Portland State Vanguard

VOLUME 68 | ISSUE 23

FEBRUARY 11, 2014

CAREER FAIR GUIDE INSIDE

NEWS

OPINION

ARTS & CULTURE

SPORTS

PSU Student Union hosts public info session to discuss possible faculty and academic professionals strike. pg. 5

Art, addiction, and an ignorant internet culture: What does the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman teach us? pg. 8

Looking for a way to beat the icy chill?

Heat yourself up with our winter warming drinks! pg. 18

PSU Softball avoids the snow, begins their season with a 25 game stretch on the road, starting in Arizona. pg. 24

CONTENT NEWS OPINION CAREER FAIR GUIDE COVER ARTS & CULTURE CALENDAR SPORTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

COPY EDITORS

EDITOR@PSUVANGUARD.COM Whitney Beyer

Allie Clark Margo Pecha

MANAGING EDITOR

ADVERTISING MANAGER

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JGEKELER@PDX.EDU Jordan Gekeler

NEWS EDITOR

ADVERTISING DESIGNER

NEWS@PSUVANGUARD.COM Coby Hutzler

Michelle Leigh

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Reaz Mahmood

ARTS@PSUVANGUARD.COM Turner Lobey

OPINION EDITOR OPINION@PSUVANGUARD.COM Breana Harris

4 8 12 16 18 22 24

ADVISER

ADVERTISING ADVISER Ann Roman

DESIGNERS

SPORTS EDITOR

Alan Hernandez-Aguilar, Rachael Bentz, Brendan Mulligan, Christopher Peralta

SPORTS@PSUVANGUARD.COM Jesse Tomaino

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ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR ASSOCIATENEWS@PSUVANGUARD.COM Ashley Rask

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PHOTO EDITORS PHOTO@PSUVANGUARD.COM Miles Sanguinetti Corinna Scott

ONLINE EDITOR ONLINE@PSUVANGUARD.COM Claudette Raynor

Claude Akins, Joshua Benson, Karisa Cleary, Joel Gunderson, Sharon Jackson, Hana King, Morgan Knorr, Adam LaMascus, Alex Moore, Kerry Politzer, Brandon Staley, Derek Sun, Sara Swetzoff, Kayla Tatum, Stephanie Tshappat, Drea Vick

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Alex Hernandez, Cameron Frank, Sharon Jackson, Morgan Knorr, Helena Wolfe

ADVERTISING SALES

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COPY CHIEF COPY@PSUVANGUARD.COM Chelsea Lobey

The Vanguard is published weekly as an independent student newspaper governed 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 subscription issues may incur a 25 cent charge.

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Cover: Photo courtesy of Jev Olsen / Copenhagen Suborbitals, Design by Christopher Peralta ©2013 PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY VANGUARD 1825 S.W. BROADWAY SMITH MEMORIAL STUDENT UNION, RM. S-26 PORTLAND, OR 97201

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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NEWS

NEW GLASS TOWER IS ALIVE WITH THE ARTS KARISA CLEARY

Open this winter term for the first time is a three-story glass tower that branches out from the second story of Portland State’s Lincoln Hall on the Broadway side, alive with the art of theater and dance. With glass for walls on the street side, the classes taking place can’t be missed by passersby.

The tower not only completes the 102-year-old Lincoln Hall’s renovations, it exposes the performing arts to the city while providing students in the PSU performing arts program with access to brand new studios and workshops.

“The tower was part of the design when the Lincoln Hall rehab happened,” said Judy Patton, director of theater and film at PSU. “The state funded that project to upgrade HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) and earthquake safety.

“Because costs dropped during the time, more work was done and the foundation for the tower was constructed. Permits were running out and having to obtain new permits would have escalated the cost, so a big push for funding and support from the university went into finishing the Lincoln Hall project.”

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Arlene Schnitzer, one of Portland’s most prominent philanthropists and a promoter of the arts, gifted $2.3 million toward the construction of the building. Schnitzer attended Lincoln High School with her late husband, Harold, before it became home to PSU as Lincoln Hall.

The rest of the funds for this $3.6 million structure were loaned to PSU’s College of the Arts by the university itself. So far, about half has already been repaid.

Devon Allen, head of acting at PSU’s School of Theatre and Film, described just how important the new studio space is to performing arts students.

“Theater uses the whole person—the emotions, the intellect, the spirit, the body.

It demands of us that we use our whole selves, which create imaginative and intellectual leaps,” Allen said.

“In this way, in class, we are always tested.”

Allen says that there is a big difference between the former space and the new glass tower.

“The [old] room was dank and the lighting very dim, so teaching was sometimes a challenge. It is such a boon to our school to have this facility for the student actors,” Allen said. “We now have ample room to explore

the grandeur of character movement, [which is] so important when training actors, and the acoustics help us work on projection, timbre and resonance of the human voice.”

That the new addition is mostly glass allows for a great deal of natural lighting, and the tower has even achieved LEED platinum certification. Allen believes that it’s beneficial to the courses as well.

“The light in the room, from fixtures and nature, inspire and evoke vitality and help us all really see expression and actor choices,” Allen said.

From a student’s perspective, Gwendolyn Daily, a senior in arts and letters with a minor in dance, takes modern dance and ballet in the glass tower dance studio.

“The space is more open and bright—I feel more creatively inspired whenever I am dancing in the studio,” Daily said. “It has a bit of simplicity but also has an energy that makes the same movements feel different than they did in the old studio.

“I think most importantly, it is such a nice space that it makes me feel like the people who funded the glass tower actually care about my dance training and education.”

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

CORINNA SCOTT/PSU VANGUARD

NEWS

‘WALKOUT TO SAVE SPRING TERM’ PANEL DISCUSSES IMPLICATIONS OF A FACULTY STRIKE, STUDENTS CONSIDER TAKING ACTION SARA SWETZOFF

On Jan. 30, the Portland State University Student Union hosted a public info session called “There Might Not Be a Spring Term.”

Co-sponsored by the Student Action Coalition, Students for Unity, Service Employees International Union and the PSU chapter of the American Association of University Professors, the panelists addressed a range of issues as they sought to contextualize the current possibility of faculty strikes within a broader struggle to protect public higher education.

The info session packed the Multicultural Center with nearly 150 students. Some attendees were coming out to show their support for a strike. Others attended in hopes of securing answers and reassurance.

“Who would lose their visa if classes were canceled spring term?” asked Elona Togrub, a student organizer with PSUSU. “Who would not be able to pay their bills without financial aid?”

Hands went up in the affirmative. Others indicated that they may not be able to graduate on time in the event of a strike.

This informal poll was designed to convey the necessity of a solution to the current deadlock in faculty contract negotiations. The PSU chapter of AAUP, which includes academic professionals in addition to full-time faculty, has been negotiating a contract for the current biennium

with the PSU administration since spring 2013.

Panelists included Mary King, president of PSU-AAUP, and Rayleen McMillan of the Associated Students of PSU. Both sought to assuage students’ concerns while simultaneously emphasizing the need for action.

“A strike is a normal way for a union to express its extreme dissatisfaction,” King explained. “We are not expecting to quit our jobs or cancel classes. It is rare that education strikes last more than a few days or a week. Everyone is concerned to end them.”

However, McMillan admitted that at this point no one can say for sure how strikes might play out. “Other than one staff strike from the 1990s, a strike at PSU is unprecedented,” she explained.

“The University Affairs Committee [at ASPSU] is working hard to compile a document with answers to all these questions, but in many cases we are waiting for answers from the administration.”

When asked what students should expect, Scott Gallagher, director of university communications, referred to official language published on the office’s website: “PSU has policies and procedures in place to maintain campus operations in the event of a strike by any group of represented employees, including faculty. Our top priority is to ensure that students remain on track with their courses.”

‘Demanding a plan’ Both sides were scheduled to reach an agreement months ago, but this time faculty say they are standing up against the type of cuts they should have opposed years ago. The current offer on the table does not see PSU-AAUP salaries keeping pace with inflation, at a time when academic departments have also been told to plan for a three to eight percent cut to their programming budgets.

The administration does not comment on negotiations that are ongoing.

PSU-AAUP’s current contract has been renewed through the end of February. If no resolution has been reached, at that point faculty could declare an impasse.

Thirty days after an impasse is declared, the union would be eligible to authorize a strike. This timeline places a potential strike right at the beginning of spring term.

Staff and faculty panelists attested to the broader crisis in higher education, where money at both state and federal levels has been diverted from public universities.

“If we live in one of the richest countries in the world, then why are students going neck-deep into debt to get a college degree?” Michael Chamberlain of the Office of Academic Innovation asked the crowd. “We need to roll back historically high tuition, roll back historically high debt.”

PSU STUDENTS discuss how to execute StAC’s proposed plan to coordinate a massive ‘walkout to save spring term.’

CAMERON FRANK/PSU VANGUARD

“We are demanding a plan from this administration. We are not asking for any miracles—just a plan.”

‘A coordinated mass walkout’ Panelists clarified that the current negotiations represent more at stake than one biennial contract; faculty assert that the current priorities of the administration threaten to permanently jeopardize quality of education, and true change will only result from shared governance and increased transparency.

Cameron Frank, a StAC organizer, recounted the demise of Article 44, a contract item proposed by AAUP at the bargaining table. This article addressed caps on class sizes and on faculty work loads, and if passed would have tied PSU-AAUP salaries to the averages es-

tablished by comparable schools. The article also requested the establishment of a task force to set criteria for the review of administrative performance.

“The administration refused to even acknowledge these demands,” Frank said.

“They went so far as to call the concept of administrative review ‘ludicrous.’”

Frank asserted that students need to find alternative ways to “demand the changes that those profiting off our student loan debts are not going to make for us.”

With the primary source of PSU revenue coming from students, Frank said, students hold greater power than many realize.

“StAC proposes a coordinated mass walkout to save spring term,” Frank concluded. “With enough folks we can send a

clear message of solidarity between students and faculty, and put the kind of concerted pressure on the administration that could actually stand to change their position at the bargaining table.”

Regarding the possibility of a student walkout, Gallagher commented, “It is students’ right to pursue such an action, and they can exercise that right if they want to do that.”

As the two-hour session came to a close, one student attendee evoked the student protests from the 1970s that are memorialized in black-and-white photos displayed in the stairwell of the PSU bookstore.

“The university clearly celebrates that walkout as an important part of PSU’s history and culture,” he pointed out. “So we’re just carrying on the legacy.”

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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NEWS

Honors Program hosts first annual food drive HANA KING

During the month of February, the Honors Program at Portland State will be hosting their first annual food drive to help combat the effects of student hunger in higher education.

The program hopes to raise a minimum of 500 food items, preferably canned or nonperishable, by Feb. 28 and are counting on the students of the Honors Program and the PSU community to help reach their goal. They’re also accepting

non-food items like toothpaste, deodorant and other basic amenities.

Kathleen Steppe, who volunteered at the food pantry for almost a year before becoming its coordinator believes that student hunger is a pressing issue faced by many PSU students.

She says that many people don’t know where they’re going to get their next meal, and that this is a tremendous problem that is greater than people realize.

Steppe has worked in conjunction with fellow Honors Program students Cardin Le and Melinda Cohoon, in addition to support from the program leadership and faculty to help ensure the success of the drive and to raise awareness about student hunger.

“Nothing ever happens singularly,” Steppe said. “They’ve been on board since the beginning to work collectively for the good of the community.”

Le, who is a freshman business major, hopes to end the

stigma attached to getting food from the food pantry.

“We want to let the community know that the Honors Program supports the food pantry,” he said.

Students interested in aiding the Honors Program’s efforts can bring donations directly to the Honors Building, located on 1632 S.W. 12th Ave. Larger donations can be picked up from homes or offices. For more information contact Steppe by email at kathleen.steppe@pdx.edu.

