Daily Vanguard November 13, 2009

Event of the day

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2009 • PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY • VOLUME 64, ISSUE 35

Join the Queer Resource Center and Bare Bones Press & Productions today in exploring and celebrating gender variance. “Tranny Tracks: A Look at Gender Variant Representation in Literature” is free and open to the public.

When: 1 p.m.

Where: SMSU, room 333

WWW.DAILYVANGUARD.COM • FREE

INSIDE OPINION

Transgendered student is victim of harassment How is Portland State supporting transgendered students?

Carrie Johnston Vanguard staff

Social medication Medical marijuana social clubs are a joke PAGE 4

ARTS

Black culture hits the silver screen Portland African Amerian Film Festival premieres today PAGE 5

On the evening of Oct. 23, transgendered student Amaya Taina, 20, was harassed on Portland State campus.

Near the corner of Southwest Broadway and College Street, Taina and a friend were goofing around, taking pictures while she pretended to hitchhike passing cars.

Meanwhile, three boys in their early 20s rode by on their skateboards, laughing and mocking Taina while one approached her and shouted, “Why are you dressed like a woman?”

Taina flipped them off and walked away while the boys proceeded to yell expletives in her direction.

She called campus security and reported the incident, describing it as a biased crime. Campus Public Safety responded that she had instigated the hostility and could not file a report or pursue further action.

“If the boys had assaulted, or used offensive, gender-biased language, a report would have been made. I’m just worried about future discrimination from other students,” Taina said.

The Queer Resource Center documented the incident and tipped off Residence Life since it happened near the Broadway residence hall.

The Dean of Students Office documented the incident in their database as well.

As a senator and intern for ASPSU, Taina urges students interested in forming a transgendered student group to contact her at the ASPSU office.

“We want to feel safe and

VICTIM continued on page nine

A voice for students

Photo courtesy of Amaya Taina

Amaya Taina: Taina, a transgendered student at Portland State, was a victim of harassment on Oct. 23.

Free speech impinged at OSU Student newspaper distribution bins missing, university officials sued Tamara K. Kennedy Vanguard staff

Tons of guns!

Borderlands’ offbeat take on role-playing has personality to spare PAGE 6 Puppetry in modern days Brian Orr steps out of public persona and into himself in new show PAGE 7

NEWS Rating Portland State Students can rate their professors online PAGE 8

SPORTS

Last home stand Going into the final test of the season, the Vikings show no sign of weakness PAGE 10

ASPSU fills multicultural affairs director position Tamara K. Kennedy Vanguard staff

ASPSU appointed a new multicultural affairs director, Samantha Alloy, who began work on Nov. 9.

Alloy, 27, is a junior double majoring in international development studies and Spanish.

Alloy said her priority is to make Portland State a more equitable and accessible place for underserved populations.

Allow said her main goals include stopping budget cuts to multicultural education, and strengthening underfunded departments such as Black Studies, Chicano Studies, Native American Studies and Women’s Studies.

“My role as ASPSU multicultural director is to make sure that multicultural students and multicultural department’s voices are being heard,” Alloy said.

One of her first plans is to attend the Oregon Students of Color Conference this weekend, Nov. 13 to Nov. 15, hosted by the Associated Students of Portland Community College at the Cascade campus.

“I just started my job…[it is] just beginning,” Alloy said.

According to Tasha Triplett, ASPSU outreach coordinator, Alloy seemed confident and insightful, and she made contributions to the discussion at her first staff meeting according.

“I am looking forward to working with her,” Triplett said.

ASPSU has a strong goal to recruit

Adam Wickham/Portland State Vanguard

Samantha Alloy: As multicultural affairs

director for ASPSU, Alloy began work this Monday, Nov. 9.

and retain students of diversity.

Alloy plans an outreach to the Immigrant Refugee Community Organization, and she hopes to tie into ASPSU’s principle goal of connecting with students to do what they ask, she said.

“Of course most applicants are qualified,” Triplett said, “but Samantha was also overqualified.”

Alloy said she is excited to bring her social justice background to the work of ASPSU. Alloy worked on the Palestine West Bank with the International Solidarity Movement in winter of 2004–05, and as an internationally accredited elections observer in El Salvador for the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador. She has also done community organizing for the Portland Central America Solidarity Committee.

ASPSU continued on page eight

The Oregon State University Students Alliance and William Rogers, editor-in-chief of The Liberty, filed suit against four university officials and Oregon State President Ed Ray on Sept. 20.

The Students Alliance and The Liberty are seeking equal rights to speak on campus according to their attorney, Heather Gebelin Hacker of the Alliance Defense Fund.

Rockne Roll, executive director of The Liberty, called Oregon State University Police in an effort to locate seven newspaper distribution bins believed to have been stolen during winter term of 2008–09.

In their investigation, police discovered that the bins—along with 100 current issues—were removed by university officials and tossed in the mud near a dumpster.

The distribution bins of Oregon State’s only other student-run campus newspaper, The Barometer, were left untouched.

“Officials had previously asked the Students Alliance to remove the bins,” said Todd Simmons,

assistant vice president of University Advancement and director of News and Communication Services at Oregon State.

Hacker called Simmons’ statement false, because The Liberty has had permission since 2005 to place the bins around campus, she said.

The case is currently in litigation.

“The defendants have been served and their answer to the complaint is due on Nov. 30,” said Katie Blechacz, media relations manager of the Alliance Defense Fund.

Vincent Beretta, managing editor of the Portland Spectator, recently heard that a stack of Spectator issues was rescued from a garbage can and restored to a distribution bin by a writer for the Rearguard at Portland State.

Beretta called the issue at Oregon State a clear violation of freedom of speech.

“For me, as a human being, having worked on something so hard and then to have it discarded is unacceptable,” Beretta said.

Joe Wirtheim, senior communication major and editor-in-chief for the Spectator, said a situation such as The Liberty’s seems unlikely to happen to student publications at Portland State.

“Our Publications Board ensures that we maintain competent skills in writing, editing and distribution,” Wirtheim said.

Liberty lawsuit: The Liberty filed suit against Oregon State officials for limiting free speech by

disposing of distribution boxes and issues.

Vanguard 2 | Opinion November 13, 2009

OPINION

Sarah J. Christensen Editor-in-Chief Danielle Kulczyk News Editor Theodora Karatzas Arts & Culture Editor Richard D. Oxley Opinion Editor

Editorial

Put this in your phone: 503-725-4407

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, Natalia 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, Stephanie Fine Sasse, Wendy Shortman, Nilesh Tendolkar, Robin Tinker, Vinh Tran, 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

Transients are making Portland State buildings their home. This leaves the bathrooms in disarray, campus safety frustrated and students vulnerable.

According to Lt. Tracey Miller of the Campus Public Safety Office, transients getting into university bathrooms with locking doors and not coming out is a growing issue at Portland State.

Miller said that it is an issue when bathrooms are not open to students. When the transients finally leave, the odor is horrendous. He further explained drug use is a problem as well.

With all of the money being paid in tuition and fees, students at Portland State should be able to use the restrooms when needed, and not have to witness homeless people shooting up in a stall or bathing in a sink.

And incidents are not limited to late night.

Having transients inside university buildings is not only a matter of security, but also a matter of personal safety for students, faculty members and custodial staff on campus.

But what is CPSO doing about the issue?

Public safety officers patrol floors in the process of locking university buildings at night, but are rarely seen otherwise. Miller cited that

students are not reporting incidents with homeless people, and CPSO is often unaware.

However, communication is a two-way street.

Officers request that students report any person who looks like they don’t belong on campus. Yet, ask any student in the Park Blocks and no doubt the majority of them don’t know the number for CPSO—or even the location of the CPSO office. Besides the blue phones scattered around campus, how accessible are officers?

This is not a matter of intolerance or disrespect for the homeless. It is about boundaries and safety. It is admirable that, according to Miller, CPSO is looking at what the City of Portland is doing to deal with homelessness and trying to apply that to campus, but more benches or public bathrooms are not the solution.

CPSO needs to realize that unless a clear line of communication opens up with students, the problem with transients is only going to get worse as the temperature drops. *Editor’s note: In the event of an emergency, contact CPSO at 503-725-4404.

Sarah J. Christensen, Editor-in-Chief | Danielle Kulczyk, News Editor Theodora Karatzas, Arts & Culture Editor | Richard D. Oxley, Opinion Editor Robert Britt, Sports Editor | Marni Cohen, Photo Editor Shannon Vincent, Production Manager | Zach Chastaine, Online Editor Jennifer Wolff, Chief Copy Editor

Letters Progressive rail N. Grozina’s critique of Portland’s streetcar [“Portland’s regressive rail,” Nov. 6] misrepresents the benefits of Portland’s streetcar line. Grozina argues that “few people live and commercial development has struggled” on the east side of Portland where the streetcar extension is planned.

Similar conditions preceded the initial line connecting Good Sam with PSU, which ran through an abandoned railway yard. Business initially resisted the assessment taxes to fund the project, worried that too few homes along the line would contribute. Ten years later, this urban blight is now the Pearl District, where businesses compete to sponsor the streetcar and multi-family homes expand the streetcar’s revenue stream.

