January 25, 2010 • Issue 10 • Volume 15 | WWW.VANCOUGAR.NING.
WWW.VANCOUGAR.NING.COM >>
How do WSUV
students feel about
SWAT training on
campus
PAGE 2
Local tuition control
ANNUAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING LEAVES SOME UPSET ON MLK, JR. DAY
Six members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team trained members of the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Department, the
Vancouver Police Department, and the WSUV Police Officers in the annual ‘Active Shooter/Rapid Response’ Training on campus.
Tactical training protests
Many oppose date
of SWAT Training on
campus; MLK, Jr. Day
Rup Brar/Staff Writer
A
s volunteers were
gathering for the annual
Martin Luther King,
Jr. service day, members of the
SWAT Team, the Vancouver Police
Department, the Clark County
Sheriff’s Office, and the WSUV
Police Officers, were assembling for
training just a few feet away.
The scheduling of the two events
raised concerns among the MLK,
Jr. Day of Service audience as
well as the keynote speaker at the
event. Members of the Social and
Environmental Justice Club, along
with faculty members, staged a
protest to show their dismay at the
day’s events. Protestors passed out
MLK Day of Service
Volunteers perform
different types of
service on the holiday
Rup Brar/Staff Writer
Visit our web site for online newspaper, videos, pictures, and more!
The
page 2 • ASWSUV sponsored walk-out page 8 • Dunk Contest page 10
flyers to raise awareness as well to
gather support for the protests.
“I am a Canadian, and I
understand the symbolism behind
MLK day,” said Dr. Clay Mosier,
WSUV’s sociology professor and
one of the protestors. “Historically
thousands of minorities, particularly
African Americans, have been
killed by such law enforcement
activities. From my perspective, to
stage this at all on a college campus
is problematic, but to have it on
MLK day is a double whammy. It
is beyond absurd.” Dr. Mosier then
added, “It may not be deliberate.”
Dr. Mosier’s concerns were
shared by Dr. Desiree Hellegers,
head of the English Department and
the director of Center of Social and
Environmental Justice. “I think the
scheduling of a paramilitary SWAT
training on campus concurrent
with MLK day event was a deeply
problematic decision on part of
University’s administration,” Dr.
W
hile many were sleeping
in or enjoying a day off
on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
150 volunteers gathered together in
the Firstenburg Student Commons
to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy.
People, old and young, students,
Washington State University Vancouver
Cara Cottingham/KOUG Radio
Hellegers said. “We are here to
provide a visible and public dialogue
about the significance of MLK day.”
The training was originally
scheduled to be held in the
Multimedia Classroom Building.
Faculty in the building were advised
on the previous Friday to stay out
of their offices on Monday. Due to
the protestors’ presence, training
was moved to the Administration
Building.
“I am not anti-law enforcement
at all,” stated Dr. Mosier, “but the
question is whether this type of
activity is preventive. What we
know about recent school shootings
is that these were mentally unstable
people, and there were lot of signs
that these were mentally unstable
people; and there was no reaction
to that. SWAT Team training is
not going to prevent Columbine or
Virginia Tech.”
Mosier said that it is the
University’s responsibility to
faculty, student
government
as well as
community
m e m b e r s
came together
at WSUV.
Organizers sporting blue t-shirts,
bearing one of Dr. King’s messages,
led the event. To start things off, the
prevent such events. He applauded
the Student Affairs decision to
hire William Meek, the school
psychologist. Programs like the
AWARE network, a non-profit
corporation that provides mental
health counseling to members in the
community, is definitely a step in
the right direction said Mosier.
“On MLK day, the University
should provide actual teach-ins
that promote Dr. King’s teaching of
nonviolence and peace,” said Adam
Carpinelli, a doctoral student. On
a societal level, Mosier mentioned
that the problem is really the easy
access to guns.
The group agreed that a campus-
wide dialogue is needed to address
this issue. The fact that neither
the student body nor faculty were
consulted or made aware of the
plans was definitely a problem
according to them.
See SWAT on page 14
Black National Anthem was sung by
Diane Jackson.
“By honoring King’s memory,
we honor all the unknown heroes
who pushed Dr. King,” said Dr.
Thabiti Lewis, the keynote speaker
for the day. “We are all agents of
change and every act counts.”
See MLK on page 5
A letter
from one
protestor
Ph.D. candidate
dismayed by SWAT
scheduling
Taj Mahon-Haft
O
n Friday, January
15th, 2010, I was
informed via email
that I was not to enter the Multi
Media Classroom building
on the Vancouver campus of
Washington State University
on Monday, January 18th, the
holiday commemorating non-
violent civil rights leader, Martin
Luther King, Jr. This building
houses my office space, as well
as that of dozens of my graduate
student, faculty, and university
staff colleagues. According
to the email, the building was
going to be used for SWAT team
training, an exercise being held
the same day and in plain sight
of the university’s planned day
of service to commemorate the
service of Reverend King. I am
writing this letter to express my
strong dismay over the decision
to hold such a police training
session on MLK day, especially
in this context.
More than anything, I find it
in grand distaste to hold a day
of service in honor of Reverend
King’s civil rights struggles
on campus, inviting students
and the public to campus
on the holiday, and to then
simultaneously hold a training
event for the SWAT team. Not
only is this an uncomfortable
environment to create for
students and visitors alike,
but it is a rather back-handed
commemoration of a civil rights
leader when so many African
Americans (among others)
have been killed by similar
police brigades using excessive
force. It reminds me a lot of the
close-mindedness I consciously
left behind when moving here
from Virginia, where MLK day
was not officially recognized
as a state holiday until it was
simultaneously made Robert
E. Lee day. For a state-funded
school in the nation’s most
progressive state, it is flat out
hypocritical...
Read the rest of the letter
online at vancougar.ning.com
For more letters, photos, and
interviews visit us online at
vancougar.ning.com
 2 CAMPUS NEWS
Board of Regents has partial control of tuition
President Floyd
advocates local control
over tuition setting
Sally Thrall/Campus News Editor
P
resident Elson S. Floyd of
WSU recently wrote a letter
to the legislature urging
representatives to give control of
tuition caps to local governing boards
of Universities.
Currently, the rate at which tuition
can increase is set by the Washington
State Legislature every two years.
Because the legislature partly funds
state schools, they set tuition caps
as part of the state budget. Current
caps on tuition rates were set at a
14% increase per year in response
to 2008’s economic crisis. The
legislature could lower or raise this
cap in the next biennium based on
pressures from constituents, the
economy, or lobbyists.
However, the legislature is not the
only body that gets a say over how
much tuition rises. The legislature
sets a cap for how much tuition can
be raised in a single year, but they
do not set the rates for individual
universities. Tuition rate setting
power is given to local governing
boards of the university. In the case
of WSU, the Board of Regents
establishes how much tuition will rise
in the upcoming year. Hypothetically,
the Board of Regents currently has
the capability to raise tuition under
the amounts set by the legislature,
and to even decrease tuition if they
so desired.
President Floyd, joined by the
administration from University of
Washington and Western Washington
University, has been urging the
Concerned students speak with Sen. Kilmer, one of the submitters of a local tuition bill.
1/26 Blood Drive on campus from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. near the Café in The Southwest Washington Blood Program donation bus
legislature to give complete
tuition setting control to university
governing boards. This type of tuition
policy, allowing university governing
boards to set all aspects of tuition, has
been termed local control of tuition.
In response to WSU and other
university’s request for local control
and in response to the growing
budget problems, several bills are
being drafted that would allow for
more local control, or even complete
local control over tuition.
One of these bills is being
drafted by the Higher Education
and Workforce Development Chair,
Senator Derek Kilmer, a Democrat
from Gig Harbor. SB 6562 and HB
2946, as they are currently drafted,
would allow college boards to raise
tuition 14% a year, without exceeding
a 10% average yearly tuition rate
over the decade. Essentially, the
restriction of a 10% average yearly logic holds that letting student Washington State Students to get citizens of our state; and accountable
increase means that local boards demand dictate the price of education funding from the Washington State to our democratic process by keeping
would have to balance any year would provide the University Legislature to make state tuition tuition setting authority in the State
where the tuition rate increased above with the resources that it needs to affordable. WSA believes that the Legislature, where our lawmakers
10% would have to be matched with fund increasing enrollments. The best form of financial aid is low can make informed and democratic
a year below 10%. In some sense, president also contends that bringing tuition, opposed to the high tuition, decisions regarding our future.”
legislature is still providing a cap, but local control to Universities would high aid model that some legislators WSA feels that allowing university
that cap would not be revisited by the provide increased involvement from promote. Additionally, WSA lobbies boards to increase tuition at any rate
legislature, and they would have no community because “[decisions] for financial aid, student control would make tuition inaccessible to
further control over tuition caps. on tuition…would occur as part of of fees, affordable childcare for many of the students that are of lower
Other tuition bills that may be the integrated budget development students, and campus safety among socioeconomic status. They also feel
submitted this legislative session process at each individual institution. other areas. that students would have a better
have proposed giving complete These are processes that will fully WSA has many problems with chance of influencing legislators than
control of setting tuition rates to local involve students, faculty, staff and President Floyd’s suggestion and its Boards of Regents.
boards. communities.” support from other universities. WSA The bills promoting local control
President Floyd has explained President Floyd’s suggestions believes that giving local control to have yet to go through the legislature
in a letter to the legislature why he have been met with resistance from universities would contradict many and the battle over tuition control is
wants local control over tuition. He some other groups. The Washington of the things they are fighting for. In a just beginning.
suggests, “each institution of higher Student Association (WSA) has letter to supporters, the WSA explains If you would like to get involved
education would be given authority— urged its members to oppose the [emphasis unaltered], “Tuition with the WSA, visit www.wastudents.
through its Board of Regents—to set current legislation that would give should be predictable to allow org. If you would like to contact your
its own tuition and, if feasible, the local control to the college boards. students and their families to plan for legislator for or against the local
flexibility to increase enrollments WSA is a student lobbying their futures; affordable to ensure our control bills, visit http://apps.leg.
by raising tuition.” President Floyd’s association that works on behalf of institutions remain accessible to the wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx.
Sally Thrall/The VanCougar
 CAMPUS NEWS 3

Free campus resources for students at WSUV

Center offers tools
for student success
Joey Hollibaugh/Staff Writer
from specific courses. For each
course that SI covers they will
provide a student leader who
has already taken the course
to implement weekly review
lessons. These review sessions
of issues including relationship,
academic problems, and mental Headed to the Student Resource
issues. If you wish to make an
appointment, call 360-546-9238 Center?
and leave a message with your
name, phone number, and dates/
Let these photos be your guide...

I t is the beginning of a new
semester at WSUV and you
have a nice, clean slate on your
class grades. Wouldn’t it be nice
if you could keep your grades
up as the quarter goes on? Well,
the Student Resource Center
at WSUV wishes to help you
succeed in your studies. They
offer a set of resources to help
give you the tools necessary to
increase the efficiency of your
study skills and improve your
grades. Here is a list of services
that they offer.
The Academic Success
Program
This program offers both
one-on-one sessions and
workshops designed to improve
your study habits. Bill Stahley,
one of WSUV’s Academic
Counselors, offers his time to
sit down with students and assist
them on many topics, including
note taking and test anxiety.
There are also 12 workshops
scheduled to occur throughout
this semester. Some of the topics
to be covered include choosing a
major, strategies for test taking,
and time management.
Supplemental Instruction
(SI) Program
The Supplemental Instruction
Program is designed to
help students gain a better
understanding of the information
are free of cost to any student
enrolled in the SI-supported
courses. The Supplemental
Instruction Program is
supporting the following classes
this semester: CHEM 106,
MATH 103, and MATH 107.
Disability Services
If you have some type of
disability that makes it difficult
to participate in one or more
of your courses, then you can
contact the Student Services
Center. The accommodations
require documentation of the
disability from a professional
health care, rehabilitation,
or counseling professional
as well as documentation
defining the type of necessary
accommodation. It can take
some time for the school to take
the appropriate measures to help
you, so you should request any
help you may need as early as
possible.
Counseling Services
WSUV offers free short-
term counseling for students.
Dr. Will Meek has a license in
psychology and a doctorate in
counseling. He is currently
working with Jamie Young, who
is a doctoral counseling intern
and has a Masters degree in
Clinical Psychology. Both have
experience working with a wide
variety of people on a wide range
times that you would like to Step 1: Head toward the Bookie.
meet.
Tutoring
Tutoring is another resource
offered to you as a student.
Unlike the resources previously
mentioned, WSUV’s tutoring
is not a free service. For $10
per hour you can receive one-
on-one support covering your
course work. While most of the
courses that are dealt with by
tutors are lower division classes,
there are a few limited upper-
division courses available.
Some students may be able to
receive scholarships for tutoring.
The Student Resources
Center works hard all year long
to help students like you gain the
necessary skills and knowledge
to receive academic success in
your courses at WSUV. If you Step 2: Facing the Bookie, walk down the left side of the building.
wish to learn more about these
resources contact the student
Resource Center at (360) 546-
9155 or e-mail them at SRC@
vancouver.wsu.edu.
NEED HELP WITH:
•Academic Success
•Supplemental
Instruction
•Disability Services
•Counseling
•Tutoring

Candid Cougs Jake Kleinschmidt/Managing Editor

Step 3: Stopping before you get to the stairs, turn right. Go in the door.

“How do you feel about SWAT training on campus during MLK day?”

Nicholas Burke - Management & Operations

“It’s good. It’s important to train for stuff that
could happen.”

