Legacies of Liberation (Digital)

VOL. 171 ISSUE 12 JULY 25, 2022

OPINIO NS

FEAT URE S

ART S & C U LTU R E

H U MO U R

Plight of the photo album

The world was designed for cis men

Have fun from the comfort of your home

Introspective lens or just avoiding room cleaning?

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Army of lovers teaches local queer history news p.03

Volume 171, Issue 12 Hiring production people since 1965

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Maggie Benston Centre 2900 Simon Fraser University 8888 University Drive Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6 (778) 782-5110

NEWS SFSS Women’s Centre holds Roe v. Wade rally

COVER Gudrun Wai-Gunnarsson

OPINIONS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michelle Young eic@the-peak.ca

Feminism is not just for women

COPY EDITOR Nancy La copy@the-peak.ca FACT CHECKER Gurleen Aujla factchecker@the-peak.ca

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BUSINESS / ADVERTISING MANAGER Yuri Zhou business@the-peak.ca 778.782.3598

FEATURES

PROMOTIONS MANAGER Jaymee Salisi promotions@the-peak.ca

The world is centred around men

NEWS EDITOR Karissa Ketter news@the-peak.ca NEWS WRITERS Chloë Arneson and Pranjali J Mann

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OPINIONS EDITOR Luke Faulks opinions@the-peak.ca FEATURES EDITOR Meera Eragoda features@the-peak.ca

ARTS & CULTURE

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Gem Yelin Lee arts@the-peak.ca

What The Buddha Never Taught offers little teachings

HUMOUR EDITOR Kelly Chia humour@the-peak.ca

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STAFF WRITERS Nercya Kalino, Yasmin Simsek, Isabella Urbani, and Olivia Visser PRODUCTION AND DESIGN EDITOR Josh Ralla production@the-peak.ca

HUMOUR

ASSISTANT PRODUCTION EDITORS Megan Yung and Yining Zhou

Pwease forgive baby Rogers for sinning

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PHOTO EDITOR Gudrun Wai-Gunnarsson photos@the-peak.ca MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Karla Salazar multimedia@the-peak.ca

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We acknowledge that The Peak’s office is located and our paper is produced, distributed, and read on the Unceded Coast Salish Territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), Kwikwitlem (Coquitlam), Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo, and Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish) Peoples. Unceded means that this land was never surrendered, relinquished, or handed over in any way. We recognize that the unceded land that we occupy includes not only the SFU Burnaby campus, but extends to the land occupied by the Vancouver and Surrey campuses as well.

ASSISTANT MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Rashi Sethi WEBSITE MANAGER Karar Al-Mamaar web@the-peak.ca BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kelly Chia, Emma Dunbar, Emma Jean, Angela Wachowick, and Yuri Zhou CONTRIBUTORS Jonadan Cheun, C Icart, and Victor Tran PEAK ASSOCIATES Amirul Anirban, Jiamin Bai, Hannah Kazemi, Cristina Liao, Nazmus Sakib, Angela Shen, and Alyssa Umbal

NEWS

July 25, 2022

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FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM

Army of Lovers celebrates the histories of local lesbian feminists Cyndia Cole, Pat Hogan, and barbara findlay share their stories in the exhibit’s opening panel O LIVIA V I S SER // STAF F W RI TE R

PHOTO: Olivia Visser / The Peak

Army of Lovers: Lesbian, Bisexual, Two Spirit, and Queer Women, 1970s and 80s is an oral and visual archival exhibit taking place at SFU’s Harbour Center campus. Running from July 14 to August 21, the exhibit focuses on interviews conducted by students in professor El Chenier’s oral history class.

The exhibit is being held at Vancouver Harbour Centre until August 21. as a SFU student. During the panel, she described her story as interesting because she “became a feminist first” before realizing she was a lesbian.

in her life. She explained that a lesbian caucus formed within the federation because at the time many feminists were in support of women’s rights, but not lesbian rights.

Chenier explained those who participated in the feminist and lesbian communities in the 70s and 80s “have a lot of hardearned wisdom to share,” and created this project as a two-way conversation between young and old generations.

Despite being involved in the feminist movement and feeling an urge to participate in the lesbian feminist movement, Cole didn’t believe she belonged in it. She realized she was a lesbian after having a dream about one of her friends, and subsequently sharing a kiss with her after explaining the dream.

“Lesbians are no longer willing to lie and hide and live in fear,” read a quote from Nym Hughes, one of the activists featured at the exhibit.

The archive itself is a trans-inclusive representation of the narratives that shaped Canada’s early queer and feminist movements. Its in-person component consists of posters lining the halls of Harbour Center, which include short biographies of prominent queer figures and quotations from interviews conducted by students. The content is available in its entirety on the Army of Lovers website, which includes audio recordings taken from the interviews.

