Capilano Courier // Volume 48 // Issue 5

VOL UME

48

NORTH VANCOUVER, OCTOBER 6TH 2014

ISSUE

N O . 05

Present Tents Finding a Place to Call Home PITA PIT

BAD GAS

CHEERLEADERS

CAMPUS PARKING

CAPILANO Courier

VOLUME 48 I SSUE N O . 05

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News

A+C

CaleNdar

Features

OpiNiONs

COlumNs

CabOOse

Changing Climates

Blog About It

Movie Mondays

Zoolander School

Offensive Clothes

Play That Game

Dear Grandma

Leah Scheitel Editor-in-Chief

THE CAPILANO COURIER.

@capilanocourier

VOLUME 48 I SSUE N O . 05

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The Staff

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@capilanocourier

Therese Guieb News Editor

of this dancing while working, burping while singing, oh so attractive university newspaper

Andy Rice Managing Editor

Alva Tee Arts + Culture Editor

Andrew Palmquist Production Manager

Faye Alexander Features Editor

Cheryl Swan Art Director

Gabriel Scorgie Opinions Editor

Carlo Javier Lifestyle Editor

Ricky Bao On Vacation!

Brandon Kostinuk Web Editor

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Eric Seeley, Steve Tornes, Tristen Schmidhauser, Melissa Verdicchio, Christine Beyleveldt, Keara Farnan, Nicholas Cupelli, Rozan Talebian, Kevin Kapenda, Scott Barkemeyer, Holly Pavlik, Devin Kapenza, Jeremy Hanlon, Tasha Salads, Nigel Ching, Scott "Whitespot" Moraes CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS:

Arin Ringwald, J.R. Pinto, Cristian Fowlie, Vivian Liu, Sydney Parent, Jason Jeon, Tierney Milne, Kelsey Holden, Scarlett Aubrey, Ekaterina Aristova, Ksenia Kozhevnikova, Megan Collinson

To advertise in the Courier’s pages, please contact our Advertising Director, Andy Rice, at 778-855-9942 or advertising.capcourier@gmail.com. We are proud to offer discounts to non-profit organizations and North Shore customers. A full media kit with sizes, rates and deadlines is available on our website, CapilanoCourier.com.

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.

Letter From The Editor Leah Scheitel, Editor-in-Chief

it's story time "Great stories happen to those who can tell them."

- Ira Glass I spent last Saturday night at the Vogue Theatre, watching Ira Glass talk about radio. And to most people, that sounds like a very boring way to spend a Saturday evening, equivalent to picking the dirt out from behind your toenails or watching only infomercials until your eyes bleed. But it was one of the better Saturday nights I’ve had in awhile.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Ira Glass, he is the host of This American Life, a radio program broadcast on National Public Radio out of Chicago. It has become so popular that it is now also available as a podcast, which is usually a better version – they are allowed to swear and have a bit more of an “edge” on the podcast than they are on radio. Glass mentioned this, saying that David Sedaris was flabbergasted when one of his stories was denied radio play because it was about poop – more specifically a giant turd that someone else didn’t flush, and he was mortified thinking that people would believe that he was the culprit.

I’ve been an avid listener to This American Life for years. Reruns blast through my stereo as I drive between tree-planting contracts in Northern BC. An hour-length episode serenades me as I run the sea wall. And Monday mornings are ideally spent with a giant cup of coffee, a copy of Vanity Fair magazine and Ira Glass telling me an intricate story about… anything. He could tell me the TSX stock prices for February 27, 1991, and I would think it was just riveting. It’s because Glass is a master at storytelling.

Stories are important. That’s what Glass was trying to solidify at the Vogue that night. Stories are embedded into our nature. You can report the facts, say what you know and get a quote from someone relevant, and it will be a perfectly fine synopsis of the event. However, if you add a plot, a storyline, characters, dialogue, description, emotion and any other elements of storytelling, you’ve got something more. You have a tale.

When Ira Glass discovered the key to good storytelling, and started applying it to journalism and hard news stories, he thought he was a genius. This was a better way to spread a message and inform people.

But the use of plot to deliver an underlying message has been used throughout humanity. It’s how the Bible was written, and how so many sermons are structured. And the importance of storytelling is best illustrated through the tales of the Arabian Nights. To paraphrase and shorten, a King is betrayed by his wife, and while still craving intimacy yet terrified of getting hurt, he sleeps with a different woman every night and kills them in the morning so they can’t betray him. This continues until every girl in the village has either passed or perished, except for the wise man’s eldest daughter. To the wise man’s

dismay, the King summons her, but she’s confident in her ability to survive, as she is armed with stories.

She starts telling the King a story, and by the morning, he is so riveted that he allows her to live for another night so he can know the ending of the story. On the second night, there is more plot and characters and questions, so the King lets her live for a third. And this goes on, for 1001 night — 1001 tales — until the King has learned empathy through her stories, and allows her to live. Of course, they fall in love and have a child, but this story was good even without the romance.

You can read an article describing the personality traits of a mass shooter and how to recognize them. Or you can read this month’s Esquire magazine, with a feature article by Tom Junod, who interlays that information with the story of Trunk, a 30-year-old man who spent ten years in jail for planning a mass murder at his high school. Junod is able to describe Trunk in such a way that leaves the reader feeling empathic towards this convicted criminal, something that is unlikely to happen with an average news report.

You can listen to the radio for stories about war, and what’s it like being a solider. Or you can listen to a 2003 episode of This American Life, where they interview a solider whose job it is to re-fill vending machines onboard a massive warship. That’s what she did, for ten hours a day – replace the Snickers and Mars bars out of the vending machines.

And I can report to you that JP Auclair, the acclaimed skier who passed in an avalanche this week, was one of the nicest and more genuine people I have met, in and out of the ski industry. Or I can tell you a story about him. While bartending at Retallack Lodge in 2011, JP would come to the bar every night during his stay around 6 pm. He would order up to 30 Nelson Honey Ales and ask me to give them out to anyone who was without a beer. Then he would go and play guitar with Marty, our mechanic, who slayed the banjo, as I passed around tray after tray of beers to everyone at the lodge, on behalf of JP. That was his way of showing appreciation to his friends.

Everything is always better illustrated with a story. And good storytelling still exists. We just have to practice it, use it, and master it. A journalism instructor of mine told me that people didn’t want to hear the truth or the facts unless it was camouflaged as a fabrication or a story. It’s the way people best absorb the news and the world around them. And it’s been this way for thousands of years. Ira Glass just reminded me of that, and hopefully, I just reminded you.

tweets OF the week the VOiCe bOx

*

Homeless Edition

with

Andy Rice

The Voicebox is back, ready to humbly respond to your questions, concerns, and comments about anything. To inquire, just send a text to 778.855.9942 to anonymously "express" and "voice" your "opinion" and "thoughts" on any "subject" or "issue". And, as long as it's not offensive, we will publish it here, right in the Voicebox. It's a win - win, or whine - whine whatever way you look at it.

I see they’ve started clearing out the pottery studio in the Maple building… might that mean you guys are getting a new office?

*

I’m going to tell you right now, it’s a metaphor. Aramark is literally giving you the finger by not giving you the finger you’ve come to expect from them since you got here. First, they trade pitas for sushi and now they’re messing with the deep fryer?! Unbelievable. I stopped eating at the CapU cafeteria years ago, so you’ll have to excuse me for asking — are the chicken strips smaller now? Is that the problem?

Do they still contain actual chicken? Did they ever contain actual chicken? Maybe you don’t like actual chicken…

Are you still going to bring us pumpkin pies as discussed two weeks ago?

Ah, you must be one of the writers who attended the story meeting a couple weeks ago where I tried to buy a vote on the board of directors by promising everyone free pumpkin pie. I guess I’m kind of a jerk if I don’t come through with the pie now, aren’t I? I’ll see what I can do.

Abe @poop_tongue Homeless people in Vancouver have iPhones #vancouver The Vancouver Sun @VancouverSun Homeless at Oppenheimer Park get one-week adjournment in legal battle Straight Arts @straightarts Homeless in Vancouver: How do you dig through a Dumpster of construction waste?

CanadaWithoutPoverty @CWP_CSP "Hidden homeless make up most of what we define as homeless" Angela @zouboutins whenever liam talks about dms i feel like a homeless person staring through a window watching a family eat a nice warm dinner together Megan Millard @musingsofmegan Man or woman. Homeless or sheltered. Rich or poor. Sick or healthy. Black or white. All human.

Souths Landing Co. @SouthsLanding College; when girls try to see who can look the most homeless during the week, and the most royal on the weekends.

News1130 @News1130radio Homeless campers from Oppenheimer Park have been moving to area near totem poles in #StanleyPark.

Vision Vancouver @VisionVancouver More interim housing and shelter beds available for Vancouver homeless, including those at #oppenheimer.

Openheimmer Dude @OpeDude Today was good. Similar to yesterday. Just hanging around Tent City. May have to return my iPhone 6 soon.

T H E C A P I L A N O C O U R I E R . VOLUME 48 I SSUE N O . 05

I saw that! They were smashing plates and bowls all over the place the other day — it looked like a scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. From now on, I’m going to shout “Opa!” every time another program gets cut. As for the space becoming our new digs, I’m not sure we have the budget to move offices right now. That said, I do have dreams of roasting hot dogs over the old ceramics kiln and Carlo has already requested that we create a giant sculpture of him using all the leftover clay. I bet they probably have all kinds of cool stuff in there that we could repurpose for the good of journalism. It could be like our own secret clubhouse! We could call it Leah’s Landing, or AndyLand, making sure it’s adequately protected by an army of Palmquistadors. OK, this needs to happen. Here’s what we should do: let’s test the waters by setting up a tent city for a few weeks and see how long it takes before we get kicked out. Anyone wanna help us move furniture? We’ll miss our beloved Maple Dumpster, but those high ceilings are just too swag to pass up! #yolo

So the cafeteria completely changed their chicken fingers… The last beacon of hope I had at CapU is gone.

Those fingers from years past were little precious golden things, ya know.

ScanBC @ScanBC #Vancouver Police report a homeless male was just robbed of a $100 bill that someone had just given him outside the Hyatt 600 Burrard St

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NEWS

THERESE GUIEB NEWS EDITOR

NEWS@CAPILANOCOURIER.COM

taking a stand

CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT EARNS CANADIANS' SUPPORT

Eric Seeley × Writer “We [historically] were looking at climate change from a physical, environmental perspective, but we’re seeing the impacts on communities, on individual health... it’s no longer [just] about melting sea ice and the polar bears, it’s about people losing sovereignty,” says Cheryl Schreader, geography and climatology professor at Capilano University. Indeed, hundreds of thousands of people around the world are at risk of becoming “environmental refugees”, displaced from their homes or even their countries because of rising sea levels, droughts, wildfires and adverse health effects of water and air contaminants.

The United Nations (UN) hosted a summit on Sept. 23 in New York to address issues and implement strategies surrounding climate change. The summit, which was attended by world leaders, business leaders and global environmental activists, saw commitments to many climate change initiatives.

These initiatives include (but are not limited to) carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reduction, investments in renewable energy sources, restoring 350 million hectares of forest, and are being backed by “tangible governmental and private sector commitments,” as stated by a UN press release.

In recent years, the issue has swung back and forth in media attention and governmental action.

The UN has been holding annual conventions on climate change and climate action since 1995, with limited success. In 1997, the UN climate summit in Kyoto established the Kyoto Protocol, a treaty that addressed greenhouse gas emissions and bound signatory countries to reduce their emissions. The treaty was famously signed by every country at the UN except for the United States. In 2011, Canada became the first country at the UN to withdraw from the protocol. Since then, the issue of climate

× J.R. Pinto change has been minimally addressed by the current Canadian government, but a certain amount of opposition has begun to take place in BC. A rally was held in Vancouver on Sept. 21, in conjunction with the UN climate summit. Thousands of rallies were held all over the world on the same day to show support and raise awareness for climate action. The rally in Vancouver had approximately 1,000 participants. Among the attendees

was Scott Knowles, environmental issues coordinator for the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU).

“I was glad that it was organized in a grassroots way,” says Knowles, “The grassroots approach is important because climate action is needed everywhere, so every community needs this kind of resistance.” The Vancouver rally addressed some local and provincial environmental-threatening projects, such as the proposed Kinder Morgan expansion in

Burnaby and the Enbridge Pipeline in northern BC. “Getting that many people to gather isn’t enough though. Every person that was there, that believed in what they were marching for needs to keep organizing. It can’t end at just one rally,” he argues.

Carleen Thomas, manager of intergovernmental relations for the Sacred Trust of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, also participated in the Vancouver rally.

“The more people who takes a stand, who shows their face, the more our elected officials in power have to take notice,” she notes. The Sacred Trust is a First Nations’ initiative which addresses social and environmental issues that threaten the Burrard Inlet and surrounding territory. First Nations have taken charge on many initiatives of climate change action and sustainability all over Canada.

Many risk negative health effects and displacement as a result of environment-threatening enterprise. “[Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary-General] stated that we can no longer call intensifying hurricanes and storms ‘natural disasters’, but rather we must call them ‘man-made disasters,’” says Thomas about the climate summit meeting in Warsaw last year. Such a claim suggests that attitudes are changing around the world, both governmentally and socially.

“I don’t think we need to be optimistic about what the UN is going to do about [climate change], but I think we can be optimistic about what we are going to do about it,” says Knowles. Although action on environmental issues often seems to be out of our reach and up to governments and the good will of the private sector, there is a lot that we can do as individuals to address them. “In your individual life you can make changes that are going to be small... They won’t be the substantial changes we need, but they will empower you to live better and more sustainably, and ultimately that’s what [this movement] needs.”

cap professor talks ted

EXPLORING GENDER EQUALITY AND FEMINISM AT TED TALKS

Carlo Javier

THE CAPILANO COURIER.

VOLUME 48 I SSUE N O . 05

× Lifestyle Editor

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Capilano University communications professor Michael Markwick is speaking at the upcoming TEDxSFU conference. Technology, Education, Design (TED) is the massively popular global set of conferences that focuses on sharing innovative and inspiring ideas around the world.

On Nov. 1, the fourth consecutive iteration of TED’s collaboration with Simon Fraser University (SFU) will commence.

With a line up that includes veteran broadcaster Tamara Taggart, founder of Seal Wellness Brent Seal, and Bradley Shende CEO of digital agency M2O, TEDxSFU aims to create a daylong conference that will help incite conversations about changing the status quo. This year’s theme is ‘Redefining the Norm’ and speakers will be presenting about life-changing and extraordinary experiences that they’ve encountered in their lives. For Markwick, his profound and resonating story began about seven years ago.

A trained human rights investigator, who has worked with cases ranging from systemic racism to sexual harassment, Markwick is noted

for having worked in the senior management group of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, even serving as chief of staff to the chief commissioner. Seven years ago, he met women who were in the midst of recovery, and were in the process of reclaiming the voices they lost after years of being victims in sexual trafficking.

“That experience of meeting them, started to provoke me to examine what it means for me to be a man,” Markwick says, “So working with these courageous women has been transformative for me, so I think that the organizers at TEDxSFU talked to me because of that.”

Although ‘Redefining the Norm’ is the theme for this year’s TEDxSFU, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Markwick’s presentation can be described with ‘Redefining of Masculinity.’ “If I use that phrase it almost feels like a cognitive process,” he says, “It’s a change that chose me, this is deeper than an intellectual exercise.”

