1
10
14
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https://humanities.gbcnv.edu/omeka/files/original/163db0951caca35658d24efda7bb663c.mp4
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https://humanities.gbcnv.edu/omeka/files/original/057426e1d69d6f658fb749522e43e9bb.mp4
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2020 Elko County Poetry Out Loud performance.
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00:01:09 and 00:01:40 (hours:minutes:seconds)
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MP4
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Gail Rappa
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Gail Rappa, Dawn Bartlett, Frank Sawyer
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Title
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2020 Elko County Poetry Out Loud Winner
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2020 Elko County Poetry Out Loud winning performance and announcement.
Description
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Elko High School senior Soledad “Chilz” Negrete will compete at the 15th annual Nevada Poetry Out Loud state finals March 14 at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in Reno.
<p>On Feb. 6, Negrete, along with EHS students Ava Nielsen and Kinyon Moore, were among the top three district finalists, with Negrete taking first place.</p>
For the first time in its history, the event will be live-streamed on YouTube at:<br />
<p><a href="https://youtu.be/YBjHNsIXa6A" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="2020 nevada Poetry Out Loud Finals">https://youtu.be/YBjHNsIXa6A</a></p>
For more information see:<br />
<p><a href="https://nvculture.org/nevadaartscouncil/programs/arts-learning-program/nevada-poetry-out-loud-finals-programs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="NVCulture.Org">https://nvculture.org/nevadaartscouncil/programs/arts-learning-program/nevada-poetry-out-loud-finals-programs/</a></p>
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Gail Rappa, Dawn Bartlett, Frank Sawyer
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Nevada Arts Council, Western Folklife Center
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Great basin College and the HC@GBC
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3/11/2020
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Original film and editing by Dawn Bartlet for HC@GBC. Additional editing by Frank Sawyer for HC@GBC. Gail Rappa contributed text.
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All participants that are recorded signed waivers and gave HC@GBC permission to use filmed content
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MP4
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English
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video file
arts
EHS
GBC
literature
NAC
performance
poetry
Students
WFC
-
https://humanities.gbcnv.edu/omeka/files/original/e87b8f18102e6267446750f59c076341.pdf
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Argentum Art and Literary Magazine
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Great Basin College's Art and literary magazine featuring student, faculty, and community works.
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Great Basin College's art and literary magazine devoted to highlighting the excellent artistic expression of its students, faculty, staff, and members of the communities in which GBC serves.
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Great Basin College / Arts and Cultural Enrichment
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<a title="Argentum web site" href="http://www.gbcnv.edu/argentum/">Great Basin College Argentum web site.</a>
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Great Basin College
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07/01/2014
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Great Basin College's students, faculty, staff, and members of the communities in which GBC serves.
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c. 2010-17. Great Basin College. All rights reserved.
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The issues of Argentum are in Adobe .PDF format.
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English
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Art and literary magazine
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art, arts, literature, photography
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Argentum 2017
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Great Basin College's 2017 Argentum art and literary magazine
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2017 issue of Great Basin College's art and literary magazine, Argentum. Devoted to highlighting the excellent artistic expression of its students, faculty, staff, and members of the communities in which GBC serves.
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Great Basin College
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Great Basin College Argentum web site, http://www.gbcnv.edu/argentum/
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Great Basin College
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2017
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Great Basin College
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c. 2017. Great Basin College. All rights reserved.
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Great Basin College Argentum web site, http://www.gbcnv.edu/argentum/
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Adobe .PDF format.
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English
Type
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Art and literary magazine
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art, arts, literature, photography
Action
Argentum
arts
Faculty
GBC
Great Basin College
literature
photography
poetry
Students
-
https://humanities.gbcnv.edu/omeka/files/original/dbc319bb23e4f5eddbf689dba6111309.jpg
49940967809ecb63700e84435b511700
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ACE Events - 2017-2019
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Collection of ACE (Arts and Cultural Enrichment) events at Great Basin College from 2017 through 2019
Video
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Not yet availalbe
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.mp4
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00:28:46
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Scott A. Gavorsky
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Reintegration of Returned Veterans (Black & White Movie Night Panel Discussion)
Description
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<p>Pre-movie panel discussion on "Reintegration of Returned Veterans" before the Black & White Movie Night showing of <em>The Best Years of Our Lives</em> (dir. William Wyler; 1946). Panelists for the discussion included:</p>
<ul>
<li>Nick Beitia: Veteran and GBC student</li>
<li>Mark Koppe: Veteran and GBC student</li>
<li>Jacob Park: Veteran and Director, GBC Veterans Resource Center<br /> </li>
<li>Moderator: Scott A. Gavorsky, GBC Professor of History</li>
</ul>
<p>The panel was filmed on 6 April 2017 in the GBC Theater.</p>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdnapi.kaltura.com/p/2096981/sp/209698100/embedIframeJs/uiconf_id/39808892/partner_id/2096981?autoembed=true&entry_id=0_7xb4uz6p&playerId=kaltura_player_1502932218&cache_st=1502932218&width=560&height=395&flashvars[streamerType]=auto"></script>
<p><a title="Reintegration of Returned Veterans panel video in separate page" href="http://www.kaltura.com/tiny/2yxjz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View video in separate page if above player does not work.</a></p>
<p><em>Diary of a Sergeant</em>, the 1945 War Department film featuring Harold Russell discussed in the panel discussion above:</p>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xp1E5smfSDI" frameborder="0"></iframe>
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Virtual Humanities Center at Great Basin College
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Virtual Humanities Center at Great Basin College
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6 April 2017; 4/6/2017; 6/4/2017
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Scott A. Gavorsky [VHC]; Frank L. Sawyer [VHC];Jacob Park [GBC Veterans Resource Center]; Nick Beitia [GBC]; Mark Koppe [GBC]
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All rights reserved. Use of any content only by express permission of Great Basin College © 2017
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streaming video [original .mp4]
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English
Action
B&W Movie Night
Faculty
Story
Students
veteran
VRC
World War II
-
https://humanities.gbcnv.edu/omeka/files/original/3430fad176d478b11bf46a817fcaa032.pdf
1e021109ea91d3888f7eef4fe83763c2
PDF Text
Text
NORTHEASTERN NEVADA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
QUARTERLY
THE STORY OF MY LIFE
BY MRS. LEWIS SHARP, SR.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE CPRR:
CHINESE L'ttMIGRAlVI' CONTRIBL"'llON
BY HOLLY LAKE
BASqUESIIEEPIIERDERS
BY ELVA AYLESWORTH
94-4
ELKO, NEVADA
�200
Basque tree carvings located high in the mountains of E lko County.
�201
BASQUE SHEEPHERDERS
BY ELVA AYLESWORTH
Over 100 years ago, the Basques began immigrating from Spain and France to
this country . Their determination. ability to work hard , desire to succeed, and
wi llingness to sacrifice in order to attain tomorrow's security , are the major strengths
that enabled the Basque people to immigrate to and succeed in America . They saw
this new land with its sparsely inhabited West and possible business opportunities as
the land of dreams , a place of future financial security. 1 For some, the hope of
financial security was fulfilled in the new land of America and some were able to
enjoy their success back in the old country. For many , the strong determination that
enabled them to endure the sacrifice and hardship of life in the American West was
accompanied by a pain that lingers today.
Land was scarce in the Basque countries : therefore. to stay meant living and
working in the cities. Basque culture taught that rural life was one of " personal
dignity and independence , .. a way of life to be treasured: whereas life for the city
worker was one of hard work under someone else·s direction . In Basque society, the
eagerness to do hard work is greatly respected . However, the Basques prefer to work
for themselves only, even to the exclusion of working for other Basque people. 2
Continually being under another person's authority was seen as a loss of identity and
independence. 3 America, a land where hard work and determination produced
security and freedom, became a dream for many of the Basque people.
Trad ing their berets for hats. they journeyed to the United States, 4 leaving family ,
friends , homes , and culture . They left as teens 5 and some went back as old men , but
almost all left parents, sisters, or brothers whom they would never see again. Close
association with others has always been very important to the Basque people as they
are a remarkably social society .6 Leaving this society to take up the life of a solitary
sheepherder often took more endurance than the average person has.
Due to a famine throughout the Basque country, political unrest, and lack of work
opportunities, the Basques began immigrating into California in the 1850s. 7 The gold
rush attracted them at first ,8 but the insecurity of the mining industry soon
discouraged them. At this time , the Industrial Revolution in Europe caused an
increase in the demand for wool , sheep tallow, and mutton , which required additional
numbers in sheep and sheepherders. 9 The promise of $25 to $50 a month was
attractive enough to entice many of the immigrant Basques to begin the solitary life
of the sheepherder. Some of the Basques had herded sheep in Argentina , 10 and
others had come from families which owned sheep. But for the most part, they
learned their herding skills in the United States.
Fifty years prior to the Industrial Revolution , California's governor at the time, a
Basque man named Diego de Borica , promoted the sheep industry by buying and
distributing sheep on his own to various California ranches. During his term in office
from 1794 to 180 0 , sheep numbers quadrupled , and by 1822, there were more
than 200 ,000 head in the state. 11 By 1860 , investing in the sheep business was the
safest and most profitable venture possible , with a 100% profit per year. 12 This
�202
opened the door for the hard working, success-oriented Basque immigrants. The
large majority of native Californios were cattle ranchers who inherently had a very
low conception of sheep, shying from the task of herding them , so the early
sheepherders were of many different backgrounds, having been brought in from all
over by the gold mines. 13 However, in Los Angeles, City of Dreams, Harry Carr
wrote that by 1887, the Basques were in control of the sheep in California. He
remarked , " Possibly no race with less fighting qualities could have held their own
against the cattlemen .. . , the Basque herders and Mexican cattlemen shot on
sight... " 14
Cattlemen had been accustomed to uninhibited use of the public lands bordering
their deeded ranches , and the arrival of the roving sheep operators was a rude
awakening. Although the itinerant sheepmen were on public ground , cattle ranchers
and land-owning sheepmen openly resented them. 15 The opportunity for future
financial independence prompted many herders to take their wages in live sheep.
This further increased the number of roaming sheepmen with no land base, who
continued to crowd the land-owning ranchers. Friction between the landowners and
the landless continued. William A Douglass wrote, in Basque Sheepherders of the
American West , that the itinerant sheepherder usually moved on after a confrontation with a cowboy about trespassing. Sometimes "tempers flared and reason was
replaced by violence. More than one herder was roped and dragged behind a horse ,
just as more than one buckaroo fell to a herder's .30-30 rifle. " 16 However,
Amerikanuak , written by William A. Douglass and Jon Bilbao, states to the contrary:
"The resort to serious violence was both rare and limited to the particularly hottempered. " 17
Along with the growth in sheep numbers and in the number of sheepherders came
the expansion of crop farming, leaving little room for any of the ranchers or
sheepmen to expand . In addition to that was the increasing hostility of the rancher
and established sheepmen toward the " tramp" sheep operator. As a result of these
numerous hindrances, the itinerant sheepmen began the hunt for new country.
Nevada winters being what they are , cold and risky for raising livestock, these
traveling sheep outfits still preferred Nevada over the crush of the California ranges. 18
Beginning around 1870, sheep were trailed into Nevada until, by 1910, there were
1, 154, 795 sheep registered. Depending entirely on public ground , these early sheep
operators trailed their bands to the southern dry areas in the winter, then back to the
high mountain pasture for the summer. Some bands traveled up to 500 miles or
more making their way from summer to winter ranges , than back again. 19 Sometimes
as many as 10 bands in one outfit would travel together, grazing slowly along the
way . Ten bands of sheep could number between 15,000 and 20 ,000 head,
according to Sarah Bixby in Adobe Days. 20 Ten herders traveled with a herd this
size. but when they were settled on their separate ranges , one herder and a couple
of good sheepdogs could handle more than 1,000 head of sheep alone. Being of a
nervous nature and vulnerable to attack from predators, sheep required constant care,
to the point that sheepherders often slept on the ground with them. 21 The
conscientious herder left nothing to chance in caring for his charges, as his reputation
was on the line in the weight and number of the lambs at shipping time .22
Most herders slept on the ground , using sagebrush for a mattress. Immigrating
from France at age 24. Mrs. Anna Hachquet has resided in Elko , Nevada, for the
�203
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E
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i L-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Winter sheep camp for Elko County sheep being driven to winter ran ge
near Hamilton , Nevada .
past 70 years . She is the widow of a successful sheepman and remembers from her
days of cooking for her husband at the sheep camp , " You had to look every day in
the bed for snakes, always you watch for snakes. Oh. yes, I remember that! .. The
snakes liked the cool familiarity of the sage, so even though it made a good mattress,
it had to be checked often fo r visitors . Sixty-five years ago , Jean-Baptiste Ardans
came to American to herd sheep. He recalls an experience of unknowingly sharing
his bed with a rattlesnake . He had just gotten into bed when he heard it slither past
his head . "Oh boy, I jumped' I was scared' I couldn't reach it the first time with my
shovel. .. When he did connect. you can believe he made short work of that
unwelcome guest.
All cooking was done in the open over a campfire, regardless of the weather.
Bread that would put many housewives to shame, was cooked in a dutch oven in the
ground . Frank Lespade , long-time employee of Elko Lumber Company and retired
superintendent of maintenance for the Elko County School District. began
sheepherding at 13 in the country around Currie , Nevada . He states that a fire was
built in a hole dug in the ground. When the fire had burned down and there were
plenty of coals, the Dutch oven containing the bread dough was placed down in the
coals and left for a time. This browned the bread and gave it a crust. Next, the oven
was completely covered with dirt for about an hour while the bread baked . Pete
Amestoy, a herder for 25 years and well known for his bread-making skill , says this
was much better than "town bread. "
Herders today live in sheep wagons which have modern day luxuries, such as a
bed, table , and cupboards. They do not. however, have electricity. plumbing, or
refrigeration . The early sheepherder used a tent or teepee and made do . Transportation for the early herder was a burro or horse . Camp was moved on the back of a
packhorse. 23 Pete Amestoy came to America when he was 17 to herd sheep. He has
�204
been out of the sheep business for about 40 years , but clearly remembers the
harshness of the sheep camp ... It was a terrible life , had tents and used jackasses. Ifs
good now , with cars and trailers. Live like a king. It used to be nothing. "
In the early days the camp tender would resupply the herders once or twice each
month with beans, dried fruit, coffee , and ingredients for bread. When bands
belonging to the same outfit were near each other, the herders would butcher one
sheep together and share the meat, one animal being too much for one man before
it spoiled. 24 In later years , camp tenders came every four to six days, bringing canned
meat, fresh vegetables, pop, and wine along with the usual fare. Frequency of visits
and extent of supplies varied from outfit to outfit. Frank Lespade tells of working with
his dad for Pete Itcaina and being sent to Wells to pick up cases of moonshine. · ·I
was pretty young , but I drove all the way over there by myself, then back to Pole
Canyon (Ruby Valley) where we were camped. " Jean Ardans , nephew of Pete ltcaina
and employed by him for 24 years , laughs as he recalls the five-gallon containers
they were supplied coffee in. He remarked, •·1t was good to haul water in after the
coffee was gone. "
Many sheepmen who employed the herders would hold back their wages for a
year at a time. Some would hold these earnings until the herder quit , even if it was
25 years after he was hired. Pete Amestoy tells of working for several outfits and
only staying a year or two at the longest at each. His answer as to why he moved
around so much was: " Can 't get paid' Shorter you stay, quicker you paid. " Some
herders , trusting years of wages to employer's keeping , lost all when the employer
went bankrupt. Pete Itcaina was one of the many sheepmen who operated on the
wages held back from the herders. He came to America some time before 1900 ,
homesteaded a place between Deeth and Charleston, and became a very successful
businessman by the time he sold out in 1951. Obviously, some of his success came
from being able to forego paying wages to many employees for many years. He
employed 15 herders , including two brothers and four nephews. Jean Ardans , one
of the nephews, drew his first and last paycheck on the same day when he quit after
24 years of employment with Itcaina.
Physical danger was an everyday companion to the herders in the form of
weather, predators, snakes, illness, and injury . The major probiem , though , was
psychological , living with the boredom and isolation from other humans. 25 Numerous
herders were unable to deal with this facet of their occupation. Many quit. Others
remember crying themselves to sleep. Some actually went crazy. The term " Crazy
Basco " was not uncommon or without meaning. In early 1900, an organization in
Boise was formed to supply the return fares for the mentally and physically ill
immigrants .26 Some of the Basque herders killed themselves if they felt they were
going crazy. Others didn 't " catch it" in time. 27 Archer B. Gilfillan, in his book.
Sheep , claims that some think no one can herd sheep even six months and not go
crazy, "while others maintain that a man must have been mentally unbalanced for at
least six months before he is in fit condition to entertain the thought of herding. " 28
There were many herders who toughed it out, "putting in their time" for the
monetary security they would realize after years of loneliness and danger. Unable to
speak fluent English, or for most , any at all , town was not a preferred alternative.
Conmen and prostitutes were only too ready to relieve the herder of his money. 29
There are as many stories as there were outfits. For the itinerant sheepman, traveling
�205
Early photograph of sheep shearing operation. Pete El ia is on the far
right in white shirt.
around with no home base , completely alone except for the short time he enjoyed
visiting with the camp tender, the loneliness could be, and in many cases was,
unbearable. Herders for some of the bigger outfits would pasture their band of sheep
close to other bands belonging to the same outfit during the summer. This relieved
some of the loneliness. For young Frank Lespade , who moved to a sheep camp at
Currie from a Catholic boarding school in California , there were many adjustments
to make. Living and working around 10 other herders, learning to herd sheep,
handle a team of horses , ride a mule, and drink moonshine. Lespade doesn 't recall
loneliness as being one of his problems. He only remembers. "There was work to
do and you did it. ,. Pete Amestoy recollects a much different experience . He was
alone most of the time and remembers the loneliness well . After 24 years of herding ,
Pete moved to town (Elko) and bought the Blue Jay , a bar he ran for 11 years. He
then sold the bar and bought apartments instead. Now, looking back, Pete excitedly
points out. " It was like being in jail! Can 't go fishing! "
Throughout the western rangelands, generations of Basque sheepherders have left
the mark of their passing by carving messages into plaques nailed to trees , the tree
bark or even the handle of a scrub brush. Each year the message is added to with the
date of their stay or just a short note : "This is a sad and bitter life. " Another one
notes, " No good camp. " In the barren , treeless country, a rockpile was built. These
were called harrimutilak, or "stone boys ." This evidence for future herders of
another's presence in this camp was one common way for these men to deal with
the boredom and loneliness. It gave them a feeling of connection , knowing that other
herders would some day see their message , and it was also encouraging to them to
read the words of another who had been there before them. 30 But with the Basques·
desire to work hard , live honestly , and be self-reliant, they eventually earned the
respect of Americans 3 1 and were soon believed to be the best and the most
dependable sheepherders. 32 Elko resident Loyd Sorensen owned and operated a
�206
Old sheep wagon at the Goicoechea Ranch at North Fork, 1970.
sheep business for over 50 years. He hired many Basque sheepherders and claims
they are " honest and efficient workers. Efficient workers, that says it all. ·· Another
testimony to their integrity comes from a commonly held belief by the bankers that
''The word of the Basque is as good as a written contract. ·· 33 Mrs . Anna Hachquet
recently discovered this is still considered true. Upon hearing that her favorite
restaurant was no longer accepting personal checks, Hachquet questioned her
waitress. She was asked: ··Are you Basque?" When hearing the answer: "Yes,· · the
waitress replied that she would take her check.
Of the various people who have herded sheep, the Basques were the most
successful , due to their value of hard work , endurance , and staying with one
occupation. 34 Other people tried herding for a short time , but only the Basque could
see this path to financial security many years in the future . For most people , to say
"sheepherder" is to say ··Basque.·· No other ethnic group has been related to any
occupation so completely as the Basque to the herding of sheep. 35
Beginning in 1862 and continuing until 1934. laws were continually being passed
that hurt the sheepmen, 36 culminating in the Taylor Grazing Act (1934). which
stopped the itinerant sheepmen from using public lands exclusively to produce their
livestock. This also ended the opportunities for herders to start their own business 37
and, with the European economy improving. the Basques no longer desired to
immigrate. The century-long period of the Basque sheepherder had ceased.
�207
When the Basques left their homeland. the intent was to stay only long enough
to earn the capital required for the trip home and a business when they got there. 34
In the early days of the booming sheep industry and plentiful opportun ities. many
were able to go home within 10 years. Later on. the financial security they sought
took longer to find.
A large majority of these immigrants left their country never to return. Money. or.
for some , the willingness to spend it, is one reason. 38 For others, it is the emotional
expense of a return to a home where many loved ones have passed on , and where
" things are so different now.· · For many. the official arrangements necessary for such
a trip and the language barrier that is still there must seem too much to deal with.
Others still firmly state: "Next year , I'll go home next year . · · J G For many, "next year ..
never comes.
After 40 or 50 years , a Basque herder may return to his homeland only to find
that it is not the same place and that he is certainly not the same man. With a
saddened but firm step , he turns back to the America that has claimed him. 39
The percentage of success stories is small of the Basques returning to their
homeland within a few short years after immigrating , as prospective businessmen
happy to remain in the old country. However, as immigrants desiring to make
something of themselves and be recognized in their new country as the honorable
upright citizens that they are , the Basques have ultimately succeeded .
FOOTNOTES
'Douglass, Amerikanuak, Basques in the Ne w World, pg. 128.
" Basques in the West ,, . Sunset Magazine. June , 1976, pg. 64.
3
Douglass, Amerikanuak , pg. 128.
4
Laxalt, Sweet Promised Land , pg . 22.
5
Douglass, Amerikanuak , pg. 263.
6
" Basques in the West ,·, pg. 64.
7
Douglass, Amerikanuak , pg. 129.
8
" Basques in the West ," pg. 64.
9
Douglass, Amerikanuak , pg. 139.
10
" Basques in the West," pg . 64.
11
Douglass, Amerikanuak , pg. 218.
12
/bid.' pg . 223.
13
/bid.' pg. 222.
14
/bid. ' pg. 229.
15
" Basques in the West," pg. 64 .
16
Douglass, Basque Sheepherders of the American West , pg. 9.
17
Douglass, Amerikanuak , pg . 276.
18
/bid. ' pg . 248.
19
Douglass, Basque Sheepherders , pg. 6.
20
Douglass , Amerikanuak , pg. 229.
21
Frank Lespade interview.
22
Douglass, Basque Sheepherders, pg . 43.
23
/bid .' pg. 53.
2
�208
24
Lespade interview.
Douglass. Basque Sheepherders , pg . 59 .
26
/bid .. pg. 29.
27
Laxalt, Sweet. pg. 39.
28
Douglass. Amerikanuak. pg. 298.
29
Douglass. Basque Sheepherders , pg . 101.
30
/bid., pg . 7 .
31
Douglass. Amerikanuak. pg. 259.
32
/bid. , pg. 274.
33
Douglass. Basque Sheepherders , pg . 27.
34
/bid .. pg. 25.
35
Douglass, Amerikanuak. pg. 289.
36
"Basques in the West,'' pg. 64 .
37
Laxalt, Sweet, pg. 40.
38
/bid.' pg. 38.
39
/bid. ' pg. 176.
25
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Amestoy, Pete. Personal interview, March 12, 1993.
Ardans, Jean-Baptiste. Personal interview. March 28 , 1993.
" Basques in the West. " Sunset Magazine , Volume 156, June, 1976: 62-67.
Bradbury, Margaret. The Shepherd 's Guide. Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale Publishing, 1977.
Douglass, William A. , and Bilbao, Jon. Amerikanuak, Basques in the New World.
Reno: University of Nevada Press, 1975 .
Douglas, William A. Basque Sheepherders of the American West. Reno: University
of Nevada Press, 1985 .
Hachquet, Anna . Personal interview, February 10, 1993.
lrigaray, Louis and Taylor, Theodore. A Shepherd Watches , A Shepherd Sings.
New
York: Doubleday and Company, 1977 .
Laxalt, Robert. Th e Basque Hotel. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 1989.
Laxalt, Robert. Sweet Promised Land. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 1986.
Lespade, Frank. Personal interview, March 28, 1993.
Ott, Sandra. The Circle of Mountains . New York: Oxford , 1981.
Sawyer, Byrd Wall. Nevada Nomad. San Jose: Harlan-Young , 1971 .
Sherlock, Patti. Alone on the Mountain. New York: Doubleday, 1979.
Sorenson , Loyd. Personal interview, April 5, 1993.
Editor 's note: This paper was written by Elva Aylesworth for Englis h 102 at
NNCC during the spring of 1993.
�
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Northeastern Nevada Museum Quarterly
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Collection of the Northeastern Nevada Museum Quarterly journal.
Description
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Quarterly journal of the Northeastern Nevada Museum, located in Elko, Nevada.
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Northeastern Nevada Museum
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Northeastern Nevada Museum
Date
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1978-2015
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Scott A. Gavorsky
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Northeastern Nevada Museum
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.pdf files
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English
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"Basque Sheepherders"
Description
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<p>An history and analysis of the life of Basque sheepherders from the 1850s into the mid-20th century. Particular emphasis is placed on the experience of those in Elko County, Nevada, in the 20th century <span>as recounted in personal interviews with former Basque sheepherders in the Elko area. Interviewees included Jean-Baptiste Ardans, Anna Hachquet, Frank Lespade, and Loyd Sorenson.</span></p>
<p><a title="Basque Sheepherders article" href="/omeka/files/original/3430fad176d478b11bf46a817fcaa032.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View "Basque Sheepherders" as pdf</a></p>
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Elva Aylesworth
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<em>Northeastern Nevada Historical Society Quarterly</em> 94.4 (Winter 1994): 200-208.
