Vanguard February 15, 2010 by Portland State Vanguard

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Confucius Institute brings Chinese language teachers to Ore. China’s economic growth creates language demand Katrina Petrovich Vanguard staff

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Growing demand: Stephen Wagley, a professor of Chinese language at PSU, said that more Chinese language teachers are needed in Oregon. There are currently only 17 certified teachers in the state.

ortland State’s Confucius Institute is responsible for training prospective Chinese language teachers and aiding Chinese instructors in the Portland Public Schools (PPS) system, including its Chinese Flagship Program. The Confucius Institute is part of PSU’s Office of International Affairs and Department of Asian Studies. According to its director, Meiru Liu, the institute offers a teacher training program that helps to meet the growing demand for Chinese language teachers in Oregon. Liu said the main mission of the training program is to educate and support Oregon’s K–12 Chinese language teachers. The institute’s teacher training program not only brings native speakers directly from China to aid Oregon instructors, but also sends prospective American teachers to PSU’s sister school, Soochow University, in Soochow, China for intensive language training. According to Liu, those completing the program can earn graduate credits through the Graduate School of Education at PSU. These credits can be used to acquire a Chinese language-teaching license, an accreditation that is required by the Oregon Teacher

ASPSU launches restructuring campaign Members hope to raise student awareness of higher education reform Jesse Hansen Vanguard staff

With the high attendance at last Tuesday’s forum on higher education reform, it’s clear that restructuring has gained momentum among universities in the Oregon University System. In order to raise student awareness, ASPSU is planning to launch a grassroots campaign across Portland State’s campus. ASPSU ON PAGE 3

Egyptian international students speak at panel discussion Students discuss their reaction to resignation of Mubarak, as well as future of Egypt Corie Charnley Vanguard staff

Egyptian international students at Portland State had a reason to celebrate this weekend. President Hosni Mubarak stepped down on Friday after facing two and a half weeks of antigovernment protests. To celebrate this historic occasion, four students from the American University of Cairo studying abroad at PSU participated in a panel discussion about what the change in regime means to them.

CONFUCIUS ON PAGE 3 EGYPT ON PAGE 3

Many businesses to attend Career Information Day Career fair expected to be successful despite current economic climate Solomon Hanson Vanguard staff

Representatives from local, regional and national businesses will be at Portland State’s annual Career Information Day tomorrow to answer questions regarding potential careers in their respective fields. Businesses will represent various occupational areas, including banking, retail, insurance, education and government. This year is unique in that Career Information Day, sponsored by the Career Center, will be held separately from the Engineering and Technology Job Fair. This is largely a result of the employer and student response to last year’s career fair. Of the attending businesses in 2010, almost onethird was engineering- and technology-related. Gregory Flores, interim director for the PSU Career Center, said that employers and students alike wanted a more focused engineering

and technology-related fair, as well as an allmajor fair. This fair will take place today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom. This year’s response does seem to differ from previous years. Employer attendance to the fair had been steadily declining since 2008. According to Flores, the fair usually draws between 70 and 80 businesses, but businesses attending last year’s fair totaled only 62, the fewest in the fair’s history. In 2009, 72 were in attendance, while there were 82 in 2008. This year, however, over 120 businesses will be in attendance between the two fairs. “The exciting part for us is [this] employer response to the new fair,” Flores said. Despite lower numbers the last couple of years, Flores said that “employers are…pretty satisfied with the quality of the students.” Melissa Mackie, college relations lead for Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield—an attending business for the last couple of years—agreed. “I remember meeting a lot of quality students,” she said.

Mark Sytsma hired by the Office of Research and Strategic Planning Former CLAS associate dean is responsible for coordinating research projects Ryan Deming Vanguard staff

Mackie has been similarly impressed with the students attending the PSU business fairs over the past four years. She will be present again this year as a representative for Regence.

After 17 years with Portland State, Mark Sytsma was recently hired as the associate vice president in the Office of Research and Strategic Partnerships (ORSP). According to John Fink, the vice president of the ORSP, the main function that the office serves is to help “faculty members find and manage grant money that allows them and their students to engage in research and other creative activities.” Fink said that the grants it receives often come from large federal agencies like the National Science Foundation or the U.S. Department of Transportation. One of the most important things that the ORSP does is prioritize which

CAREER ON PAGE 7

SYTSMA ON PAGE 3

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Bringing careers to students: Terri Bennett is coordinating the Career Information Day.

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ASPSU FROM PAGE 1

ASPSU hopes to hold several town hall meetings for students to ask questions

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Proposals look to increase sustainability, student investment on campus Peter Browning Vanguard staff

After a brief hiatus, the Institute for Sustainable Solutions has brought back the sustainability generator— a forum where students and community members alike present ideas for projects that work toward the overarching goal of increasing sustainability. Successful proposals earn $10,000 toward putting the idea into practice. This year, the roughly 31 submissions included a “ZipCar” system for bicycles, a farm partnership with Portland State, an Earth Day festival and a program to “take back the tap,” designed to discontinue the sale of water bottles at PSU by installing more selffilling water stations on campus. Daniel Garcia, a freshman in the sustainability inquiry, and his team want to eliminate urban emissions by creating a bicycle program where students can rent bicycles, much like the ZipCar program. If their proposal is chosen, they hope that it eventually turns into a PSU-managed system.

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Green ideas: ISS Director Robert Costanza speaks at a solutions generator meeting.

“It seems like a reasonable and possible solution to happen,” Garcia said. Three years ago, PSU received the largest grant in its history that made programs like the solutions generator possible. The challenge grant, $25 million from the Miller Foundation, was set up for sustainability research and education. The grant was given to PSU to make a significant impact on the state, and the administration chose to put it toward sustainability. The $25 million from the grant is scheduled to be used over 10 years, with $2.5 million per year com-

ing from the grant, and $2.5 million coming from PSU. The ISS offered undergraduate awards in lieu of the solutions generator last year. “The first year [of the solutions generator] was a pilot, and there was so much administrative work, [it was] unexpected how much participation there would be,” Sustainability and Outreach Coordinator Heather Spalding said. “This year we were at capacity again to try it, and we felt it could really bring people together and be effective.”

A committee of students, staff and faculty will determine which proposals will be selected. However, there will be a small preference for on-campus projects as well as those that invest in PSU. “This is a good time to be investing in the campus,” Spalding said. “There were a lot of great projects not affiliated with PSU that still have a great chance to be funded.” Stephanie Stettler, a graduate student at PSU, hopes her proposal is accepted. She is working to make an Earth Day festival to help bring together the ideas of sustainability. “Festivals are a good way to build community solidarity, sharing bonds that wouldn’t have been shared otherwise,” she said. Spalding, like the participants, is thrilled about the opportunity for increased sustainability. “I am so excited about the generator because I know there are fantastic ideas out there,” she said. “PSU is a special place; we have so many talented people coming to study and learn here, and this just gives people a chance to have more investment in their campus. The best way to learn is by putting something into practice.” There will be a larger generator in November 2011 with greater capacity to support the projects, according to Spalding. ■

WRC reaches out to women of color Members of new task force hope it becomes a campus fixture Sierra Pannabecker Vanguard staff

The Women of Color Task Force, a new initiative run by Tonya Jones of the Women’s Resource Center, hosted its first official meeting last Thursday afternoon. The program is geared toward engaging female students of underrepresented races and ethnicities. Jones’ role as Empowerment Project coordinator within the WRC is to reach out to non-traditional students. This includes returning students, mothers, female veterans, first-generation students and women of color. This outreach has so far consisted of drop-in advising and a mentoring program. The Women of Color Task Force is a subgroup under the Empowerment Project, which speaks to the great need for an organization tailored to the specific needs of these underrepresented students. “There is no support system for women of color on campus, and so we face the issue of invisibility,” Jones said. “We live in Portland, which is 80 percent white.” While north and northeast Portland used to be diverse areas of the city, according to Jones, gentrification has driven African Americans and other minorities into the suburbs. That community has therefore vanished.

“Portland prides itself on its diversity,” Jones said, adding that people of color who come here from other places experience cultural shock. “There is covert racism.” This racial imbalance is mirrored by PSU’s enrollment—less than 3 percent of students are African American, and less than 18 are of a minority background. The task force will primarily serve the purpose of drawing women into the WRC to show them how to avail themselves of resources on campus. However, it can also be “a place to talk about issues,” Jones said. Many women in general do not know that the WRC even exists, but students of color in particular suffer from isolation when they step onto a college campus, according to Melanie DixonCarldwell, the African American student services coordinator. “Coming from a collective culture into a school without a strong community can affect academics,” Carldwell said, stressing the need for projects like the Women of Color Task Force. Retention rates are very poor for firstgeneration students and students of color for this very reason, according to Carldwell. She hopes to connect students who come to her with the task force. “With the Women of Color Task Force, you bring students together, you value and celebrate their experiences,” she said. Some ideas proposed at the meeting involved raising the WRC’s visibility on campus.

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Empowering women: Tonya Jones is heading the Women of Color Task Force.

“I want to make a pamphlet of resources and prepare for a symposium,” Jones said. The symposium would be a way to give voice to diverse groups. “The term ‘women of color’ encompasses a lot of groups—Latinos, multiracial students, not just black students,” she said during the meeting. The symposium would be held early next fall in order to be incorporated into orientation. Through the Empowerment Project, Jones is currently running the Black Women’s Film Festival. She will

present films written and directed by black women every Monday this month in the WRC. In addition, Jones runs a series of Zine workshops to encourage women of color to write and self-publish. Jones is a graduate of PSU’s women’s studies and black studies programs. She is also an Americorps member. The next meeting of the Women of Color Task Force will be held on Feb. 24 at 4 p.m. in the WRC, which is located in the basement of Montgomery Court. ■

At the beginning of last week, a group of concerned student senators convened in order to organize an unofficial committee to promote student outreach. Though formal plans have yet to be established, the senators involved plan to run the campaign similarly to the Vote OR Vote initiative held during the fall term. Much like the Vote OR Vote campaign, ASPSU will be utilizing several different approaches to opening a dialogue with students. ASPSU has proposed revisiting class raps, as well as tabling in the Park Blocks in order to reach out and connect with the student body. In addition to outreach, ASPSU has scheduled five town hall meetings—two at the end of this term, and three planned for spring term. The dates of these town hall meetings have yet to be established, but the goal is to inform the student body of the potential outcomes of restructure and to create an opportunity for a question-andanswer session. “The goal of these town hall meetings is to just get everyone generally informed,” Legislative Affairs Director Marcus Sis said. “The goal of the class raps is to get students in-

volved, [and] get them to volunteer.” Student Senator Pearce Whitehead, who also sits on the committee, said he is interested in potentially organizing a day of action. This would be an opportunity to gather students in the park and mix a party atmosphere with an information session, he said. “We’ve got a general understanding of what students want out of restructure,” he said. “But what we really want to do is get out there and hear firsthand what students have to say about this.” According to Student Senator Karen Ulbright, the Senate is also preparing to take on a greater role in restructuring than it has in the past. Restructure will be the primary topic during tonight’s Senate meeting, where fact sheets will be distributed for senators to present to their constituencies. “We want to make sure that all our senators really have at least a basic understanding of what to ask their constituencies,” Ulbright said. “There’s a lot of misinformation and, of course, we still don’t know what this bill is going to look like in the end.” Each ASPSU senator is also required to main-

