Other Press Sept 24

THE DOUGLAS COLLEGE NEWSPAPER SINCE 1978

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“My friends say I should act my age. What’s my age again, what’s my age again?”

Blink-182

Room 1020 – 700 Royal Ave. Douglas College New Westminster, BC V3L 5B2 TELEPHONE: 604.525.3542 WEBSITE: www.theotherpress.ca EMAIL: editor@theotherpress.ca

Jacey Gibb Editor-in-chief

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Angela Espinoza Arts Editor

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Sophie Isbister Life & Style Editor

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Elliot Chan

W

ell folks, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Last week, I turned 23-years-old. I can’t say it came as a surprise to me, though. I managed to squeeze a solid 22 years out of that stone called life and now it’s time for me to stop having fun, get married, and get a real job.

Kidding.

I can’t help but cringe anytime someone jokingly asks, “So, you feel any older?” Yes, but of course! These last 364 days, my body remained in a time-stasis and it wasn’t until this anniversary day of my birth that I suddenly felt the last year’s worth of change ripple through my aging body.

Also kidding.

Want to know how it feels to be 23? It feels an awful lot like being 22, except for the sad fact that the cute animal calendar hanging in my kitchen will soon be rendered obsolete by the trials of time. Sure, my life has changed since September 2012 but so has everyone else’s. I could rattle off a list of feats I’ve accomplished, friends I’ve made, or even mention the new bands I’ve started listening to, but I’m sure you have more important things to do (like watch Breaking Bad) and instead of recounting my experiences, I’d rather focus on making new ones.

It’s not that I’m completely ignoring the hypothetical new candle on my birthday cake this year; rather, I’m more embracing of it.

Take the following situation as an example: the girlfriend and I were putting away my laundry the other night. Like most humans, there are some items that I’ll hang up in my closest, some that I’ll fold and tuck away neatly, and some that I’ll haphazardly toss into a pile before throwing into a drawer—socks fall into the latter category.

“You’re 23. You’re old enough to wear matching socks,” my girlfriend informed me, with a voice that I recognized as being half joking, half sincere. Sure, Don Draper probably doesn’t wear mismatched Fruit of the Loom socks, but I’m not a senior partner in an advertising firm, and my feet sure as hell aren’t Don Draper’s feet. It’s not like anyone except me has to tolerate my uncoordinated footwear, so why should this be even the slightest indication of my state of maturity?

I had tater tots for dinner the other night; I have exactly two Toy Story posters hanging in my bedroom; if I’m already lying in bed at night and I haven’t brushed my teeth yet, I’ll forgo getting up and just go to sleep. I’m not trying to illustrate myself as some form of man-baby, but rather issuing a quick reminder to all you not-so-young young adults: growing up doesn’t mean growing up, no matter how unmatched your socks may be.

So it goes, Jacey Gibb Editor-in-chief

Opinions Editor

opinions@theotherpress.ca

Eric Wilkins Sports Editor

sports@theotherpress.ca

Courtnie Martin Sports Reporter

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Livia Turnbull Humour Editor

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Steve Cayer Senior Columnist

Cazzy Lewchuk Aidan Mouellic Julia Siedlanowska Staff Writers

Danielle Harvey Sharon Miki Paolo Anzovino Contributors

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he 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 Wand from our staff.

Our head office is located in the New Westminster campus.

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.

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.

Our collective meets every Monday @ 6:00p.m. Anyone can join !

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Sisters in Spirit vigil to promote awareness and dialogue at Douglas College Bringing students together to remember missing and murdered Aboriginal women Patrick Vailancourt

News Editor

news@theotherpress.ca

T

he Douglas Students’ Union (DSU) will host events at both the New Westminster and David Lam campuses next week in remembrance of missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada.

Sisters in Spirit (SIS) is a research and policy initiative spearheaded by the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) to raise awareness of the disproportionately high rates of violence against Aboriginal women in Canada. In 2010, the project found 582 Aboriginal women had been confirmed either murdered or missing, the majority of those cases from over the last 20 years alone.

Estimates of unreported or yet to be discovered cases of missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada are much higher. The Sisters in Spirit

vigils—which began in 2006 with 11 vigils nationwide—have grown in number, reporting 175 vigils across Canada last year.

The Sisters in Spirit vigils take place on or around October 4, a national day of remembrance honouring the lives of those missing and murdered Aboriginal women.

Madison ParadisWoodman, the DSU’s college relations coordinator, said that next week’s events at Douglas College are important, particularly in the battle against institutional racism.

“Douglas College fosters engaging learning and notions of equality and inclusivity,” said Paradis-Woodman. “Student involvement on this issue is vital given that students have historically taken the lead on a variety of issues around the globe.”

NWAC seems to agree, given that the Canadian Federation of Students Aboriginal Caucus is a SIS vigil committee member.

The DSU is just one of several groups across Canada that will host vigils next week, with cities and towns across British Columbia holding similar events.

The issue hits home in British Columbia, as several of

those missing and murdered Aboriginal women are counted among the victims of Port Coquitlam serial killer Robert Pickton, who admitted in 2007 to the murder of 49 women.

“That’s one of the reasons that having this event at Douglas College is so important.

It’s incredibly local and topical given that many of these women were residents of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.”

The vigil will also include the reading of a statement endorsed by Canadian Aboriginal groups, the Canadian Federation of Students, and Amnesty International Canada, which will call on all levels of government to cooperate with the work NWAC has been pursuing for the last four decades.

The federal government has resisted calls from outside organizations, including the United Nations, to further investigate violence against Aboriginal women. This past week, Prime Minister Harper’s government rejected the idea of commissioning a national inquiry into the issue, stating that it did not want to share its data with countries, such as Iran, Russia, and Cuba, with shoddy human rights records.

Iran, Belarus, Cuba, and Russia

simply burden themselves with student loans while juggling a job on the side, bursaries are, if not the answer, good supplements to lighten students’ loads.

Bursaries are neither loans nor scholarships. A loan is money borrowed that has to be repaid, and a scholarship is an award generally given out based on outstanding levels of achievement. However, to obtain a bursary, one doesn’t have to be a straight A-student. A bursary is a sum of money presented to someone chiefly upon the basis of financial need; the applicant will usually need to meet minimal academic standards as well. Bursaries can be obtained by both full- and part-time students.

At Douglas College, students need to have a C-average (minimum 2.0 grade point

average) to qualify for a bursary.

Priority is shown to full-time students with no other financial options, but all are encouraged to apply. Douglas College offers over 100 bursaries, many of which are open to all students regardless of program, and they can be found at www.douglas. bc.ca/services/financial-aid/ awards-bursaries-scholarships/ bursaries.html.

For information on other awards and bursaries, visit www.studentawards.com or www.scholarshipscanada.com.

Alternatively, students can visit the Financial Aid office at either campus for an in-person consultation: Room 2740 New Westminster 604-527-5487 Room A1030 Coquitlam: 604-777-6189

United Church of Canada’s Vigil for Aboriginal women Photo courtesy of www.canadianprogressiveworld.com have criticized the Harper government for failing to act on this.

“Violence against Aboriginal women is a national tragedy,” said Paradis-Woodman. “The federal government’s refusal to call a national inquiry is particularly insulting given that it comes on Aboriginal Reconciliation Week in Canada.”

The Faceless Dolls Project, which will make its debut at Douglas College this year in conjunction with the SIS vigil, is NWAC’s “hands-on” initiative.

The goal is to create a travelling art exhibit that provides the general public with a visual representation of over six hundred Aboriginal women

who’ve been victims of violence.

The idea is to create a tangible, emotional connection to the Aboriginal statistics that are so often disregarded.

“It’s really to humanize the issue,” said Paradis-Woodman, adding that the theme of the Faceless Dolls Project is that “each statistic tells a story.”

The DSU’s Sisters in Spirit needs your involvement in their movement for social change.

Vigils will take place on October 1 at 11:30 a.m. at the New Westminster campus, and on October 3 at noon at the David Lam campus.

Free money Bursary deadline approaching Eric Wilkins

Sports Editor sports@theotherpress.ca

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ouglas College students looking for some financial assistance, and haven’t done so yet, should get a move on.

Applications for bursaries are due on the first of October.

According to the Government of Canada, a year’s worth of post-secondary tuition can range from $2,500 to $8,000.

With these figures not factoring in other costs such as supplies and living expenses, students should be investigating every possible avenue for financial relief. While many students

To apply online: •

Log in to your myDouglas account

•

Click on Student Self-Service

•

Click on Financial Aid

•

Click on Award Application

•

Click on “Apply” beside the appropriate Bursary, Awards, or Scholarships you wish to apply for

•

Remember to “Agree” to the terms and conditions everytime you open your application

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NEWS.

Know the scoop or have a lead? Contact the editor at news@theotherpress.ca

Counselling services provide students with mental health ‘tune-up’ Study shows postsecondary students prone to face multiple mental health challenges Patrick Vailancourt

News Editor

news@theotherpress.ca

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survey conducted by the Canadian Organization for University and College Health earlier this year revealed some troubling findings about the state of student mental health in this country. The Canadian Press reported that the survey, which included data from over 30,000 respondents, revealed that Canadian postsecondary students “feel stressed, overwhelmed, [and] lonely,” while some “have even considered suicide in the past year.”

It is clear that the transition

from high school to college or university can be a turbulent time, especially as this period typically coincides with other significant changes in the lives of young adults, such as dating, finding a career path, and some—if not total— independence from parents or primary caregivers.

The perfect storm of change in the lives of college students may necessitate some formal assistance from people trained to provide objective support and advice; precisely the type of help provided by the counselling services at Douglas College.

Sandra Strate has been with Douglas College for 25 years and is one such counsellor, as well as the department’s coordinator. She says that counselling services offered to students are equipped to tackle “anything that affects a student’s learning performance.”

Strate characterizes counselling as a “problemsolver,” providing students with a mental “tune-up” in

times of crisis. “We generally do short-term work,” says Strate.

“For students that come in who require longer-term assistance, we find them referrals to outside resources.”

Counselling services are most effective when they provide a perspective that is detached from the student’s situation. In contrast to therapy, counselling allows students to get the information necessary to help themselves during troubling times.

“The work [Douglas College counsellors] do is meant to be educational. We are often the gateway for other resources or assistance that a student needs,” says Strate.

Strate wasn’t sure about the level of student awareness about counselling services offered at Douglas College, but says that counsellors are invited to speak to students enrolled in health sciences programs. For other students, such as university transfer students, she cites that administrative mechanisms,

most notably academic probation, are another way students become familiar with the service.

“We’re certainly busy. We see students that are placed on academic probation not as a disciplinary thing, but in an effort to help students get what they want.” Strate went on to say that oftentimes, the solution for students on probation is as simple as identifying whether students are interested in their program or acquiring better habits for time management.

A significant part of the role of counsellors is student advocacy and assisting students maneuver the college system which can oftentimes be overwhelming and complicated.

Strate also advises that students facing challenges in their lives that have a detrimental effect on their studies can talk to counsellors about how best to deal with assignment deadlines.

“If it looks like an academic accommodation due to a crisis in a student’s life, we can send

documentation to instructors for academic concessions,” Strate said.

The Canadian Organization for University and College Health survey concluded that “90 per cent of students … felt overwhelmed by all they had to do in the past year, while more than 50 per cent said they felt hopeless and 63 per cent said they felt very lonely.”

“Students face so many struggles,” says Strate, who encourages students to take advantage of the help available to them should they need it.

