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Interview with Laura Neroulias from Yourthreecents.com

Posted by :jprokop On : May 8, 2008
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Category: News

The following is an interview conducted by Review Staff Writer Casey Tharp with Laura Neroulias from Yourthreecents.com. Please see the full story in the News section.  

 

 

With the popularity of group political discussions on sites like Facebook, and with the many political blogs available out in cyberspace, what makes YourThreeCents special as a place for discussion?

YourThreeCents.com is a place for the “Independent, Unedited Voice.” Compared to Facebook and the other political blogs, this site is specifically targeted to Generation Y. It is their advocate and their outlet!

(You’ll definitely get more of a feel about the site after this interview.)

When you visit YourThreeCents.com, you’ll see that the people that answer and ask questions or just post their thoughts, have concerns on what is going on in their lives and want POSITIVE change! This site is a place to show what this generation is thinking and carry the voices of the young masses. People come back and respond, come back and represent, come back and remand a presence in where their future and the future of this country stand!

Can you tell us a little bit about the site’s creators, and how it came into being?

YourThreeCents.com was created by a few recent college grads who thought that their generation needed a clear, precise place to voice their opinions on the state of their nation and the world. The college graduates that are involved come from Binghamton University, Temple University, Penn State, and Syracuse University. Being members of Generation Y, the reason we created the site was because we are the future and the way we vote today affects every aspect of our lives. Many young American’s have no idea what is going on in their backyards or in the world. We wanted to create a site to inform America’s youth and allow the world to see what we think of everything going on in politics and show how much is affected by politics. This site allows for the nation, the political leaders, presidential candidates and the world to hear what our generation has to say.

What made you decide to take action? Why a website?

Personally, I, as well as the rest of the creators of ‘Your Three Cents,’ have always cared about politics- The world revolves around politics, our future revolves around politics. We were all talking one day and we realized that there really wasn’t a clear and specific place where America’s youth was being heard, politically. Asking around and seeing that the rest of Generation Y agreed that what was missing in today’s world was a place, specifically for THEM to go to, YourThreeCents.com was started in order for all of America to see what this generation has to say politically.


How do the opinions and arguments voiced on the site get translated into political action? Could you describe how the site is an actual force and an opportunity for action?

This site is the perfect place for Americans and elected officials to go to in order to see what this generation is thinking. YourThreeCents.com is incredibly informational with this age group and people want to see what we think. We are American base but, have international appeal. Around the world, people are able to see what is going on specifically in one’s life, at one’s school and can see what your opinions are. This is an amazing outlet and gives an inside look on what concerns us! This site gives amazing opportunity for conversation, ideas exchanged and for one to think outside the box.


Do you anticipate any issues regarding the site’s policy of completely free speech? Undoubtedly there will be some non-constructive or derogatory arguments posted. How is the site set up to deal with such occurrences?

Not at all. We take pride in not censoring anything and not taking down anything that may be offensive. YourThreeCents.com is the “Independent, Unedited Voice!” America’s youth needs to know what is going on around their country and around the world, and people need to know what and how we think. This site gives the amazing opportunity for someone in California to hear what is going on in Missouri. For someone from Vermont to hear what is going on in Oklahoma. The goal of ‘Your Three Cents’ is to create a blogging community where ideas are exchanged and voices are heard. NOTHING is to be censored; NO voice is to remain quiet. We believe and know that today’s youth has an obligation to enable change and politically influence this country and the world. The purpose is to return the power to them, giving them an outlet to speak up and voice their opinions.

The only thing that we will touch is if we have spam but, everything else is there to stay!

YourThreeCents.com, however, is not just a blogging community but, it is also an informational site. Our visitors are bright, intellectual and care about their future (and realize that this is the place to voice it!). Being that it is an informational site, the people who visit and post on the site are those who want the truth, who want answers and don’t want anything sugar-coated. Whether it has to do with the questions, links or our news feed, if it has been affected by politics, it’s on the site, uncensored.

