Senate welcomes two to ranks - Shoreline Community College

iceland!
jamaica!
honduras!
EBBTIDE
need to
leave the
country?
THE
Vo l . 4 2 , N o . 8 • F e b . 1 6 − M a r. 1 , 2 0 0 7
how green
can we be?
page 4
YOUR HEALTH
Campus disfigured
by Christoph Doellefeld
Contributing Writer
Jonathan Lavigne & Daniel Berman/Ebbtide
Some examples of Shoreline’s graffiti menace.
page 7
graffiti
is good!
page 8
Graffiti artists have claimed
Shoreline Community College as
new grounds to make their mark.
Illegible scribbles and poorly
drawn characters have begun to
show up around campus at an increasing rate. A picture of Homer
Simpson makes its home on the
wall of the 1500 building. A tag of
respect to artist “1+1=3” remains
inside a smoking shelter. Garbage
cans and bathroom stall doors display tags, cement-parking dividers
display more, and from end to end
the campus has become a “writers” canvas.
With 15 reported incidents, vandalism was at an all time high at
SCC in 2003. It plummeted to only
six reported incidents in 2004, but
has rapidly been increasing ever
since.
“Graffiti has been popping up
on a pretty consistent basis this
year,” SCC campus officer Becky
Gibler said. “We are definitely considering this to be a serious problem.”
One of the school’s officers has
even been designated to document
graffiti and vandalism on campus.
Recently four students were
caught vandalizing the Sears lot of
SCC. Another student was spotted
doing the same at a bus stop. Despite some luck in spotting artists
at work, Officer Gibler reported,
Street art often appears as an
“We have only seen it in action two avenue for groups who have been
or three times…There just hap- denied by mainstream media to
pened to be an officer in the right voice an opinion or personal explace at the right time.”
pression. However, these slopSo why SCC? Is there an on- pily written tags, quickly drawn
slaught of gang-ocin Sharpie, cheap
cupancy on campus,
spray paint or even
and do these gangs
scratched in mirrors,
feel the need to claim
appear as pure manitheir territory?
festations of vandalWith no reports of
ism. These scribbles
any gang-related acseem to lack any artivity in the last sevtistic merit or direcen years, this does
tion, entirely.
not seem a probable
SCC partners with
answer. Some stuthe City of Shoreline
dents think it’s a way
to counter vandalism
for these artists to
on campus. Just as
make and leave their
all city graffiti is phomark on campus.
tographed and docuOthers feel as if
—Joseph Aldulami mented, so is graffiti
this is just a byprodSophomore at the college. Punuct of the fusion of
ishment for graffiti in
hip-hop culture and
the city of Shoreline
the media.
is stiff. Even being caught once
“Kids just think they’re cool,” can land you a large fine, or even
sophomore Joseph Aldulami said. jail time. If you are caught for do“They think this makes them gang- ing graffiti on campus, Shoreline
ster.”
police will be contacted.
Some tags appear across camSCC Safety and Security repus, others seem to stand alone. quests that you contact them diThe word “eyon” appears more rectly in room 5102 if you know of,
than 11 times from the Greenwood or if you see any vandalism, espelot to the Sears lot. “206” appears cially graffiti, on campus.
on a garbage can near the 800 buildAnd remember, as Officer Gibler
ing, and reappears with a “CH” on said, “This is vandalism, and this is
the opposite end of campus.
a crime.”
“Kids just think
they’re cool.
They think this
makes them
gangster.”
Senate welcomes two to ranks
by Ivanhoe
A&E Editor
Two new senators have been
hired by a Student Body Association committee to fill two of the
three vacancies on left the nineseat body. Cindy Sutrisno and Jeness Hendrawidjaja were both
approved by the Senate to join the
legislative body.
Senators represent students’
voices on campus and decide
how to spend money from student
fees. Applications for the remaining vacancy can be obtained from
SBA Legislative Director Kristi
Asplund. Information about the
vacancy and contact information
for the senators can be found at
shoreline.edu/sba.
Jeness Hendrawidjaja
Age: 20
Committee: Public Relations
Planned Major: Chemical Engineering
Nationality: Indonesian
Ebbtide: Why did you apply for the senate?
Jeness Hendrawidjaja: I wanted to get more involved in the
student body, and I wanted to find a job on campus.
Ebbtide: What would you like to accomplish as a senator?
Hendrawidjaja: I hope that the student government can have
better communication with students, and I hope we can help
improve services, food services, and everything else.
Ebbtide: Why did you choose to come to Shoreline Community College?
Hendrawidjaja: My sister went to Shoreline for three quarters
and she recommended it. I came to Seattle [to visit her] and I
took a liking to the city.
Cindy Sutrisno
Age: 18
Committee: Constitution & Bylaws
Planned Major: Business & Accounting
Nationality: Indonesian
Ebbtide: Why did you apply for the senator job?
Cindy Sutrisno: I want to contribute something to the college,
and also for experience. I want to know how the college works.
Ebbtide: What would you like to accomplish as a senator?
Sutrisno: As a senator I would like to voice out my opinion. I
would also like people in the college to feel more attached to
the college and activities.
Ebbtide: What will you be doing in the Constitution & Bylaws
Committee?
Sutrisno: We’re improving the constitution and making it
more concise.
CONTENTS
ARTS &
TECHNOLOGY
NEWS OPINIONS FEATURES ENTERTAINMENT
SPORTS
Signs, signs, everywhere
there’s signs.
Messin’ up the scenery,
breakin’ my mind.
Do this, don’t do that,
can’t you read the
sign? pg 3
Sing along with Dave:
“#@¢* you, mister bus
driver, bus driver, bus
driver. . .” pg 4
* * *
For the second time
in as many issues, our
humor page elicits
a reader response.
We must be doing
something right! pg 4
Feel something crawling up your leg? It may
be a noxious weed.
pg 6
White men may not
be able to jump, but
apparently they spray
paint a mean wall.
pg 8
Who wants to perform
open-heart
surgery
after dinner!?
pg 10
Campus Briefs
PUB delay confirmed
Interim Vice President for
Administrative Services Stuart
Trippel addressed the Student
Body Association Senate on Valentine’s Day to announce that
PUB construction is now 50 days
behind schedule and nearly $1
million over budget. The opening will be pushed to the end of
October rather than coinciding
with the opening of school in the
Fall 07. The delay is one of the
contributing factors for the budget overrun, since construction
workers will have to be paid to
complete the project. Other reasons for the delay include:
• Weather conditions since the
beginning of the project have extremely unfavorable, with record
rainfall in October, two winter
storms, and a severe windstorm
that knocked out power to much
of the Puget Sound region.
• Inspection of old electrical
facilities from the old PUB, being reused for the new building,
found large amounts of asbestos, which required a special
asbestos removal crew to clean
up.
• Facilities head Randy Stegmeier said that “underground
masses of conduits” were found
at the construction site, which
required manual excavation and
halted the use of construction
machines. Old concrete beams
being reused from the old PUB
were found not to be strong
enough for the new structure, so
special saddles had to be added
to support the weight of the new
steel beams.
to better accommodate what is
needed in the new school cafeteria.
Food Services Survey
Treasurer quits
A survey is being conducted
both online and in selected
classes to evaluate students’
needs when it comes to food
for next year. The Food Service
Committee is preparing to request proposals from vendors
who may be providing food in
the new PUB when it opens its
doors in Fall 2007. The questions
concern what time students will
eat in the new PUB to how much
they usually spend for lunch
each day. It is highly encouraged
that students and faculty alike
take time to answer the survey
Student Body Association Treasurer Suhendra Lie officially
resigned his post on Feb. 14 to
focus on his studies. The SBA
Senate appointed him interim
treasurer for the remainder of
the quarter, and is now taking
applications to fill the position.
If someone is hired before the
end of Winter Quarter, Lie could
step down allowing the new
treasurer to take office immediately. Students interested in
applying can contact Legislative
Director Kristi Asplund at (206)
546-6996.
by Sgt. Becky Gibler,
Safety & Security Dept.
dent with damage. Both parties exchanged information.
Theft
Vandalism
Jan. 29
Several items were stolen
from the area of the zero energy house. Police were contacted.
Suspicious
Circumstances
Jan. 29, 8 a.m.
An unknown person clogged
a toilet in the men’s room
Feb. 9
with toilet paper.