“College life is always a leap, regardless of whether a student is coming from high school or another way of living.”

Counselling services are available at both the New Westminster and David Lam campuses. For more information about office hours and locations, check out their page on the college’s website at www.douglas.bc.ca/services/ counselling.html

school. The fee includes tuition, accommodation, transportation, and various meals.

Scholarships are available to assist interested students with financing their sojourn without having them take on a full-time job or breaking the bank, with awards ranging from $500 and $1,000. If the credit courses taken abroad can be transferred back to Douglas College, the students will be eligible for financial aid. For more information, the Financial Aid office will be happy to supply some guidance.

“With the field schools, students will have [to] be under the loan program during the winter semester in order to qualify,” said Ng. “Because [field school] is a condensed semester, it’s looked upon as an extension of winter and not

summer semester.”

Unlike field schools, the student exchange program requires a greater commitment and a bit more of a daring attitude. While field school resembles an extended field trip with a class of 15 to 25 students, student exchange is an individual experience.

“Exchanges require longterm planning,” said Ng. “I usually say to students that they need to apply at least six months before you plan to go. Cause we have to work out your course articulations and etc.”

Depending on the school, student exchanges can cost between $5,000 and $11,000, which includes tuition.

Although the price seems high, it’s actually a good deal, because Douglas College students will pay the same fees and tuition

rates as other students in the host country they visit. In contrast, international students at Douglas College pay fivetimes more than domestic students. Nobody ever said tuition and travel were cheap— but investments are sometimes worth it.

“Those people who will be most competitive and most likely to succeed in the job market are people who are competent in work in more than one language,” said Ng. “The next tiers of accomplished people are those who have an out of country experience. If you are a fresh grad looking for a job, they don’t expect you to have work experience or overseas work experience, but it is important to have it to start during post-secondary.”

Taught to travel Study abroad with Douglas College’s field schools and student exchanges Elliot Chan

Opinions Editor opinions@theotherpress.ca

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ack your bags, because Douglas College’s field schools are warming up for another semester of globetrotting. Summer 2014 will offer adventure-seeking students the opportunity to learn and discover the diverse cultures and climates of Belize, Italy, Scotland, Switzerland, Australia, Mexico, and Wales.

The college is also promoting

its student exchange program, which has partner institutions in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Switzerland, and Wales.

Textbooks and lectures can only teach you so much— although education is often measured by exams and assignments, the real tests in life are the experiences we face. “[When students travel] they will be able to see how people do things differently,” said Karen Ng, international mobility coordinator. “This is quickly becoming a global community, not just in economics and business. It’s part of this planet we all share.

It’s part of life as a human being on Earth.”

The current cost for the semester-long field school is between $5000 and $6500, depending on the international

Students interested in learning more about field school are encouraged to drop by their info sessions: Mexico: October 7 at 11 a.m., room A1130 at the David Lam campus; October 8 at 4:30 p.m., room 1808 at the New West campus.

Scotland: September 17 at 4:30 p.m., room B2010 at the David Lam campus; September 19 at 4:30 p.m., room 1606 at the New West campus.

Wales: September 25 and October 23 at 4:30 p.m., room B2030 at the David Lam campus; October 2 at 4:30 p.m., room 3343 at the New West campus.

Belize: October 3 at 4:30 p.m., room C1002 at the David Lam campus; September 26 at 4:30 p.m., room 3406 at the New West campus.

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NEWS.

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World Recap: September 13-19 Patrick Vailancourt

News Editor

news@theotherpress.ca

Editor’s Note: This will be the final edition of World Recap, as the Other Press is shifting its news priorities to a more communitybased approach that features news relevant to the Douglas College community.

North America: (Canada) BlackBerry, the Canadian-based pioneer of smartphones, is one step closer to insignificance as the company has cut 4,500 jobs and is poised to report a second quarter loss of almost $1-billion. BlackBerry, which has struggled to innovate in recent years, has seen its market share fall as consumers switched to iPhone and Samsung products.

BlackBerry’s new Z10 model performed poorly: the company only sold 3.7-million units in the last quarter, most of the sales being from older devices.

Compared to Samsung’s 72.4-million units and Apple’s 31.2-million units sold in their respective 2013 second quarters, BlackBerry is clearly on the decline.

(United States) America saw two more mass shootings last week that made national headlines, re-igniting the debate over gun control. One shooting occurred at a naval shipyard in Washington DC, killing 13 people, including

the suspected gunman Aaron Alexis, and injuring 14. Another shooting at a Chicago park did not result in any fatalities, but 13 people were injured, including three minors whose ages range from three to 17-years-old.

While the shooting in Chicago is believed to be linked to local gangs, the DC shooting suspect is believed to have had mental health concerns.

Africa: (Ethiopia) The African Union (AU) is calling on its member countries to attend a summit in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa next month to discuss a coordinated, mass withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC). The AU’s move comes in response to ICC proceedings set to begin against Kenya’s president and deputy president, who are charged with causing aggression after a disputed national election in 2007, which resulted in 1,200 people being killed. The AU argues that the ICC easily goes after African leaders while ignoring atrocities in other parts of the world.

Asia: (Japan) Caroline Kennedy, the sole surviving issue of former US president John F. Kennedy, is poised to become the next US ambassador to Japan. If confirmed, she would be the top American diplomat to a country her father once fought a war against. President Kennedy was a lieutenant in the navy during World War II and fought battles

Caroline Kennedy with a poster of her father JFK in the background | Photo courtesy of www.jfklibrary.org against the Japanese in the South Pacific.

Europe: (Italy) Members in the higher ranks of the Roman Catholic Church seem to be playing defence after Pope Francis made statements about the Church being too conservative on issues such as homosexuality, contraception, and abortion. While the Pope seems to be sending messages about possible fundamental changes to come during his

papacy, conservative Church leaders are downplaying the rumours that Pope Francis will change Catholic doctrine.

South America: (Brazil) Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has cancelled a planned trip to Washington to meet with US President Barack Obama after documents leaked by former NSA analyst Edward Snowden revealed that American surveillance programs were intercepting Rousseff’s

confidential communications, as well as keeping tabs on the communications of Rousseff’s aides. Despite Obama’s best efforts to make the visit happen, the Brazilian government was adamant that these intercepts violated their sovereignty. US relations with Brazil have been improving steadily in recent years, an important relationship as Brazil is a fast growing economy and has emerged as a major economic force in the Americas.

Become a leader and earn R.E.A.L. life experience Douglas’s R.E.A.L. Program seeks assertive students to lead after-school activities Elliot Chan

Opinions Editor opinions@theotherpress.ca

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he Real Experiences in Applied Leadership (R.E.A.L.) Program, formed in fall 2011, has nurtured many after-school and community programs catering to elementary school kids. Douglas College leadership students seeking challenges and new experiences design each program

independently, with the goal of developing skills and working with the next generation of learners.

“A lot of people go to school and learn technical skills,” said Campus Life coordinator, Anna Schachner, “but they do not [necessarily] have the opportunity to practice interaction and leadership skills that a lot of employers look for.”

Students involved with R.E.A.L. will have an opportunity to apply both hard and soft skills in afterschool programs. Those chosen to be a part of R.E.A.L. will receive certified training from Douglas College staff and New Westminster school district coordinators, in addition to the High Five certification for healthy childhood development.

High Five is an organization promoting Canada’s standard for children’s recreation and sport.

The R.E.A.L. Program is open to all students from any type of academic background.

“A Theatre student can plan drama lessons or activities that will build self-confidence and public speaking skills,” said Schachner. “Or a sport science student can develop games in the gym, or a Child and Youth Care Counseling student can plan arts and crafts and organize weekly themes.”

R.E.A.L. leaders must commit approximately three hours a week to implement the program they created for the children. After every session of working directly with the kids, the leaders will be evaluated

and receive feedback to improve their ability to run their program and develop personal and professional skill sets.

“There are a few guidelines,” said Schachner, “but students are encouraged to be very creative with their program planning.”

Application for the eightweek program is currently open until October 28. Those accepted into the R.E.A.L. Program will then attend two-day, seven-hour mandatory training sessions on November 2 and 3. Afterward, the group of leaders will plan a “parent’s night off” evening, where they can have an initial opportunity to meet and interact with the children. During that night, they will develop a two to three-hour program where they will be evaluated. From

there they will pair off and start planning their program in the new year.

When leaders return in January, there will be a threehour catch-up training to refresh them on what they learned in November.

In the previous year, 19 students participated in the program at two elementary schools in New Westminster.

If you’re interested in getting R.E.A.L. and joining this year, apply at the website or drop by their informational sessions on October 22 in room 1715, and October 23 in room 1730 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m at the New Westminster campus. For more details visit www.douglife.ca/ real-leadership/

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ARTS.

Have an idea for a story or review? Contact the editor at arts@theotherpress.ca

Director of Nothing More, Juan Carlos Cremata Malberti | Photo courtesy of tcfilmfest (flckr)

The creation of happiness can change the world Film review of VLAFF’s ‘Nothing More’ Danielle Harvey, Contributor

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rom August 30 to September 8, the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival returned for its 11th year. As always, Douglas College’s New West campus was host to a special screening during the festival’s run, this year showing the 2001 film Nada, referred to as Nothing More in English.

Students in Basic Spanish courses were asked to analyze the film, and selected below is Danielle Harvey’s topnotch review of Nothing More.

Cuban director Juan Carlos Cremata Malberti managed to captivate the audience at Douglas College with the September 4 screening of his 2001 film, Nothing More as part of the annual Vancouver Latin American Film Festival. A film filled with love, heartbreak, humour, and loneliness, Nothing More allows audience

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members the chance to relate to some aspect of the story, whilst providing an excellent example of how someone struggling with cultural and political traditions might manage to seek refuge from life’s difficulties and find happiness.

Carla Pérez (Thais Valdés) is a young Cuban postal worker who hopes of one day receiving the opportunity to finally reunite with her parents in Miami. Through her thoughts and actions, we witness the loneliness that has become a part of her life, along with the daily struggles of basic survival.

At the beginning of this film, Carla represents a majority of the Cuban population: hardworking people with little to show for their efforts.

Another character of importance to this story is Cunda (Daisy Granados), the authority figure at the post office. Cunda has the power to create and enforce the rules at the post office; Malberti has chosen to use humour as a means of establishing this level of authority by creating pointless and absurd rules that the staff must abide by.

In relation to Carla, Cunda

represents something much more than just the working Cuban population. She represents the power within Cuba itself. She represents the Government, as the rules represent Cuban law, and the post office represents the country. With these two characters side by side in the film, we can begin to understand the impact and the struggles of this relationship in Carla’s daily life.

As we move towards the heart of the film, we witness Carla’s transformation of self through her actions. Carla begins to illegally intercept mail at the post office and rewrites thoughtful messages with the intention of being an anonymous source of happiness for people across Cuba; with time, Carla eventually sees the joyous impact she has had on the citizens of Cuba and is able to find happiness for herself.

This is an excellent example of both human strength and human compassion: to find the strength to work and live through personal hardships can be a challenge on its own, but to go out of one’s way to be compassionate for others

through these hardships takes much more. This implies that happiness is not something that we are born with; it is something that must be created and shared, whether it be through films, music, architecture, personal interactions, or in Carla’s case, words. Sometimes it is the simple things in life that make life worth living.

