Vanguard January 28, 2011

Injury-plagued Vikings to host Hornets

Unraveling an oral history

Men’s basketball returns home Saturday to host Sacramento State

Tonya Jone Miller’s “Threads”

SPORTS: PAGE 12

ARTS: PAGE 8

INDEX NEWS OPINION ARTS SPORTS

2 4 8 12

FREE The Vanguard is published twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays.

ESTABLISHED 1946

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28TH, 2011

Paper or plastic?

PSUVANGUARD.COM

Painting a picture of disinvestment

Students’ blog seeks to raise awareness of plastic bag debate

David Sarasohn chronicles the shameful legacy of higher education in Oregon

Sierra Pannabecker Vanguard staff

Joshua Hunt Vanguard staff

Professor Robert Bremmer has been teaching a multimedia capstone course at Portland State for 10 years. Every term, a new group of seniors contributes to an ongoing blog in the Ecomerge class, which intends to shed light on local ecological issues. The focus for this quarter is disposable grocery bags, and is especially timely as earlier this month Oregon legislators reviewed a bill to ban plastic bags.

The blog does not promote a particular stance on hot-button items, but rather seeks to present a wide variety of perspectives on the issue in a public forum, according to Bremmer.

“The idea is to always have a topic that makes students grapple with the economic and environmental impact of decisions made by individuals and through policy,” Bremmer said of the course. “It is never black-and-white, but always important.”

Houyamon Louie, a third-year social sciences major and student in the class, said that the blog and accompanying website are meant to offer information for anyone that is interested in learning about the “pros and cons of using paper and plastic bags.”

Louie enrolled in the course to pursue an in

“I was a historian who fell into bad company and became a journalist,” David Sarasohn told the assembled crowd at Portland State’s Native American Community Center on Wednesday. It’s a background befitting the author of “Failing Grade: Oregon’s Higher Education System Goes Begging,” a book in which he chronicles the last quarter-century of the state’s educational system with remarkable acumen.

Sarasohn, an associate editor at The Oregonian, spoke before an audience that included PSU professors, Oregon University System board members, student representatives and a member of the Legislature. His hour-long keynote address focused on the state’s continued policy failures and disinvestment in higher education, as well as the pivotal role that Senate Bill 242 (SB242) could play in putting OUS back on track.

The senate bill, which goes before the Legislature in February, would permit OUS to act as an autonomous agency, granting universities greater freedom in spending tuition dollars on staff and infrastructure.

“Historically, whenever there have been budget cuts, Oregon has always cut its higher

BLOG ON PAGE 7

SARASOHN ON PAGE 3

Up in smoke University rethinks smoking policies on campus Vinh Tran Vanguard staff

Almost any student at Portland State is aware of the presence of smokers outside campus buildings, particularly in congested areas like Smith Memorial Student Union and Cramer Hall, despite non-smoking signage. And with the University of Oregon’s recent introduction of a tobacco-free campus policy, leaders at PSU are considering implementing a more stringent policy on campus.

The work is being carried out by the Healthy Campus Initiative, a group created in spring 2009 under Vice Provost for Student Affairs Jackie Balzer.

To be certain, Gwyn Ashcom, a health educator from the Center for Student Health and Counseling and a member of the committee, said that the university currently does not have a “smoke-free” policy, but rather a “restrictive” policy about tobacco use. This means that there SMOKING ON PAGE 7

VOL. 65 NO. 33

ADAM WICKHAM/VANGUARD STAFF

Oregon's neglect: David Sarasohn spoke at PSU on Wednesday about Oregon's disinvestment in higher education.

Saudi Arabian, Chinese student population on the rise Growth in international students benefits PSU, local economy Katrina Petrovich Vanguard staff

As global economies boom, the U.S. is experiencing rising rates of international students—particularly Chinese students—at American universities, including Portland State.

At PSU, there are roughly 1,860 international students, according to the Oregon University System 2010 Fact Book. This is more than any other campus in the university system.

Within the last five years, the U.S. has seen a 45 percent increase in its international student population. There were over 690,000 international students at American universities in the 2009–10 academic year, representing a 2.9 percent increase from the previous year.

SARIA DY/VANGUARD STAFF

Study abroad: A group of students attend the international student coffee hour, located in the Multicultural Center.

To accommodate the growing number of students, PSU’s Office of International Affairs has hired more student advisers and created a new international student lounge, located in East Hall.

Judith Van Dyck, director of International Student and Scholar Services, said the most common countries of origin for international students at

PSU are Saudi Arabia, China, India and Vietnam.

This closely resembles data taken throughout the U.S. The IIE Open Doors Report places those same countries within the top 10 most common countries of origin nationwide.

IIE also reports that between the 2008–09 INTERNATIONAL ON PAGE 3

NEWS ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 3

2 VANGUARD ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 ■ NEWS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

NEWS

EDITOR: CORIE CHARNLEY NEWS@DAILYVANGUARD.COM 503-725-5690 INTERNATIONAL FROM PAGE 1

EDITOR@DAILYVANGUARD.COM

Virginia Vickery

NEWS BRIEFS

NEWS EDITOR NEWS@DAILYVANGUARD.COM

Corie Charnley

OPINION EDITOR OPINION@DAILYVANGUARD.COM

Richard D. Oxley

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR ARTS@DAILYVANGUARD.COM

Nicholas Kula

SPORTS EDITOR SPORTS@DAILYVANGUARD.COM

Robert Britt

COPY CHIEF Kristin Pugmire

PRODUCTION MANAGER Bryan Morgan

PHOTO EDITOR Adam Wickham

ONLINE EDITOR Adiana Lizarraga

CALENDAR EDITOR Kristin Pugmire

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR VGNEWS.ASSOC@GMAIL.COM

Alison Barnwell

ADVERTISING MANAGER Iris Meyers

ADVISER Judson Randall

ADVERTISING ADVISER Ann Roman

PHOTO COURTESY OF CLACKAMAS COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE

Warrant issued for Park Blocks preacher Police are currently searching for Daniel John Lee, a 31-yearold man, often referred to as “Preacher Dan,” was issued a warrant for resisting arrest after violating a restraining order.

Lee is often seen in Portland State’s South Park Blocks preaching to passers-by about the apocalypse. Lee, who believes that God speaks through him, often uses violent rhetoric.

“The Oregonian media, the Columbian in WA state and the Clackamas County sherrif have all joined to try and hunt

International students benefit local economy

me down as they unlawfully issue a warrant for my arrest [sic],” Lee posted on his Facebook wall on Wednesday. “Yahweh will destroy THEM ALL!!!!”

According to an article published by The Columbian on Jan. 26, Lee is 6 foot 2 inches tall and weighs approximately 300 pounds. Anyone with information about Lee is urged to call the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Department at 503-723-4949.

ASPSU recruits for Day of Action To gear up for the Feb. 3 Oregon Student Association Day of Action, ASPSU phone-banked last night to inform students about higher education reform.

The hearings on restructuring will begin Feb. 2.

According to Campus Organizer Casey Dreher, ASPSU collected 600 interest cards during class raps and tabling sessions. Students who specified that they were interested in education reform were invited to the Day of Action, at which students will learn about restructuring and how to lobby.

In addition, ASPSU will talk to interested students about its food pantry and gender-inclusive spaces campaign during the Day of Action.

County Commissioner to host open discussion on bedbugs Tomorrow, Multnomah County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury will host a community discussion about bedbugs and tenant rights at the Chit Chat Café near Portland State.

The Tenant Rights Project and the PSU Progressive Student Union are sponsoring the discussion. It will take place at noon.

For more information, contact 503-222-2974.

Adam wickham/VANGUARD STAFF

ASPSU Legislative Affairs Director Marcus Sis

ILLUSTRATORS Susannah Beckett, Heather Mcintyre

DESIGNERS Colby Brooks, Stephanie Lucky, Ben Patterson

WRITERS Kat Audick, Ian Bellamy, Erick Bengel, Peter Browning, Tori Christensen, Meaghan Daniels, Ryan Deming, Sarah Engels, Jesse Hansen, Rian Evans, Kevin Fong, Rosemary Hanson, Joshua Hunt, Ines Kuna, Alexis Jewel, Ebonee Lee, Jason Liao, Stephen Lisle, Christina Maggio, Joe Mantecon, Natalie Mcclintock, Erin McIntyre, Daniel Ostlund, Katrina Petrovich, Sierra Pannabecker, Gretchen Sandau, Jenieve Schnabel, Tanya Shiffer, Wendy Shortman, Kali Simmons, Catrice Stanley, Jake Stevens, Nilesh Tendolkar, Vinh Tran, Kat Vetrano, Allison Whited, Elisabeth Wilson, Roger Wightman

PHOTOGRAPHERS Saria Dy, Drew Martig

COPY EDITORS Noah Emmet, Sasha Fahrenkopf

ADVERTISING SALES Dominique Abrams, Sam Gressett, Rayna Martinez, Jae Specht

ADVERTISING DESIGNER Beth Hansen

DISTRIBUTORS Brittany Castillo, Brandy Castillo

The Vanguard is published two days a week 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.

The Vanguard is printed on 40 percent post-consumer recycled paper. ©2010 Portland State University Vanguard 1825 SW Broadway Smith Memorial Student Union, Rm. S-26 Portland OR, 97201

Have you heard about the Speakers Board?

Student groups, departments have access to thousands of dollars for guest speakers Christina J. Maggio Vanguard staff

W

ith budgets being cut to save money in this economy, extracurricular school funding isn’t always easy to come across.

However, here at Portland State, the Speakers Board is a student-fee funded group that operates with an annual budget of $35,000 to help bring educational speakers to campus.

“This program has been around for quite a long time, and it is wonderfully and fantastically underused,” said Shannon Timm, coordinator of Student Activities and Leadership Programs. “The board was developed to enhance the campus community by helping departments and student organizations to bring speakers aboard to help motivate and educate.”

Some groups that have used the program in the past include: the Department of English, which frequently uses the program to bring guest authors to PSU to share their work; the Black Studies department, which has brought speakers in for its Black Bag series; and the Portland PreHealth Society, which has used these funds to bring in renowned medical physician and activist Patch Adams.

“Bringing guest speakers to campus is a great way to enhance your program, increase the visibility of your organization, engage students and provide an expert perspective

and 2009–10 academic years, China’s international student population increased more than any other country, growing 18.5 percent.

According to Van Dyck, this year PSU has more Chinese students than ever before. In 2009, PSU had 62 international students from China. This year there are 272 Chinese students.

Van Dyck said these population shifts “follow the economies and politics of the world.” Because China’s economy is on the rise, so too is its population of international students.

The more developed countries produce more opportunities for students to study abroad, which may explain the low numbers of Latin American and African international students, according to Van Dyck.

Van Dyck also said that PSU’s large population of Saudi Arabian students stems from the economic boom of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries nations in the 1970s and ‘80s.

Additionally, the scholarship program started

by Saudi Arabia five years ago—which grants Saudi students “full ride” scholarships to U.S. universities—combined with PSU’s long history of supporting Middle Eastern students, explains its large Saudi Arabian population.

PSU stands to benefit from international students in one major way: their non-resident tuition. According to the Department of Commerce, international students are responsible for adding $20 billion to the U.S. economy.

“Each student brings $30,000 with them,” Van Dyck said. “Multiply that by four years, then multiply that by the 1,859 international students.”

According to Van Dyck’s calculation, each international student, therefore, brings in roughly $120,000 over a four-year period.

She also said that international students, by living in the city “on their own dime,” really contribute to Portland’s local economy, while not drawing any national financial aid.

According to Van Dyck, country of origin usually determines academic field of study. In her experience, Saudi Arabian students are limited by scholarship to study either business or engineering.

Students from China and India, on the other hand, often study accounting, business or chemistry, and the majority of Korean stu-

Struggling for a degree: Increased tuition among Oregon's public universities has put a burden on students.

dents study computer science.

