Black Friday is large part of our capitalist culture, and like it or not, Thanksgiving could soon become “Grey Thursday.” But that capitalist culture comes with some positives, like the long-standing tradition between the music industry and Black Friday: Record Store Day specials.

On Record Store Day, some bands release new and limited albums, and record labels release classic albums with a cool new twist. This year, artists Diplo and Leftover Salmon will be releasing new albums, and Disney/Marvel will release a cassette version of The Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack Awesome Mix Vol. 1 – just like the one Peter Quill carries around in his Walkman. Albums by Ed Sheeran, Metallica, Miles Davis and many more will be re-released with a unique twist: most will be vinyls and picture discs.

In Portland, Record Store Day has really caught on in recent years. At Portland’s Music Millennium, the line is usually about 2 to 4 blocks long and begins to form hours before the record store opens.

In Eugene, House of Records will also be participating in Black Friday and Record Store Day celebrations. However, the popularity isn’t as big down here, so the House of Records selection can be limited.

If you’re a fanatic of vinyl records or collector of limited albums, Record Store Day is perfect for you, or perfect for that hipster in your life who “prefers the sound quality of vinyl.”

House of Records (258 E Ave, Eugene) opens its doors at 10 a.m.

Music Millennium (3158 E. Burnside, Portland) opens its doors at 10 a.m.

Thanksgiving Weekend Event Calendar:

Eugene

Nov. 27  Turkey Trot: Run 4 or walk 2 miles benefiting FOOD for Lane County and St. Vincent de Paul. Register with the Eugene Running Company at Oakway Center. The run/walk starts at Valley River Center, 9 a.m., $20-25 registration fee.

Nov. 27  Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner: If you’re staying in Eugene for the short Thanksgiving break, grab some food or volunteer at the annual community dinner hosted by Friendly Street Church of God from noon until 3 p.m. (2290 Friendly St.)

Nov. 28-30 Live Music at Capitello Wines: Enjoy live performances and food trucks at noon. (540 Charnelton St)

Nov. 29 Swan Lake: The young boys and girls who make up the Oregon Ballet Academy will be performing at the Lane Community College Auditorium (4000 E. 30th Ave.) at 2 and 7 p.m., $15.

Nov. 30  Festival of Trees: Enjoy the last day of the Thanksgiving break by checking out a holiday display at the Florence Events Center that will benefit the Military Heritage Museum (715 Quince St., Florence) noon-3 p.m., $1.

Portland

Nov. 28  Tree Lighting Ceremony: Christmas is just around the corner. Begin your Christmas festivities with with the tree lighting ceremony in the Portland Courthouse Square. (701 SW 6th Ave) 5:30 p.m., free admission.

Nov. 28 & 29 Little Boxes: The month leading up to Christmas is all about shopping. Begin your black Friday shopping in Portland’s Little Boxes – indie and local retail shops. A full list of shops and their locations can be found online.

Nov 29 The Museum with the Yellow Brick Road: Walk from Gale Farm to the Land of Oz at Portland’s Children’s Museum. (4015 SW Canyon Road) 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., $10 admission

Nov. 30 Ugly Sweater Run: Pull out that ugly Christmas sweater that’s hiding in the back of your closet and show it off at the Ugly Sweater 5K run/walk. If you’re of legal age, enjoy a holiday beer from sponsor: Sam Adams, Boston Lager. Oregon Convention Center (777 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.), 9 a.m., $35-45 registration fee.

Nov. 30 Disney in Concert: What’s the holiday season without your favorite Disney movies? The Oregon Symphony will be playing selections from The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast and many more. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (1037 SW Broadway Ave.), 3 p.m., $22 and up.

At the Hult Center this weekend, check out gingerbread men flying and flipping mid-air, toy soldiers marching on thin wires and much more.

Cirque Dreams: Holidaze is a unique merge of Christmas theme characters with Cirque du Soleil acrobatic spectacles.

Director Neil Goldberg, along with the show’s songwriters, created an original score for the performance while also including some traditional Christmas music. Some of the original pieces carry a heavy techno influence and can seem a bit psychedelic. Classics like “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” get a little twist with Broadway-style vocals and rock guitar riffs.

