AS Review - October 11, 2010

Oct. 11, ‘10

Vol. 26, # 4

STORY ON P. 4 PINK HOTEL MUSIC, P. 6-7

WORLD ISSUES FORUM: BEARING WITNESS TO TRAGEDY, P. 5

Design by Michael Murphree/ AS Publicity Center

10 • The AS Review Oct. 11, ‘10

Feminist from page 4

with the audience, and audience members are encouraged to do the same. Lamb said the goal of the event is to provide a safe space to talk about sexual assault-related issues.

On Nov. 16 and 17, the Women’s Center will host auditions for the Vagina Memoirs monologue series. The series allows students to speak about their experiences being a femaleidentified individual. Lamb said the monologues can be about positive or negative aspects of being female identified, and in the past topics have ranged from sexual assault experiences to body image issues.

Anyone interested in learning more about feminine identity issues or getting involved with the Women’s Center can call (360) 650-6114 or visit VU 514 for more information.

Photos by Daniel Berman/ The AS Review

Drugs from page 8 relaying information to students, it’s a little bit more comfortable.”

The resources the DIC offered, particularly its extensive library of books on alcohol and drug related issues, were relocated to other ROP offices.

The Legal Information Center in VU 512 received the bulk of the library and also offers students a unique resource that the DIC did not. Chris Chatburn, LIC coordinator, said that the LIC is the only office that provides students with lawyer referrals and free legal advice tailored to specific issues. He said that LIC staff are knowledgeable about drug laws, and can offer students advice on drug-related offenses.

Drug and alcohol information is available through the Student Health Center as well. Lisa Rosenberg, assistant director of student activities, said that the Student Health Center coordinates the “Ask the Doc” website, which allows students to submit anonymous questions about drugs and alcohol. Trained health professionals respond to questions within 24 hours.

The Wellness Outreach Center, located in VU 432, provides more broad information on alcohol and drug use. Tarryn Simmons, a WOC workstudy employee, said that the center offers private consultations with students if they don’t feel comfortable openly discussing substance issues.

The center also provides referrals to other campus and community organizations where students can find more information about specific concerns.

Students march in protest of budget cuts to higher education during the Day of Action on Oct. 7.

Associated Students Vice President for Governmental Affairs Byron Starkey speaks to students during the Day of Action protest on Oct. 7.

Oct. 11, ‘10 The AS Review • 11

ASP Films: “Gigantic” Monday, Oct. 11 7 p.m./9 p.m., VU 552 $1

ASP Films: “Shutter Island” Tuesday, Oct. 12 and Wednesday, Oct. 13 7 p.m./ 9:30 p.m., VU 552 $3

(2009) Directed by Matt Aselton, starring Paul Dano and Zooey Deschanel. A mattress salesman (Paul Dano) whose life dream is to adopt a Chinese baby meets a quirky, wealthy girl, Harriet (Zooey Deschanel), who shifts his life perspectives.

(2010) Psychological thriller film directed

by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Based on Dennis Lehane’s 2003 novel of the same name. DiCaprio stars as U.S. Marshal Edward “Teddy” Daniels, who is investigating a psychiatric facility located on an island.

MONDAY, Oct. 11 Wild Buffalo Slow Suicide, Detrivores, Red Racin’ Stripes TUESDAY, Oct. 12 Boundary Bay Jennifer Scott Trio with Rene Worst Bass, Jud Sherwood WEDNESDAY, Oct. 13 Wild Buffalo Reggae Night with the Blessed Coast DJs Underground Coffeehouse Jordan Renshaw with Take Me Instead

THURSDAY, Oct. 14 Acoustic Tavern The Golden Tree Story Chuckanut Brewery Keri Jioras FRIDAY, Oct. 15 Acoustic Tavern Sera Cahoone Underground Coffeehouse Noah Gundersen with the Meteors SATURDAY, Oct. 16 Acoustic Tavern Petunia and The Vipers SUNDAY, Oct. 17 Wild Buffalo The White Buffalo

top 10 albums/artists (sep. 26-oct.3) 1

Arcade Fire The Suburbs

2

Thermals Personal Life

3

Of Montreal False Priest

4

Weezer Hurley

5

Jaill That’s How We Bum

6

Tokyo Police Club Champ

7

Black Keys Brothers

8

Books The Way Out

9

Walkmen Lisbon

10 Ratatat

LP4

KUGS is an AS-funded radio station staffed by student and community volunteers.

