Link46-9 by BCITSA BCITSA

Silverstein on Obama & the erosion of US Politics • pg 3

ITCHY ANSWERS Sex with your roomate? • pg 11

January 26, 2011 • Issue 46-9

Dear Scorpio...we regret to inform you that you are now a Libra. What? • pg 2 & 6

2 Editorial

BCIT Link • Jan 26th to Feb 9th

“Hey baby, what’s your sign?” Unfortunately, you’ll most likely always know how to answer this corny pick up line Brenna Temple Editor

’ve always loved being a Scorpio. It’s the one zodiac sign that people seem to know about even when it’s not their own. In my own meandering experiences, proclaiming my astrological identity has made men back off, and

in other cases it’s even served as a legit excuse to stay in on Friday nights. Even though I’m not totally convinced that being a Scorpio is any validation of the person I really am, I’ve at least enjoyed being able to pin my moodiness and secretiveness on my sign. However, I once knew a young woman who was obsessed with astrology. She knew the ins and outs of her own sign and all the others. She scheduled appointments, classes and even dates around her daily forecast— even her mood seemed to revolve around what her horoscope predicted each day. I couldn’t help but think of how she had reacted in the wake of recent news that some peoples’ horoscopes are slated to change.

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made an official announcement on the change of zodiac signs.” Still, people I knew had already begun questioning their entire identities upon Kunkle’s statement, despite not being aware of his existence beforehand. Friends checked what their new sign was rumored to be, retorting with upset remarks that there was no way it reflected their personalities. Even I stumbled at the possibility of becoming a boring Libra; I guess I started worrying about how I’d cover up my secretive nature. But wait, there’s good news! If Kunkle’s opinion is any indication, the astrological changes will only apply to those born after 2009. So, that means that the rest of us will be holding onto

Campus Query How much do you believe your horoscope? Chad Klassen | Assistant Editor

www.bcitstudentnewspaper.ca

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Although I don’t know where she’s currently located, it was easy to imagine her disdain of this news. Rumor has it that the change of zodiac signs was brought up by Minnesota’s Planetarium Society representative Parke Kunkle. I’ve never heard of him but he at least had my Facebook friends pretty angry by the look of my news feed the other day. However, the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute doesn’t agree with Kunkle’s news, although I initially had no idea that official science institutions withhold any formal opinion on horoscopes. According to a statement released by the establishment, “the International Astronomical Union, an internationally recognized body regarding astronomical matters, hasn’t

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Phone: 604.456.1167 Ads: 604.432.8974 Fax: 604.431.7619 The Link is the student newspaper of the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Published bi-weekly by the BCIT Student Association (BCITSA), The Link circulates 3,000

copies to over 16,000 students, faculty and staff. Publications Manager: Alicia Agarrabeitia publications@bcitsa.ca 604.456.1167 Editor: Brenna Temple linkeditor@bcitsa.ca AssistantEditor: Chad Klassen linkassistanteditor @bcitsa.ca

Sean Hurfig Financial Management

I believe more the traits that describe it as opposed to the day-to-day stuff. When I read the horoscope, it’s usually something that just happened to me.

Angela Ireton Nursing

Ella Huang Financial Management

Steve Hicks Computer Tech

Martin N. Electrical Trade

Not very much. I read it and if it seems applicable to my life, I think ‘ok, that’s kind of cool.’ But otherwise, not really.

I don’t look at horoscopes. It’s not my kind of thing. I don’t believe in anything like that. It’s all about what you do

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our signs for life, whether or not we like it. And for recent babies, it’s a decision that’s written in the stars, at least according to online statements from Kinkle. “Star signs were created some 2,000 years ago by tracking where the sun was in the sky each month. However, the moon’s gravitational pull has slowly moved the earth in its axis, creating about a one-month bump in the stars’ alignment,” he says. So, for a quick review of your permanent sign, check out our feature section. Not that I believe in any of this stuff. According to my overview, I’m just a power hungry Scorpio who probably wouldn’t bother considering what a horoscope has to say about me. Or would I?

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The views in The Link are not necessarily those of BCIT, BCITSA, the Editorial Staff, or the Publications Manager.

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It doesn’t really make sense to me, so I avoid it.

It’s a cultural disbelief. It’s based on the relative position of the sun towards the stars.

As a member of Canadian University Press (CUP), The Link adheres to the CUP code of ethics and will not publish any material deemed by the editors to be sexist, racist, homo/ hetero phobic or in poor taste.

