Daily Vanguard March 5, 2010 by Portland State Vanguard

Event of the day

FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 2010 • PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY • VOLUME 64, ISSUE 79

The Foreign Language Department’s Scandinavian Sampler kicks off tonight. See Page 7 for more info. When: 7:30 p.m. Where: Cramer Hall, room 124

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INSIDE OPINION

Students gathered in the park to demand more funding for higher education Stacy Austin Vanguard staff

Live by the gun, die by the gun Both Campbell and police are accountable in shooting PAGE 3

ARTS

Underland is not wonderland Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland leaves little to be in awe of PAGE 4

A few hundred students gathered yesterday at 1 p.m. in the South Park Blocks at Portland State for the National Day of Action to Defend Education. Students at hundreds of other campuses across the country participated in the day of action in some way, according to www.defendeducation.org. At PSU, 11 different groups, including the ASPSU Executive Branch, Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights, Students for Unity and Northwest Student Coalition, sponsored the student walkout. Live music was played by Piñata, David Rovics and the Powder Keg marching band. The rally ended mid-afternoon with a group march from the Park Blocks to Southwest Market Street and Sixth Avenue, then down Southwest College Street and through Smith Memorial Student Union and Neuberger Hall. Student leaders, musicians and professors spoke to the crowd about the need to keep education accessible. The crowd held signs that read things such as “keep PSU affordable” and “Wim’s restructure plan equals higher tuition.”

ACTION continued on page six One year of quality music Mississippi Studios catches steam as they attack their second year PAGE 5

Advocacy group takes stance on proposed financial restructure Vanguard staff

SPORTS

March of the Vikings Vikings seek third straight postseason title, but enter as No. 6 seed PAGE 8

Across the nation: Students gathered many places today demanding greater affordability.

All photos by Marni Cohen/Portland State Vanguard

OSA opposes restructure Recovering from accusations Tamara K. Kennedy

The healthy whore Shrimp, lentils and a smutty-name sauce make this dish an easy win PAGE 5

National day of action

Though most seem to agree that higher education in Oregon needs more funding, how to fix the problem is cause for disagreement. The Oregon Student Association, an advocacy group representing over 100,000 students in public universities across the state, has formulated a stance and a document of guiding principals in opposition to the proposed financial restructuring of several Oregon University System schools. “Right now, we feel there is a problem but we don’t think restructuring is the best way to fix the system,” said Katie Markey, ASPSU interim legislative affairs director and board delegate.

Katie Markey

Liana Shewey/Portland State Vanguard

The OSA’s stance and guiding principals on the proposed financial restructure are that it: - Supports the setting of tuition and fees by the State Board of Higher Education and in the Oregon Legislature - Opposes the deregulation of the statewide governance structure currently fulfilled by the State Board - Opposes a public corporation model such as the one proposed in the Frohnmayer Report or any close derivative - Supports securing a permanent state-funding source for post secondary education other than student tuition and fees - Supports a minimum state funding level for all postsecondary schools - Supports a truly public mission in Oregon that ensures access to post secondary education for all people in Oregon regardless of financial ability “As talks continue we can move and develop with them and we can revise our stances as more information regarding restructuring is available,” Markey said. The ASPSU Senate will likely review the OSA’s stance and take some sort of action in response. “There have been no proposals as of yet to solve this problem in Oregon or at Portland State, but discussions have begun and ASPSU is making sure that students will be represented throughout these talks,” said ASPSU Senator Selina Poulsen.

Student leaders defend Bucharest, named by professor as an FBI agent Virginia Vickery Vanguard staff

Since tenured economics professor John Hall accused student Zaki Bucharest of being an undercover FBI agent and provocateur during his class, white supremacy groups have threatened Bucharest’s family and he has received racist and violent harassment on his public social networking profiles. During the Jan. 14 incident, Hall, who has taught at Portland State for 24 years, veered off course during a class lecture and leveled the accusations at Bucharest. He went on to say that Bucharest is dangerous and a threat to the student body. Friends of Bucharest and many student leaders on campus say these accusations are false. They have begun to organize a campaign to publicly defend him from the claims made by Hall. “He’s probably one of the most intelligent, outspoken students for students’ rights, and thank god he’s on my staff,” said ASPSU President Jonathan Sanford, for whom Bucharest works as chief of staff. Sanford stated in an open letter that on Feb. 12, members of a

white supremacy group located Bucharest’s two young children in California and threatened violence against them. Since the incident with Hall was made public, numerous racist comments threatening violence against Jewish people have been posted on a YouTube account presumed to belong to Bucharest, though he denies that the account belongs to him but rather to a person he knows. “I am deeply concerned by the reports of anti-Semitism that have been leveled at my good friend, Zaki Bucharest. I hope that the administration is taking this case very seriously because of the intensity of threats and hate filled words,” said Rudy Soto, former ASPSU president, a current student at PSU and candidate for City Council.

Support from within A letter released in midFebruary signed by ASPSU leaders, other student leaders and friends of Bucharest reads: “Having worked closely with Bucharest professionally and personally, I can testify that he is not a dangerous agent provocateur, nor is he employed by any federal or private mercenary agency.” Hall went on in the lecture to accuse Bucharest, a 30-year-old

DEFENSE continued on page six

Vanguard 2 | Opinion March 5, 2010

Sarah J. Christensen Editor-in-Chief Virginia Vickery News Editor Theodora Karatzas Arts & Culture Editor

OPINION Editorial

Can rape be used as a punch line?

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 Associate News Editor Corie Charnley Production Assistants Bryan Morgan, Charles Cooper Williams Post-production Assistant Adiana Lazarraga Contributors Stacy Austin, Will Blackford, Bianca Blankenship, Leah Bodenhamer, Meaghan Daniels, Sarah Engels, Sarah Esterman, Amy Fylan, Courtney Graham, Natalia Grozina, Patrick Guild, Joe Hannan, Rosemary Hanson, Steve Haske, Nadya Ighani, Carrie Johnston, Sara M. Kemple, Tamara K. Kennedy, Ebonee Lee, J. Logue, James MacKenzie, Daniel Ostlund, Sharon Rhodes, Tanya Shiffer, Wendy Shortman, Catrice Stanley, Nilesh Tendolkar, Robin Tinker, Vinh Tran, Katherine Vetrano, Allison Whited, Roger Wightman Photographers Aaron Leopold, Michael Pascual, Liana Shewey, Adam Wickham Copy Editors Noah Emmet, Amanda Gordon Advertising Sales Ana SanRoman, Wesley Van Der Veen Advertising Designer Shannon Vincent Distributor Cody Bakken

Find us at www.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 © 2010 Portland State University Vanguard 1825 SW Broadway, Smith Memorial Student Union, Rm. S-26, Portland, Ore., 97201

