Daily Vanguard January 20, 2010 by Portland State Vanguard

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010 • PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY • VOLUME 64, ISSUE 53

Event of the day If you’re interested in a career in radio, stop by the KPSU office today, located in the Smith Memorial Student Union subbasement, and attend an orientation session. It’s free to attend and may lead to your own radio show!

When: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Where: SMSU, room S18

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INSIDE NEWS Women’s studies name change forum Would a women’s studies department by any other name still address sexism? PAGE 3 Campus Connections News for students by students PAGE 3

ARTS

A life-and-death

discussion

about media Media scholars John Nichols and Robert McChesney visit Portland State Catrice Stanley

Vanguard staff

Through the poet’s eyes Sid Miller takes us on an adventure through the Oregon we thought we knew PAGE 4

Helping Haiti from the City of Roses A look at upcoming Portland events to raise relief funds PAGE 5

Newspapers are dying, according to media researchers and authors John Nichols and Robert McChesney. Today, at 1 p.m. in the Native American Student and Community Center, they are explaining exactly why they think the end is near for journalism, and what can be done to save it. More importantly, they will explain why journalism is vitally important to everyone. “Anyone who is concerned about what sort of country we’re going to have [should come],” McChesney said. “People who wonder if we are going to continue to have the freedoms we have, and if we have a constitution or a government that works. Anyone who isn’t only

The new Academic Student Rec Center boasts high-tech classrooms Gogul Krishnan

OPINION

Vanguard staff

concerned about the next 24 hours in their life [should be here].” Nichols and McChesney have worked together for nearly 12 years and have been very productive in that time. Their newest collaboration is a book entitled The Life and Death of American Journalism: The Media Revolution that Will Begin the World Again. “This is our fourth book [together], but by far our biggest and best book. It is our most serious book,” McChesney said. Nichols, a writer for the magazine The Nation, and McChesney, a professor of communication from the University of Illinois, recently began a tour across the United State to promote their newest piece. Portland State is their second stop on the west coast, after Seattle. Both men have extensive histories working in the media, and have gained a lot of knowledge of how

Photos courtesy of Caitlin Fitzpatrick

Media messengers: John Nichols (left) and Robert McChesney (right) will present today at PSU.

journalism works, and also how it does not work. Nichols is currently the lead political writer and Washington correspondent for The Nation, a progressive magazine available both online and in print. He has been a working journalist for over 25 years. Founded in 1865, The Nation was designed to “wage war upon the vices of violence, exaggeration, and misrepresentation by which so much of the political writing of the day is marred,” according to its founding prospectus. McChesney is known for his work editing the Monthly Review, as well as writing numerous books, including titles such as

Rich Media, Poor Democracy and Communication Revolution. He is also well-known for his work on “Media Matters,” a radio show with a podcast available online. Together, with executive director Josh Silver, Nichols and McChesney founded Free Press (www.freepress.net) in 2002. The media reform organization intends to restructure the media with “education, organizing and advocacy”. Jil Freeman, PSU communications professor, refers to Free Press as one of the leading media advocacy groups in the United States. “In this day and age, where national papers and local papers are declaring bankruptcy and

Nichols and McChesney continued on page two

High-tech rec

Beyond exercise equipment, the new Academic and Student RecreationCenter (ASRC) that opened at the beginning of the term has a lot to offer students. Amenities include new high-tech classrooms and sustainable technology.

Classrooms PSU’s unsafe policy Some weapons are OK to carry on campus PAGE 6 Reasonable hope The difference between Obama and Harry Potter PAGE 6

The ASRC has a 250-seat auditorium and several high-tech classrooms featuring projectors, control podiums and screens. The entire building is on the PSU wireless Internet system. Classrooms, lobbies and study areas are provided with power outlets and data ports for student laptops, according to Ernest Tipton, campus planning and design manager. ASRC includes the following kinds of classrooms: - A 250-seat auditorium, which includes a surround-sound stereo system that is open for general purposes based on availability - A 120-seat classroom - Three 40-seat classrooms, all of which are used for general purposes - Two 30-seat classrooms - An 18-seat computer lab - A 60-seat community meeting room, which can be divided into two 30-seat classrooms based on requirements and are maintained by the School of Social Work

High Tech continued on page two

Classy classes: Brand new classrooms are now utilized in the Academic and Student Recreation Center.

Adam Wickham/Portland State Vanguard

Vanguard 2 | News January 20, 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 Judson Randall Adviser Ann Roman Advertising Adviser Illustrator Kira Meyrick Production Assistants Bryan Morgan, Charles Cooper Williams Online Assistant Nicolas Charbonnier

Writers Will Blackford, Bianca Blankenship, Meaghan Daniels, Erica DeCouteau, Sarah Esterman, Amy Fylan, Natalia Grozina, Patrick Guild, Rosemary Hanson, Steve Haske, Nadya Ighani, Carrie Johnston, Mark Johnston, Zoe Kellett, Tamara K. Kennedy, Anita Kinney, Gogul Krishnan, J. Logue, James MacKenzie, Holly K. Millar, Sharon E. Rhodes, Wendy Shortman, Weston Smith, Catrice Stanley, Nilesh Tendolkar, Robin Tinker, Vinh Tran, Allison Whited