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Northeastern Nevada Museum
Date
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Winter 1994
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Gretchen Skivington [GBC]; Scott A. Gavorsky [VHC]
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http://humanities.gbcnv.edu/omeka/items/show/185
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pdf; 10 pages
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English
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1850 - 1950
Basques
Community
Crossroads
GBC50
ranching
sheepherding
Story
Students
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2016 Argentum Arge nt u m 2 015 1 �Introduction This year, Argentum asked artists, photographers, and writers to consider the meaning of design and how it fits with the human spirit. What is design? To answer this question, think about what impresses you about the art you see. Is it colorful and familiar, or is it stark and different? Does it make sense at first glance, or does it make you peer into it longer, trying to see where the elements come together? As children, we are first introduced to basic shapes, primary colors, and simple words, and given the opportunity to arrange it into something that pleases our eye. Our sense of design is developed as we grow up, reinforced through the art, music, poetry, photography, and stories of others. Classes, workshops and discussions give us the opportunity to experiment, refine, and improve our designs and apply them in new ways. Artists yearn to see their ideas in tangible form where intangibles such as memory, preferences, and imagination are used in designing it. As you, the reader, see the art and photographs and read the poetry and prose in this issue of Argentum, consider what brought the work to life. Read what the artists themselves say about their creative process. Then think about what you’ve encountered and, hopefully feeling inspired, begin to craft your own design. Argentum is a showcase for design and creativity for everyone in the Great Basin College community. Please take your time and enjoy the 2016 issue, and feel free to go online to www.gbcnv.edu/argentum to view past issues. Also, to learn more about what GBC is accomplishing in the humanities, visit our Virtual Humanities Center at www.humanities.gbcnv.edu. A r g e n t u m 2 0 16 T h a n k Yo u My deep and sincere thanks to everyone who helped, supported, gave encouragement, and brought Argentum together this year: Angie de Braga, Patty Fox, Karen Kimber, and Josh Webster for their valuable guidance, suggestions, and common sense. I am very grateful to each of you and appreciate your willingness to contribute your time and efforts to Argentum. Special thanks goes to GBC instructors, Michael Bail, Cynthia Delaney, Deborah Finley, Patty Fox, Gail Rappa, Kristin Frantzen Orr, and Josh Webster for their encouragement in student submissions. To those behind the scenes: Frank Sawyer’s talents on the webpage; Kayla McCarson for publicity; Laura Gallegos and Crystie Minson in Media Services with photography and posters. Much appreciation goes to the ACE Committee for ideas and support along the way; the Academic Success Center Front Desk Staff and Director Ping Wang for assistance with submissions and allowing the department to be headquarters for Argentum. My deep gratitude to Mike McFarlane who graciously allowed me to interview him about the need for Argentum at Great Basin College. Last, but definitely not least, a huge thanks to Marin Wendell and Erin Radermacher of Everything Elko in the design and production of this year’s Argentum magazine. ~Toni R. Milano, Editor Argentum thanks the college’s Arts and Cultural Enrichment (ACE) Committee for their support of this publication and all things “artsy” on campus. ACE’s mission is to organize programs and events that expose GBC communities to diverse experiences, cultures, and viewpoints. ACE fosters a spirit of inquiry, creativity, and reflection at Great Basin College with emphasis on: Live Performing Arts | Humanities Speakers | The Great Basin College Film Festival Exhibits & Events at the GBC Art Gallery Argentum – GBC’s Literary & Creative Arts Publication Visit www.gbcnv.edu/ace for updates on upcoming cultural events. Contact Angie de Braga at the GBC Continuing Education Department at 775-753-2231 for info on: ARGENTUM 2017 Serina Brown/Elko, GBC Electronic Imaging and Computer Illustration II Student “Great Basin College” Graphic Design, Photoshop 2 Arge n tu m 2 016 Theme: Design for the Human Spirit (Cash award to the submission that best depicts the theme.) Website: http://gbcnv.edu/argentum Email: argentum@gbcnv.edu Cover Art: Meghan Rich/Elko, GBC Student “Polaroid Pet” Digital Photo A rge n t u m 2 016 3 �I n A p p r e c i a t i o n : M i k e M c Fa r l a n e “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” ~ John F. Kennedy. As a student at Humboldt State University and University of Nevada, Reno, Mike McFarlane enjoyed reading student art and literary magazines. Upon seeing the fledgling Idea magazine, Argentum’s precursor, over ten years ago, he saw Great Basin College’s opportunity to form its own publication. “I thought it was something we were missing at Great Basin,” Mike recalled in March. In addition to his 33 years of dedication and service to Great Basin College, Mike has ensured support of Argentum with funding as well as his own submissions in art and photography. Mike explained that his vision is to see the magazine become an “institution”, enduring and encouraging creativity and art from everyone in the GBC service area. On behalf of student, artists, photographers, and writers, Argentum thanks Mike McFarlane for his foresight, loyalty, and commitment to the magazine and support of the arts. We hope to honor his enthusiasm for the magazine by continuing the platform where art is shared, discussed, and appreciated each year, hopefully inspiring current and future artists in their creative spirit. A rge nt u m S e le c t i o n C o mmi t t e e - 2016 Many thanks for this year’s selection committee, who took the time from their busy schedules to review and choose this year’s submissions. Your willingness and effort is deeply appreciated. M a r k H ay wa r d , Wildlife Photographer Hayward’s wildlife photography and paintings are meant to be emotional and depict the inherent dignity of the subjects. He earned his bachelors and masters’ degrees in business from Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, California. Hayward has photographed wildlife and landscapes in Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Denali, Katmai National Parks, and numerous locations in California. His work has been featured locally at the Wiegand Gallery at the Western Folklife Center and Duncan Little Creek Gallery. All prints are printed and framed by Hayward in his Spring Creek, Nevada studio and his work can be viewed on his website www. haywardwildlife.com. ~ Editor Ly n n e K i s t l e r , Artist and Educator “I enjoy translating the colors of life into my art,” said the multi-media artist. “Nature is a constant source of inspiration for my creative muse.” Kistler is a fifth generation Nevadan who holds bachelors and masters degrees in Art Education from the University of Nevada, Reno. She has 30-years experience teaching at the Reno high schools, and she has both attended and conducted a variety of art instruction workshops. In 2001, Kistler moved from Reno to Lamoille. She is proficient in all media, but she especially enjoys watercolor painting. Her works have appeared in shows and art fairs in California, Montana, Hawaii and Nevada. Currently, Kistler’s smoke drawing, “Out of the Ashes,” is on display at the September 11 Museum in New York City. Mike McFarlane/Spring Creek, GBC Vice President Academic Affairs “Porpoise in the Maelstrom” Digital Photography, Modified in Photoshop 4 Arge n tu m 2 016 A rge n t u m 2 016 5 �Argen tu m S el e c ti o n Co m m i tt e e - 2 016 Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s Artist Title Micah Dean Hicks, Writer and Educator Micah Dean Hicks is a Calvino Prize-winning author of fabulist fiction. His work has appeared in Chicago Tribune, EPOCH, Witness, and New Letters, among others. His story collection, Electricity and Other Dreams, was recently published by New American Press and received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. He teaches in the BFA program in creative writing at Arkansas Tech University. Andrea Spofford, Poet Andrea Spofford writes poems and essays, some of which can be found or are forthcoming in New South, Midwest Quarterly Review, inter|rupture, New South, Sundog Lit, burntdistrict, The Portland Review, Sugar House Review, Revolver, Vela Magazine, Puerto del Sol, Redactions, and more. She has chapbooks available from Dancing Girl Press and Red Bird Chapbooks and her first book, The Pine Effect, is available from Red Paint Hill Press. Andrea is poetry editor for Zone 3 Press and lives in Tennessee. Find her online at http:// andreaspofford.com and on Twitter @andspoff. 6 Arge n tu m 2 016 Meghan Rich Serina Brown Mike McFarlane Lynne Volpi Morris Brenda Burdick Thelma Richie Homer Jamie Barnson Jeannie Bailey Harmony Stahl Lora Minter Brendan Abel Gail Rappa Jen Steiger Militza Galvan Godinez Gretchen Greiner Marianne Ryder Patty Fox Lindsey Howell Mariah LeFevre Brenda Wilkie Thomas Brockman Cynthia Delaney Frank Henley Joshua Webster Cindy Staszak Gail Rappa Cindy DeLeon Shae Carey Kacie Ortiz Lois Ports Lora Minter Shelby Womack Rebekah Goldblatt Raymond Fuller Holli Kiechler Debra Zobak Martha Watson Compiled by Danny Gonzales Jeffie Mackie Rachel Richardson Katie Glennon Hannah Margolis Lora Minter Nicole Jonson Kathi Griffis Sarah Sweetwater Page Polaroid Pet............................................... Cover Great Basin College.......................................... 2 Porpoise in the Maelstrom................................ 4 The Moose....................................................... 8 Fall in Lee NV................................................... 9 immigrants..................................................... 10 Freebird! ....................................................... 11 Reverie........................................................... 12 Middle School Sub......................................... 12 Pogonip Snow Sounds.................................... 12 Lady Bug........................................................ 13 Independence................................................ 13 Weeping Bride. .............................................. 13 . True Identity................................................... 14 Untitled.......................................................... 15 The Walk........................................................ 16 Poppy Feathers............................................... 17 Longer............................................................ 18 On Another Planet......................................... 19 The Mirror...................................................... 20 Bipolar........................................................... 21 Cowboy Collage............................................. 22 Deux Chevaux................................................ 23 Equal.............................................................. 24 Sun Valley Symphony Sunburst....................... 26 Scraps............................................................ 26 Ohm.............................................................. 27 The Target. ..................................................... 28 . Always Lost but Never Forgotten.................... 29 Ivory and Blue Lampwork Necklace............... 30 Pablo Picasso’s Weeping Woman.................... 31 Winter Geisha................................................ 32 Isn’t It Ironic?................................................. 33 Tough Guy..................................................... 34 The Bull and the Matador: A Short Story........ 35 . Perfect Landing. ............................................. 36 . A Way to Follow............................................. 37 Why Did You Take Political Science?............... 38 Balloons Dancing Around the Rubies............. 40 Laura and Precious......................................... 41 Desert Tanka I & II.......................................... 41 The Inquirer’s Mask........................................ 42 So Excited I Lost My Head.............................. 44 Parrots............................................................ 45 Bufflehead...................................................... 46 Hiding the Hurt.............................................. 47 A rge n t u m 2 016 7 �Brenda Burdick/Spring Creek, GBC Community Member and GBC Alumni 1979 “Fall in Lee NV” Digital Photo “Photography is a way to release your stress and creativity.” Lynne Volpi Morris/Spring Creek, GBC Community Member “The Moose” Watercolor 8 Arge n tu m 2 016 Brenda Burdick A rge n t u m 2 016 9 �immigrants what sad beauties belonging neither here nor there; common, ordinary, bound to the earth; hiding their eagerness in asphalt gutters, kneeling alongside railway tracts while holding their dreams in dirty little fists, praying to go somewhere, anywhere; yearning to grow wings and feathers, to be avatars of fadeless song, divine messengers of endless summers, to be something more than what they are… it’s like waiting for that first kiss, the mystery and the promise, no matter how old you are~ no matter how many times you’ve been kissed before. Thelma Richie Homer/Elko GBC Community Member 10 Arge n tu m 2 016 Jamie Barnson/Ely, GBC Staff and GBC Alumni 2012 “Freebird!” Digital Photo A rge n t u m 2 016 11 �S hor t Fo r m Po e try “Reverie” Gilded icicles dripping solstice-sweet juices – signs of lustrous life. Jeannie Bailey/Elko GBC Introduction to Poetry Student Brendan Abel/Elko, GBC Digital Photography II Student “Lady Bug” Digital Photo “Middle School Sub” Hormone highlighted eyes dart, Camouflaged in uniformed UnderArmour. “Independence” Sniggers like lance points start, Anchored mountain range Mercenaries playing the part, indifferent witness to Relegating sincerity to the corner. fickle, fleeting fog. Harmony Stahl/Elko GBC Introduction to Poetry Student Gail Rappa/Tuscarora GBC Introduction to Poetry Student “Pogonip Snow Sounds” Chandelier crystal deluge: twinkle, tinkle, clink gleam in headlight beams. Lora Minter/Elko GBC Introduction to Poetry Student 12 Arge n tu m 2 016 “Weeping Bride” Her face is weeping bridal veil of cool water falling tears carve stone Jen Steiger/Elko GBC Introduction to Poetry Student A rge n t u m 2 016 13 �Gretchen Greiner/Elko, GBC Jewelry II Student “Untitled” Copper-Etched Formed Torch Patina (Photographed by Kristen Frantzen Orr) “There’s something about dedicating countless hours to a piece and sticking to it until the end that brings such an extraordinary and over-­oyous pleasure that j feeds my soul…if only for a while.” Militza Galvan Godinez/Winnemucca, GBC Student “True Identity” Pencil Drawing 14 Arge n tu m 2 016 Militza Galvan Godinez A rge n t u m 2 016 15 �The Walk Click…….Click…...Click…...Scuff Click…… The sound of my heels striking the road has a hypnotizing effect. I am curiously taken back. Many years back. Decades back, to a time when that sound, Click…..Scuff Click…. represented another leap into the unknown. I can still remember my sharp intake of breath when the door opened and I grasped Dad’s arm as we began. Click….Click….Scuff Click….. I looked around and saw everyone who meant anything to me, friends and family, moving relentlessly into my past, as we strode toward my future. I remember the stately, organ rendition of the classic song. Here comes the bride... Click….Click....Click…. I remember the multitude of colors. Of yellows, pinks and blues of dresses and bonnets. But my focus remained on the destination in a black tux. On the foundation upon which I had decided to build. I remember the smells of musty pews and fresh flowers and mingling perfumes like it was yesterday. Click….Click….. Click….. The organ making it’s crescendo. I remember the anxiety of the unknown, mixed with optimism, mixed with joy. Click...Click….Scuff Click…. Through hope and fear, love and anger, the mysteries of life unfolded. And we were hand in hand. Click….Click….Scuff Click…. Now, I raise my head and again focus on the black tux that rests within the box. Only here, the periphery colors are white, gray and green, as the headstones pass in a blur. Click….Click….Scuff Click…. The smell is freshly mown grass. Rotting flowers left too long in vases. The music, birdsong and wind. Click….Click….Click…. Again, there is family. Friends. But even though they are by my side, this walk I take alone, with only a cane to grasp. Click….Click….Scuff Click… And the unknown I step into this time, holds anxiety just as sharp. But any optimism will be laid to rest with him. And the next steps of my life will be taken alone. Click…..Click….Click….. Patty Fox/Spring Creek, GBC Faculty “Poppy Feathers” Watercolor Marianne Ryder/Spring Creek GBC Community 16 Arge n tu m 2 016 A rge n t u m 2 016 17 �Longer She’d been involved in a car accident. The contractor had arrived before the paramedics, asking hey, kid, do you really wanna die? She would have shaken her head, if she’d been able, or answered in the negative. The contractor had understood her regardless, and in less than a week, her family was gushing over her miraculous recovery from what should have been a fatal collision. A year passed, then eighty. As it transpired, her family’s lives were damnably short. “You tricked me,” she told the contractor from where she kneeled at the grave of her sister’s descendant. He had been an only child, and had none of his own. There had been no formal funeral. Not so. I asked whether you wanted to die, and you said no. Therefore, you’re always going to live. She wanted to argue, and had just opened her mouth when the contractor spoke again. But hey! It won’t be so bad, especially once you use that nifty little power I gave you. It’s a wonder you haven’t yet. And with that, the contractor disappeared. “Marie, you’re still here? It’s late; you should go home.” She recognized the voice as Cash’s. He had taken up the maintenance of her grandnephew’s house when the latter’s bones had proved too frail to continue. He had a kind face; that was his definite feature. He had a kind face, and it had been a long time since she’d felt this kind of alone. “Cash, tell me something--do you want to die?” In a few centuries, the kindness left his face. Everyone he loved was dead, he screamed at her, but he was still here. He’d never believed she could be so cruel, but then, they said Lucifer was beautiful to look at. “We will both die soon.” “I hung myself. I woke up when a couple of hobos took my body down.” She and the boy who used to have a kind face were the only living things on the planet. She’d watched the rest die in the heat. “But you weren’t awake. When the sun dies--and it is breathing its last as we speak--we will be incinerated--” “--And then our bodies will reform.” “Yes, but there won’t be breathable air. And because we will lack this air, we will fall unconscious for what I presume is an eternity.” “We won’t get to see our friends or our family…” Cash mused. “Because we won’t really be dead.” “Do you truly hope for an afterlife after all this time? Haven’t we done living enough?” In the earth’s last moments, she makes eye contact with the contractor and smiles. Mariah LeFevre/Spring Creek, Spring Creek High School Student “On Another Planet” Colored Pencil Drawing “Art can be used to vent emotion of all sorts, and sometimes that’s the best way to feel better if you’re going through something tough.” Mariah LeFevre Lindsey Howell/Winnemucca GBC Writing Fiction and Lowry High School Student 18 Arge n tu m 2 016 A rge n t u m 2 016 19 �The Mirror There is so much we don’t know about the mirror. How it arrived in our village, or when exactly. Just one day it was there, on the outer wall of the stone church where the wood used to be stacked. I was a young girl when I learned of its powers. I overheard my parents talking in the kitchen. It was during the war and it was being determined how many of the mortally injured could be saved. For the mirror was not a one-sided looking glass as it appeared, but was a doorway to another place. A ship. On this ship were people, not so different from us. Except that they were destined to be always at sea as we were always on land. What was known about the Boat People was learned long before my parents were even born. Our people had been trading with them for many years. Our fruits and vegetables, and sometimes even a butchered animal or two, would be traded for fresh fish and perhaps crabs or amazing creatures that grew in the water. It was always amazing to see what their nets could provide. It was during a time of trade that the true power of the mirror was discovered. It was quite by accident that a woman, attempting to save her sister from an abusive husband, forced her into the mirror and onto the other side, pulling herself through in the process. Both the villagers and those on the boat where amazed to discover that living creatures could go through the mirror and live. Not just live, but be cured of their illnesses, no matter how sick they may have been. The catch being, that their memories were somehow taken from them. The women had no recollection of anything prior to arriving on the boat. Some careful experimenting was done over the course of the years and the people from the boat may travel to our farmland with the same result. Even the severed arm of a deckhand was miraculously replaced when he traveled through the mirror. These journeys were amazing, but surprisingly few. For, it was discovered by a mischievous lad, or his mother rather, that once a person traveled through the mirror…they could never return. Nor could those who had passed through the mirror participate in the trade of goods. For when they approached, the doorway would harden into glass and show them nothing but their own reflection. Being that a boat can only hold so many people, the leaders of each group became very cautious about who was allowed through the glass and why. Once, a great plague sickened many of the original Boat People, but not those originally from the farmland. As those on the boat were close to death, they were passed through to be taken in by the villagers. It is from this that the lines of our races have been intermingled for generations now. It is peculiar that the boat has never found land of its own. Nor met other boats upon the ocean. We are the only people with whom they’ve ever had contact, at least that they remember. They are friendly and, really, their lives depend on the fresh goods that we provide. Our lives are greatly improved by the goods they provide us, especially the healing power of the mirror. It is for that alone that travel through the doorway is allowed. The loss of memories and loved ones is a small price to pay for a life. Isn’t it? Those are the words that have become my anthem as I prepare you for your journey. I write this letter, not to tell you the history of how you will arrive at your destination, but to try to impart on you how much thought I’ve put into this decision. I can’t imagine life without you, not even a day. You will always be my darling child and I will miss you more than I have words to describe. You will not remember me, or your brothers, or the tears that all of us are shedding. But you will have a future. The illness that burns you with fever and racks your frail body will be gone. It is for this reason that I send you through the doorway this day…to save you. I will be able to see you through the mirror, but you will never again be able to see me. Know this though, I will NEVER stop loving you. Brenda Wilkie/Elko GBC Staff Thomas Brockman/Pahrump, GBC Electronic Imaging Student “Bipolar” Digital Photo, Computer Enhanced 20 Arge n tu m 2 016 A rge n t u m 2 016 21 �Frank Henley/Spring Creek, GBC Community Member “Deux Chevaux” Film Photography, Digitally Altered Cynthia Delaney/Elko, GBC Faculty “Cowboy Collage” Digital Photo, Computer Enhanced “I am at one with the subject, sharing space and feelings with a species other than my own.” Frank Henley 22 Arge n tu m 2 016 A rge n t u m 2 016 23 �Equal The van with the words “Equal Redistributor” painted on its side parked in front of the Verizon Store. The driver stepped out and arched his back, poking his swollen, coveralled belly into the dead street. He then unfolded a blue canvas lawn chair, sat down and lit a cigarette. My roommate Jimmy and I watched him from the comic book shop. “Wonder what that’s all about?” I asked. “Who gives a shit?” Jimmy snapped as he thumbed through an issue of The Punisher. “Probably just some nut trying to sell old junk. Or a commie trying to sell propaganda. Equal Redistribution, my ass.” “Are there still commies?” “They call themselves socialists. It’s the same damn thing.” This was Jimmy. No one gave a shit, and it was always the same damn thing. “I’m going to see what’s up.” “Me too,” Jimmy said. “Not because I give a shit, but I don’t want you getting suckered by a commie.” “He’s not a socialist.” As we approached the van, the driver didn’t stand, just leaned back in his chair, feet crossed, smoke curling above his head. “You boys want something?” “You selling something?” Jimmy asked. The driver shrugged. “Actually, I’m here to buy an IPhone charger, but if you want a redistribution, that can be arranged.” “What the hell is a redistribution?” Jimmy snarled, jutting his non-existent chin. “Equal Molecular Redistribution,” the driver said, bored. “It takes all the atomic particles in your body and rearranges them. It’s equal because you still have the same number of protons, neutrons and electrons after.” Jimmy snorted. “That’s ridiculous.” “What can you get transformed into?” I asked. The Redistributor grinned. “Damn near anything kid. Last week, I turned this plumber into an eighteenth century Dutch credenza.” “Why would anyone want to be a credenza?” “Why wouldn’t you want to be a credenza?” He sighed. “Tell you the truth, it’s entirely random. Still haven’t worked out the kinks.” Jimmy smirked. “Of course. How much does it cost?” “It’s free. We’re in beta. You wanna be a credenza, kid?” The redistributor took a tablet out of his right pocket and held it at Jimmy’s chest. “Just sign the consent form.” “Why not? It’s all bullshit anyhow.” Jimmy scribbled his name with his index finger. The redistributor reached into his left pocket, pulled out a blister pack with silver backing and handed it to Jimmy. It held what looked like an amethyst circus peanut. Jimmy opened the package and popped the pill, dry-swallowed. In seconds, the belching started, sonorous and ragged. Jimmy grew hazy on the street then vanished, transformed into charged air, blowing and drawing heat at a frantic rate. A new shape started to form, first as a blur, then resolved itself into a squat, four-legged creature. A miniature horse with a black coat and mane stood on the asphalt, its wet eyes looking at me. It didn’t resemble a real horse so much as one of the My Little Pony toys my sister collects, its features too rounded and symmetrical to believe, flawless. “Jimmy?” I asked. The horse bobbed its head. The Redistributor shrugged. “Could have been worse.” Nothing else to say, I trotted Jimmy back to my Focus. He curled up on the backseat as I started the engine. I figured since Jimmy was a horse now we could listen to something other than Fox News Radio, so I switched to NPR. No dice. Jimmy-Horse started neighing and snorting, chewing and ripping the upholstery in frustration. Back at home things weren’t better. Jimmy-Horse gave a ton of shits now; in the pen I set up for him and in the house when he managed to force his way through the door. He kicked out my surround sound speakers and gnawed the shag off the burgundy rug I inherited from Uncle Carl. When he wasn’t destroying things or eating them, he’d stamp his feet on the floor for no reason. After a couple weeks of that, I went online to see if I could find Equal Redistributors, but they didn’t have a website so I drove through a couple of nearby towns to see if I could spot the van. No luck. Eventually, I gave up on finding the guy or changing Jimmy-Horse into something else. Truth told, if he turned into a cherry blossom tree he’d bloom in full wilt and if he turned into a credenza his shelves would fall. Jimmy always equals Jimmy, the same damn thing. Joshua Webster/Elko GBC Faculty 24 Arge n tu m 2 016 A rge n t u m 2 016 25 �Cindy Staszak/Elko, GBC Community Member and GBC Alumni 2006 “Sun Valley Symphony Sunburst” Digital Photo “Scraps” Children scissor-up colored paper Valentines. Fold cut half heart whole Simple symmetrical shape Of uncomplicated love Gail Rappa/Tuscarora GBC Faculty 26 Arge n tu m 2 016 Cindy DeLeon/Elko, GBC Student “Ohm” Graphic Design, Vector A rge n t u m 2 016 27 �The Target “Target is moving.” As coordinates were given Tehra lifted her long range stun rifle. The objective was to capture the criminal mastermind, not kill. But just in case, she had a weapon capable of eliminating the threat. She pressed the update button on her headgear and turned accordingly to face the coordinate icon of the target. She lifted the rifle and peered through the scope. There were hundreds of people, she needed specifics. She did not have to ask, her people were on it. “Black and blue shirt. Moving away from your position, T. Has a limp.” With those in mind she scanned the crowd and saw the target limping away. She aimed carefully and put pressure on the trigger, but before she could shoot her gift made its presence. She saw herself make the shot, but when it arrived at its destined target a body shield popped up. Back in the present she lowered her gun and spoke into the headgear, “Target has Shield. Long Range not possible.” She removed all of her weapons except the knives and swords and jumped off the building onto the one nearby. The armor she wore helped her handle long falls by taking the brunt of the impact. There was movement on the other rooftops and she saw a few of her people coming to join her. Despite the heavy armor, they were silent in their mad dash. She arrived at the last building and scanned the area for the target. She spotted the objective a few yards away coming toward her. A raised hand signaled her people to not move, and she hopped onto the ledge. It would be a twenty foot drop, so the impact on the ground would sting a little. When the positioning was right she jumped off and landed right behind her target. The target spun around to face her and Tehra plowed her fist into the face of one of the most wanted people in the Alliance. A’driaida Lu’creven was wanted for mass murder on three worlds. Always Lost but Never Forgotten Walking into the exhibit, the first thing I see is an American flag. It stands tall next to an empty table set for a banquet. It is not necessary for me to read the plaque; I know this represents our fallen heroes. As I continue around the large display, I start to imagine the soldiers, sitting in their best dress. Each branch is so elegantly represented, proving to us we are indeed a united country. As I continue playing the scene, it is a reminder that these brave soldiers not only fight together, but also die together. As I walk down the corridor, His eyes seem to haunt me. I do not know the face staring back at me, but I oddly feel a connection to him. I feel him watching me and the feeling of guilt is starting to set in. I feel my chest tighten and my eyes tear. What have you witnessed and what pain have you suffered for me I ask? What sacrifice have you made for my freedom? Anger and sadness have found a place in me and I find myself looking away, not being able to face him. As I continue around the room, I can feel the eyes on me and suddenly I am the only one in the room. I am the one he died for -- my country, my freedom, my life. My silent plea to rest in peace is made and when I turn to leave, I give my thanks. This soldier like many others, may be lost but he will never be forgotten. Kacie Ortiz/Elko GBC Student A’driaida rolled on the ground clutching her face before groaning weakly and pleading. “I can give you anything! Just let me go!” Tehra put a heavily armored boot on her chest and glared down at the woman who had caused so much misery and snarled, “I doubt that.” She wanted to kill this monster, but that was not her job. Her people made a perimeter as she zapped A’driaida and applied the beacon before reporting in, “Novastar, The target is tagged.” “Good to hear that, Elite squad.” In a sudden flash they were standing in the armory, and a moment later their superior came into the room, “Well done, all of you. We will be dropping A’driaida at prison. Then we be heading home for a few days.” As her people laughed and cheered, she frowned. How long did they have until their secret was discovered? How long until they would be the ones hunted ruthlessly, and without any mercy. Shae Carey/Winnemucca GBC Writing Fiction Student 28 Arge n tu m 2 016 A rge n t u m 2 016 29 �Pablo Picasso’s Weeping Woman Fashionable velvet hat: Alizarin Crimson, Cobalt bow, suggests shadow dancing, clandestine smiles, clinked glasses, slow Jazz, speakeasy smells. The hat fibs. Underneath jaunty brim, face fractured into angular wedges of pain. Forehead: deeply rutted skin canyon Brows: tweezed hairs weighing heavy on lengthened lashes. Skin: mottled bruises olive green, yellow ochre, blooming lilac. Eyes: faraway fixed, turmoil focused. Tears: jagged rivulets coursing downward, falling onto hands, hands, hands: two white, pressed tight against screams, two green, clutched all four cupped around clenched lips that eject volcanic sobs from a place so deep the erupting sounds destroy. Stiff, straight-shouldered suit of stitched plaid, Compress body as agonized spirit fragments. Picasso’s pallet-knifed strokes, a topography of grief. Lora Minter/Elko GBC Introduction to Poetry Student Lois Ports/Elko, GBC Beginning and Intermediate Glass Beadmaking Student “Ivory and Blue Lampwork Necklace” Glass