Throughout the movie, Carla’s happiness becomes more prominent as she begins to slowly change the world around her. As her happiness grows, music and dancing become a larger part of her daily life, writing becomes more frequent, close personal relationships are established, and, of course, there’s the visible physical transformation in her body language. Although these symbols of happiness are much more prominent, it’s the ingenious use of metaphor through colour that is impressive. The film is made in black and white, symbolizing the stagnant, uneventful, almost depressing life of Carla. As Carla begins to find happiness, colour begins to appear in certain frames throughout the film, mainly the colour yellow. The

first place in the film where we see colour appears on the flower that sits on Carla’s desk at the post office, the place where she was able to harvest the notion of changing the world. After Carla receives the letter of Visa acceptance into the United States, the taxi that picks her up from her apartment is yellow, the start of her new life; different from the “new life” she has already created for herself.

Nothing More was a simple, yet informative reflection of Malberti and the life that so many people live, in Cuba and across the world. The storyline in this film is coherent and clear, aided by the brilliant use of colour, symbolism, and metaphors, but requires one to go beyond the literal narrative to really understand and benefit from the overall message. Malberti managed to communicate. One can only imagine that is what all artists aim to do: offer people the tools to think in other ways and evaluate one’s own life and experiences; Malberti succeeded.

Happiness can change the world.

ARTS.

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It’s hard to make the good things last A heartfelt good-bye letter from your faithful Arts Editor Angela Espinoza

Arts Editor

arts@theotherpress.ca

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didn’t cry at my high school graduation. I had a lot of good friends, and it was certainly emotional—; we had just gone through an open-door prison system for five years, who wouldn’t be emotional? But I didn’t cry because I honestly didn’t care., I was just happy to be out and doing literally anything else. But right now, four years later, I am crying, and I’m feeling everything I think I was supposed to feel when I graduated.

This is the last article I’m writing as the Arts Editor for tThe Other Press, a position I’ve been very proud to have for the past two years. I’ve also written about things like MGMT and Miley Cyrus this week, because this has been the kind of amazing job that lets me write about those sorts of things. You’ll also see some great reviews written by Douglas students Steven Cayer, Cazzy Lewchuk, and Danielle Harvey, all of whom have made this last editing job a welcome breeze.

I’ve been with the paper since my first day as a student here in 2009, back when one

Liam Britten was Editor-inCchief, and whose persistent energy helped me through what I like to call my “I have no idea what I’m doing” phase, something I think all first-time volunteers for the paper go through.

Since then, I’ve seen all the friends I’ve made here grow up beside me:; Arts Editor before me (and whether he likes it or not, permanent big brother) Cody Klyne became a big shot Editor-in-Cchief in 2011, and currently works as our fantastic layout manager. Previous Assistant Editor and sunshine of my life Sharon Miki became a big shot Editor-in-Cchief in 2012, bringing her bright beautiful smile everywhere she went. Now Jacey Gibb (my other whether-he-likes-it-ornot permanent big brother) is a big shot Editor-in-cChief, and already he’s taken to things like a natural. Same thing goes for our brand new and incredible Assistant Editor Natalie Serafini, who was also previously Opinions Editor, and has become one of my best friends over this past year, partially because of our feminist podcast and blog Women on Women, and partially because I love her.

Really, everyone I’ve become close with in my time at tThe Other Press has become like a best friend. I love them all like family—hell, they are my family. I feel awful not getting to name everyone and describe why specifically they’re

Angela Espinoza, Arts Editor and philanthropist | Photo illustration by Joel McCarthy awesome enough to be my nearest and dearest friends in this piece, but if I did, it might actually take up the entire section (… okay, Sports Editor Eric Wilkins, you’re special too).

I think what’s hardest about writing this sort of “‘Arts Editor good-bye letter”’ is that I know I’m ready to take on something new that isn’t the paper—and I hate saying that. Everything I was supposed to experience in high school—, the Perks of Being a Wallflower, friendsuntil-the-end, we go on weekly adventures experience—, I’ve

had with the friends I’ve made at tThe Other Press. And like graduation, I know I’m going to be seeing them all again soon (actually, probably in a couple hours), but just knowing this specific experience with them is over really does break my heart.

So here we are, the final paragraph. Maybe because I’m insane, I’ve been listening to Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots while writing this… which was probably the worst bloody thing I could have put on, but fuck it, it’s my last article. I’m really going to

miss this job, but I’m certainly not going to stop writing for the paper. I’m passing on this glowing torch of creativity to one Cheryl NannMinns, your brand new Arts Editor, and the Heisenberg to my Gus Fring (in a good way). I know she’ll do a wonderful job as Arts Editor, and I’m excited to see where she’ll take the section. But for this last sentence, I’m Angela Espinoza, your Batman-loving, Breaking Bad-obsessed, damn fine cup of Arts Editor, and now I’m going to cry into my cat Nibbler’s fur.

with another interesting video, and both luckily stray far from mediocre. Except this time, Cyrus isn’t singing about partying. She’s singing about a breakup (or something), although, for about a third of the video, Cyrus is naked (save for her shoes). Because of the fact that this 20-year-old woman is barely baring all, people have decided to condemn her—and it’s pathetic. Sure, obviously she wanted that to happen, any publicity is good publicity.

Still, the negative overreaction is enough that it should be embarrassing for anyone jumping on that blame train.

I’m absolutely stunned that people jump at the chance to attack any artist, musician or otherwise, for trying something different. It’s one thing if what they were attempting to do is

god-awful, regrettable even, but Cyrus, as far as I’m concerned, hasn’t made or done anything horrible as an adult (yet). She’s in the prime of her life, and as a public persona, she is entitled to do whatever she wants—even if that includes twerking against Robin Thicke’s crotch. Let’s not forget that Bangerz isn’t even out yet, so we still have songs like “Love Money Party,” “#GETITRIGHT,” and “Do My Thang” to hear before any real criticism of her new style and music can happen.

This controversy everyone’s so dead set on spreading around is sad. I’m glad Cyrus is doing something different, and I genuinely like that she’s expressing something more about herself besides liking boys and having an alter ego at age 15.

Miley Cyrus isn’t actually a monster The wrecking ball is a metaphor for symbolism Angela Espinoza

Arts Editor

arts@theotherpress.ca

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ecause we live in a world where Madonna and Lady Gaga never really existed, Miley Cyrus is apparently the most controversial female musician ever. At least, that seems to be how everyone else is reacting to the “Wrecking Ball” video.

There are a lot of things wrong with the “controversy” going around right now, but let’s back up a little bit. You might recall back in 2010 when Cyrus released a video for “Can’t Be Tamed,” where then 17-year-

Screenshot of Miley Cyrus in her controversial new music video old Cyrus was scantily clad in a black leotard, sported awful CGI wings, and basically tried to make it clear that her contract with Disney was ending.

Although Wikipedia will tell you she was praised for the song and video, I clearly recall people tearing Cyrus apart. One, because it is a dumb video; two, the song is annoying; and three, it was fairly obvious Cyrus was ready to move on, but was still figuring out what that should

mean for her career.

No person in their right mind wants to be Hannah Montana for the rest of their life, so it shouldn’t have surprised anyone when Cyrus attempted to change things up. Then, something similar happened in June of this year: “We Can’t Stop” was released, and it was kind of weird.

More importantly, Cyrus was almost unrecognizable with her Macklemore-like hair and entirely new style… and largely different music. Compared to “Can’t Be Tamed,” “We Can’t Stop” had a significantly more interesting video with a significantly better song. Yet it seems people generally hate it more than “Can’t Be Tamed,” which confounds me.

Now we have “Wrecking Ball,” another not-bad song

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ARTS.

Have an idea for a story or review? Contact the editor at arts@theotherpress.ca

Say goodbye to real life ‘Grand Theft Auto V’ review Steve Cayer, Senior Columnist

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ockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V) was finally released last week on September 17. This game might actually be the most massive game I’ve ever played: GTA V is already the most sold game ever, and has grossed well over $1-billion at this point.

In GTA V, we are presented with three protagonists whose stories intertwine very cleverly.

The first person you control is Franklin Clinton, an ambitious, potty-mouthed, former “gang banger” (not an actual gang banger) who works for an interesting car salesman. Next

is Michael De Santa, a retired master thief who now has two kids, a failing marriage, and a mid-life crisis. The third and last person is Trevor Phillips, possibly the most extreme person in any GTA game ever.

Phillips is the wildcard of the group, and you’ll never forget it. When you’ve met all three, you’ll be able to switch between them at any time, which brings an entirely new way to play in the GTA universe.

But GTA V wouldn’t be complete without the abundance of things you can do. Here, “things to do” includes tennis, golf, yoga, getting high, competing in a triathlon, and so much more. GTA V also introduces an online component, although that doesn’t release until October 1.

From what I’ve seen, GTA V will not disappoint—although it may rip you from your loved ones for a while.

Screenshot from GTA5 | Photo courtesy of Rockstar Games

Halloween is already here ‘Insidious: Chapter 2’ review Cazzy Lewchuk

Staff Writer

Mighty good music trip

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rightening and literally insidious, Insidious: Chapter 2 is the perfect flick for fans of scary movies. A sequel to 2011’s Insidious, the film continues the story of a young boy and his family being terrorized by evil ghosts in their home. A standard plot for horror, but both films have their own spins and twists that keep them unique.

Fans of the original and newcomers to the Insidious story will both enjoy, as Chapter 2 works well as a standalone film.

Lots of jump scares and evil demons are littered throughout the film. Once again, Patrick Wilson delivers an excellent performance as Josh Lambert, the haunted father of the Lambert family. All the cast give terrifying performances—especially the ghosts—but Wilson definitely steals our attention.

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MGMT return with ‘MGMT’ Angela Espinoza

Arts Editor

arts@theotherpress.ca

Still of Ty Simpkins in Insidious: Chapter 2 Photo courtesy of Matt Kennedy

If you (and maybe a date) like being terrorized on the edge of your seat for 90 minutes, you’ll get exactly what you paid for with Chapter 2. Along with The Conjuring, You’re Next, and soon to be many more, Chapter 2 is just one of many new horror flicks to check out leading up to Halloween.

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verybody’s favourite modern psych-rock band MGMT is finally back with a brand new self-titled album. After a three-year wait since Congratulations, MGMT was released on September 17, following lead single “Your Life Is a Lie” back in August.

Opening track “Alien Days” shimmies to life with gentle, highpitched voices before moving into MGMT’s staple weirdness. “Alien Days” is a calming, dreamy track about parasitic aliens, and get excited because

it’ll also be their next video release.

“Your Life Is a Lie,” “Introspection,” and—my favourite song—“Plenty of Girls in the Sea,” are some of the album’s more upbeat songs, and rightly so; they’re genuinely fun.

There are a lot of good songs on the album, but on the whole, the tracks just don’t tie particularly well together.

MGMT largely feels like a random collection of MGMT songs, which is fine, but the lack of coordination is disappointing.

That said though, MGMT is a welcome addition to the MGMT discography. A special edition of the album called The “Optimizer” Deluxe Edition features a collection of original visuals, designed for zoning out to while listening to the album. It can be assumed that if you like MGMT, The “Optimizer” will be a worthy investment, if just to have a couple strange evenings with a couple strange Connecticut guys.

LIFE & STYLE.

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BC government seeks sober new thinking on liquor policy Online consultation process promises input from all demographic groups Patrick Vailancourt

News Editor

news@theotherpress.ca

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he BC government is proactively looking for public input on how to reform its outdated liquor policies.

The British Columbia liquor policy review is the

coolers” every year.

