The Lookout Volume 55 Issue 1

thelookoutLansing Community College’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1959

Volume 55, Issue 1www.lcc.edu/lookout

Sept. 3-15, 2013

Welcome Week events set

Harriers off and running

Breaking Bad gets high marks

Features >> Page 5Sports >> Page 7 A&E >> 0

Nathan WilsonCo-Editor in Chief

With LCC’s Arts & Sciences Building near-ing completion, the col-lege has major changes planned for the Gannon Building come fall semes-ter 2013.

According to Dean of Students Evan Montague, the second floor of the Gannon Building will be vacated in October or

November to allow for construction of a student services area. The con-struction will take place through April of 2014.

The Gannon renova-tions are part of the $67 million bond issuance ap-proved by the LCC Board of Trustees July 30, 2012.

The $67 million is fi-nanced through $10 mil-lion in capital outlay funds from the state, $1.3 million from LCC Foun-

dation capital funds, col-lege designated funds of $11.4 million, and $45 mil-lion from a bond issuance.

Montague said many services will be relocated to the lower level of Wash-ington Court Place until construction is complete. Direct student service space will be moved to the TLC Building.

“We have a lot of chal-lenges,” Montague said. “We’re going to have to

figure out where to serve students in the interim.

“We will be clear about communicating where students go to get support and to get the services that they need … Some student service areas are only going to move once to a permanent space.”

Services to be relocated on a permanent basis will include Admissions, Re-

New, improved A&S opens doorsJaimie BozackNews Editor

After a summer filled with sounds of con-struction, dust flying everywhere and count-less trucks going back and forth, the LCC Arts & Sciences Building is fi-nally complete and open for the fall semester.

The $31 million proj-ect started in November of 2012 and wrapped up just before students started arriving on cam-pus, according to Dean of Arts and Sciences Mi-chael Nealon.

The transformation is big. Students have barely been able to rec-ognize the inside of the 45-year-old building.

“People step into this lobby and the first thing out of their mouth is always ‘wow,’” Nealon said.

The building was gut-

ted out and completely re-done. Not a single wall in the new build-ing was from the origi-

nal structure, according to Nealon.

With the new build-ing comes new designs,

features and attractions. Some of the newest fea-tures include the Learn-ing Commons, Center

for Transitional Learn-ing, Writing Center, Writer’s Walk and Sci-ence Innovation Center,

which includes a plan-etarium. Students also have a large amount of places to gather and study.

“There are hundreds of seats and places for students and their friends to sit down, plug in, log into vid-eo monitors, write on walls and really just hang out,” Nealon said.

LCC student Steve Atkin said he is very ex-cited to have such great places to study during his downtime on cam-pus.

“My favorite part and new place is the Learn-ing Commons because it’s a really nice, new space that has the best fish tank ever,” Atkin said.

Students already ea-ger to get back to school became more eager

Tyler Adams, a biomedical engineering major, studies calculus in the A&S Learning Commons Thurs. Aug. 29.Photo by Suzanna Powers

Renovations set for fall semesterSee A&S, page 2

See Gannon, page 2

Photo by Suzanna PowersGannon renovations are scheduled to begin in the middle of fall semester 2013.


Beginning in fall semester 2013, LCC will of-fer a new curriculum to meet the demand for certified fitness professionals.

According to Amy Stoakes, Physical Fitness and Wellness director, the Professional Fitness Leader program will be a “stackable” cur-riculum, allowing students to earn certificates while building toward their degree.

Over the course of six semesters, students can earn a certification of completion as a group fitness instructor, certificate of achieve-ment as a personal trainer, and an associate’s degree in Applied Science as a professional fit-ness leader.

“Within the first two semesters, (students) can become a group fitness instructor and be prepared to take a national certification exam,” Stoakes said.

“If they want to continue on, they add two more semesters to do the personal trainer cer-tification … Two more semesters will allow them to finish their associates in Applied Sci-

ence.”The curriculum guides can be found on

www.lcc.edu under the following codes: 1704 for Group Fitness Instructor, 1705 for Personal Trainer and 1703 for Professional Fitness Lead-er.

“In 2012, Gov. Rick Snyder launched a pro-gram called the Michigan Health and Wellness 4 x 4 Plan,” Stoakes said. “He did that because, according to the behavioral risk survey that was done in Michigan, Michigan’s obesity rate was 30 to 35 percent, which is higher than the

national obesity rate.“He was encouraging people to take per-

sonal responsibility of their own health. We thought most people don’t know where to get started or how to get motivated … so we thought we would answer that demand by creating this new curriculum.”

According to Stoakes, the Professional Fit-ness Leader program is designed to provide students with an excellent foundation of knowledge. Through this program, students will learn about physiology during exercise, biomechanics, sport and exercise psychology, and working with diverse populations.

“We’ve had a lot of interest in this program from people who have a degree in nutrition or a degree in something else,” Stoakes said. “This is good for people who are just starting their education path but also for those people who are interested in this field and want to come back to school.”

For more information on the Professional Fitness Leader program, contact Physical Fit-ness and Wellness at (517) 483-1227 or the Aca-demic Advising Center at (517) 483-1904.

Sept. 3-15, 2013www.lcc.edu/lookout

NEWS2

when they learned of some of the cool features the building has to offer.

“I really enjoyed the high-tech feel of the build-ing,” said LCC student Ervin Ansley. “They have stuff in the classrooms that I could only imagine the Jetsons having.”

The new A&S Building is filled with technology and is focused on help-ing prepare students for the new job market and future. Writing on walls, multimedia centers and state-of-the-art smart boards are just the begin-ning of the endless new things A&S has to offer.

“As you wander through the building, you realize how trans-formed this building re-ally is and how much good it will bring for the future of LCC students,” Nealon said.

cords and Registration.Montague said classes

will continue in some parts of the Gannon Building; mainly away from the con-struction.

Other interior renova-tions include the student commons center, which will replace the recently closed swimming pool.

According to LCC Direc-tor of Public Affairs Ellen Jones, the first phase of the

Gannon Building renova-tions will include exterior work, beginning in October. These changes will include new glass on the east side of the building–where the pool was located–and improve-ments to the mall entrance.

