By Jon Parton
Morton College announced Friday that Dana Grove was selected as that school’s new president. Grove, executive vice president, Educational Planning and Development and chief operating officer, has served at JCCC since 2005. Morton College, a community college, is located in Cicero, Ill., a suburb of Chicago.
By Mac Moore
Sometimes we wonder about our mortality. We are humans; this is what we do.
Tim McGraw enlightens us that his personal philosophy on living like he was dying involves skydiving and Rocky Mountain climbing. No telling how much simple country rhyme schemes influenced his bucket list, but it is a good question. What would you do if you had a day, a week or a month to live?
The topic really gets interesting when it’s no longer just our mortality, but instead the mortality of the entire world. That’s the whole point of the discussion about the end of the Mayan calendar.
Of course, few people truly believe Dec. 21 is a discernible expiration date, even if that’s what my current milk carton reads. The indie gem “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” decides to delve into the mess that would be created if humanity knew the exact end of times. The plot struck me as the antithesis to the film “Armageddon.” It’s like what would have happened if that movie was realistic and Ben Affleck just died.
The opening of the film shows Dodge and Linda Petersen (real-life couple Steve and Nancy Carell) parked in their car along the side of the road. The radio is playing a news report that the space shuttle Deliverance, man’s final hope against the impending asteroid Matilda, has failed and the giant space rock is going to crash into Earth in 21 days. As Dodge is still reeling from the news, Linda immediately exits the vehicle and goes running into the darkness and out of her agreement of “‘til death” three weeks prematurely.
Dodge remains relatively stable as the world seems to go to hell around him rather quickly. At work the boss announces “casual Fridays from now on,” and with false happiness seeks a volunteer to take over as CFO of the company.
Dodge’s maid continues to come over to clean the house as if she is completely unaware of the world’s impending doom. His middle-age friends have started an endless party where the kids are chugging martinis and formerly well-functioning adults are giddily trying heroin for the first time.
Dodge wants none of this and attempts to keep relative normalcy in his final days; that is until he notices his neighbor, Penny (Keira Knightly), crying on the fire escape. He comforts her as she tells him of her selfishness that has caused her to waste her life on men and probably never see her family again. They are in England and the airlines have all shut down. He invites her in, to which she responds, “I promise not to steal anything if you promise not to rape me.”
This eventually leads to Penny giving Dodge two bits of information: his wife has been cheating on him, and Penny has collected a stack of his mail inadvertently placed in her mailbox over the years. The mail contains a letter from his high school sweetheart, Olivia, the “one that got away.”
In the midst of a riot that breaks out at their apartment complex, Dodge gets Penny to leave with him to find Olivia in exchange for the promise that he knows some guy with a plane who can fly her across the pond. The story is off as the two attempt to find a woman he hasn’t seen in two decades.
What starts out as an extremely dark comedy veers back to being a traditional romantic comedy. The movie makes sure to use the powerful thematic tool of mortality to blunt any “Pride and Prejudice”-ness over the head. The balanced is sustained through much of the film.
In many indie comedies like this, the humor starts to die as the plot thickens. I feel this movie lessens the workload of the main characters and puts the comedy imperative on the bit players who pop into the film.
Dodge and Penny start to exchange personal details about themselves while eating at a TGI Friday’s-style restaurant where all the employees and patrons are tripping on ecstasy. Later a no-nonsense cop continues to fill his quota despite pleas from Penny to ignore her traffic violations, because, well, you know, there is an asteroid about to annihilate humanity.
“Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” raises the questions nobody thinks they need to answer today: am I on the right track? Are these things really important? Would I be so frivolous if I knew how much time was left? Also, what would we really do when we near the end: party or panic, love or lust? Maybe just sleep.
Yeah, I choose sleep.
Contact Mac Moore, sports editor, at mmoore82@jccc.edu.
Related articles:
By Mac Moore
In the early morning hours of Dec. 1, Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher shot his girlfriend to death, the mother of his 3-month-old child, at their Kansas City home. Belcher then went to the Chiefs’ practice facility where he was confronted by the head coach, the general manager, and the linebackers coach. When the police arrived, Belcher turned the gun on himself, taking his own life.
Life is tough. We are all constantly faced with making choices, constantly filled with emotions that stem from not only our decisions but also the decisions of others. The ability to cope with the hailstorm of life-denting interactions is where many of us differ. We have different support systems, different chemical balances in the brain, different life experiences that shape the lens we use to view the world.
Dissecting what would lead a man to take the life of his significant other and then his own is very complicated and nuanced. The discussion of depression always comes up in tragedies involving suicide and the topic filled up Twitter feeds after the incident. Early indications, however, would suggest that the suicide was likely a decision made in reaction to the murder. That said, I would also suggest that anybody who shot the mother of their 3-month-old baby couldn’t have been in the right state of mind.
Former Kansas City Star reporter Jason Whitlock quickly shifted the argument toward gun control. His sentiment was echoed by Bob Costas during the halftime show of the Sunday night game. This gathered the national attention on that aspect of the tragedy. Without missing a beat, the pro-/anti-Second Amendment voices filled the social consciousness. Local news filled up Monday’s coverage with whatever gun-related story they could find. Soon, we will question whether the effects of football on the brain, including concussions, led to this situation.
It should not be so predictable. This unforeseen tragedy should not stop being shocking within hours. The reporters knew the timeline. As they waited for the police to officially release the details, they started the circular coverage. The public was asked, “Should the Chiefs play this game on Sunday?”
For a second I almost bought in. Quickly I remembered: of course they are going to play. Sept. 11, 2001 stopped football; nothing else. Obviously the decision would immediately be second-guessed. The Chiefs’ victory could not be scripted, except that the glory stories were already written just in case. So we enjoy the positive outcome in the face of an epic heartbreak; afterward we will find any way to lay the blame for this tragedy. Then we will move on with our day.
It is crazy, but it is the truth. It became routine so quickly that all it worked at doing was adding one more mind-numbing event to our psyche. The coverage should have stopped where it began. A 25-year-old male killed his 22-year-old girlfriend before taking his own life. The couple was survived by a 3-month-old child.
As a society we have to respond to that event in a productive manner without speculation on various topics diluting the tragedy. The Chiefs have already started a fund for the little girl, Zoey. Hopefully they follow through and make sure the girl gets a happy home, whether that is with a relative, etcetera. Everything else is irrelevant right now.
Contact Mac Moore, sports editor, at mmoore82@jccc.edu.
By Mackenzie Clark
If you listen closely at the next Board of Trustees meeting, you may hear the faint remnants of a Boston accent. This voice belongs to David Lindstrom, third district Johnson County Commissioner and the newest member of the Board.
The Board of Trustees selected Lindstrom from a pool of five candidates at a special meeting on Saturday, Nov. 17. Although this is typically an elected position, the unexpected resignation of former trustee Don Weiss necessitated an application and selection process.
Lindstrom grew up in Boston, Mass. with six brothers. He is eternally grateful to his father’s commitment to education.
“[My father] took the job [as a groundskeeper at Boston University] because he knew he couldn’t afford to send his kids to college, and he knew that a college education was very important,” Lindstrom said. “That’s a gift that my brothers and I will never forget.”
Lindstrom graduated from Boston University in 1976 with a degree in education. After playing football throughout high school and college, he was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in 1977. In 1978, he became a player for the Kansas City Chiefs.
“I went from east coast to west coast to the center of the heartland,” Lindstrom said. “My wife and I love it here in the Midwest and as long as it’s our choice, we plan on staying here.”
Lindstrom retired from football in 1986 and began a career in business. He owned four Burger King restaurants until he sold them in 2011.
Lindstrom thanks Jim Otto, a former player for the Oakland Raiders, for the advice that inspired him to pursue ownership of Burger King: persistence pays off.
“I don’t think I would’ve gotten by the first stage if it weren’t for being persistent, and for his advice,” Lindstrom said.
Lindstrom became involved in politics when then Kansas State Treasurer Tim Shallenburger asked Lindstrom to join him as his lieutenant governor in the 2002 gubernatorial election, which they lost to Kathleen Sebelius.
“When we weren’t successful in that statewide campaign, I was approached about applying for an open seat on the County Commission,” Lindstrom said.
He was selected through a process Board used last month and is currently finishing out his second full elected term. He has decided not to run for reelection.
“I didn’t have an interest in politics; I had a tremendous interest in my community,” he said. “Based on that passion that I had for where I live, and the fact that I have a philosophy that when you are given much, you are expected to give back. I’ve always felt compelled to give back to my community. […] I’ve never really had a burning desire to be in elected office, but I have had a burning desire to serve.”
Lindstrom said his decision to apply for the college’s Board came from encouragement from friends.
“I thought about it, and thought it would be a wonderful opportunity for me to learn more about the college,” he said. “Most people in this community understand the value of the college and I certainly am among that population. I look at this as an opportunity for me to be a steward of a community asset and also, selfishly, to learn more about what the college actually does.”
No stranger to the college, Lindstrom has previously served on the Athletic Advisory Board, the advisory for the Regnier Center and the Foundation board. He is also aware of challenges facing the college.
First, Lindstrom said, he believes the Board needs to focus on working within the college’s current financial restraints. Secondly, but “as important,” is selecting a suitable replacement for retiring college president Terry Calaway. Lastly, he wishes to work to maintain the college’s standard: “Learning comes first.”
Jon Stewart, trustee, has known Lindstrom for “a number of years,” and looks forward to working with him.
“He’s a very good person; he has a really good perspective, good heart,” Stewart said. “I think he’ll be a very good trustee that keeps the interest of the college first.”
Jason Osterhaus, fourth district Johnson County Commissioner, echoed Stewart’s sentiments.
“It’s been a joy working with Dave, because I have witnessed his dedication to serving others in his time as commissioner,” he said. I know he will take that same spirit with him as he starts his new role as trustee.”
Lindstrom will be present at the next Board meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13 in the Polsky Theatre. His term expires June 30, 2015.
Contact Mackenzie Clark, editor-in-chief, at mclark68@jccc.edu.
By David Hurtado
If there’s something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call? College students armed with ghost detecting tools, of course.
Students enrolled in Sean Daley’s Anthropology of the Paranormal and Supernatural class embarked on a trip to the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Ark. The hotel was previously used as a women’s college and cancer hospital.
Daley, associate professor, Anthropology, said he chose the location because of its reputation and the experiences it would provide to students as part of a class activity.
“Me and some of my colleagues had the opportunity to go down there over this past summer and we had a good experience down there,” he said. “The hotel management was willing to work with us and allow us to bring students in. It’s a place with a good reputation for having paranormal phenomena.”
Daley said when the building was being utilized as a hospital for people stricken with cancer, at least several hundred patients died within its walls. During the hotel’s time as a women’s college, a student hung herself. He also said a few construction workers died during the building’s construction.
Rachel Berry, student, said she went on the academic trip because of her interest in the paranormal. She also said previous trips Daley’s class took were more local and less advertised than the Crescent Hotel.
“I’m really interested in studying anything anthropology, especially when it comes to paranormal [activity],” Berry said. “I had heard a lot of things about the hotel, like that it was haunted or that there was stuff going on there. I thought it would be pretty interesting to go out somewhere that was a little bit more well-known for things like that.”
Students attending the paranormal endeavor were divided into groups of five or six and then placed with a chaperone in different sections of the hotel. Students were outfitted with thermal imaging cameras and flashlights and spent about an hour in different areas before rotating to a new one. The investigations began at 9 p.m. and lasted until 3:30 a.m.
Students also carried K2 meters, which are part of a class of instruments known as electromagnetic field detectors (EMFs). When exposed to a magnetic field, an EMF creates an electrical current within its circuitry. The relative strength of the field is displayed on a 5-LED light-up scale.
“The group I was with, half of them got something; the other half, which I was a part of, did not,” said Andrew Novak, student. “We think we got something; we’re not 100 percent sure yet. We went into room 218, which is supposedly haunted by this guy named Michael, the top floor and around the outsides of the hotel.”
Daley said the class is still sifting through evidence gathered from the hotel, but have already made a discovery from an image taken from a thermal imaging camera. He said in previous trips students have reported seeing small objects move and hearing disembodied voices in rooms no one else was in.
The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) is a professional group of paranormal investigators who attempt to disprove alleged paranormal activity.
“Back in 2005, [TAPS] caught a very famous photo at the Crescent of what looks to be a person standing in front of a walker in the morgue,” he said. “We actually caught the same outline. It was in the same place they caught their outline.”
Daley said he takes students on ghost hunting trips because he wants students to put themselves out in the world and experience different cultures firsthand.
“It’s great to read about different cultures, beliefs and perspectives in books; it’s great to watch videos about it, but you need to get out there and you need to interact with people,” he said. “That’s what anthropologists do. It gives students an opportunity to get out there and interact with people at the hotels, at the museums; take it from the classroom into the real world.
“There’s been a growing interest in the past few years in paranormal research and I want my students who are interested in this to learn how to do it properly. Like anything else, you can go out there and learn how to do it right or you can cut corners. When you’re talking about things like ghosts, demons, aliens, cryptids, things like Bigfoot, most people have a hard time believing in this stuff to begin with.
“If you’re going to go out there and try to capture evidence, you need to make sure you evidence is as legitimate as possible,” Daley said. “I want my students to learn if you’re going to go out and do this stuff, how to do it in such a way that you don’t come across as a joke nor your potential evidence.”
Contact David Hurtado, features editor, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.
Design and illustrations by Morgan Daigneault
Click for full images.
Related review:
Web-exclusive Review: “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” raises questions of mortality
By David Hurtado
At its inception, the telegraph made little direct impact on most people’s lives. It was a ‘specialist’ technology, owned by companies and operated by professionals, but the indirect impact of the telegraph was substantial.
Today, telecommunications technology has advanced exponentially since Samuel Morse sent the first telegraph message in 1844. Humans can communicate instantly from anywhere on the planet via texting, Facebook, Skype and other mediums. But as technology changes over time, so does society.
Deana Miller, professor, Speech, said she sees texting among younger students out in the hallways after class frequently instead of interacting with people next to them. Miller said she believes this has a negative impact on learning to initiate conversation with other people.
“In some specific young people that I know, if you say call and order a pizza, they’ll say, ‘No, I can do that online. Why would I call and talk to somebody if I can do that online?’” she said. “It is a skill to learn to talk to people and initiate a conversation. It’s easier to do it online or to text. I think that can have a negative impact because you have to learn that skill and practice it.”
Miller said the average American spends an average of 18 hours per week online and 87 percent of teenagers sleep with their cell phone right beside them.
However, she noted this change in the way we communicate is not all bad. If a family member is needed for an emergency, they can be reached quicker than they could have 100 years ago. Likewise, people who live on opposite sides of the world can keep in touch easily.
Toby Klinger, professor, Psychology, said humans crave electronic devices in a similar manner to Pavlov’s experiment with dogs in classical conditioning and B.F. Skinner’s theory of operant conditioning.
“It gives us information and instant social connection,” Klinger said. “That’s what humans crave, is that connection with others and instant gratification in terms of getting information and responses.”
According to a survey conducted by TeleNav, a technology company, more than half of Americans would rather give up chocolate, alcohol and caffeine for a week than temporarily part with their phones.
Klinger said brain wise; the research shows a change in people’s dopamine circuits. She said there could be more motivation behind being connected with other people. Even if it’s not real interaction, some people have more drive behind that than a stimulant like chocolate, gambling or even sex.
Klinger said according to the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), more research needs to be done before we can know what behavioral problems might stem from an individual’s addiction to technological devices.
“The DSM-V, which helps clinical folks diagnose people if they have a problem, is putting in internet videogames,” she said. “I assume it’s going to increase in terms of how they define the social media stuff as a potential problem, especially in young folks.”
William McFarlane, associate professor and chair, Anthropology, said it’s important to recognize the effect advances in telecommunications technology has had on our society is not inherently bad or good. He said it is how people use technology and the way it impacts us as individuals and how that allows us to interact with each other.
“I think a good place to start is to recognize that making and using tools is something that’s absolutely inherent in humanity; the foundation of what it means to be human,” McFarlane said. “We’ve been doing this for 3.2 million years, making and using tools. I think there’s a tendency to think about technology in really stark good or bad terms.”
McFarlane said in some instances, the introduction of new technology has led to the downfall of certain civilizations. He said this is mostly in the case of colonialism where an advanced technology disrupts the existing social fabric of a people. However, there are some cases where new technology was held exclusively by a few individuals which negatively impacted their society.
“There are a few examples that we can see where societies have fallen apart as a result of the introduction of new technologies,” he said. “But these new technologies are things that are made out of materials that are rare, and therefore are held exclusively by some individuals. As these individuals take on the new technology or these new, rare resources, it destabilizes the relationships between everybody in that society.”
He also added it is “highly unlikely” our phones will rise up and destroy our society from within.
As the nature of warfare has continued to evolve since man first discovered the killing power of rock and bone, so too have telecommunications since the telegraph. Miller said she believes social media and texting are here to stay as means of communication.
“This is just my guess, but I think we’re going to continue down this path for a while,” she said. “It’s become more and more common and it’s easy to pick it up. Hopefully, we won’t lose the art of conversation. It’s really sad because you want to be able to sit down and enjoy conversation with someone.
“You have some of that online, but so much can get lost,” she continued. “In order to be able to read a message, you need to be able to hear the tone of voice, see the eye contact, the facial expression and the posture. Sarcasm in texting– how do you know someone’s being sarcastic when they’re texting? Without those emoticons, that some people don’t use, that’s lost.”
Contact David Hurtado, features editor, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.
By Mac Moore
It’s not often in sports that a team finishes at 32-3, is faced with replacing multiple All-Americans, and still sees a chance to improve the following season. The Lady Cavs squad is currently working toward that possibility.
The team started out this season at an impressive 6-0 and outscored their opponents by an average of 52 points per game. This early domination has propelled the team from seventh in the preseason NJCAA poll to first in the first regular season poll.
This accomplishment is a great sign for the young squad, which before the season saw youth as the biggest obstacle of obtaining a similar record as last season.
“We are a young team but we understand that we have to grow up fast,” sophomore Kathleen Brisbane said.
The numbers have been staggering for the squad. The team is averaging more than 80 points per game and giving up just a tad more than 30. Four players are averaging double figures in scoring, making the team very balanced and difficult for opposing defenses to key on scorers.
“We’ve got a lot of weapons out there,” Ben Conrad, head coach, said. “I wouldn’t want to have to guard our group, especially as our season progresses.”
Conrad does point out that the current numbers are more reflective of strength of schedule than how the numbers will finish up at the end of the year. Right now he is less focused on the specific numbers, more so on the product.
“I think our numbers right now reflect just a talent gap between us and our opponents, to be honest,” Conrad said. “We’re making a real effort during this off week to get right on both ends. We really aren’t even close to scratching the surface of where this team can be later on.”
If the team can make that step towards Conrad’s vision, the ceiling on the team is high. The true test will come as the team enters conference play. The first game of East Jayhawk Conference play will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8 at Highland Community College.
Contact Mac Moore, sports editor, at mmoore82@jccc.edu.
By Mac Moore
I will start this column with a disclaimer. Most editorials, by design, are meant to take a stance and give a call to action. This column will be used much more as a means of loosely informing the public about an issue. I offer no solution as I honestly am not equipped to give you one. Instead here is the story, take from it what you will.
According to USA Today, more than a dozen NFL players have blamed their 2012 drug suspension on Adderall or have been linked to the drug by other players. Other pro sports leagues, including the MLB and NBA, have faced a similarly alarming increase in drug tests involving Adderall. The increase in “claimed” use has some questioning whether this uptick is accurate and others just questioning the seriousness of the issue.
