Issuu

PSU SWITCHES TO GOOGLE

THE TIMES THE ARE A CHANGING

Google Apps for education offers collaboration services and savings of more than $100,000

Page One is more than a year at the New York Times

NEWS: PAGE 3

ARTS: PAGE 6

INDEX

NEWS.......................... 2 OPINION........................ 4 ARTS............................ . 6 SPORTS........................ 10

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TUESDAY, JUNE 5TH, 2011

VOL. 66 NO. 2

PSU students hit American Idol Scholars tried out as singers Saturday at the first Idol auditions in Portland and didn't make callbacks, but gained experience Sierra Pannabecker Vanguard staff

Auditions for Season 11 of the TV sensation American Idol arrived last Saturday at the Rose Garden Arena. Students from Portland State joined the masses waiting in line before daylight that morning. The seats inside the arena were packed with Idol hopefuls and their friends and family members. Kaitlyn McAllister, who graduated in June from Henley High School in Klamath Falls and plans to attend PSU in September, traveled to Portland with her mother. Despite her memories of previous years’ rejections by the judges in Salt Lake City and Los Angeles, she felt relaxed. “I was a little disappointed when they passed me up again,” McAllister said. She plans to continue trying out. “My mother is really supportive. She’d travel the world for me.”

ASPSU launches new website New interface is a response to frustrations with current site students say Ryan Deming Vanguard Staff

ASPSU will be launching a new website this week—maybe by Friday, according to student government representatives. The current website is a dinosaur in many areas, users say. Donovan Powell, publications director at ASPSU and the force behind the new interface, said that the search function on the current ASPSU website accomplishes just about as much as the Portland State website’s search function does: zip. In addition to the useless searching, there’s a “member login” that can be only used by the webmaster. Why this was put on the site, Powell has no idea. “In comparison to the old site, the new site will be a sleek and efficient machine,” Powell said. He remembers carefully considering his own frustrations with the site when he brainstormed improvements for all users. The search function will be replaced with a methodically laid-out homepage that quickly directs ASPSU staff members and other visitors to information. As part of the new design, far more student government documentation such as meeting minutes and proposals will be posted online regularly for students to view. SEE ASPSU ON PAGE 3

Sena Garbon, a Theatre Arts major at PSU who begins classes this fall, auditioned in front of two show producers. “It was fun to see how it all worked,” she said. “I’m not devastated, but if I’d gotten through I would have looked forward to the judges’ feedback.” A 2011 graduate of the Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Garbon claimed that the auditions were more chaotic and disorganized than other tryouts she’s attended. She plans on performing in PSU musical theatre productions. Current PSU students also showed up for the auditions. Among them was Alan Smith, a graduate student earning a master’s in music performance. ADAM WICKHAM/VANGUARD STAFF

SEE IDOL ON PAGE 9

Facing the music: A contestant speaks to reporters outside the Rose Garden Arena at Saturday's auditions.

State gives foster kids a chance HB 3471 grants youth from state foster homes tuition waivers at Oregon universities Peter Browning Vanguard staff

Oregon will soon join a growing number of states—including Florida, Kentucky and Texas—that offer full tuition waivers to foster kids entering higher education. The idea began as a grass roots campaign by the very children that the bill is sponsoring. Only 6 percent of Oregon youth raised in foster care go on to earn a college degree. These wards, unless applying for additional state custody, become self-reliant at the age of 18. Many don’t have the resources or funding to attend a secondary school. Nicole Stapp was in foster care for 11 years and lived in six different homes. She graduated from Chemeketa Community College with her Associate of Arts, Oregon Transfer this June. She’d planned to attend PSU this fall, and though she’ll have to delay her enrollment by a year in order to qualify for the tuition waiver, she is grateful for the opportunity to be debt-free. “This bill actually gives me a chance to focus on school alone,” Stapp said. “Instead of working multiple jobs, I’ll only have to work one. My hope for this bill and what it will do for other foster youth is to spread hope. And of course, along with degrees and success comes the fact that this bill gives foster youth the support and

opportunity that they need to break the cycle of poverty, abuse and just the simple feeling of hopelessness.” Advocating for youths like Stapp is a group called Children First for Oregon that includes Oregon Foster Youth Connection under its umbrella. Pamela Butler, outreach coordinator for Children First, founded OFYC in 2008. A former child living in foster care herself, she saw the need for the people experiencing the system to advocate for themselves. OFYC membership grew from four people in 2008 to 75 members just three years later. At an OFYC retreat last year, youth discussed ways that other kids in their positions could be better assisted. Access to higher education was a recurring theme. The young people created proposals, vetted them and then met with legislators. Next, Rep. Michael Dembrow (D-NE Portland) drafted HB 3471. To qualify for the waiver, youth must have spent 12 months or more in foster care between the ages of 16 and 18 and be pursuing a postsecondary education within three years of high school graduation. The bill is designed to grant tuition assistance to the last dollar. Eligible students apply through FAFSA, and the state tuition waiver covers whatever costs aren’t addressed by vvfederal aid like the Pell grant and the Oregon Opportunity grant. SEE FOSTER KIDS ON PAGE 9

Parking rate increase proposed percolates City officials and PSU administrators discuss possible parking rate increase Ryan Deming Vanguard staff

The reality of parking downtown may become rougher due to a plan spearheaded by PSU that would increase funding for EcoDistricts throughout the city. Advocates of the EcoDistrict model aim to implement sustainability practices on a neighborhood scale, said Amy Ruiz, the communications director for Mayor Sam Adams. “The idea is to address how we can turn waste into energy on a community-wide basis,” Ruiz said. Currently, there are five test EcoDistricts in Portland: Gateway, Lents, Lloyd District, the South Waterfront and the University District. PSU officials are discussing the idea of raising downtown parking rates with the Portland Bureau of Transportation to help fund the University EcoDistrict. “PSU asked the city to consider an idea to help advance their Eco-District work. That’s it at this point,” said Tom Miller, director of the bureau. According to Miller, a brief in the Oregon Business Journal last week was wrong to identify him as the generator of the idea. Ruiz said that she’s not sure the mayor has even heard about the proposal yet. “It was one of many ideas to fund the EcoDistricts,” confirmed Scott Gallagher, PSU director of communications. ■

2 VANGUARD

NEWS ■ TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 3

■ TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011 ■ NEWS

NEWS

EDITOR: ALISON BARNWELL NEWS@DAILYVANGUARD.COM 503-725-3883

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EDITOR@DAILYVANGUARD.COM

Joshua Hunt

NEWS EDITOR NEWS@DAILYVANGUARD.COM

Alison Barnwell

OPINION EDITOR

PSU switches to Google

Let the good times roll

OPINION@DAILYVANGUARD.COM

Jenieve Schnabel

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Google Apps for Education offers collaboration services and savings of more than $100,000

ARTS@DAILYVANGUARD.COM

Richard Oxley

SPORTS EDITOR SPORTS@DAILYVANGUARD.COM

Kevin Fong

COPY CHIEF Noah Emmet

PRODUCTION MANAGER Ben Patterson

PHOTO EDITOR Adam Wickham

ONLINE EDITOR Vanguard staff

Adiana Lizarraga

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR VGNEWS.ASSOC@GMAIL.COM

Alison Barnwell

ADVERTISING MANAGER Iris Meyers

ADVISER Judson Randall

ADVERTISING ADVISER Ann Roman

ILLUSTRATORS Susannah Beckett, Heather Mcintyre

DESIGNERS Katie West, Laken Wright

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

Adam wickham/VANGUARD STAFF

WATERFRONT BLUES FESTIVAL, JULY 1–4 A view from the Hawthorne Bridge last Friday showed a crowd drawn to the sounds of the blues along the sparkling Willamette River. Thousands of people were there for the festival, which showcased famous artists from Buddy Guy to Meschiya Lake and The Little Big Horns.

NEWS BRIEFS

PHOTOGRAPHERS Saria Dy, Karl Kuchs, Drew Martig

COPY EDITORS Kathryn Banks Sasha Fahrenkopf

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

ADVERTISING DESIGNER Laura Shea

DISTRIBUTORS Brittany Castillo, Brandy Castillo

The Vanguard is published two days a week as an independent student newspaper governed by the PSU Publications Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff, contributors and readers, and do not necessarily represent those of the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration. One copy of the Vanguard is provided free of charge to all community

The Vanguard is printed on 40 percent post-consumer recycled paper.

Portland State students will soon be using renowned Google email and calendar services through Google Apps for Education, joining thousands of university populations worldwide. By August 3, all PSU email accounts are to be converted. “Google just meets our needs,” said Ellen Weeks, project manager of Google Apps in the PSU Office of Information Technology. She cited Google’s 7 GB of storage—compared to the 500 MB hosted by PSU webmail—as an advantage. The application also provides unified campus calendaring and collaboration services like Google Docs for file sharing, Google Talk for instant messaging and Google Sites for webbased group collaboration. According to Weeks, the migration to Google will save the university from the trouble of upgrading its current email software, sustaining software licenses and restocking email servers. Google also provides more extensive recovery services than PSU can in cases of email meltdowns. Savings amount to at least $100,000, Weeks said. She also confirmed that the privacy settings of PSU email powered by Google will be stron-

karl kuchs/VANGUARD STAFF

Taking the leap: PSU students can enjoy services like Google Docs and Google Talk when conversion from the current webmail system happens August 3. ger than the protection offered by Google’s public interface. Google Apps for Education is offered pursuant to a privacy contract negotiated between Google and the Oregon University System as part of a higher education IT membership group that includes Duke University and the University of Virginia.

