Ashlies Blog

 https://www.npr.org/2026/03/19/nx-s1-5753563/afroman-lemon-pound-cake-trial After a 2022 raid of "Afromans" Joseph Edgar Foreman's home involving a drug investigation which led to nothing and no findings in this supposed "drug and kidnapping" investigation, however Afroman has security cameras throughout his entire home and caught all of this interaction and investigation on film. Over a dozen officers raided his home with guns, flipped through his CD collection, went through his personal belongings and got distracted by a lemon pound cake on his kitchen counter. On which he based his song "Lemon Cake". Afroman has a history of making shocking or controversial music, with his greatest hits being "Because I Got High" and "Crazy Rap-Colt 45" and 3.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. His personality showed in the courtroom, busting in a head-to-toe American flag tailored suit and a styled cloud fro. The case specifically sur...

 Ashlie A. Slocum  Western Oregon University  COMM:326 Instructor: Dr. Matthew D. Schroder May 13, 2026 Roblox child safety and public rights concerns.  Roblox is a prominently children-focused gaming platform. According to Roblox Official Website , “Roblox is free to play and safe for kids aged 5+.” The company was founded in 2004 by David Baszucki and Erik Cassel. Recently, however, the company has faced backlash because of several lawsuits involving child safety concerns. The earliest major lawsuits date back to April 2025. Abstract Thesis.  Our government should be stepping in to consider and introduce bills to restrict Roblox's use of AI age restrictions and lack of accountability for holding a space for child predators. Roblox treats these forums and chats as though they are public space and should be held to the same restrictions of a public space. By holding this space for predators they are hosting a space for harassment, grooming and child exploitatio...

 Introduction Protests in Portland relating to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have received widespread national media attention. However, coverage of these events differs significantly depending on the media outlet. These differences are not random; they reflect underlying political orientations, editorial priorities, and audience expectations. This project will analyze and compare how left-leaning, right-leaning, and independent media sources frame the same protest events differently. By comparing language, emphasis, and sourcing, this analysis demonstrates that media coverage shapes public perception of protests, law enforcement, and immigration policy. Background Portland has become a focal point for protest movements in recent years, particularly those related to federal law enforcement and immigration. Demonstrations against ICE were driven by concerns over deportation policies and the treatment of immigrant communities after President Trump was elected. The city’s p...

 Mitski blog project  “Nothing's About To Happen To Me.” Mitski behind the scenes of her song "If I Leave". “My Love All Mine" peaked her career thus far as her number one charting song on Spotify with over a billion streams. “Washing Machine Heart" comes in a close second; also, with a billion streams on Spotify, she's definitely a well-known artist and loved as a slow indie poet. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThvKrkXp/ Mistkis official ad for the new song "If I Leave" is a clipping of her music video that is mainly featuring her as a protagonist and a short-clipped, serial killer-looking lumberjack wielding an axe and a shotgun whom she seems to be running from. Most likely a metaphor of some sort, her music tends to tell a story and be very poetic. released on February 27, 2026, It's definitely meant to be an edgier song with guitar and a more heavy beat instead of something softer and frillier than her past music. Although she does have many mo...

 Forensic Nurse Steve Lee on Immigration Protests. Steve Lee,  February 12 2026, 1:05 PM  Portland Oregon Library.  Forensic nurse Steve Lee has spent years working in situations where medical care and criminal investigations intersect. Nurses in this specialty are trained to document injuries, collect forensic evidence, and help ensure that medical findings can be used in potential legal cases. Recently, Lee has been present at immigration protests in Portland, where demonstrations have drawn large crowds, federal law enforcement officers, and the repeated use of chemical crowd-control agents such as tear gas. Lee says his focus during these situations is on documenting injuries and preserving evidence that could later become important in legal proceedings. He also raises questions about the health effects of chemical agents used in crowd control and the difficulties people can face when trying to report injuries that occur during protests. In the interview below, L...

 You've probably seen Rango on overpasses, bridges, and trains. something we're all familiar with if you pay attention to street art at all. A notorious and specific tag around Oregon and Washington and other unknown cities and states but most notably in Portland Oregon.  An urban curiosity and legend, locals even joked about spotting it on road trips. Not my photo, unknown source R/Rango. On February 19, 2026, Portland police announced the arrest of 22-year-old Willam P. Matthews of the Cedar Mill area, ending a years-long mystery surrounding the prolific “Rango” graffiti campaign. Matthews now faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief tied to extensive vandalism across homes, local businesses, and public infrastructure. Not my photo, unknown source R/Rango. Officers from the Central Precinct’s Neighborhood Response Team had been tracking the pattern of tags for months. According to authorities, the estimated cost to property owners and the city ran ...