When an NFL player gets suspended for a positive drug test, the league is not allowed by their collective bargaining agreement with the players’ association to release information concerning which drug they tested positive for. The argument is that the players save face by announcing to the press that it was Adderall. The drug carries less social stigma than, say, steroids or HGH. Considering the NFL is not allowed to refute the claims, this seems to be a great PR move.
This accusation might be true. Actually, it probably is true, but isn’t as important as the rest of the discussion. When former KU cornerback Aqib Talib got suspended, I definitely laughed at the SportsCenter info bar when it said Adderall. At this point I just expect marijuana, steroids, etcetera; not necessarily from Talib, but that’s the general direction of drug test suspensions.
Growing up watching movies like “Varsity Blues” and “Any Given Sunday,” I just imagine locker rooms full of painkillers and other prescription drugs used without prescriptions. Even the steroids have numbed most of us. A four-game suspension now receives a yawn unless the player happens to be on our fantasy team. All of a sudden the positive tests begin to be blamed on Adderall, an ADHD medication. Really?
Think about it: the Ritalin generation has come of age. We seem to be so accustomed to the use of ADD/ADHD medication used in the proper way that we don’t even consider ethics involved in using without a doctor referral. College students are swapping “addies,” slang for Adderall, like housewives swap recipes. Adderall appears to be just as likely a study tool as Redbull or even a textbook.
Yes, it is illegal to take without a prescription, but the drug contains little to none of the social stigma that other drugs carry. Adderall has definitely taken on a second life as a party drug, but we still view most of its illegal use as at least being used for good: education. This gives us a strange understanding of Adderall as a schooling pick-me-up, but why are NFL players using it? I may be wrong, but Talib is probably done writing papers.
Some argue Adderall counts as a performance-enhancing drug. The neuro-enhancing effects of Adderall create a mental disconnect from the physical rigors of sports.
When the New York Giants go on the road to San Francisco, the 49ers have a distinct advantage by the jet lag the opposing team faces by going across the country for the game. When players are looking for that little bump to get through a workout day, the effects of Adderall have as many benefits as they do to students who want to write a 10-page paper due in 10 hours. Adderall is great for pushing past those tiresome days.
I will finish the article how I started it. This is happening and here is the info on it, at least as I see; no true stance on the issue and no call to action. Read the USA Today piece, “Do pro sports leagues have an Adderall problem?” and Margaret Talbot’s New Yorker piece, “Brain Gain,” for interesting information from qualified people.
Contact Mac Moore, sports editor, at mmoore82@jccc.edu.
By James Russell
Tick. Tick. Tick.
The clouds pass, the moon rises, and the clock moves on.
The cold sets in but soon dissipates within an oddly warm darkness.
The night slips by in a moment, a brief flit of smoky fog, and a new day dawns.
Nov. 30, 2012 has become the first of December and the planet we call Earth continues to revolve around the sun. Another day, another month.
But as the hours pass and people here in these United States pull themselves from their beds and go about their early morning routines, something else is taking place in Kansas City that will rock not only the Chiefs Kingdom, but the nation itself.
This has never happened quite like this. Not in the NFL.
A woman, a mother, has left her life here upon this planet. A man, a father, is soon to take his own life in apparent recompense for his deeds. A child is about to be left without her parents.
And it will all end at Arrowhead Stadium.
By the time this article sees publication the events that took place Saturday will have been rehashed innumerable times by both local and national media. By the time this sees print much more will be known about the ‘why’s which surround the incomprehensible tragedy that has occurred on this otherwise normal morning.
But regardless of what information is to come, I have trouble believing that we’ll ever have any real answers. How can there be an answer for something like this?
There can be shock. There can be anger. There can be pain. There can be sorrow.
In time, there can be healing.
But answers? Real answers? I don’t think such things exist this side of the veiled curtain separating us from whatever comes after.
I cannot imagine the depths of emotion those closest to this situation are experiencing right now. The family on both sides of this who are left behind; the men who stood before him as he uttered his last words and ended his life; the infant daughter who will ever know her parents only in pictures and stories passed on to her…
I grieve for the grief that they share and for the burden they will always carry within themselves.
Football let loose its robes that day and what is hidden beneath them was revealed in this senseless and unthinkable tragedy: that it is merely a game.
I breathe Chiefs football – or at least I often seem to think I do. But at the end of the day, and at the end of life, not a single win or loss truly matters.
Family. Friends. Love. These things. They matter.
I have no answers for what happened. Many will condemn the man who did this as evil. I can’t agree with that. I don’t think those close to him would agree with that.
Something occurred that day for which I have no frame of reference. I cannot imagine what was going through his head as he committed the acts that he did. I know that whatever demons existed there drove him to end his own life as well, and until I’ve been in that place I’ll reserve my damning of a man who faced the darkness and was lost within it.
The loss of life is tragic in almost any circumstance. I don’t see this as an exception to that.
Rest in peace, Kasandra Perkins. And while I don’t know that anyone else will write these words for print, rest in peace, Jovan Belcher.
Contact James Russell, sports columnist, at jrusse24@jccc.edu.
By Jon Parton
On a tiny corner in Olathe rests a tiny building. El Panzote, located at 1100 South Payne St. in Olathe (near Old Highway 56 and South Payne Street), isn’t much to look at.
One step inside and I could find nothing resembling a chair or table. There’s no room for such luxuries with such limited space. El Panzote is a place where you get your food and then get the hell out. Tables? Seating? The heart of the bakery and restaurant is the food, not the size of the establishment.
It’s a good thing the food is unbelievably good. Once inside, I saw a crowded building filled with an assortment of baked goods displayed behind glass doors, small coolers crammed with Mexican beverages and a food cart that contained all the ingredients to make burritos and other specialties.
I was welcomed by the staff as soon as I walked in. There’s a level of service you get at a mom-and-pop store that you just can’t find anywhere else. There are no wage slaves here, just honest folks who truly appreciate people who choose to visit their business. They answered all of my questions regarding different pastries and what ingredients went into their food.
For $5, I was able to buy a massive pulled pork burrito. For someone who has been to Chipotle, I was amazed by how El Panzote’s burritos make Chipotle’s seem stunted and diminutive. This monstrosity was loaded with pork, Spanish rice, refried beans, peppers and cheddar cheese. The friendly staff member constructed it on the spot, making the most of the little food cart she had to work with.
For a big guy like myself, it’s a true testament to a place when I can’t finish a meal. The flavor of green bell peppers and onions mixed well with the spicy pork. The burrito had the right amount of heat to it, not bland but not reaching a point where I wanted to drink something cold after every bite. Rather than being served from a restaurant, I felt like I was eating at a neighbor’s; a neighbor who liked me because I picked up my dog’s poop from their lawn.
In the interest of being thorough, I also picked up a corn muffin from the bakery side. The muffin was unique in that it was cakelike while retaining the flavor of more traditional cornbread. It contained a small amount of sugar while managing not to be overly sweet.
I indulged in a bottle of non-alcoholic sangria, a good pairing with the meal. For $8, I had a more satisfying meal than what I could have gotten at a sit-down restaurant. I recommend giving El Panzote a try, especially if you like getting your money’s worth.
Contact Jon Parton, managing editor, at jparton@jccc.edu.
By Jon Parton
Something has to be done to curb the increasing rate of murder and violence in Kansas City. You are statistically more likely to be murdered in KC than in New York City.
New York City, home to more than eight million people, had a total of 515 murders last year. Kansas City, Missouri, with its population of about 420,000, had a total of 108. According to the FBI, Kansas City has the fourth highest murder rate out of all cities in the United States.
Try taking a visit to the neighborhoods of 30th Street and Bales Avenue or 41st Street and Forest Avenue sometime. The communities there have been devastated by poverty and a city that refuses to help. For instance, take a look at the Kansas City School District. The beleaguered district has lost accreditation twice in the past 11 years, a direct result of mismanagement.
The underlying problems with education do more than coincide with the high murder rates in the city; they directly affect one another. According to a report by the National Center for Education Statistics, the dropout rate for low-income students in 2009 was five times more than high-income students.
According to that same report, a high school dropout earns $630,000 less over a lifetime than someone with a GED. In a 2009 study, researchers at Northeastern University found that about one in 10 male high school dropouts are either in juvenile detention or jail. When the government fails to do what it’s supposed to, it’s the people who suffer.
Not only is poor education responsible for crime rates, so are the poverty stricken states some neighborhoods are allowed to languish in. Why would anyone want to open a business or invest in a community with a high rate of crime? There needs to be decisive action taken in the matter of law enforcement. A good place to look is New York City.
Violent crime has dropped in New York City since 1990. In 2006, the city adopted legislation that established a registry of gun offenders and required gun stores to send inventory reports to the police twice a year.
Their police department adopted a strategy called “broken windows” policing. The strategy involves maintaining neighborhoods by stopping individuals for lesser violations of the law. The theory states that by cracking down on minor crimes, police can help prevent major crimes from occurring. The city also hired more police officers in order to better handle the amount of crime it faced.
Whatever Kansas City does, its government officials can no longer sit by and watch as neighborhoods decline further into poverty and murder rates continue to rise.
Contact Jon Parton, managing editor, at jparton@jccc.edu.
By Mackenzie Clark
All of Kansas City and NFL fans nationwide are feeling the blow of Saturday morning’s tragic event. Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher first shot and killed his girlfriend, Kassandra Perkins, then took his own life, leaving their three-month-old daughter, Zoey, an orphan.
I don’t like to publicize my personal life, but this is an issue that hits home for me. When I was 14, my brother Johnny committed suicide. Words cannot express the devastation my family felt at the time, and we still feel it seven years later.
My memory of that night – Feb. 22, 2005 – has not faded in the slightest. I remember the unexpected knock at the door, the instant nausea as I came down the stairs and realized it was a police officer… hearing, “We found your son slumped over the steering wheel of his car…”
Instant panic set in as I asked what was going on. My mother turned around with tears in her eyes, barely able to utter those horrifying words that changed all our lives forever: “Johnny’s dead.”
Thinking back on that night, and the weeks following, still makes me as sick to my stomach as I felt walking into his house and smelling the lingering exhaust fumes. Going through his belongings brought up so many memories which first led to laughter, then straight back to tears.
Certain images will forever plague my mind: my sister Kathie, overcome with grief at the funeral, throwing herself on the casket in a fit of despair; Johnny’s 8-year-old son, Tyler, serving alongside the adult men as a pallbearer; the gravestone marked “Daddy.”
I will always cherish the red rose I took from the funeral. The color has long since drained from its petals, but in my mind it is still as vivid and vibrant as my memories of Johnny. Of course, every rose has its thorns.
I think it’s safe to say that every aspect of one’s life changes when one experiences such a devastating loss. The wild mixture of emotions the grieving process brings is, on a good day, intolerable.
Particularly around this time of year, when Johnny was the one who brought the whole family together, I find myself staring at the empty seat on the couch where he belongs. Perhaps sometimes I still even expect to hear the loud knock on the door signaling my brother’s arrival at our house just before kickoff at Arrowhead Stadium.
None of us could have seen Johnny’s untimely death coming, but we could have prevented it, if only he had swallowed his pride and asked for help. We would’ve done anything then, just as we would do anything now, to have even one more moment with the brother, the son, the father, the uncle who left us all behind.
We would give anything just to tell Johnny we love him one more time.
I feel like I’m standing naked in front of a crowd writing this column, but I think it needs to be done. Although words can’t do the emotions justice, if sharing this story makes just one person take a step back and realize that death is never the answer and suicide isn’t even an option, I know it’s worth it.
It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done or how miserable your life may seem at that moment; there is help for you. If things can’t get any worse, that means they can only get better.
If you take your own life, you’re also taking more than you could possibly imagine from everyone who knows and loves you. I guarantee they would rather sacrifice everything they have than lose you.
Please, please reach out for help if you need it; even if you don’t want help, please accept it anyway for your loved ones. Someone in this world will be lost without you, clinging to a dead rose, wishing they could see you just once more.
Contact Mackenzie Clark, editor-in-chief, at mclark68@jccc.edu.
Updated 4:53 p.m. Monday, Nov. 19, 2012
This is the video of all five candidate interviews. David Lindstrom, the selected candidate, begins at 17:56. Lindstrom will join the Board for their next regular monthly meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13 in the Polsky Theatre.
Following five candidate interviews and three votes, the Board of Trustees selected David Lindstrom to fill the vacancy left by Don Weiss in a special meeting this morning.
The first vote narrowed the five selected candidates, Michael Lally, Lindstrom, Brent McCune, Michael Sharpe and Doug Wood, down to Lally, Lindstrom and McCune. The second vote yielded Lally and Lindstrom and the third decided between the two.
Lindstrom attended Boston University in Mass. and, according to his online biography, played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1978 to 1986. He currently serves as the District 3 Johnson County Commissioner.
Lindstrom’s term expires June 30, 2015.
Issue 8 of The Campus Ledger, coming Thursday, Dec. 6, will contain a profile on Lindstrom with further information.
Compiled by Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu
The college issued an alert at 9:35 a.m. yesterday asking anyone who had seen a blue 2011 Ford Fiesta, Ill. license plate P649041, to contact Campus Police or the Overland Park Police Department. The alert was later canceled when the vehicle was recovered.
Sergeant Randy Garcia with Campus Police confirmed this alert was in regards to 58-year-old Merriam resident Robert J. Pruitt, who shot and killed his brother Todd Pruitt yesterday morning in a parking lot near Johnson Drive and Metcalf Road.
Garcia said the man had previously been on campus as a visitor, but not as a student. The alert was put out as a precautionary measure.
Many witnesses were present at the scene of the shooting. Robert Pruitt later shot himself. More information is available from The Kansas City Star here.
Compiled by Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu
Updated 1:33 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16
During a special meeting Thursday, Nov. 15 the Board of Trustees narrowed candidates for the vacant position from 25 applicants to five to be interviewed.
Those selected include Michael Sharpe, Douglas Wood, Michael Lally, David Lindstrom and Brent McCune. These applicants will be interviewed at an additional special meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 17 in the Hugh Speer Board Room (GEB 137).
The vacant position came about when the Board approved the resignation of Don Weiss at their October monthly meeting.
Prior to roll call votes for each candidate, some of the trustees disclosed prior knowledge or contact with them. Trustees Greg Musil, Stephanie Sharp, and Jerry Cook all cited prior relations with McCune and Lally. All three trustees voted in favor of both candidates.
Cook also mentioned and voted in favor of Lindstrom. Musil mentioned candidate Radd Way, who did not make the cut. None of the trustees abstained from any of the votes.
The interviews Saturday will follow a previously scheduled Board retreat, beginning at 8 a.m.
Ledger staff will live-tweet these meetings. Follow @CampusLedger on Twitter for updates as they occur.
Compiled by Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu
By Mac Moore
The lines will likely be wrapping around the entrance of local retailers the day after Thanksgiving. Black Friday remains a big shopping day for the holiday season despite the fact the savings are not always as big as advertised.
According to a recent report from the Wall Street Journal, sales on Black Friday are rarely the best of the year. Teaming up with a retail strategies company called Decide, Inc., they conducted a study using the daily price points of every major retailer in the last six years.
The report indicates many items had better sales in September and October. Some items had price jumps upwards of 50 percent by the time Black Friday rolled around, as was the case with Ugg Boots.
The internet can be blamed for much of the shift in price points over the holiday season. The ability to purchase items from the click of a mouse has pushed the market to the web. According to Forbes, the record for single-day online spending was set on Cyber Monday in 2011.
Cyber Monday is the Monday after Black Friday when customers receive online deals to drive web business. The convenience meets savings as 70 percent of Black Friday deals are also available online, according to Dealnews.com.
Despite the alternatives given by internet shopping, people continue to wait in line during the early morning and late night hours for these sales. To figure out why, it is necessary to look at the social nature of people. Rosalee Dallman, associate professor, Sociology, views the Black Friday phenomenon as being a kind of community-building activity.
“In some respects these situations are a way of creating a temporary sense of community,” Dallman said. “Since our society is somewhat lacking in this area, any opportunity to feel connected to others is sought out by people, especially during the holiday season. Shopping itself could help us feel a part of the Christmas season in a real and tangible way.”
This is not to say that retailers do not have tremendous deals during Black Friday. Some of the doorbuster deals actually are the best of the year. Last year, Best Buy offered a Sharp 42” HDTV for under $200.
South Lawrence Walmart manager Brandon Barrett said items like these are held in small inventory used as bait to get customers in the doors. The plan is to attract customers who then buy lesser deals that will make the retailer profit.
“It’s just strategy,” Barrett said. “We can’t sell large quantities of these huge deals; we would lose money. We aren’t in the business of losing money. Our job is to manage the losses on deals that get the customers in the door.”
Editor’s note: In the interest of full disclosure, Mac Moore was once employed at the South Lawrence Walmart.
Contact Mac Moore, sports editor, at mmoore82@jccc.edu.
By Mac Moore
The talk of wins and losses dominate the discussion of most sports. Basketball is a sport that allows a team to be judged by that standard, while also letting stats show there is a texture to the substance.
The men’s basketball team participated in nail-biters last season. 12 games were decided by five points or less. The team averaged 70.4 points a game offensively. Defensively they allowed 70.5 points a game. This led to a 16-20 season that was much stronger than the losing record would indicate.
The team has many new faces, but the remaining players know how close the hard work helped them become last season.
“We would like to improve that record and we expect to,” returning starter Christian Hildebrandt said. “We know it going to take a lot of hard work to do so.”
Early season play has been positive in outcome. The team won their first two games of the season. The victories were by an average of 12.5 points, but the team doesn’t expect such margins throughout the season.
“The schedule is so tough,” Mike Jeffers, head coach, said. “We are going to have some bumps along the way, but it will make us better.”
Jeffers is not so worried about records. Early season victories are far less important to the team’s outlook than simply setting the standard of improving daily. The coaches and the players know early success does not mean they are where they need to be.
“We have yet to put a whole game together,” Hildebrandt said. “I think it’s mostly because we are young. I think the biggest challenge for this team will be realizing what we can and can’t do at certain points in the game.”
Once they put together a whole game the team hopes it will translate to strong league play. The chances are high if Hildebrandt can keep performing like he did in the season opener. His stat line read 28 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.
“I hope we can expect some more six trey performances,” Hildebrandt said.
Contact Mac Moore, sports editor, at mmoore82@jccc.edu
For upcoming games, see the sports calendar here.
By David Hurtado
Students passing by the Craig Community Auditorium on Tuesday afternoons may occasionally hear lively music emanating from the room. This is not “Gangnam Style” at work; this is Swing Club.
Delaney Herman, club president, said she formed the club because she wanted to share her love for dance with other people. She initially got interested in dance through a foreign exchange student who complained of a lack of night clubs.
“I’ve been dancing swing for eight years now and it’s been a huge part of my life,” Herman said. “It’s kind of become who I am and I wanted to share that with other people. I found a sponsor who wanted to help me out and I found a space. The rest is history.”
The club focuses mostly on West Coast Swing (WCS), which evolved from the early ‘20s Lindy Hop dance. WCS is a partner dance characterized by being very musical and adopting many nuances from other forms of dance.
Aside from getting down on the dance floor, each meeting also devotes time to teaching newer members the basics of Swing. No one is required to stay for entire meetings.
“We have a two-hour block of time where we have space reserved,” Herman said. “The first hour or so is a lesson where we teach basic stuff: turns, patterns, dips; whatever we decide to work on for that day. Then the last hour of the club, we just play music. We encourage people to dance with someone else, practice the moves that we learned and have a blast.”
The club also makes a point to frequent many local dance venues including Madrigal Martini Bar, Retro, Drum Room and Louis & Company Ballroom Studio.