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Grassroots organizing: Karen Ulbright, Brandon Harris, Marcus Sis and Adam Rhamlow (from left to right) are among the ASPSU members that sit on the restructuring committee.

tain a relationship with the constituency that they represent. According to ASPSU President Katie Markey, many senators have yet to address the issue of higher education reform with their constituency. In addition to the increased student dialogue, senators will also be contacting these groups in the coming weeks to address any issues

or concerns that they may have with restructure. Markey said, however, that ASPSU has formally opposed the University of Oregon proposal. This is the same stance that has been adopted by the Associated Students of Oregon State University and the Associated Students of University of Oregon. ■

SYTSMA FROM PAGE 1

CONFUCIUS FROM PAGE 1

Sytsma is also responsible for promoting interdisciplinary collaboration

Wadley says demand for Chinese language teachers is fairly new

research projects receive money among many important projects. This is where Sytsma’s job comes into play. Sytsma is responsible for coordinating this research aspect of the office. When a faculty member or student makes a request for research funding, Sytsma is responsible for making sure that all of the correct forms are filled out and that the faculty are in compliance with all of the regulations that go along with requesting funds, Sytsma said. “John Fink brought me on board to help with compliance issues,” Sytsma said. “[These are] the daily nuts and bolts that keep the operation running.” Sytsma started at PSU doing research in the department of environmental sciences. His research centered around lakes, water quality and invasive species. After participating in research for a number of years, he eventually became the chair for the entire department. In the past few years, before accepting his current position, Sytsma was the associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Before coming to PSU, Sytsma received his undergraduate degree from Iowa State University, his masters from the University of Washington and his Ph.D. from the University of California at Davis. Sytsma said that to find candidates for the position, the ORSP formed a search committee of research faculty and staff. Fink interviewed the final three candidates and Sytsma was then offered the job in late December. He started on Jan. 24. Another aspect of Sytsma’s job is promoting interdisciplinary work by coordinating faculty expertise, he said. If a faculty member is looking for an expert in another field to help with a research project, Sytsma is the one who helps to connect and promote their research together. Additionally, the ORSP develops and manages relationships between PSU and other organizations around the world, Fink said. One such partnership that PSU has locally is with Portland General Electric. Through programs like the Prius Plug-In Hybrid program and the recent Electric Vehicle Roadmap symposium at the Convention Center, PSU and PGE hope to make Portland a center for the coming wave of electric vehicles, Fink said. According to Sytsma, one of the main challenges the ORSP constantly faces is the problem of being under-staffed. He said the challenge is figuring out how to most efficiently use staff time and resources to get everything done. ■

SARIA DY/VANGUARD STAFF

Enhancing research: David Sytsma was recently hired on as the associate vice president of the Office of Research and Strategic Partnerships.

Sytsma said that the ORSP continually strives to make the “behind-the-scenes” aspect of research invisible to the actual researchers themselves. The idea is that the researchers can focus on the research itself while the ORSP worries about getting them the funding to further their work. “Most [researchers] aren’t particularly interested in the administrative aspect of research,” Sytsma said. “They don’t want to deal with that.” The fact that there is never quite enough money to fund all of the “many worthy projects and programs” is the other main challenge that the ORSP must constantly overcome, according to Fink. At a time when many universities have departments lacking in resources, finding funds to accomplish all of the many goals in the ORSP is no small task, Fink said. Last year the ORSP brought in around $60 million in grants and funding for research, according to Fink. Sytsma said that this year the goal is to reach $100 million; ORSP is already halfway there, at $50 million in funding. ■

Standards and Practices Commission to teach in the Oregon public school system. In 2010, the Oregon House of Representatives passed House Bill 3628, which allowed the superintendent of public instruction to ensure that Mandarin Chinese would become available to Oregon public school students. According to the K–12 Chinese Flagship Program’s website, the program began at Woodstock Elementary in 1998. Starting in kindergarten, students enrolled in the course are immersed in Chinese instruction for half of the school day. The program has since been established at Hosford Middle School and Cleveland High School. In addition, PPS formed a partnership with the University of Oregon’s Center for Applied Second Language Studies in 2005 to create the Oregon K–16 Chinese Flagship program. This allows Chinese immersion students the opportunity to continue the study of the Chinese language at the undergraduate level. As the Chinese Flagship and other Chinese language programs continue to expand, the need for adequately trained teachers also increases. In an article published by The Oregonian on Feb. 6, it was reported that there are only 17 licensed Chinese language teachers in the entire state. Though the Confucius Institute is not even four years old, it has already graduated over 130 students from the training program, according to Liu. In 2010 alone there were 75 prospective teachers in the program, more than doubling the previous year’s enrollment. PSU’s own Chinese language department is also experiencing growth. Professor of Chinese Language Stephen Wadley said that although

EGYPT FROM PAGE 1

Students believe U.S. should not interfere with Egypt's policy-making Kanaan Kanaan, the Middle East student adviser in the Office of International Affairs, moderated the discussion, which was held at the Multicultural Center. Roughly 50 students, staff and community members attended. “True freedom in the Middle East, in Egypt, started today,” Kanaan said at the event. The four student panelists were Egypt natives Fady Nessim, Magdy Hassaballa and Lance Attallah, as well as Palestine native Yacoub Al-Atrash. “Egypt has sent a clear message around the world that people have power,” Hassaballa said. During the panel, Kanaan asked the students

several questions, including what obstacles Egypt will face in the future. “It will be a challenge to make a peaceful transition,” Nessim said. Hassaballa said that future success of Egypt relies on clean and renewable energy. “As we all know, Egypt has a lot of sun,” Hassaballa said, which drew laughs from the audience. “The future lies in this sun to produce…efficient energy that we can rely on in building our infrastructure and building our country.” Attallah added that there are educational and social inequalities in Egypt, and these disparities,

the program is small in comparison to other world languages—there are just two full-time Chinese language professors compared to eight Spanish professors—the demand for Chinese speakers is on the rise. Wadley believes that China’s sweeping economic and political growth quickly created a demand for Chinese speakers that, for the most part, caught America by surprise. According to Wadley, the number of native speakers isn’t the issue; China is the number-one country of origin among foreign exchange students in the U.S. He said this is due to the lack of formal instructional training. Wadley hypothesized that the recent increase in demand, coupled with the intensive training involved in learning and teaching Chinese, may account for the low number of instructors. According to Wadley, mastering the language and earning the proper teaching credentials is no easy feat. The many years of intensive study required is one explanation for the small teacher population. While the demand for Chinese speakers is currently peaking, no one knows how long the need will last. Wadley said that because the demand is so new, the future is unclear and may dissuade potential teachers from going through the trouble to get trained when there is no guarantee for a job. Liu said that the Confucius Institute offers a weekly Chinese lecture series and opportunities for language practice with native speakers. The institute also offers non-credit courses in all levels of conversational Chinese, Chinese for business and travel and courses in calligraphy and Taichi. Although the main goal of the institute is to train K–12 language instructors, the institute also promotes Chinese language and culture. ■

particularly the former, are what the new government must improve upon. “But we have to realize that change doesn’t come overnight,” he said. In order for Egypt to achieve democracy, Kanaan said that other nations around the world should not interfere. Expanding on this idea, he asked the panelists how they see the United States’ relationship with Egypt evolving. The general consensus among the students was that the U.S. should not interfere, but that Americans should give advice to Egypt on how to establish a strong democracy. “When I say leave [Egypt] alone, I mean just don’t meddle with their policies,” Kanaan said. There are currently eight students from the American University of Cairo studying abroad at PSU. ■

4 VANGUARD ■ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2011 ■ OPINION

OPINION

OPINION ■ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 5

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

Out for Portland State blood

Before Craigslist eats your soul PSU’s Career Center saves the day Kat Audick Vanguard staff

“A minimum of two years experience.” This is the sentence at which most students’ eyes stop on almost every job listing page. For those of us who dove straight from high school directly into college, there really was no spare time to build up a solid two years in waitressing, cooking, barista-ing or any other working for that matter. Recent graduates, and those about to graduate, find themselves in nearly the same position, only with the added boost of a college degree. Everything from Craigslist to Monster.com comes with its own set of roadblocks. If you don’t need two years of experience, then you better have wide-open availability—something no student really has to offer. It can be extremely discouraging. Time and time again, it appears that the only job that is consistently hiring in this city, with huge leniency on how much experience is needed and no pressure on availability, is good old-fashioned stripping. But if you have zero rhythm, and can’t get over that whole “being naked in front of a bunch of strangers” thing, it’s not really a viable option. Having said that, as week after week of being unemployed and trying to come up with money for tuition, food and rent pass by, the idea of taking a second glance at that ad for Mary’s begins to gain appeal. After all, there really is no other job where you can make money that quickly. Used to $10 an hour? Try $10 per three-minute play of Madonna’s “Human Nature.” Before it started to sound like a good idea, I chose to ditch Craigslisting for a while and seek out other means of finding a job. I felt a bit daft when I realized one of the most profitable resources was right under my nose this

entire time. As students, we may be stunted by our availability and how few previous jobs we’ve held, but the Career Center at Portland State knows this. Fit with a trusty team of knowledgeable career counselors, the Career Center is prepared and willing to help students of any major get an edge in job hunting. Whether it’s an internship or a solid occupation you desire, they truly have a plethora of resources. Starting at the very basics, the Career Center can assist you in how to write a more professional resume or an eye-catching cover letter. If getting put on the spot in an interview is what makes you sweat, they hold interviewing workshops and even conduct mock interviews. As students, we can also take advantage of CareerConnect, a job-posting database that’s available exclusively to us. It’s a source that easily beats out Craigslist by eliminating scams and only providing legitimate job opportunities. Even if you’re not in the mode of trying to land a job at this exact point in time, counselors can help you determine what kind of work may be right for you given the major you’re currently pursuing. The Career Center will be hosting the 23rd annual Career Information Day tomorrow, and first-ever Engineering and Technology Job Fair today. The Career Information Day will be the largest fair they have ever put on at PSU. “Students will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from almost 120 companies over the two days,” Greg Flores, Career Center interim director, said. “Employers will be discussing current and future open positions, looking for interns, collecting resumes and answering questions from students.” The Engineering and Technology Fair is to be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom, and the job fair geared toward all majors will take place at the same time and location tomorrow.

Pandering to bigotry Armed with all the wrong reasons to protest the proposed ICE facility Elizabeth Bommarito Vanguard staff

The Bureau of Immigration and Customs, a division of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is preparing to relocate its northwest Portland offices to the South Waterfront. In addition to the government offices, the facility also will contain four detention cells. These cells will be for immigrants—some illegal, some not—as they prepare for release, or to be transferred to the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Wash. Residents of South Waterfront flooded the City Council meeting on Jan. 19 to voice their concerns about the relocation, making loud their claims that the facility is really a jail for “illegals.” They released a xenophobic, classist purge onto the city council meeting. Insisting that they didn’t feel safe with immigrants who were being detained in their neighborhoods, they even went so far as to call the adjacency of a charter school reason enough that the city was conducting foul play.