Reform in this area is so critical to the newly re-elected BC Liberals that it warrants a parliamentary secretary for liquor policy reform, a portfolio currently overseen by RichmondSteveston MLA John Yap. Since the BC Liberals took office in 2001, there have been several changes to laws and regulations surrounding liquor control. The last major consultative process on liquor laws occurred in 1999, and the government admits that British Columbia is due for a look at the entire system.

the process to be enjoyed by a greater number of people, especially youth and student demographics who may feel more comfortable submitting ideas online as opposed to attending town hall meetings.

British Columbians have until October 31 to submit their thoughts on the liquor policy review website. The submissions will then be presented to Suzanne Anton, BC’s attorney general, for additional review and legislation drafting. The changes proposed by this consultation could come into effect as early as next spring.

It also enables the process to be enjoyed by a greater number of people, especially youth and student demographics, who may feel more comfortable submitting ideas online as opposed to attending town halls. consultation process, taking place primarily online. The government is soliciting thoughts from people across the province on how to “improve consumer convenience” while growing the economy and maintaining public safety. Beer and liquor sales account for approximately $1-billion in provincial tax revenues every year.

According to provincial government data, “British Columbians consume approximately 34-million cases of beer, 6.7-million cases of wine, 2.7-million cases of spirits, and 3.5-million cases of ciders and

“It’s not that there haven’t been changes here and there, but there is a feeling from lots of people that we should take a comprehensive look,” Yap said in an interview earlier this month. “So, we are meeting with as many people as we can and looking for their ideas and opinions.”

One unique element about the online advisory process is that suggestions and ideas on provincial liquor laws can be submitted by anyone—not only those over 19 years of age who are legally allowed to consume alcohol. It also enables

Some popular changes already proposed in the consultation include the introduction of happy hours (British Columbia is the only Canadian province which prohibits happy hours) and the selling of alcohol in grocery stores, a policy currently enjoyed by those in Quebec.

Those interested in submitting their thoughts for the provincial government can do so in a variety of ways. For more information on how you can participate, visit engage. gov.bc.ca/liquorpolicyreview/ conversations/

Photo courtesy of musingminds (flickr)

Parlez-vous français?

The benefits of learning a second language Sophie Isbister

Life & Style lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca

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rowing up on the West Coast, I didn’t have much occasion to learn a second language, let alone Canada’s second official language, French.

But a recent trip to Quebec made me realize that perhaps it would be handy to expand my Frenchspeaking ability beyond a vague knowledge of food names, gleaned from my experience with bilingual grocery items.

Linguistic polymath Benny Lewis, fluent in eight languages, writes on Lifehacker.com that

the trick to becoming fluent in a language is setting specific goals. Don’t vaguely say, “I want to learn French!” With this in mind, I’ve made it my goal to be able to speak conversational French by the time I go back to Quebec in February. I want to be able to tell my French-speaking family—some of whom are elderly with little Englishspeaking ability—about my work and my education.

There are a bunch of ways in which a second language can improve your life, including mental flexibility, memory, ability to multitask, and a whole slew of new media for you to consume. But there are also practical reasons to learn French in particular: the BC branch of Canadian Parents for French (CPF) reports that, “About 40

[per cent] of all positions in the Public Service of Canada—about 67,000 jobs—are bilingual. In addition, the Federal Student Work Experience Program recruits students for federal departments and agencies to fill approximately 7,000 temporary student jobs each year.”

The classroom isn’t the only place you can learn a second language, and in fact, classroom learning might be a poor model when it comes to the spoken word. Language doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It isn’t just a set of rules and vocabulary words. It is a conversation, a method of communication. When we learn our first spoken language as children, we do it in a natural way, through repetition and context. The trick to learning a second language as an adult,

says Lewis, is to try to recreate this method.

Lewis recommends regular practice, and suggests using a free language exchange website like www.italki.com to connect with native speakers of the language you want to learn. They key is to not feel like an idiot: you will probably pronounce things poorly and have a limited vocabulary, but don’t be deterred. Stick to your goal, and practice a minimum of 30 minutes per day.

If you’re willing to spend some money on your goal, language learning systems (such as the Pimsleur Method and Rosetta Stone) are available online. The Pimsleur Method stresses a gradual use of the language, and challenges you to recall previously learned

phrases in an audio-based 30-minute daily lesson. Rosetta Stone is a language learning software that has a stricter pedagogy than the Pimsleur Method, involving matching words and phrases with pictures.

Both paid methods have a large following of users, but when the language isn’t practiced with native speakers, these methods are less effective.

Still, regardless of what method you choose—whether paid or with little personal expense— with regular use and clear goals, it’s possible to learn a language quickly.

For more tips on language learning, check out Benny Lewis’s website, www. fluentin3months.com

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LIFE & STYLE.

Have a fitness tip or recipe to share? Contact the editor at lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca

Lunch of the Week: baked tofu squares Jazz up cafeteria salads with heavier items from home Sophie Isbister

Life & Style lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca

Welcome to our new regular food column, where we feature a recipe or skill each week that can make your life (and lunch) easier and tastier. Do you have a nomination for Lunch of the Week?

Send an email to lifeandstyle@ theotherpress.ca!

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alad is a great idea, and with an abundant salad bar like the one at Douglas College, it’s a realistic option for students who are stuck on campus during meal times. Unfortunately, once you add dressing, protein, and even tomatoes to an otherwise light salad, your $3 plate of veggies could skyrocket to $8, thanks to a salad bar system that charges you based on your meal’s weight.

Which is where a bit of home preparation comes in.

There are many benefits to bringing your own separate Tupperware container full of

salad fixings. For one, you don’t have to bring a giant container of lettuce, which can take up a lot of room in your already bursting school bag. Items like cheese, boiled eggs, or tofu chunks take up very little space compared to the nutritional punch they pack. These items, along with dressing and heavier vegetables, usually make up more than half of the weight of your purchased salad—even though they aren’t necessarily that expensive. Salad additions from home can go a long way when it comes to improving both your diet and your budget.

There are two tricks to making good tofu squares, and sadly they both take time.

First, you should press the tofu by placing it on a plate over some paper towel and putting another, weighted plate on top of it (sounds like a good use for those heavy anthologies).

Fifteen to 30 minutes of this will squeeze the moisture out of the tofu—which has been sitting in water at the store—making your squares bake and puff up a lot better. The second trick involves marinating the tofu. Almost anything will work, but you need to marinate the tofu for at least 30 minutes, cutting it into your desired shape and size of

chunk afterwards.

For my marinade, I used my old standby: a free-poured mixture of sesame oil, rice vinegar, soya sauce, and honey.

After I pressed the tofu (I used one whole package of Dayspring organic extra firm tofu, but you can use any brand of extra firm), cut it up, and marinated it for however long it takes to watch an episode of The Newsroom, I spread the chunks out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, not touching each other, and popped them into a 350-degree oven.

Your baking time will vary depending on the size and shape of your tofu snack. I went with large, irregular chunks (okay, maybe that’s just how they turned out), which I think will be good for salads for half the week. They took about 25 minutes to look done (firm, and a bit puffed out), with the occasional trip to the oven to flip them. You could also do flat slabs for wraps or sandwiches, thinner slabs that will crumble easily into a sauce or omelette, or smaller chunks that will complement a stir-fry or soup.

Tofu is incredibly versatile— soaking up whatever marinades you put it in—as well as being inexpensive and nutritious.

E-readers: a novel idea Do you see your Kindle replacing your Chemistry textbook?

Sophie Isbister

Life & Style lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca

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ast semester I had my first class with electronic essay submission. The process was simple: the essay was due in my instructor’s email inbox a half hour before the class in which it was due, and he would send a confirmation email upon receipt of the file. Then the essays would be returned, with an abundance of comments typed onto them.

This paperless method has its benefits, including the fact that a class of 30 students can save upwards of 500 pages of paper by removing it from the equation. There are virtually no drawbacks to this system, which is why more and more teachers are implementing it.

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But will e-readers in the classroom find the same level of support?

My personal opinion is split. There’s no denying that they could be the future of the classroom, but what about the feel of paper in your hands?

What about the ability to handily refer back to a previous page (for example, reference material that may be found at the beginning of a textbook chapter)? What about

and resale ability.

She says, “My experience with digital textbooks has been mainly positive but there is a clear difference in the development of the format between novels and textbooks.

Novels have a consistent format and for the most part can be read on a variety of devices, but the textbook formats I have had access to have been all over the map.”

free,” she adds.

John Maxwell Rodger, who is in Douglas’ Sign Language Interpretation program, is using his first e-textbook this semester.

He tells us that choosing the ebook option saved him $100 this semester, and adds, “It’s easier to use than a physical book. It’s neatly organized into the chapter sections, and the homework is attached to the same module.”

Brittney MacDonald, an

until publishers fix issues of access and usability, books aren’t going anywhere. the formatting of the various tables, images, and sidebars found in modern textbooks?

Douglas College English student Bernadette McLaughlin is an unabashed supporter of e-readers for her college experience. She cites their light weight and ability to store multiple texts as the chief factor in her preference of ebooks, but admits there are a few problems, namely in terms of highlighting

McLaughlin adds that textbook publishers have a better selection of ebooks than retailers like Amazon, but she says, “For the most part [they] will only allow you to read them on the website through a computer browser with Internet connection, which is impractical and hard on the eyes.”

“I do most of my reading for school in a mobile format which means that I need to be Internet-

Associate of Arts student with an English focus, also likes her ebook: “I find it incredibly helpful when trying to study because it’s easier to look up important quotes or points,” she says.

“The only downside for me is [that] not everything is available on it. I wish it had more textbooks available through Amazon,” she adds, echoing McLaughlin’s complaints.

MacDonald adds: “[Ebooks have] also saved me a crap-ton of shelf space when it comes to comic books,” furthering the claim that ebooks are great for personal reading.

I have enjoyed my Kobo Touch for novels, which works for school since I am a literature student and the bulk of my course reading is in novel format.

It stores more books than I can read in a year, and a number of classics are available for free on sites like Project Gutenberg (gutenberg.ca), which could come in handy for those 18th century literature classes.

But when it comes to e-readers for textbooks, I have to agree with McLaughlin’s statement: “For digital textbooks to become the wave of the future, publishers need to put more resources into expanding the format.” Maybe we will see a future where the first step of college involves purchasing a Kindle, but until publishers fix issues of access and usability, books aren’t going anywhere.

LIFE & STYLE.

www.theotherpress.ca

Photo courtesy of Orofacial (flickr)

Pick a prettier pucker Why I’ll never stop wearing red lipstick… and why you should start Sharon Miki, Contributor

“Talia took chances. She wore lipstick to class. She did everything right.” – Hannah on Girls Look, I get it. There are certain beauty trends that can be intimidating and eyeroll-inducing. For example, personally, I would rather suckle a tube of BB cream than be caught dead wearing the turquoise-blue eyeliner that magazines claim is “back!” every God damned year. Alas,

sometimes trends are perennial for good reason. This is where red lipstick enters the equation.

Red lipstick—when done right—will give you an instant 150 per cent boost in confidence, credibility, and sex appeal. It just will. Why? I’m only a pseudoscientist, but my theory is it makes you look put-together (it takes effort!) and classically feminine (ladies have been rocking rouged lips in one form or another since Mesopotamian times), while simultaneously drawing peoples’ attention to the amazing, hilarious, and intelligent words coming out of your mouth. Win, win, win.

So why don’t all grown women rock the red lip, at least on regular occasion?