NEWS Nichols and McChesney |

from page one

contending with blog content, this talk will explain why the blogosphere falls short of substituting for journalism,” she said. Freeman teaches courses such as “Media Literacy,” “Race, Gender, and Media” and “Sex and Media.” She often uses McChesney’s work in her classes. “In my opinion, [McChesney] is the leading expert on media and its intersection with democracy, truth and the importance of a free press,” Freeman said. Bill Resnick, the event’s coordinator, helped to get Nichols and McChesney to campus. “The idea is to develop daily newspapers that would keep powers honest, like government, major economic and cultural actors,” Resnick said. “the idea is that journalism is creating a healthy democracy.” Unfortunately, newspapers everywhere are experiencing underfunding. They are downsizing, laying off employees and offering early retirement in order to reduce costs. “Journalism is in trouble right now,” Resnick said. Nichols and McChesney do not believe this tactic of cutting costs is beneficial to journalism. Instead, they argue that journalism and investigative reporting need public support in the form of government subsidies instead of private funding. “Similarly, good investigative reporting shouldn’t be allowed

to just be provided by private interests,” Resnick said, referring to the bias that can emerge with private funding. Although Nichols and McChesney may not have all the answers, they will cover some new ideas for the restoration of quality journalism. They remain hopeful about the future, but are realistic about the amount of work that will accompany a change of this magnitude. “All students [should come to this presentation],” Freeman said. “Anyone who votes, or cares about the future of this nation. This will be especially interesting to those who interact with the media on a regular basis, like journalism students, media buffs and communication students.” [Full disclosure: Members of Vanguard staff are currently enrolled in courses taught by Professor Freeman.]

Discussion with John Nichols and Robert McChesney When: Today, 1 p.m. Where: Native American Student and Community Center (located at Southwest Broadway and Jackson Street) Cost: Free Photo courtesy of Caitlin Fitzpatrick

Photographers Aaron Leopold, Rodrigo Melgarejo, Liana Shewey, Adam Wickham Copy Editors Noah Emmet, Amanda Gordon Advertising Sales Ana SanRoman, Jae Specht, Wesley Van Der Veen Advertising Designer Shannon Vincent Contact Editor-in-Chief 503-725-5691 editor@dailyvanguard.com Advertising Manager 503-725-5686 ads@dailyvanguard.com The Vanguard is chartered to publish four days a week as an independent student newspaper by the PSU Publications Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff, contributors and readers, and do not necessarily represent those of the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration. One copy of the Vanguard is provided free of charge to all community members, additional copies or subcription issues may incur a 25 cent charge. The Vanguard is printed on 40 percent post-consumer recycled paper. Copyright © 2009 Portland State University Vanguard 1825 SW Broadway, Smith Memorial Student Union, Rm. S-26, Portland, Ore., 97201

Luxurious learning: New classrooms in the Academic and Student Recreation Center feature new projectors and more efficient heating and cooling systems.

High Tech |

from page one

Sustainability In order to save water, usage in ASRC was reduced by over 85 percent with water-efficient strategies. Some of these strategies use reclaimed water for water closets, dual-flush fixtures, infrared-sensorcontrolled faucets and highly efficient irrigation which results in reduced use of water. The ASRC also has storm water management facilities. Storm water management includes storage, treatment and reclamation.

Rainwater from the roof is captured, stored and reused on site to flush water closets and can serve as fire suppression water. Eco-roof planters on the fifth level terrace retain and treat storm water, reducing overflow. Onsite storm water is also treated with a water quality filtration system. The waste from construction debris was carefully handled. 95 percent of the demolition and construction waste was diverted from landfills. Construction was planned in such a way that a considerable amount of raw materials were reused. Over 10 percent of the total

value of material in the project has recycled content. Over 10 percent of the value of materials used was extracted, processed and manufactured regionally (within 500 miles of the site). Making minimum use of electricity by efficiently using the natural light on the interior and connection between interior to exterior spaces was a design priority. Daylightcontrolled electric light fixtures turn off when daylight conditions are sufficient for the task or space use. These facilities provide better lighting and reduce the electricity demand and the building-cooling load. Indoor air quality improve-

Photos by Adam Wickham/Portland State Vanguard

ments were made with better controls over construction dust and debris and by the use of lowemitting adhesives, paint, carpets and formaldehyde-free casework. These contribute to user comfort and increased work productivity. Overall, 29 percent less energy was used by following some strategies like the use of highly-efficient mechanical and electrical equipment, effective day lighting, exterior sun screens, insulated dual-pane glazing on windows and highly insulated walls. More information is available at www.pdx.edu/recreation.