History - Casey Fergeson

“I feel that this is a necessary requirement
that we have these days with national security
and that it’s best for everyone.”

Yanira Gordillo - International studies

“If people at school were trying to do some-
thing for MLK day that would be different, but
otherwise I’m okay with it.”
Step 4: Go through the inner door, and say hello to the helpful front desk.
Biology - Mari Jo
“It was kinda cool to see all the police cars
parked down there, and to see a bunch of
people in uniform.”

Casey Karlsen - Junior

“I think it was a good idea to have the training
on MLK day because nobody else would be on
campus.”

Psychology - Megan Wilder

“If it was the only time available then its
pretty practical.”

Anonymous - Technical Assistant

“I volunteer with my kids down at the MLK event,
and my husband works with public safety so we
were both here on that day and I feel that they are
both worthy causes.”

Sally Thrall/The VanCougar

1/26 Strong Interest Inventory from 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. in VFSC 104; Call the SRC to reserve a spot @ (360) 546-9155
 4 STUDENT INVOLVEMENT

Journalism Bootcamp at WSUV

Aspiring photographers,
reporters, and editors
get serious about
journalism
Kenneth Allan/Staff Writer
the best! Once the ten minutes
were up, each participant voted
on the most creative “front page
collage” and prizes were later
awarded to the winning group.
Throughout the seminar

O
n Saturday, Jan. 16 in
the Firstenberg Student
Commons, potential
journalists, writers, and students
alike gathered to explore the future of
journalism.
Former Columbian reporter and
VanCougar Adviser Dean Baker,
along with eight other acclaimed
journalists, lead a seminar discussing
their personal history, experiences,
tips and suggestions on how to
effectively report on the current
events and news of the communities
in which writers live. The
foundational point that this seminar
was built on was “The Future of
Journalism is Changing.” Needless to
say, methods for becoming journalists
in a technological era were presented.
For six hours, students in
attendance participated in several
skill-developing activities, and were
presented a series of “mini-lectures”
focusing on the skills, tools and
talents a “potential reporter” ought
to acquire. One particular “editorial”
exercise consisted of dividing
students into separate groups with
the task of designing the front
cover of a newspaper using nothing
more than an older copy of the
Vancougar, some tape and good old
fashioned ingenuity. Once everyone
understood the activity, each group
had only ten minutes to complete
their masterpiece. Excitement filled
the commons as students rushed to
gather any extra materials they could
find, attempting to create the best of
each “mini-lecture” focused
on specific tools and skills
that make a good reporter and,
more importantly, explained
why these skills and tools are
attributed to good reporting.
Listed below is a summary of
the skills and tools spoken of in
each lecture. If Journalism is a
field which you have considered
pursuing, or are currently
involved in but you could not
attend the “Journalism Boot
Camp,” these tips are for you!
• What interests you? Find
your motivation as a writer.
What you find interesting will
give more energy to a written
piece than it would have if
someone else wrote it with little
or no interest at all. Whether
it is sports, entertainment or
politics something strikes your
Joe Creager/The VanCougar
fancy, and no one else can tell the
Matt Wastrodowski (center), former VanCougar Managing Editor, spoke about his current job at The Columbian.
story the way you can. So, trust
Brandy Slagle (left) and Michael Andersen (right) also presented at Journalism Boot Camp.
your gut! If it interests you, the
enthusiasm will show! focused and clearly readable. Once have not yet heard the story. Having And finally…
• Seeing the story. Find a way the reader is confused or lost in a an open mind as a writer/journalist • Create your own identity. This
to tell the story you want to tell. jumble of words, it becomes difficult sheds light on many opportunities is where the writer can express his or
Often, it’s not what it looks like to reel them back in. Also, if the that might have been passed up due herself in ways that are unique to the
initially. News to report on can be reader finds themselves glancing up to a narrow focus. standard forms of communication.
found almost anywhere; it is simply at the story heading as a reminder • Create your own credibility. How you see the story is one of many
a matter of keeping your eyes open to of what they’re reading, chances are There is no real substitute for interpretations, the only difference
it. Also, try putting a little “beat” into they have mentally checked out. knowledge. Having reliable sources is is, you have chosen to report on it.
your article. Talk to people! And do • Keep an open mind. Do not the key for success. No one wishes to The style of writing and the words
some investigating. Finding good go into a story thinking you have it be questioned on the integrity of their articulated onto paper become your
sources will enhance your article’s all figured out. Pay attention to the work. Making sure your information own. The story may be simple, short
quality! highlights of the stories and events is clear and accurate helps to keep or dry, but how you tell it changes
• Staying with the story. Everyone you encounter. Even if a story may your credibility in high standing everything. If it interested you, your
knows how easy it can be to go off not seem as interesting as it once did, among your readers. Do not sacrifice audience will be captivated by the
on a tangent. Try to keep your story there are plenty of other people who your dignity for an “interesting read.” energy you put into it!

80s making a comeback

Student Involvement explore what the fair had on offer. to them,” said Wes Ballou, one of the
Fair; 80s theme Most of the campus Registered student ambassadors for 2009-2010.
Student Organizations, also known Although Ballou spent most of his
Chau Nguyen/Staff Writer as clubs, had tables to inform people time behind the table of OSI, he did

T
here is nothing students
love more than free food,
especially during the
winter, when it provides some energy
for staying awake during class.
The Involvement Fair at WSUV
not only provided pizza gratis it
also introduced students to ways of
getting involved on campus during
Spring semester while providing
some 80s themed flair.
The event, co-sponsored by the
Associated Students of Washington
State University Vancouver
(ASWSUV) and the Office of Student
Involvement (OSI), lasted for two
days, Jan. 19 and 20. The fair, hosted
in the Firstenburg Student Commons,
attracted more than 100 people per
day. Though the two-hour event
started at 11 a.m, most people did not
come until the last hour. Bright table
cloths filled the room and several
people were wearing side pony-tails
to support the 80s theme. A long line
formed near the pizza table, where
each person got two slices of pizza
and a soda before walking around to
of the benefits and fun of becoming
members. Each club had a sign-up
sheet for interested students to write
down their e-mail addresses, so that
they could be contacted whenever
there was an event.
One new group this semester,
the Community Garden Club, had
surveys for the event attendees to
fill out in order to spread the word
about the club to as many people as
possible. “The main purpose of the
surveys was to gauge student interest
in having a community garden on
campus,” said club president Dawn
Freeman. “The more students that
are interested, the better chance we
have of making it actually happen. In
a couple of weeks or so, I will make a
list of all the e-mails provided to me
so we can start having meetings in
order to come up with a strong action
plan for getting the garden going,”
Many people had positive
reactions to the Involvement Fair. “I
liked the pizza, and also appreciated
the chance to inform everyone on
campus about what is going on and
the different opportunities available
find time to learn more about KOUG
radio and how to start a radio station.
John Won, a senator of ASWSUV,
loved the opportunity of meeting
different people and seeing new faces
at the fair, “I also got to promote
awareness of what it is like to be a
senator of ASWSUV.”
Vitaliy Bejan, vice president of
International Students Association
club (ISA), shared how these kinds
of events have helped clubs recruit
more members, “Usually we get new
members by doing tabling,” Bejan
said, “and some of those new ones
actually come to the club meetings
and participate with the club events.”
Dr. Eric Mapes, a math professor at
WSUV, took from the fair that the
campus needs more diverse clubs.
“The involvement fair was a great
activity for the students,” he said. “It
was nice to see them out and about
promoting their clubs, although
it is too bad that not all clubs were
present, like the chess club. I also
learned that the students were happy
about the free food.”



Have you submitted your artwork to the Salmon Creek Journal yet? No? Well visit their site, complete the forms, and be published!
 STUDENT INVOLVEMENT 5

Predicting the future of Washington’s economy

Rogers Weed speaks at
the Chancellor’s Seminar
Series
Sally Thrall/Campus News Editor
people in the same field as their ma-
jor. Student interests varied from
business to engineering to public af-
fairs, and all interests were sorted by
tables. Before the luncheon began,

T
he Chancellor’s Seminar
Series on Friday, Jan. 15
provided students with
the opportunity to hear about the fu-
ture of Washington State’s economy.
Rogers Weed spoke to a full house
of community, politicians, business
leaders and students about sugges-
tions that the Department of Com-
merce has made to the Governor and
Legislator for the future of Washing-
ton’s economy.
Weed was appointed as Director
of the Washington State Department
of Commerce in March of 2009 by
Governor Christine Gregoire. Rogers
He has a diverse educational back-
ground, first graduating with a Bache-
lor’s in Computer Science from Duke
University, and then moving on to the
University of Pennsylvania where he
obtained a Master’s degree in market-
ing. Weed went on to become a vice
president in Microsoft before becom-
ing the Director of the Department of
Commerce for Washington State.
Students, and the other members
of the community that came to listen
to Weed, were treated to a luncheon
buffet featuring lasagna, salad, bread
and brownie bites as dessert. Students
also had the opportunity to meet other
students had a half hour to talk to
the community members that shared
their interests.
After the chatter from the lunch
began to die down, Chancellor Hal
Dengerick introduced Weed to the
audience.
Weed discussed the current cli-
mate of Washington’s economy and
where he saw room for improvement.
He started with a brief overview of
the current budget difficulties that the
Washington State Legislature faces,
hinting that he did not envy the po-
sition to make hard decisions and
buckle down, which legislators are
currently facing. Weed outlined the
Governor’s proposed budget, outlin- Mark Balyshev/The VanCougar
ing a few of the values that the Gov- Rogers Weed presented the ‘Future of Washington’s Economy’ to attendees of the Chancellor’s Seminar Series.
ernor is trying to protect, including
higher education. He wanted agencies to be a help in- audience that he was hoping that his ture of Washington’s economy and an
Next, Weed outlined the priori- stead of a hindrance. Overall, the goal plan would bring more business to opportunity to meet people in local
ties for growth that the Department of the priorities is to bring more jobs the area and more jobs. Additionally, businesses where they may be work-
of Commerce suggested to the Gov- to Washington State and improve the he mentioned working with Portland ing one day.
ernor and legislature. The priorities quality of jobs available to workers in officials because he realized that The Chancellor’s Seminar Series
included competitiveness, education the state. many Clark County residents cross occurs twice every semester. There
and workforce training, infrastruc- Finally, Weed allowed members of the border to get to work. will be one more opportunity to at-
ture investment and more efficient the audience to ask questions about After Weed was finished with tend the Seminar for free this se-
regulation. Weed emphasized the last the information that he had just pre- questions, many people mingled a mester through the Office of Student
point especially. He felt that more ef- sented. Community members were little longer in the crowd, or went Involvement. The next Chancellor’s
ficient regulation could smooth out interested in asking about how this over to speak to the guest speaker Seminar Series will be held Mar. 5.
bumps between regulating agencies plan would work for the Southwest in person. For students, the lunch More information can be found at
and businesses hoping to get started. Washington area. Weed informed the served as an education about the fu- http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/css/.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service

WSUV celebrates the memory of Dr. King with service and a moment of silence for Haiti

Continued from page 1 volunteers were led to different Doernbecher has been focused on

A
long with discussing
struggles of civil rights
movement, Lewis
highlighted the sufferings of Haitian
people, both before and after the
massive Earthquake the shook the
core of the country. Dr Lewis drew a
direct connection between the present
day struggles faced by Haitians with
the Country’s unique and difficult
past. According to Dr. Lewis, Haiti’s
struggle for freedom from slavery,
colonialism, and imperialism, as
well as corrupt dictators, all played
a key role in the conditions faced by
Haitians today.
Bola Mojekobaje, the assistant
director of student diversity and the
organizer of the event, also called for
a moment of silence to remember the
victims of earthquake.
“If we all develop a passion for
justice, a constant call for justice and
educate ourselves about injustices
of the world, and go about changing
it, millions of lives could be saved,”
stated Dr. Lewis. “…and perhaps
then we would not have issues like
today, that defame the legacy of
this holiday where we have police
training on campus…It is very
disturbing,” added Lewis.
The members of Social and
Environmental Justice Club passed
flyers to raise awareness of SWAT
team training held on campus the
same day.
Following the keynote address,
projects around the city. The
projects included: card making for
Doernbecher Children’s Hospital,
tree planting with stream team and
more tree planting with the Water
Resource Center team. Volunteers
also assisted the meal service and
children’s activities at the Share
house.
Volunteers at the Water Resource
Center site helped prune and plant
River Willow trees along the
Columbia River. As the Columbia
River was shimmering with sunlight,
volunteers worked to plant about
1000 trees along the beach. The
Water Resource Team mentioned
that 1/10 of these trees will make it
through the high waters and survive
“I want to come back and see
these trees next year” mentioned
Mason O’Lennick, WSUV student
ambassador.
The Water Resource Center,
located on the Columbia River, is an
organization that takes a leadership
role in educating the community about
water resource management. The
organization also works hand in hand
with local schools, organizations and
businesses to improve the health of
local watersheds. Group volunteers
are always welcomed.
The card making activity also
proved to be a success. The group
made about 250 cards in only two
hours. These cards will be sent to
Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
From its beginning in 1926,
providing family centered care to
children, through treatment as well
as research.
Around the nation, people from all
walks of life, from diverse ethnicities
and ages, came together to learn,
celebrate and to act on Dr. King’s
words. These service projects not
only work to improve our society,
but also helps to break social barriers
that often constrict communication
and promote division.
President Obama and First Lady
Michelle Obama honored Dr. King,
by serving meals to folks in a food
kitchen. President Obama was
found supporting a green apron,
baize hat and a wide smile while
posing for pictures with the other
volunteers.
“We have a responsibility to reach
beyond King’s dream by thinking,
planning and building our own
dreams” stated Dr. Lewis during
his address to the crowd. While
each approach to reach the dream is
different, “we are all like drops of
rain,” slowly and collectively filling
the bowl. Every drop counts.
Mark Balyshev/The VanCougar

1/30 Submissions due for the Salmon Creek Journal. Have your artwork published in a college periodical. More info online!
 6 FEATURE

Free Coug: living on a budget MLIA College Comfort

Cheap activities for the
average, poor college
student to enjoy without
going broke
Triana Collins\ACE Editor
What: Vietnamese New Year Festival, or Tet
When: Saturday, Jan. 30
Where: Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary
Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: FREE
This New Year’s celebration (the
Life is pretty normal today.
Submit your own at www.mylifeisaverage.com or via the newspaper!
from pajama pants to pillow
covers. The instructors encourage
Yesterday after taking a really tough math exam, I couldn’t quite put my frustration into
you to bring your own fabric, thread, words. My friend then runs up to me and exclaims, “OH MY GOSH I”VE JUST BEEN GANG
and a sewing machine if you have RAPED BY CALCULUS!!!” I couldn’t have said it better myself. MLIA
one.

