asreview
11.28.11
Vol. 27 #10
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ONE MILE AT A TIME
Western student is hooked on marathon running Megan Thompson • AS Review Western student Justin Huerter always had a love affair with running; he calls it his passion. “Your mindset really triggers when you get there, this is a race. You keep telling yourself ‘you got this, it’ll all come together,’” he said. On Oct. 22, Huerter finished his first half marathon, a 13.1 miles course, at the Lake Padden Trail Classic. Huerter and his two roommates, Jake Brog and Eric Holgate, ran for a water bottle company called Miir. The company donates a dollar for every water bottle sold to an undeveloped country for clean water. Huerter said the support of his roommates running with him and that he was running for a good cause helped motivate him to finish. Even then, the run was a struggle filled with many hills, Huerter said. The next step for Huerter will be to run a full marathon, which is 26.2 miles, he said. Huerter and his roommates may run Mary’s Last Chance marathon on Dec. 31 in Bellingham and if not, they may run the Birch Bay Marathon on Feb. 19, 2012. However, Huerter said nothing is officially planned. Joel Pearson coordinates the Birch Bay Marathon, which offers half marathon, full marathon and 10k course races. He also ran the Birch Bay Marathon in 2005. “The marathon course [at Birch Bay] is very challenging,” Pearson said. “When you hit a hill at mile 17.5 it really sucks.” The Birch Bay Marathon is the longest continuouslyrun marathon west of the Mississippi River, Pearson said. His father, Jim, originally created the course in 1968. Since then the race is held annually. The half marathon course is relatively easy, Pearson said. With only a few hills, people tend to finish the course quickly. But even an easy course requires training. Without training for a half marathon, an average runner would still be in pain during the end of the race, cross country and track and field head coach Pee Wee Halsell said. “Recovery time for my half marathon was about three days,” Huerter said. “But if you don’t train, recovery can take up to three weeks.” Huerter and his roommates ran four to five times a week, running one long run and the other runs around three to six miles. The longest they ran during training was 11.5 miles, never making it to the full 13.1. “After you get to that marker of an eight miler, you’re going,” Huerter said. “That’s how we felt at the race. The first miles are a struggle once you start to adapt your pace and get into motion. The rest is easier from there.”
un? y r o t dy ch Ba a e R e Bir on is 9. Th arath eb. 1 M ay, F d Sun
Justin Huerter on Western’s track near the Wade King Student Recreation Center on Nov. 14. Huerter said he plans to run a full 26.2 mile marathon in the future. Photo by Cade Schmidt//AS Review
Pearson and Halsell both suggest running every day when training. “It’s the simplest program on the planet: I run ever day no matter the distance,” Pearson said. “If you only have time to run for 20 minutes, that’s fine. Try to run longer on Sundays.” “It’s an aerobic event, so you have to run as many miles as you can without being injured,” Halsell said. “[When training for a marathon] beginning runners should expect to run between 50 to 60 miles a week.” Before reaching 50 to 60 miles per week, Halsell encourages runners to start with smaller distances to build their endurance. Eating a balanced diet helps to develop strength, and runners should get all the nutrients necessary, Halsell said. Training schedules for beginners or advance runners are available online such as marathonrookie.com where specific training schedules are outlined.
“You are not just training [for the race], you are training for life,” Pearson said. “I’ve always believed that everyone who breathes is an athlete in their own way.”
Tips from the pros EAT RIGHT
It’s all about carbs, carbs, carbs. Carbohydrates will provide glycogen and protein that will help repair muscle tissue during training. Potatoes, yams, beans and wheat bread are examples of good carbs.