Effectively, that’s the question that was raised when one of our sister publications ran on their back cover a parody of the cartoon Hagar the Horrible [Rearguard, Feb. 2010]. Hagar, the cartoon’s protagonist and viking leader, notes that in viking rankings, the group’s pillaging rate is up but “we’re losing a lot of points in the ‘rape’ category.” When his male companion inquires as to how this can be fixed, Hagar responds with, “First, we get you another drink, baby.” At least one reader found this use of potential sexual assault as a comedic device to be offensive. In addition to a letter to the editor we received—calling for a public reprimand of the Rearguard and the resignation of comic artist Adam Barber—posters were placed around campus shaming the publication and stating that rape, even between two men, is not funny. While the cartoon in question may not have been in good taste, and putting its lack of effectiveness as a joke aside, it should be noted that it is a form of protected speech. Parodies are a form of social commentary or critique that are protected under the free speech clause of our First Amendment as artistic expression. Artists often use the recognizable to shed light on the repulsive, and in this case, the repulsive was our institution’s connection to a barbaric culture. Barber used the image of Hagar as a connection to our school mascot, the Vikings, who are historically known as barbarians who

used heavy-handed methods of conquering far-off lands. Though historians still argue over whether the “rape and pillage” stigma is accurate, it is hard to dispute that the association nevertheless exists in people’s minds. Barber was making the point that, by proxy, that stigma falls upon our mascot as well. Negative response to the comic is understandable. According to a recent investigation conducted by the Center for Public Integrity in conjunction with reporters from National Public Radio, one out of five women will be sexually assaulted during her time in college. The message in Barber’s spoof of Hagar may be lost because of the emotional response it evokes, but that isn’t the point. Our First Amendment sets us apart from many other cultures, and the freedom it affords is a source of pride. However, it can also be a double-edged sword. Having such a freedom also protects that with which we may not agree. Author Noam Chomsky wrote that to truly believe in freedom of speech, you must also believe that those with whom you disagree hold the same freedom. The same constitutional tool that allows hate groups, such as the KKK, to organize rallies is what allows us to fight for civil rights. Though Barber can be criticized for insensitivity to a major public concern, the Rearguard cannot be put under fire for utilizing the same freedom that allows each of us to voice our disapproval.

Sarah J. Christensen, Editor-in-Chief | Virginia Vickery, News Editor Theodora Karatzas, Arts & Culture Editor | Richard D. Oxley, Opinion Editor Robert Britt, Sports Editor | Marni Cohen, Photo Editor Shannon Vincent, Production Manager | Zach Chastaine, Online Editor Robert Seitzinger, Copy Chief

Rant Rage The

and

By Dick Richards

At least know what the hell you are talking about! Students have taken to the streets and voiced their opposition to the idea of converting Oregon’s universities into independent public corporations. Good for you, students! Way to stand up for what you believe and against something you oppose. At least, that is what I would say if any of you knew what the hell you were talking about. Amid signs pleading to “keep public education public” and shouts of an angst-ridden mantra against the coming corporate takeover, it may be difficult for bystanders to realize that much of what was being said was wellformed yet total crap. Yeah, there certainly was a lot of fervor and “stay strong” type cheers. But did anyone notice there wasn’t much said about the actual issue you were protesting? Perhaps because you don’t know what you are talking about. Here’s the thing: There most certainly is a debate to be had. We need to fix Oregon’s funding problems. Maybe the Frohmayer Report will help us, or maybe it won’t. It warrants discussion. So why don’t we do that? Why don’t we have that discussion? Maybe we would, if someone would actually offer up something that correlates to the issue at hand, and not some kind of feardriven corporate takeover myth. That has nothing to do with the discussion. Perhaps the biggest problem we are dealing with is that the Frohmayer report used the word “corporation.” Maybe he should have used the term “corporate model” or “government cooperative.” In our climate of mega-corporations high on greed and power, the word has taken on a negative context. Throw in the recent Supreme Court screw-up regarding the Citizens United case, and folks are pretty much ready to take up arms against the man. But all that has nothing to do with the Frohmayer Report.

All it suggests—it neither mandates nor orders, it merely suggests—is that we form a different model of funding for higher education in Oregon, one where the state government (the people, that is) still runs the universities. The state government would still partly fund education. In fact, the only difference is that the new system would have the ability to use outside sources of funding—which it already is forced to use—more effectively and respond to current concerns more quickly. Honestly, did any of you even read the damn report? Did you miss the part where Dave Frohmayer defines what the thing is? For example, where it says that a public corporation for higher education “is formed for the public purpose of promoting the public welfare of the people,” or the part where it clearly states “The PCHE shall be a governmental entity performing governmental functions and exercising governmental powers.” Hmm, sound familiar? It should because it’s kind of what we already have. In fact, it is the complete opposite of what you are crying over. The idea that some ass clowns from Citibank are going to come in and buy out our school is absurd, or to think that our school signs will read “Portland State University: a subsidiary of Walmart” is just ignorant. I’m not saying that we should embrace the Frohmayer Report or the ideas it puts forth. I just think we should discuss it by starting off on the right foot, and not a misguided fist in the air. In general, we should discuss how to fix the mess that is Oregon’s system of higher education. If our universities were being reformed into some sort of profitdriven machine, you all would see Dick Richards taking his rage to the streets. Instead, you will see it aimed at the Einsteins who prefer to bitch instead of educating themselves.

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Both Campbell and police are accountable in shooting Patrick Guild Vanguard staff

Marva Davis lost two young sons last month. One of the brothers, Timothy Douglass, died of kidney failure. Hours later his brother, Aaron Campbell, 25, was shot by police. The circumstances surrounding both of these deaths are heavily documented—but Campbell’s death raises more questions than answers. To comment on this precarious subject, I read the 454-page grand jury transcript documenting the shooting. I’ve listened to the hours of 911 and police dispatch recordings. I’ve absorbed all of these, and yet I have only a tenuous grasp of what happened that night outside of the Sandy Terrace Apartments. Reports are murky, recreating the confusion of both the police and Campbell on Jan. 29. The day previous to the shooting, Campbell had attempted suicide multiple times, but failed apparently as a result of a faulty gun. His girlfriend testified that he wanted the police to kill him because if he

committed suicide he would go to hell. Despite that, he pointed a gun at his head in front of her and told her he tried to kill himself in a car earlier. He went into the parking lot and fired a test shot before he went to sleep. People deal with grief in different ways. Campbell’s grief manifested itself violently and abusively to the people around him. But it seems his actions were merely the result of a young man who couldn’t process his brother’s sudden death. Of course, Campbell should not have had a gun in the first place. Campbell’s criminal history includes resisting arrest, domestic violence, four counts of assault and attempted murder with a handgun. Campbell’s girlfriend testified that he had beat her countless times in the past. Protestors who called the shooting an “execution,” including Rev. Jesse Jackson, failed to mention Campbell’s violent criminal history and the fact that while he didn’t have the gun on him when he was gunned down, it was in the apartment he was holed up in. Police had every right to take precautions to protect themselves and the bystanders in the apartment complex. The details get a little unclear throughout the rest of the transcript. James Quackenbush, the police officer who had direct contact with Campbell, used Campbell’s girlfriend’s phone to text him. He also complained of bad reception when they did talk. Is this standard police procedure? What happened to the megaphone? In a potential hostage situation—three children

