Portland State Vanguard, vol. 71 issue 23

PORTLAND STATE VANGUARD

VOLUME 71 • ISSUE 23 • FEBRUARY 21, 2017

HIGH SCHOOLERS RALLY IN PARK BLOCKS AFTER QUANICE HAYES’ DEATH

P. 4

CLIMATE CHANGE: A MATTER OF MORALITY

P. 7

INTIMATE NIGHT LIFE AT 5TH AVE CINEMA

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CONTENTS NEWS

ARTS & CULTURE

SSC RECEIVES FUNDING BOOST P. 5

THEATER GONE MAD P. 11

INTERNATIONAL

OPINION

THIS WEEK AROUND THE WORLD P. 7

LIVING IN A BUZZ-EAT-BUZZWORD P. 14

FEATURE

ETCETERA

HOW DOES A GREEN ZEBRA TASTE? P. 8

ADVICE FOR MYSPACE CREEPS P. 15

COVER PHOTO BY BRIANA YBANEZ. ILLUSTRATIONS BY LYDIA WOJACK-WEST, LETTERING BY TERRA DEHART.

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TURN ON. TUNE IN. DROP OUT?

NEWS

DEBATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ONLINE LEARNING AT PSU ASTRUD BENSON

JACOB SALAZAR/PSU VANGUARD Online learning has become more prevalent among students of various degrees nationwide. Portland State offers an assortment of online degrees while also requiring many students to enroll online as a graduation requirement for the University Studies cluster. According to PSU’s UNST website, the program aims to “teach learning ” by diversifying a student’s learning experience and expanding students’ abilities to think critically and communicate effectively.

In addition to offering an alternative experience in education, online courses allow students with children, disabilities or conflicting work schedules to continue their degrees.

“I chose to take a class online because it allowed me to have more time for work,”

explained PSU student Paige Fischer. “The biggest pro is definitely being able to do my work from any location at any time. Having the flexibility to learn in cases like severe weather or illness is very beneficial in staying caught up with the work.”

“I chose online learning because I feel that I learn better when I’m by myself and not in a class with other students,” said online PSU student Mikayla Brennan. “I also prefer to do my school work late at night. The biggest pro is that you’re able to do the work on your own time.”

PSU’s official report on the effectiveness of online UNST courses suggests a trend in student satisfaction regarding writing, communication and an increased level of organization

from online professors.

Director of Assessment and Undergraduate Clusters Rowanna Carpenter expressed similar sentiments after assessing online UNST student evaluations. “In addition to the flexibility of time management that online-learning provides, it also creates a much easier environment for shy or less-outgoing students to thrive,” said Carpenter. “Whereas in class, these same students could also be less successful because they are too shy to speak up.”

Where the effectiveness of online UNST courses falls short can be seen in comparing the lower online pass rates against classroom learning pass rates. UNST staff have begun implementing action steps in order to combat this trend, such as faculty workshops and student outreach.

“We also do our best to maintain the same style of operation as face-to-face classes,” Carpenter said. “Teachers in online courses not only create very well-structured learning plans but also facilitate group work and interactions to mirror those in-person.”

PSU professor Michael Rancourt discussed the pros and cons of teaching online. “In my face-to-face classes, I teach like I’m having a conversation because that’s really what I think I’m doing,” added Rancourt. “But in my online classes, I teach like I am writing an essay. I love writing, so I actually really like the process of pulling together research about a topic and presenting it in a way that shares ideas and models a way of sharing ideas at the same time.”

Although Rancourt enjoys the benefits of online presentations, he still prefers in-class courses over online. “I think everyone is afraid that teaching online will feel impersonal, like it’s harder to have a connection with students,” explained Rancourt. “That’s how I’ve felt. For me, without that connection, it really feels like this formal transaction—like a business transaction, instead of a collaborative process between members of a community.”

UNST student evaluations reflect Rancourt’s sentiment: online students are less likely to feel a sense of community, and, despite the utilization of online group work and discussion, the impersonal aspects of distance learning can foster a distaste for online courses.

Despite these negative findings, the UNST department has continued to increase the amount of available online UNST courses.

“The evidence shows that students are overall satisfied with online courses,” Carpenter said. “We’re just going to keep working and keep pushing for more engagement and learning and maintaining a standard with both the faculty and students.”

“I don’t think it would be fair to say that one is just better than the other,” said Rancourt.

“It’s different, so instructors just need to think about teaching online differently. Even if we haven’t all found everything that works best for our students yet, we still probably go about improving our instruction the same way we do with our face-to-face teaching.”

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 21, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

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NEWS

STUDENTS RALLY AT PSU FOR QUANICE HAYES ANAMIKA VAUGHAN Hundreds of students and local residents gathered in Portland State’s park blocks Thursday, Feb. 16 for a rally organized by the Portland Student Action Network, a high school social justice group. The rally was organized in the wake of 17-year-old Quanice Hayes’ fatal shooting by Portland police.

Speakers and attendees discussed the treatment of young black men by police in Portland and demanded justice for Hayes’ death and police transparency.

Hayes was fatally shot three times in the chest by police at 9:20 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9. Police had identified him as a suspect in an armed robbery outside a Northeast Portland motel. Police report that a replica gun was found near the body, but no other details have yet been released.

Officer Andrew Hearst, who fired the fatal shots, has been placed on administrative leave. Hearst is a seven-year veteran of the PPB and was one of the officers responsible for another fatal shooting of 50-year-old Merle Hatch in 2013.

“This event is being organized with the permission of family members and friends,” stated the event’s Facebook page. “On the request of the family, we ask that this be a peaceful demonstration.”

The rally began at around 5:40 p.m. on the PSU campus, where speakers implored the city of Portland to listen and take action to reform police procedure in order to prevent any future shootings.

“People being shot in the streets for being black is not okay,” said speaker Gregory McKelvey, a well-known activist in Portland. “In all the meetings I ever had with our city government, whether it was with Charlie Hales or when I was meeting with Ted Wheeler—they like to hang their hat on the fact that we hadn’t had a shooting of a black male, or a black anybody, or anybody for a long time. And I kept asking them, well, what’s going to stop them from it happening tomorrow? And then it happened. And now we get no answers.”

Another speaker recalled her memory of Hayes, whom she’d known since middle school, describing him as one of the nicest people she’d ever met and how dedicated he was to his family. Prior to this speaker, a moment of silence for the loss of Hayes was held by the crowd. Some participants held single burning candles as the smell of burning sage drifted in and out of the small, dense crowd.

Members of the crowd spoke of their own fears sparked by the incident: “I am here really to show support for the family of Quanice Hayes and the community, mostly African-American community and community of color here in Portland that continues to be over-policed and treated with excessive force and criminalized,” said crowd member Dana. “I grieve for the family and want to keep holding the police accountable for their actions.”

After about an hour, the rally left the PSU campus to march. Crowd members could be heard chanting, “Quanice Hayes, say his name,” along with various other chants.

“I’m deeply troubled about the loss of life that we experienced,” said crowd member Connie Limbrick. “I think that people who have been accused of a crime deserve a trial and should not just be shot down in the streets. I’m glad to be here with all the students who are also concerned.”

Police presence was initially minimal; however, at around 7 p.m., police tweeted out about protesters throwing signs and cones into the street around SW 2nd and Oak Street. The protest organizers had not requested a permit for the march.

According to Koin 6, one individual, 19-year-old Zachary Lange, was arrested on riot charges due to an altercation with a driver.