Student Life Coordinator Patti Ayers said she is look-ing forward to the transition to a service-oriented space.

“It is very exciting antici-pating the changes that will take place in the Gannon Building over the next sev-

eral months,” Ayers said.“My understanding is that

the renovations will create an even more open and ac-cessible LCC student servic-es experience. I am looking forward to seeing the com-pleted project.”

A&S

GannonContinued from page 1

Continued from page 1

Students enjoy relaxing study space on campus

Nursing majors Doris Maupin (left) and Marie Hertly eat lunch in the sunny basement of the HHS building Aug. 23.Freshman Emily Noel (below) studies psychology in the amphitheater Aug. 29.

Students (above) relax during downtime in between classes in the outside amphitheater.

The Fitness Center in GB 270 will be used for the Professional Fitness Leader program in fall.

Photos by Suzanna Powers

Photo by Nathan Wilson

LCC offers Professional Fitness Leader curriculum for fall semester


NEWS3

IN BRIEFNews

I walked into the newspa-per room for the first time, eager to get to work as news editor and meet the other staff members. Instead, I found five blank stares pointing me in the direction of the actual newspaper of-fice down the hall.

I walked into the newspa-per room after pacing back and forth still very eager to get to work as news editor and meet the staff members.

This is my first year on The Lookout staff and I’m already enjoying it. Free pizza at the first-day meeting? They had me at that. Now I’ll never leave.

This is also my first year attending Lansing Commu-nity College. I worked on my high school newspaper at Everett High School as a features editor for my senior

year. It was the best experi-ence I’d ever had and when I graduated.

I knew I wanted to keep pursuing it. When I was ac-cepted as the news editor here at The Lookout, I was not only honored but also some-where between tears and a heart attack.

I am very happy to be a part of such a great publi-cation and I want to do my best to keep it great. Right now I’m looking at current

editors who’ve been on staff for two or more years and it’s a little like looking at ce-lebrities.

It’s kind of overwhelm-ing knowing all that they do and have done for The Look-out but it’s also kind of excit-ing and inspiring to know I could end up where they are a few years down the road.

For now, I’m new just like many of you. I’m lost on the first day of class, already worried about homework and dreading becoming so-cially awkward.

Despite all that, I will work hard to be a great and amazing journalist and edi-tor. I look forward to writ-ing and serving the LCC community. If you ever have any story ideas or need assistance, email me at [email protected].

Auditions for Agnes of God will be held Tuesday, Aug. 27 from 8 to 10 p.m. in GB 168. There are multiple parts that can be auditioned

for. Some involve singing tal-ent and some don’t. For more information, contact Paige Dunckel at [email protected] or (517) 285-8929.

Nathan Wilson Co-Editor in Chief

A new pay-by-space meter system is scheduled to go live in the Gannon Ramp Monday, Sept. 16.

“There will be 24 pay-by-space meters for use by all 966 parking spac-es in the ramp,” said Ellen Jones, director of LCC Public Affairs. “Each meter can accept payment for any ramp parking space.”

Lot U and F were scheduled to transition to the pay-by-space sys-tem, but due to electri-cal issues, the transition has been delayed until spring semester 2014.

According to Tonya VanderMeer from LCC Communications and Marketing, the new parking rates for the Gannon Ramp, Lot U and Lot F will be $1 per hour and 50 cents per half-hour. The previous rates were 80 cents per hour and 40 cents per half-hour.

Currently, parking is free in the Gannon Ramp and Lots U and F. According to Eric Glohr, LCC director of Auxilia-ry Services, free parking will end on Friday, Sept.

13 at 5 p.m. Hours of operation

are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thurs-day and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday.

According to Vander-Meer, students will park their vehicle as usual and make a note of the three-digit or four-digit parking space number. Students may then find the nearest pay station

and press any key to wake it from power sav-ing mode.

After inputting the space number, the stu-dent will select “1” to pay for parking and determine the length of stay. Exact change, VISA or MasterCard are accepted as forms of payment. The time the parking space will ex-pire will be printed on

the receipt.“One of the benefits of

the meters is that it in-tegrates well with other parking technologies like cell phone payment systems,” Jones said.

“So if a student is in class and needs more time on the meter, they can pay from where they are sitting. The real plus for users is conve-nience, both with pay-

ing for parking and be-ing able to exit without stopping at a booth.”

According to Van-derMeer, the app for pay-by-phone and ex-tend-by-phone is from Parkmobile. Students can set up a free account for a smart phone or iPad at www.parkmobile.com.

Each transaction is 35 cents in addition to the parking fees.

According to Vander-Meer, students can pur-chase semester passes for the Gannon Ramp for $300 per semester (fall and spring) and $150 for summer semester.

LCC employees, fac-ulty and staff can buy passes for $300 per year. These passes are avail-able for purchase at Parking and ID Services in the Gannon Building room 215.1.

“Lansing Community College is transition-ing to a new parking system, pay-by-space, which should reduce queuing at the entrance to the parking ramp and the parking lots, and should allow for speed-ier exits,” said Glohr.

“With the new system being implemented this fall, Lansing Commu-nity College will work with students, employ-ees and visitors to be-come familiar with how the system works, and the pay-by-phone and extend-by-phone op-tions will offer a speed-ier way to pay for park-ing.”

For more information, visit lcc.edu/parking or contact Parking & ID Services at 517-483-1798.

— Just Jaimie —

Ready to start fresh at LCC

Pay-by-space parking goes live Sept. 16

Stay safe at college with ‘You Can Fight’ appActress and third-degree

black belt Helen Anzalone Gordon recently released an app to help female students stay safe while walking on and off campus. The app gives tips and video tutori-

als of how to use self-defense in all types of situations. The “You Can Fight” app can be downloaded at the iTunes App Store, with Google Play or through the website www.youcanfightapp.com.

Take advantage of free tutoring in A&SThe Lansing Community

College Learning Commons is offering free tutoring for Reading, Writing, ESOL, and Math 052-112. Students must reserve a weekly appoint-

ment by calling 517-483-1206 or going to the A&S Building room 108. There will also be a few drop-in opportunities for math, science, and account-ing.

