Capilano Courier | Vol. 50, Issue 3.

VOLUME 50, ISSUE 3

SEPT. 25– OCT. 1, 2017

Chasing Insta-fame Profiting from popularity pg. 12

SPORTS

Keys to success for men's soccer

FEATURES

How pumpkin became a fall icon

EDITOR'S DESK

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Carlo Javier capcourier@gmail.com

WHY THE LIBRARY RENOVATIONS TOOK SO LONG

MANAGING EDITOR

News

Justin Scott manager.capcourier@gmail.com

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NEWS EDITOR

Christine Beyleveldt news.capcourier@gmail.com

Campus Life

Tia Kutschera Fox opinions.capcourier@gmail.com FEATURES EDITOR

Helen Aikenhead specialfeatures.capcourier@gmail.com

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BEING BLACK IN CANADA

Columns

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Rachel D'Sa arts.capcourier@gmail.com CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR

Greta Kooy campuslife.capcourier@gmail.com

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EXPLORING FALL'S FAVOURITE FLAVOUR: PUMPKIN

Feature

ONLINE EDITOR

Jessica Lio online.capcourier@gmail.com

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COPY EDITOR

Leah Scheitel copy.capcourier@gmail.com

SHLOHMO RETURNS TO VANCOUVER

Arts Shorts

ART DIRECTOR

Rachel Wada artdirector.capcourier@gmail.com PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Cristian Fowlie pm.capcourier@gmail.com

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ONE OF OUR EDITORS TRY OUT YOGA AT OM SWEET OM

Arts and Culture

COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER

John Tabbernor community.capcourier@gmail.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Andy Rice andy.capcourier@gmail.com

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MEN'S SOCCER OUTLINE THEIR PATH TO A THREE-PEAT

Sports

COVER ART

Cynthia Tran Vo

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Carlos Ascencio Laura Melczer Leah Scheitel Aidan Mouellic

STUDENTS CONFESS THEIR BIGGEST SINS

Caboose

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS

Rachel Wada Ian Kaart Rachel Sanvido Annie Chang Janice Callangan INTERESTED IN CONTRIBUTING?

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email capcourier@gmail.com.

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Submit your portfolio or examples of work to

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deemed by the collective to exhibit sexism, racism or homophobia. The views expressed by the

​We acknowledge that the work we do and the

contributing writers are not necessarily those of the

institution we serve happens on the unceded

Capilano Courier Publishing Society.

territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of Musqueam, Squamish, Stó:lō and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.

THE CAPILANO COURIER

Carlo Javier EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

INTRODUCING MIKKO SAN RAMON

OPINIONS EDITOR

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WATCH THE THRONE

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 3

”I used to care what people thought. Now I care more.” - Childish Gambino I woke up to a loud crash the other morning; loud enough that my deepsleeping, loud-snoring ass actually woke despite a tightly shut window. It was a car crash and I knew it right away.

The first thing I did was what most people would’ve done. I tried to go back to sleep. It was 5:44 a.m. and I still had an hour before my alarm, enough time to savour my precious slumber. Waking up and realizing that you have a lot of time left before your alarm goes off is one of the great moments that we can never take for granted. On the other hand, waking up just minutes before your alarm blares is like walking to Fatburger for a Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, then walking over to the nearest McDonald’s for cheaper – and quite honestly – better fries, only to find out that those motherfuckers at Fatburger forgot the buffalo sauce in your Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich.

Ultimately, I caved in. I got up, opened my window and saw a dismantled white hatchback. The hood and the bumper of the car were smashed in and the front right wheel had been completely detached. On the other end of the impact was a pick-up truck. Because of how fixated I was on the hatchback and the distress calls that came from the very few bystanders, I almost didn’t notice that the left side of the truck was caved in.

The accident was undoubtedly brutal and it took the first responders several minutes before they could pry the driver of the hatchback out of the car. It was a surreal, eye-opening sight that wasn’t marred by my initial hesitation to even care, nor was the gravity of the moment lessened by the fact that I simply sat in my room and looked from afar – opposed to going down to see if there was anything I could do to help. Though both of my choices were certainly erroneous, it was a third notion that in retrospect upset and even embarrassed me.

I wanted to take a photo of the accident – and I did. While I’ve worked as a reporter and writer for years, I had zero intentions of snapping a photo to report about the accident. I wasn’t even live-tweeting. I took it because of an inclination for the sensational, for the over-the-top, for something or anything that would draw attention to my Instagram, Snapchat and what have you.

This week, our feature story takes an unfiltered dive into the world of Instagram – a world overrun by ideals built around popularity, aesthetic and “highlights”. It’s a domain dominated by deceptively young models who blur the lines between body positivity and fat shaming and between being fit and being healthy. It’s a place

littered with one of true scourges of the internet – kids who create and popularize “challenges” that most often venture towards inappropriate, distasteful and really, harmful behaviour.

Yet as much as I point out flaw after flaw and complaint after complaint about Instagram, I can’t help but admit that it is the one social media platform that truly presides over my own online behaviour. My Instagram, despite it’s sad lack of followers, is curated to an aesthetic that I deem to be appealing for other people. I never would’ve posted a photo of the accident on my social media feeds. My sometimes attentionseeking self has yet to reach that low of a nadir. Let’s hope it never does.

-IAN KAART

NEWS

CONSTRUCTION OF ON-CAMPUS HOUSING MAY START NEXT FALL New development in Purcell Woods would include 60 beds for Capilano University students Christine Beyleveldt NEWS EDITOR

Less than a month after the first students moved into Capilano University’s new off-campus dormitories, the University is looking into their first on-campus housing options. The real estate development company Woodbridge Northwest Communities is proposing a Capilano University Village where the townhouses at 1923-1959 Purcell Way, a section of Purcell Woods, stand today. At a housing information session held at the University on Sept. 12, Woodbridge Northwest Chief Financial Officer Kevin Johnston, architect Bryce Rositch, landscape architect Stephen Vincent and traffic engineer and Transportation Analyst James Lao from Bunt and Associates unveiled their plans to the public.

Woodbridge Northwest put in their application to redevelop to the District of North Vancouver and started taking early public feedback in November 2016. Their application was received and brought under review in July. The rendition shows a six-floor condominium tower, three and four-floor townhouses, dormitories for 60 CapU students adjacent to Greg Lee Way and an amenities building to be

shared with the neighbouring strata. Also included are plans for a swimming pool, clubhouse and children’s play area. The student housing, which was designed with input from the University over the last 18 months, includes kitchens so students can cook and won’t be forced to obtain meal plans. At the Dollarton Highway residence meal plans cost $2,130 per semester.

Fewer than 115 students are currently living in the off-site residence at 4240 Dollarton Highway, which can house up to 250 students. Even though only a small percentage of CapU’s student population have taken advantage of the accommodations, it’s a step towards seeing the housing needs of students met. Johnston explsinrf that Woodbridge Northwest knew CapU was facing a housing crisis. “When we first started on this project, we met with the VP, and he was the first person to kind of tell us what need you had – what Capilano U had – for housing and the problem that it was causing for the University,” he said. Johnston attributed the University’s declining enrolment to the lack of housing options available to would-be students, something president Paul Dangerfield is equally concerned about.

“Partnering with Woodbridge Northwest allows CapU to offer students a housing choice on campus in a timely way,” Dangerfield commented. “Longerterm plans include exploring options for both on and off-campus housing. CapU community support is needed to bring these plans to reality.”

Kristen Braun, a student in CapU’s Early Childhood Education program, lives in Purcell Woods with her husband and two young children, and they will be directly affected by Woodbridge Northwest’s proposed complex. “We’ve been in the neighbourhood for four and a half years and it’s become home, so it means that we’re looking for a new home,” she said. Her son has also just started kindergarten, and depending on where they have to move to in the next six to 12 months, he might have to move to a new school as well.

Braun and her husband both voted in favour of selling. The dissolution of the strata for the section of Purcell Woods that would be demolished to make way for the new complex was approved in July. She explained that the assessment fees on the property, which was built in the 1970s and is badly in need of repairs, would’ve been high. “But it’s okay,” she said, “we trust there are other places out there for us and we’ll be able to find some community again wherever we move.”

For most tenants who currently live in Purcell Woods, one major concern is how traffic and parking will be affected since only 74 additional parking stalls have been included in the proposal.

1923-1959 Purcell Way currently houses 90 people and Woodbridge Northwest hopes to accommodate 124 people as well as 60 students when all is said and done. Lao explained that the average North Vancouver unit has between 0.91.1 parking stalls, and their plan allows

for 1.5 stalls per unit. Every tenant would have at least one stall but there will be enough available that more tenants will be able to have two or maybe even three parking stalls.

Students living close to campus also won’t need to commute or drive to school, Lao said. He added that they plan to widen the sidewalk and add loading zones to increase traffic flow along Purcell Way, and encourage people to transition towards different modes of transportation, including public transit and cycling.

Furthermore, Vincent explained that Woodbridge Northwest has worked with two arborists who have assessed the trees on the lot, several of which have root rot. Thirty-three trees will be retained and the remaining 176 removed during construction. Rostich aims to be sensitive to the neighbours and carry out sustainable practices. They plan to remove invasive species and carry out understory planting, because beneath the canopy the ground is largely bare.

Trees surrounding the property will be maintained however, the architect aims for sensitivity to the surrounding forest and neighbours.

As Woodbridge Northwest moves ahead, they are gathering feedback on the project and hope to have a public hearing sometime this fall where they will reiterate their proposal and hear from members of the community. If approved, they aim to begin construction in late 2018 or early 2019.

THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 3

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NEWS

DELAYED RENOVATIONS DISRUPT CAMPUS LIBRARY Why one of Capilano University’s largest collaborative areas still remains off limits to students John Tabbernor

Returning students to Capilano University’s North Shore campus have had their collaborative space on the main floor of the library disrupted by ongoing renovations.

Noise in the library has been a growing concern, not just for students, but library staff as well, who have been asking for action on this issue for years. A major factor in these complaints comes from the library’s construction and its open spaces.

Noise bouncing off of hard surfaces creates reverb that travels throughout the library and even into the second floor study area, which is a designated quiet workspace.

To date, there has never been enough funding to address the issue of the noise, but this fiscal year the University was able to set aside $300,000 from the Ministry of Education’s Capital Funding program.

These funds, totalling $1.2 million for 2017, are strictly to be used for campus infrastructure.

Mark Clifford, director of Contract Services and Capital Planning for CapU, said that an acoustic consultant was brought in to conduct a study on the reverb and noise levels in the library. From there, an architect was hired to design updates based on those recommendations. “We then competitively bid it. Under the government legislation, anything over a certain dollar value must be competitively bid on the market. We then awarded the contract to the low bid to our spec,” he said.

The contractors are in the process of

THRONE SPEECH AND BUDGET SIDELINE CAMPAIGN PROMISES What an NDP government means for post-secondary students Christine Beyleveldt NEWS EDITOR

With the NDP Government overseeing British Columbia for the first time in 16 years, big changes are in order – especially for students. Backed by the Green Party, the BC NDP promised significant differences in the governing of the province, and there are several topics that Premier John Horgan brought to the table that could impact students. Some of these issues include affordable rents, decreased interest on student loans, free

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THE CAPILANO COURIER

–PHOTO BY CHRISTINE BEYLEVELDT

COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER

installing acoustic batting and cloth to cover 70 per cent of the ceiling along with glass dividers at the top of the stairs to prevent noise from travelling. They will also be installing a door at the top of the stairs to keep as much noise out of the quiet study area as possible. On top of these changes, a new wall is to be put up near the banks of computers next to the Student Success Centre. Upon completion of the renovations, the acoustic consultant will return to measure the difference in noise and reverb.

Though it was expected that the renovations would be complete by the first week of the fall semester, they have fallen two to three weeks behind schedule. The current construction on the main floor of the library should be completed by the week of Sept. 25. “You always run into issues with construction. We have to always time it so that we start in May. You try to get things going and mobilized so that we get things done by September when students are back,” said Clifford. “We always try to get things done in the summer months, but it

can be tough as it’s a short period of time.”