His participation will serve not only for him to express his thoughts about his position on masculinity, but also to continue the legacy of Trisha Baptie’s talk several years ago. “She told a story of what it’s like to have been prostituted at the age of 13,” explains Markwick, “The debt

I owe is to her, it’s a deeply personal thing.”

Markwick’s presentation, will delve into a controversial idea and perception of masculinity. “I guess what I’m talking about is this whole business of how, my self-understanding as a man has changed dramatically in seven years,” he says, “I can’t allow men who buy sex from single mothers, so that they can pay their rent, so that they can send their kids to bed with their men. Men who buy sex from women in brothels, where they’re being beat to death, men who buy sex from kids because they look like kids. I can’t allow that idea of masculinity to have a claim on me.”

In recent weeks, the place of men in discussions about gender equality and feminism has been injected with new life. HeForShe, a campaign led by the United Nations Women and actress Emma Watson has gained considerable acclaim and online attention not only for Watson’s highly regarded speech in front of the UN, but also for it’s mission to get men in the frontlines in the fight for ending gender inequality around the globe. “When I think about it now, and I think about the people who we’re on the table with then,” shares Markwick , “These are women who have every reason, because some

of them have been raped multiple times, every reason to hate me because I’m a man, and it never happened.”

“Ideas Worth Spreading,” is the official slogan for TED. It’s been the principle that many of global conference’s presenters have followed, whether it was Bill Gates, J.J. Abrams, or Jane Goodall. However, the audience may be a little too focused on the aspect of the idea.

For Markwick, though the ideas are certainly worth spreading, they aren’t exactly the most important element of TED Talks. “I think the genius of TED is not that,” he says, “I think the genius of TED is the relationships that happen, when these talks happen. The ideas by themselves aren’t what cause the change to take place, it’s the debate, and it’s the encounter. We will sort out our ideas, we will be able to do that only after we’ve come to a richer relationship together.”

news

a long awaited development BUILDING NEW COMMUNITY CENTRE COMES WITH MANY CONCERNS Steve Tornes × Writer Larco Investments Ltd. is in the rezoning process to build a 451-unit development in the lot which once housed the CapWest Athletic Club. The vacant space is 4.35 acres and is located between Fullerton Avenue and Curling Road. The site will include an 18-storey and 12-storey tower, four low-rise buildings and 20 townhouse units. Art Philips, Larco's director of development, explains that the initial application was submitted in 2009 and they “have worked with district staff, but more importantly, [they] have been working with the local community in the creation of a plan.” The plan will result in a new community centre for the District of North Vancouver.

Whenever an application requires increased density, the applicant provides a Public Amenity Contribution, which is used to fund amenities, such as parks, playgrounds, greenways, non-market housing and community facilities. In the case of this application, Larco will be giving the District $2.5 million. The District will also receive an $8.5 million letter of credit to build the outside shell of the community centre.

On Sept. 8, the District of North Vancouver delayed moving the rezoning application to a public hearing. Public hearings are held to allow people affected by changes to proposed bylaws to voice their concerns to council. It is an important next step to the process. The application was delayed because the initial proposal had Larco Investments Ltd. giving the District the Public Amenity Contribution only after the towers have been built and occupied. The councillors were concerned because the contribution would have been dependent on market forces, which affect the speed of construction and the ease by which the tenants occupy the building. It could have been years before the District received a cent.

After the vote to delay, Larco went back to council on Sept. 15 with a revised proposal. Now the District will receive $2.5 million upon approval of the building permits and an $8.5 million letter of credit before renters move into the units. “It is part of a standard negotiation,” says Philips, “Between a developer and a municipality.” The next step is for the project to move to a public hearing on Oct. 7.

Although the vote to move the application to

a public hearing was passed unanimously, there is still uneasiness associated with the project. “I have some concerns about the phasing agreement going from the development of the south side of the property and then building north. I believe that will cause more construction and inconvenience for the local community than if they were to build from north to south,” explains District Councillor Roger Bassam. “I am also concerned about the 125,000 square foot storage facility that they are planning on putting into the underground… I am concerned about building commercial space that really doesn’t generate any jobs.”

Bassam notes that the building of the community centre wouldn’t happen for seven years, which means that since the 1996 referendum which approved the building of a recreation facility it will have taken 25 years for construction to begin. The reason that the building of the community centre has been delayed is because the district did not have land that they owned or could have acquired which suited the centre’s needs.

Traffic has also been a concern, with a staff report predicting that the development will add 97 vehicles to the morning rush hour. “At the end of

the day, that extra traffic volume is not enormous,” says Bassam, “You want to build that capacity, or that density, as close to the transportation corridor as possible. One, it means less impact on your neighbourhood roots and two, it gives people better opportunity to use public transit.” The site is located close to the Lions Gate Bridge.

A final concern is that the $8.5 million letter of credit will only go towards the shell of the community centre. The district will still have to pay for the inside. Also, through the years, the cost of construction increases. Since construction of the community centre wouldn’t start for seven years, the costs are likely to be higher and the $8.5 million may be unable to cover the cost.

The process of building the community centre is linked to Larco’s land redevelopment. According to Philips, although the referendum was in 1996, Larco has been involved in the redevelopment/rezoning of this site, dating back to 1993. The public hearing is the culmination of the district’s desire for a new community centre and Larco’s interest in a 451-unit development with a small amount of commercial and underground storage.

Zeroing in on organics

A SEGREGATION SYSTEM MADE TO REDUCE WASTE ON CAMPUS

Carlo Javier × Lifestyle Editor

× Submitted fined, it fulfills the concept of the campus as a living lab, it will reduce the long-term cost of waste disposal, it will promote accountability, and finally, it’s the ethical thing to do.

“For me this is actually one of the exciting parts of our audit,” she says, “We use the campus as a learning lab, we have students that do this as their project.” Last year’s waste audit featured nearly 400 students, ranging from archaeology, geography, tourism, business, and English. Students have not only participated in the sorting of the waste audit, instructors who included their classes have also created essay-writing tests that correlated with the audit, as well as a film documentary. “It’s an opportunity for students to see waste through the lens of a waste audit, and to personally connect with the waste on campus,” says Doig.

The educational aspect of improving CapU’s sustainability and other environmental issues has been seen a welcome sight for the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU.) Though some could see the lack of garbage bins in classrooms as a drag, their disappearance is ultimately meant for a long-term positive result. “Reducing our campus’ impact on the environment is a value possessed by both the university and the CSU,” says Sacha Fabry, vice president of University Relations and Services, “As a student, I’m glad to see these zero waste centres on campus. I’m proud to see the university moving forward with some more responsible disposal practices.”

Despite the immediate impact of both the waste audit and the new zero waste centres, programs such as these are ultimately just pieces to

the puzzle in CapU’s endeavor into developing a more sustainable community.

“We made a decision early on that we wanted to educate the community on what to do, because it will be really easy for us to just push this all in our janitorial and food services contract,” says Doig, “Instead I think our role is, to support the community that we live in. We’re not going to make perfect dirt this year, we’re going to have challenges, but what we always want to work towards is how do we as a community work together to solve this issue.”

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By now, students and faculty must have noticed the disappearance of trash bins in their respective classrooms. It’s not because of budget cuts.

It’s a matter of abiding by a new waste disposal system in campus.

According to Susan Doig, Director of Facilities at Capilano University, the school generates about 1,000 pounds of waste every day, and with the impending organics disposal ban, CapU has accelerated its path towards becoming a zero waste campus by implementing a new segregation system. “What we can identify from our waste audit is what we’re going to focus on,” says Doig. Due to the new organics disposal ban to be enacted early next year, the spotlight is on reducing organic waste. “We’ve gone from 69 per cent and we just keep going down, this year 25 per cent is the goal, by the next year we have to hit zero,” she adds.

Metro Vancouver’s organic disposal ban will make it necessary for residents to separate their food waste from the rest of their garbage. The ban not only prohibits the inclusion of organic disposals to the waste stream, it will also include a fine for violating the new system.

The new zero waste centres are found at each floor of every building at CapU. Divided into five different categories, organics, containers, beverage containers, mixed paper, and landfill, the stations help the overall reduction of waste not only by segregating garbage, but also by acting as guidelines to students on how to recycle.

Apart from the indirect result of the organics ban, Doig has cited several factors for the implementation of the new waste centres. Prior to 2010, CapU recycled only paper and cardboards. Last year, classrooms had bins for both mixed paper recycling and recyclables. However, the attempt yielded less than expected results as students still failed to put waste items in their proper bins. Doig also lists five more reasons for the new waste centres. The school has to meet the zero organic waste targets or it will be

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arts + Culture

ALVA TEE ARTS + CULTURE EDITOR

ARTS@CAPILANOCOURIER.COM

a prom night to die for JERICHO ARTS THEATRE PRESENTS CARRIE Tristen Schmidhauser × Writer There’s nothing like a good scare before Halloween, and Fighting Chance Productions couldn’t agree more. From Oct. 7 through the 25 at the Jericho Arts Theatre, the Vancouver-based independent theatre company will be kicking off their 2014/15 season with Carrie: The Musical, an adaptation of Stephen King's classic horror novel.

Directed by Ryan Mooney, the founder and artistic director of Fighting Chance, and based on the musical by Lawrence D. Cohen, this production promises to be something special. From auditions to rehearsals, Carrie quickly began to take shape over the course of just four months. “We did the auditions in late June, and we cast it pretty much right away,” says Mooney, “but we’ve been rehearsing it since probably the second or third week of August.”

While this might not seem like a whole lot of time, Fighting Chance is a veteran in the musical theatre scene, and this timeframe poses no problem to them.

Casting for the leads went smoothly, with over 100 actors auditioning for various roles. “We found our Carrie right away and our Margaret,” says Mooney.

Capilano U grad Ranae Miller was chosen to play Carrie, bringing a multitude of on-stage experience, including a recent run as Princess Fiona in Align Entertainment’s production of Shrek.

Founded in 2007, Fighting Chance has since become one of Vancouver’s leading independent theatre production companies. They’ve produced dozens of acclaimed shows, and this year remains no different. Continuing a tradition of horrorthemed musicals, Carrie was a fitting follow-up to previous classics such as the Rocky Horror Show, Sweeney Todd and Little Shop of Horrors.

Fighting Chance’s line-up for the rest of the year remains impressive as well. “In December we have Little Women, which is obviously a big difference from Carrie, and then in May we’re doing Into the Woods, the Steven Sondheim musical, and next summer we’re doing Jesus Christ Superstar.”

Written by King in 1974, Carrie is an American horror story starring a 17-year-old girl named Car-

rie White. She lives in a small rural town and suffers abuse from both schoolmates and her own religious fanatic mother. Then one day, she discovers that she possesses psychic abilities, and that when push comes to shove, she’s not afraid to push back. The story has been been adapted into three movies, a TV series and a musical.

Inspired by an opera performed at the Metropolitan Opera House in 1981, Cohen decided that Carrie would be a perfect fit as a musical, and began work on adapting it. It wouldn’t be until 1988, however, that it finally hit the stage. At the time, it was considered a disaster. Nearly everyone who saw it came away confused, angry and disappointed.

Yet, people wouldn’t stop watching it. During its four week run, the show was nearly sold out every night. Unfortunately, that didn’t help the scathing reviews it was getting from critics and despite consistent attendance, Carrie is widely known on Broadway for being one of its biggest flops, losing almost $8 million. In the following years however, it became an underground hit, and it’s remained a fan favourite ever since.

One of the musical’s most memorable scenes is one in which Carrie is drenched in pigs blood. Part of the on-stage magic, says Mooney, is recreating the effect using a more practical alternative to the real thing. “I think it’s corn syrup and some coffee grounds to give it some texture, and paint,” he says, “I think it’s washable paint” Given that the cast has been rehearsing this scene quite a bit, having a mess-free blood substitute has come in handy.

Over 30 actors, musicians and crew members have been working hard to bring Carrie to the Vancouver stage. Starring alongside Miller are several other reputable and up-and-coming actors such as Sabrina Prada, Tegan Verheul and Emily Canavan. Musical direction is being provided by Caitlyn Hayes, and choreography is being done

by Grace Newson.

The Oct. 7 opening night performance will be the musical’s Canadian regional premiere. Tickets range from $20 to $35 and are available at Ticketstonight. ca or at the door. For more information and a behindthe-scenes look, readers may visit Scarywhiteyvr.com.

bring it on CHEERLEADING AS A SPORT Melissa Verdicchio

THE CAPILANO COURIER.

VOLUME 48 I SSUE N O . 05

× Writer

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Flying bodies, sparkling spandex uniforms, white shoes and high ponytails accessorized with a bow on top paint the image of a typical cheerleading squad cheering for their high school football team.

Little do people know that cheerleading itself can make up an entire competition between teams from all over the world. A cheer squad is a team, and the strengths cheerleaders display throughout their journey are something people often underestimate.

Cheerleading began in 1898 when Jonny Campbell, medical student at the University of Minnesota, assembled a group of students to energize their football team when they were on a losing streak. The increased hype in the crowd and team pursued by the cheer team led them to victory. Women were not allowed to cheer at the University of Minnesota until 1923; therefore, men began the sport of cheerleading.

The dynamics started to expand very quickly.

Tumbling and acrobatics were thrown in to the mix along with jumps, dancing and incredibly complex motions. After the interest in high school cheer went through the roof, All Star cheer was introduced and began in the late 1980s, rapidly growing throughout the 90s.

All Star cheerleading focuses on athletic training and competition performances rather than leadership and spirit qualities. As the popularity with All Star cheerleading increased, the expectations of tumbling, stunting and level of skill required did as well. A sport is an activity that involves physical exertion in which a person or team competes against one another, and cheerleading is sure to hit all those marks.

“Competitive cheerleading is an athletic event in which a team competes against other teams,” says Ashton Ellis, cheer coach of The Vancouver All Stars at the G-Force Gym in Port Coquitlam, “And it is to be scored according to the rules and guidelines, and ranked accordingly.”

No matter the sport, there will always be a stereotype to follow — yet none are as degrading

or harsh as the ones associated with cheerleading. Deciding to join a cheer team means being exposed to the stereotypical generalization of it.

Blonde, tanned, too thin, not smart, rude and not an athlete.

“I think as cheer becomes more prominent in Canada, and as society becomes more educated and aware, these stereotypes and common perceptions will change,” says Ellis, sharing her view on this typical inference, “ No matter how talented and hardworking cheerleaders may be, there will always be ignorant people who are unwilling to accept change and adjust their mindset.”

Though a squad cheering for a school event may not be passed off as a sport, All Star Cheerleading is most definitely a sport. “I love the sense of drive and commitment behind people who are truly passionate about it,” states Ellis, “It's great that we get to surround ourselves with like-minded individuals and work hard towards something we all care about!” This is what has kept her involved in cheerleading for twelve years.

The flashy sport involves an enormous amount of responsibility, dedication and an irreplaceable bond between each teammate — these are all vital parts to forming an efficient team. The lifting of human beings into the air takes a tremendous amount of “physical exertion” and teamwork to accomplish as well, and the role of a male or female cheerleader is far from easy.

There are many aspects of cheerleading that those foreign to the sport may not understand.

