The Vancougar: October 19, 2009

Washington State University Vancouver’s Student Newspaper

Volume 15, Issue 5 www.vancougar.com

October 19, 2009

Volunteer opportunities on campus

Civic Engagement one of many gateways to helping out is to be a positive role model in the child’s life as well as speak on behalf of the child at any court Editor-in-Chief hearings. The CASA volunteers are responsible olunteering to help those less fortunate for reporting back to the court system what they than you can be an extremely rewarding believe to be the best housing, schooling, or experience for anyone. The Civic Engagement living arrangement for the child. programs on campus provide many opportunities Typically, the CASA volunteer assists the for students, faculty, staff, and others child in ways that no one else could. to join in important causes and make They are the usually the only stable a difference in people’s lives. person in the child’s life and often One program on campus is make a large impact on whether the At Home At School (AHAS). child spends time in foster care rather Education students working on their than in a safe and permanent home. BA or in master’s programs are CASA volunteers must be 21 years typically the ones signing up for this old, but no experience is necessary. service-learning project. However, English, Another program, much like Big Brothers Anthropology, DTC, and Human Development Big Sisters, is ‘Lunch Buddies.’ With ‘Lunch students are helping out as well. With AHAS, Buddies,’ rather than taking the child out with WSUV students are teaching and assisting you, you spend one lunch period a week eating teachers with curriculum such as theatre, with them. This one-on-one mentoring is for computer literacy, environmental science, and elementary-age students who are struggling in video story-telling. The At Home At School school or having a hard time at home. program was designed to give students in The Civic Engagement programs don’t focus grades K-12 somewhere to be if their home life solely on children. The StreamTeam project is not helpful to their education. Beyond high is an education program run by Clark Public school, participants in the program can utilize Utilities. They are always needing volunteers many aspects such as internship opportunities, to help with planting trees, restoring Salmon research projects, and helping out with manual Creek, and monitoring water quality. The main labor or office work. goal of the StreamTeam is AHAS recently to bring salmon back to received a grant from the the creek. Legacy Health System’s Those five volunteer Community Health Fund programs accompany the totalling $170,000. This service-learning teaching grant money will pay for style also taking place three years of research on campus. Lida Dekker, in order to better nursing instructor, offers develop the program service jobs for students for the kids who need taking her courses. They it. AHAS, which was complete tasks such as developed by Susan giving the healthcareFinley, WSUV associate lacking community professor, is always in members flu shots. These need of volunteers for projects help the students various tasks in assisting fulfill their clinical homeless or lesspractice requirement as fortunate children. well as find meaning in the Big Brothers Big work they are doing. Sisters is another Other service-learning mentoring program that Professors and instructors helps at-risk or distant include Claire Latham, children. By creating Business, Dr. Tonda one-on-one partnerships Liggett, ESL, Dr. Mosher, with the mentor Sociology, and Dr. Laurie (Big) and the student Drapela, Criminal Justice. (Little), Big Brothers If you would love to Big Sisters (BBBS) is volunteer, but are so busy able to successfully that you only have time change kids’ lives. If to do things you get paid you volunteer at BBBS, for, don’t worry. The you are responsible for campus offers a ‘Students maintaining contact in Service’ scholarship with your ‘Little’ and based on the number meeting with them on of community service a regular basis. Unlike hours you complete. The many mentor programs, scholarship offers up BBBS allows the mentor to $2,362 for serviceto hang out with the learning, volunteer child outside of a normal positions through the state classroom or organized or city, practicum hours, setting. For instance, if general volunteering, every Thursday you go or any other unpaid, (Top) Participants of the Poverty Banquet held this summer watch DTC students’ videos about world hunger. (Above) Loaves and Fishes bowling, you would take academic internship. your ‘Little’ with you a few is a food-delivery service for senior citizens who cannot afford food or do not have means of picking food up. Katie Wells/The VanCougar Contact Nickie Davis at times a month. 360.546.9159 for more at WSUV is the Court Appointed Special due to abuse or neglect, they are appointed an Hanging out with a positive, older role model Advocate (CASA) program. Though it is advocate. This trained volunteer meets with information about any of these programs or visit helps the child grow into their full potential and not run through the school, our campus is a the child around eight hours a month in order the site: http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/acadaffairs/ experience what a healthy lifestyle is like. great resource for getting in contact with the to monitor the child’s situation and record any civicengagement/home.htm. Another volunteer opportunity advertised program. If a child has entered the court system progress made within a year. The advocate’s job Katie Wells

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Bumper sticker craze on campus and throughout country page 4

Student Spotlight: Sam Valaer; you think you are young? page 7

A Tale Through Audio: local band releases new CD page 11

ASWSUV’s National Dessert Day treats page 12

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CAMPUS NEWS

Meeting Nancy Youlden

Becoming the Vice Chancellor Chau Nguyen Staff Writer

WSUV’s vice chancellor of student affairs is a 20-year veteran with the university system, and she says she believes her job is important: overseeing student affairs and enrollment on the campus. “I have overall responsibility for all student affairs and enrollment management on this campus,” said Nancy Youlden. Student affairs and enrollment management are surely broad categories. Nancy collaborated by mentioning she is in charge of career and disability services, student involvement, student government, new student orientation, and student ambassadors. She also does advising, but only for the undecided freshmen. Nancy believes her position plays a significant role on the campus, “Our goals are to serve, enrich, and support students.” Indeed, that is the mission statement of Student Affairs, “The primary purpose of Student Affairs is to provide the University community with programs and services that assist and empower students to achieve their highest educational potential.” To fulfill

that, Nancy spends her time representing the campus to the community and to Pullman by working with students, staff, administrators, and the student government president directly. She occasionally goes to Pullman to visit her colleagues. People rarely get to a high position immediately after they start a job. Most of the time, they have to work hard and climb up. Nancy did the same too. She started in Pullman in 1990 as an assistant director. She worked for the branch campuses who paid her salary, but her office was located in Pullman, “When I was in Pullman, I worked in admission processing and recruitment.” As the branch campuses started to grow, she was given more responsibilities and in 1994, she moved up to be the associate director. In July of 1996, Nancy came to Vancouver for a year appointment and became permanent here, “I ended up never going back and here I am.” In a high leadership position, Nancy has had to make difficult and complex decisions involving students, budget decisions as well as addressing those issues with staff, “And I

overcame those difficult times by consistently making decisions methodically and collecting as much information as possible. I try to be fair, honest, and compassionate whenever there is a difficult decision to make. I keep students in mind when I make decisions and ultimately try to do what is right for our unit, our campus and WSU.” Nancy enjoys the variety of her work; loves interactions with students, faculty and staff; and appreciates the opportunity to be involved in decisions that impact the culture and direction of WSUV campus, “I work closely with Cabinet members (e.g. Vice Chancellors, Human Resources, Development/Alumni, Marketing/ Communication, etc).” Her least favorite parts of her job are conflicts and personnel issues. There are a few projects that Nancy would like to share. She is currently working on “hiring a new financial aid counselor, chairing the search for a Director of Student Affairs at WSU Spokane, updating our student handbook, reviewing and updating Records Retention schedule and creating and transferring information for the web including S&A materials and our orientation and training materials for staff.” With WSUV’s transition into a four-year university, the administrators had very little time to hire the necessary staff and put on new

programs and services in place. However, they accomplished that in a very short amount of time. Nancy is especially proud her accomplishment in hiring excellent staff who are productive, student-centered, and competent, who have helped a lot in WSUV’s transition. Nancy’s regret is that sometimes she thinks she should have pursued another advanced degree. In her free time, Nancy likes to work out, travel, enjoy good food, and spend time with family including a couple of small dogs, and friends.

Crossword: Italian Cuisine Job searching tips given Derek Brown Contributor

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Diverse Careers, Diverse People

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Chau Nguyen

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Staff Writer

s undergraduate and graduate students come close to finishing their degrees, they have to be anxious about looking for jobs after they graduate. Attendees of the Diverse Career, Diverse People event learned a lot of helpful tips about job-searching and related things. The event on Oct.7 was sponsored by the Student Resource Center and Diversity. Students had the chance to learn about various industries and potential career paths, network with professionals, and learn experiences from people of diverse backgrounds. The panelists were: Aimee Heigold, category production artist from Nike; Nikole Hannah-Jones, Multnomah County reporter from the Oregonian; Jamil Panni, project coordinator from Ecos (Environmental Business Consulting); and Brian Wright, creative director from Brian Thomas Creative Marketing Group. Each panelist shared a little about how they got the positions they are in today. HannahJones got her job thanks to a networking day that she attended. She met a recruiter for the Oregonian and got the contact. After she was done with her internship at the time and her degree, she contacted the recruiter and got the job. Having experienced herself, Hannah-Jones said recruiters nowadays like to hire people with experience already after they graduate, so

internship while in school is a must. She also shared that in her field today, an employee needs not only to know how to report. The employer may ask him to shoot or edit videos. Therefore, Hannah-Jones said younger people have more advantage in technology than herself and her contemporary co-workers. A lot of helpful information was shared during the casual talk. Wright kept telling the students not to be shy and that communication is the key to get a job. Wright related his personal experiences, saying that his trying to talk to customers and offer them help when he was working at a retail store helped boost his confidence and communication skills needed for his interview with a marketing company later on, “I was no longer shy but confident to talk to the manager at the interview. Let the employers know your skills and what you want or are interested in.” Getting out of your shell seemed to be a recurrent tip. “Be comfortable in your own skin to network. Know what you want and talk to people,” advised Panni. Aware of the economic recession, Heigold knew that a lot of companies nowadays are hiring temporary employees only since the employers do not have to pay for benefits. However, Heigold did advise the students not to hesitate to look for a temporary job since it is a good chance to earn experience.