Clifford added that CapU’s next major project is an overhaul to the University’s aging water infrastructure. This will most likely begin next summer and will have major impacts across campus. The work will involve digging up roads to access the existing system along with updating fire hydrants. This project will again draw from the funding provided by the provincial government.

tuition for former children in care and, of course, higher provincial minimum wage.

When the BC Liberals gave their last throne speech on June 23 shortly before Christy Clark lost a vote of confidence, and by extension, her majority government in the legislative assembly, the party changed stance on several issues that brought them closer in line with the NDP platform.

Beginning on Aug. 1, the interest rate on student loans decreased from prime plus 2.5 per cent to just prime, which will cost the province an additional $17 million per year in taxpayers’ money to alleviate. In the NDP platform in advance of the May 9 provincial election, Horgan promised to eliminate interest on student loans altogether and provide students with $1,000 grants upon completion of post-secondary, which was absent from the official budget released on Sept. 11.

In advance of Horgan’s throne speech on Sept. 8, George Davison, president of the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC (FPSE) noted that removing interest rates on student loans

altogether could cost the province between $30 and 40 million per year. “So that’s $30 or 40 million less per year students will be paying to the government on those loans they have accumulated over their postsecondary careers,” said Davison. “That’s a good thing for students and former students.” Horgan ultimately made no mention of lowering interest rates when he delivered his speech.

In addition to seeing tuition removed from Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English Language Learning (ELL) courses for domestic students, the NDP repealed post-secondary tuition fees for former children in the care of the government – those who lived in foster homes or residential children’s homes.

Also included in the NDP platform was a promise to build 114,000 rental and co-op homes, as well as provide $400 of annual rental home credit to tenants. A rental home credit will offset increasing rental rates by providing tenants with $400 to aid them in paying their rental fees.

According to The Globe and Mail, census data from 2011 showed that there were

slightly fewer than 525,000 households in the province who rented, the rebates could have cost over $200 million per year.

Many students struggle to pay for rent and tuition simultaneously, especially those living away from home while attending college or university. However, Horgan didn’t touch on the rental rebate he proposed during the election during the throne speech, and it was also omitted from the budget.

As Davison pointed out, providing access to post-secondary education in the form of lowering interest on student loans and eliminating tuition on courses that many consider essential education eases the burden on students. “In our view it’s a start, we now have to try and address the huge increase in tuition,” he said. Tuition rates have increased by 400 per cent since 2001 according to the FPSE, while wages have lagged, although Horgan is committed to a $15 per hour minimum wage. But someone has to foot the bill, and making post-secondary education more affordable for students transfers the remaining costs to taxpayers.

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 3

CAMPUS LIFE

CAPTIVATE(D) CSU hosts the University’s biggest party to date Carlos Ascencio CONTRIBUTOR

– COURTESY OF BLUEPRINT UNIVERSITY

After months of planning Captivate, Capilano University’s biggest party ever took place on Sept.14. Staff members, teachers and students gathered together in a laid-back social atmosphere seldom seen on a campus during the daytime.

Taking place right in the middle of the Cedar Courtyard, DJs JP Valdes, Coach Bombay, Grayson Repp and Fishy performed a musical continuum that started in the early afternoon and ended about 7 p.m. Come noon, all the elements were in place: the stage, equipped with a high-quality sound system, beer garden, food trucks and sponsor tents were all ready to welcome the CapU community.

Among the other spectacles, the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) prize wheel was spinning all afternoon, giving away speakers, power packs, sunglasses and even underwear.

At first, people were shy about getting on the dance floor. However, once people realized that they were running out of time and the party was about to end, they jumped at the chance to embrace the festive mood. Flocks of students traveling between classes stopped briefly to take advantage of the giveaways,

Mikko San Ramon looks to liven up Capilano Greta Kooy CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR

On June 3, 2001, at 10 years old, Carmelo Cervas San Ramon III (aka Mikko) and his family moved to Canada from the Philippines. Sixteen years later, San Ramon has become a hardworking entrepreneur. With his beaming personality and set of amiable people skills, he is hard at work involving himself in Vancouver’s diverse communities with the goal of encouraging active participation among his peers. As the Capilano Students’ Union’s (CSU) new recreation coordinator, San Ramon is bringing his enthusiasm to Capilano University.

After graduating high school, San Ramon attended BCIT to study Computer Systems Technology (CST). He worked at IBM shortly after, only to realize that his career deprived him of a stimulating social environment. “I was sitting at a computer, and I had nobody to talk to,” he said. “And I like talking to people.

It counteracted my nature. And that’s when I decided to quit.” After his time at IBM, San Ramon enrolled at Douglas College to study in the Sport Science program. Although he loves sports and thought this program would be a better fit for him, it too didn’t satisfy his need for community involvement. Yet studying at Douglas ultimately became the start of San Ramon’s social planning career.

During his time at Douglas, he began getting more involved in student life on campus. There, he joined his first student organization, the Social Justice Club. He later became a member of the Student Ambassador program where he planned and hosted events that would attract and engage students in campus life. He also hosted the college’s first student-run intramural, an event that was independent of any student club or association. San Ramon put together a kickass game of dodgeball, which brought in over 200 participating students.

Now, he continues to put his social skills to work as an entrepreneur and community activist. Working with children and families in the past, and having an active role in the Boys & Girls Club. San Ramon knows the different struggles individuals can have. He is currently working on a yoga event for single mothers, which he hopes will connect hardworking people that need some time to themselves to unwind.

San Ramon is confident he can deliver that same brand of excitement and togetherness to CapU. “My vision is to have constant student engagement,” he said. “My goal is to plan intramural activities and wellness events, things like that.” He is currently planning his first event set to take place at the end of this month, a group hike at one of the local trails that surround CapU. Students looking to get better involved with campus-based initiatives are encouraged to connect with San Ramon.

Shoot him an email at recreation@csu. ca.ca

–PHOTO BY GRETA KOOY

WHO YOU

but most importantly, the beer garden.

Around 6 p.m., the sun began to set and the weather chilled, but everyone at Captivate still felt euphoric.

“This is what we were working for all summer,” said Yatharth Palat, vice president student life. Palat also performed as an MC, lending his outstanding personality to the event.

This was the first time that the CSU had partnered with Blueprint Events and did so in order to bring CapU a party like it had never seen before.

There were some inconveniences, however. Like any other event of this nature, complaints about noise were abundant, and even a couple issues of inebriated students taking up some valuable space for their sleeping needs.

These issues aside, previous planning attended these setbacks: a first aid tent had been set up, and free food was provided to anyone who needed it.

Despite the complaints, those who did attend Captivate were not left disappointed. People who remained in the party mood left campus to attend the official after party presented by Axis Events at Celebrities Nightclub on Davie Street.

For those wondering, this is certainly not the last event of its kind at CapU. Palat wrote in an email thanking the volunteer team, “this is just the beginning, and we have so much more to do in the coming year.” We just can’t wait to find out what’s next.

THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 3

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OPINIONS

APPLE IS SUCKERING YOU INTO UPGRADE CULTURE Or how Capitalism is bad actually John Tabbernor

-JENNY OAKLEY

COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER

With Apple, it’s always one more thing: a new phone, a new laptop, a new set of earbuds. And we always want more. Just.

One. More. Thing. Apple’s latest keynote on Sept. 12 kicked off iPhone season.

It’s that time of year when we all decide that last year’s models may as well be trash, slowly fermenting on the sidewalk on a hot summer’s day. Apple even decided to accelerate this tradition by announcing not just the iPhone 8, but its 10th anniversary model, the iPhone X. It wouldn’t have been surprising if Tim Cook took a moment to tell us that he loves all of the iPhones equally. Don’t worry Tim, we know who the favourite is.

We could talk about the iPhone 8, but we won’t. It’s not the X, and why would we settle for less than the absolute pinnacle of technological achievement. This is by design. Hardware manufacturers like Apple knowingly engage in iterative engineering and yearly releases to create an artificial demand for devices we don’t need. You might ask what’s wrong with your existing phone? Well, Apple doesn’t really want you to have it anymore.

Planned obsolescence refers to the built-in shelf life of most modern electronics. Apple, along with most modern tech companies, achieves this by slowly iterating on hardware and software, while phasing out older models. If your technology becomes

obsolete, you are forced to upgrade to maintain the same utility in your life.

The upcoming version of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS 11, will only work on iPhone 5s/SE models and above. Have an original iPhone 5 or iPad mini? Tough shit. Buy a new one. This type of software gatekeeping is a prime example of how tech companies render their own products obsolete and feed into upgrade culture.

Staying the course, Apple has completely revamped the form factor of its beloved smartphone with this latest iteration. In its biggest redesign since the iPhone 4, it ditches the home button along with the Touch ID system. In its place Apple has implemented a new facial recognition system that allows the user to unlock their phone just by looking at it. This is nothing new in the mobile phone space, but Apple’s ability to control the minutiae of design and manufacturing allows them to add a layer of polish to this feature that doesn’t exist on any other device. That level of obsessive detail and precision has allowed Apple to garner its cult following.

But those details come with a steep price tag. The iPhone X will start at $1,319 CAD for the base 64GB model and peak at $1,529 for the 256GB model. This is staggering when taking into account that the base model of the MacBook Air laptop starts at $1,199. This premium price feels

absurd when comparing the difference in functionality between the X and the 8, starting at $929. Though the X does feature some fancier bells and whistles, including an updated augmented reality kit, the everyday functionality for users will likely vary only in degrees.

Through its marketing campaigns, celebrity endorsements, and product placement Apple has been able to position their devices as not only fashionable and cool, but the must-have devices of the last decade. Popular culture and our mass media have also exacerbated this by glamourizing the yearly consumption cycle. This normalizes our willingness to dispose of our technology year after year and capitulate to the planned obsolescence that is built in by hardware manufacturers. $45.6 billion. That was Apple’s net income last year. Not total income — net. Apple is the runaway train that capitalism laid the tracks for. Though they cannot be held entirely accountable for the existence of upgrade culture and the practice of planned obsolescence, Apple is clearly benefitting from the current state of affairs. Preorders for the iPhone X go live Oct. 27 and will begin shipping Nov. 3.

Oh, and there’s one more thing, none of these phones have a goddamned headphone jack anymore.

someone is trying to process their emotions through sarcasm, it gets misinterpreted as a reasonable response to a hurricane.

In Canada, the public reaction would likely be quite different. Canadians respect that guns are highly dangerous and that there are certain limitations on what they can and can’t do. Like, shoot away a hurricane, for example. America’s trend of open carry (where people can carry a weapon without concealing it) and cultural belief that everyone and their baby have a constitutional right to heavy artillery is clearly a little problematic. In comparison, Canada’s culture revolves more around

gun control and how to safely use them.

Canadians who privately own firearms tend to understand that weapons are meant to be locked safely away until they are needed in appropriate circumstances.

Like a gun range or for hunting - animals, not hurricanes.

This is not to say that Americans are unsafe when it comes to firearms. There are Americans who go through the proper training and means to obtain a gun. And, even though there were thousands who RSVP’d to the Facebook event, most were probably just there to have a good laugh while having to process the threat of such

a large storm. However, the fact that the police had to make an official statement confirms a fear that there may have been people who would have taken this seriously.

The culture around guns in America and Canada are like night and day, which is why a situation like this would have less of a chance of occurring here.

Canadian policy and practice built around firearms is strict enough to prevent the inappropriate use of guns, especially the idea of shooting a hurricane. America, on the other hand, has approached their use of guns so casually that this whole situation feels unsettling.

GUNS: AMERICANS' NEW HURRICANE SOLUTION Issues with gun control bares its fangs again Laura Melczer

In the midst of arguably the worst hurricane season in recorded history, there was a social media moment that almost outshined the news of Hurricane Irma’s unbelievable strength.

It all started with a Facebook event calling for people to shoot at the hurricane to “show the storm who is boss.” Ryon Edwards, the man who created the event, had done so out of boredom and frustration.