A
hh, January in
Washington. Rain,
drizzle, clouds, it’s all
so…moody. But dreamy, too. I
must say that being a non-native of
the Northwest I have gone through a
metamorphosis of feelings towards
this moist land. My first year, I felt
like a little kid again, when a rainy
day meant nonstop fun and games
indoors. My second year, I tried to tell
my friends that it wasn’t that rainy, it
really wasn’t that cloudy. My third
year, I was undeniably depressed. I
yearned for an East Coast winter:
Blinding sun married to biting cold.
But I stuck it out because, really, I
had nowhere else to go. over Washington and Oregon. So
Then my friends who had moved
to the Northwest around the same
time as me started falling like big fat
raindrops from our cloudy sky. I had
a realization: there is a threshold for
being a new resident in the Northwest,
and it is three years. If you can make
it past the 3-year mark, you’re in the
clear. Sure, there will be a gloomy
day every now and then, but then I’ll
see the stark beauty in the dark colors
and feel a warmth even in the cool
air. So anyway, enjoy some mostly
holiday is “Tet” in Vietnamese), is
a bit of a mystery, as details on the
event are rather scarce. But I bet
you a dollar there will be food and
costumes, and maybe music too.
What: Clark College Jazz Festival
When: Thursday, Jan. 28 through a book titled, From Sky Dogs to Wild
Saturday, Jan. 30
Where: Gaiser Hall, Clark College
Time: Various
Cost: $5 per day
This is the 48th year of this
music fest and for three straight
days you can hear nothing but
jazz. It’s really a competition with
sixty vocal and instrumental jazz
ensembles participating from all
basically, if you like jazz, it’s your
lucky weekend, and if not, stay far,
far, away from Clark College.
What: Sewing Class
When: Saturday, Jan. 30
Where: Three Creeks Community Library
Time: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: FREE
I am including this class simply
because of its title, “Sewing is Sew
Cool,” because really, that title is
so cool. There will be nothing but
What: Horse Talk
Today, my history class held a mock trial set in the 1970’s and we all had to dress up.
When: Thursday, Feb. 4
Everyone was telling me how worried they all were, and I told them, “We’re all alright!”,
Where: Three Creeks Community Library quoting “That 70’s Show”. From out in the hall, someone yelled “HELLO WISCONSIN!” I love
Time: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. college. MLIA
Cost: FREE
Come hear Dr. Steven Fountain
talk about horses. He recently wrote Today in my communication class, we were assigned random topics and given 5 minutes
to prepare a two minute speech. All the topics where two things and you had to decide
Ones: Nativing the Horse in North which one was better. A guy in my class got mountains and valleys, and then gave a
America. The book describes the speech about how valleys were better because if you lived in the mountains you would be
cultural and environmental impact attacked by a yetti. Best speech ever. MLIA
caused by horses in Native American
and European societies.
Today, I wondered in British people walked on the opposite side of the hallway in school.
What: First Friday Dance Friday MLIA
When: Friday, Feb. 5
Where: The Brickhouse, 109 W. 15th St.
Time: 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. Today, I was studying for a cultural anthropology exam. I came across the term “Dhobi”,
a person in India very low in status who specializes in washing clothes. Thank you, Harry
Cost: FREE with 2 cans of food
Potter, memorizing that one will be easy. MLIA
First Friday in downtown
Vancouver will be filled with the
usual art, wine, more art, and more Best of the Month:
wine. But if you head over to The Today, in my large lecture class, a guy dressed as a tree ran through screaming. Right
Brickhouse you’ll find a local artist behind him was a lumberjack. Even the professor was amused. MLIA
showcase and the unveiling of the
“Circle” community art installation.
The installation will represent 24
artists in Clark County and be
displayed throughout February at The
Brickhouse. On this special night,
DJ Profile: Yahm (TFLN):
TXTS FRM LST NGHT
KOUG Radio DJ Brenda
Ladytown will start the music at 7
p.m. followed by Tony Smiley & The Yahm talks about Club B HOME I BESTNIGHTS I WORSTNIGHTS I SUBMIT

free stuff. sewing going on here, everything Bird from 9 p.m. to midnight. (904): i just went through and
Triana Collins\ACE Editor
liked all 1,239 of her pictures
instead of writing my english

B renda Yahm is the super
bubbly host of Club B, a hip
hop and R&B radio show on our
very own Koug Radio on Sundays.
This native Vancouverite, DJ, theatre
lover, and the fashionista voice for
The VanCougar, is also an audio
journalist with Koug Radio, as well.
Before WSUV, Brenda attended
the Vancouver School of Arts and
Academics where she says she,
“did a little bit of everything”. The
day was split between academics
in the morning and arts in the
afternoon, which included classes in
theatre, literature, visual arts, dance,
photography and music. She fell
in love with theatre and performed
in Fiddler on the Roof and The
Marvelous Playbill, but enjoys acting
nowadays simply as a hobby.
Check out Yahm’s
fashion advice on
page 13!
A dance fanatic, Brenda currently
practices Latin ballroom, hip hop,
and samba dance. She thinks some
dance classes at WSUV are needed,
and she says, “If there was a dance
class here I would definitely take it”.
In addition to dance and acting, this
talented lady plays “a little guitar and
piano”.
Brenda has always wanted to
attend WSUV but applied to Portland
State University just as a backup.
Although she hasn’t formerly chosen
a major, she thinks she’ll do DTC
(Digital Technology and Culture)
with either a double major or minor
in English.
See DJ Yahm on page 14
paper. don’t tell her, i want her
to be surprised
(937): I did something last night
that I shouldn’t have, but I don’t
want to tell you because you’ll
probably just make it your fb
status...
(1-937): I see you’ve learned
your lesson.
(636): ra ra ra ah ah
(573): wtf?
(636): sexting lady gaga style
(913): Hold on im havin a
staring contest with my cat
(804): Hey guys, just to let you
know, I have a boyfriend...so
that hookup was kind of a one
time thing.
(571): was that a mass text??
(925):So in our children’s lit
class, some jackass little boy
had gone thru the where’s waldo
book and circled waldo. I realize
you would have been that kid.
(440): sarcasm needs its own
font
(778): we were going to warn
you, but we veto-ed that idea
somewhere between “this is
the stupidest thing we’ve ever
done” and “let’s order a pizza”
(571): i don’t know what the
guinness world record is for
longest time eating nothing but
skittles but i’m going on six
days

1/27 Travel Café Photo Contest from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in VFSC to see photos from around the world, eat snacks, and hang out

