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VOLUME 49 ISSUE 07
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TRUDEAUVEMBER
ON THE CHARTS
The Courier’s resident fashion duo travels back to 2011 for a look at Liberal leader Justin Trudeau’s moustache game.
From the Weeknd to Drake to Justin Bieber, Canada is dominating the Billboard Top 100 charts for the first time in history.
OCTOBER 19 - 25 | 2015
PRO GAMERS 1UP THE COMPETITION
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CONTENTS
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WWW.CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
01
02
04
05
Cover Art
Editor's Desk
News
Cap You
07
09
14
17
Opinions
Features
Art Shorts
Columns
AARON CAMPBELL
POLITICAL POLICING
BEING A PENCIL-PUSHER MAY BE EXCITING AFTER ALL
HOW GAMING BECAME A SPECTATOR SPORT
RESULTS ARE IN FROM THE CSU BY-ELECTION
ROCKY HORROR SHOW
WHO YOU: MASA TAKEI
SIP SIP HOORAY! PIZZA AND WINE
THE STAFF STAFF THIS ISSUE COURIER COLUMNISTS Andy Rice
Therese Guieb
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
EXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR
Carlo Javier
Gabriel Scorgie
EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLE EDITOR
FEATURES EDITOR
Kevin Kapenda
Mark Crickmay
OPINIONS EDITOR
ARTS + CULTURE EDITOR
BRANDON KOSTINUK After a year of working in clandestine, the Courier’s elusive web editor and lead investigative journalist will now also be adding the columnist hat to his ever-growing role with the paper. In this column, Brandon will be talking about sports, but not just the X’s and O’s. He’ll be discussing the controversies and taboo subjects that surround the world of athletics.
MAX LEY
Christine Beyleveldt
Alva Tang
CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT
COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER
Cristian Fowlie
Syd Danger
ART DIRECTOR
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Tianyi Bao
Brandon Kostinuk
BUSINESS MANAGER
WEB EDITOR
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 07
CONTRIBUTORS KEARA FARNAN JAMES MARTIN TAELORE KEYANA MILANA BUCAN
AARON CAMPBELL MEGAN COLLINSON TIERNEY MILNE MEGAN DIETRICH TAYLOR LEE DANIELLE MAINMAN
Max Ley is here to help. Much of the student population tends to live on a limited budget, which creates a hunger for cheap and accessible “student” foods and the occasional glass (or bottle) of wine. What Max will be doing is finding the perfect budget bottle to pair with your go-to snacks. Yes, we know, we should have this column every week.
ALEXA KWAN Alexa Kwan is so done with school. She is. She’s been graduated for two years and is currently working for a commercial mortgage brokerage. Here, she’ll be writing about life on the outside, beyond the protective boundaries of school. Oh and she’s got an Associate’s Degree from CapU’s Creative Writing program. She’s living proof that CapU can take you places.
KENNETH & JACQUIE We don’t know much about best friends Kenneth and Jacquie other than that they love fashion. However, we couldn’t give them a simple fashion column because you can only joke about Alexander Wang’s wang so many times before it becomes stupid. Instead, they’ll be our very own federal election fashion police. Hey, maybe they can even sway a vote or two!
THE CAPILANO COURIER is an autonomous, democratically-run student newspaper. Literary and visual submissions are welcomed. All submissions are subject to editing for brevity, taste and legality. The Capilano Courier will not publish material deemed by the collective to exhibit sexism, racism or homophobia. The views expressed by the contributing writers are not necessarily those of the Capilano Courier Publishing Society.
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EDITOR'S DESK
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BEING A PENCIL-PUSHER MAY BE EXCITING AFTER ALL Andy Rice EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
As I stood in line on Oct. 10 waiting to cast my advance ballot in the 42nd Canadian Federal Election, I couldn’t have been happier. In fact, it could have taken me all day to make it through those doors and I wouldn’t have minded at all. That lineup stood for political engagement. It stood for people giving a shit about something really important. It stood for change. To be even just a small part of that change felt really good. It wasn’t just the Powell River Recreation Complex that had a queue outside the door. The same thing happened in other cities across the country. Burnaby North—Seymour saw 10,704 electors over Thanksgiving weekend while the North Vancouver riding counted 14,268. Approximately 3.6 million Canadians showed up to vote early — a 71 per cent increase from the 2011 turnout. Even with one more day of advance polling this election than last, that’s an undeniable jump. Say what you will about the operational state of Elections Canada these days, but the agency did its part to encourage youth voters as well. Polling stations were set up at 39 post-secondary campuses across the country in what was billed as a trial run. A total of 70,231 people registered and voted at these locations, which included SFU, BCIT and UBC. While Capilano University was not chosen as part of the pilot project, the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) did
launch a campaign called Get Out the Vote, in partnership with the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations. Through that initiative, over 1,000 students pledged to cast a ballot in this year’s federal election. If you happen to be reading this on Monday, Oct. 19, the CSU will be hosting a party tonight in the Library Lounge as the results come in from those who kept their word. Were you one of them? There are approximately three million youth in Canada. Fewer than 39 per cent of people between the ages of 18 and 24 turned up to vote back in 2011. It was the lowest of any age group in the country. We’re a couple days away from Election Day as I write this, but I think it’s safe to say we’ve turned things around a bit. Something is resonating with Canadians like never before — and young Canadians too. The volunteer who verified my voters’ information card couldn’t have been more than 18. Behind and in front of me in line were dozens of my high school friends, all waiting for the chance to turn a simple golf pencil into a powerful tool for democracy. I’ll always remember Jack Layton’s dying letter to Canadians and how he addressed the youth population so wisely within. “As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world,” he wrote. “There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes nec-
THE VOICEBOX
essary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.” I think my generation is finally starting to get that. Yes, people bitched and moaned about irregularities in the system, they complained about ink blotches on their ballots, about uninformed staff, about offices closing early. Some even arrived dressed in potato sacks or face masks to protest the whole niqab thing, but they still showed up. They braved the lines, they cast their vote, they did their civic duty. “More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better,” Layton wrote earlier in the letter. His point was simple: no matter who you vote for or which party you want to win, you’re making a positive impact just by being involved. So the next time someone says your vote doesn’t mean jack, tell them they’re wrong. That’s exactly what it means.
What do you think about the candidates who won at the CSU by-elections?
with Carlo Javier
How about you take the horoscope down and bring back humour. It’s a stupid pseudoscience and you guys don’t even try.
What do you think about the voter turnout for the CSU by-elections? Let’s hope it’s not a sign of the voter turn out for the federal elections!
#BLUEJAYS
Student politics need not be about lobbying all the time. And if they’re all aiming for better campus community, what better way to do it than cotton candy?
THE CAPILANO COURIER
But we’ve got a certified mystical fortuneteller writing those!
How about we wait ’til one of them does something remotely political… Like cotton candy Tuesdays or a pancake breakfast once a week.
TWEETS OF THE WEEK
You don’t actually answer our text messages you dick.
I have a limited amount of texts I can send per month. Fido isn’t so generous, ya know?
We’re in the process of contemplating a taco party instead.
The Voicebox is back! If you have any questions, concerns or any other bitchin’ to do, text it over to our boy Carlo at 778865-2649. “Please text me,” he says. “No one else does.”
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VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 07
When are you guys gonna have your pizza party? Don’t you usually host a ‘Meet the Courier’ thing?
NEWS
THERESE GUIEB
EXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR NEWS@CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
GARBAGE GALA
CapU teaches students and staff about waste Christine Beyleveldt CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT
Capilano University’s waste audit is back. On Oct. 20, the audit will be conducted behind the Sportsplex in conjunction with the annual Waste Reduction Week. Every year, the Facilities department, the EarthWorks Committee and students from Environmental Biology, Archaeology and Outdoor Recreation programs go through a full day’s worth of waste collected on campus to showcase the amount of garbage students produce. “Universities produce a tremendous amount of waste due to their large physical footprint,” said Marina Van Driel, sustainability assistant at CapU. “A waste audit is an excellent opportunity to guide the improvement of waste management practices.” New to the event this year is the Garbage Gala: A Trash Tradeshow. The Garbage Gala is meant to involve all organizations on campus. “The aim is to educate the campus community on alternatives to throwing things away,” said Van Driel. The event will educate students on everything from composting to the recycling of used electronics. “We will also be displaying how many water bottles are used in a day on campus – it’ll be a shocker,” added Van Driel. Incorrect sorting by campus consumers means that many recyclables end up joining the University’s waste in the landfill, despite the Facilities department’s best efforts to separate the two. Therefore, students are asked to participate in the event to understand the importance of sorting their
own garbage. What students will be looking for during the waste audit are things that shouldn’t be in the trash, including electronics (commonly known as e-waste), organics, plastics and other containers. Electronic waste is expected to be a major feature of this year’s audit. Also returning is the ‘display case’ ― a massive box showcasing the number of coffee cups incorrectly disposed of every day. “There is a growing concern over space required for landfills and food waste as well as general over consumption, air pollution associated with incinerators and plastic pollution in our marine environments,” said Van Driel. She stressed that it’s important for the student body to be aware of its impact on the environment. As individuals, our waste isn’t problematic per se, but as a campus of 7,500, the effects are noticeable. In 2014, over 370,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste was collected in Vancouver, accord-
ing to the Vancouver Landfill Annual Report. While it’s hard to tell how much of that came directly from CapU, it is estimated that roughly 1,000 pounds of solid waste is sorted during each audit alone. The last time a waste audit was conducted on campus was back in February, where 17 per cent of plastics were found to have been incorrectly disposed of on campus. These incorrect disposals pose a great environmental risk due to the fact that certain plastics, such as grocery bags, can take up to 1,000 years to erode. The disposal of organics is even worse, according to the data gathered by Facilities Department. Forty per cent of waste were organics, including food scraps. When exposed to air and sunlight organic material will produce compost, but when trapped under layers of garbage it rots, producing the extremely potent methane gas. “The fall waste audit of 2012 was an
experience I will never forget, from sorting through my campus’ waste to feeling like I really made a difference,” said Michael Christianson, an Environmental Geography student who took part in the previous audit. “It is very exciting to see the students go through the waste and hear their reactions,” said Susan Doig, CapU’s director of facilities. “They often begin by being grossed out at the amount of waste, the smell and then they begin to get fascinated by what they find.” Through the school’s efforts over the past few years, waste on campus has decreased. “When we first started, our landfill-bound waste consisted of 69 per cent organics,” said Van Driel. “As of our 2014 audit, we had reduced that number to 40 per cent.” The University’s goal is to reduce that number further, to 25 per cent. After the 2014 audit, CapU introduced the Zero Waste stations across campus to aid in this reduction. Though the separation of food scraps from general waste wasn’t mandatory until January 2015, CapU got a head start. “Each year, we slightly expand the size and scope of the audit, as we learn from the previous audit and year of waste management,” said Van Driel. CapU’s October waste audit will take place on Oct. 20 from 8 am to 3 pm outside the Sportsplex. Garbage Gala: A Trash Tradeshow will run from 11:30 until 1pm in the lower cafeteria. Students are encouraged to bring their old electronics for recycling and to use reusable dishes for their campus meals. For more information, visit Capilanou.ca/sustainability.
RECORD LOSS
BC residents’ personal information missing after data breach Kevin Kapenda
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 07
OPINIONS EDITOR
On Sept. 22, the provincial government held a press conference to announce that thousands of British Columbians’ personal information was lost due to a missing portable hard drive. While the details of the incident are still limited amidst the government and privacy commissioner’s ongoing investigations, the only information that was released was that the unencrypted portable hard drive was kept in a storage facility before it went missing. The device contained more than 3.4 million records of personal information collected between 1986 and 2009 that can be linked to specific individuals. While the government insists that they are apologetic for misplacing the information, privacy advocates argue that their remorse is insufficient. They argue that the government did not follow previous recommendations calling for the mandatory encryption of all data on portable
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storage devices that can be easily stolen or lost. Vincent Gogolek, executive director of the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association (FIPA), believes that the breach is very serious because of its historic significance. “Well if it’s not the biggest, it’s one of the biggest,” he said. “It’s pretty large with regard to the number of people affected and the time period as well. The breach spans decades of time and millions of people.” While Gogolek is concerned with the amount of information that was lost as a result of the incident, he is also worried about the type of data that has been set free by the breach. “The government says that approximately 200 students who have been in [foster] care have had really intimate personal information lost,” explained Gogolek. “This includes where they are living, whether it be in-care, independent living, foster or group home status as well as any medical and substance abuse history, specifics of intervention and psychiatric assessments they’ve
had in the past.” One of the major reasons why Gogolek thinks that this historic loss of data could have been averted by the government is because of province’s failure to implement proper safeguarding measures. BC’s privacy commissioner Elizabeth Denham released a report outlining her recommendations for the handling of hard drives and portable storage devices after a similar incident three years ago. “After publishing her report on the [University of Victoria] data breach in 2012, one of [Commissioner Denham’s] key recommendations at the time was that if you are going to be storing any information on any mobile device, be it a laptop or USB key, that it should be encrypted,” noted Gogolek. “This hard drive was created in 2011, and the government heard about the commissioner’s report in 2012, so in the intervening three years, why wasn’t it ever encrypted?” While it was only a single hard drive that went missing last month, Gogolek’s apprehension is not limited to that one
incident because of the large amount of information BC’s government collects from residents. “[FIPA] is of course concerned with what happens with the information the government collects, but [also] how much of it they collect and what is being done with it, since more and more of it is being cross-referenced in their operations,” said Gogolek. Due to this most recent breach, Gogolek is fearful that other information may not be protected either. “What else is out there that is not up to the commissioner’s standards of having information encrypted?” asked Gogolek. “Why is [the government] not doing this, and what other branches aren’t encrypting files either?” For more information about the breach, or to find out whether or not your personal information is at risk, contact the Service BC information line at 1-800-663-7867, or 604-660-2421.
