LEGACY BALLET IN ALBANY OREGON

Heather Hill started Legacy Ballet in June 2008 with ballet, , Hip Hop, Modern, Tap and Yoga training for persons from the age of 3 onward.    You are never too old for this program and it can benefit any persons.

Her troupe has just concluded a production of The Nutcracker Suite in Takena Hall at the Russell Tripp Theater at Linn Benton College.   The pictures generously provided by Lori Fluge-Brunker/LBCC Marketing Department for publication in The Commuter.

Patti Ball said “It was a delightful performance. The backdrops were over the top magnificent, the costumes were beautiful, and the dancers from the darling little mice to the beautiful snow princess were right on cue.”

Mrs. Hill has 230 students in her program at the present time and the registration is still open at her studio at 104 Main Street in Albany.  The lessons are based on a 9 week schedule at the cost of $85 per week for up to two hours with a multiple family membership discount. 

Erika & Todd D. have attested that their 3 daughters, although loving different types of dance, all love coming to Legacy.  She states that “Heather and her instructors love what they do. They are passionate about dance, and want their students to find confidence and freedom of expression in the movement of body, to have fun and learn through the sounds, emotions, and movements of music. Legacy is a warm and positive environment, where I know my girls love to spend their time.” 

Along with this glowing review, Erika said, “My girls adore performing on stage, and the association that Legacy has with LBCC has been truly wonderful! The Russell Trip Performance Center is a lovely venue to hold recitals, and Heather and her team of instructors come up with beautiful opportunities for the dancers to act out a story on stage. There is such excitement to dress up in beautiful costumes,  apply make up, and go through rehearsals. The advantages of learning how to perform in a theater in front of an audience will benefit my children their entire life. We love being a part of the Legacy family!”

Another parent, Karen B. states that her daughter, Bethany, “loves working with Miss Carrie in modern dance. Carrie is a joy and her choreography skills are amazing. She's never afraid to be goofy and silly with the kids and that makes classes extra-fun.”

Karen also said that she “especially enjoy watching Heather work behind-the-scenes at productions. There is so much to do, but Heather radiates a quiet sense of calm which keeps the students and parents from getting too nervous.”

When asked about the cost and whether it is worth it, Karen said “I think their rates are reasonable. I've priced it against other studios and compared notes with other dance moms and Legacy comes out on top every time.”

Heather has a staff of four, including a student from the high school on internship.

While investigating ballet, it has been shown by Peak Performance “that many players have swapped their pads for points, to do ballet. Ballet dancers are renowned for their agility; they are able to leap, land and turn with, well… with balletic grace.”  Because of this, a lot of sports teams are using forms of dance to help their players become more flexible and graceful, therefore having fewer injuries on the field.

Heather uses Russell Tripp Performance Center for all her major productions and will have programs in the spring.  So please come out and support your neighbors, large and small.

At A Glance:

Email:LegacyBallet@q.com

 Location:104 Main St Albany OR

http://www.legacyballet.com/LegacyBallet/classes.html to view the studio

Heather Hill

 Phone: 541-791-9078

Don't do it! Don't wear it!

I saw you standing in line or walking around campus, waiting for that all important job interview or interview for college admission or admission to the military.

You were wearing shoes that would make a pro envious, as shown above.  You were not comfortable and I was not comfortable for you.  It shows what kind of judgment you have and what your decisions on the job or in school would be.  Don't do it!!!


Now let's move on to other codes of dress.  Unless you want someone to know if you are wearing undergarments or you truly don't care if we know about the status of your crotch area, do not wear clothes shown below.  They are great in a club where you are picking up a dude or on the street where you are picking up many but even the military will know you are easy and try to get some if you dress like this at a job interview or college interview.

Don't wear it!!!

When is too much cleavage inappropriate, I would say it is when you are trying to convey your professionalism.  Also, dressing too far down the ladder of success is not something you should do.

According to Morgan Jarema, from The Grand Rapids Press,  'Dress for the position you want, not the position you have."   "If you dress inappropriately, it calls into question your ability to do your job."

From all the pictures shown above, which one would you choose to work with or hire to do an efficient, effective, and be self-reliant in that job, letting you concentrate on your job.

So when you get ready for that big job interview, remember you do not want to turn them off but you, also, do not want to turn them on as most employers want you to succeed at your job and not with them.   In an environment, where people are sue-happy, employers are looking for employees to do the job and not cause any hassles on the job and the above pictures convey problems on the job but one.  Which one looks too provocative, which one looks lazy, and which one looks efficient?