Weeks recommended that students comb the archives of their PSU Webmail for material that they don’t want copied to the Google system— particularly, any information that’s subject to U.S. export control regulations. For years, the OIT office received complaints from students and staff alike who were frustrated with current Internet services.

“PSU Webmail is counterintuitive,” said PSU student Josh Doll. “I already use Gmail for my personal email and I’m pretty excited for the change.” After the August 3 conversion, students attempting to sign into PSU Webmail will be notified that the PSU system has migrated to Google. ■

ASPSU FROM PAGE 1

Jackie Balzer appointed VP of new studentsuccess post Jackie Balzer, former PSU vice provost for Student Affairs, has been appointed as vice president for enrollment management and student affairs, a new position created to energize the recruitment and retention of students. “Jackie has proven to be a creative leader with a strong record as a tireless advocate for students,” said PSU President Wim Wiewel, who Balzer will report to. “She has overseen significant advances in the student experience and improvements in our campus life. She’ll be able to accomplish even more with new expanded responsibilities.” As head of PSU’s Enrollment Management and Student Affairs division, Balzer will administrate residence life, campus recreation, admissions, financial aid, new student programs, academic and career services, student health services, student life programs and diversity and multicultural student services.

“At PSU, we are committed to student success,” Balzer said. “Creating the Enrollment Management and Student Affairs division will ensure all of our services for students are coordinated and help us achieve our goals.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF STUDENT AFFAIRS

Jackie Balzer: Forme vice provost for student affairs. Balzer served as vice provost for three years, and during her 27-year career in student affairs, she’s supported programs related to residence life, new students, the firstyear experience, pre-college programs, diversity development, student leadership development and student conduct. Prior to her time at PSU, Balzer served as dean of student life at Oregon State University.

Portland Police Bureau faces lesslethal shotgun controversy Portland Police Chief Michael Reese issued a public apology last Thursday, June 30, after an officer mistakenly deployed a less-lethal shotgun containing fatal rounds the morning before. A caller dialed 911 at about 9:55 a.m. complaining that a man was harassing children at Lairville Park, allegedly with a pocket knife. Police chased the man up a slope towards Southwest Barbur Boulevard and confronted him, shooting him in the hip area with a beanbag shotgun and then realizing that the pellets were lethal. The twenty-year-old white male subject, William Kyle Monroe, is in critical but stable condition at a local hospital. “We have carried [non-lethal guns] since the mid-’90s, and this kind of incident has never occurred in the Portland Police Bureau before yesterday,” Reese said. “I want to be very clear about this— using lethal rounds in a lesslethal shotgun was a terrible

mistake. We don’t know how it occurred yet. We have an investigation in process that will answer those questions, but we know it should not have happened. I spoke with the officer involved last night. He certainly feels horrible about this.”

Senate Bill 242 passes final hurdle The influential SB 242 completed its passage Wednesday, June 29 through the Oregon Legislature. Passed by the Senate on June 17 and by the House on June 27, the bill received Senate concurrence Wednesday. “It is a new beginning,” said Paul Kelly, president of the State Board of Higher Education. “On behalf of my fellow board members and the entire Oregon University System, I extend my sincere and enthusiastic thanks to our legislators for their historic action.” The bill redefines the OUS as a public entity rather than a state agency and establishes the Higher Education Coordinating Committee, allowing universities to better control costs and revenues.

New Avenues for Youth Ben & Jerry’s opens at PSU this Thursday

The Portland nonprofit New Avenues for Youth inaugurates a second Ben & Jerry’s PartnerShop in PSU’s Urban Center Plaza this Thursday, July 7. Show up for free cones from noon to 2 p.m. This Ben & Jerry’s location, like the other PartnerShop facing Pioneer Square on Southwest Yamhill Street, will offer employment to over 100 local homeless youth every year. New Avenues for Youth, founded in 1997, provides atrisk youths the education and support necessary to avoid chronic homelessness. “It’s not just about the ice cream,” says Mark Gregory, PSU’s interim vice president of finance and administration. “We’re very excited to have a Ben & Jerry’s on campus.” Live music will be featured in addition to free ice cream from noon to 2 p.m. as part of the grand opening ceremony. ■

Redesign includes new ASPSU seal with historical significance Documents spanning the whole term and previous terms will be available to everyone in the archive section, Powell said, and then transferred to the ASPSU I: drive at the end of the year. Powell also aims to use the new site in promoting upcoming campaigns such as student outreach and the food pantry. Overall, Powell said, the new system and website will be far more organized then it ever has been before. Kelly Hess, a former ASPSU member, said that the current site could stand to be improved. “It’s absolutely terrible,” he said. “There were broken links everywhere, misspelled names, incomplete bios. The Elections Board didn’t even have a link for the majority of the year. I recall having my picture taken for the site on at least two occasions, but it was never uploaded—or at least not successfully. I’ve seen some of Donovan’s in-progress pages, and each one is vastly superior to the entirety of the former site. I can’t wait to see it up and running.” However, the current ASPSU site stands out in comparison to other student government websites in Oregon, according to Powell. He said that the University of Oregon’s associated students website is “very cut and dry.” Along with the complete re-design of the website, the ASPSU logo and seal has been reconceived by Powell and Leif Zuk, ASPSU Senate Pro Tempore. Zuk explained that the previous seal was designed arbitrarily.

“It’s absolutely terrible. There were broken links everywhere, misspelled names, incomplete bios. The Elections Board didn’t even have a link for the majority of the year." —KELLY HESS, PSU STUDENT AND FORMER ASPSU SENATOR

Neither Powell or Zuk understood where many of the images and designs came from or what they represented. In fact, Powell said that some of the graphics used in the seal were clearly clip-art images culled from Microsoft Word. Powell and Zuk designed a new seal—along with two commemorative seals—that have historical significance and will be used on future documentation and implemented on the new website. The five stars on the new seal represent the high school presidents who helped the students form ASPSU. These stars also represent the five branches of the organization and the five different incarnations of the “school that wouldn’t die” after the Vanport flood in 1948. Zuk pointed out that student government has been a part of the university since its founding in 1946. He hopes that the new seal, to be voted on and approved this summer, will bring a new level of consistency to ASPSU. ■

karl kuchs/VANGUARD STAFF

Behold: New video-conference interface in ASPSU office, used for out-of-office individuals this summer.

4 VANGUARD

OPINION ■ TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 5

■ TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011 ■ OPINION

OPINION

EDITOR: JANIEVE SCHNABEL OPINION@DAILYVANGUARD.COM 503-725-5692

Hands Off My Bananas!

¡Celebración!

Or: eat fruit, be cute!

Casa Latina celebrates diversity through education

Elizabeth Bommarito Vanguard staff

The summer months bring so much joy for many reasons, none of them more scrumptious than the presence of local fruit. Peaches, plums, figs, strawberries and the industrious blackberry all make summer time the time for fast food in Oregon. However, there are other months—lets call these the dark months—where, as you wander into your local co-op or grocery store, the only fruit you are likely to see from Oregon is underripe, sad little apples or pears from cold storage, picked months earlier. In Portland, many folks pride themselves on their locavore diet. A locavore dieter is someone who attempts to consume only food from within approximately one hundred miles away from where he lives, with the attempt of growing a lot of his own food. Some even take it to the extreme of engaging in animal captivity and raise chickens, rabbits, goats and whatnot to feed their gullets. Many restaurants in Portland also pride themselves on their local sourcing of ingredients. In these restaurants, there is one phobia that reigns supreme amongst the front of the house, the back of it and among the customers too: imported fruit, especially bananas. The argument goes something like this: Ba-

nanas and other tropical fruit are bad because they demand a huge carbon footprint to bring them here. Tropical fruit, naysayers espouse, is therefore unsustainable. Here is where the hypocrisy comes in. In not one of these restaurants (and I challenge someone to correct me) will you find an absence of coffee or tea, both of which are imported and tropical. Sometimes you will even find other exotics: canned coconut milk from Thailand, bulk cashews from Vietnam, and goji berries from China. The same goes often, but not always, for locavore individuals who drink their “localroasted” coffee to fuel their car-free bike rides to the Farmers Market. So why do bananas and other fresh tropical fruit get a bad rap? It could be argued that it is a worker rights concern, and there would be a valid point there. The exploitation of fruit farmers in Latin America by corporate devils such as The United Fruit Company have been thoroughly documented. However, just as you can get your coffee and tea fair-trade certified, you can also get bananas that come with this somewhat reassuring label that at least the banana farmers weren't completely screwed over. At the end of the day, a lot more goes into calling a food environmentally sustainable than just the fuel it takes to get here. Water use, including the amount of water that gets recycled back into the earth versus what is needed to

produce the fruit (“gray water,” “green water” and “blue water,” as it is called in industry speak), as well as the fuel used in production apart from just distribution needs to be taken into consideration too. In 2006, a study conducted by the Netherlands group CE Delft outlined the total greenhouse gas emissions related to banana and pineapple production in Costa Rica. Pablo Paster, an environmental consultant and writer for TreeHugger.com, did the math from the study and concluded that “you will probably emit more greenhouse gasses on your

drive to the store than emitted in the fruit's entire supply chain.” Fruit trees provide shade, reduce pollution, and create habitats for animals rather than destroying habitats for grain and meat production. Having next to zero fat, around 3 to 6 percent protein, sweet carbohydrates that are easy to digest and full of soluble fiber, fruit is part of the essential food groups 365 days a year. While canned, frozen and dried fruits are all okay, nothing beats plumping up a smoothie of local peaches and spinach with some ripe, organic, fair-trade bananas. ■

