Daily Vanguard January 27, 2010 by Portland State Vanguard

Event of the day

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2010 • PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY • VOLUME 64, ISSUE 57

Attend a lecture called “Hate Crime and the Deaf: Understanding American Sign Language Wars” for free this evening.

When: 6 p.m. Where: SMSU, room 338

WWW.DAILYVANGUARD.COM • FREE

INSIDE NEWS Be an ambassador PSU Student Ambassador Program looking for new members PAGE 2 PSU President in D.C. Wim Wiewel in capitol with Oregon Sustainability Center delegation PAGE 3

PSU-TV in peril

ARTS

Love, art and obsession The Swan Thieves is an intriguing tale about one artist’s inspiration PAGE 4

Content cannot be aired due to technical difficulty, station denied as pub Tyler Carter Vanguard staff

Two obstacles threaten to impede PSU-TV’s forward momentum in becoming a wellknown and organized group on campus. Recently, it was denied a request to be recognized as a student publication, and televisions in Neuberger Hall no longer run segments done by PSU-TV, according to program manager John Miller. “We have been having significant problems with the video distribution system. One problem is that when we play video files, the database crashes,” said Dr. Sharon Blanton, chief information officer from the Office of Information Technology (OIT), which oversees the TVs in Neuberger. A growing number of groups have been submitting videos to be played on these TVs, which get high foot-traffic exposure, and the surge

of data has been too much for the server, she said. “We have been working with the vendor to try to fix this problem, but we are extremely frustrated with the lack of support provided thus far and have decided to look for a replacement system. In the meantime, we are limited to displaying still images,” Blanton said. OIT has been working with Miller, keeping him informed about the system’s status. The loss of Neuberger TV use is hard, since the group is trying to grow as a TV station, so without the ability to broadcast, their efforts are somewhat hamstrung. Miller reacted to the problem of the server crash by saying, “the loss of those TVs is disappointing, but I think we’re better served holding out hope instead of venting frustrations.” Then, last week, the Publications Board convened a hearing to decide whether or not to admit PSU-TV onto the board. PSUTV hoped to benefit from having an organization behind them that

PSU-TV continued on page three

Failing to follow in great footsteps Salvador Santana can’t live up to his family’s usual standard of excellence PAGE 4

Liana Shewey/Portland State Vanguard

On mute: The student group doesn’t have access to campus TVs right now.

Capturing the day to day A stylized look at beauty found in the seemingly mundane PAGE 5

OPINION

Back to school... again One story of heading back to college PAGE 6 Controversy in Oregon’s schools Performance pay overemphasizes teachers’ influence PAGE 6

Liana Shewey/Portland State Vanguard

The filming goes on: PSU-TV program manager John Miller.

ASPSU Vice President resigns The tasty side of Chitsaz cites personal reasons Virginia Vickery Vanguard staff

ASPSU Vice President Azadeh Chitsaz announced her resignation from the elected position at last night’s Student Senate meeting, citing the need to spend time with an ill family member in her resignation letter. “So far I have not heard or seen anything that would preclude us from not having a vice president,” said pro tempore Senate President Daniel Lyons, who will assume control of the Senate. President Jonathan Sanford is working with Judicial Board Chair Brad Vehafric to determine what will happen next, if anything. If the determination is made that a vice president must be chosen, that person will be selected by the president and then confirmed by the Senate.

controlled rot

Though he has received “tons” of interest in the vice president position, Sanford said he doesn’t see how someone could take on the job mid-year because “the executive staff has such camaraderie.” Sanford said that Chitsaz needs a break to be with her family after a tiring voter registration drive that lasted more than seven months. “It’s been a long hard year,” he said. Lyons said he will definitely rely on the coordinating committee of the Senate for help with the transition, though some members of the Senate believe that the coordinating committee is not needed to oversee the activities of the Senate. In the event that the ASPSU president can no longer perform their duties, the role falls to the Judicial Board chair, according to the ASPSU Constitution.

Student group educates PSU community about fermented foods Sharon E. Rhodes Vanguard staff

After a successful day at the recent Party Near the Park, where nearly 100 students expressed interest in the fairly new Fermentation Society, two meetings will be held Thursday, at 1 p.m. and 6:40 p.m., in Smith Memorial Student Union, room 229. The goal of these meetings is to identify students interested in leadership roles within the new organization and determine the direction of the Fermentation Society and its activities. Of the students that approached

the Fermentation Society booth at Party Near the Park, many showed interest in learning more about fermented foods—such as bread, sauerkraut, beer, miso, mead, cheese and wine—and how to make them at home. “Our ambition is definitely to expose other people to fermented food, but also to experiment ourselves,” said member Josh Grgas (pronounced ‘grr-gus’). Controlled fermentation leavens and flavors breads, and fermented foods can be found in almost every culture around the world. Most importantly, fermentation preserves things that would otherwise spoil quickly. Many societies eat cultured or fermented milk products like cheese, yogurt and kefir. Both Germans and Koreans ferment