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1. CHICKEN______ 7. NEW 8. SHALLOW PAN 9. ITALIAN SOUP 11. LAYERED PASTA DISH 16. ALLIES ENEMY 17. UNDILUTED 19. ___KWONDO 20. PARTICLES FOUND IN SMOKE 22. COFFEE INFUSED DESSERT 24. A MALE SWAN 25. TRAVEL ON WATER 27. SAUCE MADE FROM PRIMARILY BASIL AND OLIVE OIL 28. SOFT ITALIAN CHEESE 30. SMALL BARRELS 31. LOWEST PART OF THE MUSICAL RANGE 33. FASTEN 34. DEVICE FOR COOKING BY DIRECT HEAT 37. LIGHTWEIGHT WOOD 38. DOMED STRIKING SURFACE 39. OVERFLOWS 40. FLAT ITALIAN PIE

2. APPETIZERS 3. NO, IN STUTTGART 4. ABSENCE OF ANYTHING 5. HABITATION OF WILD ANIMALS 6. MID-DAY 10. LEGEND OF HEROIC EXPLOITS 12. BEGIN 13. GEOGRAPHIC REGION 14. NOT FINAL 15. PSYCHE MEDIATORS 16. TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY 18. DWELLING 21. MEAT-BASED SAUCE FOR PASTA 22. LAYER 24. MAKE REFERENCE TO 26. QUERY 27. HIGHLY SEASONED ITALIAN MEAT 29. RECORDS 33. NOVEMBER BIRTHSTONE 34. WOUND RECEIVED FROM THE MOUTH 35. DO AS ORDERED 36. “_ __ LEGEND”

10/20 & 10/21 Student Club P.A.W. (Promoting Animal Welfare) is distributing literature on how to help local feral cats from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. next to cafeteria

CAMPUS NEWS

Student Resource Center

Helping students succeed Rup Brar

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s the semester is taking off, many students are starting to feel the strains of college. As midterms are haunting the sleep of some students, others are struggling to fight a chronic illness many college students seem to suffering from: procrastination. Diagnosis is easy, and even a prognosis can be probed out, but treatment is another story. The Student Resource Center (SRC) is a place where students are equipped with tools not just to fight the ailment of procrastination, but also to fine tune skills that can go beyond one’s college career. The SRC came into existence in the 2005-2006 academic year. It started out as a “one person show” in the ground floor of the VMMC. The focus then was to provide disability and career services. From its modest beginning, SRC has come a long way. SRC moved to its current location behind the Bookie, in its own building in 2007. Several new services have been added over the years. Services such as academic success workshops, undeclared/pre-major advising, study abroad, DDP exam proctoring, reinstatement/academic deficiency, tutoring and supplemental instruction program, along with the original disability and career services are offered to meet the diverse needs of students. “The heart of SRC is to help students reach their goals,” Said Kelsey Dupere, WSUV Interim Student Achievement Manager. SRC strives, “to support students in all areas of development in college” from the day they are first admitted till they graduate, added Dupere enthusiastically. “We want to be a hub for students,” a place where they can feel welcomed to come in and ask for any help. SRC offers a variety of workshops throughout the year. These workshops are an essential part of SRC’s agenda throughout the

year. Three types of workshops include Success skills workshops, Career services workshops and Pre-health students’ workshops. Academic Success skills workshops are tailored toward all students in developing and refining skills to meet the challenges of academia. Sometimes the most important lesson is simply learning to learn. These workshops equip students with tools to deal with procrastination, time management, test anxiety, stress and concentration. After all, if you find yourself fantasizing about that juicy burger waiting for you after class, while your professor is still exploring the evolutionary perspective on gender or is probing the symbolism behind Lady Macbeth’s bloody hands, it is time to head over to the SRC. Both Shakespeare and Darwin will definitely appreciate it. Pre-Health workshops, on the other hands are designed to help students on a Prehealth professional track. From acquiring recommendation letters to writing personal statements or to preparing for the interviews; these workshops aid students in applying and getting into a variety of health professional schools. Career Services have been part of the SRC from the very beginning, and it has grown tremendously. Career services not only help current students, but are also open to Alumni. Career workshops led by Christine Lundeen, helps students acquire skills to make it beyond college. These workshops aim at serving students at different places in their career paths. In the current economy, finding desired jobs is like looking for a needle in a haystack, which seems to be growing exponentially. Workshops such as the resume writing, interviewing and job skills along with Etiquette Dinner are designed to help students become more competitive in this job market. The Etiquette Dinner will be held on Oct 21, 2009. It will allow a chance for the attendees to

learn and practice protocol for formal dining in a professional setting. For those students still pondering over what they want to do when they “grow up,” Myers Briggs and Strong inventory workshops may help show the light. Along with workshops, SRC also provides consultation for students looking to extend their horizons. Study Abroad programs provide a great way for students to view life through

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a different perspective. Many students shy away from this opportunity due to the financial burdens it entails. Bill Stahley, the Study Abroad coordinator, can help students find the right program that fits both budget and educational path of each individual student. Students are encouraged to visit the SRC office for any further questions. The web site devoted to all the services is also available at http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/ss/src/.

Encounter Research: Conversations with WSUV Faculty

Dr. Scott Wallace “Using Open Source Software & Machine Learning to Transform the Way to Do Business” October 27 at Noon in the Library’s Reading Room Part of an on-going series of conversations. Stay tuned for Dr. Clare Wilkinson-Weber, Dr. Carol Siegel and Dr. Dan Jaffe.

Candid Cougs “What are your three ‘nevers’?” Jake Kleinschmidt

Ryan Johnson - Theology

Managing Editor

“Never kill, never denounce Jesus, never eat poop.”

Biology -Kelli Chamberlain “Never sky dive, never eat a sea slug, never go golfing in a lightning storm.” Stacy Torres - Business “Never do drugs, never vandalize, never intentionally hurt someone.”

Library - Nick Schiller “Never regret, never hurt anyone, never get caught.” Holly Ballantyne - Environmental Science “Never steal, never lie, never take some ones boyfriend.”

Elementary Education - Serena Kandoll “Never cheat on a test, never eat squash soup, never kill a butterfly.”

You’re a writer? Perfect! The VanCougar is hiring reporters for all sections. Please apply online at vancougar.com.

Michael Bursey- -Mechanical Engineering “Never give you up, never let you down, never desert you.”

10/20 Strong Interest Inventory: Undecided major? Get help finding activities and careers that are interesting to you. Call SRC at 360-546-9155 before the event

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STUDENT INVOLVEMENT

WSUV Student expressions The beliefs behind bumper stickers Katie Wells

Editor-in-Chief

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n 1934, Forest P. Gill established a silkscreen printing company. A few years later, right after WWII, Gill made a discovery. By combining a self-sticking adhesive sheet and fluorescent ink, he could create what is now known as a bumper sticker. Bumper stickers first became popular in the forties, but flourished in the fifties and sixties during all of the civil rights movements. Bumper stickers became another outlet for Americans’ rights to freely speak. When they were first created, they displayed citizens’ political views as well as their attitude toward the wars. Today, bumper sticker themes range

from presidential support or bashing, to environmental causes. They center around religious jokes, funny sayings, kind words for tailgaters, and even cartoons. The bumper sticker craze did not stop at the back side of vehicles. There is a new term known as “stickering” that has hit the nation in the last decade. Though it is illegal in most places, many use this as a way to get free advertising for a cause or group. By simply placing a sticker on a sign, wall, or phone booth, those who “sticker” are forcing others to see their message. If you take a look at the backs of cars on the WSUV campus, you will notice that there is a wide range of messages being displayed. Though the views may vary, the means of expressing them remains the same.

Joseph Tiegs/The VanCougar

The missing text in the above sticker is “so I had to eat.” Each of these stickers was found on a car parked in a WSUV campus parking lot.

Halloween Word Search F

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BAT BLACK BLOOD CANDY

CAT CORN DEAD FRANKENSTEIN GHOST

HAUNTED MAZE MONSTER NIGHT NIGHTMARE

OCTOBER PUMPKIN SKELETON THIRTYONE VAMPIRE

WART WITCH ZOMBIE

Want better coffee on campus? Take the poll online at vancougar.ning.com

10/21 Etiquette Dinner at 4:30 p.m. in VFSC. $5; sign up through SRC - 10/21 Cougar Networking Night @ 5:30 p.m. at The Club at the Historic Reserve

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT

Birder’s Association It’s nearly impossible to walk to class early in the Sally Thrall morning and pass by the pond without noting Staff Writerthe loud, cheerful calls of the birds fluttering around. It’s completely impossible to hold a conversation with someone near the water during the dusky hours. The air is filled by a cacophony of birdsongs so loud that it is a wonder that the birds themselves don’t go deaf. The noisy, feathered culprits are known as RedWinged Blackbirds, or Agelaius phoeniceus for the scientifically inclined. These mostly non-migratory birds come together in fairly large flocks during fall and winter months, gathering at dusk to roost. It just so happens that the WSU-Vancouver pond is an ideal roosting site for these medium-sized songbirds who excel at keeping the insect populations down. Red-wings are perhaps one of the more abundant species here in the United States, with a recorded population back in 1974 that was estimated at around 190 million birds. Their preferred habitat consists of marshes and meadows, both of which are found on the WSU-Vancouver campus. During the day, these birds spread a couple miles apart to feed, mate, and conduct their birdly activities, but come sundown, a sizable congregation of our feathered friends begins to assemble. This behavior makes sense when one considers energy requirements: it’s easier to keep warm and stay safe in large numbers. These particular blackbirds are polygynous, meaning that one male will mate with multiple females. It’s not uncommon to find one male fiercely defending his territory for fifteen or so females, but he is unaware that some of his females may not be so loyal. In any case, the blackbirds demonstrate what’s known as

“resource defense polygyny,” where one male will control a territory with rich resources and ideal nesting sites, hoping to attract as many females as possible so he can maximize offspring production. As one would expect, this results in a rivalry between neighboring male territories, and a byproduct of such rivalry not only includes intense singing, but can also cause males to chase one another in an attempt to defend and expand their territories. Does it really make evolutionary sense for multiple females to mate with only one male? Why don’t they mind sharing resources with so many other females? The polygyny threshold model demonstrates that females are willing to share a territory with other females to avoid settling on a resource-poor, predatorvulnerable territory. In other words, it’s better to find a male with a big, high-quality territory and share it with other females than to stick with a monogamous male that has a small, low-quality territory. Interestingly enough, the Red-Winged Blackbird has been an ideal bird for testing the theories behind resource defense polygyny and the polygyny threshold model. To learn more about these birds, check out: http:// www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/red-winged_blackbird/id Happy birding. Joey Smokey President, Birder’s Association at WSU-Vancouver To get involved with the club, email Joey at [email protected].

WSU Vancouver Presents the Fall 2009

Etiquette Dinner Outclass the Competition Learn and practice etiquette and protocol for business and formal dining experiences from guest expert Lori Hennessy.





Wednesday, October 21, 2009 4:30pm - 7:00pm Firstenburg Student Commons All majors are invited! Only $5 for a four-course meal (valued at over $20) To reserve your spot, contact the Student Resource Center at 546-9155. Act quickly, as space is limited!

How confident are you of the impression you’ll make at a lunchtime interview?

Sponsored by Service & Activities Fees (S&A).

Questions? Call or email the Student Resource Center. Phone: (360) 546-9155 or Email: [email protected]

Vancougar.ning.com 10/24 Fall Leadership Conference @ 9:30 a.m. in VFSC, Free, register early at ASWSUV.com - 10/25 Indoor rock climbing; sign up in Rec Office, $20/$25

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FEATURE

Type ‘T’ Halloween

The thrill of frightened screaming Katie Wells

‘T

Hello again.

Have you ever gotten so upset, so angry, so furious at one of your teachers that during class you turned beet red, all the sound drained from the room, and left you with nothing but your pulsing, throbbing veins as a minimalist soundtrack to your class? Well, it just happened to me. And over what? Oh nothing really, just the fate of humanity, and the reasons for the downfall of American civilization. No biggie. Nothing to worry about! Nothing to discuss, nothing

to see here anymore! I am so over it. Other people’s opinions are none of my concern. I cannot be wasting my precious energy fuming over why another person can’t just get it. Instead, I shall focus that energy on seeking out all of those fabulous, fun, and—most importantly—FREE things that are offered here in the ‘Couv. Besides, what fun would it be if we all thought alike? How fun would a peaceful, environmentally sustainable world be anyway? Oh, the questions come easily— the answers… not so much.

