WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2009 • PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY • VOLUME 64, ISSUE 45
Special Section Do you bike to campus? The PSU Bicycle Advocacy Collective is hosting a free breakfast each morning this week for cyclists. Stop by and enjoy coffee, pastries and fruit with your fellow cyclists and learn more about PSUBAC.
When: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Where: Between SMSU and Neuberger Hall
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INSIDE NEWS Behind the Acronym: NWCCU Corporation accredits Northwest colleges PAGE 2 Financial aid reductions Oregon Opportunity Grant recipients to see less during spring term PAGE 3
Is BlackBoard on the way out? Two replacement finalists have been chosen Virginia Vickery Vanguard staff
Students are invited to try out and give feedback about two potential online Learning Management Systems (LMS) that could replace the current BlackBoard system, which has been used
under the former Web CT title for several years. “There is nothing [Portland State] can do to improve the product,” said Sharon Blanton, chief information officer. “It is pretty much at a stand still now because the company is working to develop new products instead of working to enhance the existing products. We did evaluate the new BlackBoard product but it did not appear to meet the needs of our faculty and students.”
The Advisory Committee on Academic Technologies has invited two finalists to campus to demonstrate their LMS solutions to faculty, staff and students. The systems, Remote-Learner and Desire2Learn, are designed to make teaching and learning online easier, according to a press release from the Office of Information Technologies. Students are invited to attend the demonstrations and provide
feedback, and refreshments will be served. “Faculty and students were surveyed last year to provide input as to the features and functionality they would like to see in a new product,” Blanton said. “At the earliest, we would like to have the new system in place for fall 2010, but it could very well take longer pending the outcome of the evaluations this month, contract negotiations, and scheduling.”
ARTS
Vampire books done right Dive into a book series that makes Twilight look dull PAGE 4
Nothin’ but a good time Reel Big Fish are back from the gutter...and look what they brought with them! PAGE 5
OPINION
Photo Illustration by Marni Cohen
Remote-Learner schedule Walmart tries again Don’t let another Walmart into Portland PAGE 6 The Rant and Rage Get your own damn change! PAGE 6
Core LMS demonstration How a course is created and managed, including posting files, quizzes assignments and discussions
Advanced features demonstration
Hands on guided practice
Jan. 14, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. SMSU, room 228 Jan. 15, 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. SMSU, room 236 (repeat session)
Jan. 14, 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. SMSU, room 228 Jan. 15, 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. SMSU, room 236 (repeat session)
Jan. 14, 11 a.m. to noon Broadway Housing Building, room 225 Jan. 15, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Broadway Housing Building, room 225 (repeat session) —OIT press release
Emphasis on advanced features such as calendars, intelligent communications, whiteboard, audio recovery and glossary
An opportunity to try out the software using test system based on actual Portland State courses
Desire2Learn schedule Core LMS demonstration How a course is created and managed, including posting files, quizzes assignments and discussions
Advanced features demonstration
Hands on guided practice
Jan. 20, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. SMSU room 228 Jan. 21, 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. SMSU room 228 (repeat session)
Jan. 20, 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. SMSU room 228 Jan. 21, 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. SMSU 228 (repeat session)
Jan. 20, 11 a.m. to noon Broadway Housing room 225 Jan. 21, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Broadway Housing room 225 (repeat session) —OIT press release
Emphasis on advanced features such as calendars, intelligent communications, whiteboard, audio recovery and glossary
An opportunity to try out the software using test system based on actual Portland State courses
Vanguard 2 | News January 6, 2010
NEWS
Sarah J. Christensen Editor-in-Chief
The 5th Avenue Cinema
Danielle Kulczyk News Editor Theodora Karatzas Arts & Culture Editor Richard D. Oxley Opinion Editor Robert Britt Sports Editor Shannon Vincent Production Manager Marni Cohen Photo Editor Zach Chastaine Online Editor Robert Seitzinger Copy Chief Robert Seitzinger Calendar Editor Jae Specht Advertising Manager Judson Randall Adviser Ann Roman Advertising Adviser Illustrator Kira Meyrick Associate News Editor Virginia Vickery Production Assistants Bryan Morgan, Charles Cooper Williams
Writers Kate Alexander, Will Blackford, Bianca Blankenship, Meaghan Daniels, Erica DeCouteau, Sarah Esterman, Amy Fylan, Natalia Grozina, Patrick Guild, Rosemary Hanson, Steve Haske, Nadya Ighani, Carrie Johnston, Mark Johnston, Zoe Kellett, Tamara K. Kennedy, Anita Kinney, Gogul Krishnan, J. Logue, James MacKenzie, Holly K. Millar, Wendy Shortman, Weston Smith, Catrice Stanley, Nilesh Tendolkar, Robin Tinker, Vinh Tran, Allison Whited Photographers Aaron Leopold, Rodrigo Melgarejo, Liana Shewey, Adam Wickham Copy Editors Noah Emmet, Amanda Gordon Advertising Sales Ana SanRoman, Jae Specht, Wesley Van Der Veen Advertising Designer Shannon Vincent Contact Editor-in-Chief 503-725-5691 editor@dailyvanguard.com Advertising Manager 503-725-5686 ads@dailyvanguard.com The Vanguard is chartered to publish four days a week as an independent student newspaper by the PSU Publications Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff, contributors and readers, and do not necessarily represent those of the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration. One copy of the Vanguard is provided free of charge to all community members, additional copies or subcription issues may incur a 25 cent charge. The Vanguard is printed on 40 percent post-consumer recycled paper. Copyright © 2009 Portland State University Vanguard 1825 SW Broadway, Smith Memorial Student Union, Rm. S-26, Portland, Ore., 97201
Liana Shewey/Portland State Vanguard
The 5th Avenue Cinema has been undergoing reconstruction to update the theater and classroom space since the beginning of fall term. The process is not finished, but so far the cinema has undergone some rewiring and received new seats, lights, carpet, dimmer lights and floor track lights. There is also new paint on the concrete floors and walls, as well as a brand new sound
system, updating the former system to theater quality. The wheelchair ramp, door placement and path to the bathroom have all been adjusted for easier and safer disabled access. Classes are still being held during the stages of construction. Check out the 5th Avenue Cinema soon, featuring The Fifth Element this weekend.