Women’s studies name change forum Would a women’s studies department by any other name still address sexism? Sharon E. Rhodes Vanguard staff

The women’s studies program is contemplating becoming “women’s, gender and sexuality studies” to reflect the growing scope of its courses and faculty research as well as the field as a whole. On Thursday, Jan. 21, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Smith Memorial Student Union, room 296, the department will hold a public meeting to discuss the above and other alternative names. “The interdisciplinary field of women’s studies is quite dynamic,” said Sally McWilliams, women’s studies director. While “women’s studies” was once an accurate name, the program added a minor program for sexuality, gender and queer studies last year, an addition that has resulted in new courses differing substantially in focus from previous offerings. According to McWilliams, scholars across the nation now study a much broader range of topics in conjunction with women’s studies, and PSU is no exception. “We also have faculty whose scholarship and teaching has moved to include more emphasis on gender and sexuality,” McWilliams said. However, some students and faculty members fear a name change that might not include the word women, because such

exclusion could push sexism to the periphery of the program in favor of gender studies. “The name of the program should reflect the history of the program in honoring and studying the contributions of women to society and how gendered systems of power impact women,” McWilliams said. In light of such concerns, the program will likely not consider a switch to simply “gender studies,” a change that could undermine one of its primary goals. According to this year’s class bulletin, the aim of the women’s studies department is to envision what the world looks like once women’s experience is fully included in people’s thinking. Without “women” in the title, there exists a risk that the department could lose its grip on women’s experiences in its efforts to more closely examine the experiences of other groups. In order to illustrate what the new name should reflect, the department has also proposed “women’s and gender studies”, “gender and feminist studies.” “Most important in the name is that we believe in it and that it speaks to our work,” said Sally Eck, women’s studies senior instructor. The aim of the meeting tomorrow is to gather input from students, faculty, alumni and the community at large before coming to a final decision. The program, soon to become a full-fledged department, may not change its name at all, letting the new sexuality, gender and queer studies minor and the resultant expansion of course offerings speak for themselves.

Women’s studies expands

Sexuality, gender and queer studies minor requirements The recently added minor in sexuality, gender and queer studies offers students an interdisciplinary course of study focused on sexuality and gender. The minor consists of four core courses and 16 elective credits from an approved list of courses. All courses must be taken with the A–F graded option. All but eight credits must be upper division courses. To meet the core course requirements, students must take all four of the core courses listed below. UNST 266 Sexualities (4 cr.) WS 370U History of sexualities (4 cr.) WS 332U Race/class/gender/sexuality (4 cr.) WS 360U Intro to queer studies (4 cr.) Students must take 16 elective credits from the list of courses below. The faculty advisor for the minor may approve other courses to fulfill the elective-credit requirements where appropriate. ANTH 103 Intro to cultural anthropology  ANTH 432/532 Gender in cross-cultural perspective  BST 342 Black feminism/womanism  CFS 490U Sex and the family  ENG 494 Feminist film theory  ENG 494/594 Queer theory  ENG 447 Harlem renaissance  ENG 441/541 Same-sex desire in the English renaissance  PHE 335 Human sexuality  PHE 453/553 Women’s reproductive health  PHE 410 Sex education in America  PHE 410 Worldview of sexual health  PSY 410 Human sexualities  PSY 431/531 Psychology of men and masculinities  SOC 344U Gender and sexualities  SP 410 Sex and the media  SP 452/552 Gender and race in the media  SPAN 410 Transgenderism in South American literature  SPAN 436/536 Disease and literature in the Americas  WS/ENG 308U Lesbian literature  WS/ENG 308U Gay and lesbian fiction  WS 399U Sex and the state For advising questions, please contact: Hillary Reno, 503-725-3516, hreno@pdx.edu  Ann Mussey, 503-725-8441, musseya@pdx.edu

News for students, by students

For some, no school on Monday meant sleeping in, but for about 200 other OSU students and Corvallis community members, it meant waking up early to celebrate the 28th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace Breakfast. The event began at 7:30 a.m. and was held in the MU Ballroom. Guests were invited to eat a buffetstyle breakfast while listening to guest speakers and viewing diversity-themed videos. “Everyone has a different story and background to bring to campus and that’s what makes OSU so great,” said Leslie Urban, a sophomore in geography. Terryl Ross, OSU director of Community and Diversity, opened the celebration along with Thomas Dieter, community outreach coordinator for the Pride Center, and Rebecca Chavez, vice president of Gamma Alpha Omega sorority. OSU President Ed Ray then echoed many of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words in his welcoming speech. He voiced the importance of community coming together to

raise awareness about injustices in our world and called community members to “live in peace because we cannot live apart.” —Mackenzie Field, Daily Barometer

KidSpirit members to donate part of paycheck back to program What started as an idea over a meal at Pangea culminated with the first meeting of KidSpirit staff and donors last Friday. With classic Disney songs in the background and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches serving as the entrée, the guests were there to learn more about the brainchild of Adam Aguilar and Kasra Azizian: the KidSpirit Giving Program. The origin for the program started when Azizian, a sophomore in liberal studies with an option in new media communications, and Aguilar, a recent OSU graduate with a degree in English, noticed one day that KidSpirit Director Karen Swanger voluntarily had $15 removed from her monthly paycheck to be given back to KidSpirit. The students then decided that, instead of spending money every day on Pangea or

News Editor: Virginia Vickery 503-725-5690 news@dailyvanguard.com

Winter term 2010 dates to know Jan. 18–24 40 percent refund/ withdraw period Jan. 25–31 20 percent refund/ withdraw period Feb. 21 Last day to withdraw from classes Feb. 21 Last day to change grading option Mar. 14 Classes end Mar. 15–20 Final exams Mar. 19 Last day to clear outstanding balances to avoid $100 late payment fee Mar. 19 Last day to clear academic deficiencies for graduation Mar. 24 Grades available online