A Nov. 21 protest organized by Portland high school students resulted in the arrest of McKelvey and two other prominent activists in Portland: Kathryn Stevens and Micah Rhodes. Shortly thereafter the students released a statement contesting PPD’s statement that McKelvey was organizing and influencing Portland youth to disobey police orders.

The November letter stated: “Yesterday, the Portland Police Bureau fabricated their own narrative. They claimed outside groups were prompting students to get involved in dangerous protests. This is a lie that was seemingly meant to discourage youth from participating in a nonviolent demonstration.”

Additional reporting by Jon Raby

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PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 21, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

PORTLAND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS RALLY IN PSU PARK BLOCKS ONE WEEK AFTER POLICE FATALLY SHOT QUANICE HAYES. ANAMIKA VAUGHAN/PSU VANGUARD

NEWS

STUDENT SUSTAINABILITY CENTER FINDS NEW FUNDING HOME ANAMIKA VAUGHAN

NIMI EINSTEIN

The Student Sustainability Center is slated to receive $71,000 in funding from the upcoming 2018 financial budget allocated by the Associated Students of Portland State University’s Student Fee Committee, a significant increase from its previous $75 allocation.

The increase by the SFC will go toward paying for student positions and programming as its primary funding source, while a 10-year challenge grant from the Miller Foundation gradually comes to an end in June 2019.

“Last May, SSC received a 50 percent budget decrease from the Institute for Sustainable Solutions— they administer the Miller Grant,” said SSC Coordinator Heather Spalding. “They are beginning to withdraw funds in order to prepare for the transition when the grant ends. Last summer, we made very significant budget reductions in order to handle the transitions, so that our funding needs are about 40 percent lower.”

These budget reductions included decreased hourly pay and work hours and suspending student work during the summer. During this time the SSC began reporting to Student Activities and Leadership Programs, who provided office supplies and administrative support, as well as opportunities to co-sponsor events.

The SSC applied to be a new feefunded program with the SFC in the fall of 2015, moving the organization closer to being student funded. The SFC initally allocated $75, with the intention to increase funding after the Miller grant came to an end.

The SSC was founded in 2009 after PSU received the Miller Foundation grant.

“SSC received a small portion of that money to offer student

engagement and leadership opportunities,” Spalding said. “When PSU received the grant, an external consulting company held focus groups across campus. One of the themes, especially from students and ASPSU, was the need for more support in building sustainability skills, knowledge, experience, awareness, etc. within the student body.”

The SSC’s resources for students interested in sustainability include field trips, the campus bee apiary located in PSU’s community garden, student gardens and the relatively new seed library where students and PSU community members can borrow or donate free seeds of all kinds.

“The seed library will be great for people who want to do some planting in the urban landscape,” said Lencia Holmes, a member of SSC’s marketing and social media task force. “And it’s just another option for students to be sustainable and know where their food is coming from.”

The seed library started during Earth Week in April 2016. Since then, the library has seen almost 200 people borrow seeds.

ILLUSTRATED BY NIMI EINSTEIN

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 21, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

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INTERNATIONAL

ECONOMISTS COME

TO TERMS WITH CLIMATE CHANGE

Multimedia at psuvanguard.com

by Dylan Gansen

PSU LECTURE EXAMINES HOW SOCIOLOGY AND POLITICS CREATES A CONTROVERSY CHRIS MAY The Institute for Economics and the Environment at Portland State hosted the second presentation in its winter speaker series, “Environment, Economics, and You” on Feb. 8. Riley Dunlap, regents professor of sociology at Oklahoma State University, gave a presentation titled, “How Climate Change Became Controversial.” His research attempts to explain the contradictions between the evergrowing scientific evidence of the reality and seriousness of global warming and declining public concern.

The first presentation in the series featured Richard B. Norgaard, professor emeritus of energy and resources at University of California, Berkeley, who discussed how the purposeful separation of economic reasoning from moral reasoning has contributed to the global failure to address climate change. In the introduction to the second presentation, Dr. Randy Bluffstone, professor of economics at PSU and the director of the Institute for Economics and the Environment, acknowledged that economists have increasingly been compelled to take a broader view of human nature.

“More and more we’ve been called upon to acknowledge behaviors that we in our discipline have typically viewed as anomalies,” Bluffstone explained. “Frankly, our colleagues in sociology, psychology, and other disciplines have highlighted this for a long time, and we’re catching up.”

Irrational and ubiquitous human behaviors neglected by economists are a key focus of Dunlap’s research on the political and sociological aspects of climate change controversy.

He highlighted the 1988 Senate testimony of James Hansen, which first brought wide attention to global warming.

“As sociologists would say it,” Dunlap explained, “that put global warming on the public agenda. It was a well-accepted social problem.”

He then compared a Gallup poll measuring concern over global warming taken the year following Hansen’s testimony with one taken in 2015, which showed that fewer people are now worried “a great deal” or “a fair amount” about global warming, while the number of those that worry “only a little” or “not at all” has increased.

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DENIAL OF CLIMATE CHANGE A LONG-TERM EFFORT

Dunlap argued that organized denial and the resulting political polarization it causes among the general public is partly responsible for these developments.

The composition and evolution of this “denial machine” began in the 1970s with the establishment of conservative think tanks such as the The Heritage Foundation, whose mission was to combat perceived threats from progressive social movements and federal initiatives such as the domestic programs associated with Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society.

A major turning point, according to Dunlap, was the fall of the Soviet Union and the emergence of global environmentalism. Events such as the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio were considered part of a growing international environmental movement that would threaten the market economies, privatization of common property, and free trade that represented global capitalism.

“The U.S. conservative movement,” Dunlap explained, “which had long existed to fight communism, basically substituted a green scare for the red scare that was fading away.”

To explain the reason for this conservative anti-environmentalism movement, Dunlap referred to a classic article in sociology that identifies three necessary conditions for the rise of counter-movements: signs of success in the movement, threats to the interests of some population by the goals of the movement, and the availability of political allies to help mobilize opposition.

The meeting of these three conditions could be seen, respectively, in the burgeoning global environmental movement of the ’90s, the threat to global capitalism this movement represented, and the growing strength of the U.S. conservative movement as the Republican party gained control of congress in 1995.

This coordinated global campaign against climate change was informed by previous lessons learned by the conservative movement during attempts to combat environmentalism in the past.

“In the Reagan administration,” Dunlap explained, “he appointed Anne Gorsuch as

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 21, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

CHLOE KENDALL

head of the EPA and James Watt in charge of Interior, and within a couple of years they both had to resign in scandals.”

MANUFACTURING SKEPTICISM

A new strategy would be needed to effectively avoid the political consequences of a direct assault on environmental protections.

“Americans actually care about clean air and water,” Dunlap continued, “and if you openly attack those—there was a backlash.”

As a result of this backlash, the perpetuation of environmental skepticism was devised to “challenge the authenticity of environmental problems and thus the necessity of environmental protection policies.”

The best way to accomplish this goal was to adopt the methods of manufacturing uncertainty that had been employed in the past by the chemical and tobacco industries to undermine the evidence showing their products were harmful.

These methods would then be expanded to attack environmental science as a whole.

At this point, the complex apparatus that systematically promoted narratives and ideologies that called into question the scientific bases informing environmental policies designed to combat climate change had come to include the fossil fuels industry, corporate America (think U.S. Chamber of Commerce), conservative foundations and think tanks, front groups, contrarian scientists, as well as astroturfing campaigns and organizations.