CORINNA SCOTT/PSU VANGUARD

TRANS WOMEN STUDENT ALLIANCE PROVIDES SAFE SPACE AT PSU SARA SWETZOFF

A new group catering to trans women is now meeting regularly in the Women’s Resource Center on campus. Conceived of as an “affinity group,” the Trans Women Student Alliance encourages trans students who identify as women to come together with their peers for conversation and mutual support.

Post baccalaureate student Jessica Trigueiro, co-founder and main coordinator of the group and aspiring clinical psychologist, first had the idea last March when she noticed that the Queer Resource Center on the fourth floor of Smith Memorial Student Union lacked resources specifically catering to trans women.

“I discovered that there was no group for trans women on campus, so I just decided to start one myself,” Trigueiro explained. “Most-

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ly just because it would be cool.”

According to Trigueiro, the QRC was very supportive, inviting interested students to host their first open house in the center. When Virginia Martin, assistant director for the WRC, heard about the new group from colleagues, she reached out to offer the center’s space to the TWSA. The group began meeting in late October of this past fall term, and has hosted more than 10 gatherings to date. Trigueiro reported that about 15 different people have attended overall, with about eight attending regularly.

When asked whether the desire for a safe space was in response to any experiences with harassment at Portland State, Trigueiro said that she personally has not had any such encounters on campus.

“Portland State is usually pretty good…I have felt safer at Portland State than I have elsewhere in town.”

While she can’t speak to the experiences and motivations that have brought other trans women to the group, Trigueiro described her concept of a safe space as an environment in which trans women can simply be at ease and enjoy each other’s company.

“It’s a space where trans women can feel like they can be themselves and not be judged—an opportunity to be around people that they know they can trust to understand them. We also want to provide a space that is free of gender policing or criticism, such as critiques of how you are dressed or how you act,” Trigueiro said.

“We are coming together to foster a positive environment, but we are also just

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

seeking a space where we don’t feel like people are constantly staring at us.”

At this point, said Trigueiro, the meetings of the TWSA mostly consist of hanging out. The main emphasis is on fostering group discussions, and “making sure that we are all communicating with each other, rather than having side conversations,” she explained.

As for the future of the TWSA, Trigueiro sees a lot of potential. Her first goal is to establish a continual group that has enough membership to endure from year to year regardless of student turnover. Eventually she hopes to apply for funding and hold events.

The Trans Women Student Alliance meets Tuesdays from 7–8 p.m. in the WRC lounge. For more information, contact the TWSA at twsapdx@gmail.com.

TWSA CO-FACILITATORS Jessica Trigueiro (left) and Remy Barnett.

CORINNA SCOTT/PSU VANGUARD

NEWS CRIME BLOTTER Week of Feb. 3-9

STEPHANIE TSHAPPAT

Feb. 3

Feb. 5

ARREST

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

Blumel residence hall, parking structure At 3:54 p.m. Officer David Baker and Officer David Troppe arrested non-student Storm Farina for trespassing. During a search incident to arrest, Farina was found to be in possession of narcotics paraphernalia. Also located were burglary tools and property that was stolen in an off-campus burglary as well as a Garmin GPS stolen from a motor vehicle in the 2400 block of Southwest Fifth Avenue. Farina was charged with criminal trespass II, unlawful possession of heroin, possession of burglary tools, and theft of lost/ mislaid property and lodged at Multnomah County Detention Center.

Feb. 4 ARREST

Lincoln Hall, third floor Officer Shawn McKenzie, Officer Baker, and Officer Troppe were dispatched to a report of a transient subject running around on the third floor of the building at 10:01 p.m. Officers contacted non-student Mark Werlech who had four outstanding warrants and was arrested on said warrants, issued a PSU exclusion, and lodged at Multnomah County Detention Center.

THEFT

Officer Baker received a theft report via phone at 5:28 p.m. from an unknown victim stating his wallet was missing and had possibly been stolen between Feb. 2 at 4 p.m. and Feb. 4 at 1 p.m. No further information available.

EXCLUSION

Smith Memorial Student Union, basement At 5:16 p.m. Officer Denae Murphy contacted and subsequently issued a PSU exclusion to non-student Keith Butler, who was reported to have been passed out in a bathroom.

Cramer Hall Officer Nichola Higbee was dispatched to a report of possible vandalism in room 183 at 7:43 a.m. Upon arrival, Officer Higbee discovered two wires from the back of the overhead projector had been pulled out. AV staff had received the tamper alert at 7:37 a.m. and arrived at 7:41 a.m. to find the room empty.

EXCLUSION

Parking structure two At 2:30 p.m. Officer Brenton Chose contacted non-student Perry Palmer who was sleeping in a sleeping bag on the fourth floor near the east stairwell. Palmer had a marijuana pipe as well as a needle in his possession, and admitted to injecting methamphetamine with the needle within the last 24 hours. Palmer was issued a PSU exclusion.

marijuana in one of the student dorms at 10:16 p.m.

Officer Rominger contacted the student-resident who admitted to smoking marijuana outside with two other students, who were contacted later and corroborated the information. Report forwarded to Dean of Student Life, Housing, and ResLife.

Feb. 7 STUDENT CONDUCT

Shattuck Hall At 12:02 a.m. Officer Buck, Officer Rominger and Sergeant Robert McLeary discovered a party occurring in a room in Shattuck Hall and contacted non-student Connor Knight and seven PSU students.

Multiple bottles of beer and hard liquor were disposed of.

Report forwarded to Dean of Student Life.

Feb. 8 STUDENT CONDUCT

Feb. 6 ARREST

Southwest Sixth Avenue and Southwest Montgomery Street At 1:57 a.m. Officer Jon Buck and Officer McKenzie contacted non-student John B. Hodge after they observed him walking in traffic in above area; Hodge had an outstanding felony warrant and was arrested on said warrant.

EXCLUSION

Urban Studies Building Sergeant Joe Schilling contacted and subsequently issued a PSU exclusion to nonstudent Richard Grover Boyd who is not associated with the university and had no valid academic purpose for being in the building at 9:32 a.m.

BURGLARY

Montgomery residence hall At 7:40 p.m. Officer Chose received a report from a student that sometime between Feb. 1 and Feb. 6, someone broke into his room and stole his bottle of prescription pills.

STUDENT CONDUCT

Ondine residence hall Officer Brian Rominger responded to a report of

Blumel residence hall Officers Rominger and Buck responded to assist a Resident Assistant with contacting occupants of a dorm room at 12:30 a.m. regarding a marijuana odor. Studentresident, another student and non-student Sultan M. Wakid were contacted and Wakid admitted to smoking a marijuana cigarette in the room, then flushing it when the Resident Assistant knocked and announced them. Student-resident consented to search of the room which yielded no additional violations or contraband being found.

Feb. 9 SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES

Broadway residence hall At 3:20 a.m. Officer Buck responded to a report of a suspicious male on the seventh floor of the building. Officer Buck contacted the reporting party, a student-resident who stated a male subject asked her for a phone charger in the hallway at about 2 a.m.

Student said the male saw her enter her dorm room and at about 2:30-2:45 a.m. he began knocking on her door.

Student didn’t answer the door but observed through the peephole the male moving down the hallway and knocking on other doors.

Student stated the male also exited and re-entered the floor via the northwest stairwell several times, and continued to knock on her door at ten minute intervals until CPSO arrived at 3:20 a.m. Student stated she was familiar with almost all the residents on the floor and had never seen this male subject before. Subject is described as a black male adult in his early 20s, about five-feet nine-inches tall, weighing about 200 pounds with a muscular build, black hair in a short buzz cut, short stubble facial beard, had both ears pierced with diamond style stud earrings in them, and was wearing a V-neck black T-shirt and black workout style pants.

STUDENT CONDUCT

Broadway residence hall Officer Chris Fischer and Sergeant Michael Anderson were walking through the building with a resident assistant when they located an intoxicated male subject inside the inner stairwell near the second floor. The subject did not want to provide verification that he was a student and ran up the staircase. He then began scratching and kicking toward Sergeant Anderson and may have tried to bite him at one point. For safety the subject was placed into handcuffs. His identification was obtained and his status as a student was confirmed.

Student was taken to his room and cared for by his roommate. Report forwarded to Dean of Student Life.

Read the full Crime Blotter at psuvanguard.com

EXPLORING THE LEGACY OF MLK ©MARK BLACKNELL

MORGAN KNORR

Dr. Bernice King, youngest daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., will speak at Portland State tomorrow.

The upcoming event, at 6 p.m. in the Peter Stott Center, will be presented by the PSU Office of Global Diversity and Inclusion. Tickets will be $15 for faculty, staff and the general public; entry for students will be free.

In honor of the achievements made by Martin Luther King Jr., as well as for Black History Month and the recent 50th anniversary of his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Bernice King will speak to the legacy of her father. She will share information about her father’s teachings and the struggles he faced in his fight for civil rights and to reverse racial injustices.

The upcoming celebratory event will also include performances by Oregon Music Hall of Fame inductees Linda Hornbuckle and Janice Scroggins.

King has given several recent speeches across the country.

In a speech given this past January in Atlanta, Ga., she explained that King Jr. declared his fight against the “triple evils of poverty, racism and militarism.”

In an article by The Associated Press, King speaks to the need for continuation of her father’s legacy. “There is much work that we must do,” she said. “Are we afraid, or are we truly committed to the work that must be done?”

Lindsay Wahowick authored an article published in the Central Michigan Life newspaper detailing a speech given by King on a visit to Central Michigan University, where she discussed current societal problems and what it means to “Be a King,” referring to the title of the nonprofit organization that she founded of the same name.

“The answer’s not found in looking for another Martin Luther King. The reality is we’ve missed the most important thing and that is the notion of being a king,” King said, explaining that this notion of being a king is about being one who has influence.

Her idea of influence asserts that it should be used to improve one’s own life as well as the lives of others. “My message to you this evening is [that] it’s time to raise the standard of your life.”

These messages presented by King represent the need for continuation of her father’s fight, and sustaining his legacy.

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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OPINION

IN MEMORIAM: PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN The Front Row

by Breana Harris If you love film, theater or great performances in general, then no one needs to explain to you the enormous void left by the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman. He was simply one of the most profoundly gifted actors working today, and he leaves behind a brilliant body of work that has inspired his fellow actors and moved audiences. In The New York Times, Bruce Weber has accurately dubbed him “Philip Seymour Hoffman: Actor of Depth.”

Hoffman, age 46, was found dead in a Greenwich Village apartment in New York. The gruesome details are available on the internet for anyone to find, but at the time of this writing, he is assumed to have overdosed on heroin. His substance abuse problems date back 25 years, and his first stint in rehab was shortly after his graduation from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1989.

I am an avid admirer of Hoffman’s work, but his death also brings back memories for me. Eight years ago, I lost my father to cocaine and heroin addiction. Hoffman leaves behind three young children, age 10, 7 and 5, and I can’t help but think of them as I think of the legacy of this wonderful artist and struggling man.

I never shy away from stating how my father died, even though I know it makes some people uncomfortable. There are three reasons for this. First, I hate the idea of drama or self-pity, and acting like it’s a state secret would equate to that.

Second, I don’t want to sugarcoat it. Some people have fathers who do hard drugs, and most people who do hard drugs die.

This is not a public service announcement; it’s reality. And third, I don’t ever want to seem like I’m ashamed. I am very proud of my dad, and I don’t have to cover up the bad about him to celebrate the good. He was my best friend, a traveler and adventurer, and a one-of-a-kind character.

It is a real tragedy that Hoffman’s children are so young, but I hope, somehow, they grow to feel the same about their dad. It’s really too bad that the judgments of strangers try to compromise that. Whenever a celebrity dies of addiction, it becomes plain to see how ignorant people remain of this disease. Needless to say, Hoffman knew about his issues. He sought help for them multiple times. He struggled with something incredibly difficult and lost. The idea that his life and accomplishments are not worthy of honor and respect is despicable and an insult to my dad and the millions of other people who lose this same battle daily.

