The Other Press - October 18

Photo via daiyhive.com

Lettitor

Typhoon Songda G

oing into this past weekend, everything and everyone was abuzz with warnings of the upcoming storm. It was a multi-day, multi-wave system set to attack the Lower Mainland with aggressive winds and pounding rain. People prepared their flashlights, water, and canned goods. We were expecting something possibly worse than last year’s storm, which knocked out power in some areas for multiple days.

Well, it’s come and gone now. Overall, it wasn’t as bad

as we had expected. Many have taken to social media to mock its severity, as it was mostly underwhelming. On Saturday night, the expected peak of the storm, I left a birthday party at midnight to a light drizzle. It’s easy to look at this and shrug off the whole event. However, we do have to remember a few things.

Firstly, we are incredibly lucky to live where we do. We don’t often have to worry about big storms the way many places on the east coast do. This is especially apparent in the shadow of

Hurricane Matthew, which caused billions in damages and resulted in 1,384 deaths. While we clean up after our storm, a remnant of Typhoon Songda, we should be thankful that we don’t have to suffer through catastrophes such as those. Our cost of living is super high, but that comes bundled with the fact that where we live is pretty safe (ignoring the always-looming mega-quake).

Most importantly, a teenager lost his life to this storm. Sixteenyear-old Shakir Salaam died in hospital after a tree fell on him

Lauren Kelly Editor-in-Chief  editor@theotherpress.ca

Davie Wong Sports Editor  sports@theotherpress.ca

Chandler Walter Assistant Editor  assistant@theotherpress.ca

Chitwan Khosla Features Editor  features@theotherpress.ca

Mercedes Deutscher News Editor  news@theotherpress.ca

Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor  lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca

Adam Tatelman Arts Editor  arts@theotherpress.ca

Cazzy Lewchuk Opinions Editor  opinions@theotherpress.ca Rebecca Peterson Humour Editor  humour@theotherpress.ca

Lauren Paulson Multimedia Editor  TBA Angela Ho Business Manager

Elizabeth Jacob Production Assistant

Jacey Gibb Distribution Manager

Ed Appleby Illustrator

Cara Seccafien Layout Manager

Jony Roy Social Media Coordinator

Joel McCarthy Graphics Manager

Aaron Guillen Staff Reporter

David Manky, Jerrison Oracion, and Cheryl Minns Senior Columnists Anthony Labonte, Jessica Berget, Erik Pinto, Carlos Bilan, and Analyn Cuarto Contributors

Friday on his way home from school in Surrey. His friends, family, school, and rugby teammates are all in mourning now. When people are sitting around talking about how underwhelming the storm was, they should remember Shakir.

We shouldn’t let the severity of this storm lull us, though. We need to take every storm warning that comes out seriously, to make sure that we’re prepared in case it is severe, or the power goes out for days like has happened many times. And we need to be

Rm 1020 – 700 Royal Ave. Douglas College New Westminster, BC V3L 5B2  604.525.3542

stocked and ready for when the earthquake does come, whether it’s tomorrow or 30 years from now. Until then, be grateful that we live where we do, and we don’t have to be scared of hurricanes like our eastern neighbours.

 theotherpress.ca  editor@theotherpress.ca    /theotherpress /DouglasOtherPress

OO The Other Press has been Douglas College’s student newspaper since 1976. Since 1978 we have been an autonomous publication, independent of the student union. We are a registered society under the Society Act of British Columbia, governed by an eight-person board of directors appointed by our staff. Our head office is located in the New Westminster campus.

OO The Other Press is published weekly during the fall and winter semesters, and monthly during the summer.

We receive our funding from a student levy collected through tutition fees every semester at registration, and from local and national advertising revenue. The Other Press is a member of the Canadian University Press (CUP), a syndicate of student newspapers that includes papers from all across Canada.

OO The Other Press reserves the right to choose what we will publish, and we will not publish material that is hateful, obscene, or condones or promotes illegal activities. Submissions may be edited for clarity and brevity if necessary. All images used are copyright to their respective owners.

Have an idea for a story?  news@theotherpress.ca

News

OO Transit promises to improve, at a price OO SPOTLIGHT: Sure about that?

OO Alliance of BC Students fights for more student housing And more!

SPOTLIGHT: Sure about that?

Aaron Guillen Staff Reporter

I

s there such thing as free will, or are humans instead subject to a determined destiny? A question like this never finds a conclusive answer, especially when the DSU Philosophy Club is involved. Inspired by free will, or perhaps fate, two students— Milad Doust, current President; and Jerzy Mazurek, member— brought the thought-provoking group back to life this semester.

“The club was originally formed years ago, with different leadership,” Doust explained.

“During the Winter 2016 semester, after the club had been inactive for just under a year, me and Jerzy stepped up to restart the club. We just wanted to provide the opportunity for […] every person to [have] a chance to get their thoughts out. My aim is to give others a spotlight to feel like their thoughts are being heard and respected.”

Doust promotes the club to be a place where every opinion can be shared freely in a safe environment. He also clarifies what it takes to be involved in a seemingly “deep-thinker” group.

“I like to stress that none of our members are required to have any background or dedication to the subject of philosophy,” he said, “but if you tend to think about things in a deep way, or like hearing others thoughts on [relevant] things, you’re probably a fit for our club.

“The moments that are most valuable to me are [those] when I see someone just release what’s been on their minds— it’s a relief. Questions which the general public may find meaningless or humiliating, [are ones that] the club really respect and take seriously.”

If thought-provoking conversation isn’t enough, the DSU Philosophy Club has another offer to draw students in.

“We help philosophy students with their work,” Doust explained. “I don’t believe there are philosophy tutors in the college—so we’re the next best thing. Lots of our members have taken a wide variety of courses, so if students are ever stuck on essay topics or their arguments, they can get the feedback from us.”

While Doust loves an

open discussion, he admitted that some meetings have the potential to turn into debates, which he tries to avoid.

“The idea of a debate can discourage those who are more hesitant and shy to speak,” Doust said. “[Debates] end up evolving out of control to the point where we haven’t gotten many of the answers we were looking for. In my opinion, everyone has thoughts worth sharing, and many times it’s people who aren’t necessarily into philosophy who give really valuable insights into certain issues.”

Off of a fresh restart, the club hasn’t made any concrete plans for events outside of meetings, yet. Doust suggested that pub nights, held in previous years, might see a return should enough interest be shown.

In addition, proposed weekly meetings at David Lam have been discussed, but will only take place if demand becomes apparent. Until then, the DSU Philosophy Club meets on Tuesdays from 4:30–6:30 p.m. in the DSU Building (Room 328) at the New Westminster Campus.

Image via Wikimedia

ööDSU Philosophy Club wants students to ask questions uninhibited

Gord Downie announces creation of the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund Lauren Kelly Editor-in-Chief

G

ord Downie, lead singer of the Tragically Hip, recently announced the creation of the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund. It is named after Chanie Wenjack, a 12-year-old boy who froze to death escaping a residential school in 1966.

Downie learned the young boy’s story from a 1967 Maclean’s article titled “The Lonely Death of Charlie Wenjack,” as his teachers incorrectly called him.

Downie was diagnosed with glioblastoma—a terminal form of brain cancer—last December, and has since made this fund his focus. As part of this legacy project, Downie is releasing a new album called Secret Path, with songs inspired by Wenjack, as well as a companion graphic

novel by Jeff Lemire. He will perform two concerts on October 18 and 21, performing the new songs. A one-hour animated film titled The Secret Path will also air on CBC. Proceeds from all of these will go directly to the fund.

In an interview with Peter Mansbridge on October 13 to promote the fund, Downie commented that Canada’s 150th anniversary next year isn’t something to be celebrated due to the country’s history with its Aboriginal populations.

Instead, he’s looking forward: “The new 150 years can be years of building an actual nation. Imagine if they were part of us and we them, how incredibly cool it would make us? That’s what’s missing as we celebrate doughnuts and hockey.”

He hopes that his fund, which will be handled via the

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR), will be a part of achieving that. The NCTR is dedicated to preserving and bringing light to the history of the residential school system, and he hopes that this knowledge will help unite the nation.

“Generations grew up not hearing about what’s happening in the North and in Indigenous communities everywhere,” Downie explained in a statement.

“The next generation can’t be raised the same way. It is my hope that the fund will do its part in starting to bridge some of the gaps that exist between Indigenous and nonIndigenous communities.”

The Secret Path will air on October 23 at 9 p.m. on CBC without commercials, and the album and graphic novel will be released on October 18.

Image via Wikimedia

ööDonations go towards Truth and Reconciliation

theotherpress.ca

Image via Wikimedia

news // no. 4

Transit promises to improve, at a price ööTransLink introduces phase one of 10-year vision Aaron Guillen Staff Reporter

A

fter more than half a decade without any significant investments in Metro Vancouver’s transit and roads, TransLink is taking a bold step with its new Phase One Plan. As the first of three phases, Phase One promises to “get the region moving again.”

Among the list of to-dos, there will be a 10 per cent increase in bus service, with proposed B-Lines for Fraser Highway, Lougheed Highway, Marine Drive, 41 Avenue, and Hastings Street. In addition, there will

be new or expanded services for neighbourhoods with few or no transit options, such as Silver Valley in Maple Ridge, Morgan Creek and Clayton in Surrey, Willoughby in Langley, and Burke Mountain in Coquitlam.

Small improvements include a 15 per cent hike in Access Transit service, five new cars on the West Coast Express, and one new SeaBus. Finally, 50 new SkyTrain cars will be added throughout all lines to get riders where they need to be faster than ever before. If approved by the TransLink Board of Directors and Mayors’ Council, the transit system will apply their

10-Year Vision to dramatically improve walkways, bike lanes, and bottlenecked roads.

With a much more transparent and concrete blueprint for the future, TransLink hopes customers will understand that fare hikes will become essential. Even though TransLink has $616 million in capital funding, increases to transit fares will be introduced in order to meet their goals.

Annual increments of 5–10 cents will be added onto single fares and $1–3 on monthly passes. Also, a minimal hike will be seen in property tax bills, with an estimated 0.01 per

to public feedback on this in October,” Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said to the Province. “For most of us mayors, we want to see this investment move forward and get the new transit services as urgently as possible.”

Public Open Houses are taking place in Vancouver at Collingwood Neighbourhood House (Wednesday, October 19, 4–8 p.m.), Surrey at Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre (Thursday, October 20, 4–8 p.m.), and Richmond at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (Monday, October 24, 4–8 p.m.).

cent increase for the average homeowner ($3 annually).

As Phase One hopes to be set into motion, future improvements in Metro Vancouver are headed down the pipeline in the following phases (two and three)—some of which includes: Broadway Subway, Surrey Light Rail, and the Patullo Bridge Replacement.

TransLink hopes to hear the opinions of residents across the region; their online questionnaire can be found at tenyearvision.translink.ca and they are offering open houses before the end of October.

“We’re looking forward

Alliance of BC Students fights for more student housing ööAdditional student housing could ease rental crisis Mercedes Deutscher News Editor he Alliance of BC Students (ABCS) is looking to the provincial government to provide more funding for student housing.

With the exception of UBC, there have been no new student residences built since 2006. Other post-secondary institutions with housing, such as SFU and BCIT, cannot afford to build enough student housing to meet the demand.

As a result, students often need to stay at home for longer, pay rents they can barely afford, live in overcrowded residences with a large number of roommates, or—in some cases—end up homeless.

The ABCS has created a document called the White Paper on Student Housing, which outlines the current problems and gives some potential solutions to the student housing crisis.

According to the document, if the provincial government were to put $18 million annually

Image via Thinkstock

T

towards student housing for the next 10 years, it could open up 21,300 residences for the general public that are currently occupied by students. Of those residences, 13,500 are in the Lower Mainland, 4,200 are in the Victoria/Saanich area, 2,500 are in Kelowna, and 450 are in the Fraser Valley.

There is an untapped

potential to house students closer to their campuses, according to the document.

UBC currently can house 28 per cent of its full time students, but Simon Fraser can only support eight per cent, while BCIT can only support two per cent. Any other Metro Vancouver institution cannot host full-time students, but

could have the potential to. For example, if student housing was built near Douglas College, there is potential to house at least 909 full-time students.

The White Paper also lists other benefits to additional student housing, including public transportation. As it stands, 8 out of 10 of the most overcrowded bus routes in metro

Vancouver are those that service a post-secondary institution.

However, post-secondary institutions are not allowed to take on debt. Since building student housing would involve taking on an initial debt, it is impossible for any institution besides UBC to progress with their student housing. The White Paper suggests that the restriction be removed, and that the provincial government should be responsible for 10 per cent of student housing costs until then.