The exhibit includes other activists who were engaged with feminism and LGBTQIA2S+ activism. On the exhibit’s opening night, Chenier hosted a panel featuring the stories of Cyndia Cole, Pat Hogan, and barbara findlay. All three are heavily involved in BC’s lesbian and feminist movements, and have made significant cultural and systemic contributions.

Cyndia Cole is a “published writer, an educator, a feminist, an activist, and an artist.” During the Vietnam War, Cole came to Canada as a war resister. She “worked closely with women’s studies founder Maggie Benston” during her time

Lesbians are no longer willing to lie and hide and live in fear NYM H UGH E S // ACT IVIST

After a lesbian couple was kicked out of Vancouver’s Joe’s Café for kissing in 1990, Pat Hogan opened up Josephine’s Cappuccino Bar for the lesbian community. In addition, she founded the feminist business, Sounds & Furies Productions, as well as BOLDFest — Bold, old(er) Lesbians and Dykes. Hogan recounted being involved in the British Columbia Federation of Women, where she was surrounded by lesbians for the first time

barbara findlay is a queer feminist lawyer who became an activist after her “forced incarceration in a mental health institution for being a lesbian.” After falling in love with a woman for the first time, she “didn’t know that [they] weren’t the only ones.” She emphasized to the younger generations in the audience it was terrifying to “live from one day to the next” when she grew up. People would make educated guesses on others’ sexuality or speak in code, asking questions that referred to queer culture, such as, “Do you know Jane Rule?” Like Hogan, findlay also remembered dealing with homophobia from straight feminists.

Despite the barriers faced by lesbians in the early feminist movement, the panelists agreed that the lesbian experience still comes with its own joys. Cole and Hogan fondly recalled attending lesbian dances in their communities, while findlay said, “It’s not sex that first comes to mind,” when thinking about the pleasures of being a lesbian.

“The biggest thing was all of a sudden I had a mirror in which I was reflected,” said findlay.

ADAPTIVE APPROACHES

Study calls for proactive approaches to climate change

Researchers underline need for resiliencebuilding in changing climate ecosystems

P RA NJALI J MAN N // NE WS W RI TE R

SFU biological sciences professor Jonathan Moore worked with Daniel Schindler, professor at University of Washington, to examine the current conservation approaches relating to climate change. This recently published study found that many current approaches to cope with climate change only focus on preservation approaches. This should be accompanied with “proactive approaches that will encourage adaptation and change,” according to Moore.

We can add to the oncoming impacts of climate change. On the other hand, what it means is that if we do things better, we can actually help mitigate those oncoming impacts.

D R . JO N AT H A N M O O RE PR OFES S O R

SFU professor said a proactive approach to adaptation will foster resilience in our environment.

The Peak interviewed Moore to find out more about this study.

Moore noted the world and its ecosystems are changing rapidly, and pointed to an assumption that communities and ecosystems remain constant, but “that hasn’t been the case in the past actually. And with climate change, that’s definitely not the case,” he said.

Given the changing climate landscape, he looked into coping mechanisms and proactive measures for ecosystems. This entailed looking into “different approaches and ideas for thinking about how to foster the resilience of natural systems given oncoming climate change.”

He said, “Sea level rise is transforming where the edge of the ocean is going to be and what that means is that if we protect current seashores that’s probably not enough. We also need to protect the future of where the seashores are going to be.”

The second key theme in the study was the reciprocal relationship between climate change, human activities, and the

PHOTO: Amirul Anirban / The Peak

ecosystem. “On one hand, we [as humans] can make things worse. We can add to the oncoming impacts of climate change.

On the other hand, what it means is that if we do things better, we can actually help mitigate those oncoming impacts.”

Moore gave an example to this relationship through an analogy of clearcutting trees. “When you clear cut a stream, it raises the stream temperature maybe two to five degrees Celsius. That two to five degrees celsius is probably more than 100 years of climate change.”

As a general policy recommendation, he said it was essential to have the lens of resilience and climate change for all decisions. “Environmental assessment processes, the environmental risks of projects are considered and those risks then determine whether or not that project should get approved, and if so, how it should get operated. Those currently aren’t mandated to think about climate change, and I think that would be a great opportunity to have a policy that forces industry proponents to have that lens.”

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NEWS

News Editor Karissa Ketter

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News Writers Chloë Arneson and Pranjali J Mann

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news@the-peak.ca

STANDING IN SOLIDARITY

The rally took place around the Burnaby campus from Convocation Mall to Cornerstone.

PHOTO: Pranjali J Mann / The Peak

Women’s Centre organizes solidarity rally for Roe v. Wade Rally on campus opens space for sharing anger and grief on US ruling

P RA NJALI J MAN N // NE WS W RI TE R

On July 13, the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) Women’s Centre organized Bans Off Our Bodies, a solidarity rally in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s (SCOTUS) verdict to overturn Roe v. Wade. The verdict overturned this precedent set in 1973 which constitutionally protected the right to abortions in the US. This rally stood in support for those who do not have access to safe and legal abortions worldwide. It ran from 11:30 p.m.–1:00 p.m., followed by refreshments and food at the Women’s Centre in the Student Union Building (SUB).

