said another agitated homeowner. “Honestly? A kind of angry, sacrificial chaos.”
The claims deserved immediate investigation. One afternoon, I strolled past the locked, yellow partition and
entered the gravel expanse. Everything seemed normal.
The calm summoned images from the year before, only
there were no rows of cars parked haphazardly neat. A
slinky feeling - something wasn’t quite right - crept into
my stomach.
I turned to the north end. My gut instinct slugged my
sternum full swing. As I walked slowly towards the unknown, trees seemed to shadow my direction, as if they
were trying to speak of dark whispers held taut in their
roots.
The hairpin turnaround did not exist. In its place was
an excavated pit, roughly seven feet deep and twenty feet
wide. Curved around the punchbowl crater was a crudely
constructed barbed-wire fence, electrified by an industrial,
heavy-duty diesel generator. To the left was a row of steel
cages- the size a full-grown grizzly bear could uncomfortably inhabit - wrapped with strands of locked chain links.
To my right was a coffin. I went over to it, looked inside and
stood back, gasping.
Cattle prods, tasers, pistols, whips and war clubs with
spikes protruding from their ends stared at me next to boxes of ammo and flare guns. What the devil? I wondered in
bewilderment. The hollow vibrated dark.
I threw an arms-length stick - the fence was off. No
smoke. I began to expiscate the impression, unavoidably
pricking my being and clothes on the rusty blade-like containment.
The fetid smell of rotting, fleshy excrement engulfed my
nose. My eyes inadvertently groped gnawed baseball-batlength bones shrouded with peeled leather strewn on the
ground. Bashed-in skulls and jaw limbs were scattered
among shattered remains; a very large animal lay brutally
open. Flies, maggots, worms and larvae crawled on the
pile of incestuous flesh. The exposed rib cage stomached
intestines caked with raw earth. Claw marks and bites on
the skin distorted the body. The black-gray fur was matted, stained with blood and dirt. Big Foot seemed to have
danced with the dogs.
That Saturday, dressed in black and wearing moccasins, I made my way through the woods east of the “Pit,”
perched, and waited.
The clock on my cell phone read 1:30 a.m. A wheezing truck rattled up to the gate and paused. The barrier
clanked open. Lurching forward, its glaring lights illuminated the tomb. A convoy of burly, savannah-type trucks,
each with a shuddering cage mounted to its bed followed. A
group of Hemingway men dressed in boots, jeans and hunt-
ing jackets dismounted.
“Get the generator going,” one growled. Others strolled
toward the back of the trucks, cattle prods and shotguns
in hand.
Leashed packs of barking bulk strained men forward,
lapping up the nostril-flaring scents of previous disembowelments. Ferocious, hulking beasts were forced into the
barring, bloodstained boxes. Zaps of electricity glowed a
bright blue. Sparks flew.
Have you ever seen an eight-foot tall, 900-pound Silverback gorilla snap the spine of an attacking hyena? I highly
recommend it. It became clear to me what was going on.
Weekly contests pitting rabid, man-eating apes against
groups of snapping, venomous jackals were in session.
Jaws clamped assuredly on muscular, behemoth arms,
thighs and necks, tearing tendons and ligaments. Bones
fractured with sickening pops. Hearty laughs prodded the
animals with cruelty. Fights lasted ‘til the gorillas ceased
to live or until the mad mutts were too scared to piss themselves. Match after match, the tension in the forest rose.
Fiery yaps chewed through dark-furred brutes. Weathered hands elongated vertebrae with furious power. I left
quietly in awe.
Yes, this carnage and madness is the highly regarded secret concealing the real reasons to why we can’t park in the
“Pit.” No wonder we won’t get a straight answer explaining why it was closed. Only when the true culprits of such
heinous acts are exposed will we have the “Pit” back in the
hands of those who really need it: the students and their
high-powered, gas-guzzling transportation devices.
Dear Abney,
I have a big date coming up and I have no plans for the
evening. I know she will expect me to have something special
planned. What should I do?
Dear Procrastinator Dater,
Why would you ask a girl on a date without plans? This is a
key element in making sure that first date goes right. Girls do
not like unassertive, confident guys. “Uh, what do you think
we should do tonight?” is not an acceptable answer when picking up a girl. Instead, do something that will show her that
you made plans, and care about spending time with her. Go
for a walk around Greenlake, grab an early appetizer and a
drink at a local restaurant or sit at the base of the Space Needle for a romantic sunset. Remember, the point of the date
should be spending time with her, not spending money and
game on her.
Dear Abney,
This cute guy keeps sending me signals at work. How
should I react to his feelings?
Dear Work Relations,
Relationships in the work place are always a confusing issue. Certain people swear by them, while others are proof
that they just don’t work. For the time being, smiles and a
friendly attitude could mean a good coworker, so don’t make
the first move. If he asks you on an outside date, then give
him a chance, but play carefully. If it works, then work with
it, but beware of managers and stockroom hookups. It’s never
pretty and usually doesn’t end that way.
Questions? We got answers. Contact Dear Abney
Submit questions to at [email protected]
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12 n THE EBBTIDE n October 19 – november 1, 2007