Ducky Seils, student and member, said he joined at the urging of his brother. Seils said he started out dancing Swing, but now works on shuffling and Tecktonik dance also.
“I initially joined because my brother was in it and he told me I should join when I came to [the college],” Seils said. “[…] It was pretty fun. I liked it and I came on my own after that.”
Andy Anderson, club adviser and dean of English, said the club welcomes students of all skill levels and can provide instruction if students are not the most skilled dancers.
“[Members] are really good about helping new people learn basic steps,” he said. “They start with beginners. If anyone who goes for the first time doesn’t know anything about dancing, someone will show them the first step and get them started. It’s open to all levels. Their goal is just sort of to promote and encourage people to enjoy dance […] You could go and in an hour, you would be dancing.”
For more information about Swing Club, contact Andy Anderson at aanders@jccc.edu or Delaney Herman at delaneyherman@rocketmail.com.
Contact David Hurtado, features editor, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.
Information courtesy the Academic Achievement Center, OCB 304 (ext. 4589)
Compiled by Gabrielle Fitzgerald, gfitzge1@jccc.edu
Photos, illustration and design by Morgan Daigneault, mdaignea@jccc.edu
Click for full image
Click for larger images. Photos by Mackenzie Clark
Other events of the week included a luncheon honoring veterans Monday, Nov. 12 in the Regnier Center. The college also hosted a panel of veterans discussing their experiences on Tuesday, Nov. 13. The Video Production department screened their documentary, “The Heart of a Warrior,” on Wednesday, Nov. 14 in the Polsky Theatre.
By Jon Parton
Any time a politician or celebrity visits Kansas City, it seems like they go to a barbecue joint. Unfortunately for them, they usually limit themselves to Arthur Bryant’s, Gates or more recently Oklahoma Joe’s. None of those places are bad, but there is so much more to Kansas City barbecue.
Rosedale Barbecue, located at 600 Southwest Boulevard in Kansas City, Kan., is as much a local tradition as it is a hole in the wall.
The neighborhood around Rosedale is a mixture of commercial and industrial, a reminder of Kansas City’s early days as a cattle town. The restaurant itself wasn’t much to look at.
The walls were decorated with an array of old newspaper clippings and other memorabilia. A couple of TVs hung on opposite ends of the restaurant, tuned into ESPN. There was no pretentious atmosphere to be found, just a simple place where you could get a meal.
My dining companion and I arrived just after the lunch hour. Only one waitress was working behind the bar, but she was quick and happy to take our order. In addition to our food, we ordered the standard Coke and Diet Coke.
“We have RC Cola and Diet Rite. Is that OK?” she asked.
RC? Diet Rite? Did we accidentally travel back in time? Could they not afford to stock Coke or Pepsi products? Rather than give myself an aneurysm thinking about it, I took my bottle of Diet Rite and shut the hell up.
I ordered the three slider plate: a combination of fries with beef, ham, and pulled pork slider sandwiches. My dining companion ordered the burnt ends with a side of corn nuggets. Between the two of us, our meals cost less than $20.
The first thing I noticed about the sliders was the size of them. Sliders are supposed to be small sandwiches that can be eaten in 2 or 3 bites. These monstrosities were piled high with meat and really could be compared to half sandwiches. The beef was the weakest of the trio, but still pretty decent. The meat was tender but rather flavorless.
On the other hand, the ham was a work of art. Good ham has a salty taste that doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the meat. This, my friends, was good ham.
The pulled pork was my favorite of the bunch. You could tell it was smoked just right because it required very little effort to pull the meat apart.
An important aspect of any barbecue place is the sauce. Some places throw together water and tomatoes and call it good. A lot of places tend to make their sauces overly sweet. Rather than an actual sauce, they make meat frosting.
That isn’t the case at Rosedale. Their sauce has a peppery kick to it while still maintaining the appropriate thickness of a sauce.
The fries were OK, but nothing special. They were crisp, crinkle-cut potatoes made better by dipping them in barbecue sauce. I then managed to sneak a couple of bites of the corn nuggets. My new goal in life is to learn how to make corn nuggets. Imagine deep fried creamed corn surrounded by crispy batter. The gods of high cholesterol smiled upon us that day.
As Kansas City residents, we are very fortunate to have a wide variety of barbecue restaurants. I recommend giving Rosedale a try. It doesn’t look like much from the inside, but you’ll be too happy to care.
Contact Jon Parton, managing editor, at
jparton@jccc.edu.
By Mackenzie Clark
College administrators are drafting a new policy which may break animal lovers’ hearts.
If the Board of Trustees approves a policy currently in the works, animals outside of those used for service or school-related reasons will not be allowed in campus buildings.
“We have had a few calls of dogs being brought on campus and in the classroom, in the hallways,” said Larry Dixon, deputy chief, Campus Police. “So our legal counsel developed a policy with cooperation from us.”
The policy stems from concern for safety of those on campus.
“With an animal, you never know,” Dixon said. “When they’re in a classroom or when they’re even walking down the hallway, you never know what an animal might do and we have to look out for the safety of all students, staff and personnel.”
Dennis Day, vice president, Student Success and Engagement, cited an incident when a dog brought to campus for “no real purpose” became angry and Campus Police needed to intervene. However, there was no policy in place stating animals were not allowed.
“The officers said, ‘Look, we don’t have anything to back us up when we tell people that they need to take their animals off campus because there’s no real policy or procedure,’” Day said. “[…] It kind of evolved from there that we should have a policy that allows certain animals on campus to provide service to their owners if they are truly a service animal.”
The policy in its current draft defines service animals as “individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability” and complies with standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act. It also allows animals used for “authorized research projects or experiments” or as “part of an academic program.”
The policy does stipulate, however, that animals that are properly vaccinated, under control and attended by their owners are allowed on campus grounds. Owners are held responsible for any necessary “clean-up.”
Dixon said if a situation with any animal were to become a threat to the campus community, Campus Police would call the Overland Park Police Department’s Animal Control unit.
Tanya Wilson, general counsel, said the policy is scheduled for review by subcommittees of the Board of Trustees in December or January and will likely go to the full Board for approval in January or February.
The full text of the policy draft in its current form is here.
Contact Mackenzie Clark, editor-in-chief, at mclark68@jccc.edu.
Counterfeit jive at the Vibe
Campus Police were called to the Vibe coffee bar regarding a counterfeit bill on Oct. 30. A Vibe employee reported that a white female allegedly attempted to use a counterfeit bill for a purchase. The employee stated the female handed over a $1 bill that had been altered to look like a $10 bill. Police determined that both ends of the bill were cut off and the ends of a $10 bill were taped on. The female later contacted Campus Police, stating that she found the bill in the laundry. Campus Police contacted the U.S. Secret Service and turned over the investigation to them.
No pay for the Chick-Fil-A
A Food Court staff member contacted an officer on patrol to report a theft on Oct. 31. The employee stated that she witnessed a suspect conceal two Chick-Fil-A sandwiches in his front pocket. The officer located the suspect and stopped him for questioning. The suspect stated he had taken some items from Chick-Fil-A and handed them over to the officer. The suspect was then placed under arrest and escorted to the police department.
Gas passed in the Science building
Campus Police were dispatched to the Science building upon a report of an odor of gas on Nov. 7. Upon arriving, the officer was told the gas odor originated in SCI 213. The officer discovered the odor was leaking from one of the gas valves located at a work station. A Housekeeping worker secured the handle, causing the odor to stop.
Compiled by Jon Parton, jparton@jccc.edu
Kansas Autism Conference coming to the college
The college and KU’s Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART) are co-sponsoring Beyond the Diagnosis: Autism Across the Lifespan Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 in the Capitol Federal Conference Center located in the Regnier Center. The annual conference is designed for caregivers, educators and affected families. Sessions will be conducted by KU researchers and regional experts from several different fields.
Upcoming road closures
The west College Boulevard entrance will be closed for maintenance beginning today, Nov. 15, and scheduled to reopen Sunday, Nov. 25. The maintenance will not affect the warehouse entrance drives. East Frontage Road, east of the construction site for the Hospitality and Culinary building, will be closed for crosswalk repairs starting Monday, Nov. 19 and also scheduled to reopen Nov. 25.
Board of Trustees to select new member
The Board of Trustees plans to select a replacement for Don Weiss, who resigned last month, at a special meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 17 in the Hugh Speer Board Room (GEB 137). The Board will interview final candidates at that meeting, which follows a previously scheduled retreat beginning at 8 a.m.
The Board will also meet today at 3:30 p.m. to review candidates and narrow the list. Following at 5 p.m. is the regular monthly meeting.
The Ledger will live-tweet developments as they become available. Follow @CampusLedger for up-to-the-minute information. Full coverage of the selected applicant will follow online as well as in Issue 8, coming Thursday, Dec. 6.
Compiled by Jon Parton, jparton@jccc.edu, and Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu
Women’s basketball
The Lady Cavs open up the season with four straight blowout wins. This marks the program’s 26th straight regular season victory. The team slipped a little in the second half of their game against Southwestern on Nov. 10, being outscored 25-21 while still winning the game 68-34. The drop in second half play is not a trend for the team as they have, on average, scored twice as much as their opponents after halftime for the season.
Men’s basketball
The Cavaliers started the season with two double digit wins before falling to Hutchinson 96-57 on Nov. 10. The game was a great test for the Cavs as HCC was ranked 13th in the NJCAA Division I Men’s preseason poll. Coach Mike Jeffers pointed to the fact that the team needs to get more consistent on the offensive end of the floor.
Cross Country
This year’s NJCAA Cross Country Nationals were held Nov. 10 at Rend Lake College in Ina, Il. Men’s CC finished 22nd. Kidus Bekele finished a team best, 40th, with a time of 27:26 minutes. Women’s finished 12th. Jessica Thomas finished 64th with a time of 20:28. Both teams finished up their season with the NJCAA Half Marathon Championship on Nov. 17 in Levelland, Texas.
Compiled by Mac Moore, mmoore82@jccc.edu
By Mac Moore
Much of this column was penned before the Chiefs decided to gain the lead for the first time this season on Monday Night Football against the Steelers. I do not feel it changes the gist of my argument. Sorry if a lead for 22 minutes does not impress me.
Matt Cassel is not the reason the Chiefs are ranked last in the latest ESPN power rankings. The Chiefs have many problems that cannot be solely blamed on the eighth-year quarterback.
This is in no way a defense of Cassel as a starter in the NFL. The Chiefs are bad; so is Cassel.
The 2010 season showed promise. The Chiefs used the ball control offense and latched on the back of superstar running back Jamaal Charles. The rushing attack outran their opponents by over 800 yards on the season, according to ESPN.com.
This strategy allowed them to dominate inferior opponents, yet when their opponents had any offensive firepower, the passing game could not keep up. Pro-Football-Reference.com indicates the Chiefs eclipsed 200 passing yards only once during the six losses and lost by an average of two touchdowns. These blowout losses were ignored because we made the playoffs.
The 2011 season unveiled everything that the previous season masked. With offensive coordinator Charlie Weis trying to fight back into the college coaching ranks, the Chiefs settled with Bill Muir. Muir attempted to duplicate the success of Weis but Cassel regressed as he couldn’t stand up behind a shoddy O-line.
It didn’t take long for Matt Cassel to suffer a season-ending injury, leaving the team with absolutely no viable quarterback. Next they had no head coach as General Manager Scott Pioli decided the woes of this QB-less team should be lumped on Todd Haley. Defensive Coordinator Romeo Crennel was named Interim Head Coach. The team still narrowly missed the playoffs.
So this season left fans with hope and promise. Crennel was heralded as the choice for head coach after nearly stealing a playoff spot. Muir retired, leaving the OC position to be filled by Crennel’s old Browns OC Brian Daboll.
Pioli stepped up and signed marquee-free agents such as offensive tackle Eric Winston. Many sports analysts considered this offseason to be solid for the Chiefs. Using the perfect vision that hindsight rewards, we know the results have instead been dismal.
For some the answer still eludes them. What could be the problem? The answer is simple. Matt Cassel is a backup.
Pioli’s hubris has caused him to believe he can win with any QB as long as he installs the Patriots Way he learned in New England. Heck, the Patriots have played in four Super Bowls and won three of them with a sixth-round QB. Pioli legitimately believes any QB can do that. That sixth-round QB was Tom “freakin’” Brady.
Pioli has hedged all his bets on Matt Cassel and his belief that the system is what made Tom Brady become one of the greatest QBs of all time. So we have spent the entire Pioli regime without a single pro-level prospect at the QB position, fearing Matt Cassel would look over his shoulder. For the system to work, Pioli couldn’t have that.
The prudent follow-up would be why are we so bad this year if we were not this bad the last two years with Cassel? The answer is that the only thing holding us back those seasons was the lack of a QB.
Now the Chiefs have a head coach who should have stayed the defensive coordinator. The offensive coordinator is a pass happy play-caller who has no idea what to do with this QB crew. The team has lost the window of opportunity on a QB who never started a college football game.
This team is missing stability and excitement. The team has quit playing for this coach because they no longer think they can win for him, this quarterback or this front office. Pioli is praying to high heaven that the owner Clark Hunt gives him one more chance to pick a QB and a head coach. In the NFL, he might not even get a second chance.
Contact Mac Moore, sports editor, at mmoore82@jccc.edu.
By Mac Moore
Rebuilding can be tough for any program. Women’s basketball coach Ben Conrad understands that rebuilding comes with the territory of coaching at a two-year college. He knows sometimes that means replacing multiple All-Americans.
Last year’s team went 32-3 and undefeated in the Jayhawk League. With All-Americans Briana Kulas and Mary Pat Specht moving on, the team will be led by youth and players who need to learn how to play together in this system.
“It’s always a challenge to a degree at this level but this year we are more inexperienced than normal,” Conrad said, “but with every game we play, we’ll improve and by Christmas it really won’t matter.”
Conrad is the coach to listen to when it comes to reloading a basketball squad at a two-year school. His team has spent 41 straight weeks in the top 10 of the NJCAA polls, dating back to before the start of the 2009 season. Conrad owns a .776 winning percentage at the NJCAA level with over 113 wins in four years at the college.
The loss of two All-Americans would normally create an early season rough patch for a basketball squad, but the Lady Cavaliers won their first two games of the season by an average of 61.5 points. Players credit Conrad for the team’s strong early season play despite only retaining two players that had significant minutes last season.
“It’s coaching and recruiting,” Kathleen Brisbane, returning sophomore, said. “The level of play is based a lot on the quality of players. Coach doesn’t look for girls that play basketball, you know, he gets basketball players.”
Great recruiting helps keep a team strong from season to season, but leadership and maturity are necessary as the team tries to develop. Brisbane and fellow returning sophomore Kelsey Knox said they feel it is their job to lead by example to show the younger players how to play at that level.
“I feel like I have to be the one that leads the team,” Knox said. “Not necessarily in terms of points or anything, but [Brisbane and I] are the ones that have been here. We understand how we must progress over the season.”
With the large roster revamping from a record-setting season, most programs would expect a drop off the following year. Conrad is not running a regular program.
“It’s possible to match last year,” Brisbane said. “We are going to work to the standard set last year, so yeah, it’s a possibility.”
Contact Mac Moore, sports editor, at mmoore82@jccc.edu.
For upcoming games, see the sports calendar.
By Mackenzie Clark
In the past semester, a daunting number of changes have occurred, and are occurring, on this campus. Honestly, I’m still a bit shaken and don’t know what to make of it all.
If you haven’t kept up, many faculty and staff have announced plans for retirement, including three in very influential positions: Terry Calaway, college president; Marilyn Rhinehart, executive vice president, Academic Affairs; and Ruth Randall, dean, Curriculum and Academic Quality.
The Board of Trustees approved the resignation of Don Weiss at their meeting Oct. 18. As early as this weekend, we should know who the trustees are selecting to fill this elected office.
The selected candidate and his or her fellow Board members will be charged with the large task of selecting the college’s next president. On top of all of this, the results of the Nov. 6 elections will have their impact.
I don’t think people truly understand yet what this means to everyone who has any involvement with this college, and bear in mind this group is not limited to students, faculty and staff. It extends to the pockets of every taxpayer in this county.
It feels to me almost as if a hurricane is brewing at this college. The time is just right for the perfect storm and, as all of us are handed these challenges, I feel I owe all of The Ledger’s readers a promise:
This staff and I will do everything in our power to keep you informed of what is happening with this administration in a fair, balanced manner. We will strive to seek out any developments that may affect you.
We will hold those in power accountable for their actions, and we will hold to the same standards we always have, if not higher, in our pursuit of these topics. We will advocate freedom of public information and when you need a reliable source, I vow The Campus Ledger reporters will be your watchdogs.
Contact Mackenzie Clark, editor-in-chief, at mclark68@jccc.edu.
By David Hurtado
Americans love to think they are a forward thinking society, less hateful and bigoted than people 60 years ago.
Folks, I’ve got news for you: that’s a big ol’ sack of it. Modern man can claim to be civilized all he wants, but we are little more than cavemen dressed in suits.
Does anyone remember the 68-year-old bus monitor who suffered verbal abuse at the hands of a group of young teenagers? Or the Michigan teen who contemplated suicide because of punks at her high school who elected her to the homecoming court as a joke? Absolutely disgusting.
From Kindergarten through the fourth grade, I was verbally and emotionally bullied because I was different. I lost all confidence in myself as person, became an outcast and sometimes cried myself to sleep. By the time second grade started, I had only made one friend who, like me, was different. I didn’t understand at the time why no one wanted to be my friend.
That aside, bullying isn’t the only issue I see in our so-called post-racial, progressive society. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, there were reports of rape and widespread looting. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, locals have reported people posing as FEMA workers, price gouging and thieves looting from neighbors who lost nearly everything. And please, don’t take a leak down my back and tell me it’s raining.
I never heard of these sorts of things happening when Japan was struck by a tsunami during 2011. You want to know why? Because they are a respectful and kind people, even in the worst of crises. And folks, a lot of it has to do with the way they raise their kids.
You see, in Japan, children are taught early on to have respect for their elders, the law and each other. Here, kids are raised to have an entitlement mentality, think themselves above the law, disrespect their parents, et cetera.
What’s happened to the children of America? I’ll tell you. We don’t have enough real parents raising their children to treat others with love, kindness and respect. It also doesn’t help that disciplining children is considered politically incorrect.
If you haven’t guessed what I’m hinting at already, let me point it out for you: Americans need to have more love and compassion for one another. Sept. 11, 2001 was one of our nation’s darkest moments, but it was also our brightest. Conservatives and liberals, blacks and whites, gays and straights all rallied together beneath the American flag. For the first time since the Cold War, we stood united together against those who would dare harm our fellow Americans.
Perhaps the best way to summarize what I’m asking you all is a quote spoken by Charlie Chaplin in his film, “The Great Dictator:”
“We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.”
Have more love for each other, because in the coming years, each other is all we’ll have.
Contact David Hurtado, features editor, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.
By Morgan Daigneault
As holiday music begins to blare prematurely from malls and department stores, gift-giving may already be on the minds of the consuming masses.
Black Friday sales will entice shoppers in droves to purchase disgusting amounts of electronics, clothes, and nearly anything else a credit card swipe can buy. But toys, housewares, and dubiously-useful Skymall-esque gadgetry aren’t the only items up for grabs; some may want to add a new pet to their home, or gift a pet to a friend or loved one. While bringing an animal into your life can be a tremendous joy under the right circumstances, it is not a decision to be made with misinformed haste.
A good starting point is to evaluate whether a pet is really the right decision, especially during the hectic winter months. Infused with a generous spirit, it is easy to put reality on the back burner when confronted with a wide-eyed, adorable ball of fuzz. New pets require a ton of work and patience, and will continue to demand this effort from you for the remainder of their lives.
