Let's Argue

So, anyway, I was having this conversation last night with a friend of mine.  After much debate, we agreed on two things: 1) People are generally ignorant about political issues, opting to blindly check the box that says "Republican" or "Democrat" rather than actually researching what an individual stands for, and 2) people don't discuss politics to exchange ideas, they discuss politics to argue and to be right.

Well, Rogue is offering you an opportunity to shed some of your ignorance and fortify whatever your argument may be.  Here's the press release:

Senate candidate to speak at Rogue
Political activist Steve Novik, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, will speak on Oregon political
and economic issues April 22 at Rogue Community College.
Novik, who hopes to win the Democratic nomination for Sen. Gordon Smith’s seat. will be in
the Student Center on the RCC Redwood Campus, Grants Pass, from noon to 1 p.m. Food
and beverages will be provided.
In related news, Oregon Rep. Jeff Merkley, also a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate,
has canceled plans to appear April 7 at Rogue Community College. Merkley, who is Oregon
Speaker of the House, had a scheduling conflict, according to a representative of the
Associated Student Government of Rogue Community College, which is sponsoring
candidates’ visits.
For more information contact ASGRCC at asrcc@roguecc.edu or 956-7033.

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The Trades in Spain Fall Mainly on the...hmm. That's stupid. Sorry.

I'm sure you have been anxiously waiting with breathless anticipation for the following clip, and I'm proud to say that I have delivered what I promised: an in-depth look at what it really means to spend a day at the Men in Trades Fair. It is an awesome thing to behold, indeed. More than 700 students clogging the arteries of education. Every manner of weapon, wheelbarrow, and whatnot. Sparks flying, engines revving, and fires, uh, flaming with a flaminess unparalleled since, um, you know, that really big fire that one time. Let's see, there was nailing. Lots and lots of nailing. And amateur sawyers sawing with saws. And, what else? Um, some heated discussion of Chupacabras. Oh, and quasi-inebriated teenagers learning one of life's most valuable lessons: if an officer chooses to use a billy club on you, the law forbids him from whacking you on the head, the spine, and the groin unless he has been authorized to use lethal force. Know your rights! Just like the bumper sticker says: Life's Best Lessons Start Here.

Now, bear in mind that there is another day called the Women in Trades Fair. These two days are back-to-back. These two days are exactly the same. Well, almost. To get an idea of the difference, just mentally substitute all the dudes you see in the video with chicks. Voila! It's just that simple. Needless to say, I didn't get to the one for the chicks. Not for lack of trying, though. If you are saddened by this, I suggest you actually come to event next year instead sitting at home eating Cheetos by the bagful. Then you won't run the risk of missing all the junk I didn't around to shooting. Anyway, roll the picture...

Grants Pass Happens.

So, yeah. You ever have one of those days where you wake up thinking you know exactly what you're gonna be doing only to have the whole thing go sideways? Well, I had a day like that a couple of weeks ago. I'm not complaining or anything, the day was a hoot, as my old man would say. It's just that I had a very clear idea of what my day was going to hold. I had very clear expectations. Then BAM! Everything changed, pandemonium ensued, confusion prevailed. It looked a lot like this...

Like I said, in the end a fun day was had by all. The moral of the story: ...um, I'm not really very good at morals, so to speak. The moral is, uh, the moral is, hmm. The moral is be true to your school, just like you would to your girl. I guess. Whatever. That is so dumb.

Trades Fair 2008: Pics, Or It Didn't Happen.

Oh, it happened alright!

More to come...

RCC Construction Snags 1.2 Million Greenbacks!

Ya know, you gotta love Channel 12. In fact, they've done all the hard work for us. I totally cribbed this whole bit of copy:

Rogue Community College is receiving nearly $1.2 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to improve it's Construction Technology Department.

The three-year grant will allow the department to double it's staff and offer more classes. Currently, classes are only offered in White City. The grant will allow the school to offer classes on the Josephine County campus.

RCC officials say expanding the program will also work as a recruiting tool to grow the work force. Areas of study will include residential, commercial and highway construction.

Here's the story:

Again: Rogue, Media Darling

Yes, Rogue is everywhere. And if you were in GP on Friday, you could probably smell the singed hair from our umpteenth annual Weld-a-thon. Donuts were consumed, coffee inhaled, metal abused, and fingers scorched. Check it out:


In the end, medals were distributed and everyone walked away a winner (barf)...

Adored By The Press: Rogue Trades Fair

Well, channel 12 showed up to the first day of the annual Rogue Trades Fair, the "Men in Trades" half of the two-day event. Here's what they had to say:



I'll have a bunch more on the Trades Fair in a day or two. It is a big affair deserving of multiple posts.

ROGUE: Looking Out For Your Weld-Being.

Hmm. This is kinda sucks. Almost a hundred high school students from all over creation showed up for the annual Rogue Weld-a-thon and had a great time competing for fabulous prizes and guess what? I don't have one single picture to post. I don't have video. I don't have audio. I've got nothing. What a freaking loser I am.