Similarly, the IIE reports that the top fields of study among international students throughout the U.S. are business and engineering, with physical and computer sciences following close behind.

Sarah Kenney, an international student life adviser, said that international students choose to study at PSU for a variety of reasons, but location and student diversity are among the most common.

Jimmy Hsu, a student from Taiwan, said he chose PSU because he visited Portland while in high school and fell in love with the city.

When he decided to study abroad, PSU was the first place that came to his mind.

Teresa Li, an international student from China, said PSU was her top choice because of its downtown location and Portland’s reputation as a safe and friendly city. She also appreciated the university’s diverse student body. “[PSU] offers great opportunities for me to meet people from different countries and learn various cultures and values,” Li said. ■

DREW MARTIG/VANGUARD STAFF

Engage the campus: Speakers Board Chair Cody Noren urges student organizations to apply to bring speakers to PSU.

on an engaging topic for your student group or department,” Timm said. “But it can be very expensive.”

Timm encourages students and departments to go online and fill out an application for a speaker. The process is simple, and funds of up to $2,000 per event, or $3,000 per department, are available for organizations and departments that qualify.

“It is customary for those groups requesting funds to submit a resume or press

“This program has been around for quite a long time, and it is wonderfully and fantastically underused.”

SHANNON TIMM

information packet of the person of interest so we can qualify the person,” said Speakers Board Chair Cody Noren. “This is to ensure that we are not abusing student fees by inviting a speaker who cannot provide an

enriching perspective or contribution to the members of Portland State.”

Essentially, the board looks for speakers who will inspire not only students, but also the entire university community with their achievements

and endeavors, according to Noren. The Speakers Board is eager to see this program used to its fullest extent.

“I encourage student organizations to plan ahead, at least one month in advance, to be able to get the most funds,” Timm said.

“Please come, spread the word and help us spend this money!”

To apply, visit www.orgsync.com/20714/forms/ show/19158. For any other questions, contact Timm at shannonw@pdx.edu or 503-725-4452. ■

SARIA DY/VANGUARD STAFF

Diversifying PSU: The most common countries of origin for international students at PSU are Vietnam, China, India and Saudi Arabia.

ADAM WICKHAM/VANGUARD STAFF

SARASOHN FROM PAGE 1

Sarasohn says higher education isn't a choice, but a necessity education budget quicker and harder than other states,” Sarasohn said, adding that Oregon also has a history of cutting educational spending even when other states are not.

In the past 25 years, funding for Oregon State prisons has surpassed the state’s investment in higher education. With the state economy in turmoil and further educational cuts expected, OUS has stated that university control over tuition dollars is the only way to deal with increasing enrollment and shrinking budgets.

In addition to having to educate more students with the same amount of staff, Oregon’s public universities had a deferred maintenance backlog of over $650 million as of 2007, a figure that has since grown. Even with increasing enrollment, growing class sizes and facilities falling into disrepair, Oregon universities are unable to spend their own tuition dollars on educating students without legislative approval.

During the lecture, Sarasohn offered some historical context to the state’s disinvestment in higher education over the past two and a half decades.

“Part of our problem here in Oregon is that we’re in a historic situation where for years we

had timber jobs that could support families without a higher education,” Sarasohn said.

“It was thought of as optional if someone wanted more than that, and as the reality of the situation has changed, the attitude has lagged behind it.”

As SB242 gains momentum, little has been said of what involvement students will have in tuition-setting measures, should the bill pass.

David Yaden, a member of the Oregon State Board of Higher Education, elaborated on possible changes to the tuition-setting process under a restructured university system.

“The tuition-setting process as it exists now is rather opaque and not overly friendly to students…Under this restructuring, the process will not increase the likelihood that tuition will be raised,” he added, emphasizing that its goal would be greater transparency.

With the control measures and proposed OUS restructuring absent from SB242—to be added if and when the bill passes through Legislature—there exists great potential for growing pains and power struggles between Oregon’s universities, according to Yaden.

While the restructuring of the university system doesn’t guarantee an end to the steadily increasing tuition that the state has seen in the past three years, it would place the onus for such decisions back with educators, rather than the state legislature, he said. ■

4 VANGUARD ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 ■ OPINION

OPINION

OPINION ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 5

EDITOR: RICHARD D. OXLEY OPINION@DAILYVANGUARD.COM 503-725-5692

Paper vs. plastic Which is better?

P

aper or plastic? We hear that question everywhere where the option is available, and most of us take a second to ponder which form of container we desire. Portland State students may no longer get the option of plastic, if a ban on plastic bags goes through.

MEAGHAN The Portland DANIELS State Ecomerge project is a group of students currently advocating for a ban of plastic bags on the PSU campus.

The Portland State Ecomerge is an ongoing capstone course focused on ecological and economical issues and informing the public on major topics. This term, its blog has been buzzing with debates on the paper-orplastic conundrum. Ecomerge’s ultimate goal is to ban the use of plastic bags on our campus.

To many, this debate is over within seconds. In Portland, we have been flooded with anti-plastic bag messages left and right. However, which bag is

better for the environment for avoiding clutter and our landfills is actually a trickier topic than one might assume.

One problem with paper bags that some don’t consider is that they take more energy to recycle and obviously use trees in their production. This being general knowledge means that several people turned to plastic bags as the "greener" choice.

Plastic may just be a greener choice, depending upon your perspective. In some aspects, it is smarter to use plastic instead of paper. Each year, approximately 14 million trees are cut down for the use of paper bags, according to a 2007 report by the Washington Post. The toxic chemicals that are produced during the making of paper bags contribute

to air pollution, acid rain and water pollution.

Plastic bags are a byproduct of oil refining, meaning they are made from petroleum products. And after all, we are using the petroleum anyway, whether we make plastic bags or not. When considering the two options, paper bags use four times the amount of energy during their production and generate more pollution than their plastic counterparts.

However, on the other side of this argument, plastic is not the most sustainable op-

Sure, some people say that by getting plastic bags then they can reuse them as trash bags or for other purposes, but most of the time, there is just a pile of plastic bags in the home. Several people use plastic bags to line their recycling bins, and while it is good that they are recycling, plastic bags are not supposed to be placed with recyclables.

So what does this mean? Where does this leave the paper vs. plastic debate? The answer is simple: You do not have to choose between

tion. Ecomerge may just be in the right to want to ban plastic bags on campus.

It is estimated that 4 billion plastic bags end up as litter worldwide. According to the same Washington Post article, if the plastic bags were tied end to end, the chain would be long enough to circle the earth approximately 63 times.

Wildlife choke on plastic bags, the bags increase our demand and dependency on oil and they are not biodegradable, so they will stay in our landfills and oceans long after you or I will have left the planet. Plastic bags are also not easily recyclable.

paper and plastic; instead, the best thing to do for the environment is to invest in reusable bags—bags that can be taken to the store every trip and will hold up for years.

Several parts of the world, including Portland, have actually already passed legislation banning plastic bags. According to portlandonline.com, the City of Portland is planning efforts to ban single-use plastic bags in the city.

With Portland State being the liberal and “green” campus that it is proud to be, it is not only important for it to ban plastic bag use on campus, but it just makes sense to start walking the walk instead of talking the talk.

PSU students need to join with PSU Ecomerge to support this plastic bag ban. It will help make the campus cleaner with less litter, and definitely more eco-friendly. The choice of paper or plastic should no longer be considered an option; reusable should be the option for all, as they benefit not only the environment, but the people who use them. ■

Classism at Portland State Graduates and undergraduates studying together Alexis Jewell Vanguard staff

Tuition at Portland State University is expensive compared to other state colleges. Well, it is for undergraduates, anyway. The average cost for a full-time resident undergraduate is just under $5,000 for a term. The cost is closer to $7,300 at Oregon State University—for three terms.

Graduate students do pay more than undergraduates, of course. Approximately two-and-ahalf times more at PSU. However, this is actually less expensive than Oregon State University, which charges graduate students about $11,300 per year.

Graduate school tuition really seems rather cheap here at Portland State—until we stop to think about what we’re paying two-and-a-half times more in tuition for. Sure, the professors are good, sometimes even excellent. I have no real complaint there. The university offers a decent amount of extracurricular activities, so I’m content there, too. The classes are where I start feeling a bit tightfisted.

I’ve been going to Portland State University for a while. I have obtained two undergraduate degrees and have recently started a graduate program, and I estimate that 90 percent of the classes that I’ve taken were mixed class. Oh, calm down, I’m not being classist, well, not in

Give me your money or the environment gets it!

What makes harmless canvassers so unappealing?

Kat Audick Vanguard staff

By now, we can all spot that clipboard and super enthusiastic grin from blocks away. There are the usual various tactics of avoidance: crossing the street, texting furiously, making a fake phone call, pretending you’re already a member.

It wasn’t until last week that I truly realized how far people will go to get away from the grasp of a canvasser.

On my way to campus I was walking along Pioneer Courthouse Square where the usual Greenpeace street-team members were staked out on each corner. A businesswoman in her black skirt-suit approached the intersection quickly beside me. As the canvasser outstretched his hand with a friendly “Do you have a minute for the environment?” the woman glanced at him, appalled, then shot up her palm with a fierce “Not now!” She appeared to be so

flustered by the exchange that she haphazardly leaped into the street just to escape any prolonged contact. An oncoming car slammed on its breaks, barely avoiding a collision with the woman. The canvasser and surrounding crowd stared, dumbfounded, as the embarrassed and thoroughly shaken woman collected herself and hurried on her way.

As I continued on to class I overhead the canvasser, clearly upset, say, “Jesus, she almost died just to not talk to me.” The entire event was pretty disturbing, and led me to ponder just how far we are willing to go to get away from donating.

I’ve been late to class and missed a bus because of canvassers on occasion, but I would never think about taking a car to the face just to get out of talking to one. I can think of a weighty list of things I find more threatening than a canvasser—bomb threats, food poisoning, bears, everyone on Craigslist Casual Encounters, etc.

Canvassers are terribly friendly, after all, and don’t actually take any personal offense if you offer a polite “No thank you.” So what is it about them that so irks us as a general population?

I used to think that it was solely a question of money. Sure, it’s only a dollar per day to support a child in a third-world country, but for those who are extremely money-conscious, $365 per year doesn’t sound so peachy. We easily waste that much on non-necessities each year.

It’s being pinned in the moment to sign on to something new that is intimidating.

After asking around, it seems that another issue on hand is time. As students, we usually have somewhere we need to be going, or already be at. Time management is already a massive headache, and any kind of hiccup, even a brief conversation, can seriously disrupt our schedule.

Even if it is something we are interested in, the simple fact that they are impeding on where we need to go at that given moment automatically casts a negative light.

Americans in general don’t like the idea of getting suckered into anything. We strive to be independent and in control of where our time and money goes. What’s even more unattractive is being guilted into committing to something.

Regardless of how valuable our dollars can

be in aiding a good cause, handing over our personal information and a promise to donate automatically every month puts us off like nothing else.

Perhaps other approaches would be more effective. I prefer donating to my organizations of choice online. It takes me half a minute, between checking my email and browsing Awkward Family Photos, and my computer even pre-fills in the information for me because it’s so damn nifty! In the time that I’ve lived in Portland, I have never personally seen anyone signing up with a canvasser on the street. But the method must be working, or employing so many pro-environment and children-sponsoring cheerleaders wouldn’t be profitable.

Perhaps our view of canvassers needs to be given a fresh start. If you have the funds and the time, donating can be a very rewarding experience. But if you’re strapped for cash, don’t panic. I’m fairly sure a canvasser would take a cordial decline over watching you get squished by a Volkswagen van any day. ■

QUOTE FOR THOUGHT

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA.ORG

Man created the “ And plastic bag and the tin and aluminum can and the cellophane wrapper and the paper plate, and this was good because Man could then take his automobile and buy all his food in one place…and soon the earth was covered with plastic bags and aluminum cans and paper plates and disposable bottles and there was nowhere to sit down or walk, and Man shook his head and cried: ‘Look at this Godawful mess.’