What: Ghost Stories When: Saturday, Oct. 24 Where: Vancouver Community Library Time: 12pm Cost: FREE

The very un-scary library will be hosting a supposedly scary afternoon of local ghost stories. Pat Jollata, author of “Darkness Next Door,” will share some tales of terror and dead Vancouverites. “Ghost Stories for Grown-ups: Haunted Vancouver” says all you need to know: don’t bring your kiddies.

What: Festival When: Saturday, Oct. 24 Where: Ross Off Leash Park, NE 18th and Ross Time: 10am to 3pm Cost: FREE

This festival is for dogs, dog owners, and wanna-be dog owners who can’t own a dog because their landlord said “no”, their boyfriend said “hell no”, or their wallet said “not a chance, you can barely feed yourself”. In any case, ”Dogtoberfest” should be a slobbery good time with a dog costume contest followed by a Dog Olympic Games.

What: Themed Food When: Thursday, Oct. 29 Where: Goldendale Community Library Time: 3:30-5:30 pm Cost: FREE

What: Halloween When: Friday, Oct. 30th to Saturday, Oct. 31 Where: Everywhere! Time: All the time! Cost: FREE!

“Dinner with a Vampire” is an afternoon of role-playing. Dressing up like a blood sucking-kinda-dead person is highly encouraged, as is drinking red stuff and eating pizza. All this takes place at the library, so you have no excuse not to do some research on the history of vampires.

Halloween is the ultimate in free goods. Unfortunately, everyone already knows this. Last year, I had the displeasure of experiencing a panic attack on trick or treat night. It began over something entirely separate, but as anyone who is familiar with panic attacks knows, they are extremely egocentric with all the problems of the world and impending doom always revolving around you. So, I was sitting in my house trying to tell myself the planet was not about to end, when “ding-dong!” goes the bell, over and over and over again. Of course, this was someone come to tell me the apocalypse had indeed arrived and that I was responsible. Or maybe, those nosy, prying neighbors knew I was vulnerable and had come to collect their borrowed baking soda at the very worst possible time. Of course!: they had been plotting on me for weeks, waiting for the perfect opportunity to call the cops for that funny smell that so often emanated from my backyard late at night. I hid in my bedroom, under the covers, with all the lights out, waiting for the dinging and donging to subside. I knew it was Halloween, but I also knew that if I opened the door all hell would break loose and I would lose my sanity once and for all. Moral of the story: Halloween is not a good time to be terrified of people dressed up like ghost or police officers. Especially police officers. Don’t do that, it can really make a person lose their already fragile mind. So if you need somewhere to go to watch sugared up kids and their chained, slave parents, just step outside, and take a seat on your comfiest lawn chair.

Editor-in-Chief

hrill seeking’ people get energy and excitement from activities that normal people find terrifying. These activities include bungee jumping, racing in cars, and roller coasters. The strong adrenaline rush received from doing these things are what motivate these people to continue in their dangerous ways. These people are known as ‘type T’ personalities. Type Ts have a difficult time staying pumped up during boring days and especially during the rainy season. However, Halloween is a huge break in the drab times. The end of October is a Type T’s dream come true. At what other time can you dress up in frightening outfits, lose your voice screaming at haunted houses, and watch nightmare inducing films back to back? Halloween is an excuse to do the most unnerving activities one can find. According to a Psychologist at Temple University, Frank Farley, PhD, type T personalities relish in the physical sensations that fear brings. “There’s almost nothing else, including sex, that can match it in terms of the

incredible sensory experience that the body is put through,” said Farley. Feel like you’re one who thrives from this heart-pumping, thrill-seeking lifestyle? Vancouver and Portland have catered to you for the next weeks. If you have an itch that only intense fear can scratch, check out these haunts before the clock strikes midnight on All Hallows’ Eve. Sauvie Island is home to the ‘Field of Screams’ corn maze. It consists of tall lines of corn hiding frightening monsters, ghosts, and zombies waiting to jump out at you in the fog filled, pitch-black maze. It is open Oct. 23-25 and Oct. 30-31 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Scream at the Beach, in Portland, OR at the Janzten Beach Center, is celebrating its ninth year of scaring children and adults in their many haunted houses. If these events are child’s play for you, take a drive down to Hazel Dell’s ‘Dark Park’ and run through the woods. The woods are rumored to be haunted by two little boys who make the atmosphere so uncomfortable that no one dares to enter, even during the day.

Photo courtesy of The MAiZE Inc. at http://www.portlandmaze.com/attractions.php?event_id=Field+of+Screams

The Rant Jake Kleinschmidt

I hate pop culture.

Managing Editor

No really, I hate it. I don’t understand why people devote so much of their life into people or things that don’t even know they exist. Seriously, Oprah doesn’t know who you are, nor does she care. She does, however, think about how the money in your wallet or purse can fit into her bank account. I also fail to comprehend the people who keep track of or take seriously the headlines of the National Enquirer, and don’t even take a glance at TIME or The Wall Street Journal. I’m positive that I would be speechless to this incredible sin on mankind if I were not so enraged by its blasphemy. But not to target any particular aspect of pop culture, I hate all of them. So allow me to elaborate on the ridiculousness of each shape and form that it comes in. The first form of media pop culture that people enslave themselves to is music. People find it necessary to carry around 5 million gigabytes worth of songs that they will probably never even listen to. Worse, are those who slavishly listen to any song made by a band that they like and become billboards for them. It is literally disgusting to see people like that. On the other hand they can be a lot of fun. If any of you who are reading this love bands, you may want to kill yourself after you hear this. I don’t know who Pink Floyd is, and I can’t name a single Metallica song. And aside from Slipknot or the Backstreet Boys, I can’t name another band. Well, okay: Kiss, Michael Jackson and Elvis. But now I’m literally done. Oh, may I add, I can’t name a song from any of them. I swear I am being completely honest. Music is alright, but I can’t see a reason to make it a part of your life; especially since it is produced by people who just want to profit off you. Oh, and if you are thinking I’m just a cranky old geezer who doesn’t know anything about modern music, I’m 23. I just don’t give a rats behind about your

jolly jingles on your iPod. This leads me to movies, and actors. You know those people who talk about the main dude in Twilight? And those who obsess over Twilight and have teams about the guys in it? Yeah, you know who I’m talking about. Fan girls; the t-shirt wielding, name screaming, crying, gossiping fan girls. They are the driving force of the movie industry. At least they do me the favor of easily identifying their obviously damaged genes so that I may avoid ever getting involved with one of them. What disturbs me are the times when I know names like Heath Ledger, but I couldn’t connect the name to a face. Harry Potter is not real, Twilight is not real, and the movie characters you obsess over are not real. Celebrities in general are not real. Half of what you see of them is an act, not the reality. Even more so, the information you hear about them is likely fabricated. This is where I get foggy on names. I can only think of people like Oprah or Rush Limbaugh. The people who couldn’t care less about you aside from loving your thoughtless endorsements with money and free advertisements are these celebrities. They couldn’t spend their millions of dollars on their under stimulating dribble that influence far too many people without your assistance every day. Baaa go the sheeple, baaa. Onto Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter go the sheeple, wasting time writing fan fictions, matchmaking, everything else about these people. Baaa go the sheeple, making things popular for the sake of being popular. If you were at all offended by any of this writing then I want to ask you something: Why does it bother you? Why do you care so much about something so benign, so meaningless? What makes you defend things so heroically that will never defend you? Pop culture, I hate you. I hate you for the way you steal the minds of generations. Pop Culture, I hate you. I hate you for your popularity, and especially all the ways you abuse it. Pop culture, I imagine a world without you and can’t help but think of what an amazingly wonderful place that must be.

10/28 Learn More from Lectures Workshop: 8:30 a.m.; contact SRC at 360.546.9155 for more information - 11/3 Stress Management Workshop: 2:00 p.m. VFSC 104

FEATURE A typical 12-year-old, when

preparing for their first day at a new school, is ready for the change of the elementary education setting to the middle school style. They are probably a little nervous about changing classrooms each period and memorizing their locker combinations, and they might even be shaky about walking the halls with giant eighth graders. A typical 12-year-old is beginning their sixth grade year with a small group of friends from their elementary school. Their biggest worry is getting home early enough from school to still play outside before dark. Sam Valaer was not a typical 12-year-old. Following five straight years of home schooling, Valaer, at age 12, started his freshman year of high school. Though it was a private, inhome school, Sam Valaer was still dealing with all of the struggles a normal high school freshman must face. He had hours of homework in fast-paced classes, yet he was still a year shy of being a teenager. Valaer completed his freshman and sophomore years with the Boys Academy he had been attending, and then began Running Start at Clark Community College. After graduating high school and leaving Clark with transferable credits, fifteen-year-old Sam set his sights on Washington State University Vancouver. The day after school started this Fall semester, he celebrated his sweet sixteen. Though he is currently old enough to drive, he has not yet obtained his drivers license. “I rely on my brother to get to and from class,” said Valaer. “This also creates a challenge for my brother, as I have a class on Friday and he doesn’t.” Sam’s brother, Sullivan, also attends WSUV. Outside of school, Sam is a busy young man. He is currently part of Christian Youth Theatre and is constantly in rehearsal for the musical ‘Les Misérables.’ In the production, Valaer plays the roles of both the Constable and Courfeyrac. When Sam’s time isn’t occupied by theatre, he enjoys hunting, shooting guns, hanging out with friends, and scuba diving. When he was ten years old, he became a PADI Certified scuba diver and has since been diving in the Puget Sound, Belize, Mexico, and Baja, CA. So far, Sam has the ability to travel freely through the ocean. He has only a few classes and one State of Washington test to pass before

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the next few years. “I plan to finish my degree at WSUV and then do several years of legal internships before obtaining a general law degree from Lewis and Clark Law College,” said Valaer. Sam is currently working toward an Environmental science degree, which he says could translate into Environmental Law in the future. Another possible life goal Sam has been debating is to enlist in the Army. Hearing about him, one might think he was a complete bookworm who never left his house. That is far from reality. Sam has been on an African safari in order to hunt. He considers himself an avid hunter and possesses more guns than one would imagine. Sam enjoys being outdoors and currently works on a farm. This polite red head has found college life interesting to adjust to. Unlike the typical student here, Sam isn’t old enough to drink, let alone go out to a club. He still has a curfew and lives at home with his parents, brother, and two sisters. However, he is surrounded by students who speak of their crazy weekends and relaxing nights at home alone. Sam, though he doesn’t share experiences with these students, doesn’t seem to mind. “I enjoy WSUV a lot more than Clark College; the students are more professional,” said Valaer. As for his education through home school, Valaer has mixed feelings. “I enjoyed being able to get ahead in school,” said Valaer. “I also liked having a good relationship with my parents and siblings, as well as not getting slowed down by the classroom setting. However, I regret not being able to have as many friends as I would have had I been in a public or private school.” Sam has friends here at the university. A few of them mentioned that he was a good guy that was always willing to help out. If you get to know Sam, you are destined to hear the phrase, “I’m not that home-schooled” and you may even get the opportunity to hear him sing. In a few months, he hopes to have his brother’s old police car to drive around, at least until he is able to purchase his dream car: a 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4.