Guess you'll just have to take my word for it. The radio reporter was there. Two television stations were there. Sparks were everywhere. I've never seen so many sparks and smelled so much, um, whatever it is you smell when people weld, in all my life. It actually smelled like burnt hair most of the day. Yummy.

Oh, BTW, a hundred high school students can burn through 40 pizzas in, oh, just about 90 seconds. It's like watching a plague of locusts devastate a wheat field. Locusts with an interest in welding.

That's the news, and I am out of here.

Study Abroad

This is such an awesome opportunity. There is simply no better way to spend your time and money. Think about spending two and a half months in Florence studying film, Shakespeare, psychology, and, um, other stuff. How awesome would it be to study art and literature in Paris for a term? Or, if that is too exotic for your tastes, Rogue is going to Costa Rica and Mexico and you are invited to tag along to study folklore, song, and salsa dancing. MUY CALIENTE! Honestly, you can only get so much out of a classroom. You can only get so much out of a book. Sometimes you have to go touch and smell and do and taste and experience it for yourself, firsthand. It's education as it was meant to be.

If you haven't had a chance to travel, do it this way. For the love of Pete, get out of the Rogue Valley for a bit. There is more out there, and you are missing it! There are even scholarships available to help you pay for it. As great as Southern Oregon is, you can't really appreciate it until you leave it.

Click this link to get more information: Study Abroad

Submitted for your approval:

Coffee, Tea, and Moi. Oh, and ACTING!

I gotta tell you, if you haven't seen an RCC theatrical production, you are a loser. It's just that simple. I wish there were a way to soften that somehow, but there is no other way. It is what it is. If you don't go, you're a loser; if you do go, you are NOT a loser. Period. Here's how you stop being a loser:

The theatre department IS doing a play and here is some information:

"All About Venting"
Written by RCC students and Faculty
Directed by Wayd Drake

A Cuppa Jo and a Show performance
Thursday, March 13 at 6 pm in the Rogue Building $5.00

Complimentary Coffee, tea, and cookies


So there you go. You've got no more excuses.

The Thon Song.

Just in case you actually live under a rock are too consumed with your studies to pay much attention to extra curricular activities, I wanted to yell, once again, the Weld-a-thon Thing-a-ma-jig is mere days away.

And while we are on the subject, let me just say this about that: it seems that, lately, folks have been ashamed to show their Thon.  Take Jerry Lewis for example; you can't see his Thon at all anymore.  It used to be you could count on seeing Jerry's Thon at least once a year.  Well, we at Rogue say, don't be afraid to show your Thon!  We're so proud of ours, not only are we not hiding it, we're inviting you to come check out our Thon one week from Friday.  It's a day of fire, flying sparks, hot metal, sweat, and, oh yes, that Thon-thon-thon-thon-thon!

I know, I know: pics, or didn't happen.  Well, here's a peep of our Thon:

So, there's a peek.  If you wanna see more than just our Thon, you're gonna have to get down to one of our three campuses and ask for, nay, demand, a tour from Brad Ross!

And if you think this Thon looks hot, there's lots more where that came from.  Rogue has all sorts of Thons and we're eager to show them to you.  So, stay tuned to Rogue Faction!

Weld A Thon RCC Redwood Campus March 14 !

High School Guys and Gals are putting on their Welding hoods and gloves for this years Weld A Thon at Rogue Community College Redwood campus in Grants Pass !

Yes, You Can Go To College in White City.

What? You have White City Campus?

 

 

I have a confession to make.  Up until about six months ago, I had no idea Rogue even had a White City Campus, let alone the ONLY dedicated professional/technical school in the entire state of Jefferson Oregon!  You should swing by if you get the chance.  The building is massive, (it kinda reminds me of Superman's Fortress of Solitude), they have lots of cool toys (honest and for-true robots, for one), and, get this, plenty of free parking!  Try finding that in downtown Medford.  There's plenty more to tell you, but I need a Kit-Kat. 

Okay, confession #2.  I'm really only telling you this so I had an excuse to add a sweet map to the THE BLOG!!!

South Sophomores Get Edumacated

Holy Moses Malone!  Ever have 150 sophomores stuffed into a room built for 50 for two hours?  Let me tell you, BEST. TIME. EVER.

Seriously.  Everyone had a good time.  Learned a lot.  Laughed, cried, hugged, shared their feelings, and so on and so forth.

The way I understand it, they toured the valley's various employment offerings and concluded at Rogue's Table Rock Campus to find out how college fits into the plan.  Dave, Kris, Mitch, Gary, and Brad all did their thing: a cappella singing, interpretive dance, mime, and stuff about electronics, EMT, construction, and manufacturing.  Some dude even had a tale about burritos.

Here's a glimpse of the day's seductive silhouette behind the steamy, frosted-glass shower door that is Rogue Faction: