Daily Vanguard November 5, 2009

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009 • PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY • VOLUME 64, ISSUE 31

Event of the day Designer Frank Chimero will speak today at the opening of the graphic design student show, “Love What You Do.” Stop by for a little bit of art and a lot of inspiration.

When: 5 p.m.

Where: Art Building, MK Gallery

WWW.DAILYVANGUARD.COM • FREE

INSIDE NEWS The Daily Cut Your world in brief PAGE 2 You could be the start of something big Chiron Studies offers courses that give credit for student interest PAGE 3

Arts

Symphony of sound Orphée set to debut on the West Coast with great anticipation PAGE 4

Problem solving at Portland State All-campus resource for impartial and confidential problem resolution Kate Alexander Vanguard staff

A majority of Portland State students have no idea what the Ombuds Office is or does.

“I serve the entire campus: students, staff, faculty, parents, alumni and any people who use the campus,” said Sandy McDermott, the only ombuds at Portland State.

At the Ombuds Office in Smith Memorial Student Union, McDermott plays the role of mediator, counselor, advisor and confidante for anyone who comes to her with a problem that concerns the university.

However, the Ombuds Office varies in critical ways from other mediation and advising services on campus, such as the Undergraduate Advising and Support Center or

the Student Legal and Mediation Services.

“This office is different because we are an informal resource resolving conflicts and providing new perspectives,” McDermott said. “We are informal, impartial, independent and confidential.”

When McDermott receives reports of sexual assault or harassment, the Ombuds Office becomes a referral service to other on- and off-campus resources, which McDermott considers to be her partners.

“When that happens, after letting the victim know of other on-campus resources that can meet their needs,” McDermott said, “I will walk that person over to the Women’s Resource Center or to the Center for Student Health and Counseling.”

The Ombuds Office is not an advocate for the individual or for the university. The office cannot assist you if you are already engaged in a formal complaint process or legal battle, and it cannot testify at formal legal proceedings or make official decisions.

“I’m kind of a reality check in that way,” McDermott said of her ombuds role.

What the Ombuds Office can do is listen carefully and discuss concerns, provide information and referrals, facilitate communication, help to develop and evaluate options and offer an impartial perspective to prevent negative conflict through early intervention.

Issues that are relevant to the Ombuds Office are any conflicts or problems that arise within or relate to Portland State. As the only ombuds at Portland State, this can be overwhelming for McDermott as she is presented with a huge variety of cases.

“Some of the problems that are brought to me can be solved in a couple of minutes, others can take much longer,” McDermott said.

When faculty or staff members seek the input of the Ombuds Office, McDermott is faced with mediating complicated conflicts that address work conditions and vary significantly from the issues that arise

when she is working with students.

“When faculty or staff members come here, it can take more time because it becomes a workplace concern,” McDermott said. “You’re working with different personalities, and we have three unions on campus, so there’s a maze of opinions and needs that need to be balanced.”

Since the Ombuds Office serves the entire Portland State community, McDermott is often the first to notice trends among the individuals who come to her for aid. This year, the trend has been students who self-identify as homeless.

“Three years ago, I saw one student who self-identified as homeless, and it stuck with me. The next year, I saw two or three students who selfidentified as homeless,” McDermott said. “This year, it was enough that the number concerned me.”

Although frustrated that she does not have the resources to aid these students with housing, food or textbook costs, McDermott has turned

OMBUDS continued on page two

Chiisai no ryuu (Little Dragon) Electropop group Little Dragon mixes old school soul and jazz to create a unique and refreshing style PAGE 5

Sports

Sandy McDermott: As the sole ombuds at Portland State, McDermott is an ally in conflict resolution for students and others in the campus community.

Women's basketball ready to hit the hardwood Coach Murrell and Viks prepare for a winning season PAGE 6

Photos by Adam Wickham/Portland State Vanguard

President Wiewel in Japan Wiewel a keynote speaker during Sustainability Week 2009 Zoe Kellett Vanguard staff

Wim Wiewel

Liana Shewey/Portland State Vanguard

Portland State President Wim Wiewel is currently in Japan, attending a weeklong sustainability conference as a keynote speaker.

The conference for Sustainability Week 2009 is being held in Sapporo, Japan, at Hokkaido University, which has a center for research and study in sustainability and a research focus on sustainable development.

The conference marks the 50th anniversary of the relationship between Portland and Sapporo.

As part of their sustainability program, Hokkaido University is committed to invite international experts to annually discuss curriculum development as well as explore other themes within sustainable development.

Wiewel spoke Nov. 2 on the topic of “Roles of the Urban University in Pursuit of Sustainability.”

He summarized how Portland State approaches the question of sustainable development and invited others to share their information about how their countries and universities are approaching that question.

According to the press release

by Kerri Griesbeck of University Relations, Wiewel is also working to establish new university

collaborations and attended meetings with Japanese auto manufacturers along with Portland Mayor Sam Adams.

Wiewel is one of the major public advocates for Portland State’s reputation in sustainability. His history of research has been focused on university community partnerships, which is especially crucial when dealing with a worldwide crisis such as sustainable development.