were present in the apartment in this case—communication is paramount. Texting is one of the worst mediums for communication. Even Campbell admitted that texting was ridiculous. One of his texts to Quackenbush reportedly reads, “Wow, you guys text, too. You get kudos.” Despite owning a gun, threatening to kill himself in front of his girlfriend and firing his gun the night before, Campbell did everything right once police arrived. Keep in mind that he hadn’t committed a crime that day and the police were responding to a welfare check for Campbell’s girlfriend. Campbell had no idea why the police were there until he got a text from Quackenbush. Campbell handled the situation perfectly. When Quackenbush mentioned that police were concerned about the three children in the apartment, they were immediately sent outside. Campbell and Quackenbush joked with each other and seemed to have an amicable conversation, even calling Quackenbush “Jimmy.” The problem lies in Quackenbush’s relaying of his conversation to the other officers. The men were not properly briefed on the situation and ongoing negotiations. When Campbell voluntarily stepped out of his apartment backwards with his hands behind his head, the officers didn’t know he was unarmed and compliant. Officer Ryan Lewton ordered Campbell to stop and put his hands up in the air. Lewton stated, “He just stood there with his hands behind his head. So I shot him with the beanbag gun.” A man has his back to a wall of

armed policemen with his hands behind his head. How much danger could they really be in? Reports say that Campbell shouted something along the lines of “Just shoot me already. I know you’re going to.” Officer Ronald Frashour, the AR15-trained marksmen who killed Campbell, said he didn’t know what Campbell was saying, but it was “aggressive and hostile and defiant and loud.” Campbell was shot by the beanbag gun multiple times in the lower back when he stumbled forward and reached to his lower waistband. Frashour says that he had to have been reaching for a gun. One could wonder if he had been gripping the area the beanbags struck. At that point, Frashour says he made the decision to use lethal force. From his testimony, it sounds like Frashour made the decision much earlier. Police were briefed and told that Campbell was attempting “suicide by police.” Everything from Campbell’s criminal history to the violence of the previous day created a situation that was destined to end in violence. Officer Frashour was forced to make the difficult decision to take Campbell’s life to protect others based on the little information he gleaned from other officers. Many have taken part in the blame game since the incident. But both Campbell and the Portland Police Bureau are to blame for creating a situation that ended in death. We can only hope that the bureau imposes severe reforms to make sure that something like this doesn’t happen again.

Equality, not surgery Cover it all Should SHAC cover gender reassignment surgeries? Meaghan Daniels Vanguard staff

Student Health and Counseling is there to help the students, staff and faculty at Portland State, but when some students are upset with services that are not covered, does that mean SHAC is not doing its job? Not necessarily. SHAC is there for the health and well-being of students, so providing prescriptions, physicals and therapy is right up their alley. Some students believe that SHAC should cover gender reassignment surgeries for transgender students. Yes, equality is important and the transgender community is very much discriminated against. It is not right and certainly not fair. But what SHAC does and does not cover is not an issue of equality nor should it be made into an issue of equality. It would be one thing if SHAC covered something like plastic surgery and refused to cover transgender operations. That would discriminate against transgender people and it would be an injustice in the PSU community, but that is not the case here. SHAC currently offers counseling services, though they may not be able to provide long-term therapy to those considering gender reassignment as some doctors require. The services at SHAC would be very beneficial to such people in those cases, but that does not mean that SHAC needs to cover transgender operations entirely.

SHAC covers some aspects of reassignment surgery, though other surgeries common to gender reassignment, such as reforming other areas of the body, are not covered. If one chooses to undergo a transgender operation, then that is great for them, if it is what they want and is what will ultimately make them happier. But it is not a life-or-death situation that SHAC needs to handle. It is important to continue education about transgender issuesthrough PSU and throughout the country. It is important to provide counseling services to transgender people, which is something that SHAC does offer. And it is important to be open minded to people who may be traditionally considered “different,” because in essence we are all different. Educating people on the subject is not SHAC’s responsibility. Covering transgender operations could be viewed as skewing equality because it gives a privilege over everyone else. If SHAC offered breast reduction surgery to those students who have back problems due to large breasts, there would be more of a basis to offer transgender operations. Yes, this boy did not choose to be born into a girl’s body and this girl did not choose to be born into a boy’s body. But the girl with large breasts did not choose that either and certainly did not choose to have back problems. It’s an elective surgery. Bottom line, equality is important, but there are more things the Portland State community can do to get closer to equal rights and educate people on the transgender community, but covering transgender operations at SHAC is not one of them.

Gender reassignment shouldn’t be taken lightly Richard D. Oxley Vanguard staff

The topic of the transgender community can be very confusing to many. After all, it is difficult for people to understand concepts that they have no experience with, especially when those concepts bombard well-established norms such as gender. But for the transgender community, confusion isn’t so much of an issue. It can be as simple as knowing your hair color or taste in food. It’s an intrinsic awareness that the vessel doesn’t correspond with the passenger. To put it plainly, the body doesn’t match the gender. One aspect of the issue that draws further confusion is the idea of a gender reassignment surgery. At Portland State’s Student Health and Counseling Center, those dealing with transgender issues may find help in the form of such an operation and counseling, though further surgeries to compliment the reassignment may be difficult to cover—surgeries dealing with the Adam’s apple for example. These accompanying surgeries should be covered. Gender reassignment isn’t something someone takes lightly. It is a process that, in the majority of cases, requires long-term therapy over many years to even be considered for the operation. This can be partially attributed to a number of instances where a person experiences deep regret after the operation. Still, if this is an endeavor a person chooses to take, transforming a body to match the accurate gender can’t stop at

simply modifying the central organ of debate. While SHAC cannot currently offer prescriptions for hormone therapy, another medical aspect of gender reassignment, they can administer the hormones if a person was able to obtain a prescription outside of SHAC. Some may initially find this all gross or crude. Well, it is very gross and crude. But every surgery is. This particular surgery doesn’t corner the market on disturbing medical procedures. Have you ever watched an operation on television, whether it be a kidney operation or a breast augmentation? It isn’t exactly something you watch while eating dinner. One issue at hand here is the aspect of mental health in such situations. Dealing with a reassignment surgery is a matter that takes serious consideration in this regard. Though exact statistics are difficult to come by, one conclusion that is clear among those who have studied it, is that suicide rates among the transgender community are considerably high. Mental health is a concern, and operations can play a role in this field. Of course this can’t be said across the entire community, and is a matter best handled between a person and their doctor. If SHAC can go partway in offering procedures in the area of gender reassignment, why not go all the way? If you’re going to do a job, do it right, and carry it out to completion. Now granted, some may say I am not the best person to write on this matter. I came out equipped not to deal with this issue, but the broader issue goes beyond affecting one simple group. Fairness in medical treatment is something that can affect us all.