Other positives of streetcar development the author carelessly omits: riders replacing motorists; capital infrastructure savings compared to stand-alone light rail lines; fostering livable urban neighborhoods. The streetcar’s speed promotes an injury-free safety record, while the numerous stops is necessary for neighborhood development. Eighty planned metropolitan streetcar projects in the U.S. suggest that Portland is not alone in viewing this as an urban development option.

“Friends of D.C. Streets” recently visited Portland to learn everything they could regarding the streetcar, using Portland’s success to help pitch streetcar development in our nation’s capital. Their tour was arranged by First Stop Portland, a program of PSU’s Institute of Metropolitan Studies, that designs study tours for visiting delegations interested in Portland’s sustainable success. Many of First Stop Portland’s tours feature Portland’s multimodal transit options that focus on the streetcar. Next week, policy makers from Japan will take a similar tour.

—Kyle Curtis, student ambassador, First Stop Portland, Institute for Metropolitan Studies at the College of Urban and Public Affairs

An accountable SFC and better elections Thank you for accentuating the Disability Resource Center in your article, “Disability Resource

Center settles into new home” [Nov. 3]. It is unfortunate that the DRC was squelched of their $2,300 last year. However, ASPSU, particularly the Student Finance Committee, is working hard this year to ensure student groups receive their allocated money.

This year’s SFC will be holding themselves accountable as far as liaison duties. Furthermore, student groups are asked to be more scrupulous in looking at their budgets so nothing is missed.

The SFC plans to meet student groups’ needs and of those who pay the student fee by manually recording meetings and working closely with advisors.

As for your article, “New analysis of 2009 ASPSU elections released” [Nov. 3], ASPSU is trying to operate a smoother course for this year’s upcoming student government elections. It is important for students to be involved with student elections because of how ASPSU represents them. Our voice for the student body is extended to Salem and beyond to Washington, D.C. Thus, students should elect who will best represent them in such places.

—Fred Long , ASPSU senator, LTE coordinator

You neglect to mention You neglect the fact that atheists are effectively barred from public office [“The Rant and Rage: Believe it or not, this pisses me off,” Nov. 10] in the United States—not by law (though seven states have constitutional prohibitions against atheists in public office), but by public prejudice.

Atheists are the least trusted Americans according to national surveys, and are routinely denied custody of their own children based solely on their religious beliefs. They are passed up for promotions and apointments [sic] on the basis that people give preference to those who believe in God, are forced to endure a national motto that says nothing less than, “If you do not trust in God, you are not one of us,” and a pledge of allegiance that equates not supporting a nation “under God” with rebellion, tyranny, and injustice for all. In fact, your attitude above is quite symbolic of this national prejudice—that rather than writing a letter against those who “try to convert others,” you specifically target atheists. Why is that?

—Alonzo Fyfe

carbon

Vanguard Opinion | 3 November 13, 2009

paw prints

Is Fido ruining the planet?

Robin Tinker Vanguard staff

Are you a tree hugger? Are you a pet owner? If you answered yes to both of these questions, you obviously fit in here in Portland. But have you ever thought how these two things could be related? Have you ever wondered about your pet’s carbon paw print? It is most likely bigger than you think. You should probably do something about that.

A new book by New Zealand authors Robert and Brenda Vale, entitled Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living, is causing controversy in dog-friendly cities like Portland. These two architects, who study sustainable living, claim in their book that the pup’s carbon footprint over his lifetime is roughly twice that of building and fueling an SUV.

According to the pair, cats didn’t fare too much better: Their carbon footprint was equal to a small hatchback.

The study is full of European measurements of hectograms and kilograms and is kind of messy and complicated, so I won’t quote it here. It is also a bit skewed. For example, the Vales said owning a dog had twice the carbon footprint of owning an SUV, but the distance driven by an SUV owner they used to determine this was only 6,000 miles per year. I would argue that most everyone drives much more than that. In that case, the two impacts are more equal.

Regardless of this study and its truths and untruths, pets do have a rather large impact environmentally.

What is the main reason Fluffy and Spot are having such an impact? The answer is their food.

“Owning a dog is quite an extravagance, mainly because of the carbon footprint of meat,” said

John Barrett, of the Stockholm Environmental Institute in York, United Kingdom, in New Scientist Magazine. Barrett was asked by New Scientist to conduct his own calculation on carbon paw prints. He came up with very similar findings to the New Zealanders’.

I do think this is cause for some reevaluation. All of you “green” pet owners scoffing at big vehicle drivers—you know who you are— please do some readjusting before you resume your eco-smugness.

The most responsible thing to do is to take into consideration your pet’s carbon footprint, when thinking of your own impact. That means you have to step up your own environmental awareness and action to compensate for your pet. Almost everything we do makes either a positive or negative impact on the environment. Pet owners just need to be even more vigilant than those without pets in order to have the same impact.

Opinion Editor: Richard D. Oxley 503-725-5692 opinion@dailyvanguard.com

We all know how to do this: Take the train, ride your bike, walk, buy local, turn off the lights, eat less meat and utilize reusable shopping bags, coffee mugs, etc.

Another helpful option is right here in Northeast Portland—Green Dog Pet Supply. They rightly do not advocate making your pet a vegetarian, as it is very risky to their health. (Please do NOT do that!)

According to their Web site, they sell pet foods and treats free from pesticides and chemicals made locally, reducing carbon emissions from shipping. They also stock toys and other pet items made from recycled materials. They claim to have very durable toys, as to keep them out of the landfill longer. It seems to be a step in the right direction.

So, all of you tree-hugging pet owners out there, please step it up a notch to compensate for Mittens and especially Fido. I hate to think of you in the same category as that jerk driving a Hummer.

What can you do?

Like it or not, what we do in our daily lives will in some way affect our environment. Whatever you call it—global warming, climate change or alien conspiracy to destroy us—there are many things you can do to decrease your own carbon footprint, such as: Use Energy Star. Look out for the Energy Star symbol on light bulbs and other products you buy.

Seal and insulate your home. Non-insulated heating ducts, attics, basements, etc., can be big energy wasters.

Use green power that is offered through your electric utility provider.

Don’t forget the three Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle.

Use a push lawn mower and get rid of that gaspowered model.

Keep your tires properly inflated. Any bicycle rider can tell you that a deflated tire takes a lot more energy to turn than an inflated one. The same goes for your car.

Get out of your car. Use the public transportation Portland is famous for.

Hop on a bike or walk for short trips. If you do use your car for steady trips, find a way to carpool with others.

Kira Meyrick/Portland State Vanguard

Going veggie Becoming a vegetarian is a helpful way to reduce your carbon footprint Meaghan Daniels Vanguard staff

Let’s face it: Being a vegetarian has all sorts of positive impacts, but a recent report from CNN is shedding light on a less-publicized aspect of being a vegetarian.

Eliminating meat from one’s diet not only has numerous health benefits, but also a positive impact on climate change.

Nicholas Stern, economist and climate advisor, said in a report from CNN that eating more vegetables and less meat greatly reduces emissions. Eating meat creates more greenhouse gases than eating vegetables.

According to the United Nations, becoming vegetarian can have a major impact because 18 percent of carbon emissions are caused from meat production. That is more than the transportation industry.

In 2006 the U.N. reported that

the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, airplanes and ships in the world combined.

Methane is 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide and agriculture is the No. 1 source of methane in the United States.

Factory farms that consist of billions of animals crammed together are main sources of methane emissions.

The Web site www.goveg.com states that eating 1 pound of meat emits the same amount of greenhouse gases as driving an SUV for 40 miles.

When you picture the farms where the meat comes from, what do you see? Do you envision an “Old MacDonald” scene, with the red barn and happy animals? Then what happens to the happy animals?

This is where most people do not think about it. They just kind of fade out the image, but this idealistic image is not reality. The reality consists of factory farms. At these factory farms, animals are stuffed in cages

completely lacking moving room.

Reality is not quite as happy as your fantasy, is it? Ignorance can be bliss, yes, but ignorance is not beneficial to your health, the environment or animals. Imagine being shoved into a cage where you can hardly breathe, let alone move, being stuffed with food full of harsh chemicals, causing you to get ulcers—to the point of death.

Now that does not sound too pleasant, does it?

Factory-farmed animals are often abused and deprived of anything that is natural or good for them. If you can, for one second, forget about the horrible crimes of animal cruelty that are being committed, then please turn your attention to the environment.

These farm factories are also adding to environmental pollution through animal feces, food and water supply. Often, feces from these animals end up in our water supply.

Now, if you can, put aside the environment issue too. Think of

your health: Red meat is dangerous, and the bacteria created by these factory farms is also harmful to people, not to mention the fact that we all live in this world and air quality is important.

So if the poor, suffering animals and the deterioration of our planet is not enough to stop you from eating meat, then think of your own health.

Is that enough of an incentive? Does that hit close enough to home for you to stop ignoring the issues that are at hand?

Since this whole “green” thing seems to be all the rage right now, next time you are thinking about buying that hybrid, think again. While hybrids are a great way to reduce emissions, going vegetarian has a larger impact on the environment.

