10 • The AS Review Nov. 8, ‘10
Nov. 8, ‘10 The AS Review • 11
CORRECTION Volume 26 Number 8 ▪ November 8, 2010
COLUMNS
NEWS / FEATURES 2 4
BOARD BRIEF
5
COUCH SURFERS UNITE Website connects those who like cheap, adventurous travel.
6
COUNTY ENVIRO-TOUR OC offers tour of local sites suffering environmental damage.
9
ABSTINENCE IN COLLEGE Over one quarter of Western students abstain from sex.
ASP STREET TEAM New AS volunteer opportunity open for students.
Cover adapted from design by Kayla Soper / AS Publicity Center
7
HOW DOES A MAN PIE SOUND? Restaurant review.
11 KUGS TOP 10 12 YOUR MOM LIKES TO NOM Pesto breadsticks.
EVENTS 3 AS EVENTS CALENDAR Look to your right. 8
POETRY REVIVAL SHOW Slam poetry group featuring Buddy Wakefield coming to the VU.
SEX ED YOU WISH YOU HAD Babeland’s popular presentation on sex returns.
Editor in Chief
Assistant Editor
Events Editor
Lead Photographer
Evan Marczynski
Lindsay Kucera
Olena Rypich
Daniel Berman
Staff Writers
Photographer
Adviser
Matt Crowley • Kirsten O’Brien Chelsea Asplund • Kelly Sullivan
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.
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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 an article titled “Reaching out to student veterans: VOC Coordinator Quentin Irion on building a supportive community” in our Nov. 1 issue, the name of the town of Moultrie, Ga. was misspelled. We apologize for the error.
Board Brief
AS BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING REPORT
Wednesday, Nov. 3: 6 p.m.
The board unanimously approved revisions to the AS club recognition procedure. They also unanimously approved a charge and charter for the Budget Committee, which is chaired by the AS business director and responsible for reviewing the budget proposals of all AS organizations and activities, establish the operating budget for the next year and present it to the board for approval. Additionally, the charge and charter for the Facilities and Services Council passed with a vote of 5-1, with changes that will be reviewed again by the board by Jan. 15. There was lengthy discussion over details in the charge and membership sections of the charge and charter document. With a 5-2 vote, the board approved a transfer of $20,000 of undistributed funds from last year to the operational enhancement and board discretionary fund. Vice President for Business and Operations Benjamin Brockman and VP for Academic Affairs Ramon Rinonos-Diaz voted no on the motion. The operational enhancement fund will receive $17,000 from the transfer, while the remaining $3,000 will go into the board discretionary fund. Board members then heard information items on the AS Student Trustee Selection Committee charge and charter and the draft of the 2010 AS legislative agenda, which both the Legislative Affairs Council and the Student Senate have approved. The agenda draft focuses on the issues of state funding levels to higher education, tuition and financial aid. There was much discussion over the agenda draft, particularly over one section that advocates a level of state support equivalent to the university’s maintenance operating level established in the 2007-2009 biennium. The board will vote on whether or not to approve the draft next week. The draft is available online at gov.as.wwu.edu, in the board of directors meeting minutes section. During board member reports, VP for Student Life Jamin Agosti said that the Green Energy Fee Committee had recently hired a graduate assistant, and that the committee will likely set the deadline for fee allocation proposals sometime in the middle of winter quarter. Vice President for Governmental Affairs Byron Starkey reported that around 1,200 people dropped off ballots in Viking Union 714 on Election Day. The meeting adjourned at 7:23 p.m. 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
Nov. 8, ‘10 The AS Review • 3
Nov. 8-14, 2010
MONDAY Nov. 8
WEDNESDAY Nov.10
Warhorse: Wise to Ways 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Viking Union Gallery 507 Free. Gallery is open Nov. 8 - Dec. 3, Mon-Fri, Closed for Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
Crisis Public Relations Panel 5 p.m., Communications Facility 105 Free
TUESDAY Nov. 9
Tanya Rowe from the Bellingham School District and Carolyn Casey from the Port of Bellingham will share their experiences in crisis PR.