Accounts in the media of this long, colorful meeting at City Hall were appalling. Essentially what is being said is that if you are an immigrant who finds yourself detained, you are most likely a criminal who intends to do harm on the poor children in their swanky neighborhood. The building approval has been placed on hold, and another city council meeting will be held tomorrow. At the next meeting, an ICE representative will have to answer some of the concerns of the residents, mainly the question of how many of the detainees are guilty of a violent crime. The answer is that less than one-third of all detainees in the last two years at the current location in northwest Portland were detained because of a violent crime. The rest were people who were held because of raids of workplaces and homes. Some were just in violation of their current legal status, by some overlap in paperwork or residency/visa status. Many were guilty of a much lesser offense, such as not having valid TriMet fair. The South Waterfront is in an especially compromising economic position. Having had $93 million invested into its development, both the city and the new property owners in the neighborhood have a vested interest in the development’s success. But the city and the property

Illustration by colby brooks/vanguard staff

“These events are meant for students at all points in their education,” Flores said. “Freshmen and sophomores can gather information about different fields and find leads for internships. Juniors can look for internships and gather information about hiring practices at different companies. And seniors and graduate students can actively search for full-time positions.”

So if you’ve grown tired of scrolling through page after page of questionable job ads, take a trip to the Career Center or pop in during the fairs. And your sanity will thank you later. You can still use Craigslist for finding yourself an awesome free sofa that only ever-so-slightly smells like the inside of sock wrapped in wet cardboard. ■

owners have different ways to secure their position to be for sure. Residents of the neighborhood have found themselves a nice racist scapegoat approach to protect their real interest: their property value. There are dozens of reasons to be against any and all ICE facilities, none of which are the immigrants themselves. ICE Detention Centers around the United States have been in the hot seat since their inception due to their seeming ability to get away with atrocious human rights violations and function without transparency. It is difficult to know what exactly happens inside them. Since 2004, over 60 deaths of immigrants in custody of ICE have been documented. Many more have likely occurred that have not been documented, as record-keeping is notoriously bad at these institutions. Complaints over the denial of medical needs and medical attention have been one of the indignities that immigrants have had to endure due to detention. In addition, there have been countless reports of physical, sexual and verbal abuse at the hands of guards as well as overcrowding of cells. One such death that occurred at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Wash., has been under scrutiny for a number of years due to its violations of the Fifth Amendment, which protects any person in the custody of the United States from conditions that amount to punishment without due process of law. The detention center represents a $115 million dollar for-profit, privately owned facility, which at its beginning was designed to house

700 inmates. As of 2009, there were 1061 inmates, and there is currently a proposal to increase this number to 1500. Given this fact, one question to the city council should be: If they are creating four remodeled cells in Portland, how many people are they going to cram into those cages? The debate over the relocation of the ICE Bureau represents one of the fundamental contradictions in American economics and values. Numerous studies, such as ones conducted by the Udall Center for Public Policy, show the ways in which immigrants, illegal or not, uphold the United States economy through their labor and their consumerism. In addition, neo-liberal economics policies, such as NAFTA, facilitate the influx of immigrants looking for work because of job displacement in their country of origin. Is crowding someone into a small dark cell, denying them basic medical attention and treating them like a “cockroach”—as some guards have called Mexican immigrants—the way in which we should thank people who fuel the economy that pays for our fancy waterfront condos? No, it isn’t. Despite the fact that the meeting over the relocation approval is set for February, the rebuild is not part of the current city budget. The reasons to be against flooding city funding into this project have to do with the fact that ICE is incapable of handling immigrants in a fair and just way. But residents of South Waterfront don’t care about that. ■

Narrowing the gap between “need” and “supply” Janieve Schanbel Vanguard staff

Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. Think about that for a moment. Over 38,000 blood transfusions are needed every single day, many of them for chronically ill or injured individuals. Hospitals need blood on hand for these people; it must be processed and checked for safety before it can be given to someone who needs it. And unlike so many other treatments a hospital can give a patient, blood cannot be made artificially. It has to come from donors. The easiest way for donors to give blood for people in need is through the blood drives the American Red Cross holds throughout the United States. These drives, such as the four-day drive held at Portland State earlier this month, seek to relieve the constant need for blood and blood products, primarily locally. And, of course, they depend on those willing to voluntarily give blood. Blood donors can expect to help save up to three lives with a single donation. That single donation is approximately one pint of blood, which is roughly equivalent to 10 percent of a healthy adult’s blood volume. There are different types of donation, ranging from a standard donation (all blood components) to various individual components (plasma, red blood cells). Each donation takes about 10 minutes, with the overall process adding up to about one hour.

Many donors wonder about who gets their blood. The simplest answer is: There’s no way to know. All sorts of people receive blood on a regular basis. Someone undergoing chemotherapy is likely to need blood every few days. People who have surgeries can require between 20–100 infusions for a single surgery, depending on the scale. An accident victim can require as many as 100 pints of blood to survive. And people with blood-born diseases such as sickle cell anemia or bleeding disorders require blood and blood products on a regular basis. Students here at PSU clearly understand the need. The American Red Cross blood drives held quarterly at PSU began as single-day events with a simple goal: try to get about 50 wholeblood donations. Every quarter, the drives grew. The Red Cross brought in specialized equipment for component donations. The staff representation at these drives multiplied. This month, the four-day blood drive at PSU—yes, four whole days—reached for new heights. The goal was now over 100 donations per day. Student and staff turnout at this drive proved that PSU was eager to help meet this lofty goal. Most donors were repeat donors, who came in regularly to give blood. New donors also came in

abundance, eager to contribute what they could. Student volunteers helped man the canteen and escort positions, and stickers reading “Be nice to me; I gave blood today” became the newest fashion on campus. Clearly, PSU has a generous student body, and the staff doesn’t shirk responsibility, either. A few instructors made announcements in their classes to encourage students to donate, while others proudly wore a red bandage on their elbow as they taught. It was a week of students, staff and passers-by proudly giving what they could for those in need. Of course, it is no surprise that a college drive would be so successful. People between the ages of 16 and 25 make up the largest group of donors, comprising approximately one-quarter of the entire pool. People are also more likely to donate if the donation is brought to their place of work or education than if they are asked to go somewhere on their own specifically to donate. And many instructors and employers are lenient with missed time if a student or employee is late because of a blood donation. The success of the PSU blood drives may also be due, in part, to the health-conscious nature of the average PSU student. There are strict health regulations for individuals wishing to donate blood; in the United States, only approximately 38 percent of the population is able to give blood. Potential donors must fall within a certain body mass index, as determined by weight and height. Travel and certain sexual practices can limit an individual’s capacity for donation. Some medications and long-term illnesses might cause a donor to be deferred, and the use of needles for non-medical purposes—such as for a tattoo or recreational drug use—might mean a potential donor is ineligible for a year, or even for life. Even dietary choices may cause limitations to one’s eligibility to donate; the iron count must be above a certain level in the blood before it can be accepted.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA.ORG

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” Ralph Waldo Emerson PSU students, for all their tattoos, vegan fare, enthusiasm for travel and indulgence in recreational behaviors suited to grunge musicians, are still conscientious enough about their health and activities to donate. It’s a beautiful thing, and it may be part of what has led to the expansion of the drive. It is truly fantastic. The generous nature of PSU’s students is an asset to the community, as evidenced by the growth of the blood drives here. People need blood every two seconds in the United States; thanks to PSU and other donors, it looks like they just might get it. ■

6 VANGUARD ■ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2011 ■ OPINION

Rant RAGE

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BY DICK RICHARDS

Kids. Once your friends have them, they can’t stop talking about them. Sometimes they can’t stop making them. Once a baby enters the picture, say goodbye to your friend, or at least the nature of your relationship, because they are no longer your friend—they’re a breeder. And breeders love talking about their babies. If you’re like me, and a significant number of other folks out there, all you have to relate are stories and information about your dog. This, apparently, is a bit insulting for parents, who will go off about how kids are different and on another level than a dog. Well, they’re right. Kids are different than dogs—dogs are way better. First off, babies aren’t cute, or at least all babies aren’t cute. There are some real adorable little munchkins out there, but just because the kid is a baby, it doesn’t automatically qualify them as cute. Believe me, there are plenty of ugly babies out there. In my experience, I’ve come across more ugly, if not mediocrelooking, brats than I have cute babies. Let me put it this way: That Anne Geddes photographer didn’t just stick any random kid in a fruit, flowerpot or other creepy scenario. I’ll bet she had a lineup of unattractive rejects before finding a cute baby to stuff into a watermelon. Just try and find a homely puppy. You might locate one or two, but it would be quite a chore. Puppies are adorable—so much so that it’s safer to make it a general rule that puppies are automatically cute than to assume babies are by default. Even if you do find an unattractive dog, they’re usually ugly in a cute way. Dogs even make ugly cute! I’ll let you in on another tidbit of information: Your kids aren’t that interesting, either. They can crawl on their own now—big deal. I do that most weekends, and sometimes I even make it to the bed all on my own. Your baby learning how to be normal isn’t big news. A dog learning how to skateboard, or getting you a beer from the fridge—now that is something to talk about. Can your baby get you a beer from the fridge? I didn’t think so. You also can’t crate train a baby. Or at least, you can if you don’t get caught. What is the big deal about making sure the little tike isn’t off and about running into things and getting into cleaning products? A crate is a lot like a crib if you think about it, and people put their kids in those all the time. It’s like a crib with a top, and a lockable door. Besides, parents put their kids in those playpen areas, and that is just one big crate to trap them in. I never would put a baby in a playpen, though (I watched too much “Rugrats” and know better). Which is another point: You don’t have to hide your screwdrivers from puppies. Now both dogs and babies make noise, and at times such noise is annoying and unbearable. At least with a dog you can use a barking collar, another method frowned upon by parents. And if you don’t like barking collars, you can still use a spray bottle. But I have a feeling parents would also be against spraying their kid in the face when they get out of line. Dogs are far more capable of taking on training than kids. Sure, puppies make accidents inside from time to time, but that stops quickly with a little guidance. Kids go around making a mess all over the place for months before they figure it out. So we have the choice between misbehaved (untrained), noisy kids pooping themselves or a cute puppy dog who can fetch the paper. What’s sad is that most restaurants won’t allow a dog in, but they’ll let these brats right on in to ruin everyone else’s time. Parents, don’t get on your high horse when your friends bring up their dogs. It’s not their fault you chose poorly and picked a pain in the ass over a cute and lovable four-legged fun machine. ■

CAREER FROM PAGE 1

ONLINE COMMENTS

The

The story doesn’t stop when the print hits the page. Don’t like something you read in the Vanguard? Want us to cover a story? Do you feel there is more to be said? You have the opportunity to praise us or rip us apart here at the Vanguard. Post a comment online or write us a letter. Tell us what you think. Here are some online highlights from www.psuvanguard.com.