FERMENT continued on page two

Vanguard 2 | News January 27, 2010

Sarah J. Christensen Editor-in-Chief Virginia Vickery 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 William Prior Marketing Manager Judson Randall Adviser Ann Roman Advertising Adviser Illustrator Kira Meyrick Production Assistants Bryan Morgan, Charles Cooper Williams Writers Stacy Austin, Will Blackford, Bianca Blankenship, Tyler Carter, Corrie Charnley, Meaghan Daniels, Erica DeCouteau, Sarah Esterman, Amy Fylan, Natalia Grozina, Patrick Guild, Rosemary Hanson, Steve Haske, Nadya Ighani, Carrie Johnston, Tamara K. Kennedy, Anita Kinney, Gogul Krishnan, J. Logue, James MacKenzie, Daniel Ostlund, Sharon Rhodes, Wendy Shortman, Catrice Stanley, Amy Staples, Nilesh Tendolkar, Robin Tinker, Vinh Tran, Katherine Vetrano, Allison Whited, Roger Whightman Photographers Aaron Leopold, Liana Shewey, Adam Wickham Copy Editors Noah Emmet, Amanda Gordon Advertising Sales Ana SanRoman, 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

NEWS Be an ambassador

PSU Student Ambassador Program looking for new members Carrie Johnston Vanguard Staff

Wrapped in green neckties and blue blazers, student ambassadors represent the student body in the presence of visiting speakers, educators and prospective students. These PSU representatives are planning to expand their ranks. Ambassadors—who receive student stipends for their work— lead campus tours, act as liaisons between students, faculty and administrators, perform volunteer community work and serve as hosts at official functions and VIP events. In addition to relocating its headquarters from a tiny cube in the Dean of Students office to the former TriMet office in the Urban Center, ambassadors will also hire 10 to 15 new students this year, said J.R. Tarabocchia, coordinator of Commencement and Student Affairs Outreach. The group will be looking for faculty and staff to start nominating students soon. “We want students who are involved and who love Portland State,” he said. The ambassador selection process begins Feb. 10, with an information session for applicants in Smith Memorial Student Union,

FERMENT |

room 338, at 5 p.m. “We want to encourage as many students to apply as possible. It’s an outstanding way to serve the PSU community and to develop leadership skills,” Tarabocchia said. The deadline for applications is Feb. 22 at 5 p.m. Offering student perspective to the public is the main goal of ambassadors working in the community, but the benefits reach much further as each ambassador learns valuable leadership, networking and communication skills in the process. “Being an ambassador provides great opportunities to build relationships with faculty and allows you to get professional experience without having to leave school,” said Tygue Howland, co-coordinator for Student Ambassadors and an ambassador for three years. The ambassadors hold meetings each week to talk about upcoming events and listen to speakers discuss things like scholarship opportunities. The co-coordinators facilitate skill-building activities, assigning members to campus tours and panel discussions while ambassadors exchange their latest liaison reports. First-year ambassador Felicia Bautista-Nelson is working with the College of Public and Urban Affairs in the hope of bringing composting to the Seattle’s Best and Pizzicato restaurants in the Urban Plaza. “I want to try and merge the partnership between PSU Recycles!

and Urban and Public Affairs so we can get compost bins further than just outside Smith Hall,” she said, The group, although heavy with responsibility, has no trouble having fun, Tarabocchia said. At the start of their Tuesday meeting, members played a game of imagining where they would go if they could go anywhere in the world. Italy, France, and India were mentioned more than once, and some joked that they would visit the fictional land of Shangri-La. At a retreat last weekend, the ambassadors made short films about their lives as student liaisons. The videos will be posted on the Web site after they are edited. The Student Ambassador Program concept was generated in 1996, after students and faculty expressed a need for greater student representation at university related events, according to its Web site. Ambassadors are dedicated to serving PSU through strong academic achievement, commitment and the ability to be a positive, productive member of a team. Their duties also involve working closely with advisors, faculty, administrators and the admissions department. The position description informs applicants that they should expect to dedicate between five to 10 hours per week to their responsibilities, in addition to an extensive training program. During the Tuesday meeting,

group members discussed who will lead which campus tour and who, afterward, will attend a panel discussion, when ambassadors will field questions from facilitators in front of a group of prospective students.

Feb. 10: Information session for applicants, SMSU room 338 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 16: Information session for applicants, SMSU room 294 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 22: Applications due at Dean of Students Office, SMSU room 433, by 5 p.m. Feb. 27: Group interview March 8to March 11: Personal interviews March 15: Announcement of selection results New ambassador training: Summer 2010 (TBD)

from page one

Students invited to learn about fermentation cabbage to make sauerkraut and kimchi, respectively. Fermentation is the result of yeast or bacteria breaking down sugars, as found in grapes and barley, to create alcohol, carbon dioxide or organic acid. Beer, wine and cider all employ yeast. Bacteria transforms milk into cheeses and yogurt, and vinegar turns vegetables into pickles. Last year, graduate and undergraduate students founded the Fermentation Society in the hope of spreading the art and science of fermented foods. The group plans to organize lectures, demonstrations, tours and tastings. “While other students are involved, the core group is comprised of my twin brother, Ian Green, Josh Grgas and myself,” said Sean Green, president of the Fermentation Society and a graduate student seeking a master’s degree in public administration. Sean Green said he is very interested in food culture, which has led to an interest in making things at home. Along with his brother and Grgas, Green has homebrewed beer and made his own bread. “We all have a passion for food and drink…and wanted to start an organization that could share, explore and inform the PSU community on fermented foods,” Sean Green said. According to Ian Green, a graduate student seeking a master’s degree in economics, he and his brother make “mostly ales, they’re easier to produce. Lagers need to be stored at a specific temperature and take longer.”