MOTIVATE YOURSELF
You should train your mind as hard as you train your body. Visualize yourself running a great race, and think positive thoughts during your training. Information from marathonrookie.com
November 28, 2011 • 11
E-READERS VS. BOOKS
Will the new generation of digital readers replace traditional books? Lauren Simmons • AS Review
There is an influx of e-readers, or electronic reading devices, such as Nooks and Kindles taking over the literary circuit, leaving real, tangible, books and literature on the shelves. According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism and The Economist Group, 11 percent of U.S adults own a tablet computer of some kind, and 77 percent of them use the tablet every day; only 17 percent of them read books on the device. The differences between these two types of reading materials are vast and have affected society - particularly students, bookstores and authors - in many ways. Heather Wrenn, a senior at Western, uses a Kindle. The e-reader was a gift from her mother at the beginning of fall quarter. Wrenn, a business administration and psychology major, uses her Kindle for textbooks and pleasure reading. “You have multiple books at your fingertips,” Wrenn said. “Not to mention, I’ve never come across something that costs more money on a Kindle.” Using a Kindle instead of textbooks lightens her load and helps her save money, Wrenn said. In terms of purchasing actual books anymore, she only has to buy real books when they are not available for Kindle. The major downside for Kindle, Wrenn said, was that it is hard to share Kindle books unless the other person has a Kindle. When choosing between e-readers or real books, Western’s Wilson Library Reference Librarian Paul Piper’s preference was books. “I use both, and I guess I still like books as objects,”
KUGS from page 8 Davidson. Though the show’s leadership has changed, its purpose has remained the same: to showcase music that represents all of Hawaii. KUGS General Manager Jamie Hoover said “Na Mele O Hawaii” lends a strong element of diversity to the station’s programming, and it gives listeners an opportunity to hear authentic Hawaiian music. Davidson said she thinks most people think of Hawaiian music as the sort of “twangy tourist” music that is played in Hawaii’s hotels and resorts, as well as in Hawaiian-associated mainstream media. She said traditional native Hawaiian music usually consists solely of mono-tonal chants, until Western culture began to influence the genre’s style. From there, Hawaiian music picked up elements of jazz, blues and reggae, and incorporated it with Hawaiian language and instruments, forming a unique sound. Davidson said she wants listeners to get a better grasp on native Hawaiian
Photo illustration by Joe Rudko//AS Review
Piper said. His preference could change, Piper said, as the e-reader devices evolve and more books become available on them. Piper said the books available for purchase on e-readers are inexpensive, costing about $9 or $10 through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Google Books, for example. Certain older books, are usually cheaper and sometimes free. For another perspective on the e-reader phenomenon, Pam Beason, a Bellingham author, explained her thoughts. “Personally, I love physical books so it disturbs me to see a lot of the shelf space going away and the availability of those physical books, too,” Beason said. “I have very mixed emotions about it.” Beason, who lives in Bellingham, favors books as a reader, citing factors such as the covers of actual books and the ability to recollect words on printed pages. “My brain is trained to the printed page; it’s easier to remember, ‘Oh, I read something about that two pages back,’ and scroll back and find it physically,” Beason said. “Somehow, it’s easier for me to remember things off a printed page in a traditional book than it is to read
things from, what is in essence, a computer screen.” Because they have a certain convenience in size and capabilities, Beason said she does plan to purchase an e-reader but is waiting until after the holiday season when reviews have come out. Beason said she also values the market of e-readers as an author. After publishing four e-books, Beason said she appreciates how easy it is to have her books self-published online. The traditional publishing business moves at a “glacial speed, “ she said, so it’s beneficial to put an ebook online and start making money right away. For a librarian and an author, the prevalence of literature being digitized directly affects their professions, but as a consumer, one must take into account their own reading preferences – on a screen or on a page.
culture through the music on “Na Mele O Hawaii.” “My motivation is just to teach people that there’s more to Hawaii than sun and beach,” Davidson said. “There’s a culture there, there’s an understanding there, and there is a language there.” The two hosts switch between co-hosting shows together and taking turns independently hosting “Na Mele O Hawaii” from week to week. Davidson said that they each have their own musical style when hosting the program. “[Kanani] plays a different sound than I do. It's a different flavor. It's younger and more eclectic than I am,” Davidson said. “I tend to play more traditional [music].” Davidson associates misconceptions of Hawaii with the typical tourist experience when “outsiders” visit the island. She said that tourists usually stay isolated in their resorts and hotels, and as a result, are sheltered from many societal and economic problems that families in Hawaii face. In particular, the separation of wealth
between extremely rich residents and extremely poor residents is a prevalent and growing problem in the state, Davidson said. “The last time I went home, it was horrible. I could just cut the tension with a knife,” Davidson said. “[In order to survive, many families in Hawaii] work two jobs to make pay, they have multiple families in one house, and the outsiders don't want to see it.” Davidson said the greatest part about hosting “Na Mele O Hawaii” is learning about her homeland and people through researching the songs, artists and Hawaiian lyrics aired on the program. “I’m educating myself more about my history and my culture. I grew up in a time where to be Hawaiian was not accepted. Everybody was trying to hide being Hawaiian, where today that’s totally different,” Davidson said. “I’ve learned more about my heritage than anything else, and then I can pass that on to my kids and grandkids.”
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Photo illustration by Joe Rudko//AS Review
TIPS FOR EATING LOCALLY-GROWN FOOD DURING THE HOLIDAYS Anna Atkinson • AS Review
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he holidays are about family and friends, and having that little bit of extra time to finish homework. But when it comes down to it, this American holiday is characterized in no small part by food. This year, do something new and try cooking a holiday feast with locallygrown ingredients for a more sustainable approach to the holiday festivities.
Beef Pot Roast
Directions: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour vegetable oil into a large oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Season the chuck roast with salt and black pepper. Brown the meat on both sides in the hot oil, and transfer to a plate. Stir carrots, celery and onion into the pot, and cook and stir until vegetables start to release their juices, which takes about 3 minutes.
Loosen any brown flavor bits on the bottom of the pot Add butter, and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Then sprinkle in rosemary, stir the vegetables, and return the roast to the pot. Cover the pot with a lid. Roast in the preheated oven until the chuck roast is tender, about 2.5 to 3 hours. Season vegetables with additional salt and black pepper, if desired.
Green Bean Casserole
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour half the beans into casserole; cover with half the soup. Place half the onion rings over soup.
Add remaining beans and soup. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes. Remove from oven; cover with remaining onion rings. Return to oven and bake 5 minutes longer.