Website review This is the website of the Associated Students of Oregon State University http://asosu.oregonstate.edu/asosu-staff notice how you all staff bios are fill out completely with clear contact information and pictures [“Editorial: What would you say…you do here?” Jan. 28]. This is the website of the Associated Students of University of Oregon, with clear office hours for student representative http://asuo.uoregon. edu/executive.php?a=179. Now, finally here’s the pathetic excuse of a website of ASPSU, it speaks for itself http://aspsu.pdx.edu/node/2, not even an e-mail address to be found. According to the site, the best way for students to get in contact is “feel free to stop by our office anytime!” Well gee whiz, that’s great and all, but what if you’re some one who don’t speak English well and prefer to write? Tough luck PSU students! Want my student fee back

In response to his own response Come by the ASPSU office to talk about our restructuring campaign and what we are doing on campus to keep tuition low [“Letters to the editor RE: ‘What would you say…you do here?’” Feb. 4]. We are making efforts to progress the student agenda on these issues, however, it may not be obvious because you don’t see everything that we do. If you are really interested in these issues, we can use your help lobbying.

Any government, whether it is federal, state, city, or university, needs input from the people it represents. We need you to send us a message about what you need. Come to the office, fill out issue cards, or however you want to tell us what you need. The people who want the DREAM Act to pass talked to us, the people who want inclusive spaces talked to us, you should talk to us. We are not mind readers and we do make attempts to identify issues that are important to students. If you don’t know, our office is in SMSU 117. You can come by to tell us what you need, find out what we do, and identify ways that you can get involved. Brandon Harris (Communications Director)

People really don’t like this website How about instead of spending time writing these rebuttal article telling people all the things that you guys do, you use that time to actually DO them [“Letters to the editor RE: ‘What would you say…you do here?’” Feb. 4]? And by that I mean fixing the mistakes Markey has made. Seriously you can spend all your day writing these rebuttals (which reads like a typical news release, “We want to help poor people, middle class, puppies, children, etc.”) but at the end of the day the institution is still broken. What is the point of “correcting” irrelevant inaccuracies (do we really care the EXACT date ASPSU took office?) when the bigger problem, i.e. massive egos, poor academic performance, backstabbing still plagued your group. The website still looks like shit, and you cannot tell me that you guys are too busy “fighting to keep tuition low” that you don’t have two hours to fix that thing. Is it THAT hard to post up all the pictures of all your executive board on the site so the students at least know who they hell they are? Most of your members spend much

longer time on Facebook, and I’ve been in the office so I know. And it’s not like this is the first time people had complained about it. Seriously ASPSU, how petty and pathetic can you get? Seriously ASPSU, grow up a little huh? Anonymous

Wow, people really really don’t like this website I have to agree with the comments on here [“Letters to the editor RE: ‘What would you say…you do here?’” Feb. 4]. Instead of spending time writing rebuttal letters to the editors, how come ASPSU don’t use that time train their staff and accomplish something real? This is the first time I checked out the ASPSU website and I have to agree that it’s an embarrassment. When I was a freshman in university studies class, freshmen students have to put up a web site on Google sites showcasing their works, and I have to say I have seen studentproduced sites that looks much better than ASPSU’s. Also, there was not even one e-mail address found on there, so much for “reaching out to students.” I guess I may be bias because I once stopped by the ASPSU office and the atmosphere there was just like in the editorial said, cliquey and spacey. I asked to get contact information of Katie Markey but was told that she’s out and I have to check back in because “Katie doesn’t give out her phone number.” I respect the right to privacy and all, but one would think she would make her e-mail available to the public. The earlier editorial seems to give a good and fair description of the failure of the current ASPSU president, I don’t know her personally but she is not doing a good job at reaching out to students. After 4 years at PSU, I graduated without knowing what the hell ASPSU does. Former student

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR RE: “Letters to the editor,” Feb. 4 President Katie Markey’s use of her executive staff’s fee-funded office time to compose flippant and misleading editorial defenses for her dismaying term of office is a self-serving and unethical use of student resources. It is also unsettling that an editorial that claims to be correcting factual “inaccuracies” should contain such a multitude of craftily-worded and highly questionable statements. It is not at all surprising, however, given her track record of corruption. “ASPSU is a student run organization that prioritizes the success of its students. Sometimes students need to take a step away from the organization to succeed personally. We now have a full, experienced staff that is advancing the goals of ASPSU and the students.” This is clearly a sly response to the scandal surrounding Markey’s replacement of former Vice President Lauren Morency with the year’s third and current Vice President, Ethan Allen Smith, early this January. President Markey and Vice President Ethan Allen Smith have done a clever job of suppressing the fiasco, and many individuals in ASPSU are afraid to speak out. The truth of the matter is that Lauren Morency’s VP seat was vacated by the Judicial

Board due to an incomplete grade, not a failing grade. Former Vice President Morency was told by the J-board that if her “i” grade changed by the next J-board meeting on Friday, the J-board would render a new verdict, most likely rescinding the seat vacancy, as is recorded in the Judicial Board’s minutes from 1/6/2011. Both President Markey and current VP Ethan Smith attended this meeting and must have been aware of Morency’s plans. Before the decision could be rescinded, and without announcing their intentions in the Senate Agenda, President Markey and current Vice President Ethan Allen Smith mislead and manipulated the Senate into believing that Lauren was unable to continue as Vice President this term, suggesting that Morency had voluntarily chosen to step down and that it was “what she feels best for the Senate”, as recorded in the Senate’s minutes, 1/11/2011. In response to Senators’ protest and disbelief, Ethan Smith added, “The Senate could vote to keep Lauren if she wanted to keep her position, but she has chosen not to appeal.” When asked if there was any way to postpone the new VP appointment until a later meeting, Ethan Smith replied, “I’d love to, but if the VP isn’t approved by to-

day they won’t be paid,” finally convincing the Senate to approve the appointment. It is difficult to view such statements as anything but self-aggrandizing and conniving. Since then the Senate has formed an ad-hoc committee to prevent such regrettable episodes of manipulation, as reported by the Vanguard article “ASPSU Investigates Former VP’s Termination” Jan 25, 2011. This type of scandalous and dishonest behavior is completely inappropriate, and not to be tolerated in our leadership. Portland State University students deserve leaders who act like true role models, and exhibit qualities that we admire. Kindergarteners are expected to play fairly, but student body Presidents of major Universities are not? Is this really what passes for “Student Dignity”? Perhaps President Markey should “step away from the organization to succeed personally” herself, resign from the Presidency and give herself some time to work on her ethics. Karen Ulbright ASPSU Senator

*This is a portion of ASPSU Senator Ulbright’s letter to the editor. Go to www.psuvanguard.com to see the full version online.

Career Center urges students to come to the fair prepared with résumés, questions Though many of the businesses are regional and national, the majority are local, Northwest businesses. “PSU students like to stay in Portland,” Flores said. “We focus most of our energy on local businesses.” Some government agencies will not be attending because their recruiting budget is limited. But despite the absence of these previously present parties, the projected success of the fair is encouraging considering the current economic climate, Flores said. The PSU Career Information Day does differ from a traditional career fair, according to Flores. “Traditional job fairs do on-site hiring,” he said. This is not the case for the PSU fair. It is billed more as an informational event, but Flores noted that some companies will be doing on-campus and follow-up interviews in the Career Center. He said that it is also an excellent opportunity for internships.

“If you’re looking for an internship…go to the fair,” Flores said. He stressed that it is important to be prepared before going to the fair. He said that students should research the businesses that they are interested in and what career opportunities they have to offer, as well as to have questions and a resume prepared. “The longer [students] spend at the fair, the more satisfied they are,” Flores said. He is confident that the fair will satisfy those who go prepared. “This is an event that is billed for [all majors]…and there should be something for everyone,” he said. More information on Career Information Day can be found at www.pdx.edu/careers/ career-and-job-fairs. It will be held tomorrow, Feb. 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the SMSU Ballroom. ■

NOW HIRING SPORTS EDITOR COPY EDITOR app ly o n li n e at w w w. dai ly va n g uar d.c o m

PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY'S

2011 CAREER FAIR MAPS TODAY AND TOMORROW

ILLUSTRATION BY COLBY BROOKS/VANGUARD STAFF

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53 Aaa Oregon/Idaho 55 Acs, A Xerox Company 64 Aerotek 4 Alumni Mentor Program 18 Bonneville Power Administration (Bpa) 5 Bureau Of Emergency Communication (Portland/Multnomah County 9-1-1) 16 14 17

Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare Cbs Interactive Center For Coastal Margin Observation And Prediction

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Central City Concern Christiecare City Of Portland Clackamas County Columbia Analytical Service, Inc. Drug Enforcement Administration Empty Enterprise Rent-A-Car First Investors Corporation Fred Meyer, Inc. Frito-Lay Inc.

11 Greenheart Travel (Cci) 67 Huron Consulting 24 Insidetrack 10 Intel Corporation 27 Internal Revenue Service (Irs) 40 Kgw Northwest Newschannel 8 25 Macy's 12 Massmutual 68 Mather Pumps, Inc. 31 Matrix Absence Management 34 Metro

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Multnomah County Netflix, Inc. North Star Resource Group Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Ods Health Plans Office Of Graduate Studies Oregon Army National Guard Oregon Child Development Coalition Oregon Health & Science University Graduate Studies

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6 Us Marine Corps Officer Programs 3 Us Peace Corps 33 Verizon Wireless 60 Vestas American Wind Technology, Inc. 9 Vital Technical Marketing, Inc. (Vtm) 49 Walgreens 65 Zones, Inc.

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY FAIR

A-dec, Inc. Alumni Mentor Program Anning-Johnson Apantac LLC BIOTRONIK / Micro Systems Engineering, Inc. Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) Cardinal FG, Winlock Carlisle Interconnect Technologies Cascade Energy Engineering CBS Interactive Center for Coastal Margin Observation and Prediction City of Portland ClearEdge Power, Inc Convergint Technologies LLC Epson Portland, Inc. ESI - Electro Scientific Industries Exterro, Inc. Federal Highway Administration FM Global Frito-Lay Inc. Glumac GRI Harder Mechanical Contractors, Inc. Harris Group, Inc. Intel Corporation JanRain, Inc. Kiewit Construction KPFF Consulting Engineers Lattice Semiconductor Corporation McAfee, Inc. MCECS Mentor Graphics Micron Technology, Inc. Microsemi Power Products Group New West Technologies Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory PacifiCorp Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas, Inc. PLEXSYS Interface Products, Inc. Portland General Electric (PGE) PSU Business Accelerator Safetec Compliance Systems Saturno Design LLC Sherwin Williams / Purdy Siemens Industry, Inc.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH, 2011 SMITH MEMORIAL STUDENT UNION BALLROOM 11:00a.m.–3:00p.m.