Theft
Feb. 5
Irate Student
Jan. 30, 9 a.m.
It was reported to security
that a student was verbally
abusive to staff. Referred to
Vice President of Student
Services for a Student Code
of Conduct violation.
MAN ON THE
ST.
A student parking permit was
stolen out of a vehicle in the
Greenwood lot.
Vehicle
Accident
Feb. 6, 2:20 p.m.
Two vehicle non-injury acci-
It appears as if an unknown
person attempted to remove
a DVD player that was bolted
to a TV stand in a classroom.
Illegal
Dumping
Feb. 10, 8:15 a.m.
An unknown person dumped
garbage on campus.
“What would you do if there was a draft?”
compiled and photographed by Daniel Berman
High-flying Dolphins
miss playoffs. . . but
there’s always next
season. pg 11
EBBTIDE
THE
Editor-in-Chief
Jonathan Lavigne
Design Director
Scott Pendergraft
Copy Editor
David Banuelos
A&E Editor
Ivanhoe
Sports Editor
Tom Helm
Photo Editor
Daniel Berman
Business Manager
Wes Abney
Distribution Manager
Kevin Vandenheuvel
Faculty Advisor
Patti Jones
Staff
Dan Gayle
Lindsay Ginn
Joshua Henry
Aaron Hunter
Sara Nagi
The Ebbtide is the official
student publication of Shoreline
Community
College
(SCC).
Opinions published within do not
neccesarily represent the views of
the Ebbtide staff or representatives
of SCC. Writers are encouraged
to adhere to basic rules of logic,
factual support, statistics, and so
on. Personal attacks and hysteria
are highly discouraged.
Submissions from students,
faculty, staff, and administration
are welcomed and encouraged.
All articles, letters to the editor,
artwork, or photographs must
include the name and phone
number of the author for
verification. Articles are subject to
editing for clarity and content and
should be 350 words or less.
Contact the Ebbtide
Room 1502
16101 Greenwood Ave. N
Shoreline, WA 98133
(206)546-4730
[email protected]
Errata
• We apologize to
Jensina Byington and
Helena Azevedo for
the misspelling of their
names last issue.
Rachael Chapman
John Caldwell
Aimee Donaldson
Eddie Gwin
I don’t feel I would be of any
help. Most people aren’t mentally strong enough. Females
shouldn’t be drafted anyway.
If I wasn’t married or had
anything else holding me back,
I wouldn’t have a choice but
to go.
I don’t think I would want to
go. If I had to, I would be a
nurse.
I’d rather go to jail than go to
Iraq and die for no cause.
• The Ebbtide • February 16, 2007
by Daniel Berman
Photo Editor
When Shoreline Community College
freshman Allie Johnson walked into the
library Wednesday morning, she was disappointed to find her favorite research
area – the four rows of computer terminals
– filled with students. As she waited for an
open spot to type her English 102 paper
she noted that among her peers was one
student perusing a sports website, another
typing an email, and another checking his
bank balance.
This would seem like a reasonable use
of these computers if not for one thing: it’s
against the rules.
According to a placard posted around
the library, “personal web use is not allowed before 1:30 p.m.” With only 24 computers in the lower level designated as research terminals, students that wish to type
papers and maintain close access to library
resources are frequently out of luck.
The morning hours tend to be the worst,
noted web librarian Owen Rogers, who has
been in tech services since fall 2006, has
seen much computer misuse in a short
time span.. Sonic Arts is back
by Ivanhoe
A&E Editor
The Sonic Arts Club was reinstated by the Student Body Association Senate on Jan. 24. The club was
inactive since last year, and required
reinstatement in order to receive
club funds from the SBA.
Sonic Arts is a club for students
passionate about recording music.
They plan to take submissions from
student musicians to compile an
album. When the CD is released, a
concert
versity ad
for may help promote the CD
and
CC Ebbtidethe club.
“Eventually, we’d like the club
to become [Shoreline Community
College’s] in-house record label,”
said Cody Groom, the club’s faculty
advisor. “We’d like to get as much of
a variety as possible.”
“We will be focused on getting what
we need to get a contest organized for
the CD compilation,” said Brien Meadows, the new club president.
Student musicians who are interested in submitting their recording
for inclusion may pick up a submission packet in room 819. Submissions are due on Feb. 28. “The music
has to be completely original, for
copyright reasons,” Meadows said.
The club meets every other
Monday at 12:45 in room 820. Further information about the club
can be found on their web site:
http://www.shoreline.edu/sccstudio/clubs/sac.htm.
“Students will come in wanting to do has the library understaffed, and consetheir schoolwork and all the computers quently, unable to patrol computers and
are being used for MySpace. Unfortunately monitor their use.
this is a real problem.” he said. “I had a
“I really wish we could do more for
kid come in here [fall] quarter bouncing those students trying to do research,” Bibetween three computers
anco said in an email inand three different hands
terview.
of online poker!”
The library staff only
Adding that the library
monitors computer use
is open to the public, Rogduring the busiest times
ers has even observed
of the day.
adults walking in and
“If we notice that a
browsing pornographic
line is forming or if somewebsites.
one tells us they need a
Though the policy of
computer, we’ll make an
not allowing personal net
announcement reminding
use before 1:30 p.m. has
users of our policy,” Bibeen in place since the
anco said. “We only ever
building opened in late
invoke the policy when
2002, librarians have not
there is high demand for
—Owen Rogers
been able to successfully
Web Librarian the computers. In the 10
enforce it.
years I’ve been here, I
“I can’t walk over there
have never had to speak
and snoop on these people,” Rogers said. to individual patrons about this.”
“But if students are being obvious, I will
With a 100-seat open computer lab only
tell them to go to a lab.”
a quick jaunt away downstairs, freshman
According to head librarian Elena Bi- baseball player Brady Summers wonders
anco, a lack of student assistants this year why students looking to just surf the Inter-
“Students will come
in wanting to do their
schoolwork and all the
computers are being
used for MySpace”
net don’t simply relocate.
“If they wanted to mess around they
could do it somewhere else – people need
these computers,” he said. “It’s just sad
when people have to go around searching for an open computer, just to get their
work done.”
Before heading to practice, Summers
noted that he often sees students using the
computers for random surfing.
Freshman Gwen Ohm says she and her
friends stop into the library often to catch
up on their email, no matter the time.
“I just don’t see what the big deal is. If
people want to do research they can always go downstairs,” she said.
Pausing to pick up her ringing bejeweled
cell phone, Ohm added that “no one really
pays attention to those signs anyway.”
The list of improvements necessary for
policy enforcement is long, from hiring
staff to ensure students feel safe all around
the library, to deciding how to proceed
once staff actually observes inappropriate
behavior.
“This is a problem that needs to be
solved,” Rogers said. “Now we just need to
figure out how.”
/&84
Library computer misuse irks students, staff
Shoreline broadcasts in wi-fidelity
by Ivanhoe
A&E Editor
Wireless Internet access, like
many technologies nowadays, is
swiftly becoming one of those essential services that make many
wonder how they ever went without. Wi-Fi, as it is also called, is one
of the free services that students
can take advantage of on campus.
Students with laptops and other devices that use wireless connections can use them in many
areas of the campus, including the
student lounge (FOSS), the library
(4000), the student programs office
(2900 annex), the music building
(800), the visual communications
technology building (2000), and
many of the professional/technical buildings.
Technology Support Services
has been installing high-end Cisco
wireless routers around campus
during the past few years. While
TSS installs the systems, they are
paid for from a variety of sources,
including programs located in specific buildings, students through
technology fees, and grant money,
according to Director of Technology Systems & Information Assurance Gary Kalbfleisch.
By summer, TSS hopes to have
Feb 2007 Ad #1
BE MORE THAN JUST A FACE IN THE CROWD
Students use wi-fi while studying in the library.
seven new routers funded by student technology fees installed on
the west side of campus, which
will serve the 1100 – 1800 buildings and surrounding areas.
with a degree in Exercise Science and Wellness
that combines:
exercise physiology · nutrition
stress management · personal wellness
degree.BastyrUniversity.net
Changing the face
of Health Education
are available to check out in the library are all Wi-Fi capable, and are
often checked out by clubs who
use them during their meetings on
campus.
Budget meeting follow-up
by Sara Nagi
Staff Writer
Get ahead of the competition
“We’re purposely trying to find
locations so that people can use
wireless in popular outdoor locations,” Kalbfleisch said.
