Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Someone explains sex. Finally!

This is what middle school would have been like if my WASPy school district hadn't made us take sex ed from our clearly incompetent gym teacher. Thankfully this lady explains way more about sex than I could ever want know, and all within ten minutes!

Favorite quote: "Now her mind ain't no good because the penis done ejaculated all in her brain."

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Ichiro value... Like a pair of Jordan sneakers, better with time



Ichiro is one of the most underrated players in the Northwest and possibly all of baseball. Guy has over 200 hits a season for 8 straight so far. Plus he doesn't have back acne or man boobs to show for it. Anyways I liked this blog by Chris Sparow.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=4205676This post was written by Vanguard sports writer, J. Logue

Monday, May 25, 2009

Lady Sovereign-Concert review pics

Earlier this week our very own Jason Chastain ventured out to the Doug Fir where he witnessed the glory of a Lady Sov who was "about as drunk as [he] was." In addition to shouting along with the diminutive MC and consuming a large amount of mixed drinks, Chastain was able to snap the following lo-res-tastic shots.

Enjoy!

Friday, May 22, 2009

Lego architecture series!! Eeee!!













In addition to my various longstanding gripes with adulthood (water bills, responsibility, general malaise) I have also recently added "not being able to play with legos all the time."

However, the folks at Lego have apparently been reading my fucking mind again as they have recently announced the "Lego Architecture Series" that seems squarely marketed at kick-ass adults such as myself who still want to play with blocks but wish to do so under a flimsy veneer of "culture."

The price range on these puppies is all over the place ($299 for the Taj Mahal, $19.99 for the Space Needle) but with a nerd-gasmic set of designs in the works this could easily be my go-to distraction/reason why I can't pay my heating bills over the next year.

If the following photos don't make you really really excited I probably don't want to know you:






























Thursday, May 21, 2009

PSU Cycling Club


This week Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited wrote a story about the Portland State Cycling Club. This article is a continuation of that story which can be found here.

Sometimes being an athlete is about more than being part involved in a sport. Sometimes it's about what you add to a community.

I'm not talking about the time NFL players commit to playing with kids for the United Way or the playgrounds that the NBA players pride themselves on building. I'm not even talking about the various charities started by athletes for a cause near and dear to their hearts.

I am talking about what an athlete can contribute to a community just by sharing his or her experiences.

Recently, I met Jeremy Robbins, a member of the PSU cycling team. Robbins is the only hand cyclist both on the team and in the conference that the team participates in.

Robbins was an elite cyclist. After sustaining a neck injury in a bike crash, he is now a quadriplegic. Robbins is forthcoming with the story behind his disability and more than happy to recount some of the humorous situations that only he would face as a hand cyclist.

He does this with such charm, such unabashed honesty it almost makes you uncomfortable. Not because what he is saying makes you feel bad for him, but because you know that you have had very few, if any, conversations as real as the one you're having with him with anyone else you have ever known.

Robbins prides himself on being an ambassador for his sport and his disability. He makes it a point to talk to people at races about what he is doing. He and his teammates have had to clear some pretty high hurdles for him to be able to compete in the conference, but now hand cyclists have the opportunity to compete. And Robbins is certainly looking forward to the competition.

Robbins's reach extends beyond the cycling world. He is already making attempts to reach out to returning veterans and he makes it a point to participate in other sports, like murderball.

If we were all as free and open about our experiences as Robbins is, our communities, both personal and global, would certainly be better places.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

So...Frank Black lives in Portland

...and apparently hangs out with a bunch of way-too-cool kids. Here they are playing "Where Is My Mind?" at Berbati's while you were off doing some stupid shite that's not nearly as cool as watching Frank Black light things up at freaking Berbati's, for god's sakes.

Portland School of Rock Pixies show w/ Frank Black from mark lewman on Vimeo.


Many thanks Pampelmoose!

Monday, May 18, 2009

AWESOME interview with Charles Napier











Man, when the AV Club gets it right they are hard to fault. In this interview with veteran character actor Charles Napier there are enough interesting tidbits to fill several bestsellers.

From being pulled off the streets (literally, he was a wino) to being signed by Alfred Hitchcock within 24 hours, from fighting in WWII to talking with Russ Meyer about how Ernest Hemingway bought him his first whore this is just an amazing interview. Enough Hollywood lore to satisfy the die hards and casual fans.

Seriously: Check. It. Out.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Alice in a really effed-up website

Is too much time spent in the library cutting into your recreational drug use?

Problem solved with what I can only describe as an instant, mini-acid trip.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

NPR to stream live Dan Deacon show













If you missed Dan Deacon's recent (and decidedly kickass) Portland performance then all is not lost. NPR has got your back (hasn't it always?) with a live broadcast of Deacon's Washington D.C. show this Sunday.

It's going to start streaming at about 10 p.m. eastern which means you'll have to be up in the wee hours of the morning to catch it over here, but if ever there was an artist capable of waking you the fuck up it's the electronic monster mash of Deacon's live band.

Full detail here.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Giant shark eats Golden Gate Bridge

This may be the penultimate edition to the canon of "films about two giant things fighting each other."

I don't know, maybe Godzilla vs. Biollante still has the upper hand. Maybe.


Thursday, May 7, 2009

Best new showcase













As many have surely noticed, the Willy's "Best New Band" issue came forth this week and though this year's choices have resulted in some contentious words from certain Vanguard staffers we can at least all agree that free shows are a good thing. And the Willamette Week has provided us with just that.

This Saturday Berbati's will host BNB winner Explode Into Colors as well as Nurses and local riddilin junkies White Fang in a celebration of their best-new-band-ness.

I'd recommend showing up before the official start time of 9 p.m. as this one is likely going to be packed to the gils.

Berbati's Pan, May 9, 9 p.m., FREE, 21+

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Jim Henson: Commercials and Experiments



by Jeff W Guay

I can hardly think of a director's body of work worth revisiting quite as much as Jim Henson's. The craft, creativity and sheer entertainment value of a his early commercials and experimental films, showing this weekend at the Northwest Film Center, at once reinforce the charm and skill of his puppetry, but also illuminate his ability as a filmmaker of other strengths. The program begins with black and white commercials, starring early versions of favorites such as Kermit and Rowlf, for everything from bygone domestic products to homeowners insurance. There's an innocence and transparency to these 1950's advertisements, and Henson's comic timing and farcical nature make these commercials feel more like sketch comedy than the manipulative advertising we're more used to these days.

“Do you drink Wilkin's coffee?” a tadpole, perhaps an early inception of Kermit, asks a chubby, gruff-voiced monster while pointing a cannon in his face. “No!” replies the monster, and the tadpole blows him away, then points the cannon at the camera. “Do you drink Wilkin's coffee?”

The commercials are sure to be the audience pleasers of the program, but Henson's experimental, non-puppet short films are worth seeing as well. “Time Piece,” a 1965 short stars Henson as a sex-obsessed hospital patient, in the throws of a psychedelic identity crisis between caveman and proper dinner guest. The editing is meticulous, with everything from Henson's footsteps to the flow of inner-city traffic moving to the beat of its jazz soundtrack.

The program in its entirety gives us a chance to absorb Henson's technical wizardry, and to appreciate his knack for comedy in pieces that are not particularly intended for children. The commercials are perhaps some of the best of their day if not of their century, and rare interviews with Henson and the opportunity to see “Time Piece” in it's entirety are all wonderful reasons to catch this screening.

MUPPETS, MUSIC & MAGIC: JIM HENSON'S LEGACY
COMMERCIALS AND EXPERIMENTS

Sunday, May 3rd
4PM
Whitsell Auditorium