“[I] started out getting into pickles. For their next major project Fermentation Society craft beer and microbrews and that they plan to make cured meats. This turned into interest in how they’re summer, they hope to try pickling. For those interested in learning made,” said Grgas, a close friend of Already, BridgePort Brewing’s the joys of fermentation or how the Greens. “I think its really amazbrewmaster Karl Ockert has ing to see the actual fermentation agreed to be an outside expert for to make bread, beer, yogurt, process which got me interested in the Fermentation Society, Sean cheeses, pickled foods and other fermented foods.” Green said. salami—which is a fermented Although the founding “I was surprised by how much food, not a smoked meat—attend members already make their interest there was [at Party Near the own fermented foods, the group Park],” Ian Green said. “I think its one of tomorrow’s meetings and hopes to draw in students with really part of the Portland Culture find out how to become involved experience making fermented right now, the emphasis on local in the Fermentation Society. foods to benefit from their and fresh and making your own different skill sets. products.” Sean Green said he envisions Thu, 1 p.m. and 6:40 p.m. the group bringing together SMSU, room 229 people with common interest who can learn together and teach one another. “I know there are a lot of experienced kombucha makers that can share their experience,” Sean Green said. Green, also a member of a home-brewing club called the Oregon Brew Crew, hopes to bring in professionals to “help us to develop quality programming and mitigate risk” as the Fermentation Society learns new techniques and forms of fermentation, like Photo courtesy of Derek Arent/Beer Around Town cheese making and Fermented: Founding group members, Josh Grgas and Sean Green, enjoy fermented beverages.

from page one

PSU-TV will continue to operate, despite setbacks would allow them to grow, learn and solidify as a student group. The Publications Board operates as the publisher of student publications and its charter states, “As the principal communications medium of the university, the student press helps establish and maintain an atmosphere of free and responsible discussion and intellectual exploration on the campus.” The application was denied and the general reasons given were that with a limited audience and small group size, now is not the right time for PSU-TV. “It seemed as though some at the board had already made up their minds,” Miller said. Members of PSU-TV think that the board did not wish to be responsible for a growing group only beginning to show real progress. Miller admits that there is some sense in what the board decided. However, the group is already planning ways to strengthen and capture a broader audience so they can return with a stronger case. The group acknowledges an outpouring of support from other school media groups. Composed of 15 members who attend regular meetings, PSU-TV assumed its current form last year, though various incarnations have existed for six years. The mission of these students and collaborating faculty is to bring news and special interest stories to the PSU community, and allow students, who might not otherwise have such an opportunity, access to camera and editing experience. “The organization started with a group of students interested in making movies, then called Sustainable Community Media,” Miller said. Originally comprised of graduate students, a majority of the membership was lost when students graduated. It then transitioned into Viking Vision, the direct forerunner of PSU-TV. These progenitors were each interested in providing students access to film experience and reporting, but the membership of these programs was too low to successfully expand on these principles. “Immediately Jeremy [Hardy, KPSU general manager] said he

was sorry and other groups were also quick with sympathy—asking what they could do to help. We were touched by the show of solidarity,” Miller said. Suzanne Watson, assignment editor, said, “PSU-TV is a worthwhile student organization that deserves an opportunity for exposure, advancement and growth.” The group emulates a real television station hierarchy, and a structure exists with clear roles and delineated jobs and titles. “Many organizations don’t necessarily care that you can show a communications or film degree, they want to know you can do the work,” said Lucila Epple, senior reporter. “PSU-TV allows students interested in pursuing these careers a great opportunity to get experience.” According to Justin Haynes, secretary treasurer, “The group is not just interested in benefiting members but is committed to informing students about issues concerning the school and community at large, and is motivated by stimulating pride in PSU. We’re trying to help propagate community, which is what the institution wants.” Watson is working with the senior editor to produce leaflets to get the message out and in the meantime, the Web site is a place where the group will continue to post videos. “We’ll be back. We’re committed to agenda-setting, unbiased reporting. Losing those TVs was a setback, but all we can do is keep doing what we’ve been doing,” Miller said. “If anybody reading this sees us out on a shoot, feel free to come up and talk, ask questions,” Epple said. “We don’t bite,” she added, laughing.

PSU-TV videos can be watched at psutv.groups.pdx.edu Office location: SMSU, room 47C Phone number: 503-725-2764

PSU President in D.C. Wim Wiewel in capitol with Oregon Sustainability Center delegation

News Editor: Virginia Vickery 503-725-5690

Bits and pieces

Vanguard staff

Portland State President Wim Wiewel, Mayor Sam Adams, several state officials and civic entrepreneurs, among others, are in Washington, D.C., this week to lobby for $120 million in federal funding for a proposed Oregon Sustainability Center. The center will be a mixed-use, sustainably built and operated multistory building with lofty energy conservation goals, such as generating 100 percent of the building’s energy from within an area smaller than a single city block, according to the OSC Web site. The intended location for OSC is on the edge of the PSU campus. Through the project, those involved hope to bring together academic, government, nonprofit and business sectors to advance sustainability innovation, according to the OSC Web site. A total of $120 million is needed to fully build the center. Of this, $82 million has already been secured. The State of Oregon, acting through the Board of Higher Education and approved by Oregon Legislature, has secured $74 million in bonds and committed an additional $3 million. The City of Portland has offered the land and an additional $5 million in

Vanguard News | 3 January 27, 2010

news@dailyvanguard.com

Virginia Vickery

PSU-TV |

Marni Cohen/Portland State Vanguard

Delegation member: Wim Wiewel traveled to the nation’s capitol to lobby for OSC money.

tax-increment financing, according to the OSC Web site. Another $38 million is being sought from public and private funders. Stimulus dollars, federal appropriations, foundations and individual donors are also potential sources. The delegation planned to meet Monday and Tuesday with representatives of the Department of Energy, the Department of Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Green Building Council, according to an article in the Portland Tribune. “The Oregon Sustainability Center is an on-the-ground example of green jobs and sustainability leadership,” said Adams in the article. “Our time in Washington, D.C., will help us identify the champions and funding opportunities to help make the Center a reality.”

