Photo Assignment 4 - Petco Dog Stylist

Petco dog stylist and newlywed Corvallis resident Olivia Reynolds gives Maynard, a three-year-old Brussels Griffon, a trim. She has enjoyed her career as a groomer for four years.

Get Down With Sick Town

Derby Dame Dixie Skullpopper greets her fans after a Sick Town bout.

By day, she's Miranda Prince, LBCC student and Math 20 Aid at the Learning Center. By night, she's Dixie Skullpopper, Sick Town Derby Dame, #40. 

Prince has been a derby dame for 3 years. She saw Whip It, a movie about a roller derby league, and ended up seeing one in person the next day when she went with her husband to a Sick Town match (referred to as a bout) against Cherry City. She really wanted to try it but thought she was too old and out of shape. This was right before she turned 40. When she realized they don't really fight and punch each other in the face, like in the movie, she went for it. 

She started going to practices and continued for a year and a half before her first bout, which she says isn't typical. "Everyone improves and learns at their own pace." says Prince. "Some skaters go from beginner to bouts in 3 months, and some spend a year as a beginner."

Sick Town Derby Dames, has around 40 members with names like Bloodstain, Rollin' Rebel, Ophelia Muff Krush, and Shankee Doodle. This year, Sick Town changed the age limit from 21 to 18, and of course, there's no upper age limit, because "You're NEVER too old for derby." There's also a junior derby league, for ages 10-17, called The Candy Stripers, with around 35 members. 

Roller derby bouts consist of two teams, with about 15 skaters each. One skater from each team is designated a "jammer," and the rest are "blockers". The jammer tries to lap the blockers as well as the jammer from the other team. For every person they pass, they score a point. Each "jam" lasts two minutes.

To put on a bout, it also takes about 10 skating officials, and 15 NSOs (non-skating officials), to help run the penalty box, track line-ups, keep score, penalties, run the score board, the inside and outside white boards, and jam timer. Bob Slocum, aka "Knight B Contagious," has been a NSO for 4 years and says the energy that comes from a bout is just as high or higher as any other sport he has seen. 

"The girls work very hard to put on these bouts not only in practice but also the effort that it takes to put on the bout and the months of planning is crazy." says Slocum. "Dixie is one of the most committed and passionate people that I have met on the team. She is hard working and never gives up. Even when things go wrong, she is one who tries to make the best out of it."

Her husband Charles, aka Isaac Waves 'em Off,  is Sick Town's head skating ref. Originally, Prince (Dixie) had wanted to be a referee but fell in love with derby and ended up being a derby dame, remembering her first bout as amazing and a lot of fun.

She was happy to discuss derby before her shift started at the Learning Center to share more about her experiences, what Sick Town is really all about, and how girls who are interested can go about getting involved.

Commuter: So do you all have derby names? 
Miranda Prince: Yes. And we call each other by them. Nobody calls me Miranda at derby games. I'm Dixie.

C: How did you come up with Dixie Skullpopper? 
MP: I picked it because of a family member, my Grama Dixie. Her name was Dixie Cullpepper and she was a derby girl in the 50's. So I went with Dixie Skullpopper as a tribute to her. She was an awesome lady.

C: Would you say that roller derby is a violent sport?
MP: Yeah! It's a full-contact sport.We definitely knock each other down and that's completely legal. We hit with our hips and shoulders. But if you fight, you get kicked out. We're trying to get roller derby seen as a real sport, not just as entertainment, although it is really entertaining.

C: What's the worst injury you've gotten?
MP: I've been lucky so far. I have not really gotten any bad injuries. One time I fell on someone's skate and got a really bad bruise. Another time, I accidentally got hit and got a swollen lip.  If someone lands a really good hit on me, I'll get up and say, 'Hey, nice hit.'

C: Do you have to be a really good skater to join?
MP: It's great if you are. But if you can't and you really wanna try roller derby, we'll teach you how to skate.

C: What's involved in signing up?
MP: Beginners practice 2-3 days a week for 2 hours. If you do 2 days, you will maintain your skills, 3 days, you will improve. That's what's recommended. We skate in a warehouse in Millersburg, but are actively looking for a new practice space. Gear can be expensive but you can get used gear on Craigslist and Play It Again Sports in Corvallis. We also have loaner gear for people who want to try it before spending the money on their own gear. Dues are $30 a month, which is cheaper than any gym membership.

*The next New Skater Orientation is on Oct. 30, 6 p.m. at Market of Choice, upstairs in the banquet room.