Behind the Acronym: NWCCU Corporation accredits Northwest colleges Tamara K. Kennedy Vanguard staff
Who they are The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) was founded in 1952 to accredit higher education institutions in the Pacific Northwest region. According to the NWCCU, institutions and students cannot get federal funding for teaching, research or financial aid without the commission’s accreditation. The NWCCU is a private, nonprofit corporation overseeing collegelevel institutions in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. According to Dr. Sandra E. Elman, NWCCU president, the institutions that the NWCCU accredits—besides such public universities as Portland State—include private universities, community colleges, research and religion-affiliated universities and tribal colleges, many of which are located on reservations. The U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognize the NWCCU and the commission oversees regional accreditation for 163 institutions in the Pacific Northwest.
The organization consists of up to 26 commissioners who represent the public and the diversity of higher education institutions. Shawn Smallman, vice provost for instruction and dean of undergraduate students, is Portland State’s institutional liaison officer. Smallman serves on evaluation committees, making site visits to other institutions and attending regional NWCCU meetings, according to Robert Halstead, assistant to the vice provost for instruction. The NWCCU mission statement is “to assure educational quality, enhance institutional effectiveness… through analytical institutional selfassessment and critical peer review.” Halstead explained that events were held last year in four cities, including Portland, where the members of the organization voted on new changes to the accreditation cycle. Halstead expects results to be posted by Jan. 14, 2010. “The commission will reaffirm the membership’s vote on the new standards and the new cycle at its January 2010 meeting,” Elman said. The organization is in the last stages of approving a new set of standards and a new cycle for evaluation reviews that will change in 2011, according to Elman. Elman said the cycle for evaluation reviews will change from a 10-year cycle to a seven-year cycle. She noted that the changes do not
imply a change in the mission, only part of the process. Elman sees the process as an opportunity to address standards that are out of compliance. “We have had to terminate the accreditation of an institution but it is rare,” Elman said. According to Elman, an institution sometimes closes or withdraws its own accreditation.
Their impact at Portland State Portland State became accredited by the NWCCU in 1955 with bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees. The school is currently accredited through regular reviews of its various programs, and currently the school is working to fulfill its next interim report. The change in evaluation cycles will be a complicated transition, according to Halstead. “Everything will be staggered so there is an equal amount of reports from the 10-year cycle and also the seven-year cycle,” Halstead said. According to Halstead, there are currently 10 standards that a university has to excel in. Every 10 years, institutions address 10 questions about these standards. Interim reports are due periodically and Portland State sent in a 10-year report in 2005, with an interim report due in the fall of 2010, Halstead said. The first key is quality of education
programs and faculty, according to Elman. “The most important thing is to protect the public interest and to honor the autonomy of our colleges and universities,” Elman said. What the NWCCU does not do is compare institutions or use a ranking or number system. “We evaluate an institution on its own merit in terms of the standards for accreditation,” Elman said. According to Elman, the evaluation is all about self-examination, because the institution provides the report on how well it is meeting standards and the evaluation committee validates what it is that the institution has said in its report, Elman said. “It is not whether or not we like the colors of the walls,” Elman said. She also said standards are what drive the process, such as faculty, financial stability, adequacy of library, physical facility, laboratories, governance and administration.
NWCCU accreditation categories - Institutional mission, goals, planning and effectiveness - Educational program effectiveness - Students - Faculty - Library - Grievance and administration - Finance - Physical facilities - Institutional integrity
Financial aid reductions Oregon Opportunity Grant recipients to see less during spring term Virginia Vickery Vanguard staff
Oregon students will see a reduction in their allocation of the Oregon Opportunity Grant beginning at the start of the 2010 spring semester, or, for students attending schools on the trimester system, the start of the spring term. The Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC) approved the reduction in order to balance a projected budget shortfall in its $57 million budget for 2009–10. Full-time students enrolled at Oregon two- and four-year
universities will receive a $120 reduction in their awards, and part-time students will receive a $60 enrollment reduction. The reductions are expected to affect up to 38,000 Oregon college students, according to a press release from OSAC. OSAC reports that the number of applications from students who meet general-grant eligibility requirements jumped nearly 29 percent by the end of November 2009, compared to the same time in 2008. With more than six months remaining in the 2009–10 cycle, financial aid applications from community college students alone are up another 44 percent over last year. Students applying for aid are in deeper need financially than previously projected, according to the press release.