Nimrit Basra, Women’s Centre Collective Council representative, opened the march by saying SCOTUS’ decision “is steeped in gendered, economic, and racialized oppression, and those from historically excluded and marginalized communities will face the brunt of this oppressive legislation.”

As mentioned in the rally’s press release, 24 countries completely prohibit abortion and over 90 countries only allow abortion in case of health risk to the mother or medical complications.

The rally route began at Convocation Mall and marched throughout the campus until ending at the Terry Fox statue at the Reflection Pond. This was accompanied by march chants such as, “Our body, our choice.”

Various community organizers and student led committee heads gave speeches at the end of the rally. This included a speech from SFSS president Helen Sofia Pahou. She noted prejudices on abortions “got us a male-dominated and patriarchal-infused stack of US Supreme Court justices who cannot separate their politics from the goodwill of accessing safe and legal abortions.”

She emphasized the overturning of Roe v. Wade is a “systematic oppression and invasion against the bodies, the rights, the choices [ . . . ] perpetuated by the state.”

She continued, “The SFSS upholds the precedence in our issues policies that support anyone seeking access to abortion and their reproductive rights and condemns any entity that chooses to intimidate anyone from utilizing their rights. Anyone who enters our SUB building and goes to our Women’s Centre in need of safe space — please know that you are always welcomed.”

This is something that we’re going to be working on and fighting for and keeping the momentum going NI M R I T BAS RA WOM EN’S C ENT RE COUNC IL REPRESENTAT IVE

Nebula Shen, a Board member of Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group and member of the Out on Campus collective, discussed the importance of having bodily autonomy.

Critiquing current policies in place, they stated, “Colonially known as BC, Canada, there are politicians in this province who are against abortion [ . . . ] But it’s not OK for them to ever force that on anyone else’s body.”

Allyson Soriano, organizer for SFU350, laid a direct link between climate change and reproductive justice. She asked, “What does it mean if anyone with a uterus will be forced to bear [a] child when we are experiencing unprecedented heatwaves, floods, landslides, and forest fires?” She added, “Indigenous, Black, and brown peoples’ homes are being used as sites for dumping toxic waste. Many Indigenous communities across Turtle Island still live without access to clean running water [ . . . ] Are these the conditions that we should be raising children in?”

To find out more on the organization of the rally, The Peak interviewed Basra from the Women’s Centre.

She shared the planning and creation of the rally started in late May. “There was unanimous support [ . . . ] every single committee in our collective stepped up and did their part [ . . . ] because we were frustrated and we were upset, and we had to channel that frustration into something.” She quoted Mariame Kaba: “Let this radicalize you rather than lead you to despair.”

Basra was inspired and grateful to see the turnout and support from attendees in creating a space with shared solidarity. She reported 50 people attended the rally.

Highlighting the goals of the initiative, she noted while the issue seems distant from home, it is also present "here at home.” Through the rally, they aimed “to really give folks a space to channel their passion and their anger and their hurt.”

She added, “Even during our speeches, it was a circle. It was really important to us that everybody was looking at each other and everybody was able to see each other and hold that space with each other.”

Through this solidarity rally, she hoped to signify that people are “not alone in this fight, and they’re not alone in how they’re feeling right now.

“This is something that is worth fighting for, and it’s something we need to fight for, not only for ourselves, but for others as well,” she said.

Basra reiterated this is a collective and ongoing effort. She noted events and information sessions will be held moving forward. “This is something that we’re going to be working on and fighting for and keeping the momentum going.”

OPINIONS

July 25, 2022

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REACHING OUT

WHAT GRINDS OUR GEARS?

Photo albums are falling by the wayside How will we prove our youth and hotness to our kids?

Leaving men out of the conversation helps no one.

I LLUSTRATI ON: Angela Shen / The Peak

Women’s issues shouldn’t just matter to women Traditionally gendered problems need to matter to both partners in a healthy relationship

HA NNAH KAZEMI // P EAK ASSO CI ATE

I was laying half-naked on a crinkly white sheet of paper with my legs spread, waiting to get a little T-shaped plastic device put into my uterus, when I opened Instagram and learned that Roe v. Wade was overturned. There I was, getting a particularly invasive procedure done to help regulate my irregular hormones — which I treat with hormonal birth control — when the right to get an abortion was stripped from people in the US. They said that birth control could be next. The irony, right?

“Reading this shit makes me feel sick,” wrote my boyfriend as I laid there with my feet in cold metal stirrups. I appreciated the sentiment.

