Arts & Culture

“Of course, I’m prejudiced, being employed in libraries, but I think I can say objectively that libraries are coming into a whole new phase of relevancy,” said Susan Banks, director of Multnomah County Central Library.

Banks will be speaking at Portland State about the future of libraries in the digital age with a talk titled “Jurassic Library: Public Libraries in the 21st Century—Dinosaur or Dynamo?” to be presented Thursday by the Retired Associates of Portland State University.

Wind turbines are being whipped up with big politics and even bigger problems in small towns across the country. What is generally pitched as an efficient, cost-effective and renewable power source is causing some communities ecological, health and industrial breakdowns to which energy corporations turn a blind eye.

How can turbines be fueled by greed and not green thinking?

A Portland State student group is getting the VIP treatment at an upcoming show.

Reggae star Collie Buddz is making his way through Portland Nov. 11, where he’ll play the Mt. Tabor Theater.

Hawaiian student groups from both PSU and Pacific University will be receiving special honors for the event, and they’re passing the good fortune onto PSU via their spring luau.

Although the luau isn’t for another term, preparations are underway to bring in nationally established artists to entertain the university’s student body. Currently in talks to play the event is J-Boog, former member of B2K and current chart heat-seeker.

Black metal is a curious genre, and Sweden’s band Craft is back to satisfy just a little more of that curiosity with their latest album, Void.

The uniqueness of black metal lies in its relationship with its fans. Metal listeners, a group known for their discerning taste and quickness to point out anything disingenuous, are perfectly in harmony with black metal, a genre whose vocalists are primarily concerned with sounding as evil as possible.

Throw out your powdered taco mix—it’s time for some real funky, fresh flavor. These tacos are fantastic for large groups of people, since your guests can have as little or as much as they like, and the ingredients are super cheap.

For a vegan option, swap chicken with tempeh for an equally delicious dish that’s hot and juicy. And if you’re looking for an extra kick, just add one chopped fresh jalapeño pepper to your dish. These barbecue lime chicken tacos make for a tangy and tasty meal that will fill you up and make you feel like throwing a fiesta!

I seriously love ice cream. Crunchy candied pralines in vanilla, fudge brownie chunks in chocolate, gooey caramel swirls…it’s just great. There should always be a couple foods in your life to make your day better by just thinking about chowing down on them, and ice cream is mine.

While living downtown a few years ago, I stumbled into Cool Moon Ice Cream on the corner of Northwest 11th Avenue and Johnson Street. Located across from Jamison Square Fountain, Cool Moon’s strange flavors and local roots make it a great place to visit.

Portland State’s Friends of Graphic Design team is currently hosting displays in two art galleries, which will be featured today through Nov. 22.

The event will be split into two gallery exhibitions titled 2 for 1 and Life Long Work Month. Both galleries challenge the student artists involved by imposing certain limitations on their work.

2 for 1 will be held in the Autzen Gallery, located on the second floor of Neuberger Hall, and consists of several pieces limited to two colors of each designers’ choice

When I met Elise Wagner, she was working her nine-to-five job as the language requirements specialist and office coordinator on the fourth floor of Neuberger Hall. She excused herself to a co-worker, and we found a quiet place to talk.

“I’m in my day job, and nobody knows who I am,” Wagner said.

When she’s not working at Portland State, Wagner creates celebrated contemporary abstract art from her North Portland studio using a technique known as encaustic.

Tomorrow marks the opening of the Portland Opera’s latest production, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.

The opera, based on a stage comedy written by Pierre Beaumarchais, is widely considered to be one of Mozart’s finest works and has been performed all over the world since its premiere in 1786.

Roland Emmerich’s films (Godzilla, The Day After Tomorrow, 2012) always portray one thing: disaster.

There is a difference between watching a disaster film and bearing witness to an actual disaster. Sometimes, as in the case of Independence Day, the general chaos makes for a pretty memorable film. But more often than not in Emmerich’s work, the audience senses the impending, apocalyptic doom, not for the characters but for themselves.