The OSAC board is appointed by the governor to oversee the agency responsible for managing a variety of state-funded and privately funded grant and scholarship programs, including the Oregon Opportunity Grant. “The national recession and high unemployment rates are contributing factors to this surge in demand,” said Dennis Johnson, OSAC executive director. “More dependent students and older, married students with families applied for and were eligible for maximum awards than anticipated.” To help manage this shortfall, OSAC will submit a request to the Interim Joint Committee on Ways and Means for a supplemental allocation of $19.7 million in General Funds for the Oregon Opportunity Grant awards for the remainder
of the 2009-11 biennium. OSAC budgeted $57 million for the 2009–10 academic year, but has authorized awards for a projected $66.7 million. Of the requested $19.7 million in additional funds, $5 million would enable OSAC to replace the midyear cuts that students will face during the 2009–10 biennium. Approximately $15 million of the request money, if approved, will help fill the budget shortfall for the 2010–11 academic year. OSAC is encouraging students and families to continue the process of applying for financial aid by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible this calendar year. FAFSA determines a student’s eligibility for federal and state aid, including grants, scholarships and other financial aid.
Your world in brief
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP)—Rhode Island lawmakers voted Tuesday to allow same-sex and unmarried couples the right to plan the funerals of their late partners, overriding a veto by the governor, who warned it eroded traditional marriage. The bill passed 67–3 in the House and 31–3 in the Senate, and enjoyed support from several Republican lawmakers in the same party as Gov. Don Carcieri, an adamant opponent of same-sex marriage in a state that does not recognize gay unions. The new funeral planning rights also apply to unmarried heterosexual couples. Mark Goldberg, 49, pushed for the legislation after struggling for five weeks to claim the body of his partner of 17 years, Ron Hanby, who committed suicide in October 2008. The state medical examiner would not release Hanby’s body to Goldberg because they were not married or relatives, even though the couple had wills and other legal documents attesting to their relationship. “Not being able to claim his
body was certainly something that was beyond belief, was beyond human compassion from anyone,” Goldberg said. “There was just no compassion whatsoever from anyone in the state.” Rhode Island and Maine are the only New England states that do not recognize gay marriage. The movement has stalled in Rhode Island partly because of opposition from Roman Catholic church leaders in the most heavily Catholic state in the country. Bills legalizing gay unions have died in Rhode Island’s Democratic-dominated Legislature every year since they were first introduced in 1997. House Speaker William Murphy, D-West Warwick, and Senate President M. Teresa Paiva-Weed, D-Newport, oppose gay marriage, while Carcieri would almost certainly veto it if it passed. House Majority Leader Gordon Fox, a Democrat who is gay, said the bill was about helping the bereaved, not changing the definition of marriage. —Ray Henry
Newark airport evacuation NEWARK, N.J. (AP)—Federal
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agents weren’t able to immediately retrieve surveillance images of a man who breached security at Newark Liberty International Airport because a camera system wasn’t working properly. John Kelly, a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spokesman, said the camera at a security checkpoint was streaming live images but wasn’t recording them. That made it impossible for Transportation Security Administration personnel to check an image of a man seen walking in through an exit door Sunday evening until it could view tapes from a nearby Continental Airlines surveillance camera. It was not known how long the camera at the checkpoint had stopped storing footage because archived images are only retrieved if an incident has occurred or is suspected, TSA spokeswoman Ann Davis said Tuesday. The incident shut down an entire terminal at the airport and stopped flights for six hours. The man, who has not been identified or located, was seen on a surveillance camera image leaving the terminal about 20 minutes after
News Editor: Danielle Kulczyk 503-725-5690 news@dailyvanguard.com
Quick glacier facts Presently, 10 percent of land area is covered with glaciers. Glaciers store about 75 percent of the world’s freshwater. Glacial areas cover over 15 million square kilometers. Antarctic ice is over 4,200 meters thick in some areas. In the United States, glaciers cover over 75,000 square kilometers, with most of the glaciers located in Alaska.
The Daily Cut Nation: Gay rights funerals
Vanguard News | 3 January 6, 2010
the security breach.