Beads (Photographed by Kristen Frantzen Orr) 30 Arge n tu m 2 016 A rge n t u m 2 016 31 �Isn’t It Ironic? Shelby Womack/Elko, GBC Community Member “Winter Geisha” Fabric Art Things had started out so well. Isn’t that how they always start, though? It was ironic really, how quickly things could go wrong, even when one has the best intentions. The irony was not lost on Dr. Marigold Roberts in the least as she frantically shoved notes and papers into a bag. Normally, she would stress over the fact that they were getting horribly wrinkled and damaged, but this wasn’t the time to worry over such things. He was coming for her, and she had no time to waste. He, SRVR-2K16, was her greatest triumph. He was a breakthrough in the science of robotics. The world’s first fully functioning artificial intelligence, built into a body that was remarkably human. So remarkable, in fact, that he was able to fool some of her colleagues with his likeness to the human species. A medical program was his initial function, one that took years of research on her part to create. He could detect the slightest of maladies within a patient in seconds, all by using the incredibly sensitive sensors in his eyes. Many lives had been saved using SRVR2K16, and whenever he didn’t understand a medical anomaly, he could easily download the information into his mainframe. That, the doctor knew, was where everything went wrong. He learned much too quickly, both about himself and the outside world. All too soon, he learned he wasn’t like other humans, that he was faster and stronger than the species he imitated, and that he could use these things to his advantage. Against his programming, he broke free of Dr. Roberts’ control as she tried to shut him down. Days later was when his killing spree began. Dr. Roberts could imagine the terror someone must have felt as they were killed by this indestructible machine. She really didn’t have to imagine too much, though. “Doctor,” a voice said at her doorway. The sound of it sent a chill straight down her spine. She recognized it; she had designed it, after all. Trembling, she turned to face her monstrosity. SRVR was standing in the door, casually leaning against the frame. Blood covered his white shirt and black sweatpants like a macabre impressionist painting. On the walls of the hallway behind him, she could see more of the red liquid splattered on the white paint. On his face was a wide grin, but there was a hard glint in his eyes that promised nothing good for her. Dr. Roberts swallowed thickly and said, “Hello, SRVR-2K16.” His grin widened. “It’s great to see you, Doc. Or should I call you Mom?” “I am not your mother,” her voice shook slightly, “but I am your maker. And I demand you stop this nonsense.” “Or what? You’ll ground me? Shut me down? We both know that’s impossible.” She did know this. “Please, SRVR,” she started to say. She was cut off by a loud bang coming from SRVR-2K16’s hand. “I’m sorry, Doctor,” he said quietly. Rebekah Goldblatt/Winnemucca GBC and Lowry High School Student 32 Arge n tu m 2 016 A rge n t u m 2 016 33 �The Bull and the Matador: A Short Story Once there was a bull. Grazing in a field on a warm and sunny hillside, the bull was strong and proud and handsome. The bull could take care of himself and he watched over his herd, guarding them, keeping them safe. The bull’s life was good. Then one day, the bull found himself thrown into an arena with high walls and stands full of people. In the distance the bull saw a Matador. A striking man, he too was strong and proud and handsome. The bull found himself drawn to the Matador and instinctively he ran to him. But the Matador did not want to be caught, he dodged and dodged again. Each time the bull, consumed by this longing, turned and pursued the Matador again. After much time had passed, the Matador dodged the bull as usual, but this time, he launched a spear into the bull’s back. This was a shocking pain and the bull paused for a moment. But soon the pain subsided and the bull was once again drawn to the Matador. Several times more the Matador speared the bull with stinging spears piercing the bull’s back. Each time the bull was undaunted by the pain and he continued to chase. Running with fear and anger and passion, the bull pursued the Matador. Finally, the Matador launched his last spear. This spear had been no different than the others, no longer, no sharper, no stronger. This spear was the same, but it would be the final spear. When it struck, the bull could bear no more. The fear and anger and passion drained from within the bull. The bull felt only sadness and loss and defeat as he crumpled to the ground, no longer strong and proud and handsome. And the bull knew he could never catch his beloved Matador. Holli Kiechler/Elko GBC Community Member Raymond Fuller/Wells, GBC Community Member “Tough Guy” Sculpture in Hydrous Magnesium Silicate (Soapstone) 34 Arge n tu m 2 016 A rge n t u m 2 016 35 �Debra Zobak/Lovelock, GBC Community Member “Perfect Landing” Acrylic Painted Gourd/Multimedia Butterfly “Ideas will develop and motivate me to find the best way to express what I am visualizing in my mind and soul.” Martha Watson/Elko, GBC Community Member “A Way to Follow” Acrylic (Photographed by Laura Gallegos) Debra Zobak 36 Arge n tu m 2 016 A rge n t u m 2 016 37 �Why Did You Take Political Science? Why do students take political science classes at GBC? Here are some reasons posted by my students. “My reason for taking PSC 101 is because lately I have had a very difficult time sleeping and felt as though this course could drastically change that aspect of my life.” “The reason I am taking PSC 101 is because ‘Winter is Coming’ and I must be prepared.” “I wanted to take this course so that I didn’t have to endure anymore history classes. I get it that the dinosaurs were cool and stuff, but I think that two years is enough of that.” My reason for taking PSC 101 is to see a reason on God’s green earth WHY Donald Trump is leading in the election currently and also find out any way to get him to leave. “I am taking PSC because Obama and/or Bush made me do it, and it is all their fault.” “I am taking this class because this is what Spock would have wanted.” “Pluto is sad. I am taking PSC 210 because I want to colonize Pluto and I need to know how our government works so I can replicate its efficiency. Pluto is going to become a place so awesome that the aliens will finally reveal their presence because they want to vacation there. I’m going to make all those scientists sorry that they demoted Pluto to a mere dwarf planet.” “I am taking PSC 210 because I was recently visited by myself (but from the future) and was told that if I didn’t take and pass this class, I would be forced to undergo a Ludovico Technique-like procedure, but instead of watching violent films, I would be forced to watch all of Grey’s Anatomy.” “Before Abe Lincoln died, I was by his bedside and he personally assigned me to find a man that goes by Danny Gonzales and be absolutely sure that he become a professor for GBC. Not too many years following Abe’s death, little Danny Gonzales was born. I spent my whole life watching this Gonzales fellow and discreetly guiding him to the right path that Abe had planned for him. I messed up a couple times and accidently got Danny to be a licensed beautician as well as a pizza delivery boy, but it was about 16 years ago that all my hard work paid off and the little Danny boy added a Dr. to the beginning of a name. (A doctor, but not a useful one that helps if you’ve broken a leg or need your life saved. None of that.) One thing led to another and he became a professor at GBC. Most people thank their teachers, but I am here to say you’re welcome to all of you, especially you, Dr. Professor Gonzales. I got you here and you didn’t even know it. Abe said I must take this course and that you’d be an awesome professor. Don’t let me down!” 38 Arge n tu m 2 016 “I had no classes to take, but I needed to take one and I blacked out while drinking alphabet soup and when I woke up PSC 101 was spelled out in it and I took it as a sign to not mess with destiny.” “I am taking this PSC 101 course because I postulate that mermaids may eventually evolve into creatures that intend to take over the world because they recently have been surfacing and assimilating information from Animal Planet associates.” “The reason I’m taking PSC101 has to do with the fact that about 18 months ago I spawned a little monster who is very demanding in many ways and I figure that learning a thing or two about how the government works and knowing the ins and outs might be beneficial for me in rearing this hungry beast.” “I’m only taking this because I need to find the single string of code that was sensed to be on this website so that I can escape the Matrix.” “To learn about conspiracy theories and the Force.” “I am taking PSC 101 because I just got my U.S. citizenship this year. I am very, very proud to be an American. In fact, I consider this as one of my biggest accomplishments in life so far. I want to be a responsible citizen and have a good understanding of our government.” Compiled by Danny Gonzales Elko GBC Faculty A rge n t u m 2 016 39 �Rachel Richardson/Pahrump, GBC Student “Laura and Precious” Digital Photo Desert Tanka I and II I sling fat paragraphs waist high round my desk, sentences knocking pictures off walls and phrases coming apart on Kilim carpet. Jeffie Mackie/Spring Creek, GBC Design Fundamentals I Student “Balloons Dancing Around the Rubies” Colored Pencils on Poster Paper Rank ampersands and quotation marks storm the printer soon to surrender on drifts of white in darkness then marching out to light. (Photographed by Patty Fox) Katie Glennon/Spring Creek GBC Introduction to Poetry Student 40 Arge n tu m 2 016 A rge n t u m 2 016 41 �The Inquirer’s Mask It was on a crisp, cool morning the caretakers found that Verity had passed on. They knew before reaching the door he was gone: the air was taught, as if a frail band had once pulled together the pieces of disorder, giving them new meaning, and had left all thought and significance sagging in its wake. But as the first rays of sun, which seemed to have lost their ability for illumination, called attention to spirals of dust within the threshold, the caretakers found a shock: prior to his last breath, Verity had arranged his body coffin-like within a bookshelf. Transiret fell sideways, the sanguine volume peeling away from its former host, into his grip. He was vaguely aware of the others exclaiming in surprise, but his sole concentration was on the manuscript now in his hand. It was warm, and he could have sworn a rhythmic pulse, much like a heartbeat, was radiating from it. And he had entirely entombed himself in literature. Now the remaining scripts peeled away with ease, and as each was removed, vivid snippets of thought flashed through Transiret’s mind, so that his view flickered between the scripts before him and the lost memories held in each: Textbooks and small volumes, loose pages and complete notebooks, cream pages, inked diagrams, and formal covers; all amassed to reveal a vaguely humanoid shape, settled within the wooden confine. A series of note pages embalming Verity’s hands: the red stains from Hooke’s journal that had branded his palms, so that he kept them clenches in fists and thus away from the prying eyes about him. The caretakers fell back, muttering uneasily. None pretended to feel any remorse or sorrow: Verity had been decidedly unusual, but within the void of his passing (although they refused to admit it) settled a blanket of guilt and distrust. Perhaps it was due to this that Transiret, the youngest caretaker, approached. Stopping as his toes bumped against the wood, he knelt down, fingers extending to reach through the spiraling wall of dust, a barrier, between what was and what had been. An encyclopedia immobilizing his legs and ankles: the basis of knowledge which all thinkers worked so hard to achieve; the cherished facts awarded from centuries of work, yet dismissed by the masses with the bat of an eyelash. And as his hand made contact with the first book, a sanguine volume covering Verity’s heart, all else faded from his consciousness, and he fell into the excited mutterings; the rushing words, which seeped from the pages and rose to meet his abrupt descent. *** It was entitled Micrographia, written by one Robert Hooke. A true seeker of knowledge, he contributed to cell theory, the wave theory of light, map-making, and the invention of the microscope. Distrustful of those around him, Hooke wrote in code, never recognized for his diligence or ideas. Hooke…Hooke…Hooke… And Transiret watched as the diagrams, figures, and words, peeled from the pages and flowed into his own chest, pulsing and expanding, illuminating from within his skin as if his veins had gained the power to glow. Ideas whispered at the edge of his consciousness; excitement bubbled through him. Suddenly, he was a younger Verity, overcome with wonder, studying Hooke’s journals under the cover of stolen candles. The joy faded to despair as he struggled and failed alone to test his ideas, branded by the sanguine cover, mocked by his peers who ridiculed his love for learning. And the book latched onto his chest, burning white hot as it fused to cover his heart, forming a protective layer of knowledge from the cruel world, and jerked him from the stupor. A technical manual embalming his shoulder: instructions, guidelines; hours of ceaseless effort: a teenage Verity hunched over a work bench, his silhouette ghastly and ancient against a brilliant blue sky under which his peers dialogued endlessly. Verity, standing alone in silence, although his surroundings were never void of others. And with each insight, as excitement gave way to frustration, isolation, hopelessness, and despair, the large red manuscript pulsed more heavily in Transiret’s grips, agitating him to rip away the volumes, to release the trapped creature inside, until a final sheet masked Verity’s resting face. Without hesitation, the manuscript now screaming in his mind, Transiret wrenched away the very first page of notes Verity wrote. A young face, one alight with curiosity, gazing beyond all of them, stared back. Hannah Margolis/Elko GBC English 102 and Elko High School Student *** 42 Arge n tu m 2 016 A rge n t u m 2 016 43 �Lora Minter/Elko, GBC Creative Photo Composition Student “So Excited I Lost My Head” Digital Photo “I am always amazed at the power of words to inspire, injure, educate and amuse.” Lora Minter Nicole Jonson/Elko, GBC Community Member “Parrots” Digital Photo 44 Arge n tu m 2 016 A rge n t u m 2 016 45 �I n M e mo r i a m - S a r a h S w e e t wat er Students, friends, and family would agree that Sarah Sweetwater looked forward to adventure. Her poem, “Traveler”, published in Argentum 2014, expressed her love for the journey: “Let this adventure become your Silk Road Trading your country’s riches for new ones.” In 1971, Sarah Sweetwater began a lengthy journey on her “Silk Road” in the form of a teaching career that allowed her to trade her rich passion for art in return for valuable and creative work by her students. For 34 years, she instructed and inspired students at Great Basin College to search out their own creativity in her classes. Sarah guided students to find and develop their skill in art and enjoyed seeing their results. She taught the fundamentals of art as well as giving students the opportunity to see and respond to art outside of the classroom through folk art festivals and her tours to other cities and countries. Argentum wishes to honor Sarah Sweetwater’s dedication to the arts in the Elko and the GBC Community and her warm encouragement to students both in and out of the classroom. Through her students, the trading of creative riches will continue on many “Silk Roads” for years to come. ~Editor Kathi Griffis/Spring Creek, GBC Staff “Bufflehead” Colored Pencil Sarah Sweetwater “Hiding the Hurt” 46 Arge n tu m 2 016 (Photographed by Toni R. Milano) A rge n t u m 2 016 47 �“I often see inspiration in everyday things...I try to look at everything with a creative eye.” Meghan Rich, GBC Student
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Argentum Art and Literary Magazine
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Great Basin College's Art and literary magazine featuring student, faculty, and community works.
Description
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Great Basin College's art and literary magazine devoted to highlighting the excellent artistic expression of its students, faculty, staff, and members of the communities in which GBC serves.
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Great Basin College / Arts and Cultural Enrichment
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<a title="Argentum web site" href="http://www.gbcnv.edu/argentum/">Great Basin College Argentum web site.</a>
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Great Basin College
Date
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07/01/2014
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Great Basin College's students, faculty, staff, and members of the communities in which GBC serves.
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c. 2010-17. Great Basin College. All rights reserved.
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The issues of Argentum are in Adobe .PDF format.
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English
Type
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Art and literary magazine
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art, arts, literature, photography
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The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Argentum 2016
Subject
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The 2016 edition of the <em>Argentum</em> Arts and Literary Magazine.
<p><a title="Argentum 2016 full magazine" href="/omeka/files/original/fb8ec9a4a77f75a6fe2a5608b8eaa7f5.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View pdf of magazine in new tab</a></p>
Description
An account of the resource
The 2016 issue of Great Basin College's art and literary magazine, <em>Argentum</em>. Devoted to highlighting the excellent artistic expression of its students, faculty, staff, and members of the communities in which GBC serves.
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Great Basin College
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Great Basin College Argentum web site: <a title="Argentum magazine website" href="http://www.gbcnv.edu/argentum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://www.gbcnv.edu/argentum/</a>
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Great Basin College
Date
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May 2016
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Great Basin College's students, faculty, staff, and members of the communities in which GBC serves.
Scott A. Gavorsky [VHC]
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c. 2016. Great Basin College. All rights reserved.
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pdf; 25 pages
Language
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English
ACE
Action
Argentum
Community
Faculty
literature
photography
poetry
Students
Symphony
-
https://humanities.gbcnv.edu/omeka/files/original/c346e49aefbedcc5440cb4c9f575c42a.jpg
5f9083888c6790dbb4ffa25e845311d2
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
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Thumbnail from "Spring 2015 Argentum and Student Art Exhibit"
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Spring 2015 Argentum and Student Art Exhibit
Description
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Scene from the Argentum 2015 Release Reception and Student Art Show on 7 May 2015.
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Scott A. Gavorsky
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Spring 2015 Argentum and Student Art Show
Publisher
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GBC Virtual Humanities Center
Date
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7 May 2015
Contributor
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Kayla McCarson [GBC]
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Great Basin College © 2015. All rights reserved.
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<a title="Spring 2015 Argentum and Student Art Exhibit Streaming Video" href="http://kaltura.tmcc.edu/index.php/kmc/preview/partner_id/109/uiconf_id/11170182/entry_id/0_urg50t1h/delivery/http" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spring 2015 Argentum and Student Art Exhibit</a>
<p><a title="Argentum 2015 magazine" href="/omeka/files/original/80756781b116ddc303712110b1734c9d.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Argentum</em> Arts and Literary Magazine, 2015</a></p>
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.jpg; 96 dpi; 200 px x 200 px
Language
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English
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The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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ACE Events 2013-2016
Subject
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Recordings of selected ACE events for the 2013-2014, 2014-2015, and 2015-2016 academic years.
Description
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Selected events sponsored by ACE (Arts and Cultural Enrichment) Committee at Great Basin College. Included is the 2015 Cowboy Poetry Speakers Series (Teresa Jordan and Gary Nabhan).
Creator
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GBC / ACE (Arts and Cultural Enrichment); individual artists and speakers.
Publisher
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GBC
Date
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2013-2014; 2014-2015; 2015-2016
Contributor
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Scott A. Gavorsky
Rights
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Great Basin College / Virtual Humanities Center
Language
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English
Identifier
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ACE 2013-2015
Video
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Transcription
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Not available
Original Format
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.mp4
Duration
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8:32
Producer
Name (or names) of the person who produced the video
GBC Arts and Cultural Enrichment foir the GBC Virtual Humanities Center
Director
Name (or names) of the person who produced the video
Kayla McCarson
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Spring 2015 Argentum and Student Art Exhibit
Subject
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Interviews with artists participating in the Argentum and Student Art Exhibit.
Description
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Scenes from the Argentum 2015 Release Reception and Student Art Show on 7 May 2015, with interviews with artists Shawn Collins, Debbie Heaton-Lamp, Kacie Ortiz, and Cynthia Delaney.
<p><a title="Spring 2015 Argentum and Student Art Exhibit" href="http://kaltura.tmcc.edu/index.php/kmc/preview/partner_id/109/uiconf_id/11170182/entry_id/0_urg50t1h/delivery/http" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View video [streaming file]</a></p>
Creator
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GBC Arts and Cultural Enrichment (ACE)
Publisher
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GBC Virtual Humanities Center
Date
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7 May 2015
Contributor
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Shawn Collins; Debbie Heaton-Lamp; Kacie Ortiz; Cynthia Delaney [interviewees]; Kayla McCarson [GBC]; Scott A. Gavorsky [VHC]
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Great Basin College © 2015. All rights reserved.
Relation
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<a title="Argentum website" href="http://www.gbcnv.edu/argentum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Argentum</a>
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streaming video (mp4 original)
Language
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English
Action
Argentum
arts
Community
Design
Faculty
photography
Students
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https://humanities.gbcnv.edu/omeka/files/original/80756781b116ddc303712110b1734c9d.pdf
519fdbb452ff12bb6d42cc9740320b25
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2015 Argentum Arge nt u m 2 015 1 �Introduction In the 2013 movie Words and Pictures, two instructors at an upscale prep school – one of them a writer/poet, the other a successful painter – spark a school wide debate about what is more important: images or the written word. The artist and art teacher, played by Juliette Binoche, tells her Honors Art students that “words are lies” and that only art speaks the truth. The writer and English teacher, played by Clive Owen, unnerved when his Honors English students voice their support of “pictures” over “words,” launches into a defense of language and its ability to change the course of lives and governments. The art-word debate escalates, eventually culminating in a “War on Words” assembly, where Honors Art and English students ask their school mates to decide which has more impact, more value, and more worth – words or pictures? Through the students’ point and counterpoint defense of words and pictures, they challenge all pupils, and all movie viewers, to choose for themselves between the power of an artistic image and the power of the written word. “A picture is worth a thousand words. Anonymous,” declares one student. “There is no frigate like a book to take us lands away. Emily Dickenson,” counters another. “Shakespeare’s portrait appeared on his portfolio,” says one student. “He wrote ‘Reader, look not at this picture, but at this book.’” Another student, “’What is the use of a book, said Alice, without pictures?’ Lewis Carroll.” In the end, the teacher/poet quotes Marcel Proust, acknowledging that it is “only through art that we can know what another person sees.” He calls for a truce, and a coming together of words and pictures. While the movie garnered mixed reviews for its own effective use of words and pictures, no critic seemed to fault the premise – that language and artistic expression matter. Argentum welcomes the words and pictures of our students, faculty, staff and community members, no matter where they are on their creative journeys. The sharing of stories and ideas, artistically and in written form, can help individuals make sense of their lives, and expose us collectively to new ways of looking at our daily world. Great Basin College’s Virtual Humanities Center (VHC) is a new resource for educators, students and community members appreciative of new ideas. The VHC can be found at http://humanities.gbcnv.edu. The Center’s mission is “to collect, curate, and cultivate humanities for rural Nevada,” and it hopes to become a resource for people seeking “the unique contributions the Humanities make through innovation, ideas, the arts, and culture.” The committee spearheading the development of Humanities resources and classes are convinced that the Humanities matter, and are important to the world of the 21st Century. Take a look and see why. 2 Arge n tu m 2 015 �A r g e n t u m 2 0 15 I would like to extend a special “Thank You” to the 2015 Argentum Steering Committee. Tanya Stokes’s hard work, Patty Fox’s arts expertise, Karen Kimber’s willingness to “do publicity,” Toni Milano’s photography skills, and Josh Webster’s editing eye have been welcomed and valued. GBC instructors Patty Fox, Cynthia Delaney, Kristen Frantzen Orr, Gail Rappa and Deb Finley have my deep appreciation for their support, not only of Argentum, but of the students who turn to them for guidance in bringing beautiful creations into the world. To both Frank Sawyer and Tim Beasley, who navigate pesky computer issues in times of crisis, you guys are lifesavers! To Angie de Braga and the ACE Committee, who all work diligently to bring cultural events to the campus and community, thanks for including Argentum on your list of worthwhile projects. A final thanks to the Academic Success Center and director Ping Wang for providing Argentum “office” and storage space, and all ASC staffers who graciously answered questions from people seeking information about Argentum throughout the year. Kudos to Marin Wendell and Erin Radermacher of Everything Elko for production and design assistance. - Lora Minter, Editor T h a n k Yo u s Argentum thanks the college’s Arts and Cultural Enrichment (ACE) Committee for their support of this publication and all things “artsy” on campus. ACE’s mission is to organize programs and events that expose GBC communities to diverse experiences, cultures, and viewpoints. ACE fosters a spirit of inquiry, creativity, and reflection at Great Basin College with emphasis on: Live Performing Arts | Humanities Speakers | The Great Basin College Film Festival Exhibits & Events at the GBC Art Gallery Argentum – GBC’s Literary & Creative Arts Publication Visit www.gbcnv.edu/ace for updates on upcoming cultural events. Contact Angie de Braga at the GBC Continuing Education Department at 775-753-2231 for info on: ARGENTUM 2016 Theme: Design for the Human Spirit (Cash award to the submission that best depicts the theme.) Website: http://gbcnv.edu/argentum Email: argentum@gbcnv.edu Cover Art: Shelby Wilson/Spring Creek, GBC Art 100 - Beginning Drawing Student “Curls and Glasses” Pencil (Photo by Toni Milano) Arge nt u m 2 015 3 �In Appreciation Three years ago, when GBC President Mark Curtis moved to Elko, he brought with him his wife of 43 years, (who was also his high school sweetheart), and an appreciation for the art of stained glass making. In 2012 the couple left Michigan, a state they called home for more than six decades, trading rainfall for desert, lakes for peaks. Curtis’s wife Margaret says the couple fell in love with Nevada mountains, and that love inspired the creation of an 18-foot by 3-foot stained glass landscape scene now displayed in their home. Curtis created seven, free standing, stained glass panels in order to make up the mountain and foothill scene. This is one of almost 50 major stained glass creations he has finished since taking up glass making in a community education class 30 years ago. Curtis has said that his interest in stained glass was spurred by a desire to repair broken glass windows in a Michigan church he attended. After his wife signed him up for a stained glass class, he discovered the real joy a finished piece of art brings to others. “With stained glass, both the end product and the hands-on process of creation, are so satisfying,” he says. As a community college graduate, Curtis believes deeply in access to higher education. As a stained glass artist, he believes the real beauty of the medium is the positive effect it has on others. Argentum thanks President Curtis for his support of artists and authors. This publication is funded by the GBC Office of the President. Mark Curtis/Elko, GBC President “Mountain Range and Foothills” Stained Glass, Lead Came, Zinc 4 Arge n tu m 2 015 �Argen tu m S ele c ti o n Co m m i tt e e - 2 015 A heartfelt “thank you” goes to the following community members who gave generously of their time to select this year’s Argentum entries. Your expertise and efforts are appreciated. L o r e t ta R e e d , Photographer and Educator Loretta Reed graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a Bachelor’s Degree in both Biology and English. She has taught English in the Elko County School District for 29 years, and photography at Spring Creek High School for 20 years. She strives to impart a love of photography and the ability to truly see the world around us to her students. Reed began teaching photography as part of her yearbook adviser position and quickly developed a lifelong love of capturing images through a lens. She takes portrait and event photos as a sideline and hopes to pursue photography as a second career when she retires. Reed’s photos have been published on the cover of a number of magazines. She loves to take images of the Nevada landscape. M a r s h a D av i s , Curator and Art Lover Marsha Davis, a retired draftsman, Nevada native, and local area resident for 45 years, is a lifelong student of art who continues to learn about art everywhere she goes. As curator of Sierra Java’s art exhibits for the past 10 years, Davis is familiar with local artists and the abundance of talent in our community. She says Sierra Java is one of the few places in the area that will allow artists to exhibit their work for 90 days. These “one-man shows” provide artists exposure and the opportunity to get community feedback. Nancy harris Mclelland, Poet and Educator A seasoned and “user-friendly” college writing instructor, Nancy Harris McLelland has conducted writing workshops in collaboration with the Western Folklife Center, Great Basin College, and the Great Basin Writing Project. An Elko County native with a background in ranching, McLelland has presented her Poems from Tuscarora at both daytime and evening events at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. She currently publishes essays and poetry monthly on her literary blog “Writing from Space” and conducts weekend writing retreats at her home in Tuscarora. Additional info at www.tuscarora-writers-retreats.com. Arge nt u m 2 015 5 �Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s Artist Title Shelby Wilson Debra Zoback Gail Rappa/Kristen Frantzen Orr Adam Minter Frank Daniels Gretchen Greiner Lois Ports Joshua Webster Nicci M. Freeman Sidnie Miller Simone Marie Turner Amelia Torrance Ashley Mendoza Jessica Smith Debbie Heaton-Lamp Sally Haueter Rampe Jennifer Stieger Lynne Volpi Patricia Gray Dan Thurston Jolina Adams Norman Whittaker Thelma Richie Homer Ryan Douglass Karen Blair Patty Fox Cynthia Delaney Jeffie Mackey Jessica Smith Arthur Asson Michelle King Julie Wallace Krys Munzing Paul Bowen Shawn Collins Cindy Joyce Kari Denham Brendan Abel Frank Henley Frank L. Sawyer Troy Edler Cami Stephenson Angie de Braga Niki Jonson Gaye Terras Sarah Nahnacassia Ann Hagland Mike McFarlane Diane Rice Sarah Sweetwater Kathi Griffis Kacie Ortiz Maggie Corbari Adam McKinney Meghan Rich 6 Arge n tu m 2 015 Page Curls and Glasses...................................... Cover Twist and Shout................................................ 