Hokkaido University is a leader of sustainable research in Japan and was a founding member of the Promotion of Sustainability in Postgraduate Education and Research, a network of alliances between leading higher education

JAPAN continued on page two

Vanguard 2 | News November 5, 2009

Sarah J. Christensen Editor-in-Chief Danielle Kulczyk News Editor Theodora Karatzas Arts & Culture Editor Richard D. Oxley Opinion Editor Robert Britt Sports Editor Shannon Vincent Production Manager Marni Cohen Photo Editor Zach Chastaine Online Editor Jennifer Wolff Chief Copy Editor Jennifer Wolff Calendar Editor Matthew Kirtley Advertising Manager Judson Randall Adviser Ann Roman Advertising Adviser Illustrator Kira Meyrick Marketing Manager Kelsey Chinen Associate News Editor Virginia Vickery Production Assistants Bryan Morgan, Charles Cooper Williams

Writers Kate Alexander, William Blackford, Bianca Blankenship, Klara Calhau-Hawsgardh, Maeve Connor, Meaghan Daniels, Erica DeCouteau, Joel Gaddis, Natasha Grozina, Patrick Guild, Rosemary Hanson, Steve Haske, Ed Johnson, Carrie Johnston, Mark Johnston, Tamara K. Kennedy, Anita Kinney, Gogul Krishnan, J. Logue, James MacKenzie, Holly K. Millar, Sean Rains, Stephanie Fine Sasse, Wendy Shortman, Nilesh Tendolkar, Robin Tinker, Vinh Tran, Virginia Vickery, Allison Whited Photographers Aaron Leopold, Rodrigo Melgarejo, Liana Shewey, Adam Wickham Copy Editors Amy Lee, Robert Seitzinger Advertising Sales Matthew Kirtley, Ana SanRoman, Jae Specht, Wesley Van Der Veen Advertising Designer Shannon Vincent Contact Editor-in-Chief 503-725-5691 editor@dailyvanguard.com Advertising Manager 503-725-5686 ads@dailyvanguard.com The Vanguard is chartered to publish four days a week as an independent student newspaper 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 members, additional copies or subcription issues may incur a 25 cent charge. The Vanguard is printed on 40 percent post-consumer recycled paper.

Copyright © 2009 Portland State University Vanguard 1825 SW Broadway, Smith Memorial Student Union, Rm. S-26, Portland, Ore., 97201

NEWS JAPAN |

from page one

President Wiewel visits Japan, explores sustainable developments and partnerships institutions in Asia and the Pacific Region. These institutions work together to develop new approaches for curriculum development and research.

"The ‘triple bottom line’ approach to sustainability can inform this work [of universities leading the way of sustainable development within their communities], how to build collaborations locally and globally and how to focus these efforts to attain the greatest results," Wieel explained in the press release.

The topic issues of sustainable development include environmental monitoring, climate change, sustainable food production, the use of ocean bio-resources, biodiversity and public policy for sustainable societies.

Conferences such as this one are important to the implementation of new programs and directions of research. Through collaboration, experts identify the problem and possible solutions, as well as sharing curriculum development ideas that have been successful.

The goal of Wiewel’s trip to Sapporo was to discover new ways in which to work in collaboration on research projects. The projects would ideally benefit both Portland State and the city of Sapporo.

Following the conference, Wiewel met with the Shibusawa Foundation and Waseda University in Tokyo about a curriculum development collaboration concerning Asian leadership. Such collaborations are part of Portland State’s core of international partnerships.

Wiewel met with students of

OMBUDS |

Waseda who studied at Portland State as well as Portland State students studying at Waseda.

Wiewel’s trip to Japan will conclude today in a series of meetings regarding Mitsubishi and Nissan Motors.

Also attending the meetings will be Mayor Adams and Charlie Allcock, Portland General Electric’s director of economic development.

These Portland representatives will

million grant from the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation to assist in the research and inclusion of sustainable development.

The grant will support multiple areas of Portland State’s activities in sustainability, including international relations such as those with Japan.

President Wiewel’s trip opens up opportunities for further collaborations in academic, public and business aspects.

Liana Shewey/Portland State Vanguard

More than the conference: In addition to being a keynote speaker for Sustainability Week 2009, Wiewel met with Portland State students

studying abroad and spoke with automakers along with Portland Mayor Sam Adams.

from page one

Ombuds Office provides confidential conflict resolution to her parish for solutions and has developed resources for these students herself, going beyond her role as an ombuds.

“Personally, I carry life packs with me, so I have something to give students who come to me and say that they aren’t able to afford a meal. The youth in the parish that I attend put them together,” McDermott said.

McDermott developed a list of onand off-campus resources that are able to better address the material and emotional or mental concerns of homeless Portland State students.

“I hope that students feel comfortable coming to talk to me,” McDermott said. “A lot of people come to the Ombuds Office just to talk to someone, and that’s fine. But I’m not a counselor. I don’t do therapy, but I will give them a different perspective.”

McDermott is working to make sure that the Portland State community is clear about what services the Ombuds Office does and does not offer. Increased clarity, according to McDermott, will help students figure out what resources will best address their needs.

“When students come to me, I hope they’ve taken time to review

encourage Mitsubishi to roll out its electric vehicles in Portland, as Nissan has already done for its new electric vehicle line, LEAF. Nissan and the Portland representatives will meet for confirmation and brainstorming ideas for a successful launch of the new line.

Portland State is well known for its efforts in research and curriculum in sustainability.

Portland State was awarded a $25

our brochure and Web site so that they don’t have false expectations of what we can and can’t do,” McDermott said.

Students who have reviewed the brochure and Web site are encouraged to set up an appointment with the Ombuds Office, which is, at this time, unable to accept walk-ins due to the high volume of concerns that are surfacing during its peak season.