Supernatural actor Jared Padalecki took to Twitter to be the voice of the ignorant, tweeting, “‘Sad’ isn’t the word I’d use to describe a 46-year-old man throwing his life away to drugs. ‘Senseless’ is more like it. ‘Stupid.’” After the expected backlash, he deleted the tweet and clarified that he meant the

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word “tragedy” should be reserved for “St. Judes” and “genocide.” This line of thinking puts me in mind of something Alec Baldwin so brilliantly articulated recently: “Americans have fallen victim to a sanctimony about things they know little about.”

Website Jezebel rightfully took Padalecki to task for his shocking insensitivity. The comment section was filled with people just like me who have lost brothers, sisters, parents, cousins and friends to drugs. None of us would describe our loved ones’ deaths as stupid, and we would not confine them to the word “addict.”

They are described with words like beautiful, artistic, kind, funny, sensitive and unique. No doubt Hoffman’s family sees him this way. Certainly his colleagues and admirers do.

There have been positives, as well. Young television actor Shawn Pyfrom was so moved by Hoffman’s death that he took to his personal blog to write a heartfelt letter about his five-month sobriety and his own struggles with alcohol and drug addiction. That’s another reason not to sugarcoat. If Hoffman’s

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

death can inspire one person to get help or to avoid picking up a needle altogether, there is worth in that. If people like Pyfrom encourage the growth of a culture where it’s okay to be honest about these issues, that’s even better.

I mean all this, and yet it pains me to remember Philip Seymour Hoffman for how he died. I hope, in the future, when we think of him we’ll remember Lester Bangs in Almost Famous, his staggering work in Paul Thomas Anderson’s films, his Oscar-winning performance in Capote, Father Brendan Flynn in Doubt or even how he elevated The Hunger Games simply by showing up. Everyone has a favorite role or a favorite moment.

I like to think of him as the Count in Richard Curtis’ Pirate Radio.

If you haven’t seen that, man, you have to.

“These are the best days of our lives,” says the Count. “It’s a terrible thing to know, but I know it.” Maybe Hoffman knew when he was in the throes of his best days, and maybe he didn’t.

In the end, we are left lamenting the fact that he didn’t have many more.

©LIONSGATE FILMS

Breaking free from the one-word curse Why other cultures are as complex as our own

OPINION

“We ask each other, ‘What’s the word for ‘apple’ in Spanish’ or ‘Which word means ‘horse’ in Japanese?’ We learn our languages the way we learn math problems.”

Global Thinking

by Derek Sun

An interesting but little remarked-upon phenomenon occurs when most people try to learn a foreign language. In an attempt to make learning easier for ourselves, we begin to think of all languages as having one word for everything.

We ask each other, “What’s the word for ‘apple’ in Spanish?” or “Which word means ‘horse’ in Japanese?” We learn our languages the way we learn math problems. Two plus two equals four, and nothing else. There is only one correct answer for a typical math problem, and there is only one appropriate way to say ‘marriage’ or ‘insomnia’ in German.

It’s understandable why we do this. We try to simplify the already difficult task of learning a new language. It is a natural human tendency to generalize about something unfamiliar and new to us until slowly, over time, subtleties and gray areas emerge and become clear. Our common approach to language is not only a reflection of how we humans view different cultures and tongues, but also how we view other people. We always have room for tolerating and understanding contradictions in ourselves, but rarely in others.

Anyone who has ever studied math and slogged through the minimum number of classes required in school knows that there are math problems where more than one answer is possible. With languages, this is also true. In any language, there can easily be multiple choices for how to say a word or phrase and nearly infinite combinations for expressing sentences and longer patterns of speech.

A simple word like “happy,” for example, can have similar expressions such as “pleased,” “overjoyed,” “satisfied,” “ecstatic,” “over the moon” and so on. “I want to go home” can be “I would like to leave,” “I need to be back at my house” and so on ad infinitum. The old urban legend that there are over 200 words for “camel” in Arabic is false, but spend enough time studying any language, and its native speakers can introduce you to examples of plenty of words that are not restricted to just one translation.

When we handle a foreign language, we have to let go of feelings of impatience or disdain toward the language and understand that every culture possesses complexities and twists of

MORGAN KNORR/PSU VANGUARD

its own, making it as mysterious and fascinating as our native culture. Instead of seeing languages as maddening obstacles, it is imperative that we consider that all nations have their own versions of slang, profanity, jargon, low and high culture, jokes and everything that makes life simultaneously frustrating and entertaining.

It is a sad fact of human nature that we only see ourselves as endlessly diverse and interesting special snowflakes that no one could ever hope to comprehend, while all the people around us can be reduced and analyzed with a bit of pop psychology. The truth is that we are all multifaceted and have hidden depths few can ever plunge into. We build up walls around our psyches while insisting that no one else has the same impenetrable walls.

Travel writer Rick Steves explored these obvious yet concealed differences in his book, Travel as a Political Act. In over three decades of travel through much of Europe, Steves came to realize that for every national hero, inspirational story or

special quality Americans claim to possess, other countries had their own versions and counterparts.

“I discovered that for every Paul Revere or Nathaniel Hale, they were nothing special, since every country had their own heroes,” wrote Steves, emphasizing the main message of his book and encouraging readers to shed blinkered visions of other cultures.

The ultimate goal of studying any language and culture should be to view that culture as similarly complex to one’s own, instead of a cartoonish image where there is only one accurate representation for a word, custom or behavior. It is totally conceivable that another country may have its own equivalents of John Steinbeck, Tina Fey, Kobe Bryant or a myriad of other luminaries.

A language, instead of being a stiff and unchanging collection of unpronounceable words that one strings together slowly, is a constantly changing and wriggling entity, evolving over time.

Our failure to realize this keeps us in the dark about everyone who is not us and any society that we do not inhabit.

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

9

OPINION

DIFFERENT THAN FICTION

WHY ‘12 YEARS A SLAVE’ IS A HISTORICAL DOCUMENT FILM The Pop Culture Ephebe

by Joshua Benson

After watching 12 Years a Slave, I’m sort of confused about how the public has responded. Lots of people are calling the film “torture porn.” Others concentrate on the film’s quality and its best picture odds. As one of my friends said to me last week, “The academy would be racist if it didn’t win,” which I find sort of paradoxical.

Here’s the thing: I think positioning the film in such a way— as deserving or undeserving of praise or any kind of heavy critical response—while not necessarily racist, is actually a dreadful misjudgment of the movie. In more ways than one, 12 Years a Slave and other films like it—stuff I like to call, because I’m not the most original at titles, historical document films—transcend judgments of quality. I say this because of the distinctive ways in which directors of successful historical document films treat the subject matter.

My two main examples here, Paul Greengrass’ 9/11 film, United 93, and Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave, are made strictly on the basis of their stories—a quality which prefers, if not requires, very little invention. The historic position of these stories overrides all other filmic aspects, legitimizing the movies based solely on the events they depict. This lessens the impact of the writer, director and actors’ aesthetic spin, which are arguably the deciding factors of commercial film quality.

The creators, in these two cases, act accordingly. For United 93, Paul Greengrass pares down the events surrounding the plane crash to only those on 9/11 , using only the passengers and terrorists involved. The air traffic control perspective ends once all planes are grounded. The dramatization of the events at the World Trade Center does not continue past its relevance to the people aboard United 93. The film ends as the plane crashes. It does not provide the background to bring unnecessary elements in, only realistic small talk and the emotional effects of the occurrences on board.

The film also rejects the idea of adding aesthetic bells and whistles to the material, which should take it out of the commercial critical arena. While United 93 does maintain Greengrass’ signature use of the handheld camera, this works only as an effort to remind the viewer of the story’s reality. He forsakes Captain Phillips’ drawn-out storytelling or thrilling time and space play, which totally works for

10

CHRISTOPHER PERALTA/PSU VANGUARD

that movie. Captain Phillips is also based on a true story, but without the weight to make it a historical document film. United 93 gives sole priority to the event that validates the film’s existence.

Much of the same can be said for 12 Years a Slave. Gone are the strange philosophical musings of McQueen’s first film, Hunger, with its 20 minute mid-film dialogue, and the eccentricities of his second film Shame. 12 Years a Slave gallops through most of the film’s economic 2 hours and 15 minutes, sparing few scenes that don’t work to drive the plot forward in time. The exception to this rule is the plotline involving Patsey (Lupita Nyong’o), after whom slave master Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender) lusts. This seems a beneficial tangent for the sake of documentation, however, giving a valuable look into one of slavery’s most evil legacies.

On the subject of violence in the film, I take great offense to the idea that the film is too violent, or that the viewer should equate such violence with any other type of film, say that of thrillers or horror films. Contrary to the belief of some, 12 Years a Slave does not generally exploit violence beyond reality and only displays it

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

at key moments. There is one strange occurrence when a slave on board ship is mercilessly stabbed without fair cause, which, as Noah Berlatsky of The Atlantic points out, is unlikely.

Otherwise, when Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is first kidnapped and won’t play dumb for his kidnappers, when he attacks a white man, and when Epps finally turns on Patsey are the major instances of violence in the film. Aside from a well-balanced effort to convey the brutal reality of slavery in the United States, violence in 12 Years a Slave doesn’t even remotely give the idea that it’s being used for gross-out or ideological purposes. It’s part of representing the reality of violence at key moments that affirm the surprising mercilessness of the slave system.

12 Years a Slave seems the type of film automatically set apart from the likes of American Hustle or Her. It lacks the aesthetic affectation of commercial films that validate themselves through mood, dialogue or performance. These historical document films instead take on the brave task of telling a story that speaks for itself, simply because the memory of that story is important enough to deserve the cinematic reminder.

OPINION

SEX SHOP DATE NIGHT The Cuddlefish

by Adam Lamascus What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the term “sex shop?” Skeezy middle-aged virgin men? Tons of porn? Fleshlights? Real dolls? The “jack-shacks?”

I come bringing good news: these tend to be exaggerations! Especially if you avoid the blatantly skeezy sex shops. It may not seem intuitive, but sex shops are actually a great place to go for a date with your partner. They can be a fun and sexy start to a fun and sexy evening.

Most sex shops will specialize in sex toys, outfits, condoms and other things; they will also have a video section.

The main difficulty with the sex shop date night is judging when the relationship has been going on long enough for it to not be weird if you broach this topic. This is an example of why open, honest, low-stakes communication with your partner is great.

Sex shops worth going to will have a knowledgeable staff that hit the sweet spot of being helpful while not being invasive. If you are feeling a bit lost or overwhelmed, they can help you find what you’re looking for.

Additionally, you and your partner are entering an entire environment dedicated to sexuality. The whole experience acts as a sort of extended foreplay.

You and your partner get to think entirely about having sex with each other, as well as toy around with ideas of what you would like to do or try. It is a fun and titillating experience to wander about and be wholly occupied with the idea of what amazing things you are going to do.

Lastly, trust me, unless your partner is extremely

prudish, walking into a sex shop with them for the first time—or just walking in the first time—is a lot less intimidating than people tend to imagine. Have fun, keep an open mind, remember you are surrounded by people who will not judge you and start small.

You may be finding yourself thinking, “Gee, that sounds fun, but where should I take my lovely partner?” Good question! I will include some reviews of local shops that my girlfriend and I went to here in the Portland area.

SheBop

909 N. Beech St., Portland, OR 97227 We really wanted to like this place more than we did.

We’d heard a lot that SheBop is a great female and gay-friendly place. For all the hype it gets, it was decidedly disappointing. The place is absolutely tiny, for starters. It only took me about a dozen paces to go across the entire store. The selection is very small as a result, and has nothing for the BDSM crowd.