Elizabeth Bommarito Vanguard staff

The grand opening of Casa Latina at Portland State has inspired fierce debate among members of the community regarding its goals. There are people who will point out that Casa Latina will lead to a separatist attitude among Latina and Latino students, and is therefore counterproductive. It is the same argument used by those concerned by immigration and assimilation in the United States. Separatism and nationalism have often historically occurred when previous power struc-

Local feminist bookstore deserves a voice

Pedals, Pints and Pokey KALI SIMMONS

Portlanders are known for two things: their love of all things hoppy and brewed and their love of bicycles. Recently, several bicycle-friendly pubs have opened throughout the city. Additionally, the Portland Pedalounge, a 14-person bicycle, will soon take to the streets to guide Portlanders on tours from bar to bar. Simultaneously, new laws are emerging that punish bikers who cycle under the influence. Is condoning such an activity good for Portland’s cycle culture? In many states, drunken bikers can only be charged with public intoxication, but in Oregon, we go the Full Monty. Three years ago, a man got on his bicycle after having a “few too many.” The results of his action took him all the way to the Oregon Court of Appeals, where it was decided that not only was drinking and biking illegal, but additionally, being convicted of a PUI (pedaling under the influence) also counted toward the “three strikes” rule that allows a driver’s license to be revoked after three DUIs. Where do all these cycle pubs fit into the equation? In Bend, the Bend CyclePub is a large multi-person cycle that takes riders on booked tours across the city to various breweries and pubs. Additionally, riders have the option of bringing their own beer and wine along for the ride. Such a cycle is only powered by the pedaling of the riders, and a designated employee “driver” pilots the whale of a bike. Riders are required to sign a form releasing CyclePub of any legal obligation while they are riding, yet they can still do significant harm to themselves or others. The goal of the ride is to visit the local pubs, and it is therefore assumed that several drinks will be imbibed. Drunken riders can be kicked off the tour at any time.

Such vehicles allow for an eco-friendly tour of local pubs in a controlled cycling environment. Many cyclists argue that because a rider can only really cause harm to himself when riding under the influence, PUIs should not exist. Yet a drunken cyclist can easily cause an accident between two cars or harm a nearby pedestrian. Portland already boasts a high amount of bicycle accidents—a study by OHSU revealed that one in five cyclists will be involved in an accident. Additionally, five percent of those accidents required the rider to seek medical attention. A larger study by the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that all cyclists are 12 times more likely to be involved in an accident than an automobile. When alcohol is thrown into the mix, one can only see that number rise. Some argue that cycling actually helps burn alcohol quicker. This is untrue. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission states that time is the only real factor that affects how intoxicated someone is—this means waiting it out and sobering up before getting in a car or on a bike. The myth that eating or exercising will burn off alcohol doesn’t hold up in the eyes of the law. Others argue that because you do not need a driver’s license in order to operate a bicycle, the laws should not fall under the same standards. While there are many solutions to this problem, such as designing new standards and BAC levels for bikers, as the current laws stand, it’s better to be careful about drinking and biking. For bikes to be seen as a responsible and respectable form of transportation, riders needs to follow the rules of the road—this means following the laws regarding drinking and biking. Bike-in bars should be held to the same standards as any other drinking establishment: if riders insist on trying to cycle home when they are intoxicated, they need to be punished. While wonderful in theory, bike bars and cycle pubs need to be cautious about their choices regarding drinking and biking. Not only could they harm their customers but they could harm

University of Washington’s Latin American studies department offers around 12 courses each term. By comparison, we are in a diversity famine in our educational curriculum. Add this information to the ever-present threat of budget cuts, we cannot, as students, allow for the university authorities to decide that diversity studies is where the budget should be cut—this will only weaken our education and give rise to a bad reputation that, given the sour racist history of our state, we simply can’t permit. The fact remains that European and North American nations have been responsible for much of the pain in the world, for more countless reasons than can ever be explicated here. Through imperialism, colonialism and now the neo-liberal plague of global capitalism, we owe

it to allow other voices to be heard in our halls of education. This doesn’t create victims out of our Latino and Latina student body; it merely acknowledges that an unequal scale of power has historically existed and points out the ways in which it still exists and affects our society today. It is through diversity, whether ethnically, culturally and politically, that we have a chance at using our educations to prevent those who will become our future educators, inventors, scientists, writers, engineers and social scientists from making the same mistakes which have disenfranchised and exploited people from the global south, and which have tarnished our species’ history through illegitimate hierarchies. ■

Words, Words, Words! Illustration by susannah beckett

The dangerous relationship between drinking and biking

tures set two or more cultures or ethnicities against one another for the gain of the dominant group. Many of these disputes have timelines so long that it is hard to grasp the depth of their physiological impact to those who are involved. In the end, the above has nothing to do with a university’s responsibility to respond to the social needs of its student body. PSU is not a nation, and we do not exist in a realm of cultural, ethnic or political hegemony. What we are is part of a school very behind in the times on addressing the needs of our multicultural campus. Compared to the International Studies and Global Studies departments of other schools in this country, our three to four classes offered in the Chicano and Latino studies department each term is a barren desert. The

their reputation and the reputation of cycling in general. The streets should be free of vehicles operated by drivers who are under the influence, motor operated or otherwise.

Biking is an eco-friendly and wonderful alternative to driving, but it carries the same obligations. Whether you’re behind the wheel or on a set of wheels, remember to drink responsibly. ■

Letters to the editor Human rights and pride sponsoring In response to Elizabeth Bommarito's “Support or Advertising? Corporate sponsorship at Pride weekend raises questions” (June 28): I recently encountered a window display at the Portland, OR downtown Nike store in support of gay-pride which is exciting because it reflects the company willingness to publicly support the queer community in its fight for the same rights, recognition, and legal protections as straight couples. However, the decision by certain members of the queer community to align with Nike, a multinational corporation that is notorious for its reliance on sweatshop labor may prove antithetical to the liberatory aims of the GLBT community at large: to construct a society in which every citizen is respected. Consequently, Nike's endorsement of gay-pride primarily serves to expand their consumer base of goods produced within an environment of questionable working conditions which is not empowering for either GLBT people or for industrial production workers. Instead, members of the GLBT community should seek sponsorship and alignment with other companies that provide safe working conditions, and good wages and benefits for their workers. Mark Abell

A question of Nobility As a PSU mom, I’m disgusted with my tax dollars and tuition money going to create a special Latino center. The goal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was to create a color blind country in which people were judged by their character instead of their race. But now, leftist apparatchiks have managed to hijack our public institutions to further the goal of ethnic separatism fueled by the dogma of victimhood. The goal is to create a centralized regime that intentionally promotes ethnic strife as an excuse to control all aspects of society, just as it was in balkanized Eastern Europe. But you won’t find this fact taught in the leftist school system that’s part of our problem. The students who staged a sit in at Wim Wiewel’s office need a dose of reality more than special centers, “immersion” dorms or easy registration for illegal aliens. Students from different backgrounds have gotten through college without special treatment for years. There’s nothing handicapping these Latino students except for a massive case of ethnic narcissism. I have a message for them. Few people except for ethnic agitators care about your Latino pride. Society has too many of its own problems to give you the special treatment you think you deserve. This country’s motto is “e pluribus unum,” which means out of the many, one. But because our school system has suppressed the noblest aspirations of our own culture, you’re the predictable result.

Top: In Other Words is both a resource for information and a safe place for its patrons to speak their minds.

Kali SIMMONS

Portlanders are currently at risk of losing one of the city’s valuable landmarks. While many may not have stepped foot inside In Other Words, the northeast bookstore was the setting for the famous bookstore sketch in the local hit series Portlandia. But In Other Words is more than just a backdrop for Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen’s comedy shenanigans. For more than 18 years, In Other Words has been the sole feminist bookstore in Portland, as well as one of the only non-profit feminist bookstores on the entire West Coast. It is also on the verge of a financial crisis and is at risk of closing it’s doors—forever. The unimposing brick building that houses In Other Words is owned by the Albina Women’s League, and was the former home of the Albina Arts Center. At the time the store was opened, there were more than 300 feminist books stores scattered across the nation; over two decades that number has dwindled to a mere 30. “It’s really a direct reflection of the community’s needs,” said In Other Words board member Kate Kimball. “What we’ve heard is that people really needed a space to go where people can talk about their particular issues.” In general, the feminist bookstore is a dying breed. Due to new media perceptions of the cause, the group that brought women’s issues to the floor is now being transformed into a joke. Many feel that there is no need for such a movement to exist. Yet there is still much work to be done in the area of women’s rights—internationally, there are a variety of inequity issues and problems with abuse that need to be resolved. Domestically, there still exists severe media portrayals of violence against women and our society still grapples with reproductive rights issues and the wage difference between men and women. The main problems that In Other Words faces are financial. Up until a few years ago, Women’s Studies students at Portland State were required to buy their books from In Other Words. That is, until a federal law made it illegal for colleges to require students to buy books from a specific store or source. Thus, a large percentage of it’s business was lost.