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ARTS & CULTURE ■ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 13

A&C

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

The Mel Blanc Project Unearthing the voices of Portland’s cartoon history Candace Opper Vanguard staff

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any of our first associations with the name Mel Blanc are the cozy and simple weekend mornings of our childhoods, grounded by the familiar Technicolor images of the Warner Brothers logo. However, in revisiting these memorable animated shorts, one realizes that his name doesn’t appear in the credits. Despite Warner Brothers’ poor recognition for Blanc’s unrivaled contributions to cartoon history, his became a household name. He eventually negotiated with the production company to include his credit under the title “Vocal Characterizationist,” an indelible amendment that gave greater recognition to voice actors who followed in his footsteps. Blanc is considered by many to be the most respected voice actor in Hollywood history. Lucky for us, he’s actually from Portland. February marks the inauguration of the Oregon Cartoon Institute’s Mel Blanc Project—a collaborative and multimedia effort to pay tribute to the works of one of Portland’s most prolific entertainers. Anne Richardson and Dennis Nyback founded The Oregon Cartoon Institute (OCI) in 2007 after the pair continued to stumble upon the hidden Portland upbringings of many influential figures in cartoon history. What resulted is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization whose mission is to educate Oregonians about this relatively unknown and reasonably awesome history that will cause them to “burst with pride.”

In order to connect past with present, the OCI works closely with a contemporary local artist. “We ask a living Oregon artist to help us teach audiences about Oregon’s animation past,” Anne Richardson says. “In this case, we chose composer Heather Perkins, and let her choose which animation or cartooning figure she wanted to focus on. She chose Mel Blanc. It is because of Heather that the Mel Blanc Project exists.” Perkins, the OCI’s current artist-in-residence, is composing an original musical tribute to Blanc’s life and work, specifically his most revered character, Bugs Bunny. Her work will be performed live in concert during the heart of the project—May through August this year. The Project also works in conjunction with the Oregon Jewish Museum’s upcoming Mel Blanc exhibit, which runs this May through September. “The Oregon Jewish Museum was very happy to hear that we were planning to do something about Mel Blanc, and asked if we could coordinate

Oh God, you devil! Bright Eyes turns up the preach on “The People’s Key”

cords are whiny monologues trying to pinpoint a resonant meaning inside something bigger. However, as musically diverse as this record apJake Stevens pears to be, the whininess still seems to remain, Vanguard staff but brings a new objective: To transcend reality as we know it. We all know that Conor Oberst, lead singerAs broad as that may sound, the idea is held songwriter of the acclaimed group Bright Eyes, together by a voice that introduces the album loves whine, which has been his shtick for so at the beginning of track one, “Firewall.” This long. But looking at his admirable display of re- track portrays an SNL Harry Caray-soundcords thus far, Oberst ing individual who, has always been able to dumbfounded, rants reach others through about “time.” Here, his rather rural and stories are told about righteous approach to reptiles breaching the songwriting. What is Garden of Eden, evena bit more interesting, tually taking the form however, is the new of Hitler, who repreapproach he has unsents evil at a relative dertaken with Bright point in time. “Love Eyes’ newest record has always been the “The People’s Key.” message, its just, cirOberst had said cumstances happen, in an interview with right,” the ominous Billboard not too long southern accent goes ago: “I was really burnt on. “People freak out, photo courtesy of saddle creek records out on that rootsy Bright Eyes' "The People's Key" they just flip out, ya Americana shit. So I know? Well, that’s tried to steer clear of that.” Definitely steering where Hitler came from, Hitler came from that clear of the “rootsy Americana shit,” Oberst has way, he was an outspoken, a charismatic yeller. constructed a record that brings in new perspec- And all these people say ‘Hey we could use this tives that rattle the old “preaching persona” he guy! People listen to him!’ And that’s just one of is known for. those trips like that, ya know?” What is usually expected from Oberst’s reThe southern voice heard preaching the good

our efforts,” Richardson added. It’s inspiring to see various communities coming together to support the work of such an influential artist in Portland’s history. Like many other Portland-born artists, Blanc’s Pacific Northwest upbringing remains a footnote to his Hollywood career. Nevertheless, Blanc realized and nurtured many of his talents on Portland ground before heading south to Los Angeles. “This is one of the main points we want to make in the Mel Blanc Project—the Portlandspecific ways Mel Blanc was nourished as an artist.” On Tuesdays throughout the month, the OCI pairs up with local venue The Waypost to host the Mel Blanc Screening Series. The series is a kickoff event to familiarize people with the project, as well as an effort to reach out to the community and seduce some future volunteers. The OCI relies heavily on volunteer efforts, and this project is an excellent opportunity for animators, filmmakers, artists and regular old Mel Blanc fans to get involved with Portland’s thriving cartoon community and pay homage to a man who illustrates our city’s legendary artistic milieu. “Blanc didn’t go to LA to find out he was a gifted voice artist,” Richardson proudly comments. “By the time he moved his career to Hollywood in 1935, he already knew.” ■

portrait by carye bye/courtesy of oregon cartoon institute

Mel Blanc Project screening series Tuesday nights through the end of February at The Waypost 3120 N Williams Ave. 7 p.m. $6 suggested donation

vs. evil theme throughout the record sounds like perspective for which he has come to be known, it was sampled from a religious channel of some yet still withholding some sort of answer or sort, maintaining a charismatic confidence that conclusion for anything. This record is already is recognizable like no other. getting extremely high-marked reviews and is It seems that Oberst steps out of his preacher said to be the best record that Conor Oberst persona much more than usual, as if he is try- and Bright Eyes have ever put forth. Personally, ing to portray that he is starting to believe in I think you’re just going to have to hear it the hopeful voice that sums up the record. Ex- for yourself. ■ pressing confusion with his modern life would be too easy for Oberst. Still, by approaching the album with his clever songwriting, Oberst does, in fact, give the vibe that he may not have the answers after all. In one of his more abrasive tunes “Jejune Stars,” he sings, “The wheel of becoming erases the physical mind / Till all that remains is a staircase of information.” He even looks inward in another song “Shell Games,” singing, “My private life is an inside joke / no one will explain it to me.” Impressively, Oberst emerges at one point with a keyboard solo in the song “Triple photo courtesy of chuffmedia.com Spiral,” his tribute to a Cheese and whine: Conor Oberst is the only one who got the casual Friday memo. friend’s passing. “The People’s Key” is a display of Oberst’s path "The People's Key" to possibly finding something else on which to Bright Eyes place his bottled-up blame. By including the preaching that introduces the record, it appears Saddle Creek Records that Oberst has tried to fashion a creative way Out today out, one that allows himself to change his artistic

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14 VANGUARD ■ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2011 ■ ARTS & CULTURE

Portland’s ink spots Tattoos are forever, so do some research Kynna Groff Vanguard staff

It’s official: Tax season has begun. This, of course, means deciding what you’re going to do with your tax return, if you’re lucky enough to get one, and this year’s tax return might be just the financial boost you need. If you find yourself in that place or have simply been wondering what Portland offers as far as the tattoo world goes, then Google no more! This is a brief guide to a few of the local tattoo studios. Keep in mind that this list barely encompasses a fraction of the tattoo studios in Portland. If you are considering getting a tattoo, you should visit these shops for yourself to make sure the style and feel of the artwork gels with your own.

Captain Jack’s Tattoo Studio 4601 SE Hawthorne St. Mon–Sat: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Sun: 11 a.m.–9 p.m. The staff here is friendly and very helpful. They only have three artists, but don’t charge artist fees like other shops. However, they don’t quote prices without knowing details like location, size and complexity. Captain Jack’s is the only shop I found that works with blacklight ink. Getting blacklight art will cost a little extra, as the ink is pricier for the shop, and the artist must spend extra time on the tattoo (since blacklight ink is invisible in standard light, they have to constantly stop and check the progress under the blacklight)—but the effect is pretty awesome.

Lady Luck Tattoo and Piercing 611 SE Morrison St. Fri–Mon: noon–10 p.m. Tues–Thurs: 4 p.m.–10 p.m. With five artists utilizing very distinct styles, Lady Luck’s staff was also very friendly and answered all

my questions thoroughly. They charge a minimum of $50 for tattoos, no matter the size, but the price can go up to a $70 minimum if you want it placed on a sensitive area like the back of the knee. Lady Luck has over 200 customer reviews online, and just over 80 percent of them are five-star ratings. It’s hard to argue with results like that.

Adorn Tattoo West 9217 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy. Sun–Sat: noon–8 p.m. Now, I realize that Beaverton Hillsdale Highway is not technically in Portland. However, if experience is one of the things on your list, then the Adorn Tattoo West shop is worth looking at. They feature six artists who collectively have over 43 years of experience under their belts— and they generally charge $125–150 per hour. Although a consultation is not required, appointments will not be made over the phone. Instead, they must be made in studio for any day except Saturday, which is reserved for walk-ins. A $50 deposit is required when you make your appointment, which goes toward the cost of the tattoo if you show up on time.

Infinity Tattoo 3316 N Lombard St. Mon–Thurs: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Fri–Sat: 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Sun: noon–8 p.m. Infinity Tattoo offers six artists with many years of experience as well. You can set up an appointment over the phone or in person, and each client receives a consultation prior to the appointment. At the consultation, the artist may choose to charge a drawing fee for the artwork or get a deposit for the tattoo. They charge $135 per hour, with an $80 minimum. I said it was a short list, didn’t I? If you’re thinking about getting ink done, these shops are great, but you should definitely look into some others to make sure you get the full scope of what Portland can offer. All that’s left now is the pain of doing your taxes.

The NWFC rounds out your week nicely

This week’s gym guide gets you in the heart

given a perspective that is often overlooked. This is just a wonderful film. It is thoughtful, emotional and provocative.

Rian Evans Vanguard staff

Ines Kuna Vanguard staff

KARL KUCHS/VANGUARD STAFF

Dedication: Only in Warhammer 40k and games like it do you have to paint your own pieces.

“Rubber” (2010) directed by Quentin Dupieux. Feb. 18 This film takes the prize for most creative plot. Really, this is quite outlandish. “Rubber” takes place in a beautiful desert town and focuses on its inhabitant Robert. Not only is Robert a living, sentient tire, but he is telepathic as well! Can this get any better? Yes: He is also a stalker. Those who encounter him are not as alarmed as I would be, and perhaps this is what makes the film all too awesome. The seriousness of the cinematography really makes this one a treat; it’s quite beautifully made. So fresh! This movie gets five out of five stars if you include hilarity points for the shower scene.

“Come Undone” (2010) directed by Silvio Soldini. Feb. 16 “Come Undone” is the story of two lovers in an affair that tears apart their “normal” lives. Betrayal, anguish, etc.—you know how the film is going to pan out. Infidelity is an important issue with many subtopics, but this story merely looks at the big picture. Although the acting is wonderful and the cinematography is beautiful, the film does not dive deeply into an issue that all too often becomes a cheap utility for drama. Maybe the director could take a plot-brainstorming tip from Quentin Dupieux.