Normalising discussions about “women’s issues” and making those issues matter to men is a thought that has been percolating in my brain for a while. I’ve made sure to be really open with the men in my life about my experiences. I’m grateful that I’ve been consistently met with support and genuine curiosity from them about the challenges I’ve experienced — but I know many women who have not been so lucky.

Since my boyfriend and I started dating I’ve always been very open and honest about what I’ve been feeling and experiencing. Painful periods, mood swings, changing birth control, hormonal issues, the list goes on. He knows it all.

Most recently, those conversations have included how nervous I was to get an IUD, how the procedure went, and how I felt in the days following.

I don’t tell him these things to make him feel bad or to guilt him for being a man; I tell him these things because he’s in a relationship with a woman, and living in a society where issues that affect women are predominantly seen as only our own does not often allow men to be exposed to these things.

Reproductive health affects men as much as it affects women. While pregnant people will bear the physical impact, there is an emotional toll an abortion can have on both partners. The same goes for contraceptives. Using birth control is a shared responsibility. If the condom breaks or the pill fails, the blame is often placed on women despite

the fact that sex is something that both partners have to consent to — not to mention the body-altering, life-long implications pregnancy has on someone’s life.

And traditionally gendered concerns don’t stop with reproductive health. Last year saw the Canadian gender wage gap, measured by comparing average hourly wages earned by women and men, increase from 10.9% in 2020 to 11.1% in 2021. Articulating this disparity against it helps male partners recognize their role in perpetuating an oppressive system. As an ally fully informed of the wage gap, they can help to make change in the workplace — or at the very least, they can be understanding towards a pervasive gendered problem.

The impact of tackling “women’s issues” is positively felt by men, too. A 2020 World Health Organization study found that gender inequalities are tied to worse health outcomes to everyone. That’s because efforts to address gender inequality, including greater funding for social services like education and family planning, contribute to men’s success. Without efforts to combat gender inequality, men have poorer health and live shorter lives. Not confronting “women’s issues” by ensuring gender equality is quite literally killing men. Beyond wanting to be a good partner, men have a vested interest in ameliorating traditionally gendered issues.

Men should be part of these conversations, even if they are not in a relationship with a woman. Of course, the onus should not rest solely upon women to educate their friends and family members on the issues and challenges that we face, though many women do take on that responsibility and feel like it is up to them to teach others about their struggles. The simple truth is that society doesn’t care to make “women’s issues” matter to anyone other than women themselves, so the responsibility ends up falling onto us.

Women should not be made to feel like they’re alone in their struggles. Partly because a positive relationship means both parties support one another, and partly because the importance of “women’s issues” actually transcends gender.

I L LUSTRATI O N : Jiamin Bai / The Peak

Growing up, I loved pulling out my mom’s photo albums and looking at her pictures. I loved seeing how she did her hair in the 80s and dressed in the 90s. I’ve been to places I don’t even remember, but the photos I have will always remind me.

I recently had the alarming thought that my kids might never get to experience that feeling. They’ll never get to live vicariously through photos of my adventures!

I feel like a super boomer by saying this, but I think smartphones are killing photo albums.

Don’t get me wrong — I love my phone and its ability to store thousands of photos and videos. And I love that I can take fake film pictures and use an old-timey filter on them.

And that’s all nice, but the storage is ephemeral. What the fuck is the “cloud?” What if I lose my phone and nothing is backed up? What if my accounts change and I can’t access anything in thirty years?

What happens when Facebook and Instagram go out of business in 2028?? How will I prove to my kids that I was young, cool, and hot once??!!

We shouldn’t be so quick to move past photo albums. My kids deserve to know I was once young and cool and hot, and because of these photo albums, they will! I’ll keep them in a closet collecting dust until I decide to relive my 20s and show them all of the adventures I’ve been on, the people I knew, and the person I was — and I can’t wait for that day.

Written by Hannah Kazemi

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OPINIONS

Opinions Editor Luke Faulks

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opinions@the-peak.ca

FIDDLING ON CLIMATE

Cooling centres are not a solution to climate change While moderately helpful, are the clearest sign that we’ve resigned ourselves to climate catastrophe C ICA RT // PEAK ASS O CI ATE

Are you ready for an extreme heat wave? Last year’s heat dome made many British Columbians painfully aware that they weren’t. Upwards of 600 people died in what was deemed “the deadliest weather event” in Canadian history. As a response, cooling centres began to pop up around the Lower Mainland.

That those centres are so necessary is hugely dispiriting.

They’re a sign we’ve accepted warming as a factor in our dayto-day lives, and have resigned ourselves to middling strategies aimed at making the summer season livable.

Projections show that temperatures rising above 30°C will only become more and more common in the upcoming decades.

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report also warned the rate of warming is outpacing our response.

What this means is we won’t be able to adapt our lives and infrastructure quickly enough to prevent climate change from dramatically changing the ways we live our lives. In essence, cooling centres will not save us from climate catastrophe. And while they’re an important initiative that will save countless lives, they’re still flawed for reasons outside of climate action.