You want to make a big difference? Go vegetarian. Or even do both—buy a hybrid and go vegetarian! Being a vegetarian is better for you, the environment and the animals. It is a win-win-win situation all around.

Install solar panels.

Using energy provided by the sun will not only cut down on how much energy your home uses, but will in turn cut down your utility bill.

—www.epa.gov

Vanguard 4 |4Opinion | News November February January Month Day, 23, 13, 2009

Same-sex marriage The issue of same-sex marriage won’t be going away anytime soon. In fact, it has existed for quite some time. Same-sex unions have long existed in various cultures over time, from ancient China to ancient Greece and Rome. Today, only certain areas of the world and the United States acknowledge same-sex unions in some form or another. Where, you may ask?

California Constitutionally bans gay marriage, but allows 18,000 same-sex couples to retain their marriage rights from a brief period in which gay marriage was legal.

Connecticut Allows same-sex marriage.

Iowa Allows same-sex marriage.

Massachusetts Allows same-sex marriage.

Nevada Allows domestic partnerships.

New Hampshire Allows same-sex marriage.

New Jersey Allows civil unions.

New York Recognizes out of state same-sex unions.

Oregon Allows domestic partnerships.

Vermont Allows same-sex marriage.

Washington Read the article on page.

Almost gay marriage Washington’s win with Referendum 71 was a great step, but only the start William Blackford Vanguard staff

Washington state’s gay and lesbian community scored a big win last week with the passing of Referendum 71.

The community in Maine, however, was not as lucky. It’s time for everyone to join the 21st century and recognize that everyone deserves equal rights.

Referendum 71 was designed to keep the domestic partnership law that provides legal protections for lesbian and gay couples and seniors who are in committed relationships.

The protection of gay and lesbian freedoms is known to be anathema to Bible-thumping conservatives— something Washington is not exactly lacking. The fact that the referendum passed is a very good thing.

The fact that it passed with scarcely more than half the votes gives this

writer cause for concern.

The core issues involved here are the rights of gay and lesbian couples, including the right to cover their partner under a health plan from work or take care of a critically ill loved one without the risk of being fired from work. In other words, the same rights legal family members currently get around the country.

Unless, of course, they happen to be of the same sex.

This referendum is also a very important step towards state-approved, bona fide gay marriage, something any reasonable person not blinded by personal bias can support. This vote is also important because of its proximity to the wonderful state of Oregon, where domestic partnerships are currently allowed, but for who knows how long.

The opposition’s stance is, predictably, that gay and lesbian couples are an affront to their religious beliefs and should not be officially recognized, or granted rights, by the state. Not surprisingly, this is their only platform, and no rational

arguments can be made against gay marriage that wouldn’t also apply to heterosexual marriage.

The official mouthpiece of the antigay marriage crowd for Washington is Protect Marriage Washington. They claim that redefining marriage to include same-sex unions poses significant threats to the religious liberties of people who continue to believe that marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman.

If you fail to see any logic in this whatsoever, you are not alone. An honest attempt to find some sort of organization against gay marriage that didn’t have a religious argument as their main platform yielded no results.

What is most disturbing is that this outdated and irrational platform was still able to garner 48 percent of Washington’s votes, while Maine’s “marriage protectors” were able to win with 53 percent.

This “threat to religious liberties” stance neglects not only the fact that what other people believe doesn’t actually affect one’s own personal beliefs, but that church and state are

expressly separate—at least, that is the presumption we currently operate under. Perhaps if one were to claim that gay marriage was part of their religion, it would magically become respected.

The gay and lesbian community has become victim to the tyranny of the majority. Apparently, for some people, freedom means the ability to deny others their fundamental human rights, openly based upon the fact that said others are a minority whose practices are offensive according to the book of Leviticus.

The mind boggles while trying to comprehend how this is possible.

Winning Referendum 71 in Washington was a huge step for America’s gay and lesbian community and undeniable progress for all of society. This win, however, was only one of many in a series of obstacles that must be overcome. We cannot let superstition and blatant hatred become acceptable platforms for public policy.

Social medication Medical marijuana social clubs are a joke Natalia Grozina Vanguard staff

Oregonians have always held the stereotype that they smoke more marijuana than in other states—that we are hippies, that we are all vegans or even that we might not have running water. Oregon often seems to be misjudged. But some recent news, sadly, reinforces some

of the aforementioned stereotypes.

“As of next week, Oregon’s medicalmarijuana patients will have two smoke-easies in Portland in which to medicate and socialize, the first such places in the country to open since the federal government indicated that it will no longer arrest or prosecute patients and suppliers,” according to an article in The Oregonian from Nov. 3.

Managed by Oregon’s chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), the Cannabis Café will

open in Northeast Portland on Nov. 13. It will be the second cafe of its kind after Club 420 opened early last month.

After reading this I was shocked. We can’t smoke cigarettes in a bar, but we can have lounges in which to smoke pot freely? Apparently, all people in the world can now label us as a “wacky state”—Amsterdam included.

What’s even worse is Madeline Martinez, executive director of NORML, saying the following quote in The Oregonian’s article about

Washington, D.C. Allows same-sex marriage and recognizes out of state same-sex unions.

Wisconsin Bans gay marriage, but allows domestic partnerships.

—www.about.com

Illustration by Kira Meyrick

medical-marijuana cardholders.

“Do they go out into an alley and hide in the back of their car?”

Martinez asked. “There needs to be a place, much like our meetings are, where people can socialize and network.”

And “network?” I can see crime rates go up as I am writing this article. It doesn’t help with the obesity rate either. Cannabis Café may not be selling marijuana but I am certain it sells the munchies.

Besides, who is going to monitor these lounges so that other drugs don’t slip into them? The next thing we know there will be bongs for crack and glow sticks galore, all while we’re thinking diabetics are smoking “medical” marijuana.

Yeah, right.

I don’t get the social aspect of it either. Are you that lonely that you must create a group to take medication together? Do you get together to take insulin too? If so, you might have social problems too, not just medical ones.

Perhaps that was harsh, but what I am trying to stress is that taking medications is supposed to be boring. I’ve never heard of it being something that should be a shared experience. But perhaps the 21st century demands that we must be over taking medication in the privacy of our own home. Now we have to pop pills together.

More so, if you read some of the comments that were posted online after the article, you get things like from “fixin2” who “clues” us on the fact that he smokes daily to help with pain. Yet I am sure that those who really do have medical marijuana cards for a legitimate reason don’t say things like “It’s 420.

Hit it!!”

ARTS & CULTURE

Black culture hits the silver screen Portland African American Film Festival premieres today Bianca Blankenship Vanguard staff

This must be the season for film festivals. From the Northwest Film and Video Festival to the amateur porn festival HUMP!, the past few months have been heaven for film geeks. This week is no exception as the Portland African American Film Festival joins the herd and takes on an underrepresented genre.

The festival is designed to provide an introduction to the history of African-American film. A different theme runs in each of the four theaters that will be hosting the festival. The hope is to help viewers put modern African-American film into historical context.

The St. Johns Theater & Pub will focus on the classics, with old goodies like Cabin in the Sky, while the Bagdad Theater will run contemporary social films. At the Mission Theater, you’ll find progressive African-American films featured, two of which are Spike Lee productions. The Kennedy School will show films focused on black exploitation, including that immortal standard of the 1970s, Shaft.

Folk band trades in the jokes for a quality sound Stephanie Fine Sasse Vanguard staff

Portland pop-folk group the Big Ideas began as a running joke about starting a band between old friends Matt Halvorson and Louie Opatz.

After taking up the guitar and piano, they accidentally started something great without losing any of the casual, good-time charm.

“In a way the most amusing part is that we’re still using the same name and MySpace page that was a joke years ago,” Halvorson said. “I started that page at work.”

During the winter two years ago, the duo played a San Francisco show and realized they actually had something far bigger than a good laugh. Opatz relocated to Portland with AmeriCorps from Montana and Halvorson soon followed.

“I had left Atlanta and was working at a library in St. Louis,” Halvorson said. “I [thought] ‘I’ve got to get out of here.’ So I’m sure that he was like, ‘Wanna go to Portland?’ and I said, ‘Yep, I’ll just do that then.’ It didn’t take a lot of convincing, and a few days later I was out here.”

Once they had Portland under their feet they began recruiting other members to help manifest the sounds that began stirring in their heads. Halvorson’s sister, Kari, and her boyfriend, Gabe, joined on strings, and everyone took up vocals. The final sound is fresh and fun, a feel-good breeze of vocal pops and simple, framing instrumentals.

Opatz feels the duo’s warm reception in San Francisco helped boost their playful attitude to a fullblown musical ambition.

“I think our perception changed,” Opatz said. “We started realizing that people liked us when they heard us. That first time we played, I didn’t think there would be a reason

It’s important to note that all these theaters sell tickets at $3 and, even more importantly, they all sell beer. This means that, as you lick up that delightful pint of ale and sit lopsided on your thick wallet, you’ll appreciate this taste of African-American history and culture even more.

It might be wise to catch up on these classic films this year because the theme will change by 2010.