“We know they’ve got plenty of money for housing and they need to do something about this,” says ABCS Chair, Alex McGowan, to 24 Hours.

The BC NDP and BC Green Party are supporting the efforts of the ABCS. Municipal politicians, such as Saanich councillor Fred Haynes, are also in support. Haynes is continuing the student housing discussion, mentioning the students concerns at a recent Union of BC Municipalities meeting.

There has been no response from the BC Liberals.

news // no. 5

issue 7 // volume 43

SPOTLIGHT: Dude, chill ööDSU Chill Club attracts students with ease

T

he college lifestyle is a fast-paced sprint. In an instant, an entire semester can flash by. Before the college experience ends in the blink of an eye, students are encouraged to take a break every once in a while—and the DSU Chill Club fills that exact criteria.

Marissa Martin, President of the DSU Chill Club, invites students to feel laid back and soak up a welcoming environment that embraces relaxation and restoration. By mobilizing students around an event that holds no pressure whatsoever, Martin hopes that students find a home away from home in the club.

In an effort to find a calm moment in her busy lifestyle, she came up with the idea of starting a laid-back club. One year later, the Chill Club is growing at a fast pace. With a Vice President, Treasurer, and Marketing Manager in her arsenal, Martin is guaranteed to attract a wave of students every semester.

“Our club members are constantly curious for what upcoming activities we

have planned, so we’ve incorporated their voice in a monthly vote [to decide] what we plan for each month,” Martin said.

“Our club focuses on mental wellness, physical wellness, and social emotional wellness. Our activities reflect a different core theme each week. In the past, we have done yoga, tea tasting, game days, escape rooms, soccer, adult colouring, nature walks, and much more. We plan on repeating some club favourites, while adding new activities for this year, some of which might occur off campus, such as a visit to the Vancouver Aquarium or Stanley Park.”

Martin has given her time and effort to make the DSU Chill Club what is it today, and she’s not leaving anytime soon.

She believes in its purpose and mission, as the leadership experience has helped her broaden her horizons by meeting all kinds of students attending the college.

The DSU Chill Club meets in the DSU Building every Thursday from 2:30–4 p.m. in Room 328.

“Don’t regret the decision [of not joining]. Drop by and be a part of something fun!”

Illustration by Ed Appleby

Aaron Guillen Staff Reporter

‘Critical Realignment: Trump and the Transformation of US Elections’ ööDouglas Faculty hosts discussion on US election Analyn Cuarto Contributor

O

Mercedes Deutscher News Editor

n October 12, Douglas College hosted a lecture on the US Election at the David Lam Campus, presented by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Science.

The lecture was headed by Political Science chair Shaun Tyakoff. Joining Tyakoff was Mano Daniel (Psychology), Raquel Faria Chapdelaine (Psychology), and Denis McKim (History). The discussion was curated by Laurie Beckwith (Anthropology).

James Moore, a former Douglas Student and former MP, also weighed in.

The discussion brought a moderate turnout of students, eager to discuss the election. Topics included—but were not limited to—how polarizing the candidates were, suggestions of a rigged election, sensitive topics such as the Black Lives Matter movement, and how Donald Trump has altered the dynamics of presidential elections.

Arts

Have an idea for a story?  arts@theotherpress.ca

OO Psychological horror movies to chill your mind OO Chairman of the Board: Doing the time-warp OO How the other half lives And more!

Getting the most out of workshops ööThe etiquette of critiquing your peers Adam Tatelman Arts Editor

I

n arts courses, students are often asked to create original work and share it with the class.

By and large, instructors elect to do this in a workshop format; that is, after the work in question is presented, the floor is opened for everyone in the class to comment. Though some find this a daunting proposition, it is actually a very effective litmus test for one’s work, providing a range of responses to consider.

However, not all responses are equal; indeed, some border on the inane. So, in the interest of promoting productive discourse among arts students, here are some general guidelines for effective workshopping.

First and foremost, workshop-ees have an obligation to detach their ego from their work. Although they may be immensely proud of it, not every response will be favourable or positive, so it is best not to take anything personally. Since the purpose of workshopping is to iron out flaws in a work as well as praise its highlights, the subject of the workshop should be grateful that everyone is taking the time to give their opinions.

Secondly, critics should do their best to provide relevant feedback. “It was good, I liked it,” or “It was bad, I hated it” are both equally formless responses, far too shallow to constitute analysis. They place all the focus on the critic’s personal feelings, which are not important to the work. What is important is

whether the work accomplishes the creator’s stated objectives.

If it fails what it sets out to do, then don’t be shy to say so.

Remember to put the same effort into your criticisms as you would like others to put into their criticisms of your work. It is poor form to show up to a workshop unprepared to discuss the work at hand, and other workshoppers may take this as an invitation to brush off your work when the time comes to review it. Just keep the old Golden Rule in mind and you’ll do fine.

You should be able to express yourself fully in a workshop, especially regarding the reactions you have to the other participants’ work, so don’t worry about censoring yourself for the benefit of the

subject’s feelings. If they have detached their ego from their work, then they will take the criticism objectively. Of course, you should present your findings with some tact; workshops aren’t the best place for epic roasts, no matter how much you disliked the piece. If your criticisms don’t improve the work you’re analyzing, then you’re just shitting on it.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that the work you’re examining doesn’t necessarily represent the beliefs or ideas of the person who created it. The purpose of art is to embody the social conscience of the age it was created in, so be gracious when you discover a work which challenges your views. Be it politically extreme, controversial, incendiary,

or even pure troll bait, that work still has just as much right to exist as yours does.

Consequently, it should be critiqued on the basis of its form, not how it made you feel.

Considering “diversity” is a favoured watchword of our time, remember that the arts—as well as academia in general—require intellectual diversity. That is the genius of the workshop— whether you want to write political stories, create shocking visual art, or graft your personal philosophy to a film reel, no one in the workshop has the right to tell you “no.” College is the best place to experiment with and develop one’s ideas; treating the workshop with respect is instrumental in doing just that. So extend that courtesy to others if you expect it in return.

All aboard: ‘Train to Busan’ film review ööA zombie film with a social commentary on class war and being united in dire circumstances Carlos Bilan Contributor

R

eaders have probably watched a number of zombie movies and TV shows and can name a lot of titles— The Walking Dead, Resident Evil, Evil Dead, and World War Z usually come to mind. So what does the South Korean worldwide blockbuster Train to Busan have to offer? The movie is essentially about zombies on a train, but the underlying themes and the movie’s energetic storytelling make this horror extravaganza—directed by Yeon Sang-ho—stand out.

The story is set in a train thanks to the characters’ luck; in going out of town, they have spared themselves from the viral outbreak that has struck the entire nation. The conflict in the movie is that one infected civilian entered the train just before it departed.

“Survival of the fittest” is usually a central theme of most media in this genre. For example, in The Walking Dead, the characters find a hard time trusting others and they have to make their own lives priority

number one. On the other hand, Train to Busan highlights that helping others amidst a catastrophe is still important and that good deeds will surely be rewarded. The division of class also becomes a central theme in this movie, conveyed through the backgrounds of the characters and the train’s setting wherein there is a first class and an economy class.

The main protagonist (Gong Yoo) is a father and financial analyst who exhibits a corporate callousness. This affects his relationship with his daughter (Kim Su-ahn), because he can be rather selfish. As the movie progresses, he starts to learn how to cooperate with other people, and risks his life in order to save others. Those who were saved end up becoming assets to the group. They start building trust with one another and become united despite coming from different social classes.

The origin of the zombies is usually the big question in a zombie movie, and what makes Train to Busan unique is that the movie does not really give a detailed explanation on how these zombies came about.

Instead, it focuses on how the story progresses, and how

the characters develop. The zombies are also frighteningly quick, unlike the slow “walkers” from The Walking Dead, so the chances of survival are slimmer.

Like the bullet train in the movie, the story moves at a quick pace that keeps you captivated, and thanks to its talented cast and crew, you will really feel the movie’s atmosphere and hope for the survival of the characters.

Of course, the final body count in Train to Busan can be pretty depressing, but that’s what makes a great zombie movie, right?

Train to Busan is the first South Korean film to gain over 10 million theatregoers.

It has also been praised at the Cannes Film Festival and currently holds a 97 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie premiered last summer, but don’t despair if you still want to experience it on the big screen. The Rio Theatre in Vancouver will show the movie on Saturday, October 22 at 1 p.m. You better hurry though, because the October 17 showing has already sold out, which is why they added a second day. You can set up a movie date with someone special, with family, or with your friends. It is a must-see and perfect for the Halloween season.

arts // no. 7

issue 7 // volume 43

Psychological horror movies to chill your mind ööTension-filled flicks for October Cazzy Lewchuk Opinions Editor

H

orror movies scare us in many ways. It could be from the gore, or from ghosts jumping at the screen every few minutes. Sometimes, the real horror comes from the fears that play tricks inside our mind. In these movies, the characters descend into madness and aren’t sure what’s real… and you may feel the same after watching!

Shutter Island (2010) In 1954, US Marshall Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) investigates an escaped murderess from Ashecliffe Hospital, an insane asylum. Trapped on a spooky island in the middle of a storm, Teddy quickly realizes this is no ordinary escape.

Suspense, twists, and brilliant directing by the masterful Martin Scorsese make this a thriller you won’t soon forget.

The Sixth Sense (1999) Bruce Willis plays a psychologist who befriends a troubled young boy (Haley Joel Osment) who has some disturbing abilities. In one of the most parodied lines ever, the boy eventually reveals that he can “see dead people.” While there are ghosts, the real tension comes from murders, twists, and even heartwarming human emotion in M. Night Shyamalan’s horror debut.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) FBI agent Clarice Starling (Jodi Foster) investigates serial killer Buffalo Bill, who’s been kidnapping young women for sinister means. To understand his psyche, she enlists the help of another killer: currently incarcerated cannibal psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). As Clarice and Hannibal face off before Buffalo Bill kills again, the lines of who’s interrogating who begin to blur…

Misery (1990) Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is a novelist who’s been in a serious car accident. He’s found by Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), who’s not only a nurse, but claims to be his biggest fan! Lucky for him, right? Unfortunately, Paul soon discovers Annie’s sinister past and tactics as she holds him hostage while he recovers. Kathy Bates’ performance here goes down in history as one of the most terrifying movie villains, ever.

The Thing (1982) In an Antarctic research station, a group of scientists fall prey to an alien parasite. It can take the shape of its victims—meaning no one is sure who to trust.

Although it didn’t do well in theatres, this one has gone on to be considered one of the greatest horror movies of all time from genre master John Carpenter.

The Omen (1976) Diplomat Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) switches his stillborn son with an orphaned baby in Rome. Young, precious Damien seems to be an innocent child—yet terrifying events constantly happen around him. Eventually, Robert must confront the truth that Damien is actually the son of the Devil and the Antichrist. Driven by tension, this one is truly frightening to believers and atheists alike.

Jacob’s Ladder (1990) Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) is a Vietnam veteran tortured by the horrors he witnessed. He now suffers from delusions and hallucinations in the present. Although his loved ones try to help, Jacob quickly descends into madness, not knowing what’s real or imagined—and you may find yourself questioning what’s really going on as well.

The Witch (2015) In 1630, an isolated Puritan family is shocked by the disappearance of their baby. Naturally, they suspect their eldest daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) of being involved in witchcraft. While something supernatural is probably going on, the scariest thing here comes from the harsh realities of a devout Christian lifestyle in the 1600s. This one leaves a deep impact—and you may never look at a goat the same way again.

Flawed by Design: The silence of the gamers ööThe rebirth of survival horror Adam Tatelman Arts Editor

H

orror games have always been a niche genre in the hallowed halls of gaming. This is probably because most popular video games are, in essence, power fantasies, endowing the player with incredible skills or powers within the world of the game. Survival horror games take the opposite approach; by placing the player in a hostile environment with limited resources and a brace of powerful, elusive threats that hunger for human flesh, they create an experience that thrills not with action, but with razorwire tension and toothy terror.

Unfortunately, triple-A developers like EA Games and Capcom want to have it both ways—seducing the niche audience with the promise of scares, when their products are in fact merely lowest-commondenominator action titles with gruesome visuals and buckets of gore. In the worst cases, titans of the horror genre like Resident Evil have been perverted into gaudy theme park versions of their former selves, often resulting in the outright death of the franchise itself.

In some ways, survival horror games were products of their time. Silent Hill, the undisputed grandpappy of them all, underwent a number of revisions over its development cycle due to the engine limitations of the PS1.