Ombuds Office contact information 503-725-5901 mcdermotta@pdx.edu Smith Memorial Student Union, room M313

The Daily Cut Your world in brief

World: Karzai opponent reelection was illegitimate KABUL (AP)—The challenger in Afghanistan’s recent election called President Hamid Karzai’s victory illegal and his government a failure, saying Wednesday that the tainted administration would not be able to check corruption or fend off the Taliban.

Former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah said he did not plan to personally challenge Karzai’s victory in court, but would leave it up to the Afghan people to decide whether to accept Karzai as the legitimate leader for another five-year term.

The Afghan election commission proclaimed Karzai the victor of the country’s tumultuous ballot on Monday after Abdullah withdrew from a runoff race he said could not be free or fair. The decision ended a political crisis two and a half months after a first round of voting in August was marred by widespread fraud.

It was widely believed that Karzai would have won the runoff vote, but Abdullah contended that he was quitting not as a concession, but because he couldn’t trust the process. The Karzai-appointed election commission had rejected reforms for the runoff suggested by the U.N. and a list of conditions set

forth by Abdullah’s camp.

U.S. officials have been anxious for a credible, legitimate government to emerge from the turbulent electoral process to serve as reliable partner against the Taliban and solidify public support for the fight against the insurgents.

—Heidi Vogt and Rahim Faiez

Local: Second Oregon medical marijuana lounge to open PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)—A second medical marijuana smoking lounge is expected to open in Portland by next week.

The Cannabis Cafe will be operated by the state’s chapter of NORML, or the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

It will join another lounge that opened in Portland last month after the federal government indicated it will no longer arrest or prosecute patients and suppliers.

National officials for NORML say the Oregon pot lounges are the first of their kind in the country.

California has dispensaries where medical marijuana can be purchased, but officials say only Oregon has public places where people can socialize and use marijuana.

You could be the start of something Chiron Studies offers courses that give credit for student interests Tamara K. Kennedy Vanguard staff

Typically, students cannot take classes on the Beatles, knitting or self-defense for university credit.

However, through the Chiron Studies program, such classes exist.

Chiron Studies is a unique program that allows students to work as instructors while developing their own courses.

Chiron Studies has been around since 1968 and was originally constructed as a student group. It disintegrated in 2005 but was reorganized in 2008 under the wing of the Office of Academic Affairs— specifically, Shawn Smallman, vice provost for curriculum and dean of Undergraduate Studies.

Each Chiron Studies class is a four-credit, Interdisciplinary Studies, freshman-level course, graded A through F. Students pay the same fee per credit as for any other university course, while student instructors receive a $700 stipend at the completion of the term, valuable experience and the chance to pilot a program.

“Opportunities provided by Chiron Studies really can’t be found

Vanguard News | 3 November 5, 2009

big

anywhere else in the country,” said senior Eddie Hallman, Chiron Studies coordinator.

Hallman mentioned the possibility of Introduction to Asian Studies, Disabilities 101 and a sustainability class resulting in course offerings in later terms.

Becoming an instructor is a process that begins with e-mailing an informal course abstract to the Chiron Studies Committee that includes what the class would be about, what the students learn and what qualifies and motivates the instructor, said Hallman.

Holly Millar, a senior English major with a writing minor, and Howard Mitchell, a post-baccalaureate student pursuing a second degree in education with a liberal studies degree, are both instructors in Chiron Studies courses.

Millar teaches “Read and Write Middle Grade Fiction” and Mitchell teaches “Great Painters and Film Auteurs.”

Acceptance of the course abstract requires more work from the prospective instructor, since the next step is a more in-depth proposal that is voted on by the Chiron Committee, Millar said.

The Chiron Studies Committee is made up of between five to nine students, three to five faculty members and up to two community members.

Faculty sponsors review proposals, print an enrollment roster, submit grading forms, advise and, if an instructor is unable to fulfill the

obligation, facilitate a replacement, Hallman said.

The hopes of the present committee are to promote quality over quantity by narrowing down the selection process to between two and four courses per term, Hallman said.

After being accepted by the Chiron Studies Committee, student teachers must secure a faculty sponsor and a minimum enrollment of 15 students, Hallman said.

Millar’s course has 19 students.

“It’s a real struggle to coordinate 19 people and accommodate their learning needs,” she said.

English professor Susan Reese, Millar’s faculty sponsor, supports Millar’s course.

“It’s a great opportunity for excellent students, like Holly, to obtain teaching experience,” Reese said.

Mitchell was a student in “Independent American Film of the ’80s,” taught by Jonah Ross, Mitchell’s faculty advisor.

“Howard [Mitchell] was one of the few students who inspired other students to contribute to classroom discussions,” Ross said.

Mitchell is interested in continuing to teach.

“I plan on completing my terminal degree in the East Coast— Rutgers—and teach at the university level,” Mitchell said.

News Editor: Danielle Kulczyk 503-725-5690 news@dailyvanguard.com

Washington State election results While Oregon voters won’t have anything to vote on for another few months, our northern neighbors have been busy. Listed are the initial results for the Nov. 3, 2009 election.

All photos by Liana Shewey/Portland State Vanguard

Jonah Ross

Referendum 71: This bill would expand the rights, responsibilities and obligations accorded state-registered, same-sex and senior domestic partners to be equivalent to those of married spouses, except that a domestic partnership is not a marriage.