‘Your Three Cents’ was created to help America’s youth say what is on their minds! We encourage the idea of thoughts and opinions exchanged! We do not and will not edit anything and we feel that there will be no issues because Generation Y’s opinions count for A LOT. We don’t want our generation’s voice to be “lost in the wind.” We have a mind of our own; we have strong opinions and it’s time to start challenging the nation! Anyone can put anything up! It is updated every day, numerous times a day, with new questions pertaining to what happened that day in politics.

Why choose Linfield as the school of the week for May 4th? What makes Linfield a school particularly likely to become involved and spark activity?

Mistake, we have chosen Linfield for the week of May 11th- May 17th.

There are many reasons that go behind picking a college. The schools that we want to highlight are schools that have good reputations, which have students that are intellectual and care about their future. The college we chose is one that would want to INFORM America, those who want to vent and the people who visit the site want answers!

Being that it is an election year, we also take into consideration and try to coordinate if an event is going on in a certain state. The Oregon Primary is right around the corner and people all over the world are so interested in what the candidates are doing and what your opinions are as college students and as the future. They will love to hear stories about the candidates as well and this will be Linfield’s chance to take advantages of this spotlight! Linfield can say what is on their mind, not just on the election but also about things that affect them daily. We know that picking Linfield, the students are bright and want the nation to hear what they have to say. We pick schools that are from different areas of the country so we can get different opinions and not be one sided.

In general, being chosen as “College of the Week,” it allows emphasis on the opinions that come from college students. Its intention is for the students to show what they have to say about our nation’s state of affairs and show America where they stand, always sparking tremendous activity. Choosing Linfield, it will give an insight on what may be going on in your community and what political events are happened and are happening on campus. By being highlighted this coming week, America gets a chance to hear what your political opinions are and gives them a chance to ask you questions. The students at Linfield will take a stand and let the country know where they stand for the future of this county!

“College of the Week” is a great way to see the differences between your schools Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and undecided. It’s also a way to respond to your rival schools comments, let your local officials or the Presidential hopefuls know what your college issues are. A way to post pictures of events happening on your campus and a way to let America know in advanced what political events are happening around your area.

Linfield has such an excellent reputation academically and athletically. They have students that are intellectual and care about their future (which is what YourThreeCents.com is all about!). We are very excited to have Linfield University as our College of the Week from Sunday May 11th – Saturday May 17th and we encourage EVERYONE to sign up on YourThreeCents.com as soon as they can! Your opinions don’t have to wait till you’re school is being highlighted that week, and it doesn’t end when your week is done. The professors especially love knowing that their school has been chosen to be highlighted and tell their students right away, involving even more activity. When students are aware that their opinions are going to be seen nationwide, they know that this opportunity is a great way for people to take a stand and speak up about what is going on around their campus and their opinions of the nation’s state of affairs.

Students will be wondering what they are supposed to do with such a space as YourThreeCents creates. What would you suggest they engage the site fully? Besides posting opinions and arguments, what can students do with the site? How do you envision the discussion looking? Like a debate? A conglomerate of many threads of concern? A casual conversation?

YourThreeCents.com is extremely useful for students and young American’s! America’s youth need to know what is going on around their country and around their world. This is a great opportunity for the students at Linfield to let people know what’s going on. We are an internet based generation and can spread the word faster to make a dramatic change in our nation’s politics. ‘Your Three Cents’ was created to help America’s youth say what is on their minds and to showcase our strong opinions! People tune into this site numerous times a day! It has grown to over 1 million hits and grows increasingly every day.

The site was created for Generation Y to not only give their two cents but, their THREE CENTS (and by doing so, grabbing attention to this generation!). If people come to the site even once, respond, vent, or learn something new that spells success. The only way we can make a difference in our nation is if this generation takes a stand and SPEAKS UP on what is going on in their heads, giving ‘Your Three Cents.’ We wanted to restore this generation’s voice and change the path of our country in a good way. Politics needs Generations Y’s voice!