Cougars bleed crimson to avoid turning pink
Free Swine Flu
vaccinations on campus
Joe Creager/Photographer
O
n Jan. 13, a handful of
WSUV students and
faculty trickled into room
14 in the basement of the Classroom
Building to receive a free “swine
flu” vaccine. They came to receive
a vaccine that they hope will prevent
an illness that was at the center of
the largest media frenzy of last year,
until the philandering Tiger Woods
came along and stole away all of the
attention. The number of recipients
was remarkably small, and hardly
reminiscent of the media images of
extraordinary lines and wait times
from September and October of
2009, and this worried Assistant
Clinical Professor in Nursing Melody
Rasmor, who said that young college-
age students are at high risk of
contracting the infection.
According to the Center for
Disease Control, “swine flu,” or
more appropriately H1N1, differs
from the seasonal flu, and Rasmor
confirmed that the illness primarily
targets the respiratory system, rather
The Rant
Jake Kleinschmidt\Managing Editor
F
or once I can not specify
what I Hate here, I am just
extremely frustrated.
A 30 year old Good Samaritan
from Eugene Oregon named Ben
Bonds was charged with harassment
and obstruction of governmental
administration. Did he block the
entrance to a courthouse? No. Did
he yell at a police officer? No.
Did he vandalize a police car? No.
How can someone then be charged
with obstruction of governmental
The SEXpert
This week, Sexpert will explore the
role of sex in relationships and look at the
question of sexual compatibility.
Q: Dear Sexpert,
I have been dating my boyfriend
for several months now. We started
having sex about half way into our
relationship. I was still a virgin
when we first had sex, so I’m not
very experienced. I’ve enjoyed sex
that we have had so far. However,
I’m beginning to doubt if we are
actually sexually compatible. When
he seems really into something
we’re doing, I’m not quite in the
moment. When I’m enjoying myself,
1/28 Cougs and Coffee @ 7:30 a.m. at Burgerville; free and open to all Alumni • 1/31 College Goal Sunday 2 p.m. at Clark
than the gastro-intestinal tract. The
symptoms include fatigue, fever,
sore throat, muscle aches, chills,
coughing, sneezing, and sometimes
diarrhea and vomiting. The main
risk of H1N1 appears to be the risk
of contracting a secondary infection,
such as pneumonia or other serious
illnesses, which could result in death.
Rasmor stressed that university
students were at a particularly
high risk for infection due to a
multitude of reasons. To begin
with, students attending university
classes are often in close quarters
with one another, and often have
administration and harassment?
Simple. Bonds was filling peoples
parking meters for them. Yes you
heard me right. Bonds decided that
he was going to give kindness to
complete strangers by putting his
spare change into peoples expired
parking meters. So what happened?
The parking meter attendant noticed
that he was placing money into the
meters. She approached him and
told him that he should stop what he
was doing. Bonds decided that he
was not going to obey her request
and continued to fill expired meters.
When she saw him again she got
on her phone and called the police.
Bonds waited for the police to arrive
and was arrested within minutes. He
claims that when the police arrived
Sally Thrall/Campus News Editor
I’ll glance at him and he seems
bored. What do I do? I love him and
the rest of our relationship is great.
Can our relationship work out if the
sex isn’t so great?
-Sexually Amiss
A: Dear Amiss,
It can be hard to know what you
like when you are not very sexually
experienced. If your boyfriend was
not very sexually experienced when
you two began having sex, then
he might not know what he likes
either. Have you had conversations
with your boyfriend about what he
enjoys in bed? Talking with your
immune systems compromised from
burning the midnight oil. Rasmor
emphasized that it was important
to receive inoculation, not simply
to prevent personal illness, but also
to prevent the spread of H1N1 to
Joe Creager/The VanCougar
others, particularly those who cannot
be vaccinated due to pre-existing
medical complications.
In addition to getting vaccinated,
Rasmor also mentioned that
further preventative action could
be taken by exercising, washing
hands after touching objects that
are often touched by others, and
avoiding individuals who are
they did not even discuss with him
the issue but simply took him into
custody, charged and fined. Bonds
never become confrontational with
the police and did what the police said
for him to do. In a video interview
it can even be seen that there was
handcuff marks left on his wrists.
What kind of a world are we
starting to live in when even the
smallest and simplest acts are looked
down upon because apparently
helping out strangers is a bad thing?
Aren’t laws and statutes supposed
to be based off of what the people
find to be morally and socially
unacceptable?
This could have some interesting
paradoxes. For instance, some states
have Good Samaritan laws where a
partner is usually the best way to
resolve any issues that you might
have. However, it can also be hard if
you are unsure about what you like
or what you want.
Do you feel like you have begun
to discover what you like? If so,
you might want to try telling your
boyfriend about how much you
enjoy certain things, and what affect
these things have on you. Knowing
that you really enjoy a certain
position or technique may make
your boyfriend view that thing in a
whole new light. While it may have
been initially so-so for him, now
that he knows it blows your mind,
he may want to start doing it more.
Likewise, hearing your boyfriend
talk about how much he likes certain
things may make those things more
pleasurable for you.
Relationships are, to a certain
extent, about give and take. Sex as
a part of relationships is the same.
As long as you do not find yourself
always or mostly doing things he
likes more, then you should be able
to find sexual satisfaction. However,
displaying symptoms, particularly
coughing. Rasmor also indicated
that it is important to remember
that not everyone takes appropriate
precautions. Additionally, she also
mentioned that smokers should quit
smoking if possible. Of course that
may seem like a tall order for most
smokers, however there has never
been a better time to quit, as with
respiratory illness, the detrimental
effects of prolonged tobacco use on
the pulmonary system may manifest
much more quickly than anticipated
by the average smoker.
Faculty member Paul Goldman
stressed that receiving the vaccine
is a public health duty, and indicated
that he felt everyone should be
vaccinated. Those who fear the pain
inflicted by the hypodermic needle
by which the vaccine is administered
should take comfort in the words of
Cahonda Piccola, a student, who said
“I’ve had plenty of flu shots in my
day, it didn’t hurt.”
There may be some risks associated
with receiving the H1N1 vaccine.
Mild problems include soreness,
redness, tenderness, or swelling at
the site of injection. Fainting has
been observed, particularly amongst
citizen is obligated to intervene if he/
she witnesses a crime occurring. So
if it is against the law for people to
engage in certain acts of kindness,
then under the Good Samaritan law,
someone should have stopped him.
This means, Good Samaritans would
be stopping Good Samaritans? This
doesn’t even make sense.
It’s my personal opinion, that it’s
completely absurd that something as
simple as someone emptying their
spare change for the sake of others.
The police who were called into
arrest Bonds could have been doing
far more productive things with their
time. I thought the responsibility of
a police officer was to protect and
serve, but it seems the parking meter
officer would disagree. It isn’t simply
if one of you is always giving
into the other’s requests, then you
might find that this type of sexual
relationship is unsustainable. It may
be hard for you to assert yourself if
you do not feel all that confident,
but you have to, and your boyfriend
should be receptive to that. If you
cannot find a balance between the
give and take, then you may have
more problems than necessary later
on down the road. Also, the sooner
you assert yourself, the better,
because roles in relationships can be
hard to change after they have been
around for awhile.
Likewise, you should be receptive
to him wanting to do more of the
things he enjoys more, if the case
is that you two mainly do the things
you enjoy more. You have to pick up
on cues from him, and also talk to
him about your sexual relationship
to make sure that is satisfying to
both partners.
It is important to find this balance
because for most people a sexual
relationship is an important part of an
intimate and romantic relationship. It
FEATURE 7
adolescent recipients. Additionally,
some recipients may experience
headache, muscle aches, fever, and
nausea.
Severe problems are typically
allergic reactions to the vaccine,
which are considered to be rare, and
tend to occur minutes or hours after
receiving the vaccine. In addition,
an earlier version of the “swine
flu” vaccine, which was developed
in 1976 in response to a possible
epidemic, was associated with cases
of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS),
a serious paralytic illness. However,
the Centers for Disease Control
indicated that flu vaccines have
not been “clearly linked” to GBS
since that time. Finally, should an
individual or their child be injured
by the vaccine, their ability to sue
for compensation is limited by law,
although one should take comfort in
knowing that a federal program has
been created which is intended to
help pay for medical care and “other
specific expenses” for those who
have a serious reaction to the vaccine.
To date, however, no major problems
have been observed from the millions
that have already taken the shot.
What are you waiting for?
protect and serve but nitpick and see
that people get fined by the city.
Her actions on this issue could
make one come to the conclusion that
she is more interested in ticketing
people to make herself look good,
and/or bring more revenue to the
city. This frustrates me to an extreme
degree because I love police and law
enforcement. I respect them for the
hard work they do and putting their
lives on the line for our safety on a
regular basis. But its people like this
meter maid who ends up giving law
enforcement a bad reputation.
There are far worse crimes we
need to deter people from doing than
helping our brothers and sisters of
America.
may be the case for some people that
sex is not an important part of their
relationship, but that is something
that must be worked out between
the partners. It is not impossible to
find a romantic relationship where
sex is not important, but for a large
majority of people this is not the
case. It also sounds like for you this
is not the case either. If sex was not
an important part of the relationship
for you or your boyfriend, then you
probably would not have written in
to Sexpert. You may find out later in
life that sex is not important to you,
but for now it sounds like you would
like to find a measure of sexual
compatibility and experience your
sexuality.
You can work things out with
your boyfriend and probably find a
sexual relationship that will satisfy
you both. However, if you are not
able to do so, then you are really
going to have to evaluate with
your boyfriend how much sexual
compatibility means to both of you.
- The SEXpert
 8 STUDENT GOVERNMENT
From the ASWSUV President
Elections, tuition, and
Student Government
Council
Nick Ferderer\ASWSUV President
S
ince its primetime in
Olympia right now, all I can
think about is legislative
things—walkouts, rallies, trips to
testify in front of legislators, and bill
numbers that swirl in my mind like
alphabet soup. Looking far into the
future though (about three weeks),
I see on the calendar that ASWSUV
elections are coming up so it’s time
for a little reminiscing before a new
financial aid reduction proposal gets
laid on the table.
ASWSUV sponsored walk-out and rally
Students encouraged
to walk out of classes to
protest tuition hikes
Nick Ferderer\ASWSUV President
T
he state budget is bad. You
hear about it everywhere.
It gets brought up in our
classes. Then we go home and news
anchors show different graphs to
describe it night after night. Some
of these graphs have lines with
downward arrows; other graphs have
bars filled in with bright red colors;
and my favorite ones are the pie charts
that look like they’ve been baked
without the filling. The message is
the same: the state budget is bad.
But that is an understatement. To
be more precise, Washington’s $2.6
billion budget deficit is the worst
in recorded state history. This is
especially bad for higher education
which is not constitutionally protected
like K-12 funding and social services
that take up take up about 60% of the
total available pie. In other words,
before the state legislature can pay
for higher education and their other
projects, 60% of the funds are gone.
Director of Legislative Affairs address
ASWSUV’s DLA explains
his goals and objectives
while in Olympia
Peter Sterr/ASWSUV DLA
I
’m Peter Sterr, and I currently
serve you as the Director of
Legislative Affairs (DLA)
for the Associated Students of
Washington State University
Vancouver. I also serve as the Vice
President of the Washington Student
Association (WSA)—a statewide
student advocacy organization—and
President of the Washington Student
Foundation (WSF). While each
of these roles requires something
different of me, my primary
responsibility in each is to represent
student interests to the Washington
State Legislature.
To more effectively represent these
interests, I moved to Olympia at the
beginning of this semester. Living at
2/4 Valentine Cookie and Card Decorating in VFSC from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. • 2/11 Speed Dating in VFSC from 4:15 p.m. to 7 p.m.
In three weeks, it will have been
one year since Nicole and I began
campaigning for office. We stood in
the wind, rain, and snow for three
weeks to table and explain our
vision for increased communication,
leadership opportunities, and
sustainable practices on campus in
the coming year. Since May 16th,
2009 we have been working towards
these goals and will continue to work
towards them until May 15th, 2010—
commencement to commencement.
If you are even slightly interested in
making your mark on this campus, I
encourage you to stop by the offices
in the Firstenburg during these next
few weeks to ask what it is like to be
in ASWSUV. I know a smile is the
universal sign of happiness, but ask
When this budgetary pie shrinks,
all the groups competing for that
leftover 40% begin to organize and
voice their needs. And we as students
are no different.
On Feb. 4, from 12 p.m. to 2
p.m. students all across the state of
Washington plan to walk out of their
classes to rally in support of higher
education. Here at WSU Vancouver,
our peaceful demonstration will be
held in the free speech area between
ADM and CLS and will include free
t-shirts for participants that share
their story. Guest speakers have
been invited to educate everyone
involved about the current situation.
Local media has also been invited
to make sure the larger community
is informed. You are invited. Your
friends are invited. Your family
is invited. Everyone is invited to
participate and show impact of higher
education.
To some, walking out of class
and rallying seems contrary to the
promise of higher education. “How
can you support higher education if
you don’t even go to class?” This is
a relevant question and over 5,000
current WSU students receiving the
State Need Grant are wondering
the Capitol, I have been able to work
closely with a handful of DLA’s from
the other colleges and universities
in the state. As a WSA team and
as individual representatives of our
campus student associations, we
have worked diligently to create
opportunities in which we can
continually present and reinforce the
WSA Legislative Agenda. The three
primary objectives from the agenda
that we have worked to accomplish
are:
• To protect full funding for
state financial aid programs,
including the State Need Grant, State
Work Study, Washington Scholars
Program, WAVE Program, Future
Teachers Program, and others—most
of which the Governor proposed
cutting entirely.
• To maintain tuition-setting
authority in the Washington State
Legislature, opposing any further
movement toward local tuition-
setting authority (allowing each
institution to set it’s own tuition
about all the behind-the-scenes
things we do; it’ll blow your mind
and we love to talk about our
activities, events, and opportunities.
Eleven Senators, a President, and
Vice President will be elected in
the coming months. Leadership
development, resume material, and
friendship included.
Elections remind me about Student
Government Council (SGC) because
a few weeks after being elected,
Nicole and went to one of these
meetings. SGC is made up of the
Presidents and Vice Presidents from
each of the ASWSUs and we meet
four times a year to discuss issues
that affect all WSU students—like
tuition, technology, and of course,
legislative matters. But we also share
the same thing. If this financial aid
option is cut as proposed, these 5,000
students may be missing more than
one class next year; they may not
QUICK FACTS
•What: Statewide Walk
out and Rally at WSUV;
guest speakers, phone
banking, and awareness
•When: Feb. 4 from
noon to 2 p.m.
•Where: Free speech
area between VADM and
VCLS
•Why: To show the
importance of higher
education
•Who: You!
finish their education. Another 700
WSU students are in danger of losing
work study. And the list goes on. In
all, seven aid programs are posed to
rates). To reduce tuition increases
as much as possible, maintaining the
predictability and affordability of
tuition, and the accessibility of our
institutions.
• To support student representation
at all levels of higher education,
particularly through the institution
of a student trustee position on the
boards of trustees for the state’s
community and technical colleges.
These objectives were formed in
the midst of the most serious budget
crisis our state has ever seen. As the
legislature scrambles to fill a $2.6
billion deficit, proposals to cut the
State Need Grant by 60%, to eliminate
State Work Study and other financial
aid programs, to allow institutions
to raise tuition by ever-increasing
rates, and to cut nearly $90 million
from the budgets of our colleges and
universities have emerged.
To accomplish these objectives,
we have had a continual presence at
both the House and Senate Higher
Education committee meetings, and
bits of advice and best practices.
That first SGC was a shocker for me
as the outgoing Presidents and Vice
Presidents gave the newly elected
members more nuggets of wisdom
than my noggin could comprehend at
one time. How things have changed.
Last week was the third SGC
meeting of the year and the discussion
got to the heavy subjects quickly—
legislative plans and successes. Of
course, I shared Vancouver’s letter-
writing campaign as a success; over
550 letters is impressive at any
campus, let alone one of our size.
But we focused on the work ahead,
specifically Coug Day at the Capitol
and other student advocacy efforts
(see “Participate. Be Heard. Make a
Difference” article). The importance
of having as many of our student
voices heard by legislators as possible
was a primary focus and was stressed
be cut. Statewide this would affect
over 72,000 students.
But not all of us receive financial
aid. We do all pay tuition, however.
Other articles in this issue give more
details about proposals now being
discussed in Olympia. In summary
though, some of these proposals
indefinitely remove the current
14% cap on tuition and this is not
acceptable. In other words, tuition
could rise at rates that would price
out the most promising students or
cause them to increase their debt
load. The statewide walkout and rally
on February 4th is your chance to be
heard and say this is not acceptable.
During the rally, ADM 129 and
130 will be reserved for making
phone calls to your legislators. These
phone calls are such an important tool
for letting legislators knows what is
on your mind that ASWSUV will
be hosting “phone banking parties”
every Thursday of the legislative
session from 12:00 to 2:p.m.. Some
experts say that to a legislator, a
phone call is worth five personalized
letters. So it only takes five minutes
to make a difference.
This walkout and rally are the next
big steps in ASWSUV’s legislative
the House and Senate Ways and
Means committee meetings. The
WSA team and I have frequently
testified in support or opposition
to legislation in front of these
committees, publicly sharing with
legislators the importance of our
objectives. Not only have we testified,
but we have brought students from
each of our campuses—including
WSU Vancouver—to share their
student stories as well.
We have also had meetings with
legislators every day of the week
since session began. We generally
have 5-10 meetings a day with
legislators, introducing them to our
agenda and gauging their interest in
and support of student issues.
Finally, we have worked
strategically to build relationships
with representatives from a that all of ASWSUV is committed
variety of other higher education
interests, including the Council
of Presidents, faculty associations
from our institutions, the American
Federation of Teachers, and the
by each President and Vice President
in attendance.
Do you see why legislative matters
are all I can think about lately? It’s
because everything is tied to what
happens over these next few months
while the legislature is in session.
Either higher education is funded
and we grow or it is cut and we trim
what little there is left to trim. Please
get involved and help save higher
education. Sign up for our mailing list
to receive online petitions at www.
ASWSUV.com. Attend one of our
trips to Olympia to testify in front of
Congress. Make a 5-minute call your
legislator. ASWSUV can provide the
phone numbers. There is so much that
we can do.
Contact me:
360.608.4470
aswsuv.pres@vancouver.wsu.edu
efforts this year. The demonstration
picks up where the letter-writing
campaign left off and shows the
continued commitment students
have in the pursuit of our education.
Looking further into the future,
ASWSUV will be sponsoring and
training 20 students to participate
in “Coug Day at the Capital.” On
February 14th, 15th, and 16th
students from all of the WSU
campuses will be joining together
in Olympia to personally meet with
legislators, attend hearings, and take
part in a rally on the steps of the
Capitol Building. On February 15th,
we will be bussing 40 more students
to show that power is in numbers.
Sign-ups for the all-expenses paid,
three-day opportunity and the one-
day trip will be available at the rally
and on www.aswsuv.com.
As students, we are preparing
ourselves to create a better
community and world. We know the
future is in our hands. Please attend
the walkout and let this be known
to the legislature. This is a call to
action: Participate. Be heard. Make a
difference.
League of Education Voters. These
relationships have helped to create
a unified front for higher education,
and while we do not see eye-to-eye
with each of these other interests on
every issue, the benefits gained from
coming together are invaluable.
I would like you to know that I
am working my hardest to make a
difference for students in Olympia
this spring. Since the legislative
session this year is only 60 days long,
and the budget situation is so severe,
business here is running at a feverish
pace. At this point, the outlook for
students remains rather bleak—many
legislators are seriously considering
cutting millions of dollars from
financial aid, and there is support
for local tuition-setting authority and
increasing tuition. Please be aware
to combating these proposals and
furthering student interests, but
we need your help in order to be
successful. Please talk to ASWSUV
to find out how you can help.
 STUDENT GOVERNMENT 9