Dogs need house training, obedience training, food, toys, veterinary care, and plenty of attention. Cats may be considered “easy mode,” but their needs should not be underestimated either, especially when it comes to litter box maintenance and furniture scratching.
If you’re truly up for the challenge of pet ownership, the research shouldn’t stop there. Change in living situation, for instance, is one of the oft-given excuses for surrendering (or worse, abandoning) a pet. Most rented housing will have restrictions on pets along with a hefty deposit and monthly fee. Roommates and family members could have allergies, so testing beforehand can prevent unneeded heartbreak later.
Dogs and cats come in a variety of breeds, each with their own traits, sizes, special needs and health issues. If you and your fiancee are living in an apartment, for instance, it would be ill-advised to bring home a Great Dane or St. Bernard. Plenty of resources are available for free online to help you find the best fit for your family.
After a thorough amount of research, if you still feel ready for a new pet, all that’s left is the question of where to find one. While contacting a breeder or dropping in at the nearest pet store might seem like convenient options, please consider the tragic and widespread problem of animal overpopulation. A common misconception is that the only way to find a purebred is through a breeder or pet store.
However, many breed-specific rescue organizations exist all across the country, and have puppies and kittens as well as more mature pets. Even local animal shelters will often have purebred animals rescued from hoarding situations or given up by their previous owners. Of course, purebreds aren’t your only option – in fact, mixed breeds can look very unique, have less breed-specific health problems and will love and adore you every bit as much.
If you need more guidance, seek out animal shelters and foster networks. The employees and volunteers care tremendously about the animals and are more than happy to help you make the right decision. Some great organizations in the area include Great Plains SPCA (greatplainsspca.org/), Wayside Waifs (waysidewaifs.org), and LL Dog Rescue (lldogrescue.org). Petfinder.com and
Adoptapet.com are also fantastic resources with searchable profiles of adoptable pets from shelters in your area.
As the holidays close in, don’t let the excitement of the season override your judgment as it concerns the fate of a living creature. If you and your loved ones have swapped visions of sugar plums for puppies and candy canes for kittens, proceed with enthusiasm, but include a heap of caution and knowledge.
Contact Morgan Daigneault, production designer, at mdaignea@jccc.edu.
The holiday season is once again upon us. No matter what holiday tradition you practice, everyone can relate to the stresses of the holiday season. Food has to be cooked, family has to be gathered, travel plans have to be made and everyone has to rearrange their schedules so we can theoretically be happy during the coldest part of the year.
Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we create so much stress when our goal is to reduce stress and enjoy time with family and friends? Like most things, the insanity surrounding the holidays is temporary. Best of all, it can be avoided. The traditions we keep are only worth holding onto if they are feasible.
If it takes all day to cook a turkey, ask yourself if that’s something worth doing. Although turkey is certainly a tradition for the Thanksgiving holiday, it doesn’t mean we have to continue it. The same goes for any holiday that involves gift giving, such as Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanza. Everyone likes to receive presents, but do we really need to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars in order to celebrate?
The temporary insanity surrounding the holidays has to go. We’re stressing ourselves out simply because tradition tells us we have to. Start a new tradition this year; one that not only celebrates a holiday but also truly represents a joyous occasion. Instead of forcing Grandma to stay in the kitchen, grab some Chinese takeout and let her spend extra time with the grandkids.
Instead of buying presents or impersonal gifts, have everyone buy a plane ticket to Maui and get away from the Kansas winter for a few days. If that isn’t affordable, have everyone get together and help serve meals at one of the local homeless shelters. Serving those who are less fortunate helps to remind us how lucky we are.
Rather than view the holidays as a checklist of components, make them truly personal. Leave behind the traditions that are too troublesome or create undue burden. The holidays are not a time for people to feel sorry for themselves; it offers us a chance to celebrate what is best in life: family, friends and an appreciation of the values that make us who we are.
Do you want someone who will challenge JCCC’s rising tuition? Do you want someone who will explain in plain English what JCCC is doing with your money? Do you want to have a say in who will be the college’s next president?
Well, Cavaliers, this week JCCC’s Board of Trustees will name a replacement for a board member who recently resigned. This is our opportunity to create change.
Why should I care? It doesn’t affect me.
Does not having enough classrooms affect you? Does not being able to find a parking space affect you? How about tuition increases? New course offerings? Trustees are the ones who decide these things and they often do it without student input.
What can I do?
Tell the trustees we want one of our own named to the board. We want someone who walks the halls of JCCC every day. We want someone who knows what it means to scrape together money for tuition and books. We want someone we know and, more importantly, who knows us.
My name is Miguel Morales and I want to be your trustee.
When I was 10 years-old, I worked as a migrant farmworker. I never thought I’d graduate high school much less go to college. But since finding JCCC, I have served as a JCCC Diversity Fellow. I work with diverse populations on and off campus. I co-founded the student club, Latinos United Now and Always (LUNA). I served as the vice-president of GLBTSU (now known as Queers and Allies). I served in several positions on The Campus Ledger including Editor-in-Chief. I am the student journalist who broke the story about JCCC President Charles Carlsen’s alleged sexual harassment of a female employee. That investigation led to Carlsen’s abrupt retirement, the hiring of interim and permanent presidents. It also led to the departure of a well-known trustee implicated in the harassment cover-up.
I’ve twice served as a candidate for the Board of Trustees and was endorsed by The Kansas City Star.
“Miguel M. Morales, of Olathe, is a former student who won national awards for his work as a writer and editor for The Ledger, the student newspaper. Morales campaigned for greater transparency from the college’s board and administration. Those values would suit him well as a trustee … As the son of a migrant farm worker, he would be a valuable voice for first-generation and minority students.”
What would you do as trustee?
I will regularly meet with campus clubs and student leaders. I want to make sure your voice is represented on the board. Students, not donors, must remain the focus of the board’s decisions.
I will protect your First Amendment rights of freedom of speech, religion, press, the right to assemble, and to petition.
You deserve a president who will be the first to apologize and the last to take credit. I will push to make sure the board hires a servant leader as your next president.
If you want to affect change at JCCC, please visit http://www.change.org/petitions/jccc-board-of-trustees-we-want-a-voice
Thank you,
Miguel M. Morales
JCCC student employee
By David Hurtado
If Americans stick to their eating and exercise habits, obesity rates in the United States could swell to new heights in the coming decades.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 35.7 percent of adults are obese and 16.9 percent of children ages 2 through 19 are obese. By 2030, the number of obese adults is expected to rise to 42 percent. In 2011, the obesity rate in Kansas sat at 29.6 percent.
Karen LaMartina, director, Nursing, said she believed this was partly due to the amounts of exercise Americans received. LaMartina also said low-income families are more likely to be at risk for obesity.
“I think what we’ve seen in our nation is just a real increase in caloric intake and a decrease in activity levels,” LaMartina said, “so the pair of those things together has really led to increased obesity.”
The cost of treating additional obese Americans for diabetes, heart disease and other medical conditions is projected to reach nearly $550 billion over the next two decades, according to the CDC.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure of body fat that compares height and weight. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered healthy, between 25 and 29.9 overweight and above 30, obese.
In order to combat the surge of obese Americans, some states have taken matters into their own hands. In early September, the New York Board of Health approved Mayor Bloomberg’s proposal to ban sugary drinks above 16 ounces. In 2007, California began enforcing nutritional standards in schools to limit the amount of fat, sugar and calories from vending machine snacks.
LaMartina said she thought efforts like these were a good place to start curbing obesity.
“I know around here in some of our area high schools, they’ve eliminated high sugar beverages as options in the school cafeterias,” she said. “I think they’ve also tried to eliminate some of the real high calorie foods in favor of subways and salad bars. I think those are good efforts.”
At the college, students can choose between five different restaurants in the Food Court to take their meals. Some options include pizza, sushi, tacos and a salad bar.
Nancy Whedon, supervisor, Dining Services, said Dining Services provides gluten-free crackers, veggie burgers, sugar-free pies and grilled chicken sandwiches as healthier alternatives. However, she said it can be a challenge to earn profits from healthy options.
“The problem is when we try to make more healthy and veggie options, they don’t sell,” Whedon said. “Maybe 10 to 20 sell, and/or no one buys them. People are addicted to good tasting fried foods and sweets and breads. It is too ingrained in their minds and stomachs.”
Healthy alternatives provided by the Food Court are not just extended to foods. Students can find drinks besides pop on the menu as well.
“Drinks are one area we have covered,” Whedon said. “We offer juice in a bottle, Life Water, water, Sobe juices and milk. Then, in even our pop machines, we offer Gatorade, Sobe and sugar free cranberry grapefruit juice. […] But if we stopped all the popular foods, and turned the Food Court into a Hidden Valley Ranch commercial, like on TV with only fresh veggies available and healthy food bars and low-fat, sugar-free, no carb, no gluten foods, we could not make it.”
LaMartina said she believes Food Services offers enough variety to allow people make healthy decisions.
“While we have lots of options for foods that are not so healthy, I do think our food service has plenty of choices that are healthy such as the large salad bar.”
Erin Dilley, student, said she keeps in shape by exercising at the college’s fitness center, running, walking her dog and participating in her brother’s indoor soccer games. Dilley also said she has a certain regimen she runs through while exercising at the college.
“First I do the circuit,” Dilley said. “It’s 20 minutes of a different machine that you’re working on. And then I do cardio on a tread mill and then I do about 25-ish minutes of weights. Then I do a cool down and about 20 minutes of ab workout.”
Contact David Hurtado, features editor, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.
JCAV video coming soon!
Click for full image.
Students dressed up in their best costumes to attend the annual Halloween dance at the college Friday, Oct. 26.
Photos by Daniel De Zamacona
Click for larger images:
By Jon Parton
Ruth Randall, dean, Curriculum and Academic Quality, is all smiles. After more than two decades of serving at the school, Randall announced that she will retire in December.
Randall started in 1988, the same year the college built the Industrial Technical Center. She is responsible for a number of programs at the school, including Cosmetology and the Honors Program. Moreover, she oversees curriculum management and helps recommend which classes get cut and which ones stay, or possibly alter.
“Say a business wants to start a new degree or certificate; they may call me in and ask me about the state level approvals,” Randall said.
In order to do her job, Randall said it requires quite a bit of research.
“I have to stay up-to-date with U.S. Department of Education as well as Federal Perkins, which is a federal funding program, as well as the Kansas Board of Regents, new regulations, rules, all of that,” Randall said.
Throughout the entire process, Randall acts as a liaison for the school in order to help speed things along. She is also responsible for the college’s program reviews. All programs are reviewed every five years and are assessed on a number of factors.
“Data is pulled from our Institutional Research department, as well as they answer some questions that were developed by a committee many years ago,” Randall said. “They’re sort of assessed on cost-per-credit hour and student retention. If it’s a career program, students’ placement into those careers. ‘Are there still jobs?’ And so all that information is brought forward to make decisions about funding.”
Randall explained that she served as the Honors Program director before taking on the role of dean, which is why the program is now under her purview.
“It just seemed a natural fit because I knew about it,” Randall said. “And so, you know, the person who takes my place may or may not have that position under them. I don’t know.”
The Cosmetology department also falls under her list of responsibilities.
“That was because several years ago when I was still the Honors Program director, they needed someone to fill in for the director position over there,” Randall said. “I have a cosmetology background. I worked my way through my undergraduate degree after I went to cosmetology school. So they said, ‘Oh, you know, Ruth knows something about cosmetology.’’
Randall said this year has given her time to reflect on her career at the college and what it means for her retirement.
“I thought, and my husband has asked me this too, ‘If you stayed as a faculty member, do you think you would be retiring right now?’” Randall said. “And I had to say, I had to really think about that and I think probably, maybe not because with any higher position comes more responsibility and more headaches and you take it home. So it’s a 24-hour job.”
Randall said that some of her proudest accomplishments involve the success of students.
“I don’t think that a lot of these students had ever considered going to anything but a state university,” Randall said. “They were thinking locally. There’s nothing wrong with it. I don’t want to say that there is, but it’s really wonderful when students can open those doors and look beyond what’s right in front of them and say, ‘You know, I could go to Harvard or Yale or Brown University.’ I had students actually accepted at Dartmouth, Northwestern, Yale, Harvard. In fact, Dartmouth, it was the first ever community college student they’d ever accepted.”
Contact Jon Parton, managing editor, at jparton@jccc.edu.
Compiled by Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu
Design by Morgan Daigneault
Photo by Mackenzie Gripe
Click for full image.
By Jon Parton
It’s challenging to find decent sushi around this area. Let’s face it; it’s tough to get fresh fish in Kansas. The nearest ocean to us is the Pacific and it’s roughly 1,400 miles away.
Haru’s Steak and Sushi, located at 15202 W. 119th Street in Olathe, rises to the challenge with a decent array of sushi, sashimi and hibachi grill offerings.
My dining companions and I arrived during the middle of the lunch hour when it seemed the restaurant was at its busiest. The smell of chicken and steak sizzling on the hibachi permeated the air. The noise of the crowd was a little off-putting, but most of it was centered around the grills.
We were seated at the sushi bar by our courteous hostess, away from the bustle and noise. The interior favored a minimalist approach that featured Japanese artwork mixed with modern design. After much debate, we agreed to share a communal plate of various sushi rolls. Our waitress kept on top of our drink orders and managed to answer our questions even though she appeared to be serving four to five other tables.
Within a short amount of time, our order arrived. The mark of any good sushi chef is the appearance of the food produced. Spread out before us was a vibrant array of colors and hues that looked too good to eat. It was then I realized why the interior seemed so plain. The artwork isn’t found on the walls, it’s found on the plates.
The Olathe roll featured an interesting mix of super white tuna, jalapeño and asparagus with mango. The crunchy texture paired well with the sweet and hot flavors of the roll. Less impressive was the Haru’s roll, a combination of shrimp, crab and cream cheese. The sauce was good but it tasted too much like a California Roll for my liking.
The shrimp tempura roll was a decent offering until I got my hands on the Green Bay roll. This delight combined shrimp tempura with apple, cream cheese and kiwi. The sweetness of the fruit contrasted beautifully with the crispiness of the tempura breading.
Someone in the group ordered the barbecue eel roll. I never liked the idea of even trying eel. Then again, I never liked the idea of eating octopus, but now calamari is one of my favorite types of seafood.
With much hesitation, and the questioning of my manhood by my fellow diners, I ate the damn thing. I was surprised not only that I could keep it down, but I wanted more after trying it. Eel has a fishy flavor to it but with a very meaty texture. It doesn’t flake as easily as tuna does.
Haru’s is little more expensive than some places, but the size of the portions makes up for it. If you’re looking for decent sushi in Johnson County, make sure you don’t skip over this hole in the wall: Haru’s Steak and Sushi.
Contact Jon Parton, managing editor, at jparton@jccc.edu.
Illustration by Sara Scherba
Click for full image.
By David Hurtado
In addition to more than 70 other clubs and organizations, the college may soon be adding a new animation club, Animators in Motion, to the mix.
The club awaits confirmation from Student Senate. Evan Schiwetz, president, said he founded the club because he wanted student animators to get a feel for how the real world worked.
“I really want to get more of a professional feel for how it’s going to work,” Schiwetz said. “I want to see how it would feel if it was real; not just critiques for students, but I want to know critiques from actual viewers. I think that would really help in growth for students and really help when you want to get your foot in the door.”
Currently the club meets based on members’ availability. Some meetings will take place outside the college where members can take texture pictures, or photos of textures such as brick or grass that can be laid over 3-D animations, to form ideas. Other meetings will occur at the college to work on rigging, which is applying a framework that can be animated to a model, and character-modeling, or adding physical attributes to a model.
Schiwetz said the club will primarily focus on doing freelance work and promotional work for the school and professional companies. He also said United Way, a non-profit organization, has expressed interest in the club doing promotional work for them.
“Our first project is to promote the animation program here at JuCo,” Schiwetz said.
The club deals mostly in computer animation, but would like to broaden their horizons to include other types of animation. Schiwetz expressed interest in mixing live action into their animations.
“I think we want to deal in everything,” he said. “We’re mainly 2-D and 3-D, but I think Claymation would be a great thing to get our hands onto. I want to get film and theatre if the theatre students want to help us out.”
Mike Worley, student and member, said he joined the club because he enjoys making objects move and drawing cartoons and comics. Worley has worked as a cartoonist for Marvel Comics, King Features and Archie Comics.
“I’m not a gamer, I can barely make Tetris work,” Worley said. “But I can draw and that was my emphasis. When I do comic book work, there’s a lot of that same type of emphasis where you make something act, where the characters interact with one another. You establish mood, motion, lighting, all of those things. Even if it’s just on a single comic book page, to be able to put it on something that actually will move, that puts a whole new dynamic to it.”
The club uses the software programs Maya and Toonboom.
For more information about Animators in Motion, contact Jeffery Byers, adviser, at jbyers3@jccc.edu or Evan Schiwetz at eschiwet@jccc.stumail.edu.
Contact David Hurtado, features editor, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.
By Mackenzie Clark
I consider myself a patriot. I feel I am incredibly lucky to have been born in America and I wouldn’t trade this gift for the world.
With this gift comes responsibility. I feel those of us at the college and in this country who are eligible to vote have an obligation to become informed and voice their opinions.
By the time you pick up this issue, it may be too late to change your mind if you’ve already skipped the polls. If not, perhaps I can persuade you.
Obviously the past four years have not gone as well as some thought they would. Our government – on the sides of both political parties – has failed us.
This election coming up Tuesday may be the single most important one in our lifetimes, whether you’re reading this as a student fresh out of high school or if you’re a member of the Brown & Gold Club.
I’m certainly not endorsing one presidential candidate over another (remember, there are more than just Obama and Romney, even if they don’t stand a chance of actually winning), but something has to change.
Jobless numbers continue to fluctuate, usually growing. You could walk up to any random student in the hall and they would probably have a story to tell about how hard these economic times and this insane political climate has been for them.
We are all hurting. You are not alone, and neither am I.
Please, my fellow students; my respected faculty and administators: get informed about the issues and vote for the candidates you believe are going to do the most good for our country.
It’s not too late to learn what they stand for and what they intend to do. I can almost guarantee any candidate for any office has a website; all you need to do is a quick Google search and you can probably find any information you wish.
However, if you refuse to do so, please take a cue from Tasha Cook’s column above and stay home on election day. Also, as Cook said, those of us who don’t miss a single election do not want to hear the complaints of those who don’t.
If you think your vote doesn’t count, you’re wrong. Every vote counts to someone.
I implore you, readers: please take even just 15 minutes to read up on the candidates – local and national – and take the time to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 6. And please, vote for what you truly believe is right.
This country will be great again one day, but it’s in our own hands.
Contact Mackenzie Clark, editor-in-chief, at mclark68@jccc.edu.
By James Russell
My father-in-law is in from out of the country this week. Having lived his entire life between England and Europe, American football is not something he’s been exposed to regularly. It’s an alien game to most people on the other side of the pond – a distant game that makes little sense despite its similarities to rugby.
But approximately three years ago he and I agreed upon what seemed a decent trade. I agreed to adopt and support his hometown football club, Manchester United, and in turn he likewise adopted both my beloved Jayhawks and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Man, did he get the short end of the clichéd stick on that one.
He has remained as faithful as could possibly be expected from someone living in a country with a seven hour time difference and little-to-no coverage of the sport. He has consistently attempted to learn its rules and nuances and whenever during football season he happens to be in the States, he watches the games with me.