Not everyone is at the same risk during warmer weather.

People with pre-existing health conditions, limited mobility or other disabilities, and people who are poorly housed are among the most at risk from extreme heat. For these people and others, cooling centres aren’t the silver bullet. A 2022

We are watching the world burn from the comfort of a cooling centre. report to the BC Climate Action Secretariat on the need for mitigation strategies isolated a number of hurdles to cooling centres’ effectiveness. These barriers to the service include poor awareness of the facilities, limited accessibility, worries about discrimination, and a lack of guarantee that visitors could bring belongings and pets with them. Cooling centres, far from being a climate solution, aren’t even widely deployable enough to protect the most vulnerable.

Cooling centres, far from being a climate solution, aren’t even widely deployable enough to protect the most vulnerable.

If we’re resigning ourselves to climate catastrophe, there are some mitigation strategies that could be more effective than cooling centres. Preventing buildings from overheating needs to be considered in the design stage. For instance, using lighter coloured materials helps reflect the heat off buildings;

PHOTO: Kelly Sikkema / Unsplash

ensuring that trees surround buildings also helps reduce in-building temperatures; restoring urban tree canopies helps improve heat resiliency. Air conditioning will save lives in the short term. Still, it will significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to climate change, ironically increasing the frequency of extreme heat events. These are just the beginning of cooling alternatives that should be applied across the province.

Members of our communities are dying, and the longer our governments remain inactive, the more it signals that the most vulnerable members of our communities are disposable. The City of Vancouver recommends frequently checking on “older adults, people with chronic illness, people living alone, and vulnerable neighbours” to ensure they are safe in the summer heat. I will follow those recommendations; however, like cooling centres, it’s the tip of the iceberg when it comes to climate adaptation, and a call to action to address the more pressing and critically necessary task of mitigation. We don’t have to resign ourselves to a future where cooling centres are the only things keeping a large contingent of the population from dying. We can, and should, demand better.

STILL PLATFORMED

You’re not cancelled enough if I’m still subjected to you whining about it Problematic powerful people silence criticism by complaining about “cancel culture” C ICA RT // PEAK ASS O CI ATE

“Cancelled” people usually end up keeping their platforms.

It’s long past time we stop indulging right-wing pundits and problematic celebrities by pretending cancel culture is real. Reactionaries vehemently condemning cancel culture makes it sound like there is, in fact, an epidemic of liberal Gen Zs ending people’s careers over political correctness.

There isn’t. The fact that we keep having to hear problematic influencers and right-wingers complain about being cancelled proves they still have a platform.

when it comes to the rich, the privileged, and the powerful.

They often find themselves to be even more popular afterwards, as in the case of Joe Rogan. It’s not uncommon for “problematic” celebrities to even claim they’ve been “cancelled” multiple times — which of course shouldn’t be possible if the cancellation had the permanent, long-term impact it’s often implied to have.

What is cancel culture? Do we need it? Does it work? Is it real? Politicians, commentators, influencers, and celebrities are some of the most outspoken critics of cancel culture.

But the fact that we keep hearing their outbursts means that “cancellation” isn’t the calamitous event it’s made out to be.

We need to be able to identify when people are using the phrase “cancel culture” to delegitimize criticism.

The actual act of cancellation refers to the public shaming that happens after a person or company says or does something offensive. It can occur years after the events, often when someone’s old social media posts are uncovered. It can cost people their job or further career opportunities. Being cancelled is also associated with receiving large amounts of hate, mainly online.

The problem is that the term “cancelled” makes it sound like there is no recovery from it; it is the death of that person’s career or social status. But this is rarely the case

So, why are the rich and powerful critical of cancel culture?

Because they don’t want their offensive actions being brought up. If you did something to harm someone, we can and should talk about it. Forgiveness and support should be secondary to addressing the hurt and comforting the victim. Receiving criticism and suffering the consequences for your actions is not a bad thing. We need to be able to identify when people are using the phrase “cancel culture” to delegitimize criticism. In part, because the people being silenced are often marginalized citizens trying to speak about oppression.

PHOTO: Markus Winkler / Unsplash Censorship is a real issue. But if you’re dedicating a comedy special to joking about it, you’re not experiencing it. As of February 14, there were 177 anti-LGBTQIA2S+ bills proposed in the US. These bills propose, in part, bans on books and conversations about LGBTQIA2S+ issues. This should be at the center of discussions about free speech and cancel culture, not Mr. Potato Head.

Overemphasizing the need to condemn cancel culture or calling for an endless reservoir of compassion for people who are “learning” only feeds into the rhetoric that the left is too sensitive and this generation can’t take a joke.

It also implies that the people negatively affected by offensive jokes or violent behaviour must prioritize the perpetrator’s feelings and well-being and contribute to their “rehabilitation.”