The products all tended to be on the pricier side as well.

The final nail in the coffin for SheBop was the service.

The two people manning the store seemed bored, uncomfortable and standoffish. On the two or three occasions where my girlfriend was actually able to get one of them to talk to her, they had a shocking tendency to walk away before she was done asking a question. About the only positive things I can say are that it is well-lit, clean and definitely not skeezy.

In conclusion, ignore the hype; this place is mediocre and overrated.

Fantasy for Adults Only

10720 S.W. BeavertonHillsdale Highway, Beaverton, OR 97005

FANTASY FOR ADULTS ONLY, one of the largest sex shops in the Portland Metro area, has a large selection of merchandise to spice up your night.

Let me begin by saying that Fantasy is huge. The place takes up a sizable amount of square footage and spans multiple floors. It has a large selection of merchandise with a very large price range, which is nice.

They have merchandise catering to just about any sexual preference—vanilla or kinky, gay or straight.

The staff is friendly and helpful. It is well-lit, clean and not skeezy. However, with all these positives, my girlfriend and I found it to be not very exciting and not quite the right fit for us, though we couldn’t put a finger on why. I would suggest giving it a shot for yourself to develop your own opinion.

Lovers

3300 S.W. Cedar Hills Boulevard, Beaverton, OR 97005 Our favorite, which is also convenient considering it is the closest to our house. Lovers is physically smaller than Fantasy, but it’s still an impressive size.

They tend to cater more toward outfits, so if that’s your thing, then this is the place for you. The selection of condoms as well as other toys, vibrators, masturbation aids and dildos of varying types, is impressive.

The only real weakness in their selection is that their BDSM and general kink section is underwhelming. However, the staff says that they have had multiple complaints on this matter and hopefully will be remedying it soon.

ALEX HERNANDEZ/PSU VANGUARD

On the topic of staff, they are extremely helpful and very friendly. The building is well-lit, very clean and not in the slightest bit skeezy. The one other issue with the place beyond the small kink sec-

tion is that the large windows on the front of the building don’t have curtains, so if you are near the front of the store you are totally visible to the people outside. Going to sex shops isn’t anything to be

embarrassed about, but it can definitely be odd being so visible to the outside world while inside one. It is worth noting though that it’s on a busy street, so the cars do go by pretty quickly.

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

11

CAREER GUIDE

TIME TO GET A JOB STEPHANIE TSHAPPAT

This coming Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 12–13, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Portland State University’s Advising and Career Services will be hosting its annual Engineering and Technology and All Majors Career Fairs.

The fairs will take place in the third floor ballroom of Smith Memorial Student Union, located at Southwest Broadway Avenue and Southwest Harrison Street.

The career fairs are an opportunity for students as well as alumni of PSU to meet and network with a variety of employers, Katie Vevoda, marketing and outreach coordinator for the Advising and Career Services center, said.

“These career fairs are meant to give current students and alumni an edge in the job market,” she said.

Students and alumni will be able to meet representatives from a variety of companies

12

and organizations, including those in the sectors of private industry, government and non-profit work at the fair.

This year, employers such as Kaiser Permanente, Nike, Cambia Health Solutions and the U.S. Department of State will be attending, Vevoda said.

Vevoda explained that the fair is an opportunity for students and alumni “to explore their career interests by connecting them with employers,” adding that the representatives are a wealth of information about available careers and opportunities. “[There will be] over 50 organizations in attendance [at the] fair and representatives will give information about careers in their field, internships, and current and anticipated job openings,” she said.

A career fair is a great way to learn more about the types of career opportunities avail-

able in a student or alumnus’ particular field, and also give students and alumni the opportunity to network with employers available in their field of work.

Vevoda advises those attending to actively participate in the fair—networking, chit chatting and taking notes—as a way to prepare themselves for their potential future career. Bringing along a positive attitude as well as a pen and paper is also encouraged.

“We encourage students and alumni to ask questions, take notes, and make connections for their futures!”

Vevoda said.

More information about the career fairs, including a list of employers registered, is available on the following website: pdx.edu/ advising-career-services/ career-fairs. The Advising and Career Services website is available at pdx.edu/careers

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

SEAN BUCKNAM/PSU VANGUARD

FOUR STEPS TO SUCCESS AT CAREER FAIRS

CAREER GUIDE

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY CAREER FAIR 14

FM Global

15

16

WebMD

Health Services

Phase2

17

KPFF Consul�ng

Engineers

19

18

Hewle� Packard

Storage

Portland General Electric

(PGE)

20

21

Multnomah Co. Dept. of

Human Services

Mission Avia�on

Fellowship

22

Eid

Passport, Inc.

24

23

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25

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41 40 39 38

Leidos State of OR Employment

Dept Worksource

48 47 46

US Dept of State‐ Bureau of Diploma�c Security

Cambia Health

Solu�ons

Acquia

56 55 54

30

ERCOT

Saturno

PTV Group

MCECS

36

Men Alcove: Soda/ Candy vending machine

Acquia ACS ACS ADP (Automatic Data Processing, Inc.) Aerotek Engineering BIOTRONIK / Micro Systems Engineering, Inc. BPM Northwest Business Education Compact (BEC) Cambia Health Solutions CampusPoint Columbia Helicopters, Inc. CorrQuest Ecova Eid Passport, Inc. Electrical Reliability Services of Texas (ERCOT) ESI (Electro Scientific Industries) FM Global Garmin AT

46 1 2 33 41 34 9 56 47 42 43 6 61 24 5 16 15 29

1

37

Georgia–Pacific Corporation Glumac Hewlett Packard Storage Kaiser Permanente Kiewit Construction KPFF Consulting Engineers Lattice Semiconductor Corporation Leidos MCECS Mentor Graphics Mission Aviation Fellowship Multnomah County Department of Human Services Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas, Inc. Phase2 Portland General Electric (PGE) PSU Business Accelerator PTV Group Puppet Labs

Elevator

ADP

Women

ACS

BIOTRONIK

32 Georgia‐Pacic

Corpora�on

2

33

34

31

35

3

ACS

CorrQuest

4

♦ S T A G E ♦

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49

US Marine Corps Officer

Programs

57

US Navy Recrui�ng Business Educa�on

Compact (BEC) Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas, Inc.

US Army Corps

of Engineers

Kaiser

Permanente

Aerotek Engineering

8

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5

6

7 UTi

Worldwide

Garmin AT

Kiewit

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45

Gulmac

53

Ecova

61

9

29

Rohde &

Schwarz, Inc.

Mentor

Graphics

44

Rentrak

Corpora�on

52

PSU Business

Accelerator

60

Puppet Labs

Columbia

Helicopters

43

51

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59

10

28

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58

11

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26

12

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k oo m e lla ees Ch

13

Exit : overpass to Advising &

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32 53 20 11 45 19 59 39 3 44 22 23 55 18 21 60 35 10

Rentrak Corporation 52 Resource Data, Inc. 14 Rohde & Schwarz, Inc. 28 Roseburg Forest Products Co. 25 Saturno 4 Selectron Technologies, Inc. 8 State of Oregon Employment Department–WorkSource 38 TE Connectivity–Medical 27 Tillamook Cheese 26 TraneOregon 50 Urban Airship 30 US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) 12 US Department of State–Bureau of Diplomatic Security 48 US Marine Corps Officer Programs 49 US Navy Recruiting, Portland District 57 UTi Worldwide 7 WebMD Health Services 17

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

13

CAREER GUIDE

Exit : overpass to Advising &

Career Services

Women

AFLAC

37

Roseburg Forest Products

Co. Multnomah Co. Dept. of Human

Services

49

39

48

53

52

27

Marcus &

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41

42

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54 Portland General Electric

(PGE)

50

51

Tillamook Cheese

47

Metro

Mission Avia�on

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30

Youth Villages

Fisher

Investments

36

40

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School

Panda Restaurant

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38

Riverstone Residen�al

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29

35

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28

34

First Investors

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33

32

46

US Army

Oregon

State Police

45

31

Aetna, Inc.

44

Clackamas County

Sleep Train,

Inc.

43

Zones, Inc.

ALL MAJORS CAREER FAIR

US Peace Corps

Alcove: Soda/ Candy vending machine

Simple Finance

foodguys

Elevator

Men

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY Advising & Career Services All Majors Career Fair Thursday, February 13th, 2014

OSPIRG

9 10

Northwestern Mutual Financial

Network

75 76 77

Acquia

Recology

collegefeed

Fastenal Company

Paycom

Verizon

Wireless

14

15

13

12

5 8

74

11

14

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City of Portland

Clear Satellite

79 78

17 16

Nike, Inc.

80

73

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Secretary of State

WA for Scho the ol Bli nd

18

72

19

71

Internships /

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23 22

Country Financial

PSU Graduate

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StreamTeam

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College Pro Painters

Federated Insurance

College Possible

Cascade

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70

69

68

Enterprise Rent‐A‐Car

66

65

67

Hershey Company

64

State of OR Employment

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OHSU

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25 24

63

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7

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4

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Comcast Spotlight

IE3 Global

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Konica Minolta

CampusPoint

62

61

60

59

Progressive Insurance

ACS

Sherwin– Williams

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ACS

58

2

57

56

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Blount Interna�onal,

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Saia LTL Freight

Acquia ACS ACS Aetna, Inc. AFLAC Albertina Kerr Centers Atlas Preparatory School Banfield, The Pet Hospital Blount International, Inc. Business Education Compact (BEC) Cambia Health Solutions CampusPoint Cascade Pacific Council City of Portland (OR) Clackamas County Clear Satellite College Possible College Pro Painters collegefeed Comcast Spotlight Country Financial Enterprise Rent-A-Car Fastenal Company Federated Insurance First Investors Corporation Fisher Investments foodguys Hershey Company IE3 Global Internships InsideTrack Internships / Undergrad Bus Kaplan Test Prep Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA, Inc. Marcus & Millichap Metro Mission Aviation Fellowship Multnomah County Department of Human Services Nike, Inc. / Sports & Lifestyles, Unlimited Northwestern Mutual Financial Network

75 1 2 33 38 25 49 58 57 44 51 59 67 74 32 77 71 69 79 23 73 22 78 68 43 48 7 21 60 24 3 65 20 52 50 39 40 17 10

CAREER GUIDE

OHSU Biomedical Informatics Oregon Secretary of State Oregon State Police OSPIRG Pacific Capital Resource Group, Inc. Panda Restaurant Group, INC. Paycom Portland General Electric (PGE) Progressive Insurance PSU Alumni Relations PSU Graduate School of Education PSU Graduate Studies (OGS)–Academic Affairs Recology Riverstone Residential Group Roseburg Forest Products Co.

6 80 34 9 54 47 13 26 64 41 56 8 76 45 37

Saia LTL Freight 55 Sherwin-Williams Company 63 Simple Finance 5 Sleep Train, Inc. 31 State of Oregon Employment Department–WorkSource 66 StreamTeam 72 Tillamook Cheese 27 US Army 28 US Department of State–Bureau of Diplomatic Security 62 US Department of State–Diplomat in Residence 61 US Marine Corps Officer Programs 36 US Navy Recruiting, Portland District 70 US Peace Corps 4 Verizon Wireless 12 Washington State School for the Blind 19

Youth Villages Zones, Inc.

46 30

SNOWPOCALYPSE HITS PSU

MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

Several Portlanders band together to help a driver pick up momentum after getting beached on a snow drift at Fifth Avenue and Hall.

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

15

COVER THE EXTRAVEHICULAR MOBILITY UNIT is a spacesuit that provides protection to astronauts performing extra-vehicular activity, or work done outside of a spacecraft in orbit.

UIT COVERALL S

TRY SUIT LAUNCH EN

ULAR SUIT EXTRAVEHIC

ALAN HERNANDEZ-AGUILAR/PSU VANGUARD

KARISA CLEARY

Have you ever wondered what Earth looks like from above?