For: 51.03 percent Against: 48.97 percent

To become a Chiron Studies instructor: Minimum of 90 credits completed by the prospective student instructor Class must not be replicated elsewhere in the curriculum Chiron Committee approval

Submit an informal course abstract: chironstudies@gmail.com

[Editor's Note: Holly Millar is a Vanguard employee]

Measure 1033: This measure would limit growth of certain state, county and city revenue to annual inflation and population growth, not including voterapproved revenue increases. Revenue collected above the limit would reduce property tax levies.

For: 44.62 percent Against: 55.38 percent Oregon’s next election will likely have the following measures.

Measure 67: Increases revenue for the state budget between $118 million and $138 million per year for fiscal years 2010–12, primarily for the General Fund. It increases revenues by about $123 million per year, thereafter, depending upon growth in corporate profits and sales.

Measure 66: Increases General Fund revenues for the state budget between $217 million and $242 million per year for fiscal years 2010–12.

Also increases revenue by about $180 million per year thereafter, depending upon growth in personal income and federal tax liability.

—oregonvotes.org —vote.wa.gov

Chiron committee: The committee is made up of five to nine students, three to five faculty members (including Ross, above) and up to two community members.

Vanguard 4 | Arts & Culture November 5, 2009

ARTS & CULTURE

Arts Editor: Theodora Karatzas 503-725-5694 arts@dailyvanguard.com

Portland’s operatic connections Portland Opera was founded in 1964 after several years of random troupes performing every once in a while in the city. The opera house has now been in operation for 45 years, and during those years has hosted many stunning performances and grown to improve their craft.

1982 Hosted the world premiere of Wuthering Heights.

1984 Became the second company to use a projector to show English translations of the operas.

1994 First company in America to develop a separate subscription series of nationally touring Broadway shows.

2001 First international collaboration with Austria for a production of La Belle Hélene.

2003 Portland Opera moved into their new eastside facility. This was the first time the company—and all of its offices, rehearsal rooms, etc.—were in the same building.

2005

Symphony sound

Philip Glass: The man behind the scores to films like Koyaanisqatsi and The Hours.

of

Orphée set to debut on the West Coast with great anticipation Theodora Karatzas Vanguard staff

“In a perfect world, everyone would be an artist, and no one would sign their work.”

These were the words uttered by composer Philip Glass in the midst of his lecture last night in the ballroom at the Portland Art Museum. Glass was in town in conjunction with the West Coast debut of his opera Orphée,

a production based on Jean Cocteau’s 1949 retelling of the Orpheus myth.

About the worst you could accuse Glass of is being a bit of a namedropper. In addition to explaining his writing process and some of the things that have influenced his work over the years, Glass talked about his relationship with famed artist Chuck Close, working with director Martin Scorsese and his collaborations with Ravi Shankar.

For his age, Glass is a surprisingly engaging speaker, if just a tad on the wordy side, and he provided wonderful insight into his new work and many of his older ones as well.

Orphée, as mentioned before, is

based on Cocteau’s 1949 film, a retelling of the story of the poet Orpheus. The original myth follows the poet as he goes to reclaim his dead wife from the underworld after she is taken from him by snakebite on their wedding day. Orpheus descended into the underworld and sang so beautifully that Death granted him passage back to Earth with his wife. The condition, though, was that he could not look back at her during their trip back. When they’re about to reach the end of the journey, he glanced back for a moment and lost her forever.

Cocteau’s and Glass’ versions differ in many ways. For one, the story is told in more modern times.

The poet in the story is famous and wealthy but has been facing a creative crisis and a backlash from critics.

Orphée (“Orpheus” in French) ends up becoming distracted by Death (played by, as Glass put it, “an exquisitely beautiful woman”) and her chauffeur. Death falls in love with Orphée and kills his wife, so she can have him. He is taken to the underworld, but Death ends up making a sacrifice for the couple to send them back to the land of the living.

Glass likened the character of Orphée in Cocteau’s film to the director, himself. In one scene of the film, the poet is sitting in a cafe talking to his friend, a literary critic. The critic is raving about a new young poet and shows Orphée a book of his poems in which the pages are blank. During the scene, Orphée comes to realize that he is no longer the next big thing, much in the same way that Cocteau was starting to become overshadowed by a new generation of filmmakers.

The West Coast premiere of the opera has already caused a buzz in Portland, with the Northwest Film Center teaming up with the Portland Opera to show Cocteau’s Orpheus and Beauty and the Beast (scored by Glass) as well as a film about Glass himself, entitled Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts (a play on the composer’s Music in Twelve Parts).

The cast of Orphée is equally impressive, with the title role being played

by Philip Cutlip, a man The New York Times called “an appealing baritone” and “a tormented and volatile Orphée.”

Orphée’s story may not be a new one, but its presentation is unique and its cast superb. Ultimately though, the winner of the production will always be Glass’ music. His work is some of the most nuanced and creative of the last few decades, while remaining infinitely accessible and pleasing to even the most casual listener. Glass not only crafts delicate, powerful melodies, he also has the power to transport his listeners, taking them into the heart of the story as it unfolds.

Orphée Keller Auditorium 222 SW Clay St. Nov. 6, 12 and 14, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 8, 2 p.m. $10 student, others start at $20

St. Frankie Lee

Developed the Portland Opera Studio Artists program. This program creates the next generation of opera singers.