The site is tremendously beneficial to students. This is a place where people can post questions for the Presidential candidates, where people could post pictures of issues that most concern them. A place for someone to inform their peers, where people can let others know that they are campaigning for a cause, where people can participate in spreading the voices of America’s youth through political events happening around the nation.

We are aware that it being an election year, a lot of the subjects that have been posted and discussed has been from people stating what each candidate is going to do/ not do for their future and where people stand with this election. That is extremely important, however, it definitely does not stop there! YourThreeCents.com has a political platform but is topical; Many subjects such as sports, health, war, lifestyle, etc have been touched upon. The world revolves around politics so if it includes it, it is mentioned. The way we make our decisions this year will definitely impact our future. Many of the issues that have addressed are; birth control, job growth, presidential candidates/primaries, abortion, unions, Darfur, the increasing dollar, Iraq, National Security, etc.

The people who visit the site and who post and answer aren’t just interested in what people are voting on and who they are voting for. They want to know what’s going on, especially people being in the same age bracket. This is why this site is great for college students. Our users/viewers care deeply about the future and you won’t find any celebrity gossip on this site. We feel that it is more important to focus on what the members are saying and getting as many people as possible to become active.

YourThreeCents.com is the perfect place to voice your concerns or voice things that you agree with politically that is happening around you. Different questions are posted everyday and it is interesting to see what today’s youth, across the country have to say. Check the site everyday!

 

Editor’s Blog: Behind the scenes of last week’s issue

Posted by :jprokop On : May 5, 2008
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Category: Blog

Jillian Beaudry

Despite battling housing registration, the staff was in pretty high spirits last Thursday on production night. Even though a couple of editors were gone for an hour or more trying to get their dream apartments for next year, all of them caught up wonderfully and we walked out a little after 2 a.m., which was amazing. Its great that the team can tackle problems like that and step in to help each other out.

The issue is great because the content was really strong this week. We had real news! Former President Bill Clinton stopped by McMinnville. The photos were great and we ran another full color issue because we featured the winners of the study abroad photo contest on pages 8 and 9.

We finished up the myth series with the piece about Matt Groening’s parents who met at Linfield. It was exciting to find out that the show we grew up with was based on two Linfield alumni.

The writers were all on top of their game again this week and stories were all turned in to me so early on Thursday. It’s so nice not having to stress about that.

May 9

Posted by :jprokop On : May 5, 2008
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Category: News

News

  • Scabies outbreak
  • Cabinet evaluations
  • Japanese speech contest
  • Great Harvest is open

Features

  • Genius on campus

Arts

  • Opera theater
  • Spring Singers
  • Movie review

Sports

  • Track and Field
  • Tennis
  • Softball
  • NWC honors

Were The Simpsons based on Linfield Alumni?

Posted by :jprokop On : May 2, 2008
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Category: Features

Debunking Linfield Myths: a series

Jordan Jacobo

Review staff writer

Matt Groening didn’t have a lot of time to think.

While waiting in the lobby minutes before his 1987 pitch for a series of animated shorts to a Fox Network producer, he made a gut decision for the dysfunctional, yellow, bobble-eyed characters he envisioned: He named them after his family.

Nineteen television seasons and more than 400 episodes later, the Simpsons are a hallmark of pop culture; they are a yelling, whining, choking parody of the middle-class American family.

But before Homer and Marge Simpson, there were Homer and Marge Groening, Matt’s parents.

It’s hard to envision the couple in anything less than their animated setting, crammed on a worn orange couch with Lisa, Bart and Maggie watching TV. Marge’s towering mass of curly blue hair and Homer’s mouthful of sprinkle-covered doughnuts seem as vivid in the mind as on the screen.

“Well, we’re not alter egos,” Margaret Groening, age 89 said. “It’s just the family names.”

The real Homer and Margaret (she prefers it to Marge) met at Linfield as freshmen in 1937. They both majored in English.