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News in brief

News

BCIT Link • Jan 26th to Feb 9th

Brenna Temple Editor

Student’s Game Nom- The U-Pass BC Transit BCIT Broadcast Jourinated for Canadian Program is Coming to nalism Grad Taken Video Game Awards BCIT Off the TV For Now

CIT student Ranyl Bantog has developed an Xbox game called Codex that’s been nominated for a Canadian Video Game Award. According to the BCIT website, “Codex has been nominated in the categories of Best Console, Best Downloadable Game, Best Game Design, Best Technology, and Innovation Award.” The game takes lots of brainwork, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring. “Codex, described as “maddening, addictive and a good party game,” is a puzzle game for the Xbox 360 that requires the player to solve puzzles by moving tiles around within a certain number of moves.” Congrats Ranyl!

fter a referendum from January 7th to the 17th the verdict is in: BCIT students are getting the U-Pass. 41% of eligible students voted and 85% voted in favour of the convenient bus pass that will now include BCIT students in the U-Pass BC Transit Program according to the BCITSA website. The BCITSA is now working with TransLink officials to work out the niggling details. “BCIT and the BCIT Student Association will meet with Translink and the Ministry of Transportation to finalize the contract and determine appropriate timelines for implementation,” says the website. In the meantime, BCIT students should direct any questions about the program to the BCITSA.

lobal reporter Kathryn Urquhart was recently taken off air for allegedly breaching journalistic standards. She was accused of breaching journalistic trust through emails with former solicitor general Kash Heed’s campaign manager, Barinder Sall. The communication came to light soon after a search warrant that looked into Urquhart’s email inbox. “Management will take several days to weigh the importance of an e-mail where Heed's campaign manager identified reporter Catherine Urquhart as a "communications director" for the campaign,” says the article printed on the CTV website, referring to an email sent to the station by Global’s TV news director. There’s no word yet on whether or not Urquhart will be back on TV again.

Silverstein’s take on the dire straits of American politics Washington journalist Ken Silverstein talks candidly about Barack Obama and the erosion of U.S. politics Chad Klassen Assistant Editor

well-known name in political circles, Ken Silverstein took time out of his Washington schedule for a short trip north to Montreal. Silverstein, one of the high-profile speakers, took time to chat with The Link about his experience covering the topsyturvy world of American politics. The voter turnout during the Obama campaign was one of the highest and that was only two years ago. What’s happen to people’s belief in Obama’s hope and change? This periodically happens in American politics. You have someone who comes in and appears to be a real breath of fresh air and real reformer. His rhetoric was very inspiring and he was a terrific public speaker, so he generated a lot of enthusiasm among young people. At the same time, the expectations are always overblown – for two reasons. One, Obama was never as unconventional as he tried to appear. He’s a middle-of-the-road insider and what made him different is he’s African American. To be direct, if he was white and ran on his record, he would’ve had a much harder time selling himself. Did you buy into the hope and change? No. I wrote a piece about Obama in 2008. It wasn’t a slam job on him; it just said, ‘look, the guy is pretty conventional.’ He raises money from the same people who fund other

candidates and his voting record is very middle of the road. He’s very cautious. I mean, I voted for the guy and I’m glad he won. My view is always that, in American politics, it’s hard not to vote for the lesser of the two evils. But I had very low expectations. First Amendment rights say politicians are allowed to express their opinion by lobbying or sending money. Do you think that limits possible reforms? Of course it does. I don’t agree with court rulings that equate freedom of speech with fundraising and lobbying. I think you’ve got to be able to figure out ways to reduce the influence of money and private groups in politics to make the American political system more meaningful. Do you think politics are inherently corrupt? Yeah, to a certain extent because that’s the whole idea of having checks and balances on government. People with power tend to abuse it, and politics is all about power. American politics may be more corrupt than others because of the role of money is so extreme. Why is it hard for the public to see that politicians are only in it for private interests? I think the public does see that. The Obama campaign was a little bit different. The participation rate went up and that was because you had an African-American President for the

first time, which was exciting. And you had eight years of George W. Bus, so there was a great deal of enthusiasm on the part of Democratic voters. But we don’t vote otherwise. U.S. citizens have a low participation rate, and I think in part that’s because people feel very cynical and jaded about the political system and feel like their vote doesn’t matter. The differences between the parties have narrowed so much. The Democrats are more distinct from the Republicans on social issues, but broadly the parties have merged. Corruption in politics has turned a lot of people off. As a journalist, have you ever thought about walking away from that world? I’m obviously pretty cynical about politics, but I don’t believe people should disengage and I don’t believe the situation is completely hopeless. If I was completely cynical, I wouldn’t even bother writing; I’d just give it up entirely. The whole point of writing about politics is because you’re interested and engaged to some degree. Where do you see political journalism heading in the future? It’s really hard to see the future, how to figure out what the new business model will be. Like I said, I don’t think entirely it’s a lost cause. There’s a lot of great reporting going on, but it’s not a great time for investigative reporting.

11-01-21 16:19

coul

6/1/11

publication : voir liste

format : 10” x 15”

infographe : Marc Bilodeau

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infographe production couleur(s)

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Bristish Colombia, Abbotsford, University of Fraser Valley client : Forces canadiennes date/modif. rédaction dossier : CAF-10102

CAF10102_10_AC_BE_01_03.indd 1

titre : « WANTED / RECHERCHONS »

épreuve à D.A.