Vanguard Opinion | 3 March 5, 2010

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

The Grammar Grouch by Robert Seitzinger, copy chief Apostrophes This is a good week, my fellow grammar-savvy students! I even bid a friendly hello and tip of the cap to the Portland State Clown College Bozos! No, the Grouch hasn’t found a Mrs. Grouch to snuggle up with and make plans to spend spring break insulting anyone whose blog is rife with poor grammar. However, yesterday was Grammar Day, and I feel great knowing there are national efforts to wider spread the awareness of proper punctuation and verb agreement. This week, I will talk about two aspects of apostrophe use that peeve me worse than remembering that I have no Mrs. Grouch (apparently, knowing when to use a hyphen and a semicolon doesn’t titillate the fairer sex). The most egregious abuse of apostrophes I see is their use among references to decades. I cringe every time I see the 1940’s or the 1770’s (the Grouch likes war decades, you see). The only time you’d want to use an apostrophe in reference to a decade is when you omit the first two numerals, such as Class of ’97 or ’66 Ford Mustang. The other major apostrophe error I see is when a Bozo forgets to use an apostrophe in a possessive sense. They write, “Hans pencil was broken.” Now, without the possessive apostrophe, it reads as though a pencil named after a German guy was broken, because “Hans” modifies “pencil.” However, “Han’s pencil was broken” changes the sentence to mean that a pencil owned by a Star Wars character was smashed. You may have noticed that I took it easy on the Bozos this week. That’s because even a typographical curmudgeon such as the Grouch enjoys hearing he’s appreciated, so maybe less insulting and more informing is in order. That said, 85 percent of you are sad jackasses who couldn’t tell a solidus from an ampersand.

Letters to the editor are gladly accepted and should be no longer than 300 words in length. Submissions may be edited for brevity and vulgarity. E-mail letters to opinion@ dailyvanguard.com.

Vanguard 4 | Arts & Culture March 5, 2010

ARTS & CULTURE

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

Maybe it didn’t need a movie Hollywood churning out awful films is nothing new, and the worst offense big-time studios commit is when one takes another medium’s stroke of brilliance and turns it into a god-awful film that, at best, looks pretty. Certainly, this isn’t the case for every novel, comic book or video game translated to the silver screen, but history is overwhelmingly against producers and directors who try to make an already-great tale somehow better.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Sean Connery is not an easy man to poke fun at. He was the James Bond (quiet down, Moore and Brosnan fans) and his Scottish accent never fails to please. However, this film was so poorly handled that Connery retired from acting, only going back to work as a voice actor. This is proof that, no matter how good they may be, no single actor can carry an entire bad film.

Dreamcatcher Here’s all the evidence you need that horror movies often totter the line between creepy and goofy. There’s a scene when four guys are complaining about a fifth guy who’s taking a smelly dump in a bathroom adjacent to the living room and a few minutes later, it’s revealed that the fifth guy died after he pooped an alien. Now, this would scare me in real life. In a movie, I just thought it was dumb.

Super Mario Bros. Take an awesome video game franchise, cast Dennis Hopper and put Queen on the soundtrack. How could this possibly go wrong? Perhaps because it was based on a game about jumping on enemies’ heads and eating mushrooms to grow, because John Leguizamo was also cast and because accordion master Frankie Yankovic (no relation) was also on the soundtrack.

The Da Vinci Code Tom Hanks. Religious weirdos. Convoluted plot. ’Nuff said. —Robert Seitzinger

Underland is not wonderland Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland leaves little to be in awe of Sarah Esterman Vanguard staff

After sitting through the nearly two hours of crazy colorful 3-D CGI graphics that make up Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, I found myself surprised when the credits began rolling. In a slight panic, I took off my flimsy plastic goggles and wondered what had just happened. Surprisingly, I came to a blank—not because the movie was so awesome that I couldn’t even fathom how anything could ever be that amazing, but because nothing happened. OK, let’s be fair. Something happened, but I’m not really sure what it was. The 19-year-old Alice (Defiance’s Mia Wasikowska) finds herself in Underland—a post-apocalyptic version of what should be a magical place such as Wonderland—after running away from an unwanted marriage proposal and falling down a rabbit hole. She is expected because she’s been there before, but she can’t

remember it, and then there’s a debate about if she is the Alice. Yes, it’s just as confusing as it sounds, and Burton makes little to no effort to clear it up for us. Instead he lets us fumble down a rabbit hole of our own, not knowing what is going on and waiting for some semblance of a plot to begin unfolding. He adds in ridiculous characters, all of which are overacted to the extreme. Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter is mad all right, to the point that one wonders if he doesn’t have a split personality disorder. He slips in and out of a Scottish accent, though we never find out why, and a strange and creepy, potentially romantic bond is forged between him and Alice. And then there’s the Red Queen, played by Helena Bonham Carter, whose preposterously large head can’t seem to conjure any words other than “off with their heads.” Even with her violent tendencies, it’s difficult to see her as a real threat or source of fear. She’s less of an evil, cruel witch than she is a sad and jealous individual. I actually began to pity her, feeling sorry for her because she’s truly alone in her world. No matter how absurd, both Depp and Carter’s characters are good for

a few giggles here and there, but it’s the White Queen and the Cheshire Cat that bring the real laughs. Anne Hathaway is ingenious in her role, playing the Red Queen’s sister to such perfection that I have a hard time picturing her in other films. The Cheshire Cat stands out as a favorite, popping in and out of scenes when he’s needed, even though he doesn’t follow politics, as he puts it. We can’t really blame the Cat, though, considering the politics are more confusing than some of the rhymes the Hatter spits out. As it turns out, the White Queen can take back her role as ruler of Underland if her “champion” takes down the Red Queen’s. Enter Alice, who is destined—as it is foretold—to fight and kill the Jabberwocky. For any Lewis Carroll fans out there, it’s pretty clear that Burton was mixing a few of his works when he added this part. The duel is actually the climax of the film, though you wouldn’t know until after it happened. When the opposing sides meet on a giant chessboard and the dragon—excuse me, Jabberwocky—is released, one wonders if they aren’t watching a Chronicles of Narnia film. It seems that Burton didn’t just mix up a few

stories—he seems to have mixed up his authors, as the whole scene more closely resembles something out of Tolkien or C.S. Lewis. Regardless of the disappointing plot (or rather lack thereof), the fact that the characters made me shake my head in embarrassment more than once and Burton’s convoluted mixture of stories, the entire adventure wasn’t a total waste. Though Burton certainly took advantage of things flying at your face in 3-D more than was necessary, the film was visually pleasing. The film follows its director’s classic color style, emphasizing the darker tones with bold and bright images. Barren wasteland or not, there were times when I wanted to be in Underland. Though it doesn’t entirely make up for the faults of the film, the visuals in Alice in Wonderland certainly make it a trip worth taking.

