A Trip to William L. Finley Wildlife Refuge

Located in the middle of the Willamette valley is one of the richest and varied natural areas I have been lucky enough to find. William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge is located around ten miles south of Corvallis and is host to a large variety of wildlife and different habitats for the intrepid explorer. The refuge is enjoyable for the more experienced hiker and yet accessible enough for someone who wants to take a short drive through a varying landscaping. A large gravel road circles the entire refuge and pullouts are amply located throughout the refuge giving important information on the different animals, vegetation and landscapes that comprise the refuge. It comes with many different hiking trails that can take hours for the person who wants to explore every aspect of the refuge but is also great for people who want to take short strolls through a richly varied natural habitat.

The refuge begins with two distinct areas; one is the Prairie Overlook and the other is the Turtle Flats. During my trip I decided to forgo both of these areas due to time constraints. I decided to begin my hike along the .4 mile long Homer Campbell Memorial, which is located shortly after Turtle Flats. The trail is a boardwalk that meanders and winds through thickly packed riparian forest. Ash trees and big leaf maples form a thick canopy overhead, creating a peaceful and quiet atmosphere. The braches hang low overhead and are covered in hanging moss that dangles from the branches of the trees, creating a unique feel to the short stroll along the boardwalk.

The rain levels are clearly indicated on the base of the trees and you can see the muddy stains on their bases from where the water swelled and fell. During the summer months the area is dried out and the ground is baked and cracked from the heat, the spring and fall months bring with it muddy swamplands. On my visit I spotted a few dragonflies darting back and forth within the area but I could not spot too many birds or other wildlife, though I could hear them in the trees overhead. The most interesting part of this walk is the plant life and the environment itself, with a distinctly unique feel that is unlike the rest of the refuge. Walking along the boardwalk I noticed what appeared to be a beaver dam blocking off the muddy creek which winds its way along the trail. I decided to wander off the trail and get a closer look at it, though I do not recommend most people to wander off the boardwalk. The ground was stiff and cracked underneath my feet but within the dried out crevasses of the mud you could easily spot the different footprints of a variety of wildlife that have visited the area. The dam appeared to be empty and I could not see any signs of beavers currently inhabiting the dam, though a wide variety of what looked to be larger rodent trails speckled the muddy ground around the dam.
The boardwalk ends at a large observational blind that overlooks Cabell Marsh;

this provides an excellent observation point in which to discreetly watch one of the most densely populated wildlife areas in the refuge. The marsh is extremely large and appears to be more of a lake than an actual marsh. One can see large Great Blue Herons dipping their bills down into the water as well as a myriad of other aviary life. During my visit I spotted a large group of white pelicans working their way in tandem across the surface of the lake, scooping the water effortlessly in their large bills. The water is densely populated with fish and you can hear and spot them leaping from the water on a fairly consistent basis. Underneath the boardwalk behind this observation blind I could eye a great deal of frogs and small tadpoles darting around in the muddy water underneath. Lavender and blackberries line the muddy water overflow in this area, fostering many small song birds as well.

From this point I decided to head left along the banks of Cabell Marsh, the trail is made out of a grass covered service road that circles the marsh. Once you have left the marsh behind you are greeted by a large grass lands that are home to swaying wheat fields and large grass rushes.

Lavender plants and other wildflowers skirt the edges of the trail. The area is serene and quiet; the only sound coming from the crickets on the side of the trail. The occasional shadow of a great winged raptor circling overhead can be seen and small songbirds that inhabit almost every region of the refuge can be seen here as well. Once past this area another small pond area opens up, here you can see dozens of
small frogs popping their heads out of the water.

I decided to strike off the trail once again in search of a picture of an elusive egret that was striking a very picturesque pose on top of a log in the middle of the marsh. As you walk along the edge of the pond you can hear the sounds of frogs leaping to safety within the sanctum of the muddy water. At every footstep I made three or four frogs would go croaking into the water and would peer out at me from the edges of the pond. Here again were a variety of dragonflies and different vegetation.

I made my way back onto the service road and followed it until the trail branched off in two different directions. One way led to Pigeon Butte and the other direction leads you to Cattail Pond and Beaver Pond. Disappointed from the empty beaver dam I encountered before I decided to strike out towards Beaver Pond specifically. This trail is lined with thick vegetation made up of large grasslands and meadows. Some of it is neatly manicured farmland and the rest is densely overgrown fields of grass and wheat. During my visit I didn’t see much wildlife or even birdlife, though I could hear the occasional rustling of life within the confines of the small wooded area that bordered one side of the trail. Large hills topped with trees make up the borders of the refuge area and this is a perfect place to take in the true majesty of the hillsides surrounding you. I stopped along the trail at one point to take a small rest and was visited by an interesting dragonfly called the Common Hawker who seemed just as curious about me as I was about it.

