02.20.13

the

Jo u r n a l

Wester n Oregon Univer sity’s Weekly student newspaper Since 1878 w w w. w o u . e d u / s t u d e n t / w e s t e r n j o u r n a l

Volume 13 Issue 15

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

The Pope Gives preview Up For Lent ASL Club page

Annie West | News Editor

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Valentine’s Day Auction

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4 Feb. 28 of this year will be a big day for Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, who is more widely known as Pope Benedict XVI. Earlier this month, the Pope announced that, due to declining health, he would have to step down from his position as leader of both Vatican City and the Catholic Church.

Pope Benedict XVI held a relatively short term of just seven years since his election as the world’s 265th pope, compared to the previous pope’s, John Paul II, span of nearly 30 years, which was unfortunately concluded by his passing. The decision was a complete and total shock to the world.

The last time a pope resigned was centuries ago, in 1415 when Pope

Gregory XII was forced out of his position. Prior to that, the last voluntary resignation was even earlier, when Pope Celestine V retired due to being unhappy with the way the church was going, despite his efforts.

The soon to be retired pope was often seen as a very strict, by-the-books type. More than once he had been referred to as “God’s Rottweiler” when it came to enforcing holy doctrine.

Last Christmas, however, Pope Benedict issued a 24 page Papal Encyclical, a letter addressed to all of the Catholic faith. In it, he displayed a softer, more caring side, writing of messages about love for all and the need for indifferent charity.

This more passive

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CONTACT: Jodi Andersen for Photos jandersen@westernoregonjounral.com Annie West for News awest@westernoregonjounral.com Laven Voth for Entertainment lvoth@westernoregonjounral.com Ashley Casebeer for Campus Life acasebeer@westernoregonjounral.com Stephanie Lane for Sports slane@westernoregonjounral.com

work may have been a small indication of his decisions to come. Regardless, the announcement caught the public entirely by surprise.

According to Eamon Duffy, a historian of Christianity at Cambridge University, “[Pope Benedict has] thought the unthinkable, done the undoable. He’s broken a taboo that had lasted 600 years, the last 150 of which presented the pope as a religious icon, the emblem of Jesus Christ, not the leader of a global church.”

One of the biggest questions on people’s minds about the issue is how interactions with Benedict’s successor will be. Reportedly, both the current and next pope will reside in the Vatican simultaneously.

Naturally, the concern

is the potential for domestic conflict to ensue, where there can be different opinions between the two holy figures. This type of arrangement has never been done before, and how well it works remains to be seen.

In fact, as mentioned, the entire situation is a new one, and many people are unsure of how to react.

Diarmaid MacCullough, a professor of the history of the church at Oxford University, says that while this event is unheard of, it is not rare for there to be confusion at the Vatican.

“That is actually how doctrine has always been promulgated: the result of accidents, unexpected results, contingency, context, things that aren’t said. That’s how things

have been in Christianity right from the start,” claims MacCullough.

The future, then, appears to be unclear for the time being: unlike other positions of power, such as monarchies, the Vatican has no explicit rules regarding the transfer of said power. Thus, the Vatican’s response to the pope’s decision is still up in the air.

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85th Academy Awards The All-Star Weekend

ATHLETICS SCHEDULE Following Christopher Dorner

weather forecast

Pope Benedict VVI resigns after seven years.

Guru to the Students: Terheanna Marquez

2 Campus Life ASL Club Valentine’s Day Auction

February 20, 2013

Jessica Sabrowski | Freelancer

highest auction of the night. His auction raised $38. As part of the “get to know him” stage of his auction, he gave the crowd a delightful little dance as a treat.

Sarah Zellman, a student of Western enjoyed herself at the event because, “I liked betting on people. It was fun.”

The current all-time record for an auctioned date was achieved a couple of years ago. The woman who holds that record is known only by her first name, which is Daisy. Her auction garnered the club $120. Since the first ASL Date Night Auction began in 2010, an estimated total of $1,108-$1,258 has been raised by the club.

The next event that is in the works for the club is the ASL talent show, which will be held in May. Currently, the ASL Club is focusing on keeping the club running as there will be many officers vacating their positions for reasons such as internships and graduation. At this time, there are two co-presidents: Rebecca Dooms and Brett Koch.

The ASL Club was formed to promote awareness of American Sign Language, and is for people who know ASL already or are actively learning.

The main goal of the ASL club is to help people improve their skills with American Sign Language. For more information, the contact information for both the co-presidents can be found at http://www.wou.edu/student/club/ under the ASL Club listing.

Jessica Sabrowski | Freelancer

The fourth annual American Sign Language (ASL) Club Valentine’s Day Auction was a laid-back, low key affair held in the Summit of the Werner University Center. In addition to the auction, there was a mini bake sale present with cupcakes, cookies, and rice krispy treats. The auctioneer of the night was Cameron Heilfermaki and there were interpreters present. There were a total of 10 dates that were auctioned off.

Between the bake sale and the auction, the night was a success, with the club raising $308 for the club’s general funds.

The highest amount raised for a date was a spur of the moment guest who wished to remain anonymous. The mystery woman admitted to the crowd that her favorite place to go was Silver Creek Falls. She also told the crowd that she enjoys watching movies not for the storyline, but for how they are made.

What made the bidding really kick into high gear was her revelation that she is a closet romantic. The amount paid for a date with her was $80.