«C’est vrai que ça ressemble à un travail de bureau, mais en même temps, c’est incomparable. Ici, je sens que ma carrière s’en va quelque part. Dans les Forces, c’est surprenant de voir jusqu’où la vie de bureau peut mener. » Lieutenant PETER DENMAN

CONTRÔLEURS AÉRIENS

relecture

“Sure, it’s kind of a desk job, but it’s not like any I’ve ever seen. My career is going somewhere. When you’re in the Forces, you’d be amazed where your office can take you.” Lieutenant PETER DENMAN

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS

Janvier

RECHERCHONS :

description : 10-AC-BE-01

WANTED:

BCITSA Info & News Take You To The Game Check out the upcoming

GAME NIGHT on February 24th, 2011 Vancouver Canucks VS St. Louis Blues

Executive Weigh In Message from your School of Energy Chair: Andrew Io

Game Pack—$85.00 • 1 ticket to the game

• Burger, fries and a beverage

• Bus ride to the game to and from BCIT Burnaby Campus Bus leaves the pub at 6pm Be responsible – Don’t Drink and Drive (after you leave the bus) To purchase tickets or for more details, please visit Professor Mugs Pub & Grill

Box

Fresh produce at a fraction of the price.

only

FREE!

rograms in the School of Energy are decentralized. We have classes in SW9 all the way to NE1. The duration of the programs span from a few weeks to a few years. In previous years, it seems to me that the cohesion amongst students seems to be diluted by the variety of programs that we offer. After becoming the Chair of the School of Energy, I started seeing the potential passion that students bring. The IEEE student chapter and the Mechanical Engineering Student Society were formed last year, which breaks the status of “no student club” in the School of Energy. New ideas kept on sparking from our set rep meetings. Students suggested hosting more activities on Orientation Day and some inter-school competitions to bring students together. Most recently, in the U-PASS referendum, 41% of the all full-time students participated in the vote. This proves that BCIT students do participate in what we consider valuable. At the BCITSA, we are reformulating our events and functions to match your interests and bring you more value.

Social media: BCITSA

Jan. 18 Feb.15 Mar.22 Apr 19 4:30pm, Food Technology Lab (SW1-1239, access through 1225) *limit of 12 spaces

Uconnect Resource Centre (SE2 - 286) 604.451.7087 uconnect@bcitsa.ca www.bcitsa.ca

* The BCITSA Info & News Page is designed for the BCIT Student Association (BCITSA) to showcase the Association’s projects or events. The advertising on this page does not necessarily reflect the views of the Link or its staff.

6 Feature

BCIT Link • Jan 26th to Feb 9th

It’s Written in The Stars Brenna Temple Editor

ecent news in astrology shows that unless you’re born after 2009, you’re stuck with your astrological sign for life. The Link is fully aware that you might care about your sign less than your best friend’s Aunt Mildred. We won’t argue with your opinion but we do believe that reading your horoscope is more fun than listening to your lecture. Read on!

Sagittarius

November 23 to December 21 Frankly…frank

You’re so opinionated that you probably have an opinion on the word opinionated itself. In fact, let me do you a favor by telling you what everyone else hasn’t—your opinion is way overused. You do have promising qualities though; your thirst for knowledge remains unquenched. You’re also a compulsive optimist; if you lost your entire sum of money right now you’d probably still have something good to say about it. You’re the life of the party, athletically inclined, and generally drawn to conversation. And much in contrary to what other people have to say about you, you are a good listener—but only after you’ve said what you need to say.

Capricorn

December 22 to January 20 The walking contradiction

You’ve always been pretty convinced of your ability to shine and succeed, so much that even your own friends expect you to be the next Kurt Cobain. This would make sense too, because you’re ironically self-destructive via your obsessive negativity. And guess what? You’re also a walking contradiction. You’d probably choose honey over hot sauce, yet you want to buy the most extravagant watch in the store. You’re practical, but you look for mates to have money, and a lot of it. Don’t be too hard on yourself though. I mean, it’s not like you’re egotistical… you’re just… self-sufficient. Right? You’ll probably be successful in life because you’re so driven—just make sure your attitude doesn’t make your close ones run away.

Aquarius

January 21 to February 19 The nice person

All your life you’ve been called “nice,” which you find completely unflattering. I mean, it’s not that you’re a pushover, it’s just that you care a lot about people— erm, so much that you’d probably give your entire food supply only to starve in exchange. The biggest problem with this (besides death) is that your obsession with being nice starts to annoy people. You’re also unlikely to show your true opinions and instead, choose to keep your concerns at bay. This keeps you out of the limelight and perhaps makes you look a little more unconcerned than you mean to be. The good news is that people generally like spending time with you since they know you’ll listen… for hours and hours and hours. And although you’re ridiculously nice, you’re also artistic, modern, intellectual and caring.

Pisces

February 20 to March 20 Way chilled out

If astrology showed in your appearance at birth then you’d probably be born with dread locks and aviators. You’re compassionate about worldly issues and would rather talk about them than yourself. You die for people’s personal stories and live vicariously through their drama, happily giving advice each time. The only danger of being so committed to other people is your tendency to leave your own experiences out in the cold. This leads you to an emo state of mind; you go quite suddenly from a happy mood to crying in the shower. Next time your friend forgets to ask you about your day remember to stamp your foot down, cross your arms and say, “Pisces need love too!”