For about four to five minutes I watched as the little blue black and yellow stripped guy would dart in front of me, hover for a second and move a few inches farther on, then disappear and begin the same dance again. Eventually I left him behind and continued on my hike.

I came upon Cattail Pond, which lived up to its name. It’s a small pond seemingly fairly similar to the rest of the ponds on the refuge. As I approached to investigate the pond a medium sized raptor took off from a small tree near the edge of the pond. I pushed my way through the thick grass that rose over the top of my head at the edge of the pond. I snuck up on the raptor cautiously and it let me approach fairly close to it before it took off from the tree it had rested in. Aside from this encounter the pond seemed fairly typical of the rest of the refuge and I was more excited to see Beaver Pond. The distance wasn’t too long before I reached Beaver Pond, but this time the name did disappoint. Unfortunately during my visit I didn’t encounter any beavers, nor did I see any signs of beavers in the area. The pond seemed dried out and empty, filled with grass and brush like all the other ponds. At a point past this area was a trail into the woods and I thought that perhaps the actual beaver pond may be deeper in the wilderness. This trail which is called the Beaver Pond and Cattail Pond unimproved trail, is more rugged and untamed than the rest of the refuge. The trail is lined with large ferns and tall pine trees that comprise the majority of the trail. The air under the thick canopy was musty yet fresh, the smell of pine and rich earth was the most striking aspect of this hike.

This area was different than most of the rest of the refuge that I had seen and was a welcomed break from the beautiful yet monotonous landscapes I had seen up to that point. The trail itself wasn’t difficult to negotiate and was something that both beginners and seasoned hikers could appreciate. This trail didn’t really give much in the way of wildlife and the vegetation was typically green and rather ordinary to most Oregon hikes. The path broke up into a few different trails and the one that I took eventually led to what used to be a rock quarry and a large outcropping at the top of this quarry gave a pleasant overview of the land all around. You could see the farmlands and the large and varying landscape that comprises the refuge.

I chose this spot to end my hike in the refuge, though the refuge holds many more paths and trails that offer an even more varied example of wildlife and habitats. All in all I spent three hours and only saw a small portion of what the refuge had to offer. I ended my visit to William L. Finley Refuge by taking the gravel road up to the Fiecher House, a well preserved home from 1855 that gives an example of what early life in this wild area must have looked like.

Also in the area are the Cabell Hunting lodge and an overlook that provides an eagles eye view of Cabell Marsh, equipped with its own telescope that provides a close up view of the animals below free of charge.
The park is over five thousand square feet and holds a great example of Oregon wildlife and vegetation. The refuge is limited access during the winter months to allow for wildlife that calls the refuge its home during the winter. The refuge is a prime example of what the Oregon valley has to offer in the way of untrammeled nature and helps to show Oregon’s love for all things having to do with the beautiful landscapes that surround us. So if you have a few hours to burn or even a whole day, any true nature lover would enjoy a visit to William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge.

For more pictures of my visit to William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge and other locations visit me at Flickr and DeviantArt.

100 Blog Post Ideas: How I Use Facebook

I can admit with a slight twinge of embarrassment that I'm a regular user of facebook...well, perhaps user is not quite the right word for it. I have facebook as one of my favorites on my web browser and it is one of the first websites I visit when I turn on my computer, but for the life of me I don't know why.

Plenty of people use Facebook on a regular basis for a myriad of different reasons. They will post what's happening in their lives for their friends to see, upload new photos or videos of family and friends, allowing people in their social circle to see photos of their child or a fun party that they've attended. For some it's a way to keep in touch with friends and family that they don't get the opportunity to see everyday or have lost touch with.

I am not one of these people, I've tryed to be one of these people, letting people into the goings on of my daily life. I've uploaded pictures of my baby or a recent trip to Astoria but I just can't keep up with it or find the desire to do these things on a regular basis.

My experience with facebook is a timid one, we have a luke-warm relationship. It's there in front of me but I cannot find the enthusiasm that some people have for it. I post a new status update somewhere around three times a year, I continually ignore requests and invitations for groups or events, I stay far away from the compulsive games that litter the website (except for a brief addiction to bejeweled) and when I'm on I generally sit there, stare, and do nothing.

So why do I keep going on the website? Why would this website be one of the first websites I go to? If I'm not engaging with these friends I have on facebook then why would I even bother having an account?