“Linfield was like going to heaven,” Margaret said. “The school was very small, only 600 students, and we all got to take the classes we wanted. It was the best possible thing that could have happened.”

In the 1941 volume of the Oak Leaves, the couple’s youth is encapsulated in the archived pages.

Bright-eyed Homer, brown hair combed back, looks nothing like the portly cartoon version. He is wearing a dress shirt and tie, much unlike the white T-shirt and jeans he dons on television. Margaret Wiggum (her maiden name, like Chief Wiggum on the show) is pictured with a sparkling smile, her dark hair in tight ringlets.

Homer was a member of Pi Epsilon Fraternity with his older brother, Victor. His younger sister, Ellene, was a member of Sigma Kappa Phi Sorority.

During her junior year, Margaret was named one of “Linfield’s Loveliest” in the Oak Leaves Most Photogenic Coed contest.

Sixty-seven years later, Margaret looks back on the atmosphere that attracted her to the college.

“We had a spirit of greeting each other,” she said. “The ‘Linfield Hello.’”

Margaret was crowned May Day Queen during her senior year. It was one of her fondest memories, she said.

“But you probably don’t have that today,” Margaret said. “It was kind of old fashioned.” 

After graduating from Linfield, Homer became a decorated World War II pilot, flying missions over Germany, Margaret said.

“He came back safe and sound, which we’re very grateful for,” she said.

Homer and Margaret settled in Portland where they raised Lisa, Matt and Maggie, but no Bart. Matt made the name up, an anagram of brat.

Homer died in 1996.

Nearly two decades after the series premiere of “The Simpsons,” Margaret said she can’t believe the show is such an overwhelming success. Homer and Marge have become household names. “D’oh!” has been adopted into the American lexicon.

Before the quizzical cast of characters residing in Springfield inserted itself into pop culture, it all began with Homer and Margaret Groening, at Linfield.

“We enjoy Matt’s fame very much,” Margaret said. “We’re very proud of him. As for the show, it just took off. Matt took
off with it.”

Winning moments

Posted by :jprokop On : May 2, 2008
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Category: News

For five Linfield students, meandering walks and hikes lead to prize-winning photos in the International Programs Office annual photo contest

Lizzie Martinez

Copy editor

Senior Kyle Henderson

“Crocs Beware”

First place, Linfield Students Abroad

January Term, Environmental

Economics, Australia

Hiking in Australia in January means 100 degree heat. For senior Kyle Henderson and other Linfield students, an entire day of traipsing along cliffs meant they were more than ready to cool off. When the group spotted a watering hole filled with rainwater, the students jumped in.

“We were just goofing off in the watering hole,” Henderson said.

After a few weeks, the group had yet to spot a single crocodile down under. Perhaps to inspire future crocs to show themselves to Linfield students or to make their own fun with crocodiles, Henderson grabbed his camera and asked the students to pose like crocs.

“We did eventually see a little croc up close and another one far away,” he said.

Senior Ivan Rott

“Peace Flame”, First place, Judge’s Award, Spring Semester Abroad, Norway

Senior Ivan Rott spent an entire semester immersing himself in the Norwegian culture.

“The whole Norwegian, even Scandinavian, attitude is about peace and egalitarian ways of life,” Rott said

The Peace Flame, located near the Nobel Peace Museum in Norway’s capital of Oslo, stands as a testament to this. While on a walk one day, Rott noticed a connection between the flame, museum and country. He pulled out his camera and shot the image.

“It was a good way to capture the spirit,” he said.

Sophomore Katie Ouzounian

“Sunset at Isla San Cristobal”

First place, Landscape

January Term, Environmental Ethics, Ecuador

The Amazon rainforest affords numerous opportunities to shoot photos of exotic animals under the cover of canopy. But for sophomore Katie Ouzounian, her perfect photo came not in the rainforest, but on the island of San Cristobal at the end of a five-day boat journey through islands off the edge of Ecuador.

Taking advantage of a break from studying, Ouzounian set off on a stroll through the small town. When she chanced upon a view of a sunset streaming through a tree, she remembered the advice she had once been given.