But, what started as a joke went viral (55,000 people had been listed as interested in attending), causing concern that some people would take the event seriously. This lead to the local police tweeting a warning, which included a helpful diagram, not to shoot at the hurricane “You won’t make the hurricane turn around and it will have very dangerous side effects,” read the warning. This shows how dangerous the attitude towards guns has become in the US. What started out as a joke turned into something more frightening and it shows the difference in gun culture between the US and Canada, where the outcome would likely be very different.

The fact that the event was made (even jokingly) and got so much attention shows the dangerous relationship some Americans have with their guns. Unlike Canadians, Americans takes their “right to bear arms” quite seriously, where it having and using guns is a source of pride. And, in a country where guns are so widely accepted, it makes sense that when

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THE CAPILANO COURIER

-RACHEL SANVIDO

CONTRIBUTER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 3

@CAPILANOCOURIER

@CAPILANOCOURIER

/CAPILANOCOURIER

ELON MUSK’S GESTURE OF GOODWILL DESERVES PRAISE, NOT CRITICISM

drive a Tesla more than 200 miles. That’s hardly a distance the average person will drive in a day unless they’re an absolute car fanatic. But for fleeing a destructive category five storm – the highest intensity ever recorded – the extra miles can speed up the journey to safety. Now with Hurricane Maria following Irma’s path, anyone who has not gotten out of Florida yet will be hard-pressed to do so.

Musk has not gone without criticism for his kindness though. Some Twitter users

cried foul of Tesla for charging customers to achieve higher functionality. “Wow,” one commenter wrote online, “now my car can do what it was always physically capable of, because the battery is no longer held for ransom by a giant corporation!”

For others, it unlocks fears about modern driving – a company being the critical decision maker in a disaster scenario.

However, Musk has just proven that his customers don’t need to be concerned by showing that Tesla is not the kind

of company to hold power for ransom in a crisis. There’s no merit to criticizing Musk, a man who has always sought to be the force of change and betterment for humanity, in a “what-if” situation.

It does strike as odd that a battery capable of storing up to 75 kWh of power would be set to charge to a maximum of 60 or 70 kWh. Nevertheless, that is the amount of power Tesla customers knowingly paid for. For people to complain that their Teslas can only store the amount of charge they paid for is as inane as complaining that they have to pay to increase the storage or memory of the smartphone they’ve just bought. It’s an upgrade. It’s going to cost something. Furthermore, electric vehicle owners don’t have the same luxury as their gasoline-powered counterparts of knowing they can pull over almost anywhere to refuel when their tank is nearing empty. There are only 19 Tesla superchargers in the entire state of Florida and charging a dead battery to 80 per cent will take 40 minutes, far longer than it takes to fill up at a petrol station. While many petrol stations in Florida reported fuel shortages due to the vast number of people trying to escape the storm, electric vehicle owners are at a distinct disadvantage due to the amount of time it takes to recharge and the limited number of charging stations.

While it’s worth asking why the upgrades are so expensive, Hurricane Irma isn’t a good example of when it’s the right time to question Tesla. Lives were at stake, and Musk aided his customers as they evacuated their homes.

but Sikh. These are two very different religions and belief systems.

To the white eye, Muslim and Sikh share similarities – they are both prominent with brown populations. Okay, so that’s the only similarity. But it was enough to inspire Bush to disturb Singh’s event.

Many people think of racism as a binary idea – you’re either racist or you’re not, you either do something racist or you don’t – but in today’s world, it’s a bit more complex than that. You can be racist without saying the N-word (even in rap songs). You can be racist for trying to see “both sides” of a largely one-sided issue (re: Charlottesville riots). And you are racist for demanding one religion answer for the ideals of another, simply because they share a skin colour.

Bush, who is a proud supporter of an anti-Islamic group Rise Canada and the infamous Ford family, was showcasing just that. While she later claimed in a YouTube video that she is “not a racist,” her outburst demonstrated not only a misunderstanding of religion and its diversity, but ignorance for what racism is.

Bush was forceful in her approach, demanding that no one from Singh’s team touch her during her outburst and to let her finish. Singh, who maintained control of both his composure and the mic during the entire episode, used it to preach a lesson of “love and courage.”

“We believe in love and courage. We believe in an inclusive Canada where no one is left behind. We believe in building a Canada that ensures economic justice for everybody,” said Singh while Bush was

mid-tirade against him. “Do we believe in diversity? Give it a round of applause for diversity.”

What Singh showcased that night was more than his political beliefs in his run for the NDP leadership. He demonstrated how understanding and compassionate he is. He later described it as “chardi kala”, a Sikhism principle that he credits his mother for teaching him. “It’s the idea of maintaining optimism in the face of adversity,” he said during the final NDP leadership debate on Sept. 10.

The video of the interaction went viral, with many prominent commentators

speaking out about the issue including CNN anchor Jake Trapper.

This only highlights the overall significance of it, and one that Singh, smartly and rightfully, turned into a political tool for his campaign. During the outburst, Singh was able to not only send a message of acceptance but to repeat it, reiterating the message after the fact.

“Everyone in the room loves you, we all support you and believe in your rights,” he said during the altercation.

If this is his motto, he not only deserves to lead a political party in Canada, he deserves to dominate one.

Tesla Battery “automagically” unlocked to help drivers fleeing Irma Christine Beyleveldt

Founder and CEO of Tesla Motors, Elon Musk, unlocked higher-level range capabilities in a kind gesture last week to help Tesla owners flee Hurricane Irma.

The report came after a Tesla owner inquired about upgrading their battery life to evacuate, and later some Tesla model S and X owners noticed their 60 and 70 kWh battery-packs held 75 kWh of energy. Ordinarily the upgrade costs between $3,250 and $8,500. But on Sept., 9 Tesla owners found themselves with 30 to 40 extra miles added to their driving range thanks to Musk “auto-magically” unlocking the capabilities of their batteries using over the air technology, which they could take advantage of until Sept. 16.

Business Insider observed this move highlights one of the biggest concerns most drivers have with electric vehicles – that most simply don’t have a range that drivers feel comfortable with. A 60 kWh battery-pack stores enough energy to

APPLAUSE FOR DIVERSITY What we can all learn from Jagmeet Singh’s heckler Leah Scheitel NEW NDP FAN

Imagine you’re in the middle of a big presentation, one that you have worked for most of the term, and mid-sentence, with a dry mouth and sweaty palms, someone from the back of the room parades to the podium to purposefully interrupt you. It’s not a pleasant interruption, not a positive reinforcement that you’re doing well and your nerves aren’t showing. It’s the ultimate heckler, hurling false accusations at you, while you’re doing your best to impress colleagues.

For Jagmeet Singh, this hypothetical became the worst reality. On Sept. 6, a woman – in an extremely rude manner – interrupted his campaign rally, Jagmeet and Greet (props to his PR team, catchy name), his last in hopes of replacing Thomas Mulcair as leader of the federal NDP. Jennifer Bush stormed into his rally in Bramtford, ON, demanding to know when the Muslim Brotherhood was going to end Sharia Law – a set of beliefs that have been known to oppress women and be barbaric in practice.

There is one alarming problem with Bush’s accusations, Singh is not Muslim,

-LAURA PUMMELL

NEWS EDITOR

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THE WORLD ACCORDING TO BABEBALL Romance is all in the smile

Leah Scheitel COLUMNIST

I realized I love baseball in the spring of 2016, when an ex and I would spend every Sunday hungover to the tits, watching endless baseball games. He serenaded me with stories of the different clubs, infamous ball fields and what made some umpires better than others. He told me specifics and stats on every Toronto Blue Jay, the team that has forever captured his heart. His favourite story was about Josh Donaldson, the Viking warrior on third base for the Jays. Donaldson grew up in Florida with a convict for a father.

His dad spent most of his formative years in jail, and was released in 2007, the same year that Donaldson (the bringer of rain, as per his social media handles) made his major league debut.

My ex would recite these tales as if they were bedtime stories and I began to fall

THE CALL OF THE WILD Getting started with nature therapy

Layla Kadri COLUMNIST

All about the outdoors, Layla Kadri is getting her first shot as a columnist with a series on nature therapy and sustainability.

Layla is among the most passionate people when it comes to environmental issues, and her column will look to engage readers with the undeniable worldly problem.

Growing up in urban Calgary, the Rocky Mountains were my escape. As a young troubled adolescent, many

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–RACHEL WADA

Long-time Courier friend Leah Scheitel is back to write about her favourite thing in the world: men – specifically baseball playing men. With her new column, Leah will take readers through all three bases of the diamond and the home base too!

There is just something about baseball.

Sure, all sports have their qualities, the attributes that make people follow them with religious devotion and blind love.

Think of the graceful height of basketball players or the concussions of football players. But to me, baseball is more unique. in love with the characters, all of them.

And when we broke up, baseball bedtime stories are the one thing I kept from our relationship.

After our split, I hatched a different plan. I was going to marry an American baseball player. I wanted an American passport to live in Chicago and this seemed like the most ingenious way to get it. Hey, if you’re going to live in a daydream, it might as well be a baller one.

People started inquiring about my sudden love for baseball and why I wouldn’t shut up about it. I watched the Jays with more loyalty then I had given any of my previous relationships. On Oct. 4 2016, they hosted the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Wild Card game, playing to get into the playoffs. When

programs, counsellors and therapies were recommended to me, but looking back, I wish someone had simply told me to take a hike.

What I found in the forests and peaks of the Rocky Mountains has fully shaped my sense of self and my life. I found a release and a feeling of belonging. An understanding of myself as a simple and miniscule vessel of life, contrasted against the magnificent mountain and landscape.

I found a passion for learning about the forest and its creatures, for the simplicity of boiling tea over a fire I made and for the sweat of one step in front of the other upwards on this slope.

As I grew up and my life unfolded me new troubles, I returned time and time again to those mountains and forests. I quickly realized what I found in hiking no therapist or youth at risk urban program could give me. I found nature therapy.

Nature therapy is a broad term for multiple streams of outdoor-based therapy such as Adventure, Eco or Forest Therapy.

In Japan, Forest Therapy is called “Shinrin Yoku”, which translates to “forest

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“Not only is it entertaining to watch perform at an elite level, it’s even more interesting to see it with genuine emotions splattered across their face.”

bathing.” It includes several aspects, a few are the immersion in a ‘wild’ area away from urban or human made sprawl, a connection with the natural surrounding engaging your senses and the exchange of education.

The practice is meant to promote personal growth, healing and wellness.

The big picture hope is that the practice is beneficial for both the participant and the natural environment.

This past summer, as part of my Outdoor Recreation Management Practicum here at Capilano University, I had the opportunity to co-guide a four-day backcountry-hiking trip across Gambier Island. We worked with youth ages 14 to 16, some of whom were youth at risk and I hoped to incorporate nature therapy and wild plant knowledge into our trip program.

I watched the group struggle through the physical and emotional challenges that come of backcountry trips. Eventually, as I cheered them on up elevation gains and reminded them to stay hydrated, I noticed the friendships that were beginning to

Edwin Encaracion hit his walk off home run to secure the game, I realized what I loved – their smiles, their emotions.

There is something more genuine about baseball players, as their faces aren’t covered by helmets or mouth guards, a la hockey or football, North America’s two other major sports obsessions. Because their faces are more easily readable, showcasing their grimaces after every misplay, effort in a stolen base and relief with an outfield catch, it’s easier to relate to the players. This is what attracts me to baseball, and probably why I now exclusively refer to it as “babeball”. Not only is it entertaining to watch perform at an elite level, it’s even more interesting to see it with genuine emotions splattered across their face.

And of course, there are other sports where the players’ faces aren’t hidden by helmets, such as soccer or rugby, but again, there is something unique about baseball in it. Because of the mild tempo and style of baseball, players get a chance to relax in between plays, so their face doesn’t always have to be shrouded in concentration or have a façade of fierceness, akin to soccer players. Next time you’re watching a baseball game on TV, whether on purpose or by accident, watch for when a player hits a base hit, gets to first, and his face breaks out into a giant smile as he shares a joke with the first baseman and tell me that’s not one of the best things in sports.