Auditions for Agnes of God set for Aug. 27

Photo courtesy of LCC’s Flickr

The LCC Gannon ramp will soon be the site of new pay-by-space parking meters. Prices will be $1 per hour.

Jeremy Kohn Staff Writer

Have you ever had aspirations to become a world class crime fighter and detective just like Batman?

If the answer to this question is “yes,” then LCC’s Criminal Justice Club might be the per-fect fit for you.

The registered stu-dent organization meets every second and fourth Wednesday at LCC’s West Campus in room U236 at 4 p.m.

“Criminal Justice Club is an opportunity for Criminal Justice majors to get experi-ence and network with people through LCC,” said Kayla Rae, head adviser of the student organization.

Although primarily a club for those major-ing in Criminal Justice, anyone is welcome to

join for free.“Criminal Justice

Club has been around for a while, but we are always trying to find new ways to improve and reinvent our-selves,” Rae explained. “We encourage those who are interested to join.”

Criminal Justice Club President Cas-sidy Platte spoke about the many different people who attend the group.

“We have had people join Criminal Justice Club that were not only interested in the law enforcement as-pect, but also juvenile counseling as well as some aspiring law stu-dents,” Platte said.

Cassidy also de-scribed what the stu-dents can learn upon joining the Criminal Justice Club.

“Those who par-ticipate will learn the professional side of communicating, whether it is dealing with juveniles or adult criminals and learning how to present oneself through a professional networking system,” Platte said.

Cassidy’s duties as president include planning and orga-nizing the many field trips the group mem-bers plan on attending.

Some of this year’s possible events in-clude a visit to Jackson Prison, an outing to a shooting range, an on-campus police acad-emy presentation and a laser tag LCC Home-coming event.

In order to help pay for their outings as well as meals, the club members raise money through fundraisers.

Some of the fun-draisers in the past years have included a breakfast where dona-tions were received, a coupon book through

the retail store Younk-ers, as well as gener-ous donations from NCG Cinemas.

Anyone interested in joining the Lansing

Community College Criminal Justice Club can contact Kayla Rae by phone at 517-483-1167 or by email at [email protected].


FEATURES4

A case of law & order comes to LCC

Photo courtesy of Criminal Justice Club

LCC’s Criminal Justice Club is available for anyone to join. The Club meets everysecond and fourth Wednesday at LCC’s West Campus in room U236 at 4 p.m.


FEATURES5


New and returning stu-dents will have a long list of activities to look forward to during Welcome Week 2013 from Tuesday, Sept. 3 to Fri-day, Sept. 6.

“Welcome Week is de-signed to acclimate students to the campus,” said Josh West from Student Life.

Welcome Week will begin with the Student Life Open House on Tuesday, Sept. 3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in GB 218. Free refreshments will be available and students can gain plenty of informa-tion about LCC’s Start Here, Get There campus visits.

According to Director of Student Life Al Nowak, there will be a Start Here, Get There trip to Central Michigan University on Sat-urday, Sept. 21. Nowak said Student Life would like to hear from students about which campuses they would like to visit in the future.

A total of 40 students can reserve their spot on the bus for a $5 deposit, which is re-

funded when they show up. “It’s a very valuable expe-

rience, and we want to make sure that we fill the bus so students can take full advan-tage of those opportunities,” Nowak said. Students can sign up for a scheduled trip or suggest a campus they would like to visit at http://lcc.edu/studentlife/student_re-sources/college_visits.aspx

There will also be a “Keys to Success” campus scaven-ger hunt, which takes stu-dents on a tour of the various departments and resources across LCC. Completed key-cards can be returned to GB 218. The winner will be an-nounced during a drawing on Friday, Sept. 6.

On Wednesday, Sept. 4, there will be a Registered Student Organization (RSO) and Local Business Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Washington Mall. Accord-ing to Nowak, the fair will be an opportunity for stu-dent clubs to recruit mem-bers and help students get involved on campus.

“We know that when stu-dents are involved, they

tend to be more likely to stay in school and succeed,” Nowak said.

A rock climbing wall courtesy of the U.S. Army will also be available in the Washington Mall for stu-dents who want to test their strength and physical prow-ess. At 3 p.m. in the outdoor amphitheatre, there will be a

magical comedy show, fea-turing magician Josh McVic-ar “The Trickster.”

Thursday, Sept. 5 will in-clude an alcohol-free Happy Hour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in GB 218.

At the same time, a carica-ture artist will be available on the second floor of the Gannon Building to capture

students’ essence on paper.Welcome Week 2013 will

conclude Friday, Sept. 6 with a prize drawing at noon and free cookies from Insom-nia Cookies on the Gannon Building second floor lobby.

For additional information about LCC’s Welcome Week 2013, visit http://lcc.edu/stu-dentlife/


Looking for a good cause to support; one that includes music, food and physical ac-tivity? AIDS Walk Michigan will provide just that oppor-

tunity in Valley Court Park in East Lansing on Sunday, Sept. 29.

AIDS Walk Michigan launched in 1998 to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, as well as raise funds for local AIDS service organi-

zations, according to aidswalk-michigan.org.

LCC’s Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) is one of the teams par-ticipating in the annual event this year.

According to GSA Presi-dent Frank Vaca, proceeds

from the event will go to the Lansing Area AIDS Network (LAAN) to fund research and treatment options for AIDS and HIV.

“We’re going to have a literature table, of course, throughout August and Sep-tember up to the walk, trying to collect donations,” Vaca said. “We’re trying to raise $250 this year.”

According to Vaca, GSA participated in the Michigan Pride Festival in Old Town on Saturday, Aug. 24 to raise ad-ditional funds for the walk.

More information about the festival can be found at http://www.michiganpride.org/

Todd Heywood, a client of LAAN, said he also plans on forming a team for AIDS Walk Michigan.

Heywood said events like this are important because In-gham County has the highest prevalence of HIV outside of Detroit in the state of Michi-gan.

Making matters worse, the amount of money coming from the federal government to fund local HIV services has

been shrinking, according to Heywood.