Chicken
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Stuff the bird with the prepared stuffing and rub the skin with the olive oil. Cut one lemon in half; cover the opening of the bird with a lemon half and stuffing (save the other half for garnish.)
Pour the juice of the second lemon over the bird. Season the bird with the salt, paprika, rosemary and sage. Cover and bake in preheated oven for 1 to 2 hours. Remove the cover half way through baking to brown. Baste often.
Ingredients: • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil • 3 1/2 pounds beef • 2 teaspoons salt • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper • 1 cup diced carrots • 1 cup diced celery • 1 cup diced onion • 1/4 cup butter • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Buy from local vendors, who sell locally grown products. This may seem a little complicated, but in Bellingham, it’s easier than it sounds. Local produce and meat is sold at the Community Food Co-Op, or the farmer’s market on James Street. Find your vegetables, meat, dairy and bread at these places. You can also support bakeries such as Avenue Bread and the Mount Bakery. Most of your traditional holiday recipes can include local ingredients without much alteration. Just buy locally-grown veggies and meat.
Be creative. Try something other than Turkey. Can’t find traditional Thanksgiving turkey from Bellingham? Try serving other locally -raised meats such as beef from Skagit Valley Beef. You will be supporting local vendors and your family, and friends may appreciate a change of pace. Here are some simple recipes to try:
Ingredients: • 3 cups of locally grown green beans • 1 can cream of mushroom soup • 1 (3 1/2 oz.) can French fried onion rings
Ingredients: • 1 (3 pound) whole chicken • 2 cups stuffing mix • 2 lemons • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon paprika • 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary • 1/4 teaspoon dried sage • 2 tablespoons olive oil
recipes compiled from allrecipes.com
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Viking Union 411 516 High St. Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone: 360.650.6126 Fax: 360.650.6507 Email: as.review@wwu.edu Online: as.wwu.edu/asreview @theasreview facebook.com/theasreview
©2011. Published most Mondays during the school year by the Associated Students of Western Washington University. We are a student-produced, alternative campus weekly covering news and events that are of interest to the Western community. We support all programs, offices and clubs affiliated with the AS. We have a direct connection to the AS Borard of Directors, and although we report on board actions objectively, our relationship should be made clear. Submissions: We welcome reader submissions, including news articles, literary pieces, photography, artwork or anything else physically printable. Email submissions, or send them to the mailing address above. They will be returned as long as you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Letters: We also welcome letters to the editor. Please limit your letter to 300 words and include your name and phone number. Published letters may have minor edits made to their length or grammar, if necessary. Calendar/Ads: We don’t sell ad space. Sorry. Email as.review@ wwu.edu to have an event listed in the calendar.
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Staff Writers
Kirsten O’Brien
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Adviser
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Evan Marczynski Grace Moore Anna Atkinson Eriver Eugenio Nick Markman Lauren Simmons Megan Thompson
NEWS / FEATURES
In This Issue:
A piece on display in the Viking Union Gallery as part of the “Everything Small” exhibit. The exhibit ended Nov. 18. Photo by Cade Schmidt//AS Review
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DUDE, WHERE’S MY MAC?
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MICHAEL VENDIOLA
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Numerous laptop thefts have been reported in Bellingham neighborhoods Ethnic Student Center says goodbye
ADDERALL & OTHER DRUGS
Do “study drugs” hinder or hurt?
ALL-NIGHTERS
Late night study sessions that never end
YOU ARE LISTENING TO KUGS FM BELLINGHAM
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VOLUNTEERISM
A list of places to give back, both on and off campus
MARATHONS
Tips on how to run 26.2 miles
11
BOOKS
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HOLIDAY FOOD, LOCAL STYLE
Do e-readers beat traditional books?
How to create festive meals with local ingredients
A look at two of the station’s longest-running shows
Ben Hatherton-Zemani explains the myths and realities of sexual assault. Hatherton-Zemani was the keynote speaker at Take Back the Night, an event hosted by the Associated Students Women’s Center on Nov. 17 to raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault. Photo by Cade Schmidt//AS Review
November 28, 2011 • 3
EVENTS
DEATH & DIGNITY
NOV 28 - DEC 2 Monday Nov 28
Fall into Dance
Let’s Talk about Sex
6 p.m., Viking Union 552 Free The Associated Students Sexual Awareness Center will screen James Houston’s award-winning documentary, “Let’s Talk about Sex.” The 2009 film explores American attitudes toward adolescent sexuality.
Tuesday Nov 29
BANFF Mountain Film Festival 7:30 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre $7 with Western ID, $10 general
The BANFF Mountain Film Festival is an international film competition and an annual presentation of short films and documentaries about mountain culture, sports and the environment.
Wednesday Nov 30 Death and Dignity
6 p.m., Academic Instructional Center 304 Free
Megan Thompson • AS Review
7:30 to 9:30 p.m., Performing Arts Center Mainstage Theater Dec. 1- Dec. 3 $8 with Western ID, $12 general Fall into Dance showcases original choreography by students in a dance choreography class. This student-created concert pushes boundaries while celebrating a variety of dance styles.