Sure, Dave Chappelle’s show was moved to another venue due to the “impact” of his performance. However, he still sold out a show and performed, which proves that being transphobic will not end your career. Indulging in cancel culture debates distracts us from whose free speech is really under attack. You can complain about “not being able to say anything these days” all you want. As long as hate is still being perpetrated, we will not shut up.

ARTS & CULTURE

July 25, 2022

HIDDEN GEMS: BELOVED LOCAL EATS A roster of delicious eats you may have missed

Are you sick of frequently going to the same restaurants all the time or trying something new but disappointing? Fret no more, I have a foolproof list of delicious local eats, all of which are on my all-time favorites list. Although unfortunately some of them didn’t survive the impact of COVID-19, here are some who are still running. Go show these local restaurants and hole-in-the-wall eateries some big love!

WR ITTEN BY YEL IN GEM M A L EE

LAKSA KING

2546 E HASTINGS ST, VANCOUVER

@laksakingvancouver IMAGE: @laksakingvancouver

Located a short block or so away from Iron Dog Books, this is the place I go for lunch whenever I’m on my way to pick up some books. This restaurant has an 80s neon diner theme going on, with a Southeast Asia-focused menu serving Burmese, Thai, Singaporean, and Malaysian classics. Their roti canai is as flaky as your ex and the peanut sauce that it comes with is a perfect balance between sweet and savoury. I order their chicken laksa as a main dish every time. Its coconut curry broth is perfect, especially with the chili oil dancing on top of the soup if you order yours spicy. I find coconut broths can either be too rich or watered down, but this one is the most balanced I’ve found in the city with a clean aftertaste. Laksa King offers take-out and delivery through Uber Eats and Doordash.

EMILIO FINATTI PIZZERIA

551 SHERLING PL, UNIT 1160, PORT COQUITLAM

@emiliofinatti

IMAGE: @emiliofinatti

I’m quite loud about this on my social media whenever I get to go to Emilio Finatti, but this is hands down the best pizza in the Lower Mainland. Their toppings are always so fresh, I wouldn’t be surprised if they said they had some kind of greenhouse garden back there. The best part about this place is their honey butter crust. You heard me correctly. They drizzle honey butter on their crust and it perfectly complements the puffy thin crust and the fresh toppings. They have a bunch of pizza dips, all of which are made in-house, and inexpensive but delicious homemade cupcakes! The pizzeria is located in a brewery-filled area of PoCo, and located steps from Provincial Cocktails, where you are encouraged to sip delicious cocktails and get pizza walked over from next door. Vice versa, if you want to stay and eat at the Pizzeria, pre-bottled cocktails from Provincial are available for purchase — we love to see locals supporting locals! Emilio Finatti offers curbside pick-up and has their own delivery service with orders accepted and prices determined depending on distance. They have their full COVID-19 safety plan available on their website to review before you visit.

RAMENGERS

1043 BRUNETTE AVE, COQUITLAM

My favorite ramen place in Metro Vancouver happens to be sandwiched in between a Hells Angels building and a gas station.

From the food, to the people who run this place, to the general vibe of the establishment — every bit of it tickles my fancy. The restaurant is Marvel themed, with posters and a figurine collection decorating the haunt. There is a literal punching bag in the middle of the room, and although kicking isn’t allowed, the staff don’t blink twice if you start practicing your right hooks and jabs while you wait for your food. Run by no more than three staff, six days a week, the menu is one page and there are no modifications or additions. Things are irresistibly simple here, with a quiet but attentive waiter who is there all the time with expertly crafted food. The ramen broth is refreshing and rich in flavour, their egg is always perfect, and the smoked pork on top is so soft it flakes apart when you poke it with your chopsticks.

I usually order the spicy ramen, and don’t recommend you order the next spice level unless you are strong with spice. If you come with friends, order their korean chicken to share as an appetizer, as it is one of the highest calibre. Ramengers does not do delivery but they are happy to accommodate for take-out!

IMAGE: @ramengers_feat_smokingpig

@ramengers_feat_smokingpig

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The de

The world is centred around

Written by Yasmin Vejs Simsek

The “default male” is a term that describes m as the norm in our society and in data colle This results in research being done only o male bodies with effects on other bodie even being considered. You might have about the standard office temperature bein for a male metabolic resting rate and ther being five degrees too cold for cis women this, quite frankly, is the least of it.

Caroline Criado Perez has written an incre informative book called Invisible W that explores the gender gap — how so systemically ignores over half of its popul makes us invisible and ultimately how w in a cis man’s world. It’s also important to most of the data is focused on cis men an women, and while I recognize that we need research on cis women, the need is even gr for inclusion of non-binary and trans folks.