ART BUCHWALD

”

GUEST OPINION

Finding the write way to help kids Baylea O’Brien Daily Emerald staff

illustration by Susannah Beckett

the generally understood sense of the word.

What I am saying is that as an undergraduate I had graduate classmates, and vice-versa now as a graduate student. We’re taking the same exact courses, for the most part.

Not to whine, but well, I’m kind of going to.

For the most part, undergraduates and graduates taking the same classes are being taught the same information. Granted, there is usually some sort of extra project or paper required of the graduate students. My question is: Why am I paying two-and-a-half times more to do a little more work? Does it really take the professor that much more time to grade these projects and papers to justify the higher cost of tuition? After all, they’re not really teaching anything more to the graduates than the undergraduates.

Then there’s the issue of how these mixedclass classes are influencing the educations of master’s and Ph.D. students. It might be great for the juniors and seniors to be in the same educational environment as graduate-level students, but I’m not sure the benefit goes both ways. Sometimes the graduate students end up carrying the bulk of group projects because the work is too advanced for lower-class teammates, or to be honest, sometimes undergraduates just aren’t as invested in college as master’s and PhD students are.

As an undergraduate, I vividly remember thinking that having to do the extra projects would really suck; however, now that I’m doing the extra projects and papers as a graduate stu-

dent, I’m questioning the validity of this method.

And let’s be clear that I still think that having to do the extra projects sucks. It’s mostly busy work that I have to find time to fit in with the rest of the requirements of the class, for which we often receive very little instruction. Of course, many graduate-level students make a grand effort to impress their professors with the quality of these projects and papers, and perhaps that is worth something. Yet again, why am I paying more to merely do more work?

A question we should all be asking is whether our educations are going to be as useful and respected in the real world as they would have been if we had received our degrees at a different university. In essence, many 500-level classes are no different than 400-level classes. Are we, as graduate students, receiving token degrees? Is this why PSU charges less than other state universities for their graduate programs?

From what I’ve overheard some instructors saying, this could be the case. Many professors have complained that the university directors have forced them to accept undergraduates into their classes. If you ask me, it is merely because the university wants to make more money by having larger classes. To do this requires accepting undergraduates into what would have otherwise been graduate classes. Does this mean that the 400-level students received a 500-level education, or did the professor alter their lesson plans so as not to overwhelm these students? Either way, someone is getting short-changed.

I’m not really complaining about the quality of the education I’m receiving, but it seems like something is a little off about this situation.

Perhaps undergraduates shouldn’t have to do as much work if, in fact, the mixed classes are at graduate level. If the mixed classes are not graduate level, then (and I can’t believe I’m suggesting this) an extra project or paper does not improve the quality of the education enough to justify granting a graduate-level grade, and something should be done. What? I don’t know.

However, I certainly shouldn’t have to pay two-and-a-half times more tuition that my fellow undergraduate classmates are paying. ■

Oscar likes dancing to hip-hop. His favorite color is green and he doesn’t like watching sports, he likes playing them.

This isn’t something I know because I’ve witnessed it; I know it because he is my pen pal.

Oscar is one of Kevin Bronk’s students at Clyde L. Fischer Middle School in San Jose, Calif. Bronk, a University alumnus and the former editor in chief of Ethos Magazine, teaches English and history to a group of sixth- through eighth-grade special education students.

Located in an area where the majority of households are low-income, Bronk teaches children who do not see going to college as an accessible option. The students of Room 24 live in a place where college is not a common conversation.

Of course, that began to change once the letters came in.

Bronk started thinking about the value of writing with a purpose. He then decided to send a video to the current staff members of University publication Ethos.

Bronk asked for volunteers to be pen pals to the students of Room 24. A handful of Ethos staffers agreed to be of service.

After the first group of letters came through, Bronk couldn’t believe the immense amount of excitement that emulated throughout the class.

“It was one of the first activities where everyone in the class was excited,” Bronk commented. “I literally had to force them to put away the letters.”

For many, it was the first time they were connected to someone in college. The idea and thought of college stroked the students’ curiosity more and more.

The students of Room 24 replied to the letters with questions about college classes, college life and studying. They also wanted to know what it was like to write for a magazine.

When I first sat down to respond to Oscar’s letter, I didn’t know what to say.

It seems so simple to reply to a child’s letter. Don’t make anything too complex, use little words, and write big and legible. But for some reason I couldn’t start a sentence about college without sounding pretentious, bitter and overwhelmed.

That is not what Oscar wanted to hear, and that was surely not what I wanted to portray.

I reread his letter. I stared at his doodles.

I knew I needed to find my inner child that I had abandoned somewhere along my academic journey. But where was she?

Then, for the first time in my college career I began to write sentences like “college is fun and exciting!” Sentences that would award me an “F” on any of my college papers.

After that, everything else just clicked.

It was invigorating to use words that didn’t make my writing sound profound and scho-

lastic. I realized Oscar didn’t need to read a big word to paint a picture in his mind; he only needed simple ones.

I then began to doodle. And although my doodle of a bus looked slightly misshapen — with two different-sized tires and a load of passengers who were only floating heads — it felt rewarding to know they

Although Bronk may have intended for this experience to mostly have an effect on his students, I think his idea made an impact in San Jose and right back up to Oregon.

I may never know Oscar’s stature, the color of his skin, or the way he laughs when he identifies something funny. And even though I may never

would be seen by someone who would appreciate them, just like the words that filled up the lines on that same page.

Words bridge anonymity. Words connect us in ways we could never imagine.

Words unearth similarities between complete strangers. Words expose differences between allies.

Words are what connected a special education child and a busy, highly stressed college student.

Responding to Oscar’s letter using the simplest words, I realized how much I take my education for granted. Using words, I provided hope to a boy who inadvertently reignited my passion for learning that had slowly been burning out.

know the magnitude of how I impacted his life, I know that he has forever impacted mine.

My letters may continue to nurture Oscar’s flourishing curiosity for college or it may just simmer down. Oscar could end up attending college, or he may not. But knowing that he may have envisioned, even for a split second, that he is capable of doing something more than he believed he could is the power of words in itself.

And the fact that my words may have contributed to this potential gleam of belief is good enough for me. *This article was originally published in the Daily Emerald. It appears here in its original form.

NEWS ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 7

6 VANGUARD ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 ■ OPINION VANGUARD EDITORIAL

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

“What would you say… you do here?”

The current student government took office last up for next year,” April 14, 2010] that all May, and many of its members are more than of the executive staff positions were filled. three quarters of the way through their tenure. Comparing the roster from last summer to Yet, ASPSU has little to show for it. the current staff listings on ASPSU’s webDespite having months to make headway with site reveals that only three of nine executive the major campaigns promised by President Ka- branch members are from the original group. tie Markey and her former vice president, there The vice presidential position, for which stuhas been high staff turnover and very little fol- dents originally elected Selina Poulsen, has low-through on projects. Most egregiously, the since been held by two other people. Addistudent body has not been included in Markey’s tionally, a committee recently convened to discussions with school administration and state investigate the circumstances around which lawmakers regarding Oregon’s possible restruc- Markey appointed the latest vice president. ture of higher education.

Beyond a lack of campaign followAs is the case every year, ASPSU started off through and student outreach efforts, is a strong by registering voters under the super- deficit of transparency. Students have no vision of the Oregon Student Association, a way to even contribute their view on a fispecial-interest group that lobbies on behalf of nancial restructuring of OUS because the students. Numerous volunteers swarmed the ASPSU website has no updated pictures of Park Blocks during fall term, imploring students executive staff members and no individual to vote and registering over 2,500 to do so. contact information is listed. It can be But since that time, quarreling and alleged backstabbing have But since that time, quarreling stymied any progress toward creating gender-neutral spaces, and alleged backstabbing have student fee accountability and stymied any progress toward a student voice in university recreating gender-neutral spaces, structuring, as promised.

In February, Markey will sit student fee accountability and on a panel discussing the Ore- a student voice in university gon University System’s proposal for education reform, though restructuring, as promised. no concerted effort has been made so far to let students know about the event. intimidating to walk into the ASPSU ofMarkey ostensibly speaks for the student body, fice because of its clutter and cliquish atbut is working more closely with OSA than Port- mosphere, so there have to be other avland State students to formulate a stance on the enues of communication available to the issue. Markey and her staffers will spend countless student body. A few months back, Markey hours in Salem over the next few weeks lobby- sequestered her desk to the office’s confering on our behalf—but for what? Not only are ence room, a space once available to all students voiceless in the restructuring discussion, ASPSU and student group members in but it’s unknown what the one person elected to need of a place to meet. This isolating move speak for them is even saying. symbolizes the direction of ASPSU under The lack of outreach is likely due, in part, to Markey’s leadership—away from students the low retention rate of ASPSU staff members. and toward what can only be perceived as The Vanguard reported last July [“ASPSU gears self-interest.

EDITORIAL BOARD Virginia Vickery Editor-in-Chief Corie Charnley News Editor Nicholas Kula Arts & Culture Editor Richard Oxley Opinion Editor Robert Britt Sports Editor Copy Chief Kristin Pugmire

Here to help Re: "Who you gonna call?"

Editorial, Jan 21

Our responsibilities also include a wide array of support services for students, including: ■■ Campus Recreation

PSU’s Student Life is here to help. The Jan. 21 Vanguard editorial pointed out the importance of providing Portland State students information and access to services from mental health assistance to crisis intervention to campus safety. In the Office of the Dean of Student Life, we serve students’ needs in a variety of ways. One important way is to serve as a “first stop” for questions, concerns, or confusion about how to connect to university resources.

If you are concerned about the immediate safety of yourself or someone else, please call the Campus Safety Emergency line at 503-725-4404. There are blue emergency telephone boxes in strategic locations throughout campus for on-campus emergency situations. Information about these phones can be reached here: www.pdx.edu/cpso/ emergency-phone-aed-locations.

If you are not certain if a situation contains safety risk but are concerned about its seriousness you can call Campus Safety Dispatch at 503-725-4407 or speak with staff at Center for Student Health and Counseling 503-725-2800 or Office of the Dean of Student Life 503-725-4422.

We can also support students who are concerned about fair process and treatment, and advocacy and safety on the university campus by discussing what office or department may serve the student’s need best, such as: ■■ Office of Equity and Compliance (formerly Affirmative Action Campus Public Safety Office) ■■ Ombuds Office ■■ Student Legal Services ■■ Women’s Resource Center

■■ Career Center ■■ Center for Student Health and Counseling ■■ Commencement ■■ Disability Resource Center ■■ Diversity and Multicultural Services ■■ International Student and Scholar Services ■■ University Housing and Residence Life ■■ Student Activities and Leadership Programs ■■ Student Conduct ■■ Student Employment ■■ Undergraduate Advising and Support Center ■■ Women’s Resource Center

We continue to encourage faculty and staff to refer students to our office and to other student support offices for help with the variety of situations that may come up in student life.

We have created a student services “emergency contact” page that is now part of the Dean of Student Life website, which can be accessed here: www.pdx.edu/dos/. We are always open to your suggestions for improvement. Please feel free to visit us with your questions in Smith Memorial Student Union, room #433.

Dr. Jacqueline Balzer Vice Provost for Student Affairs Michele Toppe Dean of Student Life

BLOG FROM PAGE 1

SMOKING FROM PAGE 1

Online medium allows people in other countries to participate

Implementing strict policy on campus is difficult because of urban environment

terest in web design, and said that the class has been “very interesting and challenging at times.”

Scrolling through the blog, readers will see circumspect statements written by the students in the class as they make predictions as to what this quarter’s research will reveal about the plastic bag debate. Many students have posted and responded to articles on both sides of the issue.