Friday Dec 2 Homocoming
8 p.m. to midnight, VU Multipurpose Room $1 with Western ID, $3 general The AS Queer Resource Center will host a genderinclusive, semi-formal dance.
Saturday Dec 3
It’s Magic! magic show Se e on story t rig he ht
The AS Disability Outreach Center will host a discussion about a patient’s right to receive lethal medication to end their life in the face of a terminal illness.
8 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre $20 to $45 This event will feature five magic and variety artists from around the globe, including artists who have performed in Europe, Asia, Las Vegas and Hollywood’s Magic Castle.
Thursday Dec 1
Children’s and young adult book sale
10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wilson Library sixth floor Free The library will be selling hundreds of new children’s and young adult books. Hardback books will be $5 and paperbacks will be $2. Proceeds from the book sale will benefit the 2012 Western Children’s Literature Conference. The sale is open to the public.
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Imagine being young, seemingly healthy and fit, and then suddenly finding out you have a terminal illness and will only live a maximum of two years. This happened to Western psychology professor Ethan Remmel in 2010 at age 40. On June 13, 2011, Remmel decided to end his life using a lethal dose of medication under Washington state’s Death with Dignity law, which was passed in 2008. Remmel lived in Bellingham with his partner Grace Wang, an associate professor at Huxley College of the Environment, and his two sons, Seth and Miles. After feeling mild stomach pain before a trip to Mexico, Remmel sought medical attention when the pain increased. He was later diagnosed with stage-four colon cancer. He lived for about a year after his diagnosis. Death and Dignity, an event put on by both the Associated Students Disability Outreach Center and the AS Social Issues Resource Center, will explore the history of lethal medication and discuss current issues related to the topic. The presentation takes place at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 30, in Academic Instructional Center 304. Free tea and snacks will be provided. “We want to promote students to think about [Death with Dignity] in a different mindset,” DOC Coordinator Brandi Ball said. “When they form an opinion, we want them to be very educated about it.” To create that different mindset, Ball wants to disassociate committing suicide with choosing to take lethal medication, because the two are very different, she said. Diana Ash, DOC support staff, said the first part of the presentation will look at the history of legally prescribed lethal medication, the Washington state Death with Dignity law and Remmel’s decision to end his life. The presentation will also focus on lethal medication issues within Whatcom County, Ball said. Ball and AS Social Issues Resource Center Coordinator Saraswati Noel will present and discuss the demographic trends related to lethal medication use, showing which people use it the most and how common its use is nationwide. After the presentation, Noel and Ball will facilitate a discussion about the issue, Noel said. Noel and Ball want students to create an open dialogue about the issue rather than a debate. The event will encourage students to voice their opinions and personal experiences with lethal medication, Noel said. Though the event was not planned in relation to Remmel’s death, Ball and Ash learned about his story when they began research for the presentation. “Mentioning [Remmel] is something that brings this issue home,” Ball said.
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THE MISSING MACINTOSHES
A recent series of laptop thefts in Bellingham neighborhoods keep students on their guard Eriver Eugenio • AS Review
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pple products, such as iPods and MacBooks, have been the target of several burglaries and break-ins that have recently occurred in the surrounding campus area. Western senior Kelsey Williams is one of the many Western students who have had the misfortune of finding her MacBook missing when she got home. “It was a sinking feeling,” Williams said. Williams came home from work at around 11 p.m. to find the porch lights off and the door unlocked, she said. “I looked over where my MacBook [should have been] sitting on the couch and it was gone,” Williams said. Realizing her home had been broken into, Williams immediately called the police and was told by an officer she was the 27th person to report her MacBook was stolen. The police also told Williams that break-ins and theft of Apple products began last year, she said. Williams said she assumes the burglars came in through the window in her kitchen, which she and her roommate left slightly open when they left the house. Bellingham Public Information Officer Mark Young said 60 percent of the burglaries reported to the Bellingham Police Department have been due to unlocked doors and windows. “People are just walking right in,” Young said. Cynthia Bach, manager of WWU Properties, said there is a lot of risk in leaving windows and doors unlocked. “All the break-ins that the tenants have had have been through unlocked windows and unlocked doors or partially opened windows,” Bach said. Although many of the robberies have been due to unlocked doors and windows, Western senior Greg Meyer had his laptop stolen from
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his house even with his doors locked and windows closed. Meyer and his roommates went to go see a movie in early November and were gone for roughly two hours before returning home, Meyer said. “We went to make some food and I went upstairs and noticed my laptop was gone,” Meyer said. “My roommates’ laptops were gone along with my iPod.” Meyer and his roommates assume that whoever broke into their home used some sort of card to unlock the front door or they merely picked it, Meyer said. Young said he is not surprised Apple products are being targeted due to their high cost. Items such as MacBooks and iPods are more expensive and just as easy to steal as any other laptop so the burglars are going to target them first, Young said. Williams said she thinks Apple products are being targeted due to popularity amongst college students. “They’re the hip ‘it product’ right now,” Williams said. “Everyone has them.” Both Bach and Williams agree that these burglaries mean more than just losing a laptop. “It’s a huge investment,” Williams said. “Mine was
Whoever is stealing it - for extra cash, for a thrill, for money, for drugs - they get that, but they’re not realizing they’re really messing up people’s lives.
