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Portland University Portland StateState University Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 | vol. 67 no. 20
Wiewel’s message to SFC: no new fees
Students forage for food
SFC distributes $14 million in student fees Shanna Cranston Vanguard Staff
On Friday, Portland State President Wim Wiewel delivered a message to the Associated Students of Portland State University’s student fee committee in person: Do not raise student fees, no matter how tempting or necessary it may seem. Wiewel met with the SFC as the committee begins to consider the 2013–14 budget requests of hundreds of fee-funded student organizations, which have begun to put together their own budget wish lists. The SFC is in charge of the roughly $14 million in incidental fees that are collected from students along with tuition each term. The committee approves or denies budget requests for these funds and prepares an overall budget. The committee submits the budget to the student senate, and it is then passed along to the university president for approval. This fall, about 30,300 students enrolled in the university, up from about 29,000 in fall 2011. While PSU is definitely not lacking in students, the modest increase in enrollment means there won’t be significantly more money next year to put into student programs. “That’s why I like having modest growth to student enrollment,” See SFC on page 5
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Marisha Auerbach, an expert on edible wildlife, explains uses for plants found on campus to student Scott Clapson. Some of the food items grow right outside classroom halls.
Campus offers edible delights Gwen Shaw Vanguard Staff
In the midst of candy highs, crazy costumes and haunted houses, 10 Portland State students toured campus to learn about the array of free, nutritious food literally within reach. On Wednesday, Marisha Auerbach, a community member and expert on edible wildlife, led the group through the Park Blocks and to the Native American Student and Community Center’s rooftop and backyard gardens to point out the abundance of edible plants available. The event was organized by PSU’s
Food Action Collective in line with FAC’s mission statement, said Ashley Hibler, a social science junior and a cochair of FAC. “The [FAC] is about educating and inspiring people to learn about their food systems—what’s around them and where it comes from,” she said. In each of the areas, Auerbach pointed out native and beneficial plants students can eat and shared their uses.
Outside of Cramer Hall in the Park Blocks Wild ginger can be found in deep shade near the building, often under shrubs, and can be used in tea or for nibbling. Ginger is easy to
identify by its smell, Auerbach said. Nettles, also found near the building, can be used in a number of ways. They can be lightly steamed and enjoyed like kale or chard and are also good in tea, as they help allergies and strengthen the immune system, she said. Auerbach pointed out that nettles can only be eaten before they reach knee height. Once the plant gets that tall, it will contain compounds that can be harmful to humans. Hawthorn is also common. Auerbach said its leaves and berries can go into tea and are great for the heart. To identify hawthorn, look for spiky thorns and leaves that alternate on the stems. Living in the Pacific Northwest, it’s likely that PSU students have come
across huckleberries. Evergreen huckleberries can be found right outside of Cramer Hall, with tasty berries that turn black when they are ready to eat. Auerbach said that if someone were to go up to the mountains and forage for huckleberries, they could easily find enough to make a pie or even to sell to a local restaurant and possibly make a little cash. Willow trees are another common sight, and most people are unaware of their benefits. Auerbach described it as natural aspirin, not only for people, but for other plants as well. When planting a garden, making a tea out of willow leaves and pouring it on the soil where plants are to go can help with growth. See Edibles on page 2
Students pitch in for afternoon of service Matthew Ellis Vanguard staff
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Music education major Linse Sullivan helps organize donated materials with student Victoria Grami at Scrap on Friday.
Portland State’s Student Leaders for Service kicked off its new “First Friday” program last week with a trip to Scrap, a local nonprofit organization that encourages arts and sustainability through what they call “creative reuse.” By accepting donated arts materials, Scrap hopes to both decrease waste and reinject the Portland community with arts projects and programs for children and local artists. Scrap hosts workshops and community events and chooses a local school to sponsor each year with the goods they receive.
In addition to used paintbrushes and rolls of fabric, Scrap often gets boxes full of highly unorganized, dirty and unmanageable goods. “We get weird, random boxes filled with stuff like half-broken fencing equipment, or one time, the entire inside of a grand piano,” Scrap Store Manager Stephanie Weber said. Because of this, and because of the fact that most of Scrap’s staff are volunteers, the organizational process can be overwhelming. Nine PSU students met with Weber on Friday to help sanitize and organize Scrap’s donations room. Upon arrival, they found tables overflowing with
yarn, clothing and scraps of fabric. Ailene Farkac, a social work major, helped sort a box filled with hundreds of greeting cards. “Not only am I a new student, but this is my first trip with [SLS]—I had been searching for student groups to get involved with as soon as I got to campus, and SLS does exactly what I want to do,” she said. Friday’s SLS event at Scrap was partly coordinated by Katie Hoyt, a community development major, SLS member and part-time Scrap employee. See SCRAP on page 5
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Vanguard • Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 • news
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Tribes protect tradition of place Andrew Morse Vanguard Staff
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According to Molalla tradition, when Coyote was z creating the world he was challenged by Grizzly Bear near Mount Hood. Coyote won the fight and scattered Grizzly Bear’s remains across the landscape, saying of the tribe, “Now the people will be good hunters.” On Thursday, Eirik Thorsgard, tribal historic preservation officer of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, spoke to a packed classroom in Cramer Hall about Traditional Cultural Properties and Sacred Sites, often referred to as TCPs. The presentation was part of the Anthropology Department’s ongoing Archaeology First Thursdays lecture series. Native American oral traditions, like the story of Coyote and Grizzly Bear at Mount Hood, play a large role in helping tribes negotiate with the government about whether locations are eligible as TCPs. When a location is deemed a TCP, it is placed on a national register and receives federal protection. “Traditional properties are those that don’t necessarily have a physical presence,” said Virginia Butler, archaeology professor and organizer of the lecture series. Defining what makes a TCP is a complex process. A tribe may no longer be present at a location but still have a living
tradition associated with it. Likewise, a living tradition may have moved from one site to another. In the negotiating process, government demand for documentation meets Native American oral history. It’s a realm in which cultural misunderstanding can run rampant. “Culture is fluid; culture changes and adapts to the situation around it,” Thorsgard said. To help ease the process, the government created Bulletin 38, a document that attempts to define TCPs and acts as a guide in determining a location’s eligibility. The document is up for review and possible revision. Wednesday was the last day for open commentary from the public. Thorsgard believes the language in the current version of Bulletin 38 is too broad. In one section it defines a TCP as “a location associated with a Native American group about its origins, its cultural history, or the nature of the world.” This “anything goes” language can actually work against a tribe because government agencies prefer much more specific information. It leaves tribes guessing as to which information will be considered valid when a petition is up for review. Much of Thorsgard’s presentation was spent providing specific examples of TCPs associated with the Grand Ronde. Each example illustrated a unique challenge.
Edibles from page 1
The PSU campus hosts an abundance of edibles Outside of Smith Memorial Student Union Between SMSU and Neuberger Hall is a little garden grown by the PSU Environmental Club. The garden has an abundance of edible weeds and plants. Auerbach pointed out chick-
weed, her favorite for salads, as well as parsley, lemonbalm, mint and various other salad weeds. Also in this area is elderberry. There are two types of elderberry: one with red berries and one with blue. Auerbach doesn’t suggest eating the red ones because they are not as tasty.
Sacred Places: Eirik Thorsgard spoke about protecting tribal sites on Thursday at PSU.
Corinna Scott/VANGUARD STAFf
One was the Willamette Meteorite, the largest of its kind in North America. Once venerated by local tribes, the rock now sits on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. In the late 1990s the Grand Ronde tried to get the meteorite back, but the museum threatened to sue. In a compromise, the museum now allows tribal members to conduct ceremonies around the rock once a year. In addition, the Grand Ronde community places some of its youth as volunteers in the museum. The knowledge they gain, they bring back and teach the community, Thorsgard explained. Another example is the Roman Catholic abbey in Mount Angel, Ore., which sits atop a butte overlooking the town. Similar to many colonial churches throughout the Americas, the structures stand on a site once held sacred by Native American tribes. Before the abbey was built in the late 19th century, the butte contained “prayer seats”
The Native American Student and Community Center The NASCC has two areas containing a wide selection of edible plants. On the rooftop, students can find yarrow, Oregon grape and elderberry, as well as other plants that are not edible but are still beautiful. Auerbach pointed out many plants that suggest the rooftop has a large amount of
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Look closer: These tasty black evergreen berries can be found outside Cramer Hall.
formed from rock. Natives had originally built and used them to “talk to God,” Thorsgard said. Many of those stones became part of the foundation of the abbey. The site raises the issue of cultural continuity. Even if appropriated for Catholic use, the site is still being used for sacred purposes, specifically prayer. There are members of the Grand Ronde who practice Catholicism, including some who also practice traditional beliefs, seeing no problem with combining them. As a friend of Thorsgard said, “prayer is prayer.” The Mount Angel site represents the complexity of the TCP issue at its fullest: It’s a geographical location with archaeological remnants, has been in continual cultural use (even if occupied by different groups), some tribal members are tied to it—both through contemporary and traditional practices—and these practices are at once present on site and off. Some sites, like Mount Hood, Table Rock or Willamette Falls, are held sacred
because of their role as places of myth creation. In negotiating for federal protection of TCPs, Thorsgard doesn’t get into arguments over empirical evidence. “It’s what people believe that matters,” he said. As is often necessary, Thorsgard turns to the ethnographic record, usually written by white “colonizers” to assert native traditions surrounding places and practices. These can effectively point out that “one of your people” said this about “us,” which can set the precedent for white acknowledgment of native claims, Thorsgard explained. Senior anthropology major Daniel Walker, who attended the lecture, said the presentation was in direct correlation to what he was studying, and that he was surprised by what he heard. “It was a slap in the face as an archaeologist—the humanity doesn’t come through in classwork,” he said. Archaeology First Thursdays are held once a month throughout the school year.
water in the soil. “As you learn to identify plants, you can learn to know what kind of conditions are there,” Auerbach said. This is beneficial to knowing what, and even if, there will be food available to you in any given location. In the garden behind the NASCC, three types of ferns grow: lady fern, sword fern and maidenhair. Though ferns are only edible before they unfurl early in the spring, they can have other uses as well. The maidenhair fern can be infused into water and used to make hair shiny, hence its name. Sword ferns are used by Native Americans to create underground ovens to cook and store food. Also in this garden was snowberry, which cannot be eaten. Auerbach said it’s a good general rule to stay away from berries because they are often poisonous. This is evidenced by the fact that many snowberries will last all through winter—meaning birds and other creatures avoid eating them. In almost every area the group walked past, Auerbach pointed out rose hip. She said that it is one of her favorite things to forage. The bright red ones are the best to get, and if split open, deseeded and dried out, rose hip can be used in cereal, oatmeal or tea. Auerbach placed great em-
phasis on the importance of eating only the things that can be correctly identified. She suggested the book Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon to help with identification. Another very important thing Auerbach wanted students to remember is never to harvest more than a third of the plant. Foragers need to be aware of how a plant grows and how to trim it so they can come back later and still have that food available to them. “I think it’s really interesting learning about all the edible plants there are directly outside the buildings that we’re in every day at school,” said Danielle Thompson, a senior anthropology major and FAC officer. “It’s really cool learning different things that you can eat on campus and also learning things that you can put into teas that are good for medicinal values and nutrients,” she added. Though some things can be more bitter or less flavorful than the food people are used to today, Auerbach pointed out that these native plants have been on this planet for many years and have lasted through many disasters. “With the starvation statistics today, we can’t really afford not to plant edibles,” Auerbach said.
NEWS NEWSNEWS NEWS •• TUESDAY, TUESDAY, •• Tuesday, TUESDAY, JANUARY JANUARY Nov. MAY24, 17, 6, 1, 2012 • VANGUARD
Where to watch the election
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Malkin fires up PSU republicans
A guide to Portland’s political parties near campus Mary Breaden Vanguard Staff
One year and hundreds of millions of election dollars later, a long election season is drawing to a close. Tonight, voters will finally be able to tune in and see their voices depicted in numbers and red and blue maps as the results pour in. While politics and sports have their share of differences, tonight their similarities will shine. Bars, music venues, nonprofits and campaign headquarters will open their doors for voters to watch the returns. The following is a list of a few places around Portland where students can watch the returns and cheer their elephant or donkey to victory. Most of the events are free.