The New York Daily News reviewed Holidaze as a “delicious confection of charm, sparkle and talent by the sleighload and so full of energy it could end our dependence on oil.”

Opening night is Saturday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m., and it will be performed one more time on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $30-$88 with student discounts available.

Eugene

Nov 20 Saving the Earth Through Art Lecture: Artist, architect and designer, Maya Lin, is best known for designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. She will be discussing her most recent installations that cross the Columbia River and celebrate the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. EMU Ballroom, 7:30 p.m., free admission.

Nov 21-22 Take part in the weekend events planned for Gender Diversity Awareness Week. Friday, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., there will be an art and fashion gala at The Redoux Parlour (781 Blair Blvd.). Enjoy live music, refreshments, art collaborations by Trans identified artists and a “Fashion Slam” you can participate in. Saturday’s event is a dance party in the Living Learning Center South Performance hall. Dance and mingle from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Nov. 22 Wailin’ Jennys: The Canadian folk group will be performing at McDonald Theatre. 1010 Willamette St., tickets $36.50, 8 p.m.

Nov. 23 Turkey Shoot: Five minutes out of Eugene is the Cottage Grove — Eugene Sportsman’s Club, and on Sunday you can shoot your own Thanksgiving dinner, just bring a shotgun with a minimum of 50 rounds. 81078 North Pacific Hwy., Creswell, $35 admission guarantees you a turkey, 9 a.m. registration.

Portland

Nov. 21 Spoon Concert: Band member, Britt Daniel, of the indie pop band, will be performing an acoustic concert in downtown Portland, courtesy of radio station, 101.9 KINK. Bing Lounge (1210 SW 6th Ave.), admission is free on a first come first serve basis, 7-8 p.m.

Nov. 21 $5 After 5 p.m.: Head to the Portland Art Museum and get in for just $5. Be mystified by current exhibits like The Enclave, Forbidden Fruit and much more. Tours will also be conducted. Portland Art Museum (1219 SW Park Ave.), $5 admission, 5 p.m.

Nov. 21 Adam Carolla Live Podcast: With only a microphone and a computer in his home office, Adam Carolla started iTunes number one podcast of 2009. Aladdin Theater (3017 SE Milwaukie Ave.), tickets $40-$50, doors open at 9 p.m. and show starts at 10 p.m.

Nov. 22 Cranksgiving: Dress up, race to stores and donate food to homeless youth with Portland’s Cranksgiving. Cranksgiving is a treasure hunt food drive that will donate food to Outside In. You can pre-register with your group of friends here. Velo Cult (1969 NE 42nd Ave.), at least $10 to purchase food, 1 p.m.

With no formal art lessons or graphic digital art experience, sophomore human physiology major Tucker Stosic has been able to create art for Twenty One Pilots, Empire West Live Photography, The Truce Initiative, AnCora Co., J Skis and Hunter Hunted.

When Stosic was being introduced to Twenty One Pilots, he was himself how to do digital art. Stosic decided to do a piece of fan art and post it on Instagram.

“I just happened to make a drawing (of Twenty One Pilots) and put it up on Instagram,” Stosic said. “It got a lot of attention, it got the band’s attention and that’s how I got in contact with them.”

Social media is the cornerstone to Stosic’s success with his artwork.

“I just used the “#TwentyOnePilots” and got a huge response from a community of fans and the band themselves,” Stosic said.

Social media’s ability to share things quickly and easyily has allowed for his artwork to spread.

“My art really wouldn’t be out there without (social media),” Stosic said. “It’s really easy for me to post a picture and immediately get it out to my followers, and it’s so easy for them to tag a friend and their friends seeing it. My art gets seen a lot that way.”

Stosic has a following of 4,602 people on Instagram, and that large following has allowed for him to be recognized. At a recent Twenty One Pilots concert, he was spotted by some concert-goers who stopped him to ask for pictures.

One of the coolest and most shocking moments for Stosic was when he saw photos of his artwork being tattooed on people he had never met.