I recently had a discussion with a cis man call him Bo. He argued that cis, white, st men have it harder in today’s society, d quotas and the push for representation of my many arguments against this b statement was the “default male.” His resp — with a victorious look on his face — wa the default male also discriminated again men, by making kitchen counter tops a appropriate height for women than cis men back hurt when he was in the kitchen. Con by the fact that this person unknowingl started arguing my cause by emphasizin idea that women belong in the kitchen, I “Well that’s part of the problem, isn’t it?”

Yes, kitchens have been standardized to fit w bodies — but a supposedly standardized w body at 5’7”. The average Canadian woman i So even though the sexist intention was th create a better workspace for the person w expected to spend most of their time work the kitchen, it well and truly failed.

FEATURES

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I also gave Bo the example of how cis women are more likely to die in car crashes than cis men.

Even though cis men are more likely to be involved in a car crash, women are 47% more likely to be harmed in one and a whopping 17% more likely to die in one. When testing out cars with dummies, the US has, since 2003, been considerate enough to also use female testing dummies — in the passenger seat only. The obvious problem with this is it doesn’t reveal the impact of a car crash on women if they are in the driver seat, where there is both a wheel to protect from forward momentum and more control of the situation.

Also, female testing dummies are not a replicate of cis women’s bodies, simply a smaller version of the cis male dummy. To top it all off, seatbelts are not effective on pregnant people and no one has bothered coming up with a solution.

The car is not the only place women are more likely to die than men. The same goes for heart attacks.

Research on heart attacks has always been done on cis men even though some of the symptoms can differ from cis men and women. In fact, only one in eight women feel the infamous chest pain associated with heart attacks, but they can feel pain in many other places instead, such as their jaw and back. This results in women receiving worse care, getting poorer aftercare and, in the UK, being 50% more likely to be misdiagnosed.

who posed the question: “Who won the last soccer World Cup?” I cockily answered Germany, and he just shook his head and said, “No, that was in 2014, but the US women’s team won the World Cup in 2015.” I’ve been taught to think that the world is by default male.

There is a war on trans folks, non-binary people, and women. But the gender gap resulting in the default male is probably not some supervillain masterplan to bring down all women. It’s likely that whoever is in charge has simply not thought that it was necessary to include women — if the thought even went that far. Ultimately, it’s the result of a society that has suffered under the patriarchy for way too long. The simple solution is to collect both sex and gender-separated data. To ensure that medicine works the same way on everyone, that cars are safe for everyone, that symptoms are being distinguished between sexes and genders and yes, Bo, also that kitchen counters are a suitable height for cis men.

The default male doesn’t just impact health care but also everyday inconveniences, down to cis women having a harder time reaching every corner of their smartphone. That’s right, smartphones are also designed for the cis male, generally larger hand, so that is why our faithful devices keeps getting bigger. And don’t even get me started on how voice control is 70% more likely to recognize a male voice.

The world is inherently male-focused and a lot of us are working to change our own internalized perspective. I spoke to a man in Nepal in 2016

PHOTO: Lukas Rychvalsky / Pexels

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ARTS & CULTURE

Arts & Culture Editor Gem Yelin Lee

·

arts@the-peak.ca

SOULFUL CONVERSATION

Bukola Balogun’s storytelling transcends traditional music genres Understanding the SFU student’s muse and lessons learned from her EP

ISA BE L LA URBAN I // STAF F W RI TE R

It’s been one year since the release of local talent Bukola Balogun’s debut EP, The Chronicles of a Teenage Mind. She also had the opportunity to work alongside Grammy Award and JUNO Award winning producers for her EP. Since then, Balogun said she learned to take the reins more on projects, including more risks musically, finding her sound, and trusting her vision.

Balogun began her music career when she was just nine years old and emerged on the scene in 2018 with her first big performance at The Roxy. Just over a month later, Balogun was a performer at the JUNO Awards pre-show and she quickly garnered the attention of the local and national music scene.

Balogun draws a lot of inspiration from combining a trio of sounds: jazz, 90s/early 2000s R&B, and acoustic soul.

“I’ve really admired artists like Ms. Lauryn Hill, Tiana Major9, H.E.R., and Summer Walker,” Balogun shared. “Their ability to incorporate the guitar into their songs in such a fresh way has inspired a lot of the newer music I’m creating right now.” When it comes to crafting her own music, the guitar is an “essential part” of her music. Jazz chords and harmonies are also a must for Balogun as she is a fan of jazz chord progressions.

However, when it comes to the future, Balogun is looking to tap into afrobeat. Listeners may get a chance to experience this shift this summer when Balogun will release what she’s referred to as her favourite song. Balogun hopes that listeners can appreciate all the individual elements that make up a song. “From the melody, to the lyrics, to the vocal delivery. All the parts of the song help to tell the story.

“I think what sets me apart from other musicians is honestly me, if that makes sense. The way I play guitar, coupled with my musical influences, my writing and singing style makes me unique,” said Balogun, admitting this has been a lesson she learned along the way. “It took me a while to realize that by being true to myself, I am different from other musicians because no one else can be me, but me.”