Motions, stunts, jumps, tumbling, pyramid, dance and formations [refer to sidebar] are all key aspects that a coach must consider when creating a routine for their team. Everyone needs a bit of inspiration to get their mind thinking about the endless possibilities that could lead a team to success. “Inspiration can come from a variety of different things,” Ellis says, “Dance, Cirque Du Soleil, gymnastics and so on. You just need to find a way to apply it to cheer!” Her prolonged experience with cheer allows Ellis to use the elements necessary to create an original and flawless routine.

There are many things cheerleaders enjoy about

‘LEADING LINGO

Key words used in cheer

Motions – A type of choreography involving sharp arm and body movements in which athletes are synchronized.

Stunts – Any skill in which a top person is supported above the floor by one or more persons. A stunt is determined to be “single” or “double” leg by the number of feet that the top person is standing on while being supported by base(s).

Jumps – A skill not involving hip-overhead rotation created by using one’s own feet and lower body power to push off the floor with arms in at “T” motion and legs straight out to the sides.

× Sydney Parent

cheer that keeps them motivated and attached to the sport. “I really enjoy the combined features of cheer how you work towards a common goal as a team, while also pursuing your own personal goals on the mat,” Ellis states, sharing her favourite thing about the sport, “I love how we can improve as individual athletes and as a group at the same time. It's tough to beat that bond you feel with the people you share those two minutes and 30 seconds with.”

A live practice or video footage of All Star cheerleaders doing what they do best more than dignifies cheerleading as a sport. Experiencing firsthand what these athletes go through during both practices and competitions will leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that cheerleading is just as physical and team-oriented as anything else that happens on the field.

Tumbling – A gymnastics or acrobatic skill, can be done as group or individually. (ex. Back tuck, layout, back handspring, full, etc.).

Pyramid – A group of connected stunts.

Individuals standing at ground level may be incorporated into the grouping.

Dance – Usually at the end of a routine, involving everyone doing fast paced motions and choreography.

Formations – Every position one may move to throughout the routine, making up the entire routine itself.

arts + Culture

studious souls EXPLORING THE DEPTHS OF THE CREATIVE LIFE BLOG Christine Beyleveldt × Writer Writer and actress Christine Bissonnette settled in Vancouver in April 2012, hoping to make it in the arts. She was puzzled by the relationship between having a creative spirit, and the ability to make a career out of it. Bissonnette credits her past writing experience as phenomenal and a big aid in what shaped her to be the writer she is today. “[I] learned a lot about my writing voice and style,” she says, “[I did] amazing exploration into what it means to be a published writer.”

Her first Internet page, the Positivity Project, documented her journey to becoming a success.

Now, two years later, the Creative Life blog has taken off with the help of a handful of talented artists under her direction. Creative Life was pieced together in July 2014 by a group of volunteer writers. The blog itself features interviews with aspiring artists and the personal stories of its writers.

“It’s still a baby,” says Bissonnette, as the blog has only just taken off. Throughout October, it is to be rebooted with broader topics and additional writers. The blog’s current stories are reaching into feminism and other objectifying issues in light a speech by Emma Watson, renowned British actress and ambassador for human rights, made before the United Nations last month.

Eight writers are involved with Creative Life: a musician, an actress, an author, a director, an artist, a filmmaker and a dancer. Jaylee Hamidi is an aspiring actress and writer for Creative Life.

“I’ve never written a blog before, but I write a lot,” says Hamidi, “Writing is freeing, [it may be] so lethargic, but [writing is] creative, and private. [Although] being on a blog is totally terrifying; it’s hard to open up. It’s the Internet, it’s out there, everywhere.”

× Vivian Liu “It's not only important to look at the world through your own eyes, but through as many different eyes as you can,” she notes. It's important to share experiences and encourage creative minds to push through facing the typically candid views.

“I feel braver on paper than I do in person,” says Bissonnette, “I express myself better with written words. [Creative Life] focuses on celebrating success, but there is a trap in focussing too much without sharing what [we] are struggling with.”

The terror and fear of failure people may feel is

often what holds them back from expressing themselves. “I was afraid of wasting my time, and ultimately ending up disappointed,” she says.

“The biggest thing about Creative Life is changing one’s lifestyle,” Bissonnette states. Her goal as a blogger is to express herself creatively, and revel in the pride and happiness of success while addressing the vulnerability one faces with the lack of work to be found. As founder of the blog, she says her biggest challenge is organizing pieces and managing writers and their material. Six of the eight writers

reside in Vancouver, but accountability is key. Each of the writers is responsible for frequent online communication and the development of stories.

The first posts published online were the goals and stories of how each individual found their footing and what their past achievements were.

They talked about their learning experiences and personal journeys towards creating a profession from their skill sets as there is a lot of vulnerability found amongst artists. In the rapidly changing economy, there isn’t much room for the studious.

Support within the families of a writer or any sort of performing artist is a great thing to have.

“There is confliction between self-consciousness and a willingness to bear it all,” says Hamidi. “[Artistic] industries are hard to get into and succeed with.” But to her, it’s worth it. “[We’re] trying to inspire people.”

Creative Life has caught the attention of many visitors, revealing a great connection between readers and writers facing the same circumstances. Stories are posted on a monthly basis while Bissonnette looks to expand in light of good feedback.

The blog will feature more writers coming from further fields of creativity and more regular story submissions. Creative Life and the Positivity Project work collaboratively. The two blogs expose the fear of failure in the arts while showing that the learning endured, skills acquired and most importantly the freedom gained are all well worth the struggle of creativity.

Hop on Pop up shop VANCOUVER'S OWN RETAIL RENTAL SPACE Keara Farnan × Writer

“Our popup stores were to push merchandise, and target brands that were not selling well online, by providing daily brand discounts. Young & Only had a carefully curated selection of clothing pieces from a diverse collection of clothing brands. We carried Womenswear and Menswear, selling trending styles from that present season,” explains Pastachak.

“As an eCommerce store, we could never directly interact with our customers, except via social [media]. Not only were we able to introduce the Young & Only vision to foot traffic during the first pop-up store, but it also gave us the ability to physically meet our customer, get to know their likes and dislikes, and start building authentic relationships. I deemed that as a success each time.”

Finding an audience for a pop-up store is a difficult task, especially as competing stores emerge with their own ideas or similar marketing plans.

Most pop-up stores start off in smaller communities before expanding their repertoire, however this is not always the case.

“A small boutique opened up in a rural community that I grew up in, and started gaining retail success both locally and online. They closed the doors to their physical location, and announced they would host popup stores across Canada throughout the next year. Turns out,

their target market existed beyond small-town Saskatchewan, and became a nation-wide popup success,” says Pastachak. “[Young & Only’s] store was hard to push, given the fact that we were a startup company and our brand presence was growing slowly. During our second pop-up store, we partnered with The Chinatown Experiment, a Vancouver storefront dedicated to hosting pop-ups. This partnership helped aid us in marketing and expanded our exposure.”

In the future, Pastachak hopes that her skills and marketing techniques will continue to assist her in this industry, along with a willingness to constantly evolve and adapt to new trends in the retail game.

“The biggest push for Young & Only was to build brand awareness,” she explains, “We wanted our customers to see and feel the quality of our carefully curated selection. We were hoping to build a trust with our customers, and our popup store became a staple towards gaining that."

T H E C A P I L A N O C O U R I E R . VOLUME 48 I SSUE N O . 05

In 2012, a company called "thisopenspace" was launched by Yashar Nijati, alongside his peers Christine Brett and Rachael Eckersley. thisopenspace rents out unoccupied space for temporary use with various locations in Mount Pleasant, Gastown, South Granville and Fraserhood. They hope to expand the pop-up store market by providing promotion and press relations for pop-up shops such as Young & Only, an online-based fashion boutique that rented a space from Nijati’s company in the summer of 2013.

He first came up with this idea because he wanted to "introduce this eCommerce concept to Vancouver. We planned an event launch party to be the prelude to a week-long pop-up store, drawing attention to the brands we carry online,” says Emery Pastachak, former social media coordinator of Young & Only.

Over the past two years, the team has seen much growth within the pop-up shop industry.

As a company who works together, thisopenspace has had major success with retail, food and entertainment events by designing memorable

experiences for each of their clients.

“I think pop-up shops are great. They can introduce new brands and ideas to foot traffic, and establish connections between the store and their customers,” adds Pastachak.

Though thisopenspace has had no problem in marketing their stores, Pastachak states that there are advantages and disadvantages for those in this working environment as the industry continues to expand constantly, especially in downtown Vancouver.

“Popup stores are very quick in nature,” she says, “You have a select amount of time to pick, plan and market a featured location, set up and arrange goods in that location, with limited time to sell. This can be a pro and a con. The fast-paced energy of a pop-up is contagious, but there is a lot of planning and prep that goes into hosting a temporary store, for it to be successful.

“As a temporary store, you have a small gateway of time to make your presence known. Given that timeframe, it becomes more about the experience than about the product — you have the ability to turn a white empty canvas into a beautiful, inspiring space.”

Another challenge within the pop-up industry is marketing the brands that are not selling well or are not known to the community.

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art shorts

ANDY RICE ART SHORTS EDITOR

MANAGER.CAPCOURIER@GMAIL.COM

viff: The midnight after CINEPLEX INTERNATIONAL, OCT. 1 Nicholas Cupelli × Writer Directed by Fruit Chan, this satirical comedy/ horror/thriller can only be described as one wild ride. The film starts off on a mini-bus in Hong Kong destined for Tai Po, introducing us to the range of characters that dominate the film. Once on the bus, all things go awry as they enter into Tai Po, slowly realizing there isn’t a soul on the streets, roads or buildings, which are usually congested with thousands of people. Everywhere is deserted. As certain characters start dying off from a perceived “virus”, the group sets up in a restaurant and begins attempting to unravel what

is going on, as they have no contact with the outside world. The group receives strange phone calls, they see men in gas masks, and Space Oddity lyrics are sent to them via Morse code. Those are the only clues we get. I almost don’t know what else to say — this film is all over the place in the best of ways. There are moments throughout with wonderful cinematography, good performances from the cast, one extremely dark and comedic scene, corny explosions and jaunting effects that keep you on your toes. There’s even a Space Oddity music video. It’s really too bad that none of the mysterious events or questions posed at the characters and audience ever get answered.

However, if you want entertainment at it’s finest, then definitely check out this film.

Follow the Art Shorts team on Twitter @CAPCOURIERLIVE

Old Crow medicine show ORPHEUM THEATRE, SEPT. 28 Nicholas Cupelli × Writer

viff: walking under water VANCITY THEATRE, SEPT. 29 Nicholas Cupelli × Writer

THE CAPILANO COURIER.

VOLUME 48 I SSUE N O . 05

Directed by Eliza Kubarska, this mesmerizing documentary transports you into the world of Alexan, the last compressor diver on Mabul Island, and his 10-year-old nephew Sari. They are members of the nomadic Badjao Tribe, with no claims to government or land, being part of no country. For centuries they have lived off the sea with deep spiritual beliefs and respect, and a simple way of life. From the opening frame you are immediately invested in the intimacy of their relationship, as well as the ocean. Sari is Alexan’s helper, and wants to learn how to dive like his uncle one day, but compressor

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diving is extremely dangerous. Alexan dives with a long piece of silicon tubing that he puts in his mouth, and attaches it to an air compressor in the boat for oxygen, while he is many meters below.

As the film progresses Sari becomes aware that he needs to make a choice: he can learn to fish like his uncle and keep on with their way of life, or, he can choose to work in the tourism industry in the nearby town. This film is entirely fascinating with visually stunning underwater sequences that leave your jaw open on the floor. A lot can be said about the struggles faced when not knowing whether to follow your heart or other influences; as well as the clashes of traditional, simple ways of living, against the way of the globalized world. This film is a completely enticing watch.

Picture the entire Orpheum near capacity, screaming and jumping and yelling in anticipation for a bluegrass band from Nashville. Yes, they were on stage but hadn’t played a single note yet and they stood there letting the intensity rise… But when they finally exploded into song there was no stopping the crowd from erupting further into a non-stop barrage of cheering and whistling and dancing. Each musician played an array of instruments and you couldn’t tell which their native was, because their skill for each was overwhelming. The showmanship and individuality of each member was lively and refreshing and extremely fun to watch. This show was pure, raw energy. They played huddled together, they played separately, they traded positions, they had choreographed

movements, they danced individually; they did it all. From harmonicas and violins to banjos and steel guitars — you name it, they absolutely shredded it. The face-melting moments that took place on that stage were unforgettable. Songs flowed into the next with less than a second-or-two in between, giving the audience no time to compose themselves. And I can’t forget to mention the fantastic opening act from New Orleans, The Deslondes. When you’re so invested that you forget the main act still has to come on and perform, you’re in for a good night. This concert made me feel like I was part of an outlaw of bandits on the run with all the highs and lows of such a life. The band played with a campfire quality showcasing their effortless musicianship with a childish love for their music. If your feet weren’t stomping all night or your blood stagnant, then you probably had no idea what music is.

Hard rubber orchestra

Carmen

SFU WOODWARDS, SEPT. 27

QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE, OCT. 2

Andy Rice

Carlo Javier × Lifestyle Editor Amidst the sexy, sultry and seductive atmosphere that surrounds Georges Bizet’s Carmen and its titular character, it was clear that the tale was more about love than anything else. Led by American mezzo-soprano Kate Aldrich’s commanding performance, Carmen wowed the sold out audience at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Oct. 2. With elaborate stage sets, a collection of intricately designed costumes, and the play itself being done in French entirely, Carmen provided the complete package in terms of the grandiose and culture of 19th century France. Divided into four acts, the near three-hour show featured two full intermissions and even had actors surprise the crowd by entering the stage from the audience. Apart from Carmen herself, characters such as the hapless

Don José, played by Richard Troxell, and Morgan Smith’s vibrant Escamillo made the most out of their spotlights. But it was Marianne Fiset’s performance as the village maiden Micaëla that served as the show’s truest highlight. Fiset’s solo about being the archetypical “other girl” was reminiscent of Les Miserables’ always show-stopping Eponine. The Montreal-born soprano’s performance drew the loudest cheers, and even had a few dozen people giving her a standing ovation at the curtain call.

Carmen is noted as one of the first operas to have embraced realism over romanticism, centring its story on the supposed love between Carmen and Don José. The opera touched onto subjects that are considered as by-products of love — doubt, hesitance and dedication were central to the show’s main characters. Ultimately, for Carmen and Don José, love was a hurricane, and for the audience, the performance certainly hit like one.

× Managing Editor For one night only, Vancouver’s Hard Rubber Orchestra (HRO) became a Mahavishnu Orchestra cover band, and it only took drummer Randall Stoll three songs to shred through a pair of drumsticks. HRO has always featured a rotating cast of the city’s finest musicians, but the lineup for this particular show was a heavy-hitting who’s who of the local scene. Young guns, including CapU alumnus Luis Melgar and saxophone wunderkind Eli Bennett, stood among seasoned veterans like Kent Wallace and Dave Branter. Fifteen more came out swinging with their own formidable presence, from the interplay between guitarists Ron Samworth and Daryl Jahnke as they filled the shoes of Mahavishnu Orchestra founder John McLaughlin, to the precision of violinist Cameron Wilson, to the sheer power of Hugh Fraser on trombone. The arrangements — done by Fraser, artistic director John Korsrud, saxophonist Bill Runge, and guest

conductor Fred Stride — focused on Mahavishnu’s first incarnation, from 1971 to 1976. Hailed by many as the first true “fusion” group, the band and its five members were trailblazers when it came to mixing jazz with rock and other genres. HRO’s unique interpretations conjured up some additional influences as well. “I wondered what it might sound like if Maurice Ravel, Frank Zappa, and Jeremy Douglas took ecstasy, then tele-transported from early 20th century Paris to a blues club on the south side of Chicago in the 1960s, then to a 21st century rave…” wrote Runge in the program notes regarding his arrangement of “Dance of Maya”.