“La Pivellina” (2010) directed by Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel Feb. 16 This film is a must-see. Covi and Frimmel’s simplicity gives “La Pivellina” true allure, and the power to succeed in its verisimilitude of reality. The plot itself is relatively simple: A couple finds a young child and searches for her mother. These themes of altruism and nurturing coax the film along, inviting the projection of many additional subliminal messages. Among these is the audience’s ability to assess the modest trailer-park lifestyle, general themes about humility and questions about the definition of family. Contrasting the gloomy setting of the trailer park with the characters’ vibrant spirits and appearances, “La Pivellina” paints a theme without dialogue.

“How I Ended This Summer” (2010) directed by Aleksei Popogrebsky Feb. 18 The Northwest Film Center has really raised the bar this month. In the heart of the Arctic Ocean, two meteorologists find themselves alone together. Beyond the breathtaking landscape, their slow but chilling psychological states unwind, particularly after one crucial decision. “How I Ended This Summer” projects something of a “Castaway”-type mood, except without ever having made it to Hollywood. Certainly it is not full of action, but Popgrebsky’s film implores the audience to revel in magnificent and sublime scenery and takes viewers into the minds of two men on the brink of everything.

“Illegal” (2010) directed by Olivier Masset-Depasse. Feb. 17 A truly heartfelt film, “Illegal” tells the story of a mother and son who live in daily terror. Tania and 13-year-old Ivan are from Russia but live in Belgium illegally. The film depicts a lifestyle that is all too familiar for many people living today. A colorless palette further encompasses the psychological suffering of the characters. The film is captivating, taking complete advantage of handheld cinematography and eye-level angling. Viewers are PHOTO COURTESY CAPTAINJACKSTATTOO.COM

Black light burns: In case you were wondering, this is what blacklight ink looks like.

Cardio or bust

This week at the Northwest Film Center

PHOTO COURTESY REALITISM FILMS

Rubber

Six-sided dice are for geeks Portland’s gaming community is alive and thriving thanks to these local shops Kynna Groff Vanguard staff

In case you didn’t know, nerdy is in. That’s right—those things which once might have been considered “uncool” or “geeky” have undergone a phoenix-like transformation in the past few years into geek chic; clothes, books, the accumulation of knowledge, but above all—gaming. No, we’re not talking about your grandma’s gin rummy, or the Candy Land of our youths, nor do we mean console games like “Call of Duty” or “Halo.” We’re talking about games like “Dungeons & Dragons,” “Warhammer,” “Warhammer 40K” and “Magic: The Gathering.” If you missed the cool train, it’s not too late. Just step into our office and let us tell you about the local places where you can get your game on.

Guardian Games 303 SE Third Ave. Sun–Thurs: noon–8 p.m. Fri: noon–10 p.m. Sat: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Guardian Games has been a haven for Portland’s gaming community since it opened its doors in October of 2005. Although they sell all manner of games and gaming supplies, Guardian Games is by no means a one-trick pony. They boast an impressive 4,000 square feet of gaming space, and have events scheduled every night of the week. If the three games I mentioned earlier aren’t your cup of tea, don’t fret! Guardian Games offers a host of other gaming options including “Yu-Gi-Oh,” “Legend of The Five Rings,” LARP (Live Action Role Play), figurine painting workshops and board game nights. Their “Beer, Pizza, and Gaming” nights are also quite popular. Guardian Games hosts tournaments as well as beginners’ nights, so whether this is your first foray into gaming or your 700th, you’ll always be welcome. Check out the events calendar at www.guardiangamesportland.com to see what the rest of February has to offer.

Bridgetown Hobbies & Games 3350 NE Sandy Blvd. Tues–Fri: 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Sat–Mon: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Bridgetown is geared a little more toward hobbyists, but that’s not to say they lack at all in the gaming department. Whatever your gaming bag, you’ll definitely be able to find like-minded individuals at Bridgetown Hobbies & Games. They offer a phenomenal selection of products as well as the space and time in which to use them. Bridgetown sells everything from board games, card games and dice games to roleplaying games, software packages, miniatures and beyond. If you’re looking for a board game or that one piece you’re missing for your army, chances are you’ll be able to find it at Bridgetown. You can order supplies online from their catalog, then come down to their location during the hours they set aside for miniature painting classes, open gaming or their Wednesday night “Dungeons & Dragons Encounters” and Thursday “Bridgetown Game Nights.” Check out Bridgetown Hobbies & Games at www.bthobbies.com.

Rainy Day Games 18105 SW TV Hwy, Aloha, Ore. Mon, Tues, Thur: 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Wed: 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Fri: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Sat: 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Sun: noon–6 p.m. Although it’s a little farther away than the others mentioned, Rainy Day Games should not be passed up. The shop has been in operation since 1998, and almost exclusively features non-electronic games. They offer a wide selection, including puzzles and some Europeanstyle board games. Rainy Day primarily holds events on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, but they have space reserved for open play of any kind the rest of the days. Their special events include “Yu-Gi-Oh” regionals, “Dungeons & Dragons” encounters and “Warhammer” and “Warhammer 40K” leagues. They organize tournaments for experienced and novice players, as well as events to teach games to new players. Look them up at www.rainy-day-games.com to see more of what they’re about.

That’s right folks, it’s gym guide time! This issue, we’re going to take a break from weight training and examine cardiovascular exercise.

What is cardiovascular exercise? Cardiovascular exercise is more appropriately called “aerobic exercise,” but I often use the terms interchangeably. In fact, I will use the word “cardio” a lot within this article for the sake of brevity. In any case, what I’m referring to is exercise during which the main goal is strengthening or maintaining the cardiovascular system (i.e. heart, veins, blood vessels, lungs). Cardio exercise differs from anaerobic exercise (like weight training) in that it requires large amounts of oxygen and is generally much longer in duration. For example, a jog is a rather constant form of exercise, whereas a weight training session is a series of multiple “bursts” of activity, each extremely short in duration by comparison.

Why engage in cardiovascular exercise? We’ll start with reason the majority of us care about the most: We don’t want to get fat! Call it a vain pursuit, but at least it’s honest. The direct cause of fat gain is consuming more calories than one expends. By engaging in regular exercise, we burn more calories. All forms of exercise will burn calories, but cardiovascular exercise tends to burn a few more calories than a weight training session of equal intensity and duration. Of course, you should regularly engage in both strength training and cardio exercise, but cardio just happens to be the star of this article. Vanity aside, regular exercise also helps to reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes. These maladies are not only rather dangerous, but can also be quite costly. It’s much more practical to spend a dollar or two per day on prevention than thousands on medication and treatment in the years to follow. Beyond cardiovascular health, the weightbearing aspect of exercise also helps to increase bone density, which is especially important for women as they age. As an additional bonus, research has also found that regular exercise can improve mood.

Forms of cardiovascular exercise

There are too many forms of cardio exercise to list, but here are few options: walking briskly, jogging, swimming, rowing, cycling, the fancy new Krankcycle I’m using in the photo and so on. Ideally, cardio should be at least somewhat enjoyable, so an exercise partner or an mp3 player is highly recommended. Personally, I’m a huge fan of listening to audio books during cardio. Almost anything can qualify as cardio exercise, but they key is that it gets the ticker pumping and gets the breathing up over an extended period of time. Appropriate intensity is going to vary from person to person, but a common recommendation is to use the “talk test” as a gauge. The average trainee who is merely exercising for their health should be able to carry on a light conversation while exercising. Just remember that intensity should be held fairly constant, excluding a warmup and cool-down period.

How much cardiovascular exercise do I need? Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week. I’d recommend splitting that up into five sessions of 30 minutes each, but it’s ultimately a matter of personal preference and scheduling. More advanced trainees that engage in vigorous exercise (too difficult to carry on a conversation while exercising) can get by with half that amount. For those looking to lose weight, obviously greater amounts of physical activity will be beneficial. A word of caution, however: It is extremely difficult and time-consuming to outexercise poor dietary habits. In the long run, most trainees will find insane amounts of exercise coupled with willy-nilly dietary habits to be an unsustainable practice. Optimal results can be obtained through combining sensible eating habits with sensible exercise habits.

ETC. ■ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 17

16 VANGUARD ■ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2011 ■ ARTS & CULTURE

They see me peddlin': Futuristic-looking equipment helps everyone enjoy Campus Rec.

Let’s get adaptive Adaptive Rec provides disabled students access to equipment Rian Evans Vanguard staff

As mentioned in previous articles, Campus Rec at Portland State strives to make a healthier lifestyle available to all students. This applies to trainees of all experience levels, interests and age groups, those with children and those with disabilities. From its inception, a key idea behind the Rec Center was that it would be accessible to all. Jen Armbruster, coordinator of Adaptive Rec

since October, tells me, “When they designed the building and what equipment was going to be in the Rec Center, a lot of thought was given to accessibility for all. Campus Rec was and is committed to making sure everyone can utilize the Rec Center.” Though the Adaptive Rec program is still in its infancy, Jen says that over 50 individuals have already contacted her regarding accessibility and accommodations. One way in which Campus Rec is looking to meet the needs of such individuals is through acquiring equipment (or modifying existing equipment) that will accommodate them.

“We have a variety of pieces of equipment that members with special needs. The staff is able to were purchased with a variety of disabilities in offer helpful suggestions about alternative ways mind. We purchased a lot of techno gym equip- to perform certain exercises or workouts, and ment, which has features such as seats moving how to properly use the accessible equipment. to the side, or They are also completely out actively trying for chair users to ensure that to roll into easall classes, proily. Also some of grams, outings their equipment, and intramural as well as Cysports are accesbex pieces, are sible to all. high contrast or Adaptive Rec tactile controls promises to only users who may improve as time be low-vision moves forward, or blind. We with the goal also have an upof promoting per body toner health and wellwhich was deness to the entire signed by a perPortland State son who has a population. significant spinal “We want to all photos saria dy/vanguard staff cord injury in Crank it up: Adaptive Rec knows no bounds. see everyone usthe range of C5, ing the facilities so it was designed for persons whose injuries af- here on campus. We want individuals to not fected both upper and lower body significantly.” only be successful in the classroom, but to get Some of the equipment will be of interest to healthy in all avenues of their being physically, all students, regardless of whether they have a emotionally and mentally...We have started to disability or not. Some new additions simply of- offer a few things, but there is plenty of room to fer a different type of workout, or a workout that grow the program. We’ll continue to purchase is more comfortable. more gear and to push our programs and let “We have a variety of other cardio gear, such folks know we are here. We have sports chairs on as the Krank cycles, which are just like spin bikes the way, as well as a couple more new pieces of but you are using your arms or arm to peddle. equipment that will be seen in the fitness center This machine can go forward and backwards over the next few months.” ■ with fairly easy adjustments. We also have reFor more information, visit http://pdx.edu/reccumbent bikes so that you can get more back support when working out, and we’ve made reation/adaptive-rec. For special accommodations modifications for our cycle bikes in case people to access the Campus Rec facility or participate in need a larger platform and more security for any program, please schedule an appointment with Jen Armbruster, Adaptive Recreation and Comtheir feet,” Armbruster says. Armbruster stated that the Campus Rec staff munity Service Coordinator, at 503-725-2927 or has received additional training to help them aid j.armbruster@pdx.edu.