“By the end of next year, we will have a total of a 33-per-cent cut to all HIV prevention services in the state of Michi-gan,” Heywood said. “We have a big crisis here (in In-gham County) and we don’t have the money to address it.”

Heywood, who was diag-nosed with HIV in 2007, said he encourages everyone to get tested for HIV.

“If you have been diag-nosed with HIV, it is not the end of your life,” Heywood said. “It is going to change your life, but it is not the end of your life.

“If you don’t have money, volunteer time at the Lan-sing Area AIDS Network … If you have the resources or the time, do fundraisers. They need money.”

For additional info about registration for AIDS Walk Michigan, signing up for a team, and the schedule of events, visit http://www.kin-tera.org/ faf /home/defaultw.asp?ievent=1075525

LCC welcomes new, returning students

LCC Director of Student Life Al Nowak (middle) discusses Welcome Week 2013 activities with Stu-dent Life employees Jacob Hartges (left) and Rachel Strother (right) during a meeting Aug. 28.

Photo by Nathan Wilson

Stomping out AIDS one step at a time

Members of LCC’s Gay Straight Alliance and Latinos Unidos participate during the 2012 AIDS Walk Michigan in East Lansing to bring awareness to millions of people who have the disease.

Photo Ccurtesy of Frank Vaca

Got something you want to sell? Advertise it in The Lookout’s classified section. Ads are just $8.50 for 20 words or less. For more information, or

to place an ad, contact Ad Manager Lurah Peterson at 517-483-1295.


SPORTS6

Richard SchenckSports Editor

First-year LCC Head Coach Emily Quintero has been given the reins to the volleyball program where she was once a player a de-cade ago.

“This is where my roots are, so I’m coming back and hoping to rebuild the pro-gram back to where it was,” Quintero said.

She said some of her goals include taking the team to nationals, being competitive and bringing the league title to LCC.

With a new coach comes a new philosophy and a new di-rection for the season. As with any new season, let alone a new coaching staff, unknowns may linger as the season be-gins. But returning sopho-more Carly Darrow said she does not see a change in the guard creating anything but opportunities for the squad.

“(Quintero) is a lot different than our coach from last year,” Darrow said. “She is pushing us so much that I don’t see

how we can’t succeed this year … It’s a whole team adjust-ment, especially for us return-ers. We are not exactly used to her, but we all love her.”

As with every past new sea-son new season, the volleyball team reaches out the Lansing area and opens its “All Star” volleyball camp for grades four through 12. This camp gives children the opportu-nity to learn the sport, and it also raises crucial funds for the Stars to keep their program running and successful every year.

Every program that LCC offers emphasizes the impor-tance of character, responsi-bility and discipline a student athlete must possess in order to be successful in life. It is camps like this that reflect that philosophy with the players.

The morale among the LCC volleyball team is very opti-mistic about the fresh start for the 2013 season.

“We are definitely going to be competitive with the league, give every team a run for their money,” Quintero said. “We are definitely going

to be the underdogs.”A new coach, new players,

and an underdog mentality can be the strongest pillars for

a team to reach success. That fact has been proved time and time again in the world of ath-letics.

The 2013 volleyball sched-ule and times can be found at www.lcc.edu/athletics/volleyball/schedule.

New coach, new direction for spikers

Photo by Suzanna PowersLCC volleyball players Morgan Wilson (from left), Elizabeth Skaryd, Mariah Jackson and Carly Darrow do warmups during practice Aug. 26.

Richard SchenckSports Editor

It is not often that a sports program comes in with two different situations entering a new season. But with the men’s and women’s cross country teams at LCC, it is in fact reality.

One team has an embar-rassment of riches; the other a small but very strong core.

Regardless of the circum-stances, there is nothing but high hopes and high expec-tations for the 2013 season.

LCC Assistant Coach Jim Robinson said he has no doubt the upcoming season will yield nothing but posi-tive progress and outstand-ing performances.

“We have some very strong second year runners, so I think we are going to have a real strong group of runners up front,” Robinson said.

“We have the biggest team we’ve ever had. But it’s not just big; the group of in-coming runners are really good.”

With a big roster, as with any team, competition will

be at an all-time high. “A lot of guys want to be

that guy,” Robinson said.He pointed out runners

Chris Gantt and Joe Marrah as the leaders for the Stars in 2013.

Marrah said he noticed the schedule reflects the prog-ress that Head Coach Chuck Block wants the men’s team to have in 2013.

“You can tell in the way he’s shifted the schedule that we are running four or five meets as a division one school,” Marrah said. “We have high aspirations for the National Championship meet.”

Sophomore runners Vivi-ana Alamillo and Jessica D’Haene said they aren’t buying the “strength in numbers” concept some teams like to follow.

“We’ve got a lot of talent,” D’Haene said. “We’ve got a lot of returning girls and incoming girls. We are go-ing to have a good team this year.”

Alamillo echoed her team-mate’s vision of a successful 2013 season.

“All we need to do is build

off from all the practices and hard workouts,” Alamillo said. “Once we have all that, we’ll be definitely top three and definitely region-al champs.”

Based on the runners’ comments, LCC should have two very talented teams for the 2013 season. There will be depth and tal-ent on every level, constant

competition and the drive for success that will elevate each runner.

Men’s and women’s schedules can be found at http://www.lcc.edu/athletics/.


SPORTS7

Recent anti-gay laws passed in Russia led to international outcry of the veiled communist nation.

Victorious in the 4 x 400 during the recent IAAF Track Champion-ships in Moscow, Rus-sian runners Kseniya Rzyhova and Tatyana Firov kissed each other while appearing on the medal stand during the medal presentation.

With that act of defi-ance, these two women have taken the path of Tommie Smith and John Carlos and utilized the spotlight of international sport as a plateau for hu-man rights.

Bar owners can pour all the vodka they want down the drain, celebri-ties can plead their opin-ions on late time televi-sion shows, but what can make Russian President Vladimir Putin squirm more than having his own athletes make a mockery of his ideals?

Russia and the city of Sochi have signed docu-ments adhering to the Olympic moral guide-lines of no discrimination of athletes. The IAAF

and Olympic Commit-tee should be overjoyed with this event; after all, the whole goal is to pro-mote camaraderie and goodwill among all.