Later in the set, Korsrud segued from the odd 7/4 time signature of “Hope” into the Beatles’ “I Want You/She’s So Heavy”, which featured Samworth stepping behind the mic to deliver his best John Lennon. This was a concert that appeared to be just as much fun from the stage as it was from the audience — exciting, engaging and entertaining from start to finish, with a little pile of sawdust left beside the drums when it was all over.

Calendar Mo 06

@capilanocourier

Vancouver International Improv Fest Performance Works 7:30 pm $12 – 18

M 06

Fink Biltmore Cabaret 8 pm $17

We 08

Th

09

Fr

10

11

Su

12

M 06

Library 141 11:30 am $ - a slice of time

Movie Monday M 06

Meet in the Middle?

Noon? $ - butter and popcorn

M 06

British singer-songwriter Fink takes the Biltmore stage to play songs from his newest album Hard Believer. After many YouTube videos and research, I have concluded that he is the British version of Chet Faker, who is amazing and babely. He even has a similar beard, but it definitely looks more “English” than Fakers. His music is romantic and would be good post-break up. So break up with your lover and go to this show. It could cure heartbreaks.

Led by the super cool Jon Kinsley, the queer collective meets today in Library 141. I’m not exactly sure what they talk about, but I gather it has to do with Queer-related issues and the student body. It sounds supportive, and Kinsley is the man.

This week, we suggest venturing into the world of an attractive Tom Cruise, and check out Top Gun. Follow along with our columnist Holly, as she watches this 80s classic for the first time. I have to admit, I too have never seen Top Gun but I hear there is a very sensual volleyball scene. Do it for volleyball.

Chris Smither

Giving Good Head

One Week Record Tour Show

Ryan Adams

Electric Owl 8 pm $25

T 07

1819 West 5th Ave 7:30 pm $35

T 07

Biltmore Cabaret 8 pm $13

T 07

Orpheum Theatre 6:30 pm $35 – 59.50

T 07

Funnily, I first heard of this event on Capilano University’s website. I thought it was a Blue Shore concert series thing, but no – it’s at the Electric Owl. Does this strike anyone else as weird? He is a folk and blues singer, and from the reviews, apparently he’s really good at what he does. He’s also nearly 70 and still touring, and that’s badass.

The title says it all: this is a workshop on how to give better oral pleasure. Instead of doing a $35 workshop, you can just go out there and practice, but I bet the expert tips in here will take years to master, and they can help you in one class. Maybe after it, you will be so mind-blowing at this that your black book will be instantly filled with numbers. A girl can dream, can’t she?

These three guys produced and recorded 10 songs in seven days. That’s more than a song a day. That’s crazy, especially if I think about the fact that I can’t even do one assignment in a week, let alone a day. Maybe these guys will teach me how not to procrastinate.

That would be nice. Anyways, they are performing these 10 songs at the Biltmore. If they were done in only a week, they are probably slightly shitty. At least that’s what I’ll tell myself.

Our Features Editor Faye thinks that Ryan Adams is quite sensual and he sleeps with Mandy Moore on the reg. Managing Editor Andy says that if they ever make a sex tape it will be called “A Cock to Remember”. He’s playing guitar and singing to a crowd at the Orpheum, and maybe Mandy Moore will be amongst them. Who knows?

American Authors

Constantines

Red Fang

Overcoming Procrastination Workshop

Vogue Theatre 6 pm $18

W 08

Commodore Ballroom 8 pm $25

W 08

Venue 8 pm $24

W 08

Library 119 12 pm $ - actually going to it

W 08

So I hadn’t heard of these guys before (seriously, my music knowledge is the worst), so I Googled them and watch the video for “The Best Day of My Life.” I think I heard it on a car commercial once – if not, it should be on a commercial. It’s that kind of upbeat tune that gets stuck in your head even if you don’t want it to. Plus one of the guys in the band plays the banjo. Points for the banjo.

In the early 2000s, I was obsessed with everything that came from the Arts and Crafts label: Broken Social Scene, Jason Collett, Feist, etc. And the Constantines were part of that group, so naturally, I adored them. And now, they are playing the Commodore, and I won’t get to go because Andy asked for the media accreditation before me. Shit.

Red Fang is a heavy metal band from Portland, Oregon, a place where I would think that heavy metal would go to die. That place is bursting with so much indie and folk music and stuff too hipster for my own ears that I’m surprised to be writing “heavy metal” and “Portland” in the same sentence. But I guess it does exist. So maybe, just maybe pigs do fly as well.

Procrastination is the bane of our generation. Seriously, there are so many things that we could do, but then we realize there is a new episode of The Mindy Project, so we hunker down and watch that.

So don’t procrastinate and go to this workshop to learn how to not. Considering I’m writing this calendar at the last minute, this is something I should do too…

Blue Box

Canned Hamm

Less Than Jake

Popa Chubby

Revue Stage 7 pm ? $25 – 35

Th 09

Fox Cabaret 8 pm $10 – 12

Th 09

Venue 8 pm $22

Th 09

Electric Owl 7 pm $25

Th 09

There was no information on when this play actually is, but I’m going to guess around 7, because that’s what time plays usually start at, right? Anyways, the Arts Club Theatre presents this play by Carmen Aguirre, and it chronicles her story from Chile to Hollywood to Vancouver. Sounds varying and interesting.

I’m not really sure what this is and the more I Google, the scarier it gets – like I’m cracking some cold case or something. The best description I could get is that these two guys, Stephen Hamm and Robert Dayton, put on a karaoke, vaudeville and burlesque type of show that is heavy on audience participation. Hey, it’s cheap. You try writing a calendar.

These guys released their debut album nearly two decades ago, and they are still on tour with their eighth album See The Light. For those of you who were born less than 20 years ago, these guys are a ska-punk band (think early No Doubt) from Florida. I wonder what their parents wanted them to become when they were children – I doubt it was ska-punk band members.

Popa Chubby’s real name is Theodore Joseph Horowitz, or “Ted” for short. But c’mon – how can you not wonder how he was dubbed Popa Chubby, and if he gave himself this wicked nickname. He is also pretty good at playing the guitar and blues music, so if that’s your jam, this guy looks like he would impress. Plus his name already does impress.

Angus and Julia Stone

Abra Cadabra

Contra Dance

The Drums

Vogue Theatre 7 pm $25

F 10

Federico’s Supper Club 6 pm $58

F 10

False Creek Community Centre 8 pm to 11 pm $ - donation cookies

F 10

Fortune Sound Club 7 pm $12

F 10

Everyone’s favourite Australian brother and sister duo are coming to Vancouver. Their indie sound has graced the soundtrack of many a romantic comedy. I remember when their single “Big Jet Plane” made it big in 2010, and everyone just wanted to make out to it. I think everyone still wants to. As long as they don’t – as my grandmother says, “Try everything once except for incest and suicide.”

This may seem like a steep price to pay for dinner, but it’s not dinner that you’re paying for. Sure, you’re getting a three course meal from Federico’s, which is awesome, but you also get entertained by an ABBA cover band that will disco dance while you swallow wine and mouthfuls of pasta. Does that not sound appetizing to anyone else? Oh man, I’m going.

I went to a contra dance a couple of years ago to research an article, and let me tell you, everyone is so nice. And they are the happiest people in Vancouver. Everyone is swaying and dancing to commands and have giant smiles plastered onto their faces the entire time. If you’re down about something, you should go to this. It may sound weird, but wholesome dancing with smiling people is sure to cure it.

If one searches Google for “The Drums”, one quickly learns that they are an indie pop band from Brooklyn. If one looks at images in the Google search, one quickly learns that these guys are about as boy band as a boy band gets. They’re worse than One Direction in terms of boy band geekness. They probably nicknamed each other after the guys in One Direction. I wonder which one Harry is. Maybe he will want to make out after the show.

Joey Bada$$

50-40

Canucks vs. Oilers

Baker's Market

Vogue Theatre 9 pm $30

S 11

Commodore Ballroom 8:30 pm $32.50

S 11

Rogers Arena 7 pm $ - an insane amount

S 11

Moberly Arts and Cultural Centre 11 am to 3 pm $ - some new floss

S 11

Naively, I asked “Who is Joey Badass ?” in the office, and both Gabe and Carlo looked like I slapped them in the face with a wet fish. “Dude, a rapper. Who else besides a rapper has that name?”

Gabe replied. I dunno, Gabe, but I think it would be rather interesting to see an Opera singer with that name. So the Brooklyn-based rapper is doing his thing at the Vogue. Sounds fun.

Have you guys seen the promo pic for 54-40?

They seriously look like the world’s nerdiest dad’s that are still trying to be cool. All four of them were wearing shitty sunglasses in the photo, and had long flowing, dad-like hair. It did not make me want to see them, but if you like dad rock, or it’s your dad’s birthday, maybe take him. I bet he would enjoy the show.

Years ago, I dated a guy who worked for the Canucks, and went for free all the time. It became so commonplace that we never did anything else on dates. Seriously, four months of dating, and all we did was watch hockey games. If there was no hockey that night, we would watch Cake Boss.

Since we broke up, I haven’t been to a game since – this shit is pricey.

The Baker’s Market is a place where pastry students, baking aficionados, and sweet tooths can mingle. It gives people a place to sell their goods to the wanting and drooling customers. There is also free parking, free samples, and free admission, so the only thing that may be in harm’s way is your daily sugar count, but really, who cares about that?

Music as Environment

Noah Gundersen

King Kahn & BBQ Show

Thanksgiving Sunday

Emery Barnes Park 2 pm $ - curiosity

Su 12

The real name of this event is Music-as-Environment Environment-as-Music, but that was way too long to put as a title and make it fit nicely.

This is a soundwalk that offers participants a chance to “sense the moments when music is perceived as environmental sound…” I have never heard of an event like this, but according to the description, it could be because I wasn’t listening hard enough.

Biltmore Cabaret 8 pm $12

Su 12

Noah is a cool name for a guy. It’s a name that just oozes coolness. What makes this guy even cooler is\n that writes songs and plays guitar, and anyone is the music program knows that this does, in fact, make you so much cooler. So this guy Noah is playing guitar at the Biltmore. All of the songs are from his new release Ledges. It’s probably going to be the coolest thing you do all week.

Electric Owl 8 pm $17

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Hailing from Montreal, this garage-rock duo takes on the Electric Owl. Apparently, these guys broke up in 2010, but got back together to record more in 2011, and now are on tour again. I wonder if tensions are still high or if they have worked everything out and returned to BFF status. Let’s hope for the latter, but the former would make for a far more interesting show. And I bet they like poutine.

Grandma’s House 4 pm $ - family time & patience

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It’s Thanksgiving Sunday, the day where the belt buckles loosen as much as your Aunt Sally’s mouth after her third glass of wine. Thanksgiving was always entertaining with my family, as by the time the pumpkin pie was served, my grandma had a permanent death glare attached to my cousin Mike. So this year, I’m opting to spend it by myself on the streets of Seattle. Believe me, I’m probably safer in Seattle.

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Queer Collective Meeting

Vancouver has become somewhat of a comedy hub, with a variety of comedy shows happening on the reg. But if anything stands out, it’s improv comedy. Today kicks off the 15th Annual Vancouver Improv Fest, and that’s cool. My friend Kelsey does improv comedy and she is one of the funniest people I know. So go watch Kelsey, it’s the cool thing to do.

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FEATURES

FAYE ALEXANDER FEATURES EDITOR

S P E C I A L F E AT U R E S @ C A P I L A N O C O U R I E R . C O M

Gabriel Scorgie × Opinions Editor

THE CAPILANO COURIER.

VOLUME 48 I SSUE N O . 05

A stroll through the park takes on a new mean-

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ing at Oppenheimer Park in Vancouver’s eastside.

Located on Powell Street, Oppenheimer Park is currently hosting over a hundred homeless people as they protest the lack of affordable housing in Vancouver. “Welfare cheques are $610 a month, after food and basic necessities, that leaves people with around $400 left over. There’s nowhere in Vancouver where you can find housing for that cost.” says Aisha Williams, who has been volunteering with the eastside community for six years.

Though the tent city has been set up since July, there’s been increasing pressure from city hall to remove the campers as of September.

“The tent city in Oppenheimer isn’t legal,” says Margot Young, a Law professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC), “But the political atmosphere surrounding the event is what allowed the tent city to form. Section 11 of Vancouver’s bylaws states that no living structures may be built in parks.

However, in Vancouver, we’ve got a city hall that has been very outspoken about trying to solve the homelessness and have said they would end street homelessness by 2015.” On July 15, the City of Vancouver served campers with an eviction notice, but since then, no serious attempt had been made to remove people from the park - until recently.

On Sept 25, the police visited Oppenheimer Park and served the campers with a notice that the City of Vancouver has filed an injunction to the BC Supreme Court. “An injunction means that the court of BC will order the people out of the park. Anyone who refuses to leave will be in contempt of the Supreme Court of British Columbia and the police will be allowed to forcibly remove those who resist,” says Young. The injunction cited that the campers were breaking numerous bylaws, including section 11, and that there were health, safety, and fire hazards, as well as evidence that may be related to a homicide in one of the tents.

However, Young says that injunctions against tent cities have been fought and won by the homeless in the past. “In Victoria, there was a tent city that got served an injunction notice, but they fought the bylaw that stated the people couldn’t camp overnight in parks and won.”

Ian Collette, a volunteer at Oppenheimer Park fears that Oppenheimer’s tent city will suffer the same fate as the one in Toronto that was formed in 1998 by a small group of homeless people and served as a shelter for them to live in until it was removed in 2002. “The police will show up with containers, give the people 24 hours to gather their belongings and then start throwing the remaining stuff into the bins and arresting those who resist.”

Collette says there are three types of people who live in the park. Those who are protesting the lack

of affordable housing, ones that are using the park as a place for their criminal behavior, and ones who don’t care one way or another. And unfortunately, the latter two are most common, which is partly why the city filed for the injunction.

TAINTED SHELTER “The problem is that the purpose of the camp has been tainted,” says Collette, “In the beginning, there was a strong group of people who came to the park in protest. But now, people have moved into the park and use it as a home-base for their criminality. Walking around the park, there’s a clear inner circle in the middle, formed of protesters, but the outside is filled with criminals. There are two chop shops on the left side of the park that are dismantling $1000 bikes and selling them for $20 on the street. The right side has a camp that’s filled with drug dealers and then the drug addicts are on the outskirts of the park.” Collette says that the number of campers that are protesting is lower than those who are looking for a place to stay.

“I’d be lying if I said most people here were still in protest. Most people are here because it’s safer than shelters, and because it’s a place for them to be criminals. Unfortunately, those people are the ones giving the police, firefighters and city hall the ammunition they need to shut down the protest.”

Young says that with 2015 on its way and the election season approaching, the mayor has to deal with the park before the elections. “City Hall will issue a statement saying that since the protest began, they’ve created new shelters for the homeless to stay in, to make it more palatable for people, ignoring that [shelters] are what the people in the park are protesting against.” she adds. Both Collette and Young agree that people are coming to camp in Oppenheimer Park because it’s the safest option they have. “For the average person, it’s hard to imagine how bad Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotels and homeless shelters are.