Since the low draw distance obscured the player’s vision, the developers decided to disguise that fault with a fog effect, thus molding the misty Midwestern American town aesthetic the games are known for. Without the budget to fix the problem, they embraced their limitations, making a better game in the process.

This isn’t to say that everything old is good and everything new is shit; that’s just the nostalgia pills talking.

Rather, this shows us that survival horror was born from experimentation, back when games first slithered from the primordial pixel

pool, taking their first shaky steps onto the polygonal shores of 3-D. Developers were literally re-learning how to make games, and creating new types of gameplay with every attempt. Much like the Wild West, it was uncharted territory—unregulated by corporate publishers, and utterly unpredictable.

Sadly, this wonderment was not to last. When gaming officially surpassed Hollywood films as the most profitable mainstream form of entertainment, it brought with it the necessary ills of big business; sequelization, planned obsolescence, and reproducible formulas. These things aren’t bad on their own, but they can kill creativity when prioritized too much, as their purpose is only to perpetuate their own existence.

Seeing the unique charm of horror sublimated to formula was perhaps an inevitable consequence of this change.

Whenever an industry becomes too cynical and greedy, consumers and creators alike begin to jump ship. Compare Sony’s software sales to their hardware sales. The PS4 may have outsold the Wii U, but it still has very few exclusive titles to offer. Nintendo has actually fielded more exclusives, and it shows in their software sales.

Compare this to the recent boom of the Indie gaming scene, populated by ex-triple-A developers gone rogue, fronted by a new wave of horror titles with decades of technological improvement at their back.

Among others, Scott Cawthon has made a killing in the Indie horror scene with his Five Nights at Freddy’s series.

Though I am not a fan, even a contrarian jackass like me must acknowledge its importance in the memetic resurrection of the horror genre. The franchise proves that huge budgets and design committees aren’t necessary to connect with the basic human fear response.

All that’s necessary is a small group of programmers with an eye for experimentation and a devious streak, and a niche audience who loves a good scare.

theotherpress.ca

arts // no. 8

How the other half lives Jerrison Oracion Senior Columnist

A

lot of Canadian films were shown at the Vancouver International Film Festival this year as part of the Canadian Images series and the BC Spotlight series. One of these films, The Other Half, examines how mental illness affects people, and how it is treated.

The film follows Nicky (Tom Cullen) who is depressed because he lost his son in an accident. Nicky meets a woman named Emily (Tatiana Maslany) who has bipolar disorder. Along with Emily’s parents, they go on a journey to help her with her illness.

Before viewing the film, audiences may notice that the plot is similar to Silver Linings Playbook, because Nicky and Emily have similar issues to Patrick and Tiffany, the main characters of that film. The Other Half is different because it is presented as more of a drama than a comedy.

This is Joey Klein’s first film as a director, having worked as an actor in many short films before working on The Other Half.

Throughout the film, he inserts jump cuts in all of

the conversations, giving them a choppy, sped up feel.

For example, the scene in which Emily goes through an episode of her illness with loud music in the background is enhanced by the jump cuts.

Tom Cullen and Tatiana Maslany have been dating off-screen for four years now, which is also similar to Bradley Cooper’s work with Jennifer Lawrence on Silver Linings Playbook. How close the two actors are in real life adds to how they portray the people that they play in the film, especially in the scene where they perform an improvised song.

The score of the film accentuates the characters’ emotions very well; it features an electronic sound that underscores the grief that Nicky feels because of his son’s accident, and his sympathy for Emily’s situation. During the dance scenes, strobe lights are used with the loud music to add tension to the film.

While writing the film, Joey Klein drew upon his own experiences and did a lot of research into mental illness. “It was a slow burn,” said Maslany at a Q&A at the film festival. To prepare for the film, she also researched mental illness by interviewing a lot of people that

Screenshot of The Other Half

öö‘The Other Half’ film review

have bipolar disorder to learn about their experiences with the illness. The film focuses on both Nicky’s depression and Emily’s bipolar disorder by showing how Nicky recovers from his illness and the effects of Emily’s

illness and how it is treated. The condition’s mental effects are portrayed especially well in the scene with the loud music. It also shows how Emily’s illness affects her parents and how they respond to her episodes.

While mental illness is an important issue today, the film shows how it impacts people and how you can take action to help them. The Other Half opens in theaters soon.

Chairman of the Board: Doing the time-warp Ed Appleby Illustrator

I

hate trivia games. If there was only some way I could go back in time and fix the problem with games requiring routine knowledge...

Timeline (2010–16) is a series of card games for two–eight players designed by Frédéric Henry and published by Asmodee. In the game, players pick five cards with historical events from a deck, and each player takes turn placing the events in chronological order.

The first player who can play their last card during a round wins.

Timeline does a lot to try to solve the issue that plagues most trivia based games: An imbalance of knowledge among the players.

Players can be easily handicapped by having more cards to place, allowing the most inexperienced players a fighting chance.

There are several card packs representing various subjects, from inventions, to people,

to Americana. I played the Diversity version (2012), which contained a good cross section of most of the basic decks, while not copying any cards.

This means that any decks can be combined, preventing the game from going stale due to players memorizing the dates.

I found the game very simple to learn and play. It requires an equal amount of deduction and guesswork, which evens out the playing field for everyone who doesn’t have a photographic memory for dates. Like many trivia games, there isn’t much strategy to the gameplay, relying more on rote memorization and guesswork. I found the game much better than most trivia games I’ve played over the years, but not as fun.

I would recommend this game and it’s many iterations to anyone who’s looking for a simple and quick game to pass a little time, but not for more advanced gamers who prefer complex and nuanced games where strategy and psychology play a larger role.

Illustration by Ed Appleby

öö‘Timeline’ board game review

arts // no. 9

issue 7 // volume 43

Thursday, October 20: Project Runway: Fashion Startup

The Fall show lineup is here! We’re part-way through October and there are still lot s more new shows to check out. Here is a guide for shows that start coming out from October 20 all the way to Halloween.

The Project Runway franchise is releasing a new eight-episode series, envisioned as a mix of Project Runway with Dragon’s Den. It will showcase aspiring fashion and beauty entrepreneurs as they try to win over a panel of investors for their fledgling ventures.

Sunday, October 23: Dream Corp LLC

In this new sitcom, Matt LeBlanc takes on his most challenging role yet: a stay-at-home father. When his wife, Andi (Liza Snyder) goes back to work, Adam (LeBlanc) thinks taking on a more active parenting role will be easy. It isn’t long before he finds out “Daddy Funtimes” is in way over his head.

Based on Douglas Adams’ novel of the same name, this new science-fiction detective series follows Dirk Gently (Samuel Barnett), an eccentric time-travelling holistic detective who investigates cases involving the supernatural, and his reluctant sidekick Todd Brot zman (Elijah Wood). This new Vancouver-filmed series contains a cast with several Canadian actors, including Aaron Douglas, Michael Eklund, Mpho Koaho, and Dustin Milligan.

WHAT TO WATCH THIS FALL

Adult Swim has a new mind-bending and outrageously bizarre show called Dream Corp LLC. Using a unique blend of live-action and animation, the eponymous Dream Corp LLC is an experimental therapy facility that creates virtual reality for patients to confront their real life issues by stimulating their wildest dreams.

Monday, October 24: Man with a Plan

Saturday, October 22: Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency

Lauren Paulsen, Multimedia Editor A guide to late October tv

Wednesday, October 25: Everest Air, Jon Glaser Loves Gear

Mount Everest is the highest mountain on earth, a challenge only the most daring climbers will take on.

The Travel Channel’s Everest Air brings us the real life experiences of Everest expert mountaineer, adventurer, and medic Jeff Evans, and his Alpine Rescue Service team. Each episode gives a glimpse into the challenges climbers face when taking on the world’s highest peak.

Tru TV’s Jon Glaser Loves Gear is a new comedy reality series starring actor and comedian Jon Glaser (Trainwreck, Girls). The 10 episodes will cover his love of gear, but promises to “spiral off on deeply personal tangents.” It should be quite unlike anything else on the air.

Thursday, October 27: The Great Indoors, The Living and the Dead, Pure Genius

The Great Indoors is a new sitcom starring Joel McHale as Jack Gordon, an experienced adventure reporter who is called back from the wild by his boss.

It is back at the office where he encounters a new species: The group of millennials that now work in the digital/social media department. Jack is tasked with trying to mentor this younger generation, but connecting with these shut-ins might be his hardest assignment yet.

BBC’s The Living and the Dead is sure to make your spine tingle. When Nathan (Colin Morgan) and Charlot te Appleby (Charlot te Spencer) inherit a farm, they soon encounter supernatural forces that seem as though they were brought on by their arrival.

Friday, October 28: Good Girls Revolt, Tracey Ullman’s Show

In 1969, women were not allowed to be reporters, or to write news stories. Good Girls Revolt is a new web television series from Amazon, based on true events which inspired Lynn Povich’s book of the same name. It follows a group of female researchers as they bring a sex discrimination suit against Newsweek.

In Pure Genius, James Bell (Augustus Prew) becomes a tech billionaire and opens a new, cuttingedge hospital. He enlists the help of a controversial surgeon (Dermot Mulroney) to help him with his new-school approach to medicine. When money isn’t a concern, can these two make a difference?

Monday, October 31: People of Earth

British sketch comedy series Tracey Ullman’s Show is coming to HBO. Popular in the UK, it already has been renewed for a second season. The show features Tracey Ullman impersonating celebrities such as Judi Dench and Maggie Smith.

Starcrossed is a support group for people who think they have been abducted by aliens. In this Torontofilmed comedy series, journalist Ozzie Graham (Wyatt Cenac) has come to interview these oddballs.

Although he is initially skeptical about their accounts of abduction, he begins to believe that he may need the support group as well.

Sports

Have an idea for a story?  sports@theotherpress.ca

OO Rookie Royals beat Bearcats OO Incandescent Royals keep burning OO Serving up some wins And more!

Player Profile: Alexa Gazzola  Rookie goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team Davie Wong Sports Editor

he life of a rookie is often one filled with learning and new experiences. But their experience is generally given at a slow rate as coaches introduce them to the competitive level of collegiate sports. Once in a while, you have a rookie that can jump right into the system and thrive.

This year, that rookie seems to be the Royals’ goalkeeper, Alexa Gazzola. The 1998-born goalkeeper has been thrust into the PACWEST spotlight, and so far, she is thriving.

Born to an Italian father and Canadian mother, Gazzola grew up in a soccer-loving family.

Her life was always surrounded by soccer, but interestingly enough, she didn’t start playing competitively until she was seven. Her best friend’s father, along with her own father, put the two youngsters on a team, and that’s where it all started.

Alexa’s childhood playing soccer wasn’t actually in the goalkeeper position. In fact, Alexa spent most of her childhood playing as a midfielder or a forward. It wasn’t until her youth career that she started her journey in net. She remembers the moment she first stepped into net quite well. “During my first year of Metro league, during our first practice, we found out that the goalie that made our team had quit. So I was the one that took over. Our coach was like, ‘Okay Alexa, you’re going to go in net and we’ll see how it goes.’

I was terrible, so they introduced me to goalie training. And as that went on, I started understanding the position more and more, and I ended up liking it more than playing in the outfield.”

She liked it so much, she stuck with it. But the difference between the outfield and being in net is huge. When asked about what exactly got her to stay, she answered: “What made it stick was how it made me feel. I got to be the good guy and the bad guy at the same time. I got to be the good guy in the sense that I get to make the saves that help my team, but I also get to shut down the other strikers.” Having been a striker, Alexa knows exactly how it feels to have a goalie swing across the goal and completely deny you.

Photo by Davie Wong

T

But some players have trouble dealing with that specific position because of the magnitude of it. You’re the last line of defence for the team, and your play can either win or lose you the game. That’s a lot of pressure to put on anyone. But some people deal with pressure well. Alexa is one of those people. She acknowledges that the pressure can be, at times, overbearing, but she also uses it as motivation to stay focused and drive her to perform to the best of her abilities.

However, she has also realized that self-positivity is one of her weak points to her athletic identity. “I struggle with positive self-talk. I hate when goals go in and I kind of beat myself up. So this year, I’m really working on being more positive to myself.

If I’m more positive to myself, it will really help the team more.”

Like the rest of her team, Alexa has big aspirations for her soccer goals. “I want to win gold at Nationals,” she said confidently. “That’s our long term goal, for both myself, and the

team. Short term wise, we want to win games. We want to get the results we deserve.”