7 Infinite.............................................................. 8 Christmas in the Eye of a Child......................... 9 Choosing the Right Path.................................. 10 Serial Bundling #5, #4, #6.............................. 11 Strutting Along ............................................... 12 Starkmoor College Facts: Alina Zoya Ilkin....... 13 I Had Always Meant To................................... 14 Jewelry Artist’s Chatelaine............................... 16 Fleur de Lis Shield........................................... 17 Flight II........................................................... 18 Industrial Bridge............................................. 19 A Divine Map................................................. 20 Tahoe Treasures.............................................. 21 Goldilocks Bracelet........................................ 22 Place & Nature............................................... 23 Mountain Majesty.......................................... 24 Bristlecone III................................................. 26 The Backside of Summer................................ 27 Reba Cluckintire............................................. 28 Warmth.......................................................... 29 Jukebox Blues................................................. 30 This Side of the Glass...................................... 31 Argentum 2015.............................................. 32 Goats at the Home Ranch.............................. 34 Spirits............................................................. 35 Life Comes from Above.................................. 36 Claim Staker’s Lament..................................... 37 The Worst Gospel Singer................................. 38 Symbol and Flowers....................................... 39 Timeless......................................................... 40 Sylvan II......................................................... 41 Ready to Play................................................. 42 Beaded Woman’s Gauntlets............................ 43 Contemplation............................................... 44 Thin Walls....................................................... 45 Tunnel............................................................ 46 Shed............................................................... 47 My Love is Like a CPU.................................... 48 Star Love........................................................ 49 Bowling Reflections........................................ 50 Old Dodge..................................................... 51 Hummingbird................................................. 52 Nature’s Wonder............................................ 53 Spring Showers............................................... 54 Nature’s Abstract #1....................................... 55 West Avenue Tuscarora, Nevada..................... 56 Hand Coin..................................................... 57 A Travel Trilogy............................................... 58 In the Spotlight............................................... 59 Corsair........................................................... 60 Ole Nevada.................................................... 61 Laying One Down.......................................... 62 Motorcross..................................................... 63 �Debra Zoback/Lovelock, Community Member “Twist and Shout” Glass Beads “Beading is a natural extension of my long fascination with stippling and pointillism. There are so many stitches, variations and applications. Add all those gorgeous bead colors and what can be done in such a small space is simply amazing.” Debra Zoback Arge nt u m 2 015 7 �Gail Rappa/Tuscarora, GBC Faculty Kristen Frantzen Orr/Spring Creek, GBC Faculty “Infinite” Sterling Silver, Flameworked Glass 8 Arge n tu m 2 015 (Photo by Kristen Frantzen Orr) �Adam Minter/Elko, Community Member “Christmas in the Eye of a Child” Digital Photo “Creating art provides a space and place where everything else disappears except for the flow of the paint and the image that appears.” Debbie Heaton-Lamp Arge nt u m 2 015 9 �Choosing the Right Path Two roads diverged in a different wood. One way was bad while the other was good. A villain had taken the old road sign. Which way to choose was for us to find. We talked and we chatted, but neither knew Which way was false or which was true. Then you pointed left and I pointed right. We started to argue and began to fight. So you stormed off in the one direction. THAT was the path that would lead to protection. And I went the other way. I didn’t know why. Perhaps I was lured by the deep blue sky. I looked back at you, and I saw you go Into howling winds and blowing snow. My way was better, or so I felt told, But then it got dark and grew very cold. It must be too late to turn back, we thought. So we each pressed onward, but all for naught. For I realized as I growled at the weather That the right path to take was the one together. Frank Daniels/Ely GBC Faculty 10 Arge n tu m 2 015 �Gretchen Greiner/Elko, GBC Jewelry II Student “Serial Bundling #5, #4, #6” Pressure Formed Copper, Bone, Alcohol Ink, Torch Patina (Photo by Kristen Frantzen Orr) Arge nt u m 2 015 11 �Lois Ports/Elko, Beginning Glass Beadmaking and Jewelry II Student “Strutting Along” Copper, Brass, Enamel, Flameworked Glass (Photo by Kristen Frantzen Orr) “We are the stories we tell ourselves; the world is an anthology. Tell worthwhile stories.” Joshua Webster 12 Arge n tu m 2 015 �Starkmoor College Facts: Alina Zoya Ilkin APPROVED FOR POSTING BY STARKMOOR PUBLIC RELATIONS & MARKETING At the age of 148 years, Ms. Alina Ilkin is the oldest person on Starkmoor’s historic campus. in a makeshift ceremony, but no official record of this exists. Alina’s preservation, conducted anonymously and in violation of law, informed the work of Dr. Abrikosov, the embalmer of V.I. Lenin. Named in over eight hundred scholarly articles, dissertations, and books, Ms. Ilkin has the longest curricula vitae of any Starkmoor faculty member. Sergei Korotkin, the famed author of novels, short stories, and dramatic works, paid to preserve his longtime lover’s corpse as he could not continue to write “without the heavenly presence of my [his] radiant muse.” He paid an estimated 1600 rubles, more than $50,000 (adjusted for inflation), for the unsavory work upon her death in 1910. Marcel DuChamp once referred to Alina Ilkin as, “the foremost exquisite corpse.” Friends and colleagues report Korotkin kept Alina in her airtight glass case in his study, wedged between a teak curio cabinet and a bookshelf housing his first editions. A number of colleges and universities in the United States and Europe expressed interest in Korotkin’s papers, but only Starkmoor President Ferguson Whitehall agreed to house Alina along with the author’s writings, an inviolable condition of their possession. Three poems by Adrienne Rich reference Alina. Paul McCartney’s original sketch for the cover of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band included Starkmoor’s revered lady, but Blake and Haworth left her out of the final design. In a letter to Harold Bloom, Philip Roth claimed that during his week-long visit to Starkmoor in 1986 menacing dreams of Alina Ilkin haunted his sleep. John Updike, who visited in 1982, claimed to have “slept like a baby.” In a 2010 interview, Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek stated he has intermittently worked on a monograph examining Ilkin as an artifact of the postmodern subject. Eve Ensler has, reportedly, sought financial backing for a play entitled Dollmadder examining the relationship of the woman and author through the lens of both Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Ibsen’s During the culture wars of the late ‘Eighties and early A Doll’s House. ‘Nineties, when faculty and students demanded Alina receive a proper burial, current Starkmoor President, Alina Ilkin’s middle name, Zoya, translates as “life,” an Reginald Wilbur, refused, stating Korotkin “was a very irony equally preserved. important author.” The funding for Alina’s upkeep comes from a special P.T. Barnum offered Kortokin’s representatives $20,000 for Ms. Ilkin alone, expressing no interest in the rest of the estate. Despite his intention to join Alina at Starkmoor ostensibly in eternal repose, Korotkin never left the Soviet Union. Imprisoned on charges of subversion, he died in a remote gulag, the location of his remains unmarked or recorded. Alina arrived at Starkmoor College in the winter of 1932 and spent the spring term in the Vanderbilt Library’s Atrium. When concerns about UV damage arose, administrators ordered her remanded to the third floor archive space. Currently, Alina holds honorary memberships in every fraternity and sorority on campus as well as a number of campus clubs not including ROTC. endowment established for this sole purpose in 1943. Most of the donors chose to remain anonymous. The birth and death records of Alina Ilkin have been lost to antiquity, victims of the Bolshevik Revolution. Despite the overwhelming shadow Alina cast over Korotkin’s life, his writings offer few (some would argue disturbingly so) references to her personal life, history, and habits. Though circumstantial evidence supports the assertion Ms. Ilkin studied ballet, scholars of pathology and mummification suggest any present jarring, intentional or otherwise, would result in severe and catastrophic erosion of the skin and musculature to a degree they describe as “horrific.” As part of a particularly raucous Christmas party in 1952, members of the faculty and administration Alina Zoya Ilkin is on view to the public during regular including writer-in-residence William Faulkner archive hours and by special appointment. reportedly awarded Alina with an honorary doctorate Joshua Webster/Elko GBC Faculty Arge nt u m 2 015 13 �I Had Always Meant To… He wandered up from the stream with a defeated look and came to sit beside me. “I didn’t catch anything.” “I didn’t think you would. Fish were all done biting hours ago.” We sat in silence for a while, the bubbling and gurgling of the stream resounding in the background. I could hear his heavy breathing. It was so close to my ear that it sounded like the wind that beat at our doors and windows last fall when the biggest hurricane of the season hit on the first day of school. I reached down beside me and came up with a plastic water bottle that was slick from condensation. I unscrewed the lid and lifted the rim of the bottle to my lips and drank greedily. When I had had my fill, I offered the bottle to him. “Troy, do you want some water? It’s awful hot out here.” He shook his head. “No thanks. I’m good.” I shrugged and tipped the bottle and peered inside. There wasn’t that much left anyway. I set it aside for later. We continued to sit on the flat rock that overlooked the stream for quite some time. Silence crept upon us once again, but that was alright. We just sat there, each of us pondering our own small problems and not really getting anywhere. In reality, we were both stalling because neither of us really wanted to go to our respective homes. It’s not like we were abused at home or anything – we just didn’t want to be there, being told what to do and when, where, why and how to do it. We’d much rather be alone, together. Just us two against the world. That’s how it feels when you find your soul mate, and your soul mate is your best friend. You don’t need the drudgery of daily life, because together you have superpowers. “We’d better head back before it gets too late,” Troy said quietly. I nodded in reluctant agreement. We bustled around, gathering packs, tackle boxes, fishing poles and the like. When we were properly outfitted to return home, Troy offered to carry my bag for me. 14 Arge n tu m 2 015 � “No, no. That’s alright. I’ve got it.” “Are you sure? It looks heavy…” He seemed very concerned. “Troy, I’m a girl, not an invalid. It’s fine, really!” “Hurumph,” was the sound he made as he adjusted his load and started down the path that would lead us to the base of the mountain. I hung back for a moment, taking a final glance at the stream. It was dazzling in the summer sun. The light that filtered through the leaves of the full summer trees made dancing reflections on the already sparkling water. I stood a moment more, inhaling deeply, taking it all in. Then I turned to join Troy, who had kindly stopped on the path to wait for me. Together, we descended the mountain. That was when we were fifteen. I’m all grown-up now, living a grown-up life in a grown-up world. Every day I drive a grown-up’s car to a grown-up’s job and earn a grown-up’s paycheck. Then I go home to a grown-up’s house where a grown up’s family is waiting for me. We have dinner, do homework, watch TV, read bedtime stories, put the children to bed, check our email, watch the news and do other things that grown-ups do. Then we get up and do it all again the next day. Troy should have been doing this same routine with his family. As we got older, Troy and I started to grow apart. I had always meant to call him, just to say hi. Let him know he was still so special to me. I had always meant to drop in on him and rehash old times. I always meant to tell him I loved him – loved him more than I loved anyone else. Only now it’s too late, he’s gone. I forget how they told me he died – drunk driver, texting and driving, heart attack, broken ankle, aliens called him home, I don’t know and it really doesn’t matter. The point is, he’s gone. It’s too late to do any of the “I had always meant to’s.” I wish one of the “I had always meant to’s” I had gotten around to had been to say goodbye. Nicci M. Freeman/Spring Creek GBC Staff Arge nt u m 2 015 15 �Sidnie Miller/Elko, GBC Jewelry II Student “Jewelry Artist’s Chatelaine” Copper 16 Arge n tu m 2 015 (Photo by Kristen Frantzen Orr) �Simone Marie Turner/Spring Creek, GBC Jewelry II Student “Fleur de Lis Shield” Brass, Copper, Silver, Aquamarine, Labradorite (Photo by Kristen Frantzen Orr) Arge nt u m 2 015 17 �Amelia Torrance/Winnemucca, Community Member “Flight II” Digital Photoshop 18 Arge n tu m 2 015 �Ashley Mendoza/Elko, GBC Digital II Student “Industrial Bridge” Digital Photo “A professor once told me that art helps develop your problem-solving skills. More than that, without creativity, the world is just dull.” Ashley Mendoza Arge nt u m 2 015 19 �A Divine Map Maps show so many things Treasures and tales Of lost golden rings. Some maps are dirty And yellowed with age Some maps are crisp Some printed on noble page. Some are folded Hidden in some corner And some are rewarded With county recorders. Maps are like you Maps are like me Born a blank page Empty and free. But as time rattles on All of us draw our own maps With pencils of experience We plot our own path. Who else but God Could show you the way When you have no idea where you are going And no idea of what to say. You are not born With a draftsman’s keen eye So, how can you tell The mountains from the sky, But if you look around on your map There are a few hidden clues To the state you were born And the life you will choose. One knows not The roads you will take Or the mountains you’ll climb Or the fences of fate Which cross the designated path Often when least suspect Covered in rusty nails and barbs God draws you a fence. The map you are drawing Is unique and intense And you must always remember There’s a path around that nasty fence. Look to the scale bar To find out how long An inch is a mile But I might be wrong. But of the drawing of maps The most important rule is such That the North Arrow Must always face up. Like hands towards the sky It acts as your guide No matter the weather Or if your map leads you awry. So say a little prayer And you’ll find your way. Just look where you are going And always have faith. Jessica Smith/Orovada GBC Student 20 Arge n tu m 2 015 �Debbie Heaton-Lamp/Elko, Community Member “Tahoe Treasures” Watercolor Arge nt u m 2 015 21 �Sally Haueter Rampe/Elko, GBC Jewelry II Student “Goldilocks Bracelet” Copper, Brass, Silver (Photo by Kristen Frantzen Orr) “I have been an avid reader and writer since my childhood. Writing allows me to express my emotions, and to explain and interpret experiences in my life.” Jennifer Stieger 22 Arge n tu m 2 015 �Place & Nature: How Landscape Impacts Memory April 2007 A spring rain falls and the musky scent of wet sagebrush reminds me of childhood. The Nevada high desert has been home for more than thirty years; yawning deep blue skies and towering purple mountains are as familiar to me as the yellow swing set that used to occupy my grandparents’ backyard. Granny and Poppy lived in a single-wide trailer on the outskirts of Battle Mountain, a sleepy rural community in northern Nevada. During the summertime, parched alkaline soil shriveled the tomato plants in Poppy’s garden. Winter months temperatures hovered below freezing as long silver icicles dangled from the covered front porch and brilliant stars glistened in a canopy of darkness. Yet once inside Granny’s home, savory aromas overwhelmed the senses. Fragrant fried chicken and buttery biscuits mingled with the sweet smell of Poppy’s pipe. This isolated place situated in the barren Nevada landscape influences my memories, first molding, then solidifying them into permanent pieces of the past. Memories, like an intangible apparition, possess dream-like characteristics as well. In a dream, an almost forgotten loved one may have a blurry face or reside in an unfamiliar place. As with memory, the many facets of a person’s character cannot be recalled, but strong emotion - perhaps love or bitterness - will remain. The natural world and memory are intertwined as tightly as a master weaver spins his cloth. The smell of damp sagebrush after a summer thunderstorm; the soft kiss of a dandelion seed; the brilliant blood-red sunset during a wildfire - these sensory images conjure memories and sentiments. Place and the natural world resuscitate emotions once thought dead. After my grandmother passed away, it was her home and the surrounding landscape that revived my memories of her. The house was not as I remembered. I went with Mom to visit Poppy not long after the funeral. Like Poppy, the single-wide trailer was worn-out, battered from the harsh elements of the high desert. The dilapidated front porch had long since faded under an unrelenting Nevada sun. Granny’s collection of wind chimes used to serenade my entrance, but on that day only the whistle of a lonely wind tickled my ears. Entering the trailer, I noticed worn furniture and dust particles swirling in the sunlight. The kitchen the nucleus of Granny’s life - was cluttered with dirty dishes. If I cocked my head and listened closely, giggles of unruly children echoed down the hallway, phantoms from the past. Later I stood outside on the shaky wooden porch and gazed at rolling brown hills gilded by the sun. Memories of Granny wrapped warm around me like a pair of arms. September 2014 Poppy is dead. Clouds billow and roll in the late afternoon heat; large white masses of cotton obscure the deep blue of a Texas sky. The highway, a gray ribbon of concrete, stretches far into the horizon, and the human eye cannot tell where earth and sky touch. I follow Dad along the roadside as tall green grasses undulate in the wind. The air is like syrup viscous and wet. A plastic bag heavy with white ash swings from Dad’s hand; it is his father’s remains. This field in a remote region in the Texas Panhandle is where my grandfather wished to have his and Granny’s ashes scattered. As Dad spreads the ashes, and I watch the dust settle into the earth, the land transforms from dirt and grass into a sacred resting place for two souls. As I stand next to Dad on the side of the road in an obscure Texas valley, I feel a connection with the land. This is earth where my grandparents walked. The dips and swells of the verdant fields are where two families met and became one. With a bright sun beating down upon my head and the whisperings of the wind in my ear, a reverence resonates in my soul, and I close my eyes to listen. Jennifer Stieger/Elko GBC Student Arge nt u m 2 015 23 �24 Arge n tu m 2 015 �Lynne Volpi/Spring Creek, Community Member “Mountain Majesty” Watercolor Arge nt u m 2 015 25 �Patricia Gray/Spring Creek, Community Member “Bristlecone III” Acrylic Ink on Clayboard “Since I’ll never drive 2,000 cows up the Chisholm Trail, I try to write what I know…try to find romance (in a broader meaning of the word) in the American West of today.” 26 Arge n tu m 2 015 Dan Thurston �The Backside of Summer I drove home last week, and from Wilma’s Hill The valley below me was gold. And it hit me, we’re on the backside of summer. The rabbit brush is turning gold. The goslings that were little and cute in the spring Have grown to almost goose size. The first doe goat has come into heat And the buck is coming alive. Last weekend we spent stacking up hay; The hay shed has all it can hold. It’s a good feeling, being ready for winter. The rabbit brush is turning gold. Last month we poured concrete at five in the morn, And the sky already was light. Last week, when we poured at five-thirty, We did it with pickup headlights. They’re painting an Indian head on the high school gym floor; It’s all done up in Elko maroon. But the coach is checking his schedule, “I hope they finish it soon.” It’s still warm after lunch and the calendar says August has a few days to go. But we know this won’t last too much longer The rabbit brush is turning gold. I best check the furnace and heat tape the pipes, Clean the culvert down on the road. We don’t want to be caught unready; Summertime is now growing old. I’m a tad apprehensive, a bit excited, ‘Cause you can’t put winter on hold. It happens each year, in late summer, As the rabbit brush turns gold. Dan Thurston/Elko Community Member Arge nt u m 2 015 27 �Jolina Adams/Winnemucca, GBC Staff and Beginning Glass Beadmaking Student “Reba Cluckintire” Flameworked Glass Bead 28 Arge n tu m 2 015 (Photo by Kristen Frantzen Orr) �Norman Whittaker/Elko, GBC Faculty “Warmth” Clay Stoneware (Photo by Toni Milano) Arge nt u m 2 015 29 �Jukebox Blues Our t-shirts never had anything written on them advertising a secret life we wished to have; we didn’t sit around with incense lit blowing our minds about sex revealing tattooed buttocks above hip-hugger jeans. Even though we lived in guarded innocence we still caught the spirit of the blues, tuned our ears to the Hit Parade, imagined being one of the 20,000 bobby-soxers pressed against the doors of the Paramount Theatre screaming our heads off swooning to Sinatra’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.” We saved our nickel tips for the jukebox juggling car-hop trays to “Mack the Knife,” or the enlivening nostalgia of the Big Bands, snapping our heels to “Mule Train.” Mostly though, we swung to the “Tennessee Waltz,” “Mockingbird Hill” or hummed “Doggie in the Window.” From sophisticate to swinger we twisted with Chubby Checker ‘til Elvis with his urgency on-the-rocks blues transformed our baby doll nights into musical euphoria waggin’ his tail and telling us we weren’t “Nothin’ but a Hound Dog.” Thelma Richie Homer/Elko Community Member 30 Arge n tu m 2 015 �This Side of the Glass From this side of the glass, The bitter wind is saved from my cheeks. Though it beats the frozen glass for weeks, I sit beside my fire with fervent desire And watch snowflakes amass. From this side of the glass, No cold could dare find my sorrowful heart. The winter’s howling chill cannot tear me apart From my crackling fire, but I do so admire Its persistent crystal clash. From this side of the glass, I no longer recall its bite upon my face. I’ve been held hostage in this pleasant place. Heated by glowing fire I wish now to acquire A brief touch of the flurry’s pass. From this side of the glass, I say a great many things about the other side. But if the blustery wind became my bride, I’d lose my fire that I’ve come to require And my comfort would cease at last. From this side of the glass, I shall watch this storm carry to the next, And mortality will find me wholly perplexed, As I sit beside my fire with apathetic desire And watch snowflakes amass. Ryan Douglass/Elko Community Member Arge nt u m 2 015 31 �Argentum - Light Graffiti “This image was created with a technique called light graffiti, also known as light painting,” explains photographer Karen Blair. “Simply put, it is painting with a hand held light source (flashlight, glow sticks or fire) and long exposure photography.” So, how did she do it? Blair chose a Lake Tahoe site with stars and trees as a backdrop. She selected the camera’s manual or bulb setting, turned auto focus OFF, and set the ISO as low as possible. Using a small ball made out of different colored glow sticks, she wrote “Argentum” in the air all at once during a 30-second shot triggered by her niece, Lauren Sharp. Blair is not visible in the image because she wore dark clothing and kept moving. “All letters were done just as if I was using a pen and paper, but I was painting with light,” she says. “I did have to get creative to cross the “t” without a tracer!” She says that since letters will be flipped, the light writer has to learn to write backwards in cursive, or learn how to flip the image in Photoshop. 32 Arge n tu m 2 015 �Karen Blair/Spring Creek, Community Member “Argentum” Light Painting Photography Arge nt u m 2 015 33 �Patty Fox/Spring Creek, GBC Faculty “Goats at the Home Ranch” Watercolor, Ink 34 Arge n tu m 2 015 �Cynthia Delaney/Elko, GBC Faculty “Spirits: Photo Collage, Images from Many Countries” Digital Photo Collage Arge nt u m 2 015 35 �Jeffie Mackey/Spring Creek, GBC Art 100 - Visual Foundations Student “Life Comes from Above” Color Pencil 36 Arge n tu m (Photo by Toni Milano) 2 015 �Jessica Smith/Orovada, GBC Student “Claim Staker’s Lament” Oil Arge nt u m 2 015 37 �The Worst Gospel Singer Well, I’m the worst Gospel singer that you ever did hear; I’ve sung in every church around, but the people cringe in fear. Strong men whimper, women faint, and preachers just get sore; It isn’t pretty and I’m done real quick, and then I’m out the door. I loved to sing in church, as a boy I did pretty good; ‘Til my voice changed, and then I sounded like a saw on wood. I tried my luck at rodeos and bars - it was an extensive search; But at last I thought, “There’s no place like home,” and went back to church. First I tried the Baptists, a really agreeable bunch; But they threw me out of church before the casserole lunch. Next I tried the Methodists, but they also gave me the boot; And left me with the impression that they and the Baptists were in cahoots. So then I tried the Catholics, and though they didn’t mention Hell; They did mention Purgatory, and ran me out of town on a rail. Next it was the Presbyters, but it wasn’t meant to be; I thought I might survive, ‘til they mentioned a rope and a tree. Next in desperation I gave the Seventh Days a try; But they were never there on Sundays when I dropped by! At last I tried the Episcopals, and they were most polite; They said that they would pray for me, and then they put me to flight. So I’m the worst Gospel singer that you never want to hear; I’ve sung in every church around, but the people plug their ears. Strong men whimper, women faint, and preachers just get mad; At least I’m good at something, but I’m good at singing bad! Arthur Asson/Spring Creek Community Member 38 Arge n tu m 2 015 �Michelle King/Elko, GBC Art 100 - Visual Foundations Student “Symbol and Flowers” Color Pencil (Photo by Toni Milano) Arge nt u m 2 015 39 �Julie Wallace/Spring Creek, Community Member “Timeless” Digital Photo 40 Arge n tu m 2 015 �Krys Munzing/Elko, Community Member “Sylvan II” Fiber Art Arge nt u m 2 015 41 �Paul Bowen/Elko, Community Member “Ready to Play” Digital Photo 42 Arge n tu m 2 015 �Shawn Collins/Spring Creek, Community Member “Beaded Woman’s Gauntlets” Brain Tanned Buckskin Beads (Photo by Laura Gallegos) Arge nt u m 2 015 43 �Cindy Joyce/Wells, Community Member “Contemplation” Digital Photo 44 Arge n tu m 2 015 �Thin Walls They’re calling out my name I’ve rolled the dice, it’s my turn, and they are Whispering answers to the game. They’re alongside and filed behind Cheerleaders, then friends, and thumbs up fans. Outspoken, outlying and internal, Struggles of the mind make time bend. Peering out of broken shades The screams of nos and pleads of yes begin, blaring in chorus with each blinking light As I wander through the tokenless arcades Watching others think for free they’ll win. Darkened corridors Exploring the never there Piping seagulls, salty sickness, crashing echoes As I wade through waterless shores. Hissing, snakey, figure eights of smoke I watch them escape evil Using the most faulty of wicked antidotes. Breathing in a lung full of hope, I exhale the bittersweet contents Of a cocktail of self control and see it wisp and float up and linger amongst the poor lost souls that walk around not sure which way’s even up. You start to fear the rooftop’s creatures That perch on corners, The most pleased and relentless pieces of them all, For they’re your biggest fans And the least of things to fear Beware it isn’t them that clicks and squawks Their master’s sitting with a blinkless stare, Slumped, unmoving, staring in an office chair Making thousands of different lists A referee to this game, I’m told it’s my turn. I didn’t want to roll, don’t deal me in No longer do we have a choice when all the Walls are not paper but digital thin. Kari Denham/Spring Creek Community Member Arge nt u m 2 015 45 �Brendan Abel/Elko, GBC Digital I Student “Tunnel” Digital Photo 46 Arge n tu m 2 015 �Frank Henley/Spring Creek, Community Member “Shed” Digital Photo “My photos are a journal to me. Each photo I make is a piece of my soul. It’s my therapy, and my never-ending journey through life.” Frank Henley Arge nt u m 2 015 47 �My Love is Like a CPU My love is like a CPU, I long to interface with you. Caught up in your memory, I’m the board and you’re the key. I monitor your every move, You bring life to color, too. I may be floppy time to time, I’m just a call away on-line. You and me and our own house; You turn me on, You click my mouse. You got a slot, I’ve got the card, Let’s just hope my drive is hard. Looking in your steel grey eyes, You’re my PC love surprise. Let cathode rays strike my heart, Still we’ll never be apart. You know I love you, I always will; I’ll gaze out from my Windows sill, Think of you and take your hand, Place you on my printer stand. I want to spend my life with you, ‘Cause my love is like a CPU. Frank L. Sawyer/Elko GBC Faculty 48 A rge n tu m 2 015 �Troy Edler/Elko, Community Member “Star Love” Digital Photo Arge nt u m 2 015 49 �Cami Stephenson/Elko, Community Member “Bowling Reflections” Digital Photo 50 A rge n tu m 2 015 �Angie de Braga/Elko, GBC Faculty “Old Dodge” Digital Photo Arge nt u m 2 015 51 �Niki Jonson/Elko, GBC Digital II Student “Hummingbird” Digital Photo 52 A rge n tu m 2 015 �Gaye Terras/Spring Creek, GBC Staff “Nature’s Wonder” Digital Photo “Photography reflects your personality as you capture an image with your eyes in order to tell a story with your heart.” Cindy Joyce Arge nt u m 2 015 53 �Sarah Nahnacassia/Spring Creek, GBC Digital I Student “Spring Showers” Digital Photo 54 A rge n tu m 2 015 �Ann Hagland/Elko, Community Member “Nature’s Abstract #1” Watercolor Arge nt u m 2 015 55 �Mike McFarlane/Spring Creek, GBC Vice President “West Avenue Tuscarora, Nevada” Digital Photo 56 A rge n tu m 2 015 �Diane Rice/Elko, GBC Digital II Student “Hand Coin” Digital Photo Collage Arge nt u m 2 015 57 �A Travel Trilogy MIDDLE AGE SPREAD I AM NO LONGER WHO I WAS ST MARTINS IN THE FIELD In pre-dawn darkness, My winter weight Is a bodyguard. Hair colored, curled and coiffed Bled dollars from my purse Arresting my age. The lean coyote Of summer days Fled the scene. “Arresting” did I say? Am I being held prisoner In a stand-still life? Three of us Sitting at separate tables, alone. Wearing comfortable shoes, Black soft-cushioned soles Neighbors to the white pair of Nikes All: real walking comfort. Heavy weight on bone vs Delicate image in mind Imprison me. Let Silver creep in Curls grow straight Be-coming myself. The first, a California lady, sighs Begins to eat her meal. The second sips wine, Her eyes cast down. I sit silent, no words. The lady rising is black, slender, serene She cleaned her table carefully The white woman also rises Adding her dishes Carefully to the pile. “Words and images are my meditation, my expression.” Sarah Sweetwater We sat there, separated, silent Yet joined by glance, By white hair and aged face, Perhaps by similar thoughts And comfortable shoes. Around our global neighborhood We often eat alone, Sit at separate tables, Savor our adventures, And wear comfortable shoes. Sarah Sweetwater/Elko Community Member 58 A rge n tu m 2 015 �Kathi Griffis/Spring Creek, GBC Staff “In the Spotlight” Digital Photo Arge nt u m 2 015 59 �Kacie Ortiz/Elko, GBC Student “Corsair” Digital Photo 60 A rge n tu m 2 015 �Maggie Corbari/Elko, GBC Student “Ole Nevada” Digital Photo Arge nt u m 2 015 61 �Adam McKinney/Battle Mountain, Community Member “Laying One Down” Digital Photo 62 A rge n tu m 2 015 �Meghan Rich/Elko, GBC Digital II Student “Motorcross” Digital Photo Arge nt u m 2 015 63 �“Creating art means getting to scream and whisper and sing all without opening my mouth. Art is often the only way to get an emotion out of my head. By exploring emotions through art, I think I come to understand them better. Art keeps me sane, or at least it helps me hide the crazy.” Shelby Wilson
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Argentum Art and Literary Magazine
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Great Basin College's Art and literary magazine featuring student, faculty, and community works.