Bring issues forward

v e l C a f e
Tr a
Chancellor’s Student
WHO TO CONTACT
Advisory Board wants to
hear your concerns •Mason O’Lennick: OSI
Lead Ambassador
January 27th
Nick Ferderer\ASWSUV President •Cara Cottingham:

H
Station Manager of KOUG
ave you ever thought
Radio
to yourself, “If I was in
charge around here, I •Katie Wells: Editor-in- 11:30-1:00
would (insert creative idea to make Chief of The VanCougar
WSUV better)”? Well have I got
Firstenburg Student Commons
•Will Lippl: Chair of the
.Food/beverages .Vote in photo contest .Learn about study abroad
news for you! There is a group of
student leaders on campus who Student Media Board
meet with Chancellor Dengerink to •Ramandeep Brar: OSI
discuss issues that affect students on
Diversity Intern
this campus. Collectively, the group
is called the Chancellor’s Student •Rob Hildebrandt: Explore the world through WSU Vancouver
Advisory Board (CSAB). Members Student-at-Large
are appointed by the ASWSUV •Nick Ferderer: ASWSUV
President by virtue of their leadership
position and include Mason President
O’Lennick, Cara Cottingham, Katie •Nicole Mousleh: ASWSUV
Wells, Will Lippl, Ramandeep Brar, Vice President
Rob Hildebrandt, Nick Ferderer,
Nicole Mousleh, and the Chair Pro
•Vacant: Chair Pro
Tempore of the ASWSUV Senate Tempore of ASWSUV
which is currently vacant. Senate
These leaders look to their fellow
students to help them bring issues
forward for discussion, so connect Contact these people to
with them and tell them what is on present issues to the Board
your mind. Some of the topics this
year have included wireless Internet
access, space issues, course offerings,
Next CSAB Meeting:
and more. You could even be invited
to present the issue! Name an issue Feb. 3 from noon
and make a case for it, and it can be
discussed with Dr. Dengerink. He is
to 1:30 p.m.
a very receptive Chancellor and is
mindful of student concerns.

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To learn more about ASWSUV and the elected positions please visit www.aswsuv.com

2/12 Senate Meeting in VFSC 104 at 8 a.m.; Show up to voice your concerns or observe what the ASWSUV Senators are doing
 10 SPORTS AND RECREATION
Irritated Sportsfan: LeBron James Blazers conjure up a victory
Slam dunking stars with
a few deserving absent
Daniel Barrette/Sports Writer
T
he National Basketball
Association is a fantastic
league that has such stars
as Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade,
Carmelo Anthony, and LeBron
James. Since 1996 and 2003, these
superstars of the league have dazzled
the NBA and left us with a new
impression of what basketball is
today. The NBA’s All-Star break is
rapidly approaching along with the
Sprite Slam Dunk Contest. This dunk
contest has allowed basketball fans
to view the best dunkers of the year
and showcases their dunking ability.
The 1980s is when the rebirth of
the contest allowed us to witness
Julius Erving leap from the free
throw line and gracefully throw it
down. Spud Webb was another 80s
competitor dunking in the contest. To
many that seems irrelevant, but Mr.
Webb stood only five foot six and had
an astounding 42-inch vertical. The
greatest basketball player of all-time
showcased his talents in the contest
allowing fans to get what they wanted.
I am talking about the greatness
Michael Jordan he even managed to
please the fans twice winning back-
to-back titles in 1987-88. The battle
between Jordan and Dominique
Wilkins in 1988 was in many people’s
eyes one of the best battles ever at the
slam dunk contest and I am finding
it hard to discredit them. In the 90’s
Kobe Bryant competed just once as
a rookie in the 97’ season but look at
him today he is arguably the league’s
best player today. The contest took a
brief absence from the all-star break
because fans were tired of seeing the
same old thing. After a two-season
layoff, the NBA decided to bring
the Slam Dunk Contest back for the
2000 All-Star Weekend in Oakland,
California. It turn out to be one of
the most electrifying dunk contests in
the league’s history, featuring a great
showdown between eventual winner
Vince Carter of the Toronto Raptors,
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1/30 Snow Shoeing & Snow Camping in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Indian Heaven. Sign up deadline on the 27th
his cousin and then-teammate
Tracy McGrady, and the Houston
Rockets’ Steve Francis. Carter won
after performing a number of very
impressive dunks, including a reverse
360 windmill, a honey dip(hang
from the rim but your elbow), and
a between-the-legs dunk off of a
bounced alley-oop from McGrady.
The next four contests did not feature
superstars like Carter and Bryant, and
despite innovative attempts Desmond
Mason and Jason Richardson, the
lack of A-list superstars willing to
participate has hurt the appeal of
the contest. The last two seasons
has been birth the theatrical side of
dunking. Dwight Howard during
the 08’ slam dunk contest came out
as Superman in cape and all. People
many times refer to his as Superman
and he took to the skies and won
the contest that year. In 09’ Nate
Robinson came out in an all green
New York Knicks uniform and acted
like Superman’s kryptonite taking
down Howard to win the title. Now
here comes where I am irritated. Last
year during the Slam Dunk festivities
LeBron James threw in his name to
compete in 2010 Slam Dunk Contest.
As a huge basketball fan my jaw
dropped when I began imagining the
dunks LeBron James could bring us.
His in game dunks are so powerful
that it simply amazing that someone
his size (6 FT 8IN, 270+ pounds) and
leap like he can. It seems that almost
every night his dunks are featured
on Sportscenters Top Ten plays of
the night. Finding out that he was
dropping out for the contest this year
left me irritated at LeBron. Irritated
because you have given us glimpses
with your amazing pre-game dunks,
your gravity defying in-game dunks,
and now you withdraw from the
competition. You got our hopes up
and know you crush our dreams of
watching you dunk in a contest that
is losing its meaning. Nothing against
the athletes competing this year but
you are definitely no LeBron James.
This year will feature some notable
dunkers that this year have proven
to be outstanding. The defending
champion Nate Robinson of the New
York Knicks is coming back to the
spot light to defend his title. Gerald
Wallace of the Charlotte Bobcats
will be competing this year and has
always shown the ability to dunk
with tremendous talent. However this
year he has been posterizing people
all over the league. Posterizing is
the act of dunking over someone in
a manner that leaves the one getting
dunked on embarrassed and the dunk
could be made into a poster for you to
hang on your wall. Shannon Brown
of the Los Angeles Lakers will also
be competing in this year’s dunk
contest. Shannon has been amazing
this year making many look silly
has he flies past them to deliver
jaw dropping dunks. A website also
surfaced, LetShannonDunk.com
showcasing his ability to dunk. This
year will feature the first Slam-off
between two young guards for the
fourth and final spot in this year’s
dunk contest. During half time of
Rookie – Sophomore challenge the
two will compete for the spot and
the fans will text in the winner. Eric
Gordon of the Los Angeles Clippers
and DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto
Raptors. DeMar DeRozan has taken
the first steps to winning by following
Shannon Brown’s footsteps and made
his own website LetDeMarDunk.
com. I am still irritated by LeBron
backing out but I applaud our
contestants who have chosen to
give the fans something they want.
I am open for debate on any of the
topics I write and would love to talk
sports with anyone. I can be reached
by my e-mail daniel.barrette@
email.wsu.edu and look forward
to any feedback you can give me.
Good defense by Blazers Vince Carter. Though Webster
missed the shot, he made all three
helps them prevail over free-throws as a result of the foul. As
the Magic 102-78 the first half came to a close, Blake
sank a three-pointer with only eight
seconds remaining on the game clock.
Amy Thielen/Staff Writer The first half ended with a minor
“scuffle” involving Blake and
T
Howard. Blake held Howard and
he Blazers were without
in turn, Howard shoved Blake and
leading scorer Brandon
pulled on Blake’s jersey. Both players
Roy, but it did not matter
were charged with offsetting technical
as the team was able to beat the
fouls. The Blazers lead at the half
Orlando Magic 102-87 at the Rose
increased to twenty points; 52-32.
Garden Friday, Jan. 15th. Though
The beginning of the third quarter
Roy practiced earlier in the day,
was marked by a 10-2 run by the
he did not play as he was still
Magic, cutting the Blazers’ lead to 12
recovering from a sore hamstring.
points. Howard made a slam dunk
A combination of standout
on the Magic’s first possession of the
performances by Blazers forwards
quarter and teammate Carter followed
Martell Webster and LaMarcus
with a three-pointer. In response, the
Aldridge, and guard Steve Blake
Blazers went on their own score drive,
(in addition to a poor shooting
scoring seven unanswered points.
performance by Orlando), helped
Near the end of the quarter, the
Portland to seal the victory. In this
Blazers scored three-pointers on three
final matchup of the season for these
consecutive possessions, helping
two teams, the Magic arrived with a
increase their lead to 22 points. After
three game winning streak against
three quarters, the Blazers maintained
the Blazers at the Rose Garden.
their lead over the Magic; 77-59.
The first quarter was a poor
At the start of the fourth quarter,
shooting outing for both as the
Magic guard Jason Williams
Blazers and Magic shot just 43
sank a three-pointer. Webster
percent and 39 percent from the field
and Blake responded though
respectively. Blazers point guard
with back-to-back three-pointers,
Jerryd Bayless committed two fouls
as they did in the third quarter.
just four minutes into the game and
The Magic made an 11-2 run
was replaced by Blake off the bench.
late in the fourth quarter, but it
Similarly, Dwight Howard committed
was not enough. The Blazers
two fouls and was replaced by Marcin
managed to hold off the Magic and
Gortat near the end of the first quarter.
the 102-87 win was capped by a
Despite the poor shooting, the
Blake three-pointer with only one
Blazers went on a 12-3 scoring run
second remaining on the shot clock.
near the end of the quarter, which
The Blazers (25-16) celebrated
included a pair of three-pointers
their win in front of the 94th
by Webster. At the closing of the
consecutive sell-out game at the
quarter, Blake stole the ball and
Rose Garden. Martell Webster was
passed to Webster who made a slam
the Blazers’ leading scorer with
dunk with just six seconds remaining
24 points and LaMarcus Aldridge
in the quarter. After the first quarter,
had a double-double with 14
the Blazers lead the Magic 24-14.
points and 14 rebounds. Webster
Neither team came out shooting
and Steve Blake went a combined
well at the beginning of the second
9 for 15 from three-point range.
quarter either. Throughout the span
The Magic (26-14) shot only 50
of the quarter, the Magic managed
percent from the free-throw line as a
to get within five points of the
team and usual high scorers Dwight
Blazers, but late in the quarter
Howard and Vince Carter were held
the Blazers went on an 11-2 run.
to 11 and five points, respectively,
Howard finally returned to the
Before the game, the Blazers
floor for the Magic with only about
encouraged fans to donate to Mercy
four minutes remaining in the half. Corps’ fund for the Haitian earthquake
At the end of the half, Howard was victims. Blazers fans showed their
a mere one for four from the field. support by donating $49,000 to the
With about one minute remaining relief efforts and the Blazers matched
in the half, Webster attempted a the first $16,000 donated by fans,
three-pointer, but was fouled by bringing the total donation to $65,000.
Encountering Research:
Conversations with WSUV Faculty
Want to know more about the research that faculty on campus do? Come to an
informal discussion of faculty research in the Library’s Reading Room.
Dr. Clare Wilkinson-Weber will be the guest
of the library at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 27.
“Designs on Screen: Bollywood Costume,
Indian Culture, and the Global Economy”
Future conversations will be with:
Dr. Carol Siegel, Feb. 23 at 1:30 p.m.
Dr. Dan Jaffee, Mar. 30 at 1 p.m.