That kind of team attitude, as well as her stellar play, is what got her noticed by the coach of the Douglas College Women’s Soccer program, Chris Laxton. In fact, Alexa has called Chris coach for a long time now. “In my youth career, Chris Laxton would bring me from my Metro team with his HPL team to different places for tournaments and stuff. So I’ve known Chris for quite a while now. When I found out he was the coach here at Douglas, and that Douglas offered the program that I wanted, it was the perfect match.”

Alexa was eventually offered the opportunity to try out for the team at an ID camp, which she took without hesitation.

However, when she arrived at her first day at ID camp, she realized that she would be one of four goalkeepers competing for a spot on the roster. The revelation didn’t discourage her; in fact, it inspired her. “When I found out that there was going to be four

goalies that were all training, I knew that I needed to work really hard and be dedicated, and show that I deserve a spot on the team.

For the first while, I didn’t think it was going so well for me. But then as it went on, it got a bit easier to see when everything was going, and the dynamic of the team just started to click.”

For Alexa, a key to her success was the team environment that Coach Chris Laxton has worked so hard to foster during his time with the program. “After starting with the team in March or April, I was nervous the whole car ride from Vancouver to Coquitlam. But once I got onto the field, the team was super welcoming. They made it a super easy transition from youth soccer to college soccer. I think that if they had not been as welcoming as they were, it would have been a rougher transition.”

Her hard work carried her through the team’s offseason training camp, and onto the final roster. When asked about how it felt to make the gameday 18, Alexa face lit up as she

remembered the moment she found out. “I remember we found out who would be on the initial 18 like a week before our first game. Once I found out, I remember running to my car in the parking lot and telling my dad that I made it. I’m on the 18. I just remember being so happy.”

Alexa was one of two goalkeepers on the game-day squad. Alongside third-year veteran Chantalle Bracken, the two make up the best goalkeeping tandem in the PACWEST. Although some tandems are competitive to the teeth, Alexa describes her partnership with Chantalle as a supportive one. “Playing with Chantalle is awesome. She’s like my partner in crime. Whenever I get down, I can always pick out her voice saying ‘Pick your head up. Get the next one. Forget about it.’ She really motivates me to get better and to keep going and to keep pushing.”

As a rookie, there’s always a little bit of nerves playing in your first big game. But for Alexa, who got her first start against the Quest Kermodes, there was nothing but an ice-cold zero as she shut out the Kermodes. As amazing as her feat was, she is humble in taking credit for it.

“My first game against Quest was amazing. Obviously I couldn’t have kept the shutout by myself, it was a lot to do with the people in front of me. My backline had been working really hard that game. They worked as a unit, stepping up together, moving as a unit, and communicating, so they helped big time. And Richard, our goalie coach, prepared me super well, so it felt so good to get that start.”

Since then, Alexa Gazzola has made her impact on the PACWEST. As of the release of this article (Week eight of PACWEST), Alexa has played in eight games, surrendering four goals, and claiming four clean sheets. She has the PACWEST’s best goals per ninety minutes of play with 0.57, and is overall the league’s best goalkeeper.

With all of that, it’s hard to forget she’s just in her first year of college. Alexa is enrolled in the criminology diploma program at Douglas. After she’s completed her schooling, she hopes to follow her dream of working at the border as a border officer.

sports // no. 11

issue 7 // volume 43

Rookie Royals beat Bearcats  Young men’s team overcome experienced opponents Davie Wong Sports Editor

I

WOMEN’S SOCCER INSTITUTION

CONF

PTS

DOUGLAS

6-2-3

21

LANGARA

5-4-2

17

VIU

3-2-5

14

CAPILANO

3-3-3

12

QUEST

0-6-3

3

CONF

PTS

CAPILANO

8-0-1

25

VIU

6-3-1

19

DOUGLAS

5-5-1

16

QUEST

2-6-1

7

LANGARA

1-8-2

5

MEN’S SOCCER INSTITUTION

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL INSTITUTION

CONF

PTS

VIU

2-0

4

DOUGLAS

2-0

4

CAPILANO

1-0

2

CAMOSUN

1-1

2

COTR

1-3

2

UFV

0-1

0

CBC

0-2

0

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL INSTITUTION

CONF

PTS

VIU

2-0

4

CAMOSUN

2-0

4

DOUGLAS

2-0

4

UFV

1-0

2

CAPILANO

0-1

0

CBC

0-2

0

COTR

0-4

0

t’s been a long wait for the returning members of the men’s volleyball team. For the 4 out of 19 players returning from last year’s squad, the start of the season is something they’ve been awaiting eagerly. But no one was probably more excited than their new head coach, Jay Tremonti. With him comes a new era of men’s volleyball at Douglas College, alongside a team with eight rookies and four veterans who are eager to prove themselves.

They had the chance to do exactly that when the season started on Friday. The team opened their 2016–17 campaign at home, playing against the CBC Bearcats. The team’s opening roster featured the likes of veterans Johnson Yi, Justin Faester, and Jarod Collins, as well as rookies Mike Howeren, Zack Thielmann, and Jackson Goodman.

In their first set of 2016–17 PACWEST volleyball action, the team showed how their youth was one of their best traits. The Royals blasted the Bearcats right out of the games from the first swing.

Justin Faester and Mike Howeren put the ball down for the Royals, leading their team to a 25–21 set win.

The second set saw the Royals go down early, but Johnson Yi came up huge for his team. A couple of huge blocks as well as massive kills from Yi gave the

Royals the energy they needed to come back and close out the set, taking it 25–21.

Down 2-0, the Bearcats’ situation looked dire. But just because the Bearcats were down, doesn’t mean that they were out.

The Royals also flashed their inexperience here, and not in a good way. The men fell behind early in the third set, allowing CBC to get four points from their opening server. The lead continued to grow for the Bearcats, and soon became insurmountable.

Johnson Yi had a serving streak going at one point in the set, but that was the closest the Royals got to closing that set, as they gave it up to the Bearcats 25–21.

Knowing the dire situation should the team give up another set, the Royals tried their hardest to close out the game. Hot serving from Justin Faester, as well as Devon Dunn, saw the Royals take the lead and command the scoreboard midway through the set. But the Bearcats are a feisty team, and they clawed their way back into the set, eventually going on a five point run to bring the set close. Try as they might, the Royals just couldn’t close out the set, and the Bearcats had their comeback ready, winning the fourth set 25–23, and forcing a fifth set.

In a fifth set scenario, Jay Tremonti turned to his veterans for the closer. The team responded with a huge effort, that the Bearcats barely matched. The two dragged the set out as long as they could, with both teams climbing

to a tie score of 14. Put under pressure, it was Johnson Yi that served the team to their first game win, allowing the Royals to take the set 16–14, and the game 3–2.

A short rest day was all the team needed after that thriller.

Their second game against the Bearcats had a much different light. The Royals made a statement in the first set running away with it and taking it 25–15.

The second set was much closer, but the Royals continued their early streak and took that set 25–21.

Put against the wall for a second time, the Bearcats needed to fight back again. They did so in the third set, keeping the set as close as they could. In a set that could go either way, it was the Bearcats that kept the game alive with a huge 28–26 set win to make the game 2–1.

With the chance of the giving up their lead again, the Royals made sure to close out the game in the fourth set. They silenced the Bearcats comeback whispers with a dominant 25–18 set win to close out the game 3–1.

After the game, Jay Tremonti took some time to comment on his team’s win. “We did pretty good.

We came out in the first two sets, and CBC came out in the third and put us on our heels. It was a battle from there on. Our guys pulled through in the end but it gritty performance from CBC. After the first two sets, we started looking at finish line instead of the point in front of us. That kind of shows a little bit of our youth.”

The future is here

 Matthews and McDavid shine as the NHL season commences

Erik Pinto Contributor

C

ome mid-October, Canadians across the country begin to brace themselves for the grueling winter season. They bring out their fluffy sweaters, wool mittens, and dust off their skates, because it’s hockey season again in Canada. Last week we saw the promising future kick off the beautiful Canadian game.

Hockey season for Canadians began in our nation’s capital, where the Ottawa Senators took on the Toronto Maple Leafs. The matchup is a classic rivalry that spans back to the inception of the sport. But on this night, it wasn’t about the Sens or the Leafs, it was about a rookie making his NHL debut. His name is Auston Matthews, and if you didn’t know the name before last week, you do now.

The highly touted first overall pick in the most recent rookie draft managed to net four goals in

his first NHL game. A remarkable achievement that even current NHL great Sidney Crosby himself did not accomplished. However, despite Matthew’s miraculous four-goal effort, the Leafs still ultimately found a way to pick up the overtime loss, falling 5–4.

With this performance, the Phoenix native put himself on the map, showing not only his prowess around the net, but also his high level of maturity despite his young age. His leadership comes as an asset to a Maple Leaf’s group that has been struggling to find their identity.

Meanwhile, across the country in Alberta, the opening ceremony of the newly constructed Rogers Place in Edmonton was commencing.

The stadium cost nearly half a billion dollars and was built to accommodate the hometown Oilers. It compliments a fan base that is hopeful that this year’s Oilers team will be on the winning side. The festivities began with all-time great Mark

Messier and none other than Wayne Gretzky skating around the brand new rink, leaving the puck to the next generation of Oilers.

As the face of the franchise and newly-captained 19-year-old Connor McDavid took to the ice, a new era in Edmonton began.

The era looks promising as the team went about making some major changes in the offseason, acquiring protection and grit to surround McDavid. This was evident as the puck was dropped and the Oilers squad came out, laying some brutal hits and firing on all cylinders. They ultimately beat their Albertan rivals, the Calgary Flames, 7–4. McDavid lead the scoreboard with two goals and an assist.

As Matthews and McDavid shine upon the return of hockey, the expectations upon them will be immense. Regardless of if the two 19-year-olds live up to them, it is certain that the future of hockey is gleaming with promise and prosperity.

Turn back time with New Westminster's haunted history Ghost play sparks interest in city's paranormal activity

By Cheryl Minns, Senior Columnist

F

ounded in 1858, New Westminster is filled with heritage landmarks, from the 1865 Irving House-turned-museum on Royal Avenue to the 1909 Fisheries Building-turned-Bernie Legge Theatre in Queen’s Park. With stories of paranormal sightings and ghostly tales, this city could be just the haunt you’re looking for this Halloween.

At the Bernie Legge Theatre, the Vagabond Players are performing a ghost story of their own: Elizabeth Elwood’s Body and Soul. The ghostly romantic comedy follows writer Timothy Grey (Alex Ross), who is attempting to write a true crime novel about a fictional historical figure named Andrew Fairfax and his three wives, including two of their suspicious deaths.

Tim lives in the fictional Fairhaven House in New Westminster, in an apartment converted from the Fairfaxes’ bedroom. The room is supposedly haunted by the ghost of Andrew’s first wife, Mary Fairfax (Jacqollyne Keath).

To help with Tim’s book, his inventor roommate, Conrad Bright (Jeremy Heynen), invents a time machine to bring Mary’s ghost to present day to ask her questions about her death. While Tim is out with his fiancée Laurie McMardle (Heather Evens), Conrad retrieves Mary’s ghost with the help of his neighbours, librarian Jenny Brooks (Tracy Labrosse) and psychic seamstress Tibby Tailor (Alison Main-Tourneur).

The problem is Mary’s ghost refuses to cooperate with the group and comes up with a plan of her own.

“She’s quite an edgy, outspoken lady,” Elwood said.

Mary first appeared in Elwood’s marionette musical, The Christmas Spirit, which was performed at the Bernie Legge Theatre in

2003. In the show, a 20th-century family gathers for Christmas at their English manor, which is haunted by Mary’s ghost. During a time-travel incident, one of the family members accidentally brings the living 17th-century Mary to the future, much to her ghost’s dismay.

“The only resemblance between the marionette show and Body and Soul is the concept of time travel bringing back the real person while the ghost is still present,” said Elwood, who has been with the Vagabond Players since the 1980s and premiered four plays with them, including Body and Soul. “Other than that, and maybe three or four lines that were lifted from the marionette show, it’s totally different.”

When Elwood started rewriting the marionette show into a play in 2014–15, she decided to change the setting to New Westminster instead of England in order to include local references. The change also altered Mary’s history, which now takes place in the 20th century instead of the 17th century.

“The history had to be something that could relate to New Westminster’s history.

I couldn’t go back to the 1600s, so I went back to the early 1900s,” she said. “To design things of that era, we toured Irving House and modelled some of the wainscoting and style for the set design.”

Jacqollyne Keath voiced Mary in the original marionette musical. She reprises her role as both the ghost and living version of Mary in Body and Soul.