When we hear people say that they’re better off on the street than in a shelter, it doesn’t make sense to us, because we’re used to Holiday Inn hotels and nice accommodations. But these shelters are ridden with bed bugs, disease, insects, and in the summer, they’re sweltering hot.” Young says even worse than the living conditions is how dangerous the shelters can be. “Women [in particular] are in a very dangerous position because of the violence against women in our society. Women go to shelters knowing there’s a possibility they’ll get raped.”

“Here’s the scenario of a shelter,” explains Collette, “It’s a big room, an area, and they give you a mat, like a yoga mat. And then they give you a box for your possessions. And you can’t come in

before 8 pm and in the morning you have to leave - some places by 7 am some by 10 am. So between 10 am and 8 pm you’re still homeless.” Collette says that the living conditions in the shelters also create a hostile and dangerous environment. “Because 20 people stay in one room, you get a jail mentality in these places. There’s a hierarchy in the shelters where someone is stronger than the others and they don't handle arguments with dignity or honour, they handle it with violence and threats. There are some very dangerous people in these buildings… My friend and I hadn’t had a shower a few days, so we went to one of the nicer shelters down the block called The 44. We’d just left the place when a man with a big butcher’s knife jumped out of the alleyway and pointed it at my friend. We were lucky because both of us are quite big guys and when he saw that it was going to be two against one, he lost his nerve and backed off.

But if one of us wasn’t there, it might’ve been a different story.”

Williams believes that part of the problem stems from the closing of Riverview Hospital in 2011.

“Riverview was a care center for those who were mentally ill and those suffering from addiction.

When they closed the hospital, they removed one of the few places for people to go and get help. Currently, there are no hospitals dedicated to helping those suffering from mental health issues. There’s only the people at Vancouver Coastal Health, and the psychiatric units at Vancouver General Hospital and the University of British Columbia Hospital,” says Williams. The feeling among people who work and live in the east side is that the dangerous people are dangerous because of drug and mental health issues.

SOLVING THE PUZZLE In April 2014, the Metro Vancouver Homeless Count (MVHC) found that there were more than 2,777 homeless people in Vancouver - a figure that is up from 2,650 in the 2011 census - with at least 950 living on the street. The rest were either in temporary housing or had unknown residences. Over the years, Vancouver has tried different forms of affordable and temporary housing.

Laneway housing was made legal in 2009, but so far it has been used primarily for parents to house their adult children. Hotels and jails have also be converted into places that provide emergency or temporary shelter, but the MVHC found that less than 25 per cent of homeless people stayed in shelters for over a month.

In 2013, the Altira Women’s Resource Society took old shipping containers and created 12 units of affordable housing for women on Alexander

Street. Six of the 320 square feet apartments cost $340 a month, while the other six depend on the individual’s income, with a maximum cost of $850 a month. However, since the protest began in July, no new affordable homes have been created or announced. The only option that has been given to the people camping in the park is more temporary shelters that’ll only be open for the winter season.

Part of the problem may be that when affordable housing does appear, it’s still located on the East Side. “People don’t want that street mentality where they live.” says Collette, “They want a safe place when they close the door - where they don't have to put up with yelling and screaming from the people next door.” Collette adds that some of the homeless are looking for a place of their own they can take care and be proud of. Creating economically diverse neighborhoods, where people staying in affordable housing homes are mixed in with businessmen and professionals, may help extinguish that street mentality.

In August, The New York Times ran an article examining affordable housing in New York City.

ON the Cover

ariN riNgwald Arin Ringwald exhibits the behaviors of one of those recently discovered siphonophores. A lanky organism with multiple parts, somehow functioning together, undulating and meandering with a general purpose of scavenging. His discovery has prompted researchers to scuttle in terror. Visit him (if you dare) in the deep ocean at Behance.net/arinringwald

"They want a nice place to live, they want something that gives them self worth and they just need help getting that stability."

× Arin Ringwald goal is to create a total of 2,500 units by 2021 for residents living on welfare and households making a maximum of $86,500 annually. It’s a good step towards removing some people from the streets, but still only a piece of the puzzle.

UNSOLVABLE RIDDLE Collette notes that even with these initiatives, it won’t completely solve homelessness. “At the end of the day, there are some people who cannot support themselves, they can’t get jobs. They’re unemployable, either because of addiction, mental illness or whatever. Some people have never had a job in their life; they don’t even know how to apply for a job. So what do you do? Do you leave them on a sidewalk? It’s a double edged sword.”

When Police handed out the injunction notices, there were people that needed the notice to be read to them because they were illiterate. Even if the city builds 2,500 units for low income housing, many people still won’t pass the screening process.

In some places, part of the answer has been to

establish permanent tent cities. Dignity Village, a tent city in Portland, Oregon, started as an illegal protest as well, but once the protest gained media and public support, Oregon city council granted the protesters their wish. “The city council agreed to give the campers a vacant lot, away from the public, and let them set up permanently as a recognized campsite.” says Young. Now, Dignity Village’s structures are made of wood and amenities include showers, Internet access, working bathrooms, and TV. Similar campsites have been set up successfully in both Washington and California.

At Oppenheimer Park, a sign above one of the tents read “I’m asking for a hand up, not a hand out.” and Collette says for some people, that’s true. "They want a nice place to live, they want something that gives them self-worth and they just need help getting that stability.” There are people at the park that work hard, keep their area clean, and some even have jobs. For those people, an economically diverse neighborhood, similar to that in New York, would help them immensely.

Others have what Collette describes as a “lack of

basic self-respect.” He says that there are people whose campsites are filled with drugs, people who keep their waste next to where they sleep and that “some people throw the bowls we use to feed people dinner with into the garbage because it’s easier for them then walking back to the kitchen in the middle of the park.” Some people require more than an affordable apartment. They need supervision and caretakers.

What’s clear is that the issue of homelessness goes beyond a tent city in a park. It’s more complicated than building subsidized and affordable housing. “It’s not that one type of homeless person is better than another, it’s that people are homeless for many different reasons and a variety of options need to be available to help them.” says Collette.

What is clear is that the current trend of opening new temporary shelters isn’t the answer. The Vancouver Sun reported that over $1 million a day gets spent on the downtown eastside, and with the results it has yielded, it’s easy to wonder if the money could be spent better.

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They profiled Brandon Deese, a 23 year old man who grew up in a housing project and is now living at Chelsea Park, one of many luxury buildings in the city. Deese pays $540 a month for a studio apartment that would regularly be rented at $3,200. This type of housing is available in New York because the city offers a tax break to building owners that list 20 per cent of their apartments at affordable rates. Chelsea Park alone rents out 142 low income apartments and in July, New York’s Housing Development Corporation President, Gary Rodney announced that more than 8,700 affordable units had been financed in their first six months.

The affordable housing system in New York isn’t perfect: The application process is grueling and people can be disqualified for the smallest of mistakes, but with all the high rises being built in Vancouver, it is a potential option of Vancouver to explore. The Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency announced a plan to create 500 affordable housing units over the next three years. How the housing will be allocated is still unclear, but their

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× Kira Campbell

FEATURES

Mo

THE CAPILANO COURIER.

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No one can escape the presence of the work-

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ing model. Their superior bone structure, perfect skin, endless legs and alluring faces are a major part of advertising for a limitless number of products non-models use on the daily. From Walmart to Holt Renfrew, retailers, designers, cosmetic companies and more use beauty as the lure to draw consumers in. They are mysterious, tall creatures who walk among us, many hiding in plain sight. Capilano University is speckled with potential centrefolds and brazen babes that look as though they’ve walked directly from an Ambercrombie and Fitch ad into Sociology 101.

But there is more to being a model than just being really, really incredibly good looking.

“There are many ways to get started as a model, but most submit photos directly to an agency,” explains Lauren Sundstrom, who bounces between work as a model and the Broadcast Journalism Program at BCIT. The modelling industry is based on the marketing of self, therefore to become a model one has to be good at just that: marketing. The first step to a future in glossy magazines and Tumblr blogs is finding an agent.

“I was more or less scouted, via Model Mayhem actually, after I did my first shoot and posted the photos upon the photographer’s recommendation. Looking back the shoot was super cheesy, but thankfully I was plucked by a decent agency,” says Sundstrom.

If sending portfolio photos off to an agency seems daunting, ModelMayhem.com may be one of the best places to start. The website is the world’s largest modelling community online and helps model hopefuls connect and create for anyone looking to become a part of the exclusive world of modelling. Despite the fact there is no screening process to start a profile as either a model or scout, the international networking platform is the perfect way to capture the attention of a legitimate agent.

MODEL AMBITION “Having an agent is pretty vital unless you’re unusually connected and can negotiate rates like a pro,” says Sundstrom, who is represented by Vancouver agency, the Nobasura Clubhouse. Yet with so many model hopefuls out there competing to capture the attention of a reputable agency,

FAYE ALEXANDER FEATURES EDITOR

it could all be a matter of being the right face at the right time. “I got scouted because I had the look that particular agency was looking for at the time. And they saw something marketable in me,” explains Sundstrom. It probably doesn’t hurt that Sundstrom has porcelain skin, ice blue eyes and pouty lips — as far as models go, that tends to be the standard.

“It may seem superficial, but this is not an easy industry to break into,” explains Anna Bonthoux, an agent at the Nobasura Clubhouse, “There are so many beautiful guys and girls out there — if we are going to sign you, you have to stand out.

S P E C I A L F E AT U R E S @ C A P I L A N O C O U R I E R . C O M

reality. You can’t really be offended by that, it’s just the world we’re living in. Who knows, maybe that will change.” Rail thin female models and toned and chiseled male models do tend to be the most widely used working models in advertising, but there have been campaigns trying to sway that in another direction.

The modern model has been the scapegoat of negative body image since Twiggy made being thin the thing in the swinging 1960s — which rocked the world of modelling forevermore. Advertising, particularly for fashion and cosmetics, has a powerful effect on how people think they

There needs to be something about you that really sets you apart from the rest of the people out there looking to break in.” Modelling is a competitive and exclusive business to sink one’s teeth into. With trends continually shifting and societal beauty ideals evolving over the decades as well, what is beautiful today may not be all that beautiful tomorrow.

“First and foremost, agencies are looking for tall, thin and young girls. And I do mean young — they’re usually around 13 or 14 when initially scouted,” says Sundstrom, “Secondly they are looking for someone who looks good on camera. Just because you have a pretty face, it doesn’t mean the camera will automatically love you and vice versa.” Being beautiful and widely acclaimed as really good looking isn’t always enough to attract the attention of a notable agency or client.

Many models, as opposed to being generally accepted as classically beautiful, gain more attention for looking unique — even downright odd. And once signed, even the most genetically superior men and women come under the microscope for further tweaks and more painstaking diet restrictions.

THE SKINNY Once you have the basics down, i.e. being thin and tall, that’s when the nitpicking begins. “Are your legs and ankles slim enough? Are your hands long and slender? Are your shoulders too narrow or too broad? Can you walk? The list goes on,” explains Sundstrom, who has endured critiques of every inch of her body. Much like a product, potential models have to be as close to flawless and sellable as humanly possible. In an attempt to join the reputable Lizbell Agency, Sundstrom was instructed to lose 15 pounds and to stop tweezing her eyebrows entirely so she would gain a more appealing ‘edgy’ look, and to come back once the weight had dropped off. Despite losing the weight and her eyebrows taking on a life of their own, Lizbell decided not to sign her to a contract.

“I was very, very hungry,” says Sundstrom.

“The most important thing is finding someone who is really willing to work. It’s not just standing in front of the camera and getting by on looks alone — that doesn’t book you work,” says Bonthoux, “You have to be dedicated. If you have to lose weight so that you are marketable, that is the

Vancouver is not entirely realistic, as the city lacks a true fashion industry — so many hopefuls head eastbound to Toronto, the US, or overseas for better paycheques and more work. “If you want any chance of making money, modelling overseas is a must. Career models can’t make a viable living working in Vancouver. Period,” says Sundstrom, speaking from experience. Modelling allowed Sundstrom the opportunity to work overseas in both Istanbul and China for months on end, living in model apartments with young working models from all over the world.

If relocating to another city doesn’t appeal,

× Matthew Burditt Photography

should look. Models, as walking, talking billboards for everything from toothpaste to haute couture boleros, play a role in defining our overall ideals on what ‘beauty’ is. According to Womens Health, today’s female model weighs 23 per cent less than the average woman — that’s pretty thin.

But even those models are photoshopped down a few sizes once the photographer has done their job. Male models are frequently photoshopped to achieve the lean muscular look that make polo shirts seem like ‘must-haves’. “There is a lot of pressure from advertisers, that’s the root of the problem,” explains Bonthoux, “Working models are made to fit clothes, clothes aren’t made to fit models.”

GET OUT OF TOWN The Nobasura Clubhouse also represents local fashion “it-girl”, Rhiannon Blossom who has graced the pages of multiple magazines, including Zink, Nylon, Editorial and Vice. However, the success of Blossom, who at 17 years old, has made modelling her day job, is the exception to the rule. Most Vancouver beauties will have to be willing to travel. Being a successful model in

volunteering is a great way to build up a portfolio and gain some local exposure, as long as you’re not depending on making modelling a full-time job.

Local model Alison Powroznik, signed to the John Casablancas Model Agency, believes it’s a great way to gain experience in front of the camera and learn the basics on professionalism. “Make sure whoever you’re working with is worth your time,” says Powroznik, “You can usually tell just from looking at their portfolio if they are good to work with on a volunteer basis.” Many local photographers are seeking to build their experience, as well as makeup artists, local designers and stylists — so creative collaborations between creatives looking to bust into the fashion industry can benefit everyone involved.

“I don’t think modelling is a particularly ‘skilled’ craft, although it does take some practice,” sums up Sundstrom, “Some models “have it” while others learn from experience, and some just never get it. It’s not like there’s a secret language and a good photographer will give good direction to fresh faces, but the model is expected to “have” something as well.” × With files from Jackson Weaver

Cap-ture

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T H E C A P I L A N O C O U R I E R . VOLUME 48 I SSUE N O . 05

We like to do it on the couch. Send us your best photos if you want to see something more interesting than this. Numb butts, numb nuts, numb chuckles. CAP you and you and you. Well, if this doesn't look like work, I don't know what does. This is how CapU do. Write, read & repeat.

Couches inspire strong work ethic. Hard copy, soft copy. A hard day's twerk. - Cheryl xx

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opinions

GABRIEL SCORGIE OPINIONS EDITOR

OPINIONS@CAPILANOCOURIER.COM

the power of names PSEUDONYMS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR FACEBOOK USERS Steve Tornes × Writer Facebook is currently deleting profiles that don’t use legal names. Of course, one could understand their perspective: using legal names can help someone know if they’re talking to the person they intend. However, the problem is that real names can be different from legal names and if someone wishes to be called by a different name than the one on their legal documents, people should respect that wish. As actor W.C. Fields said, “It ain’t what they call you, it’s what you answer to.”

This has been a growing controversy because of its effect on performers. The drag community has been particularly vocal on this topic, starting a petition on Change.org asking Facebook to “allow performers to use their stage names on their Facebook accounts.” As of Oct. 3, the petition has been signed by 36,422 supporters. The problem is that users will no longer be able to use their performance name on their profile. One can understand their frustration - after all, the livelihood of a performer is tied to their publicity. If they can’t market themselves online, then it will affect their ability to work and live. Of course, they can still make a Facebook page for people to

× Scarlett Aubrey “like,” but even Facebook admits that “Pages organically reach about 16 per cent of their fans on average.” Having a page is not as useful as having a profile. Not to mention, a profile reinforces that the person is alive, they are not just the product of a performance, but are born from the depths of individuality.