In memory of Dwight Clark

Photo by Daniel Berman / The AS Review

Hours after hearing news that Western student Dwight Clark had been found dead, students, faculty, staff and community members gathered in Red Square on the afternoon of Wednesday, Oct. 6. The following are excerpts of the words spoken by Western President Bruce Shepard, Associated Students President Colin Watrin and Western Vice President of Student Affairs Eileen Coughlin. Complete versions can be found at asreview.as.wwu.edu.

Shepard:

Watrin: We gather here today at the news of the loss of [O]pportunities lie ahead to remember Dwight Dwight Clark, a son, a brother, a friend, a peer and a in the fullness that we all wish. Our thoughts right now are with his family. Just this morning, I was able valuable member of the Western community. There to spend time talking with Dwight›s mother. Out of are no words to express the grief that we feel in this situation. We are grappling with these emotions and respect for her privacy, I will say only this: I left our struggling to make sense of something which was discussion with extraordinary admiration for her senseless. courage. This afternoon, we cry for her because the [I]t is important to acknowledge the emotions pain she now feels must seem unbearable. that you are feeling at this time. They are valid and Over time, we will better understand the they are important. However, they are a burden circumstances of Dwight›s death. One question we will never understand: Why Dwight? Why loss? Why that no one person should ever have to face alone.

Reach out to your friends, your family, to those that tragedy? you care about most and to anyone you might see [I]t can be dangerous to think that we can deal with tragedy by doing no more than waiting for time struggling during this difficult time.

[L]ooking out on this gathering, I see hope, hope to pass. We must face the tragedy and take control, directing its life-changing forces in ways positive for that we will persevere and that out of this grief we will rise even stronger. I am incredibly proud to call us, our humanity, our community. myself a Western Viking, and that all of you and I ask each of you to consider making a solemn promise, not to me, but to yourself. If you are feeling Dwight are a part of my Western family. Let us unite together, support each other in the face of adversity, pain too great, if you are in distress, or if you see a be compassionate and be a community that we can friend so burdened, do all you can to get help. Talk be proud of, a community that Dwight Clark could about it with someone. Waste not an hour of be proud of. inaction...

Coughlin: Thank you for gathering together. There are no words to remove the deep heartache that goes with this afternoon’s announcement. This is exceedingly difficult for Dwight’s family and friends, for the Auburn community and for the many volunteers from Western and the Bellingham community.

Dwight is a part of us and we feel that loss. There have been many kindnesses and hours of active work that brought people together. We hoped for a different outcome. Each of us will feel that in different way over the coming minutes, hours, days and weeks. Being together is a commitment to support one another and as Bruce Shepard indicated, it is important to pledge to take care of ourselves and seek support as needed. Our counseling center is available and we are distributing information this afternoon for you to take with you.

Please be sensitive to each other. We all process loss differently. The strength of the community is in the patience, care and concern that we demonstrate with one another both here today and in the coming weeks...

CORRECTION Volume 26 Number 4 ▪ October 11, 2010

NEWS / FEATURES 4

KVIK SCAVENGER HUNT Filmmakers, assemble!

FEMINIST CONNECTION AS Women’s Center event on resisting oppression.

6-7 PINK HOTEL MUSIC

Network of local bands possess

innovative do-it-yourself ethic.

8

9

DRUG USE ON THE RISE Where you can go for information.

SEXUAL AWARENESS CENTER WELCOMING EVENT Center provides confidential space for students to talk about sex.

Editor in Chief

Evan Marczynski

Assistant Editor

Lindsay Kucera

COLUMNS 5

Q & A WITH JOAN CONNELL World Issues Forum speaker on how reporters cover tragedy.

8

READER SUBMISSION Indie rock is dead.

12 REMEMBER DWIGHT

Excerpts from Oct. 6 Red Square

gathering speeches.

ENTERTAINMENT 6 AS EVENTS CALENDAR

Look to your right.

11 ASP FILMS/LIVE MUSIC

KUGS TOP 10

Events Editor

Lead Photographer

Olena Rypich

Daniel Berman

Staff Writers

Photographer

Adviser

Matt Crowley • Kirsten O’Brien

Joe Rudko

Jeff Bates

©2010 The AS Review is published most Mondays during the school year by the Associated Students of Western Washington University.

Submissions: The AS Review welcomes all submissions. Submissions include news stories, literary pieces, photography, visual art and anything else physically printable. E-mail material to as.review@wwu.edu, drop it off in the Viking Union at VU 411 or mail it to the address below. Submissions will be returned if you include a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Letters: The AS Review likes letters, too. We reserve the right to edit letters for length and content (if necessary), so try to keep it to fewer than 350 words.