“Someone once told me to take pictures of sunsets through things because it’s more interesting,” she said. “So I did.”

Junior Kendall Moriarty, “Stories of a Lifetime”

First place, People, Fall Semester Abroad, Ecuador

After a week of traveling the beaches of Ecuador, Moriarty found herself in the tiny town of Canoa on Christmas Eve. On the way to a restaurant, she stumbled upon a riveting sight, one she would see throughout the weekend. A woman was perched quietly on the edge of the sidewalk, focused on her writing. Moriarty went into the restaurant with friends, and the woman kept writing.

“I saw her several times that weekend, she was constantly writing,” she said. “Who knows what she wrote; but it must have been worth her undivided attention.”

Junior Doug Sides, “Sunset at Hyde Park”

First place, Architecture

January Term, Samuel Johnson’s London, England

For junior Doug Sides, his last day in London was part disappointment, part excitement. Though he was unable to find the famous chef Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant to sample the fare, he did happen upon a gorgeous scene in Hyde Park. Sides spent the end of his month-long trip to London revisiting all his favorite haunts in the city, when he came across the fountain, with light streaming in.

“I was simply in the right place at the right time,” Sides said.

Photo and Essay Contest Winners

Landscape:

1st Place

Katie Ouzounian

“Sunset at Isla San Cristobal”

2nd Place

Ally Cross

“A View from Elmina Castle”

3rd Place

Kendall Moriarty

“An Eye to the World”

Architecture:

1st Place

Doug Sides

“Sunset at Hyde Park”

2nd Place

Katie Westlake

“Gare du Nord”

3rd Place

Logan Close

“Il Palazzo dei Doge”

People:

1st Place

Kendall Moriarty

“Stories of a Lifetime”

2nd Place

Kendall Moriarty

“Esperando”

3rd Place

Michelle Harteloo

“Squirrel Feeding in Green Park”

Judge’s Award:

1st Place

Ivan Rott

“Peace Flame”

2nd Place

Janna Windsor

“Colors of Mexico”

3rd Place

Ashley Page

“Telescopic Sea”

Linfield Students Abroad:

1st Place

Kyle Henderson

“Crocs Beware”

2nd Place

Katie Westlake

“A New Perspective”

3rd Place

Jasmine Klauder

“The Pyramid View”

Essay Contest:

1st Place

Lizzie Martinez

“Oaxaca”

Ansley Clark

“Letter to My Mother”

3rd Place

Barbara Tanner

“China Reflected: An Essay”

Dealing with roommates

Posted by :jprokop On : May 2, 2008
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Category: Opinion

He says

Roommate-girlfriend conflicts are inevitable.

There comes a time in every relationship when you have to introduce your girlfriend to your roommates. Chances are they probably won’t get along. Keep in mind she barely tolerates you, with all your burping, shouting, cage fighting and pyramid schemes.

She only puts up with you because you have trained her to think she needs you. You can only imagine what she will think of your roommates’ drunken Jenga tournaments, in-home Toughman competitions and the room in the back made entirely of mattresses.

You can avoid the problem by never bringing your girlfriend home, but that means you’ll have to spend more time at her place, which is also awkward, as you probably have slept with or will sleep with all of her roommates.

There is no easy solution. You can spend months training your girlfriend to be tolerant of moronic male behavior, but that still may not prepare her for the nearly demonic aberrant behavior of your roommates.

Like I said, they probably won’t get along. But because they won’t want to see each other, you probably will never have to be with them at the same time. That allows you to be entirely two-faced.

When you are with her, pretend you hate your roommates. You probably do this anyway. When you are with your roommates, tell them the only reason you keep her around is that she is hot. This is easy because it is rarely a lie.

Of course, if your roommate is a guy, you probably will have more trouble being there without him being around while organizing his Magic cards or playing Guild Wars all night.

This can be a difficult situation, but I have a few solutions you can try out.