CAMPUS CONNECTIONS Peace Breakfast, round table discussion two of many MLK Jr. events

Vanguard News | 3 January 20, 2010

coffee, they would follow Swanger’s example and start giving a portion of their money back as well. Friday’s meeting was to thank contributing staff members and donors and to provide more information about the program. When describing her reaction to their idea, Swanger said, “They had so much energy and were so passionate about giving back to KidSpirit.” From that idea, the KidSpirit Giving Program was born and the work began on making it effective and to be sustained by students. To achieve this, there were three goals laid out for the program: to develop scholarships for children to enroll in their summer camps, ability to update equipment and supplies, and to hire more staff. —Brandon Southward, Daily Barometer

Student protests continue to disrupt forum It was supposed to be a silent protest, but for the second week in a row, outraged students made their voices heard loud and clear at Friday’s meeting of the controversial Pacifica Forum.

About 300 students from across the campus community—student unions, Greek Life, the ASUO, the Survival Center, the Women’s Center—showed up at the meeting to protest the Forum. In recent months, the Forum has been roundly denounced throughout Eugene for hosting what critics call bigoted, hateful and pro-Nazi speakers. Students began assembling in the first floor of the EMU around 2:30 p.m. to coordinate a march and construct protest signs. Many in the crowd said the Forum was a threat to student safety, especially after last week’s meeting, at which a Forum member made a sexually suggestive comment to a female student. Student Beth Hall said the Forum personally threatened students and made them “feel unsafe on campus.” Cameron Kennedy, a member of Eugene’s anti-fascist Black Tea Society, agreed and said the Pacifica Forum had crossed the line and no longer belonged on campus. “I’d say that they’ve passed the boundary of acceptable free speech,” he said. —CJ Ciaramella, Daily Emerald

Vanguard 4 | Arts & Culture January 20, 2010

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

Seven reasons why the Internet is no substitute for a library Not everything is on the Internet

ARTS & CULTURE

Through the poet’s eyes

Sid Miller takes us on an adventure through the Oregon we thought we knew

You’d think so with a billion pages, but no. Only about 8 percent of all journals and even a smaller fraction of books are online.

Wendy Shortman

The needle (your search) in the haystack (the Web)

Vanguard staff

No matter which search engine you use, you can drown in the Web’s ocean of materials trying to find the right answer because only about 17 percent of the search results will apply to your question. Search engines are not regularly updated, so you may not be getting current data. Quality control doesn’t exist Amid all the great Web-based information lurks a kook with a conspiracy theory and a pornographer with a camera. Abandoned sites, urban legends spouted as truth and advertising, advertising, advertising. States can now buy one book and distribute to every library on the Web

Photo courtesy of www.mazon.com

Dot-to-Dot: A collection of poetry inspired by travels around Oregon.

In Dot-to-Dot, Oregon, Sid Miller writes about his journey along seven routes through different areas of Oregon. This book of poems encompasses a poem for each small town or urban city that the author visits. From expectations and atmosphere to personal experiences and his love for his wife, Miller’s book is a refreshing collection that varies from page to page. Miller has been an Oregon resident for the last seven years and is the founder and current editor of the Burnside Review, a literary journal here in Portland. He attended Portland State from 2000 to 2002, and majored in English. He’s had three poem collections published, and has submitted work to other predominate publications. In the forward of the book, Miller explains his thinking process, and how he made the revelation to write a book of poems like this one. After living in Oregon for nearly seven years, he felt he really hadn’t experienced many places and monuments in the state he now called home. So he sets out on his journey, with a limited budget, and limited

time, mapping out seven different routes as far West as Seaside to as far East as Nyssa, on the OregonIdaho border. Miller uses first, second and third person in the poems, so that each one is different. He uses “you” in the two-page Portland poem, making the reader trace his steps. He takes you on a walk over the bridges in Portland. While reading Dot-to-Dot, you feel as if you’re rediscovering what Oregon has to offer. Miller gives you a glimpse into his mind as he travels to the places you’ve most likely been before. For instance, one route from Albany to Corvallis, another from Philomath to Veneta, and another from Eugene back to Portland may seem familiar. The book is a truly unconventional way to write about places. Since poems are personal by nature, reading every poem is like seeing the place like Miller sees it. And when you read them, you may find yourself searching for references or something that you agree with, in a place that’s familiar to you. If you’re originally from Oregon, it’s the most fun to read a poem about your hometown. In some of the poems, Miller’s life seems to be at the forefront, telling his stories of his wife, his dog and his literal experiences in the town. In others, the personal aspects are completely set aside to give imagery and context to the location. After reading his poems, you may never think of Oregon the same. Instead of dreaming of traveling to distant lands, maybe you’ll decide to revisit a small town on the coast, or go to one of those eastern towns that you’ve only thought about seeing. Maybe you’ll even bring your pen and pad.

Reading with Sid Miller Powell’s Books on Hawthorne 3723 Hawthorne Blvd. Thurs, 7:30 p.m.