Amid this small victo-ry, however, members of the International Olym-pic Committee (IOC) should be ashamed for even allowing Russia to host the Olympics. Amidst all the hoopla and the grandiose of the Olympics, don’t forget about all the question-able labor that was used in the construction and opening ceremonies in Beijing.

The IOC seems to be in it more for profit and ex-posure than embracing their pillars of sports-manship and equality.

Take a look beyond all the intricacies of the

logos, the extravagan-cies of the facilities, the potential revenue gen-erated, and get down to how the country best reflects the vision of the Olympic dream.

Yes Russia is a world power, but is it really worth having a host country that doesn’t take a proactive stance against rogue countries? It doesn’t take a political opinion to know when a country is wrong in its world perspective. Rus-sia’s archaic views about its citizens and others abroad are hard to dis-miss.

What’s done is done, however, and this should be the wake-up call that the world needs to continue its ongoing struggle for equality.

Rzyhova and Firov have taken a major step in calling out leaders and their ignorant agendas for the sake of maintain-ing order.

International cultures must be able to hold their values close, that’s a given. But at the same time, have an eye on the way we progress as peo-ple.

It’s not only vodka that’s down the drain To my 8 o’clock

and beyond!

Get a pass. Get a lift.

CATA.ORG

Talent-rich Star harriers eager for 2013

LCC cross country runner Autumn Baker does pre-warm up stretches during practice Aug. 27.Photo by Suzanna Powers

8 Sept. 3-15, 2013www.lcc.edu/lookout

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Sarah SpohnA&E Editor

Get ready for the main event,

Lansing. Indie/alternative rock group The Airborne Toxic Event is coming to the Loft for a sold-out performance on Monday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m.

The show is hosted by Fu-sion Shows and 94.1 Alternative Radio. Fronted by lead singer Mikel Jollett, nearly all of The Airborne Toxic Event’s mem-bers play multiple instruments, bringing musical diversity to ev-ery tune.

Frequently performing along-side string quartets, The Air-borne Toxic Event is not just another self-inflated group of good-looking guys from L.A. In fact, the band includes a girl. And without that girl, an inte-gral part of the band’s sound wouldn’t be the same.

Anna Bulbrook alongside Jol-let on lead vocals, guitarist Ste-ven Chen, bassist Noah Harmon and drummer Daren Taylor make up the classically-trained-meets-rock-band sounds that make The Airborne Toxic Event.

Despite their diverse back-grounds, the band comes to-gether to form a stereo-speakers-worthy sound. Late night show

appearances, a never-ending tour schedule and three albums later, Jollett talked about how he still finds it hard to categorize the band’s music.

“I don’t like the idea that we are one thing or another,” Jollett said. “Mostly we’re just sort of playing things we like and not too worried about the category.”

Each member not only brings a different instrument but also a different background to the band. Jollett began as a fiction writer and transitioned to lyri-cist.

“It felt oddly natural,” Jollett said. What started out as works of fiction led to chart-topping songs.

When asked about how much is fact vs. fiction, Jollett said, “There’s a commonality to both, meaning that the autobiographi-cal stuff is highly fictionalized and the fictional stuff is laced with autobiographical emo-tion.”

The band released its first al-bum in 2008, named “The Debut Album of the Year” by the Bos-ton Herald. Next, they embarked on their “30 Shows in 30 Days” tour. Performing about 400 shows in two and half years, life on the road is no mystery to the group.

While on tour, Jollett said he enjoys three things: writing group raps to pass the time, running with band mates and drinking—a lot of drinking.

Any fans who were lucky to

get tickets before they sold out can expect to say “hi” to the band after the show. The band is also performing Tuesday. Sept. 17 at District Square in Ka-lamazoo and in Chicago on the

Wednesday, Sept. 18. Follow @fusionshows on

Twitter for a chance to win free tickets because like Jol-lett says, “Life without music would be dull.”

The Airborne Toxic Event infects Lansing

by Maranda Zimmerman Martoons

Photo courtesy of bighassle.com

Fusion Shows is teaming up with 94.1 alternative radio to bring The Airborne Toxic Event to The Loft for a sold-out show Sept. 16. Follow @fusionshows for a chance to win tickets to the performance.


A&E9

IN BRIEFArts & Entertainment

— The Unknown Spohn —

— Boston-born thoughts —

BluesFest will return to Old Town for its an-nual free admission mu-sic festival. This two-day event takes place Friday, Sept. 20 from 4 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. and Saturday, Sept. 21 from 2 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The festival focuses on keeping blues

music alive, celebrating with tunes performed live by local, regional and national musicians.

Street vendors will sell ethnic food, brews, art, crafts and clothing. For more information, visit www.oldtownblues fes t .com.

OK, truth is I can’t blame the media. I am the media.

Just last week, I went to the movies, some-thing I do frequently. This one happened to be rated R for mature audiences. A family of six shuffled in and took their seats in the plush velvet seats in front of me.

I couldn’t help but get all bug-eyed when I saw a young girl, most likely in preschool, about 3 or 4 years old, sit down a few rows ahead. It’s safe to say her feet didn’t even touch the ground. The large movie theater chair practically swal-lowed her whole.

Rated R, I thought. This was not one of those green boxes for PG movies you see

before the trailer, but the one that’s often red — the one that warns viewers about the con-tent they’re about to see.

Rated R was all I could think. I shook my head and watched the movie.

The film rolled on with plenty of blood, guts, limbs, rather gruesome violence, sexual innuendos and one too many F bombs … and all I could think of was that 4-year-old girl sitting a few rows away from me.

Was she scared? Was she covering her eyes? Was she laughing? Was she asleep? That’s all I could hope for.

I remember myself at that age, and be-ing scared of the Hef-falumps and Woozles

from Winnie The Pooh. I’m not sure that was a normal reaction, but hey, I was young. I re-member having night-mares after seeing the people jumping off the boat, freezing to death or drowning during the final scenes of the Titanic movie. And I was 6 when I saw that.