C: What would you tell girls that want try it but are too scared?
MP: Sick Town is the nicest bunch of girls that wanna knock you down. (mischievous grin) We take it slow. Beginners are learning to skate. No one is knocking down the beginners.

C: Do the derby dames get along?
MP: On the track, we play really hard but between jams and at the after-party, we're all friends. We want each other to do well. At the end of the day, we're all one team.

Prince is also the head of new recruits and says, "It's really exciting to bring new girls into the league." Anyone who wants to join or has questions can contact her at sicktownrecruits@gmail.com.)




NEXT HOME BOUT:
Sick Down Derby Dames vs. Lilac City
Oct. 27 at Linn County Fairgrounds. 
Doors open at 5 p.m., Bout is at 6 p.m. 
$10 in advance, $13 at the door.
www.sicktownderbydames.com 

Photo Assignment 3 - Sun Shines on Campus

Students enjoy some fresh air in the courtyard.

Students leaving campus to enjoy the rest of a beautiful Oregon day.

Sunshine peaks through bamboo beside the Horticulture greenhouse outside White Oak Hall.

Back in the Day - Oct. 10-16

Oct. 10, 1978 - Bomb's Away!
Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler and lead guitarist Joe Perry are injured when a crazed fan throws a cherry bomb on stage during a show in Philadelphia. The next time the band made it to the "City of Brotherly Love,"  Steven was hit in the face with a bottle while onstage. Ouch!


Oct. 11, 1995 - Chop Chop!
John Wayne Bobbitt has plastic surgery to increase his penis size 3 inches, almost 2.5 years after his wife Lorena cut nearly half of if off. They were divorced the same year.


Oct. 12, 1773 - Insane in the Membrane...
Eastern State Hospital, America's first insane asylum, opened for 'Persons of Insane and Disordered Minds' in Virginia. It remains in operation today.


Oct. 13, 1967 - Game On!
The first game in the history of the American Basketball Association is played as the Anaheim Amigos lose to the Oakland Oaks 134-129 in Oakland, Calif. (The ABA merged with the NBA in 1976.)



Oct. 14, 1964 - I Have a Dream...
Martin Luther King Jr. receives the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolence.

Oct. 15, 1951 - Lucy... I'm Home!
"I Love Lucy" debuts on CBS TV. It lives on in reruns, continuing in more than 77 countries, in 22 different languages.

Oct. 16, 1987 - Wishes do come true...
After 58 hours trapped underground in a well, Jessica McClure (Baby Jessica) is rescued. Today, she is a 26 year old married mother of 2, and has no first-hand memory of the event.

2012 Great Oregon ShakeOut

LBCC will be among the 96,000 people who are participating in this year's Oregon ShakeOut. On October 18, we're going to "Drop, Cover, and Hold" as procedures will be practiced following a 7.8 earthquake simulation.

It will start at 10:18 a.m. with an announcement on the PA. Staff and faculty will then take over in each classroom and read a small script describing the earthquake and what your surroundings and possible hazards would be like. You'll be given instructions on how to protect yourself and what to do once the "shaking" stops.

"There are over 1000 earthquakes over magnitude 1.0 in Washington and Oregon every year, with at least two dozen being large enough to be felt. Approximately 17 people have lost their lives due to earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest." according to shakeout.org.

The Great Oregon ShakeOut is not only an opportunity for us to become familiar with LBCC's procedures but also a fantastic reminder that having a plan in place and knowing how to react to an earthquake could save your life.

According to shakeout.org, official rescue teams who have been dispatched to the scene of earthquakes and other disasters around the world continue to advocate use of the internationally recognized "Drop, Cover and Hold On" protocol to protect lives during earthquakes:

• DROP to the ground (before the earthquake drops you!),
• Take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk or table, and
• HOLD ON to it until the shaking stops.

Here are a few more earthquake survival tips:
(courtesy of geology.com)

During the Earthquake:

• If you are indoors, stay there. Quickly move to a safe location in the room such as under a strong desk, a strong table, or along an interior wall. The goal is to protect yourself from falling objects and be located near the structural strong points of the room. Avoid taking cover near windows, large mirrors, hanging objects, heavy furniture, heavy appliances or fireplaces.
• If you are cooking, turn off the stove and take cover.
• If you are outdoors, move to an open area where falling objects are unlikely to strike you. Move away from buildings, powerlines and trees.
• If you are driving, slow down smoothly and stop on the side of the road. Avoid stopping on or under bridges and overpasses, or under power lines, trees and large signs. Stay in your car. 