Portland Mercury’s Election Night Party Doug Fir Lounge 830 E Burnside St. 6 p.m. Free The Portland Mercury is hosting its usual electionnight party at the Doug Fir Lounge, with music, political analysis and games. This event is a short bus or bike ride from Portland State.
Basic Rights Oregon Election Night Party Portland Hilton Hotel and Executive Tower 921 SW Sixth Ave. Galleria North, ballroom level 7:30 p.m. Free Basic Rights Oregon, a nonproft that supports equal rights for gays and lesbians, will be streaming election results on a large screen in the ballroom. Just a short walk or MAX ride from PSU.
Make a Choice: Election Night Coverage and Voter Celebration The Cleaners at the Ace Hotel 1022 SW Stark St. 5–11 p.m. $10 (includes two “democracyinfused” drinks) This event, held in The Cleaners, an event space on the corner of Southwest 10th Avenue and Stark Street, is a nonpartisan election-night party to raise money for a few Oregon nonprofits while
“celebrating civic duty.” Just a short walk or streetcar ride from campus.
JustPortland Election Night Party Northwest Health Foundation’s Bamboo Room 221 NW Second Ave. 6–10 p.m. Free JustPortland is a coalition of Portland citizens who want to empower and connect communities of color. The event is easily accessible by streetcar.
Oregon Republican Party Election Night Celebration Embassy Suites 7900 NE 82nd Ave. 6–11 p.m. Free For Portland Republicans, this is the place to be on election night, though the journey to the Embassy Suites near Portland International Airport makes the location less than accessible for carless college students. Dedicated carless students can make the hour-long trip via the Green or Red MAX lines.
Think Out Loud: Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Live Election Night Coverage Rontoms 600 E Burnside St. 7 p.m. Free This event at the spacious Rontoms bar is a brief transit ride from Portland State. Think Out Loud, an OPB current affairs program, will be broadcasting live with results of the local and regional races.
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michelle malkin, conservative blogger, author and Fox News commentator, addresses a receptive crowd on campus. The event was organized by the College Republicans group four days before the election.
Blogger rallies voters days before the election Josh Kelety Vanguard News
Portland’s political minority— conservatives and libertarians alike—found camaraderie on Friday when they welcomed a prominent right-wing media voice to Portland State. Michelle Malkin addressed a crowd of seniors and scattered college youth in the Smith Memorial Student Union, focusing on the snobbery and elitist attitude she claims the left maintains. The event, titled “Culture of Corruption: How Obama’s Hope and Change was Dead on Arrival,” was organized by PSU’s small College Republicans group. “You cannot make it up with these people [liberals],” Malkin said to whoops and claps. “They’re beyond Onion parody.” Beginning her lecture with
memories of her college days at Oberlin College in Ohio, Malkin described how she felt isolated as a conservative in a charged liberal environment. “I saw firsthand how intolerant, bigoted and close-minded the progressive movement really is,” she said. Malkin spoke of the “redneck style” racism that she experienced during her upbringing in rural South Jersey. “None of that compared to the kind of condescending, entitlement mentality that I saw during the rise of multicultural studies, ethnic departments and straightout apartheid on liberal campuses that was done by social engineers in the name of equality and progressive values,” she said. Malkin went on to describe
Democratic Party of Oregon Election Night Celebration Portland Hilton, Grand Ballroom 921 SW Sixth Ave. 7:30 p.m. Free This event is hosted by the Democratic Party to celebrate its candidates, elected officials and volunteers. It will be open to the media. The event is a short streetcar ride or walk from campus.
miles sanguinetti/VANGUARD STAFF
Crowd members applaud Michelle Malkin’s speech at Friday’s event.
how she had been automatically assigned to Asia House, a residence hall at Oberlin, and paired with a ChineseAmerican girl from California because her maiden name was Maglalang. “What? As if I had anything in common with her,” Malkin said. “They look at our eye shape, they look at our skin color and they presume that they own us,” she added. In her speech, Malkin also railed against Obama’s handling of the Benghazi embassy attack, the administration’s immigration policies, “Obamacare” and other conservative talking points. “I can’t have four more years of this,” she said to thunderous cheers and applause. “Can you?” Malkin did acknowledge that she was not a major supporter of the Republican presidential candidate. “I’ll admit Mitt Romney wasn’t my top candidate,” she said. “But he’s a lot better than what we’ve had.” Speaking particularly to college students, Malkin explained how her Oberlin education had backfired on her, saying, “PSU is backfiring on the next generation of conservative activists.” During a question-andanswer period, several students related to Malkin’s college experience and asked questions about how to respond to professors with anti-conservative prejudices. One student even went as far to say that she was worried about her grades because of her political opinion. Brittany Zika, a senior English major, described her experience at PSU’s predominantly-liberal college campus as horrible. “I feel constantly berated, marginalized and silenced,” she said.
The atmosphere of the lecture, named after Malkin’s New York Times best-selling book, was more a rally for Portland’s conservative political minority than geared toward her specific work. Various Oregon Republican candidates were in attendance, such as James Buchal, who is running for the office of Oregon attorney general. Fliers and brochures were passed around. Prior to Malkin’s speech, several bystanders pointed out the number of Republican supporters who were attending the event, a type of crowd one doesn’t usually see on PSU campus. “I think because it is so close to the election, people are really fired up,” said Jared Dubois, a senior political science major who is part of the PSU College Republicans group. “I’ve followed Michelle Malkin for a long time, even when I was younger, so it’s a big deal for me,” he added. Malkin, who was born in Philadelphia to Filipino parents she described as Reagan supporters who were not particularly politically active, has worked in the media as a political commentator for Fox News in addition to running a personal blog. She has also written several books, including Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies as well as the more controversial piece, In Defense of Internment, which makes a case for racial profiling. Malkin frequently encouraged the audience to be more active in shaping the public political narrative by blogging and speaking out. “Everyone is a citizen journalist,” she said. “We are our own checks and balances on the government.”
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VANGUARD • Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 • News
Conference discusses Marxism, socialism
Speakers argue Marx’s ideas still relevant today Andrew Morse Vanguard Staff
“An injury to one worker’s power is an injury to all.” A banner with this slogan hung behind the podium at the 2012 Northwest Marxism Conference. The annual event, held on Saturday in the Smith Memorial Student Union, attracted members of the International Socialist Organization and curious individuals alike from Oregon, Washington and even Northern California. Members of the Portland State ISO helped plan the conference. Socialism had its heyday in the U.S. about a century ago. Often lumped with
communism and anarchism, the practice of socialism in the 20th century often devolved into totalitarian dictatorship. For much of the American public, socialism is a dirty word. At the heart of Saturday’s discussions was the ISO’s goal of overcoming this bias and making socialism relevant to people in the 21st century. The ISO bases much of its doctrine on the theories of Karl Marx, the 19th century economist and philosopher. Marx is known for his works Capital and The Communist Manifesto. According to the conference program, the ISO presents socialism as an alternative to capitalism and defines
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workers of the world, unite! Enthusiastic young Marxists soak up stories of dominance and oppression.
socialism as: “A society based on workers collectively owning and controlling the wealth their labor creates.” With many Americans sensing a second “Gilded Age,” in which a few corporations control most of the nations’s wealth and resources, the ISO has found new openings for its message. Members credit the Occupy Wall Street movement with paving the way. According to Neil Loehlein, a geography graduate student and member of the PSU ISO, the Occupy movement was a wake-up call for many people. He hopes involvement in the ISO can be a venue for those still interested in radical activism in the waning aftermath of the Occupy movement. Several themes emerged during Saturday’s event. Aside from the traditional rhetoric of working-class consciousness, those giving presentations made numerous references to Hurricane Sandy, the 2012 presidential election, the Arab Spring and the union movements in Chicago and Madison, Wis. The “frankenstorm” Sandy served dual purposes. First it was a metaphor for the devastation the socialists see capitalism wreaking on both society and the environment. There were moments when speakers came close to blaming Sandy on the capitalist system itself. Second, the hurricane has revealed real inequalities in social infrastructure, according to the speakers. “Natural disasters only bring to the surface the crime and robbery of capitalism,” said Rebecca Anshell Song, an activist from Seattle and writer for the Socialist Worker. She pointed out that after the storm the poor of New
Ahmed Shawki spoke at the Northwest Marxism Conference on Saturday.
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York remained without resources while the lights and activities of Broadway were quickly restored. Song also cautioned that gentrification is easier in the wake of disaster. In the presidential race, the socialists are no fans of conservatives. “[Mitt] Romney might as well live in a different galaxy than the rest of us,” Song said. The speakers saved their worst criticisms, however, for President Barack Obama. On issues of corporate taxes, post-bailout banking profits, corporate campaign donations and heightened worker productivity since 2008 (meaning fewer workers doing more work), speakers compared Obama to Romney. “Obama is saying a slightly different version of the same model,” Song said. Several attendees pointed out that if one took the transcripts from the recent debates, excised the speakers
names and tried to guess who said what, it would be hard to tell the difference. Adam Sanchez, an activist, writer and teacher, talked about resistance to capitalism popping up in unexpected places. In particular he noted the Arab Spring movement, which swept over the Middle East in early 2011. “It is one of the biggest threats to American imperialism in nearly four decades,” Sanchez said. Referencing last year’s movement in Madison to battle local anti-union legislation, he pointed out that talk of a general strike, one of the mainstays of socialist ideology, was coming not just from radicals but from respected members of the community. The privatization of education and the “insane workload” demanded of teachers was another issue he mentioned. The recent Chicago teacher’s strike, which won victories
for educators in the nation’s third-largest school district, should be used as a model for combating exploitation, Sanchez suggested. “We need more working people who understand the history and theory of the working class,” he said. Exemplifying this was recent PSU graduate Wael Elasady, who spoke on the Marxist theory of class. As a student, he took a class on Marxism. “Capitalism leaves workers no choice but to struggle,” Elasady said, emphasizing the divisive nature of capitalism through the use of racism and sexism. He explained that through struggle workers gain hope and solidarity, which, in the aims of the ISO, means that they will ultimately organize into a revolutionary socialist party.
From the classroom to the court PSU professor runs for Lane County circuit court judge Ravleen Kaur Vanguard Staff
This week, a Portland State professor may be elected to public office—and under highly unusual circumstances. Philosophy professor Vincent Mulier is in the running for the position of judge on Lane County’s circuit court, but he has only been campaigning for five or six weeks. “It’s a very unlikely situation, and I’m a very unlikely candidate,” said Mulier, a selfdescribed progressive with a penchant for social and environmental justice. Because the incumbent judge did not file paperwork in time for his name to appear on the ballot, what would have been an uncontested race is now wide open. The result? Not a single name appears on the ballot
for Lane County’s circuit court judge, leading to a lastminute write-in campaign with five candidates, including the incumbent, vying for the position. Mulier was the first challenger to throw his hat into the race, with three additional candidates following suit. “I’m kind of the underdog,” said Mulier, who has launched a grassroots campaign of knocking on doors and distributing campaign literature. “I think I’m going to appeal to informed, progressive voters.” Whether credited to a twist of fate or circumstance, the opening was a rare one for a candidate like Mulier. “Under normal circumstances, my chances of being appointed as a judge, or winning an election for judge, would be quite small,” said Mulier, who is also a criminal defense attorney. “Most local bar
associations are dominated by pro-business, pro-prosecutor establishment lawyers who make sure that progressive lawyers such as myself are excluded from the appointment and election process.” As far as Mulier knows, he is the only current candidate for circuit court judge in the state of Oregon with a doctorate in philosophy. The common thread between being a professor, an attorney and a judge? “Ethics and the law,” Mulier said. Mulier, who teaches classes ranging from “Environmental Ethics” to “Philosophy of Sex and Love,” wrote his doctoral dissertation on a philosophical model for salmon restoration. “I think he provides students with an antidote to the perception that philosophy is an ‘ivory tower’ sort of discipline, removed from politics and society,” adjunct philosophy professor Ken Kirby said. “To him, philosophy has to
engage in social criticism and provide a basis for progressive activism, making things better for all.” Before this position opened up, Mulier had never seriously considered running for public office. But he sees a seamless transition from the classroom to the court. “As a philosophy professor, I’m studying the philosophical basis of right and wrong,” Mulier said. “As a defense attorney, I’m defending people who have been accused of doing wrong. And as judge I would have a tremendous amount of responsibility to make sure that the law is correctly applied.” Mulier is most inspired by his grandfather, who was a county judge in Lake County, Calif., and his legacy of exercising compassion in the courtroom. “It led him to be kind and generous to all people, even those accused of awful crimes. At the same time, in all his
courtesy of christine desermeaux
philosophy professor Vincent Mulier is running for the open judge spot in the Lane County Circuit Court. rulings, my grandfather stayed as close as possible to the letter as well as the spirit of the law,” Mulier said. Mulier also credits his time in the classroom with preparing him to be a judge, comparing the dynamics of the court and the classroom. “Judges, like professors, are the center of attention in the room. They usually have loud voices, they get to bang that gavel,” Mulier said. “Teaching at PSU has been a part of my intellectual
journey that has prepared me for being a judge,” Mulier added. “When you teach something, you learn it.” According to Mulier, the incumbent and a former municipal judge are the probable favorites in the race. “The word is out there. People know about my campaign. I’m kind of amazed, really,” Mulier said, adding that he won’t be heartbroken if he doesn’t prevail. “I think I have a reasonable chance.”