The message

increasingly violent nature of our world, in both the physical world and its various media counterparts. “When you live out on the frontier, you have A Marshall McLuhan centennial no identity, you are a nobody, therefore you get very tough,” he said in 1977. “You have to prove Joshua Hunt you are somebody, and so you become very vioVanguard staff lent…ordinary people find the need for violence “We have never stopped interfering drastically as they lose their identities.” with ourselves by every technology we could What does this say about a world where violatch onto,” Marshall McLuhan said in 1966. lence, both real and imagined, increases at a “We have absolutely disrupted our lives over and rate matched only by the proliferation of new over again. Unimpeded, the logic of this sort of media? I believe it says that media is responsible world is stasis.” for a world that is increasingly violent, but not July 21, 2011 will mark 100 years since the in a manner that censoring sex and violence is birth of the media scholar and author of “The capable of curbing. The nature of media is that Medium is the Message,” who died on the fi- which it is given by man, and we have given nal day of 1980. McLuhan stepped only one it the nature of removing from us our natural year into the decade that would see many of his selves. We relinquish aspects of our identity so theories on the future of methat we might take shelter in dia come to full bloom—the the constructs that we have burgeoning ecology of mecreated to shield us from the dia, birth of the global village harsh frontiers we encounter. and end of private identity. At each new threshold, colMcLuhan was fond of lective identity is lost, and quoting Shakespeare, perwith each new loss comes an haps never with greater effect increase in our capacity for than in his famous lecture violence. “The Future of the Future is If Marshal McLuhan had the Present.” It is his affeclived to see his 100th year tion for the great bard that in 2011, he might have marleads me to believe McLuhan veled less at our technology chose his words carefully, than at our hunger for noswhich makes his choice of talgia. It was an area of parphoto courtesy of uimpi.net words particularly interest- Marshall McLuhan: Icy as heck. ticular interest for the author ing when he said that man and media scholar, who said uses technology to interfere with himself. Self- that one result of the electronic age would be a interference is, of course, a well-known euphe- loss of private identity owing to the discarnate mism for masturbation, and was above mention being that one becomes when broadcast elecfor neither the playwright nor the media scholar. tronically. Lacking a physical body in the elecMcLuhan believed deeply in man’s need to tronic sphere, one’s relationship to the world comfort his self from the onslaught of a world around them changes. that seemed hostile from birth, and while mas“One of the big marks of the loss of identity is turbation is the act of physically imitating cre- nostalgia, revivals of clothing, dances, music and ation, it is in creating false media environments shows,” he said. “We live by the revival, it tells us that man has found the greatest comfort for his who we are, or were.” psyche. Thus I commemorate Marshall McLuhan’s Were McLuhan alive today, he would perhaps discarnate being, which lives on through his take great interest in two particular aspects of own self-interferences, with the most sincere modern society. The first of these aspects is the sense of nostalgia of which one is capable. ■

ETC.

CALENDAR

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

Today

Engineering & Technology Fair 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom

This fair gives students an opportunity to meet with representatives from various organizations and businesses. Multicultural Film Festival: “Salt of the Sea” 2 p.m. PSU Multicultural Center

Presented in collaboration with Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights. Bike Hub Advanced Workshop: Bearings 5 p.m. PSU Bike Hub

This is the third class of a five-week advanced class series. Workshops are free for all Bike Hub members. To learn more about becoming a member, visit www.pdx.edu/bikehub. Take Back the Night/ Bike Back the Night Planning Meeting 5 p.m. Women’s Resource Center

If you are interested in volunteering for Take Back the Night/Bike Back the Night, or if you would like to participate in this year’s ride, drop in to sign up.

● 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

“The Allegory of Deaf People’s Cave: Shadows and Social Issues”

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

● Freebies: Fill in single-box cages with the number in

6 p.m. PSU Native American Community and Student Center

the top-left corner.

This lecture, presented by Carl Schroeder, examines the way in which American Sign Language (ASL) has been reluctantly examined as fully-fledge language of the deaf. The event will be voice-interpreted. Admission is free, but bring two cans of food for the Oregon Food Bank.

2-15-11

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 500 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Thursday, February 10, 2011

Wednesday

Edited by Will Shortz Across 1 Thirsty toddlerʼs request 5 Hurl curse words at? 9 With 65-Across, go against the group … or what the shaded squares literally do in the answers to the starred clues 14 Reply suggesting “perhaps” 15 Big name in PCs 16 Sister of the Biography Channel 17 *Average national earnings 20 Let it all out? 21 Mont. neighbor 22 “Hooked on Classics” record company 23 Era of ___ (period in Notre Dame football history) 24 One who works in feet and meters

ANSWER M A H I

E T E S

T A B O O

I W I S H

A T W O

D H O W

D I O L L L T P M E A C C S H I F A L I E T N S

25 Chamber workers: Abbr. 26 *Capital ENE of Jerusalem 30 Olympic gymnast Paul or Morgan 31 Something for pairs to enter? 32 Screw up 37 Organ donation site 39 Genre for the Spice Girls and Oasis 41 “Slow and steady wins the race,” e.g. 42 Poker game memento, maybe 43 Turn around 44 *Symbol above a 5 48 Danish kroner, topologically speaking 52 Not look so good? 53 Partner of 40Down, trafficwise 54 Nervous as ___

55 Pole position holder? 56 Use a portion of, as one song in another 59 *Easter basket treat 62 Ex-governor Spitzer 63 Jerk 64 Race assignment 65 See 9-Across 66 Spotted 67 Ciudad del ___ (second-largest city in Paraguay)

Down 1 Exhaust, with “out” 2 Green card, in brief 3 Medieval closecombat weapon 4 Bart Simpson catchphrase 5 Mock 6 French “present” 7 Make some connections 8 Saw right through? 9 Shut out TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE 10 Sets up, as pool C I M C A N P E Z balls L S E L B A A X E 11 Short online message O I M M I S T E R E D S N O O P A L E C S 12 Pro pitchers 13 Falls (over) E T S A S S 18 Actor Rickman T O H I T T H E H A Y of the Harry S L A M A A M A Potter films Y E L P S B R I C 19 Bit F O G G W I T C H 24 Bill bloater O R G O T I A T E I T 26 “Excuse me …” 27 Lunch spread, R K E N T S often B I L E A C F U M 28 Qtr. starter A L K I N G H O R S E 29 Application D E E P E I L E E N letters E T A S S T E E R S 33 “No sweat …”

18 21

32 39

41 44 51

47 53

Puzzle by Mike Nothnagel

34 Some soup ingredients 35 QB Flutie 36 Place the first bet

40 Partner of 53Across, trafficwise

42 Penguinʼs locale 45 Ca, Co or Cu

38 2006 Winter Olympics backdrop

46 Some races

39 Orange Free State settler

48 Circus chairperson?

47 Get out of the cold?

11 a.m.–3 p.m. SMSU Ballroom

This fair is an opportunity for students to meet with representatives from various organizations to learn about possible employment, internship or volunteer opportunities.

6 p.m. ASRC Climbing Center

The Climbing Center staff will be showing “The Sharp End,” which will be projected onto the wall while participants spend time climbing. Free for all ASRC members.

54 59

Career Information Day

Climbing Center Movie Night

23 27

No. 0106

49 Floridaʼs ___ National Forest 50 ___ to go 51 “There, there” 56 Before you know it 57 Time to give up? 58 Thin blade 60 Cleveland ___, O. 61 Caustic soda

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.

Thursday

Portland Jazz Festival with Darrell Grant Noon Lincoln Recital Hall

The title says it all…and it’s a free event! Faculty Favorite Lecture Series 1 p.m. Women’s Resource Center

Kofi Agorsah, Ph.D., will present a lecture titled “Nanny of the Maroons: Great Women Rebels of the Past.”

SPORTS ■ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 19

18 VANGUARD ■ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2011 ■ ETC.

SPORTS

Monster Jam throws monster party at Rose Garden

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

The Vikings’ descent continues Frustration sets in as men’s basketball falls to Idaho State for third-straight loss Kevin Fong Vanguard staff

“We don’t play hard, and I’m sick and tired of harping on it every day. The [players] need to look in the mirror, every single one of them,” Vikings head coach Tyler Geving said after his team’s 84-79 loss to Idaho State at the Stott Center on Thursday night. “If the [players] are just going to go through the motions, then we should just cancel the season,” Geving added. Geving’s grievances are understandable, especially considering that the Vikings allowed the worst team in the conference to come into their house and jump on top of them. Before Thursday, Idaho State hadn’t won a Big Sky road game since Feb. 19, 2009. “This is our house and we let them walk all over us. We’ve go to go out there and throw the first punch,” sophomore guard Chris Harriel said after the game. “Always battling back the whole game gets tough.” A flat start by the Vikings allowed Idaho State to take a 23-12 lead less than seven minutes into the game, including pushing the lead to as much as 17 twice in the first half. Portland State was able to rally near the end of the period to cut the deficit down to 41-32 at halftime, but the few loyal fans in the crowd had already expressed their disapproval. “It’s embarrassing when people in the crowd are yelling at you,” Geving said. “You should be

Vikings’ key performers this season Charles Odum 14.7 points per game .530 overall shooting .459 three-point shooting Chris Harriel 13.8 points per game .378 overall shooting .787 free-throw shooting Melvin Jones 11.1 poins per game .389 overall shooting Phillip Thomas 9.7 points per game 3.3 rebounds per game .500 overall shooting Dane Johnson .538 overall shooting

embarrassed when the people in the stands who pay to come watch you play can tell you’re not playing hard and are [booing] you.” “It’s all energy,” Harriel said. “We have to come together as a group and get each other up, get each other motivated.” The Vikings came out of the break a more determined team, cutting the lead to 49-44 and would get as close as 65-64 with 7:49 left in a second half full of back-and-forth runs. However, Idaho State was able to make the right plays and hit a handful of clutch shots down the stretch to hold on to the win. “I thought we were going to come back, but we went cold for a little bit and had breakdowns on defense,” Harriel said. “We competed in the second half, but it’s too late,” Geving said. “You have to bring it from the get-go.” Despite a 24-point performance from junior guard Charles Odum, the Vikings’ leading scorer, PSU has now dropped three games in a row, and seven of its last nine. Portland State has fallen to seventh place in the Big Sky with a record of 11-13 overall and 4-8 in conference. “When you start losing, it starts messing with you,” Geving admitted. “But you better play harder then; you better do something to get out of the slump. But not playing hard? I don’t get that one.” Harriel had 10 points and eight rebounds, although it was only the second time he’s reached double figures in scoring in the last six games. Harriel has struggled with his shot in recent weeks and only managed to shoot 2 of 9 from the field and 0 of 4 from distance against Idaho State. “I’m struggling right now, but it’s about getting into the gym and getting reps up,” Harriel said. “Just have to stay confident and keep playing how I play. Coach tells me to just keep shooting and keep playing.” Seniors Melvin Jones and Phillip “Tree” Thomas both scored in double-figures with 12 and 14 points, respectively, but the team’s problem is often their flat effort out of the gate. Too often this season the Vikings allowed themselves to fall behind early and were forced into an uphill climb. Unfortunately, the hole they tend to dig for themselves usually becomes their own grave. “Lack of energy and lack of competitiveness to begin games—I’m not taking the blame for that anymore,” Geving vented. “I’ll take a lot of blame as the head coach, for this and that, and strategy, but I’m not taking the blame for [effort].” During the Vikings’ losing streak, the team has visibly lost confidence, and Harriel says the team is “looking for answers.” Often during stretches of games they’ve looked unsure and hesitant out on the court, on both sides of the ball.