PSU-TV YouTube views for PSU-TV range from 18 to 216 per clip, depending on the length of time the video has been available. Video content covers student groups, sports and information about services available to students. Here are some PSU-TV stats: - 335 channel views on YouTube - 34 friends on MySpace Visit PSU-TV online at www.youtube.com/ user/psutelevision. Donate! Did you receive more than enough sweaters for Christmas? Spread the warmth by donating clothes and blankets to area shelters. The City of Portland has a list of agencies that can use warm items. View it online at www.portlandonline.com

Vanguard 4 | Arts & Culture January 27, 2010

Arts Editor: Theodora Karatzas 503-725-5694 arts@dailyvanguard.com

This Thursday at the NW Film Center:

ARTS & CULTURE

Love, art and obsession The Swan Thieves is an intriguing tale about one artist’s inspiration Wendy Shortman

How the Beatles Rocked the Kremlin Leslie Woodhead, Great Britain, 2009 “Back in the USSR you could literally go to jail for listening to Beatles records. But Communist disapproval didn’t stop rumors of John Lennon sightings or impromptu Beatles concerts from spreading, as a generation tried to look out through the Iron Curtain for inspiration. The legacy of the freedominspiring Beatles era is still felt in Russia today through the dozens of die-hard fans who celebrate the music through ingenious modes of expression and with as much, if not more, passion than when they first heard it a generation ago. The Beatles inspired some to build their own guitars, start their own bands, or go into the bootleg record business instead of joining the government. Woodhead’s film offers a fascinating insight into the Beatles’ legacy—a force perhaps as powerful as any in bringing down the Soviet empire.” Jan. 28, 7 p.m.

The Upsetter: The Life & Music of Lee “Scratch” Perry Ethan Higbee, Adam Bhala Lough, U.S., 2008 “Some people call Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry a prophet; others claim he’s a madman. Seeing him in the opening scenes—spinning in circles in his plaid shorts and oversized sunglasses, spouting the praises of Jah Rastafari—you could conclude he’s a little bit of both. Kicking off in rural Jamaica, Upsetter looks into Perry’s youth before segueing to the days of his musical peak in Kingston, where he mentored a young Bob Marley, shaped the reggae sound as we know it today, pioneered a new genre called ’dub,’ and invented what would become ‘the remix.’ A valuable document of musical culture and a unique character study of a man once called’ the Salvador Dali of Reggae,’ Upsetter bears witness to the frenzied life of a legend.” Jan. 28, 8:30 p.m. All screenings are in Whitsell Auditorium, 1218 SW Park Ave. Free w/ PSU ID. —nwfilm.org

Vanguard staff

Photo courtesy of Little, Brown and Company Publisher

The Swan Thieves: Not actually about thieving or poultry.

Reading with Elizabeth Kostova Powell’s City of Books 1005 W Burnside St. Wed, 7:30 p.m. Free Elizabeth Kostova

In Elizabeth Kostova’s new book, influential painter Robert Oliver ruins his own painting hanging in the National Gallery of Art. Andrew Marlow, a psychotherapist, sets out to uncover the secrets behind the actions of the painter. In the process, Marlow unravels a story that reveals the artist’s tangled love life. Marlow begins an obsession of his own as he tries to get answers from a mute Oliver who will only utter the words “I did it for her.” Being a painter himself, Marlow now finds himself bringing his work home, disrupting his own safe life, to discover Oliver’s complex one. Marlow discovers letters that tell the stories of chapters of Oliver’s life that are both secretive and fascinating—from the story of Oliver’s muse and undeniable obsessions for all of the subjects of his inspiration, to an overall theme of human psychological nature. “Paintings are very personal, of course, individual expressions of vision, but they’re also time capsules, especially as we get farther and farther from the time in which a painting was done,” Kostova said. The book uses real and fictional pieces of 19th-century painters to set the backdrop for the painter’s stories. Kostova’s book is a story of the relationship between love, art and history. It illustrates the way in which art can sometimes tell us history, and in this case, past stories of love. “I’ve always had a ‘history’ feeling about paintings, as well as an aesthetic reaction,”

Kostova said. “When I look at or into a painting, I feel as if I’m looking through a window into some aspect of history, even if the painting is actually contemporary.” Always “a little envious” of the talent and process of painters, as Kostova discusses in the trailer for the book, her respect of the craft becomes apparent in her newest work. “I can’t remember a time when I didn’t wish I could see the world the way visual artists do, as an experience of color, form, texture, and other visceral things,” Kostova said. “There’s a certain removal about being a writer, a translation of the concrete world into a tape loop of words, that I think painters break right through.” The Swan Thieves is the author’s sophomore novel, following the widely acclaimed The Historian. Dealing with some of the same themes of obsession and history as her newest work, The Historian was a smash hit that has been published in 44 languages, with a Sony film being developed. The Historian put Kostova on the map, as she blended factual pieces of history with fiction to create the story of a woman who follows her father’s footsteps in a search for the truth behind the myth of Dracula. In her search for clues, she unlocks secrets of her own past with an obsession much like Marlow’s in The Swan Thieves. The fusion of real artworks and Kostova’s page-turning fictional storytelling make for a novel that will keep your attention. It may even bring up old questions about the connection between an artist’s work and their own life, and how they sometimes seem interconnected. Or it may bring up other age-old questions of the way we as humans think about our own past.