Alice in Wonderland Directed by Tim Burton Now playing

Still cold enough for barley wine Lucky Lab hosts a Tastival this weekend Bianca Blankenship Vanguard staff

While Portland is known for hosting large beer festivals that bring in hundreds and sometimes thousands of people, plenty of local breweries have also taken to hosting their own smaller, cheaper versions of these festivals. This Friday and Saturday, Lucky Labrador Brewing Company is hosting the Barleywine and Big Beer Tastival at its Northwest Portland location. This means that either we’re still in winter or that those barley wines are just too good to replace with spring seasonals quite yet. Lucky Lab currently has 28 beers lined up for the tasting and they expect to have about 20 more available at the event. While most of these come from other breweries based in Portland, throughout Oregon and other western states, Lucky Lab will be hosting a few of its own wares. There will be a chance to taste Lucky Lab’s Old Yeller barley wine from both 2007 and 2009. The 2007

is assumed to be at its peak this before. The Tastival is a good time to year. The more interesting choice taste not only what local breweries though will probably be the Son of have been cooking up, but also what Old Yeller, a newly released version breweries from around Oregon and of the original barley wine that has other states have in stock. been aged in bourbon barrels. This Old Foghorn is a solid, delicious brew should be slightly sweeter and barley wine ale from Anchor Steam thicker than the original style. Brewing. While based in San Another bourbon Francisco, Calif., Anchor barrel-aged brew will be Steam uses an extra Bridgeport Brewing dose of Cascade Company’s Old hops for this barley Knucklehead wine, making it a barley wine, the bit more hoppy kegs of which than most of are likely to dry its kind. up pretty fast For those at the Tastival. who really love With twice the hops, though, the malt and hops of Alpha Dog IPA regular ales, along from Laughing Dog with a 10 percent Brewing is worth alcohol by volume, a full glass. With 127 Knucklehead is arguably IBU (a measure of how Photo courtesy of Lucky Lab stronger and heavier than bitter a beer is), it packs Son of Old Yeller, but perhaps a punch and is one of the not as flavorful. hoppiest IPAs out there. Portlanders Some other local craft breweries can also take some pride in knowing taking part in the Tastival will be that this beer also acquires many of its Hopworks Urban Brewery, New Old hops from around Mt. Hood. Lompoc Brewing and Bridgeport New Old Lompoc Brewing first Brewing, supplying us with local released its Old Tavern Rat back in favorites. Yet, many of these are late December, and this is a good familiar brews that we’ve seen chance to try it. A defining winter

beer, this barley wine isn’t quite as strong as its counterparts tend to be, but it’s fruity and malty enough to keep you warm. Oakshire Brewing is back with its Very Ill Tempered Gnome barley wine, which you might have tried at the Holiday Ale Festival last December. The Eugene brew usually doesn’t stick around longer than December, but it will be available at the Tastival for perhaps the last time this year. The Tastival will mostly host barley wines like these, but a number of strong ales and IPAs will also be on tap. With over 40 beers to choose from, there will be plenty to try. But get there early, as the best beers tend to disappear fast.

Barleywine and Big Beer Tastival Lucky Labrador Brewing Company 1945 NW Quimby St. Fri and Sat, Noon – 10 p.m. $8 for a glass and 2 tokens, $1.50 for additional tokens 21+

One year of quality music Mississippi Studios catches steam as they attack their second year Scott Ostlund Vanguard Staff

It can be a hard task to pick which concert to attend on a given weekend in Portland. With a mix of great talent and fun venues, there is almost always an option for everyone. This weekend, solving this conundrum will take no work at all. In celebration of Mississippi Studios’ one-year anniversary, the venue is having a completely free concert tomorrow night with many wellknown Portland artists including Laura Gibson, Justin Power, Yeltsin and Dirty Mittens. There will be more than 10 artists performing Saturday, with collaborations expected. “We’ve encouraged people to collaborate…[creating] one

of a kind performances,” said Mississippi Studios co-owner and booker Alicia Rose. Collaborations are common in Portland due to the interconnectivity between many bands. Whether connected through a show or mutual band members, it will not surprise Portlanders to see multiple bands on stage at one time. Rose explained that in other regions, there is more competition between bands but that in Portland, groups tend to be cohesive through mixed sets and shared members. Mississippi Studios picked bands for the show for many different reasons, leading them to having a large bill of groups performing. Not all venues would get this kind of response from the music scene, but Mississippi Studios has built a reputation that draws not only audience members, but also artists themselves. “It has the best sound in town, it has the feeling of a small venue but it actually…has a pretty big capacity,”

said singer and guitarist Chelsea Morrisey of Dirty Mittens. The intimate space and comfortable capacity makes Mississippi Studios a great place for bands of all different genres to play. “We haven’t played at Mississippi Studios before, but I’ve heard nothing but fantastic things,” said bassist Dana Axon of Yeltsin. “I’m really excited to get a chance to play there. It looks like a fun lineup.” Not only do bands and audiences flock to the young Portland hotspot, its staff and ownership knows they are selling a good product. “Mississippi Studios is a very unpretentious, down to earth… straight-up music-lover venue,” Rose said. “There have been a lot of people who have become friends because of my booking or just the venue itself. It’s the best thing ever.” With one successful year under their belt, Mississippi Studios is looking to continue improving on that foundation. With a great lineup

of shows coming up, the venue is bound to bring in a committed audience and more inspired artists. “I’m really excited about this next year because I intend fully to push it far beyond anybody’s expectations,” Rose said. The venue will also be making some physical modifications and improvements as they continue to transition into their role as a Portland music mainstay. With names like Laura Gibson, Sean Flinn and Justin Power, this free show is one that music lovers cannot afford to miss.

Mississippi Studios One Year Anniversary Sat, 8 p.m. 3939 N. Mississippi Ave Free All ages

Photo courtesy of Andy Batt/Mississippi Studios

Mississippi Studios: Hitting their groove in their second year.

The healthy whore Ingredients

Shrimp, lentils and a smutty-name sauce make this dish an easy win Katherine Vetrano Vanguard staff

Sugo alla puttanesca, which translates to “whore’s sauce” in Italian because of its “easy ingredients,” may be simple, but it is complex in taste. Made of common Italian pantry staples, this sauce is flavorful and fast. The recipe, inspired by a dish that Food Network’s Guy Fieri made with salmon on his show Guy’s Big Bite, is a combination of high flavor and high health. Lentils are full of all the good stuff—protein, iron, fiber, amino acids and vitamin B1. Adding shrimp complements the nutrition factor of this dish, too. It’s a lean protein with just 85 calories to a three-ounce serving. Of course, flavor is the most important aspect of your meal, and the saltiness of this sauce, with the hint of the sea taste from the shrimp, takes the palate to a very good place. Enjoy this tonight for a fishy Friday, or any day of the week.