As time goes on and technology continues to progress, the possibility of inexpensive space travel is nearly within reach.

Portland State’s Cameron Smith, a professor of anthropology, has already taken a step in that direction by creating an affordable space suit with a cost of $1,000, a fraction of the price of NASA’s quarter-million dollar high-altitude space suits.

So far he has acquired a team of student volunteers, moved the construction to ADX Portland—a light industrial site in Southeast Portland—and he’s joined forces with Danish non-profit space flight company Copenhagen Suborbitals, who will eventually be using Smith’s pressure suits for their astronauts.

Smith began putting the suit together using parts purchased from eBay and building it in his Portland apartment with no outside help. His purpose was plain and simple: to democratize space travel.

The specific type of suit Smith is creating is a pressure—or high-altitude—suit designed to provide protection by pressurizing the body when worn at high altitudes.

“Within a generation, plane tickets were in everybody’s reach and with technology it’s become relatively safe,” Smith said. “That’s what’s happening now with space access, so there will be a lot of disasters and it will be very expensive for a while, but [then] it will come way down.”

Word of Smith’s project has taken flight since he began and it has allowed him to expand his plans.

In February 2013, Kristian von Bengtson, flight director at Copenhagen Suborbitals, reached out to Smith after seeing an article about his space suit in Wired Magazine.

“I was amazed and could see he had the same approach as we do,” von Bengtson said. “Eventually Copenhagen Suborbitals decided to have a space suit as part of the project. We are happy that [Smith] accepted.”

The organization in Denmark is a suborbital space enterprise, based on donations and sponsors, that creates different

16

SHOWING OF THE SUIT in its successful altitude chamber test in August 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF COPENHAGEN SUBORBITALS

space vehicles solely for the experimentation of the future of space democratization.

Copenhagen Suborbitals happens to hold a very similar mission to Smith’s, which is, according to their website, to “launch human beings into space on privately [built] rockets and space crafts,” which is why they took great interest in Smith’s work.

“I believe that this project will be a major part in showing everyone that manned spaceflight does not belong solely to large corporations and governments. When [Smith] and Copenhagen Suborbitals succeed [in] doing this, everyone will look at spaceflight with completely different eyes,” von Bengtson said.

In August 2013, Smith traveled to Denmark with his prototype space suits at his side in a trunk, to display and test his creations.

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

Smith explained the results of those tests done in Denmark.

“They function—we tested the suit in an altitude chamber [at Copenhagen Suborbitals] and it did exactly what it was supposed to do,” Smith said. “It kept my blood oxygenation levels where they should have been, with pressure in the suit, rather than what they would have been with the lower pressure in the chamber if I had not been wearing the suit.”

The success of the demonstrations set the manufacturing of suits for Copenhagen Suborbitals into motion. With the growing opportunities arising with the suit, Smith confesses, “I couldn’t do it alone anymore, I needed more help.”

Smith began acquiring student volunteers after an article recognizing his work was published in the Vanguard in October 2012, and has now stabilized a solid group of six volunteers.

With the helping hands of these volunteers, several parts of the suit could then be under construction at the same time.

The volunteers are also working on the interior of an open capsule that’s 2.6 meters in diameter and made for manned flight.

It will contain a seat, controls for the person in flight to operate the descent and a radio to allow communication between the flyer and the team on the ground.

One student volunteer, Alexander Knapton, a senior at PSU majoring in social science with a minor in sustainability, is working on the capsule’s life support system, along with the suit.

“I’m hoping this will be the lead into other space exploration opportunities to me and the rest of the group,” Knapton said.

“Before meeting professor Smith, I believed it was only an opportunity for the super scientists or people in the military.”

A DELICATE OPERATION In late July, Smith will bring the student team to Denmark to pay Copenhagen their first visit and bring over the interior of the open capsule. While only a replica of the full capsule is being built in Portland, Copenhagen Suborbitals is building the exterior based off of Smith’s mock-up plans.

COVER

“It’s a very delicate operation,” Smith said. “You begin with the human body to form the suit, then the suit has to fit the seat and the seat has to fit the capsule.”

In Denmark, the team will only demonstrate how to operate and exit the capsule once it has launched, but the actual launch will come later.

While they have been working on the capsule—the bottom end of the project—Copenhagen Suborbitals is aiding in this too by constructing the top end (or the hydrogen balloon) of the structure that will actually carry Smith up to high altitude. He clarified the necessity for a real-life test.

“To put the suit through realistic tests we need to do a flight where somebody’s life is on the line. They’re [more than] 10 miles up in an open capsule underneath a balloon at 65,000 feet where you need a space suit essentially to survive,” he said, “and that’s coming in 2015. Once we’ve done that, then we’ll have even more confidence in the suit design.”

Smith will be in control of bringing the balloon back down while in the capsule by opening a valve to let hydrogen out of the balloon. The rest of the student team will build ground controls and use radio communications to keep in contact.

Smith expressed great confidence in his projects for the test launch.

“I will feel comfortable because we’re building everything where I can touch and see every single piece being put together,” Smith said. “There’s no black box, no mystery content.”

In the event that Smith is unable to perform the test, there will be a backup who practices every simulation and mock launch. Smith says that the test is “90 percent training and 10 percent actually doing it.”

The flight will end with a water landing of Smith in his capsule into the Baltic Sea. Prior to his partnership with Copenhagen Suborbitals, Smith had expressed concern of public opinion.

“Copenhagen Suborbitals helped to legitimize this,” Smith said. “Before, it was me at home building this thing in my apartment—it sounded totally crazy. Now it has a much more important purpose, which is the democratization of space which…perfectly fits in with Copenhagen’s mission.”

As for the future of the space suit, Smith says that he never wants to sell his plans, much like the ideals held by Copenhagen Suborbitals.

“They don’t want to sell their stuff. They’re an open source space program in total contrast to others. You can go to their website and download every single plan; every nut and bolt.

You could replicate their entire program,” Smith said.

“The whole point is to make this stuff publicly available. To open the gates, rather than having a narrow funnel that people have to get through to get to space.”

Knapton, the social sciences student, expressed the group’s hope for the future of the suit and everyday space exploration.

“Its been proven that over time technology has been dropping off in costs. We’ve seen it with computers and we’ve seen it with just about everything. That’s what we’re hoping to do.”

CAMERON SMITH is working with Copenhagen Suborbitals to build a capsule that he will test his space suit in.

AR SUIT

LAUNCH ENTRY SUIT

A HIGH-ALTITUDE, OR PRESSURE SUIT offers protection by pressurizing the body at high altitudes. The specific suit that anthropology professor Cameron Smith has created is full-pressure, meaning it can be worn in space.

RUSSIAN FULL-PRESSURE FLIGHT HELMET, which includes a polycarbonate faceplate

NOT VISIBLE: • Liquid-cooled base layer • Gas-retention layer PRESSURE RESTRAINT GARMENT

MATERIAL: Flame-proof coverall, orange for rescue visibility

THE SUIT has attachments for air to breathe and cool water to keep the wearer from overheating.

THE GLOVES are locked in place with metal rings and need to be both protective and easy to work in.

CAPSULE

ALAN HERNANDEZ-AGUILAR/PSU VANGUARD

ALAN HERNANDEZ-AGUILAR/PSU VANGUARD

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

17

ARTS & CULTURE

DANGIT that’s

WINTER WARMING DRINKS TURNER LOBEY

Springtime may technically be just around the corner, but we’re still feeling the full force of winter at Portland State.

We Vikings are no stranger to torrential downpours, chilly winds and freezing temperatures, but this snow and ice business is something entirely foreign. This is Oregon, damn it! We shouldn’t be dealing with this kind of nonsense.

If you find yourself shivering under tattered shawls in your dorm room or just a little chilly from the trek across campus, the best remedy to warm yourself up might just be some high-quality liquid winter cheer.

ADULT HOT CHOCOLATE

TEQUILA HOT CHOCOLATE

You’re an adult, so you might as well drink like one. The most simple recipe on this list, the Adult Hot Chocolate is a cold weather classic. Hot chocolate is delicious and alcohol is warming, so this is a winning combo. Start by pouring the schnapps into the mug. Next, take a sip from the bottle for good measure. Then proceed to fill the mug with hot chocolate. Give the mix a stir and you’re good to go. You can add a scoop or two of whipped cream on top if you’re feeling like you want a sugar high as well as the warming buzz.

Both hot and spicy, the Tequila Hot Chocolate is the ideal drink to warm you up while giving your taste buds a little zap.

To make it, mix 2 ounces of tequila and a cup of hot chocolate.

Add a thick layer of whipped cream on top and sprinkle it with either cayenne pepper or chili power, whichever you prefer.

These are traditionally served in a half-pint glass, but let’s face it; you’re in college, so feel free to use a mug or whatever you have lying around the dorm. It’s a warming agent in the form of liquid alcohol. Who cares what it comes in?

HOT TODDY

IRISH COFFEE

The most iconic of winter warmers is the Hot Toddy. Feel free to use any type of brown liquor, but whiskey is ideal. Start by layering the bottom of the mug with honey, then pour the booze on top. While you’re doing the pouring and possibly sipping, boil water in a kettle and add it to a separate mug with the tea bag in it. Once the tea is steeped to your liking, pour it into the glass with booze and give it a good stir. Drink it down and repeat until your toes aren’t cold any more.

More of a coffee person? The Irish Coffee will be your go-to drink, then. Start by pouring the coffee, brown sugar and Irish whiskey into a mug, then stir. Plop the cream (heavy cream, not whipped cream) on top, but for the love of all that is alcoholic and holy, don’t stir it in. It’ll screw everything up. But, if you do, it’s still booze and it’s still drinkable. Plus, it’s an excuse to drink it down and try again.

If alcohol isn’t your thing, you can make all of these recipes sans-booze. But that pretty much just leaves you with hot chocolate, tea or coffee. But, hey! They’re hot, right?

INGREDIENTS Adult Hot Chocolate | Serves 1 2 ounces peppermint schnapps Cup of hot chocolate Whipped cream Hot Toddy | Serves 1 1 ounce whiskey/brandy/rum/booze of choice 1 tablespoon honey 1 tea bag 1 cup hot water 1 lemon slice (if you’re feelin’ fancy) MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

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Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

Tequila Hot Chocolate | Serves 1 2 ounces tequila 1 cup hot chocolate Whipped cream Cayenne pepper/chili power — to taste Irish Coffee | Serves 1 1 cup hot coffee 1 tablespoon brown sugar or Baileys Irish Cream 3 tablespoons Irish whiskey 1 spoon of heavy cream

ARTS & CULTURE

TRADITIONAL JAVANESE GAMELAN DONATED TO PORTLAND STATE SCHOOL OF MUSIC SHARON JACKSON

As old issues of the Vanguard are scattered underneath a tremendously elaborate instrumental ensemble called a Javanese gamelan (pronounced gam-UGH-lahn), several faculty members in the Portland State School of Music begin the meticulous process of cleaning and restoring the authentic handcrafted instrument, recently donated to the university.

A gamelan is a traditional instrument ensemble from Indonesia, typically composed of several bronze percussion instruments including metallophones, xylophones, kendang (drums), gongs, bamboo flutes and bowed and plucked strings.

A gamelan in itself is a production, as each instrument is built and tuned to the same pitch. Nevertheless, no two gamelan ensembles are the same.

“Javanese gamelan uses wood and leather beaters, so the sound is soft and warm.

You can tell exactly what region it comes from, from the pitches and the scales that they use and the way the beaters work,” said Bryan Johanson, the Director of the School of Music at PSU. This particular ensemble originated in Yogyakarta, a small village in Java, Indonesia.