The popular notebook PCs that
Christopher Lynch/Ebbtide
The second budget meeting
took place on Feb. 2 and gave faculty and staff a better idea of which
six departments would be losing
employees.
One staff member will be cut
from the following departments:
English, math, music, criminal justice, and art. The college will also
cut staff from advising, counseling,
and Student Services. Last year
the director of student programs
retired and SCC had planned on
filling that position. Unfortunately,
they concluded it would be best to
eliminate the position all together.
“I don’t believe at this time that
we are going to lose any full time
tenure faculty” said Judy Yu, director of communications.
In order to decide where these
cuts would be made, SCC’s vice-
presidents looked at departments
that had low enrollment and tried
to determine where cutting a staff
member wouldn’t make too much
of a difference.
The staff has known about these
cuts since the first budget meeting.
SCC was told they had to reduce
their budget by $1.8 million. The
VPs had from Dec. 13 to Jan. 3 to
come up with a proposal for a budget plan. Not long afterwards, they
notified staff that the most effective
way to meet our budget is to let go
of staff.
At last week’s meeting, the VP’s
gave staff a little more information,
but also tried to maintain confidentiality. A summary of the meeting
held Jan. 26 was also given. Staff
were told that the cuts won’t take
place until June 30, the end of the
Spring Quarter.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to deliv-
er seamless service,” Yu said. Her
goal along with the rest of the VP’s
is to cause no disruption on campus for the students.
“We’re trying to be more efficient and effective,” she said.
Still, with all of the hard work
contributed by the VPs many students wonder what will happen if
we don’t meet our budget after the
cuts. “We will definitely be doing
some more budget analysis,” Yu
said. “I can’t really say because I
don’t know what would happen.”
At this point it is up to the staff
whether or not they will let their
students know they won’t be at
SCC next year. The school will not
formally notify students due to confidentiality. “The college is really trying to
make this a painless process,” Yu
said.
February 16, 2007 • The Ebbtide • BBTIDEOPINIONSEBBTIDEOPINIONSEBBTIDEOPINIONSEBBTIDEOPINIONSEBBTIDEOPINIO
“Dangling babies from the balcony of your mind, since 1965.”
Crawling towards
a greener campus
Troubling calculations
by Ivanhoe
A&E Editor
It’s tax season, a time of year
where we all take a good look at
the money which we’ve earned and
spent in the previous 12 months.
I once again failed to earn much
money in 2006. Even with two parttime jobs, and minimal expenses, I
was barely able to breach the poverty line (currently $9,800 per year
for individuals in the 48 contiguous
states, according to the Federal
Register).
No college student in his or her
right mind should expect to earn
a living wage, while attending school. My fairly
reasonable hourly wages
are still inadequate as
far as getting me to a
place where $445 (nearly a month’s rent where
I live) is an insignificant
sum.
Assuming 45 school
days per quarter (10
weeks, five days each,
about five days off for
weather, illness, and/or
holidays), and two bus
trips per day, bus-bound Shoreline
Community College students like
myself will spend about $115 each
quarter just to get to school and
back.
Passes offered by King County
Metro offer little relief for this situation. At $54 per month, one would
have to use Metro for about 50 additional trips per academic quarter in
order to offset the cost difference,
and make a pass begin to pay for
itself.
And, just to continue beating the
proverbial dead horse, SCC has no
program in place to provide students with bus pass discounts. The
odds of such a program being established in this time of budget crises
and layoffs are extremely long.
Beyond SCC’s in-house concerns,
however, are more vexing questions
about King County’s transit system,
specifically the route that the majority of SCC student riders depend
on for their daily commute.
While all of us who took junior-high math are aware that 5=5
Shoreline Community College
is now home to a solar house,
built by Washington State University students. When the project
is completed it will provide its
own power via solar panels, and
provide a valuable educational
opportunity to students who are
interested in environmental science and engineering.
The house also makes the
Shoreline campus look good in
an age of increasing concern
over global climate change.
Although bringing the solar
house to the Shoreline campus
is a wonderful idea,
our college’s environmental standards are
still extremely weak,
especially
when
compared to other
colleges in the area.
Edmonds Community College has a
long-established recycling program that
includes over 200 recycling bins around
its campus, an employee certified in
handling hazardous
materials, and composting of food waste
generated by its food
services. Community colleges in
Seattle, like all businesses in the
city, are required to recycle all
recyclable materials, or else face
fines.
Meanwhile, some SCC students and employees are taking
their plastic and glass bottles
home with them for recycling,
and even old issues of the Ebbtide
have been found thrown in trash
bins, even though paper is one
of the items the school actually
recycles.
There have been initiatives
by students in the past to get
the school to be more aggressive in its recycling program, but
a combination of rapid student
turnover and a slow, reluctant
bureaucracy has helped keep the
school stuck in the dark ages.
But the times, as Bob Dylan
once reminded us, they are achanging.
Since taking over as head of
facilities, Randy Stegmeier has
installed more energy-efficient
lighting in the gym, parking lots,
and other areas of the campus,
and the school is phasing in sensors that will automatically turn
out lights in rooms that are not
in use.
The once-defunct Environmental Committee has been reborn as the Sustainability Committee, and SCC President Lee
Lambert has tasked them with
developing strategies for creating a sustainable campus that
will hopefully be approved by the
Board of Trustees, made official
school policy, and implemented.
With the college now in a period of transformation and new
leadership, now is the best time
for students to involve themselves in helping the school go
green. Here are some of my suggestions:
• Make sustainability a part
of your education. When writing
a research paper, choose a topic
about sustainability, and present
your results to the school.
• Join the Sustainability Committee or the Food Services Committee to be a part of setting the
school policy. Student Body Association President Matt Fitzsimmons can provide you with details (mfitzsimmons@shoreline.
edu, or (206) 546-6997).
• Become active on campus
by joining a club. The Environmental Club, the Engineering
Club, and my own
Worldly Philosophers
& Dismal Scientists’
Society are all interested in cooperating
with the school in expanding its recycling
program. If you are
already a member of
a club, connect with
other clubs who are
active. The Campus
Ambassadors
can
help connect you to
clubs that are active
on campus.
• Bus, carpool,
bike, or walk to
school
whenever
possible.
• Take the food services survey provided by the Food Services
Committee in the library, and ask
for food that is organic and locally
grown. Organic foods do not use
environment-harming chemicals,
and locally grown foods help fight
global warming because they require far less energy to transport.
• Talk to people. A lot of folks
are concerned about the environment, and finding other students,
faculty, and staff on campus who
care about it is a great way to
meet people, make friends, and
create the sense of community
that should exist at a community
college.
Some SCC
students and
employees are
taking their plastic
and glass bottles
home with them
for recycling.
• The Ebbtide • February 16, 2007
by David Banuelos
Copy Editor
Feb. 5, 2007
You, too, can contact the
Ebbtide by any of three
methods:
POST
Room 1502
16101 Greenwood Ave. N
Shoreline, WA 98133
PHONE
(206)546-4730
E-MAIL
[email protected]
On September 10, 2002, Lori
White, a former Shoreline student, was killed by her ex-boyfriend. As a domestic violence
victim, she had done everything
right. She called the police when
her boyfriend hit her. She later
left her boyfriend, and faced all
the difficulties that came with
that decision. She refused to
let him back in her life. She was
getting her life back on track.
Her ex-boyfriend came to Seattle from California and shot her
outside her apartment building.
(identity property), for Metro, 5=3,
as in three routes bearing the same
number.
Route 5, the plodding, lurching, green and yellow beast which
crawls up and down Greenwood
Ave. N, has three different potential
destinations when traveling north.
A tired SCC student could easily find himself stranded in Northgate or Greenwood, missing his
first class (or two) if only a casual
glance is made at the scrolling destination display on the front of the
carriage.
The obvious question: Why the
hell is the same number used to
denote three different destinations,
especially when there are plenty of
perfectly good numerals that Metro
isn’t using?
Another issue is the route itself.
The typical Route 5 bus begins its
journey under a different banner
before arriving in downtown Seattle. From 8:15 a.m. on, virtually
every 5, no matter what its ultimate
destination, begins at 15th Ave. SW,
and SW Roxbury St. as Route 54.