NEWS
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MILLIONS SPENT BY UNION TO OPERATE ON CAMPUS CSU board of directors meeting offer updates on developments at CapU Therese Guieb EXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR
On Oct. 9, the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) conducted its Board of Directors meeting. The meeting agenda included: a general education curriculum discussion, updates on the CSU Finance Committee, voting of candidates on the CSU Appeals Committee for the fall 2015 by-election, the approval of new clubs and the setting of budgets for the Queer Collective. CSU Global and Community Studies representatives Sabrina Ouellette and Kyle LeGrow both gave their regrets for not attending the meeting. Jocelyn Hallman, a librarian at Capilano University, and Mary Giovannetti, instructor and convenor of the International Business program at CapU, presented to the Board the institution’s plan for developing a general education curriculum for launch in Sept. 2017. CapU is looking to conduct
a collaborative, faculty-led consultation process to design a new general education curriculum plan. Hillman and Giovannetti attended the meeting to discuss with the CSU ways in which they could get the word out on campus about the redesign. Hallman and Giovannetti emphasized that they would like to create a committee for the redesign and students are welcome to apply to become a part of the committee. There will be public forums next semester to get input from students about their preferences when it comes to choosing their electives, which fall under the general education curriculum. The CSU Finance Committee, led by Zach Renwick, CSU vice-president of Internal Development, reported that the CSU has appointed new auditors to audit the Union’s expenses and operational budget. The Vancouver-based accounting firm Tompkins, Wozny, Miller & Co. was appointed for the fiscal year of 2016/2017. According to Renwick, since the University Act
states that the collection of student fees is to happen annually, auditors are required to verify the budget spending of the Union. He reported that last school year, the biggest expenditure that the Union had was the renovation of the CSU Maple Lounge. The CSU financial statements as of May 2015 stated that $2,005,618 was the total money spent by the Union, and there was an excess of $170,000 in revenue. The Board approved an increase in the management expenses of the CSU budget line item from $1,900 to $2,400 and Christopher Girodat, general manager of the CSU, was delegated authority of the management expenses budget line item. During the meeting, the candidates for the CSU Appeals Committee for the fall 2015 by-elections were nominated. Voting was conducted by secret ballot and three candidates were elected to the committee. They included CapU students Imroz Ali, Teresa Grant and Evan Puri. According to the CSU website, the Appeals
Committee is responsible for determining the result of any appeals from the chief returning officer to resolve a complaint submitted by a candidate in the CSU elections or by-elections. Four new clubs were approved by the Board and are now in operation on campus. The clubs are the Slack Line Club, the Trail Runners Club, the IDEA Library Club, the Capilano Conservative Alliance Club and the Capilano Gaming Club. The Queer Collective, led by Jon Kinsley, was approved a budget of $1,769 from the University Relations and Services budget line item in order to renovate the new Queer Resource Centre. The money will be used to purchase a couch, two bean bag chairs and the installation of wall hangings. For more information on the CSU Board of Directors meeting agenda, visit Csu. bc.ca. The next meeting will be on Oct. 29 from 12 pm to 3 pm in BR 166.
CSU BY-ELECTIONS RESULTS
New student body leaders elected for 2015 to 2016 academic year Carlo Javier EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLE EDITOR
The Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) byelections results sparked a positive outlook on the direction in which the campus community is heading. Though the vote turnout remains relatively low in regards to the entire Capilano University student population, it still marked an increase from previous by-elections.
FACULTY OF ARTS & SCIENCES FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE JAZICA CHAN 39
REBECCA WATSON 28
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“I was freaking psyched,” said Taylor Wilson, CSU vice president of external relations. “We had one of our faculty reps get 90 votes, which is unheard of. Usually the most you’ll get is like 40, so that’s amazing that she was able to do that.” A single voting booth was set up at the CSU Library Lounge from Oct. 13 to 15 and
Wilson believes that the electoral process could be moving towards expansion. Extending voting times and having multiple voting booths are among the possible changes in future elections. Another potential addition is the inclusion of online voting. Overall, Wilson estimates about 400 students participated in the by-elections.
FACULTY OF BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL STUDIES REPRESENTATIVE MICHELLE GERVAIS 90
SHELDON SLONSKI 19
NICHOLAS MARTINEZ CATCHPOLE 15
BLANK 20
FACULTY OF FINE AND APPLIED ARTS REPRESENTATIVE MELISSA PLISIC 47
OLIVIA WACHTER 12
BLANK 0
SARAH ANNE VILLENEUVE
YES 2
ALORA WALLACE
YES 15
NO 0
BLANK 0
ACCESSIBILITY JUSTICE COORDINATOR NO 0
JULLIAN KOLSTEE
YES 162
NO 20
THE CAPILANO COURIER
SUNSHINE COAST CAMPUS REPRESENTATIVE
SQUAMISH CAMPUS REPRESENTATIVE
BLANK 131
BLANK 0
FIRST NATIONS STUDENTS’ LIAISON GERONIMO ALEC 88
AMANDA VICK 70
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ LIAISON ISAIAH GILSON 18
ERICK ROJAS 100
HANK CHAN 93
BLANK 121
STUDENTS OF COLOUR LIAISON HAROLD WILLIAMS 100
RAMNEET KANG 79
WOMEN STUDENTS’ LIAISON BLANK 135
STEPHANIE HAHLEN 95
ALYSA HUPPLER-POLIAK 91
NOOR NANDHA 40
BLANK 85
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CAP YOU
CARLO JAVIER
EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLE EDITOR CARLO.CAPCOURIER@GMAIL.COM
WHO YOU: MASA TAKEI
Talking to CapU’s part-time teacher, full-time adventurer Christine Beyleveldt CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 07
Unless you’re studying Communications or you intend to pursue writing as a career, you probably haven’t met Masa Takei, freelance magazine and screenwriter, travel enthusiast — oh, and Capilano University instructor. Takei is a bit of a lone ranger, who only recently joined CapU in the fall of 2014. As a part-time instructor for the School of Communications, he teaches Article Writing and Advanced Business Writing. Previously, he studied Economics at UBC, and later Business Administration at McGill and held a varied career writing for different publications across the country. Along the way, he’s written for National Geographic, The Walrus, Western Living and the Globe and Mail, before settling down temporarily on the North Shore and at CapU. “I wrote my first published piece when I was still living in Japan in the mid-90s,” said Takei. Early on, Takei took a keen interest in profiling, which is what he aims to teach in his classes: Article Writing and Business Writing. “The one thing I want to convey is to seek to understand your subject,” he said. “[I’m] asking people who don’t necessarily even want to write to write, and you know it’s hard enough to do it as it is when you want to do it.” While Takei certainly knows what he’s doing with regards to his own writing, figuring out how to teach it is an ongoing process. “I don’t know which is better, to sort of put a gun to their head and say ‘you’re going to write it and you’re going to do a good job of it’, or understand that it’s a hard thing and not necessarily everyone wants to pursue it.” As a professor, Takei admits that at times, he does wonder what students think of him when they walk into his classes, “I am curious but not that curious,” he chuckled. “Probably like, ‘this dude needs a haircut.’” Though he has only been at CapU for a year, he’s already come to appreciate the atmosphere on campus. “It feels like a more friendly, personal sort of dynamic between instructors and students,” he remarked. “I went to UBC for my undergrad and then
— JEFF TOPHAM McGill… So you kind of get the sense that you’re – to use a cliché – just a number.” Takei doesn’t occupy a nine-to-five office job – he prefers to go where the wind takes him. When the mood struck to head off to the remote shores of Haida Gwaii in 2011, off he went. “I’m an urban guy,” remarked Takei, “I’d never built anything, and I’d always wanted to build a cabin, so that was my idea – to move up to Haida Gwaii and build a cabin on the beach with a hammer and a chainsaw.” Luckily, a producer from his days at the Globe and Mail picked up on his idea, and the project MasaOffGrid was born. “I ended up being there for two and a half years,” said Takei.
“The first year I didn’t [even] leave the island.” All the while logging video diaries of his exploits, his footage was fashioned into a TV series aired on RadX, which was later nominated by the Canadian Screen Awards for Best Original Program or Series produced for Digital Media. Takei is the kind of guy who never seems to have a dull moment in his life. “Growing up I did everything from podcasts and lumber to tree planting and a motorcycle career,” he admitted. “I like the variety.” These days, you’ll find Takei writing about surf cabins for Cottage Life magazine and teaming up with National Geographic once again for a piece about the Mealy Moun-
tains National Park Reserve in Labrador. The soundtrack for his many pursuits has primarily been American alternative rock bands like The Pixies and Morphine. “You know what, it’s funny — I’ve been stuck in a musical rut for like the last 20 years,” he said.
LET’S TALK ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULT CSU eases into sensitive topic for campus to discuss Carlo Javier EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLE EDITOR
On Tuesday, Oct. 20, the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) will host its Sexual Assault Awareness Week preview event in preparation for a planned full week dedicated to increasing campus-wide understanding of the crime. According to fourth year business student Gillian Dent, the preview event is meant to gather data and elicit reaction from members of the campus community.
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The event also aims to gain a better understanding of what the Capilano University community would like to see in terms of resources in regards to sexual assault. “As a team, we want people to feel that their voices are heard and that we are not just putting information out there assuming that we know what they want,” said Dent. “To achieve this goal, we will be providing feedback forms that will remain completely anonymous.” The preview event will feature two guest speakers from the community who will moderate a discussion on sexual assault – honing in on the processes of legal
procedures and self-care. Organizers were unable to confirm their attendance before press deadline. Lunch and refreshments will be offered during the event. One of the main reasons as to why the CSU elected to host a preview event before launching a full week of raising awareness is due to the sensitivity of the topic. “In a world where social media is an extremely influential tool, the sensitivity surrounding this topic may be brushed under the rug and simply may not be talked about at the emotional depth that it deserves,” Dent said. “Our team is aware that this is
a sensitive topic and monitoring the campus' reaction is necessary as it will give us the direction we need in order to effectively springboard into the main event taking place in the spring.” A date for that event has yet to be determined. The CSU’s Sexual Assault Awareness Preview Event will be held in the CSU Library Lounge on Oct. 20, from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm.
OPINIONS
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CUT THE CHEESE
TPP hardly a doomsday agreement for farmers and Canadians Kevin Kapenda OPINIONS EDITOR
The Harper government just signed another free-trade agreement and the usual suspects are pissed once again. Groups representing struggling industries, unions and the NDP, who are usually unhappy about free trade anyways, are even angrier that the deal has been negotiated during an election campaign. Canada has been at the TPP table for the last couple years, so abandoning it now during its peak would be just plain silly, even if Harper isn’t prime minister anymore by the end of this year. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), like any trade deal, isn’t perfect for every special interest and stakeholder group in Canada. But this agreement, as most see it, will do two things well, which is to open Canada up to more foreign products, making life more affordable for consumers, and easing tariffs on our dairy so our farmers can sell elsewhere
too. Unfortunately, as many Canadians become increasingly distrustful of international trade agreements, it may be misinformation that defeats the government in the battle of popular opinion this time. The doomsday TPP, depending on how you see it, would mean slightly more competition for overly protected industries, like dairy, that don’t want to see alien cheese and kefir in Canada. Canada has a serious problem with dairy affordability. Not only are milk-based products more expensive up here than in the US and other TPP countries, but farmers and producers are heavily isolated from outside competition, which has led to the industry being called a “dairy cartel” by many free enterprise voices like the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and the Fraser Institute. Because the benefits of opening up Canadian grocery shelves to foreign milk products could potentially guarantee cheaper prices down the road for consumers, there is no reason why voters should be mooing feverishly at the deal.