People often fall in love with a smile first. So it’s completely understandable why I have fallen in love with the majority of players in Major League Baseball.

Their smiles suggest that even they are enamoured with the sport, and that they absolutely love what they do. Maybe it’s this romance as to why it has become an American treasure, why songs, poems and books have been dedicated to it and why I’m dedicating an entire column to it. There is just something about it, a grace in how it relates into every facet of our world, including – almost most importantly – love and romance.

grow. Then, curiosity about the bioregion began blossomed, as the group started to ask about the berries and plants that we hiked past. Lastly, the safe space the forest gave us allowed for group members to heal in their own way.

On our last night, I led our campfire workshop and asked the group if they now felt a sense of protection over Gambier Island. Over the forests that they had hiked through, the creeks that gave us drinking water, the wildlife that lived alongside us peacefully – the natural environment.

The discussion was tentative, honest, emotional and comically young.

Wild places present opportunities and space for us to grow and heal. Returning to our roots of this natural earth can be beneficial not only for our wellness, but also our joyfulness. Reflecting back on the week, I am so honored to have been a part of the trip that helped this group of youth foster a sense of protection for the wild places they now love after experiencing.

Nature therapy is a chance to educate on sustainability by first creating a true love for the outdoors.

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STATE OF THE DIASPORA Yes Canada, anti-Black racism is real

Kevin Kapenda COLUMNIST

A self-described legend in the School of Communication, recent Capilano University grad Kevin Kapenda is back on our columnist roster with a powerful series on Black Canadians. Ever politically-savvy, Kevin is looking to share his acumen and thoughts on social issues. Stay woke.

Over the past two years, no advocacy group has drawn more ire from the Canadian mainstream than Black Lives Matter (BLM). The Toronto and Vancouver branches of the worldwide movement have been chastised for shutting down Pride parades and organizing “sit-ins” the media feel is unjustified. Media critics shield themselves from accusations of racism by insisting they’re entitled to their perspective and opposition, which is true.

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However, at the core of this scorn and repudiation of BLM is not a difference of opinion, or unwillingness to discuss racial issues. It’s a moot belief that Canada is not a racist country, and that Black Canadians do not face the same social barriers or strained relations with police that AfricanAmericans do.

Growing up in Greater Vancouver, I’ve always been told by people who rarely or never face racism that anti-Black sentiment doesn’t exist here, and I am not entitled to discuss it. The argument, the say, is that Canada is not as “racist” as the US, or European nations grappling with integration.

Not only is Canada a country that is afraid to discuss racism, we are a people who refuse to acknowledge its existence amongst us. When we do expose racism in Canada, it is often in politicized contexts, typically involving Conservative politicians or activists who, in the words of Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, “just don’t get it.” Other instances in which Canada acknowledges its own racism is when Islamophobia or issues of Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples are concerned and the victims of discrimination are well defined. Outside of these contexts, mainstream Canada still refuses to accept racism as a belief system that continues to influence the conditions of life for its people of colour.

For Black Canadians, institutional racism

transcends much of our lived experience, from housing security, to educational outcomes, to workforce discrimination and relations with law enforcement.

Since January 2017, reports of excessive use of force against Black Canadians by police have made headlines, from Surrey, BC to Montreal, Que. No case was more publicized than the shooting death of Pierre Coriolan at the hands of Montreal Police on June 27. Coriolan was a solitary 58-yearold man with mental health challenges.

Struck by many bullets, he later died in hospital. How a distraught senior wielding a screwdriver threatened the lives of cops in bulletproof vests is concerning. Even more disheartening is going to bed at night pondering if Coriolan was any other race, would he have bore the same fate?

In each of those recent cases, the answers (or lack thereof) from each involved police force was identical. That none of those incidents were racially motivated, or “proof” of institutional racism and prejudice in Canadian policing. Proof that is extremely elusive to come by because police forces west of Ontario, as well the RCMP, refuse to collect race-based data on stops and interactions – claiming it could intensify already strained relations with different communities. Police forces that have allowed researchers to collect such data, against their own interests, including Ottawa, Hamilton and Toronto, have found

that Black residents are stopped in much higher numbers than their share of the populace, confirming so-called “myths” of racial profiling in tolerant Canada.

As someone who was raised in Vancouver, but has had the privilege of visiting Calgary, Ottawa, Hamilton, Montreal and now lives in Toronto, it’s rather interesting how these cities have more similarities than they do differences with the community I grew up in.

State of the Diaspora was chosen as the name of this column for this very reason. As “Black Canadians”, I’ve realized that there are patterns in our lived experiences, from BC to the Maritimes. I also believe that the term “Black” and its use ancillary use as a Census classification fails to promote understanding of the diverse backgrounds we represent and only exacerbates the discrimination we face.

In this column, I hope to touch on issues facing our communities in Canada, as well as individuals who have or continue to inspire me and hopefully, all Canadians regardless of race. I’d also like to acknowledge that Canadian prisons continue to reinforce the residential school system by jailing Canada’s Indigenous Peoples at rates disproportionately higher than their population. Lastly, I’d like to end all speculation concerning the existence of anti-Black sentiment in Canada. It’s taking lives.

head out just for an Instagram post. Take pictures, but enjoy the experience and your time in nature. Be prepared because I can say from experience that it isn’t an enjoyable day when you need to carry an injured friend down the mountain. An overnight stay is a wonderful experience if you’re prepared, but far less enjoyable when unplanned.

With that in mind, let’s get you outside.

This week’s focus is on hiking and, because we live in a mountain paradise, I’m giving you options depending on your fitness levels and time commitments.

an average completion time of 1.5 hours, where will you stack up? If you don’t see yourself as a grinder (yes, that’s how we refer to ourselves), then there are plenty more alternatives in the area.

hike Lynn Loop for neat little adventure.

Norvan Falls or Lynn Peak can be options for four to five-hour hikes. Get to it either by car or take the 227 from Phibbs Exchange to Lynn Valley Centre.

Depending on the season, the duration of the hikes and the general skills required may change, however, there are a variety of options available year-round.

GET THE &#$@ OUTDOORS You can start with your local hikes

Scott Barkemeyer COLUMNIST

For some reason unbeknownst to me, I was asked to write a column about outdoor activities that students can do in the fall and winter, and more importantly, on a student-friendly budget. Little did the editor know that “student-friendly budget” activities eliminate the likes of bungee jumping, sky diving, scuba diving and bobsledding – just a few of my favourites.

Thankfully, British Columbia is a beacon of the outdoors and there are lot more activities to choose from.

First and foremost, I need to state that anyone intending to participate in outdoor activities must understand the risks that are involved. Seek out information, education and training for both the activity and the safety gear. Too many people are unprepared when they head outdoors and with the rise of social media, it’s becoming more apparent. Please don’t

–ANNIE CHANG

Scott Barkemeyer is a graduate of both Capilano University’s School of Business and the now-defunct Mountain Bike Operations program. A proud Albertan, Scott spends his day job working in marketing and his weekends outside.

Usually on a mountain.

Masochist Option As Mother Nature’s very own Stairmaster, the Grouse Grind is without a doubt one of BC’s best-known hikes. For just $10 for a down lift, it’s affordable on the broke student budget. With the world record clocking in at a little over 27 minutes, and

An Escape Between Classes For something closer to Capilano University, especially those with access to a car, Rice Lake can be a quick foray into nature. Enjoy a picturesque walk around the lake. This can be a 30-minute walk or a longer stroll if you stop to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. During my time at CapU, this was one of the escapes that I would constantly use between classes.

For the Weekends For something longer and more notable, try Lynn Canyon. Enjoy the views from the suspension bridge or if you have more time, you can head up the canyon and

Morning Foray For a quick morning hike, head over to Deep Cove and hit up Quay Rock (take the 211 or 212 from Phibbs). It can be a great place to catch the sunrise from, and during winter you won’t even have to wake up early to catch it.

I will be delving into some more of my favourite outdoor activities as this semester goes. Look out for the next entry, it just might be about my current favourite exercise: bouldering.

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Branding and cultural trends that lend power to the PSL phenomenon

By Jessica Lio Illustration by Janice Callangan Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte (affectionately known as PSL) season arrived early this year, following a Facebook Live broadcast of a barn-dwelling pumpkin, which marked the beverage’s 14th annual launch. Naturally, commotion ensued, as mixed reactions were hashed out between those who rejoiced the product’s return and those not fond of the sugary drink.

Nearly a decade and a half since its debut in 2003, the PSL is still the company’s most popular seasonal offering of all time and earns Starbucks an estimated $80 million (at least) in revenue each season. Devoted PSL fans enthusiastically speculate the date of its return each year, while food and marketing bloggers attempt to dissect the secrets behind the espresso beverage’s rise to success.

According to Starbucks, the PSL is made with “fall spices” including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove. Of course, it contains other ingredients that don’t roll off the tongue quite as smoothly, but naming the drink after the much-celebrated pumpkin was a strong selling point for the Seattle-founded coffee giant.

Despite the pumpkin’s history of being considered a food of desperate times during the Great Depression, a cultural shift took place in the late 19th and early 20th century. Although industrialization improved the quality of life for many people in the US, the move away from rural life towards urbanization brought about feelings of nostalgia for an “old fashioned, rural way of life”.

Cindy Ott, professor of American Studies at St. Louis University who penned the book Pumpkin: The Curious History of an American Icon, found in her research that the pumpkin gained popularity in the US as it came to represent a romanticized, oldfashioned and picturesque farm lifestyle.

In an interview with NPR, Ott described the pumpkin as it symbolized “the best sort of moral virtue” which consumers in the US had become attached to.

Pumpkin spice settled nicely into that idyllic image of the fall season, right next to sweater weather, apple picking, baking pies, playing in foliage and haunted hayrides. According to Ott’s study, the renewed interest in pumpkins has even contributed to a revitalization of small farms and rural communities across the US.

MARKET ORANGE

Today, pumpkin-inspired foods and beverages are hardly innovative products.

Consumers can walk into any grocery store and find pumpkin flavoured cereals, dairy products, tea, pasta and even cough drops.

Craft breweries and artisan bakeries work

feverishly to introduce festive pumpkin the season, specifically targeting their products to their menus. most loyal demographic with contests and Despite the proliferation of brands in secret promotions that give PSL fans “early the market, Starbucks has held on to its access”. monopoly in the pumpkin spice area and positioned the PSL as definitive to the fall THE PSL MACHINE season. But the company didn’t exactly Sarah Schmidt, a third year CapU stumble across this gold mine by accident communication student, worked at - it took a savvy marketing and product Starbucks between 2015 and midway strategy, along with the uncontested through 2017 (in her words, “three PSL cultural influence that Starbucks had seasons”). already garnered to launch such a product.

Located on upper Lonsdale Avenue, the With the PSL, there is no complicated bustling coffee shop was surrounded by manufacturing process because the retail businesses, financial institutions product is being produced at the consumer and offices, while strategically wedged level. Coffee is already being made and sold between two high schools and the Lions in the stores, so all Starbucks needed to do Gate Hospital. “We hit more than one was add a new flavour of syrup. Beyond demographic because of where we were on that, the infrastructure needed to get the Lonsdale [but] surprisingly, men in their PSL into people’s hands was already in thirties were most likely to get a pumpkin place. Starbucks owns its stores, and for spice latte where I was working,” she the most part, there recalled. was no need to Considering the coerce retailers to company sells an put their products "...the company didn’t estimated 175,000 on a shelf. each day, it exactly stumble across this cups If one were to look comes as no surprise gold mine by accident - it that at confectionery, Starbucks however, there takes distribution took a savvy marketing would be an entirely seriously. At the and product strategy, different story to be beginning of each told. along with the uncontested season, a shipment When CapU of pumpkin spice cultural influence that marketing professor syrup, along with Starbucks had already Andrea Eby was a seasonal treats brand manager at and merchandise garnered to launch such a Cadbury Chocolate, arrives at each product."