For the main course 1/2 cup uncooked lentils or 1 cup of the precooked kind (Trader Joe’s) 2 anchovies in olive oil, drained 2 tbsp. of kalamata olives, pitted 2 tbsp. of capers 3 tbsp. of white wine vinegar 1 can diced tomatoes, low sodium 1 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves 2 cups of shrimp of any variety, shelled and deveined 1 tbsp. of red pepper flakes Juice from 1 lemon 2 tbsp. of parsley For bread Olive oil Whole wheat baguette Juice from 1/2 lemon 2 tablespoons of oregano For salad 4 large handfuls of spinach 2 handfuls of red cabbage, chopped 1 pear, sliced 2 ounces of almonds 2 tbsp. sherry vinegar 3 tbsp. olive oil Salt Pepper Half the juice of a lemon

This weekend at the NW Film Center Will Vinton: Claymation Evolution Will Vinton, U.S. “Tonight we welcome Portland’s own Will Vinton for the first of several programs offering an overview of the celebrated work produced at Will Vinton Studios during its 30-year run. The winner of an Academy Award, numerous television Emmys, and international animation awards numbering in the hundreds, Vinton used Claymation, a term he trademarked, to bring to life such memorable characters as the California Raisins and M&Ms. Claymation characters are also featured in dozens of his classic short films, his remarkable feature film The Adventures of Mark Twain (1986), and television series such as The PJs (1997–2001). Armed with clips from more than 50 productions spanning his 3D animation career, from Closed Mondays (1974) to The PJs, Vinton will take us on a journey through his personal process and artistic evolution, focusing on character development, production design, and techniques of stopmotion animation.” Sunday, 2 p.m. All screenings are in Whitsell Auditorium, 1218 SW Park Ave. Free with PSU student ID. —www.nwfilm.org

Method Prepare your ingredients. Chop and drain the anchovies. Chop your olives. Drain your can of diced tomatoes. Chop the parsley. Dice your onion and garlic cloves. Slice your bread into as many slices as you wish. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat one cup of water and the lentils in a saucepan on high until boiling. Simmer for 15 minutes and remove from heat. Heat a large nonstick skillet to medium-high, and add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add red pepper flakes to the oil and wait for a minute until fragrant. Next, add your diced onion and garlic to the oil. Sauté with spatula for five to eight minutes or until soft. Add anchovies, capers and olives. Add tomatoes and kick the heat down to medium and let the flavors mingle while you make the salad. Take the cabbage, spinach, almonds and pear slices and place in a large bowl. Take the olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt and pepper and whisk with a fork in a small bowl or glass. Next, place bread slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Add shrimp to sauce, raising the heat a bit. Move around the shrimp with the spatula until they are a ripe pink, around six minutes. Squeeze lemon juice and sprinkle oregano on the hot bread slices. When the shrimp is done cooking, add lemon juice, white wine vinegar and pepper.

Vanguard Arts & Culture | 5 March 5, 2010

All photos courtesy of WeHeartFood.com

Vanguard 6 |News March 5, 2010

NEWS

News Editor:

DEFENSE |

Virginia Vickery 503-725-5690

Bucharest said he is devastated and doesn’t know why he was attacked

news@dailyvanguard.com

Corrections In the article titled “PSU finances: past, present and future,” it should have been reported that in-state students pay $6,300 per year for tuition in 2010, and were paying $2,600 per year in 1989. In the article titled “Budget caps,” it should have stated that former ASPSU President and current Oregon Student Associate Campus Organizer Courtney Morse is not currently a student at PSU. It was reported as an “Event of the day” that the Programming Board’s Midnight Breakfast event occurred on Wednesday, March 3. The event is occurring on Wednesday, March 10. The Vanguard regrets the errors.

from page one

economics student who has been at PSU since 2006, of trying to organize students to participate in violent acts against the university. Bucharest says he doesn’t know why Hall made these accusations, though he often spent time with Hall during his office hours, according to Hall. On Tuesday, Jan. 19, Randall Bluffstone, Economics Department chair, Mary Beth Collins, director of Student Health and Counseling, and Carol Mack, vice provost for Academic Administration and Planning, met with Hall’s class. Hall was not present at the meeting and has since been placed on paid suspension, pending investigation.

The man himself During the Jan. 19 meeting, students claimed that Bucharest carries a gun, echoing a claim made by Hall during the incident. Bucharest said he does hold a concealed weapons permit and has told other students about it. When asked how the incident is affecting him, Bucharest said “I’m devastated. It was very unexpected and I do not wish an experience like this upon other students.” During the lecture, Hall also said Bucharest was a killer and is a threat to fellow students, and cited Bucharest’s time spent as a sniper in the Israeli armed forces. Bucharest said he holds dual U.S. and Israeli citizenship and was thus drafted at age 18 into Israel’s military, as are all Israeli men and women. The letter from student leaders also reads: “It is true that Bucharest has a long history with the U.S.

ACTION |

and Israeli military. That he does not deny…he abdicated his Israeli citizenship last year so that he could leave the military.” Bucharest has spent time living in New York but said he moved to Oregon because his parents live here. He is multilingual and began his time at PSU taking foreign language classes. He soon decided to continue attending as a full-time student. Bucharest said he chose to study economics because “it’s a beautiful subject involving much more thought than just supply and demand charts and orthodox theory.” He was the treasurer of the Student Veterans Association for several years before beginning his work with ASPSU. “I view it as a position to manage the staff and in developing new and better ideas [as to] how the student body government functions,” he said of his job with ASPSU.

is on the line here, and so is your safety,” Sanford said. So far, the university has not been public in its investigation, nor has it announced any steps to protect students, according to Tasha Triplett, ASPSU funding and outreach coordinator. “I think the whole situation is very unfortunate, but has given light to a lot of issues that plague this campus. For one, this could have happened to any student if a professor has a personal vendetta

against him or her,” Triplett said. ASPSU Multicultural Affairs Director Samantha Alloy said that “inferring that because someone served in the military that they are a danger to society is an insult to veterans.” “Although Bucharest comes across as abrasive at first, he always makes an effort to communicate with people from different communities and to understand those who are different from himself,” Alloy said.

Moving forward On Wednesday, Feb. 24, Sanford organized a public meeting and invited those close to Bucharest to attend. The group decided to launch a media blitz to deny the allegations made against Bucharest and to propagate information about him as a student leader and friend. The group also discussed the need for university leaders to clear the student’s name. “We really need the university to recant their statements of Zaki being a threat, and provide services to the students that were effected by this incident—but specific and actionable services to these students. If they said that there is an agent provocateur, then all of your personal information

Aaron Leopold/Portland State Vanguard

Zaki Bucharest: Student leader accused by professor of working as an FBI informant.

from page one

Crowd marched through PSU buildings, banging drums and chanting for more funding ASPSU Chief of Staff Zaki Bucharest was one of the speakers. He began by quoting the Black Panther Party’s 10-point program from 1972. “We want education that teaches us our true history…we believe in an educational system that will give to our people a knowledge of the self,” he said. “We love to judge but hate to fight,” Bucharest said, making clear that he aims to fight ignorance. However, not all students felt represented by the event. “Nobody let me go up, nobody asked for my opinion,” said freshman Alex Geer. “I didn’t feel like there was any sense of community.” When freshman Sabrina Herrera was asked about the rally, she said she “wasn’t aware there was one— where was it?” Other students complained that the march through the halls of buildings was disruptive to their class time. PSU student Timothy Moss, who is also a spoken word artist, asked the crowd: “Knowledge is power… [but] does knowledge control power?”