While the mystery woman of the night declined to comment, her fellow date on the auction block, Joseph Hill was willing.

“I’ve never done this before. I thought it would be fun,” Hill stated as the reason why he was willing to participate in the event.

Hill, who was wearing a diamond patterned sleeveless sweater over a pink button up shirt with jeans, was the second

Joseph Hill (left) was auctioned off by Cameron Heilfermaki.

Polar Plunge 2013 Run, Plunge, Play, Repeat Ashley Casebeer | Campus Life Editor

This year, a small group of Western students participated in an event called The Polar Plunge. The event took place Feb. 9, and was a national fundraiser for the Special Olympics. This year, people all over NW Oregon went to Broughton Beach in Portland to take a frosty dip into the Columbia River.

Polar Plunges began 20 years ago, and in that span of time, more than 33,000 people have participated in raising money and taking the plunge.

How the plunge works is participants raise a minimum of $50 in pledges. Then the day of, participants run or jump into the water and get out as fast as they can.

It is up to participants how far they dare go in, but it is all for fun and to raise money for that special cause.

One of the main sponsors of the Polar Plunge is Special Olympics Oregon (SOOR). The mission of SOOR is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.

Fred Meyers is also a big sponsor in these events.

According to the Oregon plunge website, “Fred Meyers supports us in so many ways including hosting our preevent check-in nights (and providing towels to attendees), promoting the plunges in each community, putting together many Polar Plunge teams each year and doing a great job of partnering with SOOR to make sure the Polar Plunges are the best they can be.”

Jordan Sollman, Western’s Polar Plunge group leader said, “I organized the event in high school and have been doing it ever since, so I decided to get some Western students involved.”

A total of six Western students woke up bright and early that Saturday morning and took the plunge. A small group can be just as impactful, as the group raised more than $1,000 towards the event.

“I am going to school to become a special education teacher. Kids with intellectual disabilities are so talented and special and the Special Olympics help them find their talents and that is the reason I do it every year.” Sollman added, “It is for a cause that is very close to my heart.”

Next year, Sollman will be making

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a team again, but hopefully with a larger group. It will be his fifth time participating.

When asking what the best part of the event was, Sollman replied, “the best part is when Drew Carney (the news anchor) calls your group name out for you to take the plunge and you and your team run in to the icy cold water. It is the greatest and coldest moments of the whole event.”

Among the other five members of the Western Plunge group, Alysha Knox had this to say about the event, “the best part was without a doubt seeing how many people were willing to raise the money and then come out on a cold February morning to plunge into the Columbia River. Seeing all those people waiting in line to plunge was a sight to see.”

Another Western plunger, Kayla Foster said this about the whole experience, “participating in the Polar Plunge was an awesome experience.

Our team rose over $1,000 for Special Olympics. It wasn’t only about the fundraising aspect though. It was also about raising awareness. We all took a stand in support for the organization and all of the wonderful people affected by it.”

If you didn’t have your chance to participate this year, the Polar Plunge will continue this tradition next year in many sites around Oregon. As of right now, the numbers are not in on how much was raised at the Portland plunge, but if you are interested in info for next year or want to see some photos you can go to www.plungeoregon.com.

February 20, 2013

Campus Life 3

Guru to the Students Katie Drew | Freelancer

As a child, Terheanna Marquez was cut off from sugar. Her ADD, high-energy self left her with enough energy to get from Earth to the moon, and sugar only boosted her multiple times around the circumference of the cratercovered sphere.

Most people attend yoga classes, or do yoga videos in the privacy of their own home in order to relax, de-stress, and calm themselves.

When one thinks of a yoga guru, a superhero flying around the moon at warp speed doesn’t usually come to mind. Marquez, however, takes on both roles: a guru leading students to inner peace and unity of mind, body, and spirit as well as a superhero with a jetpack in place of a cape.

At the age of 33, Marquez and her daughter moved near Western to be with family. Once she was all moved in with her sick mother, Marquez worked three jobs and paid her way through Western where she earned her bachelor’s degree in 2006 and then did a two year graduate teaching program where she wrote a 44-page instructional manual she now uses as the textbook for her class. During the time she was completing her master’s degree, she was working with Western’s athletic teams implementing her yoga programs. Before she even graduated with her Master’s degree, Marquez was asked to stay on staff.

At the start of each and every class, Marquez begins by instilling a little inspiration into the lives of her students. She speaks most on being in touch with every aspect of yourself, including your body and your emotions. Even further along that line, Marquez talks of the importance of having unity of each part of your being and living in peace with all of it.

Loving and taking time for oneself is also a topic of inspiration Marquez throws at us.

Marquez has said, “We need to be mindful of all the interconnected dimensions of wellness and attend to them all. One dimension is not more important than the other.”

Treating one’s body as a whole with individual parts that are all essential is what Marquez’s philosophy is all about.

The homework for the yoga class directly reflects these life lessons Marquez talks with her students about. Each week, she poses a question which kick-starts a train of thought, a gateway to getting us to think about and practice what she’s been preaching.

Questions that are vague and general, such as, “How do you feel in your body in regards to yoga?” partnered with a lack of tedious structure and formatting allow students to formulate their own thoughts and write freely.

Our other assignment to complete over each weekend is to do something nice for ourselves.