Not! Copyright restrictions make only a few thousand titles available this way. Most vendors offer the book to only one user at a time, too, so there may be a long waiting list for the book you want today. Aren’t there libraryless universities now? No. Institutions that tried to open with paperless libraries quickly built traditional ones because books they needed weren’t available on the Internet. A mile wide, an inch (or less) deep Most of what’s on the Internet is only about 15 years old. If you want more, you must have a full-service library. The Internet is everywhere but books are portable Try curling up by the fire with a laptop, or stopping by the woods on a snowy evening with a handheld. The future may bring this, but for now the vast majority of readers— even online readers— still want books. —ala.org

Press Play Music reviews in brief Robert Seitzinger Vanguard staff

Ever wonder about if a band had come along a generation earlier how their sound would have been revered as musically brilliant and influenced future bands in their genre? Malakai is a fine example of how psychedelia could have turned out had bands like Phish or Tangerine Dream not happened. The trademark bass groove, surf guitar sound and lowrumbling drums are all here and accompanied by the occasional brass section. However, the lyrics are more inane than anything ever spouted by a heroin-crazed Syd Barrett (whom the singer unfortunately seems to fancy himself a spiritual descendent of). The vocals are oddly raspy at times and create a jarring affect

against the music, akin to a steel rod being jammed into your spokes while cycling—you’re left disoriented and pissed off at the jackass who caused the damage. That said, there are notes of decent 1960s garage rock here, and the live Malakai show would be great with a beer or two. The Bristol-based duo isn’t scheduled to tour Portland anytime soon, however. For now, just play this album through old speakers with lots of bass and as little treble as possible…that way, it’s all crunchy rocking and no ear-assaulting words.

Malakai

Ugly Side of Love Invada Records

Photo courtesy of Malakai

There are so many different sub-genres for music driven more by instrumentation than words, whether you call it experimental, ambient, post-rock or baroque pop. Owen Pallett (formerly known as Final Fantasy) is somewhere between each of these, though the exact definition of this album would change depending on who you ask. Pallett has contributed work to Arcade Fire, The Last Shadow Puppets and Fucked Up in the past, though his solo work isn’t as scattered across the musical map. Sure, it’s hard to pick just one genre to define him, but whatever that genre is gets played very well here. There is liberal use of the harpsichord and violins that make it somewhat post-rock, but the considerable amount of breathy vocals on Heartland separate it from the usual idea of post-rock and

Photo courtesy of Owen Pallett

ambient. Pallett composes his own music, meaning he sees it through from conception to completion. It’s clear that he is tenured in his trade, as his work immediately achieves what it’s striving for: Heartland is soft and subtle without ever being too boring. Pallett will be abroad through the first half of 2010, but he has plenty of other albums worth checking out.

Owen Pallett Heartland Domino USA

Helping Haiti from the City of Roses A look at upcoming Portland events to raise relief funds Robert Seitzinger Vanguard staff

Photo courtesy of Betsy and Iya Jewelry

Betsy and Iya Jewelry: Donating 15 percent of proceeds from sales through Jan 21.

Places to visit in aide of Haiti People’s Food Co-op 3029 SE 21st Ave. Sun, Jan. 31, 2 p.m. Sales of vegan goods will go toward relief Racha Thai 12000 SE 82nd Ave. Sun, Jan. 24 50 percent of sales that day will go toward relief

Portland is a city revered for its diverse mix of cultures and international ties. This week, in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake near Haitian capitol Port-au-Prince, the City of Roses is flexing its cosmopolitan muscle and helping out in the best way we know how— live music and special events. First up is “Songs for Haiti,” an event that will bring together a wide range of talents from across Portland’s musical landscape: Cool Nutz will be rapping alongside the Portland Cello Project and Pink Martini’s Thomas Lauderdale. It’s $30 for general admission to the Aladdin Theater, and all proceeds are going to help families in Haiti still reeling from the earthquake. After that, local nonprofit The Groove Movement is hosting a show Saturday evening to aide Haiti, and the Helping Orphans Worldwide Foundation has pledged to match as much as $1,000 in ticket sales.

Chernova, Intervision and Voltronic will keep you entertained as your cash gets turned into relief for Haitian population. There is a vegan bake sale happening at the People’s Food Co-op, with all proceeds going to Mercy Corps. Participants are encouraged to bring their own vegan goodies to raise some funds and enjoy the culinary work of their fellow vegans. It’s not all concerts and bake sales, either. Various Portland businesses ranging from restaurants to jewelry stores are pledging their sales through the rest of this week or month to assisting Haiti in its time of need. This city is an amazing place to live, and the last week has shown why. Despite facing bitter arguments over tax issues, climbing unemployment and clashes between local politicians over our city’s future, it took about three seconds for Portlanders to drop their own baggage and rush to the aide of a community thousands of miles away. Even if we can’t be there in person, it’s comforting to see how many of us are helping in spirit.

Betsy and Iya Jewelry www.betsyandiya.com 15 percent of all sales through Jan. 21 will go toward relief

Vanguard Arts & Culture | 5 January 20, 2010

Bestselling books Week of Jan. 20 1. The Lovely Bones Alice Sebold, $13.95 2. Dear John Nicholas Sparks, $7.99 3. Eclipse Stephenie Meyer, $12.99 4. Breaking Dawn Stephenie Meyer, $22.99 5. The Help Kathryn Stockett, $24.95 6. Vanishing Act Fern Michaels, $7.99 7. New Moon Stephenie Meyer, $10.99 8. Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage Elizabeth Gilbert, $26.95

Richard Ludt, masseuse www.spiritbodymassage.com 10 percent of all massages through Jan. 22 will go toward relief

9. Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1: The Lightning Thief Rick Riordan, $7.99

Photo courtesy of Portland Cello Project

Portland Cello Project: The renowned ensemble is doing their part to help

those in need.