After all, just under 87 per cent of dairy products sold in Canada will remain locally sourced and protected by production after opening the industry up to 3.25 per cent more imports. Not only have farmers been spared a much larger widening of the import quota, they’ve also been given $4.3 billion over the next 15 years to cope with this so-called massive shock. The federal government payout, which has become controversial in its own right, has been deemed as questionable by business insiders who believe it is too costly for an industry that is barely opening up its processing plants to outside milk. Former business minded Liberal MP called the subsidy “an extraordinarily high price for Canadian taxpayers to pay for opening a mere 3.25 per cent of the market." Where most of the uncertainty around this deal may lie is not with its very minor effect on domestic farmers, but on the potentially sales-boosting impact it could have on Canadian dairy exports. Canada is a coun-
try with a good farming reputation internationally, and while most dairy is currently produced for consumption between our coasts, this deal could be game-changing for artisanal cheese makers looking to establish a footing across the Pacific Region states. If Quebec cheese curds can start popping up in Australian and American poutines, signing the TPP may be a Conservative Party gamble that allows them to toot their own horns for many years to come. Deals like the TPP take very long to negotiate and even longer to produce results. However, this is far from a kind of deal that would greatly jeopardize consumers’ or famers’ respective interests in the long run. If you are concerned about hormones in Australian or American milk, then Harper — or Trudeau for that matter — will not prevent you from buying $10 organic one per cent milk or yogurt. But if you are like most Canadians, in which saving a quarter or dime here and there makes a difference, then this might be the free trade agreement for you.
PARTING WAYS
Vancouver to remove Georgia and Dunsmuir street viaducts Keara Farnan CONTRIBUTOR
the structure they make not be beneficial as the foundation of the bridge was built using certain equipment that today may not be accessible through manufacturers. Removing the viaduct should not be such a big deal to Strathcona residents, or those who live around Prior Street, because all areas of Vancouver encounter a heavy flow of traffic at one point or another. Traffic flow is not something should be stopped just to please certain people. Residents of the Strathcona area will have to develop a tolerance for increased traffic rates if the viaduct is to be demolished after all. In a recent interview for CBC News, Strathcona resident Elana Zysbla said, “If the result is we have to continue hosting this highway through our neighbourhood we can’t support it; we won’t.” While Zysbalt’s concerns are valid, she along with other Strathcona natives have no control over the City’s proposed plan to removed the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaduct. Vancouver has changed drastically since the early 70’s when the viaduct was first built — the populate rate goes up yearby-year, which means the traffic rate can also increase rapidly as well. Demolishing and relocating the viaduct will be a beneficial decision for Vancouver. It
will not only help reconnect the West End with areas such as Mount Pleasant and Strathcona, but provide a space alternative through roads. The construction alternate routes may also help bring attention to BC Place and Rogers Arena. With the removal of the viaduct, residents of Vancouver will no longer have to worry about being late to another Canucks or Whitecaps game due to traffic. Getting home from the game will also by less tiresome due to more than one through road. “One hundred per cent of the traffic can be accommodated by the new road system that’s being proposed,” said city planner Brian Jackson told CBC News on July 28. According to Vancourier.com, it would cost upwards of $65 million just to bring the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaduct up to basic seismic standards. With further yearly maintenance costs rising on top of that, the viaduct could be very expensive for the City of Vancouver since the structure of the foundation is very worn and dated. Why put yourselves through the pain of having to pay a nickel and a dime for yearly repair fees on a viaduct when it costs less to build a new one?
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up extra space, which could be used for more road lines or parking lots. With new lanes set into place the amount of traffic will decrease substantially and the viaduct will no longer be the main source of transportation from one neighbourhood to another. The concerns of individuals who oppose to the removal of the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaduct should not be a breaking force in the City’s decision to rebuild and relocate the viaduct. Vancouver is home to a very large population, some of whom have not lived here for a long time and therefore do not have knowledge of how the viaduct has been affecting society for years. Although individuals are concerned the relocation of the viaduct may only further increase traffic into neighbouring areas, this remodel will in fact provide improved access to Strathcona and various neighbourhoods. The viaduct has been around since 1972 so it may not be as sturdy as it used to be, which could cause further danger for drivers who encounter heavy traffic jams. The cost of maintaining an older bridge may be expensive as manufacturers may not be selling, or producing the same nuts, bolts and screws, which were used on the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaduct. If new screws are added to
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In a Vancouver Sun article on Tuesday, Oct. 6, it was reported that the City of Vancouver has unveiled a $200 million proposal to remove the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts. Although it’s touted as an improvement by some, this major project may result in a further increase of traffic amongst the streets of Vancouver, especially for those who travel to and from the viaduct daily. “We are confident in concluding that the new system will be better,” said Jerry Dorbrovolny, the City’s manager of engineering. “We anticipate that there [will] be offsetting revenues that would be fully covering these costs,” he added. A post on the City’s website, Vancouver. ca, states that the foundation of these concrete ramps resonates from the 1970s and was never fully developed. Removing the viaduct altogether and building a new model on Pacific Boulevard and Georgia Street may be a risky move cost-wise. However, according to studies reported by Vancouver.ca, the reconstruction of a new viaduct will help reduce traffic by encouraging various alternative forms of transportation like walking, transit or cycling. With less traffic and more transportation options, residents of Vancouver will have the opportunity to access areas of Vancouver, which may have been inaccessible via the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaduct. The removal of the viaduct will not only reduce the speed of traffic, but the amount of clutter around Rogers Arena, BC Place and nearby neighbourhoods. Relocating the viaduct will open
OPINIONS
KEVIN KAPENDA
OPINIONS EDITOR OPINIONS.CAPCOURIER@GMAIL.COM
POLITICAL POLICING
Should cops be able to choose not to enforce unpopular laws? James Martin CONTRIBUTOR
It’s nearly impossible to walk around in the city of Vancouver without spotting a glaringly obvious legal discrepancy. Dispensaries openly advertising marijuana with bright neon signs can be found all throughout the city, despite the fact that they are illegal. For many years the Vancouver City Council and the Vancouver Police Department have actively chosen to ignore enforcement of the federal laws that prohibit such stores. Even for those who are staunchly pro-weed, this blatant and open rejection of Canadian law by law enforcement officers should be frowned upon rather than blindly accepted. A police force that refuses to uphold the law is acting in contravention to democratic principles. Laws are created by our elected officials with a mandate from the public, and it should not be up to an unelected police force to rewrite or reinterpret them. If a law is unpopular, the proper course of action is for the public to petition their elected representatives for change or to vote in new
representatives. If a law is unconstitutional or being misapplied, it’s up to the courts to make a ruling. Sometimes a valid law gets passed that many people might disagree with, but living in a democracy means living with a compromise and possibly not getting your way all the time. Civil disobedience by private citizens in opposition to an unpopular law is one thing, but the police should not politicize their duty by choosing which laws they will and will not enforce. To be clear, I don’t expect that any police should enforce the very letter of the law for every single small legal infraction that takes place in their jurisdiction. Policing should be about balancing the spirit of the law with a focus on public safety and community building, and not about handing out tickets to every single person they see jaywalking. A police department should be expected to set enforcement priorities, and officers on the street should be allowed to exercise their best judgement and discretion. If marijuana
or bike helmet enforcement is not considered as important as violent crime or drunk driving, that’s understandable. However, when it becomes clear that a law is being absolutely ignored by the police rather than just deprioritized, it raises a number of concerns. A police force that is perceived to be completely turning a blind eye to certain laws does itself a disservice by eroding public respect for both the law itself and their authority to enforce it, even if the law in question is generally unloved. Although the frequently ignored offences are usually relatively harmless, it is discomforting to know that the police can and do effectively rewrite the law as it applies to us to fit their preferred model of how things ought to be. Additionally, the de facto legalization of technically illegal activities risks confusing the public and getting innocent people trapped in the middle. If a law is frequently and openly going unenforced by the police, it’s not hard to imagine how an otherwise law-abiding citizen might come to
break that law. Suddenly, this otherwise lawabiding citizen is in a situation where they could be charged with a crime by the very police force who led them to believe that is was okay to defy that law in the first place. Laws that no longer have a place in our society should be rescinded or amended, not ignored. Usually it wouldn’t be easy to tell whether an offence was being disregarded or just considered low-priority by a police force, but the case is pretty clear-cut when it comes to Vancouver’s dozens of very visible marijuana dispensaries and compassion clubs. With Vancouver City Council’s recent announcement that they will start regulating and licensing these illegal operations throughout the city, it’s obvious that an understanding has been reached the VPD won’t be shutting these places down any time soon. Many signs may point to a near future in which marijuana has been legalized, but until that happens it’s not Vancouver’s place to go over the federal government’s head on the issue.
WHAT’S THE PEEPS?
New human-rating app may cause body shaming Keara Farnan
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 07
CONTRIBUTOR
With the impending release of the humanrating app, Peeple, developed by Calgary native Julia Corday, there has been increased controversy throughout the online world. The freedom to rate practically anything, especially other people, will give individuals the opportunity to belittle one another through body-shamming comments pertaining to their appearance and personality. Within our society the rate of cyber-bullying tends to increase per year, especially among elementary and secondary students. Providing individuals with the freedom to say whatever they want to whomever they choose is only going to breed a culture of insecure, arrogant and immature people getting their kicks from bullying and harassing others in relative anonymity. Rather than promoting a human-based app to threaten and judge others, Corday should have developed an app meant for socializing and sharing experiences. It is clear that the freedom of speech can be taken advantage of by Internet users, especially those who do not have anything nice to say. The stupidity of this app should be put to an end, as no one deserves to be taunted or made fun of. Even Corday herself has experienced hurtful online comments, as reported by CBC News. “Death threats and extremely insulting comments [have] [been] aimed at me, my investors, and my family on almost every social media tool possible,” she said in
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a LinkedIn post. “I wish I could say [this app] was for something positive, but it wasn’t.” It’s no surprise that Corday and her app have faced significant backlash from the public, although she herself seems to be perplexed by that. Clearly, she does not understand the impact that Peeple has had on the world. Although it may be useful to have the opportunity to rate others on a personal or romantic level, individuals who are deemed unattractive, or “undateable” for example, may begin to be taunted by these hurtful comments, resulting in depression — or worse. It is evident that online mockery is more insulting than face-to-face harassment, especially for those who do not know each other. To make matters worse, sometimes these online comments are made public to other account users, who may have an opinion of their own to share. Once someone starts taunting another person online, he or she begins to empower others to do the same, regardless of whether or not they are trying to intentionally hurt someone. Online bullying seems to be more common than in-person bullying these days, probably because the bully is able to hide behind his or her computer screen and not face the consequences of their actions. When we post hateful comments online, we tend to forget how the words we use will affect one another, or if they are kind to say in the first place. “There seems to be some fear and I have
— TIERNEY MILNE a lot of empathy for that. With any new idea or concept, there’s naturally misunderstandings, there’s naturally fear, there’s naturally a bit of resistance,” Corday added in the CBC article. Corday’s comments appear to be selfcontradictory based on her actions. Even though she claims to understand what Peeple users may be experiencing, it is clear that she has no idea of what is really happening beneath the surface. Individuals are experiencing harassment daily on her app — there have been various complaints about online bullying and several articles
published online discussing the dangers of Peeple. However, Corday does not seem to be listening to the voice of app users. Instead of shutting down the project altogether, she plans to re-release it later on in October.
FEATURES
GABRIEL SCORGIE FEATURES EDITOR SPECIALFEATURES.CAPCOURIER@GMAIL.COM
ME FIRST
Why Canada is no longer America’s collectivist cousin Kevin Kapenda OPINIONS EDITOR
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— CRISTIAN FOWLIE
indifference to those whom may be negatively impacted by such choices. “When we commodify things like water for example, were basically sending a message to society that eventually when we run out of resources, only some people will be able to afford water,” said Smith. In her opinion, the only way for Canadians to move away from individualism is to acknowledge the indifference and competing interests that exist between them. If people can settle their differences, and set out to find solutions that benefit us all, Canada can be a country where everyone thrives. “We need to get people to work together within the system, because there are some people in Canada who are on the inside, and on the outside,” said Smith in regard to income inequality. “Different stakeholders will say different things and have different complaints or struggles. We need to have our boundaries with difference, but ensure it doesn’t lead to greater indifference between [Canadians].” When turning on the TV, it is not difficult to see the prevalence and pervasiveness of self-interest in Canada. Much of this year’s election coverage and partisan advertisement has focused on what each of the main leaders will do for very specific groups of Canadians, individualizing us as demographics instead of a collective body of people. Some groups of course, such as seniors, parents and rich Asian communities, have become more important to the parties than more marginalized ones like First Nations, and students. The individualization of Canadian politics has led to more questioning from voters about “What will you do for me?" versus “What is your plan for Canada as a whole?” Evidently, there are policies that may only be demographic-specific like post-secondary education spending or national childcare policy. However, for the most part, it seems that Canada is increasingly becoming a country in which the “us versus them” mentality is no longer exclusive to matters of great importance like sovereignty referendums, but all to present in issues related to taxation on the rich, a national health care policy, free trade agreements, energy policy and religious headwear and garbs. After all, there is no “we” in individual freedom.