The festival this year is intended to be an introduction to the genre, preparing the audience for an integration of independent film in the years to come.

The festival’s founder and executive director, Ron Craig, hopes that this year’s films provide a strong foundation for what is to come in the future of the event.

“We wanted to establish ourselves as a film festival [this year], but the goal is to make it an independent film festival,” Craig said. “I had to go out and do old films first to give people a foundation for what African-Americans have done to contribute to this art form.”

Craig has already begun collecting independent films for next year’s festival.

In addition to traveling the world as a filmmaker, Craig has spent the past three years running the Astoria International Film Festival, which

took place last month. He is excited to showcase African-American film for the first time—a genre that he feels has been underrepresented.

The festival kicks off this Friday at the Bagdad Theater with an old classic, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, in which Katharine Hepburn and Sidney Poitier star as a mixedrace couple who find themselves facing their own underlying racial prejudices. Released in 1967, the film played an important historic role in dealing with issues of race in film.

In addition to tackling tough racial issues, the films featured this weekend supply an essential aspect of AfricanAmerican culture: music. With tunes by great African-American singers and songwriters from the Marvelettes and the Miracles to renowned jazz musicians like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, the music found in these films is as timeless as the flicks themselves.

It’s hard to imagine the Misfits without Danzig. That’s like Britney Spears without the crazy or Angelina Jolie without 100 adopted children.

Still, their music seems strong enough to hold up even without their crazy front man. They’ll be joined by local punk rockers 800 Octane, a band that has seen its own share of crazy in their years around Portland. The whole should be pretty punktastic and worthy of at least a little moshing and some throwing of fists.

Berbati’s Pan, 9 p.m., $22 advance, $25 door, all ages

Portland African American Film Festival

Negative Trend, Lucky 13s, Coco Cobra and the Killers, Toiling Midgets

Various locations and times Nov. 13–15 $3 per show For a complete list of times and locations, visit www.pdxaaff.com

songs. It turns out that you can never actually finish writing a book because it takes too long and I’m not that devoted. But instead you can write a song, it only needs like 50 words. You feel like you have completed something, then you can move on.”

The entire band collaborates on each effort, often writing their individual parts and blending them together. Mixed with a complete lack of pretension or attitude about their music, the band that started as a joke has lost the punch line and become a whimsical, infectious folk set worth getting serious about.

The Big Ideas Jade Lounge 2342 SE Ankeny St. Sat, Nov. 14, 8 p.m.

Free 21+

So Negative Trend was this punk band from San Francisco that was active in the 1970’s. Apparently, they’re back together because they’ll be playing at East End tonight. They aren’t the most amazing punk you’ve ever heard, but the group certainly does know their stuff and has a nice Clash-like sound with a bit more yelling and grisly shrieking. Local group Coco Cobra and the Killers—who are certainly going to be worth your time with their female-fronted burlesque rock—will play as well.

East End, 9 p.m., $7, 21+ Yeah Great Fine, Zoogirl, Duck. Little Brother, Duck!

There are so many small indie bands in Portland that a lot of people kind of know about and who seem to play a lot but still haven’t garnered enough notoriety to tour anywhere else.

Yeah Great Fine is one of these bands, but there’s a good chance that their talent will be carrying them farther in the future.

Their light and echo-y vocals, toe-tapping percussion and sprinkles of yelling intersperse with fun guitar melodies making for some pretty catchy tunes.

They also delve into the more electronic sound with songs like “You Lack Discipline,” a track that sounds more like an early Mario Bros. tune than a rock band’s music.

“The writing satisfaction is nerdier than the peforming satisfaction,” Opatz said. “But it’s not any less fulfilling, it’s just a different version.”

Songwriting has also acted as a creative release for Halvorson.

Clearly the two have an innate knack for stringing together words, but Halvorson explains that writing songs was the perfect fit.

“I was a journalism major in college and I thought I was going to be writing things that were more substantial,” Halvorson said.

“More words and longer than

Friday’s all right for a fight (or just checking out some awesome live music) Misfits, 800 Octane, Embrace the Kill, Rum Rebellion

What’s the big idea? for us to do that in front of people anymore. Then people came and [told us] it was good. It gave us a tiny bit of confidence.”

Once the band started playing regularly, the listener’s response continued to grow warmer and wider.

Friends of friends who would attend out of obligation left shocked by the unassuming talent and clear point of view that’s heard in their songs.

Every song is catchy without being predictable or bland, and is only fully appreciated through a live show.

Once the guys started performing their music, they were hooked.

“The interesting part to me about playing is to play songs that we made up ourselves,” Halvorson said. “We fleshed them out with the rest of the band. It’s kind of cool to be like, ‘We made that. That totally didn’t exist before’.”

Both Opatz and Halvorson have studied writing in some capacity, which is evident in their thoughtful lyrics. There is a distinct sense of harmony between the music and lyrics, each giving the other space to breathe while complimenting each other well.

Vanguard Arts & Culture | 5 November 13, 2009

Laughing Horse Books, 7:30 p.m., free, all ages

Photo courtesy ofThe Big Ideas

The Big Ideas: Taking a break from rocking out with a cold beer and some silly faces.

Vanguard 6 |News November 13, 2009

Borderlands’ offbeat take on role-playing has personality to spare Steve Haske Vanguard staff

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

Health benefits of cinnamon Studies have shown that just half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol.

Several studies suggest that cinnamon may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes.

In some studies, cinnamon has shown an amazing ability to stop medication-resistant yeast infections.

In a study published by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland, cinnamon reduced the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.

It has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.

In a study at Copenhagen University, patients given half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder combined with one tablespoon of honey every morning before breakfast had significant relief in arthritis pain after one week and could walk without pain within one month.

When added to food, it inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative.

One study found that smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory.

Researchers at Kansas State University found that cinnamon fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices.

It is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron and calcium.

—www.healthdiaries.com

At first glance, Borderlands comes off as a rough-and-tumble firstperson exercise delving into a damnnear fetishistic love of firearms.

This one takes it to a whole new level with its constant bell-andwhistle upgrades, like pistols with scopes or shotguns with rocket attachments. Not to mention the numerous elemental side effects your guns can cause your poor enemies, such as burning them with corrosive acid or just lighting them on fire.

But that’s not all. One of the game’s biggest selling points before its release was the millions of guns available. With all the different upgrades and elemental effects, this number isn’t really an exaggeration in Borderlands, or as you could also call it, “Tons of Guns.”

That name, which Gearbox Software really should’ve come up with and used, also suits the game’s style and attitude quite well, as Borderlands sets itself apart with a wicked sense of humor. One look at the game’s cover, with its brilliantly twisted art, and that should be perfectly clear.

Borderlands’ bizarre set of characters and dialogue also serves up a mean bit of tongue-in-cheek to complement the game’s ridiculous violence. The plot follows a small group of mercenaries searching for a legendary alien vault on a planet of outlaws and carries a feel somewhere between the Fallout series, Firefly and a Tarantino-style Western.

The people you meet are all quirky in their own way, from the humorously too-enthusiastic claptrap robots to the assorted hillbillies that give you jobs and the bandits populating the landscape— including psychotic shotgunwielding midgets.

Your characters, for their part, enjoy the slaughter they engage in, often making snide remarks

Small town not small minded Judevine makes its Oregon premiere at Portland Community College Bianca Blankenship Vanguard staff

Tons of guns!

Borderlands: Aliens, mercenaries on a space quest and a veritable orgy of guns.

about whoever’s brains they just splattered all over the dusty ground.

Enemy intros usually have revealing sarcastic asides as well.

Topping it all off is the game’s unique visual style, which adds to its overall levity. Had it looked like every other grit-colored shooter, a lot of its character and dark charm would’ve been lost.

But if you’re expecting to play Borderlands like any other firstperson shooter, you’re not going to last long, since this isn’t really a shooter in a traditional sense.

As Gearbox puts it, the game is an RPS—a role-playing shooter—which is exactly the hybrid it sounds like.

You start the game by choosing between one of four characters who all have different special abilities, such as an emergency turret deployment or temporary invisibility.

Level progression works like any traditional role-playing game, with

points given to upgrade stats and unlock new abilities from a branching tree of available specialties.

But the far bigger part of the Borderlands experience is collecting loot while making a name for yourself. Basically this amounts to a whole lot of weapons upgrades.

You’re going to be constantly finding new and better guns, dropping old ones from the small stash you keep in your trusty backpack, and reaping the carnagetastic benefits of your new score until something better comes along.

The weapons themselves are a blast to use and there’s always a newer, shinier gun just waiting to be found.

That, and there’s never a shortage of baddies trying to murder you.

After all, if you weren’t given an opportunity to use your tons of guns, the game would be doing you a disservice, right? And if you’re playing co-op, the loot the enemies

drop will be better, meaning more rare items and more powerful guns.

The downside, if there is one, is that this means there’s little to do other than blow your enemies away, and with such an open-ended, mission-based RPG approach Borderlands’ plot is kind of flimsy.

A strong plot doesn’t seem to be what Gearbox was going for anyway: This is a game whose sense of humor and personality are really the best things about it. Well, that and all the goddamn guns you get to play with.