The School of Music recently unwrapped the genuinely unique gift, valued at $68,000. Portland is now the home of two unique Javanese gamelans. Lewis and Clark College houses the first, called the Venerable Showers of Beauty.

The gamelan was donated to the university by Baltimore-based composer and musician Robert Macht.

Macht no longer had a need for the gamelan with his current compositions and was interested in donating it to a nonprofit or a similar organization. Bonnie Miksch, professor of music composition at PSU, teamed up with Macht to bring the instruments to the university. The proposal was made for donation to Johanson last April.

“The gift of the gamelan is a conduit to the expansion of the far reaches of world music and culture within the College of Arts, the School of Music and the community in general around PSU. A collaborative instrument that people can experience,” Johanson said.

“Once the decision was made for us to accept the gift, for me the major concern was, where are we going to put it?” Johanson said.

The gamelan left Baltimore in May but it was an exhaustive process of shipping.

“The gamelan is a delicate instrument made of teak, a very heavy wood. It needs to be wrapped up and covered with blankets in order to be properly shipped,” Johanson said.

The much-anticipated gamelan finally arrived in late September. The perfect place to store the massive ensemble was found in the basement of Lincoln Hall.

There, efforts are currently being made to ensure the inauguration of the instrument for spring.

PSU’S NEW GAMELON is currently undergoing the meticulous process of restoration.

SHARON JACKSON/PSU VANGUARD

Director of Venerable Showers of Beauty at Lewis and Clark College Mindy Johnston will be the lead instructor in the beginning gamelan course, the first of its kind at PSU. Johnston studied the ensemble before embarking in an overseas program, living and studying in Indonesia for four years. Returning to Portland, she has directed the instrument’s teaching at Lewis and Clark since 2007. Johnston is

excited that she will be teaching her first course at PSU, which non-music majors and auditing community members are invited to take.

“You don’t need a music background to learn gamelan, that’s what I love about it. It’s sort of a blank slate where most people are going to have no previous background with it and it doesn’t matter, you will be able to learn gamelan,” Johnston said.

The School of Music is hoping to have a performance ensemble featuring the new instrument at the end of each term. “Perhaps an integrated world music concert in conjunction with gamelan and Taiko,” Johnston said.

Gamelans are an intricate part of the ethnomusicology program, the comparative study of music of different cultures. PSU does not have an ethnomusicology

department yet, but Wynn Kiyama, assistant professor of musicology, is hopeful that the addition could help lead to inclusion of ethnomusicology as a possible track.

“We are hoping to get students involved in the degree in ethnomusicology at the undergraduate level. It helps tremendously, and we are really thrilled to have the gamelan here,” Kiyama said.

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

ADAM BROCK ROCKS PSU ALUMNES EMERGES AS A MUSICAL SENSATION

Adam Brock and his band perform live at McMenamins White Eagle Saloon.

MORGAN KNORR/PSU VANGUARD

KERRY POLITZER

The harmonic sophistication in the music of songwriter Adam Brock is no accident; he honed his skills in the Portland State music department.

Brock entered into the jazz program after attending a guitar summer camp at the Berklee College of Music.

“I just had a one-on-one meeting with [associate professor of music jazz studies] Darrell Grant, and he just seemed like an awesome person and musician,” said Brock on why he chose PSU for his place of study.

“That first year was a huge immersion course for me, ‘cause I was pretty far behind in a lot of ways. For the most part, it was a crash course. I really dove in and immersed myself in jazz music.”

During his sophomore year, Brock would face a new challenge: tendonitis.

“Pretty much for the next year and a half or so, I couldn’t really play guitar,” Brock said.

This crisis forced him to rethink his approach to music. He began studying with drummer and PSU jazz faculty member Alan Jones, who helped him to develop his talents away from his instrument.

20

“That was a big thing for me. He was a really important teacher for me, for the way I think about music and listen to it and play it. He had all these crazy, creative ways of getting better at music besides practicing one’s instrument a bunch,” Brock said.

Now, not only does Brock have his guitar chops back, but he boasts a whole host of other skills including singing, songwriting, producing, arranging and playing multiple instruments. He has even produced a set of animated music videos for his original compositions.

After Brock graduated from PSU in 2011, he gave himself the project of producing one new video each month.

“I started this thing where I’d write a song which was more pop and I would record it, playing all the instruments and singing all the parts. My recording setup was a handheld recorder. [The process] taught me a lot about bass, guitar, keyboards, drums. With the animated videos, the very first one was just me holding up pictures that went with the lyrics,” Brock said.

Brock has started applying his producing skills to the talents of fellow artists like local singer-guitarist Joy Pearson. In addi-

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

MORGAN KNORR/PSU VANGUARD

tion, Brock has recently started producing commercial tracks for local music supervision company Walker, which creates original music for commercials, film and television.

“That’s been a great learning experience, because I’m writing and recording all the stuff. It’s made me better at engineering,” Brock said.

To see Brock perform is a treat. Although his songs are meticulously arranged, they always sound fresh because of his improvisatory approach. His sweet tenor voice is reminiscent of Brazilian musician Caetano Veloso. When he plays solo, he often uses a looping device, which adds layers of rhythms and rich harmonies.

Many of Brock’s recent shows have featured his quartet, which includes Berklee alumna Abbey Hickman, as well as Amanda Farmer and drummer Barra Brown. The group is hard at work on a full-length album, which will soon be released.

Brock will be performing live at the Kelly’s Olympian, where the Adam Brock Four will be featured as part of The Deli Magazine’s Best New Artists showcase on March 1 at 8:30 p.m.

More information about Adam Brock can be found at www. adambrockmusic.com

ARTS & CULTURE

SHARP SHOOTER A review of Gunman Clive

BRANDON STALEY

Gunman Clive is an action platformer in the same vein as Megaman or Bionic Commando. Playing as either the eponymous Clive or Ms. Johnson, you run, jump and shoot your way through increasingly difficult levels laid out against a western backdrop. It’s a brief game, but its brevity is part of its charm.

The one hitch is the somewhat finicky controls that require more than a single playthrough to learn.

Gunman Clive stars two playable characters, both of whom sport their own respective pros and cons. Clive is agile with a quick run, whereas Ms. Johnson has the ability to float for a few moments after she jumps, not unlike Peach from Super Mario Bros. 2, but she moves a bit slower on account of her being swaddled in saloonappropriate attire. The impact of the differences in character movement are minimal for most of the game, though I did find that Ms. Johnson’s floating abil-

ity made certain sections more manageable by allowing me to correct potentially fatal errors.

Gunman Clive deftly capitalizes on its Western theme in its soundtrack and art style, both of which are sparse yet striking. The art itself is minimal. Environments are rarely more than a foreground and the barest hint of background to convey the setting, whether that be the rolling hills of the frontier, the boxy outline of a small town or a crater.

The color palette invokes the feeling of yellowed locomotive schematics, lost to time. Interactive objects, such as enemies, explosive barrels and weak points on bosses are the only items presented in vivid color, which immediately communicates their importance. The soundtrack is similarly subtle, at times emulating a lethargic version of the frenetic soundtracks of the Super Nintendo era, while conducting a vaguely digital western ballad at others.

There are a variety of weapons to assist you in your quest. Weapons drop from enemies in the environment and are discarded the next time you take damage, meaning that you’re rewarded for playing better. Certain weapons also go better with certain stages, meaning that the loss of a weapon to an absentminded mistake is felt all the more. One odd thing that I noticed, however, is that the frequency and logic behind how weapons are doled out is not necessarily consistent. For example, a weapon I had never seen before dropped on my third playthrough.

The difficulty often feels like it takes its inspiration from action platformers of yore, requiring the player to memorize the obstacles and enemy placement in levels and demanding on-point reaction time. A death means that you start at the beginning of a level, though this is rarely a setback as the levels are short.

Unfortunately, using an Xbox 360 controller, the controls don’t always feel up to the tasks the game presents. Jumping, ducking and most nuanced movements failed me frequently on my first playthrough. On subsequent playthroughs I became more insistent with my movements on the dual analog sticks and found a greater degree of success.

Whether Gunman Clive is a particularly difficult game is up for debate. If you cut your teeth on the tough-as-nails action platformers of yore, you’re liable to find the game to be a cakewalk. Otherwise it presents a challenge that is not easily surmounted, but also not impossible. With patience and attention to detail, nearly any obstacle can be overcome, though that latter claim becomes less certain as you start ratcheting up the difficulty.

Gunman Clive also tracks how quickly you complete a level and if you took damage, meaning that there is an incentive for perfectionism.

Oftentimes after finishing a game, I’ve found myself wondering if I could have completed that game pacifistically, without firing a single shot.

Gunman Clive is one of the few games I’ve encountered that seems equally interested in answering that question.

An unlockable third character trades the ability to shoot for a bit of added maneuverability.

Without the ability to kill enemies, health pickups become rare, cherished items and simply jumping from one narrow platform to another can be harrowing. Level layout and enemy placement remain the same in the unlockable mode, with a few exceptions, though boss fights are nixed. It’s a fun, experimental modifier that made me think about areas I had al-

ready been through in a completely different way.

Gunman Clive is not a long game. It can be completed on the normal difficulty setting in under an hour. Bumping the difficulty up to hard, where your chosen character can only take two hits, rather than the standard four, increases the overall completion time to just about an hour. The brevity of Gunman Clive makes the game feel like it was built for multiple runs with the various characters on the different difficulty levels. The combination of simple mechanics, beautiful art and character abilities make it not only a treat but, at the asking price, a steal.

Gunman Clive was reviewed on the PC using a copy purchased by the reviewer.

HÖRBERG PRODUCTIONS presents GUNMAN CLIVE Platforms: PC, Android, iOS, Nintendo 3DS Price: $1.99

©BERTIL NORBERG

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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ETC

EVENT CALENDAR Tuesday, Feb. 11

Wednesday, Feb. 12

Let’s Talk: Drop In Counseling

Crafternoons

2–3 p.m.

Women’s Resource Center 1802 S.W. 10th Ave., Portland, OR 97201

Noon–1 p.m.

Women’s Resource Center 1802 S.W. 10th Ave., Portland, OR 97201

Let’s Talk sessions are an opportunity for students to access free and confidential mental health consultations from the experts at SHAC. These sessions provide valuable resources for those who need support getting through the term. Any and all students are welcome to attend and no appointment is necessary. FREE

Crafternoons offer a space for those who are crafty to gather and share their skills and ideas, or just add a social element to their crafting.

Yarn and knitting needles are available for beginners and those in need, but all manner of crafts are welcome. What better opportunity to begin or finish Valentine’s Day crafts could be asked for?

FREE

Tuesday Blues 7:30 p.m.

Bossanova Ballroom 722 E. Burnside St., Portland, OR 97214 The Portland Blues & Jazz Dance Society invites you to join them at the Bossanova Ballroom to celebrate the life of award-winning musician Kevin Selfe. Free dance lessons will be offered beginning at 7:30 p.m. and will carry over to open dance at 8:30 p.m. All ages are welcome. FREE

Thursday, Feb. 13 Date Night for Brides and Grooms 6:30–10:30 p.m.

Crystal Ballroom, Lola’s Room 1332 W. Burnside St., Portland, OR 97209

ding vendors. Then take the opportunity to dance through the night on the evening before Valentine’s Day. Admission is $15 and all ages are welcome to attend.

Friday, Feb. 14

Healthy Relationships, Native Style!

6:30–8 p.m.

School of Business, 4th floor resting area 631 S.W. Harrison St., Portland, OR 97201

6–8 p.m.

Native American Student and Community Center 710 S.W. Jackson St., Portland, OR 97201 In this two-hour workshop you are invited to learn how to create and maintain healthy relationships. Discussion will involve how to choose a healthy partner for you, how to communicate in a healthy way, gender roles in relationships, dating and much more. The class will be led by Jillene Joseph, executive director of the Native Wellness Institute, and will make use of traditional NaFREE tive ideas.