Student Spotlight: Sam Valaer Sixteen-year-old sophomore...in college

The SEXpert Sally Thrall Staff Writer

Question: “Okay, I know this is a stupid question, but sometimes I wonder…is there a difference between having sex and making love? Many people talk about the difference between having sex and making love, but to me, sex is sex. Just wondering your take, what is the difference between having sex and making love?” Confused Answer: I think you may have your answer right there…there is no big difference between having sex and making love if you do not think there is one. That is to say, the terms having sex and making love are subjective. One person’s experience of making love may be another’s experience of just plain ol’ having sex. It really depends on what you consider one or the other as. For example, I’ve heard many people refer to having sexual intercourse with a significant other as “making love”. These people denote a difference between “making love” as sex with a significant other, and having sex, or other

Katie Wells

Editor-in-Chief

he will have access to some wheels. There is one more way to travel that he hopes to conquer: flying. Sam’s father is a certified flight variations of that language (see hooking up and getting it on), as sex with a non-romantic consenting adult. For other people, the partner does not determine if the sexual act is making love. Instead, these people feel that the speed, intimacy, and style of the act determine whether it is making love or not. It all really comes down to how you feel about it. Just be sure that the people you engage in sexual activities with are on the same page as you are. On a more philosophical/cultural level, I recently participated in a discussion with some women who felt that the term “making love” was sleazy, especially when used by prudish/indirect guys who were afraid of being straightforward enough to say having sex. I think to an extent, these ladies had a point. A lot of people use making love as a euphemism because they are not comfortable being frank with sexual language. By no means should people be forced to use this euphemism because sexual euphemisms are used to try to control the way we talk about sex. People should be able to use whatever language they want to denote sex, and it is often when people try to enforce certain euphemisms for sex that confusion is created. And unfortunately this confusion can be detrimental when discussing something that is already as subjective as making love.

instructor, and Valaer is planning on earning his pilot’s license from him later on in his life. It seems like this boy has already accomplished so much in his life, having started college at such a young age, but his dreams and goals for himself will keep him pushing on for Question: “I am always really turned on when I wake up in the morning, especially after I’ve spent the night with my girlfriend. Unfortunately, she’s always really cranky when she wakes up in the morning and never wants to have sex. Why won’t she have sex with me in the morning? Is there anything I can do about this?” Early Riser Answer: Sounds like you have quite the conundrum. Cranky romantic partners are never fun; especially when all you want to do is get close to them. It sounds like your girlfriend may not be a morning person, and in that case, there is not much you can do. First, I would suggest talking to her, and seeing if there is some sort of compromise you can come to on the situation. Or ask her why she never wants to hop on the good foot and do the bad thing after a good night’s rest. Her answers will probably be more insightful than what I can tell you based on conjecture. You also might want to consider the following: it’s the morning. Your deodorant has worn off, you might have bad morning breath, she may have not gotten enough sleep and considering the previous night’s activities, she may have a pounding headache, be sensitive to light, or feel like vomiting. Needless to say, this is not the most ideal setting for a triple-X throw down. You might be able to make a better

bargain if you try coaxing her into the shower. The shower will provide a nice transition from the warm bed to the warm water, and allow her to feel fresh again. It might also help if you offer her a few pain killers before heading into the shower, just a suggestion if any beverages from last night warrant it. Even after the shower she may still be cranky, and therefore no sex. But consider the fact that you just did a nice thing for her, and let this fact help your altruistic self feel better about the situation. Also, keep in mind that if your girlfriend is not a morning person, then she is most likely a night owl, which means you can always have really great sex the night before. Have any questions you’d like to ask our resident Sexpert? Contact us vancoug@ vancouver.wsu.edu

11/5 Resume Writing Workshop: 8:00 a.m. in VFSC 104; Open for students and alumni - 11/5 Women’s Empowerment Coalition Club Meeting VMMC 16 @ 4:15 p.m.

8 SPORTS AND RECREATION

Phil Steele

WSUV Soccer tournament

From Pullman

Four Cougars listed Student participation exceeds expectations Season updates both teams were unable to make a single goal. Joey Hollibaugh Something changed, however, and during the CLEVELAND, Ohio - Four members of Men’s Cross Country: TERRE HAUTE, entire second half of the match the Red team the Washington State University football team O n Saturday, Oct. 10, a large group of dominated over the Green. After a desperate Ind. -- The Washington State men’s cross country were included on Phil Steele’s Midseason team took seventh place in the Blue Race at Staff Writer

All-Pacific-10 Conference list, the magazine announced today. Redshirt junior punter Reid Forrest was named to the first team, redshirt senior center Kenny Alfred was named to the second team and freshman defensive end Travis Long and junior safety Chima Nwachukwu were each named to the third team. Forrest (Ephrata, Wash.) ranks third in the conference and 17th nationally in punting, averaging 43.9 yards per punt. His seven punts of 50-plus yards ranks second in the Pac-10. Alfred, from Gig Harbor, Wash., has started all six games for the Cougars this season, garnering WSU’s most outstanding offensive player award five times. He is also on the Rimington Trophy Watch List for the second-straight year, given annually to the nation’s most outstanding center. Nwachukwu (Allen, Texas) leads the Cougars with 45 tackles on the season (31 solo), and has also recorded 1.5 tackles-for-loss, an interception and two fumble recoveries. Long, one of only two true freshmen amongst the 84 players on the list, leads all Cougar defensive linemen with 27 tackles (19 solo). The Spokane, Wash., product has also recorded three tackles-for-loss, including two sacks, and has started each of the first six games of his Cougar career.

FITNESS CENTER Hours M-Th : 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday: 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sat-Sun: Closed

Equipment Ellipticals & Treadmills Free Weights Leg Presses, Extension, & Curl machines Medicine balls & Yoga mats Strength bands & jump ropes

Policy Fitness center is free to all WSUV students, faculty, and staff. Must sign liability waiver. Bring Fitness Center card each visit.

Trainer A certified personal trainer is available to Fitness Center users at no cost. Develop a fitness plan, learn how to use the equipment, or develop strength for a specific sport or activity. The sessions are free. Get fit! Stay fit!

WSUV students ran out onto the campus field to duke it out in an intense Soccer tournament. Through a series of seven games three teams competed. The tournament began with a sequence of six-minute preliminary games. All the students were split up into three teams. Each team was represented by s color; red, blue, or green. The first two games were pretty one-sided. The Blue and Red teams competed against each other first ending with a score of 1:0 with the red team winning. The second game was a little more exciting as the Green team took on the victorious Red team. The game dominated the entire field as the players attempted to score on each other. In the end the Green team skunked the Red team with a score of 2:0. In the final preliminary game the Blue team came onto the field, determined to make up for their loss against the Red team, and fought savagely against the Green team. After an intense struggle on both sides of the field the game ended with the score 3:2 with the Blue team gaining their first victory of the morning. The preliminary round ended with the Green team in first place, the Blue team in second, and the Red team bringing up the rear. After a short ten-minute break the main round of the soccer tournament began. The first game between the Red and Blue teams was a very one-sided battle. The Blue team drilled down upon the Red team’s side of the field. The Red team was able to break through and make one goal, but the Blue team overcame this small victory with an ending score of 4 points. The Red team took the field again, this time against the Green team. Both teams demonstrated a strong defense during the first half of the game. No matter what they did

attempt to hold back the invading team the Green team lost the game with zero points while the Red team ended with a 4-point lead. The third game of the tournament proved to be the most exciting of the morning. Both the Green and Blue teams scored their first points during the first half of the game. As the final half of the game was coming to a close the Blue team was winning with a one-point lead. The Green team urgently fought their way across the field and was able to tie up with the Blue team at the very last second bringing the game into overtime. The Green team’s surprising play was quickly overshadowed by another amazing play, this time from the Blue team. Towards the end of the game one of the Blue team’s players was able to snag the ball from the Green team and run all the way from one side of the field to the other and score the final goal of the game. The game ended with the Blue team winning with an ending score of 4:1. The Final game of the tournament took place between the Blue team and the Red team. Through out the game neither team seemed to control the field. Both teams demonstrated an equal amount of skill in their defensive and offensive plays. It wasn’t until the second half of the game that the Blue team made the first goal. The Blue team attempted to do a repeat of the scoring move that they had in the last game, but the Red team learned from the Green’s mistake and easily stole the ball back. The game ended with the Blue team winning with one goal, making them the champions of the tournament. The soccer tournament proved to be a fun experience for everyone who participated. No matter how well their team played all the players cheered on the opposing teams while they were not playing and even showed support for the other players when they lost a Participants in the weekly soccer games, not those in the tournament. Joseph Tiegs/The VanCougar game.

INDOOR SOCCER LEAGUE ug ar s is organizing a men's Soccer Club Cougars ub Co cc er Cl So soccer team for the indoor soccer league at Salmon Creek Indoor Soccer Arena e d n e sd a y s at 8:00PM Games are W Wednesdays

the Indiana State University Pre-Nationals Invitational at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Ind., Saturday, while the Cougar women placed 28th in the White Race. The Washington State men’s team scored 274 points and was one of two teams without national ranking that finished ahead of four top 30-ranked teams. Oregon won the 35team men’s Blue race with 79 points and had the top individual in Luke Puskedra who posted a time of 23 minutes, 40.2 seconds. Women’s Volleyball: PULLMAN, Wash. -The Washington State versus Washington match, Friday, October 23, will be part of the Pacific-10 Conference Breast Cancer Awareness month of matches where the players, coaches, staff, spirit groups and even Butch, the WSU mascot, wear pink. The first 100 fans to check-in at the contest booth Oct. 23 will receive a special T-shirt with the ABC Pink Campaign logo. Men’s Golf: The Washington State University men’s golf team will travel to Bealsville, Md., to take part in the Georgetown Intercollegiate held at the par-71, 7,102-yard Members Club at Four Streams...tee times will begin Monday morning at 8 a.m. and play 36 holes, with the final 18 holes starting on Tuesday. This week’s WSU lineup will include seniors Kevin Tucker and Austin Hurt, junior Nick Ellis, sophomore Trent Sanders and freshman Hank Frame. The men’s team is coming off an 11th-place finish at the Alister MacKenzie Invitational... heavy rain stifled a possible Cougar comeback on the final day as the tournament was called off after 36 holes...Frame led the team, posting a 141 (-1) and finished in a tie for 26th...Ellis and Tucker were a stroke behind at 142 (E). Women’s Soccer: TEMPE, Ariz. - Kiersten Dallstream and Melanie Johnston scored first half goals to lead Washington State past Arizona State 2-1 in Pacific-10 Conference women’s soccer, Friday. The Cougars (9-3-1, 1-0-1 Pac-10), ranked 24th-nationally by Soccer Times, scored their goals 4:06 apart to take a 2-0 lead at intermission. ”The first half performance was one of our most complete and one of our best of the season,” WSU Head Coach Matt Potter said. “To go up two goals against a quality Pac-10 opponent on the road is not easy and I am very proud of our team.” Washington State plays at Arizona, Sunday with the match scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Women’s Swimming: BOISE, Idaho - The Washington State swim team had five different competitors win events, Saturday, but it was not enough to top Boise State in its season opener. The Cougars lost by a score of 178-116, with 32 of BSU’s points coming from diving events, in which no WSU athletes competed. “Boise State was the better team today. They have showed growth as a program and they backed it up with solid racing today,” said WSU Head Coach Erica Quam. Michaela Ahlin was the Cougars’ leading point-getter (18), winning both the 100 and 200 butterfly, with times of 57.04 and 2:04.59, respectively. The senior was also a member of two second-place relay teams. Junior Talor Whitaker added 17 points to the team’s total by winning the 200 Individual Medley (2:07.30), and taking second in the 200 free and 100 fly. Juniors Rugile Mileisyte (100 back) and Jennifer Dean (500 free) each grabbed an individual victory. Women’s Tennis: PULLMAN, Wash. --The Washington State University women’s tennis team wrapped up a successful fall season Sunday with the final day of the Jack Taylor Classic at Boise State University. The Jack Taylor Classic was the last of three tournaments the Cougs competed in this fall. The team opened play in Pullman with the Cougar Classic Sept. 18-20. The team won three out of four championships, with Elisabeth Fournier winning the Crimson singles bracket defeating teammate Ekaterina Kamendova in the semifinals. Marina Nicolas won the Gray singles bracket to give the Cougars a sweep of the singles titles.