-Greg Meyer, Western senior
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$1,099 plus tax, so it ends up being $1,300 and you have to buy [Microsoft] Word for it, so it’s a big cost.” For Meyer, the impact of losing his MacBook was not just financial, but educational as well. Meyer and his roommate have lost papers, pictures and other files they did not have backed up, Meyer said. “Whoever is stealing it - for extra cash, for a thrill, for money, for drugs - they get that, but they’re not realizing they’re really messing up people’s lives,” Meyer said. “I was working on a paper. I’m really backed up in school and it’s really screwed up my quarter.” To prevent further break-ins, Bach urges her tenants to lock their doors, leave their lights on and look out for one another. “People just need to be careful and watch out for their neighbors,” Bach said. “People need to take a more neighborhood-watch approach to things.” Bach and Young also suggested getting renter’s insurance to minimize the effects of their property being stolen. Meyer said it would also be wise to invest in a tethering kit to keep laptops and MacBooks locked down, and to sign up for Apple’s “Find my Mac” service, which will help people locate their items if they’ve been stolen or gone missing. Young advises anyone who has their home broken into to call Bellingham Police immediately so an investigation can be started as soon as possible. As for those committing the break-ins and robberies, Williams is optimistic the perpetrators will be found. “The person is still stealing and the more the person steals, the more likely they’ll be caught,” Williams said. “They’re going to leave a fingerprint behind or a glove behind. They’re going to make a mistake and that’s kind of my hope.” the
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CRIME IN THE ‘HAM
A look at theft statistics from around some of Bellingham’s neighborhoods in 2011
York
Number of thefts reported as of November 2011: 80 Month with highest incidence of thefts reported: October, 13 reported thefts
Sehome
Number of thefts reported as of November 2011: 141 Month with highest incidence of thefts reported: August, 21 reported thefts
Lettered Streets
Number of thefts reported as of November 2011: 66 Month with highest incidence of thefts reported: October, 10 reported thefts
The following statistics were taken from the 2011 Bellingham Police Department crime statistics report on the City of Bellingham website. The statistics include all theft reports as of November 2011, and are not necessarily all Macintosh laptops.
November 28, 2011 • 5
LEAVING A LEGACY
Michael Vendiola, Ethnic Student Center adviser, steps down after 14 years Lauren Simmons • AS Review
“It’s going to be like losing a father figure,” said Daniel Espinoza-Gonzalez,
Shock, the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and the ESC Conference. Espinoza-Gonzalez said Vendiola does much more than just supervise individuals in the ESC. “He’s also a life adviser,” Espinoza-Gonzalez said.
with student leadership, ESC clubs have raised money for five student scholarships. Vendiola explained that the ability to collaborate and work with other groups on campus and in the comprogram coordinator at Western’s Associated Students munity stands as a model of the ESC. Vendiola said Ethnic Student Center. Espinoza-Gonzalez is referring most other schools have these clubs, to Michael Vendiola, longtime activities but they don’t always work with one coordinator and adviser for the ESC. another. Paguio said that the collaboraVendiola announced in a memo on Oct. tive and close-knit atmosphere in the 26 that he was stepping down from his ESC is something that can be largely position. Vendiola said he wants to use his attributed to Vendiola. leadership skills and give back to his com“When you think of student centers, munity. He is a member of the Swinomish you might think of these places that tribe, located on the southeastern end of treat you like you walk into a clinic Fidalgo Island, a few miles east of the city and you need some sort of help or they of Anacortes and a few miles west of Mount try and service you in some way, but Vernon. with Michael being there, he is the one He has held his position at Western for that really makes it feel like a family,” 14 years, and is confident in handing over Paguio said. “He is everyone’s dad, he the reins to bring in new energy and new is everyone’s brother, he is everyone’s innovation to the ESC. uncle.” Vendiola’s last day at the ESC was Nov. A few hopes for the future of the 23. Robel Paguio, ESC public relations ESC include stronger faculty and coordinator, said there will be an interim alumni support and involvement, the coordinator who will take Vendiola’s place re-evaluation of students involved in for the remaining weeks of fall quarter and the center and the institution of more into winter quarter. activities, Vendiola said. The ESC also He said he was not sure how long the needs a larger space. process to find a permanent replacement “Originally [it was a space] for five for Vendiola would take. clubs, and we’ve grown to 13 – we cerThe ESC, located on the fourth floor of tainly have the need,” Vendiola said. the Viking Union, was established with the Vendiola said his fondest memo. help and leadership of Vendiola 20 years ries include observations of personal ago. He was involved in various ethnic stugrowth of the members in the ESC. dent associations, and there was not a space For example, the ESC Conference that for the organizations to plan and organize happens every fall quarter is a dynamic the types of events they wanted to see on time for all students involved, Vendiola campus, Vendiola said. said. Since Vendiola’s announcement, “The freshmen there are growing Espinoza-Gonzalez said it is vital for the their roots at Western, and there is an members and leaders of the ESC to come underlying theme of upperclassman together and determine how they are all go- Michael Vendiola holds a plate a student made for him in his office on Nov. 9. The walls of Vendiola’s office taking an unspoken role of mentoring to carry on what Vendiola has created. display a large collection of thank-you cards, gifts from students and pictures of his children. ing and supporting the new students,” “As an ESC community, with his deparPhoto by Cade Schmidt//AS Review Vendiola said. ture, we’re going to have to encourage and Espinoza-Gonzalez said that even afsupport one another and start thinking “[He’s] a really good go-to person if you ever need a ter the loss of Vendiola’s leadership, the members of the about ways that we as a family – as an ESC – can move pick me up or if you just wanna laugh and have a good ESC will grow even closer together. “Robel [Paguio] on without this great leader,” Espinoza-Gonzalez said. time.” and I have joked about it, but we’re absolutely honest Vendiola described his role at the ESC as the adviser Vendiola’s leadership at the ESC has established a like ‘he’s leaving his two sons,” Espinoza-Gonzalez said. to the ethnic and cultural clubs on Western’s campus. number of notable programs and events within the “He has taught us all, and now we are to go forth and His position also oversees the center itself, and assists center, as well as through Western itself. In conjunction continue his life’s mission.” in planning ESC-sponsored events including Culture the