Ads/Calendar: The AS Review does not sell advertising space. Sorry.

E-mail the Events Editor at as.pr@wwu.edu to get your event in the calendar.

taoofjournalism.com wanewscouncil.org

The AS Review VU 411, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone 360.650.6126 • Fax 360.650.6507 • E-mail as.review@wwu.edu Online at http://asreview.as.wwu.edu/

Making your life better, one page at a time.

In a letter to our readers in our Oct. 4 issue, Jeff Bates was incorrectly referred to as our faculty adviser. Bates is the staff adviser of The AS Review. We apologize for the error.

Board Brief

AS BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING REPORT Out of respect for Dwight Clark’s family, friends and the entire Western community, the board meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 6 was postponed. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 13.

AS Board of Directors meetings are open to the public. They are usually held at 6 p.m. every Wednesday in VU 567. More information can be found online at gov.as.wwu.edu.

The AS Review has a close relationship with the board. In the interest of transparency with our readers, we are making this clear.

EVENTS

Oct. 11, ‘10 The AS Review • 3

October 11-17, 2010

MONDAY Oct. 11

WEDNESDAY Oct. 13

THURSDAY Oct. 14

Getting to Zero: Reaching Climate Neutrality at Western 4 p.m., VU 462 A/B Free

Teach for America Information Session 4 p.m., SL 120 (SMATE Building) Free

Environmental Club Summit 7-9 p.m., VU 565 Free Learn how students are promoting sustainability at Western! Connect with environmental clubs and make friends! Free treats!

Join us for an exploration of the WWU Climate Action Plan, our greenhouse gas footprint and what you can do to help Western reach zero net emissions.

TUESDAY Oct. 12

The Future of Sustainability in the Curriculum at WWU 11 a.m., VU 567 Free

Learn more about Teach for America, its mission and approach to ending educational inequity in our nation. Register for the event at: www.tinyurl.com/wwutfa.

Feminist Connection 2010 7 p.m., VU 565 Free Speaker Mia Birk “Joyride” book reading 7 p.m., VU Multipurpose Room Free

The WWU Sustainability Institute will be hosting a conversation on sustainability curriculum at Western, both present and future. Join us for an exciting dialogue on sustainability majors, minors and degree.

Birk will be reading from her new book, “Joyride,” as part of her book tour. Sustainable transportation groups and community activists will be tabling at the event.

Underground Coffeehouse Open Mic 7-10 p.m., Underground Coffeehouse Free

“Joyride: Pedaling Toward a Healthier Planet,” Community Discussion & Presentation 2-3 p.m., VU Multipurpose Room Free

Every Tuesday; 6:30 p.m. sign-up.

LGBTA Weekly Night Series 7 p.m., VU 462 Free Coming Out Stories 7 p.m., VU 462 Free Come share your stories or support others as they share theirs. Discuss what it means to come out and share your experience.

Sexual Awareness Center Welcoming 7 p.m., Viking Union 565 A/B/C Free An opportunity for members of the Bellingham and Western communities to learn more about the center and ways to get involved with the SAC and other organizations. There will be free food and a showing of the SAC’s video survey.

Well-known sustainable transportation planner Mia Birk will be holding a special session for sustainable transportation advocates.

Sustainability Fair 12 p.m.-2 p.m., VU Multipurpose Room Free A chance for Western and the Bellingham community to connect with the large number of groups, on and off campus, who are working on sustainability on the academic, operational, research and outreach levels.

Underground Coffeehouse: Jordan Renshaw with Take Me Instead 8 p.m., Underground Coffeehouse Free

Sustainable Dinner 5-7 p.m., Ridegway, Fairhaven and Viking Commons Free WWU Dining Services will be showcasing a wide variety of local and organic foods during this meal.

AWMA Waste Audit 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Meet in front of Carver Gym Free Join the Air and Waste Management Association student group as they perform one of their quarterly WWU waste audits. Become a “trashologist” at this fascinating event.

FRIDAY Oct. 15

Green Roof Tour of Miller Hall 10 a.m., meet in front of Miller Market Free Join the WWU Facilities Management and the Emerging Green Builders student group on a tour of the new green roof of Miller Hall, WWU’s first green roof!

Underground Coffeehouse: Noah Gundersen with the Meteors 8 p.m., Underground Coffeehouse Free

SATURDAY Oct. 16 & SUNDAY Oct. 17 KVIK TV Scavenger Hunt 10 a.m.-10 a.m., AIC Free This event is a 24-hour scavenger hunt where filmmaking teams will compete to accomplish tasks, direct the production of a movie, and edit a final film, all in an allotted time limit. Teams will hang out, eat and create their final project overnight. The final films will be screened before the winner is chosen.