He has faithfully worn the KU jacket and Chiefs hat I gave him long ago to countries the world over. That Jayhawk and Arrowhead have silently evangelized Luxembourg, Germany, France, England, Belgium and even South Africa.
Poor guy.
Sorry, Dad. I inherited through our deal a team that is arguably the best to have ever played the game of soccer (football, I know – but it gets confusing to differentiate in a column like this), and in return you have been gifted two football teams that are – currently, at least – an outright embarrassment to this great American game.
Our showing against the Raiders on Oct. 28 was just one more echoing thud of what I am becoming more and more convinced is yet another damned nail in an unexpected coffin.
No one has any idea what is wrong.
No one.
And therein, perhaps, is the answer. What is wrong with this team is that we still don’t know what’s wrong with this team.
We are 1-6 in the NFL, and are the laughingstock of the entire league. We’re a joke.
Our fans are in mid-mutiny. An injury to our starting quarterback was recently met with cheers. A ridiculous and media-hungry banner was flown over the Mecca of Chiefs Kingdom, Arrowhead Stadium, calling for firings and benchings.
My opinion of these “fans” aside, I believe this is Crennel’s fault.
He has no idea what is going on, nor does he seem to have the slightest clue how to fix it. There is no fire within this teddy bear of a man. He is proving, week after week, that he does not have the ability to be the general we need in an head coach: he can’t make these guys care.
After the loss to the Raiders, Crennel spoke to the media about the lack of any true running game for an entire four quarters (by the way – guess who our leading rusher was in that game? Matt Cassel. Wow): “You also have to be cognizant of where the game is, and what’s happening in the game, which may allow you to run the ball more. When you’re ahead, you can run it more … but when you’re behind, you try to throw it to get chunks of yards,” he said.
Romeo, Romeo… how can you say what we can do when we’re ahead? We haven’t had the lead in regulation a single time in seven games. Can I repeat that, Mr. Crennel? In seven games, in 28 quarters of professional play, the team you claim to coach has not once had even a single point more than their opponent.
Things could still turn around. I really am the eternal optimist. But if it does it won’t be because of Crennel. It will be despite him.
In the meantime I need to catch up on Man United’s latest exploits. Despite not playing at their best this season they have managed to remain only one point behind Chelsea for first place in the Premier League.
Thanks for that, Dad. At least I have one team that doesn’t manage to rip my screaming, flailing soul from my body with each game they play. At least I have United.
Contact James Russell, sports columnist, at jrusse5@jccc.edu.
By Jon Parton
Are we living in the 1950s? I think some Kansans still are.
Earlier this year the American Family Association of Kansas and Missouri (AFA) led a petition drive to have a bronze sculpture removed from the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, claiming it violated Kansas obscenity laws. The sculpture, entitled “Accept or Reject,” depicts a headless woman with an exposed chest aiming a camera at herself.
Overland Park officials refused to remove the statue, leading the American Family Association to pursue the matter in court. After a lengthy legal battle, the issue has finally been decided. Did I say lengthy? It took a grand jury less than a day to determine the sculpture did not violate any laws.
According to a written statement made by the jury: “We sat for one day and viewed the photographs of the statue. We reviewed the Kansas law and found that the sculpture in question did not meet the legal definition of obscenity.”
So the city wasted time and taxpayer money in order to prove something reasonable people already know. The human body is not obscene. What is obscene is an organization like the AFA trying to attach personal connotation to artwork. The AFA claimed the sculpture promoted “sexting” and was inappropriate for children. The woman is depicted holding a digital camera, not a cell phone, and is aimed at where her head would be.
You should question yourself, not the artwork, if you can’t view the human form without embarrassment or shame. For those who question the location of the artwork, have you ever heard of the Country Club Plaza? Nude sculptures have been a part of the Kansas City public landscape for more than 50 years. How many children have been traumatized by the beautiful fountains?
The concept of decency is rooted in what is ideally best for humanity. What decency is there in attacking the freedom of expression? It is inherently indecent to force the rest of society to conform to easily offended sensibilities and a narrow view of the world.
Before 9/11, Afghanistan’s Taliban government destroyed most of the ancient Buddhist statues in that country, some of which were centuries old. That artwork will never again be seen except in photographs. More importantly, what is the difference between what the Taliban did and what the AFA tried to do? Both sought to remove artwork deemed offensive for religious reasons. Why not burn a few books while we’re at it?
As Americans, we should try to err on the side of freedom. The First Amendment carries with it a lot of benefits. By limiting that freedom, we only do harm to ourselves. That, my friends, is true obscenity.
Contact Jon Parton, managing editor, at jparton@jccc.edu.
By Tasha Cook
Amidst all the talk of voting and elections and officials and presidents and binders, I have honestly done nothing but gotten lost in the shuffle of all this hoopla (except the binders – curiosity drove me to Google that one).
I have nothing against politics, corruption aside; I just have no real interest in them and therefore don’t know a lot about them. I’ll admit that. With that being said, I am most likely not going to vote this year.
Everyone, everywhere, seems to be pushing everyone else to vote, regardless of any circumstances or education. Go vote, make yourself heard, voice your opinion, or don’t complain in the years to come about who is in office or their decisions. It’s not that I’m against voting, or that I refuse, or that I literally don’t care that much.
I do care. I care enough not to vote, because I know I don’t know enough about politics to make a truly educated decision on who I’m voting for. Of course this year, I feel like we’re voting for the lesser of two evils, so that doesn’t help my decision.
But honestly, most of my opinion even in that matter is probably based off of hearsay and outside influences. I haven’t personally researched either Romney or Obama to find out the raw truth. If I did I might like them even less, or I might surprise myself.
Not to mention all of the other voting you’re required to do, locally and nationally, just to vote for the presidential race. If I don’t know enough about the presidential candidates, how will I know enough about any of those other much less talked about positions?
This is all aside from the fact I believe my own personal vote doesn’t count that much (between the millions voting and the supposed corruption with the voting system), so I’m not too worried about being one person amongst the masses to not stand in line on Nov. 7.
I’m not discouraging anyone from voting. I’m only saying that perhaps those who are not as educated in the realm of politics, such as myself, should think twice before making their opinion heard.
Then again, who am I to say? Everyone has the right to vote, and I think that’s completely fair. I just know that as confused and nonplussed as politics and elections make me, I don’t feel too bad refraining from throwing my uneducated guess into the mix.
Contact Tasha Cook, photo editor, at tcook15@jccc.edu.
David [Hurtado],
My name is Jack Van Kirk, and I’m writing this to express my disgust at the ideological mind-prisons and false dichotomies in American politics these days. I’m sick and tired of the wingnuts on both sides of the aisle. That’s why I appaud Timothy Cardinal Dolan, the head of the U.S. Catholic Bishops, for inviting both Obama and Romney to the Al Smith Banquet and giving a closing blessing at both parties’ national conventions (and I say that as a devout Catholic and a registered Republican). The Catholic Church and the Democratic platform stand in opposition, but at least the cardinal was at least willing to associate with those whom he disagrees politically.
As Rick Warren put it, ” our culture has accepted two huge lies. One is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they say or do. Both are false; you don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.” The problem today is that we all have our convictions, but we won’t even talk to people who don’t share them. We label them bigots, gays, Bible-bangers, godless commies, corporate big-wigs, whatever. If we meet someone who disagrees, we don’t ask them politely why they disagree. Instead, we rage-quit and go back to our blogs, or turn on Bill Maher or Rush Limbaugh to further convince ourselves that the other guys are a bunch of morons (admit it, we all struggle with this).
I’m almost tempted to say stay out of politics altogether until people decide to grow up and be civil. But, alas, I can’t, because civil discourse begins with us. We as college students, regardless of your political, economic, or religious background, need to stop using emotionally-charged rhetoric and come to at least understand each other.
God bless,
-Jack Van Kirk
JCCC Student
To Whom It May Concern:
“All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for men of good conscience to remain silent.” These brilliant words from President Thomas Jefferson hold just as true today as they did many years ago. Mr. Jefferson was not hinting at our first amendment right to the freedom of speech, press, assembly, and protest, but rather something much deeper and far more intimate: our privilege to vote, and not only that, but our privilege to an EDUCATED vote.
In recent years, due to a lack of “Give a Damn”, the American populace has based their voting decisions on what letter follows a candidate’s name. In many states voter turnout is significantly lower for Primary Elections and non-partisan municipal elections. This is an alarming fact that shouldn’t be!
Our country provides us with a privilege that many others throughout this world do not receive: WE CAN VOTE! In many other nations, the constituency does not get to speak their minds, share their ideas, or have a say in how their government does business, but here in the land of milk and honey we do. You see, voting is not a right, for rights are handed down from our creator—NOT from government! Right’s cannot be taken away, but privileges can be, as necessary as some are to providing for the general well-being of our society, as defined in the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States, along with the Bill of Rights.
My privilege to vote is something of personal intimacy, that is truly only between me and my God; something that I may express from time-to-time, but that vote is still mine. I am truly blessed to live in a nation that allows me that freedom—that allows you that freedom, as well.
As sacred as my vote is to me, I take great pride and responsibility in casting my vote. I research each candidate and issue thoroughly, boldly questioning our elected officials, seeking answers, and finally making my decision after carefully weighing all options. Much like an Eagle Scout, I am highly prepared when I enter the polling booth on Election Day.
I gained this rare virtue the summer before my senior year of high school. Before I could register to vote in the 2006 November Election, my father sat me down and told me that before I could register he wanted me to prove that I knew who and what I was voting for—I provided him with no less than three good qualities and three not-so-good qualities about each candidate and issue. This seems to me to be as much common sense as looking both ways before crossing the street, yet some still choose to just run across a busy highway and wonder why they got ramrodded by a semi!
I will not tell you who I am voting for on November 6, nor will I tell you who you should and should not vote for, but I will challenge you with the same challenge my father gave me in July 2006: Research each candidate and ballot issue thoroughly, weigh all options, consequences—both good and bad, and try to find at least three positive qualities about each candidate and three negative qualities about each candidate; listen to the policies proposed, and find where you are on the political spectrum; it is your duty and responsibility to yourself, your fellow countrymen, and to future generations to make an educated vote; what happens today, politically, will affect the younger and future generations more than it will those who are older.
Remember, it is the wise man who constantly seeks the answers in life, searching for truth and tranquility; it is the fool who thinks he has the answers.
Who is John Galt?
-Alex Abramovitz
President Emeritus
JCCC College Republicans
Student Senator (2007-08)
JCCC Student Senate
aabramo3@stumail.jccc.edu
Trustee Weiss resigns from board
The Board of Trustees approved the resignation of Don Weiss at their meeting Oct. 18. Read more online about the replacement process at http://www.CampusLedger.com.
Overland Park Arboretum statue declared ‘art’
A Johnson County grand jury comprised of 15 members determined the controversial statue at the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens does not meet the legal definition of obscenity.
The statue in question, entitled “Accept or Reject,” depicts a headless, bare-chested woman aiming a camera at herself. Critics claimed the statue was inappropriate and should be moved, but city officials did not oblige.
“I, and the City Council, and many in this local community, appreciate a jury of our peers reviewng the city’s International Sculpture Garden and concluding that the ‘Accept or Reject’ sculpture meets our community standards and is a form of expression when it comes to art,” said Mayor Carl Gerlach in a press release issued by the city.
Read a column on this topic by Jon Parton, managing editor, here.
Theatre department to present musical
The Music and Theatre departments will bring to the college “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” written by Rupert Holmes.
This musical number will depend on the audience determining if Edwin Drood was murdered, and if so, whodunit.
Chris McCoy, adjunct assistant professor, Music, directs and choreographs the play. Musical direction is provided by Ron Stinson, professor, Music.
Shows will occur at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Nov. 9, 10, 16 and 17 and at 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Nov. 10, 11, 17 and 18. All performances are free and open to the public in the Polsky Theatre.
Important date for students approaching
Thursday, Nov. 15 will be the last day students may drop a class and receive a “W” for withdrawal on their transcripts. It is also the last day students be able to request the pass/fail grade option for a full semester course.
Compiled by Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu
College president Terry Calaway announced his retirement, effective Aug. 1, 2013, in a statement released Friday.
The Board of Trustees is planning the process of selecting Calaway’s replacement and is expected to announce the plans in coming weeks.
Calaway cited a desire to spend more time with his family as his reason for leaving and said his health is good. The complete statement follows.
“Today I am announcing my retirement as president of Johnson County Community College. My health is fine. I am retiring to spend more time with my family; I plan to leave the college Aug. 1, 2013.
When I joined JCCC, I was charged with refocusing the college around students and their success. We have been able to do that as well as improve retention, reduce unnecessary overhead, and grow our foundation endowment and scholarship funds. Recently our bond rating was reaffirmed at the highest level possible, and we have maintained or reduced our mill levy each year that I have served. It is now time, though, for the college to prepare for the next generation of leadership. I leave the college with much admiration for our team and board. I am indebted to everyone in our community for their kindness and support.
In my time at JCCC, these are the accomplishments of which I am most proud:
JCCC has the best faculty and staff of any college in the nation. I deeply believe you are ready to be even better. I look forward to watching this happen as a member of the community, and I will be your loudest cheerleader.
The JCCC board of trustees is considering next steps for finding a new president for JCCC. The board expects to announce its plans in the next several weeks.
I will still be here for several months, so I won’t say goodbye just yet. Please know how much I have enjoyed being president of JCCC and working with all of you.
Terry Calaway”
Compiled by Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu
Here’s the pilot of SNC Unscripted, a new convergence project by JCAV-TV, ECAV Radio and The Campus Ledger staff. Enjoy, and please let us know what you think!
By Spencer Pressly
Horror is marketed a lot in movies, but very rarely does it actually work in the final product. Still, the “Paranormal Activity” series actually managed to be scary and remain popular after four yearly sequels.
After the vast change in the third movie, “Paranormal Activity 4” tries to go back to modern times and focus on a new family. This leads to a familiar but still scary movie while not really pushing the series forward as much as it could have.
At first the movie seems to be just another family experiencing another odd series of events. After a somewhat slow opening showing the main girl, Alex, and the people in her life, things ramp up.
Alex has a neighbor across the street named Robbie and after Robbie’s mom is sent to the hospital he lives with them for a few days. This is when things start getting strange in Alex’s house and she decides to set up all of the laptops in her house to record at all times with her boyfriend’s help. Without giving anything away this movie decides to have the thrills bigger and earlier than past movies.
Still in past movies the need to set up camera and record everything comes mainly from a main character having an obsession with finding out what is going on. Alex starts off curious and scared, but not once in the movie does she actually go back to look at the past footage. The excuse for why she doesn’t is that she can never remember the username or password to look at the recordings.
This takes away a big part of the film where we see what happens to the family in the night and then the next day they are horrified to find out what happened. Having the 15-year-old girl forget something that simple really takes away one of the best parts of these movies.
The fact that this movie does actually scare is a testament to a movie on its fourth title now. The scenes have you scanning all over almost like a “Where’s Waldo?” book looking for anything that might catch you by surprise. Even knowing something might come out of nowhere, it still is able to surprise you.
Modern day-additions like iPhone filming and using the Kinect make the experience feel a bit cheapened. On the other side, the laptop camera angles give a personal feel when a character is actually using it and leads to many memorable moments.
Surprisingly the rest of the cast does a good job and Alex’s boyfriend Ben feels the closest thing to a real teenager in the whole movie. Ben could have had a better-developed relationship with Alex instead of only seeing them as an average teenage couple. Also, seeing a certain character return from the past three movies makes this one feel more connected to the past movies than you may think at first.
When it comes down to it, “Paranormal Activity 4” will not answer many questions the past films have presented, but it does a good job telling a scary story. Nothing makes this feel like a drastically different movie, but still a solid enough film that fans of the past movies will enjoy. The future of the series still has a lot of potential and the fourth iteration sets this up well enough to make you want more next year.
Contact Spencer Pressly, staff reporter, at spressl2@jccc.edu.
The Board of Trustees has approved the resignation of Trustee Don Weiss at their meeting Oct. 18.
Updates will follow as more information becomes available.
Compiled by Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu
By Spencer Pressly
Even though it hasn’t been a year since the second season of “The Walking Dead” ended, fans couldn’t wait for season three to premiere. The show has been known as not only one of the best zombie shows out there, but one of the best shows period.
Season 3starts off strong and does not disappoint. Whether you are a fan of killing zombies or character development, the premiere episode has you covered.
After leaving Hershel’s farm, Rick’s group has now been surviving by going house to house in order to survive the winter. Now that they are running short on time until Lori’s baby is born, they need to find a safe place to stay for as long as possible. The group finds a prison and decides to take it for their own in the hope of finding medicine, food, and safe shelter.
On the other side of things Andrea has been surviving with the help of the Katana-wielding Michonne. Andrea got separated from Rick’s group and Michonne saved her life. Ever since then the two have spent the past months helping each other survive and getting to know each other better.
This leads to a very different feeling when compared to the past two seasons. Now that both parties have been surviving for quite a while they all seem to have gotten used to doing whatever it takes to survive. Still, the show does take a few liberties that are hard not to question when it comes to everyone in Rick’s group being a great shot and landing headshots on every zombie they come across.
The zombies are as great as ever when it comes to makeup and creativity. The prison introduces a new challenge to the survivors with zombies in riot gear, which can’t get cut through or shot and requires stabbing them under the helmet.
Being inside a prison really changes the dynamic of the show while also having more of a creepy feeling. Even though the characters are relaxing and singing you will still notice zombies are close by at all times.
As far as Rick is concerned, his relationship with his wife Lori has become cold and distant. His son Carl is no longer a nuisance to the group and contributes as much as the rest even though he is the youngest.
All the characters in Rick’s group get a chance to show the change they have undergone since leaving the farm (besides T-Dog, of course). This episode focuses more on the prison instead and hopefully later episodes will show more even coverage between the two groups.
The premiere episode hits on everything a season premiere should cover besides a few gripes. Once you get past everyone being an amazing shot and patiently wait to find out more about Michonne and Andrea’s story, everything you need to get excited about the upcoming season is here. If all of that wasn’t enough, the cliffhanger makes fans’ wait for next week’s episode feel like a month away.
Contact Spencer Pressly, staff reporter, at spressl2@jccc.edu.
By Jon Parton
If I live to be in my 70s, I plan on acting like a stereotypical old person. I’ll complain about kids on my lawn, drive 10 miles under the speed limit and frequent local buffet restaurants. After discovering Flavor of India, I might just add it to that rotation.
I found this little gem hidden away in part of a small row of shops in Lenexa at 12112 West 87th Street Parkway, just west of Quivira Road. It can’t be seen from the street, but like all grand discoveries it just takes a little searching.
I was hesitant to go in at first. I have a hard time trusting any location with darkened windows unless it’s a bar.
I wasn’t sure what to think when I stepped inside. Traditional Indian designs covered the walls while Indian folk music softly played over the speakers. We were instantly seated at our table by the wait staff as our drink orders were taken. Coca-Cola may not be what most Americans think of when it comes to Indian beverages. Most Americans would be wrong. Coca-Cola controls nearly 60 percent of the carbonated beverage market in India, according to Euromonitor International.
The buffet itself, just like the building, was pretty small but it managed to hold a large variety of choices. I started with the tomato soup, which carried enough spice to distinguish it. I found myself dipping garlic naan, an oven baked Indian flatbread, into it, creating a unique rush of flavors that can’t be replicated with American-style cuisine.
The brinjal eggplant was unique, fried with a variety of spices and a hint of sweetness. It was the only dish to which I found myself going back for seconds. The chicken tikka masala (spicy chicken), made famous in Great Britain, was creamy but lacked that signature spice the dish is known for. More than likely, this was done to make it more palatable for American tastes.