Aries

March 21 to April 20 Weirdly inventive

You’ve probably committed crazy acts your entire life. Remember refusing to take that tutu off for an entire two weeks when you were five? Remember fashioning a per-

sonalized paper bag for the shy kid to wear over his face because you thought he would appreciate not having to confront people? Yeah, it’s because of your sign. Listen, you’re simply impulsive at any cost. If it’s your idea, then you think it’s the best idea, even if everybody just sort of stares. Sometimes you even like starting an argument or two or three or four just because you’re kind of bored. The positive part of this all? You’re incredibly independent. I mean, you kind of have to be given your state of mind, right?

Taurus

April 21 to May 20 Way too competitive

Your friends decide to start a dodge ball league because they think the sport is dumb and it would be hilarious to play. The problem is that they invite you and you somehow end up taking it seriously. You end up throwing the ball at someone’s face upon losing and end up crying in the corner of the court. Your friends aren’t sure of whether to laugh or feel sorry for you. “Poor little Taurus. He/she actually takes dodge ball seriously.” Despite this flaw, you’re oddly the bearer of love. If you aren’t already in a relationship then you’re already plotting your next one. Only this time they’ll be hotter than your best friend’s lover. Because that’s what a competitive person would do.

Gemini

May 21 to June 21 Why give an answer when you can give a monologue?

People don’t want to ask you how your day was because you’ll probably tell them about every single bathroom break, meal (along with its caloric content) and conversation you experienced along the way. In this way, you exhaust people. But don’t worry, you have good reasons for doing it! You’re smart, love making connections, and enjoy meeting new people. Your life probably revolves around the next exciting event, whether it’s traveling to Europe or joining a new club. The truth of the matter is that you have your heart in

the right place. Just make sure you don’t talk too much about it. We already know!

Cancer

June 22 to July 22 Down with the fam jam

A lot of your kind are obsessed with the next family outing or vacation. Many are strangely desperate to wed at a young age or even bear children. If this isn’t you then it’s because you’re currently putting all of your efforts into work and school. However, because you’re so tight with the family, you’ve lived a sheltered life and often have trouble going out into the big bad world independently. This makes you moody and so on and so forth. Don’t worry, you aren’t as volatile as you think. You care a lot about the people around you and there’s not much you wouldn’t do to help your loved ones. Just make sure you don’t ditch super important plans for the next family barbeque.

Leo

July 23 to August 22 The class clown

If you’re not already the centre of attention then you’ll do something pretty dumb to make sure you are. People either love or hate you. You’re not a complete fool though; you have leader-like tendencies and like to take on big projects. You might go a little over the top though with theatre-like antics, making people think you try a little too hard. You’ll have an interesting career because you like to do things that keep you entertained. You’ll need a mate who has a lot of patience and laughing power though— otherwise you might just end up in the psych ward.

Virgo

August 23 to September 22 Painfully picky

You’re meticulous over every single detail. You’re also verymeticulous about germs. You’re the freak who wipes down keyboards in the classroom; Virgo’s attention to making everything squeaky- clean makes them prone to becoming

hypochondriacs. That’s ok though because when it comes to love, you’re red hot. You’re not usually a commitment freak and you love to love. Just don’t let your jealousy take over and don’t insist on washing your hands halfway through a love-making session.

Libra

September 23 to October 22 Balanced but co-dependent

If you could do every activity with someone else then you would. You like doing pretty much everything in pairs because you believe it gives you balance and you enjoy relating to another person. Often that person will be your lover; most Libras spend their time vying for a serious relationship so they have someone to come home to after those long days. But take heed! Your need to constantly have another person in your life can easily turn you into a stage three clinger. Libra, if you’re such an advocate for balance then why can’t you spend a single minute alone? Try enjoying the things you love (ballets, operas and plays) alone for once in your life. Less is more.

Scorpio

October 23 to November 22 Dangerously feisty

If you understand how scorpions work then you’ll understand Scorpios rather well. Like the scorpion, a Scorpio would rather kill himself than be killed. Let’s get to the bottom of it: if a Scorpio wants it then they’ll get it, whether it’s sex or a career. They’re also incredibly perceptive and always need to understand what a person is all about. However, Scorpio’s intensity quickly transpires into dangerous flaws. When a Scorpio is done with you, they’re done. They can turn small matters into large ones and can get a little dramatic in the jealousy category. They don’t trust even the nicest person but once you get to their heart they’re incredibly loyal. Always watch out for the Scorpio… if you don’t make a good impression then you’ll need to run before they sting.