Halloween products store. The staff are alone would bring then instructed to in $14 million in complete a “rollout,” revenue, but that transforming the didn’t happen without intense strategic store into a pumpkin spice haven. planning. According to Eby, volume “You’ll have a team of five or six people projections and production for Halloween stay after hours and update the stores,” products typically begins a year in advance. Schmidt explained. New window decals, Even with a manufacturing plant located signage, menus and seasonal merchandise centrally in Toronto, the manufacturing are prepared for display while pastry cases process is complex. Ingredients are sourced are rearranged to make space for pumpkin from all over the word, line trials must inspired baked goods and sweets. be executed, and an incredible amount of Since seasonal products are available volume must be produced in a short period for only a short period of time, Starbucks of time. wants to sell through as high a volume “When it comes to Halloween products, as possible. As inventory runs low, stores there’s less of a focus on [consumers’] own will stockpile enough of the syrup to last consumption, so typically it’s a price game,” them through to the next year, because Eby said. For confectionery, seasonal they know it’s going to make a significant products are not about brand loyalty, and difference on their bottom line. companies aren’t going to spend the money As somebody who enjoys the drink, to introduce new flavours or product lines, she admitted feeling brainwashed by because it’s simply not worth it. the company’s branding and marketing On the other hand, for products that strategies. “I’ve never gone to another are likely to impact a customer’s personal coffee shop and gotten anything pumpkin brand, customers are willing to spend spice, even though I like the flavour of it,” more. Starbucks plays into this by she said. generating a great deal of buzz around It’s no coincidence that the PSL has

cultivated such strong feelings on brand loyalty in consumers. Eby also weighed in on the PSL’s rise to popularity, pointing out the brand’s strategic alignment with the fall season.

With Fall festivities already driving awareness, the season is perfect for marketing products. Considering the expenses a company would have to incur to raise awareness about their product, marketers know that associating their brands with established events will get them ahead of the game. “If you already have an event that’s getting celebrated, you’ve leveraged yourself in terms of exposure in the marketplace,” Eby said.

With years of experience as a brand manager, Eby has been responsible for brands across Canada and she knows the key to fostering brand loyalty is to understand consumers. On this front, Starbucks has truly hit the jackpot. The PSL mania took off in 2014, when the company launched a social media campaign to promote the beverage, using Twitter and Tumblr to host content that personified the PSL as a charming, witty character with a big personality.

“What they’re trying to do through these platforms is really establish a relationship,” Eby explained. Even though Starbucks already has a loyalty program, they recognized the potential in building a community around this one product, and leveraged it to garner a cult following.

Bringing @TheRealPSL to life on social media with personalized replies and pop culture-inspired quips allowed them to engage with consumers in an authentic way that most brands only dream of doing.

Starbucks’ 2014 campaign lead to a 22 per cent year-over-year sales increase at product launch, and in their own words, “reinforced the PSL as a cultural symbol for the arrival of fall.” The ongoing cultivation of this loyalty has ensured that consumers don’t even consider trying a competitor’s product. These relationships, according to Eby, once formed, rarely change over time.

“To get that brand loyal customer, a lot of times you have them for life.”

Even as pumpkin inspired products continue to saturate the market and speculators question whether the pumpkin spice obsession has already peaked, Starbucks has managed to hold its ground with consumers who continue to embrace the PSL as an essential part of their fall ritual. It’s safe to say the PSL isn’t going away anytime soon.

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“It helps if you're hot – to get any sort of traction, the kind that companies care about, hotness matters.” This comes from Ashley Carrera*, a manager of brand partnerships at a large marketing firm, which specializes in managing the careers of social media influencers. Carrera, who has asked to remain anonymous due to the public nature of her work and her unabashed commentary on the world in which she makes her living, is not alone in making this observation.

Since it’s nascent days almost seven years ago, Instagram has been making stars out of people previously undiscovered. In part, there is truth to Carrera’s statement. There is a certain aesthetic appeal that garners the mass followings that lead to brand sponsorship and company endorsements.

However, this is just one of the sides to the story, one that focuses on vanity.

Instagram has provided a home to people from all walks of life – offering everything from small niche account genres, to the daily lives of the ultra famous, and within this range also lies a place for accounts spreading positivity.

This was proved by Brianna Neely, the retired fitspo (fitness inspiration) account runner who made headlines when she switched lanes and brought her over 20,000 followers along for a journey of self-love and body positivity. Over the course of her Instagram career, Neely shared her vulnerabilities, going through phases of no-carb diets, thigh gaps and bikini competitions. Eventually, she found herself landing in the balanced diet and body positivity category, where she saw just how positive a community Instagram could foster. “[People] who just like me had experienced one or all of these different phases, connected with me through the app and we found solace together,” she said.

Instagram is also often used by photographers promoting their work and passions for the captured image. Whitman McLallen does this through nature photography. Gaining a solid following for himself in doing something he loves,

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although he too took some time to discover exactly where it was he wanted to fit himself into the Instagram world. “I used to cater my Instagram to other people...I just kind of realized.... there’s no point in catering to other people if I’m not enjoying it myself.”

Though McLallen may have figured out early that he would prefer to gain followers in a more authentic way, he says he's witnessed the fallacies that can go on as people seek to increase their follower counts. McLallen described apps he had tested out in the past, apps he continues to see used by his online peers today. These apps utilize bots that seek out certain hashtags, follow and unfollow and leave comments in blasts, increasing account traffic. These bots can get users' following counts up into the tens of thousands.

McLallen said that while this holds obvious temptation for users trying to attract more people or the attention of sponsors, it's quality that comes out on top in the end. Posting quality content and engaging with other users by way of comments, likes and shares is the only way to gain a good following. Otherwise, you may be left with thousands of empty followers who don't engage at all.

There are, however, other methods people on Instagram use to attract more attention, ways that can lead to more wholesome followings. Neely points to alliances with bigger pages as one of her greatest sources of new followers. Reposts and shout-outs would initially form relationships with similarly themed accounts, and direct their followers to her own – putting in that extra effort to network often led to big payoffs.

Simply doing some research into how the medium works is another alternative for organic growth. McLallen admits that he strategically posts at times he knows there will be a lot of people online who will be receptive to what he uploads. Posting schedules are extremely common among Instagram users. These schedules are mapped out to pinpoint the most active times on the app, intersecting available

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eyes with your hashtags before they get pushed back by more recent ones is key.

Though it may seem like a lot of work – and it certainly can be – there are huge financial gains available to prospering Instagram account runners. During Neely's run with Instagram popularity, she worked with several health food and fitness wear companies who would send her free products in exchange for placements and mentions in her content.

By Carrera's definition, a social media influencer is someone who holds influence in the online world willing to use their platform to sell and push trends forward, opening a whole new dimension to the possibilities of advertising. As Carrera explained, the potential of using Instagram for advertising is a major win for ad agencies because it’s “cheap, abundant and direct.” The app shatters the traditional model of advertising in which getting a product endorsed by an influential person means high demands in terms of resources.

With the old model, not only would you be required to pay the influencer for their

endorsement, you would also need to hire a photography crew and a third party to distribute the images. Through Instagram, anyone with enough traction could become a distribution model. “Your dollar goes a lot further on Instagram,” said Carrera. “For even a couple grand you can get a successful influencer to seamlessly incorporate your product into their posts.”

It's nearly impossible to determine exactly how much profit is made off sponsored posts – the number is determined by several variables such as the reach of the influencer, the use of the product, and the size of the company. A quick Google search will tell you that an influencer with a following in the six-figure region profits on a sliding scale from thousands, to tens of thousands of dollars for a single advertisement.

While, clearly, it's not a secret that social media influencers frequently work with companies in promoting their products and services, there is somewhat of a grey area in the ethics involved. As Carrera pointed out, “half the time the public barely even registers this sort of content as advertising, they view it as someone they admire making a recommendation.”

This blurred line seems to go hand in hand with a platform in which many users thrive off skewed perspectives and false representations of what their daily life actually entails.

For Neely, the entire idea of an influencer is rather complex. There is one way to look at the phenomenon, a positive way, where people can – and do – use their platform to encourage positive social and global change, or share resources with and for people who may be going through a time of struggle. Then, on the negative side, there are these fake realities made up exclusively of the highlights. Constant displays of idealized lives without any context of work, that broadcast the idea of how one should be living, how to be happy and successful without any effort. “I think these accounts can send the wrong message to impressionable youth,” said

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Neely. “I stress – social media is not real life.”

Even from the side of the creator, there is concern of disconnect. For Neely, this became especially prominent before she gravitated to the self-love category and realized that despite the intent to create an account on healthy living, she herself was doing anything but. “The more popular my account became, the more dissociated I became with reality. Social media definitely skewed my perspective on what a 'fit lifestyle' looks like – I heed others to think critically before mimicking their favourite fitspo’s diet and training guide.”

To Carrera, it's just business. As she explains, Instagram is shallow, but advertising always has been. The goal is to grab viewers' attention, and hold on to it so they will remember what it is that they're being sold. And Instagram happens to serve as an ideal venue for this. “I don’t feel too bad about the moral grey areas which I wade in. I’m facilitating business opportunities to strong willed independent entrepreneurs. No one is forcing anyone to be on Instagram- if it’s negatively impacting your life – leave it be”.

When things began to feel disingenuous, that's exactly what Neely did. Before she deactivated her popular account, she

noticed her posts no longer resonated with her and found that she longed for a life that felt good, it wasn't enough to simply look good. Since stepping away, feeling alleviated from the “pressures of fitting inside the square box,” Neely said her days have become more productive and she's happy with what she was able to accomplish with her account. While she described her relationship with Instagram now as sometimes contemptuous, overall, she is grateful for the experience. Having met some of her closest friends through her time on Instagram, she confidently looks back free of regret.

Instagram can be a place of community, bolstering great friendships and valuable business connections. It can be a place to spread the best of one’s personal experiences, explore and share passions and even get sponsorships or serious monetary compensation. But it can also be a source of social pressures unparalleled by some of the more traditional workplaces.

It’s a place that can grant influential power to people who may not wield it as responsibly as they should. Regardless of use, the social media giants’ impact on advertising and the culture of celebrity has been immense, changing the traditional paths to popularity from an exclusive club, to a surprisingly attainable venture. That is of course, if you're prepared to work.

THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 3

13

SHORTS

WASH & SET Leikeli47 Greta Kooy CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR

WONDERFUL WONDERFUL The Killers Justin Scott

1992 DELUXE Princess Nokia Cristian Fowlie PRODUCTION DESIGNER

MANAGING EDITOR

SHLOHMO The genre-less producer returned to Vancouver with new tracks Justin Scott MANAGING EDITOR

I was already a little disappointed by this show before it even started. Not because of the lineup, but the venue. I love Fortune Sound Club. It's got a great sound system, a good layout and design and an all around pleasant atmosphere. Unfortunately, one of the reasons I had been excited for this event was because it was supposed to be at the Commodore Ballroom. When it comes to concerts, it’s one of, if not my favourite, venues in the city.

However, as I ascended the stairs to Fortune's main room, I could feel the anticipation building.

D33J had just begun his impressive set and already had the room in a trance. Although he only played for about 45 minutes, he delivered. By the time his set was over Fortune, was filling up and the energy was evident.

The show was technically headlined by Corbin, but I had come to see The WEDIDIT headman, Shlohmo.

His stage consisted of a faux-stone podium, some potted plants and a neon iteration of his signature rose that didn’t seem to be working that night. It was clear that the setup was designed for a bigger stage like that of the Commodore.

"Wuddup Vancouver, it's really good to be here and see you guys again," he said as he took the stage.

His set started with the first five tracks off his album Dark Red. While songs like “Ten Days of Falling” and “Meet Ur Maker” were treated to live edits and performed on synths and midi controllers, the next three saw him show off his guitar skills. The guitar seemed somewhat forced at times, but bringing live instrumentation into his show added to the performance.