Local: NOAA proposes habitat protection for sea turtles GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP)—Federal biologists have proposed the first open ocean habitat protections for the endangered leatherback sea turtle along the West Coast, an action that could affect future development of offshore renewable energy, aquaculture and desalination plants. The proposal by NOAA Fisheries Service Tuesday was prompted by settlement of a lawsuit brought by conservation groups. Those groups expressed frustration that the proposal did not cover a larger area or address threats from commercial fishing. The three areas extend about 125 miles off the entire coast of Washington, the northern twothirds of Oregon, and the central coast of California between Point Arena and Point Vincente. NOAA sea turtle ecologist Sara McNulty says the areas were chosen to cover feeding areas and migration routes used by leatherbacks. —Jeff Barnard
During the last Ice Age, glaciers covered 32 percent of the total land area. If all land ice melted, sea level would rise approximately 70 meters worldwide. Glacier ice crystals can grow to be as large as baseballs. The land underneath parts of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet may be up to 2.5 kilometers below sea level, due to the weight of the ice. North America’s longest glacier is the Bering Glacier in Alaska, measuring 204 kilometers long. Glacier ice often appears blue when it has become very dense. Years of compression gradually make the ice denser over time, forcing out the tiny air pockets between crystals. When glacier ice becomes extremely dense, the ice absorbs all other colors in the spectrum and reflects primarily blue, which is what we see. When glacier ice is white, that usually means that there are many tiny air bubbles still in the ice. The Kutiah Glacier in Pakistan holds the record for the fastest glacial surge. In 1953, it raced more than 12 kilometers in three months, averaging about 112 meters per day. In Washington state alone, glaciers provide 470 billion gallons of water each summer. Antarctic ice shelves may calve icebergs that are over 80 kilometers long. Almost 90 percent of an iceberg is below water— only about 10 percent shows above water. The Antarctic ice sheet has been in existence for at least 40 million years. From the 17th century to the late 19th century, the world experienced a “little ice age” when temperatures were consistently cool enough for significant glacier advances. —National Snow and Ice Data Center
Vanguard 4 | Arts & Culture January 6, 2010
Arts Editor: Theodora Karatzas 503-725-5694 arts@dailyvanguard.com
Humpday: Live music to get you through the week Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Key Losers Casiotone for the Painfully Alone couldn’t have picked a more perfect place to play than Backspace. A solo project from Owen Ashworth, the quaint-sounding indie popster is perfectly suited for the funky little coffeehouse venue located in Old Town, with his wonky keyboard bits, rolling percussion section and vocals reminiscent of a congested Ben Folds. Backspace, 8:30 p.m., $7, all ages Reel Big Fish, Suburban Legends, One Pin Short
ARTS & CULTURE
Vampire books done right Dive into a book series that makes Twilight look dull Wendy Shortman Vanguard staff
Imagine a combination of Twilight, Queen of the Damned and an episode of CSI, and you might get the gist of the Maker’s Song book series. This Twilight-onsteroids story features a vampire who can resist the urge to kill long enough to have sex with a human and, as a rock star, has enough charm to seduce a human FBI agent who is investigating him for a series of murders. Adrian Phoenix, who writes mostly dark fantasy stories, began working on the Maker’s Song series in 2005. Phoenix was sure that A Rush of Wings, the first book in the series, wouldn’t be the only book featuring this cast of characters.
“I knew when I started the book that one book wouldn’t be enough to tell Dante’s story,” Phoenix said. The vampiric “nightkind” character Dante Baptiste is the lead singer of the heavy-metal band Inferno. Heather Wallace, a human FBI agent, finds herself in love with the vampire, leading to her choice to mysteriously abandon the corrupt government she was working for and run away with Dante. “The feelings [in Dante and Heather’s relationship] work the same as they do in any relationship,” Phoenix said, “but she has to come to terms with the fact that the man she cares about isn’t human.” Not an easy feat—just ask Bella. But unlike other vampires, Dante was born of the “nightkind,” which means he can resist the urge to kill much more than others since he has dealt with it for most of his life. Dante in fact isn’t the
serial killer that the FBI is looking for, but he does have some dark secrets of his own. Dante’s secret is that he is the “creawdwr” that supernatural creatures and mortals have been trying to find for the past few thousands of years. His secret identity links him to a past that if exposed, would cause some serious trouble for the vampire and his lady friend Heather. The story is set in New Orleans but also has some ties to Oregon where Dante’s secret past takes place. Phoenix, who currently resides in Oregon, has always had an attraction to New Orleans and thought it was an ideal setting for a vampire story. “It’s a city I always have felt like I’ve known as a kid. I always read a lot about it, and when I finally visited it, it felt like home to me, even though I’d never been there before,” Phoenix said. Phoenix will be appearing at
Powell’s Books on Wednesday to talk about the third installment of the Maker’s Song series, Beneath the Skin. The third book, which came out in December, will not be the last of the series, as a fourth novel will be coming out at the end of 2010. And rumor has it that Disney wants to buy the rights to the series to make a movie. “Right now my agent and people are in contact with Disney,” Phoenix said. “Hopefully there will be something official soon, but right now it’s just a rumor.”
Reading with Adrian Phoenix Powell’s Books at Cedar Hill’s Crossing 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd. Tonight, 7 p.m. Free
See article on page 5. Roseland Theater, 8 p.m., $18, all ages Team Evil, Cataldo, Patterns The name of the game with these bands is fun-loving, easygoing pop with just enough experimentation to keep it interesting. Team Evil’s signature blend of smooth electric guitar and soft, slightly raspy vocals are anything but evil and a real treat for listeners. Patterns kick it up a notch with some killer keyboards and intense drumming. Adding in some amazing vocal harmonies and an upbeat, energetic live show has secured them a permanent spot on Portland’s must-see list. Cataldo may be from Seattle, but they’re welcome down in Portland any day. The group leans a bit more on the folkcountry side of things than the previous two, but they still manage to bring a rockinggood time to the stage and some beautiful harmonizing, similar to Ah Holly Fam’ly. Mississippi Studios, 9 p.m., $6, 21+
Photos courtesy of Pocket Books
Planet terror Gifts and rifts from an ambiguous group of musicians Weston Smith Vanguard staff
Timmy the Terror and the Winter Coats is a band on the Gnar Tapes & Shit label, a local, cassette tape-only outfit founded by president Erik Gage. As much an internet meme as it is a band, Timmy the Terror emerged early from the tide pool of young punk and metal fans in White Fang, another local group known for their riotous live shows. The band is made up of Jimmy Leslie and Tyler Bristow, but friend Thaddeus Pedisich said he has played with them once. A common story for the group, their line up draws from a rotating group of members, keeping the feel of the group loose and ambiguous. Leslie’s characteristic Microsoft Paint collages and weird pictures of old people fill the pages of the “pictures” section of their MySpace page. A highlight reel of government stock footage is
repossessed as a music video. The quirk of their image and marketing style is equally reflected in their musical stylings as well. Timmy the Terror is a mixture of thrashy metal and punk, droning a bit and sampling from old-school video games at times. Their vocals are more yelling than singing, complimenting the lo-fi sound quality on their recordings. Walking the line between Suicidal Tendencies and live Black Flag recordings, energy is the key feature for this band and an irrefutable youth is projected through their sound. Their overall sound is that of young, undirected rage, effectively non sequitur enough to distance itself from proper content or rather, all that noise is the content.