First and foremost, establish boundaries. Agree on a line of demarcation in the room for when your girlfriend comes over. Build a floor-to-ceiling brick wall on that line.

Convince her to take a restraining order out on him. Claim he made some inappropriate comments, and then get the school (or the court) to say he is not allowed within thirty feet of her. That way, whenever she comes over, he has to leave.

The last, and probably easiest, although most illegal solution, is to get your hands on what are commonly known as “roofies.” When you know your girlfriend is coming over, slip some into your roommate’s drink. He’ll never know she was there.

Look, if it gets bad, you know you only have one choice. Get him kicked out of school. Replace his papers with published essays, plant drugs on him, do whatever you have to do to have some alone time with your girl. She’ll think it’s so romantic.

She says

If your significant other dislikes your roommate, find some middle ground.

This week I found myself somewhat drowned in the insanity and minutiae of summer living. My time was consumed with temp agencies and arrangements for cheap apartments. So I foisted my column on my aforementioned Grouchy Roommate, who was only too happy to spend 2,500 letters griping about humanity, God bless her. Enjoy it.

Grouchy Roommate:

It’s a pretty common situation: Your guy just doesn’t seem to enjoy sitting around while you and your friends giggle over the latest episode of “America’s Next Top Model.” You find yourself having to drag him out for parties, even though he’s done his best to barricade his door and chain himself firmly to his desk to avoid having to spend time with Tina and Staci.

“I don’t like your friends” is one of the most panic-inducing, nerve-wracking, ulcer-opening declarations one can hear in a relationship, along with “I think we should see other people” and “I have a weird rash.”

Things get even stickier when you are living with Tina and Staci. The relationship becomes strangely one-sided if your guy refuses to come to your place at all. You find yourself spending more and more time at his place, which inevitably smells like Guy (and not the good Guy smell—more like the basement-of-the-frat-house Guy smell).

You will begin to wonder how fair this really is, especially when your guy’s roommate turns out to be the kid who plays World of Warcraft instead of sleeping.

Clearly you deserve a better-than-awkward rendezvous in a bizarrely scented room with a roommate who doesn’t talk; and clearly, your sweetheart doesn’t deserve to be subjected to Tina and Staci’s comparisons of “Cosmo” magazine’s horoscopes. (By the way Capricorns, apparently you should be on the lookout for a “brainy jock.” Have fun with that.)

The best solution is the one discovered by your parents and grandparents: private transportation. Take the car, find a romantic viewpoint (or at least an empty parking lot), and get it on right there.

No obnoxious roommates, no funky smells and no hammering on the bottom bunk by that roommate on his computer who’s fed up with pretending to ignore you. Private car time is cliché because it works, for the desperate anyway.

If you’re not quite brave enough to risk interruption by the Mac P.D. (or worse, that Amity cop), maybe you should try having a chat with your honey and your roommates to smooth things out.

You want your boyfriend to like your roommates? They’ll probably be nicer to him (and you) if you don’t publicly and shamelessly snog him. Just because they’re your friends, it doesn’t mean they’re willing to turn a blind eye to your PDA. What’s acceptable on the Parisian metro is not appreciated in your living room, nor your abominably cramped dorm double.

Woodwind ensemble lends experience to classical pieces

Posted by :jprokop On : May 2, 2008
1

Category: Culture

Lauren Funtanilla

On May 4, musical fans will have the privilege of enjoying the performance of a professional woodwind ensemble. 

The dynamic group consists of Denise Westby on flute, Karen Strand on oboe, Mark Casperson on clarinet, Ann Crandall on bassoon and Bill Stalnaker on horn. Members of the 5tet Woodwind Ensemble were previously acquainted and had worked with one another in different orchestras in the Portland area. They have been performing together for more than five years.

“We liked meeting and playing together so much that we kept on performing as a group,” Strand said.

Westby describes the ensemble as performing a variety of different pieces from the 20th century ranging from classical, orchestra, operas and pop. Sunday’s performance is an attractive variety, Strand said.