While this organized and concerted effort to discredit the broad scientific consensus on the dangers of global warming and its causes can be largely attributed to the conservative movement and its political and economic allies, flawed understandings of how economies and the environment interact can be found across political lines and geographic borders.

PROPOSED ECONOMIC SOLUTIONS NEED TO BE EXAMINED CAREFULLY

Julius McGee, assistant professor of sociology at Portland State, is currently working on research concerning how urban development

can increase or decrease anthropogenic environmental impacts, the ecological consequences of environmentally sustainable policies, as well as assessing the ways social inequality across race, gender and class contribute to environmental degradation.

“The popular narrative pushed by many governments and international organizations is that climate change can be addressed without compromising economic growth,” McGee said.

According to McGee, the idea that investing in green technology will be able to decouple economic growth from carbon emissions has been called into question by recent research he has conducted.

As McGee went on to explain, “Increasing green production, such as renewable electricity sources, does not mean carbon intensive energy (e.g. fossil fuels) will decline.”

He cited the reason for this being the complexity of economic systems and highlighted that increasing the production of both renewable energy and fossil fuels is like trying to have your cake and eat it too.

In exploring how we as a society understand (and misunderstand) global warming, environmental sociologists such as Dunlap and McGee hope to discover new ways we can engage these existential threats to human civilization.

Even in a post-factual reality where the credibility of the academic and scientific institutions they belong to is being undermined by complex, well-funded, and powerful disinformation campaigns, the results of their w ork are presenting implications for the way economists and others understand our relationship to the natural world.

Reaching Bluffstone via e-mail after the talk, he expressed what he hoped students and members of the PSU community would take away from these presentations.

“I hope that each seminar presentation offers the audience new ways to think about important issues at the intersection of economics and the environment,” Bluffstone said.

The next presentation will be on April 26 by professor Matthew Kotchen, who was the deputy assistant secretary for Energy and the Environment during the Obama administration. His topic will be “The Political Economy of Climate Change.”

INTERNATIONAL

KENYAN REFUGEE CAMP OFFERS BELEAGUERED SOMALIS REFUGE KRISTI TIHANYI The future of the lives of a quarter million Somali refugees, desperate to escape unfathomable living conditions in a country wrought with war and destitute poverty, is still in limbo despite a recent ruling from the Kenyan high court against the closure of the Dadaab refugee camp.

A decision made in May 2016 to close the Dadaab refugee camp on the border of Kenya, one of the largest refugee camps in the world, was overturned on Feb. 9. The camp is located north of Nairobi, near the border of Somalia, and is currently home to nearly 250,000 refugees. The plan to forcibly relocate thousands of refugees, many of whom are Somalis who have fled from their civil war-stricken native home, was deemed a discriminatory move targeted at Somalis. Somalis have been emigrating to Dadaab and major cities in Kenya ever since the war peaked in 1991.

In this current political climate, the decision to protect the rights of the refugees represents a necessary counteraction to recent decisions made by the Trump administration to ban travel between the United States and several countries, including those from the Dadaab refugee camp. Both the Kenyan government prior to this judge’s decision and Trump’s Executive

Order 13769 cite concerns that there is an increased risk of terrorist activity from Somali people that live in Dadaab and similar refugee camps, a claim which has not been substantiated. Because of this hysteria, Somalis living in Dadaab faced a harsh reality: being forcibly located from the refugee camp and having no plan in place for where to go.

The Geneva Convention of 1994 states it is the obligation of all nations to protect the rights of refugees, and the United States has historically prioritized immigration of refugees. The Kenyan judge’s decision to overturn the closure of Dadaab refugee camp is in line with these ideals.

The Kenyan government has already appealed this decision, but if they do close the doors to this camp or continue to violate the rights of Somali refugees, they could lose financial support from other countries dedicated to the purpose of curbing this epidemic.

If the Trump administration replaces the travel ban, which was deemed unconstitutional on the grounds that it is discriminatory on religious grounds, and if the Kenyan government thwarts the decision by the judge, then this huge population of Somali refugees could find itself, again, seeking refuge elsewhere.

FEB. 11 BORNO, NIGERIA

Eight were killed and 50 or more injured in two separate Boko Haram incursions in the region. The first attack was a rapid-fire ambush that killed seven, and the second attack was a mass arson attack that killed one.

FEB. 13 SEPANG, MALAYSIA

Feb. 11 – 17 Alex-Jon Earl

Kim Jong-nam, bother of Kim Jong-un, was assassinated at a Malaysian airport by poisoning. Once the likely successor to Kim Jong-il until an attempted trip to Disneyland, Kim had since fallen out of favor and was living abroad as a result. The apparent assassins claimed to have been duped into believing they were in a prank comedy show— a claim buttressed by the fact that one wore a shirt that read “LOL.”

TERRA DEHART

FEB. 14 CHINA

President Donald Trump won a trademark over his name after years of effort. This puts the future of products that are named Trump in China into question, but for the time being Chinese consumers may still buy Trump toilets and Trump condoms.

FEB. 16 SEHWAN, PAKISTAN

A suicide bomb exploded at a Sufi shrine leaving 83 confirmed dead and estimates of up to 100 total dead and 300 injured. Regional ISIL forces have claimed responsibility for the attack.

FEB. 17 PAKISTAN

As a response to the Feb. 16 attack, Pakistan claims upward of 100 militants have been killed in security operations.

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 21, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

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FEATURE

GREEN ZEBRA GOES TO COLLEGE FEATURE BY DEVON WANDERON

Q: What do you get when you cross a New Seasons with a 7-Eleven? Hint: It’s not organic Slurpees.

Those who said “Green Zebra Grocery” are correct! The brainchild of former New Seasons CEO Lisa Sedlar, Green Zebra just opened its third location across the street from Cramer Hall. You can probably see it from your Intro to Western Literature class.

Whoa there, Billy the Kid! Before grabbing your environmentally-friendly grocery bags and saddling up your faithful steed, take a minute to read the rest of this article—you’re not going to have time to read it in line!

SHOPPING DOWNTOWN

If you live on or near campus, chances are you shop at Safeway, which is supremely unfortunate. Even considering that the notoriously long lines provide ample time to ponder the meaning of life (or read the paper), I have no idea why I shop there. The quality and selection are lacking, and for some reason the highish prices fail to reflect that. Perhaps being the only grocery store serving Portland’s Southwest Downtown district has something to do with it? Jeez, if only we lived in a city that appreciated locally-sourced organic produce.

Not to blow your mind or anything, but we do live in that city. A study conducted by the Campbell Soup Company ranked Portland the most organic-friendly city in the U.S., narrowly beating both San Francisco and Providence, Rhode Island. (I’m not sure which is more impressive: the fact that the Campbell Soup Company conducts organic food studies, or that Rhode Island made a top ten list...but I digress.)

PARTNERING WITH PSU FOOD PANTRY

The first thing you’ll to want to do when stepping into the Green Zebra is find Kimberly Becerra. When she’s not running Portland State’s Food Pantry, Becerra moonlights as a barista at the Zebra. Becerra took time away from her job turning the sleep-deprived into productive members of society to talk to us about her other work supporting food security at PSU. Vanguard: The basic idea behind the Pantry is to provide food to the student body, especially those who might have a tight budget. What are a few of the challenges you face trying to make that happen?