“I have always believed in the supernatural, so it is fun to play a ghost,” said Keath, who has been with the Vagabond Players since the 1990s. “It has been a wonderful opportunity to make Mary come to life onstage.”

The Bernie Legge Theatre has a long history of ghostly happenings, which

some of the Body and Soul cast feel is part of an old theatre’s appeal.

“Theatres are notorious for paranormal activity. I can’t say I’ve ever been in a theatre that doesn’t have stories of unusual occurrences,” said Tracy Labrosse, a Douglas College theatre alumnus who has been with the Vagabond Players since 2013.

“Whatever spirits linger at the Bernie Legge Theatre are welcoming to me.

It’s a strange and magical place,” said Jeremy Heynen, who has been with the Vagabond Players since 2015.

The theatre has been investigated by several paranormal groups in Metro Vancouver, including several times by Northern Paranormal Investigations.

“Apparitions have been reportedly seen from the stage, seated in the audience: A woman in white and sometimes a man in a tuxedo,” said Holly Fynn, an NPI investigator.

“On one occasion, a director was alone in the theatre, perusing a script at the coffee bar. Suddenly, music started blaring from the stage. As he headed towards the tech booth to see who was there, he passed the doors into the auditorium and saw that the lights on the stage were flashing too. He got to the tech booth door. The music and lights stopped. The door was locked,” she said.

Body and Soul features lots of sound effects, voiceovers, projections, and more that require excellent timing and delivery.

It is an interesting choice to premiere the technical production at a theatre known for its paranormal-related technical glitches.

“I’m pretty sure we’ve angered the spirits of the Bernie Legge Theatre with this show.

We have definitely had some strange things happen during rehWearsals that I wouldn’t rule out as ghostly doings,” said Labrosse.

“There were flickering lights, strange noises, and a few random and weird accidents. Some of them were explained, others were not,” said Heynen.

“Northern Paranormal Investigations has investigated several theatres and many other historical buildings, as well as private residences throughout the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. The Bernie Legge

Theatre remains one of our favourite locations to investigate,” Fynn said. “It is a great theatre both from a cultural and paranormal standpoint. I would say that it is paranormally active, but there is absolutely nothing there to be feared or concerned about.”

Rick Pedersen, a paranormal investigator, medium, and founder of the Society of Paranormal Incident Research Investigation Team (S.P.I.R.I.T.), investigated the Bernie Legge Theatre in 2009.

“I had several experiences that were quite interesting while I was there that one evening,” he said. “I clearly sensed the spirit of a little girl skipping rope and playing out front. I also sensed a male spirit in the theatre seating.”

“In the basement, there is a room where they store a lot of props and furniture, and it was in that room where I sensed another spirit very strongly,” he said.

“There are loads of vintage clothing, jewelry, props, and antique furniture that have been donated to the theatre over the decades,” Fynn said.

“Antiques, used furniture, and possessions can retain energy and may also have a spirit attachment. Spirits can attach to a location or to an object if there was a strong emotional connection,” Pedersen said.

“I have memories of late evenings at the theatre, painting a set on my own while down in the paint room or the props/shop area, and hearing someone walking upstairs. When I went up, there was no one there,” Keath said.

“There is a lot of energy in theatres: The energy from the actors, the energy from the audience, and electrical energy. It is thought that spirits sometimes try to utilise those energies to assist them in manifesting,” Fynn said.

“I have a supernatural encounter every night when I step on stage to do Body and Soul, and I’d like nothing better than if people would come out and experience it with me,” said Alex Ross, who has been with the Vagabond Players since 2014.

Body and Soul tickets start at $15 and can be purchased at VagabondPlayers.ca.

The show will be playing Thursdays–Sundays until October 29 at the Bernie Legge Theatre in Queen’s Park, New Westminster.

theotherpress.ca

sports // no. 14

Incandescent Royals keep burning ööWomen’s soccer team extends their winning streak

them from trying to upset the team’s seeding plans. The Royals travelled out on Sunday to meet with them on their field for the last time this season.

It only took the Royals 20 minutes to find a way to get on the board. Andrea Perrotta ripped home a placed shot to get the Royals up early. After a hard foul in the box, Perrotta was given the chance to double from the spot. Stepping up to her mark, she slotted home

her second goal of the game, and gave the Royals a 2–0 lead going into the half time break.

Coming out of the half, Perrotta made good on her hattrick opportunity immediately, cashing in on a shot to give herself and her team three goals on the day. However, the Kermodes would find a way to strike back. They scored their first goal shortly after Perrotta’s hat-trick to make it 3–1.

They would add another to really pressure the Royals, but ultimately fail to bring it to a tie, and the Royals held on for the win, 3–2.

The win improves them to 6–2–3 on the season, with 21 points. The team has all but secured their second best regular PACWEST season in a row, with only the Capilano Blues able to catch them. For the Blues to do that, they need to win all three of their games, including their game against the Royals, and need to win by two or more goals when they play against the Royals.

The women’s fantastic form of late is just what the team need to be at when they go into playoffs. If they play like this for the next couple weeks, they will repeat as champions easily.

rallied her team. Penner served for eight straight points before being retired, taking her team from down three to up five. Her team closed out the set as the Royals swept the Bearcats in the first game of the year for them.

The two teams met again the next game, as the Bearcats looked to redeem themselves.

They did so right from the start, stealing a set away from the Royals, 25–21. But the rude wakeup call sprung the Royals into action, and they punished the Bearcats.

The second set was a statement, with the Royals really hammering down, taking it 25–18. The third set was nearly an exact repeat, with the Royals never letting the Bearcats back into the game, taking it 25–17. The Royals then closed out the game from there, finishing with a score of 3–1, and completing their weekend 2–0.

The games were statements in and of themselves for the team, and new head coach Jeff Ross got the chance to talk about his team’s performance.

“I thought they did very well.

They definitely took care of the ball and played together as a unit. It was a good team win for us. The team came together and played stronger after 20 minutes. Juliana (Penner) did well this weekend. She’s definitely the captain for a reason, and she showed her fifth year experience this weekend.”

Davie Wong Sports Editor omination. That’s the only way to describe how the women’s soccer team has been matching up against their competition as of late.

Coming off the back of three straight wins against some of the PACWEST’s best teams, the Royals came into this weekend with a record to settle against their rivals from across the Strait.

Despite a rough season to date, the VIU Mariners came into Saturday’s battle with a record of 2–1–5, and were ranked the sixth best team in the CCAA. The Royals held a record of 4–2–3 and were ranked eighth in the CCAA, as well as being the league leader in the PACWEST. It was always going to be a heated matchup, no matter how bad the rain wanted to dampen that.

Picking up right where she left off last week, Mikayla Hamilton started the action for the Royals, scoring an early volley to give her team the lead. The Royals would hold onto that lead and defend it for the rest of the first half.

Going into the second, the Royals were determined to put the game away. Mikayla

Photo by Davie Wong

D

Hamilton gave her team the boost they needed and put away her second of the game and seventh on the season to give the Royals a commanding lead. The Mariners did all they could to bring the game back, sending a couple players out on breaks, but Royals goalkeeper Alexa Gazzola was there to keep her team in it.

Moments later, it would be co-captain Michelle Wessa who put the game out of reach for the Mariners with a fantastic strike. From there,

the team shut the gates of the Mariners, and left them out in the rain without a goal.

The 3–0 win sent a message across the league, if a message needed to be sent, that these girls were here to win, and there was very little that could stop them.

However, seeding is still a very important aspect to the team’s season, and their next match was essential to determining that.

The Quest Kermodes were knocked out of playoff contention last week, but it didn’t stop

Serving up some wins ööRoyals women’s volleyball review: October 14–15 Davie Wong Sports Editor he women’s volleyball team is coming into this year with high expectations, both from fans, and themselves. The team’s ambition will be put to the test as they try to balance change and high performance. While turnover is normal for collegiate programs, what is abnormal this year is the presence of a new coach. Jeff Ross comes into the program after being an assistant coach to the UBC Thunderbirds, as well as a variety of other involvements with the sport.

Last Friday, Jeff got his first taste of PACWEST action as his team took on the visiting CBC Bearcats in the team’s home opener. Jeff got everything he could’ve asked for from his opening squad, and the team showed their dominance on the court. Juliana Penner shredded the CBC defensive formation on the serve, and the captain showed exactly why she was an All-Star. The home team took the set 25–17, in a statement that showed that

Photo by Davie Wong

T

this year’s team wanted it all.

The next set was cleaner by the Bearcats, but the Royals were still the team finding the way to get cheeky points off the serve. Rookie Vania Silva dos Santos de Oliveira was the server this time that found all the right gaps, as the Royals outclassed their opponents

in the set, taking it 25–20.

But if there’s one thing you can say about the Royals’ opponent, it’s that they never give up. The Bearcats came storming into their do-or-die set, and the Royals looked like they would falter. But once again, it was the captain with the serving arm who really

Have an idea for a story?  lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca

Life & Style

OO Indie fashion feature: SpreePicky OO Beauty on a budget: Light up your lips for Halloween OO Listed: Reasons to stay inside And more!

Insomni-aid

W

hen you’re going to school and working it can often be hard to find time to rest your brain, and this is especially true if you’re an insomniac.

Insomnia is one of those words that gets tossed around a lot, but often times the people using it don’t actually know what it means. It is not the inability to sleep at night, but rather, the inability to fall asleep at all.

If you can’t sleep at night, but have no problem sleeping in till noon the next day, you’re not an insomniac, you just need to reset your sleep pattern or be more aware of your diet pre-respite— fruit and protein will actually keep you awake, while carbs will make you tired, and caffeine must be avoided, obviously.

Insomnia is different for every sufferer, but some things are universal: Our brains have a hard time shutting off for extended periods of time. Falling asleep can be a battle tempered with the aid of various hormones like Melatonin, or sleep-aids—but the real battle is actually staying asleep. Many sufferers find it difficult to remain asleep, and will actually wake up mere hours after they’ve crossed that first hurdle of managing to fall asleep in the first place. This means incredibly late nights and very early mornings, which can lead to exhaustion.

As someone who has suffered from insomnia for years due to anxiety, I have found that developing a routine can be a game changer. What a routine does is it takes the focus off of the clock, and instead puts it on training your brain. As many fellow insomniacs know, stressing over time is almost a compulsion.

You lay in bed counting the hours of rest you’ll have if you fall asleep right that second, watching the time dwindle until you realize that it’s time to get up and you’ve spent the entire night stressing over sleep. It’s a familiar story, but what can you do to avoid it?

First off, make the decision on whether or not to try prescription drugs. For me, I prefer to avoid them due to the added expense and some rather frightening experiences with over-the-counter sleep aids when I was a teenager. If you want to try and avoid them, then I advise taking low-dosage melatonin.

Melatonin is the hormone that signals your brain that it is time to sleep, as such it is not a sleepaid per s, but more-so a natural remedy that helps until you’ve trained your brain to produce it at the correct time on its own.

But when’s the correct time, you may ask? Again, the focus here should not be on the clock, but rather the training aspect.

This means that you need to develop a series of repetitive behaviors you can use as a trigger,

so that your brain will know when it should settle down. What these behaviors are is completely up to you, but I advise trying to engage all your senses—touch, taste, smell, sight—and to repeat them without deviation. For me, I light a scented candle, drink a cup of hot chamomile tea, and watch a 10–20 minute “let’s play” video. I do this because I want to focus on things I find relaxing to combat my anxiety, but depending on your insomnia, your routine may vary. This is why it’s important to tailor the routine to you as an individual. I hate the cold, so I need to be in bed with my tea near scalding. However, you may find that suffocating, so your routine might involve opening a window. Develop your routine around your perfect sleep. Try to figure out what’s so different about the days you fall asleep easier, and try to replicate aspects of those days. If storms relax you, try adding rain sounds to your nightly routine. If you zone out when you read a book, try reading a few pages a night. The key is to avoid measuring time, and instead do things step by step.

If this works, and you manage to fall asleep but wake up a few hours later, repeat the process. This repetitive action will eventually train your brain to stay asleep for as long as it can. That may only grant you five or six hours, but hey, it’s better than the alternative.

Image via Thinkstock

Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor

Image via Thinkstock

ööUsing routines to combat sleeplessness

Monk Mode: Investing your time ööWhat to do when you have nothing to do Adam Tatelman Arts Editor

P

eople, myself included, often feel trapped in our routines—not just because our working lives can grow monotonous, but also because our leisure activities can do the same.