Well in truth I think I'm somewhat of a social media voyeur. I want to know what goes on in friends lives. I want to know if a friend is doing good in their life or if they're having a bad day.

I've spent a good amount of time as a social hermit, even when asked to go out I would push away until people would just stop asking, but I still care about these people. Facebook allows people like me to still know that my friends are doing OK without having to engage them personally.

We all want to be part of society, no matter how much we pretend we don't. It's bred into us, it's part of our nature. Facebook has allowed people like me (slightly socially awkward) to keep that feeling of being part of society while remaining in the background.

Obama Seeks to Cut Pell Grant

Obama Seeks cuts to Pell Grants
By John Rosales

Changes are coming to your financial aid packages…possibly.

In an effort to cut the federal budget down President Obama recently announced that some changes are coming to students. Obama is outlining a plan for his 2011 financial budget and is targeting some key finanical aid programs. In an effort to reduce the growing costs and deficits for the Pell Grant that are projected to be about $20 billion dollars in the next year alone.

Among these changes will be a withdrawal of summer eligibility for the Pell Grant. Three years ago the Pell Grant gave the option for year round program eligibility, allowing students to apply for financial aid during the summer terms. Those students that rely on this grant in order to get an extra step up towards their degree will be feeling the hit.

Another fixture on the chopping block will be an option that allows for the government to pay the interest on graduate loans while the student is attending classes. Graduate students will no longer have the ability to have the government help pay the interest on their loans while in school, this does not apply to undergraduates who will still have said option.

Obama is cutting these programs in an effort to help quell continued pressure by the Republican Party to rein in federal spending. Obama's decision was made in an effort to maintain the current Pell Grant allotment of 5,550 dollars by making cuts to programs that were deemed not to be working as planned. According to the educational organization the year round Pell Grant options that allowed students to apply for financial aid during the summer term was not worth the cost that it accrued. This option was instituted about three years ago and had not lived up to expectations.

Republicans have been seeking cuts to spending, targeting among other things, the ever increasing costs of these student grants. Republican congress proposition for reducing the educational cost deficit of the Pell Grant was to decrease the maximum allotment of the grant from 5,550 to 4,705 dollars, reducing the grant funds by about 15%. Obama made the cuts to these educational programs in order to maintain the grant allotment at their current levels.

The cuts to the educational programs will be a problem for some students that rely on these summer programs to get a leg up on their progress towards degrees. However, without these cuts more students would have a harder time funding constantly escalating tuition costs. Even keeping the grant at its current amount is insufficient for the growing costs of higher education. Obamas’ plan will beef up the budget for educational grants and costs by $100 billion dollars over the next decade.

At A Glance:
Obama Administration
Pell Grant
Summer Financial Aid
LBCC financial aid office:
Takena Hall room 117
phone: 541-917-4850

Jennifer Moodys' Feature Writing Visit

During a recent visit to LBCC’s Feature Writing class, journalist Jennifer Moody (reporter for the Democrat Herald) spoke to students about some of the important facets of being a journalist. She regaled the students with some of the stories of her own experience as a journalist and some of the key tools she has learned during her professional career.

One of the main facts she made clear was important for a writer was writing conventions. It’s these conventions that help the reader decide how good the writer is and whether the story is worth reading. The reader will judge the story based on how well the article is written and not necessarily what the subject matter is about.

She used a story about her daughter to help illustrate this point. Jennifer talked about how her daughter read an article and talked about how full of errors it was; her daughter judged the writers intelligence based soley on convention errors. Simple spelling mistakes or improper punctuation can help the reader decide on whether or not an article will be worth reading.

Jennifer also told the students to be ready to write about anything, even if it’s outside of their normal comfort zone. She mentioned how she disliked writing about sports but how when the time came for her to write a story about sports she was ready to do it. It’s this versatility to be ready to write about anything that really prepares a writer to become successful in a journalism career. If something comes across the writers’ desk, they should be able and willing to write about it.


One student asked Jennifer how to narrow a story down when there is so much to write about, how can you isolate a topic to just one small article? Jennifer replied with an analogy about a bakery, “You don’t write about the bakery, you write about the piece of pie. The pie will tell you about the bakery.”

In essence it is not necessarily the budget cut, or the escalating costs of tuition. It’s the small business that’s affected by the budget cut or the student that can’t afford books because of rising tuition. These small parts of the story help to illuminate the bigger picture for the reader and writer.

Jennifer cast an illuminating light on some of the key problems and issues the future journalist would have to contend with. She gave the students her own tools and trick on how to deal with these issues when they arrive. The class session with Jennifer was helpful for any writer hoping to find a future in the journalism career.