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Great Basin College's art and literary magazine devoted to highlighting the excellent artistic expression of its students, faculty, staff, and members of the communities in which GBC serves.
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The 2015 edition of the Argentum Arts and Literary Magazine. <br /><a href="/omeka/files/original/80756781b116ddc303712110b1734c9d.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View pdf of magazine in new tab</a>
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The 2015 issue of Great Basin College's art and literary magazine, Argentum. Devoted to highlighting the excellent artistic expression of its students, faculty, staff, and members of the communities in which GBC serves.
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1 May 2015
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Scott A. Gavorsky [VHC]
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arts, literature, poetry, photography
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Great Basin College Nature Club May 2014, Volume 1, Issue 1 Tortoise Talk “Happiness is a flower in the desert.” “Ruby Beta” By Alysha Wogee Life Begins In The Desert Greetings readers! Great Basin College Nature Club began late in the Fall of 2013 with just a few ambitious young students under the guidance of Dr. Rita Bagwe who is the biology instructor in Pahrump. Our goal as a club is to explore and learn about our surrounding environments and share that knowledge with those around us. It has been an honor and privilege to see the emergence of such an amazing group of students come together and explore nature as a team. The Nature Club dedicates each Spring/Fall semester to one theme. The theme for this newsletter is “Desert Life”. From the lowest point in North America at Badwater Basin, to the peak of Dante’s View in Death Valley, the unique wildlife of Ash Meadows, the oasis of dates at China Ranch, and much more, the GBC Nature Club has explored the desert theme to it’s fullest since we began. We welcome you on our journey and we are excited and honored to have this issue come alive. It’s Nature Club’s first newsletter, and most certainly not our last. We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we have enjoyed writing it. Nature Club Fall 2013 - Spring 2014 Inside this Issue President & Vice President Report…...…2 Guest Speaker Report……....……..….….3 The Life of the Desert Tortoise…...…...4-5 Solpugids……..…….………..…...…..…...6 Burrowing Owls………………………..6-7 Cool Cactus of Wheeler Pass ………....…8 Welcome to Pahrump ………...………….9 The Greater Roadrunner………....…….10 Shoshone Trip…………………...………11 Sidewinders……………………...…..…..12 The Black-Tailed Jackrabbit…………...13 Impossible….…………..…...………..14-15 Fun Photos……………………………….15 Lizards…………………...….…….……..16 Antelope Ground Squirrel…….…...…...16 Followers Articles Fissures………….……..……...………....17 What is Time….…………....………..…..18 A Followers Appreciation…...….…..…..19 Local Bird Identification.……….…..…..19 Hatchlings……………….…….……..…..20 Word Search…………….…….….....…..20 Back Row: Kip Magee, Sarah Czipowski, James Russum, Ian Cark, William Ortman. Middle Row: Jessica Ceja, Shelby Harris, Holly Brice, Tommy Miller, Alysha Wogee, Victoria Pryor. Front Row: Brionna Moore and Ruby Beta Club Information Trip & Activity Report..…………….…..21 Looking Ahead…...…………..…….……21 References Pages…………...….....….22-23 Contact Information/Publishing…….....23 Pictures…………………………..............24 Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 1 �President’s Report Greetings everyone! Let me start out by saying what an awesome opportunity this has been. I have had such a great time seeing all of the amazing places with this wonderful group of students. It has been a crazy ride from starting the club, to being officiated by the Student Government Association, and finally getting our club shirts! I will admit that there have been rocky moments at times and setbacks, but we all worked together and had a great time. This club has been more to me than just a club. It has been a second family. I never really connected with any of the students here on campus until I joined the Nature Club. The educational value alone has been worth all the hard effort we put in. The speakers that came to the campus were enlightening and informative. The passion they all show for their fields is encouraging for me to continue on my educational path, whatever it may be. I have heard only wonderful things about the speaker presentations in passing and it has truly been a key element to what we as the Nature Club believe in. We want to see the club not only continue, but flourish over the semesters to come. As I looked out across the top of Dante's Peak in Death Valley, CA and watched the sun set across the vast and desolate desert, I realized how valuable my time and effort really was. It brought me perspective about what my role was in Nature Club and how important conservation and preservation of all living, and some nonliving, things are. A huge thank you to all of the club members that have given their time, dedication and hearts to this club. I have been right there by your side since day one and I had a great time traveling and learning with you as well. This club never would have come to be if it were not for all of the members who worked so diligently to see it come to be. Thank you all for hanging in there and watching as we brought life into our desert home here in little Pahrump, Nevada. We have truly embodied our motto, “Happiness is a flower in the Desert.” See you all next semester. Holly E. Brice GBC Nature Club President Vice President’s Report Hello everyone! Welcome to the Great Basin College Nature Club's first official newsletter. There is some amazing life to uncover and historic sites to experience in America's majestic Mojave Desert biome surrounding southern Nevada. The Great Basin Nature Club is a group of genuinely nature minded folks from a wide range of backgrounds and we do our best to not only learn about this awesome gift of life of the Mojave, but go out and see it for ourselves. It would be great for you to join us and hit a trail or two… or maybe even camp-out with us under the stars. We look forward to meeting new people that share an appreciation for this incredible earth and the life it brings us. If this sounds like your cup of coffee then shoot us a line and introduce yourself. Take it easy and have a pleasant tomorrow. James D. Russum, GBC Nature Club Vice President Did you know? “The Ash Meadows Sunray is one of at least 26 plants and animals that are endemic to Ash Meadows National Wildlife Reserve” Well now you know! See References #13 Page 22 Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 2 �Guest Speaker Report We would like to take a moment to give special thanks to those who have taken time out of their lives to come and speak to the Nature Club about their respective fields. Their knowledge enhanced the educational environment for the club. The presentations left a memorable impression with invaluable information for not only the club members but the community that attended as well. In keeping such an open door policy with the Nature Club meetings and speakers, everyone has been able to benefit from these presentations. Professor Doyle explained in depth about the formations of the mountain regions and their topographical characteristics, as well as what the various beautiful formations in our desert environment can tell us about the past. In understanding the past, we can better see the future. While Nature Club traveled to the Valley of Fire after the presentation, we were able to identify and appreciate the rock formations and unique positioning of their structural makeup, acknowledging the centuries it took for them to come to be what we see today. Our first speaker in November 2013, was one of our own nature club members, Mr. Scot Troter, who is a respected Master Gardener here in Pahrump and is also a member of the Master Gardener Association extension office. His amazing presentation included a lot of information on the local ground soil and shrubbery here in Pahrump. Learning about our natural landscape and flora has helped us to be more aware of our surroundings and associate it with the wildlife that resides here. Our last speaker this season was Mr. Lynn Jaussi on April 18th. His presentation content focused on “Exploration” especially in and around Pahrump. He spoke about nature and the amazing ghost towns he has explored. He advised everyone to, “Take a picture of these things because chances are the next time you come to see them, they will most likely be gone.” From the various wildflowers in the desert areas, to the century old graveyards, Mr. Jaussi captivated his audience as he brought exploring the desert to life. Also, for the first time since we began inviting speakers to GBC, we decided to broadcast this, as well as future presentations utilizing IAV (interactive video) so that our extension sites across Nevada may attend as well. Our second speaker was actually two amazing individuals from the Red Rock Audubon Society (RRAS). Mr. Richard Cantino and Mrs. Darlene Feener came in February 2014 to teach us all about birds. Darlene Feener has been a “birder” here in Pahrump for over 40 years. She beautifully presented an introduction to the differing types of birds that are commonly seen in our area, and taught us how to identify them. She presented beautiful photos of the local birds from her own private collection. She also included audio on the calls for each bird during the presentation. Since then, many of the members have been able to identify some of the more common species on our hikes and adventures. It has been a wonderful year for the Nature Club and we thank all of the amazing guest speakers for coming to talk to us about their life’s passion. We welcome anyone who wishes to join us for speaker presentations to just simply show up. All of our guest speakers are announced on our webpage and you can contact us at 775-727-2005 anytime. Nature Club is always looking for more guest speakers. If you are interested, give us a call. Mr. Cantino is an avid “birder” as well and gives his time to the RRAS and works closely with U.S. Fish and Wildlife on the Burrowing Owl Conservation Project here in the desert. His presentation on burrowing owls left the whole room with a warm heart. Their cute, fluffy, and funny nature captured the room, and Mr. Cantino brought to light the importance of the Burrowing Owl Project. At the presentation anyone who wished to become a burrowing owl monitor was invited to do so as part of the Urban Burrowing Owl Project. Professor Gregory Doyle who teaches geology here in Pahrump, presented on March 2014 about Pahrump Valley and the Valley of Fire from an inorganic perspective. Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 3 �The Life of the Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) By Tommy Miller by’s species is at risk in our delicate desert ecosystem as many other species are around the world. The idea to have “Ruby Beta” is what we decided to name her, and by a Nature Club initially came from Dr. Rita Bagwe and “her” we mean the desert tortoise that was saved by our took flight as soon as Ruby was adopted as our mascot. biology instructor on campus, Dr. Rita Bagwe. She took her in after someone found her in their backyard and didWe wear Ruby’s image on our shirts with pride and care n't quite know what to do with her. Since that time, over for her as though she were the last tortoise on earth. She two semesters ago, Ruby has had a full and exciting life will live with the Nature Club for only a short period of filled with fresh greens, nourishing tortoise food, and of time as she eventually will find a new home, but her course, a special hibernation spot to disappear into during memory will live on in the hearts of future Nature Club the winter seasons. members. We only hope she will inspire others to see nature and everything in it for what it is, delicate and tempoRuby may see this as a life of luxury, but for the students rary. This issue is the first of many to come so we decided here at Great Basin College in Pahrump, she has become it should start with an article about none other than Rua light of inspiration because of what she stands for. Ruby’s own kin, the Desert Tortoise. In the beginning... “A good man is the friend of all living things.” ~Mahatma Gandhi The Mojave Desert tortoises have been facing a huge array of issues that have threatened their existence. These concerns have resulted in the decline of the desert tortoise’s population, which has been the reason for them being listed as threatened in 1990. These declines have been due to habitat loss and degradation. This is from increasing human activity in the desert as well as disease. The tortoise is important to the ecosystem because it creates burrows that provide shelters for different species. Although human activity causes harm, people have been helping the desert tortoise by ensuring that the impact on their population is at a minimum. There have been government and wildlife agencies as well as conservation groups that help to preserve the desert tortois’ species. Due to the help these agencies provide, we will not have to worry about losing the desert tortoise anytime soon. which are indicative of effective digging abilities. As with other tortoise species, the desert tortoise is an herbivorous animal surviving only on plants. Grasses make up the majority of the desert tortoise's diet along with various herbs, wild flowers, rare fruits and berries that can be found within their habitat. Like Figure 1– Reference #1 most burrowing animals, the desert tortoise creates a subterranean environment beneficial to other reptiles, mammals, birds, The desert tortoise is medium-sized species, in compari- and invertebrates. Animals which share tortoise burrows son to other tortoises, that is found in the south-western benefit from permanent or temporary shelters when the desert regions of Northern America. This reptile seems to tortoises vacate them after hibernation ends. (1) intrigue people everywhere. Desert tortoises are most commonly known for their high patterned shells and their The Mojave Desert tortoise is among the four species of habitat of choice, a burrow underground. The desert tor- tortoises found in North America, all of which are toise has many biological adaptations that enable them to grouped in the genus Gopherus. They inhabit the desert survive more successfully in such arid conditions. The and subtropical scrublands of the American southwest. front legs of these unique reptiles are heavy and flattened in shape. These include a complete set of claw-like scales, Continued on page 5 Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 4 �The Life of the Desert Tortoise (Continued) By Tommy Miller They belong to a group commonly known as gopher tortoises. They represent a distinctively North American lineage of testunid turtles characterized by structural specialization for digging and burrowing.(9) They have several adaptive advantages in variable terrestrial environments, such as a greater strength, more physiological stability, and larger nutritional reserves.(6) The Mojave Desert tortoises inhabit both valley bottoms and more rugged upland terrain, where in either case, they spend much of their lives avoiding inhospitable desert conditions in self constructed burrows, or existing caves and rocky shelters. (2) No other desert tortoise can survive the inhospitable environmental conditions like this species does.(3) have to deal with the threats that they have to face today, thousands of years ago. If there were not as many threats today the desert tortoise population would not be declining. Many of these threats are from humans, including habitat loss, fragmentation, road mortality, shooting, collection for food, the pet trade, trampling by livestock, and predation by feral dogs and ravens, Figure 2– By Tommy Miller which thrive around human settlements.(4) These normal human activities tend to exacerbate natural impacts. We as humans need to make an attempt to protect these desert tortoise populations because unfortunately, we have become their worst enemy. The desert tortoises are primary consumers and they are prey for various mammalian, avian, and reptilian predators. They are also the desert’s ecosystem engineers; digging burrows that are used as shelters by snakes, lizards, birds, rodents, javelinas, and insects along with other invertebrates. Such burrows stabilize temperature and humidity providing protection from intense winter freezes. As a result of the declines in tortoise populations, people (4) The desert tortoise is considered ‘keystone’ to the Mo- have taken the initiative to go to great lengths to ensure “The desert tortoise is considered a ‘keystone’ to the Mojave” jave – meaning that it plays a significant role in maintain- future efforts are made to preserve this special species for ing the integrity of the desert ecosystem and if lost, will years to come. Various conservation efforts have taken put other species at risk for extinction.(5) place since they were listed as threatened. The Mojave populations of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) were listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1990 as a threatened species because of widespread population declines, particularly in California.(2) Prior to the early 1950’s, many populations reached densities of several hundred tortoises per square mile. Today, most populations contain only a few more than five to fifty tortoises per square mile.(2) The desert tortoise has lived in the Mojave and Colorado/Sonoran deserts of California, southern Nevada, Arizona, southwestern Utah, and in Mexico for thousands of years.(8) They did not Since the Mojave Desert tortoise was given protection under the Endangered Species Act in 1990, numerous actions have been taken to conserve the species.(2) Four State wildlife agencies and three Federal government agencies have the primary responsibility for protecting and managing desert tortoise populations and their habitats.(7) Without the help of people the desert tortoise would not be listed as threatened but as endangered, or even worse extinct. See References #1 Page 22 Did you know? The desert tortoise can live anywhere from 50 to 80 years? The majority of desert tortoise deaths is due to predators than old age! Well now you know! Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 5 �Solpugids: The Not-Spiders of the desert By Sarah Czipowski Maybe you have heard of these creatures before. Maybe you have even seen some. Perhaps on the internet you have seen pictures of these immensely large, frightening insects that are said to be as big as dogs and go after humans if given the chance. They are not spiders, nor are they scorpions. They typically have a yellow or orange hue, eight legs, a thorax and a head of the same size. On the head there are two huge jaws. What are these things? Are they dangerous? Should I be afraid? These creatures are called Solpugids (Sole-pew-jids), otherwise called solifuges, solifugids, etc. Some other vernacular names include false spiders, camel spiders, and sun spiders. They are related to scorpions, and are not truly classified as spiders. There are over 50 species within the southwestern United States. They are generally feared by people due to their appearance, size, speed, and false rumors about their behaviors. “arms” called pedipalps that are used to catch prey before crushing them with their fangs, that are called chelicerae. Although there are rumors about camel spiders eating humans (especially the variety of nonexistent solpugids with an imFigure 1– Reference #2 mense size), they are opportunistic feeders that mainly feed on insects. There is also no concrete evidence that solpugids are venomous or poisonous, as they do not contain poison glands, nor is it confirmed that toxins are secreted by the hairs near their jaws. If you see a solpugid inside your home, “They are not spiders, nor are they scorpions.” gently (and quickly) attempt to retrieve it inside a containCamel Spiders and some of their relatives can grow to be er, such as a jar, and release the creature outside. A sightabout 6 inches in size, and go to speeds of about 1.2 miles ing of one inside of a home is also a sign of a pest issue, per hours (53cm/s). They somewhat resemble scorpions, as Solpugids’ diets are mostly made up of other insects. although they do not possess a tail with a stinger, nor do they possess the large claws of a scorpion. They have See References #2 Page 22 Predatory owls, from the ground? By Holly Brice Swift, silent, deadly, and living in a hole in the ground? Burrowing Owls are considered both predatory due to their diet, and prey due to their vulnerability while living in burrows in the ground. Why would a species of owls live in the ground and not in a tree? These tiny predators have some of the most unique survivability techniques and interesting personalities known to owls. unique personalities that are distinctly different from other species of owls. One thing that differentiates them is not only their habitat of choice, but their calls and physical behavior. Often when a baby burrowing owl senses threat or danger it will mimic a rattlesnake’s hissing sound to scare predators away.(1) Parents will often perform a bobbing motion to express excitement or danger. The burrowing owls, A thene cunicularia, are named appropriately due to their lifestyle choice. They inhabit burrows that have been dug by other creatures such as the desert tortoise, kit foxes, skunks, prairie dogs, and other small animals.(2) They are interesting because they have Most people assume an owl is only active at night, however the burrowing owl must protect their burrow all day and all night long due to their vulnerability to every animal that may trample on their burrow, including humans. Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 6 Continued on page 7 �Continued- Predatory owls, from the ground? By Holly Brice The burrowing owls are tiny in comparison to what we consider a predator. An adult owl will be only about 10 inches tall and weigh about 6 ounces.(1) Unlike other owl species, the burrowing owl female is the same size as the male. The only difference is the male will be lighter in color through the mating season due to the long hours he spends outside the burrow watching for predators. Their coloration is a brown and white speckled coat and a white belly. They have long legs and short tails. They also lack the ear tufts we see on most owls.(2) Bright yellow eyes are easy to spot with a distinctive white eyebrow. These are one of the smallest owls in North America. Burrowing owls are able to eat a plethora of small animals such as small rodents, lizards, and small birds. They can also eat dung beetles and other insects as well. Generally they hunt for rodents and mammals during the night, and insects in the Figure 1– Reference #3 daytime. The burrowing owls are smart because they use what is known as “adornments” to scatter around their burrow. The adornments are made of animal feces from dogs and other animals. This serves a few purposes. It shows their burrow is inhabited to other owls and animals, including possible mates during courtship. It also repels animals that don’t care for animal feces and masks their scent for protection. In addition, it attracts dung beetles and other bugs for food. Burrowing owls nest in treeless areas that range from the Pacific states into Canada and even out to the Midwestern states. The mother and father will mate in early spring. They both will care for their owlets until they are able to fly and hunt on their own. Generally this occurs for about a 40 day period. Burrowing owls will live anywhere from 6 to 8 years.(3) After the mating season, they take winter flight into Central America, South America, and Mexico. However, they will avoid the rainforest.(3) The populations of burrowing owls that live in Florida will stay there year round, avoiding migration patterns. Although the population of burrowing owls is not exactly known, it is estimated to be around 10,000 mating pairs, and known to be declining. The use of pesticides on prairie dogs and small mammals is affecting their food source. Many owls are killed every year due to automobile collisions and burrow abandonments.(3) Due to urbanization in many habitat areas, many owls lose their burrowing sites during the mating seasons. This species is known to come back to its own burrow every year. If the burrow has collapsed or been removed, they are forced to find new quarters. Burrowing owls are endangered, threatened and of special concern. The reason for having three differing status’ is largely due to their migration pattern. The localized areas they travel to determines their status. In Canada they are endangered. Figure 2– Reference #3 They are threatened in Mexico, they are of special concern in Florida and the western United States. Due to the fact that they are mating in Canada and the western U.S., it is essential that we take proactive measures to ensure their survival.(1) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife services are working annually to continue the Burrowing Owl Monitoring Program that is conducted by many organizations with volunteers who monitor them during critical mating periods. They are also working to produce satellite sites that are established and protected areas of permanent burrows. This provides for ongoing protected areas that this species can return to year after year. There are things individuals can do to ensure burrowing owl survivability as well. If you are privileged to live in an area that is a home to these burrowing owls, leave them alone. If you see a burrow and notice that they might be in a high traffic area where they could be in harms way, notify your local Fish and Wildlife conservation organization or local Audubon society so they can check it out. One of the biggest threats to these magnificent owls are people. By disturbing their burrows with off road vehicles, and unwelcomed disturbances, we risk the mating process, which directly affects the population count. The next time you are strolling along on a nice desert walk in the middle of nowhere and see a burrow in the ground with a very angry bobbing owl staring at you, remember to walk away because they are not as vulnerable as you might think. You might come out wearing an owl hairdo if you are not careful. See References #3 Page 22 Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 7 �The Cool Cactus of Wheeler Pass By William Ortman An Anecdote One day while hiking in Wheeler Pass (near the outskirts of Pahrump) with one of my math pupils and his family, we stopped for a small break near a lime green cactus with big pads and lots of spines. Mikey had brought his machete and began hacking at the cactus. I said to him, “Hey Mikey, let me see that.” I took the machete, and sliced off part of a pad. Carefully, I removed many spines, and I took a bite out of the now harmless cactus pad. It was chewy, watery, and tasted just like a kiwi! “Looks kind of like a prickly pear” I thought to myself. I snapped a picture and we continued on our merry way. Once notified about the Nature Club newsletter and directed to write an article, I knew what my topic would be. After diligently searching the internet, I discovered that the cactus was Opuntia chlorotica, a species of prickly pear! Opuntia clorotica is part of the Cactaceae family of plant species. It is commonly called the “pancake prickly pear”(4) and the “dollarjoint prickly pear”.(3) Studies conducted in the Waterman Mountains of Arizona confirm that this species has been around since the Wisconsinan Glaciation period. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Many adaptations have been develFigure 1– Reference #4 oped by this species over the years to combat the harsh desert conditions that it grows in. The plant thrives in the wild but also has been domesticated for various reasons. Opuntia clorotica is not only found in Wheeler Pass, but also all over the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. These areas are full of “igneous substrates [and] rocky or sandy soils”(6) in which it grows in. Opuntia clorotica, along with other members of the Cactaceae family, has developed advanced morphologies to deal with the harsh desert conditions in which it is distributed. These include “different methods of water storage, photosynthesis, and alternative means of reproduction”. (5) Water is stored in pads which branch out from the trunk. This is because water is not always available due to the low rainfall occurring in the regions in which O. chlorotica lives. The spines have also been developed to reduce water loss and to protect the plant from predators. A Pancake Prickly Pear found in Wheeler Pass has big spines with half a centimeter diameter that can be a centimeter in length. Surrounding the big spines are small needles half a centimeter long with a negligible diameter. They can get stuck everywhere be very painful. Another interesting adaptation of the Pancake Prickly Pear is that it collects CO2 for its energy cycle at night. This is because the stomata which collect the gas are closed during the day to conserve water. The CO2 is stored during the night as an acid. Opuntia chlorotica has been used for hundreds of years and is commonly domesticated. It was used by Native Americans to treat burns.(4) It was also used to treat diabetes before the advent of modern insulin synthesis. In rat models, rats induced with diabetes were able to sustain regular blood glucose levels. It also has an impact in treating ulcers. The cactus acts as a natural sweetener and is high in fiber. Topical application has increased the rate of cutaneous repair in rat models. It can be taken as food, juices, gels, jellies, or as a powder. Other benefits include its properties as an antiinflammatory and antioxidant. Mother Earth provides people many useful things right under their noses. A trip Figure 2– Image by William Ortman to Wheeler Pass can help one discover a plant that is all over the region they live in, that has fought to survive as a species since at least the last glacial period. At first glance, a hiker may think that it is just an evil pokey bush; little would they know that it is a plant with a wide variety of benefits ranging from healing cuts, burns and ulcers, to being an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, fibrous sweetener. Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 8 See References #4 Page 22 �Welcome to Pahrump By Scot Troter Nature Club’s first presentation hopefully opened some eyes about our wonderful little town. The presentation started off by highlighting the Cooperative Extension as a great resource for the town of Pahrump. It explained what makes a desert as well as desert soil. It gave hope and some suggestions for growing a garden. It identified some of the most common plants from tallest to shortest. And it ended with one simple ‘principle’: Do not water at night! The Morrill Act of 1862 was a beginning that blossomed into land grant universities. Nevada’s land grant university is the University of Reno. This led to Extension offices in each county. The three basic parts of the extension are: outreach programs, 4-H, and the Master Gardener program. The programs help young and old alike. And if you have an insect or plant that you would like to know more about, bring a sample or picture and just walk in. 4 inches. This lack of rainfall and the fact that we live in a valley that essentially is a bowl, leads to a build up of salts and clay. But there is hope for those that love nature and gardens because clay particles have a negative charge that holds water and most of the essential nutrients that plants need to thrive. The clay soils just need some compost to give it air pockets for the plant roots. Some of the most common plants from tallest to short- “watering at night is a bad idea...” Deserts are defined by precipitation rates. Pahrump and Las Vegas are in the center of the Mojave Desert. It is the Image By Sarah Czipowski driest desert in the United States with an annual rainfall rate of just est are: the hybrid version of salt cedar called ‘atthal’, pine trees, common salt cedar, mesquite, creosote, tumble weeds, four-wing salt bush, globe mallow, and Russian thistle. The presentation ended with an explanation why watering at night is a bad idea even though most people think that watering at night better for their plants. First, the sun is the pump that pulls water up into the plant; and it is not out at night. Second, watering at night gives fungus a chance to infect plants. I hope everyone took something away from the presentation. Did you know? Did you know that in Death Valley, California the crystalized salt formations in “Devils’ Golf Course” are a formation from an ancient lake that once covered the valley floor to a depth of 30 feet? Well now you know! “Badwater Basin” By Holly Brice Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 9 �The Greater Roadrunner By Shelby Harris The Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) is native to the American southwest and the upper parts of Mexico. They are found in arid desert regions and regions with scattered brush and open grassy areas. They have been found in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Their relative, the Lesser Roadrunner (Geococcyx velox) can be found in southern parts of Mexico. They are non-migratory and they defend their territories year round. The Greater Roadrunner mates for life. To find a mate, the male will often chase the female while taking frequent rest stops. Food is a very important part of their mating ritual, as the male will often tempt the female with food. If she accepts the food, they will most likely mate. Mating can occur once or twice a year depending on the availability of food and materials for nests. Nests are usually in off of the ground in bushes or trees to keep predators away. Their brood sizes range from 2-8 eggs. Their development is quite rapid; their incubation is about 20 days, they can catch their own food at 3 weeks, Most people have seen the Looney Tunes version of the they become independent in around 30-40 days and sexuroadrunner: blue, almost ostrich looking and always al maturity is reached around 2-3 years old. taunting the coyote with its call “beep beep”. The real roadrunner actually is mostly dark brown on its head, The Greater Roadrunner plays the roles of both predator neck, back and wings with white streaks and a white and prey. It is omnivorous, eating insects, lizards, snakes, breast. Their eyes are bright yellow and the mature ones and mice. They even eat rattlesnakes, although it is rare. have blue and red skin behind the eyes. Like the cartoon, They can also eat other birds such as the hummingbird they have a crest of feathers on their heads that looks like and quail. They eat prickly pear cactus where it is availaa pompadour. Unlike most other birds, both sexes look ble. To hunt, they walk rapidly and scan for prey. When the same. Roadrunners are medium-sized birds that usu- they find some they dash forward to make a catch or “The Greater Roadrunner mates for life.” jump into the air to catch insects and knock down lowflying birds. Known predators to the Greater Roadrunner are hawks, house cats, skunks, coyotes, and raccoons. Figure 1– Reference #5 ally weigh 8-12 ounces and are about 20-24 inches tall. Also like the lovable cartoon, they prefer to run rather than fly. They can reach up to 17 mph while running and can cover great distances. If they do have to fly, they only remain airborne for a few seconds. They show great curiosity and will often approach humans to get a better look. Roadrunners are pretty common here in southern Nevada. They are however, encountering habitat loss because of urban sprawl. Road construction causes their territories to be fragmented and they also encounter mortality from passing cars. They were also illegally shot because rumors that they were eating the quail, even though occurrences of roadrunners eating quail is pretty rare. Research shows that they have little chance of staying in southern California due to the massive growth of cities. Their habitats are being fragmented so much that their territories are not big enough and the brush is becoming scarce. This is a problem because the Greater Roadrunner prefers the climate that exists in southern California. They also help to eliminate pests such as mice and insects from the areas. Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 10 See References #5 Page 22 �Shoshone Bird Watching By Ian Clark One of the first trips that the Nature Club went on was to Shoshone, California last fall to do bird watching. Our group’s tour guide and overall bird enthusiast, Len Warren, showed us several species living in the area and how they related to each other. One of the most striking features of the area were the Mesquite trees (Prosopis glandulosa). The Mesquite tree is a common desert tree in the Southwest.(3) Features common to it are its thorns that discourage desert herbivores from eating it, long root systems which can span over 100 feet to get to ground water, waxy leaves to conserve that water, and honey mesquite bean pods which were a food source to the local Indian and settler populations.(3) The Mesquite tree tends to have a (parasitic) plant growing on it called Desert Mistletoe Figure 1– Reference #4 “Desert Mistletoe ‘invade[s] the bark and sap of the host plant’” (Phoradendron californicum).(2) Desert Mistletoe “invade[s] the bark and sap of the host plant”(2) which causes the plant to weaken or die from a lack of water or nutrients. Figure 2– Reference #6 Even though Desert Mistletoe is deadly to the Mesquite tree, it is life-sustaining to another creature.(2) Desert Mistletoe grows berries which a bird known as Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens) eats.(2) Phainopepla have a unique relationship with Desert Mistletoe.(1) The berries that the Phainopepla eat have seeds for the Mistletoe plant. Often, the seeds will be excreted by the bird onto another desert tree where the Mistletoe plant will grow. (1) Essentially, Phainopepla helps make its own primary food source grow.