This means that before even
reaching downtown Seattle, the
bus must weave its way through
West Seattle, encountering such potential traffic snags as Alaska Junction, the bottle-necked entrance to
the West Seattle Bridge, the onramp
to the Alaskan Way Viaduct, and finally the Seneca St. exit.
As one might imagine, this shortsighted route plan often leads to
tardiness. I can’t tell you how many
times I’ve paced back and forth at
the corner of Denny Way and Dexter Ave. muttering muted curses
Lori is just one of the 4 victims of
domestic violence killed by their
partners every day.
So forgive me if I was not
amused by your Valentine’s Day
Word Search on your so-called
“Humor” page (Feb. 2-15, 2007
issue). The words to search for
ranged from “dinner,” “movie,”
and “romance,” to “despair,”
“stalking” and “court order.” As
Lori’s story reminds us, stalking
is no joking matter, and court orders are there for a vital reason.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, I
hope that members of the Shore-
over the fact that I’m about to be
late to class. . . again!
I once estimated that each class
period missed costs the average
full-time student roughly $5. If one
assumes that Metro will make him
late—or even absent—10 times in
a quarter (a conservative estimate),
that’s about $50 wasted per student.
The next obvious question: Why,
when so many depend on the punctuality of northbound Route 5 service in their daily lives, does the
route begin in a location that practically guarantees that it will run behind schedule?
The last of my issues
involves a curious situation. When riding the
5 to SCC last Tuesday, I
had my face buried in my
laptop, ironically while
writing this very column.
After bending left onto
Dayton Ave., the driver
shut off the cabin lights
halfway up the home
stretch. Immersed in my
work, I thought nothing
of it.
That is, until the bus turned right
towards Aurora Ave. instead of left
towards the SCC campus. When I
alerted the driver, he stopped the
bus, and shouted at me as if it was
my duty to make him do his job
(i.e. finishing his route before going
back to base).
Third and final vexing question:
When did I suddenly become obligated as a passenger to alert lazy
drivers of my presence?
Some of you more math-savvy
types may have noticed that my
Metro cost figures only amount to
$345 over the typical three-quarter
school year.
The other $100? According to my
1098-T form, it’s what I personally
paid to SCC Technology Support
Services in tech fees so that they
could install wireless routers in the
Ebbtide offices, and not allow us to
use them.
An extra C-note would sure be
nice about now. It would buy me
almost a quarter’s worth of late bus
rides.
line Community will remember
Lori. I hope that we will love
and respect each other. I hope
that we remember that laughter
is magical and healing, when it
doesn’t come at someone else’s
expense. I hope that all our intimate relationships include safety
and trust along with fun and romance. Happy Valentine’s Day.
Rachel David
Women’s Studies Instructor
F E A T URE S
Land of Fire and Ice
by Aaron Hunter
Staff Writer
courtesy Emma Baer
Svartifoss Falls (top) and Lakagigar, located in
Skaftafell National Park, Iceland.
If you are a geology buff looking to
study abroad this summer, then Shoreline Community College has the place
for you. Iceland: the “Land of Fire and
Ice.”
SCC geology professor Emma Baer
will lead a three-week expedition to Iceland. In this program, students will have
the opportunity to explore Iceland and
its volcanoes, geysers, and glaciers. The
trip lasts from Aug. 20 – Sept. 12, 2007.
Iceland is an island located in the
North Atlantic between Greenland and
Scandinavia. Though the country’s chilly
name can fend people off from wanting
to travel there, its capital, Reykjavik,
has a warmer average temperature in
the winter than New York.
Iceland is rich in geological features;
the island is made up of volcanic rocks
which erupted in the last 16 million
years. Iceland has 130 named volcanoes, which have greatly affected the
Icelandic population.
The combination of these volcanoes,
and the fact that 11 percent of the island
is composed of glaciers, makes for impressive flooding.
“It’s a geological paradise,” Baer said.
The reason for its geological wonders is that it sits atop the Mid-Atlantic
ridge, where North American and European tectonic plates split apart.
On this excursion, participants will
spend most nights camping in National
Parks, and cooking their own meals in
order to really experience the geological nature of Iceland.
“By the end of this trip you will really know how a geologist works in the
field,” Baer said. “This program gives
students the opportunity to learn geology in one of the most geologically active places on earth.”
Highlights of this trip include: An
excursion to see the world’s third highest concentration of geysers; a day trip
to Askja Caldera, the site of the most
explosive volcano in Iceland; a day excursion to the Lakagigar fissure system
Lindsay Ginn/Ebbtide
SCC geology professor Emma Baer is leading a trip to Iceland this summer.
from which the largest single lava flow
ever recorded in history originated; and
finally a stay in Landmannalauger, a volcanic and hydrothermal area, with rainbow colored rocks, and hot springs for
soothing soaks at the end of a full day.
“In August we’re going to have a lot
of light, in fact it’s never really going to
get dark at any point” Baer said. “We’ll
still let you sleep two or three hours per
night,” she added with a laugh.
In order to join in on this adventure,
students must fill out an application
form, and have a completed faculty
recommendation form by April 6, 2007.
Students will then be required to meet
with faculty leaders for an interview between April 16-20.
If chosen to be among the 10-12 students going to Iceland, students will be
required to pay a deposit of $1,500 to
the International programs office by
April 27. The rest of the $3,300-$3,400
fee will be due on June 1.
This is not an annual trip, and is a
rare opportunity for a group of students
to visit what Baer calls a “culturally and
geologically rich island.”
Visit a Mayan city, and more
by Wes Abney
Staff Writer
Courtesy Dekker Estate
Rocksteady musician Desmond Dekker is gone but his spirit
lives on in Jamaica, which is another option for studying abroad.
Once in a lifetime opportunities don’t usually come twice.
But with Shoreline Community College’s international programs, students are offered the
chance to study overseas each
year.
The traveling is intense, the
education great, and the chance
is priceless.
Since 2000, the International Summer Institute has been
sending students and professors
to study in different countries
each summer. The trips are academic programs, though earning
school credit is not their main
focus. The course offers students the chance to step outside
the classroom and American
culture, and experience both life
and schooling in another part of
the world.
“Shoreline Community College is one of the few community colleges in Washington that
offers study abroad programs,”
said SCC Assistant Director of
International Education Colleen
Ferguson. “It’s even harder to
find a program that offers multiple trips each summer.”
One of this summer’s trips is
the first to Honduras, and there
is a lot of excitement surrounding the upcoming journey. The
main focus of the trip is to study
business and entrepreneurship
in other countries. The group
will spend three weeks traveling
throughout Honduras, learning
about the country and its economics.
Students will have the opportunity to visit the sacred Mayan
city of Copan, zip line through a
rain forest, and experience life
in a different culture as they
travel through different parts of
the country.
“Our international summer
institute programs are hands
down the most economical way
to study abroad,” Ferguson said.
“I strongly encourage students
to consider the opportunities
that are available to them.”
Students will also have the
chance to experience daily life
in Honduras, and even live for
three days in a suburban home.
Registration for five credits in
BUSAD 285 is required for students who want to enroll in the
program. An application is due
in the International Programs
Office by April 6, along with a
faculty recommendation form.
More information about the
Honduras trip and other international programs offered by the
college is available in the International Programs Office.
February 16, 2007 • The Ebbtide • F E A T URE S
Keeping a watch out for
by Lisa Haglund
Contributing Writer
At Shoreline Community College we are
bordered on at least two sides by lush forest. In
many parts of the campus a short deviation off
a path will lead you onto a kind of game trail,
where, if you are fortunate, you may encounter
some of the native species of animals that inhabit the woods. The woods immediately surrounding Shoreline are second growth, turning
into old growth forest as you head north.
Trees such as western redcedar, western
hemlock, douglas fir, red alder, pacific madrone
(or madrona), and pacific yew can all be found
in the woods around Shoreline.
Lower canopy trees and plants such as vine
Maple, red elderberry,
huckleberry, and salmonberry support various native birds and animals that use these
plants for cover, food, and forage. Unfortunately, many non-native species are endangering
these native plants, and with them the delicate
ecosystems that our native birds and animals
depend on.
Himalaya
Blackberry
Basically any weed termed noxious is potentially threatening to people and their interests,
as well as to the ecosystems in the environment
they are affecting. They endanger animals and
other important organisms by poisoning them,
and/or choking out the beneficial native plant
networks upon which our ecosystems depend.