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Canada is often described as a collectivist country in nature by observers from countries like the United States, Switzerland and Australia, who tend to be more individualistic. The power of unions in Canada, universal health care and equalization between provinces are just some examples as to why our neighbours to the south tend to view us as collectivists, rather than individualists. But in recent decades, openness towards the privatization of government services, as well as the rise of consumerism and widespread disdain for taxation, have led to the development of a different type of Canada — a Canada that is increasingly divided and self-concerned. Reasons for this shift have been outlined in many recent best sellers including The Big Shift and Shopping for Votes, by veteran journalists John Ibbitson and Susan Delacourt respectively. While the rise of individualism in Canada can be linked to more common trends like consumer culture, it has also creeped into our political discourse as well. The danger of individualism in Canada lies not with its promise, but who it leaves behind, most notably those who can’t keep up with the so-called Joneses. More individualism in Canada has also led to less unanimity on issues like universal nonprivatized health care, climate change and reconciliation with Indigenous populations. Calvin De Groot is a fourth year communications student who is very involved in social causes related to all sorts of issues, from environmental protection to democratic reform and surveillance privacy. While De Groot is proud of Canada’s history of centrist collectivism, he argues that Canada took a large turn towards neoliberal policies over the past two decades, which has led to the individualized economic, social and political culture we have today. “We can point back to the Reaganism and Thatcherism of the 1980s, which has had an impact on Canada,” said De Groot. “The dominant Liberal governments under Jean Chrétien definitely embraced neo-liberalism, and since the Conservatives came to power 10 years ago, you saw the claw-back of socialist policies increase exponentially.”
De Groot believes that Canadians must become much more engaged with their culture and political process to restore our communitarian focus to government, because at the moment, they’re increasingly tuning out. “People feel that their elected officials aren’t representing the interests of society, so they result to a sort of individualistic cynicism. ‘Since the government isn’t looking out for our best interests, I’ve got to focus on number one,’” explained De Groot. He also pointed to examples across the pond where politicians and voters are very much connected because their policies have usually been collectivist in nature for the last couple decades. “When I look at socialist countries like Norway and Sweden, people really revere politicians in socialist countries and do not see them as crooks or criminals because of their long histories of governing for the people and unifying everybody,” said De Groot. Since Canadian children are already being taught the values of self-interest and competition at young age, De Groot believes civic engagement must begin early on in their lives, so they understand the value of collectivism and public services. “The earlier kids are taught about civic engagement and citizenship, the more engaged electorate we will have,” he said. Taylor Smith, who is the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) Social Justice coordinator, feels that the strong presence of individualism in Canada is no accident, because politics in our country is not always being conducted with the interests of all who are affected by it. “People who are not interested in sharing wealth in Canada are those who are pushing individualism in our society. It is no accident why we have people who are very well off and very poor across the country,” argued Smith. “The people who control resources in Canada do not want to distribute them equally, so they push for policies like having low corporate and income taxes.” Smith, who is also a Political Studies student and freelance journalist, is passionate about issues related to homelessness, social inequity and missing and murdered indigenous women. For Smith, decisions about how our resources get used by those who control them are just examples of decisions that are made out of self-interest and
FEATURES NEWS
FROM MONITORS T HOW GAMING BECAME A SPECTATOR SPORT Carlo Javier EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLE EDITOR
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VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 07
Todd Lyons’ worst enemy wasn’t any of the other gamers trying to shoot him. In fact, he wasn’t really bothered by them. At one point, he was considered the best CounterStrike player in BC, if not all of Western Canada. Lyons was there for the late 90’s wave of First-Person Shooter games (FPS), competing in games such as Quake, Unreal Tournament and the FPS that many consider to be the pioneer in multiplayer and competitive gaming, Counter-Strike. He was there when competitive gaming was done almost exclusively through Local Area Networks (LAN) and he was there at the very genesis of organized gaming competitions in Vancouver after he co-founded LANcouver – the first competitive gaming tournament in the city. By all accounts, Lyons would easily pass as a professional gamer. He’s mastered his genre of choice and even found some success in the realm of fighting games, particularly with Tekken. Throughout the years, he’s remained passionate, dedicated and active in the gaming scene, but at the time when he had the claim as one of the best, his mastery of the keys just wasn’t enough to shoot down a certain adversary – time. None of the glitz and glamour that come with eSports existed a decade ago. People would scoff at the idea of a “professional gamer.” Tournaments and LAN parties back then were often strictly for building camaraderie and the occasional prize. Gamers got to travel a bit, but there were no such things as fans and sponsors, there were no teams and the idea of showcasing people playing video games in front of an audience was unthinkable. “This was a hobby. Prizes were often computer parts worth a few hundred dollars at most, if you won a tournament. So I considered it a win if I won enough tournaments to pay for my trip. Even for the best of us a decade ago, it was a passion — never a career,” Lyons said.
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EVERY GAME HAS AN ORIGIN STORY frastructure strategy (KII), which was inPacked crowds, millions of dollars in prize money and the movie theatre showcases of eSports might come as a surprise to those who aren’t as involved with gaming in general. Some might even think that it’s ludicrous to broadcast people play video games in front of an audience, but there is one place on Earth where eSports is just as common a spectator event as any other sport: South Korea.
The dawn and dominance of eSports in South Korea didn’t happen organically. The country underwent a comprehensive modernization phase throughout the 80s and the 90s. This evolution resulted in the computerization of schools and the augmentation of nationwide network accessibility. Kym Stewart is a professor of Communications at Capilano University. Part of her research and studies involved living in South Korea from 1996 to 1997 and again in 2001, where she closely followed the birth and the growth of the country’s computer gaming culture. In her Masters thesis, Information of a Nation: A Case Study of South Korea’s Computer Gaming and PCBang Culture, Stewart wrote that in 1996 the Korean government presented a threephase plan dedicated to further pushing the country forward in terms of technological advancement, economy and livelihood. The plan’s first phase openly stated that the government would prioritize increasing the accessibility of computers to the public, continuing the betterment of the nation’s educational information structure and further sending aid in providing network accessibility in rural areas among others. The government’s dedication to the country’s computerization didn’t waver even after the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. The Korean Information In-
troduced in 1993, would receive an upgrade, allowing the country to continue developing its e-Government, e-Business and e-Commerce sectors, as well as its Information and Technology industry. Beyond its contribution to the advancement of the country’s IT industry, Stewart’s research also showed that the South Korean government willingly played a role in further boosting the country’s gaming scene. The dedication to the gaming market even led to the founding of new infrastructures that were meant to help further develop the gaming industry. The Korea Game Development and Promotion Institute (KDGI) was set up with the sole purpose securing the country’s gaming software and hardware as leading exports. Part of South Korea’s improvement in Internet access and networking also resulted in the rise of “PC-Bangs.” Much of the country’s entertainment industry is driven by the presence of “Bangs.” These are essentially rooms that are dedicated to certain activities. There are places such as Manhwa-Bang (comic-reading room), NoreBang (singing room) and the most popular, PC-Bang (Internet cafes). “The PC-Bang can be characterized as a computer-rich environment complete with numerous amenities including coffee vending machines, cigarettes and a variety of food times. Much of its appeal may have been the fact that it provided high-speed Internet access at a very low price and was easy to locate within cities and towns throughout Korea,” Stewart wrote. Though PC-Bangs were important in generating the gamer culture in South Korea, the World Cyber Games (WCG), held in Seoul in 2001 would wind up playing a pivotal role in type of eSports spectacle that’s commonly seen today. “I attended the First World Cyber Games in Seoul in Dec 2001,” began Stewart. “I emailed and explained I was a Canadian researcher investigating the Korean gaming environment, and much to my surprise, they gave me a press pass which meant total access to the gaming site and even the Game Developer Conference. It was amazing to compare the home media environment I had been studying in Canada with this rapidly growing gaming industry in Korea. “I ended up spending three days there interviewing gamers from around the world as well as game developers from Canada
and the US,” she added. Four hundred twenty-seven competitors from around the world congregated in COEX Convention & Exhibition Center, playing for approximately $245,000 in prize money. Though it was the biggest, the WCG wasn’t the only gaming tournament happening in South Korea at the time, “Throughout the year there were smaller competitions each weekend, particularly in Seoul,” said Stewart, “And when I was there – 2001/2002 – there were three computer gaming leagues and 50 different teams and a few TV stations dedicated to gaming. And this was in 2001! I know that Youtube gaming is very hot now, but this was quite the industry back in the early 2000s in Korea.”
REACHING THE BIG LEAGUES These days, reaching the top of a certain video game’s regional leaderboard is a big deal, and being among the best is no easy task. “There’s significantly more competition now, and I likely would not claim that title were I still competitive — at the very least, not across the entire genre simultaneously,” Lyons said, hypothesizing how he might do in today’s gaming scene. Steam is the largest online distribution platform in the world. It provides an online marketplace, a social networking space and the hub for multiplayer for games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), Left 4 Dead and the uber-popular, Defense of the Ancients 2 (DOTA2). As of September 2015, there are 125 million active users gaming through the platform that Steam provides. Since the release of CS:GO in 2012, tournaments hosted by the game’s developer, Valve Corporation and by other third-party organizations have given out a cumulative total of about $7.4 million in prize money, a number that’s only further emphasized by the fact that this growth happened within a span of three years. On the other hand, DOTA2’s annual competition, The International, set a record in its 2015 tourney prize
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TO BIG SCREENS community surrounding the competitive scene and what it had to offer as well as topping a regional qualifier in my last year of competing,” he said. After his stint in trading card game competitions, Leonardo made quick work in rising up the ranks with competitive video games. He qualified in WCS Canada in 2012, held in Toronto, and took home first place in GottaCon 2014, Victoria’s Gaming Convention. However, Leonardo fell short of consecutive top finishes in GottaCon after he came in second in this year’s competition, citing his poor preparation and mentality during the finals. “Overall there wasn't much ‘heat' between someone and I in my experiences — it was just overcoming the expectations of everyone and myself that were difficult,” he said. Developers themselves are helping fuel the growth of eSports. Valve Corporation, Riot and Blizzard are just a few of the bigname developers that openly market their games towards competitive gamers. The current eSports landscape is dominated by Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games. This genre includes titles such as League of Legends (LoL) and DOTA2. Real Time Strategy (RTS) games such as Starcraft II and FPS games like CS:GO and Call of Duty are also prominently featured in gaming tournaments. Fighting games like Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and Super Smash Bros also have dedicated communities around them. “The developers of MOBA games are very intentionally developing their games as professional sports. Hosting tournaments and creating prizes as a cost of doing business,” Lyons explained. “Becoming a sport is a part of the business model for MOBAs currently, but not a priority
GAMING IN VANCOUVER One of Vancouver’s flagship hubs for gaming is EXP Restaurant + Bar. The licensed establishment, located on Pender Street, normally hosts gaming events for both casual and competitive players. One of the bar’s most frequented tourneys is its Super Smash Bros night. Derek Johnson, under the tag, “The Wiz,” has been competitively playing Super Smash Bros for four years, with his first tournament being the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle. “It felt really casual at first. Everyone was there to have a good time nobody was angry, nobody was there to fight me out or anything, but once you actually pick up the controller and face the other person and you know that if you lose then you don’t proceed any further, that’s when your heart really starts to go up and you feel the pressure,” he said. The same casual atmosphere is almost similar to game nights at EXP. Tournaments don’t usually start immediately as participants tend to take their time to set up their gaming systems. Players also take part in a few casual matches before the real games begin. They are then grouped into six or seven pools, which become their own little community, while one big screen displays the ongoing battle. “The whole restaurant is usually filled up. I think they’ve had 120 people there before — it was crazy,” Johnson said. The tournaments at EXP represent some of Vancouver’s more laid-back gaming communities. On the other hand, Burnaby’s Vancouver Street Battle (VSB) stands as one of the more competitive gatherings. The VSB marks a stark contrast in atmosphere to EXP’s tournaments. Here there is no restaurant and the crowd often shies away from being boisterous. Audiences at the VSB tend to be quiet, focused and analytical. For Lyons, though Vancouver already features some notable bars that host game nights, it’s still lacking in certain ingredients – specifically the same factors that led to the rise of eSports in South Korea. “What we really need is a better gaming café scene and more gaming conventions,” he stated. Like with other businesses, gaming
— MEGAN COLLINSON
cafes would undoubtedly find obstacles with the city’s gruesome real estate costs. Lyons and his team organized LANcouver 2014 at the Richmond Olympic Oval and despite drawing hundreds of gamers from all over Western North America, as well as corporate sponsorship, the organizers still suffered financial losses, simply because of the cost of renting the space. Lyons believes that Vancouver truly has the potential to be the gaming capital of North America. It’s an accessible city with strong ties to both the Asian and North American gaming community, but things like these don’t develop on their own. Despite being widely accepted as the gaming capital of the world, South Korea didn’t do it overnight. It took governmental efforts and an avid community to build the country’s legendary gaming culture. Isn’t that how video games are meant to be played anyways? Equal parts persistence and repetition through trial and error, a few gear upgrades here and there and a healthy dose of teamwork.