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STUDY DRUGS
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As finals week approaches, some may turn to ADHD drugs for an added concentration boost Nick Markman • AS Review
Studies have shown, time and time again, that increased drug abuse in college students leads to higher dropout rates. The nonmedical use of the prescription drug Adderall seems to contradict this. When students without prescriptions for Adderall use the drug, they may be doing so to increase academic focus and performance. The common “study drugs,” Adderall, Ritalin and Dexedrine, are all prescribed stimulants used for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Adderall is commonly used to treat adults with ADHD. The drug’s mix of amphetamine salts helps increase levels of Adderall is a commonly prescribed drug used dopamine and norepinephrine in to treat adult ADHD. The disorder affects the brain. The increase helps balance approximately 3 to 5 percent of school-age chemical concentrations in the brains children and an estimated 60 percent of those of people with ADHD, allowing them will maintain the disorder into adulthood. to focus better. Photos by Cade Schmidt//AS Review Dr. Emily Gibson, director of Information from webmd.com Western’s Student Health Center, said in an email that students may associate Adderall with an increased “If you’ve gone this far without it, then you’re not going to need it because you have your ability to study because individuals feel the medication helps them focus own ability to focus. Adderall is not going to help you beyond your absolute potential.” for long amounts of time. -Anonymous Western junior Like all amphetamines, Adderall can cause chemical dependency scribed Adderall to friends and peers. He said he Adderall for the first time stay away from it entirely. among users, Gibson said. Common side effects include receives 60 15-mg Adderall extended release pills each “If you’ve gone this far without it, then you’re not increased heart rate and blood pressure, weight loss month. Of these 60, he said he will usually sell 45 of going to need it because you have your own ability and the possible development of permanent motor them and keep 15 for personal use. The fluctuating deto focus,” he said. “Adderall is not going to help you tics. Gibson said there is conflicting data on whether mand for Adderall throughout the academic year allows beyond your absolute potential. So if something is too Adderall use can increase the risk of sudden cardiac him to vary his prices. He said he usually charges $5 per challenging for you, it’s just challenging, and you should death. pill, but during dead week and finals week, he can get focus on your own way to deal with it.” To get a prescription for Adderall from the health up to $10 per pill. Students may use Adderall when they have to cram center, students need to be diagnosed with ADHD In Washington, the small-scale illegal sale of ama lot of work into a short amount of time. However, through a lengthy process, which includes a complete phetamines, those involving less than 2 kilograms, is a Barbara Quick, assistant director of learning support neural-psychological evaluation, documented evidence class B felony and can result in up to 10 years in prison services at Western’s Tutoring Center, said cramming of poor academic performance and a thorough medical and fines up to $25,000, according the state’s Uniform is not the way to go. She said students should spend at history of past symptoms, Gibson said. Controlled Substances Act. least 10 minutes per class each day reviewing notes, and “It is never as simple as, ‘I can’t focus, or I can’t stay “I was never prescribed as much as I am until I went at least 30 minutes per class at the end of each week to on task and my roommate’s Adderall helped,’” Gibson to college,” he said. “I’m prescribed two-a-day, every integrate everything they learned. By dividing work said. “Potentially anyone would concentrate more efday except for weekends, and I would never take more into manageable pieces, Quick said that students could fectively under the influence of stimulants, but it doesn’t than three pills a week, just because it definitely changes increase their long-term memory and avoid some of the mean they have ADHD.” me and my personality.” situations that may lead them to use Adderall to stay In response to the difficult nature of acquiring a He said that while Adderall does help him focus and awake and study. prescription, an underground market for Adderall has do well in school, occasional side effects, such as loss “If you’re not functioning well physically, you’re not evolved. of appetite, mood swings and social awkwardness, lead going to be able to concentrate and do well on the test,” One Western junior, a communication major who him to take less than he is prescribed. Even though he Quick said. “Do get enough sleep and do eat well before asked to remain anonymous, regularly sells his presells the drug, he suggests that students seeking to use a test, even if you’re in a cramming situation.” the
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November 28, 2011 • 7
NO REST FOR THE WEARY
While students sacrifice sleep for better test scores, some may not realize the negative effects Eriver Eugenio • AS Review