 They are hiring you to represent them to the public in different forums.

Hugs and Kisses to you

 

By

Elnora Palmtag

If hugs were ice cream, I’d melt in your arms.

If hugs had a flavor, I’d wish for a rainbow.

 

If kisses were candy, I’d want to eat it all.

If kisses were expensive, I’d spend all my money on yours.

 

If love was a flower, I’d want a big, big bunch.

If love was a tree, I’d want a forest with you.

 

If you were a present, I’d want to open it now.

If you were a book, I’d read it again and again.

 

Thank you for being a part of my life,

I’m so glad grandpa made you his wife.

(Dedicated to Floydene Miller, the best mother-in-law in the world)

The Watching Pants

 

By

Elnora Palmtag

 

I have seen you through all your trials and tribulations, through all the pains in your life,

I have seen you smiling in their faces, while going through the strife.

You kept me hidden from envious eyes and made me a part of your dreams.

You treasured me all through the years and walked me beside the streams.

Meandering on a long walk home and never breaking stride,

I watched your sad face as you roamed through lanes both narrow and wide.

You kept me sheltered, clean and warm

And never let me come to any harm.

I treasure your beautiful care of me

And know we will many more years to see.

So take care of me and I will keep you dry.

(Dedicated to my 1972 bell bottom pants, bought with my first big prize at Harrah’s casino in Reno)

 

Unrestrained Serenade

 

By

Elnora Palmtag

The lake is shrouded in mystery.

Mist is rising up and the leaves are rustling,

As the sun breaks above the canopy.

No one is here to share this beauty with me,

So I break out in a song, which, thankfully,

No one can hear.

Oh, no!

The birds are complaining.

There are critics everywhere.

Dare I continue in my serenade

Or should I observe

And let nature resume its peaceful awakening.

Oh, hell, no!

Censorship may be everywhere else,

But here I am queen of this time and place.

I will sing if I want and the critics be damned.

My cacophony of caterwauling has just begun.

(Inspired by Terrence Lane Millet, English instructor at Linn Benton College)

 

The Hobbit-An Unexpected Journey

A Contender

Superman and Star Trek, you are not worthy.  I was wondering why these films are being released next year and now I know why.

The Regal IMAX Cinema in Eugene did not have an empty seat.  When the title appeared, there was a smattering of applause from truly diehard fans.  By the first 15 minutes of the film, the rest of the audience was fully engaged.   I was surprised at the number of children present.   Was it worth the bucks that had to be forked over?  Hell, yes!

3D has never looked better.  The CGI was better than any I have seen this year and even though you know a lot of the characters, this is a refreshing and new way of seeing them.    Screenrant.com stated that Peter Jackson incorporated  “3D using no less than 30 RED EPIC digital cameras, each of which – according to the RED Studios press release – “has 5K resolution, can shoot up to 120 frames per second and has a new HDRx™” (High Definition Resolution) “ mode for the highest dynamic range of any digital cinema camera ever made… The EPIC’s small size and relatively low weight makes it perfect for 3D – where two cameras have to be mounted on each 3D rig.” 

photo taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903624/

Bilbo Baggins is tricked into hosting a party for a band of dwarves by Gandalf and then the adventure begins.  Bilbo cannot resist a great adventure and this is what Gandalf needs.  The audience was totally enthralled with the adventure and not a word was spoken as the group encountered all sorts of interesting characters and villains, along with their CGI pets and work animals.

The Hobbit introduces Radagast the brown, a new wizard, played by Sylvester McCoy, who played Dr. Who from 1987 to 1989.  We know Gandalf smoked pipeweed, along with the hobbits, but have you ever wondered what other things were imbibed Middle-Earth denizens.  Gandalf the Grey is one of the main characters with Saruman the White making a cameo.  Will there be more about Saruman the White in the next movie?

A lot of the questions about the past are answered and new bonds of friendship are formed, along with a little Smigel to tantalize you until the next film comes out.

Why is Bilbo so important in the scheme of things?  How did the relationship between Bilbo and Smigel develop?  Why is Smigel/Gollum asking Bilbo a riddle, such as “Voiceless it cries, Wingless flutters, Toothless bites, Mouthless mutters?  Look for the answer in the AT A GLANCE at the bottom.

What is Bilbo to the Dwarves and Elves?  Bill P. was very surprised and astonished at the way the dwarves cleaned up a kitchen.  Also, Bill marveled at how dense a dwarf can be. 