Some topics in the blog debate discussed thus far are San Francisco, Calif.’s ban on plastic bags in 2008 and Washington D. C’s five-cent tax on plastic bags implemented just this month. The blog also highlights the less notorious sides of this issue: Whether paper or plastic is more environmentally sustainable, and the potential presence of lead in reusable shopping bags.

However, the optimal route for shoppers to take is unclear, Bremmer said. “[The students] are looking at all of this to understand all the facts possible,” he said.

“Then they report on their findings and make their recommendation to those reading the blog and site.”

The course is conducted online, therefore allowing students living in other countries to take part.

“The advantage of this is students can apply lessons learned in their local communities around the world,” Bremmer said.

Bremmer referred to students in the Middle East that took a previous course and reported back to their agricultural community about the damage caused by soil erosion.

The course aims to help students learn about web literacy and the collaborative process, though they also often learn about valuable information regarding the topic they are researching, according to Bremmer.

The collaborative nature of the class is both a benefit and a drawback because the students are communicating with one another entirely online.

“It is always interesting to work with people from other cultures and to learn about their perception of the world and their responses to our concern about [the] environment,” Louie said.

Each student in the class is responsible for posting written statements on the blog, as well as contributing in some aspect to the creation of the website linked to the blog.

Past topics include the near extinction of the bluefin tuna and the energy use of the electric car.

Because the blog is maintained year after year, the findings on these topics are accessible at any time.

are certain areas on campus that are designated for smoking.

Ashcom said the reason why the university currently adopts a restrictive instead of a smoke-free approach is for the sake of practicality. “[As] an urban institution, we have many streets that run through our campus that we have no jurisdiction over,” Ashcom said. “So what we do is try to be as restrictive as we can in our area.”

According to Ashcom, unrestricted areas include the South Park Blocks and the sidewalk that runs along Southwest Broadway, both of which belong to the city. However, certain parts of the university, unbeknownst to students, are not public spaces and thus are not excluded from the nonsmoking rule.

“A lot of students are not aware that smoking is not allowed in any covered walkway [from] Neuberger to Cramer,” Ashcom said. “Also, the entire Urban Plaza is a smoke-free space, because we have full jurisdiction over that.”

In the past, the rule used to be that smokers had to maintain a certain distance from the doors of buildings, including the pathway between SMSU and Cramer. However, in a 2007 Smoking/Tobacco use policy report, prepared by Ashcom and several other colleagues, the policy was amended to include the covered awning between the buildings as a restrictive area.

The report itself is now being use as a tool to implement the smoking policy. Conducted in 2007, the report came out of a campus-wide survey that gauges students’ and faculty perception regarding smoking on campus.

One of the problems with having students abide by the smoking policy is the lack of visibiliThe students track their readership via a web analytics program, and one of the class’ goals is “to increase readership on the overall theme of economy and environment, and also on the specific topic of that term,” Bremmer said.

The blog has been visited nearly 30,000 times since it launched in 2007. According to the analytics data, the blog has viewers in countries such as the Philippines, Portugal, India and Canada. ■

Ecomerge.blogspot.com For more information about Ecomerge, visit ecomerge.blogspot.com

Office of the Dean of Student Life Smith Memorial Student Union 433 ask-dos@pdx.edu 503-725-4422 www.pdx.edu/dos

SARIA DY/VANGUARD STAFF

Plastic bag debate: Students in the Ecomerge course debate the pros and cons of plastic bags.

ADAM WICKHAM/VANGUARD STAFF

Costly habit: Freshman Mark Dwyer smokes under a designated shelter outside SMSU and Cramer. This shelter cost the university $23,000.

ty of designated smoking spots on campus. In the survey, more than half said that current signage to identify smoking areas was inadequate. It also indicated that the majority wants the 25-foot rule to be revised.

Currently, there is one smoking area by the Park Blocks between SMSU and Cramer. The cost of building such space is about $23,000.

Ashcom believes that the university needs to create a public education campaign to inform students and staff of the campus smoking policy. Ideally, she said, this would be a better form of enforcement than having an actual penalty.

“Hopefully, words get around where people become more aware and we can rely on self-policing,” Ashcom said. “There needs to be a shift in culture where people are more respectful of a smoke-free environment.”

Senior Blair Chadwick said he finds it irresponsible that smokers choose to be in nondesignated smoking areas.

“The signs are there, and people just don’t follow it,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anything else we can do, save putting up a huge ugly poster on every door.”

Chadwick said there’s no way to escape the smoke if someone wants to go between SMSU and Cramer Hall.

“My little nephew thinks that I smoke because I smell of cigarettes,” Chadwick said.

Even for students who don’t mind the smoke, they said they would rather not be anywhere near it.

“I used to be a smoker myself, so on the one hand, I sympathize with [the smokers] for wanting to smoke in peace,” said sophomore Kelly Stim. “But I quit smoking for a reason, and yet I’m still being exposed to it at school.” ■

ARTS & CULTURE ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 9

8 VANGUARD ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 ■ ARTS & CULTURE

A&C

EDITOR: NICHOLAS KULA ARTS@DAILYVANGUARD.COM 503-725-5694

Unraveling an oral history Tonya Jone Miller’s “Threads” Candace Opper Vanguard staff

I

n 1968, Tonya Jone Miller’s mother got on a plane to Vietnam and walked into a dramatic unfolding of events, guided by love and family in a country devastated by war. Her mother’s story worked its way into the annals of their family, an oral history moving from one generation to the next, no less present than the characters it embodied. Forty years later, Tonya recreates this story for the stage, a personal narrative she describes as “stranger than fiction.”

After a year and a half of interviews, writing and piecing together history, Miller’s one-woman show “Threads” opens for the final weekend of Portland’s Fertile Ground arts festival. The festival is a collaboration of many artists across a spectrum of experience and backgrounds. Encompassing 10 days of theatre, dance, comedy, visual art and film, Fertile Ground focuses on new and innovative works by local artists and seeks to reveal the fruitful nature of Portland’s art community.

Miller has a decade’s worth of theatre production experience, and she worked with the premier Fertile Ground Festival in 2009 on the theatrical collaborative “Inviting Desire,” an erotic variety show exploring female desires and arousal. The show went on to do a successful weeklong tour with the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals (CAFF), a nonprofit organization that serves as an international infrastructure for “fringe” theatre. On this tour, Miller was inspired by other solo artists to work on her first one-woman performance piece. As the idea grew and developed, she imagined Fertile Ground as the ideal venue.

“Fertile Ground is a great outlet with a strong support network; I know the story’s going to get heard.”

Since the piece is based on a true and personal history, the core of her creation rested on family interviews.

“My mother is 66 now. This is her legacy, and she’s ready to talk.”

Miller spent over 12 hours engaged in heavy and emotional interviews with her mother,

The rec center has what now?

With plenty to offer under the surface, Campus Rec truly has something for everyone

While much of the story takes place in a war-riddled Vietnam, Miller is adamant that this story is not about war, but about relationships and interconnectedness among human beings.

“Because of the Internet, a lot of people have lost touch with oral history. Anyone can look up things about their families online. I want this story to be about personal connections, real people and what really happened.”

Miller tells the story through her mother’s point of view, intermittently playing the parts of others who were involved. While much of the story takes place in a war-riddled Vietnam, Miller is adamant that this story is not about war, but about relationships and interconnectedness among human beings.

“War is only an auxiliary character.” She goes on to explain that the real characters and their experiences are extraordinary because they are so universal. Utilizing theatre to impart the intimacy of oral history is an effective approach, which not only illustrates but also participates in the universal theme of human connectedness.

Miller plans to submit “Threads” to CAFF’s upcoming festival season and hopes to have the opportunity to take the show on tour. While this is her first one-woman show, she’s enthusiastic about its reception and has other ideas in the works for solo shows to come. ■

PORTLAND’S TOUR DE SCOTCH:

The Red Star Tavern A scotch lover’s search through Portland’s pubs Richard D. Oxley Vanguard staff

Whiskey admirers come in a variety of forms and categories. After all, whiskey is for everyone, and doesn’t discriminate, whether its fan is a gentleman, frat boy, hippie or even a grandmother playing cribbage. The diversity of whiskey drinkers is mirrored in the diversity of venues in which they choose to admire the water of life. This all comes down to preference, really; different folks enjoy different settings. The Red Star Tavern in downtown Portland, while perhaps a worthy establishment, is not my preferred whiskey joint.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the Red Star and it will definitely spark interest for some. It is certainly a high-end bar—more of a posh restaurant, really. The swankiness is absolutely kicked into high gear here—so much that I have trouble referring to it as a tavern. A tavern bears implications of a greasy spoon, pool tables and the down-to-earth din of people filling the room. While there are certainly higher-end taverns serving classy clientele, I have yet to come across one as fancy as the Red Star.

This is not to say this “tavern” isn’t worth a visit. It would make a perfect setting for a nice date, or any evening out on the town dressed to the nines. In other words, my usual flannel shirt and worn jeans clash a bit with the suit-and-tie business crowd who more appropriately fit the atmosphere of the bar.

Why the run-down of Red Star’s atmosphere? Isn’t this a series on scotch? The Red Star does indeed offer a significant whiskey selection and promotes this fact. But one must bear in mind the presentation of the “tavern” when considering it as a whiskey hotspot. For example, such high-end ambiance comes into play when an order of The Glenlivet will run you more than $10. And while I greatly respect The Glenlivet, there is no excuse for this.

Inflated prices are the main obstacle to enjoying a scotch here. It borders on insulting.

The rumors of the whiskey selection at Red Star are not false. The impressive list carries a variety of bourbons and scotches from which to choose. Irish whiskey takes a back seat; bourbons seem to be what the Red Star is all about, though scotch comes in at a close second.

From Aberlour to Talisker, most likely any scotch that has made a name for itself in the whiskey market is here. Most popular brands offered will also be accompanied by various years and lines. Going back to The Glenlivet, for example, patrons can find the usual 12year bottle, but can also find The Glenlivet’s 15-year, Nadurra, 18-year and 21-year archive. Glenmorangie, Macallan and Balvenie are a few other brands carried here that span a number of years and lines.

Another pleasant aspect of the Red Star is that the waiters and bartenders seem to actually know what they are talking about. My last waiter discussed which scotches hailed from the Highlands or the Speyside—or for fans of a thick, peaty taste, which brands came from

KARL KUCHS/VANGUARD STAFF

Smells like peat and commerce: The Red Star is where the business class enjoy scotch or pretend to.

the Isles, and so forth—and did so with ease.

Therefore, humble enthusiasts such as myself can find someone with some knowledge at the Red Star to help guide their quest.

Scotch lovers will find a home here, but they will pay for it. The Red Star is a “tavern” where

what one mostly purchases is the environment and the feeling that they are a hotshot. But perhaps I am too hard on the place—I have witnessed a few people cutting loose at the Red Star.

Why, just the last time I was there, a couple of people even took off their ties. ■

Threads Adam Wickham/VANGUARD STAFF

Threads: You can't have a show called "Threads" without knowing how to dress. Tonya Jone Miller knows this.

Clackamas River Whitewater Rafting Trip Saturday, Feb. 5 8 a.m. departure

While I prefer “White Water” the pinball game, I suppose this could be quite a thrill, too. February weather will make for a chilly experience, but no worries, Campus Rec will provide wet suits and other necessary equipment. The trip is open to beginners and experienced rafters alike; the only condition is that participants must

Rian Evans Vanguard staff

In my time at the Vanguard thus far, I’ve done my best to provide the Portland State student body with information regarding all the new and exciting stuff with which our very own Campus Rec provides us on a seemingly endless basis. I’ve written about video-game bicycle hybrid workouts, medieval combat clubs, dance classes, weight training and so on. Unfortunately (or fortunately, as the case may be), there are many more interesting and fun offerings from Campus Rec that haven’t gotten much love from me. Perhaps this is because in the past I’ve narrowed my scope to cover only exercise- and fitness-related events. Well, no more!