The petition reminds us that there is also a safety issue. By forcing the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual and Queer (LGBTQ) community to use their real names, it can it open “the door to harassment, abuse, and violence.” Rather than

keep people safe, it “enables our communities to be attacked and degraded, both online and off.”

This fact is unavoidable. In fact, the issue of safety affects anyone who wants to hide from an abuser online. It’s an issue which affects the vulnerable regardless of their community. Pseudonyms allow people to maintain a social network without the fear of an abuser or stalker finding them.

Doctors and therapists are also known to use fake names on social networks as well. “It is counterproductive for a client of mine seeking mental health services to be able to, especially at the beginning of our work together, know and see me as I appear on Facebook. Many of my colleagues also use a fake last name to prevent this exact type of access by our clients.” said Benjamin Harden, a pre-doctoral therapist in an interview with Q13 Fox. There are legitimate reasons for needing a pseudonym on Facebook.

Rather than respecting people’s wishes, Facebook is trying to become more authoritative. By focusing on people’s legal names, they’re trying to become a form of official identification, like a social security number or a driver’s licence. It’s envisioning a future where we can properly identify ourselves by using our Facebook profiles and the fact that they’re trying to delete profiles which use stage names is ironic to begin with.

Facebook profiles are personas that we project

onto our “friends”. Profiles reveal only what their users want people to see. The profiles are artificial to begin with. The validity of a profile is not based on a single identity tied to a name, despite what Facebook wants. Moreover, they’re inconsistent in their search for authoritativeness. Users can choose their gender in keeping with their identity, but are unable to choose their name. It’s as if they don’t realize that names can be as fluid as gender. The individual is in constant flux and sometimes names no longer fit.

The problem is that Facebook is trying to make profiles as inflexible as official identification, completely ignoring the fact that it’s a medium for social contact. It’s trying to officiate the way in which people live their lives socially. Even if the intention of Facebook is to protect its users from virtual criminals, it doesn’t excuse the elimination of every valid and legitimate reason to have a pseudonym.

Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder of Facebook, said in an interview with David Kirkpatrick: “Having two identities for yourself is an example of a lack of integrity.” That mindset is unquestionably wrong. People deserve the respect to identify as they wish. The fact that Zuckerberg describes separate identities as a “lack of integrity” shows a presumptuous disrespectfulness.

Hopefully, Facebook changes its policies.

hand me downs OFFENSIVE CLOTHING HAS TO STOP Rozan Talebian

THE CAPILANO COURIER.

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× Writer

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With big companies with global reach, mistakes will happen and occasionally a product will have to be recalled. It’s a risk that comes with being a large producer of goods. However, an alarming trend has appeared in the fashion industry where offensive, insensitive and racist clothing has somehow been approved by the designers and producers at popular clothing companies such as Urban Outfitters and Zara and ends up on the shelves of their stores. This forces the public to speak up and have the clothes removed.

People were furious when they saw that Urban Outfitters released a red Kent State sweater, not honouring the lost lives of the tragic shooting in 1970. Instead, it had what looked a lot like blood stains all over the fabric. This was selling online for $129, and there was only one in stock. The tagline for this offensive sweater read: “We only have one, so get it or regret it!” This, unfortunately, is only one example of how designers seem to be turning destructive situations into a fashion statement - and Urban Outfitters isn’t the only retail store with these fanatic ideas.

Zara, a popular store amongst teenagers and young adults, has also released some controversial clothing in the past few years. In 2007, the company was selling embroidered handbags that had bicycles and flowers on them. It looked innocent enough - until people realized that on each corner of the bag is a green swastika. They were immediately forced to pull it down. This isn’t the end though, because recently they released a children’s t-shirt that resembled the uniforms that were worn by inmates in the holocaust. With such blatant blunders like that, it’s hard not to wonder when and where Zara’s designers are from.

The design of clothes hasn’t been the only way companies have been offending their customers. There are plenty types of grey: light grey, dark grey, metallic grey, among others. Usually, retail stores like to make their own name for these colors to make it sound more appealing, such as ‘warm metallic grey’ or ‘eye shadow grey.’ These ridiculous tags are all over clothing. Recently, Target released a kimono maxi dress online made for “plus size” women under the colour “Manatee Grey.” It sounds straight forward. But, if someone were to order a regular sized dress not under the “plus size” option and chose their colour, they would find that their “Manatee Grey” miraculously transforms into “Dark Heather Grey” and that it’s the same colour. Target’s response to this was that they have two separate suppliers, one for the plus sizes and one for the regular sizes, and that their supplier changed the colour’s name without consulting them. Abercrombie and Fitch refused to make plus sizes in their line entirely because they didn’t want plus sized people advertising their clothing. They also had a t-shirt that read “Do I Make You Fat?” This got plenty of people riled up, and began a movement to give all of their Abercrombie & Fitch clothing to homeless people all around.

Though people are offended and demanding more than an insincere apology from these stores, people are still shopping there. Young adults and teenagers will still find themselves in these stores not realizing that by buying the products, they’re supporting these designs. Not only did Urban Outfitters release a sweater related to a tragic event, but they also released a shirt that makes girls all around the world feel insecure. One of their t-shirts had the words, “Eat Less” on it, which is meant to encourage teenagers to starve themselves to look like the

× Cristian Fowlie models they Photoshop for their catalogues.

These stores are more concerned with profit and attention than the message they’re delivering to their customers.

How these items made it onto the shelf without someone deciding to stop production is a mystery. Were the producers at Zara unaware that their new t-shirt for kids looked a lot like the shirt from The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas,

or maybe they knew it was offensive, but figured the publicity would help the brand more than it would hurt it. Regardless of the reason, this trend needs to stop. It’s not enough that the clothes get pulled once the public gets upset - the clothes should never have been made in the first place.

opinions

Friends with benefits CHINESE MONEY WILL HELP CANADIAN ENERGY Kevin Kapenda × Writer Upon coming to power, the Harper government has made it a goal of theirs to sign multiple free trade agreements with other developed nations and open new markets for Canadian businesses.

Since 2006, the Conservatives have signed or agreed to free trade agreements with six independent nations, including Korea, Colombia, and the European Union, a bloc of 42 countries.

Another recent agreement with China, signed in 2012, called the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA), is not so much a free trade agreement, but a document guaranteeing Chinese investors legally binding rights and government compensation for investments (usually related to natural resources) that are held up or blocked by aboriginal or provincial governments. This type of investor “insurance” is not unknown to Canada. Canada already has 21 FIPA agreements with other countries and allowing Chinese companies to invest directly in Canadian oil is in Canada’s best interest. Unfortunately, many Canadians think that the policy carries to much risk and is unnecessary.

The Canada-China FIPA document came into force on Oct.1, after the two countries signed it in 2012. The bill’s critics claim that its promises could leave Canadian taxpayers owing Chinese investors billions if their investments are blocked

by provincial, local or aboriginal governments.

This is because the FIPA program assures foreign investors that they will not have their interests seized, blocked or reclaimed (natural resources) by the state without compensation or reimbursement by the federal government. “They [foreign investors] will not have their investments expropriated without prompt and adequate compensation”, explained the Ministry of International Trade in a press release. While this clause is included in all 21 of Canada’s FIPA agreements, critics of the Canada-China accord argue that it puts Canada in a disadvantaged position because China will be investing more in Canada than Canada will be over there. “FIPA would let China’s companies sue Canada [Federal Government] for unlimited damages if our governments’ [local, provincial, aboriginal] make decisions that put Canada’s interests first. Canada has signed a lot of FIPA’s in recent years — but only with small countries where we were expecting that most of the investment would be going out, not in”, published public advocacy group Leadnow on their anti Canada-China FIPA website, Fipafacts.ca. In addition to our financial oblations, the agreement also carries a large term of 31 years, meaning Canada cannot back out of the deal until 2045, regardless if Chinese investment helps our resource industry or not.

Liberal opposition to FIPA has been characteristically centrist and neutral, while the NDP and Green Party’s disdain for the agreement has been

much more vocal. Last year, NDP Trade Critic and Vancouver MP Don Davies introduced a motion in parliament to block FIPA’s ratification, while Green party MPs Elizabeth May and Bruce Hyer scolded the agreement. “[FIPA] is a profound attack of Canada's sovereignty as a nation and an erosion of the rights of all Canadians to make democratic decisions about our economy, environment, and energy. Aboriginal governments also tried their hand at stopping FIPA, because its rules give Chinese companies access to their land for resource development.

Last year, The Huffington Post reported that BC’s Hupacasath First Nations took FIPA to federal court, claiming the agreement would have an adverse affect on aboriginal self-government in Canada. Their motion was rejected by a federal judge that same year.

While FIPA’s opponents raise important questions about the agreement, Canadian oil and natural gas is going to need foreign investment if it’s ever going to reach its potential. Though, it may be controversial to accept money from Chinese state-run corporations, companies owned by the same government that’s infamous for committing human rights violations and totalitarian rule, the amount of capital and Canadian jobs that could be created from FIPA is endless. In 2011, the government reported that Chinese firms had about $11 billion directly invested in Canada.

That figure didn’t even include the 2013 $15 billion CNOOC (Chinese state-owned company)

takeover of Canadian oil company Nexen. John Manley of The Ottawa Citizen believes that all the misinformation and fear mongering surrounding FIPA is unwarranted. “We need not fear FIPA”, he wrote two years ago upon its signing. “Canada is a relatively small player in the global economy, with an enormous need for more capital. In the energy sector alone, Canada will need more than $600 billion to develop the resources, get product to market, and research new technologies that will allow us to meet tomorrow's needs in any environmentally responsible, sustainable way.

China's growth offers huge benefits for Canada.

Let's not squander this opportunity.”

In addition to its’ benefits in Canada, FIPA is a bilateral agreement that will also give Canadian companies the same assurances we are giving Chinese firms in China. “Canadian investors will be guaranteed to receive the same treatment provided to other foreign investors and, once established in China, would be entitled to the same treatment as domestic investors. In the event of expropriation, Canadian investors would be entitled to compensation”, wrote Manley in the same 2012 article. If people want to see Canada’s energy sector continue to grow, the Canada-China FIPA agreement is nothing but good news.

cheap and gassy STUDENTS SHOULD STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT PARKING Scott Barkemeyer

ing CapU’s $331 yearly rate seem more palatable.

Also, downtown parking can range from $1 to $7 per hour depending on the lot or meter and where downtown they’re trying to park.

Fortunately, everyone’s hard earned $3.50 is going to help the school. The funds received from parking get added to childcare and theatre as a line item on the budget. In 2013 this total of this department came to $1,800,028. This revenue is then added to the operating budget for the university, which then gets used in the operation of the school.

And if someone is still sour over a parking ticket or getting their car towed, they’ll have to complain to VINCI Park, not CapU. With VINCI Park managing the parking services, they’re responsible for enforcement, appeals, and payments of fines. If fines are paid within seven days of notice they’re $39.20, outside of this time the

fine becomes $50.40. Appeals must be made within seven days, and must be submitted by mail, email, or fax to VINCI Park. If a vehicle gets towed, it’ll be at the Parkway Crew on Seymour Boulevard until towing fees are paid in full. Vehicles will be towed for mainly illegal parking in fire lanes, loading zones or wheelchair spaces; however non-payment of rates or continuous car alarms could result in your vehicle being impounded.

So what other options do students have? CapU suggests a few on their parking webpage, “employees and students are encouraged to car pool, use transit, walk or cycle to the campus,” basically any method of transport to get here aside from driving.

Walk or bike to school and get some fresh air and exercise. Use the U-Pass that you have already paid for and take transit. Car pool and get access to some of the best stalls on campus. There are options, use

them. Or park off campus - just ensure you abide by all posted regulations to prevent by-law violations.

What parking on campus comes down to is this: if you don’t like the service, then don’t use it. Even at its most expensive rate it’s still more affordable than many other parking facilities on the lower mainland. Sure, it has its problems, but get over it.

If a credit card doesn’t read correct, then use a different terminal or use change. Remember change, that stuff made of metal that everyone has sitting at home in a dish? This is what it was made for. Or, if someone regularly parks on campus, 16 times a month or more, they should get a parking pass and save money. The worst part of driving to CapU has nothing to do with the parking regulations, cost or availability anyway - it’s the traffic.

T H E C A P I L A N O C O U R I E R . VOLUME 48 I SSUE N O . 05

Parking at Capilano University is a sour point for many students that drive to class. Parking on campus is limited and there are places to park for free just blocks away from campus - so why pay to park?

There are a total of 1,293 general parking spaces, broken down into three different parking zones across the 11 lots on campus. In addition, there are 23 disability spaces, 16 car pool, and 28 short term spaces. This means there are a total of 1,337 available parking spaces. According to CapU’s statistics in the 2012/ 2013 year there were 7,868 students in credit programs and 5,172 in non-credit courses. Without factoring employee parking there is enough parking for around 10 per cent of students at any given time. For a campus that brings students from across the lower mainland this is not a high number. So if you cannot find an empty spot then look no further for a reason, however if you cannot find a spot, then park further away and walk.

As far as rates go, there are permits, daily rates, and hourly parking. Permits are available in three different lengths starting out at single month intervals, a four-month term, and 12 month annual permits. Daily rates start at $3.50 per day and go up to $6.00 depending on where you park. For the 28 short term stalls, the fee is $0.75 per 15 minutes ($3.00 per hour) so unless you’re parking for less than an hour, the cheapest rate for parking during class is $3.50 in lot 4 - which is the furthest from the buildings and is surprisingly low compared to many areas in the Lower Mainland. At the University of British Columbia (UBC) students can pay upwards of $14.00 a day when paying hourly and their eight month pass can cost up to $720, mak-

× Ekaterina Aristova

× Writer

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columns

LEAH SCHEITEL COLUMNS EDITOR

EDITOR@CAPILANOCOURIER.COM

you haven't seen that?!

TOP GUN Holly Pavlik × Columnist

Although Holly Pavlik works in the animation and movie industry, there are an alarming number of blockbuster movies she has yet to see. She is determined to watch them all, and will give you fresh eyes on stories and films the rest of us have all seen. For the record, she hasn’t missed an episode of Arrested Development. She loves Jason Bateman too much for that.

My friend Danny once told me this story: He and his three buddies went hang gliding and before takeoff they decided to assign themselves nicknames based on the characters in Top Gun. “I call Maverick!” said Danny. “I’ve got Iceman!” said the second. “I’m Goose!” said the third. Silence.

Everybody blankly stared at the poor, unassuming third guy. “Goose dies,” said Danny. “Oh,” said the self-proclaimed dead man. Awkward. It was evident that guy number three had not actually seen one of the biggest ‘bro’ movies of all time and

he couldn’t have looked more uncool because of it.

Since it is my goal to be seen as super cool in all scenarios, I’ve realized I need to see this film. So, this week I critique Top Gun. We begin with boys flying jets. Admittedly I have no idea what’s happening, so I turn to Sir Wikipedia to impart his wisdom. I read the first paragraph of the movie's ‘plot’ section. One F14A Tomcat and a few MiG-28s later, I still have no clue what’s going on. However, I refuse to hold myself responsible. I’m willing to bet on the chocolate bar I’m eating that most people who’ve seen this movie didn’t either. There’s so much jargon and everybody looks the same and I can’t tell who’s flying what and it’s making me dizzy. By the end of the sequence, I’ve managed to grasp that Maverick (Tom Cruise) is the main character and he flies jets. Boom.