Sports

BCIT Link • Jan 26th to Feb 9th

Montreal hockey experience can’t compare to Vancouver

Canadiens fans may be the best fans in all of sports with their extraordinary passion for the game Chad Klassen Assistant Editor

t’s confirmed, the Bell Centre is the best arena in the National Hockey League — at least from my experience. Now I have to admit, I’ve only been to a half dozen buildings around the league. But if we assume that Canada offers up the best hockey atmosphere, Montreal wins the prize. The crowd, from the pre-game countdown to the player introductions and finally the puck-drop, was full of emotion and only added to the amazing experience — even if I was the furthest from the action in the upper most deck of the arena. Despite missing out on Sidney Crosby, the Montreal hockey scene was awesome. All the history and tradition, not to mention watching and listening to how the Habs faithful reacted to nearly every situation, was riveting. From the loud boos when Pittsburgh took the ice to the roar they gave their Canadiens, there was passion and emotion throughout the game, and being there live only magnified what we’ve come to know about Montreal hockey fans. Surprisingly, though, there was no booing of the home team after the eventual 5-2 loss. In fact, half the crowd — mostly in the lower bowl — had already left with eight minutes remaining in the third. But in the upper deck, the highest of three levels at the Bell Centre, all were left when the buzzer finalized a three-goal defeat for the Canadiens. We were one of those who stayed right until the end, but I have to say it was a weird feeling watching a team you’re rooting for lose a hockey game. It’s just not something Vancouverites are quite used to at this point in the season. On game night, the Canucks had lost in regulation in 17 games (14-0-3) before playing the Rangers. It was a little strange to be ex-

posed to such a loss by the Canadiens who are a borderline playoff team at best. But you have to give it to the fans there, they are sure passionate about their team — especially given Montreal’s eighth-place showing in the Eastern Conference. In Vancouver, there’s a crosssection of Canucks fans — at least those sitting outside the club section — that are dedicated to their team as well. But also remember they’re on the hottest streak in franchise history. The entire city’s in love with the team right now, and what’s there not to love if you’re a hockey fan in this city? But Canadiens supporters, on the other hand, take their dedication to another level — both cheering for the home side and jeering the visitors. And most impressive is the response that fans show after the team’s scored against, especially in the upper levels. The Pens’ first three tallies of the night didn’t really do much to silence the crowd. Instead, the energy level was amped up as they tried to give their team a boost after a goal — a rare sight in Vancouver, especially on a Wednesday night. The only thing Rogers Arena has over the Bell Centre is better sightlines overall, especially if you’re stuck in the nose-bleed section like us. In Vancouver, even in the upper deck, you’re closer to the action, whereas Montreal holds over 21,000 people and inevitably some fans are further from the ice. But besides the arena layout, the fan atmosphere trumps Vancouver’s through and through. It leaves you a bit emotionally drained after all of it, and that’s after a loss. You can only imagine how crazy it’s like after a big win — or last spring when the Habs upset the East’s two best teams en route to the Conference Final. The post-game events around the Bell Centre are pretty neat, too. On our way out of the game,

Canadiens supporters take their dedication to another level — both cheering for the home side and jeering the visitors.

we took a few pictures around the arena, including photos of the many Stanley Cup banners — 24 to be exact — and the myriad of retired numbers as well. It’s almost overwhelming for a Canucks fan who’s used to seeing the three banners of Smyl, Linden and now Naslund — coupled with our handful of divisional titles over the years.

Outside the Bell Centre is also a memorial site commemorating the Canadiens’ 100-year celebration. There are statues of the legends, including “Rocket” Richard, Guy Lafleur and Yvan Cournoyer, as well as plaques of past players, most of which also have their numbers hanging from the rafters. Every single player from all the Stanley Cup-winning teams

are honoured in the anniversary square, which is quite the site for any hockey fan who loves the history of the game. After soaking it all up and taking as many pictures as possible (while freezing our faces off), it was back to the hotel for the night knowing that the Montreal Canadiens experience has been crossed off the bucket list.

8 Culture

BCIT Link • Jan 26th to Feb 9th

The Green Hornet Movie Review Justin Morissette The Link

t would seem that the general movie-going public is starting to suffer from something I've coined Acute Seth Rogen Fatigue Syndrome. Whether they're tired of watching him play basic variations of the same character, or they're just sick of his goofy laugh, the Point Grey Secondary grad seems to be wearing out his welcome with an increasingly vocal portion of movie-lovers. And so it was that the Vancouver export's latest offering, The Green Hornet, took a beating from critics. Just don't count me among the critical concensus. Now, Hornet is by no means a perfect movie. The plot is admittedly something of a mess, and the 3D adds little to the experience other than an extra $4 to the ticket price. I find myself willing to forgive these flaw, because plot be damned, this movie is a ton of fun. Obviously "fun" is a subjective measure of quality, but between Rogen's comedic timing and the inventive visual style of indie darling director Michel Gondry, you'd be hard pressed

to not have a good time with The Green Hornet. Though the movie is based on the classic radio serials of the 1930s, its titular hero has little in common with previous incarnations of the character. Rogen's Britt Reid is an insufferable whiner, a rich kid with a stuck-up sense of entitlement. When his media mogul father passes away, Britt decides to wise up and make something of himself by indulging his most childish fantasy: to clean up the crime-riddled streets of Los Angeles as a costumed vigilante. He's assisted in his fight against crime by his father's auto-mechanic/barista, Kato (Jay Chou), a man for whom time stands still when it comes to doling out bad-guy beatdowns. The Kato-Vision fight sequences offer the movie's best 3D moments, and give Gondry the opportunity to go wild with stretched-out, slowed-down visuals. That Britt never grows out of being a jerk, or really goes through any form of change as a character at all could be viewed