Photo courtesy of NYC Photo

Failing to follow in

great footsteps Salvador Santana can’t live up to his family’s usual standard of excellence Theodora Karatzas Vanguard staff

It has got to be hard having Carlos Santana as a father, a worldrenowned legend and 10-time Grammy winner. Still, this doesn’t excuse Salvador Santana, his son, from putting out Keyboard City, an incredibly mediocre album. Being marketed to fans of groups like Ozomatli and Lyrics Born, Salvador Santana’s music is a far cry from the musical depth reached by the aforementioned artists. Santana is based out of San Francisco, Calif., a fact that he likes to remind us of in his music. His father aside, Salvador’s grandparents

were both musicians as well. This fact would suggest that he’s bound for musical greatness, or at least possesses a little talent for the craft, Photo illustration by Marni Cohen/Portland State Vanguard but this just doesn’t Keyboard City: Despite its innovative and sustainable packaging, this album kind of blows. seem to be the case. The bulk of his album could be classified as caffeinated The album as a whole is into Keyboard City, but that’s just not lounge music with a light funk overproduced and feels rife enough to save him. This guys needs influence and the occasional touch with looping and recycled beats. to tone it down, find out what genre of hip-hop. It starts out tolerable “Keyboard City,” the title track, is he actually wants to be a part of or enough, if just a little boring. “We probably one of the most disgusting stop making music all together. Got Something” has a lot of that overuses of Auto-Tune to come out previously cited funk sound to it, recently and “Video Game, Save Salvador Santana with some repetitive hip-hop vocals My Life,” whose title should be an layered over from time to time. The automatic red flag for ridiculousness, vocals are minimal and really don’t employs an annoyingly shrill sineKeyboard City seem to carry much meaning. wave generator. Coupled with a Quannum Projects After that though, things get bad. weirdly bass-y down tempo feel, it’s Out Feb. 2 Song like “Don’t Even Care” and like elevator music on crack. “Keep Smiling” will make you realize One thing you can’t fault Salvador that even a safe, cotton-candy fluff of for is trying. The guy seems to have a song can be obnoxious. invested a generous amount of work

Vanguard Arts & Culture | 5 January 27, 2010

Top five most expensive cars in the world 1. Bugatti Veyron: $1.7 million

A stylized look at beauty found in the seemingly mundane Roger Wightman Vanguard staff

Remember that scene in American Beauty when the camera follows a plastic bag as it dances along the side of a brick building to the rhythm of the wind? This is the most beautiful thing, the boy filming it claimed, that he had ever seen. This notion of beauty in the mundane is understood exponentially more the longer we watch the bag drift back and forth with ebb and flow of the atmosphere. This sort of beauty defines Oregon native Jason Langer’s photographic collection Nudes, which is in its final week of exhibition at the Charles A. Hartman Fine Art Gallery. Nudes goes where oh-so-many artists have gone before—the female body—and does so unapologetically, for Langer has something new to say: Look around you and look at yourself. You are perfect.

Capturing the day to day Nudes isn’t just about showcasing the human body in its natural form, because that would make it ordinary. Langer’s exhibit is as much about the person behind the lens as it is about the person in front of it. Most of us know these images already and have taken them thousands of times within our memories, but only after seeing them pinned to a freshly painted wall do we realize how amazing these moments really were. It’s early, and you’re only up because you hear the sound of water splashing against the floor of the bathtub. You roll out of bed, give the dog a pat on the head and meander into the kitchen where the kettle is still warm from recent use. Finally, you head to the bathroom where the sound of draining water has stopped. Opening the door releases a thick blanket of warm steam that

momentarily takes you back to the feeling of a high school locker room. Then through it all, there she is—her hair wet and straw-like, dangling to the side as she prepares the towel to wrap around her head. You’ve seemingly seen it a thousand times but today it is different—today it is beautiful. Langer reminds us of these moments by trapping those innocent actions and gestures into tasteful black-and-white print. The use of sunlight through an open window adds to the sense of realism that the photos portray— darkening the bodies sometimes into silhouettes or casting a supplemented amount of clarity to a shoulder blade or the arch of a back. One could criticize Langer for being highly selective in his portrayal of the female body, showcasing only his standard of perfection for what a

person should look like. His models are tall and thin, with toned muscles and blemish-free faces. They lie in luxurious bedding and pose on expensive vintage dressers, leading one to think that this world exists only in dreams or a trendy Parisian flat overlooking the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Regardless, Nudes reminds us of the beauty that is in day-to-day places, the intimacy that we share with others and the experience of the morning after.