Why is Gandalf so important in the scheme of things and what new facets of the character were revealed? Mark M. enjoyed learning more about Gandalf, the Grey.  But he also felt that all the singing in the movie was not needed. 

What happens when a troll blows his nose, slime or slimy? 

The complications of the relationships of the different tribes of Middle Earth are expounded and explained to further ensnare the audience into the different storylines.  This reporter cannot wait for the next part of this series.  The climax of the action scenes and the ending leave you wanting more right now.

My friend, Theresa T. wrote to me on facebook, "My friend Kelly has seen it twice in 2 days. I`d say it was a winner :)" 

Kelly N. wrote me, “Absolutely wonderful!!! I knew it would be good, but it was better than I thought it could be! Can't wait for part two next December!”

The Hobbit-An Unexpected journey is a must see, must own, and must see again movie.  I want to laugh, clap, gasp, clap again, and then laugh again, so I am going to see this movie again.

Give a Christmas present!  Tickets to see this movie is a great gift and then sit around and talk about it.  It can give you a great insight into your children and family.

AT A GLANCE:

To learn about the characters in The Hobbit, check out: http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Category:The_Hobbit_Characters

http://www.thehobbit.com/

Answer to riddle: The Wind

Share your Hobbit experience with us.  EMAIL: commuter@linnbenton.edu

El Dia de los Muertes

(The Day of the Dead)

In America, for approximately 200 years, the death of a person is mourned, but in Mexico for over 3000 years, there are three days of celebration and prayer for the soul of the beloved dead ones.

Analee Fuentes, 2-D Studio Foundations instructor at LBCC since 1998, did a presentation on El Dia de los Muertes to a crowd of 20 in the DAC on October 31, 2012 at noon.   The presentation really enlightened the crowd about the celebration and not the mourning of the dead and people were invited to color posters to be placed on the altar in the DAC to celebrate a loved ones life.

This was a very informative lecture with lots of photos, which can be seen at the website below.  El Dia de los Muertes has become a ritual passed down from the indigenous tribes of the Americas del Sur (South America).  In these countries, the celebrations last a full month, but today most celebrations last from October 31^st through November 2^nd.  These celebrations were originally dedicated to the goddess Catrina or Mictecacihuatl, known as the “Lady of the Dead.”

October 31^st is El Dia de los Muertes with altars built to celebrate the lives of the dead.  Not only do people wear wooden skulls called calacas but also make sugar skulls with the deceased name on the forehead to be eaten in tribute.   These skulls denote death and rebirth, while many thought the dead returned during these celebrations to visit.

November 1^st is El Dia de Muertos Chiquitos, The Day of the Little Dead, also, known as All Saints Day for any children who are deceased.

November 2^nd is known as El Dia de los Muertos, All Soul’s Day, for any adults who are deceased.

Therefore, the altars will usually have items the deceased loved, food that they ate and many times items worn by the deceased.  Death is not considered the end of life but the continuation of life and it is embraced for the reason.

Many have tried to destroy this ritual, but it has survived and is growing as the population spreads throughout the Americas.  Analee Fuentes said there has been a demographic shift, in Oregon of 11% Hispanic population over the last 29 years.  This has given her a greater audience to express her heritage and help others understand the ritual of El Dia de los Muertes.

In Mexico, the loved ones graves are visited and decorated with marigolds (Tagetes erecta) and candles, with toys for the dead children and bottles of tequila for the adults, with Pan de Muertos, or Bread for the Dead.  Families, also, have picnics next to the gravesites and celebrate with the deceased ones’ favorite foods.  Later, there are dances and parades going to the gravesites. 

Building altars in their homes is done in both the United States and Mexico’s larger cities.  From the pictures, in the links below, you can see the vibrant, colorful and exaggerated picture of the life the people who have died.  Loving the ornate, excessive, and overdone, Analee Fuentes states she looks at fish or water and have the same visual experience as she has looking at a 17^th century Mexican church, an almost mystical experience for her.

At A Glance:

El Dia de los Muertos, celebrated from October 31^st through November 2^nd is a celebration of the life of the deceased with parades, dances and altars of appreciation.

For more information, please check out the following sites:

http://analeefuentes.com/index.htm

http://analeefuentes.com/series-dayofdead.htm

http://cf.linnbenton.edu/artcom/art/fuentea/web.cfm?pgID=8

The Man with the Iron Fist-A Review

Do you love Quentin Jerome Tarantino’s directing skills and know or love Bruce Lee’s fighting prowess?  Then you have to see The Man with the Iron Fist. 