From here on out, I promise to try my darnedest to keep PSU students informed about all the fun stuff available through Campus Rec. Today, I’m giving some attention to Campus Rec’s lesser-known activities, such as trips and clinics. Where locations are not given, students can contact Campus Rec at campusrec@pdx.edu or 503-725-5127 for details.

gathering elements of the history that she had never before heard. She also traveled to California to interview members of her father’s Vietnamese side of the family. The interviewing process both brought her closer to her mother and reconnected her with Vietnamese culture after many years of feeling detached from this side of her family history. It also illuminated the importance of folk narrative and storytelling in a world in which many people experience an increasing disconnect with their own familial and cultural histories.

be prepared to paddle and to get thoroughly soaked. Registration is $35 for students and $70 for non-members. There is a pre-trip meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 2.

Basic Wilderness First Aid

Trillium Lake Snowshoe Trip

This clinic will cover the basic first aid procedures one might need to perform on a wilderness trip. Participants will be presented with situations and examples concerning wounds, blisters, hypothermia, heat exhaustion and more. Plenty of stuff can go awry while having fun in the great outdoors, and participants will learn how to handle these common mishaps.

Saturday, Feb. 12 8 a.m. departure

As it turns out, snowshoeing is real. It isn’t just in cartoons. And it isn’t walking around with tennis rackets on one’s feet, as I had long believed.

The trip is open to students of all experience levels and is sure to be a fun time on the mountain. Registration is $25 for students and $50 for non-members. Equipment will be provided.

Navigation 101: Intro to Map and Compass Wednesday, Feb. 16 5 p.m.–6:30 p.m.

Outdoor Program Lounge (Southwest Fifth and Harrison)

DREW MARTIG/VANGUARD STAFF

Damn Yankees: Can the Rec take you high enough?

Now playing through Feb. 12 Headwaters Theatre 55 NE Farragut St. www.fertileground.pdx.org

Let’s face it—most of us are gleefully spoiled by technology. Smart phones, dashboard GPS and a variety of other nifty technological advancements have provided us with greater navigational capabilities than our parents or grandparents could have ever managed. In Portland, though, vintage is cool, and it is doesn’t get much more old-school than a map and compass. This event will teach would-be explorers how to properly utilize a topographical map, compass and other navigational tools that aren’t battery-powered.

Tuesday, March 1 6 p.m.–7:30 p.m.

Outdoor Program Lounge (Southwest Fifth and Harrison)

Rock Climbing Technical Seminar Tuesday and Wednesday, March 1 and 2 8 a.m. departure

I’m gonna be a straight-shooter—the mere thought of rock climbing makes me cower like a girly man.

I’ll let Campus Rec describe this one for me: “This is an intensive workshop created specifically to prepare individual climbers with the skills necessary to set out on their own outdoor climbing trip. Skills to be covered include anchor construction and cleaning, rappelling, basic self-rescue techniques and safe top rope setup. Prerequisite: Have proficient basic rock climbing skills and/or receive consent from the instructors.”

There is a fee of $60 for students and $120 for nonmembers.

For additional information on these activities and many more, visit www.pdx.edu/recreation.

QUICK, TO THE SHOWMOBILE! FRIDAY JAN. 28

SATURDAY JAN. 29

SUNDAY JAN. 30 Pierced Arrows, Chemicals

Dirty Mittens A solitary band—what’s this? Really, it’s a Friday night, and I’m telling you to go see one band?¬¬ Granted, its free, and also granted, it's Dirty Mittens, who are pretty cool, but really? Yes, really. Since this show is at the Mission Theater, they have that big ol’ screen that would normally be shamefully underutilized during a Dirty Mittens performance. However, this show is also a free screening of Portlandia—the show that just debuted on IFC, and has captured the hearts of cynical Portland hipsters citywide. Mission Theater has decided to give viewers the authentic Portlandia experience that the TV never could—by having a reallife Portland hipster band step out of your television and right in front of you. Plus, you’ll get to yuck it up about all the stupid things we do on screen.

MISSION THEATER, FREE, 8:30 P.M., 21+

Photo courtesy of dirty mittens

Dirty Mittens

photo courtesy of elawgrrl/flickr.com

Forgetters

Forgetters, Street Eaters Ever heard of a little band called Jawbreaker? No? Really? How about Jets to Brazil? Well, let’s hope you didn’t go to the Portlandia thing last night because you may not have been cool enough to get in. Essentially, Jawbreaker is a rad old punk band, adored by everyone who’s over the age of 25 and actually into punk rock. Their original vinyls fetch hundreds of dollars on eBay, and even their cassette tapes are valuable. That said, Blake Schwarzenbach is the common thread that Jets to Brazil and Jawbreaker share. He and his new band Forgetters are coming to Branx, and for those of you too young enough to have caught Jawbreaker in their heyday, you will get as much of a chance as ever when you make the decision to see Forgetters. It’s just about as close to Jawbreaker as you’ll ever get, and you might even get sweated on by Blake himself. Don’t forget to see this show. Puns.

Well, this is Chemicals’ CD release show. Now, while they’re pretty good, you know you’ve made it big when Pierced Arrows hop on for the release show. Pierced Arrows are made up of ex-Dead Moon members, arguably Portland’s hippest band of all time (well, them and Wipers are definitely battling it out for that spot). But Dead Moon’s talent and awesome songwriting ability wasn’t fostered through shallow hip airs. They were around forever for a reason. Considering I’ve seen about 400 Pierced Arrows shirts all over town, I don’t think they’re going anywhere. However, this is your chance to catch a real Portland institution, an antiPortlandia, if you will.

photo courtesy of openeye/flickr..com

Nels Cline

SLABTOWN, UNKNOWN (PUNK ROCK) COST, UNKNOWN (PUNK ROCK) TIME, 21+

Nels Cline Singers, Yuka Honda Oh, effects pedals. Who doesn’t love them? Hint: the answer is not Nels Cline. As many may know, Nels is an absolute guitar genius, often hailed as this generation’s Al di Meola, Jimmy Page, Adrien Belew, et al.

Basically, the guy has hundreds of effects pedals of all different eras and manufacturers—from weird dudes tinkering away in their garages to mass pedal assemblies— Nels has tons of them. What’s more, much to the delight of gear nerds everywhere, Nels and his friend from Son Volt actually released a DVD of them screwing around with piles of pedals. And people bought it! That’s saying something! That said, if you’re looking for a truly innovative guitar playing experience, come see Nels shred it down at the Doug Fir. If you have a gearhead friend, bring them to really lock that friendship in for good.

BRANX, $8, 8 P.M., ALL AGES

photo courtesy of piercedarrows.com

Pierced Arrows

DOUG FIR, $15, 9 P.M., 21+

10 VANGUARD ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 ■ ARTS & CULTURE

ARTS & CULTURE ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 11

Gang violence is wrong “The Avenging Eagle” bridges the gap between cinephile and kung fu enthusiast

Kat Vetrano Vanguard staff

MTV decides Europe doesn’t hate us enough

PHOTO COURTESY OF CULTURAL-CHINA.COM

Them's fightin' words: Kung Fu is full of standoffs with blunt objects.

“The Avenging Eagle” embraces the spirit of classic kung fu. The first full fight scene is so elaborate that no true kung fu, action or even dance fanatic could ask for better.

Cut Copy’s “Zonoscope” album is certainly up to spec

Led by the group’s founder Dan Whitford, Cut Copy has grown from being one man’s solo project to a highly esteemed retro-electronic four-piece Aussie power house. Staying true to its 80s synth pop style, Cut Copy is returning yet again with another record to add to its list of full-length albums.

“Zonoscope,” the band’s third full-length studio album, will be released Feb. 8 on Modular Records. The record is a prime example of how far these Melbourne dance punks have decided to venture back into the genre of music that encapsulated a decade. In addition to some studio help from Ben H. Allen, who worked with groups such as Animal Collective and Gnarls Barkley, this album is surely going to paralyze any headphone junkie with its extreme ear-grabbing textures.

Officially starting up in 2001 with Whitford’s single “1981” and his “I Thought Of Numbers” EP, Cut Copy decided to expand—recruiting

A unique Superbowl appetizer

Nicholas Kula Vanguard staff

Cut. Copy. Buy. Jake Stevens Vanguard staff

Dal cakes with Sriracha dipping sauce

All the news that’s barely fit to print

INES KUNA VANGUARD STAFF

“The Avenging Eagle” directed by Chung Sun stimulates viewers through long pans, nontypical points of view and melodramatic fight scenes. The combination of potent aesthetic appeal and histrionic raw kung fu intertwines; the film is the best of both worlds. It includes all elements of classic action, yet does not neglect a late 70s mise-en-scene, emphasizing the allure of otherwise simple images.

The story begins with Chi Ming-sing (Ti Lung), a starving man left to die in the middle of the desert. He is saved by the stranger Cheuk Yi-Fan (Alexander Fu Sheng). The pair’s on-and-off-again battles, due to Chi’s suspicions, finally subside and the two become something like partners.

Eventually, Chi tells his new ally about his orphaned and abusive past. Chi explains that at the age of seven he was forced into the infamous murderous Eagle Clan and raised by Chief Yoh Xi-hung (Ku Feng) to brutally annihilate, loot and obey. Chi further recalls a horrible incident in which he was forced to watch the Eagle Clan brutally murder a family which had saved Chi’s life in the past, announcing that he has since lost his will to murder. Both Chi and Cheuk, for different reasons, enter a long and grueling mission together, filled with countless twists and surprises, in search of the ruthless Yoh. The suspense continues right up until the final second of the movie. The ending is thoughtfully twisted; Sun’s masterpiece will leave audiences in disarray.

The director of photography clearly knows how to work a camera in the conventional sense.

An epic pan of hundreds of galloping horse hooves illustrates a scene that could easily be found in Hollywood. Thus, when other scenes are shown as melodramatic, audiences know they too serve an intentional purpose. This purpose is clear. “The Avenging Eagle” embraces the spirit of classic kung fu. The first full fight scene is so elaborate that no true kung fu, action or even dance fanatic could ask for better. The scene is equipped with jumps, axels and even a frame where the two men both do the splits.

Notes from the underground

additional members Tom Hoey, Bennet Foddy and Mitchell Scott in 2003. Since releasing their debut album “Bright Like Neon Love” in 2004, which was written and produced by their founder Whitford, the group has avoided the undertow that washes many groups out of stardom early on.

After losing Foddy to his greater ambitions of obtaining a PhD, the group toured internationally with groups such as Franz Ferdinand, The Presets, Junior Senior and Bloc Party in 2005.

Cut Copy’s 2008 follow-up record “In Ghost Colours” showed the band branching out from its rather similar style renditions of Daft Punkesque songs into much more colorful harmonic choirs that filled in new and complex instrumentations. Their seemingly unsure-yet-noble decision to begin filling a more original mold was rewarded in the ratings shortly thereafter with their release, which held number-one in ratings for Australia (of course). However, with Cut Copy’s addition of their recent bassist, Ben Browning, on their latest album “Zono-

There is a definite contrast inherent in the film’s nature, and it is hard to find a movie so versatile. For instance, the voice dubbing is extremely apparent, yet it adds to the kung fu experience in a fantastic way. The acting so well resembles the tone of the dubbed voices as if nothing had been lost in translation at all.

Even the obvious wigs give the movie a classic appeal. Yet, many of the important scenes of the film are sublimely portrayed in serious and emotionally gripping truth (such as Chi’s recollection of his youth training for the Eagle Clan). Likewise with set design, while some scenes explore a frontier open-frame wilder-

scope,” the group has taken yet another step into unchartered territory.

Opening the new record is a song called “Need You Now,” which merges the sounds of a typical 80s club anthem with a strange feel of U2 thrown into the mix. This is just one of those things where you—yes, you—the reader, are just going to have to listen to the song for yourself.