Jason Langer: Nudes Charles A. Hartman Fine Art 134 NW Eighth St. Tue through Sat, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Runs through Jan. 30

This is by far the most expensive street-legal car available on the market today. It is the fastest-accelerating car, reaching 60 in 2.6 seconds. It claims to be the fastest car with a top speed of 253 mph. However, the title for the fastest car goes to the SSC Ultimate Aero, which exceeds 253 mph, pushing this car to second place. 2. Lamborghini Reventon: $1.6 million The most powerful and the most expensive Lamborghini ever built is the second on the list. It takes 3.3 seconds to reach 60 mph and it has a top speed of 211 mph. Its rarity (limited to 20) and slick design are the reasons why it is so expensive and costly to own. 3. McLaren F1: $970,000 In 1994, the McLaren F1 was the fastest and most expensive car. Even though it was built 15 years ago, it has an unbelievable top speed of 240 mph and reaches 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. Even as of today, the McLaren F1 is still high on the list and outperformed many other supercars. 4. Ferrari Enzo: $670,000 The most well-known supercar ever built. The Enzo has a top speed of 217 mph and reaches 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. Only 400 units were produced and it is currently being sold for over $1 million at auctions. 5. Pagani Zonda C12 F: $667,321 Produced by a small independent company in Italy, the Pagani Zonda C12 F is the fifth-fastest car in the world. It promises to deliver a top speed of 215 mph and can go 0–60 in 3.5 seconds. —thesupercars.org

Jason Langer: Stylized nudes complete with black-and-white motifs and soft lighting.

Photos courtesy of Jason Langer

Crazy about writing?

The Vanguard is looking for arts and culture writers!

Vanguard 6 | Opinion January 27, 2010

Opinion Editor: Richard D. Oxley 503-725-5692 opinion@dailyvanguard.com

OPINION Amy Fylan

Back to school…again

If you were to ask me last year if I would ever head back to school to finish my degree, the answer would have been “highly unlikely, struggling to get my associate’s degree was enough.” Tests, hours of studying, lectures, discussions— college isn’t for everyone and after a few tries, it especially wasn’t for me. Yet, at age 28, I did come back after seizing an opportunity that arose. People are finding themselves unemployed with no prospect of a new job in their future, so they are looking to education in the hope of finding a better job. To be competitive, you need a degree along with connections and good experience in the field of your choice, and college can provide both. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a person with a bachelor’s degree will earn considerably more in their lifetime than one without, statistically. No wonder people are taking the opportunity to go back to college when faced with unemployment. With today’s economic crisis, enrollment in Oregon’s universities and state colleges are surprisingly on the rise. During fall 2008, the state’s enrollment rose an astonishing 6.4 percent, according to the Oregon University System. That’s quite a leap considering two years prior, when the increase was only 1.5 percent. Of course, our economy was much better then. So who is enrolling and what is their motivation? The average student age is between 23 and 24 at colleges like Oregon State University, University of Oregon and Western Oregon University. At other colleges—such as Eastern Oregon University, Oregon State University Cascades, Southern Oregon University and Portland State—the average student is between 26 and 30 years old.

This makes sense if you think about it—high school graduates who have never attended college and want the full experience are more likely to enroll at UO or OSU. People with some college history or those who have been working for some years and decide to return are more likely to choose PSU, UP or even EOU, which has a campus affiliated with Mt Hood Community College. Though I can’t speak for everyone’s motivation for returning to or beginning their college years, I can speak for myself. Growing up believing that a twoyear degree wouldn’t suffice, after earning mine, I decided to continue my education at UO. My plan was to major in communication and possibly have a career in journalism or public relations. However, not long after classes began, my motivation began to shift. The desire wasn’t there anymore and I decided to work full time. While attending school, I worked at retail stores. With experience and loyalty, I figured it was only a matter of time before rising up the corporate ladder. Apparently that didn’t mean anything and after four years with Old Navy, I switched gears and found a job at a bank. The bank provided me with a more stable working environment, which included 40 hours per week plus health insurance. Even though it meant starting at the bottom of the totem pole, within six months I was able to land a promotion and a pay raise. Unfortunately my career at the bank didn’t last more than a year. Yearning for change and a new challenge, I reentered the world of retail once more, this time with a bigger goal in mind. Next was Nordstrom, but my time there was cut very short. With personal sales not being met to company standards in the economic

One story of heading back to college Vanguard staff

What is a degree worth any way? We’ve all heard the numbers flying around conversations here and there. But statistically, degrees can help in regards to salary. The U.S. Census Bureau keeps track of salaries and reports the average annual income of different education levels. What did they find about the relation between education and salary? Here are the numbers: Professional degree

$109,600 Doctoral degree

$89,400 Master’s degree

$62,300 Bachelor’s degree

$52,200 Associate’s degree

$38,200 Some college

$36,800 High school graduate

$30,400 Some high school

crisis, they let me go. Devastated, tired of moving from job to job and not wanting to settle, I made the very easy decision to go back to school. Knowing that finishing my degree will be challenging and overwhelming at times, I have confidence in my older and wiser self to succeed. Third

Illustration by Kira Meyrick/Portland State Vanguard

$23,400 —U.S. Census Bureau

Performance pay overemphasizes teachers’ influence Robin Tinker Vanguard staff

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One important way of investing in Oregon’s long-term future is to work on improving schools. Good schools provide important, quality education to young minds in order to prepare them for success as adults, but that is not the only benefit. It’s no secret that Oregon’s economy is not looking extremely promising—good schools can ultimately help lure businesses and workers too. Oregon stands a fairly good chance of getting a federal grant to work on improving our schools thanks to a federal school challenge dubbed “Race to the Top.” The Obama Administration has requested that $1.35 billion be set aside for the program. The idea is that states come up with plans for improving education, and the more controversial and cutting edge, the better. According to the U.S. Department of Education Web site, awards will go to states that plan to lead the way with ambitious yet achievable plans. Oregon is shooting for $200 million of that budget, with a fairly controversial plan. According to The Oregonian, everyone in the Oregon education

time is the charm! I am hopeful in the months to come about the opportunities PSU will provide me, and others like me. It is true when they say that education is an investment for your future. And it is my wish that it will all pay off for everyone in the end.