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THE NEW GREEN ZEBRA GROCERY IS OPEN, ACROSS FROM PSU’S CRAMER HALL AT 1704 SW BROADWAY. BRIANA YBANEZ / PSU VANGUARD Becerra: Not having enough variety on certain days. Working with a limited number of volunteers and trying to serve as many students as possible is also challenging [due to constricted operating hours]. So we’re trying to do better outreach and get students to let us know what hours/days they would like for us to be open.

VG: Every time I pass by the Pantry there’s a line of students. It seems the organization fills a vital role on campus.

KB: It is. Almost every day we hear from students who are happy we’re open and that they’re happy we’re here. Some of the students will go into their personal stories, which really helps us when it comes to shopping for certain dietary preferences, or creating more access to certain products that are offered through the Oregon Food Bank.

VG: So does Green Zebra donate to the Oregon Food Bank or directly to PSU? KB: We both have a partnership with the Oregon Food Bank, so after meetings with their staff rep, we eventually found that we’re able to have the Green Zebra donate directly to the Pantry. Which really benefits the students— knowing that we’re able to count on donations from Green Zebra throughout the week.

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 21, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

VG: What’s the best way for students to stay up-to-date with the Pantry?

KB: The Pantry Facebook page! We do a lot of notifications on there, especially of what we get that day or urgent news; if for some reason we expect to have a low amount of resources we do our best to let people know beforehand.

VG: I wish more businesses adopted that method. I hate walking to a food cart only to find out they’ve closed early! Anything else the student body should know about?

What’s the best way to get involved?

KB: Definitely let us know what operating hours work best for your schedule. I’d love to have more people volunteer! There is a time commitment (1–2 hours per week over the entire term). For students meeting capstone requirements, we also offer intern opportunities. Having students from different majors devote their time to a project which ties back into the Pantry is a phenomenal help.

Q: WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU CROSS A NEW SEASONS WITH A 7-ELEVEN? HINT: IT’S NOT ORGANIC SLURPEES.

LET’S GO SHOPPING

For those of you who haven’t stepped foot in the store this last couple weeks, allow me to paint a quick picture. (For those of you who have been in the store, read this next

bit anyway. Compare our separate experiences. Realize that everything is subjective.

Make your psychology/philosophy professor proud.)

Hemp latte in hand (thanks Kimberly!), you take a moment to stare longingly at the pastry case; in a perfect world there would be no calories. Navigating the store is a breeze, and you quickly find yourself zooming from aisle to aisle. By now you realize that the “size doesn’t matter” mantra which people with small electronic devices invariably like to harp on suits the Green Zebra quite well.

I mean, this place has it all! Local Oregon beer, wine under twenty bucks (and a couple of good ones under ten), a few decent sakes; organic bananas, organic asparagus, organic diapers, organic dish soap, organic meats, organic lentils; organic cheese, eggs, bread, butter, pizza, hot sauce, juice, snacks, graband-go meals...deep breath...beer and kombucha on tap, a full salad bar, a fully functional deli serving Bunk sandwiches. And if they’re missing a certain type of cheese or a particular mushroom variety you desperately desire, you can fill out a comment card and make a request. How the hell do they fit everything!?!

Student veteran and fellow shopper Leslie Gale said it best: “Why didn’t they think of giving us a campus grocery store sooner?”

PARTNERING WITH PSU ADVERTISING AND FIR NORTHWEST

Did you know that PSU students contributed to Green Zebra’s latest marketing campaign? Meet Doug Lowell, School of Business Administration instructor and co-director of FIR Northwest, PSU’s student-run, non-profit advertising agency.

Vanguard: How often does the advertising department have the opportunity to work with a local company like the Green Zebra?

Lowell: Every term we offer a portfolio workshop, which is an intensive three-day

FEATURE event where students get briefed on a real client Friday morning, and then they work nonstop through Sunday until 4 p.m. Starting from research and strategy, to the creative brief, to creating an ad campaign, they have to put everything together in a cogent presentation and show it to the faculty members that Sunday. We give them feedback, and then they have until the following Friday where they will present to the real client.

Green Zebra started off as a portfolio workshop client, who liked what they saw and wanted to execute—so we moved them to FIR Northwest, which is a student-run ad agency.

Real-world clients.

Green Zebra has been a marvelous client. First of all, Lisa Sedlar believes in PSU and really believes in working with the students on campus. You’ll go into the store and start to see signage that’s speaking to you in a certain way and that was created by FIR to help create an internal experience within the store that really reflected the brand. There’s going to be some additional outreach over time, and Lisa believes in keeping that pipeline between the store and the student body open.

VG: What are some of the biggest challenges that typically crop up throughout the advertising process?

DL: The biggest challenge that we have is that advertising is practice; it’s not theory. So creating a program where people actually get to practice advertising can be challenging, but I think we’ve done a good job creating a strategy-based

advertising program that can give students not just an understanding of advertising but several opportunities to practice advertising along the way. The safety net of academia is rather removed.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THAT NAME?

By now it should be obvious that the Green Zebra rocks. The company provides community outreach, takes care of the men/women who work in the store—which helps to explain their perpetual happiness—and provides a uniquely convenient shopping experience centered around locally produced goodies. We spoke to operating manager Evelyn Murphy about what makes this store special.

Vanguard: So, what makes this location different from GZ’s other two Portland locations?

Murphy: We have a smaller space, so we had to get creative about what we were going to offer. We’re committed to providing a shopping experience centered around convenience, so this is really testing that model because it’s the smallest of our three locations.

VG: How might you describe the Green Zebra compared to another grocery chain?

EM: Our mantra is “healthy convenience,” and so we feel like as much as those other stores might be healthy, they’re also less convenient. The stores are so big that just to get your milk on one side of the store and your produce on the other side, you’re doing your twenty minute walk for the day,

“THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE IS THAT ADVERTISING IS PRACTICE; IT’S NOT THEORY.”

THE NEW GREEN ZEBRA GROCERY FEATURES LOCAL, ORGANIC PRODUCE AND OTHER ITEMS. DEVON WANDERON / PSU VANGUARD you know? The idea with all three of our locations is that it’s easy to find what you’re looking for and get in and out of the store quickly.

VG: So everyone’s dying to know, where did the name Green Zebra Grocery come from?

EM: When Lisa was forming the idea of her healthy convenience store, she was looking for a name that would be memorable, something that would make for a great logo, and something that was rooted in the Northwest. The Green Zebra, as it turns out, is named after the green zebra tomato, which is a green-and-yellow striped tomato that grows particularly well in the NW. VG: Wow, that’s actually pretty neat. What were a few of the challenges with opening this location?

EM: The store’s still fairly new, so we’re slowly figuring out what people want to buy at this location in particular. Finding our product mix is a continual challenge, and parking is a bit of a hassle in downtown Portland. We do have ten designated parking spots, but you do have to pay for them.

Apart from that though, everything has been going pretty smooth.

VG: Right on. Is there anything else you want PSU to know about?

EM: We’ve partnered with Bunk, who are making ready-to-go hot sandwiches, and our staff are doing the made-to-order cold sandwiches. We also have a Green Zebra app, which allows you to place an order ahead of time and pick up your sandwich/coffee when you’re on the run. Something else that we’re excited about is having Smith Tea on tap— the nitro chai is super delicious.

THE ELUSIVE GREEN ZEBRA

I sampled most of the foods/drinks listed throughout the above interviews and can personally attest to their delicious qualities. Sampling the green zebra tomato is still on my list however. It seems they grow best when it’s not freezing. And who knows... maybe by summer we’ll have those organic Slurpees after all!