When people began asking Judevine director Patrick Tangredi what the play was about, he had trouble answering. A play composed of 26 stories with no single story that stands as the main theme isn’t easy to pigeonhole.

It was back in September, when auditions for the play began at Portland Community College, that Tangredi realized he would have to develop a comprehensive answer to the question.

“It’s a series of vignettes,” Tangredi said. “It’s a play about characters that have their comedies and tragedies in a small town.”

After working as a poet for nearly 20 years, David Budbill wrote Judevine in 1984, based on his previously published book of poems of the same title. The play jumps from one character’s story to the next, their town of residence acting as the only string tying each story together.

The impoverished fictional town lies in the northern mountains of Vermont and embodies the classic example of middle-of-nowhere America. The characters lead tough, often repressed lives full of hardship and lost dreams. Their struggle to survive manifests in unique ways through their individual stories, all of which are subtly interwoven.

The play’s themes—small town adversity and portraits of average people—are commonplace in 20th century American plays and literature, from Waiting for Godot to Working. Our interest in the workingman, particularly in a smalltown Americana setting, is yet again satisfied through small-scale efforts to survive, reflecting the larger trials and errors of a nation borne of mismatched peasants.

“The playwright is known more for his poetry than for anything else,” Tangredi said. “He doesn’t come from a theater background, so he breaks a lot of theater rules in an interesting way. …The only thing that keeps this play together is that it all takes place in this fictional town.”

Tangredi relates it to Our Town, a three-act play by Thornton Wilder, but suggests that it stands as a 21st century version of the classic.

He claims that, in the absence of a plot, the play can be considered postmodern. While this term gets thrown around in a lot of confusing

fashions, it can be helpful in explaining what makes the play modern and unique.

Since its debut in 1984, Judevine has been performed across the country, from the East Coast to Alaska, with over 50 productions in its short history. The PCC production will be the play’s premiere in Oregon.

The cast is larger than usual for PCC productions, with over 20 members. A flood of students showed up for auditions and the play was easy enough to divide into a larger number of roles. Cast members are all PCC students and Tangredi is head of the theater program at the school.

Judevine will be showing for the next two weeks, including a special $5 showing at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19.

Judevine: Members of the cast at a rehearsal of the production.

Borderlands 2K Games $59.99

David Budbill: Author of Judevine.

Judevine Portland Community College, Sylvania 12000 SW 49th Ave. Nov. 13–14 and Nov. 19–21 7:30 p.m.; Nov. 22, 2 p.m. $8 students, $10 general

P

uppetry

Vanguard Arts & Culture | 7 February 13, November 20, 13,2009 2009

in modern days

Brian Orr steps out of public persona and into himself in new show

Week of Nov. 8–16 Pop Song: “Paparazzia” Artist: Lady Gaga Song: “Watcha Say” Artist: Jason DeRulo Song: “Down” Artist: Jay Sean featuring Lil Wayne

Mark Johnston

Song: “Party in the U.S.A.” Artist: Miley Cyrus

Vanguard staff

Historically, puppet theater has been associated with comedy and children’s education. With shows like Avenue Q, attendees saw a dark, more vulgar side. Brian Orr’s DoneUndone show attempts to bridge the gap by incorporating dark elements to explore the metaphysical, emotional and contemplative states of the mind through the art of puppetry.

This is a stark contrast from his immensely popular children’s education show that he brings to various schools around the Portland area, teaching kids about the environmental impact of their actions and how to conserve. But like his youth-driven show, DoneUndone will feature the trademark, reused puppets Orr is known for. By utilizing recycled and reused materials such as cardboard, scrap fabric and rubber tire tubes, Orr creates whimsical puppets that are environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing.

The hourlong DoneUndone show explores one character’s futile attempt to sleep, haunted by demons of the psyche. The main character, Cora Gated, struggles for slumber as it is bombarded with visions, demons, nightmares and a shadowy apparition of itself. All of this is accomplished solely through music—there is no spoken script for the entire performance.

Billboard Top 1

Song: “Sweet Dreams” Artist: Beyoncé Song: “3” Artist: Britney Spears Song: “Already Gone” Artist: Kelly Clarkson Song: “Fireflies” Artist: Owl City

DoneUndone: Exploring the complex world of dreams with a not so traditional medium.

“I’ve done some adult shows but this is my first full-length adult puppet show,” Orr said. “This one is more autobiographical, dealing with anxieties, personal demons and obsessions. There are a lot of stranger puppets representing things such as death and a Jungian shadow-self puppet based off the main character. There are a lot of monsters in this show, and a lot of different kinds of puppetry styles.”

To create the ethereal, dreamlike state that the main character is trapped in, Orr enlisted musician Lara Triback.

“I met [Lara] last summer while we were teaching together at an arts camp. Laura was playing all this Balkan Middle Eastern music on [the] doumbek and accordion. She was playing a song that was a folk tale about a giant ice troll that eats children, and I said ‘perfect!’ There’s

something about that music…it’s the best match for puppets. I’m trying to produce a dream-like state for this show and this music just goes with the puppets.”

During the performance, four musicians will be on hand to perform pieces chosen by Orr and Triback and to create the somber mood of the piece.

“What’s amazing is that [Balkan] music at times can be very sad in a way that other music can’t be and at the same time [it] can be hopeful and joyous and celebratory in a way that other music can’t be,” Orr said.

While he is overtly passionate about his educational Mudeye Puppet Company, this endeavor marks a personal passion for Orr. “For me personally, I am more into shows that aren’t targeting a specific audience. They just are what they are,” he said.

DoneUndone is the first in what Orr hopes will be a series of mooddriven, Eastern European-inspired performances that focus on the craft of puppetry to convey a story more so than scripts or funny costumes

All photos by Adam Wickham/Portland State Vanguard

and let the audience interpret it how they see fit.

“We’ll see if people get it or they don’t,” Orr said. “It’s important that people see different things—I want this to be open to interpretation. I don’t like seeing a movie or reading a book where my intelligence is not respected enough to make my own interpretations. This show isn’t good versus bad, it’s not a battle. It’s more about the things going on in this person’s head at night when it’s trying to sleep.”

Orr has a simple formula of recycled material puppets acting out the demons and monsters that humans face, all set to Balkan-inspired music, a unique approach to an old tradition and one that should be able to get his message across.

DoneUndone Someday Lounge 125 NW Fifth Ave. Sat, Nov. 14, 7 p.m. $12 21+

Song: “You Belong With Me” Artist: Taylor Swift Song: “Meet Me Halfway” Artist: The Black Eyed Peas Rock Song: “Wheels” Artist: Foo Fighters Song: “I Will Not Bow” Artist: Breaking Benjamin Song: “Check My Brain” Artist: Alice in Chains Song: “Break” Artist: Three Days Grace Song: “(If You’re Wondering If I Want To) I Want To” Artist: Weezer Song: “Uprising” Artist: Muse Song: “Jars” Artist: Chevelle Song: “The Fixer” Artist: Pearl Jam Song: “Savior” Artist: Rise Against Song: “You’re Going Down” Artist: Sick Puppies R&B/Hip-Hop Song: “Empire State of Mind” Artist: Jay-Z and Alicia Keys Song: “Papers” Artist: Usher Song: “Pretty Wings” Artist: Maxwell Song: “I Invented Sex” Artist: Trey Songz featuring Drake Song: “Forever” Artist: Drake featuring Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Eminem Song: “Wasted” Artist: Gucci Mane featuring Plies and OJ Da Juiceman Song: “Bad Habits” Artist: Maxwell Song: “Regret” Artist: LeToya featuring Ludacris Song: “Money To Blow” Artist: Birdman featuring Lil Wayne and Drake Song: “Break Up” Artist: Mario featuring Gucci Mane and Sean Garett

—Billboard

Vanguard 88||News News November Month Day, 13, 2009

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

Indian Student Association Cruise this Saturday Students and community members who are at least 18 years old are invited to join Portland State’s Indian Student Association for Nasha 2009, its annual cruise party.

Tickets cost Portland State students $10 and non-students $15.

The party cruise will board at Water Front Park at 10 p.m. this Saturday.

The ISA invites you to groove to Bollywood and international music with DJ Anshul.

Several hundred people are expected to attend and tickets can be purchased before the event from Ticketmaster at ticketmaster.com or the Portland State box office at 503-725-3307.

For more information, contact group coordinator Anil Palli at 503-575-6531.

NEWS

Rating Portland State Students can grade their professors online Kate Alexander Vanguard staff

To rant about a professor who bored you to sleep, compliment a teacher who made University Studies enjoyable or get an insider’s view on the Spanish department teachers, you might find yourself on www.ratemyprofessors.com.

The Web site is a nationwide online tool for students at over 6,000 schools around the country.

Using the site, students are able to research professors at their university before registering for classes.

Portland State students can browse rankings of the university’s 1,120 listed professors, or they can search for specific professors by last name.

It is students who create the ratings by grading professors on the following criteria: easiness, helpfulness, clarity, the student’s interest level prior to attending class, textbook use, the grade the student achieved in the class, attendance policy and personal appearance.