as a flaw, but it adds to the movie's charm. The film is at its best when subverting the audience's expectations of the superhero genre. There is no better example of this than Christoph Waltz's villainous Chudnofsky, lord of the L.A. crime world. Waltz, who famously stole the show as a devious Nazi in Inglourious Basterds, plays Chudnofsky as a criminal going through a midlife crisis, desperate to seem edgy in an underworld that's quickly leaving him behind. It's Gondry's dynamic visuals that take center stage, however. A notable sequence at the start of the third act follows the word on the street after Chudnofsky puts out a hit on the Hornet. The camera splits and splits into dozens of tracking shots, tracing each hired hitman and splitting again every time they pass the word onto someone else. It's a mesmerizing sequence, the technical difficulty of which doesn't quite hit you until after its over. Really, your enjoyment of the film leans largely on how you

feel about Rogen as a comedian. If you like his style, the movie will keep you laughing and offers enough slick action to entertain. If you don't, you'll likely leave the theatre feeling ripped off and annoyed. It's no great cinematic

achievement, but among the stuffy Oscar bait and shameful release dumps populating January cinemas, The Green Hornet delivers a much needed blast of summer fun.

Artist Spotlight: Ra Ra Riot

Sarah Massah Culture Editor

Current Band Members: Milo Bonacci (guitar) Alexandra Lawn (cello) Wesley Miles (keyboard/vocals) Mathieu Santos (bass) Rebecca Zeller (violin)

first heard of Ra Ra Riot three years ago when a friend played their song “Can You Tell” in her car. Ever since then, I’ve kept them on my radar and they rarely disappoint. Their indie-rock style is infused with a small string section that makes them stand out in a sea of skinny jeans and Vans. The six members of Ra Ra Riot met at school in Syracuse, New York and formed the band. Prior to releasing their self-titled EP, tragedy struck when their drummer, John Pike, died after leaving a party near Buzzard’s Bay in Massachusetts. Despite their tragic setback, the band continued with their music (luckily for us) and released their 2008 album The Rhumb Line. Some people may not know who Ra Ra Riot is, but many know their tour mates, which include Death Cab for Cutie. In 2010 the band released their newest album, The Orchard which they will most likely perform at their Vancouver concert at the Biltmore Cabaret on January 29th. Tickets are available on Ticketweb.ca and since the venue is so awesome (I’m very partial to the Biltmore) why not check them out and hear their unique sound for yourself.

Culture

BCIT Link • Jan 26th to Feb 9th

Floating Theatre Review Julia Montague The Link

Hugh Hughes in Floating. Photo by Jaimie Gramston.

Evolving 20 - January 22, 2011 1. Florence & The Machine - Cosmic Love 2. of Montreal - Coquet Coquette 3. Michael Bernard Fitzgerald - Brand New Spaces 4. The Dears - Omega Dog 5. Jeremy Fisher - Alison 6. Arcade Fire - Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) 7. The Decemberists - Down by the Water 8. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - All Hail Dracula! 9. Karkwa - L’Acouphene 10. David Vertesi - Mountainside 11. Treelines - Ghost Towns 12. Belle & Sebastien - I Want The World To Stop 13. Rubik - Wasteland 14. Hollerado - Americanarama 15. Henry & The Nightcrawlers - Amberly 16. Aidan Knight - Friendly Fires 17. Sufjan Stevens - I Walked 18. The Tom Fun Orchestra - Miles Davis 19. Free Energy - Bang Pop 20. Steph Macpherson - Listen

here are times in life when wondering where reality ends and mainland and setting to the high it’s difficult to separate fact the show itself begins. This in- seas. from fiction in our memo- cludes when the lead character, The theme relates back to a ries. After seeing Floating, Hugh Hughes, stands on stage quote from Spanish filmmaker Luis you may catch yourself pondering wearing nothing but a ‘modesty Bunuel, projected on the backdrop some of these inconsistencies in towel’ (head to toe with no arm at the beginning of the show: your own life. holes...sassy) and invites willing “Our imaginations and our It’s a theme that lurks innocently audience members to join him in dreams are forever invading our under the guise of a genuinely fun- his nude state. Oddly no takers in memories and since we are apt in ny comedy. our performance. believing in the reality of our fanUpon arriving at the recently Nudity and levity aside, his con- tasies, we end up transforming our renovated Revue Stage lies into truths.” imaginations and our In Hughes mind, this on Granville Island, the “Our actors on stage are in dreams are forever invading our journey is a reality, and full character as the auhe tells his memories dience takes their seats. memories and since we are apt with such a caring and Audience participation in believing in the reality of our loving voice that you is encouraged and inwish them to be fantasies, we end up transform- almost corporated with skillful true. ing our lies into truths.” humour throughout. The enjoyment of The play is set up this play is just as much through various forms of multime- tinued interaction reinforces his in the setting up and laying of the dia, lending a unique aesthetic and connection with the audience, and scene, as it is in the story itself. Just adding to the interactive feel. I’ve in turn gives us a feeling of connec- be careful not to laugh too loud, or seen a fair amount of theatre, and tion to his past and his version of you may find yourself an unwitthis was definitely the first show reality. ting participant. And in future reI’ve seen where wrestling magaWhen things do eventually get membrance, there’s no telling what zines were passed throughout the going, Hughes tells of a mythical Hughes’ memory will make of you. audience. Most excellent. journey that the country of Wales Floating plays at the Revue The show itself presents a play took over a period in the 1980’s Stage on Granville Island until Febwithin a play, leaving us at times after becoming detached from the ruary 5th.