This can range from taking a bubble bath to going on a hike to taking a road trip. The idea is simple, but the impact is tremendous.

The ease of the task with the extent of the outcome is a philosophy Marquez holds on to. She lives by and teaches with the idea from Bruce Lee, “Less energy, more power.”

This statement rings true, not only with the homework assigned, but also with the actual practice of yoga done during class time. To clarify, instead of throwing one’s whole body into an action to project an amount of force, utilizing one’s core muscles and the power simply from the trunk of one’s body allows for considerably more force to be exerted.

This idea of less is more is also implemented into her attitude towards health and fitness. While most people in the world pay hundreds, even thousands of dollars to attend a gym with an extensive array of fancy equipment, or purchase proclaimed “miracle machines” from infomercials, Marquez views fitness differently. There are four inexpensive items which will last one’s whole life that she recommends.

Marquez first advises a yoga mat because it’s fairly compact, easy to transport, and can go with you anywhere in the world. The second item is a stretchy band used for resistance to intensify a workout priced at $5. The final two are both types of balls. A standard exercise ball is the more important one, which we even use in class once a week. The second one is a double-fist sized ball used for resistance and back support. These are the items that we use in class and can use on any land. Marquez told a story in class about how her grandfather held cans of beans while going up and down stairs for his workouts. Your body, a few cheap objects, and everyday household items can create a lifetime of health and fitness.

Marquez is a huge supporter of the idea of doing what will make you happy, even if it’s not necessarily what will make you the most money. Though many offers have come her way to create yoga videos to be mass produced and sold, which would allow her to make a significant amount more than a teacher’s salary, Marquez chooses to teach because she’s passionate about equipping students with some tools for lifelong health.

Aside from teaching yoga, Marquez is also the coach for the Wolf Pack Dance Team here at Western. As a teenager, Marquez was a dancer and gymnast when, at the age of 17, she was in a car crash. After many years of rehabilitation and getting her body back to peak performance after a plethora of surgeries, Marquez gets to dance once more.

When asked what this opportunity means to her, she said, “This opportunity has enhanced my life and given me the opportunity to fulfill my love of dance and provide students with the opportunity for growth and development in a team setting. Yet another job I love and feel blessed to do.”

Among all the encouraging tidbits and life lessons, considered the most powerful lesson by many students is about leaving a legacy. Marquez reassures each student that their life means something, that there are wondrous attitudes and actions they have the power to leave on this planet that will live on even once they’re physically gone. This is where Marquez shines brightest. She herself is leaving a legacy, and a powerful one at that.

OPINION

What if my life was like…?

Ashley Casebeer Campus Life Editor

My all-time favorite show is without a doubt, “How I Met Your Mother” (HIMYM). And I can say with confidence and poise that I wish that show was based on my life. I think about what it would be like to have a show based on my life all the time. And if I had to pick which show, it would be HIMYM. Needless to say, my life would be Legen… wait for it… Dary!

Disclaimer: If you haven’t seen this show you may not understand this article.

The first reason why I would love my life if this show was based off of me is because I would then get to experience living in New York City. I have always dreamed of living that “New York lifestyle” and these characters get to experience it every day. The culture there is so different from rural Monmouth or even urban Portland, and that is something I would want to experience. Their lives are much faster paced and always moving compared to my own.

The second reason why I would love my life if this show was based off of me is because everyone in the world would get to see how awesome my four best friends truly are. The moments we spend together are always unforgettable and sometimes I feel like I wish people could see that. I’m not trying to act cocky; I just know that these friendships are forever, and it’s one reason why this year has been as great as it has. Each one of us experiences different things together and we talk about it to each other all the time. I feel like there isn’t one thing that they don’t all know about my life, so in a sense you could say I am a lot like Ted Mosby.

I’m not afraid to share my secrets and accomplishments with the people that mean the most to me. Plus, it would be awesome to have actual flashbacks to the stories we tell.

The third reason why I would love my life if this show was based off of me is that people would actually get to hear my jokes. I think that I am a pretty funny person once you get to know me, but it has to be the “if only you were here to understand” kind of jokes.

If you weren’t there, you missed out. My roommates and me do this quote thing where when someone says something that makes everyone laugh we put it on a sticky note and put that note on our kitchen cabinet.

People read these sticky notes and don’t get the jokes because they weren’t there. But if I were on a television show, then everyone would hear those jokes. If more people thought I was funny, that would just validate what my best friends already say about me. I aspire to make people laugh because it is the easiest icebreaker, and laughter makes everything better.

The fourth reason why I would love my life if this show was based off of me is I could gain a very extensive vocabulary from doing monologues all the time. If you have ever watched the show, there is constantly an extensive vocabulary lesson when Ted Mosby talks. I know my vocabulary is mediocre and could use a tune up which is why I would want my life to be a comedy television show. Plus, Ted knows all these random facts which make him that much more of an interesting character.

Ideally, if I could be anyone on the show, I would be Marshall. Marshall is a loving, kind, and loyal best friend. He cares so much for all the other characters in the show, and he is motivated and driven. He never gave up his dream to be an environmental lawyer and finally got his dream job. That speaks lengths to me that no matter what obstacles we face in life, being loyal, honest and never losing hope will get you far in life. If the show was based on my life, I would want to be the character like Marshall: one that will reach out to others and make them relate to the stories in the show.