This is the directorial debut of RZA, born Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, leader of Wu-Tang Clan, a hip hop group.  After following Quentin around for approximately 5 years and learning as much as he could about directing, RZA co-wrote the screenplay for The Man with the Iron Fist with Eli Roth.  Who is this RZA?  RZA has had a successful hip hop recording career and started acting in such films as American Gangster, Funny People and Repo Men.  He is not only a chess champion, but also a very prolific reader of all types of religious teachings.  RZA per Wikipedia  “has taken on various aspects of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Islam, and Christianity as stated in his book The Wu-Tang Manual, as well as Hinduism, which he talks about thoroughly in The Tao of Wu in order to expand his spiritual growth.”

These spiritual influences can be seen in this movie and really enhance the story.  Set in 19^th century China, this film stars Russell Crowe, Cung Le, Lucy Liu, Byron Mann, RZA, Rick Yune, David Bautista, and Jamie Chung. 

The premise of the movie is the emperor has some gold being transported over land by the Geminis, played by Andrew Lin and Grace Huang through a jungle village of two feuding clans, the lions and the hyenas, trying to capture said gold. The martial arts of these groups are fantastic and awe-inspiring

RZA plays Thaddeus, a blacksmith in a small village, with Lucy Liu, Madam Blossom, running a beautiful whore house, where his girlfriend, Lady Silk, is indentured.  He is responsible for making all the weapons used by all sides in the show to kill each other.

Russell Crowe is a crusty opium addicted British soldier, who appears to be a self-centered man of great appetites and prowess.  Crowe was only on set for 10 days and did the film because of his previous knowledge of RZA and the Wu Tang Clan.

David Bautista, known as Batista, better known as an American mixed martial artist, bodybuilder, actor, and former professional wrestler, does a very credible job of being a bad guy with a magnificent Brass Body, his name in the film.

Also, making a cameo appearance is Pam Grier, as RZA’s mother, who gave her freedom in the South, so that he could be free.

The martial arts skills in this movie have not been seen in quite a while and it has that extra added lovely addition of Lucy Liu as the madam with charm and extra emphasis on customer service.

Being a great fan of martial arts and Bruce Lee, specifically, I was enthralled with the choreographic dance of the actors, especially the females in this movie.

The only sour point in this film was the beginning song which distracted from the opening scenes with bad language and words, which were not needed to get the audience engaged. 

This movie is definitely not for the squeamish, with lots of blood and bodies and definitely for adults, with language, drug and sexual content, not meant for children. 

If you want to spend about 96 minutes being entertained in a fast-pace, action-packed kung fu film in the style of the Shaw Brothers with some CGI, then The Man with the Iron Fist will really appeal to you.

At A Glance:

Check out the trailer of this film at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1258972/

 

 

 

ESCAPE by Elnora Palmtag

ESCAPE

Perching, watching, waiting, soaring, moving from limb to limb

Is it night or day, why do I care?

Lifting away from the cares of each day

Am I awake or asleep in my cozy escape from life?

 

I see you looking for me,

You cannot see me, away from you,

As I soar I see the thing I want

But it is not mine

I cannot reach it but I will.

 

A mother I will become who bears the burdens of life

I will you more that you are

That you can make yours more than you are

And they can make theirs more than they are.

 

But here I sit

Alone in the night

High above you

Waiting for the day

To bring on the burdens of life.

by
Elnora Palmtag
written 10/15/2012

CLOUD ATLAS-saga, epic, or flop

This film, from a six-part series by British author, David Mitchell, dates from 1849 with slave traders to post-apocalyptic 2031.

All of the actors in the movie play a different character in each era.  The actors in this film are Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent , better known from two of the Narnia movies, Hugo Weaver, who has played Mr. Smith in The Matrix trilogy and Elrond in The Lord of the Ring trilogy, Donna Bae, a famous Korean actress, and Keith David, who is known for the parts he played in such films as Platoon, Bird, Armageddon, Pitch Black and Something about Mary.  

There are many subtexts for the film but the ones that stood out was the old human condition of not learning from our mistakes and repeating them through the ages and our eternal human hope for the future.  Also, can you find the single action by a seemingly unimportant character, which started a great revolution of change?

There are so many nuances that some will be missed the first time this film is viewed.  So you must view it again . 