Green Zebra’s PSU location can be found at 1704 SW Broadway and is open weekdays 7 a.m.–10 p.m. and 8 a.m.–9 p.m. on weekends.

The PSU Food Pantry is located in SMSU 047A and is open 12:30–2:30 p.m. every weekday when school is in session.

THE NEW GREEN ZEBRA GROCERY OFFERS HOT BUNK SANDWICHES AND COLD, HAND-MADE SANDWICHES BRIANNA YBANEZ/ PSU VANGUARD

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 21, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

‘WE’RE ALL MAD HERE’ COMMENTARY

BY DEVON WANDERON

At times, Shaking the Tree’s theatrical interpretation of Alice in Wonderland can feel intimately familiar; at other times, We’re All Mad Here is a force entirely of its own creation: wonderful moments of clarity interspersed with the occasional barrage of insanity. Each scene is left for the audience to interpret for themselves. Controlled chaos is a refreshing libation in a world ruled by madness.

Brought to life by actor Matthew Kerrigan and director Samantha Van Der Merwe, We’re All Mad Here manages to keep the audience grounded by using characters from the popular work of Lewis Carroll, while allowing the production to truly take flight by infusing the show with relatable truths which play throughout modern society.

These concepts range from finding meaning in life while facing the grueling reality of a typical 9–5 workday, to coming to terms with who we are—sexually or otherwise. Contrasting these stark truths is a wonderful charge of artistic creativity that most everyone in the crowd will enjoy. One moment Kerrigan—who plays nearly every character—might be arguing with himself, playing two separate roles at once (think Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder). The next moment might see him dressed as a popular character using improv to interact directly with the audience.

The creative depth in each scene is augmented even further by the sheer number of acting methods employed throughout the performance. Clown, commedia, shadow puppetry, acrobatics, improv—somehow everything works. As if creating a straightforward play isn’t an accomplishment of its own, Shaking the Tree creates a mesmerizing array of puzzle pieces that never truly fit together. Yet inexplicably this unfitting element is what makes the production truly marvelous.

Sitting in Shaking the Tree’s retrofitted warehouse space (heated but bring a light jacket), surrounded by young teens and older baby boomers, watching the separate generations enjoy the the same performance...with run-of-the-mill Hollywood blockbusters appearing bi-weekly, we can all use more intergenerational spice in our lives. This show offers that and much more.

Samantha Van Der Merwe, director behind We’re All Mad Here, took a moment to talk to the Vanguard about processing madness.

Vanguard: I understand the idea for the show emerged from wanting to create a

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SHAKING THE TREE THEATRE CREATES “REFUGE IN WHICH TO PROCESS THE MADNESS”

“CONTROLLED CHAOS IS A REFRESHING LIBATION IN A WORLD RULED

BY MADNESS.”

“WE’RE ALL MAD HERE” IS IN ITS FINAL WEEK AT SHAKING THE TREE THEATRE, 823 SE GRANT STREET. COURTESY OF GARY NORMAN piece which deals with certain types of unrest, which seem so prevalent in today’s society—especially political unrest. What do you hope the audience will take away from the performance?

SVDM: I would just add that we wanted to respond immediately to what had just occurred in our country and examine how we had all reached this place in history, but after playing in the rehearsal room with a whole bunch of political material, we decided to examine a more personal place.

Probably because social media has been flooded with politics since before the election, and the real world has become so

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 21, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

bizarre. This play has become a certain kind of refuge in which to process the madness around us (and within).

VG: Watching the show, it was amazing to see all of these different scenes and sets come together to form a whole. How much time and work went into creating the show?

SVDM: It’s been a lot of hard work. Long days!

When I realized what was needed for the show, I went straight to work. The snow days actually helped in a strange way because I had unlimited time to paint and cut out the shadow silhouettes. The best decision we made was to leave the “rabbit hole” for last. It was so much fun to put together.

VG: Biggest challenges relating to this show in particular?

SVDM: Trying not to connect the dots.

Allowing it to make a sense of its own.

VG: I can see how that would be difficult. I’m certainly glad you took the effort to allow the story to blossom on its own accord. Do you have any future projects in the works that we should keep an eye out for? What’s next for Shaking the Tree?

SVDM: Hahaha. Well, thank you. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it. We are presenting Miss Julie by August Strindberg, adapted by Craig Lucas, opening May 5, 2017.

You can still catch We’re All Mad Here in its final week at Shaking the Tree Theatre, 823 SE Grant Street. Shows this week are at 7:30 Thursday–Sunday, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Tickets are $10-$25.

Visit shaking-the-tree.com/on-stage for more information.

ARTS & CULTURE

CLASSIC MOVIES AND FREE POPCORN 5TH AVE CINEMA PROVIDES INTIMATE NIGHT LIFE FOR PSU STUDENTS COMMENTARY BY ZACHARY VANDEHEY From bowling alleys and pool halls to bars and beauty salons, Portland State’s campus is home to several recreational amenities.

Among these, unknown to many who have passed it on its eponymous avenue, is Oregon’s sole student-run cinema. Operating as a non-profit since 1989, 5th Avenue Cinema offers an eclectic selection of films, new and old, and screens most of them in 35mm to boot.

Not only is the caliber of films consistently impressive, the quality of the relaxed atmosphere succeeds in inducing a sense of intimate camaraderie. Managed by a politely familiar staff, the theater itself boasts a cozy, quintessential setup: comfortable seats close but not too close to each other, complete with cushions and cup holders, lined up along the central alleyway of a charming auditorium.

With free popcorn in the mix, free tickets with a PSU ID, and five dollar tickets for all others, 5th Avenue Cinema is the ideal venue for the hungry, movie-less student.

BLACK POWER MIXTAPE The following weekend showcased the documentary film The Black Power Mixtape 1967–1975. Directed by Swedish filmmaker Göran Olsson, the film chronicles the evolution of the civil rights movement from 1967 to 1975 through the eyes of a group of Swedish journalists traveling to America amid rumors of urban turmoil and rebellion.

Chronologically detailing the varying hurdles the Black Power Movement faced, the film presents footage of prominent historical figures that were pivotal to the crusade, including Angela Davis, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Stokely Carmichael.

Having been shot and edited by a foreign, third-party perspective gives the film a certain honest credibility. The film tells the stories behind the interviews with clarity and authenticity, emboldening the message in a way that effectively inspires and galvanizes the hearts of the viewers.

SLC PUNK Just in the past few weeks the cinema has screened several cult films, including SLC Punk, the bizarre and hilarious story of Stevo (Matthew Lillard) and his life as an anarchist in Salt Lake City. Along with his friend, “Heroin” Bob (Michael Goorjian)—ironically nicknamed due to his irrational fear of needles and all drugs in particular (save for alcohol and cigarettes of course)—Stevo strolls through the city living the punk life, going from party to party and getting in fights with various subcultures of people—but mainly rednecks.

Stevo’s father, whom Stevo detests for selling out and becoming a Reagan Republican, eventually tries to persuade him to attend Harvard Law School, to which he had been accepted due to his impeccable grades. This goes against everything the anarchist life has taught him. Sadly, life does not always turn out the way we want it to, and we’re forced to accommodate just to survive. SLC Punk is a testament to that.

Loosely filmed with pleasantly casual dialogue, the film is entirely easygoing and entertaining. The story doesn’t travel far, but the idiosyncratic characters are the true focus.