NEWS NEWSNEWS NEWS •• TUESDAY, TUESDAY, •• Tuesday, TUESDAY, JANUARY JANUARY Nov. MAY24, 17, 6, 1, 2012 • VANGUARD
scrap from page 1
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sfc from page 1
SLS christens new monthly volunteer program SFC revisits student fees each year Hoyt helped shed light on the work students typically find themselves doing through SLS, which can range from short volunteer trips like Friday’s event to the group’s annual alternative spring break program, which sends PSU students all over the West Coast to work with homeless shelters and Habitat for Humanity. This year SLS is initiating a new monthly program they have dubbed “First Fridays,” in which members visit a local nonprofit organization for a half-day of service once a month. This, to member and music education major Linse Sullivan, helps get students more involved than the longer
daily commitments SLS’s other events often entail. “I’m excited,” she said. “This is a really good turnout—and it’s our first First Friday.” In addition to volunteering in and around Portland, one of SLS’s goals is to engage student leaders through interaction with their community in the hopes of preparing future civic leaders for service. On the bus ride to and from most of their events, students are led in a period of reflection—an activity that gives their work context and presents an opportunity for teambuilding. But not all students involved with SLS are seeking full-time work or experience in com-
munity development. Some, according to Hoyt, are just looking for ways to help others, and maybe even have a little fun. With the monthly half-day commitment of the First Friday program, students may get the opportunity to do just that. Still, Hoyt hopes the goals of SLS will resonate regardless of the level of student involvement. “Don’t be afraid to get involved,” she said. “It not only does good for your community, but it inspires you and makes you a better person in the end.” Students interested in volunteering should stop by the SLS office in Smith Memorial Student Union, room M113C, or visit pdx.edu/cae/studentleaders-for-service.
linse sullivan, a PSU student, organizes small paint bottles on Friday at Scrap.
“This actually presents a real challenge,” he said. “While there are many things we would like to do with more money, whether it is from the student fee or not…The truth is we don’t have a way to do those things.” The minimum amount a student is charged in fees for the 2012–13 year is $51 per term, but an undergraduate taking 12 credits will pay $216. Every year, the SFC revisits how much students will pay in fees.
“I ask that you do not assume a model that will raise the student fee unless there is an extremely compelling reason why it has to be done…I will look at that greatly with skepticism.” After this request, SFC Chair Nick Rowe told Wiewel that this year the SFC is requiring all organizations funded with student fees, such as student affairs and athletics, to submit a more detailed spending report as part of next year’s budget
proposal. “We are doing this to make sure that each area is getting as much needed funding as possible,” Rowe said. He then asked if Wiewel could foresee any conflicts in funding these organizations with the student fees anticipated. “I don’t think so,” Wiewel replied. “The main thing is that our enrollment isn’t down, it’s flat…we’re not making less money.”
Recruitment correction Because of a reporter’s error, the article “Recruiting students” in the Thursday, Nov. 1, issue of the Vanguard contained errors. The article should have read that the student body has increased by 44 percent since 2001. Secondly, the correct figure for the international student demographic is 6.3 percent. The Vanguard regrets these errors.
Crime Blotter Theft: Oct. 26
Center for Student Health and Counseling A SHAC staff member reported to Officer Denae Murphy that her purse had been stolen from her office around 6:36 p.m. The estimated cost of the items inside of the stolen purse was $173. matthew ellis/VANGUARD STAFF
Possession of marijuana: Oct. 28
Parking Structure 3 At around 11:49 p.m., Officer Christopher Fischer-Williams contacted an occupied car on the top floor of Parking Structure 3 because a heavy odor of marijuana was wafting out of the vehicle. The occupant was a PSU student. The student admitted to having a bag of marijuana, which was confiscated by Officer Fischer-Williams and sent to the Portland Police Bureau for destruction.
Detox transport: Oct. 29
Broadway Housing Building lobby Officer Fischer-Williams and two other officers contacted an intoxicated man identified as Robert Long, who was passed out in the Broadway Housing Lobby at 12:03 a.m. After being roused, Long, a nonstudent, volunteered to go to Hooper Detoxification Stabilization Center. He was issued an exclusion order from PSU.
Suspected possession of marijuana: Oct. 29
Broadway Housing Building At 12:18 a.m., Officer Jared Schuurmans was dispatched to assist a resident assistant in dealing with an uncooperative resident. Upon contacting the tenant, Officer Schuurmans seized two glass marijuana pipes.
Bike theft: Nov. 1
Cramer Hall Officer David Baker took a bike theft report at 3:56 p.m. from an individual who said he left his bike on the north side of Cramer to assist a fallen cyclist. The individual, who had failed to secure his bike, found it was gone upon returning to the place he had left it.
Exclusion: Nov. 1
University Services Building At 5:25 p.m., Officer Michael Anderson was dispatched to contact a female who was passed out in the handicapped stall of the third-floor women’s restroom in the University Services Building. The woman, identified as Andrea Fennel, was searched for narcotics. After the search turned up no results, Fennel, who had no association with PSU, was issued an exclusion order.
Find up-to-the-minute election coverage on the vanguard’s website PSUVANGUARD.COM on Tonight starting at 7:30 p.m.
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VANGUARD •• Tuesday, THURSDAY, TUESDAY, Nov. JANUARY OCTOBER FEBRUARY JANUARY 6, 2012 10, 25, 26, 2, •2012 2011 2012 ARTS•• & •OPINION OPINION CULTURE ARTS & CULTURE
ARTS & CULTURE A decade of loss
EDITOR: Louie Opatz ARTS@PSUVANGUARD.COM 503-725-5694
5th Avenue Cinema screens AIDS documentary We Were Here Breana Harris Vanguard staff
What if nearly every single one of your friends were infected with a disease that doctors could barely begin to understand, let alone treat? What if, within months or even weeks, they suffered and died? What if this disease spread to friends of friends, cousins, coworkers, acquaintances, everyone you’ve ever dated or slept with and maybe even to you? We may know the facts and statistics on the early days of AIDS, but in David Weissman’s documentary We Were Here (2011), screening this week at PSU’s 5th Avenue Cinema, he shows us that in San Francisco in the early ’80s this was the reality. We Were Here is a documentary about a community as much as it is about the AIDS epidemic. It tells the story of how San Francisco became a haven for gay men in the late ’70s, bursting with art, culture, politics, rebellion and, especially, sexual freedom. But with the new decade came the onset of AIDS, which infected half of the gay men in San Francisco before there was even a test to detect it. The community responded to unspeakable tragedy in a way the rest of the country should have: with caregiving, activism and standing at the forefront of medical research on the disease. The most distinguishing aspect of the film is the way it focuses on individual stories. No matter how staggering the numbers may be, the interviews with five people who have so far survived the lengthy epidemic, and who often choke back tears when talking about friends and lovers they lost, illustrate the shocking
gravity of the crisis more powerfully than anything else could. There’s not a lot of dramatic music or posturing, no montages or lists of statistics, nothing to convince you that you should be moved. Simply listening to these four men and one woman is enough to move anyone. As hard as We Were Here can be to watch, it is also a film about the best in humanity, presented in the most unadorned way possible. Dan Goldstein, a San Francisco artist who once campaigned for Harvey Milk, tells the story of how his partner died after volunteering to test one of the earliest drugs proposed for AIDS treatment. Eileen Glutzer, a feminist activist turned nurse, treated AIDS patients in an era of fear when nobody knew how the disease was transmitted and many hospital workers refused to be in the room with them. Nearly all of the individuals in the film were directly involved in the city’s incredible response to AIDS. Paul Boneberg was one of the founders of San Francisco’s Mobilization Against AIDS committee, and Ed Wolf was a volunteer with the Shanti Project, working as a companion and caregiver to the sick. We Were Here depicts incredible compassion in the face of terrifying tragedy. The mobilization of the community—from the marches, to the candlelight vigils, to the long list of community organizations and charities—became known as the “San Francisco model,” which set an inspiring example for the rest of America. Many overlooked details of the history of AIDS in the ’80s are highlighted in the film, including the onslaught of tests and experimental
COURTESY OF red flag releasing
Takin’ it to the street: A screenshot from David Weissman’s We Were Here, which depicts the tragedies and triumphs of San Fransico’s gay community in the ‘80s. drugs, like the early AZT trials. Ballot initiatives to quarantine AIDS victims and the overwhelming culture of homophobia and fear are depicted as being quelled and defeated by the enormous swell of support for the victims of the disease. As the decade continued, medical advances began to give patients hope and AIDS activism became more widespread. Still, the feeling that San Francisco, and especially the gay community, existed in isolation from the rest of the nation is ever-present. Weissman, who moved to San Francisco in 1976, codirected the documentary with Bill Weber. It was presented at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011 and premiered at San Francisco’s Castro Theatre. The film feels distinctly personal—you are hearing these interviews without the filters of Hollywood or politics, with no embellishment or manipulation. This is just what happened. Through a large collection of personal
photos and archival video footage, We Were Here presents a story that many young people today have never really heard, and that’s what makes it important. When you see the reality of the AIDS crisis, you can’t help but wonder how something so monumental in this country could be so easily forgotten, now that modern medicine has come so far. But the people who lived through it are still telling their stories, on behalf of the many people who cannot.
5th Avenue Cinema presents We Were Here (2011) 510 SW Hall St. Friday, Nov. 9, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, 3 p.m. $3 general admission; free for students
Exposing Greek art Professor to lecture on nudity and the Greek body Melinda GuillÉn Vanguard staff
More than 219.4 million Americans watched one or more events in the 2012 Olympic Games, according to The Huffington Post. Every year, art students across the country are taught to embrace nudity and the the image of the body in their creations. What many do not realize, however, is that embedded in the tradition of watching the Olympics and the obsession with the ideal body form are historical roots that date back thousands of years to a culture that has influenced our own in countless ways: the Greek. The correlation between these two seemingly unrelated subjects is significant. On Nov. 11, Portland State will engage in a triadic collaboration with the Portland Art Museum and Reed College to explore the foundations of Greek culture through sculpture and other art forms. In celebration of “The Body Beautiful” exhibition currently showing at the art museum, the three institutions will bring Andrew Stewart—University of California, Berkeley professor in Greek studies, archaeologist and cultural historian—to deliver a lecture titled “The Wardrobe Malfunction That Shook the World: Nudity, the Greek Body and Greek Self-Fashioning.” Brought to the museum in early October, “The Body Beautiful” showcases more than 120 Greek and Roman art objects. From jewelry and sculpture to vessels and vases, the artwork came from London’s British Museum and will leave Portland in early January.
According to Stephanie Parrish, associate director of Education and Public Programs at the museum, this particular exhibition boasts one important factor that sets it apart from previous shows. “This is the first time that this exhibition has actually been in the United States, let alone outside of London, and Portland will be the only West Coast venue,” Parrish said. “So it really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the people to see a lot of this work and for people to listen to this professor talk as well.” Stewart’s lecture will take place at the museum itself. Stewart will speak on a variety of subjects centered on Greek history, such as the ancient Olympics, the role of nudity in both culture and art and comparisons of nudity in Greek and other cultures. Stewart’s archaeological perspective, he said, will offer an understanding far greater than what books alone can tell an audience. “If you were to believe the historical texts, you would believe a really simple and clear-cut tale about how the Greek practice of stripping for exercise in the Olympics came about; that tale would be, if not completely wrong, seriously distorted,” Stewart said. “We learned that, from archaeology, history is very simplified— but also, the chronology has been doctored in order to bring it into line of preconceived notions. What archaeology gives us is a much more rounded and much more interesting tale, and shifts the chronology by about 100 years.” Because of his specialty and knowledge in the area of Greek study, the opportunity to bring Stewart to Portland was one to not pass up, according to Anne McClanan, professor and area coordinator of art history at PSU. “It just seemed like such an extraordinary opportunity for PSU students and for the whole community to look at world-class classical sculpture, so we thought it would be very important to bring this speaker into town,” McClanan said.