10/27 Archery Tournament at Archery World; $5; sign up in Rec Office - 10/29 Bowling Tourney - 11/18 Ski/Snowboard Waxing Clinic @ 12:30 p.m. in Rec office

SPORTS AND RECREATION

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11/9 Blazer Tickets go on sale at Student Affairs Cashier; $15 limit 2 per student - 11/10 Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament in VFSC @ 3:30 p.m.; Free and open to public

10 ARTS, CULTURE, AND ENTERTAINMENT

Coug’s Night Out

Essential Guide to Bars and Clubs Jess Davis in Vancouver

Curtain call

Portland presents: two must-see plays Triana Collins Staff Writer

ACE Editor

Bar Name and Location

Bar Features and Happy Hour

Back Alley Bar & Grill 6503 E Mill Plain Blvd Vancouver, WA 98660 Phone: (360) 694.6873

Six pool tables, Karaoke seven days a week, Seven big screen TV’s. Happy Hour: M-F, 3 - 6 p.m.

Beaches 1919 Se Columbia River Dr Vancouver, WA 98661 Phone: (360) 699.1592

Waterfront location, Outdoor volleyball. Happy Hour: M-F, 4 - 6 p.m. Live music late week, Upscale atmosphere, Full menu during happy hour. Happy Hour: M-Sa, 4 - 6:30 p.m. & 9 p.m.Close, All Day Sunday

Blackstone 3200 SE 164th St. Vancouver, WA 98683 Phone: (360) 253.0523 Chronis 819 Main Street Vancouver, WA 98660 Phone: (360) 690.0032

50 cent or 6/$2.50 Taco Tuesday night, Two dart boards, Pinball, Golf, Karaoke Th-Sa, 9pm. Happy Hour: M-F, 4 - 6 p.m.

Cinetopia/Vinetopia 11700 SE 7th St Vancouver, WA 98683 Phone: (360) 213.2800

State of the art theatres on-site, Full restaurant, Live Jazz and blues in bar and before movies, Wine tasting machines. Happy Hour: M-F, 3 - 6 p.m. & 8 - 10 p.m.

Elbow Room 1800 Broadway St Vancouver, WA 98663 Phone: (360) 694.3552

Heavy handed bartending, Attentive servers. Happy Hour: M-F, 5 - 7 p.m.

Irishtown 11600 SE Mill Plain Blvd # F Vancouver, WA 98684 Phone: (360) 253.1470

Full menu, Live Irish music on Wednesdays/ Rock music on Friday, Karaoke Monday, Two pool tables, Five dart boards, Big screen TV. Happy Hour: Everyday, 3 - 7 p.m.

Oscars Place 400 NE 112TH Ave Vancouver, WA 98684 Phone: (360) 256.7175

Three pool tables, One dart board, Shuffleboard! Happy Hour: M-F, 3-6pm.

Salmon Creek Brewery and Pub 108 W Evergreen Blvd. Vancouver, WA 98660 Phone: (360) 993.1827

Beer brewed on-site, Laid back atmosphere, Full menu. Happy Hour: M-Th and Sa, 3 -6 p.m.

The QuarterDeck 4300 E Fourth Plain Blvd Vancouver, WA 98661 Phone: (360) 694.8016

Karaoke Wed. and Fri; Four pool tables, Two dart boards, Two Mega Touch’s, Pinball, Golf, Foosball, WII. Happy Hour: M-W, 4 -7 p.m.

Art of the Movie Trailer ...Or lack thereof C

Mark Balyshev Photographer

utting and editing trailers is a separate art from that of making the films that they advertise. It takes a lot of skill and experience to create an interesting trailer, free of spoilers. Having said that, let us take a look at what are arguably some of the best trailers ever made. The 1979 trailer for Alien is widely accepted as the best trailer of all time. It runs about two minutes, showing some of the movie, without revealing any major plot points. It is creepy and keeps the viewer engaged until the end. Another amazing, critically acclaimed, teaser trailer that generated a great deal of hype was that of Cloverfield. Absolutely nothing was revealed in this trailer, the viewer has no idea what to expect. The mystery factor only adds to the suspense when you go to see the movie. The same thing may be said about the more recent movie trailer created for District 9, which could possibly be one of the best science-fiction movies of the last decade. There are many great trailers out there, created by talented artists, but the majority are mediocre at best. Trailers that fall short of spectacular are created for a variety of genres, though one might argue that romantic dramas/ comedies are responsible for a fair share of these luke-warm sneak peaks. Why are these mushy movies so hard to market? Because their trailers often look EXACTLY the same! You

see just one of these trailers, and you pretty much know what to expect from all of them. A great example of the trailer that we could all live without is that created for this years mildly anticipated Vampire flick, New Moon. Can the Twilight “saga” get any worse? Judging by this year’s attempt at a preview, I’d say most definitely! The new trailer shows Jacob jumping and transforming into a wolf, with special effects borrowed from 1995’s Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. While crappy trailers may serve only as an indication of the movie genre, they can also provide sound advice to those that may otherwise subject themselves to monstrosities such as New Moon.

Ben Franklin: Unplugged Simply put, history is refined storytelling. Anyone with a memory and/or imagination can write up a history on something. Just look at Wikipedia. A written history starts with an obsessive person and their preoccupation with any one thing. They then start seeking other people with similar obsessive tendencies who are inclined to sit up night after night discussing and/or fighting over the said obsession. They want to know more, must know more! So they check out books from the library, eventually stealing them, filling up their shelves, counters, and doorways, until they are locked in, surrounded by their obsession. Then, having been completely engulfed by this, they acknowledge their considerable expertise, and set out to create their own version of history, but how much of this acquired knowledge and expertise will prove accurate, and how much will simply reflect the writer’s w a r p e d perspective? B e n Franklin: Unplugged begins by presenting the bald on the top, long in the back, chubby faced, star of the show. Complete with round spectacles ,Kornpluth awakens one morning to find that he looks just like Benjamin Franklin (you know, one of America’s Founding Fathers?) He immediately calls his mom and Aunt Birdie, setting the stage for an embarrassing autobiography outlining his familial relations. Hours after ingesting pretzels, Diet Coke, and endless research, Kornpluth pushes aside his preconceptions of the diplomat, scientist, inventor, and printer, focusing instead on what resonates within him: Ben Franklin, the father. Kornpluth’s travels soon lead him to a fellow Franklin-obsessed female friend, and supposed expert on the subject. As it turns out, she too clings to her own version of Franklin: Ladies Man. The mystery accelerates as Kornpluth’s “expert” counterpart locks him in the Franklin Vault at Yale University, where shelves upon shelves of historical documents, love and hate letters fill the dusty shelves. She demands that he solve his problems and find his “own Franklin”. He electrically emerges the next morning, hair on end, and heart on sleeve, only to realize that the answers he was looking for were within. Check out Ben Franklin: Unplugged at Portland Center Stage until Nov. 22nd. $20 with your WSUV student ID.

The Women of Troy I admit, I had never been to a Greek play until last weekend. I will also admit that I had not been to a Masonic temple before then either. But there is a first time for everything right? Portland’s Lunacy Stageworks opened their sacred temple doors and Greek theatre with The Women of Troy, an adaptation of Euripides’ Trojan Women and Hecuba, written by Elizabeth Harvey. Euripides’ is an especially famous Greek playwright known for his tragedies that portray strong female characters and intelligence among slaves. He is reported to have written over 95 plays, though less than 20 have survived thousands of years worth of wear. (Were they carved in stone or something?! Talk about timeless…) I entered the temple expecting torches and hooded guards, but instead found a soldier’s camp outside the sacked city of Troy. Soiled tents sat amongst dirt, rocks, and dead trees. Mournful female singers depressingly swaying this way and that, captives of the ancient battle destined for slavery. The group including princesses, an old queen, and a baby warrior, all of which were covered in dirt and scars, shocked by their swift fall from royalty. Before I knew it, I was experiencing the challenge of Greek n a m e pronunciation. I found that distinguishing between them was an equally difficult task. When someone addressed Talthybius, I thought perhaps they meant Polymester or Agamennon. Looking over the cast list, I had no idea if Andromache was a man or women. Perhaps had I paid attention in Greek Mythology class, I may have avoided such confusion. However, issues of title and gender reflected little on the quality of the production. According to Artistotle (now it must be true!), Sophocles said that he portrayed men as they ought to be while Euripides portrayed them as they were. The characters experienced every range of emotion known to humankind in little over two hours. From hysterical laughter to torrential tears and painful screams (the result of gouged, and bloody eyeballs), the men and women of this story truly felt the horrors and absurdities that so characterize war; an old fashioned subject that fascinates us even today. Check out The Women of Troy at Lunacy Stageworks until October 24th. $12 with your WSUV student ID.

The Art of Racing in the Rain Emotional and funny book about a dog Katie Anderson

S

Photographer

imply put: outstanding novel. Garth Stein wrote a heart wrenching, smart, and funny novel of a loving and knowledgeable character enduring the hardships of being a dog. This book gives a new look on what goes on in a dog’s mind. Though this book is in no way backed by science that a dog could have complicated thoughts and problem solving skills, it will make a reader wonder whether they do. The dog, and main character of this story, Enzo, documents his life’s journey with his racecar driving owner Denny Swift. Soon, Denny becomes married and has a daughter, and Enzo learns to love the two others that have joined his life, and becomes the family dog. Enzo must live with the fact that he cannot effectively communicate with those around him to express his philosophical views, and

knowledge about things nobody else knows, until it’s too late. Enzo’s dream is to die, and finally become a human soul in his next life where he can then communicate, and not to mention have those nifty little opposable thumbs. Through reading the book, you often forget that Enzo is not a human. I have never before stumbled across a book as unique as this one. It was absolutely the most amazing story I have ever read. A book has never before made me think, or cry, so hard. I truly couldn’t put it down, even when I began reading it in the bookstore. I would recommend this novel to anybody.