Controversy in Oregon’s schools field—union leaders, administrators, teachers, other school staff and education advocates—all worked together to come up with the plan, which includes 93 school districts educating 77 percent of the state’s students. Of the 41 states that applied, only 28 have the backing of teachers’ unions, Oregon being one of them. So what is controversial about it? In short, performance pay. Teachers would be held at least somewhat accountable for student’s test scores. At first glance this doesn’t seem controversial, but according to The Oregonian, voters have rejected two separate ballot measures that would have linked students’ achievement to teacher salaries. For someone not overly familiar with education, this seems like an obvious answer to improving schools—after all, most people are held accountable for success and achievement in their careers. Why haven’t teachers been accountable up until now? Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple. Speaking with a retired public school teacher who did not wish to be named, I found that many factors influence a child’s success and achievement in school, including (but not limited to) parental involvement and encouragement,

overall health, economic status, personal motivation, learning style, peer influence, access to books and computers—as well as the teachers themselves. In fact, this teacher said that in their experience, parental involvement is the most influential factor upon the child’s academic success. So it might not be reasonable or fair to teachers to hold them completely accountable for a student’s achievement considering all of these factors. Yet 65 percent of the school districts that signed up for the challenge were willing to use teacher evaluations to help set pay. This seems to really say something about Oregon’s teachers. They know that American students are falling behind and they are willing to put themselves and their reputations on the line to try and help. They are going way above and beyond with this proposal. Taking it one step further, even if Oregon doesn’t receive funds from the Race to the Top grant, they still plan to link student achievement to individual teachers anyway. Doug Kosty, of the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators, told The Oregonian that the emphasis would be on overall annual improvement, not the highest

scores. Practices used by the most successful teachers would then be used throughout the system. The idea isn’t to fire or punish bad teachers, but to encourage more successful practices. This all sounds good on paper, but will it be possible to execute? Improvement of academic achievement through test scores may prove hardly noticeable enough to recognize. Thinking back to elementary and junior high school, many students stayed mostly consistent in their test scores, with an overall achievement standard for any and every teacher. If an increase or decline is recognizable, how easy will it be to pinpoint what exactly caused it? With so many factors at work influencing students’ academic success or failure, it could be quite a challenge. Innovation in the field of education is always a good idea. We should be constantly coming up with new ways to try and improve upon the system. It’s also a good idea to remember that teachers aren’t completely responsible for a student’s success or failure. It is admirable that Oregon educators are going to attempt to use their influence to beat out the other factors and raise our school’s achievement levels, but then again, teachers are very admirable people.

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Edited by Will Shortz Across 1 Prefix with dextrous 5 Musketeer with Porthos and Aramis 10 Bart Simpsonʼs brainy sister 14 Detach from a source of dependence 15 Musical beat 16 Desertlike 17 Acupuncture, e.g. 20 Goes “A-a-achoo!” 21 Tickles the fancy 22 Go up 23 The “A” in P.T.A.: Abbr. 24 Furnace, e.g. 29 “___ side are you on anyway?” 31 Good name for a Dalmatian 32 “___ about had it up to here!”

33 Male deer

34 Surface again, as a driveway

36 Extended family 37 1980s sitcom with an extraterrestrial

60 What to call Spainʼs Juan Carlos 61 15-percenters: Abbr.

Down 1 Fills with wonder 38 One-person 2 Like taking performance candy from a baby? 39 “___ you glad?” 3 First, second or 40 Rough-terrain third, on a cyclist diamond 4 Bank accrual 44 Helper 5 Motionless 45 Oklahoma city 6 More uptight 46 Bolts (down) 7 “Well, let me 49 Two-page ads think …” 53 Samoan or Fijian 8 Unlock, to a bard 56 Quod ___ demonstrandum 9 Popular teen hangout 50+ 57 Andrea ___, illyears ago fated ship 10 Gap in a 58 Writer Émile manuscript 59 TVʼs warrior 11 Pupil surrounder princess 12 Trig function 13 Fruit beverages ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE A S P I � � A R A N A � S 18 Web mag T � E N A T U R A L A � R O 19 “No more for me” W O R � P E R � I T S T I R T R O W E L � L I P S I D E 23 Mighty Dog E R E � U S E A V E S competitor O P E L V E L A Z � U E Z 24 Greek port � O A L � I N T A U D I P where Prince T O S S E S � O P U L A Philip was born S L � L E � S � T E T L S 25 ___ Martin S T E A D � � O � R � A S (James Bond � � A R � � A P R I S car) L A R A I D E R A � O D E S 26 Bathroom floor O R � S E N D O � A N E R A installer S � E E � A I N � R A � E S 27 Indiana senator E S T D S E N T S L O S � Bayh

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Roots Student Group: Interfaith in Action 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Spiritual Life Center Discussion between faith-based student groups regarding malaria

21 22

48 54

PASO: José Luis Baquedano 4 p.m. SMSU, room 328 Free lecture from Honduran labor leader

Thursday

Puzzle by Tim Darling

28 Payment in Monopoly 29 “Kapow!” 30 Circle of angels? 34 Where a hot dog stand may stand 35 “Night” author Wiesel 36 Sideboard 38 Not flexible, as muscles

39 Director Kurosawa 41 Airport near Tokyo 42 Nickname for Elizabeth 43 Live, as a football 46 X-ray ___ (novelty item) 47 Have concern

Home Buying 101 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Center for Urban and Public Affairs Room 212 Free discussion about the changing home market and advice for first-time homeowners

48 Open up ___ of worms 50 Work like ___ 51 Shoulder muscle, briefly 52 Mmes., in Madrid 54 Rank above maj. 55 Abbr. on a clothing sale item

For answers, call 1-900-285-5656, $1.49 a minute; or, with a credit card, 1-800-814-5554. Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. AT&T users: Text NYTX to 386 to download puzzles, or visit nytimes.com/mobilexword for more information. Online subscriptions: Todayʼs puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay. Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.