Unlike most jobs that college students work, there are no regular hours or drives to work. Stosic is usually able to work around his class schedule, but like most college students’ experience, the two schedules can intertwine and be hectic for a few days while the art is produced.

“School obviously always comes first, but there are times where you have to get a design done, but also have a midterm the next day. It’s kind of tough, but you don’t work regular hours, so I’m able to work around,” Stosic said.

Stosic has never really thought of pursuing a career in graphic design. He is hopeful to get a career with human physiology, but if the opportunity came, there is no question he would consider it.

“If one day it took off and I got offered a job as a merch designer with a major record label, that’d be awesome, but I’d have a lot to think about,” Stosic said. “Its always been a hobby, it has never been my career pursuit. I’ll always keep doing art just because I like it and enjoy it so much.”

Follow Mike Mendoza on Twitte at @mikewheresike

Eva Mozes lectured a crowd of about 200 people in Columbia 15 on Saturday night. This lecture was unlike many other lectures, however — it detailed her experience at Auschwitz.

The event was held by the northwest division of PeaceJam, which is an “international educational organization that is run by 13 Nobel Peace Prize winners, including the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu,” said Darren Riley, the coordinator for its northwest branch.

“It’s based on the idea that we bring youth together with Nobel Peace winners, we can inspire young people to take responsibility for creating peace in the world and building the kind of change we wish to see,” Riley said. PeaceJam has a particular lecture as their main event of the year, but this was not part of PeaceJam’s main event, it served as a “warm up.”

Eva Mozes was sent to the Auschwitz at age 10 with her identical twin sister and family, but was immediately separated from her parents and older siblings. Mozes and her twin sisters were allowed to stay together because Nazi doctors wanted to experiment on them.

“On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, Nazi doctors would have twins from the age of 4 to 16 in a room to conduct experiments on. I was the most stubborn 10-year-old girl I could be. I would have to be held down by two Nazi soldiers and two women who were forced to be there,” said Mozes.

Mozes’ sister, Merium, passed away due to kidney failures (caused by experiments Nazi doctors performed on her) in 1996. Although Mozes experienced one the largest genocide in history, she was never physically present for a family member’s death. “When my sister died… I’d never gotten to burry members of my family,” said Mozes.

Although Mozes describes a life that went through many heartaches and unimaginable crimes, she was able to keep her composure and liven the mood by telling some jokes.

“We have to get rid of prejudices. But I will admit that I’m prejudice to somethings, like young boys and baggy pants,” she said. “I don’t understand baggy pants. Do you understand baggy pants? If someone wearing baggy pants had to run for their life, they would die.”

Freshmen student Haden Martinez, a music studies major, was in attendance for the lecture and reflected back on some of Mozes’ key points. “I find it so extremely powerful that [she sees] forgiveness as a self-empowering thing,” said Martinez. “I never saw it in that perspective, and I’m definitely taking that away from this lecture.”

What happens when a Taylor Swift devotee and a first-time listener sit down and talk about the new Taylor Swift album? Superfan Mike Mendoza and self-declared T-Swift denier Craig Wright do just that in honor of 1989, Swift’s newest release. Following the conversation is each writer’s review.

Craig Wright: Clearly, I’m not a Taylor Swift expert, but this album is much different than her previous material. How do you feel it compares?

Mike Mendoza: It’s very different. Even compared to the pop songs that she’s previously done, the songs in this album are done so there’s no confusion. Songs like “You Belong With Me” and “Red” were experiments of a hybrid – mixing country and pop – but songs in 1989 aren’t experiments, just Swift’s dedication to pop.

CW: I never listened to Taylor Swift because I thought she was nothing more than a beautiful, generic country star who gained popularity for her looks and high-profile celebrity breakups. Much like Bieber, I knew about her persona, but knew none of her work. This album is clearly a smart pop album, full of new sounds, cocky humor and it’s destined to reach tons of people.

MM: Yeah, she’s definitely gained a lot of recognition for her high-profile relationships, but she has been able to transform them into successful songs, and in this album she doesn’t shy away from mocking her relationship decisions. She’s been working on this album for two years and has had tons of time to craft it where she could target and reach a larger and different audience.