10. The Lost Symbol Dan Brown, $29.95 —usatoday.com

Photo courtesy of Cool Nutz

“Songs for Haiti” Aladdin Theater 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave. Thu, Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m. $30 Full lineup: Cool Nutz, Storm Large, Thomas Lauderdale, Portland Cello Project, Janice Scroggins, Jun Iwasaki and Grace Fong-Iwasaki, Baritone Douglas Webster with Elizabeth Byrd and Erin Charles, Flash Choir, PHAME Academy Choir, Grant High School Royal Blues Groove Movement Haitian Relief Concert Mt. Tabor Theater 4811 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Sat, Jan. 23, 9 p.m. $8

Vanguard 6 | Opinion January 20, 2010

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

OPINION PSU’s unsafe policy

Some weapons are OK to carry on campus Amy Fylan

Vanguard staff

Approval You can’t please everybody, so you’ve got to please…the Gallup poll. Gallup has been polling America for over 70 years. Every president has had highs and lows, and Gallup has made sure to document them. Here’s how our last few presidents fared in their approval ratings. George W. Bush Highest: 90 Lowest: 25 Bill Clinton Highest: 73 Lowest: 37 George H.W. Bush Highest: 89 Lowest: 29 Ronald Reagan Highest: 68 Lowest: 35 Jimmy Carter Highest: 75 Lowest: 28 Gerald Ford Highest: 71 Lowest: 37 Richard Nixon Highest: 67 Lowest: 24 —gallup.com

Let’s face it: We live in a world where bad things happen. Do you take precautions to protect yourself from being physically victimized? Perhaps some self-defense classes, or maybe you carry a Taser or pepper spray? Recently, as reported in the Vanguard on Jan. 11, a student was arrested for being in possession of pepper spray while at Portland State. And while not knowing the specifics of this particular incident, I still want to ask a question to you as students and members of society: Should we be allowed to carry nonlethal forms of protection on campus? Our campus resides in the heart of urban life, right in the midst of downtown Portland. This makes for a very fun and exciting experience in attending Portland State. However, it does raise some concerns of how to protect yourself in case there comes a time when you need to do so. Yes we have campus security, but they can’t be everywhere at once, and what happens when you’re off campus? The Portland Police Bureau can’t always be in the right place at the right time either. A lot of students, including myself, take public transportation as a means of commuting to school. While TriMet has their own security, I still would feel safer carrying a little extra “something.” Unfortunately, The PSU Student Code of Conduct prohibits students from carrying any form of weapon on campus grounds and is subject to disciplinary action. The list includes firearms, explosives, dangerous chemicals and other dangerous weapons or instrumentalities. And unfortunately, non-lethal forms of protection such as Tasers and pepper spray fall under those categories. Guns, knives and explosives make sense. But shouldn’t we have the right to carry an item such as pepper spray to provide a sense of self-security? And if not, is it extreme to be arrested for an offense such as having an item like pepper spray in your possession?

As surprised as I was to find out PSU’s policy on pepper spray, I was even more surprised to find out they were not the only college in the state with such a policy. Oregon State University shares Portland State’s policy almost verbatim. My sister goes to college at OSU—she too was previously unaware of the policy. The University of Portland and the University of Oregon also have similar guidelines when it comes to weapons such as guns and knives. However, possession of such chemical weapons as pepper spray

doesn’t lead to disciplinary action. The urban campus of PSU is unlike other universities in Oregon and many in the United States. Whereas other schools can have the characteristic of being more secluded, or are established in their own corner of a community, PSU is integrated into one of the largest metropolitan cities on the West Coast. This provides us with a much different environment in which to attend classes, an environment that makes carrying something such as pepper spray or a Taser necessary.

While the debate for guns and knifes seems to be appropriate, it is difficult to support a policy that prohibits items that aren’t life threatening. With never-ending concerns for self-protection, where is the line drawn? It should not be drawn so that something as reasonable and essential as pepper spray is denied to students. Not having such items makes us less safe as we travel through downtown. Illustration by Kira Meyrick/Portland State Vanguard

Reasonable hope The difference between Obama and Harry Potter Robin Tinker Vanguard staff

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.

President Barack Obama’s 51 percent approval rating for the week of Jan. 4 through Jan. 10 climbed slightly from an all-time low of 47 percent in the beginning of last month, according to the latest Gallup poll. His all-time high was last January at 69 percent. It seems we really thought he would have all of the nation’s problems solved by now and we are not happy with him for our misfortune. Unemployment rates are dropping nationally, but are not going down as fast as Americans were hoping. The economy is improving, but that too is going slow. What about the war in Afghanistan? Have we won yet?