Video Game Addiction Column

Video Games: The New Drug
By John Rosales

It’s sent people to the poor house, ended relationships, and even caused people to lose their friends. It’s an addiction that seems to be growing more prevalent every year. It’s an addiction that most people don’t even see coming.

Video games have become the newest drug. It may seem a stretch for some people to believe that something as harmless as a video game can be the cause of such a serious addiction, but each day we’re seeing it become more of a problem. It’s become such a problem that there are help groups specially dedicated to assisting people recover from this addiction.

Most of us have grown up with video games, playing them since our childhood. We've waiting in anticipation for that Christmas or birthday gift that would send us packing to our bedrooms for hours on end, but most of us come out of it just fine. So what's caused this shift from simple pastime to hardcore addiction?

One contributing factor is the ever-expanding content for games. It used to be that you would play a video game until you beat it, and then it would go on the shelf to collect dust. Video games now offer continually expanding content to games. Add-on packs and new levels are added all of the time, so much so that a game doesn’t have to end for years after its initial release.

Another contributing factor to game addiction is the online role playing game or mmorpg(Massively Multi-player On-line Role Playing Game). Games like World of Warcraft never really end; there is no ultimate endpoint or finale to the game. The games encourage the addiction, with gamers constantly seeking perks and benefits in the game that will make them “elite” player's. Hours spent in the game garner the player not only gear, but bragging rights; a new weapon or a new set of armor is something that shows the player's dedication to the game. It also enables a certain superiority over other less dedicated player's.

The Internet is full of stories from players who have tried to quit or know someone who is addicted. Rebeltim shared his experience on the website Digg:
“3 years ago my wife missed new years with me and our 4 kids because while we were doing the count down, She was playing WoW…What started as just a couple nights a week turned into everyday, every free moment and late into the evenings(early mornings).” There are countless stories remarkably similar to this on almost every post.

Groups of people can spend months trying to earn a new set of armor or a special weapon and when this is accomplished there is always another piece of armor or another weapon waiting in yet another dungeon. It’s this constant search for the newest and best gear that keeps gamers playing over and over again every day.

There also seems to be obligations between players to reach a common goal, they rely on one another to complete quests or dungeons and if a player doesn’t help out with their guild (a group of people working together in the game) then they feel as though their letting them down and disappointing them.

“Yeah, my girlfriend seems to have a hard time with letting down her guild and will sometimes run an extra instance just to help out,” getbusyliving remarked on Digg.

These are the extreme cases, most of us can handle these games; we can continue to function in society. The reasons for addiction are different for each person; Some are social, some enjoy the sense of accomplishment for being one of the best and for others it’s just an escape. The problem is it's becoming ever more evident that these games don’t just become pastimes but take over peoples lives. People begin to work their lives around playing the video game instead of playing the video game around their lives.

At A Glance:
Online Gamer Addiction Help:On-Line Gamers Anonymous
Online Game Addiction Forum:TechAddiction
Online Game Addiction Stories:Video Game Addiction.org
Online Game Addiction Symptoms:Telling It Like It Is

Profile: Robert Harrison

Bringing History to Life at LBCC
by John Rosales

Robert Harrison is not your typical instructor; with his bushy mustache and array of suspenders you would think he was a carpenter from “This Old Home” rather than a history teacher with a PhD, but from the moment you first walk into his class you know you're in for a unique experience.

Harrison is a professor of social science at Linn-Benton Community College and believes that having the students get involved in his lectures is an important part of the learning experience, “[I] want to be creative and do fun things…not just lecture.”


Harrison starts his lecture off with students telling him what happened on this day in history, while he jokes about the grisly facts that he encourages them to bring in. His lecture is not just him talking, but him darting a glance in students direction and nodding at them while encouraging them to get involved in the conversation.You can see the enjoyment he gets from learning pieces of history from his students and the excitment he has while he teaches them,always making sure to engage the students. His humor, while sometimes bordering on the macarbe, keeps the classes light-hearted and interesting.

Its his dedication to making students get involved that really shows in his classroom. He holds special classes dedicated to something he calls the Meeting of the Minds, which involves the students getting dressed up as a person from history and giving a presentation as that character . He hopes that this unique way of teaching will help to inspire his students not just to write down facts and dates but to really become involved with history.

Matt Johnson, a student at LBCC said about Harrison, "He knows the material really well...he's really enthusiastic about it and it makes
you want to be enthusiastic about it."