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amongst the developers of other competitive game genres yet.” Lyons believes that in due time, future releases of FPS games such as CS:GO will start to follow the MOBA busi-
ness model. That means the possibility of releasing the game for free, but generating revenue through in-game purchases and then using this money to host and sponsor competitive tournaments.
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pool, by giving away a total of $18 million throughout a weeklong tournament – a little over $6 million went to the winning team. Though video games are still common mainstays in living rooms and households, an eSports subculture is rapidly rising into its own, pitting professional gamers against one another, sometimes even professional gaming teams. eSports events are now packing stadiums with throngs of fans and video game aficionados, securing lucrative sponsorship deals and giving away millions and millions of dollars in prize money. Even Cineplex has invested $15 million in order to show tournaments in its theatres. According to Lyons, today’s competitive players aren’t only winning prize money and receiving sponsorship deals, they also have “salaries, houses, coaches, travel expense accounts and throngs of fans.” For some, the growth of eSports boils down to a simple factor: “There will always be an interest in video games,” said Mark Leonardo, a competitive gamer based in Vancouver. “Whether there should be a competitive scene or not is up to the community, but the general interest in video games will continue to rise as games continue to develop and release." Leonardo has made a quite a name for himself within the eSports community. He’s a member of FlipSid3 Tactics, an eSport organization that boasts multiple professional teams. Under the username “ElhayM,” Leonardo stands as FlipSide3 Tactics’ team captain for its StarCraft II and Heroes of the Storm division. Throughout his career, he has played for teams such as Cyber Gaming, FXO Academy and Charity Gaming. He’s also competed in multiple clan wars, local LANs, show matches and premier tournaments such as the Starcraft II World Championship Series (WCS), Major League Gaming (MLG) and BlizzCon. As a gamer, his start in the competitive scene didn’t exactly happen through video games. His first experience with competitive gaming was through the Yu-Gi-Oh trading card game, which he played competitively from 2007 to 2011. “I was introduced to the
CALENDAR NEWS
19 MONDAY
SICK BOSS MONDAYS
THE LIDO 9 PM • $ FREE
Here I got all excited that the Courier staff had organized an event in my honour, only to realize that I was sorely mistaken. Sick Boss Mondays is actually a night of improvised and experimental jazz, featuring a who’s who of the local music scene. Now that I think about it they did call me Sick Boss once, but I had the flu.
NUDE MODEL DRAWING
THE ART OF LOVING 7:30 PM • $ FREE
ANDY RICE
CALENDAR EDITOR EDITOR@CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
15 20 TUESDAY
Ever since Capilano University’s Studio Arts program got the boot a couple years back, there’s been very little in the way of sanctioned nudity on campus. At one time, you couldn’t go into the Willow building without getting an eyeful of pubey middle aged ugliness. If you miss those glory days then go take this class at The Art of Loving.
COTTAGE BISTRO 8 PM • $10
This event sounds like it will be hilarious: “At Say Wha?! engaging and charismatic performers put their comedic spin on some of the most cringe-worthy, embarrassing and painfully earnest writing in print.” Join host Sara Bynoe and four of her friends as they tackle a variety of literary classics including Justin Bieber’s autobiography.
You voted, and now you get to watch your favourite news anchors parade around in front of a green screen trying their best to be like CNN. You may even see 1980-81 Capilano Courier contributor Keith Baldrey sweating it out on Global BC. Pretty sure we taught him everything he knows, even though none of us were born yet.
21 WEDNESDAY
The Barenaked Ladies are about as Canadian as they come, which means they’re probably next on Harper’s chopping block. Even without co-founder Steven Page, they’ve managed to turn “If I Had a Million Dollars” into a reality. The band is currently touring behind a new album called Silverball, which goes nicely with their silver hair.
GIVING ORAL PRESENTATIONS WORKSHOP
BR 265 4 PM • $ A DENTAL DAM
The CapU counselling department has organized a ‘Giving Oral Presentations Workshop’ and they want you to go to it. That’s why the word ‘giving’ is in there. If it was just an ‘Oral Presentations Workshop’ then your brain wouldn’t do that magical childish thing it does whenever it sees an opportunity for a dick joke.
22 17 THURSDAY
SEASONAL CRAFT TAP TAKEOVER
23 FRIDAY
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 07 THE CAPILANO COURIER
BACK IT UP THURSDAYS
CELEBRITIES 10 PM • $5
This live DJ celebration comes with a Y2K theme, which should technically mean that it won’t happen at all. Instead, we’ll just freak out about it for months in advance, spend all sorts of money preparing for its arrival and then end up kind of disappointed when it becomes clear that we’ve all lived through it.
CAPITALS VS. CANUCKS
Here at the Courier, we love our craft beer. That’s why I’m making attendance mandatory for the entire staff. This event features 20 seasonal taps from a bunch of craft breweries around the province, all in one place for your drinking pleasure. A $30 ticket includes entry, five drinks and your own drinking jar. Yes, a drinking jar.
On this particular evening, the Washington Capitals (the team with Ovechkin and Backstrom) will be playing against the Vancouver Canucks (the team with Sedin and Sedin). In other news, I just noticed that Ticketmaster has upped its game against scalpers by implementing a delivery delay until 48 hours before puck drop. Sick play, guys.
STEEL PANTHER
HARD ROCK CASINO 8 PM • $39.50 TO $59.50 + SC Although they look like an 80s hair-metal band, Steel Panther didn’t arrive on the scene until the year 2000. Since then, they’ve been taking the piss out of the entire glam-rock genre with their outlandish antics and over-the-top songs. Now, they’re coming to Coquitlam, proving just how popular those songs really are.
VANCOUVER WRITERS FEST
GRANVILLE ISLAND VARIOUS TIMES • $18.75 TO $20.75 + SC
EVA CASSIDY TRIBUTE
How Can I Keep From Singing features vocalists Cayla Brooke and Tom Pickett, accompanied by BC music legend Bill Sample and a four-piece band. It tells the story of American singer Eva Cassidy and her struggle to fame before promptly dying of cancer at the age of 33. Sounds like one of the Courier’s horoscopes.
24 14 SATURDAY
FREE MOVIES
CINEPLEX ODEON PARK & TILFORD 9 AM • $ FREE If you’ve ever wanted to see Despicable Me 2, Fast & Furious 6, The Lorax, Pitch Perfect, Dumb and Dumber To or Hop then this is your lucky day. Cineplex Theatres throughout the Lower Mainland are opening their doors for a free morning movie, with concession proceeds going toward Free the Children.
HARVEST MOON CUP
IMPERIAL THEATRE 7 PM • $200 TO $400
So here’s the deal: Cannabis producers from the Pacific Northwest send out 40+ samples their best kush to a lucky panel of judges. Then, they vote online in three categories (indica, sativa and hybrid) based on flavour, potency, aroma, appearance and overall enjoyment. Then, they throw a big party with awards and a special performance by Snoop Dogg.
TRICK OR TREAT
SEA TO SKY GONDOLA 1 PM • $37.95
Sometimes I include events in the calendar purely because they’re ridiculously impractical. This one is a perfect example. Get a costume ($50), drive to Squamish ($15), hop on a gondola ($37.95) and go Trick or Treating at the top. Even if you find $100-worth of candy you’d be an idiot to go to this, and there’s no costume for that.
AMBLESIDE FARMERS’ MARKET 1500 BELLEVUE BLOCK 10 AM • $ - A FEW VEGGIES
In typical West Vancouver fashion, even the neighbourhood farmers’ market has a milliondollar ocean view. There’s also a book exchange, newspaper reading area, games table, kids play area and live performances, according to Artisanmarkets.ca. Baked goods, prepared foods and crafts will also be available, along with farm-fresh fruits and vegetables.
CONVERGENCE FACULTY CONCERT II
BLUESHORE CENTRE 8 PM • $20
Last year, faculty members from Capilano University’s Jazz Studies program collaborated on a concert featuring their own compositions. This year, they’ve decided to do it again, but with an African twist. They’ve invited Dr. Kofi Gbolonyo and his group Adanu Habobo to join them in fusing jazz with African music and dance.
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Right now, our office has about as much design appeal as the evidence locker at your local police station. The walls are the colour of a cardboard box, none of the furniture matches and we’ve got this kind of academic-industrial thing going on that’s never really worked. Maybe we’ll go to the 2015 Vancouver Home + Design Show for some tips!
ROGERS ARENA 7 PM • $75.25 TO $281.25 + SC
CENTENNIAL THEATRE 7:30 PM • $29 TO $34
SUNDAY
VANCOUVER HOME + DESIGN SHOW
CONVENTION CENTRE WEST 4 PM • $16
DEVIL’S ELBOW ALEHOUSE 6 PM • $30 + ADDITIONAL BEER
You don’t have to be a professional writer to attend Vancouver Writers Fest. In fact, you’ll probably have more fun if you aren’t. There are 16 events on this day alone, covering everything from poetry to theatre. Study guides are available for real keeners, and tickets don’t cost an arm and a leg. What more could you want?
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UGLY DUCKLING DINNERS
ROYAL DINETTE 6:30 PM • $79 + TAX & TIP
SAY WHA?! DELICIOUSLY ROTTEN WRITING
42ND CANADIAN FEDERAL ELECTION
BARENAKED LADIES
Nothing screams China like a haunted Edwardian-style mansion in Shaughnessy, eh? Nevertheless, the University Women's Club of Vancouver is hosting Vera Sun, director of community outreach for New Tang Dynasty Television, for a chat about the near-extinction and subsequent revival of traditional Chinese Culture.
One of my grandmother’s favourite sayings is “waste-not, want-not” so I think she’d really take a shine to local chef David Gunawan. He’ll be preparing a five-course menu featuring all the scraps and offcuts you’d usually toss in the garbage. Apparently, there are beverage pairings as well, which my grandmother is also a fan of.
YOUR TV ALL NIGHT • $ - BASIC CABLE
QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE 7:30 PM • $37.50 TO $90 + SC
AN EVENING OF CHINESE CULTURE
HYCROFT MANSION 6:15 PM • $15.75
STEEL PANTHER
ARTS & CULTURE NEWS
MARK CRICKMAY
MEET YOUR MAKER CHRIS HOLD
FROM STRATHCONA TATTOO
Mark Crickmay
solid lasting work that doesn’t rely on gimmicks — not hopping on the trends that are happening. You are a bit at the mercy of your clientele though. Everything I’ve ever gotten on me, given or done as work sets me apart. The experience is recorded in the lines on your body, a person’s energy is undeniably on you forever — that’s what separates my work if anything, not a particular style per say.
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
Chris Hold has spent a long time perfecting his craft with the art of tattooing. Having a diverse past has made Hold who he is today, from his humble beginnings as a skateboard punk where colour and lifestyle collided, to his days running a radio station at CBC. Values are everything for Hold — “Be a decent human being… I feel like a lot of people lose the dynamic of that balance,” he said in reference to the tattoo culture. Here, we take a look at what made Hold the man he is today, and his views on his immersive passion of tattooing.
DO YOU FEEL THAT THE TATTOO COMMUNITY IS CONNECTED IN A POSITIVE WAY, OR MORE OF A COMPETITIVE WAY?
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A TATTOO ARTIST, AND WHY PARTICULARLY THE AMERICAN TRADITIONAL STYLE?
Tattoo Zoo (two years) is where I learned in Victoria. Gerry Kramer was my mentor for my apprenticeship, but I also learned from the other three guys at the time. Everyone was kind enough to forgive my
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PIECE THAT YOU’VE TATTOOED AND WHY? That’s a tough one. I honestly feel like people that just want the classic stuff is the easiest to pick. Every tattoo I do is becoming more of a favourite based on how you build the relationship with your customer and how that experience was. Are we personally meshing? A good idea shouldn’t require so much explanation. Trust needs to be established. That makes the experience of a tattoo effortless, easy and memorable.
WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON TATTOO CULTURE TODAY? What we are seeing or experiencing is a that a lot of people stand to make money off tattooing that are most often not actually tattoo artists. It’s hard to extract tattooing from micro-cultures and services like the military, etc. Conventions always try to sell you on the idea of cohabitation with say pinup, BDSM and tattoo culture.
It has become tits and ass and drama. A lot of television shows have trickled into the larger arena of tattooing — promoters expect to exhibit that. Really, when it’s just you and me, it’s about the idea. To answer the question, tattoo culture has become a caricature of itself. There’s some truth in those micro-culture cultures, but it’s overshadowed by the mainstream views.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH YOUR WORK? I look at my role in the whole process as this. One, be a decent human being during the tattoo process, being a mediator — a kind, generous person. I feel like a lot of people lose the dynamic of that balance. I feel like not only is it a mark on them but it’s a mark of the environment and atmosphere that they remember forever. I owe it to this larger arcane culture and art not to ignore the things that have been laid out for literally thousands of years. You have to be content with the rules that have been set. Sometimes, it means educating. I like to think of myself as an advocate for a good, lasting design. I’m a student of tattooing and I give back my understanding and try to guide people. If they’re not open to collaborating, then I’m not the guy for that. Having a good healthy ego and being okay with the reality of what people want and who you are to them is just as important as the tattoo itself.