 Today I'm going to be talking about the REM beauty campaign and the political implications I think it carries relating to both Wicked movies. This caught my attention mainly because I loved the Wicked movie, and its message. I also really appreciate the REM beauty campaign and what Ariana chooses to stand by when advertising her campaign and didn't sell out to make it easier for herself. Not only are all the products cruelty-free and not tested on animals, they make sure all third parties selling the product follow the same code of conduct. The product itself is vegan as well.  Arina Grande advertising liquid eyeshadow.  Although I have not seen Wicked For Good, the second movie. I loved the first movie with themes pertaining to privilege, oppression and structures of authority, especially pertaining to female relationships. This is reflected in the casting of the characters themselves; Alpheba being cast as Cynthia Erivoa, an African American woman, and Glinda being cas...

  Portland Oregon protesters put into chokeholds by federal agents PORTLAND, Oregon – Two protesters were apprehended at the back gate of Portland’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office on Jan. 25. The incident happened at 8:54 p.m. after a seemingly peaceful protest, according to witnesses.  Leilani Payne, a pro-Palestine activist, said, “ I was sitting down right there (gesturing to the back gate grass patch) and they ran out while my back was turned, and they grabbed me, put me in a chokehold, dragged me up onto the sidewalk, and then (the ICE agent who grabbed her) said, ‘No not this one ' and let me go.” Payne’s image went global last year after a video showed her being pepper sprayed as a peaceful protester. The pepper spray was held not even 5 inches from the face of the 19-year-old. The other protester, who was detained, also shared her story.  “I said, ‘What is the right to tackle me?’ I don't even know how many men were on me. There was one g...

   Operation Inflation: Odd Protest Tactics That Are Fascinating Portland – In Portland, Oregon, possibly the oddest protest tactic is currently causing a stir in the local community.  Dedicated day in and day out at the downtown U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building, organizers of the protest Jordy and Lacy, give free inflatable costumes, everything from dragons to video game characters, to anyone protesting.  “We bring costumes to the community regularly, so show up in person and grab a costume,” says the official website of operation inflation. “No reservations, no requests. We simply are supporting a community, so if you’re out in that community, you may see us there!” January 17 2026 6:50 pm Portland, Oregon US immigration and customs enforcement.  Providing the costumes is a new tactic for the demonstrators, who have been stationed outside Portland’s ICE offices for months. Is it effective? How does it impact the demonstrations? What is the im...

 In a paragraph or two ... or three ... share a bit about yourself (major, career goals, why at LBCC ...) I was majoring in journalism with a minor in criminal justice but as of a recent acceptance to WOU I've switched to a major in criminal justice and a minor in small communications (being a more governmental focus of journalism.) I started LBCC because I had only gotten my GED and not my diploma but with more recent and better grades western Oregon has been happy to have me. As to why I chose my major I was going to do psyc before I decided on journalism but I decided the psychiatric industry and the private prison industrial complex was far too bureaucratic and unethical for my taste or to have a long term career in. I also, for a short amount of time, considered beauty school for barbering and nails but fun act you actually need more training to be a barber or nail artist than to be a police officer. in school being a mandatory 40-55 hrs weekly with almost no room for mistakes...

Links  https://www.theatlasofbeauty.com/ https://www.instagram.com/mihaela_noroc/ https://www.facebook.com/MihaelaNorocPhoto/ https://www.sheclicks.net/podcast/mihaela-noroc Dark skin for centuries has been perceived by the global beauty standard, set by more developed countries, as a negative thing. I love that she captured the way this skin color hits the light and has many different dimensions. I also love that the head wrap is also a big part of the photo. We have more American versions of these such as the durag or bonet. Both things I've been made fun of by Western culture for wearing as it's depicted as “not classy” or “ghetto” I think that the “Atlas of beauty” had a deeper meaning wether she had the intention or not to de centralize western and Asian beauty standards which coincidentally align with eurocentric ideologies and whiteness as “inherently beautiful”.    Michala Noroc is a Romanian photographer who is most known for her “Atlas of beauty” where she, for ...

The next three are meals I've eaten or put together within the last week this was after the veterans day parade I went to Margins to eat and edit my photos this is a "salmon stacker" which consists of cured salmon, capers, cream cheese, shallots and tomato. I also had a Carmel latte. (alwyas with an extra shot.) What truly is a hardshell taco if not just a folded tostada? This is the question sweeping the nation.  I LOVE ENOKI MUSHROOMS!!!!!