Being non-native, these weeds have no natural enemies (diseases, competitors) which in
their native habitat operate as checks to keep
them in line. The woods surrounding Shoreline
are infested with some of the most common
noxious weeds found in the Pacific Northwest.
Among them: the himalayan blackberry, English ivy, and herb Robert.
The himalayan blackberry (or HBB), is
found almost everywhere in the Northwest.
Despite its name, HBB is native to Western Europe and is thought to have been introduced
to our region in 1885 as a cultivation crop.
By 1945 HBB had successfully broken out of
cultivation and naturalized all along the West
Coast.
Taking a quick stroll from the Greenwood
parking area towards campus you can see
thickets of HBB running along both sides of the
path. In some areas they appear to be swarming up trees, though they are not true climbers. Instead, the dense thickets cut off light for
any tree seedlings or other native plants from
growing.
If undisturbed, these thickets will eventually out-compete all other plants, leading to
permanent HBB thickets with little or no other
vegetation.
The largest concerns over HBB infestations
include: the destruction of the diverse plant
growth and the ecosystems that depend on
them; their destruction of riparian zones (the
areas of vegetation found along streams and
river banks) that provide essential habitat for
salmon; the increased erosion that takes place
when HBBs take over; and the barriers they
create limiting the movement of large animals
in the wild. All of these ecological threats have
resulted in the classification of HBB in King
County as an unregulated but class C “noxious
weed of concern.”
Herb Robert
English
Ivy
Geranium robertianum
Rubus procerus
The Pacific Northwest has many organizations and volunteer groups who work
to eradicate these noxious weeds and
others from our forests. It is a tough and
sometimes painful job to remove thorny
blackberry brambles or English ivy out
of trees, but it’s a job people recognize as
essential to saving the biodiversity of our
forests.
With this in mind, perhaps students
at Shoreline could develop a program
through the environmental club to tackle the job of taking back the forest from
these interlopers. With a little knowledge
and the ability to identify these weeds, a
successful effort could be made to protect
our native plants and the ecosystems they
provide from further destruction.
• The Ebbtide • February 16, 2007
Another commonly seen weed in Shoreline’s forest is herb Robert, also known as
“Stinky Bob.” This hardy geranium has
lacy blue-green leaves, pink flowers, hairy,
sticky red stems and it releases an unpleasant odor when disturbed.
It is the glandular hairs on its stems that
are responsible for the odor. herb Robert is
a class B noxious weed in King County, and
was first found growing wild in our region
in 1911, having been a garden plant that
escaped its boundaries. It is now widely
dispersed throughout Washington, and
threatens to displace the native understory
plants in our forests. It is a prolific reproducer and can jettison ripe seeds 15 to 20
feet away from the mother plant.
The seeds have sticky hairs that easily attach to the fur of passing animals or
clothing, adding to their dispersion. In the
woods around Shoreline colonies of herb
Robert can be found almost everywhere,
where they have crowded out the native,
beneficial plants in their place.
Because herb Robert is so adaptable, it
is significantly threatening the biodiversity
of western Washington’s forest habitats,
thus ranking in the class B noxious weed
category. Although easy to pull up, (unlike HBB’s or English ivy), herb Robert is
so pervasive it takes constant vigilance to
eliminate it from an area.
Hedera helix
English ivy is a popular landscaping
plant, and SCC’s campus has plenty of it.
Its dark green, glossy leaves make it an attractive ground cover but it is a menace to
native plants when it escapes the garden.
This is exactly what happened at SCC,
and large growths of ivy present themselves
as impenetrable masses on the ground, or
thickly swarming masses in trees.
English ivy is a woody, evergreen vine
that grows up to 90 feet long, and can live
up to 400 years. Being native to Europe
and Asia, ivy was introduced to the Pacific
Northwest in the 1890’s and is now ranked
as a class C noxious weed in King County.
When English ivy establishes itself and
spreads in a forest it impacts all three levels of the forest: the forest floor, the shrub
layer, and the forest canopy. It limits plants
in the understory of a forest by blocking
out sunlight, and competing for water and
nutrients. When it reaches a tree canopy,
it suppresses its host tree, interferes with
the tree’s bark interaction with air and microorganisms, and can add thousands of
pounds of weight to a tree, stressing limbs,
and causing more blow downs.
F E A T URE S
Cigarettes,
regrets &
hookah
hazards
Peg-n-Awl, LLC
by Charlotte Wilson-Murphy
Contributing writer
form passes quickly into the bloodstream
when inhaled.
Cigarette and hookah smoking could
This information is being disputed by Philbe even more dangerous than you
lip Morris USA, a major cigarette manufacknow.
turer. The company says data reported to the
It has long been known that
state by the companies shows nicotine yields
cigarette smoking can be deadly.
for Marlboro cigarettes were the same in
However, tobacco has become
1997 and 2006, and that data showed random
popular in America through hoovariations in nicotine yield which are inconkah bars. New information about
sistent.
both points to growing concern.
At the same time, a study in the November
The Harvard School of Public
issue of the Journal of Periodontology says
Health recently completed an in
hookah smoking may be even worse for your
depth analysis of data submitteeth than cigarettes. A hookah is a water pipe
ted to the state of Massachuused to smoke tobacco, molasses and added
setts. Nicotine yields were inflavors over charcoal, and its use is a social
creased in the cigarettes of each
custom in Asia, India, and the Middle East.
of the four major manufacturers
Over the past few years, hookah bars and
and across all cigarette market catlounges have been gaining popularity in the
egories, including mentholated and
United States. American hookah bars often
light.
have a casual atmosphere with couches in
“Cigarettes are finely
bright colors and decorated fabrics, luring
tuned
drug
delivery
teens into their exotically decorated tobacco
devices, designed to
houses.
perpetuate a tobacco
Experts are hoping to dispel the myth that
pandemic,”
Howard
hookah smoking isn’t as damaging to one’s
Koh, an associate dean
health as traditional cigarette smoking. Some
for Public Health Pracfear that teens who would turn down a cigatice who worked on the
rette may try a hookah because of misconcepdata analysis, told the Associated
tion that it is safer.
Press. “Yet precise information about
“I smoke hookah. I don’t smoke cigarettes
these products remains shrouded in secrecy,
anymore,” said Dana Couture, a Shoreline
hidden from the public.”
Community College student and smoker. “I
The original data was released last Ocwant to believe there are less chemicals like
tober by the Massachusetts Department of
rat poison in hookah than cigarettes.”
Public Health, after it was submitted by cigaThe November study shows tooth related
rette manufacturers. Researchers looked at
diseases afflicting 30 percent of water-pipe
nicotine levels in over 100 brands. Increases
smokers and 24 percent of cigarette smokers,
in smoke nicotine yield per cigarette averwhile afflicting only 8 percent of nonsmokers.
aged 1.6 percent each year, for a total of
Tooth diseases can be quite painful and exabout 11 percent over a seven year pepensive to treat.
riod.
Dr. Kenneth Krebs, president of the AmerMassachusetts is one of only three
ican Academy of Periodontology, recently
states requiring tobacco companies
told KIRO 7 News: “Not only does water-pipe
to submit information about nicotine
smoking include the same substances as
testing. They are also the only state
cigarette smoke such as carbon monoxide
with data going back as far as 1997.
and tar, tobacco used for water-pipe smoking
The Harvard School of Public Health
contains 2 to 4 percent nicotine versus 1 to 3
project was partially funded by The
percent for cigarettes.”
American Legacy Foundation, an antiAll of this new information is calling into
smoking advocacy group, and the Naquestion whether or not the Tobacco Industional Cancer Institute.
try has lived up to the landmark 1998 ruling
Another cigarette study was done on
forcing them to launch a campaign to reduce
the so-called “free base” form of nicotine
smoking among young people. The tobacco
- the form thought to be most addictive
industry has
been
responsible
for all of the
Your
Local
Destination
due to the fact that it is more easanti-smoking billboards and commercials
for Affordable Family Fun
ily vaporized, and thus more easthat have sprouted up over the past several
ily absorbed by the body. This
years.