Enjoy an assortment of small bite foods and signature cocktails while you and your bride or groom-to-be browse some of Portland’s top-quality wed-

Celebrating the Chinese Lantern Festival: Jiaozi and Tangyuan Party

Celebrate the Chinese New Year by learning how to make traditional Chinese dumplings, sampling Chinese food, and speaking with native Chinese speakers. The Confucius Institute invites you to be their guest and to learn about Chinese culture and what makes the Lunar New Year and Lantern Festival important events. FREE

‘80s Valentine’s Day Prom 8 p.m.

Night Light Lounge 2100 S.E. Clinton St., Portland, OR 97202 If you are looking for a perfect Valentine’s Day date night, look no further than the Night Light Lounge’s ‘80s-themed prom. The event is complete with a photobooth, featuring various props; food and drink specials; and prizes awarded to the best dressed couples, individuals and groups. FREE

FEATURED EVENT

Anti Valentine’s Day Party 9 p.m.

East Burn 1800 E. Burnside St., Portland, OR 97214 No one to spend Valentine’s Day with? Come to East Burn on Feb. 14 for a party to celebrate singles. Music with be provided by DJ Cupid Killer and drink specials will be served at the bar for those who arrive unattached. FREE

Saturday, Feb. 15 Write to Publish Conference 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Native American Student and Community Center 710 S.W. Jackson St., Portland, OR 97201 Portland State University will be host to The New Adult Revolution’s 6th annual Write to Publish Conference, an event aimed at demystifying the publishing process for writers or those who are interested in the publishing industry. This year the focus will be on the “new adult genre”, a recently emerged area of publishing that targets ages 18 to 24. Student registration is $30 and public registration is $80, and

WHAT THE...?!

tickets can be purchased online or at the door. For more information, visit ooligan. pdx.edu/writetopublish

Sunday, Feb. 16 Preserving Oregon’s Sweetest Things 2 p.m.

Northwest Library 2300 N.W. Thurman St., Portland, OR 97210 The Multnomah County Library, in association with the Oregon State University Extension Service, is offering a session that will provide a complete overview on canning, freezing, juicing, and jamming delicious local fruits. The workshop will review basic techniques, necessary equipment, and will provide access to current references and resources essential for anyone who wants to preserve their own local food.

FREE

FREE

21+

PSU FREE OPEN TO PUBLIC 21 & OVER

BRENDAN MULLIGAN/PSU VANGUARD

Japanese Garden Free Admission Day Monday, Feb. 17 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Portland Japanese Garden 611 SW Kingston Ave., Portland, OR 97205 Free Admission Day at the Portland Japanese Garden offers the opportunity for visitors of all ages to enjoy one of Portland’s most beautiful spots free of charge. You can also take a tour offered by guides who can speak about the garden’s history, cultural significance and traditions. FREE

CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTIONS TO ENCMSTR

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Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

“It’s colder than Mr. Freeze’s dick”

ETC

Aquarius Jan. 20–Feb. 18

Aries Mar. 21–Apr. 19

Be free, Aquarius.

You’ve been following the rules for a long time now, but that time has passed. You want to blow your savings on an autographed photo of Bette Midler? Why the hell not!

What’s your dream, Aries? What are you doing right now to make that dream a reality? Think of your goal like a mountain on the horizon. If you really want it, then every step you take has to be a step toward your mountain. If it isn’t a step forward, don’t take it.

Pisces Feb. 19–Mar. 20

You’re used to hitting home runs, so this recent string of strikeouts has weighed heavily on you. It may be hard, but try not to be too torn up over failure. While it’s difficult now, it means something stronger and better will come out of it.

Taurus Apr. 20–May 20

The week ahead of you might seem daunting, but don’t fear, Taurus. You’re a bull. With your trusty horns, you can charge through anything. Grit your teeth, keep your head down and go. It might not be fun and it might not be easy, but the best course of action is to plow through

it all and try to keep your sanity intact.

of the crap life throws your way and keep on keepin’ on.

Gemini May 21–Jun. 20

Leo Jul. 23–Aug. 22

Are you feeling torn between two things you love dearly? It may be difficult for you to make up your mind, but why does “or� have to be part of your vocabulary? Take a step back and rethink your situation, this time with “and� in the mix.

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Your stress level has been off the charts lately, and it’s easy to see why. You’re a go-getter with a lot on your plate. You’re an unstoppable force, Libra, but you can’t always get through it all on your own. Sometimes it’s okay to let things go and scrape some of what’s on your plate onto someone else’s.

Here’s the thing Sagittarius, it’s high time you sat in that favorite armchair of yours and stayed put until a permanent butt imprint is left on that cushion.

The best remedies are often the simplest.

Capricorn Dec. 22–Jan. 19

The future may be unYou’re generally a calcuScorpio Oct. 23–Nov. 21 certain, but there’s no lated and well-planned There’s no way this weather point in creating stress one, Virgo. You don’t like can get you down! You’re and worry for yourself. the unexpected and you kicking ass and taking Life is a succession of hate new things. Don’t you names this week, Scorpio. one moment after anthink you’re living life a litYou’re a star, so feel free to other. If one truly takes tle too rigidly? This week, strut. After weeks of stress in and understands the try dropping the plans and struggle, this is your The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation present, there’s nothing and the schedule andEighth takeTimes time.

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Virgo Aug. 23–Sept. 22

Cancer Jun. 21–Jul. 22

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Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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SPORTS SCORES

UPCOMING

PSU MEN’S BASKETBALL

PSU MEN’S BASKETBALL

PSU MONTANA STATE

Top Performers: Gary Winston, 14 points

64 NORTHERN ARIZONA vs. PSU 69 THURS. 2/13 7:05 p.m. | STOTT CENTER SACRAMENTO STATE vs. PSU SAT. 2/15 7:05 p.m. | STOTT CENTER

PSU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

MONTANA STATE PSU

Top Performers: Emily Easom, 27 points

61 PSU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 72 PSU @ NORTHERN ARIZONA THURS. 2/13 11:00 a.m.

PSU @ SACRAMENTO STATE

PSU WOMEN’S TENNIS

PSU NORTHERN COLORADO

Top Performers: Dané Vorster, won 6–0, 6–2

SAT. 2/15 1:00 p.m.

1 6

PSU SOFTBALL

EASTON DESERT CLASSIC FRI.–SUN. 2/14–16 | LAS VEGAS, NV

PSU TRACK AND FIELD

PSU TRACK AND FIELD

ARMORY COLLEGIATE INVITATIONAL

HUSKY CLASSIC

Top Performers: 7 new Big Sky Conference Tournament Qualifying marks set

PSU SOFTBALL

FRI.–SAT. 2/14–15 | SEATTLE, WA NBA

PORTLAND @ LA CLIPPERS WED. 2/12 7:30 p.m. | COMCAST SPORTS

PSU CALIFORNIA

Top Performers: Crysta Conn, 2–3, RBI

3 WHL 8 PORTLAND @ PRINCE GEORGE WED. 2/12 7:00 p.m. | KPAM 860

NBA

PORTLAND MINNESOTA

Top Performers: LaMarcus Aldridge, 26 points

117 110

PSU SOFTBALL SEASON UNDERWAY First home game not for another six weeks JOEL GUNDERSON

Fresh off their fifth appearance in the NCAA postseason in the last eight years, the Portland State softball team is gearing up for another exciting season, this time under first year coach Barb Sherwood.

Problem is, you’ll have to wait a while to see them.

Starting this week, the Vikings embark on an incredible road trip; their first 25 games will be played away from home, with tournaments being played in Tempe, Ariz., Las Vegas, Nev., and Northridge, Palo Alto and Santa Barbara, Calif.

Not the easiest way to break in a young roster.

The Vikings lost four starters off last season’s squad, including Anna Bertrand, arguably the greatest pitcher the program has ever seen.

Bertrand is the Vikings all-time leader in wins, innings pitched and strikeouts among other statistics.

What they do return is a wealth of underclassmen that

saw significant action last year, including six sophomores.

Joining in the mix will be seven freshmen, all looking to make a name for themselves.

The Vikings finished under .500 last season overall, but were lights out in conference, going 14–4 and winning the regular season conference title.

Sherwood makes the crosscountry leap to join PSU. For the past five seasons she has been the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Virginia Tech. She has also spent time at Florida State.

Despite the big transition, Sherwood says she’s ready for the challenge.

“I’m incredibly excited about working at Portland State and being involved in the softball program,” she said.

“I would like to thank Torre Chisholm for the opportunity to be a part of a strong athletic program. I look forward to the future and moving forward in a positive direction. I’m very

grateful for the opportunity to work at PSU.” She has big shoes to fill, as the Vikings look to maintain their torrid pace as of late.

She’ll get some help though, as a strong nucleus returns from last year. With six starters—led by third baseman Crysta Conn and infielder Brittany Hendrickson —and 12 letter-winners back overall, the cupboard is stocked and ready to go when the season opens in Tempe, Ariz., for the first of many outof-conference tournaments.

The Vikings will lean on Conn as a leader; she is one of only three seniors on the team.

Her head coach knows the importance of having senior leadership, and is counting on Conn to have a big impact.

“Crysta is a phenomenal third baseman, a strong hitter and a great leader. I am looking for her to have a tremendous senior season,” Sherwood said.

Hendrickson, the team’s most decorated returner,

was an all-Big Sky first team selection last year as a sophomore. The Thurston High graduate will be the team’s anchor, as she was the team’s Triple Crown winner last season, leading the team in batting average (.350), home runs (9) and RBI (45).

While the 25-game road trip—spread over a month and one week—will be a daunting task, it’s an opportunity for a young team to grow quickly, and once conference play hits, be ready to tackle another grueling Big Sky schedule.

Once the Vikings finally step off the bus and get to play a home game, they will welcome the Idaho State Bengals on March 21 and 22. The Vikings home field is Erv Lind Stadium, in Normandale Park in Northeast Portland.

A young squad, new coach and key returners; it’s going to be an interesting ride for the Vikings this season.

It’s just going to be a while before we get to see it.

FRESHMAN SHEA NELSON takes some cuts at a recent scrimmage.

NEW RECRUITS SIGNED BY PSU FOOTBALL FOR NEXT SEASON, INCLUDING 8 DEFENSIVE LINEMEN PHOTO COURTESY OF LARRY LAWSON

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Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

SPORTS

PASS ON THE PUFF HEALTH& WELLNESS DREA VICK

A recent study done by Harvard School of Public Health indicated that a third of all college students smoke cigars or cigarettes, which is an astounding number.

Stress seems to be the main instigator in getting and keeping people hooked. If you think about it, it makes sense: You have a tremendous amount of homework and midterms, and finals can make even a grown bearded man cry. The common stress relievers, like getting enough sleep or exercise for example, sometimes take a back seat to smoking, which is a quick way to step outside for a moment, get some fresh air and relax for a bit.

However, not only is smoking terrible for your health, but it is also tremendously expensive. At $5 a pack, it can cost upwards of $60 a month if you smoke a pack every 2–3 days. Think of all the beer you could buy with that money! All joking aside, it’s not just wise for your wallet to quit, but also wise for your health.

Smoking kills more people each year than HIV, illegal drug use, alcohol abuse and car accidents combined. More than 10 times as many U.S. citizens have died from cigarette smoking than have died in all the wars fought by the U.S. It places an awful lot of stress on nearly every organ of your body and is the main contributor to several different cancers, not just lung cancer. If nobody smoked, over a third of the cancer deaths in the U.S. would not occur.

For women who take birth control pills, there’s the po-

tential side effect of having a stroke. Would you believe that smokers are seven times more likely to have a stroke while taking oral contraceptives than non-smokers? It’s a scary thought.