COURTESY OF Portland art museum
The Head and the PART: The Marble Head of Chrysippos (left) and Marble Figure with a personification of the vine (right) are both part of the art museum’s current exhibit, “The Body Beautiful.” Parrish explained that Stewart’s different perspective would aid not only in the understanding of the exhibition but of Greek art history in general. “I think it’s fabulous to be able to bring different voices and to hear different perspectives on the exhibitions and on particular works. One of the things that brings history alive for people is there are multiple stories and multiple ways for people to think about these works,” Parrish said. “We are providing that platform, for people to think about that discussion. There isn’t just one story about works of art; we’re trying to surface a lot of different perspectives.” The importance of the exhibit goes much deeper than just understanding another culture, Stewart explained: It allows people to begin to understand their own. “This is important because, famously, one great historian said those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. Secondly, it’s fascinating on its own accounts. Understanding
the ancient world helps us to understand our own,” Stewart said. “Whether you’re talking about the Greeks, the Romans, ancient Egyptians or the Mayans, they’re fascinating to study on their own account,” Stewart said. “It’s part of the history of the human race, and in a sense we owe it to these people to remember them and to put our own lives in perspective against their achievements.”
PSU, Reed College and the Portland Art Museum present “The Wardrobe Malfunction That Shook The World,” a lecture by Professor Andrew Stewart as part of “The Body Beautiful” exhibition Portland Art Museum, Whitsell Auditorium 1219 SW Park Ave. Sunday, Nov. 11, 2 p.m. Free for PAM members; $12 for students with ID
Arts & Culture • Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 • VANGUARD
The future of print Master’s in Book Publishing and Ooligan Press get a new director Mike Allen Vanguard staff
Per Henningsgaard’s resume is impressive. Originally from Minnesota, Henningsgaard graduated from Vassar College in upstate New York. He worked at Pearson imprint Longman in New York before going to Western Australia on a Fulbright grant to study print history and culture. The Aussies, apparently charmed by his genteel Yankee manner and capacious mind, extended him an invitation to pursue his doctoral degree at the University of Western Australia in Perth. From there, Henningsgaard returned to the Midwest to work on the student-run publishing house at the University of Wisconsin at Steven’s Point. In September, the book publishing graduate program at PSU welcomed Henningsgaard as the replacement for Dennis Stovall, who founded Ooligan Press, the keystone of the publishing program. Last Thursday evening, in front of a small crowd of Ooligan alumni and donors, Stovall praised Henningsgaard’s qualifications and abilities. The event also marked the announcement of a new PSU Kellogg Award: the Dennis Stovall Award. Prior to the event, I had the opportunity to speak with Henningsgaard about his various interests in the publishing field, as well as the future of print. Here’s what he had to say. Vanguard: I understand that your background is in print history and culture. I was just wondering if you could talk about how that informs the way you think about books and what that brings to your position here? Per Henningsgaard: I think the main thing that it offers is the ability to make sure that people who are working to become publishers in the future are well equipped with the knowledge of the past, with the history of publishing, with the history of the book. If they understand that history, then we’re better able to prepare for and predict potentially, the future, because we understand how the book has changed throughout time. VG: How does the future of print relate to the history of print? Obviously we’re changing mediums, so how is history going to inform that? PH: I think there are lots of really valuable lessons that we can take from the history of the book. One of them would be that the book has changed forms many times throughout its history, and the transition that we are going through right now, while it seems very traumatic, is not unprecedented in scale. When those changes happen, the history of the book teaches that there is a long period of time in which earlier versions of the book will coexist alongside newer versions of the book. So the notion that print is going to disappear five years from now seems kind of ludicrous in light of our knowledge of the history of the book. That would be without precedent—for a new version of the book to totally eclipse the previous one that quickly. VG: Something I was interested in on the Ooligan site was the way they talk about the art and craft of publishing. Here’s a quote: “The publisher can either enhance the art of writing,” I’m paraphrasing here, “with our own, or diminish its impact if we fail.” I kind of start to get an idea of what they mean by the art and craft of the publisher, editing, graphic design, marketing— putting material into a package, I guess, for lack of a better word. How does that work in electronic media? It seems like that is very diminished, but it sounds like you’re not saying that is the case, necessarily. PH: I think it changes. I don’t know that it is diminished, but it certainly changes. The markers that we look to in the past of print books as being [the markers of] the art and craft of publishing, well, those same markers don’t exist in the digital world. So we’re looking for a different set of markers that will establish the art and craft of publishing in a digital world. I think those markers are very much evolving.
miles sanguinetti/VANGUARD STAFF
Director’s cut: New Ooligan Director of Publishing Per Henningsgaad addresses a small crowd at Literary Arts in Southwest Portland last Thursday. Digital markers are in a very kind of elementary state, so they’re basically print books put onto a screen and stripped of any sort of ornamentation. But digital books haven’t begun to develop their own character and their own art and their own craft, and I think that will come with time as people learn more about the technology. The digital book will start to look less and less like its predecessor, the print book. VG: How does that play out in teaching about publishing? PH: Right now, for example, I’m teaching a class entitled, “The History and Future of the Book,” and it ties back to what we were talking about earlier: how learning about the history of the book and understanding the full scope of the history can help us better prepare for the future. When people talk about the history of the book, they oftentimes talk about the printing press, which is absolutely an important moment. A bigger moment, one that has more parallels and resonances to the one we’re going through right now, is the moment we switched from scrolls, reading on a giant scroll, to reading in what’s called a codex, or the form of the book that we know today: pages bound into a spine with a cover. That moment where you transition from scroll to codex, there’s a platform change, the platform of the scroll to the platform of the codex. And we’re going through a similar platform change right now where the codex, the print book, is changing to a digital platform. So if we look back over this we can see, for example, the really profound influence that that change had on the types of stories that were being told. Stories changed remarkably in tone, in nature, in content, in style.
In part, as a result of the platform shift, I think we’re going to see that same change happen, moving from print books to digital books. Right now our digital books basically mirror our print books but, with time, they will start to develop their own character, their own style, their own tone in taking advantage of the new platform. VG: Part of what Ooligan considers their mission is publishing literature that reflects a region, that reflects our region, which is inherent in the name. So if you could just talk a little bit about what does it mean—regional literature? What differentiates Pacific Northwestern literature from, say, Upper Midwestern literature? PH: It’s actually something that I’ve done a lot of thinking about. Part of my Ph.D. dissertation was on the subject of the publishing of regional literatures, and there are lots of different ways to define regional literature. The message that resonates most for me is to think about regional literature not as a set of characteristics that are distinctive to the region. I don’t believe that Pacific Northwestern literature differs remarkably in tone or content or style from, say, Upper Midwestern literature. I don’t think there are these huge, vast differences. But where I do think it differs is in people’s sense of identification with a regional literature based on their own place within that region. So I think that what defines a regional literature is that people within the region strongly identify with that literature and feel in some way that it represents them. Ooligan Press is in the business of publishing literature that’s going to resonate in a really special way with the people of this region. That’s not to say it can’t resonate with
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people outside of the region, but it’s going to resonate in a different way. VG: So it’s quite a bit more subjective. PH: Absolutely. VG: Something else about the packaging of the book: I looked at the different departments and one of them is called Design and Sustainable Production. Does that mean that environmental sustainability is the underlying ethic of all Ooligan design or does it mean something else entirely? PH: The department itself, the name, is kind of a strange artifact of the way the press evolved. There was a Design department and then there was an interest in incorporating elements of sustainable production into our publishing model, and without anywhere else to place it, it was lumped in with design. Our designers operate in a kind of traditional design department sense. Every once in a while we have a book where we put a special interest in sustainable production. It doesn’t, sadly, happen with every one of our books, we’re still trying to work out where that middle is. It’s much more expensive to produce books in a sustainable fashion, which is why most publishers don’t do it. But we try to do one book a year that is produced under a sustainable model and we’ve branded this our “OpenBook series.” The titles published under this series, they have a logo on them that says “OpenBook,” and they have in their front banner a list of the breakdown of all the sustainable processes that were used in the production of that book: making sure that we choose paper where the forest has been harvested in a sustainable fashion, choosing inks that are safer for the environment, working with printers who have methods to offset the energy costs associated with printing. That’s a kind of ongoing initiative with Ooligan Press. We are nowhere near being able to do that for all of our books; we’d like to be able to be at the one book a year mark, and we’re working toward building on that. VG: You’ve said that you want to be able to improve coordination between the departments of English and Ooligan. What do you want to do specifically that will improve that coordination? PH: I think the publishing program up till now has existed almost as its own entity. There has been little communication or sharing of ideas or staff between the English department and the publishing program. And I see that as missed opportunity because we have some really fabulous faculty in the English department—people who could be teaching topics in our publishing program that our publishing students could find valuable. Imagine, for example, some of our creative writing faculty teaching a class on editing or working with writers during the editorial process. That hasn’t happened to date, or at least not in a significant way, for a lot of very complicated reasons. The existence of my position alone is really positive step in that direction. I mentioned earlier that I come from a publishing background, but also having done my Ph.D. That wasn’t the case for the previous director, who was a publisher by trade. I come in as someone who is able to speak both languages, who not only works in publishing and can do the hands-on stuff but also someone who publishes scholarly journal articles in venues that are common to my colleagues in the English department. So this is the start of building those relationships and ensuring that we’re sharing students and staff across those lines for the benefit of everyone. VG: You mentioned your predecessor. I was reading an Oregonian article about him recently. I understand that there was a bit of concern that he wasn’t going to be replaced and that it’s been kind of a sigh of relief that they’ve hired you for this position. So I’m wondering if you have any idea what Ooligan has to do to stay around? PH: I think it’s future is really bright. Because Dennis was not an academic by training, because he did not have a terminal degree like a Ph.D., he wasn’t eligible to participate in the tenure process, which means he was on a fixed term contract—and there is an element of uncertainty to those contracts. Because I have a Ph.D., I am on the tenure track, and the department’s decision to invest in my position is a very clear signal that they are invested in the program and that there is no reason to think that the program is under any threat at this point.
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VANGUARD •• Tuesday, THURSDAY, TUESDAY, Nov. JANUARY OCTOBER FEBRUARY JANUARY 6, 2012 10, 25, 26, 2, •2012 2011 2012 ARTS•• & •OPINION OPINION CULTURE ARTS & CULTURE
One night only
However, despite their best efforts, the energy of the play seemed to lag and the pacing of many key scenes was out of sync. “Most of the audience knows the musical— it’s so iconic—so we were doing this comparison thing,” Georgette said. Many of the comparisons were in regard to the actors playing Zach and Cassie, the director and ex-girlfriend. Georgette, as well as her daughter Maya and family friend David, all agreed that the actress playing Cassie did not have the dancing ability that they were expecting for the typically show-stopping number “The Music and the Mirror.” This underwhelming performance was mirrored, in Maya’s opinion, by the character of Zach, whose performance lacked a certain
depth and interview-style quality, and instead felt like a surgical probing of the other characters’ lives. “He seemed like a psychiatrist,” Maya said. “It was a social study of these peoples’ lives,” David said. The show was supposed to highlight the magic and love of performing on Broadway, and of becoming a part of a living whole, as the musical number “One Singular Sensation” alludes to. The final scene, in which we learn why it’s worth it for these characters to put themselves through the grueling routine of a Broadway chorus line, seemed lackluster. “This number didn’t have the extra oomph,” David said. For a Portland State student who does not know the show, “You weren’t getting everything…[it was as if you were] coming out of college [with] no job,” David said. One of the most important things to remember, though, is that despite any flaws in the production, any show that is going up for only one night in an unfamiliar theater is going to have issues. This particular show should not reflect poorly on Broadway Across America Portland, or its partner, the Portland Opera. If anything, the professionalism of the actors onstage kept the audience in their seats until the end of the performance; despite the problems, everyone had their eyes glued to the show to see who would potentially be cut from the chorus line, and listened intently to the increasingly complex and moving musical numbers. As the saying goes, the show must go on. In this way, this production of A Chorus Line imparted a new appreciation not only for the characters in the show, but also for the actors behind the characters, who were having to work together to carry on the performance. After the one-night exclusive, the Portland Opera returned to its regular season programming this past weekend with the opening of Don Giovanni, Mozart’s seminal opera about the “serial seducer.” For more information on Don Giovanni, visit portlandopera.org.
er things) staging an audition feedback workshop every year, which brings local professionals to hear PSU’s opera students sing and then provide them with critical advice. The latter part of the group’s mission, bringing opera to the masses, involves throwing parties. SOAP puts on all kinds of free events for the PSU student body, including their annual summer opera and annual masquerade ball. To our good fortune, that ball will take place twice this year. SOAP put on a masquerade ball back in June, then realized that masquerade goes with Halloween like milk with vodka. The ball, which went down on campus last Saturday, featured as its theme “the devil.” “The best case would be [for the performers]
to sing an aria that the devil himself sings,” said tenor and SOAP co-coordinator Carl Moe prior to the show. Moe has been involved with SOAP for several years. SOAP is aware that it takes more than beautiful voices to draw in overstimulated college students, so they also offered a disc jockey—who spun dance music for most of the night—as well as a lavish catered spread. Generally, masquerade masks are the thing to wear to a SOAP party, but the 50 or so attendees’ costumes ran the gamut. This year’s masquerade ball was a great opportunity to see one of PSU’s strongest departments flex its muscles, and get cultured at the same time.