“It is really helpful,” said sophomore Kelsey Robertson. “I always go to the site before I register

for classes. But [ first], I prefer to check with people I know who have had that professor before.”

Robertson cites the anonymity granted to those giving ratings as a reason to check with other students.

However, professors are not defenseless on www.ratemyprofessors.com.

Teachers have the opportunity to sign up for an account on the Web site. Once their status as a professor is verified, they can monitor what comments are made about them and, if needed, e-mail a moderator to have any inappropriate comment removed. Professors are also able to use the site to rate themselves and adjust their scores in any of the above categories.

Some teachers who may not want to fight back are Harry Anastasiou, Sandra Freels, Patricia Sylvester, Jane Mercer and Melissa Miller.

These five are the highest-ranked Portland State professors on www. ratemyprofessors.com.

Anastasiou, the No. 1-ranked Portland State professor, teaches a wide variety of courses in the International Studies and Conflict Resolution programs.

“This is what we need to do instead of the feedback forms we use because this is online and continuous,” Anastasiou said. “All feedback is helpful. Part of teaching

Student perspectives discussed, award granted Professor honored by CLAS dean at event yesterday Erica DeCouteau Vanguard staff

Scott Burns, geology professor, and the Center for Academic Excellence jointly held a Carnegie Conversation called “A Decade of Student Perspectives on Outstanding Teaching in CLAS” on campus yesterday afternoon.

The event was a forerunner to the annual John Eliot Allen Outstanding Teaching Awards ceremony, held at the end of spring term. Burns created the award nearly 13 years ago as a way to honor exemplary teachers and to involve students in the nomination and award process.

Burns was surprised with his own certificate of appreciation, presented by Marvin Kaiser, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Leslie McBride, director of the Center for Academic Excellence.

ASPSU |

In his presentation speech, Kaiser noted that Burns had 12 years’ worth of performance reviews for most of the faculty at the conversation in his possession, joking that CLAS faculty should be careful about what they say in front of him.

“Scott knows more about each of us in this room than we might think,” Kaiser said.

Burns conducts interviews with 350 graduate and senior undergraduate students each year to determine which professor is most deserving of the Allen Award. Each student is asked to list the characteristics that they feel best describes their nominated faculty member.

“This award tells faculty that their approach to teaching is important, and students that their input is valuable,” Burns said.

Burns’ data from past student reviews, which was passed around to event attendees, showed that students considered challenging class material to be most important. “[The data] shows that we are challenging students, and that this is important to them,” Burns said.

from page one

New multicultural director She is co-founder and coordinator for the new student group at Portland State, Pan American Solidarity Organization, as well as a student organizer for Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights.

Katie Markey, ASPSU interim legislative affairs director, said she considers Alloy very approachable and intelligent.

“I am glad the [multicultural affairs director] position is filled, and

I am excited to work with her,” said Courtney Morse, Oregon Student Association campus organizer.

Ed Hallman, ASPSU administrative director, said he believes Alloy will bring a lot of energy along with a fresh perspective to ASPSU staff.

“Samantha is a spectacular individual who wants to work with students in all walks of life, and we are expecting a lot from her,” said ASPSU President Jonathan Sanford.

is learning from the students and growing through them. The more open we, as teachers, are to being taught, the better we’ll be at teaching.”

User tips for: www.ratemyprofessors.com Evaluate the thoughtfulness of the review: Three- or four-word responses may indicate that the student gave as much time and thought to the class as they did to the response.

Read several reviews If one review says that the professor gives poor grades, verify that information by reading other reviews.

Write reviews Think about what you wish you knew before signing up for a course and write a constructive review based on that criterion.

Adam Wickham/Portland State Vanguard

Harry Anastasiou: Anastasiou is the highest-

rated Portland State professor on www.ratemyprofessors.com.

The Daily Cut Your world in brief

World: Blackout raises fears about Brazil infrastructure RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)—Government leaders are defending the reliability of Brazil’s power grid after a huge blackout left nearly 60 million people in the dark and raised concerns about its ability to guarantee electricity for a surging economy.

Energy Minister Edison Lobao said the hours-long blackout Tuesday night was caused by heavy rain, lightning and strong winds that made transformers on a vital highvoltage transmission line short circuit, leading two other lines to go down as part of an automatic safety mechanism.

The massive Itaipu dam on the border with Paraguay—the world’s second-largest hydroelectric power producer—was completely shut down for the first time in its 25-year history during the blackout, but Loboa stressed the plant was not the problem.

“The problem was exclusively with the transmission lines,” he said Wednesday.

The blackout cut electricity to 18 of Brazil’s 26 states and left them without power for up to four hours. About 7 million people also lost water service in Sao Paulo. All of Paraguay briefly lost power.

Analysts said the blackout shows Brazil’s lack of investment in the power system at a time when Latin America’s largest economy is booming and the country is preparing to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

The Brazilian Olympic Committee would not comment on the power failure. But among guarantees made to the International Olympic Committee is that Rio, as the host city in 2016, will be isolated from the

nation’s power system — to avoid problems like this. The city will have its own direct energy feed during the Games.

“There is an absolute failure of infrastructure in terms of energy,” said Patrizia Tomasi, an engineer with the Brazilian energy consulting firm Planck E. “What we are seeing now is only the beginning. There is a need to invest more, to improve how energy is managed by those in the government. We have Itaipu, which is huge, which is great, but there are no lines to transmit all that energy.”

—Bradley Brooks

Local: Wyden seeks bill to reduce Ore. sex trafficking PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)—Sen. Ron Wyden is proposing a new bill to boost protection for girls who become sex trafficking victims and tougher prosecution for the men who exploit them.

The Oregon Democrat was joined at a news conference Thursday afternoon in Portland by law enforcement leaders, including Multnomah County Commissioner Diane McKeel and District Attorney Michael Schrunk.

Wyden said sex trafficking amounts to slavery, and the new bill would fund social and legal services to help girls escape from pimps who prostitute them.

It will also provide housing, clothing, counseling and job training to prevent girls from returning to the streets.

The proposed legislation would target federal funds to states with the greatest need, including Oregon.

Each pilot project would receive a grant of $2.5 million for victims and to expand sex trafficking investigations.

VICTIM |

from page one

Transgendered student hopes to prevent others from being victims of harassment across campus, including in the Peter Stott Center and the new Recreation Center.

SAGE also boasts that Portland State is the second university in the nation to offer transgender health care to students. The Center for Student Health and Counseling now has revised forms and procedures to include transgendered patients, according to its Web site.

Campus Public Safety officers are now trained on transgender issues and attend regular trainings on a variety of queer-related topics.

Adrienne Graf, a graduate student social worker at the Women’s Resource Center, is trying to get the word out about their interpersonal violence program.

“We see this violence as a continuum of violence; looking at it as a platform, not as isolated incidents,” she said.

Transgender Day of Remembrance Nov. 20 at 6 p.m., Portland State’s Queer Resource Center will host a candlelight vigil for the Transgender Day of Remembrance, honoring those who were killed because of antitransgender hatred.

Photos courtesy of Amaya Taina

Left to right: Pakou Xiaong, Taina and Dorothy Zapf.

vanguardblog-psu.blogspot.com

Left to right: Katie Markey, Selina Parsons and Amaya Taina (a victim of harassment at Portland State) out to dinner.

Graf believes that education and prevention are the most important elements in the effort to minimize violence and harassment and that the more a society uses LGBTcompetent language, the more it will see services responding to genderbiased incidents.

visit our new blog at:

supported at school,” she said.

Portland State’s Sexual and Gender Equality (SAGE) task force is the most active support system for the transgendered community on campus, according to its Web site.

SAGE is working behind the scenes for policies and services that support sexual and gender diversity on campus. Since 2007, they have implemented a number of changes in favor of LGBT students.

SAGE has provided LGBT sensitivity trainings for resident assistants and non-discriminatory language for use in Residence Life and housing materials. The Residence Life student handbook now states that queer residents are safe and welcomed in Portland State residence halls.

Most recently, they have advocated and produced a campus map for gender-neutral bathrooms

Education for the undocumented Hispanic groups to show film for free next week Klara Cachau-Hansgardh Vanguard staff

Portland State student organizations Las Mujeres and Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (M.E.Ch.A) will host a free screening of the documentary Papers: The Movie in the Multicultural Center, located on the second floor of the Smith Memorial Student Union, next Monday at 6 p.m.

The film, directed by Anne Galisky, covers the plight of foreignborn children raised in the United States who have not attained legal status, or “papers,” by their 18th birthday, limiting their options and ultimately their futures.

M.E.Ch.A’s Matt Blasa noted the importance of acknowledging the broad racial spectrum of this issue, and hopes the film will further illuminate this for audience members.

“It’s a lot bigger struggle than people think it is,” Blasa said. “We wanted to show that it’s not just a political issue but a human issue as well.”

When asked whether or not any student, regardless of ethnicity or circumstance, could relate to the subjects in Papers, Blasa explained that undocumented high school graduates face obstacles involving their interest in higher education.

In contrast to the difficulties other students might face, according to Blasa, undocumented students face the possibility of having their grades withheld as a result of their status.