Packed with Bono-reminiscent vocals echoing over shimmering melodies, they exemplify the bass-y undertones that cradle the 80s feel altogether. It is not surprising that this song is one of their singles, but just like U2’s musical career, it is hard to admit its true merit.

What brings Cut Copy to international recognition is that the group has the uncanny ability to bring catchy riffs across all genres of music and blend them together into a four-minute song that seems to tickle your brain’s music capacity as you listen. On track four, “Pharoahs & Pyramids,” the group brings familiar vibes from David Byrne and his Talking Heads by serving up funky basslines that wrestle down a sound sampler and synth with occasional drum breakdowns. The David Byrne influence is also heard clearly on the album’s 15-minute, monster last track “Sun God.” But alas, the record gets back down to a universally accessible level with the track “Where I’m Going,” holding true to his words: “It’s my dream/and it’s yours if you want it too.”

Whitford certainly sounds like he knows what he’s doing because this song seems to cross all

ness, others resemble a Tim Burton-esque eerie and surreal landscape. The expanse of style and juxtaposition of the serious and melodramatic makes this film a pleasure to watch.

“The Avenging Eagle” is much more than a compilation of heavily choreographed fight scenes. It is framed around a heavy moral commentary and discusses the standards of friendship, the meaning of revenge and perhaps most importantly, encourages the questioning of authority. For the kung fu lover, it is a classic. For the Hollywood action fan, it will be a difficult transition. But for anyone willing to try something different, it is a must-see. ■

In an unprecedented move, MTV, in accordance with its own deceptive network name, has decided to uproot Jersey Shore to Italy.

Entering its fourth season, Jersey Shore, for those of you with actual refined palates, is a pretty terrible TV show about a group of trashy orange people from New Jersey who yell at each other, fight, lift weights and have sex— constantly. Essentially, the show is like a trailer park with sand and vats of Hawaiian Tropic suntan oil.

Since the characters on the show are self-described “guidos,” that is, of Italian descent, MTV decided to ship them back over to Italy where they can make idiots Jersey Shore of themselves as far away from us as possible while still keeping up the New Jersey illusion of fantastic scenery.

On the flipside of this coin, MTV could really start a successful backhanded beach cleanup program: Ship all the trash to Italy.

That’s what they get for giving us art snobs.

Ingredients: 1 cup of red lentils, rinsed and picked over 2 tablespoons of dried ginger (or freshly grated, if you have it) 2 tablespoons garlic powder (or a minced garlic clove) 1 tablespoon dry mustard 2 teaspoons of chili powder 1 tablespoon cardamom 1 tablespoon dried cloves Black pepper Salt 2 tablespoons olive oil To make dal:

PHOTO COURTESY OF mtV.COM

Was Michael Jackson murdered?

PHOTO COURTESY THEGRIO.com

Well, enough people think so to see Conrad Murray dragged into court. He’s been in and out of legal trouble ever since it was discovered that he gave Michael Jackson a bunch of anesthetic the day of his death.

Finally, a trial date has been set, and because of the money and celebrity involved, it’s months away, of course. The trial is set to begin exactly two months from today, which is proof positive that America’s legal system holds alleged manslaughterers in a much, much higher regard than, say, people who spraypaint on abandoned buildings.

Conrad Murray: Cool suit.

But wait, there’s more shore!

PHOTO COURTESY OF MODULAR RECORDS

Cut Copy: I don't know what a Zonoscope is, but from the looks of it, DO NOT WANT.

genres and is—it’s safe to say—a masterpiece.

So, interested in getting a glimpse of what kind of music can be produced “down under?”

Get this album. If Portland is the dream of the 90s, then Melbourne is holding the 80s down pretty tough. Warning: This album will grow on you and may cause you to get up and dance. ■

Zonoscope Cut Copy Out Feb. 8 Modular Records

While this Sunday is sure to be filled with bean dips, potato chips and overstuffed twice-baked potatoes, why not bring the appetizer that stands out? This recipe, especially when made with leftover lentil dal, comes together quickly.

The cakes are crispy on the outside with a soft creaminess on the inside. Paired with a spicy tangy dipping sauce, this dish works well as an appetizer perfect for entertaining, but also doubles as a light lunch.

If using leftover dal, skip the first step.

Mainstream America just can’t get enough of “Jersey Shore,” those loveable spiky-headed goons keep everyone talking. And finally, joining the elite ranks of “Joanie Loves Chachi,” “The Cleveland Show” and other offshoots of shows that age terribly, add Snooki and JWoww.

The two starlets of the JS cast are about to get their own spinoff show, where they pretend to like each other and get in fights about eating each other’s food and refilling the toilet paper holder.

Portlanders are excited for a show about roommate infighting, because Portland’s hip elite all live in huge houses with twenty other people. In essence, this new reality show about roommate squabbles mirror their lives in ways “Portlandia” never could.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WORLDSLADIES.com

Snooki and JWoww

Put the lentils in a medium saucepan, top with spices (except for salt) and cover with about an inch of cool water. Bring to a boil. Then, reduce heat and covers the mixture bubbles slightly. Let the mixture bubble this way for around 20–30 minutes, or until mixture forms a thick paste reminiscent of hummus. Remove from heat and

drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Let the dal cool in the fridge until you’re ready to make cakes, anywhere from one hour to a day.

Dal Cakes Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of olive or canola oil 1 1/2 cup of dal (more if serving a big crowd)

Place two tablespoons of oil in on medium skillet and bring to high heat.

While your skillet heats, take the dal and separate into small, golf-ball sized circles. Flatten each ball in your hand, and season one side with salt and pepper generously.

Place the dal cakes in the skillet, seasoned side down. Season the sides facing up. Cook the cakes (about four to six at a time) for about two minutes per side, or until blistered slightly like a tortilla. Cook in batches if you run out of room.

Sriracha Yogurt Sauce Ingredients: 1 cup of nonfat Greek yogurt 1 minced garlic clove 1/4 cup of finely chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon of Sriracha hot sauce (or more, if you like heat) Juice from 1 lime Salt and pepper

While the cakes cook, mix together the Greek yogurt, garlic, cilantro, Sriracha and lime juice.

Season with salt and pepper and serve alongside the cakes.

12 VANGUARD ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 ■ SPORTS

SPORTS

SPORTS ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 13

EDITOR: ROBERT BRITT SPORTS@DAILYVANGUARD.COM 503-725-4538

Injury-plagued Vikings to host Hornets Men’s basketball returns home Saturday to host Sacramento State Kevin Fong Vanguard staff

T

he injury bug has their northwest rivals for the taken quite the remainder of the school year. chomp out of the Tomorrow night, the men’s basketball Vikings face Sacramento State roster this season. at the Stott Center. Despite the Just after starting forward lack of size and depth up front, Phil Nelson returned from an Geving isn’t ready to simply injured foot starting center shake up the Etch-a-Sketch.

Nate Lozeau went down with “We’re not going to rean injured foot, and is expected to miss another two to " It’s about us sticking together three weeks. Last week, startand doing whatever we can as a ing power-forward Chehales Tapscott—the team’s leading team to grind out some wins.” rebounder—injured his knee Tyler Geving and could miss anywhere from three to four weeks. ages 8.2 rebounds “When you per game, defendlose your starting and controlling ing [front-court], the inside will be it leaves you in a big concerns for little bit of a hole,” the team in the folsaid head coach lowing weeks. The Tyler Geving.

Vikings are sixth But Geving isn’t in the conference making excuses for in rebounding as a his team. team, averaging 34 “We’ve got to boards a game. piece it together “We can score for the next few points. The [chalweeks until we get lenge] is going to more guys back,” be defense and he said. “We’ve rebounding,” sejust got to keep nior guard Melvin trucking on. It’s Jones said. “Everyabout us sticking body needs to help together and doing pick up the slack.” whatever we can as “I need to get a team to grind out in there and help some wins.”

Juked: Junior guard Dane Johnson slips by the NAU defense. rebound more,” Portland State (10-9 overall, 3-4 Big Sky) is invent the wheel,” he said. junior guard Charles Odum currently in a three-way tie “That’s not how you build a said. “But it had to be a team for fourth place in the Big Sky program or how you keep the effort, we’re missing our [big Conference. The team played foundation together. We’ll men], so everybody has to Eastern Washington last night, just keep doing what we’ve fight out there.”

Portland State will need the results of which were not been doing, but tweak a few to move past its mid-season available at press time. With a things here and there.” win over Eastern Washington, The Vikings will be forced hurdles and keep improving the Vikings will secure the to make adjustments, but if the team hopes to separate first annual Dam Cup and they’ll try to play toward their itself from the pack in the Big Sky. Consistency has been an claim bragging rights over strengths.

Move aside, please: The Northern Arizona defense is no match for senior forward Paul Guede.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

the indoor pentathlon—that was exciting because I wasn’t expecting to take third. That is something that I will probably never forget.

JOENISHA VINSON

“When you’re smaller, you can’t just sit and play a halfcourt game,” Geving said.

“You’ve got to try and create turnovers.”

“We can spread the floor a little bit and that opens up some driving lanes, drive and kick and get some open shots,” he added. “But it can be good and bad because you don’t want to become dependent on the three point shot.”

Without Tapscott, who aver-

V: How does it feel to break a school record?

JV: It feels good. When I first did it, it was exciting, but now it’s my record that I keep

Track and field standout Joenisha Vinson

L

V: If you could have dinner with three people from history—alive, dead or fictional—who would they be?

JV: Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and

V: Do you have any hidden talents?

JV: I rap. My coaches know, but they have just never heard it. Some of my teammates know, but a lot of them don’t.

issue for the team.

“We have empty stretches Who will step up for the Vikings? sometimes, when we’re not getting anything,” Odum With their starting front-line out for the next few weeks, said. “And during those empty other Vikings will have to fill the void, and a stroke of bad stretches [is] when the other team goes on their run. We luck for one person can be a golden opportunity for another. can’t have those stretches Senior Philip “Tree” Thomas becomes the Viking’s only real of bad team-defense, or big man and will be counted on to step up into a bigger role. bad shots.”

“Tree has played well and he’s stepping up his game,” coach “We have to stay together,” Odum emphasized. “EveryTyler Geving said. “The hard part is that we need him to stay thing has to be team-orientout of foul trouble and play 35-plus minutes a game now.” ed—team rebounding, team “My main thing is rebounding right now,” Thomas said. defense—we have to work to“We’re a little short-handed, but I’m just ready to do whatever gether well.” the team needs to get the W. I’m willing to step up whenever Geving agrees that the team members need to lean it’s needed.” on each other and also notes Added Geving about senior forward Paul Guede, “Paul is that the next few weeks going to have to step up big-time. It’s his chance now to start represent an opportunity for and get some big minutes.” the entire roster to show what With the team’s depth depleted, even guards like Terry they’ve got.

“It’s a chance for Coleman, Alonzo Brandon and Dane Johnson will be counted on everybody—it’s across the for bigger contributions. The starters aren’t worried, though. board,” Geving said. “Guys “We’re a very deep team, [people] just haven’t seen how who’ve [wanted] more deep we are yet,” Charles Odum said. “There’s a lot of different playing time, now it’s your opportunity to go out and do guys who can contribute. Terry, Alonzo and Dane are as good it. Everybody has to make sure as anyone—they just have to go out there and show it.” to do their part.”

“The guys need to come in and keep the energy going,” Portland State hosts Melvin Jones said. ”That’s their opportunity to show the Sacramento State at 7:05 p.m. coach what they can do. And even when we get everybody Saturday at the Stott Center.

Live stats will be available back, they’ll get time to come in because coach will trust on www.GoViks.com, and them later in the season.” the game will air on KXFD, AM-970. ■

V: Do you read the Vanguard, and if so, how often?

JV: I don’t really read it because I have two

online classes, so I’m barely in the buildings.

But I picked one up today!

V: What is the last thing you read?