For most, work is something done out of necessity rather than desire; thus, the choices we make in our recreation time define who we really are. If that sounds strange, consider that many people identify themselves by the hobbies they select—gamer, foodie, stoner, or film buff to name a few—so, the more we do these things, the more attached to them we become. A mere year ago, I probably couldn’t have imagined life without video games, and yet I was aware on some level that I derived little benefit from the hobby.

Being creatures of habit, we often choose comfortable routine over the uncertainty of change, even if the routine has become stifling. If you feel this way, try to adopt

something new: join a student club, get a gym membership, or look for new friends outside your circle. If you’re feeling stuck, experiences outside your comfort zone can help you to find a new zest for life. This may lead you to re-evaluate your habits, and decide what’s worth keeping.

Learning to make better use of one’s time is one of the most critical lessons to learn from Monk Mode. In my case, I chose on a whim to sell all of my video games, devoting that time instead to strength training. I gained 18 pounds of muscle in four months as a result—something I wouldn’t have done otherwise. That isn’t to say that videogames are pointless, but it’s important not to let them be a deterrent to productivity. What matters is that you feel accomplished.

Don’t think of this process as giving something up; instead, imagine it as a trade.

I still play video games with friends, but it is no longer a priority in my life. In examining the checks and balances of time, I simply found a better way to invest mine.

theotherpress.ca

life & style // no. 16

Indie fashion feature: SpreePicky ööShopping spooky-cute trends in Japanese street fashion Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor veryone has that one holiday that they absolutely go nuts for. For me, that’s Halloween.

I will admit, I am the type to wear gaudy pumpkin jewelry and oversized mom sweaters with scarecrows on them, but, due to my relative tenuous status as a fashionista, I at least try to warp this misguided excitement into something as stylish as possible. Doing so is made all the easier with websites like SpreePicky, which embraces holiday themes and regurgitates them as garments easily worn in the name of Japanese street fashion—and all for a relatively modest price.

Japanese street fashion is a catch-all for Asian style trends such as Harajuku, Ganguro/ Kogal, Lolita, various Keis, and many more. As such, SpreePicky offers a wide range of style options to suit your own personal sense of self expression, as well as various anime inspired garments and

Image via SpreePicky.net

E

jewelry for my weaboo buddies out there.

Traditionally, Halloween is a western holiday, but it has been growing in popularity in various Asian countries due to the growing acculturation between East and West. Because of this, it has been embraced by various Japanese style trends that take inspiration from Western culture, meaning that Halloween imagery is a hot

Japanese Canadian Vegetables & Flowers: Haiku, Letterpress, and Printmaking Tuesday, Nov 1st, 2:30 - 6:20pm

at the Other Press offices (rm 1020, 700 Royal Ave, New Westminster) free FOR EVERYONE drop-in workshop

commodity in street fashion.

SpreePicky takes inspiration from that street fashion and makes it more readily available to the world at large. Admittedly, the quality of the clothes isn’t the best, but with prices ranging from $5–200 it’s easy enough to justify buying something that may not last until the end of time.

The one issue I had with SpreePicky was that there

Create haiku (3-line poetry), and use letterpress and stamp printing to create artworks that celebrate the vegetables and flowers of significance for Japanese Canadians. Many of these plants were grown in family gardens in pre-war days, and in small gardens that families created outside of their makeshift shacks in the camps when Japanese Canadians were incarcerated during World War II. These plants were also grown on larger plots of land established in the camps.

was so much content that it was difficult to find anything.

Their keyword search is a little too specific, meaning that the items it finds will match your search specifically instead of showing you items that may be related to your search. This is an issue if you’re browsing the website for a particular theme.

The easiest way I found to navigate the site is to actually search their Instagram. This is

especially true if you’re looking for holiday-themed pieces like I was, because they tend to post their theme wear in the weeks approaching that particular holiday. The pictures on the Instagram will then have a product code in the description that you can search on their website, and it will take you directly to that item.

Have fun, and happy shopping.

#DOUGLIFE Share your photos with us on Instagram using the hashtag #DougLife, for a chance to be featured in the paper!

If you have stories of Japanese vegetables and flowers from your own experiences and families, please bring them to share. We are collecting stories as well as the artwork created in these workshops to share online.

This is the second workshop in a series that is produced in collaboration with WePress Community Art Space and Powell Street Festival Society and funded by Metro Vancouver.

WePress

This week’s photo is by mjowjow

life & style // no. 17

issue 7 // volume 43

Beauty on a budget: Light up your lips for Halloween Lauren Kelly Editor-in-Chief

T

his past summer NYX came out with a line of lip creams called Cosmic Metals that is unlike any of their other offerings. Although I usually try to cover more versatile, every day products, I thought these would be fun to try out coming up on Halloween, due to how vivid and fun each colour is.

I picked up three of the eleven colours to try out: Speed of Light, a beautiful copper and the most “normal” colour of the bunch; Extraterrestrial, a deep olive green; and Electromagnetic, a vivid turquoise. Each of these tubes is also packed with silver shimmer. The other eight colours include three different blues, a purple, a fuchsia, a bright orange, a deep gunmetal, and an emerald green.

Electromagnetic was the first colour I tried, and it was as pigmented on as it was in the tube. This made it very easy to apply. The colour was true to the tube as well, and looked very out of place on my face.

I wore it for a few hours, and it only wore off a little bit on the inside of my lips, which I found impressive since it is a

cream formula. It was incredibly shiny, both from the gloss and the shimmer. This colour would be super fun for any sea-themed costumes, like a mermaid, but I can’t see myself wearing it for any other reason.

Speed of Light is a very light shade, and it makes your lips look like they’ve been dipped in rose gold. Where Electromagnetic was shiny, this was a whole new level.

It was absolutely gorgeous, and very pretty for fall.

Extraterrestrial is darker than I’d expected, and also the least in-your-face. The shimmer is a bit less pronounced, but it is still very glossy. I’m sure you could make these both work depending on your costume as well, and the latter is clearly alien-themed. I’ll be wearing both this fall, especially Extraterrestrial, which is a very striking colour. Besides the colour, they both applied similarly to Electromagnetic, and impressed me all around.

If you’re looking to pick up a tube or two of either product, you can buy them at London Drugs for $9.99. Since they are a somewhat niche product, stores that don’t carry the full NYX line like Shoppers Drug Mart probably won’t have them.

Image via nyxcosmetics.com

ööNYX Cosmic Metals lip cream review

Listed: Reasons to stay inside ööBeing anti-social doesn’t always have to be negative Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor

A

1. You can wear your pajamas and no one will judge you.

2. You can eat whatever you want for dinner, including an entire block of cheese or nachos and ramen.

3. No designated driver required.

4. Comfy couches are always preferable to sticky barstools.

5. No weird people trying to engage you in boring conversation.

6. All night videogame marathon.

7. Luke Cage is pretty awesome, and you should probably watch it.

8. Designated nap-breaks are allowed.

9. Silence.

10. Rain and wind storms are a lot more enjoyable when you’re not stuck outside in one.

Image from Ginnyrobot on Flickr

s Autumn rolls in, it’s getting increasingly cold outside, making it harder to justify actually going out. Well, have no fear, I’m not here to convince you why you should be a social butterfly. Instead, here are a few reasons to stay in tonight.

Opinions

Have an idea for a story?  opinions@theotherpress.ca

OO Stop being smug about our society and politicians OO The human garbage pile that is Mike Pence OO The depressing industry of breast cancer awareness And more!

Why we need to stop defending Woody Allen Jessica Berget Contributor

W

oody Allen has been directing movies for over 50 years. In this time, he has won several Golden Globes, Oscars, and even landed the Cecil B. Demille award for lifetime achievement in 2014.

He is one of the most respected directors in the film industry, many of his films have been granted critical acclaim—and oh yeah, he sexually abused his seven-year-old adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow. If the last sentence didn’t change your perception of Woody Allen films, or if you are holding the position of “Who can really say what happened?” you may want to think again.

It’s been almost 25 years since the accusations against Woody Allen became public.

However, looking into his filmography, it’s surprising these allegations didn’t come to light sooner. Remember in Manhattan when his 42-yearold character was dating a 17-year-old girl? Predatory relationships are a recurring theme in Allen’s films such as Irrational Man, Midnight in Paris, and Whatever Works. That fact

alone should creep anyone out to the point of never wanting to watch another Woody Allen movie again. But sadly, we live in a society that normalizes the fetishization of young women, so this wasn’t exactly a red flag.

The themes in his films don’t just stay on the screen— they extend to his real life marriage. Twenty-three years ago he married his adopted stepdaughter Soon-Yi Previn when she was just 21 years old, and he was 56. Yes, this marriage was legal and she is a fully consenting adult, but how can anyone validate a relationship with such a vast gap in power dynamics?

Allen knew Soon-Yi as a child, and watched her grow up. The fact that Allen is comfortable marrying someone so much younger than him—and whom he is a father figure to—speaks volumes about his morals.

After considering his marriage to his adopted daughter, child molestation suddenly doesn’t seem so impossible. Even with prior knowledge to this, people continue to praise and support his films. But why?

Supporting the work of an alleged rapist only reaffirms their actions and normalizes their behaviour. It also says to

the victim, or any victims of assault, that the abuser’s art is more valuable than their lives.

I used to be a Woody Allen fan, I admit. Even when I first heard about the allegations I rolled my eyes. “She’s just looking for attention,” I told myself.

At the time, I had no idea how toxic and deeply misogynistic my line of thinking was. It wasn’t until 2014 that I took these allegations seriously,

Image via wikimedia

ööCertified piece of garbage still adored by millions, for some reason

when Dylan Farrow published a shocking letter recounting the sexual abuse she endured as a child at the hands of Woody Allen. After reading her letter it was hard to justify defending Allen as a person, or an artist.

There are some important things to take into account when considering the investigation of Woody Allen. First, it was an unwritten rule that Allen was not to be left alone with

Farrow. He had a history of being inappropriate with her, even obsessed. Second, Farrow’s claim of abuse is consistent with the stories of three other people who were present the day of the assault. And third, the case was closed because the evidence was inconclusive. This does not mean Woody Allen didn’t do it: It just means there wasn’t enough evidence to convict him.

There are still those who insist that you can separate the art from the artist, which is just as toxic, if not worse than believing he is innocent.

Separating the art from the artist just makes it easy to continue celebrating and supporting abusive men. At the end of the day, you are still giving your money to a rapist.

Why is this even a debate?

Woody Allen sexually abused his seven-year-old daughter, then married his adopted stepdaughter, and people are still watching his films. What kind of society do we live in where we would rather tell ourselves a seven-year-old girl was lying about rape for attention, than think badly of Woody Allen?

Was Annie Hall really good enough to value over a person’s life? Not in the slightest.

How far have we come in standing up to prejudice? ööWhy we still have a long way to go Chandler Walter Assistant Editor he other day, I was watching an old movie called 12 Angry Men. It was filmed in 1957 and is in black and white. Now I’m not trying to come off as some sort of “vintage film lover,” or what have you, but I make the point because the age of the movie matters here.

The plot of the movie centres around, well, 12 rather angry men. They are members of a jury (spoiler alert) whose task it is to decide the verdict on the murder trial of an 18-year-old boy. The boy is born from the slums, and all the evidence seems to point to guilty. Slowly but surely, the jurors are convinced otherwise through logic and reasoning, until only a few holdouts remain on the “guilty” side of the ballot.

One of whom being Juror 10 (Ed Begley), who, in the last quarter of the movie, launched into his

Screenshot of ‘12 Angry Men’

T

explanation for why he believed the boy to be guilty of murder.

His reasoning is that anyone who grew up in a slum is dangerous, and that prejudice outweighed any of the other arguments, in his mind. “Well, don’t you know about them?

There’s a… There’s a danger here.

These people are dangerous.

They’re… wild. Listen to me.

Listen to me,” he said, standing at the table, while all of the other

jurors stood up one by one, and turned their backs to the ranting man until he eventually sat down, defeated by silence.

As I watched that almost 70-year-old scene, I couldn’t help but be reminded by Juror 10 of a certain businessman south of the border. The fear mongering, the blanket statements about certain types of people, and the constant and repeated pleas to be listened to all rang alarming bells

of familiarity.

The amazing thing to me was that a group of white men in a fictional scene 70 years ago could see those words for what they were: Prejudice, racism, and utterly wrong. They stood up, turned their backs, and did not give him the time of day. They did not feed into his hate, or fuel it further by allowing themselves to be convinced of his nonsense.

They stifled the raging man to

the point where he realized the error of his views, and quietly conceded to himself that maybe there was more to the decision of a young man’s life than the juror’s own preconceived ideas about the accused.