Moreover, Blasa confirmed that many prospective students in that position, upon acceptance to a college or university, have no means to pay for their tuition and expenses.

Scholarships may not be applicable, such students cannot pursue or gain any government financial aid and some schools even apply the international student cost to students in this situation, Blasa noted.

Exposing the struggle they have to go through just to go to school is a primary goal of the film, according to Blasa.

Attendance at the screening is free, but seating is limited.

Papers: The Movie Monday, Nov. 16 Multicultural Center SMSU second floor 6 p.m.

Free

Vanguard News | 9 November 13, 2009

Tips for better sleep Go to bed and get up at about the same time every day, even on weekends. Sticking to a schedule helps reinforce your body’s sleep-wake cycle and can help you fall asleep more easily at night.

Don’t eat or drink large amounts before bedtime.

Eat a light dinner at least two hours before sleeping.

Avoid spicy foods and limit how much you drink before bed.

Avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol in the evening. Smokers often experience withdrawal symptoms at night, and smoking in bed is dangerous.

Avoid caffeine for eight hours before your planned bedtime.

Although often believed to be a sedative, alcohol actually disrupts sleep.

Exercise regularly.

Regular physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, can help you fall asleep faster and make your sleep more restful, just not right before bed.

Make your bedroom cool, dark, quiet and comfortable.

Sleep primarily at night. Daytime naps may steal hours from nighttime slumber.

Choose a comfortable mattress and pillow.

Start a relaxing bedtime routine. Do the same things each night to tell your body it’s time to wind down.

This may include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music.

Go to bed when you’re tired and turn out the lights. If you don’t fall asleep within 15–20 minutes, get up and do something else.

Go back to bed when you’re tired. Don’t agonize over falling asleep. The stress will only prevent sleep.

Use sleeping pills only as a last resort. Check with your doctor before taking any sleep medications.

—www.mayoclinic.com

Papers: Documentary following foreign-born teenagers who do not have legal status in the United States.

Vanguard 10 | Sports November 13, 2009

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

Ridiculous products licensed by Major League Baseball Not long ago, The New York Times ran an article about Yankees Sod, a product that’s just what it sounds like: grass that’s been licensed by the Bronx Bombers for sale to fans.

To the casual fan, this seems absurd. But in fact, there are a few other products that give Yankees Sod a run for its money in the ridiculousness department.

1. Chicago Cubs galvanized pail At some point in his career, every dairy owner runs into the same problem: Cows just don’t know what MLB team to cheer for.

This galvanized milk bucket quickly answers the question for any confused bovines. Well worth the $15.99 price.

2. New York Mets B2 Stealth Bomber You want your kid to play with sports toys, but he loves military ones. What to do? In years past, you probably would have had to send him to live with his grandparents, but now there’s room for a compromise. For just $25, you can purchase a die-cast stealth bomber replica covered with Mets logos.

Really, if Mets fans want to talk about something quiet, fast and awesomely destructive, they can just recall the team’s 2009 bullpen.

3. Baltimore Orioles Father’s Day Mr. Potato Head Father’s Day gifts are tough. Most dads are difficult to shop for, and once you buy the gift, you always worry you’ve picked out the wrong thing. Remove all of that uncertainty by buying dad something he definitely won’t like.

Say, a Mr. Potato Head decked out in Baltimore Orioles gear.

5. Garden gnomes Wish your garden could show a little more team spirit? Forever Collectibles makes a line of lawn gnomes whose hats feature MLB logos.

At this point, fans of certain downtrodden teams will take any luck they can get, so enlisting magical creatures might not be a bad idea. (Note to Padres fans: No, you don’t already have a gnome. That’s David Eckstein, and he’s playing second base.)

—mentalfloss.com

SPORTS Up next: Last home stand Idaho State Bengals Football finishes season against the only remaining conference opponent Allison Whited Vanguard staff Home stretch: The Viks finish their home season this weekend.

Going into the final test of the season, the Vikings show no sign of weakness J. Logue Vanguard staff

The Portland State women’s volleyball team faces one of their toughest challenges of the season heading into the weekend. Hosting Northern Arizona and Northern Colorado on back-to-back nights for their last home games of the season will test the Vikings’ physical conditioning, as well as their mental fortitude.

Leading off with Northern Arizona (8-14, 5-8 Big Sky) tonight, Portland State (17-7, 11-2 Big Sky) will have to remain focused on the match and not overlook the Lumberjacks.

Considered a dangerous team by head coach Michael Seemann, NAU can be unpredictable as well as difficult to plan for, with no clear-cut leader on the team.

“NAU is young, so it’s kind of hard to say who to really isolate,” Seemann said. “Their main characters change every week.”

Despite the lack of a clear standout on the team, outside hitter

Portland State vs.

Northern Arizona Tonight, 7 p.m.

Stott Center Portland State vs.

Northern Colorado Saturday, 7 p.m.

Stott Center

Adam Wickham/Portland State Vanguard

Lauren Campbell has received the largest portion of the hitting attempts this season. Fortunately for the Vikings, the last time they met in Flagstaff, Ariz., Portland State held her to just .105 hitting with three hitting errors.

With less than 24 hours between games, the Vikings take the court tomorrow night against Northern Colorado (18-9, 11-2 Big Sky) for a vastly more important game. The match against the Bears is likely to decide the outcome of the Big Sky Conference Championship, as well as who receives the top seed in the tournament.

Having already lost to the Bears on their home court in Greeley, Colo., earlier this season, Portland State is in a must-win situation to retain their hold on first place in the Big Sky. Regardless of the outcome against Northern Arizona, the Vikings’ season will be decided Saturday against Northern Colorado.

“Northern Colorado is a very fast team, and they rely on their speed off the ball,” Seemann said. “Certainly, I think if you’re not balanced defensively, they can cause a lot of problems.”

The Vikings will try to use their clear height advantage over Northern Colorado to generate more blocks along the net. With hitting being the most glaring deficiency, Portland State can close the gap by getting in the faces of the Bears’ hitters and prevent them from getting any clean looks.

“Relative to size, I think we got some mismatches [last time] in the middle of the court,” Seemann said.

With the conference championship at stake this weekend, it will be important for the Vikings to stay focused and feed the hot hands in both matches.

in brief

Portland State is 2-8 overall and 1-6 in Big Sky play. Idaho State has a worse record, going 0-10 this season. The Bengals are on a long losing streak, dropping 25 of their last 26 games.

Last year’s meeting: Portland

State, 36-13. The Vikings may have only run for 21 yards but quarterback Drew Hubel, then a sophomore, threw for 474 yards. The defense performed as well as the offense. They held the Bengals to the least amount of points that Jerry Glanville has allowed a conference opponent in his three years as head coach.

History at home: Glanville and

Idaho State’s head coach John Zamberlin are both in the third year of their tenures as heads of their programs. They have split the two matchups 1-1, with the home team winning each time.

doubtful to play this week after suffering a shoulder injury last week, the duty will once again fall to sophomore Connor Kavanaugh. He is the team’s leading rusher, but is only throwing for an average of 44.4 yards per game.

The Viking run defense is ranked fourth in the conference, but their pass defense is ranked next to last. In last week’s game against Montana, the pass defense came around and allowed only 62 yards through the air and no scores in the second half. They need that kind of play to continue to get another conference win this week.

defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings Jared Allen is an Idaho State alumnus. In his last year there, he set a junior class record of 10.5 sacks on the season, the exact number of sacks he currently has at the halfway point of the NFL season.

Scouting the Bengals: The Bengals

are in last place in the Big Sky Conference. They are also ranked last in 14 out of the 33 statistical categories in the conference, including total offense and total defense.

Rodrigo Melgarejo/Portland State Vanguard

Final game: PSU heads to Idaho State for

their final football game of the season.

Who: Portland State Vikings at Idaho State Bengals Where: Pocatello, Idaho When: Saturday, 2:35 p.m.

Coverage: Watch live on www.bigskytv.org or listen on 800 AM KPDQ

Preparing for competition

Photo courtesy of Athletics Department

Scouting the Vikings: With Hubel

Big name, small place: Current

Championship with a 10-6-4 overall record, and 4-1-2 in conference.

Schott had nine members of her team named to the All-Conference Team, including the conference’s offensive and defensive MVPs. It was only the third time that a conference school has swept both offensive and defensive honors.

Named as one of the winners of the Big Sky’s Coach of the Year Award is Portland State women’s soccer head coach Laura Schott. It is her first such award, and the latest at Portland State since 2002.

“It is a well-deserved award,” said Torre Chisholm, athletic director, in a statement released by the school.

“Laura led the team to a great preseason record and then led the team to a Big Sky Championship. We hope that this is just the first of many for her.”

A native Portlander, Schott receives the award after just her second season at the helm for the Vikings. This season, she led her squad to a Big Sky Regular Season

Records entering the game:

Last week against undefeated conference leader Montana, Idaho State almost pulled an enormous upset. With just seconds on the clock, Montana kicked a field goal to win the game 12-10.