What about health care? Don’t I have inexpensive, great coverage yet? What is the deficit? Can’t we fix that too? Why can’t President Obama make the Republicans and Democrats get along better? Why are gas prices so high? Has global climate change stopped? Why not? Why, why, why?! We voted for change and elected President Obama, but many are expecting him to be a magician and have all our problems cleared up one year later. President Obama took office at a time when almost everything was going downhill. It takes a lot of muscle and time to reverse such a landslide and kudos to him for inheriting and approaching this mess. President Obama may have been a phenomenon when he got elected. Now, he is our hardworking president, but he is not Harry Potter. America has unreasonable expectations. Just because

President Obama has intelligence, a vision, charisma and leadership qualities, we think he can just wave his wand and—poof—it’s all better. In our defense, we do live in an instant gratification culture, and we don’t want to wait for things to pan out eventually. But, unfortunately we are going to have to. This is one of those times when we have to wait for a letter in the snail mail instead of getting a text message. Giant, complicated political issues like war, deficits and the economy just don’t get solved in one year. President Obama’s plan to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan and begin withdrawing them by 2011 received bipartisan support. According to Gallup polls from Dec. 3, 2009, 58 percent of Democrats and 55 percent of Republicans approved of the plan. In our times of complete partisan polarity, that seems like a victory for cooperation.

According to The New York Times, the U.S. economy, as measured by the gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate, shrank 6.4 percent in the first quarter of last year, when President Obama signed the Economic Stimulus Plan. In the second quarter of 2009, the shrinkage was significantly less at 0.7 percent, and the third quarter showed growth of 2.2 percent. This is a sign that at least our economy is moving in the right direction. We should be so lucky as to have all of our other problems, like health care, the war, climate change, the deficit, and gas prices, slowly climb toward positive reconciliations too. We cannot realistically expect President Obama to completely fix all of these issues within one term. It is easy to get so caught up in left-against-right politics that we forget to respect and support our president, who is doing pretty damn well considering the circumstances.

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 Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Edited by Will Shortz Across 1 Fish tank buildup 6 Go off 9 It flows through Turin 14 Othello, for one 16 Leggy wader 17 Help for a pioneer 18 French first lady ___ BruniSarkozy 19 H.S. course 20 More unearthly 22 Real looker 23 Alan Patonʼs “___, the Beloved Country” 24 Thin nail 26 Milne hopper 27 Symbols of goodness 30 Experiment subject 32 Fall site 33 Flier to Stockholm

34 “Dumb and Dumber” actress 35 Offering from the front desk 37 Classic Steinbeck story, with “The” 40 First-time driver, often 41 United 42 Geraintʼs love, in Arthurian legend 43 Unable to hear 46 Answers in court 47 Frog predator 48 Influence 49 ___ Palmas, capital of the Canary Islands 50 Boundless 52 Parisʼs ___ Garnier 54 Four-time platinum album of 2001 57 Foundation abbr. 59 T-shaped pullover 61 Do a lube job on

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62 Animated TV character with buck teeth 63 How an April fool may be done 64 Guinness suffix 65 Important signs Down 1 Proficient 2 ___ shark 3 What a tattoo may identify 4 Dull finish? 5 Lawn cutters 6 Subject of the documentary “Smart Television” 7 Volume of reprints 8 Half brother of Ivan V 9 Active ingredient in marijuana: Abbr. 10 Apt attachment to the starts of 14-, 17-, 35- and 43-Across 11 Likely to slip 12 Hoi ___ 13 How a bump may appear 15 Dull, as London skies 21 Varied 23 Swindlers 25 No more 27 The Beatlesʼ “And I Love ___” 28 Stir 29 “The Cossacks” novelist 30 Like apparel donned in a Christmas carol

Today

23 28

Free workshop for students

University Services Building, room 402

26 31

Career Center: Effective Interviewing Workshop 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

22 25

CALENDAR

No. 1216

Vanguard Vanguard Etc. || 77 Arts JanuaryDay, 20, 2009 2010 Month

49 52

Thursday

Career Center: Writing Résumés and Cover Letters 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Puzzle by David J. Kahn

31 Partner of jeweler Van Cleef 33 Parody 36 Not give up 37 Foul caller 38 Actress Vardalos 39 Gridiron stat: Abbr. 41 Heavy blows

43 Cuts off 44 Prickly plant 45 Slide away 46 Round a corner in Monopoly 49 Brave one 51 Apt attachment to the ends of 30-, 37-, 59- and 62-Across

53 Oceans

USB, room 402

54 Be in accord

Free workshop for students

55 ___ Hubbard 56 Gambling venues, briefly

Bruce Brenn: “Establishing Nike Japan”

58 Crusading journalist Nellie 60 Do some tailoring

6 p.m.

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.

SMSU, room 327/8 Free lecture about the formation of Nike Japan PSUAMA: Cannes Lions Film Festival 6 p.m.

Dear Vanguard,

Crazy about writing?

$5 w/ PSU ID $8 general, food and drinks included

After many good years of hard work in the sales industry, I regret to inform you that I will be relocating. I hope that you can find someone who loves their job as much as I have.

Friday Eighth Annual Leadership Conference 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sincerely,

SMSU Ballroom

Harry Powers

Send résumé to editor@dailyvanguard.com or come by SMSU S26 for an application

SMSU Parkway North (room 101)

Free with RSVP at web.pdx.edu/~salp/

The Vanguard is looking for arts and culture writers!

Apply now!