—portlandopera.org

Liana Shewey/Portland State Vanguard

St. Frankie Lee graced the stage of Berbati’s Pan on Tuesday, Nov. 3 in celebration of their new album. The folk ensemble, headed up by Chelsea Campbell and Derrick Martin, played a rousing set alongside Hallelujah the Hills and Love Trucker. Among all of the many folk collectives in Portland, St. Frankie Lee manage to stand out with the help of Campbell’s enchanting vocals, Martin’s smooth banjo plucking and a group of

talented friends in tow as musical support. The finished package is a rich Southern-style folk medley, only further elevated by their amazing live energy and peppy spirits. Folk fan or not, there’s no arguing that St. Frankie Lee is one of the nicest and most optimistic groups of folksters in town.

—Theodora Karatzas

Chiisai no ryuu (Little Dragon)

Electropop group Little Dragon mixes old school soul and jazz to create a unique and refreshing style Mark Johnston Vanguard staff

Hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden, Little Dragon began when singer Yukimi Nagano met drummer Erik Bodin and bassist Fredrik Källgren Wallin in high school and started making music under the moniker “Ava.” When they graduated, each tried their hand in the music industry, branching away from each other and pursuing other endeavors.

Simultaneously, keyboard player Håkan Wirenstrand—after trying and failing to get into multiple music universities—found himself studying environmental issues alongside Bodin and Wallin.

The trio formed a reggae band and began touring all over the country, opening for famous acts of the day including the Nazareens and Maddox, who the group was fortunate enough to join on tour in Ethiopia and Uganda. All the while, young Nagano was struggling to get into music universities on her own and accepted an invitation by the outfit Koop to record and tour with them.

As time progressed, the four members realized that they wanted to make their own music, left their respective obligations and moved in together in a collective in their hometown. There, Little Dragon was born.

“We have a studio together,” Nagano said. “Usually, we meet there every day when we’re home.

Everyone has their own corner in the studio, and so, we all write things and share ideas. I’ll listen to something for a couple hours and come up with lyrics and melodies to it and record it on the spot. We listen to it a day or two after, and, if we like it, we keep building on it.”

Named for Nagano’s hot temper, Little Dragon signed with Peacefrog Music in 2007 after the label heard a single the band had released the previous year. Immediately following this, the band began a hectic touring schedule. Although the group had enough songs for a second album before the first LP was released, touring helped them realize that they needed more up-tempo music people could dance to, and the group started on their current offering Machine Dreams.

Released just two months ago, Machine Dreams has already been well received by the synthpop and popular music communities. Having a style that crosses many genres and formats, the band incorporates synthesizers, bass, electronic beats and vocals that sound like a mix between the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Karen O, Billie Holiday and Esthero. Little Dragon runs the spectrum of sound to give quite an eclectic feel to the music.

Luckily, the group is able to accomplish this without really alienating

electropop or shoegaze fans held over from their self-titled debut.

“Everything is quite spontaneous,” Nagano said. “We make music based on what we feel like at the moment.

We don’t decide to do something jazzy or soulful. Everything’s spontaneous. If we like it, we keep it. If we don’t, we just leave it as that.”

The group works fast and often to amass a large catalog of songs that they can keep or dump.

“I’m pretty fast at writing lyrics and getting ideas for melodies,” Nagano said. “You get good at writing things, fast, if you do it a lot.

Since there’s three of them, I’m constantly getting ideas, and I’m usually so excited about it, I want to do it at once. There’s a lot of material, some of it is great right away, some of it needs work and some of it was just an in-the-moment kind of thing. We don’t spend great amounts of time trying to get a song to work.”

By sticking to this method the group has been able to not only stay fresh but also have multiple albums’ worth of material to play with. Live, they adhere to a strict policy of not singing a backing track.

“Utilizing live music is important to us,” said Nagano. “We don’t want to

play to a backing track. We sample our own stuff but we want to be able to take our songs where we want to. We like to inspire ourselves and not play the exact same stuff, every night.”

This has allowed the group to really play with the music and take it where they feel it is taking them, without being restricted to where the backing track leads them. Live drums, bass and synthesizers back Nagano’s soft voice to appease not only electro fans, but pop and rock fans alike.

Little Dragon brings the eclectic joie de vivre that you can usually only get from European bands and audiences. While most American bands strive for one style and one sound, Little Dragon simply writes and the result is a beautiful mix of trip-hop, soul, electronica and pop.

While Nagano may not be a “little dragon” all the time, there is a big sound from this group, one that needs to be experienced to truly understand.

Vanguard Arts & Culture | 5 November 5, 2009

A month of gaming: releases for gamers in November Nov. 3 Dragon Age: Origins Nov. 3 Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 Nov. 3 LEGO Rock Band Nov. 3 Band Hero Nov. 10 Chaotic: Shadow Warriors Nov. 10 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Little Dragon Holocene 1001 SE Morrison Nov. 8, 8:30 p.m. $12 advance, $13 door 21+

Nov. 10 Dragon Ball: Raging Blast Nov. 17 Assassin’s Creed 2 Nov. 17 Tony Hawk: Ride Nov. 24 Stoked: Big Air Edition

Photos courtesy of Little Dragon

Little Dragon: Three dudes and a small lady make some kick-ass, eclectic tunes.