The acting was magnificent and spellbinding through all the ages.  While the makeup was astounding and sometimes, unbelievable, changing some of our favorite actors so that we do not recognize them.  The scenery is both familiar and different; with the familiarity making the audience feel comfortable yet the difference makes the audience enthralled with those differences.

Most of the characters  make the audience feel they are a part of the story and in one scene, the entire audience actually cheered and applauded in unison and on leaving each felt a part of each other.

It has been a while since we have had a film which makes the audience feel that they are part of the same story about their world but does not preach to the audience. 

Although the beginning is complex and needs to be viewed again to get all the nuances and changes, the audience was entranced and no noises were heard, even though the movie is 2 hours, 44 minutes. 

This film will be analyzed, critiqued, and studied, so that it can either be viewed as a saga, epic, science fiction drama, or flop.   I vote for an epic saga.

Also, there are a few lines which will live on, like, “from womb to tomb, we belong to each other,” “death is but a door, for when one closes another one opens,” and “What if no one believes this truth? Someone already does.” 

With such a great array of actors, it is no wonder that this film is a keeper.  Not only will you feel the need to see it again, striving to see what you have missed, but you will want to own it when it is released.  This is one of those films, the young of our society should see while in school to talk about the repercussions of the actions of the characters, the connections of the past and future, and the history of the times.

I feel that if I leave a film and still want to ask questions or read the book, then it has done its job of entertaining and illuminating my mind.

At a Glance:

See if you can find not only the zingers (sayings which refer to another film or event of our era) but other lines which will survive the film and become a part of history.  Also, don’t forget to watch the characters as you will not believe what makeup can do, or maybe you can.  I was shocked when I looked up the movie and found out who played which parts.

If you go to see this film, please feel free to write us, http://commuter.linnbenton.edu/, and let us know what you think of this film.

http://cloudatlas.warnerbros.com/

Cholestrol-A Great Tasting Killer

A GREAT TASTING KILLER

            While taking the Health and Fitness class, as a requirement to graduate from Linn Benton Community College, I was astounded to find out that the major causes of death in 2007 were heart disease (615,651), stroke (133,900), diabetes Mellitis (70,905), kidney disease (46,095), Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis (28,504), and hypertension --high blood pressure—(23,769) for a total of 918,824 that year.  There were half of the total deaths for that year with contributing factors of tobacco (440,000) and obesity (112,000), which are controllable factors.

            Therefore, the major addictive factor of smoking is controllable by each individual. 

            However, our other addictive habit, bad eating habits is the topic I am addressing in this paper.   Over the years there have been many studies done and the major cause of all of the diseases mentioned above is the over eating habits and sedentary lifestyle in this progressive society.  As Americans, we need to change the way we are advancing into the next century.  No matter how many new parts we can replace in our body, we need to take a look at our way of life and make some serious changes.

            One of the major contributors from our over eating habits is our high cholesterol  levels.  Before the twentieth century, we did not have such a mobile society nor did we have the many places to eat, where we do not have control of the products we eat.

Even in very small towns, there are numerous fast foods places, which distribute gross amounts of cholesterol-laden foods, mostly pre-processed for consumption.   The cholesterol intake in America has increased dramatically due to many reasons, including the fact that many are working far away from home and only get between one half  to one hour for lunch and must find an alternative to home cooked meals of the past.  Some people are changing their habits by brown-bagging it each day.

From the National Vital Statistics Reports Volume 59 No. 4 March 16, 2011 website, the numbers are virtually the same.  What is cholesterol and how is it possibly causing so many deaths and disabilities?

Cholesterol is a natural chemical compound, which is produced by our body from the food products we eat. It is carried in the bloodstream by lipoproteins that contain lipids (fats) and proteins.  However, I did not know that there are “good” cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol.

High density lipoprotein (HDL) is the good cholesterol and helps to prevent most of the above mentioned causes of death.  HDLs takes cholesterol from the cells and

sends it back to the liver, where it is either expelled from the body, stored in the bodyfor future use, or broken down right away for usage.  HDLs help sustain the cell membranes with crystallization of hydrocarbons in the cell membrane. 

Some of the other functions of HDL are production of sex hormones, production of bile in the liver, conversion of sunshine to vitamin D and other fat soluble vitamins, such as A, E, and K in the bloodstream.  Scientists have determined that HDL cholesterol also determines which molecules pass into cells, is essential in the production of hormones which are released by the adrenal glands, and protects nerve fibers.  Atherosclerosis, a form of arteriosclerosis (thickening and hardening of small and medium-sized arteries), in which “bad” cholesterol forms plaque, is greatly reduced by HDLs.  The thickening and hardening of the arteries is caused by too much LDL in the body.