PSU/BOMA Networking Reception 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. PacWest Center Lobby 1211 SW Fifth Ave. Meet and greet for students interested in real estate, RSVP at susan@bomaportland. org The Ku Klux Klan in Oregon: 1920-1923 6 p.m. SMSU, room 228 Free screening of a film as part of MLK Week at PSU

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

row and each column ● Each 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

1-20-10

operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. Fill in single-box ● Freebies: cages with the number in the top-left corner.

ART WEDNESDAY

Vanguard Arts & Culture | 8 January 20, 2010

This week at the 5th Avenue Cinema: Stroszek dir. Werner Herzog, 115 min.

Whole Foods versus New Seasons A new location replenishes the hunger for the best grocery store Katherine Vetrano Vanguard staff

These two havens of organic and culinary choices have always been competitors, and the New Seasons and Whole Foods war has been stained with filed subpoenas, followers and gossip. Whole Foods co-founder John Mackey’s reputation has played a large part in the public opinion, with the New Yorker titling him a “unrepentant foot-in-mouther.” But what really matters is the food, so here’s a trip down the aisles.

Whole Foods With its shiny location on Northeast Sandy Boulevard, Whole Foods has lots to offer. The store includes a three-story parking garage, express lanes for quick customers, and more. Produce Like a giant garden, shoppers can pick from a wide selection. The store is filled with over 15 types of herbs and walls of cut fruit. Eccentric products such as galanga, Buddha’s hand and a true-to-its-name fruit called ugli can all be found here.

Meat and seafood Lesser-known meats such as buffalo and game hens are stocked, as well as all cuts of poultry, beef and pork. The section that really shines is seafood. Four kinds of oysters, 10 fish filets and several flavored smoked salmon cuts can be found. Deli The variety here is enticing and a little overwhelming. There are Latin- and Greek-influenced wraps, as well as an enormous salad bar. Indian cuisine with dishes like chicken tikka and dal tadka can be purchased by the pound. This store is experimenting with the exclusion of the “build your own sandwich” option. Some premade sandwiches are sold instead. In the dining area, a few tables are scattered near the front of the store and along the windows, but on a busy afternoon customers may have to retreat back to their cars. Ambiance Spacious and clean with helpful workers, Whole Foods is peaceful. An anonymous customer said, “Definitely have lots to choose from. But they are missing more commercial things, I don’t think they even have regular aspirin here.”

New Seasons

Deli A preponderance of sandwich fixings, a wok with four different sauces including Asian Plum and Peanut, burgers and bagels make this section a customer favorite. Above the salad bar, a list of “today’s organic selections” is found. The eating area is extremely welcoming. Fully stocked with condiments, a cold and hot water tap and newspapers, guests are invited to stay awhile. A hung bulletin board states “community board” and on one wide table, a sign reads, “Pull up a chair, make a new friend.”

The Concordia location on Northeast 33rd Avenue, like many stores, seems to have developed a cult following. Several praise its cozy feel. Shopper Dinah Sheehan said, “Whole Foods pushes a lifestyle and New Seasons just sort of…is without all the marketing bells and whistles.” Produce While the eccentric options are considerably smaller at New Seasons, their produce section has a farmer’s market ambiance. Today, winter citrus dominates the area, reminding customers what this season has to offer. There are outof-season options also, including tasty berries and tomatoes. Meat and seafood Along with various types and cuts are in-house, seasoned meats. Tandoori chicken skewers, rosemary lamb chops and more can be a quick dinner. This is a great option for the busy cook that doesn’t sacrifice health for convenience. Their seafood has quality labels for each fish. Yellow signifies potential problems with the health of the fishery, and red states that the fish are not farmed in a sustainable manner and notes “please feel free to ask for a substitution.” Green reads “Best choice! Most sustainable!” At this time, there are no red signs in this section.

Ambiance There is a reason why New Seasons stores are often crowded with shoppers. Their motto, “The friendliest store in town,” is taken seriously, and while walking through aisles, conversations between workers and shoppers often resemble the sound of friends talking. It’s clear both companies have an ardor for food. New Seasons seems to follow quality over quantity, while Whole Foods has more products than you can shake a (carrot) stick at. To each their own. What is really significant is what Whole Foods representative Megan Hornbeak says: “We want to embrace our community and people to eat well.” It’s just that simple.

Price Check

Whole Foods

New Seasons

Almonds, bulk

$4.99

Coho Salmon

$9.99

$12.99

Rotisserie Chicken

$9.99

$7.99

Spinach

$3.99

$3.50

Whole Foods: The corporate option for those with extra cash and a hunger for organic foods. Photos by Aaron Leopold/Portland State Vanguard

“Can anything be bleaker than the shabby slums of Berlin? Yes, argues director Werner Herzog in Stroszek: try Wisconsin sometime. Bruno S. stars as an ex-mental patient who dreams of the so-called promised land of America. He aligns himself with likeminded prostitute Eva Mattes and elderly, near-senile Clemens Scheitz. Upon their arrival in Wisconsin, the three misfits find that they’re just as trapped in Dairy Country as they’d been in Germany—if not more so. The sour and bitter Stroszek earned worldwide critical and commercial acclaim.” Jan. 22 and 23 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Jan. 24 at 3 p.m. 5th Avenue Cinema, 510 SW Hall St. Free w/ PSU ID. $2 all other students and seniors. $3 general admission. Admission includes free popcorn for all. —5thavenuecinema.org