Fotog Friday

t the entrance of office A238 in the A200 building, one finds a sign that says, "The Mouth of Hell." The phrase is a reference to the room's reputation as IVC's spore central. The reputation was inspired by the findings of a team of expensive moldologists that checked out the building several months ago. A238 is crawlin' with spores.

The room's two denizens are fatalists. Sometimes, the two stand naked in the center of the room just to maximize spore exposure.

Well, no. But they're funny guys. They seem to enjoy their office's notoriety.

Once inside the office, one can see a white vent register on the ceiling over to the left. Reportedly, prior to a recent clean-up campaign (bleach applied to rag; rag applied to vent surfaces), this register spewed an alarming quantity of mold.

Here's a pic that reveals one of the college's earliest anti-spore measures: installation of a nifty "spore deflection unit."


I have added graphics to indicate how the deflection unit is supposed to work: first, the spore colonies enter from the right; they then shoot leftward, down to the plastic "deflection acuator"; they then bounce harmlessly back towards the wall.

It's science!


hoto #2 is a sign on the side of the IVC gymnasium. As you can plainly see, it directs one to dial *80 in order to contact emergency services.


Mr. Eugene Debbs showed up recently, grinning. He told Rebel Girl about this "emergency" sign, which is on the outside gymnasium wall. We asked him what was so special about the sign.

This: as picture #3 clearly illustrates, the sign is hanging where phones should be hanging but aren't.


If you have an emergency at IVC, don't have it next to the gymnasium.


hoto #4 shows room C2 in the CEC building at IVC. Rebel Girl told me about it.

As you can see, in C2, there is a trash container amid the desks. It's there to catch the water that drips from the ceiling during rain.


We found a nasty little puddle of water on one of the desk chairs. Much of the floor was soaked. I stared in wonder.

Rebel Girl took her finger and started poking at the ceiling. Her finger went straight through it, as though it were a quiche. Here's a closeup of the ceiling, post-pokage:


Rebel Girl poked once too often. Suddenly, hideous insects emerged from one of the finger-holes she had created. I recorded their sound:

We ran screaming into the night.


aura Hayes dropped by earlier this week to do some catchin' up. When Brenda and Lisa heard that she was around, they came runnin'.


You remember Laura, don't you? Years ago, she covered the education beat for the Irvine World News, and she did a great job. Go to the IWN website and search their generous archive. Look under "IVC" or "Saddleback" or "rat bastard." Chances are good that one of Laura's articles will pop up. Great gal, that Laura.


ere's a picture of a tree at Saddleback College. Nice place, Saddleback College. The jasmine that blooms this time of year is wonderful.


We do have lovely campuses.

There's that. --CW