Wanted PHOTOGRAPHERS for the Vanguard

It’s pretty

2010 Telluride Mountain Film Festival 6 p.m. SMSU Ballroom $7 advance tickets for students, $10 day of the festival

Friday

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CALENDAR Today

No. 1214

Vanguard Vanguard Etc. || 77 Arts JanuaryDay, 27, 2009 2010 Month

Home Buying 101 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Center for Urban and Public Affairs Room 212 Free discussion about the changing home market and advice for first-time homeowners Seminar: State of the Atmosphere 3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Science Building 1, room 107 Free lecture from University of Michigan professor Sanford Sillman

Saturday Opera Appreciation Lecture Series 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Cramer Hall, room 258 Free discussion about opera for students Soul Food Dinner 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. SMSU Ballroom Free food and entertainment w/ RSVP to dementro@pdx.edu Food and entertainment will be provided, and former Portland Trail Blazer Terry Porter will attend

● Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating.

● The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given

1-18-10

operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners.

● Freebies: Fill in single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.

To place an event: Contact vgcalendar@ gmail.com or pick up a calendar request form at the Vanguard advertising office, Smith Memorial Student Union, room 115.

ART WEDNESDAY Hitting the slopes with popcorn Telluride Mountainfilm Festival comes to Portland State Bianca Blakenship Vanguard staff

Want to take a trip to the mountains this Thursday, but don’t have the time or gear to do it? Try the Telluride Mountainfilm Festival instead. Sure, there won’t be the actual feel of sub zero temperatures or the physical danger of frostbite, but maybe that’s for the best. Portland State’s Outdoor Program and Portland Mountain Rescue (PMR) are hosting the festival on campus. It will include four hours of films that celebrate the great outdoors—especially mountains and mountaineering culture. While most of the films will be short documentaries and narratives, a feature length film might also be shown. The screenings are from independent filmmakers who submitted films

for this year’s festival under the theme “Extinction Crisis.” All proceeds from ticket sales for the festival showing on campus will benefit PMR, a local nonprofit organization. PMR relies on volunteer team members to run mountain search-and-rescue and education programs. They believe in not charging the public for their rescues and doing their best to provide help and educational tools when needed. The Telluride Mountainfilm Festival started in 1979 and focused on mountain climbers and mountaineers. The festival has since evolved to reach a broader audience. While holding on to its mountain roots, it now presents a wide array of films relating to the environment and the outdoors. In the past decade it has also taken on more social and cultural issues in reaction to the growing environmentalism movement and increasing environmental concerns. Founded by a group of

climbers and friends, their mission is to educate and inspire. After the festival passes through Portland, it will continue its tour throughout the United States and conclude in Telluride, Colo., for the culminating festival in late May of this year. The final weekend of screenings will be a packed four-day schedule that includes symposium, a gallery walk, numerous awards and prizes and lots of films. More films are in fact still being submitted thanks to rolling due dates, and if this year’s festival takes cue from 2009, expect to see nearly a hundred films on the final roster. Last year’s award and nomination line-up reveals how varied the subject matter can be. Burma VJ, a documentary on Burma’s tyrannical and brutal government, took the highest award of Moving Mountains Prize, while Surfing 50 States, a story of two Australians who find creative ways to surf waves in every U.S. state, won the Aspiring Filmmakers Award.

Play Gravity

Losing the Elephants

The Price of Sugar

The Last Nomads

King Lines

Asiemut

The 2009 festival also boasted over 50 notable speakers, including Ken Burns, a well-known and masterful documentary filmmaker, and Jim Whittaker, the first American to climb Mt. Everest. A similar line-up is to be expected this year, though the list has not been finalized. In addition to the festival screenings, the Outdoor Program will hold a raffle and silent auction. Both Portland State students and the public are welcome to attend.

Telluride Mountainfilm Festival Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom Thu, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Students, $7 advance, $10 door Faculty and public, $10 advance, $12 door

Vanguard Arts & Culture | 8 January 27, 2010

Random happenings in the arts world Science-fiction mainstay Ray Bradbury has a new book available this week. We’ll Always Have Paris is a collection of short stories from the author of Fahrenheit 451. A prolific writer who has written 11 novels and countless short stories, plays and poems, Bradbury turns 90 years old this year. John Travolta flew his Boeing 747 to Portau-Prince Tuesday to deploy doctors and Scientology ministers along with six tons of food and medical supplies. Honduran labor leader José Luis Baquedano will be speaking today in Smith Memorial Student Union, room 328, at 4 p.m. The representative of a principal labor group in Honduras, Baquedano will be speaking about the military coup that occurred last June and the fight against the new government. The event is sponsored by the Pan American Solidarity Organization. The Outdoor Program and Portland Mountain Rescue have teamed up to host this year’s Telluride Mountain Film Festival. A silent auction will also be held and all proceeds benefit Portland Mountain Rescue. Tickets are $7 in advance for students and $10 in advance for the general public. Check out the article on this page for more information about the films, and for history on the festival.