Maybe kids these days are just desen-sitized to violence or mature themes? Are they growing up fast-er than kids my age

did? Would seeing a lawnmower crash through a windshield and killing two peo-ple not scar them for life, or at least make them hesitant to mow the lawn for their al-lowance?

It’s fiction, it’s not real life. But what about the effects of these fictional story-lines and scenes … are those real? I’d say so. Many people blame the media for vio-lence; blaming crime-ridden bloody video games, the ruthless language in movies, sex on television, and the list goes on.

Bottom line: It’s 8 p.m. on a Sunday night, and there’s a 4-year-old watching a rated R movie. Good idea or bad idea?

Third annual art festival attacks REO TownJoin other Lansing area

residents in REO Town streets for eats, beats and art.

The third annual REO Town Art Attack! takes place Saturday, Sept. 7 from noon to 9 p.m. The festival is free and cel-

ebrates the arts in our community. It will feature live music from Michigan bands, a beer tent full of lo-cal brews, and art activities from REACH Studio Art Center. For more informa-tion, visit www.reotownar-tattack.com

Lansing Symphony Orchestra opens 84th seasonConducted by Timo-

thy Muffitt, the Lansing Symphony Orchestra has quite the celebration planned for its season opener at the Wharton Center.

The all-ages concert takes place on Friday,

Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. and tickets range from $15 - $50. Beginning with En-escu’s “Romanian Rhap-sody No. 1, Percussion Concerto” performed by Lisa Pegher, the perfor-mance will finish with “Symphony No. 7.”

Fest in Old Town gets bluesy this Sept.

Kids these days—you gotta blame the media

Who knew that Lan-sing Community College offered a three-month in-ternship opportunity in Otsu, Japan?

I certainly didn’t before I read an article in The Look-out about it last fall.

The Japan Immersion program is offered in Lan-sing’s sister city Otsu on the Biwako-Kisen Michi-gan Boat.

On this boat, you act as an international entertain-er, serving American-style

food to Japanese custom-ers and entertaining the children with balloon ani-mals and English quizzes.

The reason I know so much about this intern-ship is because I just got back from it.

It was truly the best ex-perience of my life.

I lived in the Michi-gan House, an apartment building within a five-minute walking distance of the boat with three oth-er LCC students.

When I wasn’t working on the boat, I had the rest of the time to explore as much of Japan as I possi-

bly could. During this time off,

I explored the nearby Kyoto as well as Hiro-shima, Tokyo and the Izu Peninsula (to name a few).

I truly encourage any-one who is able to take advantage of this won-derful opportunity to do so.

For more information, contact Professor Marc Thomas at [email protected].

Land of the rising sun

Oct. 4-12Agnes of GodBy John PielmeierDirected by Paige DunckelA court psychiatrist attempts to unravel the case of a dead baby found in the wastebasket of a young novice, Agnes, who has no memory of the incident. The psychiatrist, attempting to assess Agnes’ mental stability, does battle with a strong-willed mother superior who insists the child was immaculately conceived.Fridays & Saturdays, 8 p.m.$10 at the doorLocation: Black Box Theatre

November 1-2 & 8-9The GraduateBy Terry JohnsonDirected by John Lepard Benjamin Braddock, recent college grad and prodigal son, returns home and promptly be-comes embroiled in an affair with the wife of his father’s business partner, Mrs. Robinson, but he soon finds himself falling in love with her daughter, Elaine. Fridays & Saturdays, 8 p.m.Sunday, November 3, 2 p.m.$15 general seating, $10 studentsLocation: Dart Auditorium

December 13-141st Semester Contemporary Realism Studio ProductionDirected by Andy CallisFree * Friday-Saturday, 8 p.m.Location: Black Box Theatre

Check www.lcc.edu/showinfo or call 517-483-1488 for the latest information.

LCC Performing Arts

Photo by Marc ThomasThe Lookout Photo Editor Suzanna Powers socializes with friends during her internship in Japan over summer.


A&E10

This week’s puzzle is sponsored by:Solution to puzzle can be found at lcc.edu/lookout

King Crossword

Sarah SpohnA&E Editor

It was just another Saturday night in the dimly-lit depths of Mac’s Bar. Opening acts left the stage. The crowd remained in place, feet firmly planted on the sticky, tiled floor.

A tall figure wearing a black NPR T-shirt moved through the crowd. He took the stage. The girls squealed. It was Tyler Hilton.

Compared to Tom Pet-ty, Dylan and The Eagles, Hilton describes his mu-sic as Americana.

“It’s rock ’n’ roll rest-lessness but from a place of uniquely American roots music like blues and country,” Hilton said. If that seems a little all over the place, it is.

This guy can do it all. He rocks out, has the oc-casional country twang, feels the blues and even throws in a “Suga” every now and then. But hey, it works for him.

Mac’s Bar is always in-timate, but this show was especially cozy. Hilton joined fans for a stripped-down concert, which ended up feeling more like a hangout.

It just so happened we all got to hang out with the guy that played Elvis in Walk the Line and the love-to-hate Chris Keller on One Tree Hill. So yeah, he’s kind of a big deal. The singer-songwriters’s setlist included a cover of Rihanna’s “Stay,” which scored better than the original.

A mash-up of “Ask for Me,” combined with Coldplay’s “The Scien-tist” won me over if I was ever on the fence about if he was more good-look-

ing than talented. Genuine feeling be-

hind each strum and slight grunt made for a real vibe-y show. Armed with just an acoustic gui-tar and a percussionist, it was evident Hilton has the “it factor.”

After the show, he stuck around for photo ops and a meet-and-greet.

“I’m still a fan myself and go to people’s shows and hope the whole time tonight will be the night I can meet ’em after,” Hilton said. “I totally get

that.” This music man knows

what fans want and we all got to see him naked. A naked setlist that is, unaccompanied, un-plugged … unbelievable.

But let me tell you, he’s a looker. You’ll do a dou-ble take after you hear that raspy voice come from a blue-eyed guy like him.

Any of you lucky world travelers out there can catch Hilton on tour in the UK this fall. Tell him Sarah sent you.

Hilton hits all the right notesShauna StockenCo-Editor in Chief

For the past few months, I have heard many people talking about the benefits of subscribing to Netflix over paying a monthly fee for cable.