Vanguard 6 | Sports November 5, 2009

Sports Editor: Robert Britt 503-725-4538 sports@dailyvanguard.com

Top-selling jerseys NFL (From Apr. 1–Aug. 11, 2008) 1. Brett Favre, NYJ 2. Brett Favre, GB 3. Tony Romo, DAL 4. Tom Brady, NE 5. Eli Manning, NYG 6. Peyton Manning, IND 7. Adrian Peterson, MIN 8. LaDainian Tomlinson, SD 9. Marion Barber, DAL 10. Darren McFadden, OAK

NBA (From 1998–2008) 1. Michael Jordan 2. Kobe Bryant 3. Allen Iverson 4. LeBron James 5. Shaquille O’Neal 6. Tracy McGrady 7. Dwayne Wade 8. Jason Kidd 9. Vince Carter 10. Tim Duncan

—ESPN Sports Almanac 2009

SPORTS Women’s basketball ready to

hit the hardwood Coach Murrell and Viks prepare for a winning season Rosemary Hanson Vanguard staff

The Portland State women’s basketball team is gearing up to begin a highly anticipated season. With the first exhibition game slated for 6 p.m. on Saturday, the team looks to prove itself a worthy opponent against Western Washington.

Head coach Sherri Murrell, the driving force behind the recent turnaround success of the Vikings, is confident that the depth of the team will lead to increased performance. Under her guidance, the team has already been stellar, boasting a 23-10 record last year and going on to the postseason for the first time since 1996–97.

Murrell has been in her position for only two seasons, but during that time she has earned a 45-19 record. This puts her as the secondwinningest coach in the Big Sky Conference.

“I think they were the right team for me at the right time,” she said.

“Hopefully, I instill confidence in them and push them.”

This year, for the first time in school history, the Portland State squad was named to win the Big Sky Conference in both the coaches and media preseason polls. And the Vikings know that means other teams are going to come gunning for them.

“We need to build on what got us here. We need to work on having a target on our back, because people

always want to take down the top dog,” senior guard Claire Faucher said.

Faucher, along with junior forward Kelli Valentine, are now the two biggest names on the Portland State court after forward Kelsey Kahle graduated following last season. Both Faucher and Valentine had impressive numbers in the 2008–09 season.

Valentine was the second leading scorer, behind Kahle, with 376 points, and Faucher came in third with 371 total points. Both led the team, behind Kahle, in field goals as well as offensive and defensive rebounds. Faucher was named Unanimous First Team All-Big Sky, Big Sky All-Academic Team and Big Sky All-Tournament Team last year.

“Claire is probably one of the best point guards on the West Coast— an amazing passer,” Murrell said. “[She] has great vision on the court.

She seems to have eyes around her whole head.”

Valentine also earned her share of accolades last season. She was named Honorable Mention All-Big Sky, Big Sky All-Tournament Team, and in the 2007–08 season, she was named Big Sky Outstanding Freshman.

“Kelli has not only a quick shot, but quick feet,” Murrell said. “She has a deadly shot from 15 feet out, but beyond that she can score inand outside.”

Murrell said all of the Portland State players bring strength to the court. Specifically, she said junior guard Lexi Bishop, who is coming back from a knee injury, is in full force now.

“She is an aggressive defender and is strong in three-point shooting,” Murrell said.

Big Sky honors Vikings Nine players earn all-conference selection Robert Britt Vanguard staff

This week, the Big Sky Conference recognized nine members of the Portland State women’s soccer team for their efforts this season—two of them with the conference’s highest honor.

Seniors Dolly Enneking and Cris Lewis were recognized as the conference’s Offensive and Defensive Most Valuable Players, respectively. In addition, both received First Team AllBig Sky honors, as did sophomore Toni Carnovale.

Freshman Amanda Dutra and junior Frankie Ross were both named to the Second Team, while seniors Kat Robertson and Nathalie Wollmann, junior Emily Rohde and sophomore Tish Parsons all received honorable mentions.

Enneking was also named the Golden Boot Award winner for leading the conference with 10 points for her four goals and two assists in seven conference matches.

Hers marks the fourth time a Portland State player has been awarded the Golden Boot in the last 10 seasons, more than any other conference team during that time.

Portland State’s nine all-conference team selections are more than any other school in the Big Sky this season and equals the school’s all-time mark, set the last time the Vikings won the regular season title in 2004.

Big Sky MVP Dolly Enneking Cris Lewis Golden Boot Award Dolly Enneking First Team All-Big Sky Dolly Enneking Cris Lewis Toni Carnovale Second Team All-Big Sky Amanda Dutra Frankie Ross Honorable Mention Kat Robertson Nathalie Wollmann Emily Rohde Tish Parsons

Rodrigo Melgarejo/Portland State Vanguard

Warming up: Claire Faucher needs 86 assists this season to become the all-time leader in the Big Sky.

Murrell added she is also impressed by the increased play of sophomore forward Katy Wade.

“She has always been a threat on defense, but now she is a big threat on offense as well.”

Both Murrell and Faucher expressed excitement about the lot of new players that are emerging along with the starters.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Faucher said.

“We have a young team, and we help them develop through the foundation we have.”

Murrell feels that one of the keys to making the NCAA tournament in the spring is avoiding injuries.

“We need to stay healthy,” she said. “We have the depth, we just need to make sure that continues.

The pressure to be at that level has always been there.”

Even with the positional strength her players bring to the court, Murrell said much of the team’s success is not just pure skill—it’s playing as a unified group that brings wins.