10/21 Religion and Spirituality in Yann Martel’s ‘Life of Pi.” 6 p.m. in VUCB 125; led by Jorge Lizárraga - 11/10 Meyers Briggs Workshop @ 3 p.m. in VFSC 104

ARTS, CULTURE, AND ENTERTAINMENT 11

Album Review: American Ride A Tale Through Audio

Toby Keith’s latest; both humorous and Joey Hollibaugh Staff Writer

Modern day country music legend, Toby

Keith, once again works his magic through his new album, American Ride. After the release of his number one hit, Should’ve Been A Cowboy (1993), Toby Keith quickly won the hearts of country music lovers all across the nation. It was during the 1990s that Keith recorded his first four records, each achieving gold status. Between 2000 and 2004 Keith released three more albums that surpassed the success of his previous works earning the highly coveted multi-platinum status. Some of his biggest hits include: Dream Walkin’ (1997), When Love Fades (1999), How Do You Like Me Now (1999), and Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (2002). American Ride is a combination of Toby Keith’s traditional country style, and a few slower, more heart-felt pieces. It is the grittier songs that make this album worth listening to, though the title song is without a doubt the best on the disc. American Ride is the only song that Toby Keith did not take part in writing. It was given to him by songwriters Joe West and Dave Pahanish, who believed that Keith was the only singer out there who could pull it off. Unlike his earlier songs about our country, American Ride is more about the anticipation of seeing where the U.S. is heading as a society rather than celebrating how great we are today. The song combines an upbeat tune with lyrics describing the different types of people who make up the U.S. and how they all play a part in moving our country into the future. Two other songs that will keep your toe tapping are Every Dog Has His Day and You

Can’t Read My Mind. The styles of these songs are very reminiscent to his past hit I’m Just Talking About Tonight. In Every Dog Has His Day Toby Keith tells a humorous story about a man at a bar trying to steal Keith’s girl, and failing miserably. The song ends with the man getting knocked out, not by Keith but rather his girl. You Can’t Read My Mind demonstrates Toby Keith’s weird and slightly perverted humor. The song chronicles how it’s a good thing that his wife cannot read his mind because all he can think of is taking her home. Though he never says exactly what he’s thinking, Keith leaves little room for interpretation. Toby Keith’s American Ride also has a great assortment of slower-paced songs that are emotionally charged. The most memorable of these songs is Cryin’ For Me. Keith wrote this song in remembrance of his friend Wayman Tisdale who unexpectedly died in May 2009. The song has a slight jazz-like style, portrayed by the use of the saxophone and acoustic guitar as the primary instruments, referencing the fact that Tisdale was a jazz musician. The song is beautifully written and truly makes you feel for the loss of Keith’s friend.The only downside that I found in this album was the song Are You Feelin’ Me? It tries to pass itself off as a romantic story about lovers who have fallen apart but still think of each other when they are with other people. Instrumentally and vocally the track sounds really nice, but it is the song’s lyrics that just don’t work. It’s hard to think of a song as romantic when the premise involves sleeping around with other people. American Ride is a great album that proves that Toby Keith is still the top dog in the world of country music. If you are a fan of country, I would strongly suggest buying this album.

Poetry Place Little Bird Why, hello little birdPlease fly into my window. Inside of my home I will feed you seeds And ruffle your little feathers With nothing but affection. I will set you on a velvet perch In a carefully wrought iron cage and I will leave the doors open So you may flutter around the room And sing your merry song. But beware little bird. Beware. You cannot always trust In such beautiful promises For, little bird, If you fly through my fluttering drapes And into my darkened quarters Little bird, oh little bird I will pull your feathers One by one And I will eat you for supper.

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Local band’s first full length CD ‘sets sail’ Katie Wells

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Editor-in-Chief

hat if the job performance for your entire career rested on a game of darts? For ‘A Tale Through Audio (ATTA),’ their pre-show ritual rests on the accuracy of a steady hand and hopefully the perfect velocity and loft. If they get a bull’s eye on their first throw in a game of darts, their show will go great. Each extra throw they have to take will ultimately lower the quality of their performance. They must be pretty good at darts. After coming together and forming ATTA in April 2008, these boys have released a ten song CD called ‘Sets Sail.” ATTA is comprised

in a band is the scheduling. “Trying to get five people with their own schedules, families, work, and school to come together has to be the hardest part,” he said. “Being in a band definitely involves a great deal of planning.” ATTA has had a lot of practice with their planning. They’ve played over 30 shows since forming last year, including gigs at The Noisebox in Camas and at the Barracuda in Portland with Grammy nominated Puddle of Mudd. So far, ATTA has played twice at Tomfest, a giant weekend-long concert featuring Christian bands. A Tale Through Audio is a rock/new alternative band with an element of experimental. They are influenced by all types of musical genres which

The four original ATTA members: Chris Bash, James Gerlack, Julio Cortez-Guzman, and Eric Hamblin. Photo provided by ATTA.

of five members: James Gerlack (Lead vocals/ Keys), Eric Hamblin (Guitar/Keys), Chris Bash (Guitar/Vocals), Daniel Netherda (Bass), and Levi Neuschwander (Drummer). Julio Cortez-Guzman was previously the drummer in the band, but recently parted from the music business when he decided to focus on his college career at Clark Community College. The other five members have been playing music together for quite awhile. Even before meeting each other, they had extensive musical backgrounds. “We’ve been around [music] basically our whole lives. It just seems natural to love it,” said Eric Hamblin. “It’s better to say that music is our way of life.” Their way of life isn’t without its difficulties. According to Hamblin, the hardest part of being

makes it hard for them to put themselves in one single musical category. As an independent, self-managed band they have used Myspace to really promote themselves. Through the site, they were able to catch their first “lucky break.” Last summer, they played a show with another band they met through Myspace; that show was the gateway to Tomfest ‘08. During the Tomfest concert, they met a Pastor who hooked them up with a gig in Yoncalla, Oregon. This Yoncalla concert was almost cancelled when the band was stranded with no ride and no equipment trailer days before the show. Luckily, things worked out and they managed to make it to Oregon and play where what is now their favorite place to perform. “The town is literally in the middle of nowhere, but the people love music so much and are so receptive, we’ve never had so much fun,” said Hamblin. The Yoncalla group isn’t their only source of fans. They have over 10,500 followers on Myspace, including bands they become friends with through shows. ATTA is preparing for more upcoming shows from Aberdeen to Seattle. They are currently practicing at James’ and Chris’ houses, and hope to make careers in music some day. “We just recently finished our “Sets Sail” this August after a year of hard work. We’re a fairly new band so we really pushed to get our first full-length out within our first year as a band,” said Hamblin. After completing their first fulllength album, they have a lot of confidence in their ability to take their band to the next level. Their songs, some of which include: ‘The Touch,’ ‘Cause I Blew It,’ ‘Shadow Box,’ and ‘The Mirage,’ are written by the entire band. “I think what makes our writing process different from others is that we have a band of writers; there really isn’t anyone who writes it all,” said Hamblin. As for the name, Chris Bash was the one who actually came up with A Tale Through Audio. All of the original members had been throwing ideas out until the final choice was made. Hamblin said, “We wanted the name to say that the music was eclectic and would vary in sound; that there would be some diversity from song to song. Each song would be viewed as its own story, thus “Stories through Music.” Their deep lyrics in each song work to paint pictures in listeners’ minds and force them to really think about the meanings. Though these musicians are savvy and deep, they also know how to relax and have a good time. “What mostly exists outside of the band is humor. We also play Frisbee golf, skateboard, and pretty much anything and everything we feel like trying,” said Hamblin. “If we weren’t into music, we’d be into extreme sports in some form.” Hamblin’s final note was about his personal support system.“Family is definitely an important part of our lives, and we are lucky to have as supportive of families as we do. They make it all possible for us to do what we do.” he said. Check out www.myspace.com/ atalethroughaudio to listen to their music.

11/14 Caring Ambassadors Lung Cancer Program Benefit Bowl-A-Thon @ 5 a.m.at Big Al’s Bowling Alley; help raise awareness about lung cancer

12 STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Cupcakes and cookies ASWSUV hosted dessert feed Katie Wells

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Editor-in-Chief

f student government has learned one thing over the years, it’s that ‘Free Food’ brings students running. On Oct. 14 in the Firstenburg Student Commons, cake, cookies, ice cream, and cupcakes covered the tables. The free food was given out in celebration of National Dessert Day. Falling almost directly in the middle of National Dessert Month, this holiday gives Americans an excuse to put down the celery stick and grab a small cupcake. What could it hurt right? In case you want to begin preparing for next year’s holiday, here are a few dessert ideas from Jace Shoemaker-Galloway: Mud Pie - This chocolaty pie is light and creamy. You’ll need chocolate and coffee ice

cream, chocolate wafer crumbs, evaporated milk, whipping cream and unsweetened chocolate. Caramel Toffee Ice Cream Pie - You’ll need chocolate graham cracker crumbs, fat-free vanilla frozen yogurt, English toffee bars and caramel ice cream topping. Savannah Cheesecake Cookies - Paula Deen has done it again! Cheesecake in a cookie – who knew? This popular dessert calls for fresh berries, brown sugar and 2 packages of cream cheese. Red Velvet Cheesecake - If you love Red Velvet cake, you’ll love this pretty dessert! The recipe uses chocolate graham cracker crumbs, 3 packages of cream cheese, sour cream, unsweetened cocoa, buttermilk and red food coloring. Happy eating!

Who was

president

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annual exam? Salm on Cree k hea lth cent er is back ! 2105 NE 129t h Stre et in Van couv er, 1-88 8-57 6-PL AN

Triana Collins/The VanCougar

Pumpkin Carving Friday

October

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Bring your kids!