Many women are afraid of it. Lipstick can be intimidating

to apply correctly, and the wrong formula can leave you constantly checking your teeth for embarrassing stains. The solution to this is simply to find a long-wear colour that you can just apply and forget about.

If you’re nervous about precise application, try a durable yet easy to wear lip stain. Benefit’s “Benetint” lip and cheek stain is a no-brainer: paint it on with approximate correctness and you’ll have subtly stained lips all day.

Benetint is a bit pricey ($36 at Sephora), but honestly, a bottle of this will last you years. If you want a cheaper option, Revlon’s Just Bitten Lipstain + Balm series can be found at drugstores for around $10.

If you feel like you’re capable of drawing within the lines of your lips (and, I mean,

you should’ve learned how to trace shapes in kindergarten, so come on), go bold with a longwear lipstick. My favourite is an affordable one: CoverGirl Outlast goes on smooth and, while it doesn’t last me the promised 16 hours, it will stay put through food, coffee, and low-key kissing for eight-ish hours without reapplying. I have Outlast, which retails for between $10-$15 at drugstores, in every shade of red, but my favourite is “Ever Red-dy”—a true bright red.

Speaking of shades, this is the second hang-up you’ve got to get past on your quest for a poised and popping mouth.

Not all reds are created equal.

While I love a pure, true red (think Marilyn Monroe) against my skin tone and colouring, red lipsticks can be shaded to be

more orange-reds or blue-reds.

I’ve read a ton of advice for who should lean orange or blue with their reds, and—just like with political affiliations—it’s usually not helpful to generalize.

Instead, each individual should shop around for the best shades for their unique colouring and disposition.

Once you’ve found your perfect shade and formula, go forth: you’re ready to take on the world with your confident, babe-worthy self. Seriously, wear it to class and lick up the positive vibes that are sure to waft your way. Don’t worry about smudging your lipstick— if you’ve done it right, it will stay perfectly put.

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Womyns’ Ware Inc on Commercial Drive is well-established in the sex

Fantasy Factory boasts eight locations in British Columbia, including one right in New Westminster: perfect for a lunchtime sex-cursion between classes at Douglas! At first glance, it’s not the most sophisticated of sex boutiques (and on closer inspection, it’s not much better), but its business is strong for a reason. For one, it’s convenient, with most locations running 24-hours a day—whenever you find yourself in urgent need of a cock ring, strap-on, or anal plug, you know where to go. I wouldn’t suggest Fantasy Factory as an introduction for those who blush easily or who have an aversion to the scent of Patchouli, but for those who want unapologetic one-stop adult toy shopping, this is an ideal venue. Although I didn’t partake, you can enjoy a peepshow for the fantastic deal of 25 cents—they don’t just make you go home to have your fun! Honestly, the store wasn’t my style, but it’ll get the job done. Highlights included: - Pocket pussies - Anal bleach cream - Deep-throat numbing spray - Just-in Beaver Love Doll - Farm animal blowup dolls - A 14.5” dildo (which looked more like a murder weapon than a sex toy) - Vaginal tightening gel (“Feel like you’re 18 again!”)

2.5/5

Susan James, “stores for adventurous adults,” can be found in Victoria and Kelowna. This is the adult store inductee’s paradise. The staff are neither overwhelming nor intimidating, and are perfectly ready and able to answer any questions you might have, including my query as to whether “kissable” meant “edible” (side note: it doesn’t). Where I’d been expecting towering walls of lube—the name “Susan James” just sounds like the sexual playground for a rapidly aging clientele—their selection is extensive, including lingerie, adult toys of every variety, and massage oils. As their website says, “Our bright, welcoming environment will put even the most reticent shopper at ease, while the wide selection of products and top-notch customer service will satisfy all her shopping needs.”

4.5/5

hey’re housed by covered windows and signs boasting nondescript—or extremely descript—titles. Blushing faces enter, and discreet bags filled with sexy-time treats exit. Adult stores, those meccas of sexual exploration, carry a certain illicit taboo that might intimidate the quick to discomfort.

Now, “quick to discomfort” is a category which I belong to easily , so it wasn’t until a recent jaunt to Victoria that I crossed the threshold of my first adult store. There, I found to my amazement that it was—wait for it—a store like any other.

While I’d been expecting fetish accoutrements and a sleazy clientele, or a store dedicated to the older set with walls of lube, my narrow-mindedness proved inaccurate. It was clean. The staff was friendly. The customers were varied, but none of them seemed sleazy. It wasn’t much different from your average Chapters, granted with more vibrators and racks of lingerie. I emerged not with a sack full of goodies, but with questions about whether stores fit the off-putting stereotypes, or if the off-putting stereotypes simply emerge from our discomfort.

I brought an open mind, a cellphone for discreet note-taking, and my blushing face to tour BC in all its sexy glory. Here’s a short list of stores to sexplore! Whether you want discretion, convenience, political statements, or an uncensored sex-selection, you’ll find something that meets your needs.

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By Natalie Serafini, Assistant Editor

Walking into any of these stores, you might initially feel uncomfortable, but that’s part of why I wanted to write this Feature: there’s a stigma attached to sex stores, and a stereotype about the sort of perverts who frequent and even (gasp!) use the products they purchase from the stores. Having spent a handful of afternoons staring at various phallic-shaped objects and analyzing my comfort level in these adult stores, browsing through their extensive selections isn’t the worst way to spend your time. Whether you know what you want or not, and whether you leave with a bag full of tools, a simple set of massage oils, or nothing at all, you’re almost guaranteed to have a good time—if only from pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. Do what you want to do, and don’t be deterred by the supposed judgment of others. I survived walking into multiple stores in a short frame of time without dying or being chased away by angry mobs—I think you’ll be okay.

Like most businesses that provide a particular service, there’s something for everyone at each of these stores. More than that, there’s a store for everyone. You can ease yourself into things slowly with a store that emphasizes comfort, plunge right into a fun and frisky option, or find something that shares your values. These are businesses in the business of indulgence and, while shopkeepers are there to help you should you need it, they don’t force you to buy anything or give you a tour of their brand spanking new fetish collection. You’re left to shop as you want to shop and buy what you want to buy, with no judgment if you leave with nothing or the whole shebang.

Love in Love Adult Store in Burnaby (on Linden Avenue and Edmonds) features a plethora of options, so I’d advise knowing what you’re looking for before you go a-looking, lest you get bogged down with neon restraints or octopus-festooned pirate-themed vibrators. The store feels a bit bare, like there aren’t enough toys to fill the space—unlike Fantasy Factory which, being a smaller space, seemed to bursting with tools—but Love in Love Adult Store isn’t short on products. A quick walk around puts you face to face with a massive bed with a reclining lingerie-clad mannequin, a line of fetich accoutrements, and a wall of plain-old vibrators and bachelorette party favours. Like Fantasy Factory, Love in Love is not my ideal store, but they’ll almost certainly have what you’re looking for. Highlights include: - Vibrating nipple clamps - Pendant vibe, for on the go - Dicky nose glasses (think Groucho Marx glasses, but with a penis instead of a nose. Found in the bachelorette party section) - Inflatable ass-blaster (“Pump it up for extreme pleasure!”)

- The X-rated ring toss - Stamina training kit 2.5/5

store scene. Around since 1995, the store will appeal to feminists and those who like food analogies. (“While meat & potatoes may be hearty & satisfying, nothing improves your appetite like spicing things up.”) Woman-owned and -operated, the two co-owners refer to their women’s sexuality business as a political statement, as is clear from their slogan behind the cash register, “Celebration and Empowerment of Women’s Sexuality.” The store features a wide and extensive array of vibrators and dildos, as well as high-end buttstuff and quality bondage tools. Where some of the products in other stores looked cheap and poorly made, the products in Womyns’ Ware looked like they’d stand the test of time and use—a good sign, especially if you intend to get rough with any of it. The staff were helpful, friendly but not overbearing, and seemed to be sex-savvy. The store itself is clean and pleasant: it screams classy. Your pocket might feel a pinch, but again, these are sex toys that will last. This store is an investment, and a worthwhile one.

5/5

OPINIONS.

Need to vent? Contact the editor at opinions@theotherpress.ca

First Indian-American wins Miss America And this is news because people are awful Natalie Serafini

Assistant Editor assistant@theotherpress.ca

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y now, you’ve probably heard about the latest plot to take down the United States of America. With 9/11 proving to be a failure 12 years ago, and no other initiatives thus far bringing “Death to America,” those sneaky terrorists have snuck an Indian-American into the Miss America pageant. Not only did they sneak her in, but they snuck her into the coveted title of Miss America, making her the first Indian-American

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to win. Shocking, right? How could those pageant judges let this happen? How could they have been fooled by her beauty, talent, and American citizenship?

Oh wait, I got that wrong.

Twenty-four-year-old Nina Davuluri did not win Miss America as part of a plot to bring down the US, and she is not a terrorist.

You can understand my confusion given the deluge of racist and ignorant misinformation that has sprung a leak following her win. A brief sampling of tweets on the subject include: “For Mrs. America’s talent… building a bomb in 15 seconds! An getting it through Airport security in less than 30! #nojoke,” “A fucking god damn terrorist 9-11

bitch won MISS AMERICA WTF!! Gotta be Merican to win miss Merica #LoveItOrLeaveIt,” “First a president from God knows where, Africa and now a miss America lady that I can’t say or spell her name…

Terrorist,” and “9/11 was 4 days ago and she gets miss America?”

Davuluri was 12-yearsold when 9/11 happened. She is ethnically Indian, and was born in Syracuse, New York, US. Any racism directed at her would still be unwarranted even if she were of Middle Eastern descent, because ethnicity does not determine goodness. I’m German and Italian—a historical cocktail of horrors—but that doesn’t mean that I’m a Nazi or Fascist. The criticism she has received is all the more ridiculous because she’s not

even from the continent that people think she’s from.

She didn’t attempt to hide her ethnicity, and actually made it all the more blatant by performing an Indian dance number. This was her first mistake—if I can briefly write from the perspective of this outraged public who thinks the terr’ists have taken over Miss ‘Merica. Her mistake was thinking that the world was ready for ethnic diversity, or that her brown skin and her cultural displays wouldn’t make the public feel distanced, vulnerable, and afraid.

I can’t believe I’m amazed at the depth of stupidity that has shown its ugly face following Davuluri’s win, but I am. I had thought we’d made progress when people

Photo illustration by Joel McCarthy

supported a transgender woman participating in beauty pageants. What’s next? A black woman wins Miss America and the public responds with, “A slave wins Miss America? Wow, the American Civil War just ended in 1865 #2Soon”?

The situation is incredibly simple: Davuluri is an American, and has every right to participate in the same activities as other Americans.

Her status as an ethnic minority doesn’t change her citizenship.

Those who are calling her a terrorist should recognize that ethnicity doesn’t determine what a person’s life choices or beliefs will be. They should also recognize that their issues with Middle Eastern people don’t apply to someone who is of Indian descent.

OPINIONS.

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Stand Up for Science rally draws hundreds Scientists come together on Parliament Hill to protest government cuts Daniel Roy OTTAWA (CUP)—Hundreds of federal science employees, students, and supporters in Canada came together September 16 in protest of the alleged muzzling of scientists by the Harper government that has occurred in recent years.

Gary Corbett is the president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, a union that represents roughly 20,000

Canadian scientists working for various governmental research institutions. He said new government policies have resulted in cuts to many important scientific organizations and laboratories, such as the experimental lakes.