Timmy the Terror and the Winter Coats Satyricon, 125 NW Sixth Ave. Tonight, 7 p.m. $7 All ages, bar w/ ID
Photo courtesy of Gnar Tapes N Shit
Gnar tapes, yo: A sampling of the wonderfully handcrafted tapes from Gnar Tapes & Shit.
Vanguard Arts & Culture | 5 January 6, 2010
Things you should (and shouldn’t) do when someone steals your purse or wallet Getting your stuff stolen sucks. It makes you lose faith in humanity (or at least confirms the loss of faith you already felt) and is super inconveniencing. Here are some things I recently learned when I had my bag stolen this week: Cancel those credit cards
Nothin’ but a good time Photo courtesy of Earshot Media
Reel Big Fish are back from the gutter…and look what they brought with them! Mark Johnston Vanguard staff
Celebrating their 18th year in existence, Reel Big Fish are venturing across the pond to tour Europe, then they jaunt down to Australia and finally pop over to Hawaii on their way back home. Before they leave, they’re doing a handful of West Coast dates to psyche up. A new album and a rediscovered sense of awesomeness have pushed this sextuplet into new ground and onto exiting things. Reel Big Fish has had a tumultuous past. Forming in 1992, the band was quickly picked up and put into a position they really didn’t want to be in. “They didn’t know what to call us, how to market us or who to market us to,” said singer and guitarist Aaron Barrett. “They are
used to prepackaged pop and radioready rock and I think we were just too weird for them to comprehend. So eventually they just ended up doing nothing.” To make things worse, members began leaving, and new members came and left again, but the band endured and continued putting out records. The current inception of Reel Big Fish features Barrett, Scott Klopfenstein (trumpet, keyboards, backing vocals), Derek Gibbs (bass), Dan Regan (trombone), John Christianson (trumpet) and Ryland Steen (drums). The current lineup has only been playing as a cohesive unit for about two years, but they have successfully recorded and released two albums, as well as extensively toured. Nothing will bring the Fish down—they only care about playing music and melting faces. The band’s current release, Fame, Fortune, and Fornication, was independently released this month by the band. The songs for the album, which consist entirely of
covers, weren’t difficult to decide on. “I like these songs and I wanna record ’em,” said Barrett. “This song did well on the radio for this person so why can’t it work for me.” The album features covers by The English Beat, Slade, Tom Petty and Poison, and Barrett recorded it at Music, Inc. studios in Anaheim, Calif. The band attributes their longevity to the cyclical group of fans that they get. “The way our fanbase works is that people either rediscover us, or they are introduced by friends or family,” Barrett said. “It’s a great feeling to see old fans with their brother or sister and their sibling becomes a fan.” This constant flux of fans is a blessing and a curse: While it’s nice to have new fans coming on board, it’s always a gamble to remind their longstanding fans that they are still around and rocking. After being shunned so quickly by the world after Sell Out fizzled, Reel Big Fish are simply biding their time.
“The world will rediscover us once again when they decide to be happy,” Barrett said. Whether the fans come back or come around to Reel Big Fish does not concern the band. They are free of their obligations to major labels, making the music they want to make and are living life on their own terms. Their music is still poppy and snappy. It will still cause fits of skanking and checkered apparel to be pulled out of closets. Third-wave ska music came from a beautiful place and it will always be associated with a happy time, which is where the group will always live.
Reel Big Fish Roseland Theater 8 NW Sixth Ave. Tonight, 7 p.m. $18 All ages
The second you think your bag or wallet has been stolen, get on the phone ASAP and have all your credit cards canceled. The same goes for checks. The sooner you do this, the better. Don’t panic Seriously, don’t freak out. Chances are everything in there can be replaced. Yes, what just happened totally blows, but it’s not the end of the world. Report it to the police This one is a vital and over looked step. You don’t need to call 9-1-1 or anything (unless you were mugged at gunpoint or something). Just call up your local precinct and at least report the theft. This will help later if you try to make any insurance claims or fix any kind of identity theft issue. Go home Sleep off the miserable feeling that is no doubt lurking in your gut, or have a drink in your living room with your roommates. There’s really not a whole lot you can do now, so it’s probably best to just get some rest and prepare yourself for the long week ahead full of tracking down official documents and restoring balance to your life. Call back later There is a small chance that someone may find your bag or wallet. I’ve seen this happen a few times and had it happen to me. If it was stolen from a specific place like a bar or restaurant, call the business a day or two later and see if it has been found.
Photo courtesy of Nicole Lucas
Photo courtesy of Nicole Lucas
Reel Big Fish: Trumpet player John Christianson throws up his instrument at the end of a song.
Reel Big Fish: Lead singer and guitarist Aaron Barrett lays into his guitar.
Vanguard 6 | Opinion January 6, 2010
Opinion Editor: Richard D. Oxley 503-725-5692 opinion@dailyvanguard.com
What do you think?