Bowling - Roller Skating- Arcade
study was completed by the
KIRO 7 News also quoted Gregory ConOregon Health and Science
nelly, head
of the Tobacco
Research
Birthday
Parties Control
- Billiards
University and was recentProgram who said: “Our analysis shows that
Great Food
and subtly
Much increasing
More!
ly published in the online
the companies
have- been
version of the6210
Journal
of
the
drug
nicotine
year
by
year
in
their
ciga200th Street SW Lynnwood, WA 98036 425.778.3133
Chemical Research in
Toxirettes, without
any warning to consumers,
www.bowlandskate.com
[email protected]
cology. This report states
since the settlement.”
that some unnamed comHe would like to see the state toughen
mercial brands contain 10
its requirements so cigarette companies will
to 20 times more of the “free
have to disclose more information to conbase” form. This “free base”
sumers.
NW’s premier anime convention coming in April
by Joe Louie
geek-vs-life.com
Wandering the streets of downtown Seattle is always interesting.
The things you see, the people you
meet, all of these can contribute to
a wonderful day if you’re not too
caught up in your own world to
look.
I walk around Seattle a lot. It’s
just annoying to deal with a car
with all those one-way streets. But
it’s the days when I see something
that’s completely out there that
make me love being alive.
Like the day I saw Vash the
Stampede, from Trigun. Well, I live
on Capitol Hill. Things like that
aren’t that out of the ordinary. But
when I saw Pokemon’s Pikachu
about 10 minutes later, I knew
something was up.
Sakura-Con, the Northwest’s
premier anime convention, celebrates the wonders of Asian culture. It’s the longest running, most
attended anime convention in the
region.
If it’s cute, has big eyes, flies in
space ships, wanders through dimensions like Jell-o, has huge…er,
guns…you’ll find it at Sakura-Con.
There’s a little bit of everything
here. Cosplay, karaoke (for the
sake of all involved, hope I don’t
get in on that), music videos, roleplaying games, video games, Go,
concerts, and a lot of people.
Guests for 2007
include
M.O.V.E., Vic Mignogna (Edward
Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist),
Doug Smith, Akitaroh Daichi, Hiroshi Nagahama, Yasuhiro Nightow, the boys from Penny Arcade,
the crew of Rooster Teeth (Red vs.
Blue), and Shoreline Community
College’s own Keith Takashi.
This year celebrates the convention’s 10th anniversary, and will be
at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center on April 6-8.
Tickets are $45 until Feb. 28, and
$60 at the door. More information
can be found at www.sakuracon.
org.
Grab a costume and head down
(though not too early, you might
end up getting arrested). I guarantee you’ll have a time like no other.
Your Local Destination
for Affordable Family Fun
Bowling - Roller Skating- Arcade
Birthday Parties - Billiards
Great Food - and Much More!
6210 200th Street SW Lynnwood, WA 98036 425.778.3133
www.bowlandskate.com [email protected]
February 16, 2007 • The Ebbtide • E
&
A
SCC
@
ING
UPCOM
Lunar New Year
Feb. 16
The Asian & Pacific Islanders
Club will be hosting a Lunar New
Year celebration. Students from
various Asian countries will share
how the New Year is celebrated in
their home countries. Asian foods
will be served in the Little Gym,
and students can participate in
activities such as calligraphy,
raffles, games, and performances.
Lower Library, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30
p.m., Free, Little Gym, 12:30 – 4
p.m., Free
Robbie Fulks
Feb. 17
Country singer and songwriter
Robbie Fulks will grace the Campus Theater this weekend with
a unique style of country music.
Promotional materials explain,
“Eighty years ago, when country
music was first recorded, it was
rude, funny, soulful and political. Robbie Fulks takes us back
to those forgotten values and
reintroduces us to the literacy and
warped humor of songwriters like
Shel Silverstein, Bob McDill, and
Roger Miller.” Yee-haw! Campus
Theater, 7:30 p.m., $18 general,
$16 senior/student, $14 SCC/kids
The Shins
Feb. 18 & 20
The Shins, with their soaring
vocals, blend folk songwriting
sensibilities with lo-fi indie sound.
Members of SCC’s Grammy U
Club will be at Sunday night’s
show, and will have the opportunity to meet the band backstage,
view the sound test, and ask
questions during an interview
with band members. Paramount
Theatre, 8 p.m., $25
Opera Workshop
Performances 2007
March 1 – 3
Student performers will be showcasing their talents in a series of
scenes from operas. The program
will include a one-act adaptation of Franz Lehár’s The Merry
Widow, set in 20th-century Washington state. This version was
adapted and translated from the
German by SCC’s own Catherine
Treadgold. Other performances
will be drawn from:
• Handel’s Julius Caesar
• Gluck’s Orpheus and Euridice
• Smetana’s The Bartered Bride
• Mozart’s Don Giovanni
• Massenet’s Manon
• Verdi’s Aïda
• Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier
Campus Theater, 7:30 p.m., $12
general, $10 senior/student, $8
SCC/kids
• The Ebbtide • February 16, 2007
by Ivanhoe
A&E Editor
graces Shoreline
He began practicing his art on
paper to establish his style before
The Hip-hop Elements Club in- he began painting on buildings.
vited Shawn Murphy, a local grafGraffiti as an art form is confiti artist, to paint a mural on cam- troversial because it is often done
pus in celebration of Multicultural on other people’s property withMonth. Before he began spraying out permission of the owners. It
his piece across three large panels, can be dangerous, too. Murphy
students were invited into Jason recalled one time when the poSolam’s Culture of Hip-hop class lice chased him and a friend into
for a presentation
sticker bushes.
on the history of
“Still, I never
graffiti as an art
got in trouble,”
form and a discushe said.
sion with Murphy
E v e n t u a l l y,
about his experiMurphy gave up
ences and his art.
painting illegally
Hip-hop is most
for a different
associated with
reason.
rap music, but ac“There
was
cording to Solam,
always conflict
it is just one aspect
with other artof a larger culture
ists,” he said. “I
that grew out of
got in a lot of
the streets of the
fights.”
South Bronx in
His fights were
the early 1970s,
usually territoand includes raprial, but he also
ping, deejaying,
had friends turn
breakdancing,
on him partially
skateboarding,
because he didn’t
—Shawn Murphy
and graffiti. Now
Graffiti Artist look the part,
the culture is a
often dressed in
pervasive, wordkhakis and butwide phenomenon that knows no ton-up shirts.
ethnic or political boundaries.
One student asked Murphy if
“The hip hop generation is ex- he was the only white graffiti arttremely diverse,” Solam said.
ist he knew.
As a young adult, Murphy grew
“Actually, I only ever knew
up in a poor neighborhood, where one black artist in Seattle,” he
he quit school and got involved said. “A lot of them are from Merin a gang. Unimpressed with the cer Island. They could get all the
gang culture, his interests quickly paint they want because their
turned to graffiti after seeing some parents have money.”
of the graffiti murals that were
Solam and Murphy described
prominent in downtown Seattle at the different forms of the art
the time.
that exist. “Wildstyle” is the most
“I was impressed about it,” he elaborate form of the art, which
said. “Some of my early motives uses very complex letter forms,
were looking at other graffiti art- incorporates many different colists.”
ors, and takes a lot of time to
“I only ever
knew one black
[graffiti] artist in
Seattle. A lot of
them are from
Mercer Island.”
Courtesy Hip-hop Elements Club
Shawn Murphy works on his mural.
complete. These are usually done
either as commissioned works or
in places where artists have little
risk of being caught, such as train
yards.
“Pieces” or “masterpieces” are
similar in these regards, but may
be less complex or incorporate
images. “Throwies” are considerably less complex because they
are done in places where artists
need to be fast. They can still be
relatively large, but incorporate
only one or two colors and can
be done in a matter of a few seconds. “Tags” are small signaturelike pieces that are done in just a
couple of seconds with just one
color.
Tags are particularly controversial because many see them
as purely vandalistic, with no
artistic value. Murphy says that
graffiti artists disagree, arguing
that it is the same art under much
stricter time constraints.
The mural Murphy painted for
Hip-hop Elements is currently on
display outside the Multicultural/
Diversity Education Center in the
lower library. When the new student union building is finished,
it will be permanently displayed
there.
Figaro, Figaro, Figaro, Fi-gar-o!
Daniel Berman/Ebbtide
(Left to right) Marianna Wilson, Tally Thomson, Dan Powers, and Michael Topping block a scene from The Bartered Bride
with director Paul Linnes (far right) for this year’s Opera Workshop.