“We have seen a dismantling of science programs over the last number of years,” Corbett said. “These actions include removing funding to go to conferences and a dismantling of programs.”

“This affects many of our members’ jobs and even more importantly, it eliminates strong organizations which are there to inform decision-makers on what is really going on.”

Corbett said there have been a growing number of

cases of federally employed scientists publishing papers on controversial issues before having them removed by the government. He said this information is kept from the public in order to protect the industries that benefit from having researchers silenced.

Jean-Philippe Ouellette, a student at the University of Ottawa, attended the protest to emphasize the importance of open dialogue in scientific study.

“When you start muzzling scientists, there is a problem,” Ouellette said, waving a large red flag.

University student Katie Gibbs organized the Parliament Hill rally, which drew in hundreds of protesters. Upon finishing her thesis for her

degree in conservation biology last fall, she started Evidence for Democracy, the group behind the rally.

As a U of O student, Gibbs was inspired by the idea of standing up against the government when it cut the mandatory long-form census in 2011.

“Anybody who has a basic stats course under his or her belt understands that changing it from an obligatory to a voluntary long-form census is even worse than not doing a census at all, due to the augmentation of bias,” she said.

“That was really frustrating as they didn’t listen to any statisticians or scientists on why abolishing the mandatory census was a problem.”

Gibbs said more than 18 universities across the country have become engaged with Evidence for Democracy to lobby the government for more scientific freedom.

She said getting involved in manifestations becomes increasingly essential as the Harper government changes the societal opinion of the science profession, and scientists are no longer respected as they used to be.

“Students should be active as what it means to be scientists becomes redefined,” Gibbs said. “The next generation of scientists includes doing things like this, speaking out about its importance, as opposed to just submitting research.

Hot liquids are best served hot. Room temperature coffee is gross, as is tea. Scientist Karel Talavera from the Laboratory of Ion Channel Research says that this is possibly because taste receptors are more responsive to food molecules that are between 20 C and 35 C. That sensitivity causes us to taste more of the bitterness in coffees and teas, so beverages that are hotter than 35 C or colder than 20 C taste better.

But that doesn’t explain why coffees and teas are so darn hot at restaurants! Why, the CBC News I-Team found that

to which, the stance of many restaurant and drive-thru corporations is that, because most people drink their coffee or tea to-go once they get home or to work, the coffee or tea will have already cooled by the time they get to their destination. While a serving temperature might mitigate the risk of burns, it would have a lot of caffeine-deprived people drinking—you guess it—tepid coffee and tea. It may not sound right to put business first, ahead of the people who get into car accidents (as is the case with Marchant) or empty sugar into

caused burns as the hot liquid seeped into her clothing and settled there.

The issue isn’t with how hot the beverages are, but with how they’re handled. Perhaps sturdier coffee cups are in order, although it’s doubtful a sturdier cup would have withstood a car accident in this case.

If we’re going to discuss government regulation of beverage temperatures, why not turn to the more obvious government regulation of driving with hot beverages?

I can tell you why: because acknowledging that by driving with a hot beverage, she increased her risk of being burnt, Marchant would place some blame for the situation on her own shoulders. Besides, many people continue to text and make phone calls while driving, despite years of campaigns against the activity— drivers likely aren’t going to let anyone take away their rights to caffeine in the car.

It might sound like I’m trying to blame Marchant, but I’m not. She’s not at fault anymore than Tim Hortons is for her burns—but like I said, the more obvious problem was the handling of the green tea.

Sometimes no one is to blame, and chasing blame doesn’t do much good. It’s a shitty situation in which she got the burnt end of the stick, but pointing fingers and bringing the government into things accomplishes nothing.

Too hot to handle Burn victim wants government regulation of beverage temperatures Natalie Serafini

Assistant Editor assistant@theotherpress.ca

I

t’s the stuff of comedy shows.

Literally. One Seinfeld episode featured Kramer in his quest to sue a “café latte” company when their defective lids caused hot coffee to spill on him, resulting in severe burns.

Believe it or not, that episode was based on Stella Liebeck who, in a 1994 case titled Liebeck v. McDonald’s Restaurants, attempted to sue the company for their excessively hot coffee after she suffered third-degree burns.

Liebeck and McDonald’s Restaurants settled out of court.

Believe it or not, a Winnipeg woman has added herself to this running joke, following burns suffered as a result of Tim Hortons’ piping hot green tea. I sound dismissive, but honestly I’m not dismissing her pain. I’m dismissing her reaction to her pain. Although she isn’t suing the company, she wants to get the government involved in regulating beverage temperatures in restaurants.

Unsurprisingly, a poll from CBC on the endeavour shows that only 12.37 per cent (or 829 people) of those who

voted are in favour of the government regulating beverage temperatures. The other 87.63 per cent (5,861 people) are opposed. It seems unlikely that the government will be getting involved, but let’s take a look at this case and see if it holds (boiling hot) water.

Lisa Marchant ordered a green tea from a Tim Hortons’ drive-thru on February 24. Her former husband, Scott Kilborn, was driving as they headed to pick up their daughter, and on the way the pair got into an accident with another car at an intersection. As a result

When you look at pictures of the horrible burns Marchant suffered, you want to side with her. Not because she’s right in pushing for government regulation of hot beverages, but because the burns look gross, painful, and like a sure catalyst for all sorts of visceral responses. But she’s not right. of the collision, the top of the lid popped off the cup and the green tea spilled into Marchant’s lap. She suffered third-degree burns, and her expense claim with Tim Hortons for medical assistance was denied.

When you look at pictures of the horrible burns Marchant suffered, you want to side with her. Not because she’s right in pushing for government regulation of hot beverages, but because the burns look gross, painful, and like a sure catalyst for all sorts of visceral responses. But she’s not right.

teas from a sample of 15 Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Robin’s Donuts, and McDonald’s ranged in temperature between 81 C and 89 C; that’s considerably hotter than the 35 C that would make a hot beverage undrinkable. Some argue that there should be a “brewing temperature” for these drinks, and a significantly cooler “serving temperature.”

Unfortunately, restaurants serve too many people throughout the day to wait for their hot beverages to cool before serving them. In addition

their coffee while holding the cup between their legs (as was the case with Stella Liebeck, though the car was stopped at the time). Nonetheless, that’s business.

Honestly, you take a gamble with hot liquids. Hot water causes third-degree burns in 1 second at 69 C, and in 15 seconds at 56 C, according to The Burn Foundation, USA. That means that Marchant’s tea—which is speculated to have been a steaming 88 C—could have been a comparatively cool 56 C and it still would have

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OPINIONS.

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URL vs. IRL The disconnect between online success and reality Jacey Gibb

Editor-in-chief editor@theotherpress.ca

W

hether you’re a fan of social media or a complete Twitter-phobe, the online community is more alive than ever before. But what’s interesting to note is the inability for success found on the Internet to translate into real world success.

In the eyes of the public, what makes a product/ company/band/celebrity a success story? While not the cornerstone of business, a prominent online presence is understood to play a part in success. Swiffer didn’t catch its big break from creating

a Facebook page and going viral, but the 1.2-million likes they’ve collected didn’t derail their accomplishments. Even a company like Walmart—which probably gets enough publicity just from their unofficial nickname “The grim reaper of small businesses”—has a Twitter account with nearly 400,000 followers.

self-promotion through social media, the more I’ve realized that a majority of it is simple misdirection. The absurd percentage of Twitter followers that are supposedly fake/bots should be a point of more concern than it is.

Take President Barack Obama, for example, one of the most popular focuses of the emerging

This won’t come as a shock to some of you, but let me spoil something about the online community: it’s full of fakes.

This won’t come as a shock to some of you, but let me spoil something about the online community: it’s full of fakes.

I’m not talking about people catfishing each other or creating fake, older email accounts to access porn; I mean bots and spam accounts.

The more I’ve become familiar with the world of

fake-follower scene. Obama has over 36-million followers, but websites dedicated to uncovering the man behind the fake-follower curtain tell us that 55 per cent of them have been deemed “fake”—this isn’t even taking into account that a large percentage of his followers have also been deemed “inactive.”

During the last presidential

Time to put the phone away Interact with your surroundings Aidan Mouellic

Staff Writer

staff@theotherpress.ca

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eople tell me that magic isn’t real, but they’re wrong.

Chances are you have a device in your pocket that can play songs, display movies, send email, and make video calls.

Smartphones are little pieces of magic that we all take for granted. How the miniature rectangles of glass and metal are able to do what they do is beyond me; it’s likely witchcraft, and it’s amazing. I’m constantly blown away by what we’re capable of doing with computers these days. It’s mind-boggling how much better humans are than any other animal on Earth.

I’m also constantly blown away by how pathetically antisocial technology has made us.

I take the SkyTrain frequently, and the times when I don’t fall asleep, I imagine that it would be nice to have a conversation with the people sitting around me. Lately though, it’s been nearly impossible to do that since the majority of trainusers are plugged into their

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election, Obama’s towering follower count over Mitt Romney was seen by some as a huge advantage over the Republican. Despite this advantage provided by social media, we all remember how nail-biting the election results were.

A more personal example I can call upon would be from

earphones, texting, or laughing to themselves while watching cat videos. Trains and buses are communal places where we used to be able to see what books people were reading, or start discussions with others about how the graffiti on the backs of seats is becoming less and less creative.

This anti-social shift in society is rather new. Though it feels as if smartphones and tablets have been a mainstay in our lives forever, the first iPhone only came out in 2007 and the first Android phone came out in 2008—not that long ago. Yet in the time since then, we’ve become consumed by these devices, and it’s only getting worse. I’m not antismartphones. We just need to be aware of how we use them.

When used right, technology can bring the world together. Skype video calling allows distant relatives to see each other more frequently, email boosts the Nigerian economy, and Twitter allows the famous to be harassed by the masses. But most of us are getting too dependent on our devices. Every lull in the day is an opportunity to check our phones and tune out of the world. The very devices that are supposed to make us more connected to the world are making us less connected to

the people around us. If you want to be entertained while away from your home, keep your eyes on your surroundings and off the screen in your lap.

The characters on the streets of Vancouver are more interesting than the 140 characters in your tweets. As magical as our devices are and as fun as it is to get to the next level of Angry Birds, not much is better than meeting a new person who you enjoy talking to.

We are a social species, and creating meaningful connections is crucial to maintaining not only our mental health but also the general health of society. I urge you on your next SkyTrain or bus trip to take the headphones off, put the smartphone away, and just look around the car and try to make eye contact with others. If we all did this once a day, then perhaps we might meet someone new or make others feel more welcome in the community. Let’s make Vancouver less anti-social. It all starts with being ready and it means unplugging and entering reality.

a house show I attended at the end of August. The band performing, Born Gold, has nearly 10,000 likes on Facebook and about 3,500 followers on Twitter; by all means, a relatively large online fan base. I would also consider Born Gold to be one of those “buzz bands” that gained a ton of media attention after being featured on websites

like Pitchfork. But when it came to the show’s actual attendance number, it was barely enough to fill a living room (though more music lovers eventually showed up and bodies were lined up out the front door—which was coincidentally adjacent to the living room). It was a fun experience, but I doubt the show was deemed a financial success.

Maybe Born Gold’s social media crowd is made up of real people or maybe a significant part of them are fake; either way, the success has a difficult time transferring from one plane to the next.

User-generated online credibility concerns me. Not because I’m an avid social media user and am simply masking my envy with criticism, but rather because of what it represents.