MMA dreams in the kitchen: Corey Kuhlman
Erik Cummings\Sports Editor
Acting upon a tip from a fellow
editor, I interviewed a worker in the
WSU-V cafeteria. My friend said
he was a cage fighter. To my mind
came visions of Wolverine in X-Men
fighting in a claustrophobic ring
with iron bars. When I met Corey
Kuhlman to talk about the sport, he
came off friendlier and more open
than a certain comic book superhero.
He was eager at the start to show
me the new equipment he got from
the Brave Legion gym. According
to him, the gym used to be named
“Brave Heart” but had to change the
name due to copyright issues with the
film of the same name.
Joe Creager/The VanCougar
So what is cage fighting? I read
the Wikipedia article on it and
it said they use a lot of “mixed
martial arts.”
Corey: Right. That’s what “MMA”
stands for…from wrestling to karate
to jujitsu to Muay Thai to kickboxing
– all those things are allowed.
There are different leagues. UFC’s
(Ultimate Fighting Championship)
obviously the biggest one. Pride
used to be another big one. There’s
also Strikeforce. Pride’s not around
anymore, but the two biggest ones
are UFC and Strikeforce. UFC’s
definitely the biggest...two of my
coaches do. My coaches fight in UFC
Do you have your minor leagues?
Corey: Yeah, there’s pro-amateur
groups around Vancouver and
Portland. There’s FCFF – Full
Contact Fighting Federation, which
is probably the biggest in Portland
and they fight out of the Roseland
Theater…they have great, great
fights there. They have a big ring and
they sell out. They have about fifteen
fights a night there.
I’ve been there. That’s a good
theater. Do you have a particular
style you like to use?
Corey: I like to do a mix of boxing,
“ground pound,” and jujutsu.
Ground-and-pound is where I would
take a guy from standing, try to get
him on the ground and then I’d try to
get positions where I’m in a dominant
position and I’m striking or I’m
getting in positions where I can get
submissions or do some jujutsu. It’s
just getting him in positions where I
can do strikes, elbows, knees to the
body…all these kinds of things.
What got you started?
Corey: The gym opened up not too
long ago and they actually added me
on MySpace just out of randomness.
They said “We have free open gyms
on Saturdays” so it was like, “Well,
why not?” just to check it out. I’ve
always enjoyed watching UFC, pay-
per-views, and all that kind of stuff,
2/2 Ski & Snowboard Wax Clinc in Rec Center 2/6 Portland Rock Gym Indoor Climbing. $20 for students. Sign up by 2/3
so I was like “Well, you know, let’s
try it out.” So I did “roll,” a process
where we roll for a dominant position
and use jujutsu. I liked it, thought it
was a lot of fun. You learn a lot of
body mechanics, how things work,
and it’s almost mind expanding.
Just like watching how people can
maneuver their bodies and see how
their body reacts to certain things and
certain positions. It’s just fascinating
to watch. If you’re watching on TV,
and you don’t know what’s going on,
you know it’s not that big of a deal. If
you actually do MMA yourself, you
understand what the difficulty was
to do certain things and how those
things work.
What do you enjoy most?
Corey: I enjoy the fact that it gives
you a sense of self-confidence, that
you’re the only one that decides your
fate and so, you can’t go in there being
down or anything like that. You’ve
got to go in there being confident
that “I can do this, I can go in there
and do that.” There’s a great sense of
pride in that. Now there’s definitely
a line between pride and cockiness
and you’ve got to know that line. It’s
[also] great workout. Over the past
year, I’ve lost 20 pounds doing it
and I’ve thrown another 15 back on
in muscle. I don’t think it ever hurts
to know self-defense...it’s definitely
opened my mind. I’ll be here at work
and I’ll think about jujutsu moves
doing all this other stuff at work.
I’ll be like “Okay, if I was in this
position, I would do this, this, and
this.” It’s stuff you can think about
in your mind and go to practice and
practice it. That’s the science. This
will be a little over a year now that
I’ve done it.
It helps your critical thinking?
Corey: Exactly. And the best way
I would [describe] MMA is [it’s]
physical game of chess because you
give and take a lot. Sometimes a
guy will take a certain position and
it leaves something else open. If you
move pawns, bishops, and rooks in
certain positions, you can be strong
in one area but weak behind yourself.
That’s the give and take of the sport
and you have to know all those
things. That’s the difficulty.
Have you ever been injured?
Corey: Well, I’ve gotten cauliflower
ear, but just a little bit. What that is
you get a rush of blood to your ears
and it’s your brain telling your ears
to put out more cartilage to pad the
impact of hits. It feels like a really big
burning sensation. You can just ice
your ears and it goes away. It sticks
around a little bit. You get constant
trauma to the ears…I’ve dislocated
my left middle finger and both my
pinkies. I’ve dislocated four of my
toes. My sinus is still cracked. I’ve
had black eyes, split lips, all this kind
of stuff. No concussions thankfully.
That’s good. That’s the big thing.
Does anyone inspire you?
Corey: My coaches inspire me.
Both my coaches have worked very
hard…the main people I’ve noticed
that go into MMA are wrestlers. If
you were a basketball player in high
school, you had potential to go to
college. From college, you could go
into the NBA. You can go to college
for wrestling, but what about after?
There’s no pro-Wrestling, per se. Not
traditional wrestling. Not like WWF.
Kuhlman (left) in a sparring session with Mike Pierce, one of his coaches who also fights in the UFC Joe Creager/The VanCougar
There’s nothing. But I’ve noticed
a lot of wrestlers are starting to do
this now, so this for them is kind of
going pro. It’s the hottest sport in
the world right now and it’s going to
keep going - it didn’t suffer…through
this whole recession. It didn’t suffer
one bit. It still went strong. It’s a big
thing, people pay to see this. It beats
out boxing because there’s so much
more depth to it.
What about other types of fighting
or sports? Do any of them?
Corey: After I graduated high
school in ’04 in Ridgefield, I played
two years of basketball for Clark
College…then, a lot of my friends
were doing semi-pro football so I
started doing that. I was really good
at football in high school, too. Then
I got injured. I hurt my knee. Tore
my meniscus and that really set me
back. Couldn’t do football anymore
and hopefully I’ll get my surgery
here coming up in August because
I got my insurance set up through
WSU-V. I was like, “MMA doesn’t
involve guys throwing their full body
weight into my knees, so why not?”
It’s helped me out a lot, still being
active, keeping me in great shape,
and it’s just fun.
So, you still in school?
Corey: No, I’m the assistant
manager here at the kitchen and I’m
not a student. I wish I was because I
want be a Certified Personal Trainer.
Unfortunately, we don’t have classes
here for that. But if there were, I
would be. I got my Associates in
Science in Culinary Arts at Clark.
SPORTS AND RECREATION 11
But I love working out with people.
What I eventually want to do is take
it to another level where I’m working
with people who have goals in mind,
people who are overweight, or who
want to get into a certain shape. I’m
going to work out with them and
I’m also going to cook them healthy
meals. I feel I can help people reach
their goals. I really think it’s kind
of disgusting how Americans eat
themselves to death. We hunt on full
stomachs and that’s utterly ridiculous.
I don’t agree with that. I’m trying to
Joe Creager/The VanCougar
help America get past that. Instead
of reaching for a greasy hamburger
when we get depressed, let’s take
out that frustration, that anger, and
turn around those problems. When I
would get frustrated, I’d go work out
instead of taking negative and turning
it into another negative. I took a
negative and turned it into a positive.
I turned that frown upside down.
Well that’s good. That’s the
right attitude to have. What’s
your family like? Do you have any
siblings?
Corey: Yeah, I have a younger sister
graduating this year from Ridgefield.
She lives out in Ridgefield with
my mom and dad. I live in west
Minniehaha and I’m moving in with
my girlfriend next month, so that’s
another milestone in our relationship.
Have any hobbies?
Corey: Pretty much just playing
my Playstation 3. I play a lot of call
of duty. I play bass guitar too, so
hopefully I’m gonna start playing that
a bit more. I’ve been taking a break
since I work a lot and I do MMA. I
hope to pick it up and start jamming
with some of my friends again.
Do you have any favorite bands?
Corey: Pretty much anything that
rocks. I’m pretty open for anything.
I like Hip-Hop and R&B a little bit
too. I don’t like gangster stuff. I like
artists who come up with good lyrics.
I like anything that rocks because I
can relate to it. I play bass so I can
understand it. Pretty much anything
besides country.
Yeah, I like a few but not all. Do
you have any favorite dishes you
like to make here?
Corey: I’m really good at making
Italian pasta. My grandfather taught
me a lot of the German recipes, so
I’m good at making schnitzels, red
cabbage, spaetzle...strudel, though,
I’m not too good at baked goods,
but I’m pretty good at grilling and
making pasta.
Are you going to take this [MMA]
to the top?
Corey: You know, I’ve been doing
this for a bit. My coaches – I can
see their success. My last coach –
he fought last Tuesday the 12th on
Spike TV and won his fight. The fight
before it, he got 125 grand in seven
minutes…put that into efficiency
rate and that’s pretty good. He [won]
“Fight of the Night” at the pay-per-
view, and he got “Tap Out of the
Night” which was 60 grand on top
of his winnings. You can’t complain
about that.
So you think you’ll go for some of
those prizes yourself?
Corey: I would definitely have to
win a lot of fights. You have to get
noticed. Thankfully, our manager
has hookups in UFC. My coaches
get a fair look...the competition’s a
lot more fierce once you get into the
UFC because that’s where the best
of the best fight. Now, heavyweight
is what I fight ‘cause I’m 6 foot
5, 240. Heavyweights are far and
few between...they actually make
the most money out of any weight
class. My coach told me I’ve a lot
of potential, but I’m just having fun
with it right now...some days I get
a little stressed out, but bottom line
is that’s the point of doing sports is
having fun.
 12 ARTS, CULTURE, AND ENTERTAINMENT
Sherlock Holmes
I
t was time for a new Sherlock
Holmes, and here he is in a
break-neck action adventure.
In Guy Ritchie’s film, which
recently hit cinema screens, the
witty investigator and his wingman,
Watson, find themselves in a variety
of scrapes and dangers to crack a
case. But when one of Holmes’ old
infatuations enters the scene, things
start to get very difficult for the great
deductive genius of Baker Street,
especially when the supernatural
comes into play.
Sherlock Holmes, with its
redefining portraits of Holmes, by
Robert Downey, Jr., and Watson,
an excellent Jude Law, is set in a
monochrome, Victorian London,
the colorlessness of which saturates
this city of bleak houses with evil.
The cinematography of Philippe
Rousselot (who shot Tim Burton’s
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
and the literate script are matched by
Hans Zimmer’s eccentric score (see
review in this issue).
For all the atmospherics, though,
Richie keeps his film focused on
his characters, to the point where
most of the film seems to be a series
of close-ups. This is a Holmes and
Watson that we begin to feel we
Avatar
H
ave you seen Avatar
yet? It’s really quite
spectacular, you know,
with all the spectacles and stuff. In
fact, I wish I had remembered to
bring my spectacles. Next time I will
for sure.
Okay, so where to begin? Well,
first there was a lot of fighting and,
I confess, I fell asleep through that
part, because it’s like whatev.. fight
fight fight...battles. But then, in
between all the fighting and battles
and blood and fire and destruction,
there were these moments of bright,
What to see, what to skip; 2010
A quick look at the
upcoming Silver
Screen releases
Mark Balyshev/Photographer
2
009 was great for movies,
and 2010 looks even more
promising. Here are a few
upcoming films that you might want
to seek out or avoid.
I Love You Phillip Morris: Jim
Carrey and Ewan McGregor playing
a gay couple? I’m pretty sure it’s
going to be one of the funniest movies
of the year.
The Wolfman: Now it’s been pushed
back to a Feb. 12 release, which
means it probably got low ratings at
test screenings. Certainly, the studio
has demanded some reshoots and
re-editing. From the trailer it looks
just okay, nothing too exciting. It
2/18 A-Z of Financial Aid and Scholarships Workshop in VADM 110 at 7 p.m.; Free and open to the public
Movie Guide 2010
know intimately.
Even if you are unfamiliar with
Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels or the
long history of screen Holmeses, this
is a film that will not only entertain
you, but may very well send you into
the library or DVD shop looking
for more on the brilliant detective.
Holmes is as addictive as the cocaine
he occasionally takes (though this
aspect of the detective’s life is very
much missing from Ritchie’s film to
make it a bit more family-friendly).
Thinking about Sherlock Holmes
afterward, I noticed that I wasn’t
quite able to find one scene that
completely stood out from the rest of
the film: it all seemed that complete,
with one scene seamlessly flowing
into the next. It’s also a film that
works on multiple levels, with full-
on action, high drama, humor, and
far from elementary investigating.
In fact, it’s a pleasure to find such
an intellectual action man as Holmes
piecing together a puzzling case.
This is an event that definitely needs
to be seen on the big screen, and,
again, you may just find yourself
craving more.
Reviewed by Anaya Martella
and Steffen Silvis
bright beauty that went flash! Flash!
Like little fireflies in the night. And
there were neon flowers, and little
white floaty things that stuck to
you and made you feel special, and
floating mountains with waterfalls
that vanished in mist. Yeah, kind of
hard to imagine, but it’s true. I saw it
with my own 3D encased eyes. And
then it was like WHOAAAA! Damn,
I think I’ve been here before, but I’m
not sure...
And really it was too cool. So
cool that it was a bit embarrassing for
some of the audience, who couldn’t
help bursting into joyful noise at the
colors and depth and all that trippy
nature. Yeah, well, nature is trippy
(ever been to the Olympics?). But it
probably won’t be rewriting Horror
film history.
Shutter Island: Directed by Martin
Scorsese, who just won the Cecil
B. DeMille Award at the Golden
Globes, it’s a mystery thriller starting
Leonardo DiCaprio! Sign me up, as
this promises to be one of the most
intense movies of the year, and the
reviews have only been positive so
far.
Alice on Wonderland: Woo, Tim
Burton doing another movie with
Johnny Depp in a CGI “wonderland”.
Personally I think Burton gets way
too much credit for his work, and
makes the same movie over and
over, except this one is in 3D. But
if the teasers are any clue, it looks
magically boring.
Clash of the Titans: This just looks
so badass, I don’t care if it’s going to
be crap. The trailers indicate that this
movie is going to be an epic journey,
with Liam Neeson playing Zeus!
Sherlock Holmes
Soundtrack
O
ne of the biggest films
to hit theaters in 2009
was Sherlock Holmes,
and one of the greatest contributors
to its success was its score by Hans
Zimmer. Zimmer has
become very popular
in the film world with
his compositions for
Gladiator, the Pirates
of the Caribbean
series, and Angels
and Demons. But
his Sherlock Holmes
soundtrack is a unique
departure from his
earlier work, which
might very well
divide fans.
The album
begins with one of
my favorite tracks,
“Discombobulate,”
which acts as the
film’s theme and as
the signature motif for the character
of Holmes. Zimmer captures the
eccentric personality of the famed
sleuth by using an odd combination
of instruments, including an out
of tune piano and a harmonica.
It’s a piece that has a very abrupt
is especially so in 3D.
I would describe the film as Fern
Gully meets Jurassic Park meets
an ayahuasca trip in the jungles of
Belize. Then imagine blue leopard
people with tails and stripes, and
they’re all hella tall and much larger
all around than humans. Then there’s
a sex scene between a blue leopard
lady and the blue leopard fake robot
human. During that scene, my
boyfriend leaned over and informed
me that there were actually more
3D sex scenes, but they had been
removed to make it a bit more family
friendly. I guess we’ll just have to
wait for the unedited version.
Okay, so then you got the military
doin’ what they do best: takin’ stuff.
That alone should make you want
to go see it. If not, go watch another
meh romantic comedy with your
girlfriend.
Kick-Ass: A random guy decides
he’s going to be a real life comic book
feeling throughout with short notes
constantly jumping back and forth.
The song is a little reminiscent of
the theme for Jack Sparrow in the
Pirates of the Caribbean films, but
is far from being a variation on a
theme. Pieces of “Discombobulate”
are employed throughout the rest of
the album, even in the midst of other
tracks, in order to create cohesion.
The rest of the
tracks go back
and forth between
softer and more
intense pieces.
Some of the
former include
“Is It Poison
Nanny?”, “Data
Data Data,” and
“Not In Blood but
In Bond.” The
last one is the
most emotional
and traditional of
the songs for the
film score, and
it begins with an
out of tune violin
solo, creating an ominously sad
feeling.
There are a few tracks that provide
some tension in the album. The most
notable of these being the 18 minute
song “Psychological Recovery…
6 Months.” This is quite easily the
best song on the soundtrack, sharing
So they’re like, hey we want this
special black shiny rock and you
special blue leopard people just so
happen to live right on top of it, but
whatev!!! We’ll just kill you. So
the end of the film was rather sad
because it was really just a fairy tale.
All the leopard people lived happily
ever after, when what would have
really happened was the military
woulda just straight wiped ‘em out
with no problems and no regrets.
Yeah, so anyways maybe you’re
thinking, well wait a minute, I read
these other reviews of Avatar and
they all said the effects were cool
but the plot was cheesy and blah,
blah, blah. Well, I’ve got this theory
here about all the bad reviews of the
hero, and sets out to save a city
from all the resident evil. This
is rated a hard R by the MPAA,
which means it’s going to be
bloody with tons of violence and
cussing. Stop reading this and go
watch the trailer, as it just looks
fun. Plus, Nic Cage is playing a
real life batman, and who doesn’t
want to see that?
Iron Man 2: The first Iron Man
was a huge success, and this
sequel looks even better! Robert
Downey, Jr. is simply charming
as Tony Stark. But to top that,
the film’s villain is played by
Mickey Rourke. You must see
this!
Shrek Forever After: Just die
already, thanks.
The A-Team: I was a fan of the
original series, and this looks like
it’s going to be a lot of fun. The ‘80s’
cheesiness is still there, even if Mr. T.
isn’t. I pity the fool that misses this one.
some similarities with some of
Zimmer’s past compositions from
Gladiator and Angels and Demons.
This will probably be the track that
Zimmer’s loyal fans will appreciate
the most.
The most difficult track on the
album is the song “I Never Woke up
in Handcuffs Before.” The beginning
sounds like something you would
hear at a polka concert, but the tempo
seems to continually build with
more and more instruments joining
in. By the end it sounds more like
a random accident in an orchestra
pit than something composed. It
works brilliantly when paired with
the appropriate scene in the film,
but sounds incredibly awkward and
annoying standing on its own. This is
the one bad egg in what is otherwise
a great collection.
The Sherlock Holmes Soundtrack
accomplishes what great soundtracks
should: it captures the feel of the film
superbly with its unique choices in
instruments. But more importantly,
with the mentioned exception of
“I Never Woke up in Handcuffs
Before,” each track has artistic
worth in and of itself outside of the
film’s context. That’s rare. This is a
soundtrack that will most certainly
add Hans Zimmer’s name to the list
of great film composers.
Reviewed by Joey Hollibaugh
“plot” of Avatar. It goes like this:
The government is like, well this
movie is gonna make hella money
because of all the trippy 3D effects
so we better push it hard. But then
we gotta tell everyone through our
tight control on the media outlets that
the “plot” is childish because really,
it’s straight up truth and we sure as
hell wouldn’t want anyone to believe
that (Just do some research on all our
past and current wars, and I think you
may agree with me).
So, yes, please go see Avatar. It’s
super awesome and it will make you
think.
Reviewed by Triana Collins
The Karate Kid: See Shrek (above).
Another movie to help murder
childhood
Hollywood.
memories. Thanks,
Toy Story 3: In 3D, and by far my
favorite Pixar movie series. This is
winning the best animated movie of
2010 at next year Oscars.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse: I
already hate it.
Inception: It’s Christopher Nolan;
it’s Sci-fi; it’s Dicaprio, Ken
Watanabe and Marion Cotillard; its
production has been kept pretty quiet.
It’s on my list.
The Expendables: Sylvester
Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li,
Mickey Rourke, Randy Couture,
Dolph Lungdren. Ultimate guy
movie, ultimate badass cast, this will
be amazing (on its own level).
All the films getting released after
August still looks a bit hazy, and
there are almost no trailers for them.
So let’s worry about those later.
 ARTS, CULTURE, AND ENTERTAINMENT 13