After Juror 10 sat down, Juror 8 (Henry Fonda) responded with something that still rings true 70 long years later: “It’s always difficult to keep personal prejudice out of a thing like this. Wherever you run into it, prejudice always obscures the truth.”

If you haven’t seen the movie, watch it. It’s an amazing movie and only runs for about an hour and a half. Enjoy the great acting, feel good about yourself for watching a black and white movie, and see for yourself if Juror 10 sparks a feeling of familiarity in you as well. He sure did for me, and that made me very, very frightened for our neighbours south of the border.

opinions // no. 19

Image via Thinkstock

issue 7 // volume 43

Stop being smug about our society and politicians ööBad things exist in Canada too Cazzy Lewchuk Opinions Editor

C

anadians have always been proud of their national identity, and of the many privileges we enjoy in this country. While it’s not perfect, or as comprehensive as many healthcare systems, we are able to go to the hospital without declaring bankruptcy. We are known for our politeness, tolerance, and diversity in our national identity and in how we treat others.

In the nightmare that is the US presidential election, many Americans are considering moving to Canada and are feeling very jealous of our position.

We’ve got a popular, liberal, attractive man as our leader.

We do not have a terrifying, growing movement based on racism, sexism, and pretty much every other kind of prejudice there is. Americans crave the stability and tolerance exhibited in our borders. Naturally, we feel pretty smug about it—we’re rightfully grateful to not have to deal with this nightmare.

But, too often, Canadians become too smug about our stability and lack of Donald Trump. Racism, xenophobia, and nationalism exists in Canada as well. Although it is not as obvious or popular as in the US, it remains a serious problem. Our Aboriginal communities often have conditions comparable to a developing country, with some areas experiencing more poverty than most places in the US. Distrust of immigrants and non-

Christians remains a viewpoint expressed by many Canadians.

Bigotry and anti-gay platforms exist all across the country, even if the LGBTQ+ are protected by human rights codes and have widespread acceptance.

Rob Ford was a popular city councillor and mayor of Toronto, Canada’s largest city. He was well-known nationally and internationally for his substance abuse issues of drugs and alcohol, as well as his bigotry, sexism, and racism. He had been visited by police at his home for domestic abuse of his wife several times.

Ford may not have had quite the insane views or national leadership ambitions that Trump does, but the two do share a lot of similarities. Millions of people supported Ford despite his scandals and generally awful

behaviour. Sound familiar?

Canadian government is and always has been less conservative than our counterparts in American politics. In particular, we’re currently enjoying a liberal government led by a popular and progressive leader. But some problems like bigotry and racism are independent from whoever is in power. These are sad truths that exist in all societies. Canada is unfortunately not an asshole-free zone just because we have progressive laws and mostly tolerant citizens.

When you get smug about Canada’s supposed superiority to the US, you’re being ignorant and denying the many common problems we face. You do not exhibit the tolerant values we’re supposed to represent, because you’re refusing to acknowledge

the universal problems that exist in society, or the issues that so many Canadians face.

I doubt that someone like Trump would make it as far as he did in Canada, but I don’t believe we’re free of dangerous people like that.

The Conservative government was issuing and promoting Islamophobic laws and policies only a year ago. In the right circumstances economically and socially, movements of nationalism, racism, and general ignorance could easily arise.

It’s our duty as citizens to be educated and honest about what makes our country good, and what can be improved on. We aren’t immune from toxicity in society, and we would do well to remember that more often.

The human garbage pile that is Mike Pence Cazzy Lewchuk Opinions Editor

M

ike Pence is the current Governor of Indiana. As of the time of this article, he is also the Vice-Presidential running mate of Donald Trump for the Republican Party. It is entirely possible this will change by the time you read this, or before the election on November 8. Ever the controversial (and awful) figure, Trump’s outrageous behaviour has caused many Republicans to denounce him. Many have called for his resignation and for Mike Pence to lead the Presidential ticket instead.

Although Pence may not be as insane or ridiculous as Trump, his policies are no better. In many ways, they are a lot worse.

Like many Republicans, Pence opposes same-sex marriage and gay people openly serving in the military. Pence signed a bill legalizing discrimination by allowing business owners to use “religious objections” in refusing service, although he later amended it to specifically prevent the LGBTQ+ from receiving this discrimination after a lot

of controversy and backlash.

Even more disturbingly, Pence has advocated for funding and resources to be given to conversion therapy programs.

These extremely controversial programs, which have been outlawed in some areas, use regressive “therapy” and outright abusive torture tactics to “cure” gay people of their sexuality.

Many who enter these programs (usually against their will, forced by their family) commit suicide, and many more end up with trauma from the experience.

Pence signed a bill into law requiring remains from all fetuses, whether they be from abortions or miscarriages, to be buried or cremated. The law also made abortion illegal if the reason was a fetus’s race, sex, or disability. Being antiabortion and believing fetuses are babies is not uncommon, but such a bizarre (and gross) law was unheard of before. It was struck down by courts for being unconstitutional, but attempting to make abortion illegal in America remains a Republican platform in this election.

Pence unsuccessfully

attempted to ban Syrian refugees from entering the state of Indiana, as well as cut off federal funding for a charity group designed to help them get re-settled. Unlike his running mate, Pence does not support a blanket ban of Muslims entering the US. However, he remains, arguably, Trump’s biggest political supporter, and by proxy supports a platform banning refugee immigrants.

Such actions and beliefs are not only not-so-slightly xenophobic and racist, but contrary to American (and moral) values of welcoming new citizens. If such refugees were white and Christian, I bet Pence would change his attitude, and fast.

In the extremely unlikely event Donald Trump wins this election, Mike Pence will most likely do most of his work for him. Unlike Trump, Pence has political experience and knowledge. He has been specifically cited as being in charge of “domestic and foreign policy” in a Trump administration—i.e., pretty much everything. In the increasingly likely event that Trump is fired or

Image via nydailynews.com

ööWhy Trump’s running mate sucks, a lot

is somehow convinced to resign, Mike will be the presidential nominee. I’m terrified of a President Trump, but a Pence administration would also be terrible for millions of Americans.

A lot of jokes have been made about Mike Pence. He looks like someone who’s about to transform into Mystique.

He looks like a super strict conservative dad who secretly has a massive gay porn collection.

Seriously, Pence once wrote an op-ed criticizing Disney’s Mulan

for being liberal propaganda of women serving in the military.

A lot of it seems almost funny, but there’s nothing funny about what Pence believes in, or his oppressive policies. Donald Trump represents outsider evil, but Pence represents the conventional evil that was already deeply ingrained in the Republican Party. As observed by many, “Trump may remind you of the man who assaulted you—but Mike Pence is the judge who let him get away with it.”

theotherpress.ca

Image via usaghumphreys on Flickr

opinions // no. 20

The depressing industry of breast cancer awareness ööDon’t drink the pink Kool-Aid Cazzy Lewchuk Opinions Editor

A

s you probably know, October is breast cancer awareness month. The pink ribbon—and pink in general—is everywhere. Stores sell buttons or ribbons you can buy by donation to raise awareness.

Marathons are organized all over to raise money for research, and to give your female relatives a chance to show off their pink feather boas and odd bras.

Let’s be clear: Breast cancer, like any cancer, is a very serious and tragic issue. Pretty much everyone knows someone who has beaten or passed away from

this awful disease. Although it mainly affects women, men are also capable of getting it. It is not something to be taken lightly, and it is one of the most common medical causes of death today.

Fighting cancer remains a frustrating and serious medical issue. There are hundreds of kinds of cancers, each with their own treatment efforts and present dangers. Breast cancer is one of the most common and terrifying occurrences.

It is incredibly important to raise awareness of the risks and symptoms, especially in preventative measures, such as mammograms.

Giving your money to “cancer research” can feel like

the right thing to do, but it can often do less good than you think it does. Many organizations that collect for this sort of thing do not give a significant amount of proceeds to actual scientific funding of cancer treatment, nor does it go to actual victims of cancer. It goes towards funding organizations that are sometimes for-profit instead of charities.

This is especially true if it’s a non-cancer related product that’s suddenly pink for October; they’re still using the ribbon to make a profit, even if they donate some of the money to (allegedly) fighting the disease.

Ironically, some of these products contain ingredients that actually increase someone’s chance of

getting breast cancer. So much for reducing the disease in the future—but hey, it’s something else to collect money for!

A lot of organizations collect for breast cancer during this month. If you’re going to donate, do your research and make sure you feel comfortable with whoever you’re giving your money to. Better yet, donate the money directly to a breast cancer victim, or donate the gift of time.

Fighting cancer seems to have gone from helping people who are sick and helping people not get sick, to a whole industry with a shallow promise of increasing research and awareness. I don’t like to get too conspiracy theorist on big

pharma organizations or medical research, in general. I don’t quite believe companies are working to suppress a cure so they can make more profits, but I do believe cancer awareness has left its roots. Ultimately, we should be working for the victims and their medical care, not for the industry and foundations sprung up in their shadows.

Cancer research does a lot of good, and most of the funding at least goes indirectly to helping people—such as providing resources for free mammograms, for example. Ultimately, what causes we support is up to us, but it’s important to know what the causes are, and what the best way to help out really is.

ideas about non-Muslims and Western culture that are foreign and perhaps even detrimental to us. Many countries have Islam coded into law, and have horrible human rights records. However, there are also many Islamic countries that are democratic and beautiful places to live. In addition, the rules/interpretations by certain governments do not represent that of all their citizens.

Many Muslims in North America are immigrants, or recent descendants of immigrants. Some are refugees, coming to our country as it is a safe zone in contrast to the war-torn areas they’re originally from. Much Islamophobia comes from the misguided belief that someone whose house was bombed by ISIS has the same values as an ISIS member.

Refugees are very thoroughly screened for behaviour that could jeopardize the safety of Canada/America, and if they don’t pass, we don’t let them in.

Muslims are human beings.

They have their own dreams, values, and lives, just like Christians, athiests, or anyone

else. A Muslim is someone who follows the principles and teachings of Muhammad, whom they believe to be a prophet of God/Allah. Although the Quran is a significant text valued by many and believed to be the Word of Allah, it is not taken literally by many Muslims, just as most Christians don’t take everything in the Bible at face value, either.

People fear what they don’t understand. Those who worry about the popularity of Islam or are afraid of Muslims are guided by ignorance and misinformation. Most of all, they miss the humanity aspect: I’m sure they’ve never been friends with a Muslim and gotten to know the person behind the faith. Many respected celebrities are Muslims: Shaquille O’Neal, Cat Stevens, and the late Muhammad Ali, to name a few. Hopefully, the spread of misinformation and fearmongering about human beings with certain religious beliefs will stop soon. It’s one of the most ridiculous and terrifying forms of prejudice so noticeable around us today and it is.

Stop targeting Muslims ööIslamophobia in the world today Cazzy Lewchuk Opinions Editor here are 1.6 billion Muslims in the world. Islam is the second-largest religion in the world after Christianity, with a significant following in pretty much every country on Earth.

Like every religion, Islam has many different sects, viewpoints, and diversity in its followers. They are guided by common beliefs about Muhammad and his teachings, but otherwise the people who follow it are just as diverse as any other group.

Muslims exist in every country on Earth and come from all races and backgrounds.

The term “radical Islam” is gaining traction. Indeed, many terrorist groups, such as ISIS, are a form of extreme Islam. In the same way that the Westboro Baptist Church (who regularly picket soldier’s funerals, believing their deaths to be a punishment from God) could be considered “radical Christians,” and do not speak for the vast majority of Christians,

Image via Thinkstock

T

“radical Islam” groups do not represent Islam. Many believe using the term is essential to understanding and stopping these terrorist enemies, while 0thers feel the usage of that term leads people to believe that killing is a core value of Islam (it’s definitely not) and that it leads to ignorance over what terrorism really is: Independent of any one religion.

I cannot believe the amount of misinformation and fear that affects so much of the Muslim community. If some misinformed people are to be

believed, all Muslims want anyone who isn’t a Muslim dead, believe all women should have no rights whatsoever, are hopeful for a collapse of Western society as we know it, and are secretly working towards a theocracy dominated by oppression and terrorist tactics.

If all 1.6 billion Muslims in the world really wanted to take over and eliminate any and all non-Muslims, you’d think they would have done so already. It is true that cultural differences in certain areas can lead Muslims to have

Humour

Have an idea for a story?  humour@theotherpress.ca

OO What your Mario Kart main says about you OO Tsawwassen Mills gives away hundreds of thousands in gift cards on Instagram OO Company bravely refuses to hire anyone other than white men to combat tokenism And more!