JV: The Vanguard’s sports section.

V: Do you have a favorite superhero?

JV: I don’t have a favorite superhero. But for

cartoon characters, I like Stewie from “Family Guy.” He’s funny. It’s the attitude baby.

V: What is the last thing you cooked?

JV: Baked chicken, rice and broccoli. It

—This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

was great.

Vikings’ Melvin Jones to be on NBC’s “Today Show” all photos by drew martig/VANGUARD STAFF

John F. Kennedy.

mountain!

school I was recruited by the track team. Maybe it’s because I wanted to try new scenery, because I’m from Arizona and the weather here is much different.

was very interesting.

V: Which is your favorite place to eat around campus?

JV: Taco Bell, even though my coaches don’t

V: What is the first item that you would buy if you won the lottery?

JV: I would buy a house…a big house…on a

Vanguard: Why did you come to Portland State?

Joenisha Vinson: In my senior year in high

V: What has been your favorite class at Portland State?

JV: A sexualities class that I had last spring. It V: What is on your iPod right now?

JV: Nicki Minaj’s “Pink Friday.”

V: What is your favorite thing to do around Portland?

JV: Outside of track, I would just say exercising.

ast month, junior Joenisha Vinson began the indoor track and field season by breaking her own school record in the 60-meter hurdle, but it appears she is not yet ready to let the ink dry on Portland State’s top time in the event.

At last week’s Cherry & Silver Invitational, the Phoenix, Ariz., native again broke the school record with a time of 8.64 seconds in the preliminary round, and went on to finish fifth overall in the event.

Vinson recently took some time away from the track to tell us a little about herself.

Packers versus the Steelers. I’m rooting for Green Bay.

breaking. So, it’s good to know that I am getting better, and improving. It’s good to know that the hard work is paying off.

want me to eat there.

Gretchen Sandau Vanguard staff

Tower of power: Sophomore guard Chris Harriel soars above the Northern Arizona defense in Portland State's 79-51 loss at the Stott Center on Saturday. Harriel chalked up 8 points on the night, with seven rebounds and two steals.

V: If you could attend one concert or sporting event anywhere, what would it be?

JV: The Super Bowl to see the Green Bay

V: What is your favorite memory on the track?

JV: Last year, when I took third place in

Vandals vet Vikings

The inspiring story of Jones’ hard-knock life garners national attention

Portland State hockey club splits wins with visiting Idaho

Kevin Fong Vanguard staff

Robert Britt Vanguard staff

M

elvin Jones is in the middle of his senior season as the starting point guard on the Portland State basketball team, and is also on the verge of graduating with a degree in child and family studies. However, things weren’t always on the positive side for the 22-year-old Seattle native.

Growing up, Jones was the fourth of five children in a struggling single-parent household. Despite his mother's challenging circumstances, Mary Jones tried her best to keep the family together before she died from AIDS in 2004.

After his mother’s passing, Jones bounced around from family member to family member, unable to find a stable environment. He had trouble with the law and got into problems at school, until eventually he was taken in by Jennifer Annable, a teacher from his high school.

Annable, her husband and her family have cared for over five foster children throughout the years, and were able to help Jones get his life back on the right path. They helped him find success at school, encouraged his basketball talent and provided him with

a loving family. Jones now Portland State and has been considers Jennifer his “second on the Dean’s List since last mother.” winter term. Jones hopes to “Jennifer means a lot to me,” find a job doing social work Jones said. “She’s just a great in the future or possibly get person.” involved with coaching basAlready this year, Jones has ketball after his playing cahad the Portland Tribune and reer is over. the Seattle Times publish arJones’ feature is for Bob ticles covering his life and the Dodson’s “American Story” obstacles he’s been able to over- series, which focuses on come. Jones has been working unsung citizens whose actions with a production crew from touch others. The “Today the “Today Show” for the Show” is expected to run the past couple months, includ- story on Monday morning, ing filming trips to his home, between 8:30–9 a.m. ■ visits to campus and coverage of basketball games.

Still, Jones hasn’t let this distract him. Although he admits it can be strange at times, he insists that’s it’s been a good experience overall.

“It’s been fun,” Jones said. “Kinda crazy, but a lot of fun. Mainly, I’ve been trying to just focus on basketball.”

Jones is currently averaging 33.1 minutes, 11.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game this season. He Goviks.com has a 3.25 GPA at Senior guard Melvin Jones

The Portland State hockey club split victories with the Idaho Vandals in a two-game series at Portland’s Memorial Coliseum last weekend.

The Vikings (4-8) opened the series with a 6-1 victory Saturday night, but the Vandals (2-7) fought toothand-nail to even the series with a 9-6 decision Sunday afternoon.

The two clubs, both members of the American Collegiate Hockey League, took to the ice at the Coliseum following the Portland Winterhawks’ victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds, and Portland State kept the winning theme going for the Rose City.

The Vikings began the scoring in the opening period with goals from forward Tucker Dougherty and Stephen Printup for a 2-0 lead at the end of the first period.

Idaho cut PSU’s lead in half with an early goal in the second period, but back-to-back Viking goals from Steven Eibert and Dougherty within 18 seconds of each other kept the momentum, and scoreboard, favoring PSU. Printup scored his second goal of the game one minute before the second intermission to give the Vikings a 5-1 lead at the break.

The lone goal of the third period, shot by PSU’s Jesse Bush at 1:26 into the period, gave the Vikings the 6-1 lead that they held until the final buzzer.

In contrast to Saturday’s one-sided game, Sunday was a back-and-forth battle. PSU took an early lead with goals from Eibert and Anthony Libonati in the opening minutes, but four unanswered Idaho goals turned the tables on the Vikings.

Libonati and Eibert again provided a pair of goals in the closing minutes to tie the score at 4-all at the first intermission, but Idaho outscored the Vikings in the second period to take a

6-5 lead over PSU. The teams traded goals in the first half of the third period, but the Vikings were unable to regain control of the game and Idaho sealed the victory with two more goals in the final minutes to end the contest with a 9-6 victory.

Over the series, the teams were fairly balanced in shots on goal. The Vikings led 45-39 on Saturday, and on Sunday each team registered 42.

Portland State plays on the road this weekend against Walla Walla before returning to the Rose City for a twogame series with Santa Rosa Junior College on Feb. 5–6. ■

SCORES BY PERIOD Saturday

Idaho Portland State

1 2 3 F 0 1 0 1 2 3 1 6

Sunday Idaho Portland State

4 2 3 9 4 1 1 6

karl kuchs/VANGUARD STAFF

SPORTS ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 15

14 VANGUARD ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 ■ ETC.

ETC.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: VIRGINIA VICKERY EDITOR@DAILYVANGUARD.COM 503-725-5691

Rumble at the Roseland ends in exciting fashion

CALENDAR Today

A packed Roseland Theater hosts 14 thrilling bouts, including the debut of PSU student Robin Woods

Intro to Excel Workshop

Kevin Fong Vanguard staff

9 a.m.

Neuberger Hall, room 450

This class will cover the basic use of Excel, including entering and editing data, formatting, sorting and filtering, and basic formulas and functions.

Transportation Seminar: “Beyond the Bike Hook: Linking Bicycles and Transit” Noon PSU Urban Center, room 204

Presented by Colin Maher of TriMet. Social Sustainability Colloquium The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 500 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Friday, January 28, 2011

1 p.m.

Student Rec Center, room 660

This week’s presentation is titled “Community Knowledge Corps and Human Capacity Development Professionals: A prototype business built on quality of life vs. quantity of stuff,” presented by Ann Kramer, M.Ed., therapist and small business owner.

Saturday Vietnamese Student Association New Year Show 5 p.m.

Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom

This event, centered around the Vietnamese New Year, will feature performances of traditional singing, dancing, acting and a fashion show, as well as authentic Vietnamese cuisine. Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door.

Monday Writing Resumes and Cover Letters 1:30 p.m.

PSU Career Center

This workshop provides the latest information on techniques for writing effective resumes and cover letters. Free to all PSU students and alumni.

Artist Lecture: Laylah Ali 7:30 p.m.

Edited by Will Shortz Across 1 Not an ideal answer to “Do these jeans make me look fat?”

4 Chief 8 Something to unscrew on an auto 14 Feu fighter 15 Uncommon, in ancient Rome 16 Land of Papá Noel 17 N N N 18 Carols, often 20 Mr. Hilarious 22 Chair: Abbr.

23 Nonverbal congratulations 24 Scrooge player of film 29 It has 3,750 “steps of penitence” 30 Intimate 33 Down

ANSWER

Shattuck Hall Annex

Laylah Ali creates primarily gauche-on-paper paintings, and has had solo exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Contemporary Art Museum of St. Louis, among many others.

I S T H M I S A P

TO PLACE AN EVENT: Contact vgcalendar@gmail.com or pick up a calendar request form at the Vanguard advertising office, SMSU, room 114.

T B S

T E H E E D

S T E L L A

34 Bird, e.g., once 37 Comment upon receiving a large bill 38 Polar opposites?

42 “___ doing …”

43 Cold capital 44 Pique condition?

46 Saw 48 Entered cautiously 51 Time before the present day?

54 Palindromic girlʼs name 57 With 67-Across, sacred symbol to Zeus 58 TVʼs Anderson 59 Song of 1859 … or what the five circled letters represent?

64 Itʼs taken to calm down 66 It takes place on board a ship at sea in “The Tempest”

67 See 57-Across 68 Be a certain way?

69 Bit of candy 70 Start of something 71 Brief subject

Down 1 Game ___ 2 Its capital is Nouakchott 3 Score keeper?

4 Inverse trig function 5 Exclamation heard 12 times in Lady Gagaʼs “Bad Romance” 6 Word on a vin bottle 7 Head of cattle?

8 The Iron Horse of baseball 9 Silvery-gray 10 19-Down employee 11 Rough it, say TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE 12 Lady whom Don H O M E R Z E B R A Giovanni tries to O F A G E O B O E S seduce H F R O M E N O U G H 13 Over O S I L E N T S S A T O R Y I S M 19 Employer of 10Downs: Abbr.

E G G S Q E D O R A H K A U A I 21 “___ donʼt know” O F R O M W O M E N 24 Fr. title O T R I S H 25 Per F I E F E N D S 26 Misinform, U D E D E T R O I T maybe T E R Y O S T E O 27 #10 on a table I F R O M N A T I O N 28 Seamstressʼs aid L E D G E S C U E 31 Chance

G L I S T T H E E E N R R R E L W A H E T A G E N O R E

T A R O T

E T D

1

2

3

4

14

5

6

7

8

15

17

22 25

26

27

34 38

39

36

31

48 52

49

44

45

64

65

50

53

57 60

32

41

47

56

13

37

43

51 55

35

40

42 46

12

28

30

33

11

23

29

59

10

19

21

24

54

9

16

18 20

No. 1224

58

61

62

63

66

67

68

69

70

71

Puzzle by Jay Kaskel and Daniel Kantor

32 “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” setting 35 Lily, in Lille 36 Flat sign 39 Car-racing org.

40 Van follower 41 Tramp 45 Chemical suffix 47 Blue

49 Like many winter 55 Part of a boast roads 56 Smart ___ 50 Peruvian 60 Three-in-one pronoun M.D. 61 Class-conscious 52 Ziering of grp.?

“90210” 62 Princeton 53 Burlesque bits Review subj.

54 Bob Cratchit to 63 Part of a snicker Scrooge, e.g.: 65 Fresh Abbr.

For answers, call 1-900-285-5656, $1.49 a minute; or, with a credit card, 1-800-814-5554.

Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. AT&T users: Text NYTX to 386 to download puzzles, or visit nytimes.com/mobilexword for more information.

Online subscriptions: Todayʼs puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year).

Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay.

Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.

Kevin Fox stood over the crumpled body of Damien Martindale and swiped his thumb across his throat in celebration.