The Bengals are a defensive enigma. They have four of the conference’s top 11 tacklers. By comparison, Weber State and Eastern Washington are second with two each. However, the Bengals don’t have any of the top 20 players with sacks or tackles for loss.

in the NCAA West Regional tomorrow is the Portland State cross country team. The event, hosted

by Oregon and held at the Springfield Country Club, will begin at 9:45 a.m. for the men’s race and 10:45 a.m. for the women’s.

The course in Springfield poses a challenge for the Portland State squad, as the normal distances of 5k for the women and 8k for the men are

increased to 6k and 10k, respectively.

This year’s race marks only the second time the Vikings have competed at the regional, the first occurring in 2006. The last race Portland State competed in was the Big Sky Championship on Oct. 31, where both the men’s and women’s teams placed eighth overall.

The top two teams in tomorrow’s meet will advance to the NCAA National Meet in Terre Haute, Ind., on Nov. 23.

Holding a free basketball clinic

for local youth this Sunday is the Portland State women’s basketball team.

The clinic is open to students in grades three through eight, and will run from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Stott Center. Participants will receive a free ticket to Portland State’s Dec. 6 home game against Pacific and a poster autographed by this year’s squad.

To RSVP or for more information, contact assistant coach Kate Benz at 503-725-5743.

etc.

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 500 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Saturday, October 31, 2009

Edited by Will Shortz Across 1 Momentous 1960s convention 10 Transfix 15 “Hold your horses!”

16 Cooking product 17 Carefree 18 Takes out 19 Right on 20 King ___ 21 They may come with socks 23 ___ Beach (former home of Dodgertown) 25 Team known as the Americans until 1907 27 MS. enclosure 28 Axiom producer 30 Enjoyed London or France 31 Take out 32 Patron of barristers and notaries 34 Swing set players?

36 Capital of East London 38 Bosom 39 Domain of Paul Bunyan 43 Author of the controversial kidsʼ book “In the Night Kitchen” 47 Flag in a garden 48 Pope who excommunicated Martin Luther 50 1971-97 nation name 51 Abbr. for some generals 52 Nose-in-the-air types?

54 Particle named for a letter of the alphabet 55 Nathaniel Hawthorne story subtitled “The Bosom-Serpent” 57 Part of an Avignon address 59 Do without much daring?

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60 1-Across topic 61 Put together 64 Hard to get a reaction out of 65 Judgeʼs cry 66 Where the owl and the pussycat went, in a poem 67 Cell organelle with microtubules Down 1 In relation to 2 “In the Mood,” e.g.

3 Fit 4 Contacts 21st century-style 5 Fare, e.g.

6 Dijon darling 7 Like it 8 Business end?

9 “According to some …”

10 Base of a number system 11 Bahaiʼs birthplace 12 Provides with a seat 13 May symbol 14 Clothes hangers?

22 His #14 was retired by the Mets 24 Location of the Boston Mountains and Buffalo River 26 Miss throwing a ball 29 Territory east of Ukraine on a Risk board 31 Egyptian temple complex near Luxor

1

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59 63

Puzzle by Joon Pahk

33 Small rises 35 “And a Voice to Sing With” memoirist 37 Workerʼs ideal 39 Romantic, perhaps 40 Cousin of catnip 41 Figure of speech like “no mean feat” 42 Gigayear

44 Game involving spinning a top on a string 45 Like a cat playing in catnip 46 Successor to Powell on the Supreme Court 49 Victor at Thermopylae, 480 B.C.

52 One of a sailing trio 53 Hindu maxim 56 Flag 58 N.B.A. legend Monroe with a signature spin move 62 It was founded

by Thos.

Jefferson 63 Bath suds spot?

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.

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Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.

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Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating.

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

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

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

WANTED

Comic artist for the Vanguard Send résumés to: arts@dailyvanguard.com

-The Vanguard Staff

Vanguard Etc. | 11 November 13, 2009

CALENDAR Today Film and discussion: Until the Last Drop 3:30 p.m.

SMSU, room 296 Women of Color Zine Workshop 4:30 p.m.

Women’s Resource Center

Saturday Local Interfaith Service for Global Change 8:30 a.m.

Meet at PSU’s Spiritual Life Center to carpool 5th Annual Da Kaibigan ShowKase 6 p.m.

SMSU Ballroom $8 student ticket at box office, $12 door Nasha 2009: The Cruise Party 10 p.m.

Waterfront Park $10 student ticket at box office, 18+

Sunday Concert: Florestan Trio and Friends 7 p.m.

The Old Church, 1422 SW 11th Ave. Free with PSU ID

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.

SPORTS EXTRA

Let the games begin

Men’s Basketball vs. Belmont Where: Athletes in Action Classic Seattle, Wash.

When: 4:30 p.m.

Rosemary Hanson Vanguard staff

Tomorrow, the Portland State women’s basketball team opens the season by taking on the Washington Huskies in the Stott Center.

After posting a win in last week’s exhibition game, the Vikings are looking to post a regular-season win to start their highly anticipated 2009–10 campaign.

Volleyball vs. Northern Arizona Where: Stott Center When: 7 p.m.

Saturday

History not on Viks’ side:

A look at Washington: The Pac-10 Huskies posted an 8-22 record last season, and 3-15 in conference. They come into the season off two exhibition wins against Seattle Pacific and Corban College, who they annihilated in a 103-34 blowout.

This weekend in Portland State sports Friday

Women’s basketball starts the season by hosting Pac-10 Huskies

Portland State has not faced the Huskies in nearly 23 years.

Washington leads the series 17-4, and the Viks are 0-7 against them in Portland. A lot has changed in 23 years, though. With the leadership of head coach Sherri Murrell and the depth the Vikings have on the court, the Vikings hope to begin the season with a milestone win.

Vanguard Sports | 12 November 13, 2009

Picked first: The Vikings are predicted to finish first in the conference in both preseason polls.

The Washington lineup features their top shooter, guard-forward Sami Whitcomb, who averaged 12.8 points per game last season.

Returning alongside Whitcomb will be Washington’s second and third shooters, guard-forward Kristi Kingma, and forward-center Laura McLellan.

A look at Portland State: Named to win the Big Sky Conference in both preseason polls, Portland State is coming off its best season in NCAA Division I play. The Viks posted a 23-10 record, went 14-2 in conference and made it to

the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.

Eleven letterwinners return this year, including senior guard Claire Faucher, unanimous First Team AllBig Sky selection. Last year, Faucher posted an impressive 11.2 points per game and heading into this season she needs only 83 assists to become the school’s all-time leader and 86 to lead the Big Sky. Junior forward Kelli Valentine posted 11.4 points per game last season and is also noted as a strong rebounder. Returners sophomore guard Eryn Jones and junior guard Kelly Marchant join Faucher and

All photos by Liana Shewey/Portland State Vanguard

Valentine as the four leading scorers on the team.

What: Women’s basketball season opener Who: Portland State vs.

Washington Where: Stott Center When: Saturday, 2 p.m.

Emerald City The Vikings begin season play at the Athletes in Action Classic in Seattle J. Logue Vanguard staff

Chris Harriel: Here, the freshman guard gets a shot off in

exhibiton play. The Viks open the regular season this weekend.

Rodrigo Melgarejo/Portland State Vanguard

With three games on the slate this weekend, the Portland State men’s basketball team will begin their season by playing three outstanding squads in games against Belmont, Wright State and No. 14-ranked Washington.

Their first game is today against Belmont, and the Vikings look to get going early by finding their rhythm against a young Bruins team. Enjoying similar success as Portland State, Belmont is no patsy on the schedule and has played in three of the last four NCAA tournaments.

Portland State will play another quality opponent in Wright State on Saturday night. The Raiders are a team with solid pedigree, as they regularly face ranked opponents in a conference with teams like Butler, who finished last season ranked 25th in the nation.

Despite playing both of these teams for the first time, the Vikings will have their hands full against two well-coached teams that have played against top-level talent

before. The Vikings should benefit, however, from the distinct looks and will gain valuable experience in both matchups for use later in the season.

The Vikings will need to be careful with how much they exhaust themselves before their third matchup against Washington on Sunday.

Playing against their first-ranked opponent, the Huskies will provide Portland State with stiff competition.

Washington’s outstanding rebounding will test Portland State in an area they have been struggling with.

Also, look for junior forward Phil Nelson to try and impress the Huskies, his old team.

With all three teams figuring to be tough matchups, Portland State can answer a lot of questions this weekend in Seattle before they head to their next big matchup against Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif., on Nov. 29.

Athletes in Action Basketball Classic Portland State vs. Belmont Today, 4:30 p.m.

Portland State vs. Wright State Saturday, 4:30 p.m.

Portland State vs. Washington Sunday, 7 p.m.

Cross Country NCAA West Regionals Where: Eugene, Ore. When: 9:45 a.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. Washington Where: Stott Center When: 2 p.m.

Football at Idaho State Where: Pocatello, Idaho When: 2:35 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. Wright State Where: Athletes in Action Classic Seattle, Wash.

When: 4:30 p.m.

Volleyball vs. Northern Colorado Where: Stott Center When: 7 p.m.

Sunday Men’s Basketball vs. Washington Where: Athletes in Action Classic Seattle, Wash.

When: 7 p.m.