The chicken Vindaloo, spicy curry chicken, was a favorite of our table. Much to my surprise, the strong mixture of garlic and other spices enhanced the flavor rather than detract from it. As good as it was I much preferred the tandoori chicken, roasted chicken prepared with yogurt and spices, due to its great blend of spices and the tenderness of the meat.
Our hospitable server was kind enough to answer my dining companions’ questions and always quick to make sure the drinks were filled. The total bill for three people came to a little more than $30, or $10 per person. That’s not bad for lunch.
As an average guy from Kansas, I had no idea an Indian buffet could be as good as Flavor of India. Then again, I just had to look for the hole in the wall.
Contact Jon Parton, managing editor, at jparton@jccc.edu.
By David Hurtado
Your bank account is empty, dark secrets from your past are exposed and a malicious hacker is set on shattering your life. This is the tale of “BecauseHeCan.”
Out of all the school plays I have seen, “BecauseHeCan” is probably one of the better ones. Story-wise, the plot unfolds in a manner worthy of George Orwell with a cast of characters that aptly compliments the dark nature of the play.
“BecauseHeCan” centers on newlyweds Joseph Elliot (Sam Holder) and Joanne Summerhays Elliot (Lauren Hambleton). Their lives are upended by sinister computer hacker Costa Astrakhan (Dejuan Boyd). Astrakhan, who operates under the alias ISeeU, desires revenge upon Joseph for kicking him out of his writing class.
The play opens in a warehouse in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood, with Joseph being interrogated by Secret Service agents Orin Slake (Amanda Carter) and Dennis McAlvane (Erik Meixelsperger). This was one of two scenes I took issue with.
In this scene, Joseph is sitting under a single bulb like in classic spy thrillers, bombarded with nonsensical questions about names and aliases. Not to be nitpicky, but I felt like I was watching the protagonists of “The X-Files” meets “CSI: Miami” played out in a cliché manner.
It didn’t help that McAlvane and Slake resemble younger versions of Mulder and Scully from “The X-Files.”
Apart from that, “BecauseHeCan” kept me rooted to my seat with its captivating plot and solid performances from the actors. The characters were well-developed to the point where I wasn’t watching a play; I was observing segments from the lives of real, breathing people.
All of this was further compounded with occasional interjections into the main action of the play from Astrakhan. Right off the bat, he comes across as egotistical, power hungry and downright insane. Astrakhan, through these sequences, illustrates perfectly the overarching theme of the play: absolute power corrupts absolutely.
By the time the story comes to a close, the Elliots’ lives have been utterly devastated to the point of no return through Astrakhan’s usurping of their identities. Joseph has been accused of committing numerous sex crimes against children, with surmounting evidence stacked against him. Joanne, meanwhile, finds herself remade into a porn star through pictures showing her with multiple men at a hotel.
Perhaps I’m overanalyzing here, but wouldn’t it be a simple matter for Joanne to verify the hotel’s records to prove she is innocent? Hotels usually keep guest records for years, if not decades because of tax requirements. Or if Astrakhan has falsified those records as well, couldn’t law enforcement officials interview the individuals from the pictures?
The same could be said for Joseph. Did the federal investigators even bother interviewing the kids he allegedly had sex with, or did they just see the doctored video and think, “Guilty, guilty, guilty!” By now, I thought Astrakhan was finished with the Elliots. As it turned out, he had a few final surprises up his sleeve.
Furthering his revenge, Astrakhan falsifies records to show he is the son of Joseph and his first wife. In addition to stealing their identities, Astrakhan drains the couple’s bank account, leaving them penniless.
When the curtain fell (figuratively speaking), I departed the theatre with my mind in a state of content. Hollywood directors may have special effects and a hefty budget at their disposal, but that can’t compare to forging a personal connection between the audience and actors.
Yes, Michael Bay, I’m looking at you.
Contact David Hurtado, features editor, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.
By David Hurtado
The Student Sustainability Committee is holding a contest for students who have ideas on how to make the college a more sustainable environment.
The contest, which runs until Monday, Dec. 3, accepts proposals of all kinds as long as they focus on sustainability and benefit the college community. Suggested projects can range from waste management to energy efficiency or student awareness programs. Proposals must include an estimated cost and the benefits to the college.
Sara Johnson, co-chair, Student Sustainability Committee, said the committee was hosting the contest to increase environmental awareness on campus. She also said the committee was interested in having more ideas from the student body as projects for the college.
“We did a similar contest last semester and we liked the results that we got, so we thought we’d try it again,” Johnson said.
Students who submit proposals the committee selects for development will receive a $100 CavCard which can be used at the JCCC Bookstore, Business Office or Dining Services. There is no limit to the number of cards a student can receive.
At the end of the semester, a $500 CavCard will be awarded to the most beneficial and well-developed idea.
The contest is being funded by the student “green fee,” a $1-per-credit hour fee students pay. The Student Sustainability Committee allocates those funds toward sustainability initiatives.
Other projects the committee has funded include the Hydration Stations scattered around campus, three BigBelly solar trash compactor and recycling units and Galileo’s Pavilion.
Kim Criner, sustainability education and engagement coordinator, Sustainability Initiatives, said winning a CavCard does not automatically guarantee the idea will be implemented.
“There could be ideas that come to the committee that are really excellent ideas, but down the line there could be campus service issues,” Criner said. “For certain projects, a lot of different people on campus come in to play that maybe it’s not possible to implement the idea.”
Nicholas Roudebush, co-chair, Student Sustainability Committee, said last semester’s winner, Taylor Hall, proposed solar-powered charging stations for personal electronic devices. The charging stations are expected to be built on campus throughout the fall and spring semesters. Students in the solar technology program will be constructing the panels.
“[The charging stations] will be for phones, laptops and other personal electronic devices,” Roudebush said. “It will have a regular plug-in, but it’s going to be off the grid; you can get [power] from the sun.”
The contest will take place again next semester depending on student engagement and participation in the current one.
Students interested can submit their ideas via email to sustainability@jccc.edu. Small-scale models are asked to be dropped off at Criner’s office in CC 305K.
Contact David Hurtado, features editor, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.
The apathy on this campus is widespread. We at The Campus Ledger have had a very difficult time recruiting staff, and we’re not the only ones.
There are organizations to suit a wide variety of interest groups, yet many of them suffer from low membership.
The Athletics department struggles with low game attendance and lack of involvement, hence the introduction of the new school mascot, Jean Claude the Cavalier.
Some students aren’t aware of the new mascot or that there is a library on campus; between the walks from their cars to class and back to their cars they’ve missed an entire building. We personally find many students who don’t know they have access to a student-run newspaper, television station and online radio station.
Classmates, we call upon you to become more involved in this campus. Even if you will only be here for a year or two, this is your community for the time being. Why shouldn’t you care about what’s going on?
A quick glance around campus can inform you of new opportunities: club meetings to attend, contests in which to participate and endless fliers which wallpaper the hallways advertising special events. The outdoor courtyard and COM Plaza host spectacles of all kind, from solo guitar players to salsa dancing and more.
If you’re a shy, reserved person, here’s a tip: everyone wants you to join their cause, whether it be a club, a department or any other social group on campus. We all want to see our fellow students interested in our passions.
Even if the social scene isn’t for you, there is a plethora of resources on campus available to all students.
Those who struggle with classes or personal issues may not be aware of the outlets available to help them – for example, the Academic Achievement Center (OCB 304) and the Student Success Center (SC second floor). One of many ways to further develop your leadership skills is to attend Cavalier Leadership Development Program sessions. (Visit SC 106 for more information.)
Home games are scheduled on campus almost every day in the coming week for Men’s Basketball, Soccer and Baseball and Women’s Volleyball and Soccer. Their schedules are all available online at http://www.jccc.edu/cavs.
You hold in your hands a resource which we thank you for discovering. We at The Ledger strive to do our best to inform you but even if we didn’t have trouble filling our staff, there would be things we miss. This is why it’s important to stay involved and informed of what’s happening on your campus; in your community.
If nowhere else, start with the college’s website. It is host to a wealth of information that may benefit you or someone you know, all available at the touch of a button. But remember, there’s more to life than the page that appears before you click “Login.”
We will continue to provide you the best information we can, but the fact that you’re reading this means you’re not exactly the demographic we’re aiming for. Reach out to your friends who don’t read The Ledger and get them to join the cause of doing something.
Don’t be the walking dead, Cavaliers. It’s time to join the living.
By James Russell
Well, Cassel, you did it to us again.
Obviously this isn’t really the case, but I’m sure some of the “It’s All Cassel’s Fault”ians are capable of finding some way to make it so.
I don’t have the energy for this. One more blowout loss for my beloved team, and one more week without a reason why. One more game that I am glad to have at least partially washed out in the fog of game day hangover.
Everything I’ve believed about the Kansas City Chiefs is apparently wrong. Saying we have the talent to do great is an argument I stand behind, but the words themselves are beginning to burn like bile within my mouth.
If the talent’s there, then where is the proof?
So it all goes back to coaching, right? In my opinion it has to, but those words are just as unpleasant upon my tongue.
I don’t want to diagnose our maladies or figure out the cure. I’m lost. I’m confused. I don’t understand what’s happened, and the truth is no one in Kansas City outside of the Chiefs locker room has even the slightest chance of knowing for sure.
We are in the middle of what seems to be a complete disintegration of what has been termed a “building process” since 2009. Something is so wrong, so deeply wrong, with this team, that I want to simply curl up, go to sleep and ask someone to wake me the next time we make the playoffs.
My fear, of course, is that I’d be pulled out of my slumber to find a world in which cars zip around without any need for wheels and all those I hold dear would have long since passed on from old age.
This is my frustration talking, of course. We’ll make it there soon enough. Hell, it could technically still be this season for all I know.
I’m just sick of seeing what I’m seeing and not being offered any type of explanation from management. I don’t want Crennel to tell me once again that he’s not sure what the problem is.
Dammit, man, you’re the head coach for a reason!
Pioli, stop letting your guy leave these piles of crap on my lawn! If he can’t deal with it, then demote him back to where he was and find someone else to walk your dog!
I’m getting really sick of stepping in it every Sunday.
Contact James Russell, sports columnist, at jrusse24@jccc.edu.
By David Hurtado
During the English Civil War, cavaliers fought on the battlefield as cavalry troops under the king’s banner. In modern times, they serve as college mascots.
Last month the college added a new mascot, Jean Claude, to the campus community. Tryouts for the role of college mascot were held Oct. 2 in GYM 125.
Amy Sellers, dance team coach, said judges were looking for students who were energetic, exciting to watch and could give the mascot a personality. Sellers also said the size of the uniform played a role; the judges did not want the uniform to appear too big or too small on the selected candidate.
“We were looking for outgoing, energetic, spirited students who wanted to increase the energy of the atmosphere at athletic events or campus events,” Sellers said.
During the first round of tryouts, students were asked to come up with their own skits before taking the stage. Round two involved the judges asking interview questions, allowing them to get to know the candidates better. Cuts were made between three rounds.
Once cuts were made, selected applicants were asked to don the mascot uniform and spend a minute energizing the judges like they would at a game. Candidates were also asked to deal with a scenario they might encounter at a game. Scenarios included interacting with small children who are afraid of them or accidentally bumping into someone.
Pam Vassar, assistant dean, Student Life, said the mascot will most likely be attending the same athletic events the Golden Girls do. Vassar also said the mascot has attended the state of the college address and the soccer game between the Lady Cavs soccer team and Butler Community College on Sept. 28.
“The plan, I think, is to have the mascot at the athletic events that are like basketball, kind of the same events where our dance team performs and participates in,” Vassar said. “In addition, they will go out to some of the soccer games and he’s already been out to one of the soccer games.”
Sellers said the Golden Girls plan on including the mascot in a few of their events.
“I think the mascot will be on his own for awhile, free styling,” she said. “We’d like to incorporate him into a few things, but he will not be a regular team member.”
Although the college has spent months promoting the mascot to the student body, not everyone is aware of the changes. Ben Steffen, student, said he did not realize the college had gained a new mascot.
“I’m kind of neutral, I don’t mind it,” Steffen said.
According to Sellers, the schedule of events Jean Claude will be attending is still being worked out. However, she said students can expect to see him at major athletic and campus events.
The college mascot is not a paid position. Sellers said the identity of the student playing the mascot will not be revealed.
Judges for the tryouts included Sellers; Carl Heinrich, Athletic Director; Julie Haas, associate vice president, Marketing Communications; Arvaughn Baker, Men’s basketball player; and Kalyn Maugh and Audrey Reynolds, Golden Girls.
The college conducted a poll for the Cavalier mascot’s name Oct. 8 through 10. Poll participants could choose between Carlton, Carl, Calvin, Jean Claude and Johnny. Jean Claude, or JC for short, won 48% of the vote at 69 of 143 responses.
Contact David Hurtado, features editor, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.
David [Hurtado],
Your column, “Less stress with pets,” was well written, thanks. There has been lots of research in social psychology and health psychology showing that caring for pets and the care you get back from pets improves health in everyone from little kids to the elderly.
Your research on pet research shows that cat owners tend to be introverts, people who tend to be shy, reserved and quiet. There might be an additional cat owner characteristic (not scientifically supported, at least as far as I know). I have four cats. My cats are independent, loving, curious. They don’t respond to “sit” or “fetch.” Demanding that they stay off of the couch or the countertop is a waste of time and energy. I admire their independence. They teach me that there are people and events that may not be in line with my way of thinking and that I can’t and shouldn’t try to control everything.
-Diane Kappen, adjunct associate professor, Psychology
Cell phone theft in Carlsen Center
A student contacted campus police to report he left his cell phone in CC 215 while making a trip to the restroom on Thursday, Oct. 4. He said when class was over he returned home and realized his T-Mobile HTC One, valued at $600, was missing.
The victim said he has sent text messages to the phone but received no response. The cell phone providers were unable to assist the victim in tracking phone calls made by the suspect.
Finding a common bond
A housekeeping employee contacted Campus Police after discovering torn bondage photos in a recycling bin outside CC 174 on two separate occasions, Thursday, Oct. 4 and Friday, Oct. 5. Campus Police sealed the photos of an unknown man and woman in an envelope for any pending investigation.
Compiled by Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu
On Saturday, September 29th, 2012, I was one of over a hundred supporters of medical marijuana who rallied on the steps of the Capital building in Topeka. The rally was organized by Kansas Medical Cannabis Network and was sponsored by Kansas City NORML and Free State NORML. Why did I spend a beautiful Saturday afternoon in front of the Capital, speaking with perfect strangers?
Two words. Medical cannabis. First off, those of us in the anti-prohibition movement use the term ‘medical cannabis’ instead of ‘medical marijuana’. The term ‘cannabis’ is the scientific name of marijuana ever since the Materia Medica back in ancient Greece. ‘Marijuana’ on the other hand, is a fictional word created with racist undertones to demonize cannabis in the thirties. We in the movement prefer the science terminology over the propaganda term.
The rally was held to show our Kansas lawmakers that the majority of Kansans support medical cannabis as a single item issue. According to a SurveyUsa poll taken in 2010, 58% of Kansans support a system where cannabis can be perscribed to terminally ill patients to ease their quality of life. Despite this number, the Health and Human Sevices Committee, chaired by Brenda Landwerh (R-Wichita), in Topeka have refused to vote on the Kansas Compassionate Use Act introduced by Rep. Gail Finney (D-Wichita), citing ‘low public support’. The rally was held to show that there is public support for this cause and to encourage people to make their representitives aware of that fact.
The event’s speakers were varied, from patients, to physicians, to politicians. Dr. Jon Hauxell of Hays encouraged research and severe discretion when perscribing to minors. “I emphatically don’t recommend cannabis use, medical or otherwise, by people whose brains are still maturing — that is youth.” Esau Freeman, newly named director of the Kansas Medical Cannabis Network, extolled the necessity of running for public office. The Topeka Capital-Journal quotes Mr. Freeman as saying, “Friends, it’s time to take off the funny hats, it’s time to put on a bra, it’s time to put on a tie, and it’s time to walk into the Libertarian Party, the Democratic Party or the Republican Party and do something about this now.” Topeka City Councilman and former chair of the Libertarian Party of Kansas, Andrew Grey, promoted personal choice and responsibility. Thomas Ballard of Kansas City disseminated the for-profit prison business model and Cheryl Riley, previous director of Kansas Medical Cannabis Network passed the reigns of leadership to Esau Freeman. David Mulford of Kansas Hemp Yes, explained how medical cannabis has improved his quality and length of life, and Lisa Sublett, of Kansas Medical Cannabis Network, gave an impassioned speech about personal sovereignty.
Those of us working tables also did our part. We gave away literature on medical cannabis and jury nullification. We also educated Kansans to the best of our ability, on where their current politicians stand on this issue. We also stressed the importance of being in direct contact with your lawmakers.
Medical cannabis should be a non-issue. Study after study finds that cannabis has medicinal effects in a myriad of areas. According to a page posted (and redacted in less than twenty-four hours, I might add) on the National Institue of Cancer in March 2010, cannabis may shrink cancerous tumors. Cannabis increases appetite. Cannabis relieves muscle pain. Recent studies have shown medical cannabis may help with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. There are indications that cannabis can help a myriad of other medical issues from the known issues like AIDS and cancer, to lesser known diseases like Bi-Polar Disorder, anxiety, and depression. DEA Judge Francis Young was quoted as saying, “Marijuana is the safest, most therapeutic substance known to man”.
The crux of cannabis law is scheduling. Under current federal law, cannabis has ‘no accepted medical value and a high potential for abuse’ as a Schedule I drug. Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have all found that cannabis has enough medical value to implement medical cannabis programs. There is enough medical value that a synthetic form of cannabis is on the market under the brand name ‘Marinol’. (Never mind the fact that Marinol users frequently complain of feeling ‘too high’ and the three recorded deaths from Marinol versus the fact that smoked cannabis dosages are better self regulated and there has never been a deathin recorded history attributed to herbal cannabis alone.) There is accepted medical value in our country whether our federal and state lawmakers can see it.
Cannabis was listed in every major pharmacopeia since the birth of writing. Kings and Queens have used it for therapeutic value. In the 1800s, cannabis tinctures were widely available to assist in a range of ailments. Today, we realize the mistake of our forefathers in banning this miracle drug out of racism and fear, and are making an effort to rectify the errors of history.
You can join us in our efforts. Free State NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) has been working dilligently to support medical cannabis in ‘The Wheat State’, and we always need more support. Without direct action on our parts, Topeka (and Washington) will not get the picture. Visit FreeStateNORML.com and educate yourself. Attend a rally or event. Buy a membership in your local organization. Make a donation. Share, Tweet, or thumb up our articles and videos. Educate yourself first, and then educate your friends and family. Most importantly, contact your lawmakers frequently. If you support medical marijuana, let your reps know. Flood their offices with information, calls, and e-mails. Direct contact is needed. Above all, vote.
As with any issue, Doctor Seuss said it best. “Unless someone like you cares an awful lot, it’s not going to get better. It’s not.”
-Chuck Weismiller, director, Free State NORML
Cross Country to run in Kansas City Marathon
The men’s and women’s cross country teams are participating in a 5K race at the Kansas City Marathon Saturday, Oct. 20. The 5K runners start at 7:20 a.m. after the marathon and half-marathon runners have crossed the start line. The race is the second largest marathon in the state of Missouri.
Women’s Volleyball seeks to finish season on a winning note
The women’s volleyball team plays against Cowley College at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24 at home. The team will then play host to the Baker University Junior Varsity team a week later on Oct. 31. These will be the last two regular games of the season before the start of the District Championships.