Moss says he supports education, but needs help from the university to be able to afford the cost of higher education. Black Studies professor Dr. Darrell Millner told the audience that he had both good and bad news. “The good news is change can occur,” Millner said. He said that positive change in the U.S. includes the end of black slavery, giving women the right to vote and electing President Obama. “[The bad news is that] it’s never easy,” Millner said. He also told the crowd that fighting for affordable education would require “hard work and sacrifice” and warned of “lots of enemies” as barriers. ASPSU Funding and Outreach Coordinator Tasha Triplett acted as the mic controller for the event. Triplett said she is majoring in liberal arts and sciences, and is also minoring in Black Studies. She is the second person in her family to attend college and she values having a college degree someday. She worries about future university restructuring having a negative effect on minority students like her being able to afford or

obtain a college degree, she said. Like all PSU students, Triplett received an e-mail from President Wim Wiewel the night before the event, in which he acknowledges the rally and says he shares “the students’ passion for reinvestment in higher education.” Triplett said she hoped that Wiewel “will put his money where his mouth is and invest in students by not raising tuition.” She does not want the administration to be autonomous, and she wants “students to have a say [in the process of restructuring].”

20 years ago. As a result, today’s students, families and financial aid programs pick up a greater share of the cost, paying $6,400 in tuition and fees per-year compared to $1,540 per-year 20 years ago.” Excerpt from e-mail sent by ASPSU President Jonathan Sanford to students about the rally

Excerpt from an e-mail sent by President Wim Wiewel to students on March 3

“We will be rallying around the messages: - No more tuition hikes - No more cutting of faculty salary and benefits

“The state subsidy for public higher education in Oregon has declined by 40 percent in real terms over the past two decades. At PSU, state funding now accounts for only 16 percent of total annual operating revenue compared to 48 percent

We demand to fully fund public education now; to bail out schools, not banks; to educate, not incarcerate; and to put schools, jobs, and communities first.”

etc.

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 500 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Thursday, February 11, 2010

Edited by Will Shortz 42 Plundering opportunity 43 D-back or Card 44 Biscuit holder 45 Appearance of O or W 49 Locate, as Waldo 51 Narrow inlet 54 “Say ___” 55 See 11-Down 57 An Ivy 58 Pole position? 60 Unpopular ones 62 Congenital 63 Name-dropping, maybe 64 Stored compactly, in a way 65 See 57-Down

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56 60 63

57 With 65-Across, extermination … 52 Many a or what can be done to 10 freshman course answers in this 53 Photographer puzzle without affecting their Adams clues? 55 Like eights in 59 Distinctive crazy eights Dilbert feature 51 Arise anew

56 Donʼt just sit there

61 M.L.K. Day month

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Scandinavian Sampler Kickoff: “Winds from Denmark: Vestas and the North American Wind Industry” 7:30 p.m. Cramer Hall, room 124 Adam Serchuk, director of market intelligence for Vestas, will discuss wind energy

Saturday

Puzzle by Xan Vongsathorn

45 Cry at a poker game, maybe 46 Title film character whoʼs idolized by a boy named Joey 47 Some Balkanites 48 Full-length 50 Georges with the best seller “Life: A Userʼs Manual”

Today

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

the top-left corner.

2009 Extended Home Buying Tax Credit! Up to $8000 for 1st time buyer (Or one who hasn’t owned in 3 years). Up to $6,500 for sellers who buy another primary residence. Call Grady, Broker, RE/MAX equity group, at 503-495-4932 for details.

through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating.

24 26

● Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1

23 25

CALENDAR

APPLIANCES

Hey! Guess what?! We have Facebook too! Find us at www.facebook.com/dailyvanguard

6 His 1959 album “Heavenly” was #1 for five weeks 7 Set upon a slope, say 8 A Dumas 9 Hullabaloo 10 “See what I mean?” 11 Big brand of 55Across 12 Something that might work on a full stomach? 13 Optical readings 15 “___ amis …” (start of a French oration) 20 Trig function 23 Cash in the music business 24 “Shut up already!” 25 Actress Olivia of Down “Law & Order: 1 10 superiors Criminal Intent” 2 Fetters 27 Soupy Sales and others 3 Citi Field mascot 28 Former 4 See eye to eye Japanese P.M. 5 Gardner of Shinzo ___ “Mogambo” 29 Yankee fighter 30 Letters between ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE two names A � E N D � E A D S � S T 31 Yours may be R E N E E U N � E T � E W asleep while � L � S P R � L � � � P R O youʼre awake T A T T O O T E A S E S 32 Fluster S � I � T S S � N E 33 Ali, the ___ of � O S I � R A I D � � A T God � A � N E S A R T I E R 34 CBS newsman E R N A L L W I S E � E A Bob � A S U A L A D A P T S 35 NATO founding L O T T E R I E S P T A S member E � R O D R � � O P 36 Trough location S T � � I E Z I P L O � 38 Goose egg A A S P � � � � R � � T � � 41 Once, once � I T O R A N � I T � E E 44 Picadors assist E N S S E P O � R O O � S him

Across 1 Heebie-jeebies 8 They may have titles 14 Landing 15 Expensive way to the hospital 16 Enemy encounter 17 Unlikely section in a religious bookstore 18 Last word in “Oh! Susanna” 19 “The Glass Bead Game” novelist 21 Lead 22 High flier, once 23 Teacups, e.g. 24 Asks (for) 25 Bashes 26 Web ___ 29 Bashes 32 Absolutely terrific 37 Japanese flower-arranging art 39 Selfish, as an attitude 40 Gets upset

No. 0107

Vanguard Etc. | 7 March 5, 2010

Scandinavian Sampler 9:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Cramer Hall, room 171 Free event for students featuring 11 lectures— including refreshments and a lunch break— regarding the influence of Scandinavian languages and cultures on economics, politics and society (for a full schedule, visit www. portlanddanes.org/ meetings.html) Studs Terkel’s Working 7:30 p.m. Artists Repertory Theatre 1515 SW Morrison St. $8 w/ PSU ID Theater Arts adaptation of a play examining the lives of everyday Americans

Sunday Portland International Women’s Day 11 a.m. Smith Memorial Student Union, third floor Free event sponsored by PSU and Portland State Professional Sound featuring international food, a health fair and art exhibits in celebration of women

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.

SPORTSSPORTS EXTRA March of the Vikings Adam Wickham/Portland State Vanguard

Vikings seek third straight postseason title, but enter as No. 6 seed Robert Britt Vanguard staff

“You get in and anything can happen,” said head coach Tyler Geving, after his men’s basketball team secured a spot in the postseason with a win over Idaho State last Friday. The Portland State squad is in the Big Sky Championships, but Geving’s team has a long, tough road ahead before it can win the title and with it the conference’s automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Vikings begin their uphill playoff battle tomorrow when they square off against Montana State in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Big Sky Men’s Basketball Championship.