Portland Theatre Review

A
Daddy’s secret erotic bearded, and sloppy father is really novel adapted for the to testify, it seems he
a celebrated novelist, who has been stage, Snow Falling on doesn’t hold a chance
talent and WWII writing titillating bestsellers in his Cedars is Northwest at a fair trial with
Puget Sound spare time. author David Guterson’s story of all of the jealousies
Gary then presents a plan to his Japanese-Americans in Puget Sound and prejudices
children, which will make them during WWII. With a minimal, swirling about. His
Triana Collins/ACE Editor
work for his inheritance the way he yet striking, set, the cast of this wife’s former White
made it: by writing erotica. Whoever production at Portland Center Stage lover, Ishmael,

N
ext of Skin, a new work
by local playwright
Jake Gott, is the latest
production from the Portland group
Third Eye Theatre. The play’s
protagonist is Gary, a retired father
of three greedy adult children, who
is continually surrounded by his kids’
false claims of love and admiration,
when in reality they’re scheming on
how they will spend his fortune.
Disgusted and disturbed by
their demands for home remodeling
and full body laser hair removal,
he decides to tell them the truth of
how he made his money: Erotica.
It turns out their overweight, gray
writes the best, most orgasmic story,
will win all. The kids scratch the
darkest recesses of their minds to
come up with ideas: Medieval kings
taking princesses into dark dungeons,
busty babysitters giving daddy a
bath, the possibilities for stimulation
are endless. A hilarious trip to the
local library lends some ideas where
readers are poked and prodded as
to what words and phrases excite
them most. Finally, the stories are
done, laid out for Gary to read in the
privacy of his bedroom, and a winner
is chosen.
Check out Next of Skin now
through February 13th. See
thirdeyetheatre.org for more info.
did a phenomenal job of portraying a detective and
life on an isolated island where quiet newspaper reporter,
fishing and farming are the main discovers the truth
sources of income. of that fateful
The White and Japanese-American night. But first he
residents live in relative peace before must overcome
the war. They’re found working hard government-
side by side, growing up best friends, sanctioned hatred, as
and sometimes turning into lovers. well as the feeling of
When Pearl Harbor is attacked and lost love, in order to
the war breaks out, allegiances see justice prevail.
quickly shift with most of the Whites Check out Snow
concluding that their former friends Falling on Cedars
are actually enemies. now through
Young Kabuo Miyamoto is February 7th. See
charged with the murder of a former pcs.org for more
acquaintance in the foggy waters of info.
the sound. With no other witnesses

Too busy
for style? Quick and easy ways

R�-
to improve your
everyday style
Brenda Yahm/Contributing Writer

T
he time has come once again for
early days and late long hours
studying. For many students,
style is not an option for school. This is the
case for Jessica Yahm, a junior at WSUV,
who says, “with biochemistry at 7:45 a.m.
my fashion staple is a sweatshirt”. Who
says you have to neglect style for school?
The same effort used to put on a sweatshirt
can be used for another outfit.
It didn’t take much effort to put together
Jessica’s new look for school; anybody
can give this a try! Her beloved WSU
sweatshirt was replaced with a simple blue
knit sweater, and her heavy boots were
replaced with a simple black pair. Keeping
the solid colored tank and dark wash
denim, her look was almost complete. The
last adjustment was the studded handbag.
A large purse can also substitute for a
backpack. Jessica Yahm doesn’t like to
wear many accessories, but for those that
do you can add a gold/brown necklace with
a few bangles.
This is a simple look that makes a
difference! Believe it or not, this look can
be worn for $100 or less because many
people like Jessica already have the pieces
to many great outfits in their closets,
but don’t have the key to putting them
together. Remember: when creating an
outfit, sometimes simplicity is best.

BEFORE AFTER

2/18 Public Affairs Lecture Series Presents: Allan C. Carlson, Ph.D. @ Fort Vancouver High School Auditorium; $10; @ 7:30 p.m.
 14 OPINIONS AND EDITORIALS

The VanCougar
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.
Taj Mahon-Haft: Idealistic sociologist and teacher

I
Editor-in-Chief

Katie Wells think I am going to chime
in here too about SWAT
Managing Editor coming on to campus
Jake Kleinschmidt for training during MLK. The
problem is, don’t know where
Adviser to start here really. There are so
Dean Baker many points of view I can take
this from. But let me simply
Advertising Manager first tackle the three main points
Ben Ryan against the SWAT training: That
it is on MLK day, preventing
Campus News Editor
active shooters through mental
Sally Thrall
healthcare, and that it should
ACE Editor never have to come to SWAT
Triana Collins intervention.
The fact that the training
Feature Editor took place on MLK day is truly
Now Hiring! unfortunate and can be seen in
bad taste. I understand how one
Student Involvement Editor
could react and feel that this is
Now Hiring!
something that one would hope
Student Government Editor could be avoided. However,
Adam Fox the logic of the situation of
performing this training on
Sports Editor a day when there would be a
Erik Cummings minimal amount of students and
faculty on campus is sound. I
Web Editor sympathize with those who feel
Now Hiring!
offended by this action, but I am
very understanding of SWAT’s
Copy Editor
Steffen Silvis situation here.
The argument that mental
Staff Writers healthcare will prevent active
Louise Wynn, Amy Thielen, Rup Brar, Sally shooters from doing what they
Thrall, Chau Nguyen, Joey Hollibaugh, do is a nice idea, but slightly
Triana Collins, Meghan Bartosovsky,
flawed. Active shooters mean
Kenneth Allan, Justin Rossetti, Daniel
Barrette, Anaya Martella, and Pin-Wei Wan that the gunman has already shot
and/or taken someone’s life. In
Photographers this circumstance, it is nearly
Joe Creager, Mark Balyshev, and Joseph
impossible to stop a shooter at
Tiegs
this point. However, I believe
what they meant to say was that
Location: we need to identify and give
mental healthcare to potential
VCLS 212
14024 NE Salmon Creek Ave. active shooters.
Vancouver, WA 98686
Phone: (360) 546-9524
Most active shooters are
classified as sociopaths.
Extensive research has gone
into trying to figure out
how to identify a sociopath,
especially in early development.
Unfortunately most conclusions
have discovered it is very
difficult to classify a sociopath
due to their high level of
variance in characteristics from
one to another. This means that
we cannot catch and treat all
potential active shooters before
they have already committed
their crime.
This is what leads a problem
to the third statement, that SWAT
Should never have to be used for
situations like this. Well, here’s
the thing. SWAT stands for
Special Weapons and Tactics.
This means that the 200 hours of
training they go under per year is
not just for classroom scenarios.
They train in all different types
of offices, schools, public areas,
etc. in order to best be prepared
to defend and put their lives on
the line for you and me. As I
mentioned before, there is no
way we can prevent any and
all active shooters, on or off
campus.
My point is, that the day was
not the best that could have been
chosen, it is not something I
would recommend if I had a wide
range of days to pick from for
training on campus. However,
their choices were extremely
limited. But this was a necessary
training that I welcome and feel
safer for it.
T
aj Mahon-Haft spent six
years at Virginia Tech as an
architecture and pre-med
student, even scoring an architecture
internship and volunteering at a local
hospital. At the last moment, though,
he switched officially to sociology
and started applying to grad schools.
“I enjoyed learning about
everything I studied, but the work
in practice wasn’t what I’d hoped it
would be,” Mahon-Haft explains.
“There wasn’t the intrinsic reward I
was looking for, the reward of doing
something meaningful. Sociology
told me about the actual world and
gave me a chance to work in the
classroom, sharing with people,
helping people, changing the world.”
It’s not surprising then that Mahon-
Haft was involved with the protest
against the police SWAT training
exercise scheduled on the WSUV
campus on Martin Luther King, Jr.
Day. “It’s wrong to hold this event
on the day commemorating Martin
Luther King’s birthday,” he told
reporters covering the protest.
Although he wasn’t involved
because he wanted to be on television,
Mahon-Haft hoped that getting the
protest in the news would help bring
issues of social justice to the attention
of more people. After all, idealism is
what it’s all about for him: It’s the
reason for his teaching sociology.
“We can enlighten people about
discrimination and social injustices.
We can provide little insights that can
expand outward in people’s lives and
help them,” Mahon-Haft says, and
he follows with a quote from writer
Henry Adams: “A teacher affects
eternity; he can never tell where his
influence stops.”
Mahon-Haft takes a non-
normative approach to teaching. “It’s
important to accommodate all the
students, make sure that we can get
through to everyone on some level,”
appearance of a survey affects
people’s responses. “Even the color
of the paper can make a difference big
enough to create error in the results,”
he says. He’s also doing research with
his adviser Clay Mosher and criminal
justice professor Laurie Drapela on
alternative sentencing programs in
Clark County. In these programs,
drug offenders are given sentences
that involve less jail time and more
education and counseling.
Are these sentencing programs
working? “In general, we’re seeing a
huge cost benefit to the county, better
re-integration into society, fewer
emergency room visits and fewer
relapses,” Mahon-Haft says. “Some
of the programs are working better
than others, and some are working
better for some people than for others.
For instance, women are more likely
to complete the program successfully
than men. But this doesn’t mean the
programs are unsuccessful, only that
we need to learn more about what
works for more people, so we can
improve the programs.”
Mahon-Haft, this idealistic
sociologist, concludes, “we still need
to find how to reach out to the people
in the most need.”
Quick Profile
Born: Napa, California
Grew up: Maryland
Became an adult: Virginia
Home: Here on the West Coast
Education: B.S. from Virginia Tech,
M.S. from WSU Pullman, working on
PhD in sociology at WSUV
Favorite color: Red, the color of fire
and passion and such things as an
idealist would prioritize.
Family: He’s the oldest of 10 children
and the father of a four-year-old son,
Dmitrius.
Advice: “Graduate school is an
amazing opportunity for anyone who
is passionate about learning in any