CW: Many people are predicting that this will be the first platinum album of 2014, but with the audience crossover, I feel like she will lose some of her country fans who are more likely to buy full albums than the pop audience which may be more inclined to buy a few individual songs, or stick to Spotify.

MM: I certainly think she’s going to lose a good portion of her country audience and that might affect her chances of going platinum, but I feel that because she’s reaching for a new audience, she can easily make up the few lost in the transition.

CW: People should be prepared for this transition because as you mentioned earlier, her career has been increasing the amount of pop and weening off the country, but “Shake It Off” is more than just pop. That’s a statement song saying that she doesn’t really care about what people think. She is going to do what she wants, and I think that is the best thing for her to do if this album is the result.

MM: I definitely agree “Shake It Off” is a statement song, and that’s why I believe it was the first song to be released from 1989. She had to send out the message that she was making a big transition, and no matter what critics or lost fans were going to think, she was going to run with it and hope for the best.

CW: My favorites are “Shake It Off,” “How You Get the Girl” and “Welcome to New York.” I was expecting to half hate this album, but secretly love it. In reality, I have nothing but respect for it and am happy with the final product.

MM: Songs like “Style” and “How You Get the Girl” will for sure be picked up quickly by radio stations and fans. I have no doubt that these two songs – along with the three singles (“Shake It Off,” “Out of the Woods” and “Welcome to New York”) will become the most popular. I think a lot of people who don’t really listen to Taylor Swift might feel the same way you do because they really don’t know what to expect, but I think everyone will be pleasantly surprised with how much they actually like the album, or at least a few of the songs.

Taylor Swift transitions from dropping relationships to dropping beats

Review by Craig Wright

As a longtime T-Swift rejecter, I was finally convinced to give Taylor Swift a fair chance for the first time on 1989, and now I feel like I should be apologizing to her for never giving her a chance. At least she didn’t write a song about me.

With a polished pop sound, Swift attacks with a newfound swagger and carefree attitude that could never be met by an innocent girl singing country tunes with her guitar. Swift is aiming for the largest audience possible, and with this sound, she will clearly be reaching new listeners.

As proven by the lead single, “Shake It Off,” Swift no longer cares what people think of her. She is simply going to shake it off and keep doing her thing. Instead of giving in to criticism, she has simply learned more dance moves, and helplessly giggles while saying, “I go on too many dates / but I can’t make them stay.” Haters gonna hate, and she will keep dancing.

“Welcome to New York” begins 1989 with a drum machine and synthesizer intro with gentle doubled vocals before transforming into a full pop dance tune. Asserting her star power, she brags that “Lights are so bright but they never blind me.” The big stage is calling, and Swift is more than ready to entertain.

Expanding her sound further, “Blank Space” builds like a song by her good friend Lorde, including the drum buildups and cultural critiques of “Starbucks lovers” who believe Swift is crazy. Her vocal delivery even shares Lorde’s signature vocal swoon, but Swift does a good job to key in portions from her early years. It’s one of the few songs on 1989 with audible acoustic guitar and overt references to failed romances. Swift teases audiences by briefly reminiscing in her Country past, while also propelling her career forward into new, unforeseen territories.

Taylor Swift and 1989 provide purest form of pop while keeping some old habits 

Review by Mike Mendoza

For the better part of three years now, I’ve been obsessed with Taylor Swift and her music for reasons too complicated and maybe a little too embarrassing to get into. But as a proud “super fan,” I felt the need to criticize Swift’s transition from country to pop, but 1989 is executed to perfection.

1989, Swift’s fifth album is her first full pop album, but it’s also unlike many current pop albums. 1989 is inspired by Swift’s current obsession with 80′s pop, so notably different to many current pop songs, there’s no emulation of hip-hop or R&B.

Swift and her new album provide some of the purest form of pop music since Katy Perry’s album One of the Boys, but she too emulates hip-hop in her latest hit song.

“Welcome to New York” (strategically placed as the album’s first track) formally welcomes listeners to “the new soundtrack.” A synthesizer and an electronic feel that makes it feel like you’re in a dance club during the 1980s replaces Swift’s traditional acoustic intro.