“Each piece is very well crafted by composers and they make use the five wind instruments very well,”  Strand said, which is why she is excited for the
performance.

All members are professional freelancers and some are music teachers on the side. Westby is an adjunct professor at Linfield. She teaches private instruction in flute and works with the Chamber Ensemble as well. She has been a flautist with the Sinfonia Concertante Orchestra and freelances with other ensembles ranging from classical to rock and roll. Casperson has performed as principal clarinet with the Portland Opera as well as in other Portland area orchestras.

A professor at Portland State University, Strand has played the oboe and English horn in the Portland Opera Orchestra, with other Northwest ensembles and at other musical festivals.

Crandall is also a professor who teaches bassoon at PSU and performs with the Portland Opera and the Oregon Ballet Theatre orchestras.

 Stalnaker has played the French horn with the Oregon Symphony during the 1970s and 1980s and is a brass and hornist teacher.

The performance is sponsored by Local #99, Music Performance Fund of New York City and the American Federation of Musicians, and is open to the public. It will be held in Delkin Hall in the Vivian A. Bull Music Center at 2 p.m. 

Artist’s energy spills out onto canvas, printing block

Posted by :jprokop On : May 2, 2008
0

Category: Culture

Mary Odunuga

- photo by Katelyn Krygowski/For the Review

Sophomore Joy Nelson discovered her love for art when she was only five years old, having derived her inspiration from sketch books.

Nelson said the starting point for her art is to put the pen on paper and just go.

“If I think about it too much, it won’t be fun for me anymore,” Nelson said. “You have to know where the endpoint is and a lot of times, that is the most difficult part.”

As a way of improving her technique, she is taking a class in painting and printmaking.

“I usually paint in acrylic, and I use a lot of colors,” Nelson said. “With printmaking, I use a variety of methods and I am still exploring possibilities.”

Ron Mills, professor of art and visual culture, teaches printmaking and said Nelson is one of the strongest students coming through the ranks, despite having just declared her art major.

“She has a skill in dealing with interpretations of human forms with spontaneous gestures,” Mills said.  ”She is very relaxed, spontaneous and has her own ideas on her work.”

Brian Winkenweder, assistant professor of art history, said Nelson stands out as an artist.

“She is unique for a second-year student,” He said. “She has this certain kind of drama she is willing to bring into her canvases.”

He said she attacks her canvases fearlessly, passionately and with a sense of drive. Nelson does not think too much about what she has to do with her work, he said.

“There is a palpable
energy she exhibits when she works on a painting because she lowers her inhibitions,” Winkenweder said. “She does not worry about how to get it right, and she succeeds. Joy flirts with failure and takes risk, and this is essential to her success.”

Winkenweder said he sees Nelson’s work as figurative paintings about the world. He said she adds a mark or gesture to her painting, which is not an illusion or trompe l’oeil, which means “trick of the eye.”

He said her paintings represent things in the world that can be named through her work.

”She is more interested in how it is painted than
getting it right, and she uses color to explore emotions about her subjects,” Winkenweder said.

Nelson said her future plans with art are not yet concrete, but she still wants to continue studying it.

 

 

‘The Empty’ CatCab brings Linfield alum back to campus

Posted by :jprokop On : May 2, 2008
1

Category: Culture

Casey Tharp

- Jordan Jacobo/Review staff writer/photographer

Sounds of rock resonated from the Fred Meyer Lounge Thursday night as it was converted into a venue for the  Portland-based band The Empty.

The show featured Linfield alum Casey Frantum on the drums. He said the band is dynamic, straight-forward, guitar-driven psychedelic rock.

“You just have to hear it,” Frantum said.

Junior Renata Tirta, music director of KSLC, said the band’s sound was a definite reason for bringing The Empty to campus.

“My goal was to bring in the type of music that wasn’t offered last semester—a harder rock that is underrepresented in what Linfield usually offers,” Tirta said.