Men forced to do mental gymnastics to express empathy for women affected by institutional sexism Rebecca Peterson Humour Editor

I

n the wake of walking mouldy yam Donald “It’s just locker room talk” Drumpf’s horrific remarks regarding women, and many victims coming forward with stories of alleged assault by the Republican candidate, many decent, respectable men are facing a tough situation: They must now attempt to empathize with humans whose genitals do not necessarily match their own.

“I mean, I don’t know,” said everyman Tad Watsisnutz, shuffling awkwardly and looking uncomfortable. “I feel like it’s wrong? I just—I mean, it’s hard to put myself in that situation. It’s a women’s problem, you know?

I just don’t know what it has to do with me. I mean, I’m single, no sisters, and I don’t like my mom very much. It’s hard for me to, I don’t know, understand that side of things. It would force me to look at women and see, like, people, instead of things I could potentially have sex with.”

“It has everything to do with me,” blustered Republican party member Johnny Comelately, who has now declared support and withdrawn support for Donald “I’m a sexual predator” Drumpf 15 times in the last two weeks. “I mean, I’m a person who owns—I mean, has a wife. I have daughters. I have a mother.

I’m unique in this aspect, so it gives me some insight into their side of things. Did you know women actually don’t like being touched without permission?

No one knows that, but I do.

It’s because of this that this issue affects me, personally, so I’m very upset about it.”

“At first, I found it difficult to get too mad about it,” shrugged Todd Spunk, a Libertarian media

expert who was most recently seen leaving angry comments on YouTube channels covering the Hillary Clinton campaign.

“I was adopted by a single dad, went to an all-boys school, and I don’t date. But then I found out that I’m biologically related to a distant cousin who has a girlfriend who likes Gary Johnson, and I was like, whoa!

It just suddenly occurred to me that like, women can think? And imagining a person who like, you know, experiences sentience kind of like a guy does being talked to the way Donald ‘If she weren’t my daughter I’d be dating her’ Drumpf talks to women? I felt… almost something resembling anger. Pity? It might have been pity. It didn’t feel too good.”

When asked what they would do if someone verbally or physically assaulted a woman in front of them, the responses varied.

“I’d have to like, really make sure something bad was happening before doing something,” said Watsisnutz.

“Like, words are words, so that’s okay, but if he was touching her?

I don’t know. Maybe she winked at him or something. Or was wearing a short skirt. Who knows what she could be thinking? I keep hearing people tell me that, like, women mean yes when they say no, so who can tell?”

“I would react the same way any man would react if someone touched their things without asking,” said Spunk. “It’s not polite to lay eyes or hands on another man’s woman. It’s in the Ten Commandments and everything.”

“I don’t know,” said Spunk.

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around the ‘woman are people’ thing. Maybe ask me again in a few years? Maybe I’ll figure it out by then.”

Image via thinkstock

öö‘What does this have to do with me, though?’ ask many

By David Manky, Senior Columnist

theotherpress.ca

humour // no. 22

What your Mario Kart main says about you ööUnpacking the complex characters of the Mario world

of your life choices, or get some help. Next time you find yourself choosing Wario you may want to ask yourself: have I truly suffered? Is this really the kind of life I want to lead?

Jessica Berget Contributor Mario If you pick Mario as your main you either hate yourself or you are very, very boring. Mindnumbingly-boring. Mario is the vanilla milkshake of the group. He’s often the centre of attention, even though there’s nothing particularly special about him. If Mario was a person, he would be one of those guys you always see at parties, but when you finally talk to him, all he does is make sexist jokes and lecture you for 30 minutes about how good the movie Fight Club was. Mario is definitely the missionary position of all Mario Kart characters.

Photo illustration by Mike LeMieux

Toad

Luigi Hello tall, dark, and handsome.

You are a certified hunk with a rebellious streak and a total underdog. You possess a sensitive side that only few have seen with a seductive air of mystery to you. You always leave people wanting more, and you know what they say about the size of a man’s overalls...

as a kid (because misogyny is deeply ingrained into our society). When you are not writing sex-positive feminist prose or reading bell hooks, you are probably sucking some Donkey Kong dong. Get it girl!

least two chokers. Your main hobbies are starting mosh pits in grocery stores (they always play such bangin’ tunes there), shopping at Hot Topic, and reading The Communist Manifesto. Well done, comrade.

Princess Peach

Bowser

Donkey Kong

Slutty and proud. If Peach is your main, you are a loud and proud sex-positive feminist.

It’s hard not to be when you think about all the cruel names you were subject to when choosing Peach in Mario Kart

“Complete anarchists” is the only way to describe people who choose Bowser. You bring chaos and destruction with you wherever you go, especially the racetrack. You most likely listen to a lot of jazz metal or German screamo and own at

Despite your rough, primal nature, you are known as a snazzy dresser rarely seen without wearing a tie (no one has to know it’s a clip-on). Your passion for fashion and comedic timing make you a hit in any social scenario and it doesn’t

hurt that you can play some mean bongos. When you’re not seducing people to the soothing sounds of the bongo you’re probably lifting barrels at the gym. Power up, bro!

Wario You are not a good person, and nobody likes you. I hate to break it to you but it’s the truth.

Your too-tight overalls and maniac laughter tend to make a lot of people uncomfortable.

If you actually prefer Wario as your main you may need to stop and reconsider some

Sweet, pure, too good for this world, like a freshly baked cinnamon roll. People who choose the gender ambiguous Toad are terrific friends with a dark, competitive side. In a world riddled with chaos and destruction (also known as Rainbow Road) you are the only one not screaming curse words at the TV screen or smashing your controller. People who choose Toad are the best people you will ever know. Protect them at all costs. But also beware of them on the track, because they’ll kick your ass.

Yoshi Yoshi players are sassy and adorable, but tend to be a bit quiet and shy in social situations. They try to stay on the safe side both in real life and in Mario Kart (which explains why Moo Moo Farm is their favourite track). When you’re not helping a friend out of a jam, you’re most likely knitting themselves some sweater vests, or entertaining a party with your egg-laying skills. You wouldn’t want to get on a Yoshi player’s bad side, though. They will eat you alive and spit you back out again, literally and figuratively.

‘If there’s no price tag, does that mean it’s free?’ and other amazing jokes Rebecca Peterson Humour Editor

“I

like to think of myself as a comedian first, and a customer second,” said author Ivan Jackash, in an exclusive interview with the Other Press this past weekend. His new book, a compilation of jokes to tell minimum-wage workers while paying for goods, is set to be published next week.

“I’ve just been perfecting my humour at clothing and grocery stores over the years, as well as a few cafés. I never dreamed it would get me this far.”

Jackash is self-described as “easily likable, extremely affable, and considerate.” His favourite

hobby is going into stores of all kinds during their busiest hours, and whiling away the time with the cashiers by exchanging puns.

“You can tell they love it, and that’s my favourite part,” said Jackash. “You know, there’ll be this huge line, only one kid on duty, and you can tell it’s really stressing them out.

So I like to give them a little break from the madness. Man, sometimes I’ll be there for up to 10 minutes, telling them jokes they’ve never heard before.

Like I’ll say to a grocery clerk packing my groceries, ‘Hey, it’s like Tetris!’ Or sometimes I’ll get baristas with a little, ‘Thanks a latte!’ Which, by the way, pro-tip! Baristas always love it when you order

something off the Secret Menu.

It’s like a little adventure for them, an extra challenge.”

“We don’t love it,” said barista Chev Dutchman, a deadeyed young woman featured in Jackash’s book. “Don’t do that.

We also don’t love how long the line gets when someone’s standing at the till telling bad jokes instead of paying for his shit and moving along. Good customer service means we have to laugh, but I don’t feel like laughing. Not anymore.

Not after getting yelled at by angry customers and angry managers for the delay while that guy walks off feeling so proud of his clever knock-knock jokes. And now he’s set to make thousands of dollars off my

Image via thinkstock

ööA new novel chock full of never-before heard customer humour to hit the stores next Monday

misery. When does it end?”

“It’s never gonna end,” concluded Jackash cheerily, when asked by the Other Press. “I’ve got way more jokes

up my sleeve, just you wait.

Expect to see me in a Starbucks or Mark’s Work Warehouse near you! I’ll be the one at the front of a long, long line.”

humour // no. 23

issue 7 // volume 43

Tsawwassen Mills gives away hundreds of thousands in gift cards on Instagram ööSocial media campaign was a hit and entirely real Chandler Walter Assistant Editor

I

nstagram was flooded last week, as social media savvy users were reposting and hashtagging Tsawwassen Mills store Instagram accounts in the hopes that they would receive free gift cards.

Many of the accounts featured one of the stores in the new mall, and claimed that for the first few hundred followers free gift cards of a certain value would be given out.

The card values ranged

from $75–300, and the follower limit for winners reached as high as 5,000 in some cases.

“My boyfriend didn’t believe it was real,” said gift card winner Janie Waytlie, “but I figured hey, it doesn’t hurt to try, right?”

Waytlie decided to throw caution to the wind, and reposted screenshotted images of five different Tsawwassen Mills store accounts in the hopes that she would cash in.

“I ended up with roughly $1,100 in gift cards,” Waytlie said. “My boyfriend was so shocked! He couldn’t believe it

when they started showing up at our door. Flown in by drones, of all things. One of the stores doesn’t even have a location in that mall, apparently, but they still managed to get the money to my address.”

Waytlie was only one of thousands of Instagram users that hit the jackpot with the new mall’s Instagram campaign.

Many users reposted numerous accounts in the hopes of winning free stuff, and none of them were disappointed.

“I actually reposted three different H&M accounts, hoping that at least one of them was

real,” said clothing enthusiast Jessica Rowler. “I was amazed to find out that all three were completely, 100 per cent real!

I now have $600 to spend at H&M!” Rowler said that a lot of her friends were angry at her for clogging up their feeds with what they considered to be absolute BS, but that they are now eating their words. “I don’t get what they don’t understand about why stores would want to give away hundreds of thousands of dollars just to get some social media attention, it’s obviously foolproof.”

Jeff Henderson, mall manager and mastermind behind the campaign, said that it was a foolproof plan to both get the Tsawwassen Mills name out into social media, and to bring people into the new stores.

“I figured that advertising is pretty expensive, right? So why not just get our shoppers to do that footwork for us!”

Henderson lost his job shortly after interviewing with the Other Press, as every store in the mall was stripped of merchandise, with not a single dollar being spent by customers.

Company bravely refuses to hire anyone other than white men to combat tokenism

öö‘It’s because we respect women and minorities,’ said CEO Rebecca Peterson Humour Editor local insurance company, Wilde Claims Co., came forward in a press release over the weekend after allegations of discrimination against minorities when hiring.

“It’s actually the opposite of discrimination,” explained CEO Chadwick Wilde in his statement to the press. “See, like, we’re not looking at superficial things like race or gender when making these decisions. That’s actually more bigoted, you know?

We’re not hiring to fill a quota; we’re hiring whoever fits the job.

Everyone here is super qualified.”

Wilde has a long history of speaking out on behalf of women, people of colour, and the LGBTQ+ community. His essays on such matters have been

Image via Thinkstock

A

published in many magazines owned by white men. His most popular one to date is titled, “No, You’re Sexist: Why Claiming Misogyny Exists Sets Women

Back by Decades,” followed closely by the critically-acclaimed think piece “The Dictionary Definition of Racism Is…” “I’d say I’m more of an

egalitarian or a humanist than a feminist,” said Wilde in a phone interview. “I definitely think we should respect women, and the gays, and—um, what’s the PC way to say—people of colour, right? Anyway, I think that respect means we shouldn’t give people any special treatment, ’cause that’s worse. That’s way worse than having an office full of white guys. No one in my office thinks they’re just here to make us look good, you know? And if I hired someone who wasn’t a white dude, they might think that they’re just here for show. It’s the brave choice, I think, and a step in the right direction. I think more people should adopt this policy in their workplaces as well.”

When asked if he thought there were qualified women, people of colour, and members of the LGBTQ+ community for

these positions, Wilde laughed.

“Well, obviously, are you trying to make me look bad or something?

Sure they exist, but there’s so many white guys here, they probably wouldn’t be comfortable in this work environment. Like I said, it comes down to doing the white thing—sorry, I meant right thing. I’m not hiring any token people. It’s just not right.”

Many of his employees, with job security, a six-figure salary, and health benefits, seem to agree with Wilde’s approach.

However, one man who prefers to remain anonymous pulled the Other Press reporter aside at the end of the interviews.

“I’m actually half-Korean,” the man admitted. “I don’t think he can tell. Please don’t tell him, he’ll think he’s doing me a favour by firing me so I’m not his ‘Token Asian.’”