4 • The AS Review Oct. 11, ‘10

KVIK Scavengers Matt Crowley/ The AS Review

On Oct. 16, KVIK will be holding its second scavenger hunt, an opportunity for students to try their hand at filmmaking in an open and creative environment.

The scavenger hunt will take place over 24 hours, beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16 and ending at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 17.

Once teams are finished filming, an overnight editing session will allow participants to try their hands at editing while meeting and socializing with other students interested in film.

KVIK Scavenger Hunt The films will WHEN: 10 a.m. Oct. 16 to be screened later 10 a.m. Oct. 17 that night, when WHERE: Academic the winning film Instructional Center will be chosen.

Find more information at the KVIK office in VU Prize packages for 423, or e-mail KVIK at first, second and as.kvik@wwu.edu third place entries include DVDs, comic books and gift certificates to local Bellingham businesses, like the Bellingham Food Co-op and Avenue Bread. Andrews said the winning film must not only incorporate the specific objectives and items given, but in a way that creates a fluid, cohesive film.

The free competition will be headquartered at the Academic Instructional Center. KVIK Coordinator Royce Andrews said she wants to use the event to attract interested students.

“Events like this make KVIK really open and inviting,” said Andrews. “We want new people of whatever skill level.”

While many of the rules and format of the competition are still under consideration, participants will have 24 hours to create a film that incorporates a number of items including local landmarks and celebrities. Objectives are assigned a point value based on their difficulty, and teams must accumulate a certain number of points for their film to be finished. The competition will have a reality show theme that entrants must follow, but much of it is left ambiguous to encourage spontaneity and creativity.

“It’s a really good way for people of any level or interest to test it out and see if filmmaking might be something they’re interested in,” said Andrews.

Universal oppression resistance Feminist Connection is not just for women

Kirsten O’Brien/ The AS Review

You don’t have to be a feminist to attend this year’s Feminist Connection. In fact, you don’t even have to be female. Students of all genders and gender identities are encouraged to attend this informative event, which aims to show students that issues faced by women are issues that affect everyone.

Feminist Connection is the AS Women’s Center’s annual kick-off event. Women’s Center Coordinator Lizzie Lamb said the event acts like an info fair and a meet and greet for students interested in discovering more about women’s issues. The event will be held Oct. 13 from 8 to 10 p.m. in VU room 565.

Representatives from Women’s Empowerment and Education, Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services, Crime and Sexual Assault Support Services and Western Men Against Violence will be given an opportunity to speak briefly about their organizations and what kinds of resources and services they offer.

Western clubs, such as Women in the Woods, and community groups such as the Womencare Shelter will also be available to provide students with information on more specific female identity issues.

Even offices that don’t specifically deal with feminist issues, such as the AS Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Alliance, the AS Sexual Awareness Center, and clubs from the AS Ethnic Student Center will be present.

“We want to shed light on the oppression that all groups face,” Lamb said. “Issues that women face are faced by more people than just women.”

Lamb said that a common misconception about feminism that this year’s Connection is trying to address is that feminism is only concerned with women’s rights and issues. While these things may be the backbone of feminism, Lamb said that the idea of resisting oppression is universal, whether you’re a female-identified person or not.

“Being a woman is very self-defined,” Lamb said.

“There are cultural connotations that are sometimes very oppressive.”

For this year’s Connection, Lamb is making a special effort to reach out to those groups of people who may not fit into the gender binary, or those who chose not to classify themselves into a gender at all. Lamb said there can be a lot of ambiguity about

queer and transgendered people and how they fit in to a larger feminine identity.

“We’re really trying to carve out places in feminism for trans and queer identified students this year,” Lamb said. “We want trans and queer people to know we’re working with them too. This is about all of us.”

Lamb also wants to break the silence Feminist Connection surrounding violence presented by: against men.

Men AS Women’s Center are often less likely WHEN: 8-10 p.m., Oct. 13 than women to WHERE: VU 565 report incidents of abuse against them, Lamb said, and there are very few safe spaces for men to go to talk about domestic violence. Lamb said there is a huge stigma about violence against men, and one of the goals of Feminist Connection and the Women’s Center in general is to encourage discussion about this issue. She hopes that students who are survivors of assault attend the event to learn more about the resources available to them, as well as to meet other students who have had similar experiences.