Bottom: The storefront has become a Portland landmark PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY KARL KUCHS/VANGUARD STAFF

Since these changes, In Other Words has expanded to become a women’s resource center in addition to a bookstore. It is also expanding to open a library in the store, which will become available to readers starting July 9. All of this wonderful news is still overshadowed by the reality of the store’s financial issues. “In Other Words is still the only place where someone can go and really get that community support. It’s the only place someone can go and read the feminist literature that they can’t read anywhere else. It’s still relevant,” said Kimball. Portland is a city that values alternative viewpoints. In Other Words is an excellent example of a business that provides exactly that to Portlanders. If we allow such a paradigm of Portland feminist culture to disappear, not only do we deny the women of Portland a safe space but we also promote the message that we do not approve of feminist ideology. The feminist movement still has many battles to fight, and the only way to fight those battles is through education and community involvement. While many may be leery of diving headfirst into the movement, feminist businesses give those involved or those who want to be involved an opportunity to gather together. Kimball has high hopes for the future of the

Yet there is still much work to be done in the area of women’s rights—internationally, there are a variety of inequity issues and problems with abuse that need to be resolved.

store. “We can create a pioneering movement for the rest of the nation,” she said. In the midst of all this trouble, there is still hope. With an increased amount of volunteers and the new additions to the store, there is still a good chance they can stay afloat. Even those who poke fun at the store are reaching out to help. Kimball hinted that “Portlandia offered to come in and do some fundraising for us” although she was not sure of the exact details of the event. By letting these valuable spaces disappear, we are losing an important voice in our culture. The women’s movement is alive and well, and such a movement deserves to have its place in Portland. Not only do we have an obligation to help out local non-profit businesses, but we also need to allow our alternative viewpoints to flourish. Without In Other Words, local feminists may find themselves at a loss for words. ■

6 VANGUARD

■ TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011 ■ ARTS & CULTURE

A&C

EDITOR: RICHARD D. OXLEY ARTS@DAILYVANGUARD.COM 503-725-5694

ARTS & CULTURE ■ TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 7

Still not more than meets the eye New Transformers movie is entertaining, but still not Oscar material

Page One is much more than a year at the New York Times Richard D. Oxley Vanguard staff

Director Andrew Rossi’s documentary Page One: Inside the New York Times, spends one year observing the paper’s operations as it tackles breaking news stories amongst the most trying times in newspaper industry history. Don’t let the title of this documentary fool you, The New York Times provides a decent backdrop and a narrative method, but this film is about a much bigger story. The industry of news is changing, especially for newspapers. Many publications have shed jobs and employees, while others have shut down entirely. New media has taken away readers and altered how the public receives its news, and in the end profits are suffering. These issues are truly the core of the film. The debate over how we receive our news, how newspapers can adapt and make money, what makes good journalism, and so much more give this film its purpose. While the foundation of the documentary is indeed the highlighting of significant events within a year at The New York Times,

Dumps dishes up great taste on Belmont

New York City Opera Protest Musicians in New York protested last week on the steps of the Lincoln Center where it has been decided that the New York City Opera will no longer be performing. The Opera has been performing at the center since 1966. Clad in traditional tuxedo attire and performing a number of operatic selections, the protest has gone down as the classiest and best-dressed protest in history.

Vanguard staff

The times, they are a changing

Arts Briefs

Kat Audick

Kali Simmons

The Autobots have once again been called to duty to “fight the good fight” in director Michael Bay’s latest installment of the Transformers series. In Transformers: Dark of the Moon, the Autobots are pitted against their old foes the Decepticons, as well as a slew of new and unexpected enemies. Dark of the Moon continues to follow the life of character Sam Witwicky, a now haplessly unemployed ex-student who is forced into secrecy about his relationship with the Autobots. Witwicky, played by Shia LaBeouf, is thrown into the middle of all the action once again. Surprisingly, Witwicky has started to become a more fleshed-out character as the series continues. Now plagued with thoughts of being a failure, we see slightly more inner conflict than in other previous movies. LaBeouf, while having a more grownup character to work with, continues to do little more than whine and scream. For most of the movie, especially any fight scenes, LeBeouf can be heard screaming incoherently. A good 80 percent of LaBeouf lines consist of a combination of “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” “Help!” or “Nooooo!” Still, he does create a somewhat endearing character that is helplessly human. Unfortunately for many male viewers, Megan Fox does not make an appearance in the latest Transformers. Due to conflicts with director Michael Bay, Fox was axed from the sequel. Little is said about what happened to her character, and the only real explanation that is given is that LaBeouf’s character was “dumped” by her. Whether or not this is an underhanded insult is up to the viewer to decide. Yet, male viewers hungry for semi-

Unicorns and dumplings

PHOTO courtesy of paramount pictures

Dark of the Moon: Whoa! It's Shia LaBeouf! Wow! nudity shouldn’t worry. Fox, the brunette sexy doll-faced actress has been replaced with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, a blonde, sexy doll-faced actress. Showing off equal, if not more skin than Fox, Hungington-Whitely fills in as the movie’s ‘T’ and ‘A’ machine. While her acting is less than spectacular, she does a good job at connecting some plot points and screaming girlishly. One impressive point is the ensemble cast of the film. Appearances are made by John Malkovich, Patrick “McDreamy” Dempsey and John Turturro. There is even a small cameo by “Papa Bear” Bill O’Reilly. The film also features an impressive cast of voice actors. Peter Cullen returns as the voice of Optimus Prime, and movie villain extraordinaire Hugo Weaving voices the evil Megatron. A surprising choice is that of Leonard Nimoy to voice the newly introduced Sentinel Prime. Such vocal talent definitely adds to these characters, some of which have been voiced by the same actors since the inception of the ’80s cartoon series. The film is dripping with CG effects, all

the cameras focus on the media desk of the publication. These reporters are followed through their journalistic routines but are mostly presented as mini-biographies—their personalities as characters driving a sense of a story and intrigue through the film. Rossi’s use of these journalists serves the film well. We end up caring about these people and hope in some minor way that the paper doesn’t hit hard times, not because of the greater implications, but so that these people don’t lose their jobs. Columnist David Carr is by far the most featured reporter. His wit and straightforward demeanor make a significant impact on screen. Media Desk editor Bruce Headlam also offers a wealth of information and context to all the peeks behind-the-scenes viewers get. The contributions of reporters Tim Arango and Brian Stelter should not be forgotten and each add their own angles to the film. From these journalists, audiences witness the work, conflicts and debates that commonly occur in pressrooms that produce a vital civic service. If Woodward and Bernstein, via All the Presidents Men, had inspired generations of viewers to be investigative reporters, Page One will have young journalists aiming to work at the media desk. However, while Page One hits many high points worthy of praise, it is not without its shortcomings. A number of points in the film aren’t addressed in great depth, therefore contributing to a lack of understanding on many fronts. This is somewhat understandable given the fly-on-the-wall style of filming used in this

of which are detailed, lush and genuinely impressive when viewed in 3D. Dark of the Moon is definitely visually appealing; from the environments and scenery to the Transformers themselves, the film is full of amazing visuals. The action scenes are by far the best part of the movie, which is not surprising considering the reported $30 million spent just on the film’s 3D effects. Although the film is based on a series of children’s toys, a word of warning: this is definitely not a film for the kids. Transformers definitely earns its PG-13 rating. With gratuitous robot-on-human violence, multiple uttering of the S-word, and a fair helping of semi-nude shots of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Transformers is best left to the 13-and-up audience. All in all, Dark of the Moon leans heavily on its visual effects. With a variety of plot holes and unanswered questions, what dialogue exists seems to only carry the characters from one epic fight scene to the next. While many walk into a Transformers movie knowing they cannot expect The Cherry Orchard, there is still

something very lacking in the film’s plot and dialogue. This third installment does definitely take the title of best in the Transformers series. If one can see through the lackluster plot and groan-worthy jokes, there is still a decent movie underneath it all. Transformers: Dark of the Moon is currently being shown at most major Portland theaters and is viewable in IMAX 3D, 3D, and well as plain old 2D. If you’re looking for intellectually stimulating content, I would pass on this movie, though it does have its fair share of entertaining and exciting scenes. While it may not win movie of the year, it is a solid 157 minutes of actionpacked, explosion-filled entertainment that makes good on its promise to entertain—but one wishes there was a little more to it than that. ■

Transformers: Dark of the Moon Rated PG-13 Now Playing

Among the stretch of bars on Southeast Belmont stands a majestic white unicorn snarling with fervor and hunger as his magical horn pierces a brilliant golden dumpling. The sandwich-board sign bearing this masterful work of unicorn art stopped me dead in my tracks. “What is this place of wonderment?” I asked myself aloud. The answer came glowing from a neon sign in the alley that shined “Dumps” brilliantly in the night. Newly established in the Belmont and 34th Avenue food cart pod, Dumps has only been open for four months and is already taking the neighborhood by storm. Catering to the lunchtime and late-night crowds, Dumps is open until midnight everyday and is even cooking up hot, heavenly dumplings until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Coming from a Polish and Lithuanian background, I’ve had my fair share of pierogi and know a good noodle pocket when I eat one. Dumps’ little dumplings aren’t weighty or greasy like others I’ve had. They’re delicious small panfried pillows of scrumptious goodness. Their generous portions of ten tasty dumplings come served in a takeout box atop a bed of fresh vinaigrette slaw for just six bucks. It’s the perfect portion to keep your belly full midday or soak up a night of boozing into the wee hours of the night. I chose to chow down on a box of Big Kahuna dumplings. These juicy little morsels come stuffed with teriyaki pork and pineapple filling drenched in Dumps’ house made teriyaki sauce. The Big Kahuna’s are big on flavor, carefully balanced between sweet sauce and savory pork, contrasted with the cool crunch of teriyaki cabbage. I stole a couple dumps from my cohorts’ containers and got to try the Spicy Thai dumplings that pack hot Chicken Larb filling topped with mint leaves and marinated in lime juice

Late last month, synthpop duo Erasure announced Tomorrow’s World as the title of their new album set to be released sometime in the coming fall. In addition to the new album, the group also announced their upcoming tour dates, which adds the first concerts in the U.S. in five years, and includes a stop at Portland’s Crystal Ballroom on Oct. 5.