The song also serves as Swift’s diary, documenting her move to New York City and the fresh start the big city presents to Ms. Swift, “When we first dropped our bags on apartment floors / Everybody here was someone else before.”

“This Love” comes towards the end of the album and might actually confuse some people because this song could double as one of Swift’s past country-pop hybrids. The intro of this ballad has Swift’s acoustic strumming  and her vocals are soft and steady throughout, which give it that slow dance feel.

The review for RollingStone sums up 1989 the best: “1989 sounds exactly like Taylor Swift, even when it sounds like nothing else she’s ever tried before.”

Yes, it’s different, but Ms. Swift crafts each song to perfection that the girl from Nashville is never lost.

Follow Craig Wright on Twitter @wgwcraig

Follow Mike Mendoza on Twitter @MikeWheresIke

On the second floor of the Knight Library is a temperature-controlled room filled with original manuscripts and photographs, some dating back to medieval times and some from just last year. In this mixture of rare and valuable documents lie about 750 comic books from its Golden Age – 1939 through the mid 1950s. Welcome to Special Collections.

In 1967, the first flow of comic book legend Gardner “Gar” Fox’s manuscripts came to the University of Oregon, with the collection being completed in 1980 with fan periodicals, Fox’s own periodicals, comic books he scripted and paperback books. Fox is famous in the comic book world for writing the original Flash, inventing the Batarang and having a significant imprint in creating other comic books like The Green Lantern and The Justice League of America. This collection of 700-plus comic books would have cost around $70 in 1940 (10 cents per issue). Now, the total cost of the Gar Fox collection is now well over $150,000.

Despite the high cost and the high risk of damage, James D. Fox, the head of Special Collections and University Archives, invites faculty and students to check out the collection of comic books and other manuscripts.

“We have to be careful with (the comics), because they are very fragile,” Fox said. “In some ways, they’re more fragile than some of our medieval manuscripts. We have to work a little bit with people to show how to handle them properly, but students have free and equal access to them.”

The comics are important to UO because the university is the only school in the country to offer an undergraduate minor in comic studies. This is why the collection has had notable donation like Gar Fox’s.

“When Gar Fox donated the collection, he understood his personal collection would have research value in the future,” Linda J. Long, the manuscripts librarian in Special Collections said.

Ben Saunders, the program director of the comic studies program, believes that UO students and faculty are beyond lucky to have these comic books on reserve at the library.

“A lot of the material in these comics has never been reprinted,” Saunders said. “The phenomenological experience of holding, reading and even smelling these comics generates an almost magical, time-capsule effect that no reprint or digital scan could ever replicate.”

However, until recently, many universities ignored pop culture like comic books because they didn’t believe it was worth their time to study it.

“We had to study high culture, Shakespeare and alike,” James Fox said. “But over time people started realizing we can learn as much about ourselves and our culture from popular culture than we can from high culture.”

Saunders agrees that comics have a lot of academic value.

“We are talking about a global art form with historic roots that are as old as print culture,” he said. “So there really are lots of opportunities for further scholarship.”

Follow Mike Mendoza on Twitter @mikewheresike

Mid-October is the unofficial start of the holiday season. In 15 days, pumpkins will have been transformed to jack-o-lanterns and children will be out trick-or-treating. This is the time when the preparation for Halloween begins: Costumes are being made or bought, pumpkins are being carved and horror movie nights are scheduled.

But, no Halloween festivities are complete without a haunted house, a pumpkin patch, a corn maze or a hay ride. And sometimes finding one is the biggest struggle. Here are some fun Halloween activities that are fairly close.

In Eugene, Johnson Farms is offering hay rides, a “u-pick” pumpkin patch and an indoor maze. A chance to fire at a scarecrow is available for $5. Johnson Farms is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.  and on Sundays from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. It is located at 89733 Armitage Road, Eugene.

A haunted hayride in Springfield will be giving rides Oct. 20-22. The Dorris Ranch will be hosting ghosts, zombies, mummies and historical figures for this hayride, but act fast because there is already a waiting list. Prices range from $6 to $7.50, but call ahead (541-736-4544) to make sure you get a spot. The Haunted Hayride is located at 205 Dorris St., Springfield.