Firstenbur g Commons

Halloween

Thursday October 29

7:00 - 10:00 in ADM 129/130

HAUNTED

C ORN MAIZE at Sauvie Island

October 30

Bonfire & Smores

$5 Tickets | Sign up in the Rec. Office

10/29 HD Club: Eat Lunch with your Professors featuring Professor Jane Lanigan and Professor Tracy Tachiera @ 12 p.m. in McClasky Building room 205

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

13

Local dentists surprise troops Human Development Club Invites you to:

“Lunch with Your Professor Series”

Featuring:

Professor Jane Lanigan and Professor Tracy Tachiera When: Thursday, October 29th, 2009 Time: 12:00-1:00 P.M. Where: McClaskey Building, Room 205 (Conference Room)

Join us for lunch with your favorite HD Professors. For the month of October, Jane Lanigan and Tracy Tachiera will be joining us. Just bring your own lunch! Network with fellow HD students and get to know your professors. Questions: Contact Mary Krzysiak at [email protected]

Candy donations for military is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that There are few childhood joys that compare group is run by volunteers who assemble the care

with the fun and excitement of trick-or-treating. From costume preparation to choruses of "Trick or treat, smell my feet," the holiday is simply made for kids. Thanks to KidSmile Dentistry and Operation Gratitude, the end result can bring smiles to the faces of American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines abroad, as well! Spokane Valley's KidSmile Dentistry announces their second annual "Candy Buy Back" program in conjunction with Operation Gratitude. On Monday, November 2nd, families are encouraged to bring their excess Halloween candy in to the office in order to earn a little money and to support our troops. From 3 to 7 p.m., KidSmile will be purchasing trickor-treat candy for $1.00 a pound. All of the candy collected will be packaged up and sent to service men and women deployed around the world. Last year, the program netted 300 pounds of sweets and treats that Operation Gratitude combined with donations from all over the country to be distributed in care packages to the men and women of the armed forces. The

packages at the Army National Guard Armory in Van Nuys, California. The Candy Buy Back program is not limited to KidSmile patients, so all of the Spokane area is invited to take part. This year the office has a goal of exceeding last year's donations for a total of 500 pounds. Not only do the service men and women appreciate the support from home, but it also helps parents who are concerned about the amount of sugar their kids eat. (Kids are pretty thrilled by the money, too!) One Soldier, upon receiving a care package wrote, "It really warmed my heart to receive it because I know a lot of time and effort went into it. I feel very blessed to do my small part to protect the freedoms of wonderful people like you." From health benefits to teaching children the joy of helping others, KidSmile Candy Buy Back program offers a unique and fun way for the whole family to get involved. Bring your Halloween candy to 12615 E. Mission Avenue, Suite 312 on Monday, November 2nd from 3:00 to 7:00.

“Yellow Brick Road” volunteering Come share in the fun at the Vancouver Wesleyan Church at 5621 NE 78th St. in Vancouver, WA for a free jamboree scheduled for Saturday November 14th, 2009 from 11am - 2pm for seniors and teens from our community. A group from the Vancouver area launched an exciting event in June bringing together seniors citizens and young teens to share experiences, create a sense of family and generate vitality. The perception and experience of life differs widely between these generations. “Busy working adults in our society often lack availability for quality time with senior and junior family members,” says Betsy Lanz, the inventor of the event. The two focus groups for the participants are young people between ages 10 and 15 and adults 55 and up. The activities designed in “Where the Yellow Brick Road Meets Memory Lane” bridge the generation gap in a unique way! Members of each group discovered a profound understanding and appreciation of the other generation from their participation at the

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first gathering. The agenda features two distinct parts with lunch served in the break. The group is made into pairs of one senior with one youth for partnership in the activities. The first half includes a game of sharing with thought-provoking questions like “What has been the best day of your life so far?” and “Tell about a time when you laughed uncontrollably.” The second half of the day is comprised of a not-so-average scavenger hunt and creative project. The participants search through an assortment of magazine clippings for an image representing influential words chosen at random such as “courage”, “love” and "power.” The event is sponsored in part by Orchard’s Village and Vancouver Wesleyan Church and generous donations from the community make the event FREE to attend! Please call 360/6242700 for more information, including volunteer information or to register yourself or someone you know to attend. Facebook online at www. causes.com/yellowbrickmemorylane.

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001843 – 8/05

HOW TO PLAY: Fill all the blank squares with the correct number. Every row, every column, and every 3 by 3 square must contain a digit between 1 and 9. They can be in any order, but must only appear once in each row, column, or square. Jake Kleinschmidt/The VanCougar

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OPINIONS AND EDITORIALS

Editor-in-Chief Katie Wells

Managing Editor Jake Kleinschmidt

Adviser Dean Baker

Advertising Manager Ben Ryan

Campus News Editor Now Hiring!

ACE Editor Jess Davis

Feature Editor Danielle Tanner

Student Involvement Editor Now Hiring!

Student Government Editor Adam Fox

Sports Editor Erik Cummings

Web Editor Now Hiring!

Copy Editor Kati Hughes

Staff Writers

Louise Wynn, Matt Hunter, Amy Thielen, Rup Brar, John McNett, Alex Giebelhaus, Sally Thrall, Chau Nguyen, Joey Hollibaugh, Triana Collins, Meghan Bartosovsky, Kenneth Allan, Justin Rossetti, and Yen Nguyen

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Joe Creager, Mark Balyshev, Joseph Tiegs, and Katie Anderson

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1. A woman shoots her husband. Then she holds him under water for over 5 minutes. Finally, she hangs him. But 5 minutes later they both go out together and enjoy a wonderful dinner together. How can this be? 2. The beginning of eternity. The end of time and space. The beginning of every end, and the end of every place. 3. In a castle there lived a Duke with his wife and their servants. One morning, the Duke was dead–murdered by one of the other people living in the castle. When the residents of the castle were interviewed by the police, every person gave two correct answers and told one lie. This is what they said: The Duchess: I didn’t kill the Duke. The gardener killed my husband. I’m not guilty. The Cook: It wasn’t me. I have been working here for 27 years. The butler knows who’s done it. The Butler: I am not the murderer. The chambermaid is my witness; we were playing cards in the kitchen last night. The Duke was killed by the cook. The Chambermaid: I didn’t do it. I wasn’t even here last night. The gardener did it. The Gardener: The Duchess is lying when she says I did it. I am innocent. The butler is the murderer Who is the murderer?

(TFLN): TXTS FRM LST NGHT

HOME I BEST NIGHTS I WORST NIGHTS I SUBMIT

(513): i always forget that thursday isnt the weekend in the real world (301): this guy just used the pickup line “God must have spent a little more time on you” I recognized the nsync lyric immediately. (314): No, I’m never going to get a job bc I don’t know anything about public relations except that Chris Crocker wants everyone to leave Britney alone. (404): I bought a goldfish, named it after my ex-girlfriend, and let it die. It’s really the little things in life. (303): I mean i might have to drop this class tomorrow. I just walked into a midterm

Joseph Sturtevant: Learning, all the I-Phone, Blackberry, or whatever “You can teach yourself calculus,” participants’ portable device they use, and uploaded to the

Joseph Sturtevant says. “You can teach yourself anything.” He knows that for sure because he has taught himself calculus, among other things. He is one of 12 children, and his parents are committed to educating their children themselves and teaching them Bible principles. “My parents taught us how to be selfmotivated learners. We were all home-schooled, and of course one person can’t spoon-feed 12 kids. “They taught us how to read, basic math, and so on. And then once we reached a certain age, our parents would say, ‘Here’s the textbook. Get started, and we’ll help when you have questions.” When Joseph had finished his second year of high-school education at home, his dad, a civil engineer, sat down with him and helped him plan his future. He would enter the Running Start program at Clark College, and then finish his B.S. at WSUV. That meant preparing for and taking all the AP classes he could. “I took calculus, physics, and chemistry. Chemistry because my dad thought I should, but I didn’t do that well on it.” He did well enough, though, to minimize the time he would spend at Clark. He had some ideas about what to major in at Clark--computer science or electrical engineering--but wasn’t sure which would be best. So he took all the classes that could apply to both majors. The final decision was based on practical concerns: for electrical engineering, he would have had to go to Pullman or Portland State; while for computer science he could stay here in Vancouver. Joseph likes living at home for now. He enjoys spending time with his siblings and friends from his church, Westminster Presbyterian Church. Also, he adds, “All my friends from Clark computer science classes were coming here, which helped.” And he is saving money by not paying to live in a dorm or apartment in Pullman, or for out-of-state tuition at Portland State. Still, he wasn’t planning to stay at WSUV for grad school until one of his professors, Dr. Orest Pilskalns, offered him an assistantship to work on a software engineering project. “I’m helping to create a tool that will allow general researchers to formulate a plan to create study applications for collecting data on a mobile device,” Joseph explains. “If someone is studying human behavior -for example, smoking habits -- they could ask volunteer participants to describe how they feel whenever they light up, who they’re with, and so on. The data would be collected on the

researcher’s server. The researcher logs in, collects the data, and analyzes it.” It sounds simpler than it actually is. “Creating a mobile tool application is very difficult,” Joseph says. “I’m using a variety of programming languages, and developing a domain-specific language, then creating a target platform. “For mobile devices, your resources are limited. You have a small memory and limited power. So it’s not like developing an application for a computer.” Joseph is in his third semester as a graduate student and expects to finish his M.S. by Spring 2010. He likes the field of software engineering in part because it’s always changing, so he will always be learning. “If you stay in the same place, you’re going to be a dinosaur in five to ten years, or less. Or you’ll be stuck working with a program that’s outdated and no one uses any more.”

Joseph Sturtevant: Quick Profile Family: Second of 12 children Education: Home-schooled until Clark College, then WSUV Quote # 1: “Good design is definitely an art, not a science.” Hobbies: Playing airsoft with his friends, singing and socializing with church friends Advice for students in lecture classes: Sit in the front row, and talk to the professor after class. Quote # 2: “Networking is huge. Work with other students, and don’t let them down.” Part-time job: Software developer for a small company in Vancouver Advice for students struggling to solve a problem: You’ve got to dig in and say, “I’m going to figure this out!” What he likes about WSUV: the campus, the professors, the students, everything… Expects to finish: Spring 2010 Future plans: Start his own software business

Answers

1. The woman was a photographer. She shot a picture of her husband, developed it, and hung it up to dry.

The VanCougar is a student-run newspaper serving the students, faculty and staff of WSU Vancouver. Copies of The VanCougar are available free of charge every other Monday during the school year.

Riddle me this

2. The letter ‘e.’

{ The VanCougar

3.The Cook.

14

Corrections September 21, pg. 8: “Outdoor Cooking Clinic: Hunting for the spaghetti sauce” The subject’s name is Jon Carr, not Joe Carr. He is also a full time employee, not a part time employee. October 5, pg. 1: “Different perspectives mid semester: Students focus on grades...” The faculty and staff movement into the VUCB was incorrect. A further update on the actual office transfer into the new building will be in a future issue.