After “Slow Descent” he debuted an untitled new track. The signature basslines were present, but the song showed growth in his production style. What sounded like a chopped and screwed ice cream truck rode the low end while he played his guitar once again.

This time however, the strings seemed more natural to the song, showing a growing level of the incorporation of it into his music.

“Later” received one of the most enthusiastic responses of the night. The crowd moved in unison like seaweed, moving with the deep baselines and pitched vocals that bellowed out of the FunktionOne sound system.

Closing with “Beams”, Shlohmo ended the night on a high note.

It was the perfect track to close out Dark Red and the show. I’m always impressed with Shlohmo’s live performances. While the venue change clearly threw a wrench into the stage design, the performance itself was unfazed.

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VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 3

Leikeli47 released her first single, “Miss America” in 2012, and while that track might not have gotten the recognition it deserved, the balaclava-clad beauty definitely did not let that slow her down.

Since then, the Brooklyn rapper has released a multitude of obsess-worthy tracks. Her debut LP Wash & Set, graced the music scene on Sept. 8 and has already become one of the most talked-about albums of this year.

Although she stays “out here masked up like a Mexican wrestla,” we do get a good idea of who the woman beneath the mask really is through her music. The boom bap rap EP speaks on 47’s individuality and positive nature as an artist, while telling her story of growth and independence.

The records first track, “2nd Fiddle” shows us a softer side of the MC, while at the same time showing us that her feet are firmly planted in the ground.

Other tracks like "Braids tuh' da flo(w)" and “M I L K” takes a stand against standard beauty norms, with a strong focus on women’s hair.

This take-no-BS female, and she’ll tell you that herself on her track “Miss Me” is only just starting. Even though the mask stays on, for now at least, we’ve never seen her more clearly.

The Killers new album Wonderful Wonderful will suffer from the same problem as most of the groups other releases – comparison to their early works.

Ever since Hot Fuss and Sam’s Town the group has struggled to grow as artists, failing to reach the heights that their early albums did. They’re like the Blake Griffins of modern rock – we know they have talent, but they never seem to be able to live up to the standard they set for themselves at the beginning of their career.

The opening track, “Wonderful Wonderful”, gives listeners hope. With a horn reminiscent of one that may echo through the forests of Endor, the track evolves into an anthemic offering with distorted tom hits scattered throughout.

“Run for Cover” sees the group returning to what they do best – a mixture of rhythm guitar and keyboard synths. “Run for cover/ run while you can baby don’t look back,” sings frontman Brandon Flowers. It even has a heavily filtered guitar solo.

The group slows things down a bit on ballads like “Life to Come” and “Some Kind of Love”.

The album’s strongest offering however may be “Tyson vs.

Douglas”. Opening with the audio clip of announcers calling Mike Tyson’s knockout at the hands of Buster Douglas, Flowers recalls being a child and realizing the vulnerability of humans as he saw his hero fall. “I had to close my eyes just to stop the tears,” he recalled.

While Wonderful Wondeful is no Hot Fuss it shouldn’t be overlooked, it’s worth a listen or two.

It’s been an exciting few weeks for female rappers. Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow” is perched at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, Nicki Minaj casually earned her 81st entry on the charts with her feature on “Rake It Up” and two promising young artists – Princess Nokia and Leikeli47– both released fantastic albums.

What’s most exciting is how unique each artist is, and the lane they’ve been able to carve out in a male-dominated industry. Princess Nokia stands out for her brand of “weirdorap”, which she describes as a mix of “old-school hoe with new school flow.” 1992 Deluxe is split between mellow, East Coast rapinspired tracks and quirky trap anthems.

While this is Princess Nokia’s third album, in many ways it serves as an introduction. On nostalgia-steeped tracks like “Saggy Denim” and “Green Lines”, Princess Nokia details her life as a biracial, queer tomboy growing up in New York’s foster care system. Her struggles and differences as a kid later become her strengths and defining features. “Brujas” is an icy trap song that places Princess Nokia as the supreme of her coven – in respect to her Puerto Rican and Yoruban ancestry.

On “Tomboy”, she brags “With my little titties and my phat belly/I could take your man if you finna let me,” combining rap braggadocio and body-positivity.

Princess Nokia’s perspective is original, refreshing, and has the potential to tap into a completely new audience like oddball rappers Tyler the Creator or Lil Uzi Vert.

CALENDAR

25 MON

MOTIVATION AND GOAL SETTING LIBRARY BUILDING, ROOM 217 12 P.M. / FREE

I told myself I was going to write this yesterday, but I watched Rick and Morty instead. You will definitely see me here… if I don’t get distracted again.

29

COLDPLAY

FRI

YOUTH POETRY SLAM CAFÉ DEUX SOLEILS 7 PM / FREE

This event is not for the faint of heart. The Vancouver Poetry House is serious about their slams and has a long list of rules you must obey in order to participate. If you still feel up to the challenge, then come with your best lines and be prepared to throw down.

26 TUES

HEALTH CARE ASSISTANT INFO MEETING FIR BUILDING, ROOM 205 4 P.M. - 6 P.M. / FREE

BC PLACE 7:00 P.M. / $73

GORRILA GALLERY VOLUME IV

A CITY ON EDGE: THE HISTORY OF VANCOUVER’S ACTIVISM

You don’t appreciate how great being on a family health and dental plan is until you aren’t. Have you ever had to pay for a trip to the dentist? You need to cancel a month’s worth of plans and a trip to Mexico just to afford it. I don’t know if Capilano University covers dental or not, which is why you should attend this.

The widespread appeal of Coldplay has always been a bit baffling.

Sure, certain songs are catchy and enjoyable, but are they football stadium good? I don’t think so. In recent years, they haven’t put out a song worth humming along to, let alone buying a ticket for.

But if mediocre music is your thing, here you go.

536 SEYMOUR 11 A.M. - 7 P.M. / FREE

VANCOUVER MUSEUM 10 A.M. - 9P.M. / $16

I have no idea what the hell this is except that there have been four of them and the event is put on by Lush. They say there will be a scratch and sniff wall as well as other art installations showcasing the Lush brand and style. I’ve never seen a soap brand try to do an art exhibit before. Maybe you’ll get a free bath bomb for attending.

27 WED

FRENCH GASTRONOMY SERIES 536 SEYMOUR 11 A.M. - 7 P.M. / FREE

If you’re a university student who still jokes about only knowing how to make cereal, then shame on you. Cooking is one of the best life skills you can learn. There are few things more attractive than being able to cook. Also, if you get good enough you can be like Gordon Ramsey and make a living off swearing at people – a personal dream of mine.

It’s safe to say that activism is back in style. There are few things the media loves more than reporting on demonstrations and marches. So now is a good time to look back at the history of activism in history. What the historic moments were and who took part in them.

30 SAT

MASTERING MEDITATION

28 THURS

Come see the films that everyone is talking about because they’ve already been seen at the actual prestigious film festivals like Cannes.

There are some films that have promise, such as Lucky and The Party. If you have some spare time and have already seen whatever Marvel movie is currently in theatres, then check out one of these.

Ever find the woodshop class you took in high school fascinating, but because your teacher was too busy getting high and making inappropriate comments to the girls in the class that you never learned anything? Yeah, me too. That’s why the makers lab is so helpful. It’s all the woodshop with none of the stoned perversion.

After one class, you’ll be able to make a birdhouse your woodshop teacher would be proud to hide his weed in.

PURDYS CHOCOLATIER 1 P.M. / $50

Come to this class to learn to breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. No, seriously. The amount of people who start drinking and smoking in university is a great testament to how stressful it is. Learn to relax and deal with stress in a way that will help you in the long run.

VANCOUVER PLAYHOUSE THEATRE 6:30 P.M. / $10

MAKERS LABS 9 A.M. - 1 P.M. / $85

TRUFFLE MAKING AT PURDYS CHOCOLATIER

VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY 7 P.M. - 9:30 P.M. / FREE

VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

WOODSHOP 101

With great power comes great responsibility and if anyone manages to learn to make truffles without putting on 10 lbs in the first week I will be impressed. Anybody who has had Purdys chocolate knows that this is money well spent.

1 SUN

NICKLEBACK & CHEAP TRICK ROGERS ARENA 6:15 P.M. / $39

I went to a Nickleback concert once. It was a lot of fun. Despite what people love to say about them, they know how to put on a good show. If you’re a fan of loud guitars, giant fireballs and lots of whiskey, then you should reconsider your position on Nickleback.

THE BOMB SHELTER OPEN MIC THURSDAYS

CIBC RUN FOR THE CURE

Generally, if you see an open mic in the calendar it means there’s nothing happening that night and I badly needed some filler.

Nobody expects open mic comedy to be a good idea. However, this time I’m making an exception. Goldie’s has some of the best pizza in Vancouver. Go to this just as an excuse to try some. Even if the jokes are bad, the food is guaranteed to be good.

If you go to the truffle making, then this should almost be mandatory. I would personally rather donate a whole pay cheque than run a kilometer. It’s for a good cause though, so even if you’re like me and hate running with every fibre of your being, you should still find some way to contribute.

BASEMENT OF GOLDIE’S PIZZA 8:00 P.M. / FREE

CONCORD PACIFIC PLACE 9:30 A.M. / YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 3

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–COURTESY OF ZOE HO

ARTS & CULTURE

OM SWEET OM

An experience of mindfulness and self-awareness, with the serving of dessert Rachel D’Sa ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR

My traumatizing high school experience with recreational yoga (which consisted of me and my friends getting yelled at by our instructor to stop falling) had me avoiding the practice. That is until I came across a vegan-friendly yoga event put on by Zoe Ho’s Republic of Yoga, in partnership with Lisa Lou’s Chocolate Bar, an event that allows goers to practice yoga while consuming ice cream and chocolate – does it get any better?

“I find that a lot of the time we try to be spiritual, try to be good at a later stage in practice especially, people tend to become hard on themselves. And you always have to be so pure and neat and perfect, but for me with yoga it’s about internal freedom, celebrating life, making every moment sacred,” said Ho. “I discovered Lisa Lou’s ice cream and I could feel savasana, and all these fireworks going off and I was like ‘wow this is like the feeling you get when you have a really good practice.’ So I thought ‘let’s bring it together’.”

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Sept. 13 rolled around, and after having somehow calmed my excited self down enough to maintain a steady heartbeat, I made my way to yoga studio Strecth in the heart of Chinatown. I marched up the softlit stairs and upon entering I was greeted with the warm smiles of the studio’s employees and fellow yoga practitioners, and a serene atmosphere. Once signed in, I set up my mat and bolster, and grabbed an emerald green leaf to place on my mat to indicate I was plant-based, I met up with Ho who welcomed me with a big smile.

The sweet sound of a harmonium and soft percussion filled the air right as Ho invited everyone to take their seats on their mats. As the participants assumed our relaxed positions, we were told that, “there’s no way you can do this wrong.

No way,” by Ho followed by a soft hum of giggles throughout the space. The class begun with tingsha bells, putting me in a meditative trance.

After about half an hour of yoga, I was in a relaxed position, lying down with my eyes closed, when Ho told the class that the ice cream would be handed out. “The team will be serving the ice cream now, so once you open your eyes you will notice a bowl in front of you. Isn’t it the best? You get to wake up to ice cream,” she said, and the room burst out in laughter. I could hear plastic utensils at work and bodies shuffling. Soon after I opened my eyes and sat up on my bolster cross-legged, to face my paper bowl filled with a scoop of offwhite ice cream with a red drizzle.

I was instructed to explore the five senses which included putting my face close to the dessert. “Feel the change in temperature as you move the ice cream

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closer and farther away from your face,” said Ho. From there I went on to take my first savoury bite, letting the frozen treat melt in my mouth. “Taste every flavour the dessert has to offer. Taste the passion of the chocolatier.” Throughout the slow tasting I couldn’t quite put my finger on the flavour, but I was sure it was a fruit. The class was then told that the event-exclusive flavour was peach with a raspberry drizzle. From Okanogan peaches to the fresh made raspberry topping, everything had been made within 24-hours of the event. “Taste the process of picking and baking the peaches. Taste the time.” The class then shared with the person sitting closest to us what the flavours reminded us most of. My partner was reminded of her parents who used to buy peaches in the summer, while memories of my Italian Nonni’s garden came flooding back. My heart sank a bit after we moved back to doing yoga — for this was the first time ever that I hadn’t finished a bowl of ice cream — yet I felt satisfied.