WHAT DO YOU FEEL MAKES YOUR WORK UNIQUE? If anything sets me apart, or the shop apart, it’s that we’re trying to deliver good
IS THERE ANY ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THIS LINE OF WORK? ANY PARTICULAR PATHWAYS, EXPERIENCES, OR OTHER ARTISTS TO STUDY? Don’t start tattooing. No, really. What would benefit a person the most is traveling, experiencing, getting a job, living your life. The priority should be growing yourself. I would just say wait a decade to do it or don’t do it at all. It is the hardest you will work for the least amount of money and you’re only billing for tattoos for five to six hours of the work day. I would just say no, don’t. Because I’ve given myself a solid foundation for so many different things and years I have been able to do this in a way that others can’t. I could see myself getting burned out in 10 or 15 years and choosing something else. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It also makes you a very narrow person if all you do is tattoo. You need to make a deliberate effort to be rounded. Most people are up until 2 am drawing, not being healthy, and just repeating that process. Don’t fall for the exterior glamour.
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YOU HAVE WORKED FOR A FEW DIFFERENT TATTOO SHOPS. IF YOU HAD TO PICK A FAVOURITE, WHICH WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
wrongs, but if I fucked up they would let me know it. All the things around tattooing that aren't technical are the hardest things to learn. Being good to people, caring for the experience and committing to the person in front of you. Gerry taught me all of that. He’s earned that respect, for me, of being like the bigger brother. I was at Sacred Heart for five years, now I’m at Strathcona. I go back and do guest spots at Tattoo Zoo, which is like going back to your parents house where you have good memories and bad memories. It’s humbling. They are all my favourites for different reasons.
I think that there’s a lot of layers to it. The fact that we all share the same job description doesn’t equal a fairness in the playing field. There is definitely strata there. The visibility and popularity of tattooing has broadened the gates of the community. There used to be lineage but basically anyone with a pulse can tattoo now. You have babies teaching babies, teaching their bros that are maybe only 17 when they’re actually only 20 or 25. What does a 25-year-old bring to the mentor/teacher role? The important things in tattooing are not just the tattoos. It saddens me to see something that I really care about is almost devalued — it cheapens it when most of those people are 20 and they don’t appreciate it. It’s kind of the “you” show then, it’s all about “you” and I don’t think that’s healthy. Hopefully those people grow out of that. Be humble, you’re just a blip — by being not that important, subverting your self-importance you can be a better person, and therefore a better tattoo artist.
THE CAPILANO COURIER
Skateboarding is what got me into tattooing. 1985 is when I started skating, and I was influenced by the culture through my friends — things like Thrasher Magazine were the main communication. A few of the magazines were devoted to music, record reviews and they had photos of band guys with tattoos. I tried to keep up with my older friends. They were into punk rock and hardcore — it represented a dangerous, exciting and cool lifestyle. There was a lifestyle link between skateboard, punk rock, hip-hop, all those things. Skateboarding exposed me to the bright craziness, the gore and excitement that translated well with tattoos, like skateboard graphics. Tattooing is less about the style and more about what makes a tattoo good across the board. No salt and pepper shakers are ever found in American traditional for example, but time-tested true design standards have allowed things like the shakers to be absorbed into the “style” of traditional. People have chosen to reject things based on a label or style — that can allow for so many bad tattoos. You can get someone to make you a two-legged stool, but they would suggest a third leg for practicality — but there are still people that will be stubborn and fight for that two legged stool which, will make you fall over. It’s just different views and people’s perceptions, that doesn’t always allow for good tattoos.
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR ARTS.CAPCOURIER@GMAIL.COM
NEWS ARTS & CULTURE
@CAPILANOCOURIER
WWW.CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
CANADIAN CHART CLIMBERS Homegrown artists dominate Hot 100 Taelore Keyana CONTRIBUTOR If you’ve turned on the radio anytime in the past three weeks, there is a pretty good chance you’ve heard a Canadian musician slaying the airwaves. Normally, this isn’t a hot topic of conversation, however, the top three spots on the Billboard Hot 100 chart currently belong to Canadian artists [as of press time, Oct. 16]. The previous week, it was four spots. Never in history has this happened before on an international chart, thus posing the question: is this a temporary trend or is it time for the northern songsters to bask in the lime-light? The Billboard Hot 100 is a music popularity chart that ranks the week’s most popular songs based on three things: airplay, sales data and streaming popularity. Then, the genius trackers behind the scenes analyze all the data and organize the songs based on how well they are doing in the three categories mentioned above. Each week, the list is edited to put artists either closer to the number one spot, or boot them out of where they sat. Justin Bieber, Drake and The Weeknd all hold spots not only in the top 10, but also make up the current top three. For the weeks of Sept. 26, Oct. 3, Oct. 10 and Oct. 17, the top four consisted of the three mentioned artists.
Shawn Mendes would be an honourable mention, holding the ninth spot — making four Canadians in the top 10. The longest a Canada-based, pop-style act has held the number one spot is nine weeks — a record set by Carly Rae Jepsen for “Call Me Maybe.” The longest a rock artist from Canada has held the number one spot was Bryan Adams, for four consecutive weeks. Neil Young is the only Canadian country artist with a Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper, and that only lasted a week. All three artist in the top have a few things in common: pop-sounding backtracks, overly sexualized lyrics and lots of mainstream appeal. Those belonging to less popular categories like rock, country and alternative seem to get snubbed on the list more and more. Jazz Matthews, president of Dog Rump Creek Music, believes it is because pop based genres are more widely accepted. “I think that some genres are more forgiving. I mean that, though there is country music around the world, I think that it is predominately a North American genre. Other genres are more worldwide, so when I say a genre is more forgiving I mean that an artist can rise based on the music and not where he is from,” said Matthews. Cody Brodrick of the Alberta-based rock group, The End, believes that Canadian rockers will rise to the top once again. “Nickleback ruined the reputation for Canadian rock bands, more specifically Alberta rock bands because even though we are identifying as rock, we
— CRISTIAN FOWLIE don’t have identical sound to Chad Kroeger and his back-up,” he said. “They think of us as hicks trying to leave the farm. Everyone is always comparing us to them, saying we will never be as good — but I beg to differ. Having the drive and dedication will bring us to the top spot, where Canadians deserve to be.” According to independent radio-tracker Alec Clapton, who has worked for the Stereos, i65 and Lexi Strait, this kind of Canadian domination is highly unseen. “There has never been a steady flow like this, where Canadian musicians keep rising,” he said. “I’ve seen them go up and fall down harder than they rose. Never ride the digital wave, so to speak.” Clapton points out that it took 16 weeks popping in and out of the Hot 100’s top ten before Nelly Furtado’s “Promiscuous” finally secured its six-week run at number one. “They need to pay more out of pocket fees
for marketing, radio trackers and guest appearances. Their labels here in Canada won’t shovel money just to make another dime. I’ve always thought Canadians do more to earn more,” said Clapton as to why fewer Canadians make it big outside of our country. Canada appears to be becoming a major contributor to the international music scene. WIth the addition of Canadian content on foreign radio stations and television shows, more and more artists have the chance to break the charts. It’s hard to say if this is because Canadians are finally taking their spots on centre stage or if this trend will disappear to the wings.
PRINTING A 3D PRINTER WITH A 3D PRINTER
A machine that can print anything from tools to body parts and even food Milana Bucan
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 07
CONTRIBUTOR 3D printing is surely becoming one of the next big technological advancements, allowing corporations big and small — and even consumers — to print anything they can think of if there’s a digital blueprint of it. 3D printers have changed the world in revolutionary ways, while at the same time posing questions about laws and regulations. Way back in 1984, Chuck Hull, executive vice president and chief technology officer of 3D Systems, invented what was then known as stereo-lithography. It was a prototyping technology process where layers of photopolymers were added and cured by ultraviolet light lasers. Today this technology has made its way into mainstream markets, making it possible for people to purchase their very own 3D printer for around $2,200. Hollywood studios are using it to create costumes quicker, as well as using the digital blueprint for visual effects and conceptual models. In an online article, “Why 3D Printing is Hollywood’s Latest Super Hero,” written by staff at Stratasys, they describe how 3D printing is changing the way movies are made. “There has been a significant impact in visual effects through the marrying of CGI and physical models manufactured with 3D
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printing, creating a seamless transition in the editing and post processing of the final product,” read the post. Patrick Wirt, a production manager at Corbel3D in Vancouver, was featured on the Discovery Channel for his contribution to 3D technology. Wirt flew over Mount Robson with his team to capture more than 600 images that would later be used to create a 3D replica of Mount Robson. “A GPS attached to the camera allows us to capture some incredibly high detailed photographs around the mountain, allowing us to know exactly where these photographs were taken in the air,” explained Wirt. “What this data can be used for is just mapping those geological dangers which could be analyzed by geologists.” As climate change is progressing and glaciers are receding, 3D printing enables us to bring the world around us to life reproducing a perfect representation of the real structure. “We also use 3D scanning with PixelLightEffects.com to create digital doubles of actors for animation in film and television. Or with Mini-me.ca to create 3D figurines of people,” said Wirt. “In film, we scan an actor on set, and we would send it to a visual effects artist. They’re able to use this data to animate that visual double of a person and use it as a visual stunt double an animated version of the person.” 3D printing is definitely changing the ways movies are made, eliminating stunt doubles and cutting the cost of production. In the medical field, 3D printing has been
used to print prosthetic limbs, hearing aids, and dentures for educational purposes. “Medical models are a great tool for visualizing complex surgeries,” said Wirt. Being able to print off a 3D model of a body part allows doctors to explain to the patient and help them visualize what the issue really looks like. Though these advancements are substantial, it is still unclear as to whether this technology could be used in place of real organs and limbs. “Corbel 3D offers mechanical design, engineering and industrial design services to help clients create tangible prototypes of products rapidly. We can work from anything including drawings to napkin sketches. We can help make ideas real,” said Wirt. Architectural firms use 3D printing to print mini models of their designs, whether it is for client proposals or sales centres that use it for developing housing projects. “If a staircase is in the wrong spot and needs to be changed, another model can be printed in less than 24 hours,” said Wirt. Plans progress at a faster rate, and at a lesser cost with the use of 3D technology. Wit also discusses more consumer-level uses of 3D printing. “To put this in perspective, creating an injection mould for a product, such as a cell phone case, can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000. In contrast, a prototype for a cell phone case can be as cheap as $200,” explained Wirt. Inventors and entrepreneurs can create a design and have it 3D printed in just a few hours, for a fraction of the cost.
Cody Wilson is a known gun rights activist and founder/director of Defense Distributed, a non-profit organization that develops and publishes digital blueprints called “wiki weapons” suitable for 3D printing. In the New York Times article “Cody Wilson, Who Posted Gun Instructions Online, Sues State Department” by Alan Feuer, Wilson is fighting to keep online instructions on how to build 3D parts of a gun for free. As stated in the article, “When is a gun not just a gun? When it’s also constitutionally protected free speech?” Printing 3D guns or gun parts raises questions of ethics, pushing the innovative boundaries. 3D printing has profoundly changed the way we analyze, visualize and create objects, but it has also presented us with many questions concerning ethics. As of now, the future of 3D printing is uncertain in terms of what, who or how it will affect people and the world. 3D printing will need some time to mature before it can be fully realized for its positive and negative effects on the world.
ART SHORTS NEWS
ROCKY HORROR SHOW Oct. 15, Blueshore Centre Christine Beyleveldt CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT On Oct. 14, Capilano University’s own Exit 22 Productions kicked off their 2015-16 theatre season with the Rocky Horror Picture Show. In its own way, it was a wild ride, following the structure of the original film closely, but with a whole new level of energy and sensuality that emphasized the collective talent of CapU’s artistic departments. Students from CapU’s Arts and Entertainment Management program vamped up the erratic crowd. The Technical Theatre department put on a fantastic display of fog and thunder and headache-inducing lighting that resembled a strobe party on crack. Students from the Costuming for Stage and Screen program designed and meticulously put together an outlandish wardrobe of bright colours and lingerie for the male leads. (Nowhere else can you see male actors strutting across the stage in corsets and garters as they belt out tales of their desire!) The effort behind the Frankettes’ costumes in particular was incredible. Each was a unique, Victorian era-inspired outfit in luminescent colours. As for the Musical Theatre students and actors, they brought new life to the stage through their exhaustive routines. Just as the 1975 film inspired a cult-like following from fans, Exit 22 attracted a crowd of rabble-rousers in full costume who were
only too prepared to participate in many of the classic numbers. In fact, audience participation was encouraged. Unlike the original play, CapU’s take on Rocky Horror was audienceinclusive. “They [the audience] can expect to have a great time,” said lead actor Darren Adams before the show opened, and it appeared they did. A number of startled parents seated in the first row were subject to ostentatious lap dances that had them gripping the edges of their seats. Many of the classic numbers, including “Time Warp,” “Dammit Janet,” “Sweet Transvestite” and “Touch A, Touch A, Touch Me,” had the audience whooping right along with the cast. Overall, the energy from both the performers and the crowd was relentless. After the final number, CapU’s talented theatre folks rose from the stage for a spur-of -the moment encore of “Time Warp.” Encore after encore was performed, leading the exhausted cast to yell at the enigmatic crowd to just go home. A night in Dr. Frank N. Furter’s carnal castle was certainly one to remember. Brad and Janet were chilled to the bone by what they saw, but modern audiences took home a wild and sexually-infused musical night.