But since my life is not the television show “How I Met Your Mother,” I must not complain. I actually love my life very much, mostly because of the people in it. My four best friends mean the world to me, and I wouldn’t trade our secret jokes or hilariously amazing moments for anything. So I will just aspire to keep them laughing.

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4 Entertainment

February 20, 2013

the

Journal staff

(503) 838-8374 editor-in-chief

ALEXA ARMSTRONG editor@westernoregonjournal.com

news editor

ANNIE WEST awest@westernoregonjournal.com

entertainment editor

LAVEN VOTH

lvoth@westernoregonjournal.com

campus life

ASHLEY CASEBEER acasebeer@westernoregonjournal.com

sports editor

STEPHANIE LANE slane@westernoregonjournal.com

Nation Gears Up For

85th Academy Awards Nathanial Dunway | Freelancer

copy editor

ASHLEY WRIGHT awright@westernoregonjournal.com

designers

LACEY SPILLMAN lspillman@westernoregonjournal.com

HAUNANI TOMAS htomas@westernoregonjournal.com

photo editor

JODI ANDERSEN jandersen@westernoregonjournal.com

student media adviser

SHELBY CASE cases@wou.edu

The year 2012 was an excellent year for the film industry, and awards season buzz is finally coming to a head this Sunday night, Feb. 24, with the 85th Annual Academy Award Ceremony, informally known as the Oscars.

Twenty-four awards are presented at the Oscars, in categories ranging from Best Costume Design to Best Cinematography, but the award that is generally remembered most from each year is of course the recipient of the Academy Award for Best Motion Picture of the Year. This year’s ceremony sees nine nominees for this category. They are “Amour,” “Argo,” “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” “Django Unchained,” “Les Miserables,” “Life of Pi,” “Lincoln,” “Silver Linings Playbook” and “Zero Dark Thirty.”

Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” leads the pack with 12 nominations, including the aforementioned Best Picture nod. It is closely followed by Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi,” with 11 noms.

Seth MacFarlane, creator of the popular television series “Family Guy” and director of last year’s Mark Wahlberg comedy “Ted,” will be hosting the ceremony for the first time.

MacFarlane himself has also been nominated for the Oscar for Best Original Song for “Everybody Needs a Best Friend” from “Ted.” MacFarlane told the Associated Press last week the difficult task he has of striking a comedic balance between the humor his fans are used to and the humor he can use in front of the “comparatively highbrow audience inside the Dolby Theatre.”

“I’ve set myself up for the hardest job in the world,” said MacFarlane, “because the fans of ‘Family Guy’ and ‘Ted’ and the shows and whatnot that I do are expecting one thing. If I deliver that, this crowd will walk out … [the] whole point of their bringing me on was to give it a little bit more of an edge,

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but you have a room full of people who are at the top of their game — they’re successful, they’re being honored, they’re attractive—and yet this is also the group with the thinnest skin on the planet,” he said, “so it’s a tough group.”

This year’s Academy Award nominations are notable for a handful of several rare, or even first-time feats. For example, Michael Heneke’s “Amour”—a French film—is the first film in 12 years to receive nominations for both Best Picture and Best Foreign Language Film, as well as the first foreign film in six years to be nominated for Best Picture.

Additionally, 22-year-old Jennifer Lawrence (“The Hunger Games”) has been nominated for Best Actress for the second time, the first for 2010’s “Winter’s Bone” and the second for this year’s “Silver Lining’s Playbook,” respectively, making Lawarence the youngest Best Actress two-time nominee.

Lawrence’s film “Silver Lining’s Playbook” has also become the first film in eight years to receive nominations in all of the “Big Five” categories. These categories are Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Screenplay. If “Playbook” were to take home all five of these awards, it would only be the fourth film in the history of the Academy Awards to do so, following previous recipients “It Happened One Night,” “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “The Silence of the Lambs.”

The Oscars are an exciting event in the motion picture industry, showcasing outstanding achievement for nearly all aspects of the filmmaking process, and it’s an excellent time to see our favorite celebrities gathered together to celebrate their—and our—shared passion: movies. The 85th Annual Academy Awards will air this Sunday night on ABC.

Entertainment 5

February 20, 2013

Kid’s Sitcome is More of the Same Patrick Willett | Freelancer

Known for his eccentric characters and energetic performances as “Crazy” Steve on “Drake and Josh” and Spencer on “iCarly,” Jerry Trainor has been something of a kid show idol in recent years Now he makes his jump towards more adult comedy—well, sort of—with the Nick at Nite sitcom “Wendell and Vinnie.”

Vinnie (played by Trainor) leads a life that any child would envy; he loves nerdy movies, video games, skateboarding, he loves it all, and what kid wouldn’t? Only, he’s 30, and the actual kid who lives with him, his nephew Wendell (played by Buddy Handleston) instead finds pleasure in school, politics, economics, science and mathematics. This leads to the both of them being ostracized by their peers; Wendell for having no social skills and his odd interests, and Vinnie for his childish hobbies and inability to grow up and take responsibility. But as long as they’re together, Vinnie will teach Wendell how to be a kid and Wendell will teach him how to be an adult.