Tanesha Tekola, Women’s Center assistant coordinator, said that the event will feature an impromptu art exhibit as well. Plaster body cast molds left over from the 2009 Vagina Memoirs monologue series will be decorated and displayed

by Feminist Connection attendees. The molds were taken from Western students who participated in the monologue event last year. The casts are from women of all different shapes and sizes, and Lamb hopes that they remind people to celebrate and embrace different body types. Lamb said body image issues can be especially sensitive for femalebodied individuals, but can affect people of any gender identity.

Feminist Connection is only the start of what the Women’s Center has planned for fall quarter. On Oct. 27, the Women’s Center will host a Survivor Speak Out at 7 p.m. in AIC 303. The panel will feature Western students who are survivors of sexual assault. The panelists will share their experiences

Please see Feminist on page 10

Oct. 11, ‘10 The AS Review • 5

Bearing witness to tragedy: Ethical reporting in a violent world Lindsay Kucera/ The AS Review

Acclaimed journalist speaks on telling compassionate stories

The AS Review: What drew you to the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma?

Joan Connell: In the worst of worlds, journalists are cold and detached observers, who violate the privacy, impair the dignity and exploit the suffering of people caught up in tragic events in the interest of bringing back a good story. In the best of worlds, journalists bear witness to suffering and loss because they are empathetic members of a compassionate community. They are players, bit players, to be sure, but players nonetheless, in the great human drama of good and evil, order and chaos that has been unfolding since the beginning of the written word.

The idea that I could play a role in advancing a form of journalism that could be a creative and healing force, rather than an exploitative and divisive one, was very appealing.

Review: What is the mission of the center?

Connell: The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, a project of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, is a global alliance of psychiatrists, working journalists, educators and mental health clinicians and researchers dedicated to supporting journalists who do the emotionally arduous and sometimes dangerous work of reporting on violence and tragedy. With satellites in Europe, Australasia and Latin America, the Dart Center also works with individual reporters and news organizations worldwide to raise the ethical standard of reporting on traumatic events, with an emphasis on the needs and dignity of the victims.

from crossing the line of becoming, or pretending to become, your subject›s advocate or friend.

Review: How do you feel journalistic objectivity factors into conflict reporting?

Photo courtesy of The Dart Center

This week, the World Issues Forum will be hosting Joan Connell, journalist and associate director of operations at the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. Her presentation, titled “Bearing Witness to Tragedy” will focus on telling ethical, sensitive stories in a world that is increasingly violent.

The AS Review corresponded with Connell via email about her experience with the Dart Center and being a “witness to tragedy.” The following is an excerpt.

Review: In your opinion, what does it mean to be an “ethical storyteller” or a “witness to tragedy?”

Connell: Journalists are trained to extract information from the powerful: government officials, politicians, police, experts of all kinds. They receive less training in how to deal with the powerless, people caught up in war or genocide, in a hurricane or an earthquake, a rape, a house fire, a terror attack; the parent of a murder victim, the family that has lost a loved one to suicide. But in fact, the ground rules are different when you’re dealing with a person who is disoriented, freaked out or bereaved in the immediate aftermath of tragedy. Being an ethical storyteller involves understanding the fragility and respecting the dignity of your subjects. It means being straightforward and honest about your intentions. It means protecting their identities if necessary. It means negotiating clear ground rules for an interview, giving the person the option of going on and off the record, making sure that person understands the implications of sharing his or her story with a journalist and consequently the world.

It also means remaining focused on the journalism, which is to unflinchingly tell the truth as you find it, in ways that might not be totally pleasing to your subject.

A slippery slope, to be sure, and there’s no single formula or right way to do it.

It is said that to be a good journalist you have to have a chip of ice in your heart: the element of distance that allows you to be a sympathetic listener, but keeps you

Connell: Objectivity is at the core of all authoritative reporting. But it’s hard to be objective, say, if you’re a hometown reporter embedded in a combat unit whose members are risking their lives every day to protect your own.

Hard, but not impossible.

I prefer to think of it as transparency: I make myself as transparent as possible, and that entails surrendering my biases, in order to be a lens through which a human story can be compelling and authentically conveyed.

Review: What do you hope students gain from your presentation at the World Issues Forum?

Connell: A tragic event is not told all at once. It is, in a way, a drama in three acts that evolves over time: Act 1 is the event itself, the attack, the crime, the storm, the battle. It requires a certain kind of disciplined reporting: gathering facts, quotes and impressions under deadline and understanding the vulnerabilities of people caught up in the chaos.