OPINION Walmart tries again Don’t let another Walmart into Portland Robin Tinker Vanguard staff
Walmart Walmart sure has left a bad impression upon quite a few people. Complaints range from bad economical impact, job loss, poor labor practices, antiunion stances…the list goes on and on. In 2005, Robert Greenwald produced a documentary film Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price that tore the corporation apart on a variety of issues. The debate continues to flood the Internet with Web sites such as www.walmartwatch. com, a watchdog group, and www. peopleofwalmart.com, sharing an unfavorable photo collection of various Walmart patrons. However, many claim that Walmart has certain positive impacts, and the company has been making an effort to remodel its image. In recent years the company has included healthier, organic and all natural foods on its shelves, while also promoting its commitment to sustainable and environmentally safe practices. Walmart has also helped pioneer the trend of low-cost medications through their $4 prescription program. According to the company’s Web site, the program has helped consumers save over $2 billion. This could be a very helpful program in the face of America’s overwhelming health care costs. So which is it? Is Walmart good or bad? Should Portland allow the retailer to build another store here? Write us at the Vanguard and tell us what you think. Leave a comment online or email us at opinion@ dailyvanguard.com
Portland has a reputation for being a socially conscious city. Buying local is a big deal to us. With this in mind, it is surprising that there is already a Walmart here. Will Portland allow another Walmart? Let’s hope not. One is more than enough in our small metro area. In the last five years, Walmart has tried and failed twice to build another store here, with residents and city leaders fighting against it. But they are trying again, this time at Hayden Meadows among other big box retailers in North Portland. Walmart has a slick new marketing campaign. In their TV ads, pretty women push carts full of reusable Walmart shopping bags. According to The Portland Business Journal, the proposed new store would have sustainable features such as high efficiency LED lighting. Walmart is attempting to sell you a new image of a socially aware and environmentally conscious company. However, this is simply not true. Walmart’s Web site discusses their new charitable Walmart Foundation and claims, “Through financial contributions, inkind donations and volunteerism, the Walmart Foundation supports initiatives focused on enhancing opportunities in our four main focus areas: education; workforce development / economic opportunity; environmental sustainability; health and wellness.”
Rant Rage The
and
By Dick Richards
Get your own damn change! Actually, I do have some spare change. But you certainly can’t have it, you gutter punk piece of shit! It’s mine and I earned it honestly without mooching off of my goodhearted neighbors. You know what’s sad? I really have a bleeding heart for the homeless, of which Portland has its fair share. And these pathetic gutter punks are destroying my innocent sensitivity to the issue. Yours truly has no problem tossing a buck out here or there to those in need. But let’s get one thing straight: gutter punks are not in need. They are perfectly able to
This is all backlash from the negative publicity they have received in the past. They had a reputation for treating their workers horribly, so now they use vague phrases like “workforce development” or “economic opportunity” to try and make you believe they have changed dramatically. Walmart is a giant corporation ranked second on the 2009 Fortune 500 list, not a nonprofit working for the good of the community. They would love for you to believe that they care about society because then you will spend more money there. The main objective of Walmart is to make money by selling you their image and their cheap goods. Today, the United States imports more goods than ever and this saves the consumer money at retailers, though it takes away American manufacturing jobs. In order to drive down the prices, bigbox retailers like Walmart have figured out a way to get the goods
cheaper from the manufacturer. They do this by using foreign manufacturers. According to a PBS Frontline exploration of Walmart from 2003, of the corporation’s 6,000 global suppliers, it is estimated that 80 percent are based in China. Go to Walmart and look at the labels to see how much of their goods are made in China. In 2003, Frontline reported that the salary for a Chinese worker was about 50 cents per hour, or $100 per month. These figures are outdated, but still relevant. It is extremely cheap to manufacture goods in China and with that kind of salary, not very ethical. This is how Walmart keeps prices so low, but it completely discredits their attempt at tree hugging. It is not environmentally friendly to ship goods all the way from China, not to mention China’s lax environmental manufacturing regulations. So much for Walmart’s
claims of economic opportunity and environmental sustainability. “If people were only consumers, buying things at lower prices would be just good. But people also are workers who need to earn a decent standard of living,” said economist Larry Mishel, of the Economic Policy Institute, on PBS Frontline. “The dynamics that create lower prices at Walmart and other places are also undercutting the ability of many, many workers to earn decent wages and benefits and have a stable life.” Proponents of big boxes say building a new Walmart is good for the local economy because it will bring in jobs. This is only true in a very limited and short-term sense. Yes, local builders will find temporary construction work and locals will become sales associates. However, sales associates make measly salaries, and wouldn’t it be better to buy goods from a retailer that bought Americanmade goods, especially if they’re a local, family-owned business? Environmentally conscious people know cheap goods don’t last very long and will wind up in a landfill when they become junk. It’s better to spend more upfront for a product—such as a kitchen appliance—that will last a long time than to buy something cheap that’ll need replacing every few years. Walmart does not promote this logic, despite their claims of being environmentally friendly. They sell cheap appliances to keep you coming back for more. Walmart is bad for the economy, bad for the environment, bad for America and bad for Portland. Let’s do all we can to keep another one out. They can hand out reusable shopping bags made in China and install LED lights, but Portlanders can see through them. It’s like putting a small bandage Illustration by Kira Meyrick on a festering sore.