Portland Opera whets appetite for upcoming fare with A Chorus Line
Whitney Garcia Jacobson Vanguard Staff
Lines of people wrapped around the block in front of the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on Sunday, Oct. 28, hoping to get tickets to a onenight exclusive showing of A Chorus Line, presented by U.S. Bank Broadway Across America. A Chorus Line, which chronicles the lives of Broadway dancers, takes the audience behind the scenes of the casting process for a Broadway musical. Zach, the play’s director, conducts an unconventional audition process, asking deeply personal questions about the lives of the dancers in ways that are emotional and, at times, painful. The audience comes to identify with the character Cassie, Zach’s ex-girlfriend, as well as the dynamic Sheila, who for a moment drops her highly sexualized performance to expose her troubled upbringing. One of the most moving and painful moments comes during Paul’s performance, when he admits to having dropped out of school as a teenager. Paul’s journey takes the audience into the dressing rooms of drag queen performers as he gradually comes to accept his homosexuality, and the audience shares in the painful moment when his parents see him in his drag performance and disown him, never to see him again. A Chorus Line certainly offers some uplifting moments too, such as the duo Kristine and Al. Kristine admits that she became a dancer because she is horribly tone-deaf. Al, her husband, helps her finish each of the lines of her song in tune, creating a comic back-and-forth between the two characters. Many in the show’s audience appreciated the opportunity to see the celebrated Broadway show in Portland.
courtesy of broadway.com
do the can-can: Dancers from Broadway Across America’s A Chorus Line dance on stage. Portland Opra cosponsored the one-night exclusive last week at “The Schnitz.”
Upon leaving the performance, one attendee, Pam, said it was “dynamic.” Her friend Teri said, “It’s a classic…I liked that it pulled the heartstrings.” While A Chorus Line is certainly a classic (it’s the sixth-most-performed show on Broadway), the one-night affair was lacking a lot of the luster of the original. Some of the comments overheard after the show addressed the numerous technical problems with sound and lighting. “The first night is going to have tech problems,” attendee Georgette said after the show. “They have to be showcased to the best advantage.” Even with the numerous technical problems, the actors did their best to do the musical justice.
SOAP opera PSU’s lauded voice program throws free masquerade ball
Mike Allen Vanguard staff
The Student Opera Association of PSU started about 15 years ago, when funding for the university’s music program was cut, according to
singer Emily Skeen. Formed by students and faculty from the ashes of the university opera, it was called Portland State Opera Theater. Since those dark days, the music department, and especially the choir program, has reemerged as one of the university’s strongest departments. Now SOAP exists largely to provide additional opportunities for voice students to strengthen their skills and resumes, as well as to bring the venerable art form to the greater student body. The organization helps singers by (among oth-
daniel johnston/VANGUARD STAFF
masked (wo)men: Two Ball-goers show off their fiercest masks.
daniel johnston/VANGUARD STAFF
What’s this, what’s this? Masquerade ball attendees pose for a photo in their finest Halloween duds.
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VANGUARD •• Tuesday, THURSDAY, Nov. NOVEMBER 6, 2012 •10, OPINiON 2011 • SPORTS
OPINION
EDITOR: Meredith Meier OPINION@PSUVANGUARD.COM 503-725-5692
Supplement your education Internships and apprenticeships aid students in job search Sans the Salt Alyck Horton
T Suraj Nair/VANGUARD STAFf
Bare secrets Victoria’s Secret photoshops aftermarket fantasy One Step Off Emily Lakehomer
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was probably around 7 or 8 years old the first time I walked past a Victoria’s Secret. My curiosity and burgeoning sexuality made me a prime marketing target despite my age. Victoria’s Secret has become a billion-dollar corporation by selling sex to, well, everyone. It’s completely taken over mass-market lingerie sales, and continues to create garments designed to make us feel sexy and really bad about ourselves at the same time. News reports about scandals in the worlds of modeling and fashion are frequent. We’re not happy and entertained unless there’s some kind of dramatic issue happening. The Victoria’s Secret models, also known as “Angels,” are all beautiful: tall, skinny yet well-endowed, racially ambiguous and, above all else, desirable. In August, Jezebel, an online feminist news blog, published untouched, raw photos from a Victoria’s Secret shoot for its spring catalogue. The Internet quickly became inundated with analyses of the beforeand-after photoshopping. When you see before and after shots side-by-side, you expect to see all the imperfections we see in ourselves. The extra pounds left over from the holidays, the zits and split ends that never seem to go away…the list goes on. What’s surprising about this set of photos is how little, at first
glance, seems to have been changed: The only noticeable changes are garment colors, background photography and edits to the hues, saturation and brightness.
It’s completely taken over mass-market lingerie sales, and continues to create garments designed to make us feel sexy and really bad about ourselves at the same time.
If you look closer, however, you can see the subtle changes. In the edited versions, model Doutzen Kroes’ thighs, arms and belly were slimmed and smoothed down, her chest defined through shading and saturation. What’s extremely strange is that Kroes’ muscle tone was almost completely erased. In the fashion industry, photo editing is the norm. Models are hired to display a certain image and theme that designers have in mind. They need to be larger than life in an ethereal and otherworldly sense.
That’s probably where the VS Angels thing came from. It’s normal to expect editing for catalogues, but there’s a bigger problem going on here. The VS models are already far thinner than the average woman. They are already beautiful, slim and toned. When it comes down to it, they don’t need to be slimmed down or smoothed out. (Brightness, saturation and other such elements make a little more sense.) All the superfluous editing does is make the rest of us angry, and not because we don’t look like that naturally. It angers us because it only serves to perpetuate unhealthy body expectations and to fuel eating disorders. Of course, it’s a marketing ploy. VS wants consumers to think that buying their products will make them feel and look like the women in the advertisements. While marketers and advertisers want to sell products, it’s like VS wants to make us all feel uncomfortable about our bodies. Not cool. This isn’t the first time VS has had trouble with Photoshop flukes. The company is notorious for its overedited catalogues and ad campaigns. Despite the fact that the media has a field day every time one of these Photoshop-gone-wild stories breaks, it keeps happening. In defense of photoshopped images, VS Angel Erin Heatherton told Vogue Magazine, “We’re not selling reality, we’re selling a story. It’s all about creating this fantasy.” That’s cool and all, but c’mon. The Angels already seem pretty fantastical without all the unnecessary editing. I mean, have you ever sat
and watched the annual VS fashion show? Those models are all beautiful just the way they are. Sure, magazine editorials might need some minor editing. But when limbs are removed and proportions become unnaturally unbalanced, maybe there’s too much editing going on. Rather than perpetuate unhealthy body images and expectations for models, Victoria’s Secret should embrace the natural beauty their models already possess.
Of course, it’s a marketing ploy. VS wants consumers to think that buying their products will make them feel and look like the women in the advertisements. While marketers and advertisers want to sell products, it’s like VS wants to make us all feel uncomfortable about our bodies. Not cool.
If we’re going to continue attempting to cultivate a healthy future for next generations, let’s put emphasis on being happy with the bodies we have and stop policing those of others. We only get one life to live, so why not spend it being happy and healthy, both physically and mentally.
he bourgeoisie seem to expect that straight after college they’ll be hired into well-paying, $60,000-or-more-a-year jobs, with full benefits and paid holidays. What we find, though, is a large number of kids placing their scholastic endeavors at the bottom of the list, doing nothing but keg stands and watching Jersey Shore for four years until they’re thrown into the real world completely unprepared. An education should be a gumbo composed of every ingredient required to form a well-rounded professional who, when finished with coursework, is prepared to join the work force. Being able to analyze and write a poem isn’t going to be a very useful skill when it comes to landing a job that isn’t teaching other people how to analyze and write poems. This deficiency of relevance in our education is detrimental when we find ourselves in the work force with a skill set limited to calculus formulae and Socratic discussions and find that it’s not as helpful as expected. Employers know this, and place preference on those who have applied what they have learned in a productive manner through real-world experience. A lack of hands-on experience is perhaps the largest obstacle recent grads face in the job hunt. You can have all the degrees and fancy pieces of paper you can stand to earn, but they don’t mean much to employers if you haven’t practically applied your newly gained knowledge. With the recession in 2008 and its molasses-speed recovery, the competition for jobs has never been more intense. We’re now not only competing against our classmates, but also the unemployed millions with decades of real work experience. It only makes sense, then, that completing an internship or apprenticeship should be a degree requirement. Internships are sort of like job-shadowing. You work in a professional setting with actual professionals, usually taking care of tasks that require less skill, while being
exposed to and witnessing procedures for working in that position. With such low employment rates for new grads, internships are an invaluable way to gain relevant work experience. As much as 70 percent of mentors hire their interns. That being said, bear in mind that internships are temporary—don’t expect to be hired on for permanent employment. This number has risen from 57 percent in 2007, as more employers place value on exposure to an industry. Internships differ from actual employment chiefly in duration and compensation. Internships typically last from a single school term to a couple of years, and pay runs the gamut from a letter of recommendation to a hefty stipend. German engineering company Siemens pays its American apprentices $12–27 hourly; Seattle-based Boeing offers intern wages ranging from $18–33 per hour, while my summer internship at the Oregon Zoo paid me a t-shirt and a discount on coffee. If you don’t have a college degree, apprenticeships can actually supersede postsecondary education. Going straight into apprenticeships is common practice in Europe and in technical vocations that require deep knowledge of a specific trade. The National Association of Colleges and Employers reported that, of reporting companies, 62 percent of newly hired employees participated in an internship program. The U.S. Department of Labor reported that there are 388,000 apprentices in the nation, with 128,000 new apprenticeships starting yearly. Being an intern isn’t just making copies and getting coffee, it’s how you can preview what it’s like to work in an environment you’d otherwise have limited awareness of. Bonus: Approved internships can give you up to eight credits to apply to your degree. Check it out, and put yourself a step ahead of the flock. You just might be one of the few who have a job before you have a diploma in hand.
OPINiON • Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 • VANGUARD
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Clean air and smoking bans PSU focuses on “Clean Air Corridor,” shoveling smokers to…where? A Critical Glance Adam E. Bushen
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s Portland State begins to enforce the Clean Air Corridor— a smoke-free area surrounding Neuberger Hall, Smith Memorial Student Union, Cramer Hall and Lincoln Hall—a simple question arises: Where can smokers go to enjoy their tobacco, and how will the ban be enforced? Even as a smoker, I completely agree with the proposed ban, as this area hosts the highest foot traffic and congestion on campus. Right now we’re nearly forced to walk through cigarette smoke in order to get inside any of these buildings. Although the smell and smoke from tobacco don’t bother me, I’ve observed multiple instances of noticeably uncomfortable students who have no other choice but to walk through puff after puff of smoke on their way to class. I’m truly sympathetic and, in fact, things like this made me more conscious of when and where I exhale, and I try to be as unobtrusive as possible. Despite the validity of a smoking ban and PSU’s intent to improve air quality (including addressing other pollutants like cars idling on Broadway), the idea of a smoking ban in the South Park Blocks, while a noble endeavor, is a misguided one. Of all the locations on campus, none offers the ability to create personal space like the South Park Blocks do. Here, students can spread out, lie down and enjoy some peace and some space. They can be undisturbed by the presence of others.