The premise itself is very strange right off the bat in that it’s very unrealistic. For one thing, Wendell is basically an alien; he takes interest in things that, quite frankly, no one should be interested in, especially not someone of his young age (he considers the stability of the euro to be one of the most fascinating and engaging subjects to talk about). He goes far beyond just being a child with adult interests and becomes a pitiable pencil-pusher. Naturally, this is meant to make Vinnie’s work all the more daunting, and to make him the more serious of the pair, but it’s difficult to take him seriously when he’s ecstatic to be receiving new underwear.

Vinnie, on the other hand, is a problem not because of his juvenile interests, but more because of his insistence to get together with his neighbor across the hall, Taryn (played by Hay-

ley Strode). Yes, he adores his “Star Wars” props and his Thor Mini Cooper, but he never lets those impede his social life. But every conversation he has with Taryn essentially amounts to “I’m a really nice guy, so please go out with me.” He’s almost reminiscent of Leonard from “The Big Bang Theory” and his early relationship with Penny, only in “Big Bang.” he was a lot more subtle and didn’t make his interest obvious until later on. He’s also not a very competent guardian, though he’s certainly not the worst offender in that category, and when he really needs to, he’ll do anything to help Wendell. Other than that, though, there isn’t much to him.

The target audience for this show is confusing, to say the least. Despite its placement on Nick at Nite, it’s clearly trying to appeal to kids, with Trainor’s trademark wacky and loud delivery and Wendell’s efforts to fit in with kids his age, but at the same time, there are more adult jokes and subject matter peppered throughout, like child custody and lewd websites. Apparently, the show is meant to be for the whole family, with plenty of stuff for parents, but kids can like it, too, so it seems to be the same kind of audience that shows like “George Lopez” or “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” went for, but it seems like it can’t really decide what it wants to be.

This was simply the first episode, but everything about “Wendell and Vinnie” plays it too safe; Jerry Trainor is funny, even with this being his most grounded role yet, but even he seems to be just going through the motions on this one along with everyone else. It’s just generic; there’s nothing about this show that can really distinguish itself or be memorable. If this show wants to be memorable, it’s going to really have to step up its game and take some risks.

“Wendell and Vinnie” airs Saturdays at 8 p.m on Nickelodeon.

Jerry Trainor and Buddy Handleston star in Wendell & Vinnie.

Opinion

Let’s Space Laven Voth Entertainment Editor

Recently, I’ve been conflicted. While I hate most corporations and otherwise exploitative entities, I can’t help but feel excited and generally approving of the most recent decision by AXE, the company in charge of the famous male body-wash. What they’ve done is partner with Space Expedition Corporation, a European private space agency. Selected “astronauts” will fly aboard the Lynx spacecraft, which is currently in its testing phases. The commercial space company is slated to be operational by 2014, giving anyone with a few hundred thousand dollars laying about a chance to fly in sub orbit.

As a self proclaimed space enthusiast and proclaimed-by-others “huge nerd,” I am quite interested in going to space. In fact, it is my number one goal in life. Granted, I don’t expect to win this big publicity stunt (yes, I signed up) I fully expect the cost of private spaceflight to come down significantly in my lifetime. In the previous century, we saw air travel go from laughable, to a luxurious status symbol, to a mainstay in our way of life. It only makes since that after the initial “only rich people go to space,” it’s very probable that the average person will be mixed up in the mundane space travel industry some day very soon.

Which brings us to corporations. By doing this promotion, AXE is getting the idea and concept out there to the general public. I know there are some people who don’t even know that such a thing is being attempted. Those people think that NASA is still relevant and spaceflight is limited to the elite engineers. Though if you haven’t been paying attention, companies like Space X and Virgin Galactic are making great advances on private spaceflight. Space X has won contract bigs with NASA for ISS resupply, and successfully launched the first private rocket and space capsule. Not to mention it’s docking with the International Space Station, as well as successful re-entry and recovery. And, Virgin is already amidst construction on a commercial space port in the the dessert of New Mexico.

The other side of the coin is that it’s a shame that we have to rely on capitalist greed to fund the mass exodus to space. Something that mankind should naturally pursue is reduced to a marketing scheme. It really comes down to the classic debate about which is actually moral: doing something for the purpose of the goal to help, or serving yourself with something nice for people coming as a byproduct. In both cases advancement or betterment is achieved, but are they doing it for the right reasons. In my opinion, and really only in this area, I don’t care. I want space, so let them do what they well. Normally, I tend to assert that the intentions should be good, but I’m definitely willing to sell out for a chance to look at the earth in its entirely while floating in zero gravity.

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6

Sports

February 20, 2013

The All-Star Weekend

Athletics Schedule (through February 28, 2013) MEN’S BASKETBALL Thursday, February 21 Home against Montana State Billings @ 7 p.m.

Saturday, February 23 Home against Seattle Pacific @ 2 p.m.

Thursday, February 28 Away against Central Washington @ 7:30 p.m.

Brian Mahuna Sports Columnist

Every year, millions of people tune into All-Star Weekend to watch the best the NBA has to offer as they engage in skills challenges like the three-point contest, and athleticism showcases, which includes the dunk contest.

Each year the fans are watching, expecting to be wowed, and each year the contests do not completely live up to those expectations. Now, do not misunderstand me, I believe wholeheartedly that these contests are great and I am one of the fans that tune in every year to watch.

The three-point contest was won by Kyrie Irving this year, a second year player who is taking the league by storm. He is quite possibly the most naturally skilled point guard in the league, but not quite the proven player like Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo. He showcased some sniperlike range from beyond the arc to take home the title and prove some of his doubters wrong.