A
Sparklehorse
crafts another
indie-rock gem
by Wes Abney
Staff writer
known for who he’s dated
than what he’s acted in,
Breach
In February 2001, the
Phillippe does a strong job
Dir. Billy Ray
FBI arrested the double
contrasting the fogeyness
agent responsible for leakof Robert Hanssen (Chris
ing classified documents
Cooper).
to the Soviet Union over the course
From the very beginning, Breach
of 22 years. The agent’s name was dives into the middle of a major FBI
Robert Hanssen, and he was later case. It is one of the few spy movidentified as the biggest spy in ies that is able to look beyond the
American history.
details of a case and develop a gripThe soon to be released Breach ping and suspenseful plot. As the
is the dramatic recreation of the movie dives deeper into the world
events surrounding one of the most of the FBI, it is almost impossible
devastating acts of espionage in not to be captivated by the power
American history. Set within the of international relations.
FBI, Breach captures the essence
With solid acting and a thriller
of dramatic spy movies. After all, it plot to back it up, Breach is defiis based on a true story.
nitely a good choice for a night at
The plot focuses on the spe- the movies. The director, Billy Ray,
cific relationship between two does a very good job of building
FBI agents seemingly isolated and suspense while moving it at a deignored within the bureau. Ryan cent pace.
Phillippe is persuasive as the amBuilding towards an intense
bitious (but baby-faced) FBI clerk ending, Breach shows the rise and
Eric O’Neill, a real life public ser- fall of an amazing act of espionage
vant and whistleblower. Better against the country.
movie
E
Breach portrays
true FBI story
&
Courtesy Universal
Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper) exudes fogeyness in Breach.
by David Banuelos
ous and company
Copy Editor
employ lush guitar
cd
For over a decade,
Dreamt for Light Years and keyboard sounds,
multi-instrumentalist
breaking out
in the Belly of a Mountain even
and songsmith extraorthe classic mellotron
by Sparklehorse
dinaire Mark Linkous
(made famous by The
has been crafting beauBeatles’ “Strawberry
tiful and cerebral pop worthy of Fields Forever”) for the album’s
mention alongside bands like The epic closing title track.
Flaming Lips and Radiohead.
Other highlights: the crafty hooks
Linkous is the only truly per- of “Some Sweet Day,” the trembling
manent member of the critically- tremolo guitars on “Shade and Honlauded band Sparklehorse, though ey,” and the heart wrenching slow
drummer Scott Minor frequently gait of “Return to Me.”
appears on their records. The
Sparklehorse’s latest offering is
band’s last release, It’s a Wonder- beyond worth the dough, and is at
ful Life (2001), featured collabora- turns hopeful, somber, and uplifttions with such musical luminaries ing. It’s the perfect soundtrack for
as Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, and The the Northwest winter.
Cardigans’ Nina Persson.
On their latest release, Dreamt
for Light Years in the Belly of a
Mountain, Linkous enlists the aide
of Minor, The Flaming Lips’ Steven
Drozd, and renowned producer DJ
Danger Mouse (Gorillaz, Gnarls
Barkley).
From the outset, it’s clear this
offering rises above common pop
music. The multi-layered production, and Beatles-esque flavor of
“Don’t Take My Sunshine Away”
greets the listener with tasty bass
grooves, and sweet vocal harmonies.
Danger Mouse joins Linkous on
the moody “Getting it Wrong,” setting the tone with a somber organ
part, and slick drum programming.
courtesy Harp Magazine
Throughout the album, Link- The mysterious Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse.
A literary labyrinth
Change Your Life for Good
by Joe Louie
Contributing Writer
Leaves. Put it online,
so people could find it
I couldn’t put it
up there. This whole
House of Leaves
down. Rather, that’s not by Mark Z. Danielewski community
formed
entirely correct. I could
around it, and eventuphysically put the book
ally it got published.
down, but it wouldn’t get out of my
That’s what I got. A beaten to
head. I kept thinking about it, the hell copy of this paperback book
temptation to start measuring my filled with footnotes and diagrams,
surroundings building up in me. all leading into level after level of
I’ve started closing off parts of my madness. Everyone who had read
apartment just to make it so that I the book before me had added
can’t see more than I have to.
something, notes scribbled within
A friend told me about this the margins, Post-It notes creating
documentary, the Navidson Re- yet another book within it.
cord, about this house out on Ash
There’s nothing like a good
Tree Lane. This photographer, Will book that really gets under your
Navidson, bought it. But it was all skin. House of Leaves, by Mark Z
weird like, ya know? All of a sud- Danielewski does that exceedingly
den a closet appeared between well. Written as several stories at
a couple of the bedrooms. The once, this experimental title takes
inside kept changing, but the out- readers down three main plotlines.
side stayed the same. Anyway, my We watch helplessly as the Navidfriend hadn’t seen the movie. He son family rips itself apart inside
was talking about a paper exam- the house, is taunted continuously
ining the record by this blind guy by the mysterious Zamapano, and
named Zampano. But, this other is pulled into a world that most will
guy, Johnny Truant, he found it never experience as Johnny finds
after the old man died. Put it all out more about himself than he
together into this book, House of ever wanted to know.
book
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February 16, 2007 • The Ebbtide • redvsblue.com
thesource.ofallevil.com
Vista: a gaming champ or flop?
by Joshua Henry
Staff Photographer
On Jan. 30, Windows Vista was officially
released to consumers, and as those who
have already made the big purchase know, it
sure does look pretty.
Beyond its stunning looks however, many
will want to know how well Vista performs,
specifically how it works when running the
latest 3D games.
To date, I have tried each released version
of Vista to see how it would progress. To my
surprise, Vista has come along better than I
would have thought possible. However, some
things have yet to be tweaked to their fullest
potential.
I recently took it upon myself to try several of the latest and most 3D intensive computer games I could get my hands on.
My guinea pig games were Half Life 2:
Lost Coast, F.E.A.R Extraction Point, and
Flight Simulator X. My test system consisted
of an AMD Athlon X2 4200+
dual core processor chip, 4 gigabyes of memory, and the latest NVIDIA 8800GTX graphics
card with Microsoft DirectX
10 support running Windows
Vista Ultimate edition.
In english, an extremely
high-powered computer, with
a $600 graphics card.
Once Vista was installed,
I encountered one minor issue. To actually be able to use
the high end graphics card I
installed, I had to find drivers
for it.
This turned out to be easier said than
done. The 8800 graphics chipset requires a
special version of NVIDIA’s ForceWare driver software which didn’t come out until after
Vista was released. Once the
drivers were working, there
was only one thing left to do:
start the games, crank up the
settings to maximum, and fire
up some 3D fun.
Half Life 2, and F.E.A.R
performed very well, but not
nearly as well when run with
Windows XP Professional.
There was a major drop in the
average frame rate. Typically
a good frame rate is 30 frames
per second (fps) or higher.
When running in Windows XP
the frame rates averaged at
around 100-150 fps and were consistently 2545 percent higher than in Vista.
There was only one
thing left to do: start
the games, crank
up the settings to
maximum, and fire
up some 3D fun.
Given the disappointments with HL2
and F.E.A.R., I decided to try Microsoft’s
DirectX 10 optimized Flight Simulator X. At
the maximum settings, I got a pathetic 3 fps
average. It looked like a slide show rather
than the fluid real time flight of an airplane.
Upon further research it seems Windows Vista’s driver software support for
high end graphics is basically non-existent.
This is not entirely Microsoft’s fault, rather
NVIDIA’s. However, because Microsoft will
not release any of the coding for Vista to
any developers, acquiring updates for drivers will be a slow and painstaking process
which we, the consumers, will have to endure.
So for now, if you are a computer gamer, stick with XP rather than Vista. That is,
unless you really absolutely need the new
sexy user interface.
Become a trauma surgeon in your living room
by Joe Louie
geek-vs-life.com
had pierced one of the
driver’s lungs, and there
Trauma Center:
I was sweating, all of
was not enough time to
my concentration going
get a medic there.
Second Opinion
Pub. Atlus Software
into keeping my hand
I timed the paddles,
steady.
carefully applying them
“Nurse, ready the defibrillator!”
to the patient.
I shouted out, peeling apart the
“Anybody else want popcorn?” a
young child’s body with a pair of voice boomed from behind me.
tweezers. The child had suffered from
The controller slipped out of my
heart problems since birth, and it was hand, left dangling from my wrist.
my duty to put in a new valve.