Low density cholesterol (LDL), often referred to as “bad” cholesterol is not only found in the food we eat but is also inherited as a gene which causes people to eat too much.  Add this gene, along with our bad eating habits, and some people have a really horrible time trying to defeat the “bad” cholesterol monster.   The body does need this cholesterol but only in small amounts.  LDL carries cholesterol from the liver to cells but if there is too much, it is dangerous to the human body.

Another lipoprotein, very low density, (VLDL) is helps fats and cholesterol navigate throughout our mostly water body.  Wikipedia states that VLDL “functions as the body's internal transport mechanism for lipids.”

Finally, not the last lipoproteins, for this paper are triglycerides.  These triglycerides are made in our body but can come from other sources, such as carbohydrates.  Triglycerides, not used by the body, are stored in fat cells. So you can see that the amount of these items, not used by the body, cause most of the problems of the major killers of humans.

Lipoproteins and glucose, a sugar made in the blood, are the primary sources of energy for the body.  When the lipoproteins and glucose are in excess in the body for a long period of time, the odds of becoming diseased are highly probable.

The acceptable levels of all of the above, per Fit and Well:

Total cholesterol (mg/dl) should be less than 200.

LDL cholesterol  (mg/dl) should be less than 130.

HDL cholesterol (mg/dl) should be more than 60.

Triglycerides (mg/dl) should be less than 150.

Per Wikipedia, the normal Human Glucose Blood Test results should be 70 - 130 (mg/dL) before meals and less than 180 mg/dL after meals.

I had gastric bypass in 2003 and had to drastically change my diet.  For example, the Thanksgiving after my surgery, I fixed a plate and everyone in my family burst out laughing and I did not get the joke.  I had fixed a plate as I would have eaten the year before and it took me days to finish it.  I lost over 100 pounds and started realizing that I could walk and entered a few charity walks of at least five miles.  When I tried to eat some of the foods, rich in carbohydrates and sugars, I found my body could not process them and I went into something similar to a diabetic coma but you are upright and can comprehend what is going on but cannot do anything physically.

Because of my genetics (half of my family is extremely apple-shaped), I did not want to walk around with that extra weight on my body, so I had gastric bypass to accomplish my goal.  My father died of diabetes, my mother has low blood sugar, and my great grandmother died from cancer.

Heart disease and diabetes are a part of my history, so I will have to watch my diet and health for the rest of my life.  Eating more HDLs and small amounts of LDLs and triglycerides will make my body will perform better. 

When I started this paper, I was sure I would not be able to fill five full pages on

cholesterol but I find that I have more to say. 

There are many diets out there to help lower your cholesterol, so be careful as each should be studied because we need some cholesterol, glucose, and triglycerides of the good and bad kind to survive successfully.   

Thank you for this opportunity to understand why my body is so adverse to carbohydrates and glycogens.  The parts of the stomach and intestines which help to process these have been removed from my body and, therefore, they are not broken down, digested, and stored but rejected by my body.  I had to change my way of life totally after the bypass and thought there was no more information to be gained by this class.  Thank you for proving me wrong!!

 

 

New "Math Book Camp" at LBCC

Has it been years since you took math and you took the test to see where you will be placed this year and you feel the level is not correct?

 Do you feel you should have been in a higher level of math, after taking the entrance test? 

There is a new program which will help you with you. This refresher course takes one week and will review all the essential math skills to help you score higher.

If you have already taken the test, you can pay only $39 and meet with the class for 2 hours a day from September 17-21 at Linn Benton Community College.

 After the course, you will be allowed to retake the entrance test for math to score higher.

There is no credit for this course but it not only may save you money, time and refresh your math skills before school starts.

For more information or to sign up, contact Hollis Duncan at duncanh@linnbenton.edu (541-917-4758).

Hollis Duncan offering opportunity to grade higher in Math test at LBCC.

Math Boot Camp is class- CRN 24764, meeting in South Santiam room 127

Watch what you sign announcement!!!! Sierra Springs Water Co.

On August 1, 2012, I thought I had found the most perfect place to get drinking water for my family.  LOL!!! I signed a service agreement with DS Water of America, Inc., 4170 Tanners Creek Dr., Flowery Branch, Georgia 30542, 1-800-4-WATERS for a free month of water cooler usage and 2-five gallon jars of water (free).