Narrated by Matthew Lillard, the progression of Stevo keeps you guessing while remaining undeniably hysterical.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD Later the same night, 5th Ave. screened the mother of all zombie films, Night of the Living Dead: a strenuous hour and a half of tensions flaring up as zombies close in around the only safe house within miles.

With all too little help from his six companions, Ben (Duane Jones) takes it upon himself to board up the house where they’ve all taken refuge in an attempt to keep the zombies ambling outside at bay. Realizing they will have to escape at some point, the survivors do their best to prepare for a getaway, but are repeatedly impeded by various obstacles: mostly zombies. Directed by George A. Romero, Night of the Living Dead is renowned for sparking the zombie-movie frenzy, eliciting five subsequent films and inspiring two remakes (to say nothing of sprinting zombies, ice zombies, space zombies, and so on). The film does well to instill a sense of dread and unrest while playing on some of mankind’s greatest fears: zombies that know how to open car doors, use bricks to break windows, and wield garden tools. Luckily, this was a time before zombies had relentless stamina, so one could prepare for an hour before a zombie could lumber across the street.

THE 5TH AVENUE CINEMA, LOCATED ON SOUTHWEST HALL STREET. RACHEL LARA/PSU VANGUARD AND MORE Other films you’ve missed while reading this: Sally Potter’s Orlando and Pedro Almodóvar’s Bad Education…but it’s not too late to catch Craig Atkinson’s police documentary Do Not Resist, Andrew Jarecki’s All Good Things (starring Ryan Gosling as a young but already creepy Robert Durst analogue), Jonathan Demme’s Talking Heads concertmovie masterpiece Stop Making Sense, and plenty more.

Situated right on the corner of 5th and Hall, the only student-run cinema in Oregon

prides itself on its diverse array of acclaimed films, both vintage and modern. Nothing to do on a weekend night? Check out 5th Avenue Cinema. Dreading Friday traffic heading home to Beaverton or Vancouver? Wait it out at 5th Avenue Cinema. Disappointed there are no cult classics being shown in theaters anymore? 5th Avenue Cinema begs to differ. Need a relaxing, intimate, and cheap place for a date night? 5th Avenue Cinema’s got your back.

Visit 5thavecinema.com for upcoming showtimes and special events.

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 21, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

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OPINION

THE SECOND AMENDMENT VS POTENTIAL GRIZZLIES Musings from the Sub-Basement Kevin Hadsell These past few weeks have been busy for those of us working in the media.

We have inaugurated a brand-new president, there have been executive orders and Twitter rants, nominations, protests, shadowy figures on the National Security Council, nominations, intrigue. We have brought back into vogue the time-honored American pastime of punching Nazis in the face, which turns out to be bad for Nazis but good for morale.

Simply put, there has been a lot to talk about recently.

One story that received attention for precisely 15 minutes before being buried under more tweets from the president was a piece of legislation, approved by Congress, that would ease gun restrictions for people suffering from mental illness.

Members of the Obama administration introduced a restriction that requires more stringent background checks for customers who have been diagnosed with mental health issues. Nationwide, the rule affects roughly 75,000 people.

Understandably, gun control advocates and progressive groups have been upset about these restrictions being loosend, and it immediately raises questions about gun safety and responsibility. Gun control has long been a polarizing political issue, centering mainly on balancing the Second Amendment with public safety.

One issue lost in the debate is simply this: Guns are so much more than a convenient way to shoot each other (though that, too, should not be dismissed).

There is also the cultural aspect of gun ownership, something that goes back to the founding of our country. It has been a time-honored tradition throughout the United States to come together as a people, take aim with our fellow citizens, and go “pew pew pew” at all of our social and economic problems in order to make them go away.

This principle has served us well over the course of our history. It has been the guiding

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ROBBY DAY principle of our foreign policy, in fact, since at least World War II. In that time we have outlasted the Soviet Union, built the Interstate Highway system, and put a man on the moon.

An appropriate analogy can be found by our very own Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, in her statement during her confirmation hearing in the U.S. Senate, when she explained that guns were needed in public schools to protect students from grizzly bears: “I think probably there, I would imagine that there’s probably a gun in the school to protect from potential grizzlies,” DeVos said.

The comment sparked widespread ridicule in the media, but I think we should hear her out. Without guns in public schools, after all, how would we shoot down grizzly bears intent on breaking in through the windows and unlocked doors of the building?

If we ban all of the guns, won’t that just embolden the grizzlies to terrorize the nation further? Grizzly bears, after all, are not lawabiding citizens. Law abiding citizens are lawabiding by default, because we say they are, which is why they get guns in the first place.

The logic is clear: We cannot and will not be at

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 21, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

the mercy of a lawless bear population breaking into the honey pots of law-abiding citizens across the nation.

DeVos, to her credit, sympathized with the victims of violent shootings when pressed to explain her views: “Senator, if the question is around gun violence and the results of that, please know that I, I—my heart bleeds and is broken for those families that have lost any individual due to gun violence.”

DeVos did not specify whether the bleeding was due to a bullet wound or some other form of injury unrelated to gun violence.

As we go forward, it would serve us well to consider each side of the debate.

On one hand, there is public safety to worry about, and the right of an individual not to be shot in the face. On the other hand, there is the Second Amendment guaranteeing citizens the right to bear arms, as well as our own traditions and heritage.

One can look at it the discharge of firearms as just one more time-honored American tradition. And these traditions, after all, are what make America great: shooting off fireworks into the neighbor’s yard every 4th of July;

covering our vegetables in liquid cheese; hanging tiny American flags from the windows of our SUVs as we drive around the highways and back roads of our nation, the exhaust fumes rippling up into the clouds like a burnt offering to capitalism and the wonders of the internal combustion engine.

These are the relics of our cultural heritage that we will pass down to future generations, and gun violence seems to be a part of it, for better or worse. Our own Vice President Dick Cheney, in fact, shot a man in the face while on a hunting expedition in 2006, an incident he called an accident. And the country survived.

Life went on as it had before: Cars crossed and re-crossed our slowly-crumbling infrastructure, the sun rose and set over the office towers and strip malls of our nation, and somewhere out there in rural Wyoming, a lawless grizzly bear was put down in a heroic act of self-defense, children and teachers alike cheered in unison, and the educational process continued throughout the United States of America like it had for generations.

OPINION

BUZZWORDS: THE WORDS THAT BREAK OR BUILD US LYDIA WOJACK-WEST

TalkFest

by Marie Conner

There is no denying that we are in the midst of the most divisive time in recent history (because the great and all-knowing interweb tells us so). News sites and Facebook are full of articles jam-packed with the back and forth banter of opposite opinions, each side clinging to buzzwords that identify and argue their avowed positions.

Marches and protests awash with cries of change take center stage in a movement of a generation.

Free speech is a given in our country, at least for the time being, but what are we actually saying? As a writer I understand the true influence of words—how they can be infectious, how they can be used without thought or consequence. I have to wonder how many people even read most of those articles before they are clicked and shared with the haste and fervor that can only be fueled by FOMO (fear of missing out, in case you missed it).

We use words as necessary and effective tools for communication, and sharing those instruments that have been established for shaping common ideas is part of how the work gets done. The responsibility that comes with our words is massive, though I think people lose sight of that with the viral nature in which they are used.

But what if we were to back up a couple of steps and take an objective and demonstrable look at the words that keep spilling out of our mouths and keyboards?

The power of these strung-together vowels and consonants is exponential, and the ways in which we can utilize these tools are infinite.