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BCIT Link • Jan 26th to Feb 9th

No headliner here: Everyone gets to be

“The Guy”

Comedy Night at BCIT’s Professor Mugs to offer up a side of laughs with your meal Justin Morissette The Link

omedy lovers of BCIT, mark your calendars. February 3rd marks the first in a series of BCIT Comedy Nights at Professor Mug’s, and comedians Bryan Maine, Ryan Mutama, and Brandon James Mason are offering up the first taste for free. I recently sat down with Maine and Mutama in advance of their BCIT show.

How did this show come about?

BRYAN: I'd moved over here [from the island] and had this plan where I wanted to showcase local talent, but in a different way. There's a lot of comedy nights you can go to, but this is a show where there's no main headliner. It's not like “This is The Guy, and these are the guys that are just gonna be before him.” We're all The Guy. Everyone on the show is going to be talented. It's a showcase for three different guys. Each person's doing twenty minutes, and each person's gotta completely different kind of style. This one is the very first of its kind and there's going to be more. Because it’s the first show we’re offering it up as a gift to the campus.

What's the joke-writing process like?

RYAN: Everybody's got their own unique style, but I find I tend to come up with topics in every day conversation when talking to somebody, like a deep political, sociopolitical subject. I find something ironic about what we're talking about, and I'm like ‘That would be a good premise for a joke!' I’ll think about it, find a bunch of different points, and formulate an entire bit around it. I like to do like five minute bits to really talk about a topic. There's a lot of guys who do one-liners, two-liners or short segments, but I really try to put as many funny things in one topic as possible.

So it's more of an organic process then as opposed to just sitting and down and being like "I need to come up with some new material by a set time"?

BRYAN: I've tried doing it that way, and I've got something once or twice out of it. It's all about just living your life and if you've got a tape recorder on you, and you're like ‘Oh! I can work on that later.’ Or right there you just open your book and you write something down, and you restructure it til its tighter and tighter and tighter. But to sit down and just say ‘I have to write three jokes’ is so hard to do. So hard.

What seperates comedy from other performance arts?

BRYAN: When you're a musician and you're in a band, you have the band behind you. If you're having a bad night you can kinda back off and the band can cover you. Com-

edy is just you. I like the difficulty of it compared to music. If people don't like your music they'll kinda be quiet, but there's no compassion in comedy. They're going to be completely honest with you, and that's something that's so valuable. RYAN: And you truly know because it's an immediate crowd response. If the crowd doesn't like you, you KNOW the crowd doesn't like, not like music. I was in a band myself before and if the crowd doesn't like you then they just won’t feel the music, and it's kind of a hard thing to judge, I find. In comedy, it's immediate. You know. The minute you walk offstage you're like ‘That was a good set’ or ‘That was a bad set.’ You know immediately, and you go home and you can work on it. So it's very forgiving in the sense that it allows you to progress a lot quicker if you really apply yourself.

Brandon James Mason

What can people expect from this show?

BRYAN: BCIT is the premiere location for our first show. February 3rd at 4pm, before people have to go and catch busses and stuff, you can finish your courses and come check out the show. We're actually going to hang out for a couple hours after the show as well so if anyone wants to hang out, play some quarters, whatever, we don't care, whatever college kids do! We're gonna hang out and have a good time. [laughs] Maine encourages any interested students to look up the BCIT Comedy Night event page on Facebook to get an idea of what the night has in store. But if the show is anything like our interview, it promises to be a wild one.

[Comedy is] very forgiving in the sense that it allows you to progress a lot quicker if you really apply yourself.

Bryan Maine

Ryan Mutama

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BCIT Link • Jan 26th to Feb 9th

ITCHY ANSWERS Answers to all your burning Sex andRelationship questions Drake Winters & Olivia Starling The Link

Hi, I’m a single straight guy with a situation. My roommate came home drunk last night and was all over me. I brushed it off as her being drunk. Then we were out the other night and she hit on me again! This time no alcohol involved. I’m not sure what to do. She is hot and if we weren’t roommates I would definitely be interested. Help!

Well, there’s an old saying for this: don’t shit where you eat! Sounds like you are close to picking up that spoon. It’s like mixing milk and tequila, there are bound to be repercussions; one being you sitting at your computer hammering out a craigs list ad looking for a new roommate. If you sleep with her, there is a chance it doesn’t work out and let’s face it, good roommates are hard to find. If you can keep your one eyed milk man in his uniform, then you will keep your roommate and save yourself the drama and potential awkward morning after coffee talk. Avoidance and deflecting her sexy time advances will only work for so long. Eventually, you will probably have to have that delicate sit down talk that goes something like this, “you are hot, but you are my roommate and I don’t sleep with roommates… so when you moving out?”