Act 2 is where the nuance lies, it is the time to go deep, explore motivations and impacts, make discoveries. Act 3, in the best of worlds, is where the stories of healing are found, where the hope lies, where the injured or bereaved begin to put themselves back together.

You can’t do this kind of work and remain sane unless some small part of you believes that no matter what happens, people have the potential to be resilient; that life, in some good way, can go on.

Joan Connell will be speaking at the World Issues Forum this Wednesday, Oct. 13 from noon to 1:20 p.m. in the Fairhaven auditorium. For the full correspondence with Connell, please visit www. asreview.as.wwu.edu.

six

Story by Kirsten O’Brien/ The AS Review

Pink Hotel Music

Photos by Joe Rudko/ The AS Review

seven

Growing collective of Northwest bands finds way to collaborate without aid from a record label

I

A Cat From Hue, based out of Camano Island, Wash., play at the Underground Coffeehouse on Sept. 29.

One of 11 bands that make up Pink Hotel Music, A Cat From Hue was the first to join the network of Northwest bands in April 2010.

n a time when record labels are pushing artists to become the next big buzz band or release the next hit single, Bellinghambased Pink Hotel Music is offering a fresh perspective for an industry that often fosters competition instead of collaboration. After all, why do it yourself when you can do it together?

Pink Hotel Music isn’t a band, and it’s definitely not a record label. Instead it is a collection of 11 bands working together to promote shows, distribute each other’s music and connect with music fans from all over the Pacific Northwest.

“The main motivation behind PHM for me is that my friends make incredible music, and I want everyone to know,” said Teo Crider, the mastermind behind Pink Hotel Music, as well as vocalist and guitarist for Bellingham-based Candysound.

He said the idea for Pink Hotel had been tossed around for awhile, but only within the last two years has it grown significantly.

The project took off in February 2009, when Candysound played in Experience Music Project’s Sound Off! competition. Sound off! is the Seattle area’s largest all-ages battle of the bands event, and Crider used the opportunity to network with other local area bands. He approached fellow Sound Off! competitor Nikko Van Wyck of Camano Islandbased A Cat From Hue, and invited the band to join his newly formed collective. They joined in April 2010, and became the first addition to the Pink Hotel roster.

From that point, Pink Hotel Music has grown from a wishful idea to a network of 11 unique Northwest bands with connections all over the state.

“We basically have a group of bands from southern Washington to northern Washington that we can play with whenever we want,” Van Wyck said. “It’s all about the pool of resources we’ve gathered.”

Before he was in Candysound, Crider was part of a punk band called The Cherubs. He said the ethics and attitude of punk music is what ultimately drives Pink Hotel’s mission. In true punk rock fashion, all of Pink Hotel’s efforts are made possible through a good old-fashioned do-it-yourself ethic.

The collective does all of its networking through Myspace, Facebook, Gmail, word-of-mouth promotion and handmade flyers.

“This is our way of getting bands together to meet and record with each other,” Crider said. “It becomes sort of a community in a way.”

Pink Hotel Music does not pay any of the musicians to be part of the collective, but it does offer them a number of resources. Van Wyck, who lives with Crider in Bellingham, said they recently purchased a van that any band in the collective can use to get to shows. In addition, Crider and Van Wyck have invested in recording software and set up a makeshift studio in their Bellingham home. Most importantly, the collective offers bands the comfort of knowing that they have a family of musicians behind them to support their efforts.

As far as making connections in the Bellingham music scene, Crider said that some venues have been more receptive than others. He said that because Pink Hotel Music is still in its infancy, it’s been difficult to book shows at bars. House shows on the other hand, have warmly welcomed Pink Hotel bands.

“House shows are definitely some of our favorite venues: places like The Hoot House and The Hell House have been really, really receptive, not just to Candysound or Caulfield, but just a lot of music, art, ideas and people in general,” Crider said. “It’s really humbling to even be associated with them.”

As Pink Hotel grows, Crider said he plans to release a compilation album that will include a song from every band in the collective. The album will be given away for free at Pink Hotel shows.

“It’s all about trying to get our music out there,” Crider said. “I don’t expect to make money. We’re just putting music out for our friends, ourselves and each other.”

Pink Hotel Music’s Candysound will be playing with Gig Harbor-based Us on Roofs in the Underground Coffeehouse on Friday, Oct. 22. The show is free and starts at 8 p.m.

The Anacortes, Wash.-based band Caulfield and his Magical Violin during a Sept. 29 show in the Underground Coffeehouse.