Mr. Harrison has been teaching at LBCC since 2006 but has been teaching college classes all over America for the past 22 years. He was born and raised in Tyler, Texas but has traveled extensively all over America. He received his doctorate from Ohio State University and taught in a variety of places ranging from New Jersey to Arkansas but eventually moved to Oregon and became an instructor at LBCC.

Mr. Harrison grew up in the South around many historical Civil War locations, which helped to spark his interest in history and is also one reason he became involved with local Civil War re-enactors. Taking students to these reenactments and having students learn about history, not just from reading a textbook, but from getting involved and seeing history in front of them has been one of the most enjoyable parts of his career.

Mr. Harrison described some of the difficulties that come with his unique teaching style, "I want students to write, I think that it helps them learn the material ...I think it's important for students to write and get feedback.” However, with class sizes as large as they are it’s hard for him to find the time he believes necessary “I want to spend more time prepping for class than grading papers.”

In his spare time Harrison enjoys a variety of passtimes including one of his favorites...jazzercize.

“I’ve been doing it for 25 years now…I love it...a friend dragged me to it and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Harrison does not just teach classes on campus but dedicates his time outside of class as well. Harrison is the advisor for the democracy club and has worked tirelessly to help the students fund educational trips. Not only has the club traveled to places like Greece but they have also been involved in many projects around campus including helping students get registered to vote.

Scott McAleer, professor of social science talked about harrison's dedication, "Robert does a tremendous amount of work...above and beyond his job; Weekends spent selling Christmas trees, garage sales, raffles, zombie dances. None of this is part of his job...it's something he does for the students."

It's his dedication to the students learning experience that really makes him one of the many unique instructors that teach at LBCC; making their experience not only educational but also memorable.


At A Glance:
Professor Robert Harrison
Social Science Instructor
Linn-Benton Community College
PhD: Ohio State University
Office: SSH 203
Classes:History 103,202,203. Humanities 102
Email:harrisr@linnbenton.edu

Brothers Album Review

"Brothers" Album Review
By John Rosales



"Brothers" is the latest album release from the blues alt-rock band The Black Keys. The Black Keys are a rock duo formed in 2002 that consists of vocalist/guitarist Dan Aurbach and drummer Patrick Carney. "Brothers" is the sixth album from the band and is their most successful to date. The album sticks to the band's roots, which is hard-driving, soulful blues rock. It provides the right amount of catchy modern blues rock tunes and slower, soulful rhythm.

Their methods haven’t changed much from previous albums with the deep smokey-whiskey voice of lead singer Dan Aurbach belting out tunes that seem as though they should be emanating from a 60-year-old blues barroom singer. Aurbach sings of similar topics related to most all blues rock songs; he’s singing of trifling women and lovers long gone, but with enough of a new and modern twist to keep the old material fresh.

The beats are solid and catchy as Carney shows his dominance over the drums, making you tap your feet and move along to most of the songs. Aurbachs’ mastery of the guitar is prevalent in long guitar solos that are up there with some of the best guitarists in the genre.

The fare is a little stale from the artists though as they basically repeat the same sounds from their previous albums; though the songs are a little cleaner and crisper than in their past albums.The band continues to retain that garage band retro feel that is their signature.

If you’re looking for variety from The Black Keys you’re not getting it with this album, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The band plays the music that garnered them the attention and the audience they received in the first place. Each song is enjoyable and fun in its own respect; (think AC/DC, same stuff but always enjoyable.) It's pure raw, simple blues rock that’s headed by talented musicians that know how to play the blues.

This has been a breakthrough album for The Black Keys whose careers have been struggling to garner them the popular success they deserve. The band had felt as though they wouldn’t last much longer in the music world but with the recent success of their latest album they seem to finally be getting the success and attention they deserve, being a hit in both the charts and with critics.

This recent album has not only been a commercial success for the band(the album has reached number three in the Billboards charts) but has also garnered the band recognition from the critics. Their album has been nominated for a Grammy Award for best alternative rock album and their single “Tighten Up” has also been nominated for best rock song.

After years of struggling to gain attention, the band has finally hit the right chord with popular audiences' and this latest album deserves all the attention that it’s given them. It is one of the best alternative rock albums of 2010 and if you enjoy catchy blues rock songs with unrelenting guitar riffs and pulse pounding percussion all of which are fronted by an incredibly soulful and powerful voice, then this album is for you.

At a Glance:
Band:The Black Keys
Band memebers: Dan Aurbach: vocalist/lead guitar, Patrick Carney: Drummer
Album: "Brothers"
Record Label:Nonesuch Records
Album Release date: May 18, 2010
Singles: "Tighten Up", "Howlin' For You