Please be aware that there are 2 different time limits on the contract, a year long contract and a period to period.  We were not asked which we wanted but were signed up for a year long contract by the salesman, Lonnie Richey.  There is no place on the contract for the customer to initial that they have agreed to this year long contract.

During all of my dealings with companies, many companies have failed because they do things that are not above board. I am a 63 year old student on social security and do not know how long I will live where I am.  So there is no way I would have signed for a year long contract, knowingly.

It is now 8/24/2012 and we have gotten only those 2-five gallon jugs of water, even though we called the company the first week to ask for more water to be delivered.  We were informed this would happen right away and, lo and behold, it is going to be Monday, 8/27/2012 before we get our next delivery.

Of course we have been buying water since the first week and will NOT be getting a reimbursement of the time we did not use the water cooler, which was supposed to be free the first month.

Per Alex, operator #7138, who claims he is a supervisor with the company, they are extremely sorry that we have not had a delivery but we did get the cooler for the first month free.  He further informed me that there had been a mixup in our delivery information, but we would not be compensated for this mistake.

We could not refill the bottles, so therefore we could not have used the cooler after the first week.

I lived in the South for the first 17 years of my life and this is NOT Southern hospitality, nor is it good business practice.

If a customer is going to be charged a $200 fee for cancellation before the year is out, then the representative or salesperson is obligated to make sure the customer is aware of hidden fees.  After working in the cable industry for 22 years, I know that our company succeeded because we made sure our customers were aware of all fees before signing up for service.

This company services under 10 different names: Alhambra, Athena, Belmont Springs, Crystal Springs, Hinckley Springs, Kentwood Springs, Mount Olympus, Sierra Springs, Sparkletts, and Coast to Coast.

Please be aware of this practice by this company and check before you sign.

A Giving Relay for Life

A Giving Relay

In 2011, The Hood to Coast Relay recorded $517,000 fundraised to support the American Cancer Society.  Last year there were 1250 Hood to Coast teams, 400 Portland to Coast Walk teams, 50 High School Challenge Teams with 4100 race volunteers.

Along with raising money for the American Cancer Society, this race strives to make the public aware of the Organ donation program and the different ways to contribute.

From a personal point of view, the organ donation program has been a god send to my family.  Over 21 years ago, my mother-in-law, Floydene, was given a new life by a liver donor.  The family has been thankful for all the precious time we have had with our loved one.

One team member from Linn Benton Community College is Christine Boone.  In 1996, Christine lost a sister to Cerebral Palsy and she was able to donate her cornea, helping two people.

 Boone is walking in honor of her brother, Terry, who died in 2004 of complications from his Cerebral Palsy.  Terry was pronounced brain dead, while in the hospital and his family did not hesitate to designate him an organ, eye, and tissue donor.  Because his heart, liver, kidneys, pancreas and cornea were donated, a lot of lives were saved. 

Boone uses her brother, Terry, as her inspiration for all her races and “when she is in pain, she thinks about the constant pain Terry suffered without complaint, just being happy to be alive.  Terry taught Christine to love and live everyday to the fullest.

Hoping to inspire others to sign up on the donor registry with her love of life, so more people have the opportunity to live longer, fuller, and richer lives, two of Christine’s friends from Linn Benton have joined the team for the race.

 

The Hood to Coast Relay was founded in 1982 by Robert Foote with only 8 teams the first year.

Jude M. Hubber, Vice President, Marketing and Public Relations for the Hood to Coast/Portland to Coast Relays, relates that the event is so successful that they had “to turn away over 50% of the teams that apply. On August 24, we will have 1050 Team of 12 for the OfficeMax Hood to Coast Relay, 400 teams of 12 for the LifeMap Portland to Coast Walk Relay, and teams of 12 for the Muscle Milk Portland to Coast High School Challenge Relay, for a total of 17,000 participants.” 

Karen Werstein, owner of Werstein Communications, relates that that one local team in particular is thrilled every year it gets to participate, The Transplant Trotters, is celebrating their 10 year anniversary in the relays. 

Werstein said, last year, Robert Foote, the founder of Hood to Coast announced publicly for the first time that he is also a organ transplant recipient.

 

Today there are over 112,000 people waiting for transplants, nationally with approximately 1,000 from Oregon state.

If organs are usable, donations at time of death are eyes, skin, bone, connective tissues, heart valves, veins, kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas and small intestines.  Also, while living, a person can donate blood, bone marrow, one kidney and a portion of a lung or liver.