As of last week, I have also become one of the mil-lions of satisfied customers who have made the switch.

Netflix is a paid website that offers video and televi-sion streaming. The com-pany provides unlimited, on-demand streaming to millions of customers.

My decision to subscribe to Netflix was made simple after the cable company, DirecTV, eliminated many of many favorite channels.

As of Aug. 15, DirecTV no longer offers movie channels such as HBO, Starz, Showtime, or Cin-em3X in its basic package.

For a college student on a budget, paying $39.99 for DirecTV no longer seems worth it.

When subscribing to Netflix, new customers receive one free month of service.

After the first month, customers pay as little as $7.99 for each additional month.

I can now re-watch missed episodes of my favorite television shows, and discover new movies I have never seen.

Even with the elimina-tion of most video rental stores, Netflix provides movies and television shows in every genre and for any age.

Netflix has made it pos-sible for me to dig into television series, streaming one episode after another.

It is also the perfect so-lution to boredom, no matter if you’re watching from home, on your smart phone or on a tablet.

No matter one’s interest or desired movie rating, Netflix has something to offer all movie buffs and coach potatoes.

Not a member of Netflix yet? Sign up now by visit-ing www.netflix.com.

Jeremy KohnStaff Writer

“I wanted to create a show where the protago-nist becomes the antago-nist,” Vince Gilligan said.

Gilligan is the creative force behind AMC’s Break-ing Bad. For those of you who have not caught the Breaking Bad bug as of yet, here is what you have missed.

Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White, (played by Bryan Cranson), a strug-gling high school chemis-try teacher who becomes stricken with terminal lung cancer. Knowing he has little time left to live, White enters the illegal world of cooking meth to provide for his family when he is no longer around.

Opposite White, Gilli-gan and company have cre-ated a cast of engaging and

complex characters. This includes a foul-mouthed former student Jesse Pink-man, played by Aaron Paul, who introduces White to the underground world of meth-cooking.

Saul Goodman (played by Bob Odenkrik) is an ec-

centric attorney who uses his questionable methods to get out of sticky situations.

Lastly, we have White’s DEA brother-in-law Hank Schraeder (played by Dean Norris), who has been tracking White’s illegal ac-tivities since day one.

One aspect of the show I feel is greatly overlooked and adds to the suspense and mystery of the pro-gram is the camera work. There have been several instances I have watched Breaking Bad where the camera will focus on something that seems very minimal. Bt the end of the episode, however, viewers realize things had been carefully thought out to show symbolism or to express foreshadowing.

With only six episodes left, White’s transfor-mation tale of teacher to drug lord will soon come to a close. But how will his tale end? Will White die and leave his money to his family? Will Schraeder finally catch White? What about Jesse Pinkman? What does the future hold for him?

Whatever the show’s outcome, Gilligan has definitely left his mark on television pop culture.

Breaking Bad: The end is near

Netflix satisfies

Acoustic Americana rocker Tyler Hilton stopped by Mac’s Bar for an intimate, unplugged show while on summer tour Aug. 27.

The second half of Breaking Bad’s final season pre-miered on AMC Aug. 11.

Photo courtesy of prweb.com

Photo courtesy of blogs.sacurrent.com

Recently turning 22 years old has made me feel a little more grown-up, if you will, and excited for a new year to come.

Once again, I am return-ing to Lansing Community College to work and study.

I’m currently in the pro-cess of completing my LCC required courses before transferring to Ferris State University (FSU).

I’ll be attending FSU through the University Cen-ter in Lansing to obtain my bachelor’s degree.

To my family, it seems like I am in no rush to graduate, and they are right.

With every new school year, I believe it’s impor-tant to set new goals and

experience as much as one can.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: youth is wast-ed on the young.

I think it is important to attend college and earn a degree, but I think it is even more important to ex-perience life and meet new people.

Returning to The Lookout this year, I am especially excited to work with all of our new staff members and publish another year of newspapers.

My enthusiasm for ad-venture and meeting new faces will be seen through-out this year’s newspaper, in our articles and inter-views.

I would like to thank our readers, LCC students, staff and faculty members for the help you will pro-vide in the year to come.

Feel free to contact me by email at [email protected] with story ideas or to give feedback on an article you have read; both the good and the bad.


OPINION11

Sarah Spohn Jaimie Bozack

Suzanna Powers

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected] [email protected]

[email protected] [email protected]

[email protected] Editor

Paginator

News Editor/Paginator

Nikki Nicolaou

Photo Editor

Richard Schenck

[email protected] & E Editor

Lurah Peterson

[email protected] Manager

Larry Hook

[email protected]

“I went to Lions’ training camp.”

“I went to Common Ground.”

Nathan Wilson

Jeremy Kohn

Co-Editor in Chief

“I passed my CompTIA exam.”

“I went to Founders Fest in Grand Rapids.”

Co-Editor in Chief

Staff Writer

Shauna Stocken

“I saw Paul McCartney for the third time.“

“I saw Beyonce live in concert.”

“Eating Japanese food in Japan.”

“I went 8-for-8 in soft-ball doubleheader.”

“I went to Gettysburg and Washington D.C.”

“I went to Macki-nac Island”

thelookoutLansing Community College’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1959

What was your favorite thing you did this summer?

It’s hard to believe fall semester is already here. My summer has passed by in a blur with many new developments:

I got a second job, became certified as a PC technician, made steady progress in my second novel, and celebrat-ed my one-year anniversary with my girlfriend.

To briefly introduce my-self, I’ve been writing fic-tion since I was 7 years old. I always wanted to be a full-time author, but those dreams were crushed by the cruelty of reality, leaving me as an empty husk with-out a soul or heart. Well, not really, but I am still quite displeased.

My history of writing eventually led me to The

Lookout, where I started out as a staff writer and climbed my way up the rungs of ad-vancement to co-editor in chief.

This year, those of us at The Lookout will continue to build a strong online pres-ence through our website and social media. We would also like to incorporate more videos on our site as well.

I’m looking forward to settling down again at The Lookout and working to-gether with new and old co-workers alike. This may be my last semester at The Lookout (I don’t know for sure), so I want to enjoy ev-ery minute of it.