Light poured into the studio through the wall-to-wall windows as we went onwards with poses. Soon after it was time for the chocolate and Ho got each of us to look deep inside ourselves and say “hi darling!” to our insecure feelings. We opened our tiffany blue boxes which consisted of two chocolates. Both were dark and one had specks of red on top and went by the name Kylo, while the other had tiny chunks of some sort of nut, with the name Oscar.

After touching and smelling the treats we were instructed to try Oscar. The small but decadent chocolate unravelled in my mouth, revealing its multi-layered goodness of banana caramel with rice

crisp. Soon after we continued with restorative yoga, leaving the remaining treats for after the class while assuming still positions. Ho told us the story of the Hindu God Ganesh and his love of everything sweet, and the importance of mindful and enlightened eating — a way of eating that we as individuals in a technology-heavy world are deprived of as we are often distracted through a process of passive chewing.

The class ended with feelings of buoyancy, and a chant as well as a buzz of Oms. “Through my experiences in life, I’ve realized that yoga and self-love and mindfulness was the key factor in nourishing myself,” said Ho. She advised those looking to start their yoga journey to have a sense of humour and learn to apply what they learn on the mat, to what happens off the mat — falling and getting back up and telling yourself that you tried.

Though Stretch is her training facility for yoga therapy, Ho plans on bringing her practice to many areas in the Lower Mainland. Her private space, which is currently where she does her embodiment and mindfulness yoga therapy, offers innovative one-on-one sessions. The yoga therapist hopes to turn her work with Republic of Yoga and Yogaanytime.com into a global online experience, and plans on bringing Om Sweet Om back around the Christmas season. Through her work, Ho strives to deliver the positive message of self-exploration and love without the pressure of bowing to an authority, allowing for a sense of choice and freedom.

For more information on Republic of Yoga’s offerings and future events like Om Sweet Om visit Republicofyoga.org.

@CAPILANOCOURIER

MEAT THE MAKERS Upcoming Vancouver festival celebrates all that is cheese and meat Justin Scott MANAGING EDITOR

For many, the word “festival” conjures up flashbacks of weekends of depravity, dehydration and a loss of all hygiene.

However, Vancouver’s upcoming Cheese and Meat Festival aims to offer a very different experience. With plates of charcuterie and cheese paired with local beers and wine, this festival promises to be a delicious night.

On Sept. 30, the Roundhouse in Yaletown will be home to over 45 vendors offering meats, cheeses, baked good, spreads, beers, wines, scotch and more. Sound good? Well, if that weren’t enough, the festival is also offering seminars throughout the day.

Festival organizer Dave Bain is excited for several reasons. “For me, the most exciting part of this festival is to watch the vendors showcase their products to the public. It is amazing to watch the creator of an amazing cheese, charcuterie or accompaniment explain and develop their

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brand with the attendees,” he said.

He also thinks the seminars are an exciting aspect of the event that not all food and beverage festivals offer. They allow the vendors the opportunity to showcase their production process as well as answer any questions and offer pairing advice.

As exciting as an event like this may be for many, certain communities have recently been speaking out against celebrations of meat and lactose-based goods. While the products rendered from animals are often considered delicacies, society often overlooks the way the animals involved in the process are treated, as well as the sustainability of the industry.

Conscious of these concerns, Bain made it clear that the festival is aware of these issues, and aims to celebrate the products in a sustainable and ethical manor. The festival works with “vendors who align with that same vision,” according to Bain. “We do not look to use mass-produced products but rather focus on locally sourced products that are ethically harvested. On top of that, we want attendees to understand that charcuterie boards can be vegan. We have vegan vendors at the Festival showcasing plant-based meats.” Additionally, the event tries to celebrate what Bain calls the local “mom and pop shops.”

For Jessica Winter, a Vancouver-based

Instagrammer who shares photos and recipes documenting her plant-based lifestyle, the festival is still a celebration of an industry causing harm to both our environment and sentient beings. “At first my response is that this is event is just one of the livestock/diary industries, in collaboration with our government and nonprofits, attempt to continue to brainwash people that meat and diary is good for you,” she said. “However, I just took a look at their website to see the vendors and sponsor list and I noticed Blue Heron and The Very Good Butcher on there. These are two plant-based vendors. This makes me very happy, because we need to start exposing ‘meat eaters’ these amazing and tasty vegan options,” she added.

Winter, who became a vegetarian at a young age because she felt eating animals was morally wrong, said she now lives a plant-based lifestyle for other reasons.

“My motivation behind living a plantbased lifestyle is mostly environmentally focused,” she said. “Of course there is the added health benefit of this lifestyle when done properly, but for me I find strength and motivation when I think about the greater good – the environment.”

If the festival is something you’re interested in, Bain has some pieces of advice. If you must choose a session to

to paint a mural on the site of a newly built community garden on the reserve.

With only a small budget for paint and a 105 square foot wall to cover, he decided to work with minimal colours to create a warm and welcoming floral scene. Naturally, he thought sunflowers would lend themselves well to the space. After two days of painting with yellow, green, and brown then adding details in black and white, the mural came together nicely. As a final touch, Abt painted the word “tatawaw” in Cree syllabics - a message to tell people in the community “you are welcome”.

“I learned that if you build something for people, they will show up,” he said, proud of what he had helped build - a space where families, kids and even dogs on the reserve can gather and have fun. “Ever since I left the reserve, I’ve wanted to give back in some way. I don’t feel that a mural is enough yet, but I know the harder I work the more I’ll

be able to give back eventually.”

Like many artists though, his artistic vision wasn’t always so clear. Just a couple years ago, Abt was battling self-doubt about his artistic talents. He had trained at the Harbourside Institute of Technology to work in the audio engineering industry, but he wasn’t sure if a career in music was going to work out.

Studying communications at CapU became a fallback plan for the aspiring artist. “It was totally enlightening. I had no idea that people had been putting so much work into understanding how people work together,” he recalled.

Despite all that he was learning at the school, he realized he wasn’t growing into the person he wanted to be. After winter break, he had began making music again and made it a priority to get his work out into the world. He knew that staying in school wasn’t going to work. With a

attend, he recommends the evening tasting one. “This will be a great view of the event in action,” he said. If a seminar sounds like something you’d enjoy Bain suggests the spirits and cheese seminar. “You get to taste amazing high-end Glenlivet and high-end cheeses. it gives you the ability to easily showcase this to friends in the future as well,” he explained.

For those new to the world of meat and cheese, don’t fear, it’s not as intimidating as it may sound. “I always recommend people start with two kinds of cheese that contrast each other,” advised Bain. He recommended a sweet cheese and a sharp one – maybe a soft parmesan for the soft and a smoked cheddar for the sharp. “For charcuterie find meats that are mixed with a fruit or plant to add flavor and then go with a straight ‘house creation’ from the shop,” he said.

If meat isn’t your thing, head over to Winter’s Instagram page, @jessicabwinter for some delicious plant-based alternatives.

For more information on the festival visit Cheeseandmeatfestival.com/vancouver/ and for tickets visit Eventbrite.ca/e/ vancouver-cheese-and-meat-festival-2017tickets-30280967188

YOU ARE WELCOME Former Capilano University student forges a future for his artistic self Jessica Lio

At 23 years old, North Vancouver-based artist Christian Abt would be considered to many as wise beyond his years. Since moving to BC four years ago, the artist has been dabbling in a number of visual and musical artistic mediums, balancing multiple jobs in the entertainment industry, and carving his own path to artistic success.

Abt grew up on a small reserve in Alberta called Montana First Nation, located about 90 km south of Edmonton and home to a population of just under 1,000 people.

Having lived on the reserve for the majority of his life, he witnessed a lot of people in the community struggling with mental and physical health issues, unemployment and reliance on social assistance programs. His mother was heavily involved in organizing events back home, and even after moving away from the reserve, Abt held onto his deep appreciation for community building.

Whether he’s producing experimental electronic music under the name Finches & Sparrows, drumming with the band Reliable Mamba or playing sets as a DJ, his goal is always to bring people together and get them dancing. “I don’t want there to be any deeper meaning behind it than just ‘let’s stop worrying, let’s just have fun together’,” he said.

On the visual front, what started with writing specials on a chalkboard at a local liquor store lead to commissioned artwork at various local pubs and weddings.

Recently, on a visit back home, the scope of his work grew even bigger - Abt was asked

–COURTESY OF CHRISTIAN ABT

ONLINE EDITOR

new perspective, Abt set out to release music, start playing shows and find a job in the audio industry. By June, he had accomplished all of these goals and was confident that if he worked hard enough, his dream of making a living out of his passion for music could be within reach.

Nowadays, Abt works as an audio technician for local companies Gear Force and Show Max, setting the stage for all kinds of live entertainment events. While these gigs keep him busy and help pay the bills, he has his sights set on bigger goals - releasing new music, playing at music festivals and eventually going on tour.

At the heart of everything, he’s just an artist setting out on a journey to help people feel just a little less alone in the world.

Listen to Christian’s music at Soundcloud.com/finches-and-sparrows and Reliablemamba.bandcamp.com/.

THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 3

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–VANCOUVER SPORTS PHOTO

SPORTS

TRYING FOR THE THREEPEAT What do the Men’s soccer team need to do to win the PACWEST for a third straight year?

Justin Scott MANAGING EDITOR

While the term legacy often gets thrown around lightly, the Capilano University Blues men’s soccer team has been working on a strong resume for one over the past few years. They’ve represented the Pacific Western Athletics Association (PACWEST) in the national tournament in the last two years – on that included an undefeated 2016 season. While a soccer game can be determined by a play or two, the success seen by the men’s team goes far deeper than that. They play to their strengths and are mindful of their weaknesses.

Their identity is built on defence – they just happen to have one of the most prolific scorers the PACWEST has ever seen.

However, the team has lost some of its core from the last few seasons and has 11 rookies on this year’s roster. This means that it’s more important than ever for the Blues to play their game and remain composed.

No one knows this better than Andrés

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Romo. The second-year centre back took a year off last year, but after just missing a national title two years ago, he felt he had to come back and try again. “I came back to the team because I want to win a national title after coming in second [place] my first year,” he explained.

Romo realized that the only way to do this will be to play smart and for the team to play their game and put themselves in winning situations. “In the first few minutes we try to play direct and open up the field, then try to look to pass and play possession behind the line after,” he said. Once they’ve settled in, the team likes to work the ball forward, eventually looking for an opportunity on the opposing net. In the towering defender’s eyes, the teams passing ability and soccer IQ is what enables them to find success in this style. “Moving off the ball, knowing your teammates, knowing your role, offensively knowing when to dribble, when to release the ball,” Romo listed, as he described some of the team’s core strengths. “We’re on the same page,” he said.

Head Coach Paul Dailly shared this sentiment. “We’re a team that likes to play out of the back, play through the midfield, then when we get up front we look to exploit the defenders.”

Of course, this play style wouldn’t be possible without an imposing defensive squad. While the team did lose many players this year, they’ve held on to their defensive core. Dailly identified the Morello brothers as key defenders, both in terms of skill and leadership. The coach also identified the return of a certain defender as an important addition, saying, “We’ve got Andrés Romo back this year, he’s a big

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centre back for us who didn’t play for us last year but played for us two years ago.”

The team’s defense doesn’t rely purely on talent either. With ‘trust’ being the team’s motto, it’s clear that it’s more than just a word on their warm-ups. “We have a lot of team chemistry,” said Romo. “There’s trust that if I mess up something, it’ll be my teammates that cover my mistake.”