Mary Jane Hunt, Executive Director of Donate Life Northwest, started in 1985 with responsibilities which “included fund development (event planning) and building a statewide speaker’s bureau with transplant recipients.” 

After being promoted to executive director in 1990, Hunt had “the privilege of not only working at growing an organization but experiencing the expansion of public awareness and acceptance of organ, eye and tissue donation.”  When Hunt began, she “recalls speaking to groups and asking if anyone in the audience knew of someone who had a transplant or was a donor.  Occasionally, someone would say yes.  More often now, almost anyone I meet knows someone who received a transplant, or was a donor.”

Hunt is proud to say Oregon has 2.1 million or 71% of licensed drivers over the age of 18 registered for organ donation and this make Oregon number 3 nationally. 

For the last 14 years straight, the event has sold out on opening day, which is usually in October of the previous year.

Hubber says ANYONE can participate from world class athletes, beginners, sight impaired, hearing impaired, wounded warriors, cancer survivors, elderly (if you consider 84 elderly), wheelchair users to name a few.  There will be teams from all 50 states and 36 countries this year per Hubber.

Rob Priewe, a Linn Benton Instructor and advisor to The Commuter, has been involved in the relay for the last 10 years.  "He is excited each year he gets the opportunity to participate as only about half the teams that sign up are allowed into the event.  Even with some of the unexpected traffic jams that hindered his team's finish last year, Priewe is looking forward to this year's relay."

Seaside--with a resident population of some 6,400--gets a bit overwhelmed, when 2,000 teams, along with volunteers and non-participants, converge on the town.

Over the years, Priewe said, his teams have usually finished the 200-mile relay between 26 and 30 hours. 

At a Glance:

August 24 and 25- starting at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood and finishing in Seaside, OR.
There is a beach party with roughly 60,000 people attending in Seaside, Oregon. 

Click this link for the map:  http://www.hoodtocoast.com/course-maps

To contribute or get information on the race for next year, go to http://www.donatelifenw.org/content/make-gift.

http://www.unos.org/donation/index.php a cite to correlate all transplant information across the U. S.

MOVIE: On 1/11/11 The Hood To Coast Movie premiered in theaters across the country, documenting the story of four teams, their lives and their journies to complete the race

PHONE: 503-292-4626
CONTACT US

 

What it takes to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor:

4 ways to register

1. Code your driver’s license, permit or identification card as a donor

2. In Oregon, anyone 13 years and older can sign up on the Donor Registry at

www.donatelifenw.org

3. Request a paper form at 800.452.1369

4. Register via Facebook

Donovan came to Fairy World

My daughter, Deena, granddaughter, Aaliyah (2 weeks old) and my husband, Bill went to see Donovan on Sunday, 7/29/12.  Her are some of the photos taken by Bill Palmtag of the day.

Deena and Aaliyah enjoy Donovan at FaerieWorld in Eugene 7/29

Faerie World is for all ages, creeds, breeds and people.

Another specie is available for viewing at the Fair.

Even the Black Knight was available at the Fair.

Adam, Deena and Aaliyah really had fun at the fair.

Donovan gave his usual great performance per my family.  It will be a family affair next year.

New Life restores LOVE

Born 7/17/12, Aaliyah Palmtag weighed in at a huge 6 lb. 12 oz with a 19 inch length, head size 19 and lots and lots of hair.

Of course to a grandmother, she is perfect and adorable and all the other stupid things grandmothers are allowed to say.

She was welcomed into the world by family and friends of which she has more than her share.

Jessica McLaughlin sits with Deena in Jacuzzi room at birthing center.

Aaliyah is at her first Sunday brunch in Brownsville Oregon 7/29/12

Dr. Larson delivered our bundle of Joy 7/17/12

Aaliyah on her first car ride 7/19/12.

Aaliyah, this is your first posed shot and this is how hard you slept.

Wolverine (Wolf) guarding his baby.  He is so possessive of the baby that he follows her around the house.

Jamie, Deena's nurse, who helped through all the pain and discomfort with grace.

Aaliyah made a knot in her cord, which the doctor pointed out and laughed.

Aaliyah's first church service and is held by Shareen, who gives praise crazily.

More WAR pictures

Marcos is heating up the drums with WAR.

One of the older viewers of WAR listens in.

One of the many happy dancers showing her stuff at WAR.

Lonnie shows his crazy side to the audience and they love it.

Trolley service for the River Rhythms is provided by the City.

WAR performed before thousands 7/26 in Monteith Park.