Portland State (12–18, 7–9 Big Sky) enters the conference tournament for the sixth consecutive year, but unlike years past, the Vikings come in as the No. 6 seed and will need three straight wins to earn a spot in the NCAA’s March Madness. Portland State won the last two Big Sky Tournaments, but also entered the brackets as the first and second seeds and enjoyed a quarterfinal bye. This year they have no such break. To fight their way through the tournament, Geving will look to the experience of his players who have competed at that level. “We’re going to lean a lot on those seniors,” he said. “Our guys that have been there and played in those games need to step up a bit.” Montana State (10–6, 15–13 Big Sky) is also in its sixth-straight tournament appearance, and holds the advantage over the Vikings this season. The Wildcats are the third seed and swept the Vikings in the

season series with a 77–71 win in Bozeman in January and a 79–71 win at the Stott last month. In both meetings, all five Montana starters scored in double digits. In the January matchup with MSU, Portland State displayed stellar shooting with a .522 average from the field and .478 from outside the arc, but effectively handed the game away with 20 turnovers. A late-game comeback put the Vikings down by two, but four missed shots and a turnover in the last five possessions killed any chance of a win. The meeting in Portland held similar shooting for the Viks. They nailed a .520 average overall and hit exactly half of their three-pointers, but after the lead changed nine times in the first 10 minutes of play, the Wildcats took control for good. A late PSU comeback was again spoiled, but this time by MSU’s performance at the free-throw line, where they sank 10 of 12 in the final 1:26 of play. But Portland State is no longer in a slump. The Vikings ended conference play with two home wins. The first, over Idaho State last week, granted them postseason access, and the second, over regular season champion Weber State, proved PSU would be not be an easy sixth-seed speed bump. “I think that’s the main thing,” Geving said. “I think you want to play well heading into March.” Leading the Vikings’ march is this week’s Big Sky Player of the Week, senior guard Dominic Waters, who comes off his second

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

Sat, Mar 6, 6:05 p.m.

Tue, Mar 9, 3:35 p.m. Ogden, Utah

Wed, Mar 10, 6:05 p.m. Ogden, Utah

No. 6 Portland State

No. 2 Northern Colorado

at No. 3 Montana State

Highest quarterfinal seed

No. 5 Northern Arizona at No. 4 Montana

straight 57-point weekend. In addition to his 18.9 points per game average, Waters leads the conference in assists and free throw percentage, is third in scoring and fourth in three-point percentage. Alongside Waters is senior forward Jamie Jones, the league leader in double-doubles for the second consecutive year. Jones is averaging 16.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in conference games. He also leads the league with 70 blocks, which ties a PSU season record. Rounding out the Portland State lineup are senior forward Julius Thomas with an average of 10.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, junior guard-forward Paul Guede to provide defensive pressure and junior guard Melvin Jones with an average of 11.8 points per game and a team-high 74 three-pointers. For Geving and company, they have made their way into the tournament—now it is a matter of what they do once they are there. He summed it up best by his own words after the team’s win over Weber State. “You kind of just get your guys in the right spot, but at the end of the day the players gotta make plays,” he said. Portland State’s quarterfinal matchup with Montana State will take place at Worthington Arena in Bozeman, and begins at 6:05 p.m. local time on Saturday. The game will be aired on AM 800, KPDQ and streamed live along with live stats at www.GoViks.com.

2009-10 Big Sky Champion

Tue, Mar 9, 6:05 p.m.

Vanguard Sports | 8 March 5, 2010

Sports Editor: Robert Britt 503-725-4538 sports@dailyvanguard.com

Top 100 best sports movie quotes, continued As counted down by ESPN 95. “How many eyes do you need to finish this fight?” —Million Dollar Baby 94. “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.” —Dodgeball 93. “Ladies, ever had a quarterback sandwich?” —North Dallas Forty 92. “Oh, he was the catcher on the high school baseball team. The star pitcher had a big-league curve. Not all of his pitches hit Roy in the mitt. Ouch. The team thought ‘Tin Cup’ was a whole lot better than ‘Clank.’” —Tin Cup 91. “He’s got one foot in the frying pan and one in the pressure cooker. Believe me, as a bowler, I know that right about now, your bladder feels like an overstuffed vacuum cleaner bag and your butt is kinda like an about-to-explode bratwurst.” —Kingpin 90. “I love Brian Piccolo. And tonight, when you hit your knees, please ask God to love him.” —Brian’s Song 89. “You better watch it, Dr. Death. I’m pretty damn fast for a Caucasian.” —The Best of Times

Lowest quarterfnal seed No. 1 Weber State

88. “Dead meat!” —Rocky III

Tip-off to the last game PSU takes on EWU for final conference game Rosemary Hanson Vanguard staff

The women’s basketball team faces Eastern Washington for its last regular-season contest this weekend, and postseason positioning rides on the outcome. The Vikings and Eagles are both vying to win a game that will determine who finishes the season as regular season champions, as well as the tournament seeding. Currently, Eastern Washington (18–10, 11–4 Big Sky) is ranked first and with a win they’ll secure the top spot. PSU (15–13, 9–6 Big Sky) is tied for third, but a win on Saturday in conjunction with losses elsewhere in the league will likely bump them into the second slot. Regardless of the outcome, both teams are heading to the Big Sky Tournament, the location and final seeding of which will not be determined until all conference games

are finished on Saturday. This will be PSU’s fifth-straight appearance in the tournament. After last weekend’s split, the regular season title fell out of reach for the Vikings. They still have a chance for a second-place finish, but would need a win along with two losses from Sacramento State to get there. Eastern Washington was an unexpected winner of the Big Sky title after being predicted to finish seventh in the preseason polls. The Eagles will be heading to the Big Sky tournament—the question is whether they will share their place as champions. Second-place Sacramento State will be become co-champions if they win their two games and EW falls to the Vikings. At home Eastern Washington is a tough competitor, having only lost two games overall this season and only one in conference. Audio of the game will be broadcast on AM 800, KPDQ and live stats will be available at www.GoViks.com. Tip-off is slated for 2:05 p.m. in Cheney, Wash.

Vikings Vegas vacation Vikings travel to Las Vegas for a weekend tournament James MacKenzie Vanguard staff

The Portland State softball team heads south again today to take part in the three-day, five-game Eller Media Stadium Tournament hosted by University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Portland State is 4–8 on the season after going 2–4 at both of last month’s tournaments—the Kajikawa Classic and the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament— and is still looking for their first winning road trip. The Vikings are still looking

for consistency from the lineup, as Portland State is batting only .212 over the first twelve games of the season. The PSU bats began to show signs of life in their second tournament when they hit .261 and scored 21 runs. Senior infielder Becca Diede, the Pacific Coast Softball Conference’s divisional Player of the Week, paced the PSU offense at the Stacy Winsberg, batting .450 while clubbing five doubles and knocking in five runs. Freshman pitcher Anna Bertrand helped Diede sweep last week’s Mountain Division honors for PSU, being named Mountain Division Pitcher of the Week. Bertrand threw a one-hit game against Cal Poly, but had her performance spoiled when the offense could not get going. Over the course of tournament, Bertrand would strike out 23 batters in 16 innings, and she currently leads the PCSC with 40 strikeouts. Portland State begins this weekend’s tournament against Southern Utah today at 9 a.m. before taking on host UNLV tonight. On Saturday the Vikings play No. 13 California and then close the weekend on Sunday morning with a game against New Mexico State.

87. “I wanna see the kid in the net who wouldn’t take the test.” —Miracle 86. “Einhorn is Finkle! Finkle is Einhorn! Einhorn is a man! Oh, my God! Einhorn is a man!” —Ace Ventura 85. “It’s in the hole!” —Caddyshack