Pink Hotel Music band roster (and hometown): Great Waves (Sammamish), Candysound (Bellingham), Kids & Animals (Seattle), The Cat From Hue (Camano Island), Ambulance (Seattle), Us on Roofs (Gig Harbor), Caufield & His Magical Violin (Anacortes), The Masques (Mount Vernon/Tacoma), The Ronz (W. Seattle), SEACATS (Kelso/Longview), Teo Crider (Burlington).

8 • The AS Review Oct. 11, ‘10

The end of indie rock

Reader submission by Riley McCorkle/Western student

Don’t get me wrong, I love avocado. I never used to be a huge avocado fan until my dad convinced me to take another look at their simplistic beauty: so safe, so scrumptious, so healthy. This last summer I found myself blending avocadoes into every meal.

But recently, the avocadoes have been browning, from the outside in. Today, my roommate was about to slice into one.

“I wouldn’t do that dude,” I said.

“Why not?” He looked offended.

“The avocadoes, they’re just past their prime.”

After a squishy avocado tug-of-war, it became clear to both of us: the season of the avocado was over.

I learned a lot recently about letting go of something you’ve enjoyed for so long. Indie rock. That’s right, I know it’s difficult to hear.

Our beloved Indie rock has been a beautiful fruitish-vegetible-ish thing that is no longer fresh, green, and ripe. It has become mushy, brown and covered in a nasty yuppie fungus.

It has been most difficult to let go right here in our fine town of Bellingham. It was only yesterday we’d bump into Ben Gibbard on Ellis Street. It was only yesterday that Modest Mouse ruled Seattle, and Portland blossomed with the Shins, Menomena, and Portugal. the Man. It was only yesterday that the Northwest was astir with new talent, who were able to capture a singersongwriter sound with dreamy vibes. But today, our ripe avocado has been replaced with a moist and soggy attempt at mimicking what has already been done.

Yet, there is hope. Just because indie rock is dead that doesn’t mean there are not young musical styles rocking wildly in their cribs. It is now 2010. The new decade holds an exciting blend of technological dreams, financial nightmares, dismantling industries and of course, the legalization of marijuana on the West Coast.

So, I encourage all you Bellingham musicians, with your plaid button-ups, winter scruff and acoustic guitars, look beyond simplistic folk anthems of road trips and stargazing and be open minded to the new era that approaches.

But, if not avocado, then what? As a token of my appreciation and encouragement,

Please see Indie rock on page 9

National drug use rate continues to climb With the Drug Information Center gone, what campus resources remain?

Kirsten O’Brien/ The AS Review

Drug and alcohol use among college students is other AS offices, and that students were more likely nothing new, bu a recent study found that illegal to get drug information from friends or online. drug use rates in the United States are higher than Ramon Rinonos-Diaz, AS vice president of they have been in the past eight years. academic affairs, said that the program was not cut The annual report, conducted by the Substance because of budgetary reasons. He said it was simply Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, because so many other places on campus offered the found that about 21.8 million Americans ages 12 same services. and older reported using illegal drugs in 2009. It is “The TAP program found that the DIC just wasn’t the highest level the most of reported effective use drug use since of resources the survey possible,” began in 2002.

RinonosInformation Diaz said. used in the “A lot of report was other areas gleaned from on campus 67,500 people have very in the U. S. and similar is considered services.” to be the most Rinonoscomprehensive Diaz said annual that services snapshot of like the drug use in the Lifestyle country.

Advisors The study Program cited marijuana offered a lot Photo illustration by Joe Rudko / The AS Review as the most of the same A recent federal study found the national drug use rate at its highest level information widely used since comprehensive information was first reported in 2002. drug, with and services usage rising 8 as the percent. Ecstasy and methamphetamines also saw DIC, and many offices already offered drug and an increase. Ecstasy use rose by 37 percent, while alcohol information in relation to different campus meth rates soared by 60 percent. communities.

The report comes just after the Associated The elimination of the DIC does not necessarily Students Resource and Outreach Programs mean that students now have less access to drug underwent restructuring and consequently information. In fact, Rinonos-Diaz said that student eliminated the AS Drug Information Center. may feel more comfortable utilizing the resources The DIC had been an AS program for decades, the university already offers. He said there is a providing students with information on alcohol and stigma surrounding drug information, and by various drugs. not having one centralized location, students may The Tactical Assessment Program, which the feel more comfortable seeking information from AS uses to evaluate the effectiveness of various individual offices or programs. programs, found that the DIC was no longer the “I think it’s just a different way to go about it,” most effective way to reach students about drug Rinonos-Diaz said of the elimination. “In terms of use. The TAP found that there was already a wealth of drug and alcohol information available through Please see Drugs on page 10

Oct. 11, ‘10 The AS Review • 9

Welcoming event for the Sexual Awareness Center New SAC staff want to expand center’s services, include alternative sex choices Olena Rypich/ The AS Review

Where on campus can you find free condoms, lubricant, a variety of other safe-sex supplies and literature on a wide spectrum of sexual issues? The Associated Students Sexual Awareness Center, located in Viking Union 515, a safe space where peers are willing to listen, advise, provide support and lead discussions on sexuality.