In the much-hyped “Battle of the Champions,” Fox successfully defended his light heavyweight championship Saturday in the main event of the Full Contact Fighting Federation’s Rumble at the Roseland 54, catching heavyweight champion Martindale with a devastating straight-right in the second round that instantly folded his opponent’s body up against the cage.

Martindale, a natural heavyweight, cut weight from 235 lbs to 205 lbs to face Fox for his light-heavyweight belt.

“I feel great,” Fox said later that night. “It’s a fight I’ve been waiting for a long time, [and] he said I’ve been dodging him...Also, there was motivation because he came down to my weight class.”

Added Fox about his post-fight antics: “My emotions got to me. I don’t usually come out cocky like that, but I guess he gave me a little extra fuel for the fire.”

“There’s no bad blood, not on my part,” Martindale said. “He didn’t want to shake at the beginning, but I understand, that’s a fighter’s preference. I respect him.”

After a close first round, Fox was able to keep the fight standing in the second, landing some big shots, including a cracking kick across Martindale’s mid-section, which eventually led to the end of the fight.

“He’s the type of fighter that likes to secure position before he throws a lot of strikes,” Fox said.

“So I knew if I could fight the take down, then it

she knows that you have to put your work in.

“It always sucks [to lose], but I’m only an amateur,” Whitmire said. “So I’d rather lose now than later as a pro. It’s all a learning process. Every time you get in there you learn something about yourself.”

After her successful debut, Woods talked about the negative stereotype often associated with her new sport.

“The only reason I fight is because I love the people I train with; they’re great people. [Fighters] are definitely not bloodthirsty or savage people—I don’t feel it’s that way at all,” Woods said. photo courtesy of the fcff.com “You’re always going to find a Bringing the pain: Two fighters from the FCFF's previous Rumble at the Roseland take the match to the mat. few bad apples in every sport; I mean, there are rugby players would stay standing, in my realm.” decision victory.

I’d really like to smack.”

In a featured undercard bout, upcoming fe“It was a lot fun,” Woods said. “But it was However, Woods won’t have much time male prospect Emily Whitmire faced off against frustrating because there was a lot of stuff I knew to celebrate her win, as she’ll have to quickly Portland State student Robin Woods.

I could have done better and hope to do better shift from hitting opponents back to hitting A competitive rugby player who is currently in the future.” the books. studying for her Master’s degree in Urban Studies, Despite the loss, Whitmire was able to secure “School has definitely suffered from my trainWoods made her mixed martial arts debut Satur- threatening submission attempts multiple times ing routine,” Woods joked. “So I need to get day night against the more experienced Whitmire. off her back, nearly ending the fight twice in the caught up this week.”

“I was really nervous I was going to get psyched second round.

She recommends that her fellow Portland out, so my main focus was keeping calm,” Woods “I wasn’t getting anywhere up against the cage, State students get out and watch a mixed marsaid. “I get really bad stage fright sometimes, but so I felt like I kind of gave her the takedown tial arts event to experience the excitement, it wasn’t as bad I thought it was going to be.” sometimes, so then I could look for submis- or if they’re bold enough, even try it out for “It was similar to rugby in a lot of ways,” Woods sions,” Whitmire said. themselves. added. “Rugby can be a very intense sport.”

“I was surprised at first when one of the judges “Just getting out there, meeting different Woods controlled most of the fight, using her scored for me,” Whitmire remarked. “But when people and staying physically active is good,” size advantage to keep Whitmire up against the I think back, on the ground I was going for sub- Woods said. “I’m a mind, body, spirit type cage or pinned on the ground. Although Woods missions and she was just holding her place.” of person. I think its good to have a balance didn’t land many big shots, her ability to domiStill, Whitmire understands that the life of an of all facets in your life and broaden your nate the action earned her a three round split amateur cage-fighter isn’t always an easy road, and horizons.” ■

Track teams return to Husky country Vikings track and field teams prepare for another showdown at the UW Invitational Gretchen Sandau Vanguard staff

The Portland State men’s and women’s track teams head to Seattle, Wash., today for two days of competition at the University of Washingtonhosted UW Invitational.

The UW Invitational marks the second of three meets in the indoor season in which the Vikings will compete at Washington’s Dempsey Indoor track complex.

For the first time this season, the Vikings will field competitors in the multi-event pentathlon and heptathlon. One such student-athlete is junior Joenisha Vinson, who will compete in the five-event pentathlon (60-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and the 800m).

KenKen® is a registered trademark of Nextoy, LLC. ©2011 KenKen Puzzle LLC. All rights reserved. Dist. by UFS, Inc. www.kenken.com

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

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

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

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

1-28-11

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOVIKS.COM

Give it a shot: Sophomore thrower Hannah Johnson could compete at the UW Invitational this weekend in Seattle.

“I’m looking forward to achieving the goals I have set for myself,” Vinson said. “I’m looking forward to doing way better than I did the first time.”

Junior J.J. Rosenberg will represent PSU in the heptathlon (60m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 60m hurdles, pole vault and 1,000m).

Rosenberg will be competing in his first multievent as a Viking.

The Vikings look to continue improving after last weekend’s Cherry and Silver Invitational in New Mexico, where Vinson and teammate Geronne Black each broke school records in the 60m hurdles and 60m sprint, respectively.

“I think we will do good, because following last week we did great, and this weekend should be

another good track meet,” Vinson said. “Everyone wants to leave the track meet with good results.”

In the Big Sky Conference standings, Portland State holds the top times in five events, all but one of which are on the women’s side.

Black holds the conference’s best times in the 60m, and Vinson holds the top spot in the 60m hurdles. Meanwhile, Amber Rozcicha tops out the times in the 800m.

Senior Karene King holds the best time in the 200m and was named the conference’s track Athlete of the Week Tuesday for her 24.31-second finish in the event. With that time, she currently ranks No. 35 in the NCAA in the event.

On the men’s team, Tony Crisofulli holds the conference’s best time in the men’s 800m. ■

16 VANGUARD ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 ■ SPORTS

Women’s basketball to take on Sacramento State Vikings travel south for first of two meetings with Hornets

YOUR WEEKEND (PLUS) IN SPORTS FRIDAY Hockey

Portland Winterhawks (33-14-0-3, 69 pts at Tri-City Americans (29-13-2-1, 61 pts) Kennewick, Wash.

7:05 p.m.

Radio: KXFD, AM-970

Rosemary Hanson Vanguard staff

T

he road has not been Egwuatu had one of the best kind to the Portland performances of her career last State women’s basket- weekend. ball team, but they “I was very pleased with hope to put their troubles be- Stephanie Egwautu,” Murrell hind them when they head to said. “She played more minutes Sacramento State on Saturday. than she has in her three years The Vikings (9-9, 2-3 Big here. And with Kelli Valentine Sky) lost both conference coming out and Shauneice games on the road and are just Samms being out, I thought 2-8 on the road.

Stephanie Egwautu did a great The Viks did end last job of stepping up and filling weekend’s pair of road those spots.” matches on a win after they Besides Egwautu, senior beat Northern Arizona last center Courtney Cremer Saturday night. The Vikings also came out to the court. also played Dam Cup rival With an impressive three Eastern Washington at home blocks on Saturday night, last night, the results of the senior has really stepped which were not ready as of up on the defensive side, press time. said Murrell. The fourth of Portland State needs to copy the typically less highlighted its NAU performance this players to light up is the upweekend. The Viks beat the and-coming freshman guard Lumberjacks by 10, 56-48. Allie Brock. Murrell said The team also out-rebounded Brock’s performance is still its opponent, 52 to NAU's inconsistent, mainly due 46, which is an area where to her age, but that she is the team is continually trying someone who can come in to improve, said head coach and play extraordinarily well Sherri Murrell. and is an emerging presence As injuries have led to player on the team. absences on the Vikings roster, These four, along with the new faces have been heating entire Viking roster, will need up the court. Junior guard to focus on not letting the Eryn Jones has been proving road get the best of them as to be a leader in her point they head south to face the Sac guard position. Jones made 36 State Hornets. points over the weekend.

Sac State has had a rough “The numbers speak for season so far. The Hornets themselves,” Murrell said of (3-16, 0-6 Big Sky) are Jones' performance. “But currently in last place in the beyond that, at NAU she Big Sky Conference standings, really truly became the point and are waiting for their guard and she directed traffic. first conference victory of all photos by adam wickham/VANGUARD STAFF We were short-handed and the season.

Taking the shot: Sophomore guard Courtney VanBrocklin hits a jumper in coverage during Portland State's 89-79 win over she did a great job leading and The Hornets are playing Idaho State earlier this month. VanBrocklin was one of three Vikings to score at least 20 points in that game. getting her teammates to play without one of last season’s and play well.” stars, forward Emily Along with Jones is Christenson, who has been off guard Tika Koshiyama-Diaz, chips in an average of 7.3 the Stott Center and beat the sophomore guard Courtney the court since the pre-game are the only two Sac State points, but it is her assists that home team by five, 83-78. are most notable. The guard The win ended a Viking threeVanBrocklin, who posted 19 matchup on Nov. 12. Now, players to start all 19 games.

Kuhns dominates in points boasts 107 assists so far this game winning streak. points last week against Weber forward Kylie Kuhns is leading This time around the State. A first-year player for the Hornets. The sophomore for the Hornets with a 15.6 season—she alone makes up Koshiyama-Diaz for almost a third of the team’s action begins in Sacramento at PSU, after redshirting last forward, along with senior average.

320 assists.

1:05 p.m. on Saturday. The season, VanBrocklin The Hornets game can be followed through has lit up the court are coming off of Big Sky TV; the link is found both with her points a loss to Eastern on www.goviks.com. ■ and defense.

Washington, 98“She’s a phenom70. Despite the enal athlete and gives painful loss on us so much on the the road, Kuhns defensive end," MurPLAYERS TO WATCH still dominated rel said. "She’s just a PORTLAND STATE on shots, going spark plug. There’s COURTNEY VANBROCKLIN for a team high never a game where Sophomore-guard of 23 points. She she’s not giving her also controlled the Free-throw percent: .855 (leads team) 100 percent, all-out charity stripe go- Rebound average: 6.1 (leads team) effort.” ing 13 of 17.

In addition to Steals: 33 (leads team) Last season, Average Points: 13.6 (leads team) Jones and VanBrockPortland State lin, four other ViSACRAMENTO STATE and Sac State split kings have stepped KYLIE KUHNS the series with up and moved into Sophomore-forward PSU dominatthe spotlight to fill ing game No. 1, Free-throw percent: .661 in for key players 95-86. The sec- Rebound Average: 11.6 (leads team) that are not in full ond time around, Steals: 30 (leads team) playing capability. however, the Average Points: 15.6 (leads team) Murrell said that juHornets stunned nior guard Stephanie Courtney on the court: An Idaho State defender pressures senior center Courtney Cremer.

SATURDAY Women’s basketball

Portland State (9-9, 2-3 Big Sky) at Sacramento State (3-16, 0-6 Big Sky)

Sacramento, Calif.

1:05 p.m.

Video: b2tv.com Audio/stats: GoViks.com Men’s basketball

Sacramento State (4-15, 1-7 Big Sky) at Portland State (10-9, 3-4 Big Sky)

Stott Center 7:05 p.m.

Radio: KXFD, AM-970 Live stats: GoViks.com WHL hockey

Portland Winterhawks (33-14-0-3, 69 pts) at Seattle Thunderbirds (18-21-4-5, 45 pts)

Seattle, Wash.

7:05 p.m.

Radio: KXL, AM-750 Club hockey

Portland State at Walla Walla Walla Walla, Wash.

Time to be determined

SUNDAY Club hockey

Portland State at Walla Walla Walla Walla, Wash.

Time to be determined

TUESDAY NBA

San Antonio Spurs (39-7) at Portland Trail Blazers (25-21)

Rose Garden Arena 7 p.m.

* Records accurate as of 5 p.m., Thursday