The dunk contest crown was snatched away from defending champ Jeremy Evans by none other than Portland’s own Terrence Ross. The Toronto Raptor’s rookie guard took flight with a combination of extreme athleticism and grace to take home the hardware. His dunks impressed everyone, but still had people doubting his ability.

Simply put: these nay-sayers are what is wrong with All-Star Weekend. These people have become jaded or spoiled with great moments from years past almost to the point where they cannot get excited about the current players who exude skill and elite level talents. It is especially toughest for the dunk contest participants. There are only so many ways that a player can dunk a basketball and there a limits that the human body simply cannot surpass. These players are testing these boundaries and trying to break through every year, but it is hard for them to do a dunk that no one has ever seen before.

The All-Star game itself is always a great game to watch with all of the in game highlights that we expect and more. The game goes along as a highlight reel filming session until the fourth quarter where the competiveness of the players begins to come into effect and the fun loving alley-oop showcase turns into an actual “NBA’s Greatest” scrimmage.

That transition is one of the most awesome things to watch in pro basketball.

The players really are the best the world has to offer, and once they decide to, they turn up the heat and begin to play for real.

Kobe Bryant decided that age was just a state of mind on Sunday night when he squared off against arguably the best in the league, LeBron James, and absolutely locked him down, blocking him twice in the fourth quarter while helping his west team maintain the lead that they had kept for the entire game. His defensive outburst was one example of an elite player simply turning “it” on in the fourth quarter. Chris Paul did the same, dominating the fourth quarter and making an example out of the young Kyrie Irving while he did it. All-Star Weekend is always a fun time for fans and players alike and hopefully it stays that way for a long, long time.

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Thursday, February 21 Away against Alaska Fairbanks @ 6:15 p.m.

Saturday, February 23 Away against Alaska Anchorage @ 6:15 p.m.

Thursday, February 28 Home against Simon Fraser @ 7 p.m.

MEN’S RUGBY Saturday, February 23 Bye Week WOMEN’S RUGBY Saturday, February 23 Away against University of Idaho @ TBA BASEBALL Friday, February 22 Away against Lewis Clark State @ 2 p.m.

Saturday, February 23 Away against Lewis Clark State @ 2 p.m.

Sunday, February 24 Away against Lewis Clark State @ 12 p.m.

SOFTBALL February 21-23 Away for Hawaii-Hilo Tourney @ TBA INDOOR TRACK Saturday, February 23 Away for SPU Last Chance Qualifier @ TBA LACROSSE Saturday, February 23 Home against Western Washington @ 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, February 24 Home against Pacific Lutheran @ 12 p.m.

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website that four of the Wolves games will be webcasted on Laxx.TV this LACROSSE season. The first game was on FROM PAGE 7 Feb. 6 and the remaining to be on March 26, 27 and April 12.

Other events to look forward to include the Burgerville Fundraiser that the team will be host tonight, Wednesday, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. “[A goal I want this season] is a MCLA National Championship. I know a lot of people might say that but I know [our team] has the right tools,” stated second year defensemen, Ryan Goe. He continued, “We are off to a good start. [I’m] looking forward to more games so we can assert our dominance in the PNCLL. We have a huge game on the Feb. 23. They are our major rival and it will make for a tough game.”

The team has their next game at home on Feb. 23 at 2:30 p.m. against Division II School, Western Washington University as well as a game Feb. 24 at noon against Pacific Lutheran. Both games will be located at Western Oregon’s turf field on Stadium Dr. To keep up with their schedule and other information like fundraisers and stats please visit www.woulax.com.

Sports

February 20, 2013

7

Men and Women’s Cheerleading: Rugby Battling Sport by Towards Nationals Definition Opinion

Iain Dexter | Freelancer

Many people on campus may not know much about the men and women’s rugby teams at Western, while some people may not even realize that there is a rugby team. Not only does the school have two very successful rugby teams, but the women’s team plays in the National Collegiate Athletic Associations’s (NCAA) Division II while the men’s team is the only one that competes in the NCAA’s Division I in the entire school.

The Western Women’s Rugby Club was created in the fall of 2004 and found immediate success in their first year. Their season consisted of being named the Pacific Northwest Regional Champions and getting invited to the National Tournament in Calif., finishing third place overall in the nation. In 2006, the team had another strong season winning the Pacific Northwest region, and finishing second place the regional tournament. The Lady Wolves were also able to finish fifth place in the nation during the 2006-2007 season.

“This year our team has gone through a lot of changes and improved vastly. We were lucky enough to enlist a head coach, Mark Baldwin, who has years of rugby playing and coaching experience,” stated Women’s Vice-President, Tori Boyd.

She continued, “We also started in a new league this year [Cascade Collegiate Women’s Conference] where we will play against both Division I and Division II teams. We are currently placed second in our conference and plan to continue our streak of success all the way to nationals.”

This year the Women’s Rugby Team looks to get back into the National Tournament with a strong roster that has an even balance of new and experienced players with seven of the 23 playing their first year of rugby.

The team will be on the road to take on the University of Idaho this coming weekend, Feb. 23. After that, the Lady Wolves will battle against Washington State, Western Washington, and Central Washington all at home before the playoffs begin on April 12.

