Drag icon Bryan Watkins, also known as “Shannel,” spoke of self empowerment and his struggles in life to students in the Gaiser Student center on April 24 with one simple message. “You, each individually, hold something so deep, so powerful inside you,” Watkins said, who travels with the Divas of Diversity.

This summer’s biggest blockbuster may not be a movie, but a theater. Cinetopia is expanding its movie-going empire with a new location in the Westfield Shopping Center in Vancouver. It’s “Cinetopia meets the future of technology” as owner Rudyard Coltman puts it.

“Before there was god, there was goddess.” After these words from the moderator, Inanna, the Mesopotamian goddess of love and lust, took center stage and introduced herself. Inanna was joined by Egyptian goddess, Isis, who explained to the audience why her tears flood the Nile River each year.

As a supporter of local arts, I had hope for Alexander MacKenzie’s debut film “Dancing on the Edge,” which was made locally by a new film production company based here in Vancouver and currently playing at Kiggins Theatre. Unfortunately, there’s no dancing around the fact that this film falls flat.

“I’m finally becoming a human being,” Stanley Finney said. “That’s never happened before.” Addiction manifests itself in many ways; two of the most familiar are drug and alcohol abuse. Finney, a 48-year-old Clark student, combated the vices of both for most of his life, and credits his recovery to state-funded programs and eventually became the chairman for The Oxford Houses of Washington State.

Every year at Clark, students rise to the occasion and publish Phoenix, an annual magazine featuring art and literary content created by students, organized by students, and accessible to anyone on campus. Bold, orange letters spelling “Phoenix” are planted in the ground directly in front of the chime tower on campus to raise awareness for students about Phoenix, as some may not know what exactly it is.

New York's Fashion Week greeted the arrival of spring last fall by predicting what trends to expect this upcoming season. The forecast depicted color, prints and patterns. Gone are the days of tomboyish charm, as designers all seemed to have a common thread in their work: feminine appeal.

When thinking of the word "gamer" these days, one tends to automatically think of a group of young men thumbing away madly at the buttons on a video game controller, roaming the terrain of fantastic realms while slaying hordes of unspeakable foes. However, gamers and gaming exist beyond the gaming console.

The Clark College Theatre Department premiered their first production of 2012 this past Saturday evening at Decker Theatre, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." With delightful humor and vocals that are easy on the ears, the production is highly entertaining and well worth taking the time to attend.

Just in time to rival the return of the Shamrock Shake at McDonald's, the fast food chain Jack in the Box is offering a new milkshake that is sure to make those who drink it squeal like a pig in horrified response. It's The Bacon Shake. This bacon-flavored milkshake is being offered as part of a new promotional campaign targeted at lovers of bacon, titled "Marry Bacon.

Pow Pow Wings, a new restaurant on Fourth Plain in Vancouver, has plans to spice up the local culinary selection with its wide variety of buffalo wing offerings. Also carrying a selection of other dishes, beers and spirits, Pow Pow Wings intends to draw a crowd.

Debuting the Monday after the Super Bowl, NBC's new and most highly advertised TV series is expected to be a "Smash." As Christian Borle's character, Tom Levitt, a musical composer with an eye for style would put it, the series feels "lousy with talent.