The rationale behind the smoking ban appears to be that pollution from secondhand smoke interferes with park-goers’ ability to enjoy the space. But don’t the conditions that make the park so ripe for enjoyment also apply to smokers?
Even as a smoker, I completely agree with the proposed ban, as this area hosts the highest foot traffic and congestion on campus.
Here, smokers can use the open spaces to situate themselves away from others in an effort to avoid disturbing them with the smell and smoke of cigarettes. Smokers can use the abundance of open park land to both enjoy the personal space it affords them, just as the nonsmokers do, and to avoid bothering others. It seems like the most reasonable place for smokers to go, not only for their own sake, but for the sake of nonsmokers as well. In addition to the question of where smokers can go once the smoking ban takes effect (and if the potential ban in the South Park Blocks becomes a
reality), the question of how it will be enforced intrigues me. I envision a special division of the Campus Public Safety Office, something along the lines of the A-Team, roaming campus, always on alert for the cigarette-smoking delinquent, perpetually ready to stomp out butts while providing antismoking pamphlets in addition to the citation. In all seriousness, though, what types of punishments will be handed out? What would be the fine, if any? Will repeat offenders be punished more severely? Would continual offenders be forced to attend mandatory Smokers Anonymous meetings? These are real questions and if there are answers, they need to be made public and available. As a smoker, I want to know what type of punishment I potentially face. If additional officers are needed to enforce the smoking ban, how will they be funded? Will it come from citations handed out to those who ignore the ban? This is another aspect of the ban that needs to be transparent. We need to know how enforcement will be funded. I doubt that the enforcement would require a tuition increase, but we really don’t know for sure, do we? Finally, if the smoking ban is predicated on a notion of equal consideration, that students should have equal right to the enjoyment of the campus without being disturbed by others, how does this potential smoking ban in the Park Blocks take into consideration a smoker’s right to enjoy a completely legal activity? Banning a legal activity in a public park is a difficult notion to make sense of. It appears that the consideration of smokers, or their right to enjoy the Park Blocks, is not equal to that of others.
Kayla Nguyen/VANGUARD STAFf
Broke? Sell plasma Pros and cons of donating plasma That’s What’s the Matter Kevin Rackham
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eing in college means being broke from time to time. This was me recently, so I thought about donating plasma. While it can’t replace a regular income, it can be a good way to supplement it. First off, I’m not sure why everyone seems to call it “donating plasma.” It’s not a donation—you receive compensation for it. The industry standard is $30 per visit, although that information is not readily available on many websites. The misnomer is probably to make the “donor” feel better about selling their fluids, and also to make the recipient companies sound more altruistic. They’re not altruists by any means, though. The plasma you sell probably won’t be going to patients for transfusions; it’ll be used to create plasma-based products. CSL Plasma, which runs a plasma donation center in Portland, created one of the leading plasma-based vaccines during the great swine flu scare. They made more than $1 billion that fiscal year. Plasma donation clinics are for-profit, and they’re making a pretty decent one. You’re not directly helping someone when you sell plasma, and the company buying it makes a lot more money off you than you do off them. Still, $30 for an hour or so of lying in a chair sounded pretty good. Unfortunately,
I got sick and wasn’t able to go before this column ran. The restrictions for selling plasma are the same as those for donating blood: You can’t donate if you have the flu, if you’ve traveled to certain places in Europe or Africa during certain times, if you’ve had a new tattoo or piercing in the past year, or if you’re underweight or on certain medications. Giving plasma often has the side effect of making you fatigued or light-headed, but I’ve never had any problems with that when I give blood. Scarring can occur if you give frequently and don’t heal quickly. While giving plasma hasn’t been shown to have longterm health effects, it’s worth noting that, while most clinics allow you to sell plasma twice a week, four weeks a month, the Red Cross will only accept plasma donations every 28 days because of concerns about donating too frequently. None of the potential side effects troubled me too much. What’s less acceptable is the way the nearest clinic disperses compensation: a Citibank/ Visa prepaid cash card. Prepaid cards have become common, especially in lowerincome and non-banking demographics. The cards are banks’ sneaky way of making money off of low-income people and people that distrust banks, because prepaid cards
have hidden transaction and withdrawal fees. This kind of compensation is one of the big downsides of selling plasma, and it might end up being a deal-breaker. Companies that provide the cards often charge ATM withdrawal fees, and Citibank charges a $2 fee. This is in addition to the fee many banks already charge at ATMs, so you’re not getting your money’s worth when your payment comes on a prepaid card. Also worth noting is that if a clinic finds out you’ve sold plasma somewhere else, you’ll be deferred from donating. From a naively positive perspective, it keeps people from degrading their health by donating more than twice a week. Realistically it’s more likely done to prevent you from giving your precious bodily fluids to another company. Blacklisting people who give to multiple clinics seems to be a standard practice in this industry, and some companies, like CSL Plasma, actually have rewards programs for loyal and continued donation. Other clinics offer recruitment bonuses. It’s strange, but I suppose it makes sense. There isn’t an abundance of people both willing and eligible to sell plasma, while the market for plasma-based products is a multi-billion-dollar one. Still, while plasma donation might involve some pretty despicable business practices, and my plasma is probably worth more than they’ll give me for it, I’m willing to give it a shot. There are few significant health effects, and it’ll buy the groceries.
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VANGUARD • Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 • Opinion
Online comments 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’s 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 psuvanguard.com.
“Your lack of faith” Bernie Dehler Nov. 2 Corinna Scott/VANGUARD STAFf
The Real World leaves Portland Why reality TV doesn’t belong here Ms. Fudge’s Sweet Nothings Stephanie Fudge-Bernard
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fter disrupting the city with cameras and augmented reality television personalities, the 28th season of MTV’s The Real World seems to have finally left Portland. For myself and many other Portlanders like me, this also means a welcome relief from the types of people such a show appeals to. The cast, rumored to be boarding in the Pearl District, was primarily spotted in Northwest and Southwest Portland during the August– October filming. Fans with too much time on their hands even created Twitter accounts, such as @realworldpdx and @RealWorldPDXspy, and tweeted sightings around town. While a decrepit reality show in Portland would normally cause mild distaste, at most, TRW intruded on my environment by having its cast work at the local Pizza Schmizza Pub and Grub. The little pizzeria, located on Southwest Fourth Avenue and Montgomery Street, had seven cast members attempting to serve pizza and drinks. Having lived across the street from Schmizza for more than two years, I was a bit surprised when I started seeing overcrowded sidewalks and expensive camera equipment being loaded out of vans. It quickly became apparent that it was because of a reality show. Much to my dismay, they’d be infiltrating my environment for several months. It’s not the first time camera crews have upset the balance on campus. Leverage filming during last winter’s finals week interrupted the flow of foot traffic by monopolizing Urban Plaza. But the show did bring the school revenue
through filming and parking charges, and it was only on campus for about two weeks. TRW, staying in Portland for around three months, created a completely different type of annoyance for students who happened to stumble into Pizza Schmizza. The pub, with its outside picnic benches and eccentric inside decor, is a mix of sports bar meets Portland-cool.
Essentially, ‘bros’ had invaded my turf. The atmosphere changed so dramatically that I and other regulars avoided going during filming hours. I’d head out in hopes of getting a slice only to head back home in disgust, stomach growling.
Though there’s an overabundance of good food and microbreweries here, sometimes a $2 slice of pizza and $3 well drink is too irresistible for a poor college student to pass up. This led me to frequent the pub more times than I’m proud to admit, and I’ve noticed over the years that the usual patrons include a few students, a group of guys in their 30s watching a Timbers game and possibly a couple on a disappointing date.
This fine quasi-alcoholic crowd abruptly transformed into young 20-somethings vying for the camera’s attention. Normally quiet weekday afternoons transformed into a crowd of women wearing several pounds of makeup and men whose hats were angled in impractical ways. Essentially, “bros” had invaded my turf. The atmosphere changed so dramatically that I and other regulars avoided going during filming hours. I’d head out in hopes of getting a slice only to head back home in disgust, stomach growling. During the times my hunger won over my indignation, I quickly regretted my decision. At one point, a cast member yelled across the bar at a friend, literally calling out every form of “bro” he could think of. Although the cast and filming finally stopped popping up downtown, and related Twitter accounts have started growing stale, the repercussions of MTV’s presence in Portland is concerning. Many Portlanders pride themselves on the city’s affinity for the offbeat culture we’ve created, including odd clothing, food and music tastes. I can’t help wonder how TRW will choose to portray our fair city. The image could end up drawing in people that some of the current population would find distasteful. A show that still somehow draws in a couple million viewers could potentially distort the culture we’ve lovingly built. Over the last five years that I’ve lived here, I’ve evidently bought into what I once thought was an absurd level of obscurity that permeates our city. Regardless of how the show depicts us, at least we can find solace in getting a few bros out of our local watering holes.
Emily– Boghossian was speaking to people who are truth seekers. If you want to follow the truth, and be willing to go wherever it leads, you have to practice critical thinking. This includes considering all alternative viewpoints and the evidence for them. He is simply saying to analyze your own opinion with the same rigor that you analyze other opinions. That seems to be rudimentary. I think the issue is that you aren’t interested in truth. If you don’t care, then of course, don’t subject your own views to critical examination. But if you want to examine the strength of your own convictions, you better understand where the weakness lies in your thought processes, and what it would take to disprove your own theories. Scientists do this all the time, in trying to disprove their own hypothesis through testing. Testing doesn’t confirm, as much as it disproves. For example, one solid test is all that is needed to disqualify a hypothesis, regardless of how many tests that seem to prove it. So really all he’s doing is advocating a scientific mindset to philosophy. If a scientist never considered “How could I be wrong” and “how could my theory be disproven,” they would be a very poor scientist. Same goes for philosophy. Andrew Nov. 1 Beautiful! Thank you for your balanced approach. I would like to add that the lines between atheism, theism, agnosticism, science, religion, and philosophy (and pyschology for that matter) aren’t always as cut and dry as many think. Perhaps these are more fringe but there are so-called Christian Atheists (the philosopher Slavoj Zizek comes to mind in the sense he often positively engages with Christian theology), there’s a whole “Death of God” theological movement, many scientists profess religious beliefs (U of O’s retired Amit Goswami, for example), and even the Dali Lhama has, perhaps in earnest, tried to engage deeply with science (and recently declared religion outdated). We live in an age where scientists can fuse genes from two females with one male (courtesy of OHSU; could be used to back up arguments for polygamy). DNA can be cloned and we are in the early phases of being able to record thoughts (see experiments about placing computer chips in rat brains to help boost memory; combined these could one day perhaps allow for actual resurrection of humans). Maybe I’m sounding crazy but I sometimes interpret ancient religious beliefs as being symbolic proto-types of things humans will one day achieve with science. Further, I fully agree that belief (or lack thereof) is entirely personal as to its ultimate contents. Diversity of belief within any given group is actually far more prolific than I think is popularly conceived. However, I would caution anyone against neglecting the community aspects of spirituality (and, of course, even atheists can be spiritual). It’s hard to grow as a human by sitting alone. Certainly, groups of all types (not just religious) can get ugly and exclusive, dogmatic and one-dimensional, but whether one is joining a group or asserting their independence from one, growth is happening because of interpersonal (dis)engagement. Nathaniel Nov. 1 Religious belief influences social policy that we are all expected to follow. Atheists who attempt to persuade others toward atheism are doing so in hopes of minimizing that influence. Some believe that the social affect of forming beliefs based on faith is largely negative. Some of us also find utilitarian ethical arguments compelling and this combination creates an ethical imperative to attempt to persuade people not to form beliefs based on faith. Steve Barry Nov. 1 First, I think you are missing the point of Boghossian’s “Walk the Talk” and simultaneously conflating it with antitheism or “theoretical atheism” as you call it. The “Walk the Talk” idea is not to instill rules within atheism so much as having rational and *logically clear* reasoning for one’s stance. That’s not a “rule”, it’s just intellectual honesty. This doesn’t necessarily involve others, atheist or not. You are assuming that someone who clearly defines what they believe (or don’t) and how they come to that conclusion is trying to push it onto others. That is really a non-sequitur. Second, as for the idea that atheists should keep it to themselves…it isn’t feasible and is in fact foolish. One does not need to jump onto threads on Facebook and harangue the religious, but in case you haven’t noticed the religious do a pretty good job of inserting their god and beliefs on how others should live their lives. This is evident in female health care, LGBTQ rights, education, science, and the military. To sit down and not evaluate and criticize beliefs that are imposed on the rest is to stick your head in the sand. “Rather than focusing on governing the personal beliefs of others, we should all just worry about ourselves.” If only religion felt this way.