get their own damn money. And I especially loathe them for making me utter this terribly tired cliché but: Get a damn job! You obviously seem to be able to hold down a street corner for specified times of the day, now let’s see if you can hold down some work for the same amount of time. What’s that? Oh yeah, “work.” It’s services you provide in exchange for that money you are always asking me for. It’s like prostitution, only, well…yeah it’s like prostitution. Maybe cleaner. I’m sure some folks would agree that after work they may feel used, walked upon or unappreciated. However, it is undoubtedly far more respectable than your impression of a homeless person. You gutter punks don’t need my money. You know how I know this? I am fully aware of how much your expenses are. Let’s take the free-spirited independent gutter punk, easily boiled down into a common stereotype: Misfits hoodie, studded belt and combat boots
that aren’t really combat boots but overpriced gaudy knockoffs. I don’t give two shits about dyed hair or dreadlocks, but I damn well know that costs money too! These things actually aren’t very cheap—in fact, they are fairly expensive. People, the previously mentioned Misfits attire can run you anywhere from $20 to $50, according to my expert two-minute online research. And that pyramid studded belt? At least $20 if you shop around. And combat boots! The real deal costs above $100, and an army surplus store won’t fare too much better. Those patches can really add up too. The ones you posers pin all over your leather jackets like a billboard of you. Hey, I dig Black Flag too, but I really don’t care if you do. You willing hobos don’t need our help. You know who does? The terribly high number of people who became homeless this past year as our unemployment rate headed further toward the sky. According to a May 2009 press release from Oregon Housing and Community
Services (OHCS), last year saw 17,122 people homeless in Oregon. 2008 had 12,529 people. A good number of these people, according to OHCS, previously had jobs and homes. Other folks hitting hard times, mental illness or an undesirable home life are all too common plagues of our society. That is where we should be directing our aid. Some asshole who thinks that a nice pair of patched-up pants accompanying a septum piercing (around $50), is more important than a place to stay or food is not worthy of our contribution. I’ll be the asshole for now and tell all you sidewalk patrons to keep your money right in your pocket. And if you really want to help, save it for someone who needs it. Give it to Sisters of the Road, a rescue mission or anyone who actually lends a helping hand to the genuinely needy. So the answer is a big fat no. You can’t have some change. But here’s some advice instead: Get off your ass!
etc. ART WEDNESDAY The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 500 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Edited by Will Shortz Across 1 City near the Great Sphinx 6 Mine treasure 9 Macaroni shape 14 Steve who was called Steverino 15 Turkish headgear 16 Golden egg layer of story 17 Rod in a henhouse 18 Magical powder 20 French lady friend 21 Peeved 22 1980s soap opera set at a winery 26 Fury 29 Blue literature 30 Blue hue 31 Cuts with light 34 Homecoming returnees, for short
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35 1950s-ʼ60s sitcom that ran on all three networks 40 Tale of Troy 41 Alfred P. ___ Foundation 42 Papyrus plant, e.g. 43 Plucks, as eyebrow hairs 48 Prefix with biology 49 Occasion for pumpkin picking 53 Almost 55 Killer whale 56 Part of a morning routine … or a literal hint to 18-, 22-, 35- and 49Across 59 Knock the socks off 60 Not deigning to consider 61 ___ goo gai pan 62 Turn away
63 Ate in high style 64 Drink with a head 65 Fits one inside the next
Down 1 Wine container 2 Six-time baseball All-Star Sandy 3 Repetitively named Philippine province 4 Take out surgically 5 Ottawaʼs prov. 6 Take out 7 Show again 8 Net mag 9 1-Across is its capital 10 Mine treasure 11 Chic shop 12 C.I.A. forerunner 13 Not yet firm, as cement 19 Univ. dorm TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE supervisors E � U A L A S U 23 Like some N U R S E D P E P smoothly running L I � � T S P E E D machines � A T E S T E R N A 24 Tenn. neighbor O � I S � A T I E T A S A � O U S E 25 Wine containers � A L A S 27 Jamaica exports A L D E N T E Z I T 28 Atlantic R O O N N O N O Seaboard states, with “the” F O O T E D � O O � � � A I T 30 Priestʼs robe S K R O D � A R E W 32 Blowup: Abbr. � E S A N D � E T E 33 Truth, old-style T R E N D � I A T E 34 Ed who played R A T S O T R A P Lou Grant
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46 Front car in a motorcade 47 Turns on, as a car 49 Not real 50 It might mean “I want a treat!” 51 Andean animal 52 “Disinfect to Protect” brand
54 Christmas light site 56 George Thorogood stutter “B-B-B-B___…” 57 A sac fly earns one 58 Nail spot 59 Wave a palm frond at, say
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ART WEDNESDAY With a slew of great titles, 2010 promises to be a good year for gamers Steve Haske Vanguard staff
2010’s most wanted dies, the game will switch narrative tracks and continue in their absence. Best of all, the game is intended for adult players, making Heavy Rain play out more like a well-written indie drama rather than something that caters to the lowest-common denominator.