Faucher said of the team’s unity, “I know it’s not only my play, it’s the team’s…We have so much competiveness at practice. [We have] a lot of talent, and everybody has fun.”

As the women plan to prove that Portland State is a serious threat in the Big Sky Conference, they are getting ready for what is expected to be an exciting season. The women start the regular season at home on Saturday, Nov. 14, against Washington. Tip off is at 2 p.m. at the Stott Center.

Something to prove Following Ken Bone’s exit, the Vikings used exhibition to answer any questions J. Logue Vanguard staff

Portland State’s basketball squad had a lot of questions to answer in the wake of former head coach Ken Bone leaving for Washington State, star player Jeremiah Dominguez’s graduation and the departures of Kyle Coston and Tyrell Mara.

Playing an exhibition game against Western Oregon for the second time in two years, the Vikings entered the game with a lineup that bore little resemblance to what the Wolves saw last year. Despite the difference in lineups, the results remained the same, with the Vikings walking off the court in a 108-65 victory.

“I think we have the things we want,” said first-year head coach Tyler Geving. “Now it’s just a matter of cleaning it up.”

Portland State struggled out of

the gate on offense, but they turned it around midway through the first half on the outstanding play of junior forward Phil Nelson. After shaking off the rust, they began to settle down defensively as the offense sparked to life and hit four three-pointers in roughly a two-minute stretch that put the game away for good.

Leading by 22 at the half, the Vikings tapped their bench and displayed a lot of depth on both sides of the ball. They didn’t miss a beat offensively throughout the second half, despite heavy rotation of bench players, and they continued to extend their lead until the final seconds of the game.

“We really just wanted to get everyone an opportunity to play,” Geving said. “We wanted to get guys a few more minutes and not get anyone hurt in the exhibition game.”

Next up for the Vikings is the Athletes in Action Basketball Classic in Seattle, Wash., on Nov. 13–15. Portland State will face Belmont and Wright State before squaring off with tournament hosts the Washington Huskies.

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CALENDAR Today David Rozell: Creative Aging 1 p.m.

SMSU, room 228 Academic Coaching Workshop: Feeling Overwhelmed?

6 p.m.

Ondine, room 220 Chris Cokinos: Vanished Birds and Shooting Stars 6:30 p.m.

SMSU, room 333

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Joel McCarroll: My Year at AASHTO Noon Urban Center Building, room 204

Puzzle by Jonathan Gersch

31 Say “Pretty please?,” say 32 Educator Horace 33 Mayberry boy 38 Nabokov title heroine 39 Fen 42 Caustic substance 43 “Told ya!”

Vanguard Etc. | 7 November 5, 2009

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47 Regretful type

ASPSU SFC Meeting 12:30 p.m.

SMSU, room 258 SUPER: Gaza Fundraising Dinner 6 p.m.

SMSU Ballroom $15 suggested donation

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Film: Gimme Shelter 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

5th Avenue Cinema Free with PSU ID PSU Choirs in Concert 8 p.m.

First Congregational Church 1126 SW Park Ave.

Saturday Film: Gimme Shelter 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

5th Avenue Cinema Free with PSU ID

Sunday PSU Wind Symphony and Concert Band 3 p.m.

SMSU, Ballroom To place an event: Contact vgcalendar@ gmail.com or pick up a calendar request form at the Vanguard advertising office, Smith Memorial Student Union, room 115.

KenKen® is a registered trademark of Nextoy, LLC. ©2009 KenKen Puzzle LLC. All rights reserved. Dist. by UFS, Inc. www.kenken.com

through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating.

numberswithintheheavily ● outlinedTheboxes, called cages, must combine using the given

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Send résumés to: vanguardproduction@gmail.com

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Send résumés to: arts@dailyvanguard.com

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POP CULTURE ARTS & CULTURE

Fun facts about frogs These childhood friends have been around for a long time. Just how much do you know about them?

The earliest known frog appeared about 190 million years ago, during the late Jurassic Period

of adventure

A Boy and His Blob is a worthy 2-D addition for the Wii Steve Haske Vanguard staff

If you owned a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) back in the day, the quirky title A Boy and His Blob might be a game you remember enjoying, if only as a strange amusement.

The plot focused around a titular boy and blob combo: the boy of the ordinary variety and the blob, a jiggly creature from outer space.

Together, the two went on an adventure through a somewhat openended ( for an 8-bit game) world.

The boy fed his extraterrestrial friend jelly beans which, when eaten by the blob, would transform him into objects to help navigate the world. Different colored beans turned the blob into things like holes, bridges and ladders.

Although, generally, those that do remember the NES original look back on it fondly, it still was little more than a whimsical curiosity for most because of the game’s extremely obscure directives. Everything about the game was ambiguous, and frequently when you stumbled into a new area, strange (and often deadly) things left you with little direction.

Things are still left mostly unex-

plained in 2009’s Boy and His Blob reimagining, but that’s a good thing.

The game retains its platform and puzzle roots, but it’s been updated for the current generation with gorgeous hand-drawn visuals and animation, as well as a slightly more streamlined gameplay approach.

The plot of the game and your blob’s transformative mechanics remain the same, but the game is broken up into four worlds with 10 levels each, rather than the scrolling, open-ended affair of the original.

What’s great about Blob is that, even with its modern trappings, its design is pretty old school.