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WWW.CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
TAKING FLIGHT EP
BLOO
Ryan Hemsworth & Lucas
Kacy Hill
Carlo Javier
Mark Crickmay
EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLE EDITOR
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
Ryan Hemsworth is out to prove himself. The up-and-coming Canadian producer may clearly hail from the James Blake/How to Dress Well avenue of electronic music, but with the aptly named EP, Taking Flight, he demonstrates his ever-growing potential, fuelled by the enthusiasm to explore new sounds, yet capably conveying emotion and intent through a certain level of discipline. Hemsworth could well be on his way to becoming a star producer in his own right, but in Taking Flight he enlists the aid of little-known beat maker, Lucas, creating a nice touch of duality throughout the EP. The two DJs’ contrasting style builds a sonic juxtaposition of Hemsworth’s tendency for clean grooves with Lucas’ evident indulgence for a vibrant mixture of sounds. Taking Flight comes brimming with fizzles and shivering beats, as well as a healthy dose of near-unfathomable vocals to the point that they seem simply like stringed onomatopoeia. EPopener “Angel” sets the collective tone of haze and exuberance. The song maintains a steady breeze of heavy bass but is glittered with a wide-ranging set of tones and sounds to the point that the production might seem random. “From Grace,” a clear dance floor tune stands out as the unmistakable highlight of the EP, eschewing the generic and expected rush of beats upon the proverbial “bass drop” for a polyphonic mix of beats. Overall, Hemsworth and Lucas’ joint effort is a terrific entry to Hemsworth’s already impressive discography and it stands to benefit the lesser-known Lucas even more. This is may not be a monumental record in the wave of down-tempo electronic music, but it’s a standout at least.
It’s hard to believe that Kacy Hill’s main focus isn’t being primarily a vocalist. With the release of Bloo on Oct. 9, Hill has made yet another fascinating mark on the world. Bloo contains sonic similarities to James Blake’s’ self-titled album and Jessie Ware’s Tough Love. There’s something to be said about someone when they can achieve being an American Apparel model, a backup dancer for Kanye West’s Yeezus Tour and further getting signed to West’s G.O.O.D music label by the time they’re 20. As impressive as Bloo is for Hill, it is still just an introduction for things to come. Given that two of the five songs are remixes it’s also very difficult to judge an artist’s talent and expandability based on technically just three songs. Foreign Fields stands out as the most impressive track on Bloo, and hopefully future releases will express more dynamic creativity and less of a static arrangement. The transition from being a sometimes vocalist/artist to a full-on devoted pop-machine might take some time. The tracks on Bloo are finely-tuned pop songs with hints of melancholy and notes of a lingering creative outlet, which will hopefully be filled out eventually. Hill has the potential to rise to complete stardom, but for now the world is just being teased by the release of Bloo and digital memories of a sultry, ginger American Apparel model.
CapCourierLive
CapCourierLive
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VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 07
The editors of the Capilano Courier take to the streets for Vancouver’s most buzz-worthy concerts, events and social gatherings.
THE CAPILANO COURIER
Capilano courier live
COLUMNS
CARLO JAVIER
COLUMNS EDITOR CARLO.CAPCOURIER@GMAIL.COM
ATHLETIC DISCRETION
Evolution of North America’s game Brandon Kostinuk COLUMNIST Raffi Torres is an endangered species in today’s NHL and that’s a good thing. Not that I have anything against the viking, but this is the new era-NHL, one that’s built on speed, skill and talent instead of gritty, bush-league plays – and good riddance to these aspects of the league’s yesteryears. Product and conduct are always at the forefront of professional sports. The removal of San Jose Shark enforcer Torres for half the season (41 games) following his illegal check to the head of Anaheim Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg is a sign that the league is continuing to actively pursue a brand of hockey that aspires to a greater degree of professionalism, in product and conduct. And it can’t be any other way. Silfverberg, 25, is representative of the league’s future. An MVP award-winner in Sweden’s top hockey league in 2011 to 2012, Silfverberg is a quality two-way talent with great hockey sense. Torres, on the other hand, is a repeat offender. The journeyman left-winger is a mainstay on the team’s third and fourth lines, checking lines that are meant to harass and agitate, and he’s been under the microscope often for his onice transgressions. Slowly Torres’ style of hockey is eroding.
As the talent pool continues to expand, along with shifting rules designed to encourage up-tempo play and to focus on the skill of the game — removal of two-line passing, heightened enforcement of hooking, hybrid icing — the enforcer role is going the way of the dodo. Heavyweights like Colton Orr, Paul Bissonette and George Parros to name a few no longer have a home in the NHL for the only reason that their tool-set has grown expendable, but not extinct. They have evolved. The Canucks boast two of the league’s top new-age enforcers in Brandon Prust and Derek Dorsett, guys who can dish out heavy hits while capable of generating 20 or so points of offence. With everything combined, the NHL grows in skill. This was also not the first time the 34-yearold Torres has been reprimanded by the league. Being dealt a half-season suspension without pay sends a signal to a particular set of players. A Torres-less NHL for a 41-game span states explicitly: the league will not tolerate headhunters and dirty plays. The subsequent suspension sends a message of deterrence. Zac Rinaldo of the Boston Bruins acknowledged the suspension, saying it “really opened my eyes.” But we’ll see if that’s enough to reform. The NHL as a business is in a state of growth. Forbes’ Mike Ozanian wrote, “Fuelled by a new Canadian media deal with Rogers Com-
— TAYLOR LEE munications that began with the 2014-15 season, the average NHL team value rose 18.6 per cent during the past year, to an all-time high of $490 million.” The $4.6 billion deal marked a new fiscal milestone in the business of hockey in North America. For the first time, as reported in the same Forbes piece, three teams — the Toronto Maple Leafs ($1.3 million), New York Rangers ($1.1 billion) and Montreal Canadiens ($1 billion) — are worth ten digits. For the fan, the excitement is drawn from seeing superstars do elite things, whether it’s a sweet dangle, huge shot or big (clean) check. It isn’t amateur, inept plays that can, and do, lead to injury. And that brings us to this year’s biggest sensation: three-on-three hockey. The emergence of three-on-three overtime this season came with mixed feelings. At first, I mocked the decision. I thought it a travesty of NHL hockey — until I saw the Tampa Bay Lightning versus Philadelphia Flyers game on Oct. 9. Then I saw Ottawa Senators play the Maple Leafs. And even though play was shown to be sloppy at times,
and it is a diluted, skewed version of what’s played out in regulation, the action, as published in USA Today, is “pure mayhem.” In an 82-game regular season, there can be lulls. But what will keep NHL fans glued to their seat, maybe even anticipating — longing — for a tie is the kind of action three-on-three delivers. Open-ice hockey with top offensive talents competing in a sudden death battle drums up action only a video game was capable of bringing. The single most visible drawback is the pressure now placed on goaltenders. In the tandem era of goaltending management where the lifespan of keepers sustaining the number one spot in a club is growing more and more limited, the league has now boiled down tie-breaking to an offensive onslaught, leaving NHL goalies to shoulder an even greater responsibility. However another positive by-product may be more emphasis placed on regulation wins, so as to avoid the tenuous conditions overtime hockey brings, not to mention the shootout. Welcome to the new-era NHL.
LIFE ON THE OUTSIDE
Finding love in the age of electronics Alexa Kwan
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 07
COLUMNIST
I met one of my best friends in the fall of 2006. Lucky for me, the lab stool adjacent to mine was the only one left empty, and so began a shared dislike for chemistry that evolved into nine years of incredible friendship. At the time, I didn’t appreciate the fact that school provided me with a common interest and an icebreaker when it came to meeting new people. In high school as well as university, there are hundreds of people corralled together in lecture halls and classrooms, many of whom want something simple that can often be taken for granted: a friend. Unfortunately, post-university, many of the extracurricular opportunities to meet new people disappear, as school clubs become a thing of the past and we greet the same faces of our coworkers each morning. This isn’t a bad thing – it merely limits the opportunities to meet new friends. And for those looking for more than a platonic relationship, it can be even harder. In an age where almost everyone has headphones plugged in or eyes glued to their phones, it isn’t easy to approach a stranger and strike up a conversation. Work relations are a social faux pas. This leaves many singles resorting to dating websites such as Match. com and Plentyoffish.com in order to find their special someone.
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— MEGAN DIETRICH According to Match.com, there are 40 million Americans who are using online dating. The site has been around since 1995 and serves 24 different countries in 15 different languages. That amounts to a lot of opportunities to find that “someone special.” However, in recent years, Match.com has begun to lose following thanks to new smartphone apps such as Tinder. Tinder describes itself as a company that “empowers users around the world to create new connections that might otherwise have not been possible.” In a nutshell, the app allows users to connect with others for a lifetime – or a night – of fun. Admittedly, I have been and am currently in a situation where I have resorted to using my phone to meet strangers. In university, I took it for granted that I was placed in an environment which naturally brought people together. Upon graduating, I realized that the few friends I had gained were through work or other friends. I hadn’t met anyone in so long that sending an instant message to a stranger via an app had become far more ‘normal’ than meeting a stranger in a coffee shop and hit-
ting it off. Goodbye chemistry, hello Tinder. For those who are unfamiliar, the concept of Tinder is simple. Upload a picture of yourself. Selfies, tiger-petting pictures and snowboarding action shots seem particularly popular. Cruise through pictures of other people in your area. If you like what you see, swipe right and if they’ve also liked your pictures, you match. If you match, you can then send them a message. If not, you just continue swiping. The concept is so simple that Tinder itself claims to be like “real life, but better.” Better how, exactly? Despite literally having the profiles of hundreds of people in one hand, you’re essentially looking at a profile rather than a person, which means there are no face-to-face interactions. This eliminates the spark that can be brought on through body language, mannerisms and voice. However, it is undoubtedly more costeffective to stay at home and have a conversation with someone rather than go out and purchase food and drinks for hours hoping to catch someone’s attention. Technically, the app would increase the chances of striking up
a conversation seeing as you can communicate with multiple people at one time. There’s also a lot less pressure when talking to someone while essentially hiding behind a phone or computer. This does bring up another downside to dating online or via a phone app. There’s the possibility that the person you are talking to is not genuinely who they claim to be. False personas and fake profiles have sadly become so common that society has coined the term ‘catfish’ for someone who is being deceptive about who they are. Understandably, weeding through deceptive profiles is a good reason to be a little hesitant about electronic dating. The risk of rejection or unrequited feelings is daunting and no one wants to sit through an uncomfortable date that isn’t going anywhere. There’s also absolutely nothing wrong with not having a significant other or a partner in crime. After all, as individuals we can physically survive without having a relationship. These friendships and relationships, although deemed unnecessary for physical survival, are what motivate individuals to do better and strive for a more fulfilled life. Yes, meeting people online or in-person, for friendships or relationships, can be risky, expensive, time consuming and scary. But ultimately most of us are out there seeking the same thing – love. So whether it’s a match made in heaven or a match made on Tinder, wouldn’t you say it’s worth the risk?
COLUMNS
@CAPILANOCOURIER
WWW.CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
FEDERAL FASHION WITH KENNETH AND JACQUIE
Justin Trudeau’s evolving facial hair
J
Hey Kenny, I think Justin Trudeau might finally be ready. Wanna know why? You bet I do. Because he hasn’t tried to grow a beard in almost four years. You’re right! But now I have to think about that awful chin curtain all over again. Thanks a lot, Jacquie. In his defense, he only did it for a Movember campaign. And it’s more of a goatee than a chin curtain, don’t you think? Aren’t you supposed to be a fashion expert?
K Get The Look MARVELLOUS MOUSTACHES
Shiiiiiiiii. All I can say is thank god Trudeauvember is over. SILVER FAWKES
When it comes to this hairstyle, smouldering eye contact is everything. Everything. $15 at GreatClips
Agreed. I think this poor life decision might have multiple phases, my dear. Stage one is kind of okay, I guess. He looks a bit like an actor or something — even if it’s for adult films. Yeah, but then he had to go carve it into a Guy Fawkes mask. What was he thinking?! He just wasn’t ready… to use a beard trimmer. His father would be ashamed. That’s the facial hair of someone who runs a video store, not a freakin’ country. Yeah, it’s like he tried to give himself a Frank Zappa moustache with safety scissors and then gave up.
CHIN-UP BAR
Uncle on the top, stepdad on the bottom, future prime minister in the middle. $20 at First Choice Haircutters
Maybe he’s trying to channel his roots as a drama teacher in the public school system? The more I stare at it the more Shakespearean it gets.