The center is hosting a welcoming event at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 12 in VU 565.

The event will also have representatives from Western’s Crime and Sexual Assault Support, Women’s Empowerment and Education, Planned Parenthood and the Whatcom Pregnancy Clinic.

SAC Coordinator Shawna Leader said the center offers a confidential and non-judgmental space for people to come and talk, use resources and ask questions or for advice.

“We also offer a safe space for people who just want to hang out and have discussions or relax,” Leader said.

Leader said she is working with SAC Assistant Coordinator Alyssa Piraino to extend the center’s services to more students and include alternative sexual choices in their discussions and events such as abstinence, something that wasn’t typically addressed in a place like the Sexual Awareness Center.

“We just think that abstinence is a topic and a sexuality, not a lack thereof. It’s a form of sexuality,” Piraino said.

If students prefer, they can speak to the staff confidentially. Located outside the office is a question board, where students can anonymously submit their questions about sex, relationships, identity or something that they feel they could not discuss in person and do not want to post on the Internet, Leader said.

In addition, a question box will be placed at all

the center’s events, and answers to the questions left in the box will be posted outside the SAC office, Leader said.

“If it’s a technical question, we will research it, or if it’s seeking outside resources, like where STI testing is done, we will list those resources,” Leader said.

The staff has already planned a series of events for the community. Students are encouraged to start thinking about submissions for the popular Condom Fashion Show, happening in May, where aspiring designers make eccentric outfits out of expired condoms. Students can also sign up to entertain at the event.

The staff ’s goal is to help students understand that the Sexual Awareness Center is not limited to handing out condoms.

“We’re really trying to reach out more to people who may not be necessarily comfortable talking about sex, but still want to find answers to their questions and want to feel comfortable asking those questions,” Leader said. “We’re not just targeting ‘sex-positive’ people, but everyone else who wants to know things or use our resources.”

Upcoming SAC Events: Oct. 20 “Superbad” movie showing 6 p.m., AIC 204 After the showing, there will be a discussion on teensex comedies and their portrayals of sexuality.

Oct. 27 “Survivors speak out: The journey of healing 7 p.m., AIC Co-sponsored by the AS Women’s Center, a panel of sexual assault survivors tell their stories.

Indie rock from page 8

I’ve provided below just a few examples of movements underway that you can use to expand your creativity.

Math rock: Brought to life by mid-90s bands such as Don Caballero, Hella, and Battles, math rock can be recognized by its use of intricate instrumentation and irregular time signatures.

Considered ahead of its time in comparison to its grunge counterpart, math rock has re-emerged across the fertile West Coast through the work of Tera Melos and the Fall of Troy, and has even jumped across the lake to Japan. Young talents as Pat Goodwin and the Monostereo, A Lot Like Birds, the Speed of Sound in Seawater, and local Bellinghamsters Rooftops have added their own spin on a genre seething with much innovation to be done.

The Digital Sound: Now is the first time in history that any kid with a laptop has been given the capability of producing professional music.

This digital medium has also only begun to provide the first successful common ground for “rock” tones with hip-hop swagger.

Cross-cultural: At this day and age, you are rarely able to find a coffeeshop or bookstore without authentic international music compilations, such as Putumayo. Musicians have only scratched the surface on the possibilities that come with this new accessibility of world genres. A primary illustration of genre blending is the Mars Volta, who is able to express a traditionally Spanish, Latin, and Salsa foundation through the explosive, epic power of a modern rock band. But genre blending is also in our own backyards. Local ‘hamsters Curse of the Black Tongue are successfully able to blend surf, hillbilly and Elvis-esque genres into a neat, thrash package. Though the potential energy of cross-cultural genre blending is great, it is an art that remains largely untapped.

With so many options for tomorrow, it is a wonder why too many musicians find themselves caught in the music of yesterday. So I ask, nay, I plead, calling on all of those fine men and women who call themselves musicians: rise up and embrace the new decade. The most difficult part about living in these times is being ahead of them, but I promise you all, a new day is beginning.

Want to make your own submission? E-mail it to as.review@wwu.edu.