I just got tested and found out I have a STI. I feel terrible and I am not sure who I got it from. I haven’t been tested for 3 years so it could be anyone since then. The doctor said I need to contact my past partners and warn them. I am mortified, can I do this with a letter, or facebook?

Drake and I are sorry to hear about your STI, but we want to congratulate you for going to get tested. Many young Canadians walk around for many more years than you without being informed. Which puts every lover they “cum” in contact with at risk. You should also know you aren’t alone. YouthCO (www.youthco.org) is Canada’s first youth-driven organization leading the HIV and HepC movement through peer education, support, and shared leadership. The best way to inform past lovers is face to face or over the phone. This is definitely something you DO NOT want to Tweet about. Not only for your privacy, but the privacy of those affected. You should prepare yourself for the fact that your exes won’t be thrilled to find out about your STI. Imagine how less impressed they would be if they heard from someone else down the road that you had a STI, knew about it and

Common...you know you want to give in...

didn’t tell them. Now, try putting yourself in their shoes, wouldn’t you want to know? The sooner you tell them, the sooner you help to stop the spread of STIs. We also want to clarify that you should contact anyone you have exchanged bodily fluids with. Not just people from the last three years. STIs will often not present themselves right away. You could have a STI for some time before any symptoms appear. Don’t do to your exes what someone did to you. Someone isn’t talking, make sure it isn’t you.

We love hearing from you. Email us your scratchy questions at: itchyanswers@hotmail.com

Fake it til you make it: gourmet Easy recipes that’ll make you look like a pro Jessica Rivers The Link

he way to a man (or woman’s) heart is through their stomach. But, what if you can’t cook? Should the kitchen-impaired be forced to spend hundreds of dollars on meals out because they can’t make a peanut butter sandwich without starting a small fire? No, that wouldn’t be fair. What is fair however, is acting like you know your way around a mandolin, like of course you only use fleur de sel, and like obviously you know how long to beat egg whites for so your soufflé doesn’t sink. If the last sentence didn’t make sense to you, read on and people will start to believe you’re a good cook. It’s worked for me anyway.

Easy breakfast Put a slice of ham inside either a small ramekin or bowl (make sure it’s microwave-safe). Crack an egg inside the bowl. Poke egg with a fork several times. Grind some pepper and salt on it. Cover with saran wrap. Microwave for just under a minute. Pop out, put inside an English muffin, add a slice of cheese. Instant Egg McMuffin. Cook the egg for less or more time depending if you like a hard-cooked yolk or a runny one. Can be used to make cheater eggs benny, just add a packaged Hollandaise and you're in business.

The World’s Easiest & Most Versatile Vinaegrette Whisk together about a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, a sprinkle of sea salt, a generous grind of black pepper, a good splash of regular white or white wine vinegar, a small splash of olive oil, and a fresh herb or two (so good with dill). Put it on salad or atop roasted potatoes. Also great on fish. You know what, just put it on whatever you want.

Ridiculously Easy Crab Salad This can be used in a sandwich or just as a salad by itself. Chop up some crabmeat (imitation is fine), some cucumber, an avocado, and some celery. Proportions are up to you. Mix in some mayonnaise to bind, add a generous squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. That’s it!

Crazy Simple Pasta In a great big pot of salted boiling water, cook some rotini pasta and brocolli florets (at the same time). Drain. While still hot, add a couple of cloves of smashed ‘n’ chopped garlic, and a good amount of extra virgin olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Grate a ton of your favorite cheese in. A hard, strong cheese is best: Parmigano Reggiano is great but in a pinch I’ve even used a couple of Babybels. Let’s face it, cheese is cheese and it’s good on everything. Tastes as good for a cold lunch the next day as it did for a hot dinner the night before. The point is, you don’t need to be a culinary genius or have a lot of money to make something better than a bowl of ramen or Kraft dinner with cut-up hot dogs (not that KD with a can of tuna mixed in isn’t one of my favorite meals…). Making your own simple meals at home is cheaper than eating out, and it needn’t be fussy or fancy to impress your boo.

12 Fun

BCIT Link • Jan 26th

MONDAY

to Feb 9th

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

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August: Osage County @ Stanley Theatre (to Feb 27th)

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27 Vince Vaccaro @ Venue

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JANUARY

26 Link 46-9 on stands!

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4 Deadline to submit content for Link 46-10

5 Default @ Envy Nightclub

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7 Student Council Meeting @530pm Council Chambers Love Flicks in the Love Hall (SE2)

9 Link 46-10 on stands! Vancouver Canucks vs Anaheim Ducks

10 Risky Business (Great Hall - SE2) Chromeo @ Commodore

11 Naughty Bingo (Great Hall - SE2)

12 Marcy Playground @ Biltmore

Vancouver Canucks vs Calgary Flames

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14 Valentine’s Day

SUDOKU

16 Vancouver Giants vs Kelowna Rockets

18 Deadline to submit content for Link 46-11 Plants & Animals @ Commodore

19 Benny Benassi @

MEDIUM

EASY

Use your logic to fill in the boxes, rows and columns with the numbers 1-9. Puzzle must be accompanied by the copyright notice.

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