When we’re putting such a high value on this smoke-and-mirrors marketing tactic, it runs the risk of providing a false security.

SPORTS.

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Women lose a tough one against Capilano Eric Wilkins

Sports Editor sports@theotherpress.ca

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he women’s soccer team took a trip out to Capilano University on September 21, and despite dominating the game, suffered a 1-0 loss against the Blues.

“It’s one of those games where everything [the Royals] do is right and you can’t ask for anything more, but we just don’t finish,” said assistant coach, Ivan Estrada.

The Royals set the tone of the game early on, and it wasn’t long before they started to see results around the goal.

In the 11th minute, Tiffany O’Krane (#8) ripped a shot off the crossbar from 25 yards out.

Shortly after, a cross into the box found Nicolle Fraser (#13), but her effort was also off the top of the woodwork. Then in the 13th minute, completely against the flow of play, Capilano’s Andrea Standerwick (#6) fired one in from distance after a Royals’ giveaway down the middle.

Douglas’ women were quick to get back to the attack though, with Ashley Melvin (#11) supplying several dangerous crosses from the right side of the pitch, resulting in some prime opportunities the squad couldn’t quite put away. The 24th minute saw Marni McMillan (#21) knocked down in the box, and, despite howls from the sideline for a penalty, the referee waved play on. McMillan refused to let it get her down though, curling in a dangerous free kick minutes later that was put just wide, before having a go of her own fly wide of the target shortly after. Great pressure from Angela Carotenuto (#19) in the 35th gave her team a chance from distance with the keeper out, but the Royals were unable to capitalize. The referee showed

McMillan a harsh yellow in the 38th minute during a stoppage in play in which the Blues’ coach loitered on the field—delaying the game.

The second half saw a noticeably chippier game begin to take shape, with the referee allowing some questionable contact. Melvin recorded the first shot of the half in the 51st minute from just outside the 18, but it was well-saved by the Blues’ netminder. Continued pressure from the Royals saw another shot from Melvin after a run down the wing, followed by an effort on goal from Mia Rushton (#3), though neither found the back of the net. The referee found a pair of blinders in the 61st minute when Rushton was kneed right in front of him, an injury that would later force her from the game; play was waved on though—no call. Capilano had a rare opportunity around the Royals’ goal minutes later, but Ashley Dunn proved up to the task, dealing with the dangerous cross handily. The 67th minute saw a yellow for Capilano’s #4 after a brutal slide tackle took down Douglas’ Lindsay Munroe (#23). With the Royals pressing late, Dunn came up with two huge saves to keep them in the game, but the team ultimately fell short, unable to put one in the goal.

“Very frustrated. We had them the whole time… we had one unlucky break and they scored,” said Bachelor of physical education and coaching student, Ashley Melvin.

With the Royals off to an 0-5 start, Rushton addressed the question of what the team needs to change. “That’s a question we’ve been debating this whole time. I’m not sure that it’s something we can put a finger on… I think we need to play our game for 90 minutes… and

Photos courtesy of Douglas College Campus Life and Athletics (flckr)/Jerald Walliser

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Photo courtesy of Joel McCarthy

Learning to play The role of study hall for student athletes Courtnie Martin

Sports Reporter sportsreporter@theotherpress.ca

T

he first few weeks as a freshman can be quite overwhelming. How do I get to my classes? What books do I need? Did I get my U-Pass?

How do I catch the SkyTrain from the New West campus to the Coquitlam campus? (You can’t.)

Not to mention, Jake Elder, strength and conditioning coach, is probably running your ass into the ground with workouts, you’re a bit sore, practices are four to five times a week, study hall is mandatory two hours a week, and you have to come up with money for team fees.

Talk about overwhelming! Is it reasonable to believe that you can maintain a high level of commitment to both athletics and academics? Let’s be real: most of us athletes just want to do enough to be eligible to play.

Ask yourself this one

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question: “Why am I here?”

Rookie men’s volleyball player Matt Santema said, “I am only here to play. I got straight A’s in high school so I know I am capable, but really I just want to play… If people would just open their books, they could pass their classes.”

In retrospect, if you’re only here because you want to play, then your chances of being successful beyond college are slim. At Douglas College, it is required that you maintain a 2.0 GPA to compete. All rookies and any player with a GPA less than 2.4 must attend study hall. Academic coaches are available Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. until noon. If players don’t complete two hours in that week, they are not eligible to suit up for the upcoming game, regardless of whether they have a qualifying GPA or not.

One controversial discussion that has surfaced the first few weeks of school is the mandated attendance at study hall for all rookies.

Rookie men’s volleyball player Devon Dunn said, “I don’t think study hall helps.

The hours conflict with my

classes and makes it difficult to get there. I would rather do my homework at home.”

On the flip-side, women’s volleyball rookie Madison Burt said, “I have a hard time balancing studies and athletics; study hall is a huge help for me.”

Acknowledging that you’re a student first and an athlete second is very important. Once you have done so, it is vital you learn time management. Women’s basketball team freshman Amber Beasley said, “I found that using my calendar in my cellphone really helps me with practice times, homework due dates, tests, workouts, game schedules, and day-to-day reminders.”

After interviewing several rookies, it seemed necessary to ask an academic coach for an official position on the mandatory attendance.

Women’s basketball and academic coach Curtis Nelson was passionate in his response: “Do I think study hall improves student-athlete grades? Yes, absolutely I believe it does.” According to Nelson, since the inception of study hall three years ago, not only has the average GPA

of Douglas’ student athletes risen, but the average GPA of a Douglas student athlete is actually higher than that of a regular student.

He also spoke to the dedication of the academic coaches to the program. “We provide more than just a room to study in. Because the academic coaches get to know each of the players personally in study hall, and we also have great relationships with the instructors here at Douglas, we can bridge the gap a bit, and work with everyone to help track each player’s academic progress.”

As a testament to the success of study hall, Nelson noted that other colleges and universities in BC and across Canada have been contacting Douglas for help with their own student athletes.

Responding to some students’ complaints about the mandatory time in study hall, he said, “Some [National Collegiate Athletic Association] NCAA schools require two hours per day, or even more. So to complete two hours every week here at Douglas is something that is quite easy to do. Just like working out, if you say, ‘I’ll do

it when I have time,’ you will never make time to get it done.

But if you know you need to make the time, you carve that out in your schedule and it becomes part of your regular routine.”

Two major things can prevent any student athlete from reaching their maximum potential, and one is procrastination. First-year softball player Kelsey Hari admits her procrastination prevents her from getting higher test scores: “I am a huge procrastinator. Although the class sizes are small and Douglas is a great transition from high school, I still procrastinate. If I learn to use my time better and stay off of social networks I know my grades will improve.”

Secondly, save the partying for a well-deserved night. If you are struggling with your classes but your friends want to hit the town, you should probably prioritize what is important.

As a student athlete you are held to high expectations, and with or without study hall, procrastination and not maximizing your potential successes will ultimately only hurt you.

SPORTS.

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The evolving world of professional wrestling Part one of an interview with Randy “The Rage” Berry Patrick Vailancourt

News Editor

news@theotherpress.ca

I

f you grew up in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s, you probably had an uncle, cousin, or neighbour who introduced you to professional wrestling.

It was, after all, pro wrestling’s golden era. Young wrestling fans of this era were fascinated by the personas, the bonecrunching finishing moves, and the prospect of real glory.

Watching Randy (Macho Man) Savage fly through the air and deliver his matchending elbow was all it took for many kids at that time to decide to pursue a career as a professional wrestler.

Randy Berry was one such kid.

Growing up in Cornwall, Ontario, at a time when the local hockey team was winning Memorial Cup titles, wrestling was a secondary pastime for most—not so for Berry, who had chosen his profession in his formative years.

“Wrestling was the only thing I was going to do,” says Berry, as he shares a late-night drink with his childhoodfriend-turned-news-editor at his Amelia Street home in

Cornwall.

Berry went about developing as a pro wrestler at an early age, like most aspiring wrestlers do. He gathered some friends and performed in the backyard. As years passed, however, Berry became more entrepreneurial and began to keep record books, scout suitable backyards and parks, and gather a consistent roster of guys willing to take their bumps on hard ground. By 1993, Cornwall had a backyard wrestling promotion with a growing fan base.

“It taught us how to be disciplined and responsible,” he says. “Every day after school we knew exactly what we were going to do. Wrestling came first and nothing else got in the way.”

The Cornwall Outdoors Wrestling Alliance (COWA), as it was known, ran shows daily throughout the summer until 2000 and is largely credited with having been at the forefront of the explosion in backyard wrestling’s popularity throughout Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec in the late ‘90s.

While backyard wrestling had always been around, in the past it was largely seen as “kids being kids.” The organization of backyard promotions became troublesome as would-be wrestlers attempted some of the things they were seeing on television, prompting the mainstream pro wrestling

promotions at the time (WWE and WCW) to start every televised show with disclaimers discouraging people from trying any of what they saw.

Berry, who as a backyard wrestling promoter largely dismissed television disclaimers, now admits there may have been some merit to them.

“That all started when kids started killing themselves, doing shit like jumping off roofs through flaming tables, among other ridiculously dangerous stunts. Major promotions had no choice but to put the ‘don’t try this at home’ message out there.”

Berry, in addition to being a mainstay in several wrestling promotions in Canada and the United States—including some off-camera work for the WWE last September—is also the promoter of Mecca Pro Wrestling and has been involved in founding other promotions in Eastern Ontario, including Canadian Grand Prix Wrestling. He believes that wrestling promoters have a responsibility to ensure that kids aspiring to be wrestlers remain responsible in backyards across the country.

“I’m not going to tell someone not to do it,” Berry says, referring to backyard wrestling. “I did it myself and I’m not about to become a hypocrite. But I do tell people not to get stupid.”

His advice: “Don’t pull

off a stunt or a move you have any doubts about. Don’t take it too seriously and just play.”

Be sure to pick up next week’s issue of the Other Press for Part Two of my interview with Randy “The Rage” Berry, where we

discuss his development as a professional wrestler and how backyard wrestling has impacted the pro ranks. For more on his wrestling career, check out his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/

“culture” of the club needed major adjustments.

After the news of replacing Payne with Bezbatchenko, the soccer world was now curious— who is Bezbatchenko? Many were surprised to learn that he, in fact, had some rapport with the soccer world: he was part of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds squad that won the 2004 USL Pro Atlantic Division Championship.

Bezbatchenko was also known for his law accomplishments as an attorney for Shearman & Sterling LLP. After his law career, he made connections within the soccer world as

a liaison between the US Soccer Federation and the Canadian Soccer Association.

He also negotiated and drafted all player contracts and specialized in managing player salary caps. MLSE CEO Leiweke interviewed with MLS Network stating, “Tim brings an analytical mind to the job along with the best understanding that I’ve seen of the salary cap and how to manage it. He knows how to build a team that will win long-term and he believes, like we do, that his vision will have an immediate and positive impact on this team. We are excited about adding Tim’s

knowledge, experience and relationships within MLS to Toronto FC and we now look forward to focusing together on the most important job: putting a winning team on the pitch for Toronto FC supporters.”

Many fans are in an uproar about the new decision, questioning his knowledge on player prospects and of the game, rather than his experience with crunching numbers and regulations. So, who is Tim Bezbatchenko?

Liaison? Lawyer? Contractor?

Nope, Toronto FC’s new GM.