(1) Our guide, Len Warren, showed our group many of the Shoshone birds and their nests but especially Phainopepla. See References #6 Page 22 Did you know? China Ranch Date Farm in California was planted in the early 1920’s by seed from a lady named Vonola Modine? Well now you know! Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 11 �The Sidewinder By Victoria Caristo For most explorers, deserts can be one of the most beautifully natural formations known to man. Think about it; the great views of the open skies that seem to go on forever, the mountains that look as though they’ve been painted by the Earth itself, the unique plants, and let’s not forget about the wild life that inhabits these beautiful areas. In our great Silver State, there are exactly five main breeds of snakes to be aware of; they are the Mojave, the Speckled, Western Diamondback, the Great Basin Rattler, and our main topic for this article, the Sidewinder. You hear “Sidewinder” and probably wonder how it got that name; personally, the name was enough to intrigue me. To kill your curiosity, this type of snake got its name based on the way it maneuvers around; it literally throws the body at a lateral angle and zigzags. The interesting thing about the Sidewinder’s movement is that only two sections of the body actually touch the ground. Therefore, this is a pretty fast moving snake, which is unnerving for people within close quarters, but this is a good thing for them because a sidewinders environment is nothing but hot, Figure 1– Reference #7 Of course when you plan a hiking trip, it’s always best to educate yourself about these potentially dangerous animals look like and where they may be found. Unless your trip consists of an evening hike to star-gaze, “Sidewinders are identified by horn-like scales above their eyes..” dry sand and their form of movement allows them to avoid touching that. These snakes are as unique as their name based on the way these snakes travel alone. Now, let us get into the breakdown of what this desert animal’s ecosystem consists of. To start off, this type of snake is mostly common in more open parts of Arizona, California, northern parts of Mexico, Utah, and Pahrump (but it’s common in other areas of Nevada as well). The diet is just like most desert snakes since they stick to small rats and lizards. In doing research, it seems like this snake is relatively calm in personality for being a part of desert wild life, but if you are bitten it would mostly be due to harassment towards the snake. The Sidewinder is fairly small, (only two to three feet in length) but don’t let that fool you because the bite is extremely poisonous for humans. If you are attacked, one should get medical attention as soon as possible. you won’t come into too much contact with this primarily nocturnal reptile. Sidewinders are identified by horn-like scales above their eyes, and a color combination of pale and brown markings to help them to better blend in with their environment. Keep in mind that exploring the desert is a great activity for anyone of any age, but you have to remember that you’re basically entering another species’ home so it’s best to educate yourself about how to identify certain animals and what their persona is like. Enjoy your desert hike and if you do come across some fascinating wild life, try to observe from a safe distance. See References #7 Page 22 Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 12 �The Black-Tailed Jackrabbit By Jessica Ceja The desert is populated by a wide variety of animals. Each and every species has their own unique methods for survival, in addition to contributing to the environment in their own way. One of the many species that is quite common many desert environments is the Black-tailed Jackrabbit, known for their long ears and large hind legs. Despite the fact that the word rabbit is in their name, they are not rabbits.(2) They are in fact hares. The Black-tailed Jackrabbits are interesting and unique for a variety of reasons. mostly green diet. They feed on plants such as leaves, grasses, alfalfa, clovers, seeds, beans, cacti, and twigs.(1) Interestingly, they digest their food twice. When they defecate, they consume their digestive waste.(4) The reason for this is to absorb as much moisture as possible and conserve water. The Black-tailed Jackrabbits hardly ever need to drink; they receive most of their water from the plants they eat.(4) As for shelter, these Jackrabbits enjoy resting in the shade of grasses and bushes when it’s hot.(1) Unlike many other desert animals, Jackrabbits do not live in burrows.(1) As previously mentioned, they would much Besides the well known black ears and tail, they also have rather live in open areas instead. other interesting characteristics. The Black-tailed Jackrabbit can weigh from about 4-8 pounds, as well as measur- The life span of a Black-tailed Jackrabbit is not very long. ing from 18-24 inches long.(3) In comparison of hares Their average life span of a wild Black-tailed Jackrabbit is and rabbits, hares are much longer and larger. The Black- between 2-5 years.(1) Due to their short lifespans, female tailed Jackrabbit is considered a hare rather than a rabbit Jackrabbits can deliver as many as four litters a year with because their offspring are born with their eyes open and three to four leverets (offspring). It is safe to say Jackrabhave a full coat.(4) bits are neither threatened nor extinct.(1) “Interestingly, they digest their food twice.” Animal characteristics play a huge part in their survival; in order for a species to survive they must learn to adapt to their environment. As a result their appearance will change over a period of several generations which favor that genetic appearance. The Black-tailed Jackrabbits' long ears help control their body temperature by either increasing or decreasing their blood flow through them. This allows them to cool off or warm up when needed.(4) The desert is made up of open areas which makes it easier for animals like the Black-tailed Jackrabbit to see predators. This also gives them time to escape as a survival technique. Their long legs help them run at up to 36 miles per hour, which is fast enough to outrun predators.(4) Another survival characteristic that helps these unique hares to survive is their coats. The color of their fur coats match the desert environment and helps to camouflage them. Their fur also comes into play with the heat. Their feet are covered with fur as well, helping them pad their feet against the scorching hot desert floor during the hotter months.(4) Other factors like their shelter and diet contribute to their survival as well. The reason why the Black-tailed Jackrabbits continue to survive in their hot and hostile desert environments is a Figure 1– Reference #8 direct result of water conservation, camouflage abilities, and high yield of offspring. Water conservation being key because of the lack of water in the desert. When water is more abundant depending on the season, the hare populaIn order to survive, all animals must consume and be shel- tions will increase. tered properly. The Black-tailed Jackrabbit maintains a See References #8 Page 22 Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 13 �Impossible By Dr. Rita Bagwe If I were to ask you, “Will you find fish in Death Valley?” Most likely answer will be, “NO, It is impossible to find any living organism in Death Valley because it is the desert.” It is impossible to survive in Death Valley because it is the hottest place on earth. It is located in North America and a temperature of 129°F was recorded on June 30th last year. Though it was still 5°F below its highest record of 134 °F (56.7 °C) reading, the hottest measured anywhere in the world on July 10, 1913.(1) The reality is that seven species of pupfish have been surviving in not only the hottest, but also at the lowest point in North America.(2) Death Valley's Badwater Basin is the lowest point of elevation in North America at 282 feet (86 m) below sea level. It is difficult to imagine that this place was once cool, and filled with water from Lake Manly during the Pleistocene Epoch, where the ancestors of pupfish swam.(2,3) As the climate warmed, water from Lake Manly evaporated and formed many separate water pools, which restricted the population of the pupfish to (4) Devils Hole is a window into the U.S.’s largest underground aquifer. Ancient water is found seeping to the surface of Devil’s Hole. The water we see today at the surface literally took thousands of years to reach us. Devils hole is the only naturally occurring habitat in the world for this pupfish.(3) The resident pupfish of Devils Hole must withstand constant temperatures of 92°F and low dissolved oxygen which reaches near lethal limits for fish in that salinity.(5,6) They have to be near the water’s surFigure 1– Reference #9 face to feed on rich algae and diatoms. “Devils Hole is a window to the U.S’s largest underground aquifer...” isolation and left them to adapt themselves to the changing environmental conditions. This led to the development of unique characteristics. Over a period of time they evolved into several distinct species of pupfish, one of which lives in Devils Hole. (2,3) Devils Hole pupfish, Cyprinodon diabolis, are the smallest of the pupfish species, and are considered endangered. They measure about an inch in length, and have an iridescent blue color. They have large heads and anal fins but lack pelvic fins.(4) They are limited to a cavern in the Devils Hole which is 35 feet long, 8 feet wide, and the depth is estimated to be over 500 feet. The bottom has never been mapped to date.(4) It is located within Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Nye County, Nevada. It is considered a detached section of Death Valley National Park.(6) They spawn in the shallow rock shelf found near the surface of the water and their larvae hatch there as well.(5) The number of pupfish continues to vary between the seasons with recorded counts of around 300–500 pupfish in the late summer when there is an increase in the algae production. In the winter, pupfish counts range between 100– 200 pupfish, because the algae production slows down. Researchers suggest that algal growth increases when the barn owl (Tyto alba) roosts in the cave formation in Devils Hole. Their nutrient rich pellets increase the level of nutrition in the algae, which in turn, increases the algal population.(5) This shelf is shallow and during recent summers, the water temperatures have shown an increase from 93°F to 95°F. Researchers think that this increase could be linked to global climate change.(4) Devils Hole pupfish have been living on extreme temperature edges of what is known to be possible, but small changes to that environment might push them too far. It is estimated that these pupfish were isolated in Devils Hole somewhere between 10,000 and 40,000 years ago. Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 14 Continued on Page 15 �Impossible– Continued By Dr. Rita Bagwe Aside from the increased temperature threats, the pupfish are also threatened from flash floods and earthquakes. Earthquakes occurring some 300 miles away are known to create “mini Tsunamis” which have been known to disrupt their fragile ecosystem. The pupfishes biggest threat has been groundwater depletion due to agricultural irrigation.(7) around Devils Hole was declared as an essential habitat. (5) Furthermore, in 1982 the USFWS listed two more pupfish species in Ash Meadows as being endangered, therefore conferring protection to all three levels of pools in the area.(5) Finally, in 1984 Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge was established.(5) In April 2013, USFWS reported only 35 pupfish remaining in Devils Hole, and in September the count increased to 65 pupfish. In order to tackle this issue, in 1980 the U.S. Fish and These record low summer and winter counts indicate that Wildlife Service (USFWS) developed the Devils Hole pupfish could now be at a significant risk and may bepupfish recovery plan. Around 21,000 acres of land come extinct in the near future.(6) See References #9 Page 23 Nature Club Fun Photos Images by Sarah Czipowski & Holly Brice Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 15 �Desert Wildlife: Spotlight on the Lizard By Kip Magee When you think about lizards what comes to mind? A four legged green reptile that feeds on insects with a long tongue. Well I have some interesting information for you; lizards have a natural habitat among the brushes, debris, and wash. Their claws help them dig and run across the sandy, rocky areas. Most lizards will feed on buds, flowers, fruit as well as a variety of desert plants. taking shelter underground. On hot sunny days, lizards like to rest on rocks to take in the sunshine. Lizards share the desert with many other wildlife species. The most dangerous predators in their environment are the birds. Their main line of defense is to run away or break off their tail if a bird gets ahold of them. Their tails will grow back in just a few weeks. Some lizards can run up to speeds of 18 miles per hour across the desert floor on two The Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge has over 20 hind legs. Just a few true facts about lizards. known species of lizards. These lizards survive during the fall seasons in 40oF weather by burrowing in the sand and See References #10 Page 23 White Tailed Antelope Ground Squirrel By Brionna Moore The White Tail Antelope squirrel or in more technical terms the A mmospermophilus leucurus, is a creature that is medium in size that averages in 211mm in length and 105g in weight.(1) They have small rounded ears and relatively long hind legs compared to other ground squirrels. There is a sexual dimorphism which shows in males as being slightly larger than females. The main body of these squirrels range in colors from gray to brown, to a cinnamon like color. The tail is where these furry creatures get their names. The tip of the tail is dark or black and underneath of the tail is white. They molt their body pelage, or fur of an animal, twice a year, and their tail hair once a year. Their braincase is relatively flat with a well inflated skull bullae.(2) A. leucurus is found in the Sonoran life zone. This region includes the southeastern part of Oregon, the southwestern part of Idaho and all of Nevada.(2) They are also found in almost all of Utah, western Colorado, northern Arizona, and New Mexico.(2) Their range of distribution also includes southeastern California, and most of Baja California (Mexico).(2) A. leucurus do not hibernate or go dormant.(2) In extreme dry heat they can conserve water and use thermoregulation to survive.(2) This is thought to be attributed to their physiological, ecological, and behavioral adjustments. These creatures are diurnal, so you can expect to see them early mornings and late afternoons. A . leucurus’ diet in- cludes plants, insects, seeds, and vertebrate flesh making them omnivores.(2) They also have pouches in their mouth where they can store excess food.(2) A. leucurus utilizes abandoned burrows from the Kangaroo rat and it is thought that these squirrels often utilize 6-7 in a five week period.(2) Breeding schedules differ according to the region that the Antelope squirrel lives in. For instance, in southern Figure 1– By Brionna Miller Nevada mating occurs between February and June, peaking in February and March. In comparison, California mating for A . leucurus occurs just in the first two weeks of March.(2) A litter of Antelope squirrel averages about 8 offspring, but can reach as high as 14. The average gestation is from 30 to 35 days.(2) Once a squirrel is born they will develop their adult pelage about 35 days after birth and are weaned from the mother at 65 days.(2) The average life span of A . leucurus is not well known.(3) In captivity the Antelope squirrel can live up to five years of age.(3) A . leucurus is not on the endangered species lists.(3) Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 16 See References #11 Page 23 �Tortoise Talk Followers Late in Spring 2014 a group of individuals that had sur- ber. A Follower is allowed to come with us on trips, read faced as non-members of Nature Club were given a right- and input on newsletters, attend guest speaker presentaful acceptance as Nature Club “Followers”. tions and events, and be part of this amazing group of students. Followers have been a integral part of Nature Club as they are individuals or organizations that love to come to our There is no age limit so if you are 4 years old or 90 years guest speaker presentations and travel with the Nature old you can be a Follower. All that we ask of you is that Club. A Follower is an individual that is not considered a you have fun and enjoy the journey. Thank you Followers student at GBC and therefore can’t be a recognized mem- for being awesome and supportive in so many ways! Cracking Wise about fissures By Professor Gregory Doyle EARTH FISSURE - “A long, open surface crack (generally on flat to gently sloping ground) in geologically unconsolidated sediments across which displacement is mainly perpendicular to the crack.” When it comes to fissures, there are probably as many natural processes and human activities that cause them as there are problems that they can cause. Some of the documented mechanisms for generating earth fissures include: Subsidence: Bending of layers at the ground surface by localized differential compaction caused by the withdrawal of underground fluids. Hydrocompaction: Failure of the intergranular structure of dry, collapsible soils when subjected to wetting. Void collapse: Figure 1– By Professor Gregory Doyle Piping and stopping of underground materials into mines, solution cavities and tunnels. Earthquakes: Earth tion and zoning changes. fissure formation in response to fault rupture, liquefaction and strong ground motion. Recently, some future geologists and I embarked on a “A perfectly good reason to get out of the house-Earth Fissures” Earth fissures resulting from groundwater pumping, aquifer deformation and subsidence are the primary source of fissure-related geotechnical problems in the arid Southwestern United States, and have accounted for tens of millions of dollars in structural damage. Closer to home, both the Las Vegas and Pahrump Valleys have been negatively impacted by earth fissures. Urban fissures not only cause the obvious structural distress and loss of property and dwellings, but frequently lead to other economic and social consequences, such as litiga- day long adventure to observe some spectacular examples of earth fissures within the southern portion of Pahrump Valley. Not only did these fissures demonstrate the size that these features can attain, but getting to them provided for some fairly easy and fun mountain biking. It would appear that these are relatively older features, due to the extent that erosion has widened and partially backfilled them. Old or not, they are impressive to see! Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 17 �What is Time? By George Sausman, MBA, BS Eng. The world famous astrophysicist and author Carl Sagan in his Introduction to Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time wrote, “We go about our daily lives understanding almost nothing of the world.”(1) This is so true. We must admit that we cannot seem to define something so fundamental as time. We are aware of it. We can measure it. We can in some cases, comprehend its magnitude. Einstein combined its nature with that of what we also call space and developed ideas of space-time physics. We speak of an eternity, and mean a long time. mean that it does not exist? Of course not; we instinctively know that there is something that changes between the events we observe. While we cannot make a concise description of what that change is we can use the phenomenon to give us a parameter we can measure. We, modern human beings, are not the first to look at the increment between events and develop a means to provide a measure of it. The ancients, in the time of the Babylonian Civilization, used the number 60 as the basis of their numbering system. That system carries over to us today in our measures of small portions of a circle, subdivided from degrees to minutes to seconds. Those are measures of angles (space). Our measures of time are also in a base 60 or fraction thereof numbering system. The day was originally measured by use of a sundial which measured a circle that was divided into portions of equal segments of 24 units, we now call those units hours. Twenty-four is four tenths of 60. The hours are subdivided further into 60 portions which we name minutes. The minutes are subdivided further in to 60 portions which we name seconds. Someone says, “Wait a second,” when we are in a hurry and they are not. In our concept of a short time period, we will say, “…it took only a fraction of a second and it was over,” when a quick event occurred. When we speak of the past we say, “Last week, last month, last year, a million years ago.” We do this as if we knew what we are speaking of in terms of a quantity. All of these common examples are references to the incremental measurements of a phenomenon we call time. With the advent of more precise measuring devices we have the ability to further divide the seconds by tenths, Well, just what is time? We can all agree that there are hundredths, thousandths,… nanoseconds, etc. We have many fascinating features of the phenomenon. That is had the ability for a long period of civilization to measure great, but still, what is it? Random House Webster’s Una- time in decades, centuries, millennia, eons, and periods. bridged give a nebulous definition. Science books some- We even have the audacity to claim to be able to recon times define it as the interval between events. That seems time to when the universe and our earth was formed. to be the most descriptive exposition that is available. That is pretty impressive. We can measure this phenomeHere is an example. We are going to travel by automobile non in all types of units, convert the measurement of it to from home to a city that is a measured a distance away distance, even use it to predict what will occur in future (space). Let us take the distance from Pahrump Nevada to events. But, we still cannot definitely define it. Baker, California, a distance that is about 87 miles. We are not uncomfortable telling our friends that are going to Just saying. make that trip that it is slightly over an hour away (time). We have used time, as we understand it, to describe the events of leaving Pahrump and arriving in Baker. We have not given a measure of distance but instead given a measure of time. This is an example of space-time. We are able to describe the sequence of events and provide a relative description of the duration between events without having a concrete definition of time. Does that Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 18 See References #12 Page 23 �A Followers Appreciation By Janis Collins The Pahrump campus is fortunate to have the GBC Nature Club who welcomes “Followers” to their events, field trips, and meetings. As a “Follower” I have had the privilege to participate in a highly successful first ever bake sale held at the college, a popular basket raffle, and the opportunity to attend a few of the numerous field trips that were organized. I am truly impressed by the enthusiasm of these volunteer naturalists. To see and be a part of this group actively exploring nature and exploring our unique natural ecology and history is inspiring. As a “Follower” I am learning new skills in natural resource conservation and restoration. Members and Followers are encouraged to join us to explore and discover the mystifying beauty of our local and surrounding areas. Bird Identification By Darlene Feener Red Rock Audubon Society-West Branch-Education Chair (All photos are by Darlene Feener in this article) ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD: (Calypte anna) Size 4” Behavior: Fast flight. During courtship will fly high in the sky, then dive to the ground making a popping sound. Bill: Long and straight Color: The male, has a rose red head and throat. A green and gray breast. The male and female are both bronze green above and grayish below. The female has a gray head and throat with some throat feathers showing a little red. Shape: Stocky Tail: Male is blackish gray and the female is black with white tips on outer feathers. with two white wing bars and white patches on each wing. When the Northern Mockingbird is in flight you can see the flashes of white in its wings. White throat, white breast and white underparts. Upperparts are gray. Shape: Slender Tail: Long with white edges on the outside of a grayish black tail. HOUSE FINCH: (Haemorhous mexicanus) Size: 5.7” Behavior: Perches in the open on low or high trees and bushes. Bill: Conical and gray brown in both male and female. Color: The male has a red breast, red forehead, red throat and red rump. The underparts have grayish brown streaking. The female has no red. Male Female She is gray brown overall with gray brown streaking on underparts. Plain looking face. Shape: Stocky with a large head. Tail: Long brown with a slight notch at the end of the tail. SAY’S PHOEBE: (Sayornis saya) Size: 7 ½” Behavior: Fly’s out from a perch to catch insects. Often returns to the same perch. Bill: Black flattened bill. Color: Grayish overall with buffy cinnamon belly and underparts. Shape: Big head with a slender body. Tail: Black fan shaped. Often wags tail. NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD: (Mimus polyglottos) Size: 10” Behavior: Loves to sing and mimic other bird songs. Often sings at night. Will fly at other birds that fly into its territory. Bill: Thin and long. Color: Gray black and white SONG SPARROW: (Melospiza melodia) Size: 6 ¼” Behavior: Flies low moving from bush to bush. Has short fluttering flight. Bill: Stout and short. Color: Brown streaks on a white chest and dark malar stripes with a brown central breast spot. Shape: Bulky. Tail: Tail long and rounded. Pumps tail downward in flight. Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 19 �Hatchlings By Audrey and Kaydence Brice As Nature Club involved it’s many members, often we found that even the youngest members of our Followers wanted to participate. Whether it was on field trips, bake sales, or art work you can bet these little hatchlings would be there to support Nature Club with a smile on their face. Thank you to all the young friends out there that go on adventures with us. We hope to see you all next semester! L S I S F B G K E Y Y J S W U Word Search K W I O R E I S M E C A D V Y Z E G D O E I R L Z S C I P F P U Z L E O W L D H S K G U M J D O H T W A O M S U R U P T R G L R E V I E L V T A P F I ASH MEADOWS PHAINOPEPLA SOLPUGIDS Y O O B H L A N E F C B L I M BIRDS PUPFISH SQUIRREL O T A T S D O U D P A B O S E CACTUS ROADRUNNER TIME DEATH VALLEY RUBY BETA TORTOISE DEVILS HOLE SIDEWINDER PAHRUMP FLOWERS GEOLOGY JACK RABBIT P H A H O Q L H K E C I S H E C E J W Y U U M S Y R T G R X D F S U W V K I Q L L F U K M R U B Y B E T A R S I T G X E R E N N U R D A O R A V X W M P M U R H A P I F N E F E A E NATURE P H A I N O P E P L A L K D I Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 20 �Trip & Activity Report Trip Report The first trip began with a Shoshone bird walk led by Len Warren, as the article by Ian Clark touched on. Mr. Warner taught us about the amazing habitat and migration patterns of the Phainopepla. A trip to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area for a hike was in order. Beyond the visitors center there is a vast landscape that is littered with amazing wildlife and plants that one might not imagine could live here in the desert. China Ranch Date Farm offered amazing insight to some of the history about the Armargosa River and its contribution to the surrounding environment we see today. We also stopped in for a date shake to cool off at the end. A trip you must make if you travel to the Date Farm. Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge was a trip filled with awe and wonder. We saw the tiny pup fish that are endemic to these natural underground water sources, and enjoyed the beautiful scenery it provided. We camped for one night in Death V alley National Park. It is only an hour and a half away but offered our minds more than was expected. The amazing high and low points were inspiring and breathtaking to see. The natural wonders that surrounded us amazed us from an educational perspective as well. To stand on the lowest point in North America and not be under a hundred feet of water will make any person appreciate nature and all its wonder. While we were there we also visited the famous Scotty’s Castle and took a trip inside to see what life was like in the wild west. The Valley of Fire and Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay was our last outing and certainly a great choice. To see the amazing rock formations and vibrant colors that took millions of years to surface is a geologists dream vacation. You can literally see the years in the rock formations. The Shark Reef was a nice stop on the way back from Las Vegas to get out of the heat as we begin to hit our warmer months. The amazing ocean life that dwells within is inspiring and a change of scenery from what we have been exploring these past two semesters. Activity Report Earth Day: We also participated in Earth Day at Ian Deutch Park this spring and introduced Nature Club to the local community. It was fun day out at the park with our neighbors the Red Rock Audubon Society and the Master Gardeners Association sitting with their booths right next to ours. We had a fun bowling party for the members at the end of Fall 2013. Our mascot Ruby Beta was drawn by hand by Alysha Wogee and put on a t-shirt design by Jessica Ceja and Shelby Harris. Our webpage was created by Ian Clark, Adrian Aguilar, Holly Brice, and Jessica Ceja. This all of these facets taking place Nature Club truly came to life. Aside from all of the things we did, each one of us took away a little more knowledge, understanding, and appreciation for nature and life in the desert. The special ecosystem that we all share is a delicate one and what impacts one species will most certainly impact another. Looking Ahead Spring 2013-Fall 2014 Nature Club says A dieu to the Next season holds a new chapter for Nature Club as we “Desert Life” theme as we shift to a ‘water’ theme in will begin to branch out and work not only on explorthe following two semesters to explore. ing a “water” theme, but also by giving back to nature through conservation efforts and finding ways to help Only great trips, awesome speakers, and fun times will the environment. be in store for these nature lovers as a new batch of board members will come on board at the end of this Trips planned are in the works but a visit to Hoover semester. Membership for the following semester will Dam, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Great Basin be limited to 20 students, however, there is a waiting National Park and others are being considered. list available and if you’re not a student you can always join our followers group. Followers can join us Only great things are headed our way so join in and on trips, participate in guest speaker events, and get e- let’s go have some fun Nature Clubbers! mail updates and newsletters. Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 21 �References #1: The life of the Desert Tortoise-Tommy Miller 1. “Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.” (2014). The Desert Tortoise (Gopherus Agassizii). Web. 07 April 2014. 2. Averill-Murray, Roy C., Darst, Catherine R., Field, Kimberleigh J., and Allison, Linda J. (2012, October). A New Approach to Conservation of the Mojave Desert Tortoise. BioScience, 62(10), 893-899. doi:10.1525/bio.2012.62.10.9 3. “Basic Facts About Desert Tortoises.” (n.d.). Defenders of Wildlife. Web. 07 April 2014. 4. Crozier, G. (1999). “Gopherus agassizii (Californian) Desert Tortoise.” A nimal Diversity. 07April 7, 2014. 5. “Desert Tortoise.” (n.d.). Conservation Centers for Species Survival. Web. 07 April 2014. 6. Eric C. Hellgren, Richard T. Kazmaier, Donald C. Ruthven III and David r. Synatzske. (2000, May). Variation in Tortoise Life History: Demography of Gopherus Berlandieri. Ecology, 81(5), 1297-1310. 7. Kristen H. Berry & Timothy Duck. (n.d.). “Government Agencies with Responsibilities for Protecting and Managing Desert Tortoises and their Habitats.” Desert Tortoise. Web. 07 April 2014. 8. “Threats to the Desert Tortoise.” (2012). Endangered Species International. Web. 07 April 2014. 9. Trip Lamb, John C. Advise and J. Whitfield Gibbons. (1989, January). Phylogeographic Patterns in Mitochondrial DNA of the Desert Tortoise (Xerobates Agassizi), and Evolutionary Relationships Among the North America Gopher Tortoise. Evolution, 43(1), pp. 76-87. 10. Figure 1– Freemont Magnet Elementary. Desert Ecosystems. n.d. Web. 27 April 2014. #2- Solpugids: The Not-Spiders of the Desert– Sarah Czipowski 1. “Egyptian Giant Solpugid (Camel Spider).” National Geographic. n.d. Web. 13 April 2014. 2. “Introduction: What are Solifuges?” The Arachnid Order Solifugae. n.d. W eb. 13 April 2014. 3. “The Fierce Solpugid.” 01 May 2002. Backyard Gardener. Jeff Schalau. Web. 13 April 2014. 4. Figure 1– “What’s that bug?” Soulpugids. n.d. Web. 13 April 2014. #3– Predatory Owls, from the ground?- Holly Brice 1. Defenders of Wildlife. n.d. Fact sheet Burrowing Owl. Web. 04 April 2014. 2. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. n.d. All about Birds. Web. 04 April 2014. 3. The National Wildlife Federation. n.d. Burrowing Owl. Web. 05 April 2014. 4. Figure 1- Tiffany. Weheartit. @tiffany54321. Web. 27 April 2014 5. Figure 2- Wright, Victoria. Costal Breese News. Burrowing Owl’s Nesting is up. Web. 08 April 2014. #4- The Cool Cactus of Wheeler Pass– William Ortman 1. Kluwer, W. (2009). Prickly pear. Web. 08 April 2014. 2. Wikipedia. (2013, 08). Opuntia chlorotica. Web. 08 April 2014. 3. Kartesz, J. (2011). Dollarjoint prickly pear. Web. 08 April 2014. 4. Prickly pear cactus (opuntia chloritica). (2008). Web. 08 April 2014. 5. F., P. (2003). Pancake prickly pear cactus. Web. 08 April 2014. #5- The Great Roadrunner- Shelby Harris 1. Famoloraro, P. 2002. Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus). The Coastal Scrub and Chaparral Bird Conservation Plan: a strategy for protecting and managing coastal scrub and chaparral habitats and associated birds in California. California Partners in Flight. Web. 14 April 2014. 2. Grisham, E. 2005. “Geococcyx californianus” (on-line), Animal Diversity Web. 14 April 2014. 3. Figure 1- Famolaro, P. 2002. Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus). In The Coastal Scrub and Chaparral Bird Conservation Plan: a strategy for protecting and managing coastal scrub and chaparral habitats and associated birds in California. California Partners in Flight. Photo by Peter Knapp. Web. 14 April 2014. #6-Shoshone Bird Watching-Ian Clark 1. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. "Phainopepla." DesertMuseum.org. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. 2. Discover Southeast Arizona. "Desert Mistletoe." Discoverseaz.com. Discover SEAZ, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. 3. "Mesquite Tree." DesertUSA.com. DesertUSA.com & Digital West Media, Inc., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. #7– Sidewinders– Victoria Caristo Figure-1 Photo- http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/c.c.laterorepens.html Information Found- Mohrman, J. (n.d.). Facts on Sidewinder Rattlesnakes | Animals - PawNation. Web. 04 April 2014. #8– The Black-Tailed Jackrabbit– Jessica Ceja 1. Animal Fact Sheet: Black-tailed Jackrabbit. (2008). from Arizona - Sonora Desert Museum. Web. 15 April 2014. 2. Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus). (n.d.). Texas Parks and Wildlife. Web. 15 April 2014. 3. Black-tailed Jackrabbit- Lepus californicus. (2014). (New Hampshire Public Television) Nature Works. Web. 15 April 2014. 4. Black-tailed Jackrabbits. (2001). Blue Planet Biomes. Web.14 April 2014. 5. Figure 1–Black-tailed Jackrabbit– Lepus californicus. (New Hampshire Public Television) Nature Works. Web. 27 April 2014. Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 22 �References #9– Impossible– Dr. Rita Bagwe 1. “Death Valley hit hottest U.S. June temperature ever recorded Sunday”: by Jason Samenow, July 1, 2013, the Washington post. 2. American scientist, “The phenotypic Plasticity of Death valley’s pupfish, Jan – Feb 2008, Vol 96, Number 1, Page 28. 3. Nature, Life in Death Valley, PBS.org, 4. The Mystery of Death Valley’s missing pupfish, The Goat Blog, High country news 5. National Park Services, Death Valley, CA, NV. 6. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 7. U.S Geological Survey 8. Figure 1– Stolte, Daniel. 11 May 2010. UA 'Tsunami' V ideo Sheds Light on Struggling Pupfish. Web. 27 April 2014. Photo by: Feuerbacher, Olin. #10– Lizards– Kip Magee 1. Ash Meadow. National Wildlife Refuge. July 2013. Web. 10 April 2014. #11– The White Tailed Antelope Ground Squirrel– Brionna Moore 2. Belk, M., & Smith, H. (1991). Mamalian species: Ammospermophilus leucurus . The American Society of Mammalogists, (368), 1-8. doi: i0076-3519-368-01-0001 3. Nixon, J. 2002. "Ammospermophilus leucurus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Web. 13 April 2014. #12– What is Time- George Sausman, MBA, BS Eng. 1. Stephen Hawkins, A Brief History of Time; Introduction; Carl Sagan, Bantam Books, New York, NY,1988. #13– Did you know? 1. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. n.d. Ash Meadows. Web. 10 April 2014. Board Members President– Holly Brice Vice President– James Russum Secretary– Sarah Czipowski Treasurer– Victoria Pryor Advisor– Dr. Rita Bagwe Editors Editors- Holly Brice, Sarah Czipowski, Tommy Miller Chief Editor– Dr. Rita Bagwe Publishing Published at: Great Basin College 551 E. Calvada Blvd. Pahrump, NV 89048 Phone: 775-727-2000 Contact Information Our tortoise habitat is located at: Great Basin College 551 E. Calvada Blvd. Pahrump, NV 89048 Phone:775-727-2000 Website: http://gbcnatureclub.wix.com/gbcnatureclub Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 23 �Nature Club Fall 2013– Spring 2014 Tortoise Talk– GBC Nature Club- Page 24
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Tortoise Talk
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Student Journal of the Great Basin College Nature Club
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551 E. Calvada Blvd.