There are more benefits to quitting smoking than there are to keep puffing. Not only will you stop smelling like an ashtray but you will also be able to be more active without painfully wheezing.

Considering physical activity is one of the best stress relievers out there, you can use it to substitute smoking AND start reversing some of the damage done to your body. If you start replacing your smoke breaks with walks around the block, you’ll feel a whole lot better about yourself.

Upon quitting smoking, the carbon monoxide and oxygen levels in your blood return to normal within 12 hours and your sense of taste and smell start to return within 48 hours. In 2–3 months, your lung capacity increases by 30 percent, and after a year, your risk of heart attack drops by half.

After two years, the risk of a heart attack drops to nearly that of a non-smoker.

This all sounds well and good, but overcoming an addiction to nicotine is difficult and may seem insurmountable at times. Scientifically speaking, nicotine causes your brain to generate dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical.

When nicotine levels in your blood decrease, your brain creates a craving to get more. Thus begins the vicious cycle. However, if you

THE PERPETRATOR of serious damage to your health and wallet.

CORINNA SCOTT/PSU VANGUARD

can tighten your seatbelt and hold on for a short 72 hours, the nicotine is out of your system and cravings start to go away. What you’re left with at that point are behavioral habits that are much harder to break, this being the positive feedback loop that you generate yourself.

Taking the previous example of stress, you puff and feel better, therefore if you keep puffing you keep feeling better. If you try to quit smoking without having a plan for how to relieve that stress, you’re just going to relapse.

If you truly want to quit smoking there are many ways

to go about it, but the best way is to just quit cold turkey and deal with the cravings. This takes a tremendous amount of willpower, but it is ultimately the best strategy.

Each year, more ex-smokers quit cold turkey than by all other methods combined.

The trick with this is to just take it one day at a time, nay, one hour at a time. When you feel the urge to smoke, wait a few minutes for it to pass while reminding yourself why you’re quitting.

Withdrawal symptoms lessen as each day passes. If you relapse, consider the position you were in that caused

you to smoke, and make a new plan if that same situation occurs. Try not to get too down on yourself, accept that you slipped, learn from it and recommit to quitting. In essence, get back up on that horse and keep riding.

If you don’t believe that you can quit cold turkey, do what you are able to—only you know your limitations.

Tapering programs like nicotine gum, patches and e-cigarettes can work wonders to slowly work the nicotine out of your system. However, these can be incredibly expensive, sometimes even more so than smoking. It’s

important to keep tapering down and not get hooked on them; they still have nicotine in them, after all.

Lastly, you can find more resources directed toward Portland State students at www.pdx.edu/ healthycam pus/smoking-cessation. There are tons of links with great information to help you.

You can even meet with a Student Health and Counseling educator who will break down all the steps needed to finally quit.

Sometimes it’s just important to know that you’re not alone in the fight.

You can do it.

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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SPORTS TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN Dear International Olympic Committee, What’s going on in Sochi? The Olympics are about the best athletes in the world competing against each other at an international level, yet that’s not what’s leading the headlines. Instead, worries about the city that you have chosen—and then tried to hastily build—are on the minds of a lot of people around the globe.

I’m not here to tell you that you made the wrong decision by putting the Olympics in Sochi. The Olympics are an international event, and it makes sense for this winter event to take place in a part of the world with epic snow and beautiful mountains, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t think things were looking a little iffy going in.

The Olympics are always a unique situation. This is a worldwide event that takes place once every four years. There are a ton of people that descend on a small area. Athletes have a lot of pressure on them.

Media flocks from every corner of the world. Obviously there is a lot to worry about. The last thing people should have to worry about is the city that this all takes place in. So IOC, what’s going on here?

The city isn’t finished. Horror stories abound of hotels lacking even the most basic of amenities, and WiFi connectivity, which is a basic amenity to the reporters attempting to cover the games. Foreign journalists covering the games have also reported their accounts being immediately hacked upon entering the country, which may be explained away as a necessary security measure but is not what one would hope to see when the global community is coming together to celebrate humanity through athletic competition.

Security is a number one priority of the Olympics, and it is in the forefront in Sochi. Security details have been increased, and the protocols they are following have been made more strict. Part of the reason security has needed this increase is due to rumors of terrorist threats that have spread the last few weeks. Questions about the credibility of these threats have been brought up, but it has resulted in heightened awareness nonetheless.

Look people. How sad is this? How sad is it that one of the brighter moments in the WORLD, is darkened by all of these negatives? Why should anyone have to worry about something happening to them when they are going to compete in an international sporting event? Sochi is getting a lot of heat for this, but I’m not talking about Sochi here. I’m talking about the world. This happens every time the Olympics come around. Security was a major issue two years ago in London. After 9/11 huge security questions came up before the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. There may be a lot of problems with this city, and Russia as a whole—especially on the human rights side of things. Don’t get me wrong, that is a problem. But there are ways to make statements about the human rights issues, like sending gay representatives to Sochi in defiance of their controversial laws on homosexuals.

Even with these problems, why can’t the number one issue of the Olympics be whether or not Shaun White is going to get another gold medal instead of whether or not all our athletes and media members are going to have to worry about security?

These Olympics are going to be fun to watch, like they always are. Sochi will work, in spite of all these ridiculous things that are going on in Russia. All I’m asking for is to not ruin one of the most globally recognized events our world has. The world comes together for the Olympics. Don’t make anyone regret that.

Sincerely, Alex Moore Vanguard Sports desk

CALLING ALL SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS THE VANGUARD IS LOOKING FOR Sports Writers Apply online @ psuvanguard.com

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Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

PSU GOLF AIMING HIGH A RAM CHOI is the preseason favorite according to the coaches poll.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LARRY LAWSON

CLAUDE AKINS

Confidence. This team has confidence.

It’s not about, or I should say, entirely about, the inaugural spring season tournament at the Santa Ana Country Club on Feb. 24: This team is thinking about winning the conference, advancing to regionals and then, hopefully, to nationals.

“I’m not satisfied with being the best in conference,” said rookie head coach Kailin Downs. “My sights are not set on the conference alone.”

And indeed they shouldn’t be. Portland State has been crowned Big Sky Conference champs in six of the last 11 seasons, they have the reigning Big Sky player of the year in A Ram Choi, the coaches poll slotted them as the preseason favorite, and last year they finished in a close second place.

“We were playing really well last year and we came in second,” said junior Kelly Miller.

“But the team is playing even better this year, so—why not?”

“Why not?” laughed freshman Madison Bentley in agreement.

To Miller and Bentley it is not enough to have won their

most recent tournament, the Price’s Give ‘Em Five Intercollegiate hosted by New Mexico State, way back in early October—a tournament where they rallied on the final day to win with the help of Choi shooting a school-record 67—they have no need to relish in one victory.

“I want to see how many more we can win,” Miller said.

For a lot of the golfers at PSU, the school’s winning history was a big part of the reason they decided to come here.

“Golfers want two things,” said Downs. “One: the ability to play…and two: to be part of something successful.”

They are given an opportunity to do both at PSU. “When you come here you can expect to win,” Miller said. “What’s better than that?”

But this confidence, although high, is coupled with eagerness and hard work.

“It’s all on paper,” Downs said. “It’s still going to come down to whatever team plays the best for three days,” referring to the conference championship, which runs from April 20–22.

A Ram Choi has not let her recent accomplishments or the high preseason expectations affect her focus. “Being Big Sky player of the year last year makes me feel confident and [adds] a little bit of pressure, but I try not to think about it much and just focus on the task that is given to me,” Choi said.

This mixture of confidence and eagerness seems to be ubiquitous on the PSU golf squad. “I want to beat [Choi],” Bentley said. “It pushes me to be better.”

But confidence and high expectations can be, as a golfer might say, a very tough shot to play. “I think it can be used as a positive—but it can also be used as a negative. We have a lot of opportunity and a lot of hard work,” Downs said.

In the end, though, they are reluctant to set goals: It seems they have no need to envision any kind of ceiling for themselves and their season.

That’s confidence.

If you are interested in following the PSU golf squad and what promises to be a fun season, you can follow them on twitter @VikingsWGolf.

SPORTS

TIM DOUGLAS LEADS FROM THE POINT KAYLA TATUM

Vikings point guard Tim Douglas has taken on a leadership role at Portland State. After playing two seasons at the University of Portland he decided to transfer to PSU for the 2012–13 season per NCAA transfer rules.

“He’s been a leader from day one. Even when he sat out last year, he emerges a leader of our team and still is right now, and those are hard to find. He’s got great leadership qualities and he has helped shape who we are as a team,” said head coach Tyler Geving.

During Douglas’ career at University of Portland he averaged 8.5 points and 3.0 assists per game and scored a career high of 27 points on the road against PSU in December 2010. Why make the decision to play for PSU? Douglas said, “I like Portland State, their campus, their academics and the basketball program.” And when asked how he likes the team so far he said, “I love the Vikings, I love the team, I love my teammates and I love the style of play we have. We are just starting to click, so it’s fun.”

Douglas is from Cerritos, Calif., and has been playing basketball since the age of three. He and his younger brother attended Mayfair High School together. In high school Douglas led his team to a 19–10 overall record and a conference title.

He was a two-year starter at point guard for the Suburban League and earned first team honors as a junior after averaging 14.0 points per game.

He was also named Suburban League Most Valuable Player in 2010.

When asked about his experience playing in the Suburban League, he said, “I would say it was a pretty good year of basketball, I had fun with my teammates.”

In the sixth grade Douglas came to PSU to play in a tournament. “That was the first time that I’ve been [to Portland] other than school [college].” He became comfortable with the city and it was a second home for him once he started college.

“It seemed like a cool place to live and I’d have a chance to get away from home a little bit, but not be too far away to where I couldn’t go back if I really needed to.”

Although he was one of the youngest on the team at the time, Douglas was named team captain at the University of Portland. “Being a younger guy on the team and being named captain—it definitely taught me a lot. I had to grow up pretty quickly and I learned to transfer the skills that I learned there, both good and bad, to improve my leadership abilities.” He added, “You can learn something from everywhere you go, whether it is good or bad, and turn it into a positive in some way, shape or form.”

Now a Viking, Douglas contributes on a nightly basis, averaging 13.6 points and 3.8 assists per game.

Geving said, “We ask him a lot, we ask him to score, we ask him to pass, we ask him to be a leader. It’s not necessarily how many points we want him to score, it is mostly what we want out of him in leadership, and obviously he is a good overall player. But his leadership is off the chart.”

Along with focusing on basketball, Douglas has been taking some challenging courses in the pre-med program; he aspires to be a doctor in the future. “It’s tough. It’s tough because not only do I get to go to class, but the classes that I do go to are not easy.” He added, “Life as a student-athlete is definitely a full-time job, I would say.”

Before a career in medicine Douglas hopes to reach his goal of playing in the NBA. Which player is he often compared to? “I’ve heard a few different players, some of my teammates or different people say Tony Parker or Chris Paul,” Douglas said. “I grew up watching those guys definitely. I like watching all of the point guards, I like to take a little bit of something from everyone. But I would definitely say Chris Paul [is someone I grew up watching] because he is not a big guy and finds a way to dominate every aspect of the game. So he’s definitely an idol of mine.”

Both basketball and education are important to Douglas.

Although he has a passion for basketball, he knows the importance of education. “College was something that I was going to do regardless of if I was going to play basketball or not, but basketball of course helped me to get here.

But I won’t be able to play forever unfortunately…I have to have an education to fall back on.”

Douglas said one of the best pieces of advice someone has given him is, “to live life the way that I want to live it because you only have one. So, make sure that I don’t have any regrets as far as pursuing my dreams.”

TIM DOUGLAS runs the point against North Dakota’s Jamal Webb in PSU’s 70–68 victory.

HELENA WOLFE/PSU VANGUARD

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 11, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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