E-mail the Editor-in-Chief and

DJ YahmContinued from page 6
something that’s just straight and
monotone. They also collaborate
with other artists really well.
he maintains. “To do that, I not only
use my own teaching style, which is
outgoing, but also incorporate other
field. It is perfect for those who wish
to stay near the cutting edge ideas
and who never want to grow old in
teaching methods. My goal is to work
Managing Editor: their perspective. The quality of life

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A
s for Yahm’s radio
show, “I love it,”
she declares. “The
first time I did it I was kind of
nervous. Not about going on the
air but about all the electronics.
Now, it’s not so intimidating.”
In addition to playing her
favorite music, Yahm also
features interviews on her show.
Her latest interviewee was JJ,
a rapper from Vancouver, who
plays primarily hip hop music,
and who has performed at clubs
throughout the area. When she
first met him through a friend,
she had no idea he made the kind
of music she loved. After talking
with him, she recognized his
skills and offered to help push
his career in the right direction
by interviewing him and playing
some clips of his work on Club
B.
Most of the rappers and artists
you’ll hear on Club B are personal
favorites. “Definitely, Jay Z and
Lil’ Wayne,” Yahm says. “Their
style of rapping, the different
phrases, and metaphors that
they use are really interesting.
I like a lot of beat rapping, not
Ludacris is another good one.
He’s a rapper who’s been around
a really long time. Every album
of his always has a good hit, and
his music videos have a lot of
humor. He sometimes makes fun
of other artists, which is always
entertaining. Also, Usher has
a lot of good R&B tracks,
especially from when he first
started out. “
Yahm says that the best place
to see hip hop is downtown
Portland, where a lot of local
artists get to have their shining
moments at clubs like Barracuda.
As for R&B, “it’s a lot harder to
see live,” Yahm explains. “Plus,
there is a lot of commercial
stuff that doesn’t really sound
that great. I like the older stuff.
It’s more original than what is
coming out today.”
When asked if she would ever
want to make her own hip hop
music, Yahm replies, “If I had
the talent I would. But my dream
is to be a guest DJ at a club in
a warm place like Miami or
Southern California.”
Check out Club B on
kougradio.com on Sundays from
noon -1 p.m.
with the students within their own
parameters. I don’t want to let my pet
peeves create boundaries between me
and students.”
He’s pleased that WSUV has,
starting this year, an undergraduate
degree in sociology, instead of only
a general social sciences degree.
Mahon-Haft sometimes teaches
Sociology 101, a survey course taken
by majors and non-majors. This
semester he’s teaching Sociology 360,
on social deviance. “What is deviant,
including the clothes you wear,
depends on social context,” Mahon-
Haft explains. He demonstrates this
to his class by wearing five shirts
which he removes, one by one, to
show students how each one fits or
doesn’t fit in Ghana, for instance, or
India, or Vancouver.
Mahon-Haft is writing his
PhD dissertation now on survey
methodology, showing how the
in a higher education environment is
among the best in any career. Just
remember, if you go that route, no
matter how much your committee tells
you otherwise, you’re a human being
and need to maintain attachment to the
world outside of academia.”
Favorite musicians: the Dave
Matthews Band and Immortal
Technique
Favorite movies: “Tommy Boy” and
“Pulp Fiction”
Serious reading: “The People’s
History of the United States,” by
Harold Zinn, because it gives a new
perspective.
Fun reading: “The Dark Tower”
series, by Stephen King, because of the
depth of King’s imagination.
What he wishes American leaders
and media would do: Stop worrying
so much about the importance of
America’s place as the most privileged
nation in the world and stop worrying
so much about the political rhetoric
around issues like terrorism, health
care, and gay marriage. Instead, true
world leaders and objective reporters
must focus on the bigger picture and
examine the real issues, focusing on
the well being of all human beings.
Then, our nation’s policies will stop
reflecting self-interest and greed and
will finally be aimed at true equality.

2/2 A-Z of Financial Aid and Scholarships Workshop in VSSC 101 at 5:30 p.m.; Free and open to the public
 OPINIONS AND EDITORIALS 15

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): If you haven’t been able to follow up with all your New Year’s Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): This is a gentle time of year for you, a time for fleece blankets and hot
resolutions, not to worry. You probably set your goals too high. Restart with resolutions you have cocoa by the fire. Relish those moments with family and friends, saving up memories to nourish
a smoking chance of accomplishing, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the results. you as the year continues.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): The long winter nights are good for a lot of things you might not Virgo (August 23-Sept. 22): You may be tempted to relax and take a few too many breaks, but
have thought of. Restless nights are an ideal time to think about your life. Put a book of scripture stay strong and tough now. When spring arrives, just around the corner from now, you’ll be glad
or poetry next to your bed, and read a few inspirational lines just before bedtime. you’re prepared for the surprises that come with it.

Aries (March 21-April 19): When you wake up and can’t get back to sleep, try thinking about Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): When you start to feel like a circus juggler who has just been thrown
all the things you should do. Then, try to talk yourself into getting up and doing them. That a bowling ball and club at the same time, remember that you’re allowed to drop an item or two
certainly puts Madame L right back to sleep! See if it works for you. whenever necessary to keep the important ones going.

Taurus (April 20-May 20): What a great time of year for you: You’re looking forward to your Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21): Proverbs and old wives’ tales have a grain of truth to them;
birthday, and you’ve had a great holiday. Now is your time to enjoy the crisp, cold weather, and otherwise we wouldn’t keep repeating them. Don’t be afraid to adopt a motto that has brought
take advantage of the long dark nights to get the rest you need. success and happiness through generations before you, and set your goals by it.

Gemini (May 21-June 21): One thing you should be thinking about is what the winter has to Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Look to nature for inspiration. Even the skeleton trees of winter
offer for a summer person like yourself. Winter’s benefits may not seem all that obvious to you, are getting ready to bud and blossom; and the ice on the pond conceals tiny miracles of life. You
but if you’ll let them about them, they’ll add more joy to your life. too are close to surprising yourself with hidden life and vigor.

Cancer (June 22-July 22): Although we don’t often see the stars at this time of year in the Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): While some may find humans lacking in reason and warmth,
Pacific Northwest, do go out and look up at the night sky for some constellations you enjoyed you see the best in those around you. Now make a point of complimenting your friends on their
seeing as a child. Find some symbolism there that will inspire you in the coming months. qualities you admire.
Madame L
Staff Astrologist

SWAT Continued from page 1

“Because of the holiday,
we do not have students on
campus,” Lt. Stephenson
said. “We were able to get
also augments our response.”
Responding to
protestors’ concerns, Lt.
Stephenson said, “ I respect
the

T
this facility so we could train their opinions, but I do not
he exercise was our school police, which share them. Dr. King is
held to train [would have] made it so a personal hero of mine.
members of the much better for us to respond I believe he would have
Sheriff’s office patrol sanctioned
deputies, as well as this training
the WSUV police, to because it
respond in the case will save
of a possible school lives.”
shooting. There were A l o n g
six members of the with protestors
SWAT Team training and the
forty five members of police, several
various police agencies. members of the
WSUV’s Lt. Dave local media,
Stephenson mentioned including
that such training is local television
provided to all Police Cara Cottingham/KOUG Radio stations and
Members of the Social and Environmental Justice
Forces in the area. It Club staged a protest. newspapers,
is called the Active were present.
Shooter Rapid Response. to such an emergency. It The training also drew side
Training is provided every makes them more familiar glances from families enjoying
year, somewhere within the with our capabilities as a an otherwise beautiful day on
county. This year, WSUV was police department, as well as campus.
chosen to house the training. our facilities on campus. It

Common Sense: a Conservative column

Congratulations the old machine politics were still
in play. Yet again, the Republicans
Senator-elect Brown surprised the nation with another
Ben Ryan\Advertising Manager upset. Let us examine this further.
President Obama and
But this brings up an interesting
point. Most politicians take that
view that the seat belongs to them.
It doesn’t. Scott Brown is right. The
his people are the ones that give a sense
as Democrats are calling for a major
change of rules in the Senate. They
want nothing less than to remove
the ability to filibuster pieces of
Republicans, the Democrats want
to change the status quo to fit their
agenda.
Politics as usual has become the
name of the game, and it needs to

F
irst off, I would like to
congratulate Senator-
elect Scott Brown on his
victory over Martha Coakley in the
Massachusetts Special Election, by
a margin of 52% to 47%. He was
the first Republican elected to the
seat held by Senator Ted Kennedy
for almost sixty years, as Kennedy
assumed the seat of his brother,
John F. Kennedy, after he resigned
from the Senate upon his election as
president (a Kennedy friend “held”
the seat until 1962 when Ted was old
enough to run).
But this is what I would like to
focus on this week. If this isn’t a
wakeup call for the Democrats in
Congress, I don’t know what is.
They were so sure that the seat was
guaranteed for their candidate, as if
allies in Congress are in trouble.
Massachusetts is one of the bluest
states in the nation, and one of its
seats in the Senate just went to a
Republican. Prior to this election, two
Republicans were elected governors
of New Jersey and Virginia. All of
these three states, Obama campaigned
for the Democrats, putting his
reputation on the line for him, and
losing all three times.
I would like to mention that during
the Massachusetts Senate Debate, the
moderator asked Brown if he was
going to vote against the health care
bill in Ted Kennedy’s seat. To which
he replied, “With all due respect, it’s
not Ted Kennedy’s seat, it’s not the
Democrat’s seat, it’s the people’s
seat.” The people’s seat! Scott Brown
set the moderator straight and it won
him a lot of popularity.
of legitimacy to government, and to
assume otherwise is ludicrous. His
statement sent a reminder to all of
Americans that they have the final
say.
Moreover, Brown’s victory in
Massachusetts gives the Republicans
41 seats in the Senate, effectively
eliminating the filibuster-proof
majority established by the Democrats
prior to the special election.
This should serve as a warning to
the Democrats and Mr. Obama alike.
Americans are beginning to stand
up to have their voices heard. Hope
is still alive, my friends. Hopefully,
as a result, this should force the
Democrats to start over from scratch,
and work with the Republicans on
health care reform.
The immediate present, however,
doesn’t look hopeful in that regard,
legislation. I don’t know about the
rest of you, but I don’t believe in
coincidences. It seems to me that this
is all too perfect timing. As soon as
the forty-first seat is gained by the
stop…now! Most people are just
looking for someone who will be the
next Thomas Jefferson, or the next
James Madison. Unfortunately, good
men of that caliber are hard to come
by. But the Massachusetts election
has shown us one thing: people are
tired of the game that the government
is playing. Americans are tired of
being told to sit down, shut up, and
stay out of this. They are tired of
being treated like children.
Americans will only take so
much. The line has been drawn and
the government is drawing close
to crossing that line. The elections
in New Jersey, Virginia, and
Massachusetts, have fired a warning
shot to the government. Now it’s up
to government to decide how to act in
light of recent events. And let’s hope
that they choose right.

2/10 Selecting a Major Workshop in VFSC 104 from noon to 1 p.m.; Free and open to current students; Contact SRC for more info
16 CALENDAR

SALMON CREEK • 910 NE TENNEY RD., SUITE B-119 • 360-571-4064

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