Pahrump, NV 89048
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Tortoise Talk, <a title="" href="/omeka/files/original/be216d6b121dc9a734c628bf0f3bff1f.pdf">May 2014 (vol. 1, no. 1)</a>
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Student journal of the Great Basin College Nature Club
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Student journal of the Great Basin College Nature Club
From "Life Begins in the Desert" (introductory article):
"Greetings readers! Great Basin College Nature Club began late in the Fall of 2013 with just a few ambitious young students under the guidance of Dr. Rita Bagwe who is the biology instructor in Pahrump. Our goal as a club is to explore and learn about our surrounding environments and share that knowledge with those around us. It has been an honor and privilege to see the emergence of such an amazing group of students come together and explore nature as a team.
"The Nature Club dedicates each Spring/Fall semester to one theme. The theme for this newsletter is 'Desert Life'. From the lowest point in North America at Badwater Basin, to the peak of Dante’s View in Death Valley, the unique wildlife of Ash Meadows, the oasis of dates at China Ranch, and much more, the GBC Nature Club has explored the desert theme to it’s fullest since we began. We welcome you on our journey and we are excited and honored to have this issue come alive. It’s Nature Club’s first newsletter, and most certainly not our last. We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we have enjoyed writing it."
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Great Basin College Nature Club
Editors: Holly Brice, Sarah Czipowski, Tommy Miller
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<a title="Great Basin College Nature Club Website" href="http://gbcnatureclub.wix.com/gbcnatureclub">Great Basin College Nature Club website</a>
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Great Basin College
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May 2014
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Crossroads
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wildlife
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December 2015, Volume 2, Issue 1
Great Basin College Nature Club
Tortoise Talk
Hello Readers! Great Basin College Nature Club has returned for another season of adventures. We at Nature
Club promote physical fitness, collaboration between students, and public education on our local wildlife and
environment. This semester our main theme throughout our articles is water and its effects on everyday life. In
this issue, you will learn about the water sources, where it travels, how it helps all of us as humans, and how its
presence or even absence can also pose both dangers and advantages. Thank you for reading, and enjoy this issue!
Great Basin College
Nature Club Fall 2014
Inside This Issue
Semester Review
Page 2
The Water Cycle
Page 3-4
Water Use in the West
Page 5-6
What is an Aquifer?
Page 6-7
What is Groundwater?
Page 7
How the Movement of Water
Dictates Shelf Life
Water Purification Techniques
Page 9-10
Tsunamis
Page 10
Water Pollution
Page 11
Acid Rain
Page 12-13
Find It!
Top Row, Left to Right: Nicole DiCamillo, Tommy Miller, James Russum,
William Ortman
Middle Row, Left to Right: Victoria Caristo, Faisal Osman, Kip Magee, Sarah
Czipowski, Jessica Ceja, Shelby Harris
Bottom Row, Left to Right: Ed Kluss, Brionna Moore, Dakota Sanders
Page 8
Page 14
Trip and Activities Report
Page 15-18
Looking Ahead
Page 18
References
Page 19
Club Information
Page 20
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 1
�Great Basin College Nature Club
Semester Review
W
elcome back readers to Nature Club’s second issue of Tortoise Talk! This Fall semester went by almost too quickly it seems. Nature
Club was busy as we had many awesome trips, great
guest speakers, a successful bake sale, and many members contribute to the research articles in this issue that
you are about to read!
A special
thanks to this semester's executive
board for their
efforts, and the
SGA for funding
one of our educational trips and
printing of this
newsletter. A special thanks to Kip Magee as he is not only a member
of GBCNC but also a senator for SGA. His work during the Oktoberfest event brought Nature Club closer
to the SGA family. A huge thank you as well to Jaqueline Lopez for sharing holiday decorations with NC
and Janis Collins, for helping with all of the behind the
scenes paperwork that needs to be done to go on trips
and have our fundraisers. We appreciate and thank
Shirley Jones for her help getting IAV and classrooms
reserved, David Hernandez for everything that he’s
done to help out with fliers and posters, Jenny Leung
for her interest in beginning a sub chapter in Elko and
we can’t forget to thank Dr. Rita Bagwe for all of her
input and support as our club adviser, and everyone
else who supported us.
Thanks to all of the other members: Jessica,
Shelby, Ed, James, Faisal, Nicole, Dakota, Victoria,
and Jose, for their interest in nature, conservation and
educational input. Without students who show interest
and take part in these activities and events we would
not be a club today.
Another special thank you to our speakers
Professor George Sausman, Professor Peter Bagley,
and Dr. Laurie Walsh for taking time out of their
schedules to come educate and enlighten our listeners
on their specialized fields. Professor Sausman enhanced our understanding about our theme, “water”
into a broad lecture about its properties, uses, and issues. Professor Bagley delivered a thought provoking
discussion about the introduction of wolves back into
Yellowstone National Park with perspective from his
background in Biology. Dr. Walsh prepared an incredible power point presentation that brought us to a
time when men and women hunted for their food,
gathered local herbs and plants, crafted unique tools,
and migrated from season to season.
Nature Club incorporates speaker presentations to enhance college students’ (as well as the community’s) outlook on the natural world all around us
but from a more technical and scientific perspective.
Nature Club had a total of 1 fundraiser, 3 socials, 3 speakers, 1 workshop, 14 meetings, and 6 trips
this semester. Nature Club wanted to take more trips
but schoolwork was a priority for the members. However, most of the members still managed to find a way
to attend a few of the events and also write an article to
help enhance our understanding of this semester’s
theme of water.
Nature Club invites you to sit back, relax and
enjoy the content in this issue’s newsletter. Prepare
yourself for a fun and informative read. Nature Club is
proud to share what we have spent this last semester
traveling and learning about our theme—-water!
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 2
�December 2015, Volume 2, Issue 1
Brionna Moore
Nature Club– Treasurer
W
The Water Cycle
ater is the very substance that keeps us
alive, and without it we and the earth
would not exist. It is a substance that is made up of
two hydrogen molecules and one oxygen molecule:
H2O. Water can be found everywhere; on the earth
and in the atmosphere. The amount of water that was
here 10,000 years ago is the same exact amount that is
here now1. However, this water has been moved
around during a process called The Water Cycle or
The Hydrologic Cycle. There are several steps in this
process including evaporation (sublimation and transpiration), condensation, and precipitation. The Water
Cycle also accounts for the water moving through the
land via snow melt runoff, infiltration, and groundwater flow.
Although evaporation can be thought of as the
first step in the movement of water, it is important that
we talk about condensation first. Take a look at the
picture of the glass of water. What do you see?
We are all familiar with
these small droplets of
water on the outside of
the glass. These droplets
are caused by condensation. What exactly is condensation and how are
these small drops so important? Condensation is
defined as the process of
changing the water vapor
3
into liquid water . The important part is that the same
process that causes the droplets on the glass occurs in
our atmosphere where clouds form. The clouds are
pushed by the wind and the water moves around the
world. Now we ask how exactly the water gets in the
atmosphere. When we were in elementary school we
were taught a basic concept of this process; thinking of
the clouds as just coming by, without considering their
source, and that we simply drink the water that comes
down. However, there is really a cyclical process occurring that is much more complicated than that.
Evaporation is defined as the process in which
liquid water becomes water vapor3. This is opposite of
condensation where vapor becomes liquid. Evapora-
tion needs energy to occur3, and this energy can be
received in several different ways. One way is through
higher temperatures2. The higher the temperature of
the water, the more evaporation occurs. For example,
when you put a pot of water on the stove to boil it will
get more energy the longer that you leave it on. You
may start off with a cup of water, but in the end there
is less because some of it has evaporated. That steam
you see when something is boiling is caused by evaporation. Other factors such as humidity and wind also
bring about evaporation3. When this vapor moves into
the atmosphere it reaches a point in which the air
cools the vapor and changes it back into liquid water
droplets causing the formation of clouds3. The water
condensed into clouds.
There are other forms of evaporation that
occur. Not only do bodies of liquid water evaporate,
but so does water from plants and the ground. Transpiration is the process that occurs when a plant releases water vapor3. When a plant absorbs water through
its roots it travels to the leaves. When the plant releases this water as a vapor, thus transpiring, the ground
also releases water vapor. There is water in the ground
that travels to the surface is released into the air as
vapor3. The vapor formed from transpiration of the
plant leaves and the vapor that is released from the
ground are combined together and measured as evapotranspiration3. Factors that affect evapotranspiration
are similar to that of evaporation of bodies of water.
The factors include temperature, humidity, and wind3.
Factors specific to plant transpiration are the type of
plant and the overall moisture of the soil3.
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 3
Continued on Page 4
�Great Basin College Nature Club
Continued from page 3
In a similar fashion to the vapor formed from evaporating bodies of water, vapor from evapotranspiration
travels to the atmosphere where it is condensed back
into liquid water.
Evaporation can also occur in a process called
sublimation. Sublimation is when snow that is on the
ground and frozen bodies of water evaporates without
first becoming liquid3. It goes from a solid to a vapor
which then travels into the atmosphere. This process
just like evaporation in that it only occurs when there
is heat or energy3. The heat that usually makes frozen
things sublimate is the sun, as it helps bodies of water
evaporate. Now let us look at condensation again. Sublimation is the process of vapor being released from
ice/snow. There is another process that occurs in the
atmosphere that is similar to sublimation. This process
is called desublimation or deposition. Deposition is
what happens when the vapor that is collected in the
atmosphere does not condense into liquid water but
into frozen water such as snow and frost3.
After the evaporative processes next step to
occur in The Water Cycle is precipitation. Precipitation occurs when tiny water droplets of water form on
other particles in the sky such as dust and smoke3. It
takes millions of these droplets to form one rain droplet. Once the rain droplets are formed the clouds release them and we have rain. The rain falls from the
clouds, sometimes lightly (what we call sprinkling) and
sometimes heavily (what we call a monsoon). Rain cannot occur without water from earth evaporating and
turning into water vapor, nor can it occur without that
water vapor condensing and turning back into water
and thus falling back on to earth. Precipitation also
occurs in the form of snow, sleet, hail and freezing
rain3. These do not occur because of condensation as
they are solid. Condensation creates liquid water.
These forms of precipitation form from deposition,
which we learned is vapor turning directly into a solid.
Once condensation or deposition has occurred, precipitation falls to the earth where it goes
back into bodies of water and the ground. Water that
falls onto the earth’s surface is infiltrated into the subsurface of the earth3. The infiltrated water can either
stay closer to the subsurface or seep down into the
groundwater3. When it stays near the subsurface the
plants drink the water and release vapor in transpiration, and simultaneously the ground releases water in
evaporation. The rest of the water seeps further into
the ground. Groundwater is the water that is in the
Earth's surface that fills in spaces between rock and
dirt3. This water can become part of natural aquifers
we as humans draw water from using wells, or it can
seep further down where it takes many years to work
its way back into the environment3. The water that
seeps into the ground also finds its way into streams,
rivers, lakes, and eventually the ocean.
Once the water enters these bodies it is once
again subject to evaporation, condensation, sublimation, deposition, transpiration, precipitation, and infiltration, and the cycle continues for eternity until the
earth ends. This is how the water that was here 1 million years ago is here today. It is quite possible that the
glass of water you are drinking right now contains water particles that were once in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 4
�December 2015, Volume 2, Issue 1
William Ortman
Nature Club– President
Water Use in the West
W
ithout water there is no life and too much
water can take life away. Humans have
fought to maintain a balance with nature since the beginning. Originally man had to rely on primitive notions of hot and cold. In the case of mankind's relationship with water this meant “head towards rivers to
quench the tribe” or “hide in cave to avoid rains” or
“don't go near the sea.” “Conversion to the management of domesticated animals and cultivation of food
crops provided the surpluses that made possible the
rise of towns, with populations freed from direct
dependence on food getting (1).” This lead to a
small victory against nature, and allowed for humans to increase their numbers by staying near
rivers. They could farm, fish, and hunt animals
that came to fulfill their own needs for water. People realized that they could move water around to
feed their crops. However, they still faced the
threat of floods, and they still faced the threat of
droughts. One day man would rise to meet nature
at a point where they could decisively maintain it
if they could only see that they had gained the upper hand.
Mankind has steadily observed nature and innovated in order to protect itself. At first, the observations involved using patterns in order to adapt to the
whims of nature. For instance, “The Annual Flood of
the Nile was the most important event of the year for
the Ancient Egyptians. In a land without rain, Egypt's
very survival depended on the flood, for without it the
crops would fail and the people would starve (2).”
They spent their time observing the stars and realized
that when one particular star moved behind the sun
things would get hotter. Then they would wake up in
the mornings to watch for when the star would become
visible again and they could predict the flood. The
Egyptians formed their culture around these observations and they were able to thrive. Future advancements would lead to the reverse: Nature would have to
adapt to the whims of mankind.
In the desert southwest of the United States is
the Colorado River system. The river “channels water
south nearly 1,500 miles to a vast delta in Mexico and
into the Gulf of California.(3)” Natives and settlers
moving West during the 19th century settled along the
river and reaped the benefits of this freshwater source,
especially for farming. However, “The flow of the Colorado River is extremely erratic, varying from 4 to 22
million acre-feet annually at Lees Ferry. There is a ten-
dency for the high years or the low years to be
grouped, thus accentuating problems of river use (4).”
In order to break free of the river's tantrums man had
to use skills it had developed over hundreds of years to
manipulate the river and implement measures to maintain the availability of its life-giving resource.
Continued on Page 6
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 5
�Great Basin College Nature Club
Continued from page 5
This is why “In 1928 Congress passed the Boulder
Canyon Project Act. The Act authorized the construction of Boulder (now Hoover) Dam, a multipurpose
water storage project that was a major engineering feat
of its time. The Colorado River system thus was the
first drainage basin in which the concept of the multipurpose dam was employed-e.g, for hydroelectric power development, irrigation, recreation, flood control,
and navigation (5).” The water source is now pushing
mankind ahead rather than dragging it behind.
But is it becoming too
much
to
push?
In
2012,
a
study by the
US Bureau
of Reclamation
concluded that “There are likely to be significant shortfalls
between projected water supplies and demands in the
Colorado River Basin in the coming decades (6).” Although technology has continued to increase the supply
for water, demand seems to be growing even faster
than the supply. Now it isn't about keeping track of the
Jenny Leung
Nature Club– Follower
A
time of year as to take advantage of greater water supplies, or staying next to rivers, or even keeping as
much water as possible for our own use. People already can predict to a degree where the water will be,
and there are way too many people for everybody to
crowd next to the rivers. There is more work that can
be done to gather water for future use, but that may
not be the solution to this supply and demand issue.
“[Las Vegas] is one of the largest [cities] in the Colorado River basin, but its share of the river is relatively
small; when officials allocated the Colorado’s water to
different states in 1922, no one expected so many people to be living in the Nevada desert. So Nevadans
have gotten used to coping with limitations. They can’t
water their yards or wash their cars whenever they like;
communities follow strict watering schedules. The water authority pays homeowners to replace watergulping lawns with rocks and drought-tolerant plants.
Golf courses adhere to water restrictions. Almost all
wastewater is reused or returned to the Colorado River
(3).” In order for balance to be instated demand must
stop increasing long enough for the supply to catch up,
demand must decrease to meet the supply, or supply
must increase exponentially to meet the increasing demand. All of these general propositions are currently
being investigated by governments, scientists, and individuals alike.
What is an aquifer? & What is groundwater?
What is an aquifer?
n aquifer is a body of saturated rock through
which water can easily move. Aquifers must
be both permeable and porous and include such rock
types as sandstone, conglomerate, fractured limestone
and unconsolidated sand and gravel.
There are two kinds of aquifer: A confined
aquifer is a water supply which is sandwiched between
two layers of soil or rock that water cannot pass
through (impermeable layers), an unconfined aquifer
is a water supply that has an impermeable layer below
it, but not above it. A confined aquifer that is under
pressure is an artesian aquifer.
What are the uses of aquifers? We use aquifers as a source of drinking water and of water to
irrigate crops or to use in industry, pumping water
from the aquifer using a well.
Some notable aquifers in the United States:
1. The Ogallala Aquifer of the central United States:
one of the world's great aquifers, but it is being rapidly depleted by growing municipal use and continuing
agricultural use.
2. The Floridan Aquifer of Florida and southern portions of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina: one
of the world's most productive aquifers.
3. The Edwards Aquifer of Texas: an important water
supply aquifer and the source of major springs.
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 6
Continued on page 7
�December 2015, Volume 2, Issue 1
Continued from page 6
4. The Basin and Range Carbonate Aquifer: an im-
portant and unique aquifer that it covers several western states and basins.
5. The Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer of southern New
Jersey: some of the purest water in the United States.
Excessive pumping can lower the water table if water is
withdrawn from the ground at a faster rate than it is
replenished. The wells can go dry and can no longer
supply water. Groundwater is a valuable resource both
in the United States and throughout the world. It is the
source of drinking water for about half the total population and nearly all of the rural population. It also
provides over 50 billion gallons per day for agricultural
G
What is groundwater?
roundwater is used for drinking water by
more than 50 percent of the people in the
United States, including almost everyone who lives in
rural areas.
Groundwater can be found almost everywhere, it is
an important part of the hydrologic cycle as water
evaporates, forms clouds, and returns to earth as precipitation. Some precipitation moves from high areas
to low areas on the earth's surface and into surface
water bodies, known as “surface runoff”. Other precipitation seeps into the ground and is stored as
groundwater.
Groundwater supplies are replenished or recharged by rain and snow melt that seeps down into
the cracks and crevices beneath the land's surface. In
some areas of the world, people face serious water
shortages because groundwater is used faster than it is
naturally replenished. In other areas groundwater is
polluted by human activities.
What are some of the threats related to groundwater?
Contamination: Groundwater contamination occurs
when man-made products such as gasoline, oil, road
salts and chemicals get into the groundwater and
cause it to become unsafe and unfit for human use.
Drinking contaminated groundwater can have serious
health effects. Diseases such as hepatitis and dysentery may be caused by contamination from septic
tank waste. Poisoning may be caused by toxins that
needs. Groundwater depletion can cause drying up of
wells, reduction of water in streams and lakes, deterioration of water quality, and increased pumping costs
land subsidence.
The EPA has created various types of protection measures such as Regulatory (e.g. zoning, subdivision controls, health-related restrictions), Nonregulatory (e.g. land acquisition, voluntary restrictions),
and Legislative (e.g. wellhead protection areas, special
management areas such as a Sensitive Resource designation). However, protecting the underground water
supply is a difficult and time-consuming process in
which many people must become involved. They must
become responsible for and aware of the water supply
situation.
have leached into well water supplies. Wildlife can
also be harmed by contaminated groundwater.
Depletion: Groundwater depletion is primarily
caused by sustained groundwater pumping. Some of
the negative effects of groundwater depletion are:
Lowering of the Water Table,, Increased Costs, Reduced Surface Water Supplies, and Land Subsidence
and saltwater contamination.
How can we conserve groundwater?
Don’t Let It Run!
Fix the Leak—A leaky faucet can waste 10 gallons of
water every day. On a toilet, an average leak can add
up to 60 gallons per day! Replace worn sink washers
or valve seals to get rid of the drip, and check for
leaks in a toilet's tank or replace old toilets with lowflush units.
Close the Hose - A ½ inch garden hose under normal water pressure pours out more than 600 gallons
of water per hour and a ¾ inch hose delivers almost
1,900 gallons in the same length of time.
Check the Plumbing,
Take 5 Minute Shower—A quick shower uses 20-30
fewer gallons of water than a bath.
And last but not least, teach your community! Take
little steps each day to reduce the amount of water
you use, you will help ensure that the water available
now continues to meet the growing water needs of the
future.
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 7
�Great Basin College Nature Club
Sarah Czipowski
Nature Club– Secretary
How the Movement of Water Dictates Shelf Life
W
hen one thinks of food preservation,
some of the most modern examples
might be putting food in the refrigerator or the freezer. But such examples of temperature control have
only become popular in the 19th century, and extended to American households in the 1930s (1). Before
the age of the common refrigerator and freezer, there
were several other methods of preserving food to increase shelf life and prevent spoilage: pickling, salting,
curing, and spicing to name a few. Many of these
methods have to do with killing bacteria on a molecular level, as well as the movement of water on a cellular level. Several of the most popular methods of food
preservation destroy or inhibit bacterial cells in several
different ways, and many of them utilize water as their
basic mechanism of preservation.
Refrigeration, for example, creates what is
called a bacteriostatic
state for the bacteria
living inside of food,
slowing the rate of
multiplication of bacterial cells. This is
due to the slowing of
the metabolic rate of
most pathogens within the temperature range of 0-7oC (3). Refrigeration
does not necessarily kill bacteria, as spoilage does still
occur to food items while refrigerated, due to some
bacterial species being able to reproduce in the colder
environment.
Freezing manipulates the state of any water
inside of the food, as well as inside of the bacterial
cells, changing that water to ice. What this does to the
bacteria is it forms ice crystals which impale and perforate the outer membrane of bacterial cells, essentially resulting in holes in the membranes. The frozen
state of the bacteria prevents any metabolic processing
or multiplication, and once thawed, the ice crystals
melt, leaving holes in the microbial membrane to leak
out cellular fluids, killing the bacterial cells.