Attending my fare share of recent marches and rallies and perusing the internet for the latest atrocities has led to my own compilation of terms that represent how words are being wielded these days.

Many of these utterances can be considered positive: overcome, acceptance, power, support, peace, rise, unity, rights, intersectionality, and—arguably the most conspicuous of the moment—inclusive.

These are words meant to bring us together and help understand each other, to remind ourselves that we aren’t alone or fundamentally that different from one another.

But what does inclusive really mean?

Varying dictionaries define it similarly as encompassing stated parameters of people, ideas, land, etc. In no definition anywhere does it say that inclusion is limited to one’s own set of ideals or standards unless discussing within certain structures.

Inclusivity in the framework of a nation or world of people, along with the issues related to them, cannot be limited in this way. In its definition as an adjective, inclusive means all encompassing and all embracing. As such it can be a powerful instrument for social awareness.

For as many affirmative buzzwords that can be attributed to the movement, there seems to be quadruple that can be viewed as negative. Terms like revolt, riot, subvert, stop, fight, rebel, protest, resist, destabilize, impeach, agitate, overthrow, and—in my opinion the most combative of the bunch—hate.

I’m not saying that there is no place for these words or that they cannot be used as powerful devices for change, I’m simply imploring people to think about their intentions before spewing hate-mongering in a repetitive and ineffectual way.

There is an inspiring middle-ground where buzzwords are being used as agents of communication. A barrage of language

attempting to frame current mindsets has been thrown in the mix and is quite possibly the ingredient we need to form a true melting pot of understanding.

Terminology that is descriptive, such as democracy, boycott, march, demonstrate, organize, regime, occupy, socialism, and take-back are words of action. Even the controversial and colorful terms nasty and pussy have become forces of affirmative progress.

Ultimately, we have to decide how we want to utilize the devices we create in our world. Words are easily the most accessible and powerful tools at our disposal, but it is up to us to be our own checks and balances system. Buzzwords are great if we know what we are saying and can stand behind our own voices.

We manifest the world we live in. What kind of world do you want that to be?

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 21, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

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BLACK HISTORY MONTH OPINION

SONG OF THE SMOKE I am the Smoke King I am black!

I am swinging in the sky, I am wringing worlds awry; I am the thought of the throbbing mills, I am the soul of the soul-toil kills, Wraith of the ripple of trading rills; Up I’m curling from the sod, I am whirling home to God; I am the Smoke King I am black.

SHANNON KIDD

I am the Smoke King, I am black!

I am wreathing broken hearts, I am sheathing love’s light darts; Inspiration of iron times Wedding the toil of toiling climes, Shedding the blood of bloodless crimes— Lurid lowering ’mid the blue, Torrid towering toward the true, I am the Smoke King, I am black.

I am the Smoke King, I am black!

I am darkening with song, I am hearkening to wrong!

I will be black as blackness can— The blacker the mantle, the mightier the man!

For blackness was ancient ere whiteness began.

I am daubing God in night, I am swabbing Hell in white: I am the Smoke King I am black.

I am the Smoke King I am black!

I am cursing ruddy morn, I am hearsing hearts unborn: Souls unto me are as stars in a night, I whiten my black men—I blacken my white!

What’s the hue of a hide to a man in his might?

Hail! great, gritty, grimy hands— Sweet Christ, pity toiling lands!

I am the Smoke King I am black.

W. E. B. Du Bois, “The Song of the Smoke” from Creative Writings by W. E. B Du Bois Curated by Alanna Madden Visit psuvanguard.com for a list of February events celebrating black history and culture.

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PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 21, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

MONOPOLIZING THE PARTY

ETCETERA OPINION

SUBPAR ADVICE FROM THE SUB-BASEMENT JOHN PINNEY All Partied Out writes:

Found These Journals writes:

“Jean” is a very dear friend going through some hard times. She parties a lot and sleeps around, which wouldn’t bother me except that afterward she tells me that it makes her feel worthless. I’ve had to take her to the hospital for alcohol poisoning before as well. I want to be there for her, but I’m getting married soon and also want to look toward the future. Even if I wasn’t getting married, I’d be worried that something catastrophic might happen if I’m not there for her all the time. Am I stuck between a rock and a hard place?

So I kept a day-to-day journal for a long time. Longer than most people probably would. I started it in middle school as a regimen and writing exercise, and now I use it as an occasional way to reminisce. One of the things I used to do is print out pictures of boys I liked from Myspace and keep them in my journal. Are those pictures creepy now or just as nostalgic as the inner writings of my soul? I know I’d be weirded out about some strangers having old pictures of me without me knowing.

Heya Found These Journals,

Heya All Partied Out, Some people have a hard time leaving the party. You’ve kind of started to do it but “Jean” hasn’t yet. This is gonna cause some problems and maybe some tension later on. Jean has a lot of soul searching to do that only she can do. She has to know when enough is enough. And Jean might know scientifically that she could use some recoup time and maybe a limit or two but can’t seem to find the way there.

This might be extreme, but I want you and Jean, if you can talk her into it, to read Jezebel.com’s five-part series “Ask a Former Drunk.” It’s written from the perspective of a former alcoholic who talks about knowing it was time to take a break and how hard it was—how invested alcohol was in her life. The kind of weird and specific courage and regimen alcohol provided was hard to really live without.

Now I’m not saying Jean is an alcoholic, and it may not even be an addiction problem. It could be a fear of the future, undiscovered pain, or anything really. Jean could hate her job. There are just so many factors to consider that’s it’s hard to pin down advice, if only because advice is never cut-and-dried and rarely universal. It’s not a horoscope after all.

I think at this point the only step forward is really to acknowledge your feelings and have a conversation with Jean. It should be light, maybe over waffles. You can decide if it is best public or private because you know Jean best. You’re the best shot Jean has of asking for help if she’s ready for it, if she is even willing to admit that she needs help.

I hate to say it, but if Jean’s not actually willing to do some mental health for herself, she may go from friend to anchor real quick. You need to be there for her, but you also need to know when you need to be there for yourself and put some distance between you two.

I wish you well and I hope this deepens your relationship with Jean…and I hope Jean finds what she’s looking for, with no pressure or judgment and a whole lot of hope and love.

Hearts and Stars, Your Advice Guru

Uhhh…yeah, that’s creepy. Especially if you didn’t know the people. I don’t know that I subscribe to the theory that pictures steal our soul, and maybe folks that like Mortified wouldn’t agree with me, but these are not people you knew.

These are random Myspace searches or friends of friends. I’m glad you understand how nostalgia works, but I think there’s a line where nostalgia can’t be an excuse anymore (see: the sham of an election known as the Drumpf presidency).

I think the journals are okay to keep, but you’ve gotta shred those photos, like, yesterday—unless you’re using them for hairstyle inspiration. After all, you said it best yourself: You’d be weirded out by strangers having your picture without your knowledge and permission.

Hearts and Stars, Your Advice Guru

Monopolizing Snafu writes: Is it wrong to bring actual rule books to people’s places when we’re going to play board games like Monopoly or card games like Gin Rummy? I don’t want to be a party pooper, but don’t some board games have hard-and-fast rules that you’re supposed to follow?

Heya Monopolizer, I don’t think Monopoly and Gin Rummy are really in any same category except for being really old school. Unlike Monopoly, Gin Rummy has a lot of different sets of rules (California is my personal favorite, and Rummy is usually my train-traveling card game of choice).

Unless you’re hosting, it’s not your job to play rules police.

Monopoly and Scrabble have iconographies all their own.