Newman Catholic Campus Ministry: Sudan Prayer Vigil 8:30 p.m., Red Square Free The vigil will address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan, and increasing concerns about civil war. The Western vigil is part of a large-scale effort by 15 Catholic ministries at West Coast universities, including Seattle University, Gonzaga University and the University of Portland, to bring attention to the call for peace. All members of the community, regardless of religious affiliation, are encouraged to attend. Warhorse: Wise to Ways Opening Reception 6-8 p.m., VU Gallery 507 Free The Sex Ed You Wish You Had: A Presentation by Babeland 7-9 p.m., Fraser 4 Free Speakers from the company Babeland will be coming for a fun, inclusive safe-sex talk and discussion. Citizenship Workshops: Learn your rights as a citizen and activist as well as tactics for nonviolent direct action. 6-8 p.m., Communications Facility 227 Free The World Injustice Awareness Club will host a workshop about knowing your rights as a citizen and an activist. Underground Coffeehouse Open Mic Every Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. sign-up. 7-10 p.m., Underground Coffeehouse Free
Veterans Day Ceremony 12 p.m.-1 p.m., VU Multipurpose Room Free Veterans Day Ceremony for students and the community, honoring those who served. Speakers: Bruce Shepard, Veterans Club President Jordan Linayao, Western Vet Corps Navigator Christopher Brown and Doris Kent, Gold Star mother of Cpl. Jonathan Santos. Reception to follow event. Vet Corps Food Drive Continues on 11/15-11/19, all day each day Four drop boxes: Old Main 365; Red Square; In front of Rec Center Non-Perishables and monetary donations Citizenship Workshops 6-8 p.m., Communications Facility 227 Free The World Injustice Awareness Club will host a workshop about non-violent direct action skills, facilitated by a local activist working for the past 50 years. Inception 7 p.m., PAC Concert Hall Free
THURSDAY Nov.11 Veterans Day. Celebrate our heroes!
FRIDAY Nov. 12 Titans of Industry with Color Change 8 p.m. Underground Coffeehouse Free
SATURDAY Nov. 13 Rock Climbing at Mt. Erie 8 a.m., Mt. Erie, Anacortes (meet at Outdoor Center) $50 for students, faculty and staff; $60 Guests What is better than a day of rock climbing? How about climbing on Mt. Erie, with eagles and falcons wheeling above (and below!) and expansive views of the San Juan Islands and the Skagit farmlands spreading to the horizon? Great for beginners and those looking for more experience on. Visit the website, http:// outdoor.as.wwu.edu/excursions.php, for more information.
SUNDAY Nov. 14 Environmental Health in Whatcom County 10 a.m., meet at the Outdoor Center $20 for students, faculty and staff; $25 for guests
ASP Films, in association with Holland America/ Princess Cruise Lines, is presenting the film.
We will be touring around Whatcom County, examining some of the biggest issues facing our ecology. We will discuss Salmon, Mercury contamination in the bay, logging, water
Kris Orlowski with Lamppost Revival 8 p.m., Underground Coffeehouse Free
For more events, check out the full calendar at: http://www.as.wwu.edu/
4 • The AS Review Nov. 8, ‘10
ASP seeks volunteers for street team Students can win incentives by promoting ASP events
Kirsten O’Brien/ The AS Review
With the advent of Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and text messaging, information is becoming increasingly easier to spread. While posters and fliers passively inform people of an upcoming event, these social media outlets actively allow people to inform their family and friends of an event immediately, often reaching larger audiences at lightning speed. To harness the power of these media sites, Associated Students Productions is launching the ASP Street Team. Students who volunteer to be street team members will promote ASP events through word-of-mouth advertising by utilizing Facebook, Twitter and other outlets, said Shalom Long, ASP director. “The street team are the individuals who essentially ‘hit the streets’ to let people know about all the cool events that ASP is producing,” said Long. She said that students can participate in different “missions” that will be sent to them via text message, email or through the ASP Street Team website. “[Students] can expect to see a lot of word-ofmouth-type missions, or posting buzz posters downtown, or hopping an event on Facebook to get people excited,” she said. Aubrey Kitchen, ASP logistics & volunteer coordinator, is in charge of managing the street team. She said that students will be able to sign up on the team website, www. asproductionsstreetteam.fancorps.com, starting Nov. 8. Kitchen said the street team will focus on promoting all events that come out of the ASP office, including pop concerts, special events, film nights and Underground Coffeehouse shows. Students will receive points for completing a mission which can be redeemed for ASP Street Team gear or tickets to pop shows and special events. Best of all, the street team allows members