As for the Men’s Rugby Team, they were first established in 2001 by several Western students. They

originally began competing in Division II until just recently moving up to Division I. Their year currently consists of two separate seasons, one in fall and one in winter. The winter season is currently underway and consists of a schedule of seven games against their conference opponents in the Northwest Collegiate Rugby Conference (NCRC) “Being on the team is an ecstatic experience,” said sophomore Chuy Mora. “We moved up to Division I competition so we play the highest level of schools.

Division I level is a big jump in competition. Every team executes real well on what they are trying to do.

The teams we play are just as big, just as fast as we are, but we have the talent and dedication to separate us from them.”

So far the Men’s Rugby Team has played three games and sitting at a record of 1-2. Their last game ended in defeat against University of Washington, 3415. Their season continues against Eastern Washington on March 2 before eventually finishing off with the playoffs on April 6. If they play well enough in the playoffs they will be invited to play in the National Tournament in Stanford, Calif.

“This season, everyone on our team believes we can compete amongst the best in the nation,” said Mora.

“We would be disappointed not to make it to nationals.”

As both seasons continue for the men and women’s teams, rugby at Western is becoming more and more popular. The teams are continuously looking for new players to help fill roles or even to just learn about the game. They currently practice Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the turf field.

“The beginning of the season has been a great learning experience for all if us,” said Mora. “We won our first game and then lost two close games. We did not play to our potential and really let those games go. We are ready to get back on a roll and win our next stretch of games. We are getting new players consistently and we love it. We welcome anyone to come to a practice for a day; I guarantee you would love the game.”

Western Oregon Lacrosse has High Hopes for the Year Stephanie Lane | Sports Editor

With the Feb. 13 release of the Nike/Inside Lacrosse MCLA Coaches’ Poll it isn’t hard to see that the Western Oregon Lacrosse team just keeps getting better, jumping up one spot on the list.

The team started off the season a little rough with a loss to the Division I school, University of Oregon, who are ranked seventh as of Feb. 13. The team made up for this loss with their next match at home against University of Puget Sound on Feb. 10 with a win (19-2).

“Our effort and composure are areas that need much improvement. We don’t have a lazy team, but by effort I mean we need to make our opponents work harder. The things we want to be able to do on offense require more movement from our guys with and without the ball,” stated lacrosse President Tyler Bolton, a fourth year attack.

He continued, “In regards to composure, we have a young team and many of us who are older are not used to losing games by 12 goals. The Oregon team we lost to on Feb. 6 was indeed much better than the team we played for a 13-15 loss in November, but that team is not 12 goals better than us.”

He added, “The largest difference in that game was discipline and how poorly we handled ourselves once we started losing control of the game. We need to

be able to respond better when teams go on runs or we don’t click offensively. We need to learn to apply what our coaches tell us in games and practice in order to be more successful on the field.”

With a team full of young members, it appears that they have time to grow but as the past shows this is a team that knows what they want, its just about taking the right steps to making it happen.

“I think the amount of freshmen we have is good for our team. We have a chance to change the identity and overall attitude our program has, having so many new players. It will be hard being so young when we play good teams in close games,” stated Bolton.

He continued, “Connor Morgan and Mitch Beck have impressed me the most this early in the season.

[They] both have switched to a different position than they played in high school and have been able to perform the way we need them to and are key components to our team. I have [also] been very impressed with Justin Ransome and Zac Smith; both first year lacrosse players have had to learn the game at a very quick pace and are easily some of the most improved player on our roster so far.”

LACROSSE It was announced on SEE PAGE 6 Jan. 29 via the woulax

Stephanie Lane Sports Editor

Cheerleading. It is one of those “sports” that seems to always be under debate. When you get down to the basis of this debate, the whole argument is on what constitutes a sport.

When I type, “what is a sport” into Google, this is the definition I get back: “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team completes against another or others.” With that definition, how is cheerleading not determined a sport?

Let’s break it down this way: cheerleaders standing on the sidelines of a football or basketball game cheering in miniskirts or warm-ups to encourage school spirit is not a sport, and let me tell you, I have actually heard that from many cheerleaders themselves.

Now look at things like a National Cheerleading competition. Have any of you been through the hours of practice those girls (or boys) need to be able to fly through the air with not so much as a slight sway in the wrong way? I bet not. It may look like a bunch of girls shaking pom-poms with their expensive outfits and perfectly highlighted hair, but in reality it takes a lot to do what competitive cheerleaders do (and imagine how hard to have to work out to stay a size two).

Now I know there are a lot of jokes that have been said throughout the years about cheerleaders.

I’ve heard jokes from anything about them having eating disorders to being the “dumb blonde.” Seriously people, are we now stereotyping girls by the activities they do as to if they are dumb or bulimic?

Personally, I feel that the person participating should define a sport. Cheerleading isn’t the only sport I’ve head under fire for this. Some people do not see bowling as a sport, or synchronized swimming, but what individuals do not realize is the amount of time, energy and passion that goes into doing any sport.

It is stated in the definition that sport is competitive and involves physical exertion. So who are we to put more guidelines on an activity that individuals like to participate in and make demeaning comments to make their activity appear to be less important.

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12 News

February 20, 2013

Following Christopher Dorner, LAPD Faces Social Outcry Annie West | News Editor

Friday, Feb. 15 marks the end of a week-long man-hunt that California’s San Bernardino County Sheriff Department and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) are still reeling from the results of.