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ith dead week in full-swing and finals coming up, this may mean more Western students staying up late studying and pulling allnighters. Although depriving the body of sleep has negative effects, Western junior Amy Holm finds all-nighters to be helpful. Holm said that although she could benefit from starting her class work at an earlier time, she feels waiting until the night before helps her focus and stay on task. “I find all-nighters mentally helpful,” Holm said. “It’s like, ‘oh, I’m spending a really long time studying for this test’ or, ‘oh, I’m spending a really long time writing this paper.’” Holm said she usually pulls all-nighters or stays up fairly late most often to complete essays and articles. “All-nighters are more helpful when you really have something you have to finish,” Holm said. Though some students may find staying up late helpful, Sue Seelig, lead sleep technologist at the
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PeaceHealth Sleep Disorder Center in Bellingham, said staying up all night to study is a big mistake, especially for final exams. “You really need to put a couple hours aside and start studying a week or two before hand,” Seelig said, who evaluates, identifies and treats problems related to sleep. “You remember things in 10-minute increments for studying purposes. Your brain remembers the first couple things and the last couple things, but doesn’t remember the things in the middle.” Staying up all night has other negative effects besides hindering the ability to remember what’s being studied, Seelig said. When the body is deprived of sleep, the body begins to hallucinate and paranoia may ensue, Seelig said. Emily Gibson, medical director of Western’s Health Center, said in an email that sleep deprivation can result in irritability, poor judgment and poor impulse control. Seelig said one of the biggest problems with pulling all-nighters is the disruption of the body’s circadian
rhythm: the body’s cycle, which tells the body when to stay awake and when to go to sleep, Seelig said. “After you stay up all night your body learns not to sleep at its normal time,” Seelig said. Holm said she has also experienced this problem. After pulling an all-nighter, Holm said she will feel awake and energetic in the morning, but can’t stop herself from sleeping once the late afternoon hits. While Holm agrees that all-nighters may not be the best way to study for exams or finish her essays, shesaid they help relieve some of the time crunch many college students have. “I’ve always thought there should be more hours in a day and I get that if I don’t sleep,” Holm said with a laugh. Seelig’s best suggestion for dead week and finals week is to always start the day off right to help memory retention and relieve stress. “The best thing I can recommend is seven hours of sleep,” Seelig said. “If you want to do good on the exam, eat a good breakfast and get a good night’s sleep.” the
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EASY LISTENIN’
A listen into the unique sounds of two of KUGS’ longest running radio programs Nick Markman • AS Review There are more than 40 different programs at KUGS 89.3 FM, Western’s student-operated radio station. Out of all the shows on KUGS, “Yellow Radio” and “Na Mele O Hawaii” are of particular interest. In addition to being the only two nonstudent-run programs on KUGS, “Yellow Radio” and “Na Mele O Hawaii” are also the station’s longest running shows. For many years, these programs have provided students with new and diverse music and have also served as informational and explorative mediums for the hosts who run them.
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“Yellow Radio”
If you listen to KUGS on Saturday between 4 and 6 p.m, what you hear might confuse you. You may interpret the seemingly random noises, sounds and silences as a sign to fix your radio, but do not fear, you are simply tuned in to “Yellow Radio.” “Yellow Radio” provides listeners with a wide range of experimental, electro-acoustic and electronic music, as well as noise and sound-art music. The show is hosted and produced by Sebastian Mendes, a Western associate professor of arts. In his promo for the show, Mendes said, “‘Yellow Radio” is for those who take their sonic universe seriously. ... Get ready for the sounds of ugliness and beauty, even a terrible beauty.” “Yellow Radio” is in its ninth year of production, making it the station’s second-longest-running show. As an experimental program, Mendes uses the program to showcase a variety of unusual music, recordings and noises from the 20th century up to the present day. He is the only faculty member currently hosting a show on KUGS. “I think it’s a great program,” KUGS Program Director Lauren Stelling said. “It’s kind of one of those programs where [Mendes] has really done what he wants with it, and I think he has done it well.” Every Saturday morning, Mendes gets his coffee and enters the studio outside of his home. He proceeds to select a setlist for the show from his expansive collection of thousands of CDs and vinyl records. From there, Mendes edits the playlist down on his computer to fit the two-hour span of “Yellow Radio.” At around 3:15 p.m., Mendes heads to the KUGS studio, located on the seventh floor of the Viking Union, to start his show. “I won’t say I’m not interested in what listeners might think about the show, but the absolute most important thing for me is that by producing this show on a regular basis, it keeps me connected to new and unusual music that I’ve had an interest in it for a really long time,” Mendes said. “Yellow Radio” is sometimes thematic, where every piece of audio shares a commonality. Two shows in November dealt with the subject of noise. Mendes
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Sebastian Mendez sits in his studio where he compiles his playlist every Saturday for Yellow Radio. Photo by Joe Rudko//AS Review
played works such as “Industrial Noise,” a 10-minute recording of industrial sounds composed by Laibach, an avant-garde musical group. “Noise is kind of a modern concept,” Mendes said. “I think that as the industrial revolution came, the idea of noise as a negative thing has increased in people’s minds and ears to the extent that modern people have desensitized themselves and sort of tuned out the acoustic world that surrounds us.” Mendes plans to host a future “Yellow Radio” show on breath. He plans to feature recordings of wind from across the globe, whale songs, Inuit throat-chants and a self-made three-minute recording of Western’s steam whistle, “Big Ole,” which Mendes said is comparable to an industrial breath. “While I may not assign a particular theme to each and every show, I try to have some cohesiveness. I don’t have a real goal for my programming or anything like that, it’s an exploration,” Mendes said. “I’m just open to really experiencing as wide a range of music and sound art as I possibly can.”