Compiled by Jon Parton, jparton@jccc.edu
Student Senate to host trick-or-treating
For its third year running, Student Senate will host Trick-or-Treat for Kids 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26 in COM 319 and 322. This year’s festivities include a scavenger hunt, costume contest and more.
For more information, contact Mindy Kinnaman at mkinnam1@jccc.edu or ext. 3534.
LUNA to sponsor DÍa de los Muertos display
LUNA (Latinos United Now and Always) will sponsor an altar on the second floor of COM to celebrate Día de los Muertos from Friday, Nov. 2 through Wednesday, Nov. 7.
Decorations for the altar may be dropped off with Mysti Meiers, recruitment specialist, Admissions, in SC 319.
Any questions about appropriate items may be directed to Veronica Soto, club president, at vsotov93@gmail.com or Luis Aparicio, vice president, at laparici@stumail.jccc.edu.
New look for Kansas driver’s licenses
Kansas driver’s licenses are updated every six years with a new style and new security measures to curb counterfeit and fraud. The Department of Revenue rolled out the newest design in an event with Gov. Sam Brownback Tuesday,
Oct. 16.
The new style of licenses features a photo on the back visible only under ultraviolet light and various security measures not visible to the naked eye. Magnetic strips on the back of the cards containing driver information are gone.
Motorists began receiving the new licenses this week.
Compiled by Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu
By Jon Parton
The country once again is steeped in the midst of presidential debates. The debates are a relatively recent tradition in American politics, dating back to the first debate between Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republican Richard Nixon in 1960.
Not only was it the first debate between two presidential candidates from opposing parties, it was also the first televised debate. The next debates would not be held until 1976, but have become a mainstay of the presidential election cycle ever since.
Political scientist James Stimson has studied the effects of the debates on the general election and have generally found little to no correlation between debate performance and vote results. He wrote the findings in his book “Tides of Consent: How Public Opinion Shapes American Politics.”
Jerry Magliano, professor, Personal Computer Applications and adviser to the College Republicans, said that the debates have never changed his opinion about a candidate but believes they could.
“In this particular election cycle, it didn’t matter because I’ve been studying the candidates for a long time,” Magliano said. “I never felt anything but good about Romney.”
The first debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney was memorable for the tendency of both candidates to speak longer than their allotted time, much to the chagrin of moderator Jim Lehrer. Twitter users quickly tweeted about the job Lehrer was doing and the debate was parodied on Saturday Night Live.
Magliano said despite the complaints, he enjoyed Lehrer’s moderation.
“I’m not as critical of him as maybe other people might be,” Magliano said. “I thought it was a good debate. I really did. It was something that I didn’t have any problems sitting through for an hour and a half.”
Brian Wright, professor, Political Science, said the first debate might have confused some voters since both candidates spoke about policy.
“If you listened to what he [Obama] was saying, I think it was so policy wonk that no one could actually follow it,” Wright said. “So then they just followed the popularity type thing. They’re watching the image of the performance.”
Wright said he believes the debates are only informative for people who do not follow politics.
“It’s not that informative,” Wright said. “It’s not really a debate, right? So more of a trying to manage what you’re going to say to the people out there rather than a real debate.”
Joseph Gideon, student, believes the debates do have some impact on the election, but not for the reasons most people think.
“I don’t think the view of the candidate changes,” Gideon said. “I think it’s the charisma and articulation of the candidate that may sway voters. But overall, most people have already decided before the debates.”
Contact Jon Parton, managing editor, at jparton@jccc.edu.
By James Russell
No one reads what I write. Whether in print or online, no one reads these words.
I get that.
But I still want to date-stamp what I think is about to happen tomorrow, if for no other reason than to be sure that it’s written somewhere.
Cassel hatred reached a crescendo last Sunday with KC ‘fans’ cheering an injury to our starting quarterback. You cheered, Kansas City – for what turned out to be a concussion to your team’s leader. It wasn’t the entire stadium, granted, but I’m sick of so many people pretending like it was a small minority.
The sheep-like mindset of KC fans has led us to follow along with whatever we’re told we should think, and what we’ve been told to think is that Matt Cassel is somehow responsible for the awful start to this season.
Bullshit.
Is that a vulgar way to state what I think? If so, I apologize. But you know what, I know no other way to make clear how much I disagree with what we have become as Chiefs fans, so I’m going to say it again:
Bullshit, KC fans. You have made me ashamed to be counted among you.
But this is not my main point, just my frustration.
What I am writing my first online-exclusive content for is to state what I believe happens tomorrow against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so that if I’m right, it’s proof and if I’m wrong then it is likewise proof that I was wrong.
Kansas City faces a pass defense against the Bucs that we should dominate. I am not only calling for a win tomorrow, but a definitive one. The Cassel haters will have a field day as Quinn will take advantage of that, and we will decimate a team that is not equal to us. “We were right,” will be the order of the day, with everyone believing that tomorrow’s game proves Cassel is crap.
I can’t help but want us to win, and I believe we will. But the negative to this is that Quinn will do well against a team that can’t defend the pass, and thus he will become a hero based on a game that is not a fair representation of his abilities.
If Quinn is our future, great. I don’t believe that to be the case, but I’d be thrilled if he became the next Manning. I only want KC to win, and I remain vigilant in the opinion that we are one of the most talented teams to be playing in the NFL currently. My issue is that I am worried about management listening to a bunch of idiot fans instead of looking at facts, and I hope they are better than that.
When you see Kansas City win against Tampa Bay tomorrow, please extricate yourself from the mob-mentality that is a current fact in KC, and understand that Quinn should not be compared in this particular game to what Cassel would have done against the same defense.
I hope Cassel is back following our bye week, and that he can prove himself to be the deserved starter. If Quinn performs admirably, I would love to see that be something that provides competition for Cassel and pushes him.
But I will continue to stand behind the statement that Cassel is the best QB on our roster and that all those who think otherwise are blinded fools committed only to following the masses, not what is best for our team.
Go Chiefs!
Contact James Russell, sports columnist, at jrusse24@jccc.edu.
Read Russell’s last column: A letter to Matt Cassel
Attention JCCC students and zombie fans in general: Did you participate in the Lawrence Zombie Walk, or do you just enjoy doing zombie makeup every once in a while? Share with us! We’d love to run your best photos of your zombie makeup in the next issue of The Campus Ledger. You can either post them to our Facebook page or email them to mclark68@jccc.edu.
By Natalie Goodwin
My day started by going shopping at the grocery store. When I reached the check out, I placed all my purchases up on the belt and the frowning checker proceeded to ring my groceries with no ‘Hello,’ no ‘How are you?’ no nothing. The only thing she uttered the entire time was, “$110.76.”
So was this the total of my bill or the number of times she had ignored a customer completely that week? When I am paying $110 for groceries, which helps pay her salary, I expect a ‘hello’ and most importantly a ‘thank you,’ but from her I got zilch.
My next stop was at the drive-through of a fast food chain to get a drink. I asked at the intercom for a large Sprite. “That’s a large fry?”
“No, not French fries, I need a drink, a large Sprite.” I understood how the misunderstanding could happen; Sprite and Fry do sound alike. I went to the first window as asked and when the window opened, the young man just stuck out his hand for payment; again, no ‘hello,’ no nothing.
I proceeded to the second window where I was handed large fries. OK, well I explained I had asked for a large Sprite, not fries. The look of complete disgust on her face was undeniably clear. She was annoyed. Was she irritated with me for asking that my order be made right? Maybe she was peeved with the young man who took my order. I don’t know, maybe she is just an unpleasant personality.
I spent the rest of the morning running several other errands, and in each place, rudeness was the protuberant characteristic amongst everyone who waited on me. My last stop of the day was the ultimate experience in inauspicious customer service, the DMV.
I inquired at the information desk what I needed to do to get tags on a new car. The woman there said, “Take a number and wait your turn.”
Well, I did. I waited two hours and 15 minutes. When my number was called, and I received the ‘it’s your turn’ text on my phone, I proceeded to the window. I sat down with all my paper work (that I thought I needed) and the lady at the window barked, “This is a Missouri title,” and stared at me like I was wasting her time; like it was inconveniencing her to do her job.
I asked what a Missouri title meant. She snapped back at me with, “Well, what it means is that you needed to get an inspection before you came to me.” I wasn’t communicated that at the information desk. I had called the day before to get details and was on hold for over an hour before I finally disconnected.
I asked where to go to get this done. The ever so agreeable lady told me where it was, the cost and with a smirk finished by saying, “And by the way they closed two minutes ago, you’ll have to get it done another day and then come back.”
I was the one who had over two hours of my day drained and was going to have to do the whole thing over another day. She was being paid to be there. I, on the other hand, just had my only day off exhausted by errands and discourteous, ill-mannered people. People who were getting paid for their time, but spending my time and filling it with the most unfavorable customer service ever.
By the time I managed to get to the only fun thing I had planned for the day, going to dinner, I was again blessed with a waitress who must have really loathed her job. She grumbled about her hours, her wages, her tips, her boss, her co-workers and even her personal life while waiting on me. Really, must I endure yet another offensive person, a person annoyed to wait on me, when that’s their job?
No, I had enough of unpleasantness for the day. So on the tip line of my receipt, I wrote: “Here’s your tip, stay out of customer service, or any other position where you have to be around people. With your personality, try collections. People expect bill collectors to be rude.”
Too harsh? I don’t believe so. I have managed to work almost 30 years in retail and still be pleasant. I expect the same courtesy.
Customers are not always right, not always pleasant or even friendly, but when working in a position that deals with people, remember they pay our salaries. It is your job: customer service with a smile.
Contact Natalie Goodwin, reporting correspondent, at ngoodwi1@jccc.edu.
Click for full images.
Design by Morgan Daigneault
By Jon Parton
Since the beginning of the semester, there have been 12 reported thefts. Half of those occurred in the Billington Library. According to Judy Korn, manager, Library Access Services, the issue of theft is on the minds of the Library staff.
“The staff knows about it,” Korn said. “We have signs pasted everywhere, ‘Do not leave your items unattended.’ We have little signs that sometimes we’ll stick in someone’s book if they walk off and we see it.”
Korn said the staff is trained to curb the occurrence of theft by taking actions to prevent it.
“If we see someone that just goes off and leaves their things, we will either try to catch them and say, ‘Don’t do that,’ or what we’ll do is take it and hold it at the desk because students will walk off and 20 minutes later, they’re still not back,” Korn said.
Four thefts occurred at the library in one day back on Sept. 4, a third of all thefts reported for the semester. Korn believes it was more than coincidence.
“So it was either someone who had come planned to do that or just saw the opportunities,” Korn said. “One, I believe, was a young woman who was asleep and she just had her purse on the floor. Somebody ran off for a few minutes and left their backpack and when they came back, it wasn’t there.”
Korn said it is important for students to use common sense when it comes to leaving their belongings out in the open.
“We want people to feel safe in the library, but not that trusting,” Korn said. “You have to be smart.”
According to a crime report compiled by the Campus Police, there were 79 incidents of larceny on campus property in 2011. That number is more than all other incidents of reported crime combined. That number is an increase from 2010 when 55 larceny reports were made to the police.
Despite the recent increase of thefts, Jacob Beck, student, feels safe leaving items unattended. He said that he does it all the time and has yet to have anything stolen.
“I feel most people don’t do it to each other out of fear that they don’t want it done to themselves,” Beck said. “Unless it’s something extremely valuable, like a tablet or something, I’ll leave it out. If it’s keys or something, I’ll just leave it.”
Joey Beeler, student, said he feels the opposite and is reluctant to leave his belongings out of sight.
“If I’m at the library and I need to go to the printer, I’ll leave my stuff there,” Beeler said. “But I won’t if I have to go really far away.”
Korn said that people need to always be cautious when leaving their items behind, even for a second. She said that mid-terms and finals are popular times for thieves due to the increased opportunities for theft.
“I think people feel too safe here to really think that something’s going to happen,” Korn said.
Contact Jon Parton, managing editor, at jparton@jccc.edu.
By Mackenzie Clark
If you frequently sleep in the hallways or hang out in the Fountain Square, you may unknowingly become an instant campus celebrity.
Two female sophomores are behind the Twitter account @JCCCProbs, which has more than 250 followers since its inception at the beginning of September. The creators of the account did not want to share their names.
The first creator said she noticed tweets from other schools such as KU and Wichita State University and started using the hashtag “#JCCCprobs.” After asking some friends their opinions, she decided to create the account and then invited a friend to participate. (See some highlights of @JCCCProbs’ tweets and retweets here.)
“All I’m taking is stuff that people are actually saying about this school and I’m just putting it all in one place,” the account creator said. “I’m not asking people to say these things, I’m mainly retweeting everybody. So it’s stuff that they would have said whether I had this account or not.”
Tweet topics range anywhere from rolling backpacks and longboarding to photos of students sleeping outside classrooms. The women said they are not “making fun of anybody,” and they try to hold content to certain standards.
“People tweet us a ton of pictures, but if it’s a straight-on face shot I won’t put it up,” the creator said. “I find that really rude.”
Both accountholders agreed if anyone ever complained about something they tweeted they would “absolutely” take it down, but so far the response has been good and they have not received any complaints.
“I think it’s a way for students to bond, for people with the same interests on campus to bond, because when you walk around campus there’s some weird things that go on,” said freshman Jacop Freitag. “It’s pretty hard to find a lot of friends, or people you know or relate to on campus, so I think it’s a way for people just to connect with other people who may see something the same way.”
Freitag said he is not offended by any of @JCCCProbs’ tweets.
“I find it entertaining, and part of it’s weird but I can relate to it because everything they post, I see the same stuff every day,” he said.
Asked his opinion of the account, student Seth Kern tweeted, “#IllMarryIt [sic].”
Last November an account with the username @JCCCProblems was created but the women in charge of @JCCCProbs said they did not create that one. (See @JCCCProblems’ tweets here.)
The women said they do not target anyone specific with their tweets and try to be sensitive about what they post. However, sometimes identifiable descriptions of various people are posted.
“We make fun of ourselves, too,” the creator said, citing a time when someone tweeted about her and she reposted it.
Although the women said they don’t feel they have violated any policy nor done anything punishable, they are concerned about making their identities known.
“I’ve been waiting to get a tap on the shoulder,” the second accountholder said.
The two said in the future if they have to take down the account they will, but “right now it’s just fun,” the creator said.
Contact Mackenzie Clark, editor-in-chief, at mclark68@jccc.edu.
By Natalie Goodwin
American voters have advertisements coming at them every day, trying to influence how they vote. Both endorsements and attack ads run nonstop in the media. Signs are practically in every other yard.
Along with the encouragements that bombard us from signs, television and radio, persuasion and perception have an impact on how we vote.
According to a US Census Bureau report, 49 percent of voters aged 18 to 24 exercised their right to vote in the 2008 elections. Sophomore Shelby Wheat said she does not support either party or presidential candidate so she is choosing not to vote in the upcoming election.
“It is not the party I would vote for, it is the individual, what I think of the candidate themselves,” Wheat said. “I pay close attention to their platforms and what issues they claim they will address while in office. I do not let slanderous commercials weigh much on my opinion. I think politics should be more about the people and less about mudslinging.”
Wheat said the low voter turnout in her age group in 2008 would not affect her decision.
“I still feel my voice will not be heard,” she said. “Any party besides the Democrats and the Republicans do not get the same amount of media attention. Parties that do not have enough money to campaign or compete will not win, pretty much David versus Goliath, but in America the little guy, or the one with less money, cannot win.”
Wheat said she feels her vote will be “lost.”
“However, I do feel since my generation will soon be the adults of the world that maybe, in the future, my peers will have more say-so, with a viable, independent candidate,” she said.
Freshman Ashley Jagow, 18, will be a first-time voter in the 2012 elections.
“This is the first year I can legally vote, so I feel that I need, as a young American, to cast my vote on the future of the country I live in,” Jagow said. “I feel society encourages people who become of age to vote.”
Jagow said she believes it’s partially an obligation to vote but more importantly she should have a say in who runs her country. She has already decided who she plans to vote for but is not supporting a specific party.
“I have not chosen a permanent party affiliation; I intend to always vote for the individual and not a specific party,” she said. “My vote will go against my entire family, at least in this election. Who knows how I will vote next time? It will all depend on the nominees as a person, what each of them stands for.”
Toby Klinger, professor, Psychology, made several observations about what impacts our vote.
“It seems as though you’ve got to have an enemy,” she said. “You are more than likely to get people to vote if they think one’s the bad person and the other one is a nice one.”
Klinger also said even though there are negative ads, “if you have already made up your mind it would take an awful lot of to change your mind between candidates. It would take a lot of smut to make you alter your point of view.”
She continued, “In several lines of research you will find the neurocognitive people pointing out that people do not vote necessarily out of logic or reason but gut reactions or how it emotionally triggers off parts of the brain.”
Klinger suggested negative campaign ads may work because of that reason and feels it is an interesting line of research. Some literature makes the point that it is not necessarily rational reasons why we vote but may be part of egocentrism.
Klinger said she feels family definitely plays a role in a voter’s point of view.
“Especially family culture; there is something about personality and how we are brought up that may affiliate us with a party,” she said. “People tend to go with what they were raised in.”
Klinger said she intends to vote, and people should know they do have a voice and can create change.
Come November, some voters will choose to go with what they have learned at home. Some might just go by campaign ads, signs, or what they learn from the media. Some will not vote at all, feeling their vote won’t matter because they are not supporters in the major parties.
For more information or to register to vote in Johnson County, visit http://www.jocoelection.org.
Contact Natalie Goodwin, reporting correspondent, at ngoodwi1@jccc.edu.
Related article: Voting where it counts
Related column: Column: Voting, an American duty
By James Russell
Mr. Cassel,
I was at Arrowhead for this game against the Chargers. Fairly cheap tickets, as it’s all that our family could afford currently, but I was there. I took my 14 year old daughter – something I’d been waiting to do for a long time, as she’d never before been to a Chiefs game.
I can’t say the outcome was what I would have liked, especially as it was her first time seeing you guys play live, but that isn’t what I’m writing to you about. She got to see one of the most beautiful stadiums in the country and interact with one of the best fan bases in the entire NFL.
Or at least I thought our fan base was one of the best, and that brings me to the point of a letter that you, personally, will likely never read: I’m sorry for the conduct of an entire stadium of assholes. I’m sorry Chiefs fans don’t have the capacity to understand that while there seems to be something wrong with the entire team right now – something that not a single person outside of your locker room can truly know the reason for – that making a scapegoat of one of the few players that actually looks to give a shit when things go bad is not right.
We have extremely selective memories, it seems, and for that I also apologize. You had a bad game. There’s no sugar coating that or pretending it didn’t happen, but so did the entire team. The play overall Sunday was inexcusable. We as fans expect to see you guys win, or at the very least remain competitive.
But I heard no ‘boos’ for Charles with his 2 fumbles. I heard no ‘boos’ for the defense when they failed time and again to keep San Diego from spanking them like unruly children. I only heard ‘boos’ for you, and I refuse to accept it as something Chiefs fans of years past would have allowed.
Kansas City has been a long time without a team that we feel is a legitimate powerhouse. We’re approaching nearly 20 years since a playoff win and it’s been over 40 since our last Super Bowl appearance. That can be a pill that gets just that slight bit harder to swallow with each passing season.
But time-grown angst over lack of wins is not an excuse for the way you have been treated in this city. It is undeserved, unwarranted and unreasoning. I remember 2010, even if no one else does, and personally I am sick of how many people lay the current state of an entire franchise at your feet.
Maybe people just need a scapegoat. The media loves to hate you for some inexplicable reason. Or maybe this city is just so frustrated that they will lash out at whoever they’re told to (it’s my personal opinion that Jason Whitlock started this whole mess). Whatever the reason, it’s not a good enough one.