ETC. • Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 • VANGUARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Erick Bengel EDITOR@PSUVANGUARD.COM 503-725-5691
settlement—and taste food and teas created from native plants harvested in an oak savanna. FREE
Indigenous Nations People and Food Systems 5–7 p.m. Native American Student and Community Center 710 SW Jackson St.
Join the discussion about accessing cultural food systems and food on reservations while enjoying a warm, seasonal meal. FREE
Saturday, Nov. 10
Natural Paint Making: Part One COURTESY OF Cascadia Matters
The great outdoors: Learn more about the emergence of bioregionalism in the Pacific Northwest and enjoy a free dinner at Saturday’s screening of Occupied Cascadia.
Tuesday, Nov. 6
“Let’s Talk” Drop-In Counseling 2–3 p.m. Women’s Resource Center 1802 SW 10th Ave.
Come to the Women’s Resource Center for a free consultation with a counselor from Student Health and Counseling about any questions you may have or stresses you may be FREE dealing with.
Chinuk Wawa Social Club Meeting 5–6 p.m. Native American Student and Community Center, room 150 710 SW Jackson St.
Whether you have experience in learning other languages or have never attempted it before the Chinuk Wawa Social Club invites people of all levels to come and learn a new way of speaking. FREE
2012 Presidential Election Portland Watch Party 3 p.m. Blitz Pearl 110 NW 10th Ave.
Come to Blitz to watch live coverage of election day events and enjoy special discounts on some good food and drinks with friends. FREE 21+
Wednesday, Nov. 7
Art and Social Practice Conversation Series: Yoshua Okon 1–2 p.m. Field Work 1101 SW Jefferson St.
Yoshua Okon invites you to explore a series of near-sociological experiments executed for the camera which blend a series of techniques to discuss habitual perceptions of reality and truth, selfhood and morality. FREE
Portland State: What’s Your Drive 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Urban Plaza Center Southwest Fifth Ave. and Mill St. or Sixth Ave. and Montgomery St.
Enjoy free food, giveaways, games and the chance to get a look at Chevrolet’s latest models in the Urban FREE Plaza.
Crafternoons Noon–1 p.m. Women’s Resource Center 1802 SW 10th Ave.
Bring your knitting, crochet, sewing and supplies and come share your skills, ideas and thoughts. Everyone and all kinds of crafts are welcome. Yarn and needles are also available for beginners or those in need. FREE
Thursday, Nov. 8
The Department of Theatre and Film Presents Othello Low-Cost Preview 7:30 p.m. Lincoln Hall 1620 SW Park Ave.
William Shakespeare’s Othello is set to play a preview show at Lincoln Hall. Tickets for preview shows are $6 at the door.
Friday, Nov. 9
Tree Arrival in Pioneer Square Noon–1 p.m. Pioneer Courthouse Square 701 SW Sixth Ave.
The time of year has finally arrived for Portland’s holiday tree to arrive in Pioneer Courthouse Square. Come watch the tree being set up and return on the day following Thanksgiving to see it lit up. FREE
Restoring the Oak Savanna on PSU Campus 1-2 p.m. Just south of the Science Research and Teaching Center building (across from Starbucks on Southwest 10th Ave. and Montgomery St.)
Enjoy the chance to be a part of the dedication of the oak savanna on the PSU campus. Learn the history of the oak savanna and how it relates to the history of native peoples—and the decline of these plant communities over time with Euro-American
11 a.m.–4 p.m. Women’s Resource Center 1802 SW 10th Ave.
Learn how to make your own paints from natural materials and how to use them to create your own unique art. A natural builder will be present to speak to her own experiences with using sustainable technology, and snacks will be provided. This is a two-day event and you should feel free to attend either or both of the FREE sessions.
Occupied Cascadia Film Screening and Dinner 5:30–11 p.m. Hoffmann Hall 1833 SW 11th Ave.
A screening of the documentary film Occupied Cascadia, which examines the emergence of bioregionalism in the Pacific Northwest, and a free dinner are presented on campus. FREE
Sunday, Nov. 11
“The Wardrobe Malfunction That Shook the World: Nudity, the Greek Body and Greek Self-Fashioning” 2 p.m. Portland Art Museum, Whitsell Auditorium 1219 SW Park Ave.
Listen to Andrew Stewart, the Nicholas C. Petris Professor of Greek Studies, University of California, Berkeley, as he lectures on the topic of nudity in Greek art. For ticket information visit pam. spotlightboxoffice.com/purchase/ step4?ticketID=65303.
Clash of the Titans: Classical vs. Popular Music for Choir 4–6 p.m. First United Methodist Church 1838 SW Jefferson Ave.
Portland State Chamber Choir, Man Choir, Vox Femina and University Choir present a performance featuring classical works by Monteverdi, Durufle, Verdi, Debussy, Rachmaninoff and Britten set up with popular selections by Stevie Wonder, Madonna and Fun. Admission is $12 general and $7 for students and seniors.
Monday, Nov. 12
Portland Japanese Garden Free Admission Day 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Portland Japanese Garden 611 SW Kingston Ave.
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ETC.
The Portland Japanese Garden offers free admission to come and enjoy one of the most beautiful and authentic Japanese gardens in the United States. FREE
Tuesday, Nov. 13
UISHE Presents the 1491s 2–4 p.m. Native American Student and Community Center 710 SW Jackson St.
The United Indian Students in Higher Education are proud to welcome indigenous comedy group the 1491s for a meet-and-greet and traditional indigenous food. Nov. 13 is an event for students only, but be sure to bring family ad friends on Nov. 14 for a special presentation that will be FREE open to the public.
Escape to Gold Mountain 6:40 p.m. PSU School of Business, room 190 631 SW Harrison St.
David Wong, a prominent architect in Vancouver, Canada and the author of the upcoming graphic novel Escape to Gold Mountain: A Graphic History of the Chinese in North America, will be at PSU to talk about his new book and the history of Chinese immigration to and settlement in North America. There will be a book sale and signing prior to the FREE talk.
= on PSU campus FREE = free of charge = open to the public 21+ = 21 and over
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VANGUARD •• Tuesday, TUESDAY,Nov. JANUARY 6, 2012 10, •2012 SPORTS • ETC.
SPORTS
EDITOR: MARCO ESPAñA SPORTS@PSUVANGUARD.COM 503-725-4538
Men’s basketball opens season with a win Vikings take down Concordia with clutch play Alex Moore Vanguard Staff
The Portland State men’s basketball team saw its first action of the year on Friday night, as the Vikings beat Concordia University 96-93 in an exhibition at the Stott Center. Sophomore guard Dre Winston Jr. led PSU in his first game as a Viking, contributing 25 points in 36 minutes of play. Senior guard Lateef McMullan added 17 points and 6 assists. The game came down to the final minute, with PSU trailing 93-92. Vikings senior forward Renado Parker scored with fewer than 30 seconds left to take the lead, and after
a missed shot and an offensive rebound for Concordia, Winston stole the ball and scored to close out the victory. “The guys have been working hard,” head coach Tyler Geving said. “If they can do that night in and night out, we’re going to be OK. I’m glad our guys have shown that in practice so far. We’ve had good practices and good energy.” Going into last night’s game, Geving hoped that the team would be able to remain healthy and play well on the defensive end. “We’ve been a little banged up in the fall,” Geving said. “I want to see us play hard; I want to see us compete. This
time of the year, the defense should be ahead of the offense a little bit.” Along with defense, Geving has been focusing on the boards. “I want to be a good rebounding team,” he said. “That’s important to us. At the end of the day, I want to make big strides in defense and rebounding, and that will make our offense better.” PSU continues its 2012–13 campaign at home against Pacific University this Friday. Geving and the Vikings are setting their sights high this year—an NCAA tournament bid is the team’s primary objective. “That’s everyone’s goal,” Geving said. “If we give [a] good effort and play hard, we’ve got a good chance to make a run at the tournament.”
Everybody makes a run An Indiana die-hard’s perspective on the new NBA season Drew Lazzara Vanguard Staff
Being a sports fan is mostly torture. One moment, you’re watching your beloved Indiana Pacers—perhaps the NBA’s deepest and most talented roster—dismantle the hated Detroit Pistons, on the road, without their unquestioned leader and future Hall-ofFamer Reggie Miller, establishing themselves as legitimate title favorites in the process. The next moment, a cowardly fan is whipping a beer at Ron Artest, and Ben Wallace’s brother is punching out your hopes and dreams. The infamous 2004 brawl between the Pacers and Pistons effectively ended Indiana’s 10-year run of championship contention. After a solid decade of excellence and tantalizing flirtation with the game’s ultimate prize, the melee’s subsequent (lopsided, franchise-murdering) suspensions sent my hometown team into a spiral from which it is still recovering. We’re both still recovering. When it comes to NBA fandom, almost everyone can point to some similar kind of tragedy. The association’s history is rife with disappointment: devastating injury, egregious officiating, front office incompetence, free agent abandonment. If you are a fan of any particular pro basketball team, you are a victim by default. But the truth is, we should be grateful for our fan martyrdom. If we didn’t
have fingers to point, curses to blame and scapegoats to burn in effigy, then rooting for an NBA team would be a depressing prospect. Every bad-call bogeyman and heartbreaking “what if ” shields us from the fact that the NBA is the most predictable, top-heavy league in professional sports. Most of our teams really don’t have a prayer. Unlike the NFL, the NBA doesn’t value parity; though 16 teams make the postseason each year, only three or four of them have a conceivable chance at taking home a title. As we face the prospect of a brand new basketball season in which the vast majority of our favorite teams will toil thanklessly in the long, dark shadow of greatness, it’s fair to ask: What’s the point? The simple answer is that the league hasn’t been this deep, talented, compelling and colossally exciting to watch every single night for the last 25 years, and rooting for teams bound to lose actually serves to liberate us, leaving us free to enjoy the breathtaking array of talent the league currently has to offer. Take just a cursory glance at the long list of also-rans and tell me you’re not excited. The Milwaukee Bucks are probably lottery-bound, but every night they’re trotting out the electrifying backcourt of Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings (and some of the sickest road jerseys in the game). No one is league-passing the
Golden State Warriors, but come on; the sweet shooting of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, the shameless self-promotion and potential superstardom of Harrison Barnes, the suffocating help defense of Andrew Bogut… you’re not going to tune in? Kyrie Irving and Anderson Varejao hustling their way to thrilling losses in Cleveland. The Phoenix Suns trotting out the bizarrely compelling lineup of Goran Dragic, Marcin Gortat and Luis Scola night after night. James Hardin and Jeremy Lin weirding up the backcourt in Houston. The Dallas Mavericks and their hodgepodge mix of Chris Kaman, Elton Brand, Darren Collison and O.J. Mayo. Orlando will introduce rookie coach and former Kansas standout Jacque Vaughn this year. Anthony Davis and Eric Gordon will team up in New Orleans, as will Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond in Detroit. Two crazily assembled New York teams will vie for the Empire State’s attention. The delightfully bad shots and jaw-dropping dunks of Josh Smith will begin anew in Atlanta. Every one of these teams has a story. Every one of these teams has otherworldly talent. Every one of them plays hard. And, in the end, none of them stand a chance. But then again, neither do most of us die-hards. This year, rather than hanging our heads, let’s take a good look around and take it all in. Just because we know how the story turns out doesn’t mean the route we take to get there isn’t spectacular. The NBA: Where Something Worth Watching Happens.
Karl Kuchs/VANGUARD STAFf
Rising to the occasion: Senior forward Martin Whitmore elevates for a bucket against Concordia on Friday.