You’re gonna have to learn to be more flexible.

And if it’s rule books you really want, why not mix it up with a new game? Killer Bunnies, Fluxx, Nightmare Before Christmas Clue, 7 Wonders, Kill Doctor Lucky, or even Kill Shakespeare: these board games all exist. Don’t limit yourself. If you need consistent, universal rules, bring an interesting game that you’ve played a couple of times but maybe others haven’t. Then your friends can get into something new and Monopoly can go back to the spawning grounds of hell where it belongs.

Hearts and Stars, Your Advice Guru

ILLUSTRATIONS BY AARON UGHOC

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 21, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

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Andrew D. Jankowski

EVENT LISTINGS FOR FEB. 21–27 FEATURED EVENT 40TH ANNUAL PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL FEB. 9–25, 2017, MULTIPLE SHOWTIMES @N W F IL M C E NTER , M U LT IPL E V EN UES

$9–1,500+ (AVERAGE: $12)

Starting at the NW Film Center and spread out to eight cinema houses across town, the 40th Annual Film Festival has 12 film categories for short-to-featurelength international films. Visit nwfilm.org for showtimes and tickets.

TUESDAY, FEB. 21 S C I E NC E THE ART OF THE BRICK 9:30 A.M.–5:30 P.M. EXHIBITION RUNS THROUGH MAY 29

@ O MS I $14

The world’s largest display of original and recreated LEGO® brick art masterpieces exhibits in Portland, inspiring young and old to push the limits of toys and creativity. Where the art crowd and the kids at heart mingle.

M US I C NICOLE MCCABE QUARTET W/ GEORGE COLLIGAN, ENZO IRACE, MICHAH HUMMEL

5 P.M. @LINCOLN P E R F O R MA N C E H A L L , R O O M 47 FREE

PUBLI C SPEAK ING ISRAELI CHOREOGRAPHER IRIS EREZ 7 P.M.

@ S MI T H ME MO R I A L STUDENT UNION, R O O M 2 94 FREE

Live jazz on campus by PSU students and faculty.

Iris Erez discusses her career as a choreographer. Featuring filmed excerpts of recent and past works, followed by a dessert reception.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 22 FE S TI VAL RAW ARTISTS PORTLAND PRESENTS CUSP

7 P.M. @ROSELAND T H E AT E R $22–30

Showcase of 50+ local artists displaying visual art, photography, accessory design, fashion, performance art, hair and makeup, film, and music.

DANC E CCN–BALLET DE LORRAINE 7:30 P.M.

@ARLENE S C H N I TZ E R CONCERT HALL $5–70 (AVERAGE: $26)

The Centre Choréographique National Ballet de Lorraine makes its American West Coast debut with local dance company White Bird.

Twenty-six dancers offer a wideranging program set to classical and modern scores by today’s most highly regarded choreographers from France and around the globe.

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THURSDAY, FEB. 23 CIRCUS A-WOL DANCE COLLECTIVE PRESENTS: ATTENTION EVERYONE 7:30 P.M., ADDITIONAL DATES THROUGH FEB. 26

@51 3 N SC H UYL ER ST, P OR TL AND, OR 972 1 2 $13–23

The Portland circus silk troupe’s newest show is about awakening the consciousness of human connection through the expression of aerial dance in an urban construction setting.

T H E AT E R IN THE BLOOD 7:30 P.M., ADDITIONAL DATES THROUGH FEB. 26

@P OR TL AND ACTOR ’ S C ONSERVATORY TH EATER $18

In this modern day riff on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks asks who has the right to the American Dream.

A homeless single mother of five dreams of finding beauty and love for her family despite her povertystricken life. As she struggles to defy the odds, she runs into a series of harsh and unexpected obstacles.

MU S I C MOONBEAM KELLY, RADIO PHOENIX

9 P.M. @BASI L BAR $8

The PSU hip-hop/funk/R&B outfit opens for Moonbeam Kelly, a soulful solo artist.

SATURDAY, FEB. 25 AR T INTISAR ABIOTO NOON–6:30 P.M.

@W HIT E BOX FREE

Last day of the last exhibition inside the University of Oregon’s Portland art gallery before it closes. Intisar Abioto’s exhibition documents black people in 18 cities on three continents.

FASHI ON DRAMA QUEEN 9 P.M.

@JADE CLUB $10–15

Designer Justin Walling unveils a runway exhibition based on mechanical flora and fauna. Highconcept drag, installation artwork, and a runway competition with a $250 grand prize. Hosted by Patrick Buckmaster, featuring Daphne Fauna, Ky-Ky, RAKEEM, Jerms and more.

SUNDAY, FEB. 26 FI L M ALL GOOD THINGS 3:00 P.M. (ALTERNATIVE DATES AND TIMES FEB. 24–25)

@5T H AV EN UE C I N EM A $4–5 (PSU STUDENTS: FREE)

Andrew Jarecki’s rough interpretation of ever-pertinent murder suspect Robert Durst’s early life—New York, real estate, family struggles, murder.

Ryan Gosling stars as the Durstinspired, cross-dressing murderer, Kirsten Dunst as his disappearing

wife, yet neither are as entrancing as the actual criminal case.

POET RY ALLISON COBB + KAIA SAND 4 P.M.

@POW ELL’S CIT Y OF BOOKS ON HAW T HORN E FREE

Critically acclaimed local poets read from their latest books; respectively, After We All Died and A Tale of Magicians Who Puffed Up Money that Lost its Puff.

MONDAY, FEB. 27 FAM ILY MR. BEN 5 P.M.

@M ISS ISS IPPI PIZZ A FREE

KARAOKE KARAOKE FROM HELL 9 P.M.

@DAN T E ’S $3

COM EDY ADAM PASI 9 P.M.

@KELLY ’S OLYM PIAN $5

Mr. Ben plays his guitar and ukulele and sings kid-friendly songs. Pizza is involved.

Sing karaoke backed by a live band at one of the longest running karaoke nights in Portland history. Free doughnuts from Voodoo Doughnuts!

One of Portland’s funniest active standup comedians is recording a live LP, and you can be the cheers and jeers in the background! Hosted by David Mascorro.

FRIDAY, FEB. 24 A R T I S T TAL K RYAN WOODRING + DEMIAN DINÉYAZHI 6 P.M. DOUGLAS F. COOLEY

@MEMOR I AL AR T GAL L ERY (R EED C OL L EGE) FREE

D R AG PRIDE NORTHWEST PRESENTS: TATIANNA 9:30 P.M.

@HOL LYWOOD TH EATR E $10–50

N I G H T L I FE SNAP! ’90S DANCE PARTY

9 P.M. @HOLOCENE $5

Ryan Woodring (Prequel Artist Program) gives an artist talk and participates in conversation, followed by a public reception and opening of Demian DinéYazhi’s Radical Indigenous Queer Feminism Pop-up shop.

The RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars 2 alum shares the stage with local cabaret performers at this Pride Northwest fundraiser, including Carla Rossi, Niki Villiarimo, Baby Le’Strange, Mack Stachio, Nae Nae Dominatrix, and Flawless Shade. Artemis Chase emcees.

DJs Doc Adams, Colin Jones and Freaky Outty play an arsenal of vibrant, jazzy, afro-centric, uplifting, and joyful club bangers curated from early-to-mid ’90s hip-hop, house, R&B, and bass-heavy club remixes.

Hosted by Ms. Coco Madrid.

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 21, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

LAUREN CHAPLUK