This Sunday I found myself ashamed to be a Chiefs fan, and not because of the numbers on the scoreboard.
Again, even if I am the only one, I apologize on behalf of not only a city, but an entire kingdom, for behavior that belongs in Oakland among the Black Hole dwellers, not here in a city with such a great and rich football tradition.
We have been rude, demeaning, unreasoning and just plain stupid. And, unfortunately, the majority will likely continue to their own shame.
I look forward to you proving these classless assholes wrong.
Sincerely,
James Russell
Contact James Russell, sports columnist, at jrusse24@jccc.edu.
Banshee bathroom
Campus Police were called to the Library’s second story bathroom Sept. 17 after reports of hearing an unknown female screaming inside. Upon arrival, the subject did not open the door but said she had not been screaming. Police informed her they needed to see her identification and ensure she was safe. Upon seeing her identification police informed the female she was put on interim suspension that morning due to previous disruptive behavior. She was then escorted to the police department and advised to leave campus.
“Lucky find”
A campus police officer found a vehicle parked with no handicapped permit in a handicapped spot in one of the Carlsen Center’s parking lots Sept. 19. Upon further investigation the officer discovered a marijuana pipe in view near the center console. When the subject returned to his car, the officer questioned him and asked about the pipe. The subject then said the pipe and three partially used marijuana cigarettes were not his, but that he picked them up from the center of the road and forgot to throw the paraphernalia away. The subject was placed under arrest and upon further investigation the officer found another marijuana cigarette along with what looked like marijuana seeds in the front of the car. The subject then stated he had been lying and was released after being cited for unlawful possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Let me in, I said!
Campus Police were dispatched to the second floor of the Library Sept. 20 because a computer lab supervisor stated a student became loud and began using profanity when asked to sign in to the lab. The subject denied using profanity or raising his voice and said the supervisor exaggerated the story. The subject seemed agitated at being stopped and was asked by police to lower his voice in the hallway. He was advised to control his behavior or not return to the lab and to not approach lab personnel negatively. The report was forwarded to Paul Kyle, dean, Student Services.
Compiled by Tasha Cook, tcook15@jccc.edu
Concerning recent thefts (5 in one day) that the college has experienced on the second floor of the library on September 4th of this year, I am wondering if some of our library personnel would have spoken up if they witnessed the actual crime. As you read further ask yourself the same question.
Today (September 24, 2012), I was studying on the 2nd floor in the library, when I needed to go to the bathroom. Since I was only a short distance away from the library attendant’s desk I thought perhaps, she would not mind keeping an eye on my school bag for a few minutes. So I casually walked over to her sitting comfortable at the main desk and politely asked her if she would not mind doing me this favor.
She replied, “Nope, you will have to take responsibility, but if you want to take a chance and leave it that is your choice.”
I thought to myself, WOW, is this what this world is coming to? A nation full of weak people who cannot look after one another? As I strolled back to my study area my mind drifted back to the articles that I read in the JCCC newspaper last Friday concerning the string of thefts on the second floor of the library. If this woman would have witnessed one of the crimes on that particular day would she have been a leader and reported it, or would she (out of fear) look the other way? I say she would have done the latter. How do I know this? Keep reading folks and I will prove my point.
Thirty minutes before I asked her to watch my school bag there was a tall, white male that was climbing up the stairs from the first floor of the library to the second, whom was having a conversation on his cell phone in a loud, audible voice. His vocal chords echoed throughout the library floor without constraint or reservation. I glanced behind me at the same library attendant waiting for a demonstration of her leadership abilities. Is she going to react, I asked myself, and approach the student about the “quiet area, no cell phones,” policy rule on the second floor or sit still and do nothing? Reluctantly, she did not care or was not even concerned for she did not even budge from the chair. What a shame.
If I had witnessed her getting robbed by someone in the parking lot at JCCC late at night would I be brave and diligently fight for her safety? Yes, I definitely would. To borrow the words from a former Alaskan Governor, “YOU BETCHA.” I would not hesitate, but would spring into action and put her safety before mine. Not only would it be ethical and serve me good to do so, for I would have to answer, not only to myself and my peers, but also to my leaders, (thank you Charles Adcox and Mark Johnson) whom inspired, guided and taught me to be accountable for my actions throughout this journey we call life.
In Dave Krug’s accounting one class, we are learning it is all about balancing the books. In this book of life it is full of checks and balances that we continually make every day. Our character is what defines us and every choice, decision or road we choose to take, either increases or decreases the accountability in our books. My friends, being held accountable to the highest regard is doing the right thing.
We, the students at JCCC have a duty and a moral responsibility as future leaders to stand up for what is right and shun that which is wrong. It is called, “balancing the books.” Responsibility and a moral obligation is just a few of what the Cavalier Leadership program here at the college teaches us students about “always doing the hard right over the easy wrong.” We are taught that integrity is a personal choice we all have to make. It is one of those many characteristics that helps balance our life book.
If we, the students at JCCC would actively get involved by volunteering to watch their classmate’s belongings, while they go to the bathroom or local vending machines when asked, then all would benefit and therefore decrease the thefts on our campus. By doing this you will gain respect, honor, courage and a selfless personal duty to one another that will define your character resume for many years to come. We all know that the campus police cannot be everywhere at any given time, but WE ARE EVERYWHERE and WE CAN help them by being a watchful eye and stop these thefts from increasing.
On a final note let me say that integrity, is something that former presidents, congressmen, senators and Hollywood actors have been trying to buy for years thinking morality has a price tag and that it can be purchased. Folks, please don’t be deceived. They can hire the best attorneys, doctors or psychiatrists that money can buy, but let me tell you folks integrity cannot be bought. Either you have it or you don’t. It is your choice.
-Steve Gochenour, student
Just read your column from 9/6/12 on affirmative action. It’s not often I see someone your age able to see the truth/facts through the fog of affirmative action policies—especially someone on a college campus. Although I think many of the principles of affirmative action were/are well-intentioned, what has been unleashed over the years has often resulted in perverse incentives for minorities and disincentives for “non-affirmative” individuals. Instead, let’s go back to the old idea of evaluating people based on their accomplishments, abilities, and potential.
Also, regarding your column on the failure of the Obama presidency, I am in agreement with you. Any other president – especially one with an R after his or her name – would be held to a much higher standard by the mainstream/lamestream media than Obama has been. High unemployment for a record period of time, record deficits, an unpopular health care plan, slow economic growth, and record high prices for gasoline are just some of the issues the major media would be hammering any other president over. If this is as good as it gets with President Obama, it really is time to move on with someone else. As a bonus, maybe then the media will get their “mojo” back and hold the new president accountable.
Keep up the good work.
-Graham MacCallum, JCCC community member
By Spencer Pressly
The Sega Dreamcast is a video game system that never gained popularity like the PlayStation did in the late 90s.
The Dreamcast still had many amazing games and one of the most beloved of all the games is Jet Set Radio. Released in June of 2000, the game was called Jet Grind Radio and introduced people to cel shading. Cel shading is what gives a game that cartoony and almost Pixar like feeling in a game. This has been used in Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Borderlands and the new Walking Dead game.
Jet Set Radio is still unlike any other game to this day. Even though the game never sold well the series gained quite the cult following and now Sega has re-released the game in HD as a downloadable game for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.
The game has an extremely minimalistic approach to the story and how it portrays its characters. The story follows main character Beat as he starts his skate gang, the GG’s, as they take over all of Tokyo-to, which is based on real life Tokyo. You will encounter many other skaters who can join your gang as well as other rival gangs who will try and stop you from taking over their turf. The city also has an oddly obsessed police department that will stop at nothing to keep these gangs from tagging the city with their graffiti.
The characters you play as the GG’s give little to no information about what they are doing in the gang, but that doesn’t matter in the game. The characters all look so different visually and have such personality with the tricks they do and the way they skate, which leads to a very diverse gang at the end of the game.
Unlike other alternative sports games of the era, such as Tony Hawk, Jet Set Radio takes a very simplistic take on how the game plays. You skate around the city tagging wherever you can and pulling off tricks as you grind all over the place. Tagging a wall with graffiti can be done with the press of a button, but bigger tags will need some finesse. This leads to a series of analog movements until your art is all sprayed on perfectly.
The controls are nowhere near perfect and are one of the most dated aspects of play. The controls can feel unresponsive at times, normally when it really matters and this can lead to an unnecessary moment of rage. After a few hours of playing you get used to it, but that doesn’t excuse the controls not being fixed when other aspects of the game, such as the camera, were greatly improved.
Presentation is where this game holds up the best and what keeps it a timeless classic. It is only too bad that the slowdown from the original game is still in this HD version and it really takes you out of the experience.
This is such a great visual style that is not used enough in today’s games. Art direction really shines in this just from looking at the city and all the different graffiti designs. The re-release also includes fan-submitted designs to use as your tags around town, which was a nice touch for diehard fans of the game.
Visuals don’t make this game alone, the other half of what made this game a classic is the soundtrack. Many different genres are represented here such as J-pop, rock, hip hop, acid jazz, funk, electronic dance music and Trip Hop. Playing this game with headphones on and turning background music up all the way makes you feel immersed in the experience. There are not enough good things to say about the wide variety of songs and even though they seem to be a mix of completely different genres,
it works.
The game is nowhere near expensive and it is extremely convenient to download and start playing. The $10 price point is a good fit for the amount of content in the game. The story mode will not take you more than a weekend to complete. There are a lot of side missions to complete and trophies and achievements to unlock when it is all said and done.
Sega truly did a great job by re-releasing this game for fans new and old to enjoy once again. Even with its few problems, the game holds up as the classic people talk about 10 years after its original release.
So if you are a fan you probably don’t need any more convincing to pick up this game. Thankfully there is a demo you can play to check out the game if you are still unsure if this will be the right fit for you.
Note: this game was played on PS3.
Contact Spencer Pressly, staff reporter, at spressl2@jccc.edu.
By Jon Parton
The first day I started working for The Campus Ledger, I learned that people like to complain about the parking. It doesn’t matter what time I show up to school, I’m always able to find a spot. Why are there so many people complaining about the parking?
We don’t have a parking problem at the college, we have a walking problem. Even the furthest parking spot only requires a five minute walk to the campus. I know because I’ve timed it.
I see them everyday I’m on campus. I call them parking buzzards. They’re students circling around and around until the perfect opportunity arises. I stare in puzzlement as I watch them do laps around the parking lot, waiting for a car to leave. Never mind the fact that if they had parked further away, they would have been on campus already. No, no, no. They must wait for the perfect spot to appear.
It’s absolutely ridiculous to hear people complain about parking, as if it were a brand new problem for the school. There are more people going to this college than there are at KU. Anyone with half a brain can figure out that parking is an issue, just by noticing how many parking garages are on campus. It’s like complaining about summer having hot weather. Is this your first day on Earth?
Maybe it’s a Johnson County thing where people have a false sense of entitlement. People somehow think that walking is beneath them. One of my co-workers goes out to their car to smoke, only to have one or more buzzards wait nearby. They usually fly off after a few minutes, but it’s very entertaining to watch.
What I really don’t understand are buzzards who circle the parking lot over and over again, following any pedestrians that might look like they’re leaving. I had one classmate show up half an hour late for class, blaming it on the parking problem. Like I said, it’s not a parking problem, it’s a walking problem.
Why is it that no one has a problem with the amount of walking they do from class to class, but when it’s from a car to the campus it becomes an issue? I’ve expended more energy walking up and down stairs on campus than I have walking to and from my car. By the looks of some of you, you could stand doing a bit more walking.
It’s time we stopped making parking an excuse. There are more than enough parking spaces available. If you spent more time walking and less time circling the lot like a bird of prey, you might actually get to class on time. Better yet, wild idea incoming, try coming to school earlier. Did I just blow your mind?
Contact Jon Parton, managing editor, at jparton@jccc.edu.
College to host Japan Festival
The college will host the 15th annual Greater Kansas City Japan Festival from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6 in the Carlsen Center. Tickets are $10 for adults and the general public, $5 for students and children and free to children under 5.
Various performances highlight this year’s event; including three sumo wrestling performances in Yardley Hall, traditional Japanese drum band Denver Taiko! and vocalist Aya Uchida. Cultural displays with various souvenirs and demonstrations will be available all day.
For more information, visit http://www.kcjapanfestival.com.
Overland Park City Council approves open carry ordinance
A new city ordinance allowing individuals to openly carry holstered handguns with the safety on went into effect Tuesday, Oct. 2. It was approved 11-1 by the Overland Park City Council at their meeting Monday, Sept. 24.
In accordance with Kan. Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s legal opinion, the ordinance allows for open carry in city parks, at various attractions such as the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, the Overland Park Soccer Complex and on public sidewalks.
Open and concealed guns are prohibited in government offices, private buildings and businesses that display a state-approved placard forbidding guns.
College, ESU sign reverse transfer agreement
Emporia State University President Michael D. Shonrock met with college president Terry Calaway Thursday, Sept. 27 to sign a reverse transfer agreement that will allow ESU students to continue pursuing their degrees at JCCC while enrolled there.
The agreement allows students who have completed at least 45 credit hours to achieve an associate degree while enrolled at ESU. It is also intended to benefit JCCC by increasing completer rate.
Compiled by Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu
According to a construction update from the city of Lenexa today, BNSF will postpone closing the railway crossing just south of Pflumm Road and Santa Fe Trail Drive due to “scheduling conflicts.”
Instead of this week, as reported in The Ledger‘s news briefs in Issue 3, the road will be closed to through traffic beginning Monday, Oct. 1. It is expected to reopen Friday, Oct. 5. In the meantime, detours will be posted.
Compiled by Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu
Click to see full image:
Information compiled by Jon Parton, jparton@jccc.edu, and Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu
Illustrations and design by Morgan Daigneault, mdaignea@jccc.edu
Related articles: InFocus: The money behind the man
Sources:
*Breakdown of alcohol charges via JCCC Cash Disbursement Reports
Payout to *JE Dunn Construction and *Gates, Shields and Ferguson via JCCC Cash Disbursement Reports
*Board donor information via Johnson County Election Office
College president Terry Calaway’s contract available via Freedom of Information Request
Government official salary information courtesy Congressional Research Service report
* = files containing numbers compiled by Mackenzie Clark, editor-in-chief, mclark68@jccc.edu
Video: Special meeting of Board of Trustees July 5 to discuss Calaway’s contract
Click to see full image:
Related articles: InFocus: Money matters
Sources:
*Breakdown of alcohol charges via JCCC Cash Disbursement Reports
Payout to *JE Dunn Construction and *Gates, Shields and Ferguson via JCCC Cash Disbursement Reports
*Board donor information via Johnson County Election Office
College president Terry Calaway’s contract available via Freedom of Information Request
Government official salary information courtesy Congressional Research Service report
* = files containing numbers compiled by Mackenzie Clark, editor-in-chief, mclark68@jccc.edu
By Tabi Secor
The Kansas legislature has passed a new bill that will allow high school students in the state to attend college courses with their tuition waived.
Kan. Senate Bill 155, passed and signed into law July 12 of this year, aims to provide tuition-free courses in technical programs offered at community colleges and technical schools.
“With the way the state has set up a structure for our state funding for courses, all of our courses are looked at by the state and given a rating of being a tiered course, a tiered technical course, or a non-tiered course,” said Clarissa Craig, dean, Health Care Professions and Wellness.
Craig said some of the tiered courses are the focus of SB 155, and are the ones high school students will benefit from. These tiered courses include everything from Basics of Income Taxes to Criminology, from animation classes to health care classes.
“It is designed to help students build marketable skills while they’re still in high school, and students actually get career educational credit as high school students if they come out to the college,” said Shelia Mauppin, dean, Career and Technical Education Transition.
Despite the courses being offered free of tuition for area high school students, Craig said the college may not see jumps in enrollment numbers.
“We’re not anticipating a huge influx of enrollment that’s going to be specific to this because of those dynamics, but it does open up some opportunities for those high school students who have some flexible scheduling in their junior, senior years to take some college level courses,” she said.
Craig explained that even though the bill says the courses will be open to grades nine through 12, it will be up to each school district to decide which grades take part in the new bill. Regardless, each student who is part of that school district will be able to participate if they choose to.
“It is set up similar to College Now by the fact they have to have a high school authorization in order to be able to take the course,” Craig said, “but as long as there’s whatever those decision making points are for high school students in general, they’re the same as they would have been anyways.”
Mauppin said that there was some surprise to the college when the bill was passed.
“There had been a lot of work over the last year that led up to the bill,” she said. “The surprise kind of came into play was when the bill was passed on July 12, and the requirements were to begin all of these activities on July 1. So the college had to do some backtracking.”
Craig explained.
“With high school students already enrolled in summer courses and stuff like that […] it was more of trying to figure out the processing of those students who had already paid,” she said. “How are we going to get those refunds back? And for a student that has taken the last part of the summer semester, how do we get them so they don’t pay?”
Part of the difficulty, Craig said, is tagging students who will benefit from the law in the system.
No revenue will be lost from the college waiving the tuition according to Craig and Mauppin, because the college will be reimbursed from the state for the cost of those students’ tuition.
Contact Tabi Secor, news editor, at tsecor@jccc.edu.
Related articles: Brownback visits college; promotes new statewide education initiative
By Jon Parton
The results are in and the college has a new lineup of student senators for the upcoming school year.
The elections were held Sept. 4 through 6. Students were able to vote either on the second floor of the COM building or online. Sixteen at-large senators were elected after the final votes were tallied.
Among the newly elected was Brenden Brower-Freeman. Brower-Freeman attended Tonganoxie High School, where he was active in student government. He said he had to put college on hold after graduating in 2011.
The incoming freshman suffered from leukemia and said he wanted to focus on his health before trying to take on the responsibilities of college. He said that he hopes to get on a few key committees during the school year to help influence change.
Brower-Freeman believes that he can help make the school better in his role as a student senator.
“So many people only go to class without experiencing everything the college has to offer,” he said. “I wanted to contribute to make it a more collegiate experience for students.”
Sergio Sanchez, another new incoming senator, said his involvement in Student Senate came from his desire to immerse himself in the college.
“I just got out of high school, brand new here,” Sanchez said. “I really wanted to get involved in stuff because, you know, what I’ve come to notice is that people aren’t really talkative, at least during these first couple of weeks. I said, ‘Let’s get involved, let’s make some friends, have a good college experience.’”
Sanchez, a Shawnee Mission North graduate, said although he doesn’t have a specific major in mind yet, he wants to focus on either business or communication. He said he hopes to get more students involved in campus life over the school year.
“They’re just not participating,” Sanchez said. “What I plan to do is get more people involved in activities, clubs and just so they can experience that.”
For newly-elected senator Vanessa Lawton, a leadership role is something she is used to.
“This is kind of similar to a position I took two years back,” she said. “It was with Engage KC Leadership Board. We worked with city hall and we were the voice for the teenagers, young adults who were in college, throughout the city.”
Lawton, a graduate of the Paseo Academy in Kansas City, said her interest in serving as a student senator comes from her wanting to help others. She plans to major in fashion design, a subject she studied in high school.
“I just love volunteering, reaching out and making sure peoples’ voices are heard,” she said.
All elected Student Senators include Sierra Berry, Lara Blomberg, Brenden Brower-Freeman, Rachel Georges, Preet Kaur, Vanessa Lawton, Cecilia Lopez, Annie Lynn, Anthony Magee, Alanzo McIntosh, David Peterson, Elliot Rogers, Faisal Saidu, Sergio Sanchez, Mehak Sood and Shuaibu Umar.
Contact Jon Parton, managing editor, at jparton@jccc.edu.