COURTESY OF PSU rec clubs
Hey ladies New women’s club sports establish themselves on campus Bryan Zinschlag Vanguard staff
Binders full of women have new athletic opportunities at Portland State these days. Since last fall, five new clubs have formed, including three just in the last month. Rugby and water polo are in their second seasons and look to build on last year’s momentum. La-
crosse, soccer and volleyball are brand new. The formation of the new clubs was a response to an imbalance that staff in PSU’s Rec Clubs program had recognized in recent years. “We noticed that the club sports were really male-dominated,” Rec Clubs Manager Stesha HeseliusMashinchi said. She and her
coworkers sought to change that, but their role is somewhat limited due to the independent nature of the organizations. “Rec clubs are student-run and operated,” HeseliusMashinchi explained. “As a Rec Clubs department, we try to oversee and facilitate them.” Success in recruiting players has varied, but the fledgling programs are off to a good start. And though the clubs charge fees for committed members, anyone is encouraged to come by and try it out, free of charge. The lacrosse club even has extra equipment available for those who do not have their own. “All of the new clubs are open to teaching new people,” Heselius-Mashinchi said. In order to focus on teaching new members the basics and work on developing chemistry, the new women’s clubs do not plan to begin competing against other college clubs until the winter or spring. After a term or two of experience under their belts, members will then have the chance to travel around the region and test their skills. For more on the clubs, including meeting times and contact information, visit pdx. edu/recreation/rec-clubs.
SPORTS ETC. • Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 • VANGUARD
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Shots all around for the Winterhawks Team lights up the Rose Garden for eighth straight win Bryan Zinschlag Vanguard Staff
Things could not have started much worse for the Portland Winterhawks Saturday night. Within the first 10 minutes of their game against the Victoria Royals, the Hawks were down 2-0 and lost a fight to boot. Jamie Crooks and Alex Gogolev scored for the Royals early, while Keegan Kanzig leveraged all of his 238 pounds into his fist to pummel Winterhawk Joe Mahon at mid-ice. For the remaining 50 minutes, however, the Hawks were as offensive as the logo on their jerseys. By the middle of the first period, the Western Hockey League’s hottest team caught fire with a goal from Keegan Iverson. They went on to score five more unanswered goals as 10 different Winterhawks contributed points to the effort. Derrick Pouliot (the eighth overall pick in the 2012 NHL draft), Brendan Leipsic, captain Troy Rutkowski and Nicolas Petan each tallied three points. Petan’s two assists in-
creased his total to 19 this season, ranking him third in the WHL. He also leads the league in plus/minus at +23, a statistic calculated by subtracting the goals against a team from the goals for a team when a certain player is on the ice. This stat excludes power play goals, and it means Petan is playing out of his mind. After the rough start, Winterhawk goalie Mac Carruth recovered to save 30 of the 32 shots that came his way. Saturday’s victory was Carruth’s 92nd with the Hawks, second-most in franchise history. Ty Rattie notched the game-tying goal in the second period and extended his scoring streak to 10 games. During their eight-game winning streak, the Hawks have outscored opponents 44-12, and they currently sit atop the WHL’s U.S. Division with a 12-3-1-0 record. The WHL, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Ontario Hockey League, come together to form the Canadian Hockey League. Elite NHL prospects, usually
Vikings split the weekend PSU faces tough challenges on weekend road trip Rosemary Hanson Vanguard Staff
Nothing came easy for the Portland State volleyball team this weekend. After battling with Southern Utah University on Thursday to earn a five-set victory, the Vikings saw their six-match winning streak come to an end on Saturday against Northern Arizona University. With the loss, the team fell into a tie for first place in the conference with Idaho State University. The Vikings have two more weekends of regular season matches to fight it out for the Big Sky title. “Thursday was a new experience for all of us,” junior outside hitter Aubrey Mitchell said. “We’ve never been there or played there, so being able to go into a new gym [against] a team who is a really good home team was good for us. It was challenging,
and we pulled out a win in the end.” The match featured a strong individual performance by Mitchell, who finished with 15 kills, but the Vikings struggled early on to gain their footing. The Thunderbirds held PSU to a negative hitting percentage in the first set to win it 25-12, the lowest point total for the Vikings in a set all season. They bounced back to win the second and third sets, then saw the Thunderbirds rally to win the fourth 25-21. The fifth set, however, showcased the Vikings team that PSU fans have come to know this season. The squad came out hitting and blocking well and won the final set by a score of 15-6. In a statement, head coach Michael Seemann acknowledged his team’s struggles. “It’s tough to win on the road,” he said. “To open this road trip with a win is great, especially when we weren’t playing our best.” While Thursday proved that the Vikings could shake
Karl Kuchs/VANGUARD STAFf
Lighting it up: Brendan Leipsic scores against the Victoria Royals on Saturday. The Winters overcame a slow start to cruise to a 6-2 victory. between 16 and 20 years old, call the collective home, and eight of the top 10 picks in the 2012 NHL draft currently play in the CHL. Pouliot, Rattie and Tyler Wotherspoon
off a difficult start to take control of the match, Saturday was an entirely different story. PSU split the opening two frames with Northern Arizona, but it was the Lumberjacks who finished strong, winning sets three and four to claim the victory. Even with the help of senior outside hitter Megan Ellis’ 16th double-double of the year, the Vikings were unable to get into a rhythm. “Saturday was hard because the combination of such a long travel week and going into a [team’s] home gym was not easy, and they were ready to play us,” Mitchell said after the match. “They prepared very well for us.” PSU managed to come out hot in the fourth to try and build a comeback, keeping the score close until 12-all, but Northern Arizona responded with a 13-4 run to win the set and come away with the win. “NAU played well tonight at home,” Seemann said. “We did not execute our offense tonight. We simply need to improve every time we walk into our gym to train. We need to grow and evolve to put ourselves in a position to win matches.” The Vikings go on the road again this weekend to face the University of North Dakota and the University of Northern Colorado.
will travel to Victoria, British Columbia on Nov. 15 to play for the WHL selects team in the 2012 Subway Super Series against Russia’s junior national team.
The Winterhawks play some of their home games at the Rose Garden and some next door at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Their next home game is at the coliseum
on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 5 p.m. They’ll face the Kamloops Blazers, who lead the B.C. Division with a record of 17-1-0-1. May the clash of the WHL titans commence.
Miles Sanguinetti/VANGUARD STAFf
Tough road: The Vikings searched for consistency against Southern Utah and Northern Arizona.
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VANGUARD • Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 • SPORTS
Fall of an icon, end of an era
Recent RESULTS Wednesday, Oct. 31
NBA vs. Blazers Lakers
116 106
Top performers Nicolas Batum: 26 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals
Thursday, Nov. 1
VOLLEYBALL vs. Vikings Southern Utah
3 2
Top performers Jakyln Wheeler: 15 kills, 10 digs
Friday, Nov. 2
soccer
Big Sky Championship Pocatello, Idaho
vs. University of Montana 3 Vikings 2 COURTESY OF pbelskamp
blacklisted: Lance Armstrong, the most decorated cyclist in history, has been banned for life from official competition by the USADA. Formerly among the most beloved athletes in the world, Armstrong is now widely reviled for his role in an extensive doping scandel during his career.
Lance Armstrong and the nature of doping in sports
Zach Bigalke Vanguard Staff
Over the past four months, the myth of Lance Armstrong has been carefully and systematically dismantled to expose only the unfortunate facts lying beneath. Armstrong, winner of an unprecedented seven straight Tour de France titles from 1999–2005, has been stripped of all competitive results since 1998 by the United States Anti-Doping Agency and will now begin serving a lifetime ban from any event over which the organization presides. The testimony presented by the USADA’s 202-page “Reasoned Decision” was thorough—and thoroughly damning. The evidence compiled in the investigation, which for years was never able to make it past the “serious allegations” stage, overwhelmingly points to Armstrong’s guilt as the kingpin of a comprehensive doping program while in the ranks of the U.S. Postal Service and Discovery Channel cycling teams. After fresh charges were brought forth in August and Armstrong declined to contest them, the USADA went forward with its judgment, and the overthrow of the icon was finally complete.
The story of Lance Armstrong—cancer survivor, founder of the Livestrong Foundation, inspiration to millions and now disgraced champion—is certainly a tragic one, but only the details are unique. The motivation to gain a pharmaceutically assisted advantage is deeply ingrained in the history of modern sports. It has only intensified over the years, and the nagging ethical dilemma among spectators as to what is legitimate and what is illicit is becoming more complex with each new scandal. The Amaury Sport Organisation, the group in charge of coordinating the annual Tour de France competition, has said that it will not retroactively award winners to replace Armstrong in the record books. In truth, it would have a tough time determining a clean winner even if it wanted to. Nearly everyone who stood on the podium with Armstrong in Paris during that seven-year run has either served a doping ban since then, been incriminated in the ongoing investigations or admitted to drug use after retirement. (The sole exception on the list—Fernando Escartín’s third-place finish in 1999—has nevertheless come under suspicion after systematic doping by his team was exposed in 2004.) Aside from the more concrete issue of competitive balance, the problem is also
one of efficacy, complicating matters even further. Our standards are constantly evolving, and what was considered perfectly acceptable 50 years ago might be a completely reprehensible offense today. Whether we realize it or not, when we debate asterisks and the ramifications of drug use on our most hallowed sports records, we’re also questioning how the drugs of yesteryear stack up to the medical technology of today. In the summer of 1904, the third Olympiad came to St. Louis, Mo. The competition was held in conjunction with the World’s Fair that year, and was most notable for giving the public its first documented case of an Olympic champion winning a race while taking substances to improve his performance. The champion in question was Thomas Hicks, a runner and brass worker from Massachusetts, and the drug was strychnine, known since the mid-19th century to act as a stimulant on the central nervous system when taken in small doses. Hicks was administered strychnine with brandy twice on that hot and dusty afternoon, at 14 miles and again at 21 miles during the 26.2-mile course. After the race, Dr. Charles Lucas, an official physician of the games, spoke openly about the formula’s results, admitting that Hicks was “kept in mechanical action by the use of drugs” and declaring that other competitors “lacked proper care on the road.” Hicks, who was carried across the finish the line by his doctor
and trainer and required medical attention which caused the delay of his gold medal ceremony, remains on record as the 1904 Olympic marathon champion. What is the difference, then, between Hicks and Armstrong, or any of the highprofile cases of discredited legends in recent decades? Why is one athlete remembered as the champion of one of the most brutal marathons in Olympic history, while the other’s name has been relegated to a shameful footnote in the official archives of his sport? Armstrong, for his part, has always leaned on the fact that he never failed a drug test during his years of competition. But drug testing can only find what is already known to exist. Since the beginning of concerted anti-doping efforts in modern sports, athletes have sought the best medical assistance available to combat
the system and maintain their innocence. As Armstrong’s tale illustrates, staying a step or two ahead of the technology in place to detect doping is very often preferable to competing without the use of drugs. The USADA’s reasoned decision now marks the final act in the regrettable arc of Armstrong’s career—an alltoo-familiar ending to an increasingly cynical narrative. During his peak, Armstrong’s supporters drew inspiration from watching the suffering of a champion cyclist pedaling up a grueling Alpine road, defying the odds to come out on top. Now, the catharsis comes only from the revelation that the improbable feats we witnessed during that bountiful sevenyear run were simply the remarkably determined efforts of a decidedly mortal individual, a man driven by the same fundamental conflict of human nature that drives us all.
sports
writers needed
Top performers Amanda Howie: 1 goal, 1 assist Daniela Solis: 1 goal
MEN’S BASKETBALL Exhibition
vs. Vikings 96 Concordia 93 Top performers Dre Winston, Jr.: 25 points
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Exhibition
vs. Vikings 75 Warner Pacific 45 Top performers Mikaela Rivard: 13 points, 2 steals
Saturday, Nov. 3
FOOTBALL vs. Northern Colorado Vikings
32 28
Top performers DJ Adams: 90 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns Jaycob Shoemaker: 8 tackles, 1 sack
VOLLEYBALL @.
Get paid $8.80 an hour/4–12 hours per week to write. Apply online at psuvanguard.com, or drop by the Vanguard office in the Smith Memorial Student Union sub-basement, room S-26.
Northern Arizona Vikings
4 1
Top performers Meghan Ellis: 11 kills, 11 digs