I also hope I can be more ac-tive in student organizations this year, but that will hinge on the amount of time I spend on my studies and two jobs.

The ongoing renovations will continue to be a topic of discussion in The Lookout as we see the Gannon Building transformed and new dining options installed. If there is anything in particular you would like to see in The Lookout, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

— Staff Editorial —

Classified Advertising

Welcome to LCC; wheth-er you’re new to the cam-pus or returning for an-other year of work and/or classes.

It seems that no matter where you look, changes are everywhere on the Main Campus.

Changes can be noticed while in the classrooms and online. Building ren-ovations to LCC’s main campus include the clo-sure of the pool and re-moval the Kennedy Cafe-teria in the A&S Building.

Now changes are even being made with the way we pay to park.

At The Lookout, our staff has been talking about the renovations that took place last year and over the summer.

We all seem to agree the renovations accomplished thus far prove beneficial and are a positive step to-ward the success of cur-rent and future students.

However, we are still trying to warm up to the idea of changes to the way we park on campus.

Since the beginning of the semester, parking in the Gannon Ramp has been free, on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Students, staff and fac-ulty will be able to park free of charge in the ramp until Monday, Sept. 16.

The free parking is only temporary, because new pay-by-space meters will soon replace old methods of parking in the ramp.

The meters will accept the payment of credit or debit cards, tokens, bills and change.

With parking lines pil-ing up and slow exits out of the ramp, a change is long past due.

We just hope this change doesn’t bring customers’ confusion that will un-avoidably waste our time and make us late to class.

Different year, same school

Looking forward and looking out

Free LCC parking won’t last forever

CHEAP STUDENT PARKING! $65/semester or $20/month. One block from campus (118 Madison St. by Durant Park). 517-484-1466..

APARTMENT FOR RENT1025 N. Washington Ave., Lansing. Five blocks from downtown LCC campus. One bedroom, $525 per month. Price includes parking, electricity, heat and water. No smoking, no pets. Contact Alice Sessions at 517-303-6128.

NOVEL: THE UNDYING GODThis is the first published book from Nathan Wilson, associate editor of The Lookout. It is a fantasy novel about the dangers of radical ideology. Preview the book at nrwilson.com or call 517-896-9505 to purchase a copy at $8.

OLD TOYS WANTEDAntique games and toys. Any condition. 1975 or before. Will pay cash if it’s some-thing I need for my personal collection. Especially looking for an antique Slinky in its original box. Call 517-589-5273. Leave a message if no one answers.

PLACE YOUR AD HEREAdvertising in The Lookout’s classified section is inex-pensive and effective. Cost is just $8.50 for 20 words or less. Additional words are 50 cents. Call 483-1295 to place an ad.

NASCAR MEMORABILIATwo brand new Dale Earn-hardt Jr. hats, $7 each. Ten commemorative miniature racecars from the Michigan International Speedways from 2005 to 2009, all brand new and in box, $5 each. Buy both hats and all the cars for $45! Call 517-483-1291.

PINBALL MACHINEGame Plan 1979 “Sharp-shooter” solid state game. Old western theme. Very fast and fun. Four players. $500. Call 517-589-5273 and leave a message.

1982 TOPPS BASEBALL CARDSComplete set of 792 cards, all in mint condition. Cal Ripken rookie card and many Hall-of-Famers including Nolan Ryan, Johnny Bench, Carl Yastrzemski and Rickey Henderson. $100 firm. Call 517-483-1291 daytime.


LAST LOOK12

N

S

EW

Downtown Lansing for Dummies New to LCC? In a perfect world, there wouldn’t be

those gaps between classes with not enough time to go home, but too much time to stay still. Luckily,

there are many places to go for lunch or study in and around campus. With the help of Google Maps and the opinions of our staff, we’ve created a simple map

to show you where the best places are when you need to study quietly, have an espresso fix, or get a meal on a college budget.

Gannon CafeLocation: Gannon Bldg. Food Available: Bene Pizzeria, Wraps & MoreNoise Level: High

Outdoor AmphitheatreLocation: Between the HHS and A&S buildingsNoise Level: MediumWhy study here? There’s a lot of room on the steps to spread out in the outdoor sun.

Library & POD ExpressLocation: TLC BuildingFood Available: Milkshakes, energy bars and snacks available at the PODNoise Level: LowWhy study here? There are reference ma-terials as well as free tutoring services.

HHS Building First FloorLocation: HHS BuildingFood Available: Wraps, drinks and snacks from Recovery CafeNoise Level: Low:Why study here? Its three-story wall-to-wall windows provide a lot of natural sunlight.

Decker’s Coffee Co.Location: 220 S. Washington SquareFood Available: Pastries, sandwichesNoise Level: Medium (low after lunch hours)Bonus Features: Over 90 flavors of coffee

Downtown Subs & Salads / New York BurritoLocation: 216 S. Washington SquareNoise Level: MediumBonus Features: Board games available to play while you eat.

E Shiawassee St

W Ionia StG

rand

Ave

Capi

tol A

ve

W Ottawa St

Michigan Ave

W Allegan St

Washtenaw St

Aladdin’s ExpressLocation: 208 S. Washington SquareFood Available: Mediterranean cuisine Noise Level: Low

Juice NationLocation: 111 S. Washington SquareFood Available: Raw juices, smoothies, frozen yogurt Noise Level: Low (no indoor seating available)

Biggby CoffeeLocation: 120 W. Ottawa St.Food Available: PastriesNoise Level: MediumWhy study here? Comfortable seating and free Wi-fi

Gibson’s Books / Gibby’sLocation: 316 N. Capitol Ave.Food Available: Coffee, sandwiches, sal-ad bar, pastries and more.Noise Level: MediumWhy study here? Close location to cam-pus and free Wi-fi. Access to books, gifts and more.

A&S Study RoomsLocation: Every floor of the A&S BuildingNoise Level: LowWhy study here? Everything is new, from the colored glass walls down to the desks.

The Lookout Volume 55 Issue 1

Documents

Transcript of The Lookout Volume 55 Issue 1