If you have means of transportation, head up to Junction City, where Lone Pine Farms will be hosting their popular corn maze. Lone Pine Farms has the option of a daytime non-haunted corn maze and a haunted “Xscream” maze, which starts at 7:30 p.m. The difference lies in the level of scariness and the price. Admission for the daytime maze is $7 and the haunted nights maze jumps up to $15 on Sundays and $18 on Fridays and Saturdays. Lone Pine Farms is located at 91909 River Road, Junction City.

Junction City also has Thistledown Farm, one of the more well known pumpkin patches. Thistledown Farm gives tractor drawn rides to the pumpkin patch Monday through Friday, and on weekends rides are horse drawn. Cost for the ride is $3. Thistledown Farm is open Monday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is located at 455 River Road, Junction City.

Another haunted house awaits in Cottage Grove Armory, a historical building south of Eugene infamous for its alleged paranormal activity. The haunted house is now open through Nov. 8 with price of admission going for $7 and a “scare again” admission for $3. A portion of proceeds from the haunted house will be going toward Cottage Grove High School and the Cottage Grove Historic Restoration Project. The haunted house is open Wednesdays through Saturdays, and will be open until midnight on Halloween night. Cottage Grove’s Severed Armory Haunted House is located at 628 E Washington Ave., Cottage Grove.

Hundred of staff, students and alumni were at Lawrence Hall on Friday to celebrate the University of Oregon School of Architecture and Allied Arts’ centennial anniversary. This grand day could have only been celebrated one way: with lunch and cake. Wilson W. Smith III, an alum and a designer at Nike, described his emotions as “coming back to my favorite time of my life, and every spot is sacred on some level, it’s this ‘remember when’ effect.” He then asked “Is it gold?” referring to the party hat being placed on his head by another alum.

This fun, but professional luncheon allowed for students and alumni to network and simply talk about experiences while at “triple A” (School of Architecture and Allied Arts). “The school here prepares you as a critical thinker to really solve problems,” said Alan Bright, an alum working at HOK as a design principal. “In my career, I stayed and continued in architecture, and the critical thinking I learned here allowed for me to do all theses different things and solve all these different problems.”

Alumni and students alike expressed the great opportunities triple A offers, and in the case of Cheryl Fuji Zahniser, it was to combine something else. “[Frank Okada — an art professor for the school from 1969-1999] told me I should go into advertising, and I asked ‘what about my fine art painting?’” Cheryl did end up going with advertising, but still kept her art background and is now the vice president of brand creative at Nordstrom.

Brook Muller, a former student and professor at triple A, is now the dean for the School of Architecture and Allied Arts, was at the event talking it up with alumni and cutting the three-foot lemon cake. “It’s the most meaningful thing [seeing] professionals and alum networking with students just making connection, sharing passions and open up paths for people,” said Muller.

Current students, like everyone else at the celebration, were having a lot of fun — “It was really nice to have professors, alumni and students all together,” said Miró Merill a junior minoring in art. “[My three years] have been great. Not a lot of sleep, but the community is great. It’s the reason we stay in this. If we didn’t have anyone in studio with you, you would go insane,” said James Chrisman, a junior majoring in architecture.

Dean Muller went on to add, “Faculty are really dedicated to student, mentoring them critiquing them, helping them make connections to the real. If you have that deep contact… just that depth of engagement makes people feel like they’re really connected to something important.” Ultimately, Muller believes the same community-like engagement that has been going on 100 years will be the same thing that helps the School of Architecture and Allied Arts produce great alumni and interest students for the next 100 years.

For almost a year now, Johnny Maxx has been planning the first Lane County Halloween Festival, and in the final two weekends of October, his vision will become a reality. Inspired by work he did with disabled children in China, and in Eugene at the Adaptive Recreation Center, Maxx realized that, “I gotta do something for the community.” And now, he has created the “biggest Halloween event in Lane County” for people of all ages and all backgrounds to enjoy.