Aside from having unlimited lives to beat a level, this one feels a lot like another old school series, Oddworld, before it made the transition to 3-D. Traversing through levels and avoiding traps, pitfalls and enemies will keep you cerebrally challenged.

Blob hardly plays by modern games’ rules, and has no real handholding.

What makes the game fun is that the boy has no real abilities. He can jump, throw jellybeans and talk to his blob (there’s also an adorable hug button, as well as a scold one), but that’s about it. He is helpless but for the blob’s abilities.

And what a list that is: Your blobby friend can turn into a parachute, an anvil to break rocks (or the game’s squishy black enemies), a giant ball the boy can run around in, a spaceship, a hydraulic lift and lots

of others.

As in the original, the key to success is the proper use of the blob’s various forms at the right time. So if you’re, say, stranded on a platform surrounded by water, you can use the blob’s bouncy ball to ride across the water and get to the other side.

Or, if you’re on a high platform with an enemy below, just have the blob turn into a hole, walk through it, quickly have your blob turn into a ladder to avoid the enemy and throw down another hole to catch the baddie in afterward.

Those are easy examples, but you get the idea. The puzzle-ish nature of the game’s levels get much harder than that.

Sadly, Blob’s controls aren’t quite as intuitive as they could be and make the game’s pacing a little more sluggish than necessary. Basically, switching between jellybeans, throwing them and telling your blob to chase is kind of clunky. Throughout the game I found myself accidentally hitting the wrong button. It’s kind of a wonky setup.

But this is a minor issue, for the most part. Overall, Blob is charming, challenging and fun. The game is an aesthetic feast, with colorful and mostly detailed 2-D environs, while the sprites often resemble something you might see in a Hayao Miyazaki film.

The soundtrack is also worth

The largest known frog is the Goliath frog (Conraua goliath) and can be found in West Africa. They can become nearly 1 foot long and can weigh as much as a household cat.

The smallest known frog in the Southern Hemisphere is the Brazilian Gold Frog (Psyllophryne didactyla).

It can be as small as 1 centimeter.

A group of frogs is called an army.

Boy and His Blob: Accompanied by your

gooey friend, this game lets you strike out on a 2-D adventure.

mentioning, with low-key, ethereal tracks that really enhance the sense of wonder the game attempts to impart. And then there’s your blob itself—he’s ridiculously adorable (even if he does bear more than a passing resemblance to Gleep and Gloop from The Herculoids).

Despite its cartoony exterior though, Blob’s indie-style design sensibilities defy a lot of the game’s mainstream conventions. Chalk this one up as a win for old school adventure, which, in my book, is always a good thing.

A Boy and His Blob Majesco Nintendo Wii $39.99

A weekend with the girls

Siren Nation celebrates creative spirit found in feminism Bianca Blankenship Vanguard staff

The spirit of feminism is strong in Portland, from the influence of the LGBT crowd to the do-it-yourself attitude of the feminist knitting groups. Being a woman in this city affords more and better opportunities all the time. With the Siren Nation Women’s Music and Arts Festival approaching, this weekend is no exception.

Siren Nation is a Portland-based

arts organization that creates opportunities for female artists and showcases their work through performances and exhibitions. This annual festival is their time to shine as they feature several female artists working in film, music, craft and the visual arts. The festival is a series of exhibits, screenings and live shows, all in the spirit of celebrating women in the arts.

For those seeking visual arts, the festival kicks off tonight with a free art show featuring over 50 Portland artists at the Olympic Mills Building in the southeast. The show runs a theme of the journey of women through time and of each artist’s personal journey.

Friday and Saturday are designed for the music lovers. Someday Lounge will be hosting eight local music acts for the event, from bands you might know, like Y La Bamba, to bands you should know, like Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs. The tickets are cheap, the lineup is excellent and the likelihood of a cheery, dancing crowd is certain.

Hollywood Theatre will host the event’s film festival Saturday

afternoon, which runs a theme of revolutionary women. The documentaries, directed by women and starring women, are sure to educate and empower the audience with stories of women like Patsy Mink, the first woman of color to be elected to the U.S. Congress. And it would be unwise to miss the showing of Storm Large’s “Eight Miles Wide,” a music video in which a clusterfuck of characters dance in the South Park Blocks and sing about…well, I suggest that you just YouTube it.

Sunday will provide a chance to check out various arts and crafts from local women artisans or drop by for one of the many workshops being offered at McMenamins Kennedy School. It’s an opportunity to learn more about food fermentation, guerilla quiltmaking or any of the festival’s other quirky workshop subjects.

Now in its third year, the Siren Nation Festival has seen strong support from Portlanders. The huge artistic community here has gladly welcomed it. Unlike other festivals like the Portland Women’s Film

Vanguard Arts & Culture | 8 November 5, 2009

Festival (POW Fest), Siren Nation embraces all forms of art. After all, the festival was designed in a spirit of inclusion and equality for women. It’s only natural that it extends this ideal by roping in a mishmash of excellent filmmakers, musicians, visual artists and craftsters for us to enjoy.

If you support the arts and women’s equality, or even if you’re just looking for a good time, then it’s time to dust off those old Riot Grrrl Ink albums, put on a pair of knee-high boots and declare this a weekend of female empowerment and artistic expression.

Siren Nation Women’s Music and Arts Festival Multiple locations Nov. 5–8, various times For more information, go to www.sirennation.com

People with batrachophobia have a fear of all amphibians.

People with ranidaphobia have a fear only of frogs.

—allaboutfrogs.org