2008 Woodie Awards
Vote Absentee
Arts and Culture Articles
The rise and fall of Nim Chimpsky
New book tells the fascinating story of a chimp raised as human
By
Throughout Elizabeth Hess' new book, Nim Chimpsky: The Chimp Who Would Be Human, it's hard not to adore the title character.
The in-depth piece of non-fiction chronicles the life of Nim, a chimpanzee born in 1973 in an Oklahoma research facility who became the subject of a controversial experiment in language acquisition established by Columbia professor Herbert Terrace.
Baby Mama ain't no drama
Wipe off that afterbirth, comedy is pregnant again (hello Tina Fey!)
By
If the Judd Apatow avalanche of hilarious yet undeniably male-centered comedies has irked you in any way, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler have some great news for you. It's a baby! Of comedy!
Beyond the boundaries of print
PSU Professor Anmarie Trimble on Born Magazine, an online-only literature publication
By
Imagine a world where the lines between literature, music and visual arts are blurred. Where free-form expression reigns supreme and constant artistic collaboration is the norm.
That is the world of Born Magazine, an 11-year-old Pacific Northwest publication you've probably never heard of.
Slaughter the sacred cows!
The Kids in the Hall: On thier way to Portland
By
A man is woken in the middle of the night by a rummaging sound in the alley outside his apartment. He opens his window, sees three men dressed in monocles, top hats and suits digging through trashcans and yells, "Hey, you millionaires! Get out of my garbage." The men scurry away into the night.
With that 30-second sketch, The Kids in the Hall comedy troupe kicked off its very first episode 20 years ago. The skit, with its brevity, irreverence and social commentary, sums up nicely what Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson did in their six-year television run.
Powell Boulevard's food mecca
A neighborhood beset with fast food finds hope (and beer) with Hopworks Urban Brewery
By
As restaurants, bars and pubs pop up in Portland's trendiest districts one after the other, few palatable choices can be found in areas like Powell Boulevard.
Notions of accuracy, let go
Shelby Davis' MFA show at the MK Gallery
By
"Is the cell stuff cool?" asked one student, looking like a kid in a candy store at the clean, tiny figures and hand-carved animals, plants and picture frames in Shelby Davis' series of small, fantastic displays. "I don't have a cell phone," she said.
While Portland State's MK Gallery has seen plenty of people coming and going on their way to and from classes before Davis' MFA show opening this week, fewer have been stopping to take the guided tour accessible by cell phone.
Enter the Wii Vault
The best games to download on your Wii
By
Disappointed with the lack of quality games for the Wii? You can still take comfort in the system's virtual console feature, which allows gamers to download choice titles from bygone eras of gaming for between $5 and $10. And just because the list of VC games is populated with Marios, Zeldas and Sonics doesn't mean there aren't a healthy number of good, challenging titles that are a little off the beaten path. Here's a rundown of some games that'll give you the best bang for your buck.
The unknown country
Daniel Mason's A Far Country: meshing realism and fable together
By
Author Daniel Mason garnered much acclaim for his first novel The Piano Tuner in 2002. His second novel A Far Country flew under the radar when it was released last spring, but perhaps the well-written, fable-like story will find new life in its paperback release.
Some people make art
Professor Harrell Fletcher opens new exhibit downtown
By
Some people have really interesting stories that are waiting to be told. Some people live their lives unnoticed by most. They may do memorable things in their time, and they may make life better for dozens of people. Their memory, however, will be relegated to a photo album or a dusty cassette tape recording of their voice, completely overlooked by the rest of the world.
QB Snap - Words from Portland State's Queen Bee Ryan Klute
The return! Dating tips for straight guys
By
"I'll break it down for you now, baby It's simple: If you be a nympho, I'll be a nympho." Ladies, did that pick-up line make you want to fuck me? No? Wait, read it again and pretend that you are in a loud smoky bar and I just sent you a $4 drink. Still no? What if I was wearing really dark sunglasses and a Ghostbusters shirt and untied tan boots? Fine, it's your loss. I am going to regroup and go try it again on that blonde a few tables over.
Viva La Boheme
PSU Opera presents a romantic and touching spectacle
By
Opera has a stuffy image. And that's not entirely fair. Yes, it is typically performed in a foreign language, and the singing is quite stylized, but these days opera is shedding some of its more formal trappings and presenting productions that are straightforward, yet still lavish.
Press Play - Album Reviews
By
Blue Skies for Black Hearts Serenades and Hand Grenades *** A fairly standard Northwestern pop-rock album in the style of Elvis Costello or The Shins, Serenades and Hand Grenades is made interesting by bits of creative instrumentation interspersed sporadically throughout the record.
(Not so) Whole Bowl
These veggie carts have decent food, small portions
By
The problem with the mono-cuisine food cart the Whole Bowl is that their bowls are nothing of the sort. The vegetarian food cart may offer a healthy alternative to burritos and samosas, but their portion sizes may leave you turning to the taco wagons for a fill-up anyway.