Maxx and volunteers’ prime goal for the festival is to generate a large amount of proceeds for four charities: Adaptive Recreation Center, Tamarack Wellness, Head Start and Children Not Forgotten. In one way or another, each charity provides services for children with disabilities. As a way to repay his community, Maxx wants to generate some extra money for the charities and “publicly present [them] with their proceeds.”

“Halloween is only once a year, and we’re giving everyone a chance to celebrate it for seven days in a row,” said Isabell Zhu, University of Oregon alum and volunteer coordinator for the festival. And for that reason, they are still recruiting volunteers. “We don’t just want volunteers for the manual labor, we really want to see you as our partners, as our friends,” said Zhu. “Help out people, help out children with disabilities, help with a fun spirit.”

Yiqian Fan, junior education studies major at UO, is volunteering at the Halloween festival. Even though she has a full schedule, she has found a different way to contribute. “I decided to be a volunteer on campus,” said Fan. “I could hand out flyers, spread the word and get more volunteers. I’m the link between campus and the event.”

Zhu doesn’t want volunteers to feel burdened. “I’ll work my best to fix up a schedule with them that will allow them to come worry-free,” Zhu said. Both Maxx and Zhu said that simply donating a bag of candy or a pumpkin will go a long way.

The Lane County Halloween Festival will be held in Springfield on the corner of Mohawk and Centennial. A 50,000 square foot indoor complex will be filled with 5,000 pumpkins. A raffle will include an Xbox One, a BMX bike and a snowboard, among other prizes. Trick-or-treating with foods from different cultures, a zombie hunt with paintball guns and live music will be offered in this seven-day festival. Prices vary for each event, but tickets range from $5 for a one-night pass to $50 for a five-night pass. Go out and enjoy Halloween while at the same time contributing to charities that do incredible outreach for children with disabilities.

Now through November, the Knight Library is home to several political cartoons of Wayne Morse, the 1945-1969 senator from Oregon, who was known for his strong opposition to the Vietnam War. The cartoons in the exhibit depict Morse as “an independent, one to challenge authority, a peace activist, and an advocate for public power,” says Dr. Margaret Hallock, director of the Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics.

On Sept. 30, to help bring a better understanding of the impact political cartoons had during the time of Wayne Morse versus today, the Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics brought in Jack Ohman, a political cartoonist who has been publishing since the age of 19.

Growing up in Minnesota, Jack Ohman’s first memory from his childhood is from when he was three years old: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The gruesome memory was followed by moving to Washington D.C. and experiencing the confusion of the Vietnam war, the assassination and burial of Robert F. Kennedy, the unbelievable executive decisions made by President Richard Nixon to create the Watergate scandal and the burning of Washington D.C. during the 1968 riots. Only one line of career was fit for Ohman: politics.

Ohman returned to Minnesota and had gotten a job driving around a local political candidate at the age of 17. Ohman then realized that he didn’t want to be in politics anymore. “All that time I had been trying to get into politics,” Ohman said. “I was drawing on the side.” Ohman discovered an opening with the Minnesota Daily and his background in local politics and passion for politics in general made him an easy hire.

At 19, Ohman started his 15 minutes of fame when his cartoons were published in Newsweek, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and 200 other newspapers.

When those 15 minutes of fame ended and Ohman was no longer a “20 year-old without a clear face,” he settled down with a couple of newspapers, most notably The Oregonian. After 30 years with The Oregonian, Ohman was offered to fill the spot of his recently deceased best friend at the Sacramento Bee. There, Ohman experienced the power political cartoons still hold today.

Ohman created a cartoon about the Texas chemical plant explosion in April 2013 with Texas Governor Rick Perry, saying “Business is booming in Texas” as the factory is exploding in a juxtaposed panel. Ohman targeted the failure of Perry and the Texas regulations that allowed for the explosion to occur, but Governor Perry and many conservative media outlets spun it as if Ohman was mocking the people killed in the explosion.

“I started to receive death threats. My children’s phone numbers were obtained and they received death threats as well. Political cartoons can still be very powerful,” said Ohman. “Political cartoons can still be a factor if they’re done right, and a lot of them aren’t being done right. Not if they just have a drawing of an elephant or a donkey. If political cartoonists have the passion, [political cartoons] can still be very effective.”