Frantum said The Empty differs from usual acoustic offerings, which normally focus on a singer, guitar player or pianist. He said The Empty is a different, more unified type of band, because the emphasis is on all parts of the band rather than on one highlighted aspect.

“We try to make things more dynamic and electric,” Frantum said. “There are more parts to the music. It’s not strictly vocal- or piano-or guitar-based; it’s more of a collaboration between four individuals.”

Frantum became involved with the eight-year-old band six months ago, when he was found by The Empty, who needed a drummer, on Craigslist.

He said the band plays in downtown Portland clubs, and at the end of the month it will perform in Salem.

“I think Portland has a really great music scene, people just don’t know about,” Tirta said.

Tirta knew Frantum and had seen The Empty play live in Portland. She said KSLC and Linfield Activities Board wanted the band to come because it is local and their sound is accessible.

Frantum, who still lives in McMinnville, was involved in the concert and jazz bands at Linfield as a music composition major and performed at several CatCabs.

“It’s interesting,” Frantum said. “I’ve been on and off campus since graduation, and I did a lot of CatCabs, but it’s different coming back here now to do a professional CatCab.”

He said he was looking forward to people seeing what he is doing now. Frantum said playing at Linfield is different than playing for the clubs in Portland; college audiences care more about music. They are really listening to the band playing the music, he said.

Tirta said she wanted to bring in a band that would excite that interest.

“Sometimes you have to bring in different genres to challenge what people think of live music,” Tirta explained. “It should be more varied, like the real variety of concerts out there.”

‘Rage’ takes the stage in ensemble performance

Posted by :jprokop On : May 2, 2008
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Category: Culture

 - Photo Courtesy of Amy Goodloe

Joelle Cheek

Ten weeks of sweat, long nights and intense preparation will culminate in two nights of energy as the Dance Ensemble class performs “Stage Rage” May 1 and 2 at 8 p.m. in Ice Auditorium. 

The performance is an assortment of hip-hop, ballet, African dance and many other styles. The student performers have a mix of
dancing backgrounds and special talent this year, Emily Crocker, adjunct music professor and dance instructor for the class, said.

Crocker said her goal is to put the responsibility of the show in the students’ hands. Each plays a role in the production of the show and can be involved in up to four dances, whether performing or choreographing the piece. 

This year’s ensemble performance is Crocker’s third at Linfield, and she said she thinks anyone can appreciate it.

“The show is very accessible and really shows the girls’ technique level,” Crocker said. “I hope it inspires people to dance.”

Crocker is not only the instructor for the class, she has also choreographed two African dances, which she holds close to her heart, she said.

The first piece is a harvest dance she learned a few years ago from two men she met from Ghana.

The second piece originated from her time at University of Oregon, where she concentrated on studying conflicts occurring in Africa, such as genocide.

“It’s about how people can live through tough times and find life on the other side,” Crocker said.

Senior Bernice Nisbett has worked with Crocker for three years. Never having taken any dance classes before coming to Linfield, Nisbett said she loves to dance and has learned a lot from Crocker.

“I’ve learned that you don’t have to be a trained dancer,” Nisbett said. “If you love to dance, then you should, no matter what.”

Sophomore Jenny Stewart choreographed a hip-hop piece and is performing in the show. Stewart has been dancing since second grade. She said she has learned many different styles of dancing from her peers and from Crocker, which is important for a choreographer.

“(Crocker) has helped me explore new movements,” Stewart said.

Getting everyone ready for the performance has brought challenges for both the students and the instructor.

Crocker said because of the students’ variety of dance backgrounds, getting everyone to see the final product with the same vision has been the hardest part of preparation.

“Trying to get everyone moving in the same direction with 17 people can be difficult sometimes,” Crocker said.

For Stewart, getting dancer’s block, similar to writer’s block, was the worst that could happen while planning out the dances.

“I spent hours listening to the song and trying to figure out the movements, and I just couldn’t figure it out,” Stewart said. “It is the worst thing that a choreographer can get.”