Although the adage is that “defence wins championships”, the Blues still need to score goals to win games. For this, they have Keith Jackson. The team does have many other talented men up front, but when you’ve got a talent like Jackson on your team, you use him. With four goals in the first three games, his season is off to a hot start. “We have the best PACWEST player/forward in the league. I feel confident in saying that about Keith,” said Romo.

Soccer, however, is not a one-man sport.

For Jackson and other players to score, they need opportunities. While the Blues meticulously move the ball through the first two thirds of the field, their offence is a bit more creative. “In the final third, my guys are basically given a green light to make things happen,” said Dailly. “If it’s a one-on-one situation wide, I’m encouraging them to take players on and whip good balls in the box, and then we’re trying to attack with numbers as well. We’ve got Keith Jackson up there who’s a veteran guy, who’s scored a bunch of goals in this league for us, and again, he’s got four already in three games.”

Although they’re confident in themselves, the team does have some things that they’re working on. For Dailly, it’s not wasting chances. “I think we could be more

clinical in the final third. In the first three games, we’ve created a lot of chances and we’ve scored our share of goals, but I think in the first game of the year we got four, we could have had more than that,” he said.

He then continued to address the following two games as well.

For Romo, focusing on team chemistry will be a key factor for the young team. “The 11 rookies, I trust them, but they’re new to the PACWEST, it’s just like me when I was a rookie. I wasn’t the worst player, but it’s something new, you need to get settled in,” he recalled. Adding, “we still want to gel, you can’t win by yourself.”

The defender also identified composure and remaining within their game plan as something the team needs to be mindful of.

“It was kind of like a tennis game against Douglas, long ball here then long balls back,” he said of the team’s lone loss of the season. “Then, for VIU we connected more passes, we felt comfortable on the ball and confident, we trusted each other.”

Having started the season two wins and one loss, the team is looking good, but still has much to prove. Taking cues from their success the previous season, Dailly said, “Last year we were really tough to score against, and you know, come crunch time if you’re defending well as a team and not giving up too many goal scoring opportunities, and not too many goals against for that matter, then you’ve got a chance to win games.” It may seem simple, but if the team can stay true to their defensive strength, they believe a third straight trip to nationals is in their near future.

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Claire Ye's versatility could key the Blues' provincial title hopes Carlo Javier EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Saying that Claire Ye is versatile would be an understatement. The rookie from Coquitlam has seamlessly integrated herself with the Capilano University Blues program, already excelling as one of the women’s soccer team’s best players.

In the preseason, Ye illustrated her knack for finding the back of the net, scoring four times in three games. While her scoring spree has yet to carry over to the regular season, Ye has maintained her status as an impact player with her play on the other end of the field. The rookie was instrumental in keeping the Douglas College Royals’ attack at bay in the Blues’ first win of the season. Against the Vancouver Island University Mariners on Sept. 17, she helped the Blues to a draw. Ye’s excellent one-on-one coverage skills were integral to a Blues defence that allowed just one shot on goal.

For her defensive efforts, Ye was awarded the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) Player of the Week honour for week two of conference play. Not a bad early accomplishment for the first-year student athlete in the Early Childhood Care and Education program.

Ye’s versatility on the pitch can be attributed to years of bouncing around positions. Throughout her soccer career, the first-year has fulfilled the role that her

FROM CAMPECHE TO NORTH VANCOUVER Adrian Sahagun looks to exhibit his scoring talent to PACWEST Justin Scott MANAGING EDITOR

While the Capilano University Athletics Department has a history of recruiting some of the Lower Mainland’s strongest talents, one of this year’s new additions to the men’s soccer program is from a little farther away.

Born in Campeche, Mexico, soccer has always been a part of Adrian Sahagun’s life.

“I started playing when I was around three years old,” he told the Courier, looking back at how his love for the game came to be.

Sahagun’s move to Vancouver, around a year ago, was also the first time he stepped foot in the Great White North. “I came here to study and learn English,” he recalled. It was during this time that the possibility of playing at CapU became something Sahagun was aware of. “I started playing

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team needed her in the most.

“With my BCSPL [BC Soccer Premier League] team, I played defence all the time just because we didn’t really have many defenders,” she said. “But with high school soccer, I played up front and I was the leading goal scorer there – here I know I can do well up front, but also I can do well in defence.”

Ye’s breadth of experience in youth soccer isn’t just influential to her playstyle now, it also had an impact on her choice of university and soccer program.

Through the massive soccer community in the Lower Mainland, Ye – and many other young athletes who go through local leagues – often get the opportunity to build relationships with coaches and mentors at a young age. For Ye, one connection she made at 11-years-old ultimately panned out and led her to North Vancouver.

“I’ve known Dennis [Kindel] since I was 11,” she said about the Blues head coach.

While Ye cited her familiarity with Kindel as one of the main reasons for attending CapU, she also noted that Kindel’s understanding of her style and mentality were just as important. “I didn’t want to go to a new program, not know if I was going to play, then have to prove myself again,” she said. “With Dennis, I know that he knows how I play and even if I have a bad practice he knows that I can still do well.”

Although Ye’s play on the field might make it seem like she’s encountered no issues in her transition from high school to PACWEST soccer, the rookie admits that the game and everything else that surrounds it have been vastly different.

“It’s a lot more difficult here,” she said.

“Back in high school, it was only three practices a week and just one game, now it’s a double-header almost every weekend which is a lot more than I thought.”

Moreover, the speed, physicality and skill level of opposing players have provided Ye with challenges she rarely faced before. “You think you made a good

play but they’ve already read it, they read it two minutes before,” she said. “The ref we had last weekend, he let everything go fouls-wise, and its just new, because back when we’re younger, if you get touched it’s a foul. Here you have to stick it out and be tougher.”

The campaign will only get increasingly rigorous as the season moves forward and for the team to accomplish their goals, Ye knows that she’ll have to play not like a young a rookie, but a seasoned veteran.

“My old teams, I’ve always been the captain, but coming in as a rookie, you don’t expect much, but you still want to lead by example,” she said.

This season could potentially mark a big shift in the fortunes of the Blues women’s soccer. The provincial championship is very clearly in the team’s sights and accomplishing their goals will require some high-level plays from their rookies. Ye’s swiss army knife-like versatility just might be the missing piece.

in the Vancouver Men’s Soccer League (VMSL) with West Van Soccer Club (WVSC),” he said, “My coach was Desmond Tachie, who for me was a really, really good coach, and I really appreciate him for what he did for me because he also helped me to get an opportunity here at CapU.” While playing in the VMSL was an exciting experience for Sahagun, it was far from his first time playing at a high level.

Before his fateful trip to Vancouver, the electric striker played in some of Mexico’s most prestigious leagues. Starting in the South’s Zona Sur fourth division, Sahagun soon saw success and moved on to a higher level. In no time, he had made it to the second division of Mexico’s premier soccer league, Liga MX. During his time in these leagues, Sahagun was able to work on his craft – scoring goals. Having played either the wing or forward his whole life, he has come to understand the position as well as hone his skills.

This is one of the aspects of Sahagun’s game that Head Coach Paul Dailly found most enticing about the rookie. "Adrian is very dynamic,” he said. “He likes to play wide up top and he's got a lethal left foot on him. He's got a nose for the goal. He's very shifty, very good offensively, great skills

and he looks to get half a yard around the defender and looks to score goals."

As fate would have it, the Blues men’s soccer team operates out of a system Sahagun is well versed in from his time playing in Mexico, making his transition onto the team a comfortable one. “The 4-33 is a system that I’ve played most of my life,” Sahagun said, “I’ve been the winger or the forward since I was very young, so I haven’t had any trouble getting used to it.”

While much of Sahagun’s transition into the Blues program has been smooth, he’s still getting used to a few aspects of playing at CapU. The men’s third game of the season was an exciting victory over the Vancouver Island University Mariners, played in a typical Vancouver downpour – something that isn’t very common in Mexico.

“I think it’s a very good experience to play games in the rain because we don’t have rain like that in Mexico,” he said, “So, I’m trying to get used to the rain and the cold.”

Another aspect of the game he’s still getting used to is the physicality of the soccer played in Canada. “Here the soccer is more tough and the tackles are more hard than in Mexico,” he explained. Dailly also cited this as a factor that Sahagun

would likely have to get used to. “He's not a huge guy by any means so physicality may be an issue for him,” said the coach. “But as far as the skill level and nose for that net, I'm looking for big things from him.”

While he’s only been back in the city for a month, Sahagun is already feeling like Vancouver is his second home. Already comfortable with many of the logistic aspects of living in Vancouver from his previous visit, he noted that the CapU community, his team especially, have made the move a comfortable one. “I think that all my teammates are really good people and they’ve tried to involve me in activities,” he said. “No matter if it’s soccer stuff or in terms of friendship. So, I really appreciate that because I’m not from here.”

Sahagun is also enjoying his time off the pitch. “I’m really proud and happy to be at one of the best universities in Vancouver, and also in Canada,” he said. While he’s just beginning his first semester at CapU, he hopes to graduate from the business program.

For now however, he’s focused on the season ahead. Sahagun, along with the rest of the men’s soccer team, are aiming to three-peat as provincial champions, a feat the first-year player believes he can play a role in achieving.

–TAE HOON KIM

WOMEN'S SOCCER MAY HAVE FOUND A GEM IN FORMER HIGH SCHOOL STAR

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THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 3

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CABOOSE

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CAPILANO CONFESSIONS

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HOROSCOPES

THE VOICEBOX with Carlo Javier

Hey Justin

IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK:

Go eat cake until you throw up.

Knock Knock Who's there?

Interrupting cow

ARIES (March 21 - April 19):

It’s about time for your yearly gym visit.

MOO

I saw one of your columnist at The Hive

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): You are the weakest link, goodbye.

I once gave a guy off Craigslist a blowjob in the back of his car in the short term parking lot.

Was he actually doing anything or just sitting there instagramming?

GEMINI (May 21 - June 20):

Your heart will be broken after your crush makes her Instagram profile private.

Why don’t you see hippopotamus hiding in trees?

–

Because they can’t climb trees…

I permanently carry around wet wipes so I can poop comfortably on campus.

Your parents want you to move out.

Yo, Carlo. Why the fuck am I doing this?

–

The Voicebox is back! If you have any questions, concerns or any other bitchin’ to do, text it over to our boy Carlo at 778-865-2649. “Please text me,” he says. “No one else does.”

I'm a Conservative.

Nowadays, I consider that deep, dark secret.

– I crushed up Adderall on a toilet paper dispenser and snorted it to finish an assignment.

LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22):

If you try your hardest this semester, I promise you will get a C.

123456

VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 21):

If you start drinking coffee now, it’ll make the caffeine injections you take in fourth year that much easier.

SUDOKU

Puzzle 1 (Easy, difficulty rating 0.34)

– I once licked the length of a floor tile on a $1.25 bet so I could buy a Vanilla Coke out of a vending machine.

CANCER (June 21 - July 22):

They’re really good at it

Difficulty: Easy

LIBRA (SEPT. 22 - OCT. 23):

3 4

1

2

2 9

5

7 4

SCORPIO (OCT. 24 - NOV. 21):

5 6

1

8

5

9

7

3

5

3

5

4

2

1

You will finally get invited to your first party. Don’t worry, nobody will notice you’re there.

Your bank account Is as empty as your Tinder matches.

8 1

8 2

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC. 21): It’s like you’re actively trying to make people afraid of you.

7 6

5

9

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19):

It’s going to get better. Then it’s going to get much worse.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18):

You can’t run away from your problems.

You should give hiding a try.

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Sat Sep 23 02:12:20 2017 GMT. Enjoy!

PISCES (FEB. 19 - MARCH 20):

Read more and submit your own confession at capilanocourier.com/confessions

20

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We are proud to offer discounts to non-profit organizations and North Shore customers. A full media kit with sizes, rates and deadlines is available on our website, CapilanoCourier.com. Classified advertisements up to 50 words are free for students.

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 3

Your neighbours are happy you’re getting laid, but they’d rather not hear it anymore.