Please see Street Team on page 10
Speakers include Doris Kent | Christopher Brown | Jordan Linayao & WWU President Bruce Shepard Design by Kayla Soper / AS Publicity Center
Presented by the Veterans’ Outreach Center. For disability accommodations, please call (206) 715-6117. On-campus parking regulation will be suspended from 11:30 a.m.-1:45 p.m. on Nov. 11. Parking Suspended 11:30 - 11:45 PM
For disAbility accommodations, please call (xxx) xxx - xxxx
Nov. 8, ‘10 The AS Review • 5
Couch surfers connect through cyberspace Website links world travelers with people offering a free place to stay
Kelly Sullivan/ The AS Review
In our teenage years a “couch surfer” described a host. She said it was fun to be on the other side, The experience hasn’t kept her from hosting the bum friend who bounced between overnight taking care of people and showing them around her three couch surfers since. They were overall great stays on the family couch. Today, the term refers own city. experiences, she said. Generally, couch surfers use to finding a free, alternative place to stay in an She is still in touch with some of the people she the website appropriately. unfamiliar city. has hosted. “You get close so fast,” Allen said. Allen Boos said that she usually communicates with her The website couchsurfing.org was created in 2004 said she hasn’t had a bad experience hosting yet. host before she arrives. to help locate safe couches “I can use their space, for travelers. but personally I don’t Western student want to over step their Rosemarie Boos said boundaries,” she said. the site is there to create She added that couch experiences for people surfers should always who wouldn’t ordinarily assume you will pay meet. for your own food Boos spent six months and provide personal in 2009 traveling through necessities, such as Europe. During her toothpaste and shampoo. travels she stayed on four Most people will say different couches. ahead of time what “I couldn’t have asked amenities they offer for a better experience,” along with their couch. Boos said. “I was Each host and surfer welcomed like we were has their own registered old friends.” profile on the website. Screen grab from couchsurfing.org The profiles are used to Each stay lasted Over 2.3 million accounts in 241 countries are registered on couchsurfing.org. between two and five facilitate communication nights, which she said is between surfers and an ideal amount of time to remain in one home. Unfortunately, once in a while people will over hosts by request. In Vienna, Austria, her hosts took her to two stay their welcome. People may establish that they only have a couch underground salsa clubs that she said she couldn’t Western student Ciaran Seward registered her available and nothing else. Once a request is made, have found without someone with experience in the Bellingham home for hosting last spring. Her first the host will say how many people they have room city. A great part of the experience of couch surfing surfer, Tom, had spent the two previous years for, when they can host someone and how many is seeing and doing things you normally wouldn’t as traveling through the United States. When he nights a surfer can stay. a tourist, she said. arrived, he told Seward he would stay only two A good addition to a profile is a list of personal “It was a personalized view of a new city, as well as weeks. interests, Allen said. If you both like biking, ask your a free place to stay,” Boos said. The website is also a “He ended up staying for a month,” Seward said. host if you can bike around the city together. networking tool, she said. “A heavy month, thick month, long month. So we The key to surfing and hosting is being smart, Last winter, Western student Sara Allen traveled had to ask him to leave.” said Allen. Be straightforward and pay attention to through Israel, Spain, Turkey and Greece. In Athens, Most of his stay he wasn’t a problem, she said. references and reviews, which each profile provides. Greece, she attended a party for couch surfers who “One time he got a little drunk, and he was a little Allen also said always have the address of a hostel were currently visiting the city. The party was set up forward with one of our roommates,” Seward said. ready as a backup. through the site. Allen has been a couch surfer and “That was when we decided to ask him to leave.” If done right the experience is well worth the risk, Boos said.
Poetry Revival’s Night Kite Revival Tour WHEN: 7 p.m., Nov. 17 WHERE: VU MPR COST: $5 with student ID, $7 without
“The Sex Ed You Wish You Had: A Presentation by Babeland” WHEN: 7 p.m., Nov. 9 WHERE: Fraser 4 COST: Free