“Na Mele O Hawaii”
Sandy beaches, tropical drinks, tanned women adorned in elaborate leis, luaus and brightly-colored, flowered shirts: these mainstream perceptions of Hawaii permeate throughout the continental U.S, creating a distorted view of the tropical state. “Na Mele O Hawaii,” which airs Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m, aims to inform listeners that there is more to Hawaii and its culture than many may think. “Na Mele O Hawaii” has been on air for more than 20 years, making it the longest-running program on KUGS. The original host, Cliff Kawana, was a Bellingham community member from Hawaii who had a passion for Hawaiian music. Kawana hosted the show for 12 years before the current host, Bernadette Davidson, took over. Davidson, a Hawaiian native and a Western staff member in the Registrar’s office, has run “Na Mele O Hawaii” for more than a decade, and for the last five years she has shared the show with co-host Kanani
See KUGS on page 11
November 28, 2011 • 9
‘TIS THE SEASON
A variety of on-campus organizations allow student to give back to their community Anna Atkinson • AS Review
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s the holiday season approaches and the quarter comes to an end, students may want to give back to the community in the form of volunteering. Clubs on campus, such as the Red Cross club, Student Homeless Outreach Team and others provide opportunities for students to serve. Groups such as Learning Environment Action Discovey (LEAD) at Western, may not provide service opportunities over break, but allow students to participate in projects during the quarter. LEAD allows students to do volunteer maintenance at the Outback Farm on campus as well as a number of other community environmental restoration and clean-up projects. Many students also participate in curriculum that has volunteer work built into it. Service-learning classes, such as the Campus Sustainability Planning Studio, allow students to serve the Western community and get credit for it. The course allows student teams to research and propose sustainable solutions in areas such as energy consumption, transportation and waste reduction. Some students choose to serve on an individual basis by joining clubs that serve the community. Western Student Homeless Outreach Team hosts the “Be Our Guest” event, in which students are asked to donate the
leftover meals from their meal plans to hungry members of the community at the end of the quarter. Participants are also encouraged to sit down and join their guests during the meal, club member Alexandra Dammarell said. “We are hoping to see a large turnout of students to donate meals and also anyone who wants to volunteer at the event ,” Dammarell said. Even if students do not have a meal plan, Dammarell said they are encouraged to attend the event. This quarter, it will be held on Friday, Dec. 2. For those interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities, the Center for Service-Learning in Wilson Library 481 hosts a member of the Whatcom Volunteer Center each Thursday from noon to 4 p.m. to answer questions and help connect students to community volunteer opportunities. The Whatcom Volunteer Center, located on 725 N. State St., is a community organization that aims to give people volunteer opportunities through different non-profits and community projects. This year, the Center for Service-Learning is organizing monthly, one-time volunteer events that students can sign up for in the center, said Alex Allyne, ServiceLearning coordinator. These opportunities are good for students who would like to volunteer, but do not have
THE SCHOLARS SCHOOL WESTERN
MC Geologic of the Blue Scholars pumps up the crowd. Photo by Cade Schmidt//AS Review
the time in their The W schedules to comes Hom e less tern Stud mit to volunteerO en utrea host ch Te t the “ ing on a regular am w Be O ur Gu ill basis, she said. est” on D even Stud e c Students who t . en 2. mea ts can do wish to volunteer ls fro nate m th more regularly eir m leftover ea t may meet with com o hungry l plans m unity Dan Hammill, mem bers Whatcom . Volunteer Center program coordinator. He is in the center every Thursday. The Center for Service-Learning creates opportunities that help faculty integrate hands-on learning into classroom curriculum, Allyne said. If students are interested in taking a class that has a service-learning component, they can search for service-learning classes on the Western website using Classfinder, she said. Winter 2012 is the first quarter this search term is available on the scheduling tool, she said. Students who wish to participate in service-learning classes in the future should continue to check Classfinder. She said she thinks more faculty will begin to use the tool for their service-learning classes. the
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The Blue Scholars, Scribes, Brothers from Another and Dyno Jamz performed at Western on Nov. 19.
A Dyno Jamz MC takes the stage. The group was one of three opening acts. Photo by Cade Schmidt//AS Review