After the Earthquake:

• Check for injuries, attend to injuries if needed, help ensure the safety of people around you.
• Check for damage. If your building is badly damaged you should leave it until it has been inspected by a safety professional.
• If you smell or hear a gas leak, get everyone outside and open windows and doors. If you can do it safely, turn off the gas at the meter. Report the leak to the gas company and fire department. Do not use any electrical appliances because a tiny spark could ignite the gas.
• If the power is out, unplug major appliances to prevent possible damage when the power is turned back on. If you see sparks, frayed wires, or smell hot insulation turn off electricity at the main fuse box or breaker. If you will have to step in water to turn off the electricity you should call a professional to turn it off for you.

So if you're on campus on October 18 at 10:18 a.m., be prepared to drop, cover, and hold on because the Great Oregon ShakeOut is going to teach us all how to prepare for the real thing.



 

Photo Assignment 2 - Campus Picnic

Roadrunner is Representin' on The Wheel of Free Goodies at the Campus Picnic Wednesday

Bri Knutson and Diana Ward take a break from working at the bookstore to give out free LBCC shwag to students at the Campus Picnic Wednesday afternoon.

Students and faculty wait hungrily in line for a delicious barbequed lunch at the Campus Picnic.

ABC House's Runaway Pumpkin Half Marathon: Support a Great Cause and Have Fun!

"Super Heros" participating in last year's Runaway Pumpkin Half Marathon. Photo courtesy of: www.runawaypumpkinhalf.org

The ABC House’s Runaway Pumpkin Half Marathon will be taking place Saturday, October 27 at 9:00 am. Race begins at Cheadle Lake Park, located off Highway 20 at the South end of Lebanon, just past Walmart.

100% of the proceeds from this event will be used to help local abused children. Last year more than 800 runners and walkers participated, raising more than $40,000 for ABC House. This year, more than 1,000 participants are expected.

The Runaway Pumpkin is a Halloween-themed race where everyone is encouraged to dress up in costumes. LBCC President Greg Hamann will be there supporting the cause and rooting the racers on. Dressed as the Grim Reaper, he will be at mile marker 13 telling participants that “The end is near.” 

ABC House is offering registered LBCC students a special $45 entry price until October 8 with the use of a special promo code while registering online at www.runawaypumpkinhalf.org.  A flyer with this code can be picked up at the Student Life office. 

Every participant will receive a long-sleeve tech shirt, a goody bag full of great items, a finisher’s medal, food at the finish line, and a chance at door prizes. In addition to prizes, food, and fun, you get the opportunity to join your community in supporting the wonderful non-profit organization ABC House, and make a difference in the lives of abused children.

ABC House is a child abuse assessment center serving children of Linn and Benton counties since 1997, age newborn to 18 years old.

The mission of ABC House is “To provide a safe, respectful, and healing environment for children who are abused.” Staff members are experts in child abuse, providing services for approximately 350 children a year, including medical examinations, forensic interviews, family advocacy, counseling, and community education. 

To report suspected child abuse, call (541) 757-5019 or visit www.abchouse.org

For more information on the Runaway Pumpkin half marathon:
contact info@runawaypumpkinhalf.org or visit www.runawaypumpkinhalf.org

Back In The Day: Oct. 3-9

Oct. 3, 1849 - American author Edgar Allan Poe is found delirious in a gutter in Baltimore, Maryland under mysterious circumstances; it is the last time he is seen in public before his death. He died four days later of unknown causes. (He was 40 years old.)

Oct. 4, 1927 - Gutzon Borglum begins sculpting Mt. Rushmore. With the help of 400 workers and $989,992.32, it was completed 14 years later.

Oct. 5, 1947 - The first televised White House address is given by U.S. President Harry S. Truman. He was our 33rd president and the last U.S. president without a college degree.

Oct. 6, 1967 - Hippies living in Haight-Ashbury throw "The Death of the Hippie" ceremony (a mock funeral) to mark the end of hippies. (Acts like Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, and Janis Joplin all lived a short distance from the San Francisco intersection.)

Oct. 7, 1959 - Far Side of Moon seen for first time, compliments of USSR's Luna 3. The mission lasted 207 days and 29 pictures were taken. All contact with the probe was lost on Oct. 22, 1959. (It is believed to have burned up in the Earth's atmosphere in Mar. or Apr. of 1960)

Oct. 8, 2003 - Arnold Schwarzenegger is elected the governor of California. He made his third appearance as the title character in Terminator 3: Rise of Machines, that same year.

Oct. 9, 1930 - Laura Ingalls is the first pilot, man or woman, to complete transcontinental flight around South America. Her trip included stops in Chile, Argentina, and Brazil. (Amelia Earhart was the first to make the trip non-stop 2 years later.)