Early Wednesday morning, Christopher Dorner, an ex-LAPD officer who had been discharged in 2007 following a complaint against another officer who had used excessive and unnecessary force during an arrest, set out to rectify the wrongs he saw within the LAPD Force, all of which were outlined in an 11 page manifesto he had posted online to justify his actions.

Originally targeted as a suspect in the slayings of a retired LAPD officer’s daughter and her fiancé, Dorner gained national attention when, on Thursday morning, he was named as the primary suspect in the shootings of a Riverside, Calif. police officer and two civilians.

In the days that led up to the hostile standoff between police and Dorner in Big Bear, Calif. that left the ex-cop dead, there were at least two cases of mistaken identity where local law enforcement opened fire on trucks resembling Dorner’s own, injuring two civilians in the process.

The point of popular interest, however, is not so much the actions Dorner and police took in the days of the man-hunt, but the 11-page manifesto that outlined his reasoning for taking such violent actions, the primary focus of which was the corruption he saw

within the LAPD that led to the slandering of his own name.

According to Mallory Simon with CNN, this is not the first time that someone has attempted to raise awareness of the suspected corruption of law enforcement, but it is the most violent.

“Dorner’s claims of corruption and bias against the LAPD wouldn’t be the first, but his level of detail, the fits of rage, and the blunt and violent nature of how he intends to rectify it -- through a murderous rampage -- are stark and shocking,” she says in her article titled, “Alleged cop-killer details threats to LAPD and why he was driven to violence.”

In his manifesto, Dorner names several LAPD officers, all of whom have been stricken from the manifesto online for various reasons, who, following the previously mentioned report against another office for excessive force during an arrest, aided in what Dorner calls his wrongful termination.

“From 2/05 to 1/09 I saw some of the most vile things humans can inflict on others as a police officer in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, it wasn’t in the streets of LA. It was in the confounds of LAPD police stations and shops (cruisers). The enemy combatants in LA are not the citizens and suspects, it’s the police officers,” Dorner says in his manifesto.

What is interesting to note, however, is the number of supporters who, while in disagreement with

Drawing a PA R A L L E L

Annie West News Editor

Christopher Dorner his violent methods, agree and testify to the mistreatment and corruption within the LAPD. One Facebook user, commenting on the “We Are All Chris Dorner” page explained her dismay with the violence, but her understanding with Dorner’s frustrations.

“He murdered innocent people, ruined many lives, left children to grow up without a father. With that said, the flip side is, was Dorner wronged? I do believe he was. Dorner was not a thug, He was a cop. He saw something he did not agree with and informed a higher up about what he saw. Dorner even-

tually lost everything because of that, including his name. He took every legal action he could until there was nowhere else to go.”

This past weekend, supporters of Dorner’s cause rallied at LAPD headquarters, demanding the end of racism and unfair treatment by the LAPD, thus begging the question of how will the LAPD respond to the sudden boisterous demand to end the discrimination so many of their constituents claim to have been witness to following the end of the situation with Christopher Dorner.

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Opinion

They say that if we do not study history, then we are doomed to repeat it, and for the most part, I completely agree.

In the 17 years I’ve been going to school, I’ve received various versions of the same stories. I’ve heard and learned about various perceptions that cover the same event, and every time I’m faced with this issue of what I’ve learned to be true versus what is actually true, I end up at the same problem.

If the world around is made to be understood based on our experiences and perception, and we all see the world and events throughout history in different ways, then how is it possible to stop history from repeating itself in some way or another?

To explain my logic here, or rather, to get at some semblance of an answer, I’m going to draw from a conversation I was having with other classmates of mine.

We were discussing the various arguments men came up with to stop women from having the same rights as them. Now, of course, the arguments varied from it goes against God for a woman to leave the home, to it defies traditions, to a number of other reasons that a number of great women and even men ended up proving wrong. However, when I got to thinking about it, I ended up at the following.

When we discuss women’s rights today, most attention turns to the rights of women to decide what to do with their bodies in regards to reproductive health, abortion, and everything in between. Again, we hear the same arguments that came up within the realm of suffrage. Women can surely not take care of their own bodies, it’s against God’s will, and a handful of other reasons that when put against logic, just don’t make sense.

The same issue comes up when you discuss samesex marriage.

We’re not entirely repeating history, as women have the right to vote, as do a number of other groups that didn’t before. That right, hopefully, isn’t going away anytime soon; however, we have seen roughly the same arguments getting shifted from suffrage in the early 1900s to other social and civil issues, and it’s here, that I realized when thinking on my own, that history is repeating itself in ways that fit today’s social climate.

So how do we stop this vicious circle?

Personally? I don’t think we can. I don’t think it’s possible, when you have a group as varied as our population, to stop the relative repetition of history, because that would require people to see the world, and world events, in roughly the same light, and that, as we’ve seen time and again, is nearly impossible without some sort of forceful persuasion or manipulation.

I guess, in the end, there really isn’t a solution, except to hope that things today end as they did then: positively.

In the end, and though it took far, far too long to gain, women did attain the right to vote. One can only hope that a large amount of time does not have to pass before other civil and social issues are settled for the betterment of the overall population, rather than for the appeasement of those making illogical arguments that didn’t work then, and that really shouldn’t work now.