MySpace sold PHOTOGRAPHER/VANGUARD STAFF

Dumps: Dumplings fit for a unicorn and chili oil. The flavor combo is succulent and fresh and definitely has enough sizzle to tingle your tongue. They also have some seriously good vegan options. I’m admittedly a bit of a skeptic when it comes to most vegan choices, but Dumps’ samosas are soft bites of warm noodles filled with curried potatoes, cilantro, peas and onions. They’re served up with a side of mellow mango chutney, which sweetly compliments the dish. The creators of Dumps clearly have their hold on Indian flavors. Owners Ryan Soukkala and Jessica Redden came up with the idea back when they lived in Bellingham, Wash., where they used to dine out on dumplings all the time. “We’ve always loved dumplings, but thought we could definitely kick it up with some new ingredients,” Soukkala said. Dumps delivers when it comes to variety. They’ve got dumplings with bacon and blue

cheese, dumplings that taste like tacos, dumplings puffed up with cheesy-garlic mashed potatoes and so many other incredible flavor profiles that will please any group of food-goers. “We make all of our dumplings hand crafted with love,” Soukkala said. The time they put into every delectable dump is super apparent in the tender fillings and delicate noodle vessels. Not to mention, the owners themselves are wonderfully welcoming people who are great to chitchat with while you’re waiting for your dumps to get cooked up. If you’re craving something more unique than the common food cart fare or a night of drinks on the town has left you in need of some stomach comfort food, Dumps has your answer. I know that when I have a major fever, the only prescription is more dumps! Whatever your reason, every man, woman, child and unicorn needs to head down to Belmont to get a mouth full. ■

MySpace was sold on June 29 by its parent company News Corp to Specific Media, an advertising firm based in Irvine, Calif. News Corp purchased MySpace in 2005 for $580 million and sold the social network for $35 million.

Backstreets back out to sea It’s official: The Backstreet Boys have announced their 2011 Backstreet Boys Cruise. The cruise is set to raise anchor on Dec. 2 and will take a three-day tour of the Bahamas all while offering passengers the opportunity to hang with the boys themselves—four out of the five anyway. Nick, Brian, AJ and Howie plan to perform for, and party with, all their fans—that is, if their fans can find babysitters or, let’s be honest, cat sitters.

Glenn Beck signs off, sort of Television personality Glenn Beck delivered his last show on the Fox News Network on June 30. Beck plans on moving his politically charged monologues to a paying online audience. The final episode was chock-full of chalk boards, filled with memories and, rather surprisingly, not filled with tears. ■

Feeding Portland’s soul Sloppy Town offers good old-fashioned soul food Richard D. Oxley Vanguard staff

PHOTo courtesy of postscript media

The Media Desk: Columnist David Carr is featured in Page One: Inside the New York Times. documentary—if no one in the film says it, it doesn’t get conveyed. So when editors are debating over who will get space on page A1, little of the big picture is carried on screen. Or when the dynamics of how new media is altering the news world, especially in regard to profits, not much is expanded upon. With so much ground to cover across so many issues, it is difficult to pull them all together into a central idea. Page One ends with few answers or conclusions to the issues presented, and viewers may not be left with a sense of closure. Some may pan this aspect, but for me it worked well within the context of this documentary. News doesn’t end. It continues and doesn’t

Erasure

generally have any ending credits. Rossi cannot offer concrete conclusions because this story continues today. Page One is for anyone who ever wrote for a publication from a high school newspaper to a major daily record. It is also for the public, the receivers of news and the society that depends on this public good. ■

Page One: Inside the New York Times Rated R Now Playing

Amongst the cluster of Portland food carts or special diet-tailored food trendsters, finally someone has brought this town what it has been hungry for—good old-fashioned food. But a visit to Sloppy Town is more than a late-night bite, it’s a unique experience. To understand that experience, one has to go to Sloppy Town. In just over a month in operation, they have already garnered regulars who love their various sloppy joe-inspired fare. Their menu boasts a range of sloppy joes, even a vegetarian variety, rivaling a selection of mac and cheese that quickly won a spot on my personal top five best mac and cheeses of Portland. Upon entering, customers will encounter Karen, who will most likely be laughing an infectious room-filling laugh as she engages patrons and commands the cash register. “Menu creator Scott Collins took the idea of the sloppy joe to a gourmet level with slowcooked chipotle BBQ beef, slow-cooked pulled pork and a chipotle mushroom for our vegetarian fans,” Karen said. “Our macaroni and cheese is creamy without being heavy; our slaw is made fresh with each order.” Sloppy Town makes food that simply feeds the soul. Each bite goes to fill a hole in my heart,

bored out with deep-seated abandonment issues. Screw chicken soup; just go to Sloppy Town for whatever ails your soul. The signature “Sloppy Town” provides a sloppy religious experience with their chipotle beef, cheese sauce and slaw. Most will be surprised at how well done the slaw is—generally a side dish, slaw plays as much with your sense of taste as the rest of the sandwich. If you dare and think you can truly handle it, the Sloppy Seconds is a mountain of taste and provides a challenge—though not in any sense of overeating. I don’t know which is the best part, the bacon, the slaw, or the chipotle. So much is happening in this sandwich, yet its flavor succeeds while not in competition with itself. Like the opium dens in days of old, Sloppy Town gives you a hit of incredible sensation before overtaking you. The only downside to the place is that there are no cots offered for when the inevitable and euphoric food coma sets in. The restaurant isn’t quite what one would expect, but this off beat operation just adds to the rather enjoyable character. Downtown Portland regulars may already be familiar with Geraldi’s Italian Eating Place off Fourth Avenue. But once Geraldi’s closes its doors, Sloppy Town opens them right back up, transforming the establishment to serve their sloppy delights. Only people who know to head to Geraldi’s in the dead of the night get to enjoy these late-night munchies. That’s the other thing about Sloppy Town; their hours are designed more toward the noc-

Sloppy Town: Taking sloppy joes to the gourmet level, this is the Opiate of the Portland masses

photo courtesy mollymortphotography

turnal. Open from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, the restaurant collects an eclectic array of the Portland nightlife entering through its doors. Part of this evening transformation into Sloppy Town includes a museum, of sorts, of trucker hats lining the walls. And after regulars complete a punch card of purchases, they get to take a clever hat home—ranging from the redneck adage “It’s all about the rack” to the campy “WPP: Witness Protection Program.” “I meet some really interesting people,” Karen said. “I love to talk and enjoy when customers want to banter with me.” Sloppy Town is cash only, so bear that in mind as you wander through downtown after leaving

a bar in search of that ideal late-night bite. That search should lead you to this fine establishment of guilty pleasures. “The idea has been to branch out to a late night crowd who want something to eat after a night of clubbing and to give the under-21 group a place to do the same,” Karen said. “We just try to keep it light, friendly, funny, maybe a tiny bit irreverent.” ■

Sloppy Town 518 SE Forth Avenue (inside Geraldi's) Open 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday www.facebook.com/sloppytown

8 VANGUARD

NEWS ■ TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 9

■ TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011 ■ ARTS & CULTURE

Darkness in the Rose City Buz McGrath of Unearth speaks with the Vanguard Rian Evans Vanguard staff

Portland may be known for its soft, hipster-ish exterior (insert a “put a bird on it” joke here), but metal fans need not fret. Our fine city also attracts its fair share of hard and heavy metal acts. Though I'm not ruling out the possibility of Odin's divine intervention, it's largely thanks to Mike Thrasher Presents that I've been fortunate enough to see some live music that doesn't revolve around a six-piece band playing accordions and xylophones while some chick sings French lyrics in a phony, childlike voice. I'm able to escape all of that rubbish and instead indulge in relentless double bass drumming, heavily distorted galloping guitars, rhythms, punishing riffage and vocals that I can't even understand half the time. I was able to chat over the phone with Unearth guitarist Buz McGrath. We discussed several topics, including Unearth's new album, Darkness In The Light, Buz's guitar work, the band's creative process and touring. VANGUARD: Is there an underlying theme for the new album? MCGRATH: Vocally, the themes are usually either political or personal. In general, there was a “sink or swim” kind of vibe for us. We've been

doing this for a long time and we really wanted to deliver on this album. VANGUARD: How about the writing process? MCGRATH: With all the technology that's available now, we did a lot of at-home recording and emailing ideas back-and-forth when writing this album. The stuff that was cool stuck around, and the stuff that was forgettable got forgotten. VANGUARD: Is there a song on the new record you're particularly proud of as a guitarist? MCGRATH: All of the solo sections have really been stepped up a notch, but if I had to pick one I'd say the opening guitar fireworks in “Arise The War Cry” are pretty cool. When I first wrote it, I couldn't even play it [as it sounds on the record]. I had to keep practicing until I could get it up to speed. VANGUARD: How are you hoping to grow as player in the coming months and years? Is the goal in metal simply more speed? MCGRATH: Actually, the main thing I'm working on is my vibrato technique. I want to have more control and make it sound better. It's one thing to have speed, but it's another thing to make the guitar sing and to give it personality. Like when you hear Yngwie [Malmsteen] play a riff, you know it's him. VANGUARD: What are your thoughts on the time you've been able to spend in the Pacific Northwest? MCGRATH: We've been through Portland probably 10 times. It's always beautiful and always breathtaking. Portland kind of seems like the “home to the homeless” [laughs], but I dig it.

FOSTER KIDS FROM PAGE 1

The bill fills the void left by parents, says Children First communications manager

“It feels like we gave back to so many of our brothers and sisters.” —PAMELA BUTLER ADVOCATE AND FORMER FOSTER CHILD

photo courtesy of photosynthesisphotography

Buz McGrath: Loves vibrato technique and Voodoo Doughnuts VANGUARD: Any favorite spots in Portland? MCGRATH: We all go to that donut shop... VANGUARD: Voodoo Donuts? You know, now

I have to ask if you've seen the donut that's shaped like a penis? MCGRATH: Yeah, it's a pretty intense donut. [Laughs.] One of our guys definitely got one. On that high note, Buz and I said our goodbyes. He thanked the Vanguard for spreading the gospel of metal in Portland and re-

affirmed his excitement for the upcoming Portland date. ■

Suicide Silence, Unearth, All Shall Perish, Indelible Terror, and Gaia. Hawthorne Theater July 11 $20 at the door or $18 in advanced through TicketsWest

Destination: Unknown Snake Oil releases debut album, hates genres Nicholas Kula Vanguard staff

In today’s ever-changing musical landscape, it’s not too often that a band can make a name for itself before releasing an album without churning out cookie-cutter garbage. There was a time in musical history when bands could garner great hype before cutting wax, but that time is long since gone. That said, it baffles the mind how Connecticut-based something-trio Snake Oil has managed to gain a little bit of following before this, their self-titled debut LP.

It’s difficult to place a finger on just what kind of music Snake Oil truly makes. As a music journalist though, this is my job, so here goes: Snake Oil delivers the post-jazz-psych-electrofunk-drone-synthpop goods on this, their eponymous freshman outing. Now, that hodgepodge genre assignation—it’s not for a lack of musical experience. I’ve been doing this for quite a while. With that said, each of the songs on Snake Oil’s debut shares one common thread: there are no vocals. That’s OK however, because the music found on the record is so dense that a voice layered over the top would wreck the whole thing—too many cooks and all that. The music, though certainly original, would find itself happy nestled in between Bonobo

and Bibio on a fall playlist. Instruments ranging from an expertly EQ’d bass guitar to dueling Rhodes pianos to several flavors of percussion intermingle with great ease. A lot of the guitar work on the record calls to mind bands like Low or even Germany’s Can at times. On tracks like the opening jam, “I Was a Total Pyro,” the music presents a mood that’s tough to place a finger on quite specifically. However, the overall aesthetic is the same—this is jam music. Now, I don’t mean that as a derogatory term like some people do, but this music does seem very jam-oriented. Rather than a focused performance by a band with real intentions, at times Snake Oil can just seem a little too lost in the groove. This is especially evident on tracks like “Footprints” and “Jung Greezy”—the music seems to meander and not really go anywhere, which lends a very background-y vibe to it—not exactly impressive. However, fans of deep grooves should be more than pleased with Snake Oil, as this record has them in spades. Any experienced jazz (or even nu-jazz) listener will at once recognize a “dry drum and wet bass” ensemble comprising Snake Oil’s rhythm section. The bass is so expertly produced that it wouldn’t be hard to imagine the bassist noodling not more than a few feet from you. And trust me, if you’re a participant in the kind of recreational activities that mesh with listening to this kind of music, it shouldn’t be that hard to imagine sometimes. Certain tracks like “Echo Center” are perfectly suited to paying a visit to Mr. Greenjeans, and with the one-two punch of this and the previously mentioned meandering “Footprints,” you may be raving about it with your friends well after the smoke halo dissipates. Of course, there are certain songs that stand out above the rest. “Base Camp” is a great track, where the focus is more on writing a delightful song rather than losing half the audience with resin-encrusted dense jamming. Snake Oil’s real downfall is that the record,

“Children First has a grant that’s helped with implementing this bill,” Butler said. “Their job is to educate foster youth about this opportunity and how you can get there. If you meet these standards, we can guarantee you can go to college.” The waiver applies to tuition at all public and community colleges and is limited to the cost of attending the University of Oregon. Butler, who graduated from UO in 2007, knows that youths growing up in foster care fight an uphill battle. “I came out of foster care very motivated. I applied for every scholarship on the planet,” she said. “I received the Pell grant, private scholarships…I almost had a full ride.

There are so many of the youth that have so many things backed against them. It’s a relief that we can give back to those who are less fortunate in the system.” One caveat in the bill is that interested students are required to complete 30 hours of community service, an idea that Butler said the students proposed. For Butler, who has been advocating for rights of foster youth since she graduated, the imminent passing of this waiver is a watershed moment she can’t describe. “It feels like we gave back to so many of our brothers and sisters in foster care,” she said. Jessica Moskovitz, communications manager at Children First of Oregon, added that the bill only goes as far as most parents do. “For these kids, the state is their family,” she said. “This is just a chance for the state to step up and do what any parent would do.” Children First also helped pass Oregon Healthy Kids, a bill rendering all children in Oregon eligible for healthcare. ■

andrew wickham/VANGUARD STAFF

Giving back: Butler's organization also helped pass a bill making all Oregon children eligible for healthcare.

photo courtesy of radio dial records

Snake Oil: Post-jazz-psych-electro-funkdrone-synthpop while well crafted, all too often tightropes the thin line between smoky stoner jams and forgettable background music. I had to listen to the entire record three times in a row before anything would really stick, and furthermore, the songs are without any real lasting power shortly thereafter. The record is decent and full of great imagery (particularly the aforementioned “Base Camp,” “Seidel in the Salt Flats” and especially the last track, “Travels Light,” which may be the best on the record) but once turned off, the mind wanders elsewhere. Perhaps this is the downfall of too much density in songwriting; the mind is overwhelmed and unresponsive, even when the music tries desperately to get inside. ■

Snake Oil Self titled Radium Dial records Out now

GET A SUMMER JOB THAT MATTERS

adam wickham/VANGUARD STAFF

Stage presence: PSU graduate student Alan Smith pumps himself up before his audition. IDOL FROM PAGE 1

None of the PSU contestants made it beyond the first audition, but they'll keep trying

NOW HIRING WRITERS OPINION • NEWS • ARTS AND CULTURE O N LI N E AT FACE B O O K .C O M / DAI LY VA N G UA R D

Smith most recently played the lead role in the Opera Department's production of Kurt Weill's Street Scene, but he opted to sing a Beatles' song for his audition.

“This is as close as it gets.” —ALAN SMITH IDOL CONTESTANT AND PSU GRADUATE

“People always ask me why I haven't tried out for American Idol, and I say that I would if auditions came closer,” he said. “This is as close as it gets.” Though he wasn’t asked to stay for callbacks, Smith said it was fun to do once, adding, “It was a long wait for not much.” Smith and others spoke of the day’s behind-the-scenes happenings. “All the producers gathered

for a meeting about halfway through the auditions,” Smith said. “But we had no idea what for.” McAllister described the morning events. After the contestants— who’d been asked to show up at 5 a.m. that morning—filed into the arena, everyone joined in a group song before Ryan Seacrest came out. Smith said Seacrest “pepped everyone up” and was shaking hands and posing for photos. Smith also said that the crew claimed it had no quota to fill. Lisa Huggler graduated from PSU with a degree in Arts and Letters in 2009 and auditioned before a panel of two producers. “I figured, it was here, so

why not try it?” she said. She explained the audition procedure: contestants, grouped in fours, were asked to step forward one by one and sing a short snippet of a song. Huggler was surprised at the lack of outlandish Portlanders “keeping it weird” at the auditions. “There weren't many costumed people in there,” Huggler said. McAllister, Garbon, Smith and Huggler reported seeing a lot of good singers being passed up and attributed many rejections to the producers' claims that they were looking for something different this season. ■

10 VANGUARD

ETC. ■ TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011 ■ VANGUARD 11

■ TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011 ■ SPORTS

SPORTS

ETC.

EDITOR: KEVIN FONG SPORTS@DAILYVANGUARD.COM 503-725-4538

Portland State soccer to host summer camps

PSU lands 12 players on PCSC Commissioner’s honor roll

The Viking women’s soccer team gives back to the youth during the off-season

Viking softball successful on and off the field

Mike Lund Courtesy of Goviks.com

The Portland State soccer team, the 2009 Big Sky Champion and 2010 runner-up, will be hosting two soccer camps this summer for ages seven to 13 and 14 to 18 in the month of July. Both camps will be coached and directed by the PSU soccer staff, including 2009 Big Sky co-Coach of the Year Laura Schott. The camps will be hosted on the PSU campus at the Peter Stott Field, adjacent to the Stott Center, at 930 SW Hall. Information about the camps, along with a signup form can be found at Goviks.com. All PSU Soccer Camps are directed by the PSU Women’s Soccer Staff. The camps are designed to provide youth players the opportunity to train with college coaches in a college environment, focusing on teaching the fundamentals of the game in addition to allowing them to showcase their skills for college coaches. PSU Youth camps are designed to teach the fundamentals of the game to players ages seven to 13. The focus is on technical skills so that they may be applied in a game environment. ■

Adam wickham/VANGUARD STAFF

Courtesy of Goviks.com

Camp Information Youth Camp: July 18 to 21, 9 to 11 AM Ages: 7 to 13 Cost $125 Free T-Shirt! Groups of 12 or more players: $25 off the individual price per player

PSU ID Camp: July 18 and 19, 11:30 to 3 PM Ages: 14 to 18 Cost $125 * Payment for both camps is due no later than July 10.

Cruz beats Faber in Bantamweight battle UFC 132 provides a night of exciting mixed-martial arts match-ups Kevin Fong Vanguard staff

The UFC Bantamweight championship was successfully defended for the first time on Saturday night, as Dominick Cruz defeated Urijah Faber in a five-round decision victory. In a highly anticipated rematch, Cruz and Faber met in front of a sellout crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and put on a flashy exhibition of MMA action. Cruz looked to avenge the only loss of his 18-fight career, which came at the hands of Faber in a first-round submission defeat nearly four years ago. The fight occurred while both fighters were under contract with the WEC, a promotion that is now owned by the UFC. Fast forward to today and this past weekend’s rematch saw two of the fastest and most skilled fighters in the UFC Bantamweight landscape meet. Although most of the action was too close to call, Cruz seemed to edge out Faber in a majority of the exchanges and used his constant lateral movement to land multi-level strikes all night. Cruz threw more strikes (246 to 181), landed more punches (97 to 58) and landed with more accuracy (39 percent to 32 percent). “I hit him with a jumping knee, and that rocked him,” Cruz said in the post-fight interview. “He’s tough, man. He’s a veteran, and he did well to recover from it.” “I knew he was going to come in awkward like that,” Faber said. “I decided to come straight forward. I didn’t feel like I was in danger at any point, but it is what it is.” The younger Cruz (25-years-old) controlled the pace of the fight and was also able to fend off the takedown attempts of the 32-year-old Faber. Although Faber got in his share of offense, Cruz landed the bigger shots and won unanimously on all three judges scorecards after five rounds. The official scores were 50-45, 49-46 and 48-47 in favor of Cruz. Still, the fight was

Ryan Borde

undeniably close. “I knew it was going to be a tough fight,” Faber said. “I thought I landed the heavier punches. I had him rocked a couple of times, but congratulations to Dominick; he won. It wasn’t enough of an output on my side, and I didn’t finish him. I felt like I won the fight, but congratulations to Dominick.” In other action, Portland-native and Ultimate Fighter season-one veteran Chris Leben continued his recent surge, knocking out MMA legend Wanderlei “The Axe-Murderer” Silva just 27 seconds into the first round. In standard Silva style, Leben was bombarded by a flurry of strikes from his Brazilian

Portland State landed 12 players on the Pacific Coast Softball Conference Commissioners Honor Roll when the list was announced on Wednesday by Commissioner Ellen Moore. In all, 114 student-athletes from 12 member schools were honored. To make the honor roll, a student-athlete had to record a 3.0 cumulative GPA for the 2010-11 academic year. Five schools had at least 10 players make the honor roll, led by Weber State with a conference record 16. Utah Valley had 14 selections, followed by the Vikings, who won the PCSC title this spring. Portland State’s 12 honorees are the second most in school history since the Vikings joined the PCSC in 2003. The 2005 squad had 13 student-athletes make the honor roll. Senior shortstop Arielle Wiser led the way for PSU, earning her fourth career selection to become just the sixth Viking to ever do so. Wiser has a 3.48 GPA and is majoring in Physical Activity and Exercise. Four Viking sophomores earned their second consecutive award, including pitcher Anna Bertrand (3.78, Biology), outfielder Sadie Lopez (3.81, Social Science), and infielders Carly McEachran (3.34, Communication) and Alexa Morales (3.83, Business). his last eight bouts. Meanwhile, the 30-year-old Leben has seen a recent rebirth in his career and has won four out of his last five matches. After the event, Leben was gracious in his victory over a true legend of the sport. “Wanderlei, I love you. You are my hero,” Leben said. “Thank you for honoring me with that fight.” The UFC’s next pay-per-view event will take place on Saturday, August 6. The main event on the card is scheduled for a light-heavyweight bout between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis. ■

UFC 132 FULL RESULTS

2011 PCSC COMMISSIONER'S HONOR ROLL Portland State Honorees: Anna Bertrand, So., P, 3.78, Biology Becca Bliss, Fr., OF, 3.14, Social Science Crysta Conn, Fr., IF, 3.32, Physical Activity and Exercise Karmen Holladay, Jr., 1B/P, 3.89, Health Nichole Latham, Sr., P, 3.03, Social Science Sadie Lopez, So., UT, 3.81, Social Science Meghan Lyons, Fr., UT, 3.96, Health Sciences Carly McEachran, So., IF, 3.34, Communications Alexa Morales, So., IF, 3.83, Business Kayla Norrie, Fr., C, 3.36, Communications Maggie Sholian, So., C, 3.96, Child and Family Studies Arielle Wiser, Sr., SS, 3.48, Physical Activity and Exercise

Portland State's All-Time Four-Year Honorees:

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: JOSHUA HUNT EDITOR@DAILYVANGUARD.COM 503-725-5691

CALENDAR Memorial Student Union, room 296

Today

Le Tour de France

6:30 a.m. Bike Gallery Downtown, 1001 SW 10th Avenue

Watch stage four of the world’s biggest bicycle race unfold at Bike Gallery’s downtown location, only blocks away from the PSU campus. American Tyler Farrar won stage three on Independence Day, but the real fireworks will begin on this 172.5 km stage that finishes on the category- three-rated climb up the Murde-Bretagne. Coffee and pastries are provided.

This exhibit from printmaker Dan Rule features video and illustrations that meditate on the mass perception of objects, challenging the audience to consider why some become accepted symbols while others are hotly debated. Dan Rule is an Assistant Professor of Art at the University of New Orleans, where he teaches printmaking, photography and digital media. FRIDAY

Oregon Country Fair

11 a.m.–7 p.m., July 8–10 442 Lawrence Street, Eugene, Oregon, Earth

THURSDAY

Littman & White Galleries Presents Object Lesson, an exhibition of works by Dan Rule 12 p.m. Litmann Gallery, Smith

Entertainment, music, hand-made crafts, food and “magical surprises” make the Oregon Country Fair the perfect environment for nourishing the spirit and exploring artful and authentic living on Earth. Tickets at TicketsWest.com.

Kimi Daniel (2004–07) Shannon Stacy (2005–08 Jesse Even (2006–09) Jamee Rauch (2006–09) Jana Rae Slayton (2006–09 Arielle Wiser (2008–11) Senior pitcher Nichole Latham earned the first honor of her career after recording a 3.03 GPA. Latham is majoring in social science. Also receiving the first award of their careers were junior transfer Karmen Holladay (3.89, Health), sophomore transfer Maggie Sholian (3.96, Child and Family Studies), and freshmen Becca Bliss (3.14, Social Science), Crysta Conn (3.32, Physical Activity and Exercise), Meghan Lyons (3.96, Health Sciences) and Kayla Norrie (3.36, Communication). Portland State has now landed at least 10 student-athletes on the honor roll in all three years that Tobin Echo-Hawk has been the head coach. The Vikings had 11 players honored in both 2009 and 2010. ■

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 500 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Edited by Will Shortz Across 1 Nick and Noraʼs terrier 5 Blood donation unit 9 Tiara inset 14 Nobelist Niels 15 Jackassʼs sound 16 Skybox site 17 Something to play at a casino 19 Word-processing command 20 Holy Roman emperor dubbed “the Great” 21 Wife of Zeus 23 Same old same old, as at work 24 “ʼTainʼt” retort 25 Pips 29 Performed microsurgery on, perhaps 31 President pro ___ 32 Two twos, say 34 Willing, old-style 37 Kama ___

ANSWER R E P S A L O T T I L E E A R R N L A A A E A R A R E A S T A P O W N E D E A R I S S P E

41 Jack Barry once hosted a rigged one 44 Nicene ___ 45 Carryall 46 Predatory seabird 47 Barbecue item 49 Jumper cable connection 51 Place for Manhattanites to drink and dance 56 Soufflé ingredient 59 Tailless simian 60 The Magi, e.g. 61 Get by logic 63 Paparazzoʼs target, briefly 65 Number associated with 17-, 25-, 41- and 51-Across 68 So old itʼs new again 69 Architect Saarinen 70 Revealing skirt feature

71 British earldom 72 “Phooey!” 73 Falco of “Nurse Jackie”

Down 1 Monkʼs superior 2 Conductor Sir Georg 3 “Win some, lose some” 4 Western U.S. oil giant 5 Brown-baggerʼs sandwich, for short 6 Often rolled-over investment, for short 7 After-dark time in Germany 8 Rug rats 9 Like most sumo wrestlers 10 Miss a cue, say 11 Off-the-wall 12 The blahs 13 Coffee shop order 18 X, on a greeting card TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE O I L T I L L S 22 “Baloney!” U R S A A S E T 26 Brazilian soccer hero R O U T T R I T E L Z E S T N A 27 Keats or Wordsworth A U N L E M 28 “We are not M A T I S ___”: Queen E P I N A A P Victoria I T A L E I T S 30 Main line N N E O N T R I 32 U.S.M.C. T W E A S E L S enlistee L E U N M E R 33 Hang on a U N I V D O D clothesline R E A A L E 35 Freudian E E A S N O T I concept S D E S S W I 36 Causing ruin

25 29

45 47

31 34

49 54

19 21

No. 0531

60 64

61 65

Puzzle by Nina Rulon-Miller

38 Like a $6 return on a $2 bet 39 Potter pal Weasley

40 Leave dumbstruck 42 Boob tube

43 It might end with “Beverages”

48 “Itʼs c-c-cold!”

50 Article often bordered in black 51 Mother-of-pearl 52 Blunted blades 53 Evidence of a caning 54 Passed illegally, as a check 55 Shrink in fear

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For answers, call 1-900-285-5656, $1.49 a minute; or, with a credit card, 1-800-814-5554. Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. AT&T users: Text NYTX to 386 to download puzzles, or visit nytimes.com/mobilexword for more information. Online subscriptions: Todayʼs puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay. Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.

● Each row and each column

must contain the numbers 1 through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating.

● The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to

produce the target numbers in the top-left corners.

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

UPCOMING FCFF EVENT The FCFF is the premiere amateur promotion for mix-martial arts competition in the northwest. Established in November 2001, the FCFF has held more than 230 bouts and has crowned champions in five different weight classes. On July 16, the FCFF will put on their 58th Rumble at the Roseland, an event that will see two female bouts and two championship belts battled over.

PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY DURING SUMMER

ADVERTISE FOR FREE!

Place an event on the calendar:

Contact vgcalendar@gmail.com or pick up a calendar request form at the Vanguard advertising office,

Pay-per-view bouts Dominick Cruz def. Urijah Faber via unanimous decision Chris Leben def. Wanderlei Silva via first-round KO

READ US ONLINE

Dennis Siver def. Matt Wiman via unanimous decision Tito Ortiz def. Ryan Bader via submission (guillotine) Carlos Condit def. Dong Hyun Kim via first-round TKO PHOTOGRAPHER/VANGUARD STAFF

Weekend wars: Eleven total fights were contested at UFC 132. opponent right from the opening bell. However, Leben backed up and threw a left-hook that landed behind Silva’s ear, sending him crashing to the canvas. Silva tried to recover, but Leben pounced on his fallen foe quickly, forcing the referee to stop the fight. “I’m going to tell you where he messed up,” Leben said. “He hit me right on the button. You know what happens when [opponents] hit me there. He cracked me, and I fired back on autopilot. It was a heavy shot right on my nose. I think it might be broken.” Silva, who turns 35 on Sunday, has lost six of

Spike TV preliminary bouts Melvin Guillard def. Shane Roller via first-round KO

NOW HIRING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Rafael Dos Anjos def. George Sotiropoulos via first-round KO

Preliminary bouts Brian Bowles def. Takeya Mizugaki via unanimous decision Aaron Simpson def. Brad Tavares via unanimous decision Anthony Njokuani def. Andre Winner via unanimous decision Jeff Hougland def. Donny Walker via unanimous decision

Visit FCFF.com or TicketWest.com for more information.

News. Arts & Culture. Sports. Opinion. apply online at www. dailyvanguard.com

12 VANGUARD

■ TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011 ■ SPORTS

Timbers rally falls flat in 2-1 loss Sporting KC extends Portland’s winless streak to six Stephen Lisle Vanguard staff

A spectacular day of Northwest sun was cut short at Jeld-Wen Field as the Timbers failed to slow down a surging Sporting Kansas City team, falling 2-1 after conceding two goals in the first 20 minutes of play. However, the panic button hasn’t been hit yet, as the young Timbers roster is still learning and improving as a group. Perhaps the brightest highlight of the day came from Timbers draft pick Darlington Nagbe, who attained his first MLS goal in impressive manner, although the occasion was bittersweet. Timbers head coach John Spencer was disappointed with the team’s poor performance out of the gate, but knew that dwelling on the result would only slow them down before their two upcoming games in the next week, including a rematch at home against I-5 rivals the Seattle Sounders. “Guys are on the ropes and we’ve got to get ourselves back on track,” Spencer said in a media statement. “The quicker we get back to getting the first goal and getting a little bit of confidence through ourselves again, that’s what we need. We’ve got another big game coming up, one on Thursday and then one on Sunday against our dearest rivals.” However, problems arose from the starting whistle for the Timbers this past weekend, a team that has now fallen down to eighth place in the western conference after seeing an underwhelming 0-8-3 record on the road. Changes to the starting lineup were made by Spencer in an attempt to find an early scoring combination, leaving starting forward Kenny Cooper on the bench.

ADAM WICKHAM/VANGUARD STAFF

Another tough result: Midfielder James Marcelin and the Timbers are on a six match winless streak. The changes were apparent when the players took the field, as a sense of confusion was in the air with the absence of both Cooper and defender Jeremy Hall from the starting lineup. Sporting Kansas City didn’t take their foot off the gas in the first half as forward Omar Bravo was able to connect with midfielder C.J. Sapong after dissecting the Timbers’ defense, and Sapong put in an easy shot past Tim-

bers keeper Troy Perkins. The goal came only 15 minutes into play and only four minutes more would pass before KC seized another opportunity. Defender Matt Besler heaved a throw-in pass to Sapong who was able to head the ball across the six-yard box to an open Aurelien Collin. Collin timed his jump perfectly and connected, heading the ball just inside the corner of the goal, past a

confused Perkins to give KC a 2-0 lead. In the 45th minute of play rookie Darlington Nagbe was able to make the highlight reel, drilling in a goal that was nothing short of incredible. Jack Jewsbury lobbed a freekick at the goalbox in hopes for someone to connect, but instead Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen was able to punch the ball out of the 18-yard box. The attempt

at relieving pressure on the goal was unsuccessful though as the ball fell right to Nagbe, who juggled the ball twice with his right foot before arching it over the cluster of players and into the far corner of the net. Hope was once again alive in the home crowd as the Timbers cut the deficit to one, going into the half with momentum on their side. However, the strong finish to the first half seemed to end as quickly as it began, as four different shot attempts from the Timbers were missed and time to equalize eventually ran out. The final hope for Portland came in the closing minutes as former Sporting KC player Jewsbury launched a ball on frame from 25 yards out, but the shot went just wide of the post, locking Kansas in for a 2-1 victory. The poor result is another in a string of losses for the Timbers, who have now gone 0-3-1 at Jeld-Wen after starting with an incredible 5-0 home record. With Club America making their way to Portland for a Thursday match-up and the Sounders game on the horizon for Sunday, there is plenty of work for Portland if they plan on getting rid of the six-game winless streak that is now haunting them. “I think guys need to continue to have that belief that we’ve got to continue to fight and continue to work hard for one another,” Timbers captain Jewsbury said in a media statement. “And knowing that that’s the only thing that’s going to get us out of this rut.” Halfway through the season and the Timbers now have a 5-8-3 record overall with 18 total points in the standings. Perhaps a little amnesia will come in handy for the Timbers to forget their recent woes before facing two strong competitors this week. Kick-off for the Club America friendly is set for 5 p.m. on Thursday evening. ■

Looking ahead to Seattle

PHOTO COURTESY CLAIS MITCHELLDYER/PORTLANDTIMBERS.COM

Despite the poor road record and recent scarcity in the overall win column, nothing beats the satisfaction of defeating the Seattle Sounders as far as the Timbers Army is concerned. On May 14 the Timbers traveled to Seattle, playing in less than ideal rainy conditions and walked away with a draw. The draw wasn’t the ideal outcome either, but still a positive result on the road—and the Sounders fans were certainly outraged. Portland will get another chance for

a win at 2 p.m. this coming Sunday, but this time at Jeld-Wen Field. After the final whistle of last Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Sporting KC, the Timbers Army began to chant once again despite the result, this time it was a matter of foreshadowing. “Beat Seattle” echoed throughout the stadium, and without a doubt the Timbers will look to make this game a focal point for rebuilding their confidence as the season moves forward.