With the ball dropped and the liquor bottles empty, 2010 is upon us. And this, friends, is a good thing— at least when it comes to video games. 2009 may have had its fair share of great games, but it’s nothing compared to what’s coming this year, even besides BioShock 2, God of War III, Mass Effect 2 and Dante’s Inferno. Here’s a list of some titles you’ll want to watch for. Red Dead Redemption Systems: PS3, Xbox 360 Release: Fall
3D Dot Game Heroes System: PS3 Release: Summer
3D Dot Game Heroes
The seriously lacking Western genre is getting a much-needed shot in the arm this year, courtesy of Rockstar Games. And the follow-up to the last-gen Red Dead Revolver is looking like it could be the biggest (and one of the most ambitious) takes on open world gaming to date. You’ll play a reformed outlaw living in the Wild West, circa 1910. No telling whether the game’s narrative will explore the death of frontier life under an increasingly modernized world, but rest assured there’ll be plenty of reason to dust off your sixshooters and go to town. Bit.Trip Runner System: Wiiware Release: Spring
Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days Systems: PS3, Xbox 360 Release: Summer Red Dead Redemption
Gaijin Games’ Bit.Trip series was a great surprise last year. The series takes the notion of video games’ evolution and twists it around to create unique, rhythmic gameplay. Each game is modeled on a classic arcade design, such as Pong, Tempest or even Gradius, with mechanics that are firmly modernized. Runner, the last in the series, is allegedly a platformer. You’ll want to get this one (and the others) as soon as it’s available. No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle System: Wii Release: Jan. 26
Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days
Suda 51’s No More Heroes was brilliant. It starred Travis Touchdown, a horny, geeky 20-something who decides to become the world’s greatest assassin just so he can make enough money to buy more video games. With its violent, over-the-top gameplay (enemies exploding in hyperbolic geysers of blood and coins) and quirky narrative, it quickly became a cult classic. In NMH2, Travis is out for blood (again). Antics will ensue. And if it’s anywhere as good as the original, NMH2 is going to be one of the best Wii games of the year. Heavy Rain System: PS3 Release: Feb. 9
A lot of gamers probably aren’t going to get Heavy Rain. Essentially the plot revolves around four protagonists and how they relate to an ongoing series of murders by a character known as the Origami Killer. This adventure game isn’t like ordinary games—you’ll often control your characters’ actions as they go about their day-to-day lives. That means you’ll be controlling them while they shower, brush their teeth and have conversations, as well as when they investigate crime scenes and other more actionoriented tasks. But the most interesting thing of all is that if one of the protagonists
Photos courtesy of gamespress.com
Hot off the success of Demon’s Souls, one of the best Japanese role-playing games to come out in years, From Software is looking to strike gold a second time with 3D Dot Game Heroes. Although little is known about the game thus far, it looks like Michel Gondry or Spike Jonze ripped the sprites from an old-school, pixilated 16-bit RPG and brought them to life in a 3D world (with a stop-motion-looking effect, to boot). And judging how original and great Demon’s Souls was, that should be more than enough to get you excited.
Kane and Lynch are not your ordinary game protagonists. Kane is a scar-eyed, balding mercenary whose selfish actions got his family killed (after escaping from death row). Lynch is a paranoid schizophrenic with a penchant for killing innocent people during psychotic episodes (he also looks like a long-haired child molester). The original game’s action was a little rough around the edges, but the narrative was interesting because the protagonists were so unlikeable. This time around they’re stirring up trouble in the Shanghai underworld, with a narrative focus on Lynch. If the story delves deeper into the twisted psyches of these characters, it should make for (hopefully) a very different kind of action game. The addition of grainy, Cloverfield-style aesthetics and camerawork can’t hurt, either. Final Fantasy XIII Systems: PS3, Xbox 360 Release: April
Final Fantasy XIII
This doesn’t even really need an explanation—after five years of development time, Final Fantasy XIII is almost here. There’s been a dearth of RPGs for the next-gen systems, and even Square’s other offerings on Wii haven’t done much to satiate those looking for a hardcore, 60-hour RPG. With a new action-oriented combat system and Square’s trademark insanely high production values, FFXIII is going to make a mint, and should prove to be worth the wait. Let’s just hope the story is up to snuff. Super Mario Galaxy 2 Systems: Wii Release: Winter
Heavy Rain
Mario needs even less introduction than Final Fantasy. The original Super Mario Galaxy—which took the gameplay of Mario 64 and updated it to marvelous effect more than two years ago—is still a top seller and remains one of the Wii’s best. For the sequel, Nintendo is promising more worlds and stars to collect and, most notably, Yoshi. Sign me up.
Vanguard Arts & Culture | 8 January 6, 2010
10 ways to make yourself think you lost weight 1. Weigh yourself with clothes on, after dinner as well as in the morning, without clothes, before breakfast, because it’s nice to see how much weight you’ve lost overnight. 2. Never weigh yourself with wet hair. 3. When weighing, remove everything, including glasses. In this case, blurred vision is an asset. Don’t forget the earrings, these things can weigh at least 1 pound. 4. Use cheap scales only, never the medical kind, because they are always 5 pounds off…to your advantage, of course. 5. Always go to the bathroom first. 6. Stand with your arms raised, making pressure on the scale lighter. (Waving them is optional but occasionally helps!) 7. Don’t eat or drink in the morning until after you’ve weighed in—completely naked, of course. 8. Weigh yourself after a haircut. This is good for at least half a pound of hair (hopefully). 9. Exhale with all your might before stepping onto the scale (air has to weigh something, right?) 10. Start out with just one foot on the scale, and then, while holding onto the towel rack in front of you, slowly edge your other foot on the scale, and slowly let go of the rack. Admittedly, this takes time, but it’s worth it. You will weigh at least 2 pounds less than if you’d stepped on normally. —superlaugh.com