It’s really easy to get into Trauma
I carefully monitored the pulse, it Center, Second Opinion. Its gentle
was dropping too low. “Clear!”
learning curve (except for a couple
I took the paddles, timing as best I levels in which struggling to get
could. The sound of the power rush- above a C grade is frustrating) makes
ing through, jerking around in my it relatively easy to complete.
field of vision. I started hearing a
The graphics do look very much
strange noise behind me, almost like like an upgraded DS game (of which
gunfire.
this is a port from), with several
I applied the paddles again. tweaked levels and new doctor being
“Clear!”
introduced. It’s not quite the constant
Even in this stressful situation, it’s mini-game fest that most of the sucstill easier than last night. At least I cessful Wii games have been, and has
can see, rather than using a pen light a decent storyline if you actually pay
and, after its batteries had died, my attention to the seemingly endless
memory and the flash from a cam- string of text.
era. In the tunnel on my way home,
I give it a 7 out of 10. Available for
there was a car accident. Shrapnel the Wii, and rated T.
game
Courtesy Atlus Software
Translation: “Now we will biopsy these lungs damaged by hookah smoking.”
THE
layers of gooey grayness
10 • The Ebbtide • February 16, 2007
S P O R T S
Dolphins out of playoff contention
Future looking up
for young squad
in 99 words or less
by Tom Helm
Sports Editor
• College Basketball is wacky. The
Cougars are ranked #10 and the
Huskies may not make it to the
big dance.
• With his Super Bowl MVP, I really hope that Peyton Manning
can finally pick up some endorsements and appear in some
commercials.
• To: NHL Commissioner Gary
Betteman From: Tom Helm RE:
Thanks for ruining NHL hockey, would you please hand in
your letter of resignation?
• Spring Training is right around
the corner, HALLELUJAH!
• NASCAR + Western Washington = a must.
• It’s cool that NASCAR starts its
season off with the biggest race
of the year, the Daytona 500.
by Tom Helm
Sports Editor
SCHEDULE
Men’s basketball
Feb. 17
@Bellevue
Feb. 19
Olympic
Feb. 21
Seattle
Feb. 24
@Skagit
Tip-off for all games is 7:30 p.m.
SCORES
Men’s basketball
Feb. 10
Shoreline
Peninsula
84
90
Feb. 7
Everett
Shoreline
97
81
STANDINGS
Men’s basketball
North Div.
W
L
Joshua Henry/Ebbtide
Point guard Justin Grisby soars over an Everett player during Shoreline’s 97-81 defeat Wednesday, Feb. 7.
Here Come the T-birds
12
0
Whatcom
9
3
Peninsula
7
4
Everett
6
5
Olympic
6
6
Skagit
4
7
Shoreline
4
8
Seattle
2
9
Edmonds
2
10
Standings based on league play
EBBTIDE
THE
Always looking
for talent
ide@ya
hoo.co
webbt
Laws, the only sophomore on
the roster, carried the leadership
mantle by himself after fellow
sophomore Sean Tracy left the
team in December.
“He’s given his heart and soul
to this team” Menday said. “We’re
trying to place him in a four year
school.”
Laws has helped carry the
Dolphins to an 11-12 overall record, not to mention instilling his
positive attitude in the rest of the
team, who will all be sophomores
next season.
Next year is already on the
team’s collective mind.
“Each player is going to go
through individual workouts,
three days a week,” Menday said.
“They’re going to have study
hall, the weight room three days
a week, and they’re going to
get ready to play in the spring
league.”
The future is bright indeed.
Bellevue
m
The Shoreline Men’s Basketball 2006-07 postseason hopes
were crushed after losing three
consecutive games to division rivals Whatcom, Everett, and Peninsula.
With eight games remaining entering the Jan. 31 contest
against the Edmonds Titans, the
Dolphins were tied with Olympic
and Skagit in the NWAACC North
Division standings. All were just
one game behind the Everett Trojans for the fourth and final playoff spot.
The Dolphins started the last
half of division play the right way
with an 87-86 victory over the Titans, but any hope for a playoff
berth quickly vaporized within
a week and half, with three consecutive losses against Whatcom
(85-68), Everett (97-81), and Peninsula (90-84).
Coach Jeff Menday had other
plans for his team.
“We’re very disappointed, our
expectations were much higher,”
he said. “Our conference play
wasn’t what we were hoping for.”
At the beginning of the year,
Menday identified Bellevue, Whatcom, and Peninsula as the class
of the North Division, leaving the
other six teams in the North to
fight for the fourth and final spot.
The season proved him right.
Bellevue (ranked second in
NWAACC), Whatcom (seventh),
and Peninsula are the top three
teams in the division, and are
cruising their way into the playoffs. The battle for fourth is now
between Everett, (6-5 league,
11-10 overall), and the Olympic
Rangers (6-6, 10-13).
Shoreline may be out of the
playoffs, but that doesn’t mean
this year is lost.
“We’re going to keep playing
hard,” Menday said. “The future
is bright, there is a light at the end
of the tunnel.”
That light is the emergence of
several freshman who have been
afforded the opportunity for valuable playing time. This should
make the Dolphins favorites for
a return to the playoffs, if not a
favorite for the North Division
crown.
“It’s a young team, but their
grades are good,” Menday said.
“Parys Fox has really come
around, he’s been a pleasant surprise. JaRon Brown has contributed nicely, but he needs to work
on his conditioning. Lawrence
Donelson and Maika Usita have
improved since December.”
Brown, Donelson, and Usita
are power forwards, big bodies
that have played several minutes
due to the lack of sophomores,
something that the team will surely benefit from for next season.
The Dolphins will also benefit
from Fox’s playing time at point
guard, as he could fill sophomore
point guard Derek Laws’ shoes
when he graduates.
randomrUmblings
Daniel Berman/Ebbtide
Stealing the puck is not a crime, it’s defense. Ebbtide sports
explores hockey in the next issue. No punches were thrown.
February 16, 2007 • The Ebbtide • 11
e
n
d
?
H UMOR
L
A
F
F
S
G
A
R
-NT
E
E
D
f
r
i
ch’s
d
e
i
r
presents
YOU
PROVIDE THE
CAPTION
fo r e ast
c
by Friedrich Nietzsche
Philosopher & Astrologist
March 21–
April 19
•
April 20–
May 20
•
May 21–
June 20
•
June 21–
July 22
•
July 23–
August 22
•
August 23–
September 22
•
September 23–
October 22
•
October 23–
November 21
•
November 22–
December 21
•
December 22–
January 19
•
January 20–
February 18
•
February 19–
March 20
•
We are always in our own
company. Fortunately for you, Aries, I foresee a new
voice joing the chorus already in your head.
Talking much about oneself can also be a means to conceal oneself. What are you
hiding, Taurus?
When one has much to
put into them, a day has a hundred pockets. Your nights,
alas, have one pocket, Gemini, and it takes the form of a
cardboard box.
It is nobler to declare
oneself wrong than to insist on being right—especially
when one is right. Declare yourself wrong, Cancer. No
one will argue with you.
He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster.
And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes
also into you. Stay clear of mirrors, Leo.
To forget one’s purpose is
the commonest form of stupidity. Forgetting one’s keys is
the next. Where are your’s, Virgo?
__________________________________
__________________________________
E-mail your submissions to [email protected].
We may run it in a future issue.
Now, back to our regularly-scheduled schlock:
To predict the behavior of
ordinary people in advance, you only have to assume that
they will always try to escape a disagreeable situation
with the smallest possible expenditure of intelligence. I
will therefore make this very simple, Libra: Get thee to
a clinic, now!
We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once.
And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh. Therefore, Scorpio, you
may laugh your way to wisdom and dance your way to
immortality, but more likely you’ll end up in a mental
hospital.
All of life is a dispute over
taste and tasting. So, Sagittarius, do your boogers taste
like cashews or Raisinets?
Love is blind; friendship
closes its eyes. Your relatives, meanwhile, are mearly
near-sighted, Capricorn. That’s why you haven’t seen
them in two years.
It is always consoling to
think of death: in that way one gets through many a bad
night. Maybe this will cure you of your insomnia, Aquarius.
Why can’t I open the goddamn window?
12 • The Ebbtide • February 16, 2007
Perhaps I know best why
it is man alone who laughs; he alone suffers so deeply
that he had to invent laughter. It’s too bad then, Pisces,
that he can’t invent a decent joke to utilize it.