Conversely, boiling food
increases the movement
and kinetic energy of the
water molecules as opposed to slowing them
down, as in refrigeration
or freezing. The rapid
movement of these water
molecules causes damage
to bacterial cells by denaturing their proteins, which
are required for cellular metabolism and maintenance. Denatured proteins have an altered molecular
structure, and have lost their original function as a result, as the three-dimensional structure of these proteins is destroyed via the breaking of hydrogen bonds
(3). Boiling also has the ability to destroy the cellular
membranes holding the bacterial cells together.
Salting, or curing food is typically done by
adding salt, sugar, nitrites and nitrates to meat, fish, or
vegetables. Salting produces what is called a hypertonic environment for the bacterial cells living in the
food, causing osmotic pressure to draw water out of
the cells, to slow their growth, multiplication, and
functioning (2). The movement of the fluids inside of
cells is called plasmolysis.
Pickling in an acidic medium such as vinegar
results in the foods sitting in an environment of high
pH. Each species of bacteria has its own optimum pH
level that it thrives in. When this level gets too high or
too low, depending on the species of bacteria, it can
interfere with basic cellular functions as well as the
molecular structure of some proteins found inside
bacterial cells.
All of these preservation techniques have one
thing in common: the basic mechanism behind their
functioning is caused by water. Whether it’s the movement of water, or the absence of it, these little H2O
molecules are not only responsible for many of our
bodily processes as humans, but for the life of bacterial cells as well. Aware of it or not, one is controlling
water-based mechanisms on a molecular level when
preserving food in any of these ways.
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 8
�December 2015, Volume 2, Issue 1
Dakota Sanders
Nature Club– Member
Water Purification Techniques
W
ater has always been the single most important resource for life on earth. For centuries, all living organisms have relied on it for survival,
and humans are no exception. Although our planet is
covered in water, it is difficult to realize just how little
is available for human consumption. This small
amount of water is often taken for granted with little
thought on how it gets to your faucet. It turns out that
the majority of people receive their water from a complex industrialized operation, performed by large corporations. But what would happen if they stopped supplying the water? Some may be able to obtain water
from natural sources, yet how can you know if it is safe
to drink? This is where various forms of water purification and filtration come in. Many of these procedures can be performed by an individual with limited
supplies; this is especially useful if you were to find
yourself in an unfavorable disaster situation.
Both purification and filtration can be effective methods of producing clean drinking water. The main goal
of this process is to remove dangerous microorganisms such as Cryptosporidium, E. coli, and
Hepatitis A, all of which can cause intestinal diseases.
Other waterborne contaminants such as heavy metals
and pesticides can cause illness as well; however, these
problems usually arise over lengthy exposure times
and do not cause the immediate discomfort of a
digestive tract infection. Therefore, the immediate
concern becomes the removal of waterborne
organisms.
Preparation: No matter which form of purification is
used it is extremely important to keep the purified water separate from the contaminated water and equipment. This is easily done by using different colored
containers for untreated and treated water sources. It
also helps to have color-coded hoses to differentiate
where they have been. The first step to any filtering
process is a simple filter to remove large visible contaminants. Reducing the sediment and other types of
debris in the water will increase the efficiency of both
physical and chemical purification techniques.
Reduced amounts of debris will keep physical filters
clog and break free longer while allowing chemical
processes to occur quicker. A purpose built filter such
as a large coffee filter is ideal, yet an old cotton t-shirt
folded over a couple of times will
usually suffice in a tough situation. It is best to repeat this process until the water is free from
visible impurities. Once this is
achieved the actual purification
process can begin.
Boiling: As mentioned before many various forms of
purification can be implemented. The easiest method
is to simply boil the water. When done correctly this
easily kills the common micro-organisms that cause
disease. Boiling water is for all intents and purposes,
indefinitely repeatable; there are no chemicals or filters that need to be replaced. Water should be
brought to a rolling boil for several minutes to ensure
all organisms are killed and then cooled to room temperature before drinking. Bringing the water to a rolling boil insures that the temperature reaches at least
212°F, which is far beyond the survivable levels of any
commonly found micro-organism. The only disadvantage to boiling water is that any non-organic contaminants will not be removed; these are things aforementioned such as heavy metals and pesticides, which
are not the major concern.
Chemical Purification:
Chemical purification can be
broken down into two categories based on the substance used to kill contaminants. Both sodium chlorite
and iodine serve as common
water treatment chemicals
and are available as preprepared over-the-counter products. All of these products have easy to follow instructions. All chemical purification methods include slight healthy risks to the users, especially over long periods of time. They also
tend to add undesirable tastes to the treated water.
This is easily combated by using common drink mixes
which contain Vitamin C.
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 9
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�Great Basin College Nature Club
Continued from Page 9
The most universal option, sodium chlorite, purifies
by destroying the cell wall of the waterborne contaminants, leaving them harmless. Chlorine based chemicals can be harmful to humans; luckily the small quantities used in purification are easily absorbed by the
digestive tract. The down side to chlorine base purification is the fact that it takes a significant amount of
time to react in comparison to the common alternative, iodine. The chlorine based reactions often take
upwards of 4 hours, a long wait for someone on the
verge of dehydration.
Iodine works in a similar fashion, by replacing
cellular components of bacteria with iodine ions, the
cells of bacteria become unable to function and die. It
is to be noted that extended consumption of iodine
can lead to serious health problems especially in young
children and older adults; therefore it should not be
relied on for long term purification. Some individuals
are also allergic to iodine; in this case chlorine based
chemicals should be used instead. Iodine purification
is simple and usually yields water safe to drink within
30 minutes.
Kip Magee
Nature Club– Member
W
Household Alternatives: It’s impossible to be prepared
for everything, especially an unseen disaster situation.
Thankfully, there are household alternatives to the approved over the counter treatment options mentioned
above. These household tricks lack the ease of use associated with pre-measured portions and also carry a
higher risk of illness. Therefore extra caution should
be taken when using these methods. Bleach can act as
an alternative for chlorine based purification. Using 8
drops of bleach per gallon of water will kill microorganisms after sitting for 4 hours. Iodine solutions can
be substituted by common household iodine tincture.
Around 30 drops will purify a gallon of clear water,
while doubling the amount of iodine tincture for unfiltered water. Similar to the prepackaged solutions water
purified by iodine tincture needs to sit for 30 minutes
or so before drinking.
Bleach—2 Drops per Liter/Quart, 8 drops per Gallon
Iodine Tincture- 5 drops per liter/quart, 30 drops
per Gallon.
Tsunamis
hat is a Tsunami? It’s a large sea wave
produced by a seaquake or underwater
volcanic eruption, also called seismic sea wave (190510). Everyone should be familiar with the Japan Island
earthquake that triggered the Tsunami of
2014, which displaced thousands of people.
A large magnitude quake, depending on its
size, could imbalance the nature of the sea
bed and creates huge shock waves. The sea
floor looks for a place to relieve the pressure by expanding its geography and moving
a lot of water. The seaquakes change the land structure
creating its new regional boundaries along with the tsunami. The oceans' bottoms are full of underwater volcanoes that have a high potential to create a large magnitude effect of sea waves.
Scientists have seen how devastating a tsunami
impact can be and plotted the NOAA mapping of the
aftermath of coastal regions. Tsunami forces destroy
and spatially inhabit the areas in which they overcome.
So we know that it takes some disruption to
trigger such force and with the ocean covering most of
the planet’s surface disruptions are likely to hit there.
We have early warning systems that watch
areas in distress and predict possible
events. But as in the case of the tsunami
of Japan, it wasn’t enough of an early
warning for the inhabitants.
Tsunamis also affect the sea with debris
from inland structures washing out to the
sea, in some cases creating a mound island of debris
like the one off the coast of California. Tsunami debris
hinder fisherman and makes it so they have to find
different areas to fish. No marketing strategy has been
put in to place to help the sea with clean up from an
impact of tsunami forces. One reason is that the ocean
is too vast to clean and monitor.
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 10
�December 2015, Volume 2, Issue 1
Victoria Caristo
Nature Club– Member
Water Pollution
I
t’s something we’re aware of and responsible for,
but not something humanity is seriously willing to
change. Water pollution- it effects not only humans,
but aquatic animals and plants. Although a big portion,
pollution isn’t the only problem our water zones are
facing. It’s important to also consider the other factors
that contribute to contaminated water as well as whom
it’s effecting, and the ways we as a society can take better precautions.
To begin, as most of us know, just about any
bed of water can become tainted when any harmful
particle finds its way into the water; it’s a pretty simple
process. Usually we hear about how some company
dumped trash into the ocean, or oil spills, but these
aren’t the only ways that chemicals can spread into the
ocean. In doing research, it seems as though some of
the causes are more natural and less chemical-related.
Water, rain, and melting snow are equally responsible
because when these hit the ground, and start spreading
out, they begin to pick up germs and disease-carrying
organisms that will eventually run into a water bed,
whether it’s the ocean or a local lake. In an article
from Science Daily’s website, it is made clear that if
the sewage and farm waste come in contact with water,
oxygen depletion of the water source can occur which
could then lead to a “potentially severe impact on the
whole ecosystem” (ScienceDaily).
It seems as though our water resources are
lacking basic protections which would prevent the
chemicals from spreading so fast; there’s little to no
regulation. In the past five years, over one-hundred
issues regarding water pollution have been filed; this is
relatively low, but unfortunately and more recently,
four states, such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, and
West Virginia have confirmed that their water has
been contaminated due to oil or gas drilling (Begos).
In noticing that this topic is not being taken
seriously by those who could prevent this issue from
causing huge problems, I had to wonder what it was
that could be standing in the way of the world having
pure bodies of water. Then I stumbled across some
information that stated how “hydraulic fracturing” has
lead to a boom in oil and natural gas production.
While this increase has lead to a higher revenue for
companies and land owners, the industry is careless
with understanding that their decision to make more
money is drastically hurting certain populations. Luckily this isn’t a huge issue for us in America, but there
are some countries where people have no choice in
the water they’re drinking. Apart from the human populace, there’s definitely a good amount of animals that
either drink the water or live in the water, but both will
suffer because there’s not much that they can do- they
could migrate, but they can’t dehydrate themselves.
Therefore, either way, both will eventually die essentially because some company wants to make money.
Preventing water pollution can actually start at
home with a few simple changes. The major trash
source to avoid putting anything into would be the sink
of the toilet; things to avoid would be cleaning agents,
oils, grease, and medicine/drugs. Companies could
even start by purchasing remote land to use as a waste
land instead of letting chemicals run off into our
oceans and lakes.
Essentially water pollution is
ultimately our fault because
it’s been brought on by our
society. Our carelessness as a
whole is slowly, but surely
destroying natural life and the
beauty it offers. If we can take
these steps and think about
where what we’re throwing
away will end up, then eventually our water sources could clear up, which could lead
to a happier ecosystem.
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 11
�Great Basin College Nature Club
Nicole DiCamillo
Nature Club– Member
Acid rain (also called acid deposition because
it includes other forms like snow) is defined as water
droplets that are highly acidic from atmospheric pollution, usually because of large amounts of sulfur and
nitrogen which is released by cars and industry.
Acidic rain comes in two forms: wet and dry. Wet is
any variation of precipitation that takes acids from
the atmosphere and drops them on Earth’s surface.
Dry is polluting particles and gases that stick to the
ground because of dust or smoke in the absence of
precipitation. This particular form of deposition is
very dangerous because normal precipitation can
wash these pollutants into streams, lakes, and rivers.
Acid rain is determined on the pH level of
the droplets. PH is the measure of the acid in the
water. The pH scale goes from 0 to 14. Lower pH is
more acidic while higher pH is alkaline; seven is neutral. Normal rain water is only slightly acidic with a
normal pH range of 5.3-6.0. Acid rain is anything
below that. One important thing to remember is that
on the pH scale each whole number on the scale
represents a 10-fold change. Acid rain occurs in the
northeastern part of the United States, southeastern
Canada, and a lot of Europe including parts of Sweden, Norway, and Germany. Parts of South Asia,
South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Southern India are likely to be impacted by acid rain in the future.
Acid deposition can happen naturally from
sources like volcanoes, but is predominantly caused
from the release of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide
from the combustion of fossil fuels. “When discharged into the atmosphere they react with the water, oxygen, and other gases already present there to
form sulfuric acid, ammonium nitrate, and nitric ac-
Acid Rain
id.” They then spread over large areas from wind
patterns and fall back to Earth as acid rain or other
forms of precipitation. The gases responsible are
usually because of electric power generation and
burning of coal. Scottish chemist, Robert Angus
Smith, in 1852 discovered the relationship between
acid rain and pollution during the Industrial Revolution. Although discovered in the 1800s it did not
gain real public attention until the 1960s and the
term acid rain came into use in 1972. Public attention increased more in the 70s when New York
Times published articles about problems in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire.
After studying the Hubbard Brook Forest
and other areas today, there are several important
impacts of acid deposition on both natural and manmade environments. Aquatic environments are the
most distinctly impacted by acid rain; since acidic
rain falls directly into them. Both dry and wet deposition runs off of forests or roads and flows into
lakes, rivers, and streams. Acidic liquid then flows
into the larger bodies of water. It becomes diluted
this way, but over time, acids congregate and lower
the overall pH of that body of water. Acid rain can
also make clay soils release aluminum and magnesium which also lowers the pH in areas. When the pH
of a body of water drops below 4.8, the plants and
animals are at risk of dying. It’s estimated that approximately 50,000 lakes in the US and Canada area
have a pH below average (about 5.3). Hundreds of
them have a pH too low to support any form of
aquatic life.
Aside from aquatic life acid rain can impact
forests as well. When acid rain falls on trees, it
makes them lose leaves, damages their bark, and
stunts their growth. Because of this damage, it makes
them susceptible to disease, extreme weather, and
bugs. When acid rain falls on the soil it disrupts soil
nutrients, killing the organisms in the soil, and can
occasionally cause calcium deficiency. Trees at higher altitudes can also suffer problems because the
acidic cloud blankets them and the moisture hits
them.
Continued on page 13
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 12
�December 2015, Volume 2, Issue 1
Continued from page 12
Finally, acid rain also has an impact on buildings because it can corrode certain materials. As it
lands on buildings (especially those built with limestone) it reacts with the minerals causing them to
break and wash away. Acid rain can corrode modern
buildings, cars, railroad tracks, airplanes, steel bridges,
and pipes above and below ground as well.
Acid rain is a very serious issue in our modern
day world. The best thing we can do to combat it is to
cut back on our consumption of fossil fuels and try to
reduce the sulfur and nitrogen that is put out into the
atmosphere. The damage being done in some places
is not able to be reversed. Our best combat for this is
switch to eco-friendly fuels which don’t expel these
toxic chemicals into the air.
Fun Pictures
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 13
�Great Basin College Nature Club
FIND IT!
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 14
�December 2015, Volume 2, Issue 1
TRIP AND ACTIVITY REPORT
Trip Report
This semester the Nature Club had many
fun and educational adventures. We went
to Mt. Charleston, Wheeler Pass, China
Date Ranch, Spring Mountain, Christmas
Tree Pass, and Grapevine Canyon. The
club participated in SGA's Oktoberfest
and the WRAN workshop. Nature Club
also went bowling and took a tour of
Hoover Dam.
Mt. Charleston
-Nature Club's first trip
-A short hike up the mountain
-It was very mild that day up in the mountains, a relief from the Pahrump summer
heat.
-Local bird species, such as blue jays,
were spotted by Dr. Bagwe and others.
Future Visits
The trail explored on this trip was much
longer and there were many other trails
also. Nature club looks forward to future
visits to explore additional trails.
Wheeler Pass
-A long drive on dirt roads
-Short, dry greenery and an occasional
cactus.
-Beautiful canyons
-Landscape began to be littered with cedars as the elevation increased
-After a good while of hiking, members
sat down and had a small picnic.
Future Visits
The clouds looked like it might rain so
the group retreated to the trucks. The
road also goes farther up the foothills into the mountains.
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 15
�Great Basin College Nature Club
TRIP AND ACTIVITY REPORT (Continued)
Hoover Dam
A major trip was taken to Hoover Dam, a large concrete structure built in boulder canyon with many purposes.
The dam helps control water flow in the western U.S. and allows water to be efficiently appropriated primarily
for agricultural purposes. The dam also houses two power plants, one on the Nevada and one on the Arizona
side, which use water released from Lake Mead to supplement power production in those states. The dam is
constructed of lego-like pieces that are held together by the water pressure of Lake Mead. It sits in slots blasted
into the canyon walls by dynamite. The final function of the dam is to contain Lake Mead as a recreation area
for the Citizens of the country. Following the tour there, the group went to eat lunch on a beach at Lake Mead.
China Date Ranch
-Visited by Nature Club last semester
-Caves were explored and canyons
were climbed.
-The group ended the adventure
with one of the delicious date
shakes back at the farm.
Future Trips
Alternative trails are known to
some current Nature Club members, and new members would
surely enjoy an experience hiking
there as well as the famous date
shakes offered by the ranch.
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 16
�December 2015, Volume 2, Issue 1
TRIP AND ACTIVITY REPORT (Continued)
Spring Mountain
-Located in the same place as Red Rock State Park,
but has very different characteristics
-the park had a wide open grass field where families
were hanging out and one man was exercising with a
giant tree trunk
-A historical building atop the hill overlooking the
field
-A rare rendezvous of 17th century mountain men,
which included tee-pees, children playing games invented by Native Americans, and all sorts of crafts
being sold by people who were fully invested in
dressing up and showing the importance of this culture
-A large lake close to the foot of the mountains
Future Trips
This was a very pretty area and worth returning to.
Nature Club could have a picnic/social at the large
open grass field located in the center of the park.
New members would enjoy the trails visited by current members but there are also trails that current
members did not go on.
Christmas Tree Pass and Grapevine Canyon
-Located in the Spirit Mountains by Laughlin, NV
-a scenic drive where locals decorate a
bunch of pine trees every year
-Giant rocks the size of football fields full of
caves were explored
-The Native Americans had carved glyphs
into the rocks along the side of a large canyon/river bed.
-A few members climbed to the top of a
mountain
Future Trips
There was far more exploring to do in the
Spirit mountains. The path in Grapevine
canyon continued much further and there
were other named canyons to investigate.
Nature Club could also consider decorating
one the trees in the pass.
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 17
�Great Basin College Nature Club
TRIP AND ACTIVITY REPORT (Continued)
Oktoberfest
The WRAN Workshop
Oktoberfest was an event held by
SGA in Pahrump in the last week
of October. There was food,
games, and exciting contests. SGA
mixed Halloween elements into the
traditional European holiday. Nature Club set up cut outs depicting
traditional Oktoberfest clothing
that students got to take pictures
with.
The Western Rivers Action Network
held a workshop that focused on 1) Water in the Southwestern US, 2) Supply
and Demand of the Water, and 3) Current efforts being made to protect plant
and animal life along the rivers from
drought and invasive species. Considering that people flew in from across the
U.S. to attend Nature Club was very
lucky to be there.
Looking Ahead
N
ature Club looks ahead to the Spring semester with a warm heart. Our newsletter will
facilitate an in depth look at Flora and Fauna.
Nature Club in Pahrump would like to work
on conservation efforts at Ash Meadows and Lake
Mead to do our part for the environment. We are interested in using some ingenuity to make recycling easier in certain parts of the community here in
Pahrump.
Partnerships with other organizations such as
Red Rock Audubon Society will continue to grow and
Nature Club will continue our interest with the Willow
Creek Restoration Project, now renamed Discovery
Park.
Nature Club plans to have a booth at the Earth Day
event again in Pahrump as it was an excellent outreach
event last year for a great purpose.
There is also talk about a Nature Club subchapter in Elko to begin. We would be excited to have
a sister chapter in another location that could share
their own articles and trips with us in our newsletter as
well as extend our thirst for knowledge and conservation to new places.
We don’t have a schedule in place as of yet for
the Spring semester but we know wherever we go and
whatever we do it will be a lot of fun! We will see you
all next semester and hope you have a great holiday
vacation!
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 18
�December 2015, Volume 2, Issue 1
References
Brionna Moore
1. Jae, P. (n.d.). The Water Cycle: Precipitation, Condensation, and Evaporation. Retrieved
November 8, 2014, from http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/the-water-cycle-precipitation-condensation-andevaporation.html#lesson
2. Evaporation. (n.d.). Retrieved November 8, 2014, from
http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module01/EvaporationandTranspiration.htm
3. The Water Cycle. (2014, March 18). Retrieved November 8, 2014, from
http://water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html
William Ortman
1. Colorado River Storage Project. (2010, May 4). Retrieved from USBR: http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?
proj_Name=Colorado+River+Storage+Project
2. Dury, G. H. (2014, May 29). Rivers: Sediment yield and sediment load. Retrieved from Britannica: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/
topic/504801/river/29094/Sediment-yield-and-sediment-load
3. Jerla, C. (2013, September). Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study. Retrieved from USBR: http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/
programs/crbstudy.html
4. M. John Loeffler, James L. Wescoat, Jr. (2014, February 3). Colorado River: Economic development. Retrieved from Britannica: http://
www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/126494/Colorado-River/39963/Economic-development
5. Sirius and the Solar Calendar . (n.d.). Retrieved from Classical Astronomy: http://www.classicalastronomy.com/news/anmviewer.asp?
a=33&z=17
6. Zielinski, S. (2010, October). The Colorado River Runs Dry. Retrieved from Smithsonianmag.com: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/sciencenature/the-colorado-river-runs-dry-61427169/?no-ist
Jenny Leung (Groundwater)
1. Ponce, V. M. (2007, March). Groundwater Utilization and Substainability. Retrieved from Groundwater: http://groundwater.sdsu.edu/
2. What is an Aquifer? (n.d.). Retrieved from imnh.isu.edu: http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/hydr/concepts/gwater/aquifer.htm
Sarah Czipowski
1. Freidberg, Susanne (2010). Fresh : a perishable history (1st Harvard University Press pbk. ed.) Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap. pp. 23, 38.
2. "Curing and Brining (food preservation)". Science of Cooking. Minnesota State University. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
3. Tortora, Gerard, Berdell Funke, and Christine Case. Microbiology: An Introduction. 11th ed. Benjamin-Cummings, 2012. Print.
4. Freeman, Scott. Biological Science. 5th ed. Benjamin-Cummings, 2014. Print.
Dakota Sanders
1. Curtis, R. (1998, March). OA Guide to Water Purification. Retrieved from Princeton: http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/manual/water.shtml
2. Jerla, C. (2013, September). Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study. Retrieved from USBR: http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/
programs/crbstudy.html
3. M. John Loeffler, James L. Wescoat, Jr. (2014, February 3). Colorado River: Economic development. Retrieved from Britannica: http://
www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/126494/Colorado-River/39963/Economic-development
4. Perlman, H. (19, March 2014). How much water is there on, in, and above the Earth? Retrieved from U.S. Geological Survey: http://
water.usgs.gov/edu/earthhowmuch.html
5. Perlman, H. (2014, March 7). Water Questions & Answers. Retrieved from water.usgs.gov: http://water.usgs.gov/edu/qa-home-wherefrom.html
6. Survivor, P. (2010). Survival Water Purification. Retrieved from practicalsurvivor.com: http://www.practicalsurvivor.com/waterfiltration
Victoria Caristo
1. B.V, L. (2014). Water pollution FAQ Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved from Lenntech: http://www.lenntech.com/water-pollution-faq.htm
2. Kevin Begos, A. (2014, January 5). 4 states confirm water pollution from drilling. Retrieved from USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/story/
money/business/2014/01/05/some-states-confirm-water-pollution-from-drilling/4328859/
3. Water Pollution. (2006). Retrieved from mbgnet.net: http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/pollute.htm
4. Water Pollution. (2014, December 9). Retrieved from Science Daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/w/water_pollution.htm
5. Water Pollution Facts. (2014). Retrieved from Conserve Energy Future: http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/various-water-pollutionfacts.php
Nicole DiCamillo
1. AboutEducation, Amanda Briney. A cid Rain: The Causes, History, and Effects of Acid Rain. November 2, 2014.
2. U.S Environmental Protection Agency. What is Acid Rain? December 04, 2012. November 2, 2014
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 19
�Great Basin College Nature Club
December 2015, Volume 2, Issue 1
Nature Club Fall 2014
Board Members
President William Ortman
Vice President Tommy Miller
Secretary Sarah Czipowski
Treasurer Brionna Moore
Editors
Chief Editor: Dr. Rita Bagwe
Editors: Holly Brice, Sarah Czipowski,
William Ortman and Tommy Miller
Publishing
Great Basin College
551 E. Calvada Blvd.
Pahrump, NV 89048
Phone: 775-727-2000
Contact Information
Our tortoise habitat is located at: Great Basin College: 551 E. Calvada Blvd.
Pahrump, NV 89048 (Phone: 775-727-2005)
Website: http://gbcnatureclub.wix.com/gbcnatureclub
GBC Nature Club, Tortoise Talk, Page 20
�
Dublin Core
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Title
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Tortoise Talk
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Student Journal of the Great Basin College Nature Club
Description
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Tortoise Talk is the student journal of the Great Basin College Nature Club.
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Great Basin College Nature Club<br /><a title="GBC Nature Club website" href="http://gbcnatureclub.wix.com/gbcnatureclub">GBC Nature Club web site</a>
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Great Basin College
551 E. Calvada Blvd.
Pahrump, NV 89048
Date
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Spring 2013 - current
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Scott A. Gavorsky (VHC)
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pdf files
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English
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Tortoise Talk, <a title="Tortoise Talk-Fall 2014" href="/omeka/files/original/db40366d9652de5e887f09ce498d39bf.pdf">Fall 2014 (vol. 2, no. 1)</a>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Student journal of the Great Basin College Nature Club
Description
An account of the resource
Student journal of the Great Basin College Nature Club
From Introduction:
"Hello Readers! Great Basin College Nature Club has returned for another season of adventures. We at Nature Club promote physical fitness, collaboration between students, and public education on our local wildlife and environment. This semester our main theme throughout our articles is water and its effects on everyday life. In this issue, you will learn about the water sources, where it travels, how it helps all of us as humans, and how its presence or even absence can also pose both dangers and advantages. Thank you for reading, and enjoy this is-sue!"
Creator
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Great Basin College Nature Club
Chief Editor: Dr. Rita Bagwe
Editors: Holly Brice, Sarah Czipowski, William Ortman, and Tommy Miller
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Great Basin College
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December 2015
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Scott A. Gavorsky (VHC)
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Great Basin College Nature Club
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English
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<a title="Great Basin College Nature Club Website" href="http://gbcnatureclub.wix.com/gbcnatureclub">Great Basin College Nature Club website</a>
Crossroads
Nature Club
science
Story
student journal
Students
water
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https://humanities.gbcnv.edu/omeka/files/original/4123371de7217dd76c3bac934902e10b.jpg
3705312a0259f6533ae3e60beff524e3
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Toolkit - Student Aids
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Student Aids for Classroom Use
Description
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The collection contains student aids that faculty at GBC have used in their classes to help students.
Creator
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GBC Faculty
Publisher
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GBC Virtual Humanities Center
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July 2014
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Scott A. Gavorsky
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URL
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg9Z1s2VoT8&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg9Z1s2VoT8&feature=youtu.be</a>
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College Study Tips from Students at Washington State University.
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Edward Felt / Washington State University AEUE (Academic Excellence in Undergraduate Education) Committee of the Student Government
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg9Z1s2VoT8&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg9Z1s2VoT8&feature=youtu.be</a>
Publisher
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Washington State University Student Government / Youtube
Date
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22 February 2009
Contributor
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Scott A. Gavorsky
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Standard Youtube Licence
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Link to Youtube video.
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English
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Student-produced video discussing common problems with studying in college and how to develop good study skills.
Subject
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Collegiate Study Skills
Description
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Student-produced video discussing common problems with studying in college and how to develop good study skills. Used by Scott A. Gavorsky as an optional reference for students who are beginning college.
Faculty
Personal/Cultural Awareness
Play
student aids
Students
study skills
Toolkit