Randy “The Rage” Berry | Photo courtesy of Michael G Brown

officialrandyberry

All “Bez” are off Toronto FC hires new GM Courtnie Martin

Sports Reporter sportsreporter@theotherpress.ca

F

ormer Major League Soccer (MLS) senior director of player relations, Tim Bezbatchenko, is changing faces and walking into the GM position for Toronto FC. With the club continuing its downhill tumble, Toronto was desperate to find someone with MLS knowledge. Former Toronto FC GM and president

Kevin Payne only lasted nine months in his position, but was asked to stay on board, without the title, to help with the transition.

Payne was released for several reasons. During his tenure it was suggested that his relationships with his cohorts and supervisors were irreconcilable. He invested much of his time trying to recruit two players: Uruguayan Diego Forlan and Argentinian Maxi Moralez.

This led to the demise of his relationship with the club.

Tim Leiweke, the new Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) CEO, decided that the

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SPORTS.

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SPORTS.

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Canucks new Coach, John Tortorella | Photo courtesy of The Province/CP

Part 3: Tortorella, bounce-back seasons, and the Utica Comets Paolo Anzovino, Contributor

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his week, we wrap up this three-part series of the storylines to watch this upcoming NHL season.

We finish off with the new Canucks head coach John Tortorella, players hoping to have a bounce-back season, and the new Canucks AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets.

John Tortorella After back-to-back years of being knocked out in the first round of the playoffs using the same core group of players that made the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011, the Canucks needed to make some changes. However, the lack of salary cap space prevented GM Mike Gillis from making any big splashes in free agency, and no-trade clauses on the majority of the team’s most valuable players restricted them to only trading goaltender Cory Schneider. Besides replacing Gillis, the only option was to shake up the coaching staff.

John Tortorella was signed to a five-year contract to be Vancouver’s new head

coach—replacing Alain Vigneault, who coached the Canucks past the second round only once in seven years—and Mike Sullivan and Glen Gulutzan were brought in to replace Rick Bowness and Newell Brown as assistant coaches.

The arrival of Tortorella, Sullivan, and Gulutzan brings a much needed change to the attitude and mindset of the team. Tortorella wants this team to be tougher to play against, more physical, and stronger defensively—a trademark of his system. Some players may have trouble adjusting to Torts’ style of play, and it will probably take the team a few months to fully learn and implement that kind of hockey. The club has been lacking emotion and intensity since their rematch with the Bruins during the 2011-12 season after their disappointing loss in the finals. And Tortorella isn’t just bringing his intensity to the locker room; he’s bringing a Cup ring from his 2004 Stanley Cup victory with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He knows what is needed to win four straight series in the playoffs.

Another reason Tortorella was brought in was to help the young guys on the team bring their skills to the next level, which he did in New York with Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh, Michael Del Zotto,

and Chris Kreider. Alain Vigneault was known for not giving young players many chances to succeed, preferring to use veterans who he knew could get the job done; this certainly didn’t assist Gillis in the direction he wanted to take the team. The Canucks will need Zack Kassian, Jordan Schroeder, Chris Tanev, and Frank Corrado to take on a bigger role this upcoming season if they want to be a playoff threat, and Torts can be the motivator they need. More youth will also be injected into the lineup in the next few seasons in the form of Brendan Gaunce, Nicklas Jensen, and recent first-round picks Bo Horvat and Hunter Shinkaruk.

It definitely won’t be a dull year for the media, and it will be interesting to see how long Tortorella can keep his cool under the very intense pressure of a Canadian hockey market starved for a Stanley Cup. Bounce-back seasons A few key players had an underwhelming 2012-13 season either due to injuries, poor play, or both.

For one, Ryan Kesler missed most of the lockoutshortened season due to a shoulder injury and a broken foot, which he tried to play through. He has looked good in pre-season games so far, and says that he is completely

healthy after being slowed down by injuries the past couple of seasons. Kesler, a gritty two-way player with a lot of intensity, should be the type that flourishes under Tortorella, but most Canucks fans are worried about Kesler staying healthy when Torts wants his players to block shots and make their physical presence known.

Groin and ankle injuries kept left winger David Booth out of the lineup for most of the season as well. But, unlike Kesler, Booth struggled when he was healthy, scoring only one goal (an empty netter) in 12 games. Booth was just recently cleared to play, and will get to take part in a few pre-season games to get into playing shape before the start of the regular season. The Canucks will need Booth to stay healthy and produce offensively like a top-six forward again if they hope to compete for the Stanley Cup this season.

Although neither suffered any major injuries during the season, both Kevin Bieksa and Alex Edler had a season to forget with their poor and casual defensive performances.

Tortorella and Assistant Coach Sullivan are known for being very strict about their team performing well defensively, so we might see a more rounded game from both players. Or we could see them

wind up in Torts’ doghouse…

Roberto Luongo posted the second-worst numbers of his career last season, “topped” only by his rookie year. Tortorella’s defensive system should help improve Luongo’s numbers, and with Cory Schneider traded, he shouldn’t be distracted by the media as much. Luongo likes playing a majority of the games, and he’ll definitely do that this year since he’ll have an inexperienced backup in the form of Eddie Lack or Joacim Eriksson.

Utica Comets Last season, the Canucks had their prospects playing with the independently owned Chicago Wolves of the AHL. As such, they had no control over how much ice time their prospects received. To change that, the Canucks purchased the Peoria Rivermen and moved them to Utica, New York, giving them the name the Utica Comets. While the trip from New York to Vancouver isn’t ideal when needing to call up a player, Utica isn’t very far from the other AHL teams, which is a bonus for a team that travels by bus to most cities. Travis Green was hired as their head coach, and the Canucks have to be happy with their new setup.

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HUMOUR.

Dr. Cazzy Lewchuk

B.S.

Capricorn (12/22-1/19) Today you will die under mysterious circumstances.

Your body, covered in boils and unidentifiable bite marks, will be fished out of the Fraser River.

Your eyeballs will be donated to that creepy blind lady who lives down the street.

Aquarius (1/20-2/18) Today you will be kidnapped by a group of cannibals while walking home. Your organs will later be harvested on the black market, with your skin used as the leader’s wallpaper.

Laugh out loud hilarious? Contact the editor at humour@theotherpress.ca

Pisces (2/19-3/20) At a party this weekend, you’ll end up with a really bad can of beer. It’ll taste like mould, or maybe wasabi. The next morning, you will have fungus growing all over your body, quickly consuming all your vital organs and your pet dog.

Aries (3/21-4/19) You will have a sudden urge to go exploring a cave. You will find a hole in a crevasse, shaped exactly like your body, and be unable to resist going in.

Three months later, explorers on the other side will find your spaghetti-like remains.

Taurus (4/20-5/20) Waking up this morning, you’ll feel a bit funny. You’ll also be unable to move much. It’ll be dark. You’ll try to sit up, but will

bump your head on some wood.

And then the worms will dig into your brain.

Gemini (5/21-6/21) The Girl Scouts? Don’t talk to them. One cookie has enough poison to kill three grown men.

That’s if they actually sell you the cookies and don’t just hack you to little pieces.

Cancer (6/22-7/22) It’s going to be one of those days. You’ll get out of bed and be immediately stampeded to death by a herd of angry rhinoceroses. The pieces of your body will then be thrown around by chimpanzees.

Leo (7/23-8/22) Things are going your way!

Buy a lottery ticket, and you’ll win! Then you’ll be shot in the

By Joel McCarthy, Graphics Manager http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOBuOmOAI6c This classic takes us back in time to the year 2007, when the film Superbad was doing its press tour. The reason I like this YouTube video so much is that I legitimately can’t tell if it is real or fake. The video has Jonah Hill and Michael Cera getting interviewed by Edgar Wright—who is now a pretty famous director, known for Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and most recently, The World’s End. He is a funny guy and I am not sure if Jonah Hill and Michael Cera were in on the joke when he asked questions like, “How do you feel now that you’ve peaked?” Long story short, it is a must-see clip that ends in Jonah Hill giving arguably the most convincing pissed off performance of his career—which has me believing that this interview could be authentic.

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head by your jealous mother so she can claim the winnings for herself. She’s paid for enough of your crap over the years.

Virgo (8/23-9/22) You’ll probably have a craving for Tim Hortons this morning.

You’ll try to go to the local Tims, but take one wrong turn and end up in a scary dimension filled with demons. The demons will rip your lungs out while you’re still screaming. Then you’ll die.

Libra (9/23-10/22) Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will get deep into the fabric of your soul and suck the life out of your body. Literally. That last sentence you heard will cause your brain to cease all function and your consciousness will fade from existence.

Scorpio (10/23-11/21) Today will seem like any other.

After all, you’re just reading a newspaper. But oh look, a paper cut! And then another.

And another. What started off as checking your horoscope will quickly turn into death by a thousand paper cuts all over your body.

Sagittarius (11/22-12/21) It’s pretty hot out today, isn’t it? Hot enough to melt all over the floor. Your flat, now liquid carcass will be trampled on by other students and tracked in the halls for the rest of the day.

HUMOUR.

www.theotherpress.ca

Car sticker trend causes a stir Family car stickers angers visible minority groups Aidan Mouellic

Staff Writer

staff@theotherpress.ca

Chances are that if you live in the suburbs, you’ve seen the new trend of stickers, which depict one’s family, being affixed to the rear windows of SUVs and minivans. The stickers are white stick people outlines of each family member, and often depict wholesome hobbies that the family participates in—such as skiing, hunting, and playing paintball.

The stickers have spread like wildfire and the majority of people find them cute and homely, but this past week, two groups have spoken out against the trend. The groups crying foul are the Canadian Eating Disorders Society (CEDS) and the Canadian Visible Minorities Collective (CVMC).

Both groups are raising issues that run along a similar tone: that the stickers depict an unhealthy characterization of Canadian families. Brian Holickson, a spokesperson for CEDS, says that his organization is primarily concerned that the stickers depict families with bodies that are unhealthy and which promote ludicrous levels of skinniness. Holickson says, “These stickers do not

depict real Canadian families.

They depict families which are suffering with malnutrition and likely eating disorders. They are too thin and portray unhealthy ideals.”

CVMC, the other group which has voiced concerns about the stickers, is more concerned about how the stickers represent visible minorities. The group claims that the stickers promote racial cleansing of Canada, citing the fact that all of the stickers depict fully Caucasian families. Shanikwe Williams, a spokesperson for CVMC, says, “The family stickers are racist.

They only depict white families, and the underlying message of the stickers is clearly that of white pride.”

The company that

manufactures the stickers, Stickers International, says, “The stickers are not meant to promote a certain type of family make-up, they are merely meant to promote reproduction and unity—we are anti-divorce and like to see families stick together… on windows.”

When we told CVMC of the company’s statement, they did not believe it. Williams claims that, “If they want to promote reproduction with their stickers, who’s to say that they are not trying to promote being white?

Where are the African-Canadian family stickers? Where are the Chinese-Canadian family stickers? There aren’t any, because of racism.”

When Stickers International was asked about this possibility,

they told us that “the dye is too expensive, we can only afford to make white stickers since no extra dye is needed.”

CVMC refuses to accept this explanation, and maintains that Stickers International is a racist corporation.

Both groups hope for change. CEDS’s Holickson wants the stickers to represent families with healthy Body Mass Indexes (BMI), since the sticker families’ current BMIs are “at a point where death is imminent.”

The family stickers that are adorning cars in suburbs around the world are sparking a surprising debate about body image and racism. CEDS and CVMC have launched online petitions asking for Canadians to vote for change.

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