Maverick and his best pal Goose are chosen to attend Topgun, the U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program. On the night preceding the first day of training they hit up the bar. A lady catches Maverick’s eye and he spontaneously grabs a nearby microphone to serenade her with “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” by the Righteous Brothers. This must be some sort of Scientology mating ritual — fascinating. All the other pilots join in song and it becomes a debauched, sausage party glee club. Wait, where have I seen this before? At every frat party

ever — a bunch of drunk boys ejaculating that song from their mouths then giggling about it afterwards.

Seeing this phenomenon multiple times, I’ve never known it was in reference to this movie. Now that I do, it somehow seems even more obnoxious. Frat boys, please note that this doesn’t get Maverick laid and that you will have the same results. Anyhow, in a total twist (if you’re not thinking too hard) it’s revealed that the victim of this nonsense is Maverick’s instructor, Charlie Blackwood. He continues to lure her in with his Scientology seduction tactics and it eventually works.

I should probably give mention to the most important, thought-provoking scene of the entire film: the all male, shirts-off volleyball party. Right away it's obvious this sequence is integral to the plot, so I watch it again, and again. And then one more time. I see lots of great character development happening here. Lots of great, muscular, arousing character development. As a person who has always been drawn to shiny objects, it’s difficult for me not to enjoy this barrage of sparkly, hard, half naked men. This, paired with my chocolate bar, makes for a pretty sexy Saturday night. If this sounds like something you might enjoy, the magic happens around the 40:57 mark.

Then Goose dies during training in a fighter jet accident. Of course he does. It’s always the funloving guy with a wife, a kid and so much to live

for. It’s never the arrogant loner with no family — the Mavericks always survive. This leads us to the moral of the story, which is to never get married or have kids — you will live longer if you don't.

Struggling with his loss, Maverick tosses in the locker room towel. But soon enough, hope jets back into his life when Viper, a Topgun instructor who used to fly with Maverick’s deceased father, tells a tale about his Dad dying in the midst of a heroic act. This inspires Maverick to keep on trucking — or flying. Whatever.

Immediately after Maverick’s graduation, he and his peers are called to provide air support for the rescue of a stricken communications ship that has strayed into hostile waters. With a dash of teamwork and a sprinkle of courage, Maverick and his teammate/rival Iceman, work together and force the enemy to flee. Upon landing, victory is theirs and the two men share a firm man-hug. Looks like Maverick has got a new duck to fly with.

In conclusion, Top Gun is a bromance movie that should be held responsible for boys always wanting to give themselves juvenile nicknames (you know you’ve all done it). It also reminds us of a simpler time, when Tom Cruise was young and not jumping on couches. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a Kit Kat to finish and an all male, shirts-off volleyball party to watch.

house of common sense FOR HARPER, IT'S OIL BEFORE ENVIRONMENT Kevin Kapenda × Columnist

THE CAPILANO COURIER.

VOLUME 48 I SSUE N O . 05

Kevin Kapenda has been the Courier’s unofficial political correspondent for the past two years. This year, we just made it a bit more official. Through his column, he will be delving into the world of politics and highlight what students should pay closer attention to. He’s doing the hard political work so you don’t have to

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Climate change is an issue that nearly all Canadians have an opinion on. The movement to curb climate change has grown so large that it is now a staple issue in North American politics.

Climate change is mainly attributed to increased levels of gas emissions in the atmosphere due to the consumption of fossil fuel. To reverse climate change, many Canadian activists and scientists have urged Canada’s federal leaders, including Prime Minister Harper, to abandon fossil fuels and begin developing renewable types of energy that don’t emit greenhouse gases. Since Harper is an economist from Alberta, his devotion to expanding his province’s oil industry is why many influential members of Canada’s environmental coalition have campaigned against him. On Sept. 23, the United Nations held a conference on climate change in New York, an event Harper chose not to attend.

Even though the Prime Minister may be feeling the heat from progressives for his position on climate change, his relentless support for fossil fuels in Western Canada could still help him win re-election next year.

Since becoming Prime Minister in 2006, many of Harper’s critics do not believe he is doing enough to protect the environment. In 2011, the Canadian government withdrew from

the Kyoto Protocol, a binding international agreement between developed nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and told parliament that it wouldn’t support any climate change agreement that the US or China didn’t, because they are the world’s largest polluters. A Huffington Post article claimed that Harper’s record on environmental regulation is both appalling and embarrassing. “Canada has a waning reputation on the international stage for its climate obstruction, the muzzling of scientists, the elimination of environmental legislation and massive cuts to federal research and science programs," wrote Carol Linnitt. This article came at a time in which the Prime Minister declined to attend the UN summit in New York, the same conference his British and US counterparts, Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama attended in person. Many experts on climate change believe that Harper is refusing to commit to reducing emissions because of his relationship with the oil industry. “Those defending the earth are muzzled and harassed, while those willing to destroy the earth for profit are warmly invited to ‘call [Harper] any time’,” argued Linda McQuaig on Ipotilics.ca.

While Harper’s record on the environment may seem gloomy, he has reasons for it. Canada is and has always been a resourceful country.

Whether it be agriculture, forestry, fishing, fossil fuels or mining, our country’s economy is largely dependent on primary industries or natural resources. Oil and gas is Canada’s largest export.

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers argues that it will generate over a trillion dollars in government revenues over the next 25 years and create roughly a million jobs in the same time. Since becoming Prime Minister, Harper has made growing Canada’s economy a key component of his platform, even if it means

× Kelsey Holden prioritizing oil over the environment. In June, during a visit from Australian Prime Minister and fellow Conservative, Tony Abbott, Harper addressed the media telling them that he was not going to take any action in regards to climate change that puts economic growth at risk. “No country is going to undertake actions on climate change, no matter what they say, no country is going to [take] actions that are going to deliberately destroy jobs and growth in their country.

We are just a little more frank about that, but that is the approach that every country is seeking.” In addition to the economic benefits of the oil industry, there are also various political reasons as to why the Prime Minister and many centre-right provincial leaders, such as Premier Christy Clark, continue to support fossil fuel development in Canada. Clark and Harper elect many members in rural communities where the oil and gas industry operations are based. In BC’s Peace River region, where the majority of our province’s oil and natural gas fields are, the region’s two MLAs are BC Liberal, while its MP is Conservative. In Alberta, the Conservatives hold all but one of the province’s seats in Parlia-

ment. Support for oil and natural gas has been a big component of Harper’s policy because his base is still dependent on the industry.

The environment and the economy is an issue that continues to divide voters. Many people feel that climate change should be prioritized over the fossil fuel development, while others feel the status quo should be upheld due to the economic importance of the oil industry. While this is an issue that has hurt the reputation of the Prime Minister, his position on energy development is one he’s best to stick to. Opinion polls aggregated by Threehundredeight.com show that Harper is most popular in Western Canada, but losing support in Eastern Canada, where three centre-left “Trudeau-ish” provincial governments have been recently elected in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. If Harper were to lose most of his 73 seats in Ontario, he’d surely be defeated. However, if he can sure up his base in Western Canada without implementing any anti-oil policies, he should be able to win back Ontarians with the same libertarian and minority friendly policies that won them over in 2011.

columns

too nietzsche FAMILY FUN NIGHT

Jeremy Hanlon × Columnist Jeremy Hanlon is a mastermind in all things off the beaten path. Some of his interests include instant music trivia, moustache cultivation, and wheeling around the office in a swivel chair. With his column, he will explore the world of the niche, and why underground communities are often the most welcoming In 1895, due to the advent of industrial tools facilitating menial work, the common family found itself with more time in each other’s company.

Game companies decided to try and tackle the issue of families having no idea what the crap to do around each other by promoting “Family Games Night.” This would be a weekly occurrence in which the family would partake in a communal board game, like Mouse Trap or Parcheesi. Obviously they didn’t realize that board games ruin friendships and lives.

I like board games — to an unhealthy degree.

I once spent 20 minutes poring over the rules of Whistler Challenge in order to prove my sister hadn’t won a gold medal. I was eight. I stopped my professional Clue career at the age of 11 to preserve my perfect record and have never played since. When I played Monopoly, I nearly went into depression when I had to mortgage my property on Park Place. My point is that I’m highly competitive and have a lengthy list of people who won’t play Oxford Dilemma with me anymore.

There are a few games, however, where this very

ruthlessness is not only advantageous but encouraged. I’m going to detail three of the games I keep playing because being shrewd, conniving and vindictive are positive traits.

Settlers of Catan Imagine this: you’re on this island with a bunch of useless followers who need you to “be a leader” and “show us the way” and “stop eating all the crescent rolls.” You’re starting some colony and ready to show the uncivilized wilderness what’s what, but there are four other people also starting colonies at the same time and think they’re better leaders, but they’re obviously not, because you chose to start at an area with tons of wood. You can roll a seven for wood every turn.

Then you just keep rolling nines for the rest of the game, and your competitors have built roads everywhere and you can’t expand, because fuck communal roads.

This game actually has a lot of strategy involved, and there’s a pretty intense amount of bartering that you need to engage in to get all the resources required to develop your colony, all while knowing that helping a player earlier may hinder you in the long run. It’s pretty intense, and takes a bit to get into the groove, and I have not ever won a game of Catan.

Fluxx I’ve only ever played the Cthulhu version of Fluxx, but the rules are slightly different from the original, and more evil. The rules of the game are simple: draw three cards at the beginning of the game. On your turn, you draw one card and play one card.

After that, it starts to get a bit hectic. See, this game doesn’t have a goal until you play one, and it doesn’t have many rules until you play a rule card. These

× Jason Jeon rules include “Draw three cards each turn”, “Play four cards each turn”, and “You must end your turn with two cards in your hand.” You can play actions that let you steal other people’s cards, or make it impossible for them to win the game. You can even play “Un-goal” cards, where if the criteria are met, the game ends and everyone loses.

Plus, it has a card called “Penguins”, and there’s really nothing more badass than penguins.

Munchkin If you haven’t played Munchkin, you probably still have a social life and friends who are willing to talk to you. Munchkin is a game about getting loot and levelling up. It’s also a game about screwing your friends over and ganging up on the winner. Everyone starts the game at level one with no race and no class, and by defeating monsters they attempt to reach level 10. They can do this by equipping certain gear or asking people to help in exchange for letting them take an agreed upon portion of the monster’s loot.

That said, this game is where my vengeful side

really finds its way out. Oh, you didn’t want to help me fight a pack of rabid bunnies at the beginning of the game? How about I make you fight three giant hell demons of hell? Sorry, I could help you, but now I’m going to rain pain and misery over your entire existence forever.

This game requires a good amount of pragmatism, as well as knowing your opponents, because if you make a wrong move, they will fuck your shit up with a vengeance. It’s also the only game I know where you’re allowed to cheat as long as nobody noticed you doing it. It’s defined in the rules.

These are my picks of games to buy if you want your social circle to hate you forever. Special mention goes to Cards Against Humanity simply because your friends can see how depraved you really are with custom cards like “Practising your blowjobs on a poorly sanded broom handle”. And hey, if you ever see a guy who looks like he’s desperately alone with absolutely no one to turn to, ask him if he wants to play Munchkin, then immediately regret it.

tasha salads WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT?

Tasha Salads × Columnist

@MoreThanOnePussy says: My boyfriend masturbates to animal porn. One time I caught him doing it when he thought I wasn't coming over. Is this considered cheating?

Cheating isn't the really the first word that comes to mind. Freaky? A little. Creepy? Perhaps. But it's not quite cheating unless he's actually getting jiggy with the animals on Old MacDonald's farm.

Now's a good time to go and check on Charlie, the neighbour's dog. Oh really, he's been cowering in his doghouse for days? What a coincidence. Looks like you've got two dogs on your hands.

But seriously, I don't judge anyone for getting turned on by animal instincts and you shouldn't either. What you should do is avoid making your zoosexual (yes, that's a thing) boyfriend feel like he's a freak because he's into fauna. Ask yourself

× Tierney Milne why he chose not to share his zoosexuality with you and what that says about your relationship. Keeping secrets is exactly what all romantic comedies tell you never to do. Is there something you could have done to make him feel more comfortable putting the "tell" in "show and tell"? Or is he just a goodfor-nothing piece of shit who lies to you?

Getting excited by watching humans and animals create new species is not in itself a problem. I would venture a guess that it's actually more common than you think. People like to watch all kinds of kinky shit – I recently got wind of a video of a dolphin getting sucked off by its trainer and dolphins were my favourite animal when I was a kid so out of curiosity, I had to watch it. The problem

@SarahSahara says: No matter how horny I am, I can't seem to get wet. My partners never think I'm "into" it when I reach for the lube. What's wrong with me?

I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you are definitely a lesbian. It's a well-known fact that lesbians can't get wet for men, and that's more or less the problem you've just described. Be prepared to be amazed at the gush of condensation that's going to come from your vagina

when you get with your first lady.

Just kidding. But seriously, are you going through menopause? If not, there may be something wrong with you. I'm going to get all scientific and break this down into two possibilities.

Possibility #1: your problem is physical. That means that something in your body is preventing you from excreting the lubricating fluids that we all know and love. Birth control pills are a surprising culprit here – aren't they supposed to let you enjoy no-strings-attached sex? Watch out, because they can also make you drier than your grandma's Thanksgiving turkey. Other stuff like diabetes, antihistamines, and breastfeeding can also dry you out. So if you've been abusing Claritin, there's your answer.

Possibility #2: your problem is psychological.

That means it's all in your head. As reassuring as that sounds, it's actually easier to "cure." All you have to do is stop thinking about not getting wet when you're not getting wet – duh. If that doesn't work, go see a shrink and she'll inevitably help you understand how your parents are responsible.

Well Ms. Sahara, that's about all of the advice I can give you before I advise you to go see a licensed physician and not someone who considers tarot card reading a medical practice – a.k.a., me. Until then, I'd keep reaching for that lube.

T H E C A P I L A N O C O U R I E R . VOLUME 48 I SSUE N O . 05

Tasha Salads is an expert in all things sexy. She has more used lingerie than all of Leonardo DiCaprio’s ex-girlfriends combined. And she’s here to answer your dirtiest, darkest and raunchiest questions.

Tweet @tashasalads to air some dirty laundry. If you're shy, send her a PM and she’ll use a pseudonym to answer your question.

lies in acting on sexual urges for animals, because not only is it disgusting, it's also illegal most of the time and oh yeah – ethically wrong. What did those cute animals ever do to you?

Speaking of cute animals, this brings me to a funny story about Germany. Apparently, bestiality is a rampant issue in Germany, where there's such a thing as "bestiality brothels" and "erotic zoos." In July 2013, the UK Daily Mail ran a story about one very upset farmer who reported that his normally outgoing and happy flock of sheep had begun to shy away from humans. This led him to insert a camera system in his barn so that he could see what those sheep were up to. What he found was that men were coming into his barn and violating his sheep at night. So baaaad! This is actually a legitimate news story – and I've included it as a cautionary tale. Your boyfriend may not be cheating now, but I'd be suspicious if ever tries to travel to Germany.