11/13 Chancellor’s Seminar Series presents “Containing Ebola Outbreaks: Lessons for Bio-security and H1N1” by Barry Hewlett VFSC @ 11:45 a.m. $25 with lunch

OPINIONS AND EDITORIALS

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You’re already thinking about what you’ll do after graduation, right? Here’s an idea to make your planning even more useful and practical: Starting from your post-graduation dream, plan backwards to the present, making a time-table with interim goals that will help you accomplish that big dream. Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21): If there’s something you wish you could be learning this semester, which you’re not getting from your classes, think of a way to fit it into your schedule. You might audit a class at Clark College or borrow a how-to book from the public library. You may surprise yourself with how fun it is to learn a topic on your own. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): This week, focus on relationships. One way to figure out what your significant other, parents, or casual acquaintances want in a relationship is to think about what you need. Is it more time to talk, more time left alone so you can study, an exercise partner, or what? That’s probably what they need, too. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): This is your month for good deeds. Open a door for a student struggling with a load of books, talk to a teacher at the end of a class, say hi to someone you think you recognize but aren’t sure, give some quarters to the homeless guy when you exit the Interstate…You get the picture. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): This is not a good time to rush into any big decisions. Take your time. If you’re feeling pressured, back away and think it through. Most big decisions can be broken down into pluses and minuses. Make a list and balance them out. And get advice from someone you trust. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): With cold weather just around the corner, take a few moments to be grateful for your warm clothes and comfortable home. Even if you’re not that warm or comfortable, you’re better off than most of the rest of the world. So maybe you can think of a way to share.

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Aries (March 21-April 19): You can thank your lucky stars---if you believe in lucky stars---that this month is going so well for you. Look around at your friends, and think about what you like about each of them. How do they fit into your life? Thank them for their friendship. Taurus (April 20-May 20): Literature has played a huge (and good) role in your life. If you enjoy reading, plan to spend a couple of hours every weekend with a good book. If you don’t like to read, rent a movie based on some literary masterpiece. Think about how the characters resemble people in your own life. Gemini (May 21-June 21): This is a good week for getting strong. So remember as you’re studying for midterms and writing papers: what doesn’t kill you will make you strong. And you know it ain’t gonna kill you, which means you’re getting strong. But don’t worry. Madame L is not going to ask you to thank a professor for helping you get strong. Cancer (June 22-July 22): Looking ahead into the second half of the semester, what would you like to improve about your study habits or the way you approach classes? Now, let yourself think about how you can change one little thing that will make you study better or have a better attitude. If you’ve thought of something small enough, you can do it. So go ahead and try. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): Fear may be keeping you from taking advantage of some of the best parts of campus life and the university experience. You can turn around your shyness about meeting people or nervousness about speaking up in class. The key is preparing what you’ll say, then practicing it. Try it in a comfortable setting, and then unleash your new confidence on the world! Virgo (August 23-Sept. 22): With Halloween just around the corner, then Thanksgiving, and then Christmas, now is a good time to think about what you like about each holiday. Is it friends and family, the food, the gift-giving, the break from school? Whatever it is, make some plans that will help you enjoy these holidays even more.

Madame L

Staff Astrologist

T

here are times in everyone’s life where they find themselves to be the one shoulder someone can cry on. It can be thrilling or it can be annoying to some, but for me I like it. Being able to help others in that capacity and be that healer is something that I feel is very rewarding. And there are a few others like me out there that I also know experience this. You, dear reader, may be one of them. However, there is one thing you want to learn if you are this kind of person, and that is to discern from the ones who need it and the ones who want it. It’s usually relatively easy to tell who are the people who truly need your shoulder. These people tend to be genuine, they don’t flirt with you or exaggerate any details. Their life story doesn’t need exaggerations. They don’t usually feel comfortable opening up to you and additionally, feel guilty for telling you what they do. When you encounter these, lets call them, Type A (TA), your heart will melt. TA’s stories are ones where you can understand their situation, it sound realistically horrifying and usually involves life changing events. So invest as much time as you can into the TAs because you might just be able to turn their life around. The opposite of the TA is Type B (TB). These are the ones who seem a bit more melodramatic, they usually have half their life story splattered all over MySpace or Facebook. And will tell anyone who gets within 50 feet of them what’s going wrong. TB is what you could also call an attention whore. Do not invest time into TBs. They will simply drain you of everything you have until you have nothing left to give, and they will just verbally abuse you and blame you for half their life causes before finding their next victim to cry on. Worst of all is that TB usually doesn’t have any REAL problems to begin with. If you are one of those who loves to help others in this capacity, sometimes the TBs overwhelm you and make you want to stop. Do NOT change yourself because of the TBs, just learn to detect the TBs from the TA’s. You are awesome, and people need and appreciate your help in this. Keep it up.

Progressive Postmodernists: You can’t have it both

I am about to condense the history of the

modern Western thought into six paragraphs, so bear with me. Somewhere around the Renaissance or the Enlightenment (the experts are still arguing), the Western world experienced a rather bizarre change. Before this point, the values, customs and laws of a land sprang from the cult: that is, the religion of the land. From this cult grew the culture. Then along came this fellow Descartes. “I think, therefore I am.” This statement caused such a splash that we still feel the ripples today. In the place of the cult was set up man’s reason. The cult survived, but was stuffed away to be practiced in the private sphere because, see, it is biased by nature. Enlightened people and the public sphere adopted first deism and then secularism. These enlightened people realized that, with the cult largely out of the way, the world could finally be improved, indeed, perfected. In the coffeehouses of Europe, they hatched grand methods by which the world could be perfected. Starting with the French Revolution and ending with WWII, these ideologues (for that is what they were called) tried to put their grand schemes into practice. Following WWII, some bright philosophers in France realized that the modernists and ideologues had been all wrong. The idea that the world could be improved was a ridiculous statement, for there was no basis for right or wrong, good or bad. These were the pioneers of postmodernism. Values, they argued, were cultural constructs. To argue that one culture was right while another was wrong was only an attempt to assert power over that culture. Since then, postmodernism has become

quite widespread. Those that say one culture is better than another are called “ethnocentric.” In the classroom, the more enlightened among us realize that what we value is merely a reflection of our culture’s values. With the exception of a very very small group of intellectuals, however, almost no one seems able to live consistently with this idea. For postmodernism is a most unpleasant thing to look upon without rose-colored glasses. Life is, according to the philosophy, absolutely meaningless. Love, sacrifice, kindness: these are illusions created by one’s culture. And yet there is no turning back for society. If we start from Descartes’ statement, we are logically bound to conclude that reason does not exist. Which brings me to my point. There are many groups and people out there that knowingly or unknowingly espouse postmodernist ideas about cultures: that there are no better or worse cultures. And yet these same groups and people call themselves “progressive.” This is very misleading. To be progressive, there must be better values and worse values, which are logically impossible outside of one’s own culture. “Progressives” should realize that there is no moral high ground according to their own belief system. They may wish to continue calling themselves “progressive” in order to exert power over others, but to actually delude themselves into thinking they have “the Truth” is a violation of the only truth of postmodernism: there is no objective truth. If truth is what one is searching for, however, they will need to start from something other than “I think, therefore I am.”

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irst of all, I’d like to congratulate Jake Kleinschmidt on being elected as the Managing Editor. Props. Now...Halloween. I love it. I’m so excited! Like Cady said on Mean Girls, “Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.” It seems like costume stores have taken this quote quite literally. They don’t even make non-slutty costumes anymore. Seriously, I was in a Halloween store the other day with my sister and there was a Wonder Woman costume with less fabric than a bandana. That would be fine, except that it was designed for little girls younger than eight. If I had an eight year old girl, I believe I would be making her costume myself. Unless I was a Pimp, then I’d buy that Wonder Woman costume. Anyway, Halloween really is the best holiday we have here in the United States. You get to play dress up when you’re nineteen years old. There is an endless amount of candy to be eaten. There are so many positive things about Halloween, but I’m not going to name them all. I’m going to list all of the creepy things about the night. I don’t understand why parents don’t have their children on lock down. Little kids get to spend the entire night gathering candy from strange people. You can bet than anyone in high school is at some sort of scandalous Halloween party. Some believe that celebrating All Hallow’s Eve means that you are worshipping the devil. If you really question the night, it seems quite sketchy. However, if I were an alien and happened to land on Earth on Oct. 31, I’d probably stay. I’m in love with the whole idea of it. And of course, I’m obsessed with dressing up. Dressing up. Guess what costumes I’ve been? Too slow. I’ll tell you. Tiger Lily, for four years in a row, a witch with makeup so good that one look in the mirror made me cry, an alien, Scuba Steve, Minnie Mouse, a baby lion twice, an old lady, a pirate-ninja on rollerblades, a clown, a regular ninja three years in a row, a retro prom queen, and an extremely scandalous fireman. Good to know, right? (440): I’m watching Terminator eating a jar of marshmallow fluff. Trust me, you are not fat.

11/16 Zoo Lights Tickets go on sale in Rec Office; $5 - 11/16 Mt. Hood Meadows lift tickets go on sale; $35 - 11/16 Job Searching Skills VFSC 104 @ 3 p.m.

16 CALENDAR

Miniature golf passes on sale; $5 in Rec Office Reading for Retention workshop @ 1:30 p.m. in VFSC 104

Portland Rock Gym Indoor Climbing: sign up by Oct. 21 in Rec Office; $20

Archery Tournament at Archery World @ 7 p.m.; $5 for students

Cardio Combo @ 10:15 a.m. in Clark Center room 20. Every Monday and Wednesday until Novem-

Blazers vs. Chicago tickets go on sale; $15 at Student Affairs Cashier

Yoga @ 1:00 a.m. in Clark Center room 20. Every Tuesday and Thursday until November 19

Indoor archery @ 7 p.m. at Archery World; $5 Texas Hold’em Tournament @ 3:30 p.m. in VFSC; Free and open to public, prizes

Etiquette Dinner @ 4:30 p.m. in VFSC; $5, RSVP with SRC

Flag Football @ 3 p.m. on field, every Thursday until November 12

Cougar Networking Night @ 5:30 p.m. at the Club at the Historic Reserve

Pumpkin Carving @ 4:30 p.m. in VFSC; FREE pumpkins, juice, and

Learn more from Lectures Workshop @ 8:30 a.m. Open gym basketball at Alki Middle School @ 8 p.m.; every week

Open gym basketball at Alki Middle School @ 8 p.m.; every week

Halloween Bash: Costume contest and dance party @ 7 p.m. in VADM 129

Haunted Corn Maize on Sauvie Island: $5, sign up in Recreation Office

Women’s Empowerment Coalition Club Meeting at 4:15 p.m. in VMMC 16

Reversing the Flow: Big Dams, People, and Power in Global Perspective; 8:30 a.m on campus

Swing Fling: free dance lessons @ 7 p.m.; Dance @ 8 p.m. in VFSC

Flag Football @ 3 p.m. on field, every Thursday until November 12 Free bowling night at Crosley lanes

Chancellor’s Seminar Series: “Containing Ebola Outbreaks: Lessons for Dec. 3 @ 12 p.m. in Bio-Security and H1N1” VADM 110: University @ 11:45 a.m.; $25 Singers concert

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Football party at Big Al’s Bar and Grill @ 1:30 p.m.

Student Media Board needs

AUDIO JOURNALISTS ****** Paid Positions Record news reports and broadcast them over kougradio.com

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY AND STUDENT-AT-LARGE ****** Volunteer Positions

Contact Triana at [email protected] to learn more about the position.

Contact Kerry Mraz at [email protected] with questions

Applications can be found in the Office of Student Involvement.

Want to improve your resume and volunteer on campus?

Having trouble paying the bills?

Blazer vs. Denver game tickets go on sale; $15 @ Student Services Cashier

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