ZAP STRAP
The more I stare at it, the more I lose my ability to sleep at night.
THE CAPILANO COURIER
Blind pre-schoolers are hard to come by, but they’ll usually trim your beard for free. $0 at Tiny Town Daycare
Don’t you think it’s a bit Shakespearean-looking though?
Yes it was, and somehow that sums up Trudeau’s candidacy without even trying. Shiiiiiiiii. Maybe it’s you who’s just not ready.
JUSTIN CREDIBLE
It’s a chin-strap, it’s a goatee, it’s a moustache — something for every Canadian $17 at Chatters
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VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 07
I suppose. Wasn’t it Shakespeare who said, “He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man. He that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less than a man, I am not for him”?
COLUMNS
@CAPILANOCOURIER
WWW.CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
SIP SIP HOORAY! The Pizza Edition Max Ley
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 07
COLUMNIST
Pizza. Those circular discs of goodness have been the midnight salvation of hungry students for ages. The sight of that delivery guy at the door is a form of happiness that even the greatest poets have had a hard time expressing. A similar happiness lies in the sight of the local cheap pizza joint open and bursting with slices fresh from the oven. After a night out on the town, a quick stop at Megabite, Fresh Slice or any of the other countless pizza joints across the city will always hit that midnight craving. In this week’s entry of “Sip Sip Hooray!” I decided to do things a little bit differently. Instead of choosing one specific dish, I opted to pair three different slices of pizza with three different wines. Because pizza can come in so many different tastes and types I thought it would be more fitting to do the tasting in this manner. I purchased three different wines, all from Liberty Wine Merchants Commercial Drive, and paired them with three different slices from Megabite. I bought a basic cheese, veggie and a classic pepperoni. Since we have three different wines and pizzas to get through, let’s get started!
CHEESE PIZZA The affordable and trustworthy cheese pizza is an all around party pleaser. The slice I got from Megabite seemed to be just basic mozzarella, cheddar and possibly some other unrecognizable cheesy ingredients over a bed of simple tomato sauce. The wine I chose to go
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with it was the 2013 Vecchia Chianti. Chianti has the benefit of movie notoriety, as mentioned by the great Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs, and thusly Chianti has become a wine word synonymous with fancy Italian reds, or psychotic cannibals. Chiantis come from the Chianti region in central Tuscany, and must be made of at least 80 per cent of the Sangiovese grape. What’s interesting about Chiantis is their variability in style. Some can be light, refined and elegant, while others can be bombastic, big reds ready to knock you off your feet. The Vecchia Chianti, at $14.99 on the shelf, is a great little bargain. I have enjoyed this wine over a few vintages and was excited to be able to bring out the 2013 and give it a go. One whiff of my glass and the Vecchia came off super floral, with notes of delicate violets. One sip revealed a medium body, with flavours of soft, tart cherries and red fruits, with a light tannic finish. When paired with the simple cheese pizza, the Vecchia worked beautifully. The key to pairing any tomato sauce-based pizza with wine is to make sure that your wine is able to stand up to any possible tartness coming from the sauce. The Vecchia Chianti had enough acidity to match the sauce, but was delicate enough to not totally dominate over the cheese. In fact, the greasy cheese of the pizza softened some of the tart cherry flavours of the wine, both working harmoniously on my palate. Soft. Harmonious. Delicious.
VEGGIE PIZZA Veggie pizza is like the kid who’s always picked last for the dodgeball game. Not to say that veggie pizza isn’t delicious, but if you
bring a variety of pizzas to a party, the meaty ones will have been long devoured before the poor veggie ever gets a chance. My Megabite veggie came loaded with mushrooms, red and green peppers and spicy pepper seeds littering the whole thing. Tons of big sharp flavours to work with! I went with the 2013 Conviviale Montepulciano D’Abruzzo for this slice. Montepulciano is a grape found in Italy, named after the village this wine region is centred around. Montepulciano D’Abruzzo specifically can sometimes be blended with up to 15 per cent Sangiovese, but I believe that our wine today is 100 per cent Montepulciano. This specific wine was new to me so I was eager to see what this $13.49 Montepulciano had to offer. Sure enough, this cheap and cheerful wine was a star. It needed just a little time in my glass to truly open up as the flavours tasted rather tight and constricted when I first poured it. The glass was full of scents of bright cherries and plums with a coating of dark spice. The palate was full of bramble fruit, red cherries and a bright, lightly acidic finish. This would be a great all-around table wine for anybody looking for a nice, dry red. The bright fruit nature of this wine worked great alongside the peppers of the pizza. It cut without dominating the flavours, and once again there was enough acidity to cut through the tomato sauce and the spice of the pepper seeds. The dark spice qualities of the wine magnified the savoury character of the full mushrooms, which I enjoyed immensely. Of all the wines and pizzas tonight, tasting those mushrooms with that glass of red was easily my favourite part. Savoury. Bright. Love.
PEPPERONI PIZZA The classic. The go-to. The must-have. Pepperoni pizza filled all of our childhoods with joy, and
arguably continues to do so into our adulthood. My slice from Megabite was as basic as they come, adorned simply with cheese, tomato sauce and big slices of lightly-spiced pepperoni. I chose one of my all time favourite table reds, the 2013 Legado Munoz Garnacha. This Spanish wine has been my “wait, this wine is how much?” surprise bottle for parties for quite a while. At $12.49, this wine kills it for the price. Garnacha is simply the Spanish name for the french grape, Grenache. Grenache can now be found in many winemaking countries around the world, either used on its own or found paired alongside Syrah and Mourvedre as a lovely blend affectionately known as a GSM. Like the Vecchia Chianti, I have tried this wine across many vintages and it is always such a great buy. The wine opens up with hefty aromas of deep strawberries and raspberries, with a nice vanilla presence from the three months this wine had in American oak barrels. It tastes of raspberries, vanilla and a nice dash of spice and refined tannins. This wine would go well with a variety of meat dishes, or anything with a rich, preferably tomato-based sauce. Sure enough, the Legado Munoz just rocked it with the pepperoni. The creamy oak presence softened the spice of the pepperoni tremendously. If anything, I wish that there were a few more meats or spice on the slice to truly match up to the oak presence of the wine, as it was just on the tipping point of dominating the cheese and tomato flavours of the pizza. This wine worked, but I really wanted a bit more from the pizza to be truly a perfect pairing. However, I would recommend this wine for a great, inexpensive bottle to bring to a dinner party and impress your friends! Creamy. Rich. Dark.
HUMOUR
@CAPILANOCOURIER
WWW.CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
A DAY IN THE LIFE
An exclusive interview with politician Allen R. Rigby Andy Rice EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
from your friends.” If those friends are the United States and Russia then Rigby may be in for a challenge. Things haven’t exactly been warm and fuzzy between Canada and the world’s superpowers in recent years but the 64-year-old is confident that he and the other leaders would bond over their common love for the Beatles — an angle Harper failed to capitalize on during his tenure as prime minister. “I met Putin once,” said Rigby. “It was really quick, like a hello-goodbye sort of thing, but he told me that Paul McCartney is his favourite Beatle and that he loves the song “Yesterday.” Obama would likely agree, having hosted McCartney at the White House for the Gershwin Prize Gala back in 2010, where he sang a version of “Michelle” directly to the First Lady. Of course, in order to become prime minster, Rigby will first have to go through the proper electoral processes. Given that he’s the only candidate running under the McCartnist-Lennonist banner, gaining seats in the House of Commons could take a while. A major victory came earlier this year when he succeeded in gathering the 250 electors required for official party status, but he’s still more of a black sheep than a blackbird when it comes to this year’s federal race. The McCartnist-Lennonist Party joins a long list of lesser-known political alternatives in Canada, including the Pirate Party, Communist Party, Rhinoceros Party, Marijuana Party and similarlynamed Marxist-Leninist Party. “In my life, I’ve watched the Greens rise up from those ranks as well,” said Rigby. “Now look at them — sometimes they’re even on the same
stage as the big three.” In his platform, Rigby is proposing ambitious changes that would have a widespread effect on everything from Canada’s national defence program to its cultural identity. “Well, first of all I would paint all four of our naval submarines yellow,” he said. “We don’t all have to live in them, but the colour is important.” And what about Rigby’s military plan? “I would obviously give peace a chance first, but if that fails then I suppose we’ll have to resort to those yellow submarines,” he replied. Given that immigration is such a touchy issue this election, Canadians might be interested to know that Rigby has a stance on that as well — and it’s a controversial one at that. “Easy,” he said. “Get back. Get back to where you once belonged.” Rigby also has plans to rename Wellington Street in Ottawa, effectively changing the address of Canada’s Parliament buildings. “I think 111 Penny Lane sounds far better,” he said. “It’s also a nice way to commemorate the one-cent piece now that it’s been discontinued.” In his spare time, Rigby tends to a small strawberry field on his Lynn Valley acreage. “I’ve done that forever,” he said. “It keeps me
active on the weekends.” His wife, Loretta, is an aquatic animal trainer for Hollywood films, travelling frequently to Los Angeles for work. Her specialty is the walrus. The couple met at a church conference in Tucson, Arizona. “I saw her standing there and thought, ‘Wow, I want to hold your hand,’” he said. For more information on the McCartnist-Lennonist Party, visit capilanocourier.com/humour.
THE CAPILANO COURIER
TEXTS WITH MOM
The long and winding road toward Canada’s 42nd federal election may be coming to an end, but one D-list party leader just can’t seem to let it be. Allen R. Rigby, leader of the McCartnistLennonist Party, has been diligently trying to keep Beatlemania alive throughout this year’s fierce campaign. As Canada’s newest registered federal politician, the chances of Rigby becoming prime minister are virtually impossible, but he hasn’t given up. Despite being snubbed by donors, excluded from debates and served with multiple cease-anddesist letters from the two living Beatles, he’s confident things will all come together on Oct. 19. The Courier caught up with the North Vancouver novelist just days before the election, to learn more about his vision for Canada. “Stephen Harper is like Jude,” said Rigby. “He’s making it bad, and this country deserves a prime minister who can take a sad song and make it better.” Those words must sting a little for Harper, who is a Beatles fan of near-Rigby proportions. His favourite song is “Hey Jude” and his favourite album is Revolver. On the desk of his Parliamentary office is a mug depicting the Fab Four in their iconic crosswalk pose. He’s even been known to perform their songs at state dinners and charity events on occasion. So what is Rigby’s platform? How will he do better as leader of the second-largest country in the world, and how will he manage to spread both Beatlemania and Canadiana across the universe at the same time? “All you need is love,” he said. “And a little help
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 07
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THE CABOOSE
@CAPILANOCOURIER
WWW.CAPILANOCOURIER.COM
THINKING CAP
Q
HOROSCOPES
WHICH VIDEO GAME CHARACTER WOULD YOU WANT TO BE LIKE? “The antagonist, it just seems like in most story lines, they’re perceived as one-track. I want to see a storyline where the villain is able to get his point across.” — Adam Wong Second year Arts and Sciences
“Samus because she’s a badass.” — Aliya Boulanger Second year Acting for Stage and Screen
“I wanna be Spyro because he’s the chosen one. e’s the underdog but he knows he’s important and he knows he can kick serious ass.” — Branden Kupfer Second year Acting for Stage and Screen
IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK: It’s your turn to have the surprise party no one shows up to.
LIBRA (SEPT. 22 - OCT. 23):
ARIES (March 21 - April 19):
Things with your new partner may feel like they’re moving too fast. Don’t worry, Bill spends most of the year on tour.
In order for you to be happy, something is going to have to change. You should probably start with your personality.
SCORPIO (OCT. 24 - NOV. 21):
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20):
The cops will show up at your door this week and you’ll know exactly why.
Your past will come back to haunt you when you win the lottery but get the skill-testing question wrong.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC. 21):
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20):
Your religious faith will pay off when God talks to you directly – and says you were his biggest mistake.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22):
If you find yourself disappointed by the results of the federal election then it’s your fault for believing your vote actually mattered.
LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22):
Sticks and stones may break your bones — but they also broke your car window and now you don’t have a stereo.
Justin Bieber may have been right when he said eating Taco Bell doesn’t make you a taco, but using that argument in your debate class does make you an idiot.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19):
Congratulations, it’ll be another week of surviving off of dumb luck and ignorance. Seriously, no one understands how you’ve made it this far.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18):
“Yoshi, but then people would probably make a dirty joke about his tongue.” — Emily Solomon Third year Business
It’ll dawn on you that if you ever want the life you’ve always imagined then you need to get to work right after this season of The Walking Dead is done.
PISCES (FEB. 19 - MARCH 20):
VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 21):
If things feel a little weird this week, have a bit of patience. Prosthetic legs take a while to get used to.
THE CAPILANO COURIER
VOLUME 49 ISSUE NO. 07
“Magikarp, because I like to make a splash.” — Carlo Javier Executive Lifestyle Editor
You don’t actually believe any of this, do you?
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