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CAp you

CARLO JAVIER LIFESTYLE EDITOR

kick off

death of pita pit

WOMEN'S SOCCER PREVIEW

BIRCH CAFETERIA SUFFERS

Nigel Ching

Faye Alexander

× Writer

× Hungry

With four practices and two games a week there is no doubt that the Capilano Blues Women’s Soccer Team is dedicated to the game they love. Although the commitment has been in full swing since the start of the season, the health of the players hasn’t.

The 2014/15 season has been plagued with injuries which has limited the potential of the Blues squad.

Demmi Skierka, a forward on the Blues says, “Many of our veteran players started off injured and this impacts our team drastically.”

The absence of the veterans during game time not only subtracts from the teams strength but also their leadership, a key component to a successfully functioning team. This has been a large factor to the season not playing out as expected. In addition to injuries, mishaps in the last few minutes of games have proven crucial to the team’s success. Where the Blues place in the standings isn't necessarily a reflection of how they’ve played, nor a reflection of the team’s skill, but can be attributed to injuries and mental lapses in the ever so crucial last few minutes in the game.

The team’s goal of making the provincial tournament remains clear. Aside from that, Kristine Hilduk, a 5th year veteran adds, “Our team goal every week is to win, to beat the other teams. We want to work on developing confidence as well as have the new players come in and feel comfortable.

who you?

Ultimately we want to go to nationals.”

Confidence and trust is a key theme in the Women’s team. Trusting teammates, trusting the coach, building trust with new players and trusting yourself are all deemed vital in order to create chemistry and achieve as a unit. “A lot of our issues stem from confidence and trusting,” Hilduk states.

“You need to trust yourself and trust your team, without that you’re useless,” Skierka adds. Soccer is a game where collective communication and effort are needed and this becomes much easier when you can trust the goalkeeper through the striker at the attacking end of the field.

With confidence and trust in place, an intensive seven-week regular season will unfold. Full collective effort needs to be in place in order to put up a fight against the opponent and achieve victory. Prior to kick off, the team takes two hours to prepare for their match. Pre-game includes the team physiotherapist tending to injured players, taping ankles, knees, and conducting specific physio exercises in order to prepare the players for the match. Coach Darren Rath goes through a pre-game pep talk to establish game intensity and to go over the game plan. The players then listen to their pump-up music to get them ready for the game. On the field they warm up in preparation for the 90-minute game they will endure and the win they hope to capture.

What’s the best non-business class you’ve ever taken?

“I took a directed studies course with Todd Newfield, where I was able to organize Suit Up… and Philosophy: Critical Thinking.”

What’s your favourite type of cereal?

“I don’t eat breakfast because people in business have no time for breakfast… or a bagel and cream cheese.”

THE CAPILANO COURIER.

VOLUME 48 I SSUE N O . 05

What’s something scary that you did in the past few months?

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CARLO.CAPCOURIER@GMAIL.COM

thanh le Ask anyone in the CapU School of Business about Thanh Le and we’ll bet they know of at least one thing she’s done in this school.

During her time at CapU, Thanh made serious history by organizing Suit Up, the first cocktail mixer on campus, ever. If that wasn’t enough, she’s also the co-founder and marketing strategist of Speak Social, a Vancouver-based start-up marketing agency.

Want more? She’s currently involved in the Vancouver version of the global entrepreneurial dinner, The Feast. Yeah, it’s a business, man. “I’ve had a lot of experiences with working on campus and volunteering, I realized that I had a skill to offer,” she says. “Everyone wants to work with me, and use my skills so why don’t I just do my own thing, ya know?”

“I was in Israel for a month, during the whole conflict, and the city I was in was hit by a missile four times. It sounded like fireworks to be honest.”

If you weren’t in business where would you be?

“Marine biology. I’m really interested in the sea, I think it’s mysterious…

Or a preschool teacher because I love kids!”

Last movie that you cried in?

“The Fault In Our Stars, I bawled my eyes out.”

If you had to dispose of a dead body, how would you do it?

“Leave it in the forest by the cemetery.”

× Megan Collinson Capilano University likes to spout that they offer academic studies, university transfer programs and career programs – even if by 2017 the programs will likely have been cut down solely to those offered at the Bosa building (sorry Bachelor of Arts hopefuls). The one thing missing from the school’s mail-outs and pamphlets urging new students to enrol, is any hype on the university’s cafeteria. But maybe that’s a strategic move on CapU’s part. Probably any mention of the abysmal cafeteria on campus would deter future scholars from dropping their massive tuition payments here in the dark woods of North Vancouver’s only university.

This fall semester, the student body returned to campus and were left to discover the one beacon of hope, the Pita Pit, offered at Birch’s cafeteria had up and left, without so much as a ‘Dear John’ letter. “What the fuck happened to the Pita Pit?!” the collective students screamed out in Bulcroft’s general direction – but no answer was to come.

Now there’s only a large cooler full of overpriced sushi contained in plastic boxes which look suspiciously like the boxed sushi you can purchase at Superstore down the street (for less). The Aramark employees still smile as if they are handing you a flavour filled pita, but it’s not the same – it’s pseudo-Japanese. You can drizzle as much watered down tzatziki on your California roll as you like, it doesn’t compare to the beauty of a well-crafted pita. Sure, we all like a little soy sauce now and then, but CapU students can’t be fuelled on chicken fingers and Tim Hortons alone!

The loss of the Pita Pit has hit CapU’s student

culture hard. You might have noticed a loss of pep around campus, a little more lethargy around the library or more students experimenting with ‘normcore’ fashion – it’s not a coincidence. Aramark currently has control of all food sold on campus, so even the freegans are feeling the loss.

Maybe the shadowy figures who control campus eats are abusing the theory that a depressed student eats more. Certainly, “eating your feelings” doesn’t hurt (unless it does,) but wouldn’t it make more sense to remove the pre-packaged salads?

Everyone knows you don’t make friends with salad. Salads don’t contain enough carbohydrates to get students through the next hour of cramming for Anthropology 121 – had no one considered this? And there is nothing fresh about a salad that is tightly contained in plastic and sealed with an extra sticky sticker. If the cafeteria had to make a food sacrifice to appease the ghosts of the Studio Arts program, it’s a cruel joke it would have to be the pitas.

The Courier reached out to an Aramark employee who spent days wrapping away, artfully stuffing flatbread with chicken and other things – but he declined an interview. Cafeteria employees are afraid to talk which raises suspicion about the real reason behind the disappearance of the Pita Pit. It's time to demand answers from this institution. It's time to band together and demand we are returned to flavour country.

Stale sushi be damned, someone needs to lead the movement, find the Aramark contract and shred it. Shred it forever.

Do you have an on-campus event or a unique alumni story?

Let us know! carlo.capcourier@gmail.com

caboose

CARLO JAVIER LIFESTYLE EDITOR

CABOOSE@CAPILANOCOURIER.COM

dear grandma Scott Moraes × Writer

× Ksenia Kozhevnikova

Dear Grandma, I know you're eager for activities to keep you busy, but it really isn't logical for me to willingly ruin my clothes just so you can fix them. I do have a few pieces that need repairing, and I'll bring them along next time. I also told a few friends at the office that you'd love to fix their clothes – they sure need to, but usually just donate them to Salvation Army and buy new clothes for themselves all the time. What a waste of perfectly good clothing! And yes, I told them no underwear. They say they'll even pay highly for your services, although I assured them it wasn't necessary. If they do, I'll humbly take the money and we'll go get borscht and perogies again.

In other news, I'm so happy to have Fred in my life. I love him dearly, and his company is very soothing.

I can hardly remember life before him, the loneliness I felt without him. Sadly, the little jacket you made him is a bit tight and he doesn't like being wiggled into it. In general, he doesn't like too much touching.

He has female traits like that sometimes. Cats are complex creatures, but I try to be understanding. He's become less obsessed with the TV screen, but is still particularly aggressive towards cartoons, most of all Rainbow Dash of My Little Pony. Go figure.

Grandma, your handwriting is a bit hard to make out sometimes. You should really try to learn how to type again. It's really never too late. I was able to teach mom how to use the TV remote and that only took a few months, and between you and I, you're much sharper than her when it comes to technology. Speaking of TV, there's this nature documentary series you absolutely have to watch. It's a gorgeous series of movies.

They're not the ones about the seals being clubbed to death, or with aerial shots of beaches soiled with the blood of innocent dolphins, so they won't make you cry. It's mainly just footage of oceans, mountains, forests, and animals. You could knit while you watch it, and the narrator's voice is quite relaxing. British, of course, and deep like the ocean itself. I'll have to set up the DVD player for you next time.

Plus, you need a break from all the Latin American soap operas. I know (from what I remember) they have tirelessly intriguing plots and a lot of drama, but they really give you more stress than you need at your age. Our society is different, I hope you've noticed, and I feel these shows poison you with a silly concern for everything. You do not need bars on your windows, or cameras around your house, and I'm

certain Grandpa is not cheating on you with the Polish cleaning lady. Nor do you need to say those things in such a threateningly assertive voice. You see how it affects you? You should try watching those talent shows instead, so many singers with heavenly voices, you'd be amazed.

My attempts to be healthier have had mixed results, but I feel good overall. I keep following people's advice but the science seems to contradict itself every week. One day this vegetable is the fountain of youth itself, the next it causes cancer or diarrhea. Who would have known that? It's the damnest thing, how people keep lying to you and you don't know who to trust. I'm tempted to just swallow a bunch of those vitamin pills every day or drink those green elixir milkshakes that pretty ladies are always walking around with. I have stopped taking sugar in my coffee and I'm trying to cut down on Slurpees and donuts.

The office lifestyle doesn't help much on that front, and treats are always lying about... I also purchased a modern exercise machine not long ago (only $300 - it was a really good financing deal from a late night TV commercial, cheaper than monthly gym fees). It makes a lot of noise and something springs back and hurts me, so it makes me self-conscious that the neighbours may be listening. I guess I just need more practice.

I should warn you, the post office may stop delivering letters sometime soon. Everything will be digital. Don't worry if you don't receive anything from me, just ask the boy who mows the lawn to help you check your email. Remember, your password is “sockmonkey”. Just ask nicely and give him an extra lollipop for the service.

As for my Christmas list, I've been thinking about it, but it's a bit early for that, don't you think? I promise I'll have something to you by July. Send Grandpa my love, I'll call when I can. If he's jealous of the things I'm offering you, tell him I have a couple of WWII aircraft models for him. It's a lie (don't tell him that), but I found some on the Internet and I'll purchase them for him before my next visit.

Love, Your Chubby.

T H E C A P I L A N O C O U R I E R . VOLUME 48 I SSUE N O . 05

19

shotgun reviews BEST CELEBRITY MELTDOWNS

YEEZUS

TERRELL OWENS

IT'S BRITNEY, BITCH

TYRA BANKS

Tristen Schmidhauser // Writer

Nigel Ching // Writer

Faye Alexander // No Relation to Jason

Leah Scheitel // Schei Banks

Yet again, Kanye West is in the news, and on the tips of our tongues. Did Kanye really demand that two handicapped members of his audience stand?

Did he really score over 100 points on kids in wheelchairs? Does Kanye hate the handicapped?

The answer to all of those questions is, of course, irrelevant. It doesn't matter what actually happened, it doesn’t even matter whether it was true or not. It’s Kanye fucking West. His rise to stardom came fast, and 10 years later he’s still one of the most talked about people in entertainment today.

Married to a Kardashian, outspoken and arrogant, creator of the ridiculously uncomfortable “Bound 2” video, he should be one of the most disliked, if not hated, men in Hollywood today. I mean, have you watched any of his interviews? He’s got to be the most self-centred person out there, but I would still trade my kidney for a ticket. If Kanye were just some guy you knew, he would be that friend that everyone wants to spit on. But in the spotlight this ass is an international icon, engraved into the pop culture of today.

Do you remember that time when Terrell Owens starting sobbing in front of the camera during a post game interview? The public started pointing fingers at Owens’ quarterback Tony Romo.

T.O. took it personally by defending Romo – as if they were soul mates. “You can point the finger at him, but it’s really unfair, it’s my team, it’s my quarterback and if you do that, its unfair. We lost as a team,” Owens told reporters. I thought football players were supposed to be tough and burly, manly and full of testosterone? Clearly there are soft sides to football players, even the top receivers in the NFL. You just need to start blaming the people they are closest to, and then you may provoke a few tears. But hold on, lets get real here, Owens is a human being just like you and I, and if there is nothing wrong with you and I crying, there is nothing wrong with him crying, other than the fact that he did so on television, in front of a global audience.

There is nothing that puts me in the mood quite like a highly public celebrity meltdown. And no pop star can hold a candle to the Britney Spears meltdown of 2007 — girl seriously set the bar. When she pulled out that electronic razor and her beauteous blonde locks started falling to the floor to the tune of “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman” – it was the moment I knew Brit-Brit and I could be IRL friends.

I mean, who hasn’t taken an exorbitant amount of ecstasy, fucked their paparazzi stalkers and wielded an umbrella like an enchanted weapon? We’ve all been there, guys. On some lousy days when life doesn’t seem worth living anymore, I ask myself “what would Britney do?” – and then I dress myself in bedazzled underwear, throw a live boa constrictor over my shoulders and go out to bone douchebag backup dancers. Suddenly everything seems okay.

That tabloid photo of Spears, her eyes wild with buzzing amphetamines, strapped into an ambulance stays with me always. I look at it to remind myself why I shouldn’t try crystal meth, not even once just to see how it feels. The thing is, I bet this happens to anyone who cheats on Justin Timberlake with a guy who wears tear-aways.

I have studied Tyra Banks for hours. Not only have I watched endless hours of America’s Next Top Model, I have gone a step above, and YouTubed video after video of Tyra Banks – everything from her early days and that awful attempt at red hair (ahem) to her talk show where she talked to girls about their self-esteem issues, all while promoting herself as a solid role model and solidifying her self esteem. So I’m a bona fide expert when it comes to Tyra meltdowns, aka TyDowns. After several study sessions, you realize that there are different levels of TyDowns: ones where she goes crazy to her audience (Google “Tyra Vaseline”), the ones where she gets mad at the media (“Kiss my fat ass”) and most famous, where she loses it on Tiffany, a season four contestant on ANTM, (hysterical yelling in mentioned red hair weave).

You can spend an entire night researching the different levels of the Tyra meltdown (I have spent many more than one), and at the end you will all come to the same conclusion: I understand why that bitch is still single.

Lil' Schei got day drunk...again. Help her find her way back to her tent. If you're successful she'll help you pitch one

the hOt Chart WITH

// LL COOL FAYE

AND

of your own -- at our pitch meetings on Tuesdays at noon!

KID CARLO

EARL SWEATSHIRT // EARL CARDIGAN LIL KIM // LIL SCHEI THE GAME // THE HUNGER GAME

THE CAPILANO COURIER.

VOLUME 48 I SSUE N O . 05

KANYE WEST // KANYE EAST

20

2 CHAINZ // A DOZEN CHAINZ CHILDISH GAMBINO // TROY DRAKE // MR. RIHANNA NIKKI MINAJ // NIKKI MENAGE A TROIS EMINEM // A LITERAL BAG OF M&MS EMINEM // SKITTLES THE ROOTS // THE TREES 50 CENT // HALF LOONIE SNOOP LION // MUFASA

Send us a photo of your helpful route home. Prizes Galore! @CapilanoCourier #CapilanoCourier #SaveLilSchei