Viks head to the finish line Track and field teams finish the indoor season this weekend, prepare for conference championship Gretchen Sandau Vanguard staff

The Portland State indoor track and field teams wrapped up their regular season on Friday and Saturday in the Don Kirby Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M, and the Husky Classic in Seattle, Wash. The hard work put into this season shows in the many records broken and the number of Vikings qualified for the Big Sky Championship, which will be held on Feb. 25–26.

In Albuquerque on Friday, senior Karene King ran the 200-meter in 24.02 seconds, destroying the school record by .12, and her own personal record by .29. “She’s leading the conference list in the 200m by a half of second, which is a huge margin for a race that short,” said assistant coach Cassie Stilley. Junior Anaiah Rhodes had a record-breaking weekend, too. She surpassed her time in the 60m by .15 seconds. Her new record qualifies her for the Big Sky Championship, and places her within the top five in the conference. Sophomore Geronne Black broke her personal record with a time of 7.45 in the 60m, just .01 seconds short of the school record.

Massive trucks live up to their namesakes in an exciting weekend of shows in Portland Kevin Fong Vanguard staff

Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam held three shows in Portland over the weekend and the drivers controlling the giant-tired 10,000-pound trucks gave their fans plenty to cheer about. Each Monster Jam show consists of a wheelie competition, a racing event, a freestyle showdown and many other adrenaline-injected exhibitions and car-crushing displays. “I always have a good time at the Monster Jam shows,” said Dan Porter, a monstertruck enthusiast who was taking his three-year-old son Elliot to his first show. “It’s a fun family event, and I can remember my dad bringing me to shows like this when I was younger.” Fans who attended the Saturday afternoon show were treated to a thrilling wheelie contest by the eight trucks in attendance this past weekend: Western Renegade, Obsessed, Blue Thunder, Obsession, Monster Mutt Rottweiler,

truck Monster Mutt Rottweiler to the limit as he out-raced seven other drivers in the bracket. Drivers went headto-head in a tournament-style competition, the supercharged, 2000-horsepower trucks speeding across the dirt-filled ground of the Rose Garden Arena, jumping over a row

Grave Digger, Captain USA and Grave Digger Legend. Judges for the wheelie contest rated the leaping trucks on height, vertical angle and the distance the trucks jumped across the row of crushed cars. Driver Tony Farrell of the classically designed Grave Digger Legend jumped his truck into a vertical position, nearly tipping over the 12-foothigh beast onto its side before recovering and kicking up a cloud of dirt to the roar of the fans. However, it was Chad Tingler behind the wheel of Grave Digger that won the wheelie contest with a perVANGUARD archives fectly executed In awe: Monster-truck fans had the chance to see their favorite trucks up close and personal jump that saw at the Rose Garden over the weekend as Monster Jam made its annual stop in Portland. him land the truck onto its back bumper before of cars, and gunning past the his winnings—to a boy named Austin at the Portland Chilsmoothly returning all four finish line. tires to the ground. “It’s pretty crazy how fast dren’s Hospital. Benns routineIn the racing tournament, those trucks can get going,” ly donates 100 percent of his Monster Jam profit to charity, Charles Benns pushed his Porter said.

Tennis nets two wins, two losses Men defeat Seattle and lose to Sacramento State; women fall to Portland and defeat Willamette NIilesh Tendolkar Vanguard staff Karl kuchs/VANGUARD STAFF

In flight: Junior guard Charles Odum leads the Vikings with an average of 14.7 points per game this season.

“We have zero leadership on this team. Nobody steps up, nobody is a leader, nobody talks,” Geving said. “It starts with the seniors; we have poor senior leaders. I don’t care—print it: We have poor leadership. “It’d be nice if one day, someone came in and said, ‘Let’s go! We’re going to play hard guys, let’s get after it today!’” Portland State gets back to work Wednesday, when the Vikings will try to salvage the ship on the road against Weber State.

In Seattle, members of the men’s distance team were also busy breaking school records. Senior Andrew Slag finished the 5,000m in 14 minutes, 50.81 seconds to shatter the school record by about 17 seconds. Slag had already qualified for the Big Sky Championship in the event earlier in the season. Tony Crisofulli broke his own school record in the 800m by clocking in with a time of 1:50.32 to finish 21st. Also in Seattle, freshman Zachary Carpenter ran an 8:29.28 in the 3,000m, which puts him in fifth place in the conference and also qualifies him for the 5,000m in the Big Sky Championship. Viking junior J.J. Rosenberg qualified for the championship in the 400m with a time of 49.01, beating his personal best by two seconds. Rosenberg, as well as Crisofulli, junior DeShawn Shead and sophomore Nate Lightner helped the PSU 4 x 400m relay team run a 3:20.58. The team is waiting to see whether they will be running in the championship.

“Whatever happens the rest of the way, as a coach, I am not quitting on them,” Geving said. “As a coach, I’m going to make sure we go hard every day.” ■

Scoring by period Thursday Idaho State Portland State

1 41 32

2 43 47

F 84 79

The track team was split up this weekend for the two meets according to the athlete and their events. The sprinters headed south to New Mexico, and the long distance runners went up north. “New Mexico’s track is only 200 meters long, so there are more tight turns, making it harder to run fast,” Stilley said. “When you’re only running 60m, you don’t have to worry about running around the turns, so it doesn’t matter how tight they are. The track in Seattle is over 300 meters long, so there are fewer turns, which makes it faster for the races that go around the turn instead of just on the straight parts.” Next week, the Vikings will have the week off to prepare for the Big Sky Championship in Pocatello, Idaho. “This past weekend shows that everyone is in great shape, so the most important thing in the next few days is getting people mentally ready,” Stilley said. ■

The Portland State men’s tennis team suffered a heartbreaking 3-4 loss against Sacramento State in their Big Sky opener on Thursday, but came back Saturday with a convincing 6-1 win over Seattle. The women’s team also managed to split their weekend matches. On Saturday, the team lost to city rivals Portland 2-5, and then secured a 7-0 win against Willamette on Sunday in Salem. The men’s tennis team entered into the conference opener against Sacramento State on the back of two successive 7-0 wins against Lewis & Clark and Gonzaga. In their Big Sky duel last season, the Vikings were humbled 0-7 by Sacramento State. On Thursday, however, the Vikings opened their doubles competition with grit and resilience at the Club Green Meadows in Vancouver, Wash. The pairs of senior Chris Rice and freshman Roman Margoulis, and senior Alex VanDerschelden and sophomore Mitch Somach, won their matches 8-6 and 8-1, respectively, to earn the doubles point. However, things looked very different in the singles contests. Somach at line three and senior Jeff Cero at line six were the

Grave Digger, Blue Thunder, Obsession and Monster Mutt Rottweiler all advanced into the semifinal round, but it would be Monster Mutt and Grave Digger who would end up facing off in a thrilling last race. After a photo-finish victory, Benns dedicated his win—and more importantly,

only Vikings to taste victory. Somach defeated Sac State’s Marko Starvevic 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 10-8 in a three-set thriller while Jeff Cero broke Sac State’s Blake Emery once in each set to win his game 7-5, 6-4. Thus, the Viks won two and lost four of their singles matches, thereby conceding the contest to the Hornets. Despite the loss, the result was a remarkable improvement over their whitewashing in 2010. Last season, Sac State finished top of the table with a 7-1 record and then went on to win the Big Sky title. On Saturday, Portland State avenged their earlier defeat with a 6-1 win over Seattle at home. The doubles game were competitive but the pairs of Rice/Margoulis and VanDerschelden/Somach won their games 8-6 and 9-7 after breaking their opponents once in the set. The singles games were much better for the Viks, as they won all the singles matches except at line two. With these results, the Vikings now have a 3-4 winloss record this season and are 0-1 in Big Sky competition. Next weekend, they play backto-back games on the road against Utah and Big Sky rivals Weber State on successive days. For the women’s team, the weekend began with a trip to their northern city rival

Portland on Friday. Despite the doubles win by the pair of senior Anya Dalkin and freshman Yuki Sugiyama, the Viks lost the other two doubles matches and the doubles point. In the singles, Sugiyama once again shined and defeated Portland’s Lacy Pflibsen 4-2, 2-6. With this singles win, Sugiyam extended her singles record for the season to 5-1. At line three, senior Caitlyn Stocking also won her match against Stephanie Fuchs 6-3, 6-3. However, the Viks lost the four remaining singles duels to the Pilots, and conceded the contest. Against Willamette on Sunday, the Vikings won all their games and secured a 7-0 win. Sugiyama won her sixth straight singles game. Junior Kylea Gleason said that enjoyed playing against Willamette. “Today was a very fun game because everyone got a chance to play. Nayantara [Vadali]’s game stretched to three sets and took over two hours to finish. But she won in the end and that was fun to watch,” Gleason said. With these results, the women’s team is now 2-5 in 2010 and 0-1 in Big Sky competition. Next weekend, the Viks play a tough threegame weekend in Montana. The team plays Montana State-Billings on Friday and the two conference matches against Montana State and Montana over the weekend. ■

adam wickham/vanguard archives

working mainly with different children’s hospitals around the country and Locks of Love, an organization that assists young chemotherapy patients. “When you get to see an awesome show and you’re helping out the world, it doesn’t get much better than that,” said Paul Eisl, a recent Portland State graduate and monster truck fan. In the night’s main attraction, Grave Digger Legend would steal the show again, getting a score of 27 for three impressive freestyle runs. Although many of the drivers put on exciting exhibitions during the freestyle competition, it was Farrell who would blow the roof off the Rose Garden with a reverse jump as he sent Grave Digger

Legend soaring backwards over the row of crushed cars. “It was one of the coolest thing I’ve ever seen at a Monster Truck show,” Eisl said. The Monster Jam weekend was filled with memorable moments, including four-wheel racing, dirtbike exhibitions, and an unforgettable wheelie that caused Captain USA to land upside down and lose the front end of his truck. And, of course, the fire-breathing, car-consuming Robosaurus made an appearance. “The dinosaur was scary,” three-year-old Elliot Porter said. “My [favorite part] was when the dinosaur ate the cars.” ■

20 VANGUARD ■ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2011 ■ SPORTS

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The two sharpshooters will need to continue their performance this Thursday as the team vies for a higher standing in the Big Sky. The Viks take on the Weber State Wildcats who beat the Viks in

SCORING BY PERIOD Thursday 1 2 Portland State 26 32 Idaho State 35 28