Balogun’s opening track on her debut EP is a testament to the notion of coming to, opening with a near two minute monologue about how the star perceived herself from childhood to her teenage years.

Balogun’s opening track on her debut EP, “Dear Diary Lessons,” is a testament to coming of age, opening with a near two minute monologue about how the singer perceived herself from childhood to her teenage years. This included understanding that love isn’t always a two-way street, finding

Balogun looks forward to experimenting with different genres in the future.

PHOTO: Victor Tran / The Peak her own “armour,” and coming to embrace the way she looks instead of “altering her mannerisms” and appearance for others’ approval.

What stood out to me after listening through the EP is how it makes you want to dance gleefully. Although each song is unique, it’s clear how Balogun pays homage to various artists.

When I listen to her song “Fight For Me,” I feel the same uncontrollable smile creep onto my face as I do when I hear Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Put Your Records On.” When I listen to Balogun’s most streamed song “I Am Enough,” I hear the incredible harmonies that made bands like Destiny’s Child and TLC so likable.

Balogun makes challenging topics, like self-worth, into music beautifully crafted for the ears. Her storytelling effortlessly translates into song, aided by the smooth jazz and R&B backing tracks. Somehow, it feels like more than music. It feels like sitting down with a friend and having a soulful conversation — chronicling the inner workings of a teenage heart.

You can find out more about Balogun by heading to her website or listening to her music.

SHOW, DON’T TELL

What The Buddha Never Taught showcases outdated narratives The “rock opera” didn’t rock my world

YASMI N VEJS SI MSE K // STAF F W RI TE R

What The Buddha Never Taught is advertised as a “rock opera” and is based on the book with the same name by Tim Ward.

Playing at Jericho Arts Centre until July 10, this show was not what I expected. I was imagining something like We Will Rock You meets Waiting for Godot and my anticipated version might have turned out more thrilling than the actual “rock opera” written by UVIC professor Martin T. Adam.

The story begins with characters Tim and Jim arriving at a monastery in Thailand, where they expect to “find themselves” in one way or another. They meet like-minded people and are thrown into the lifestyle of the monks who reside there permanently. But that is about it as far as the storyline goes, with no inclination towards a traditional narrative arc or similar story arcs. Written with the intention of celebrating the “western encounter with Buddhism,” it came across as white people pointing out loopholes in the religion and trying to be lighthearted and funny while doing so. Rather than a respectful encounter, the play delivered tired western ethnocentric narratives.

What The Buddha Never Taught didn’t keep the audience on their toes, with audience members calling it slow in the interval.

It was actually a perfect example of why to “show, not tell,” as everything that Buddha never taught was verbally pointed out in most conversations throughout the performance. This juxtaposes one of the central teachings of Buddhism — to

The play rendition of the 1990s book felt culturally outdated to say the least.

PHOTO: Jill Raymond / WTBNT Productions

learn the importance of silence and stillness in order to discover inner peace.

We don’t want to see this repeated anymore, even when posed as a revolutionary or original thought.

When I attended musical theatre performances, I expected the songs to further or enhance the story in a meaningful way. The songs in this show seemed randomly plopped in and was more a fun, musical interlude than a necessary part of the story. There were also very few rock aspects in the music, with maybe two or three songs I would identify as rock and even fewer opera aspects, with zero opera songs. It would have been better to leave it as What The Buddha Never Taught — The Musical to establish appropriate expectations for the score.

When all that has been said, I don’t believe any of this was caused by this particular production of the show. I think the problem started from the book it was based on, published in the 1990s. In a review of the book, local author Michelle Barker wrote, “I felt like much of his criticism was in fact cultural, aimed at a society that he is not from and perhaps doesn’t understand all that well.” Although Barker identified that the book brought up interesting questions about the life of monks, she said most of it sounded like a judgemental monologue rather than a respectful observation.

My biggest problem, however, was not with the music. As I flicked through the programme before the start of the show, I quickly noticed that out of the nine cast members, there was only one woman and one visible person of colour — who happened to be the same person. It screamed tokenism and realizing just how small her part was only made that feeling stronger. Upon hearing the title of the show, I did not expect to spend two and a half hours on a sunny Sunday, watching white men gather around and joke about one of the widely practiced religions of the world. There is no shortage of western/white voices drowning out the voices of BIPOC cultures and religions.

I think the problem lies in creating a piece of art that does not consider representation or nuance — especially when it could so easily have been much more diverse, being set in Thailand and all. Not only do I expect casts that are true to representation in 2022, I also expect a level of respect for other cultures as well as careful avoidance of cultural appropriation and thoughtful critique. I believe this to be the bare minimum, which I do not feel this piece delivered. I don’t think theatre like that has a place in our century and I believe you have a social responsibility when you put art into the world to be perceived by the masses.

ARTS & CULTURE

July 25, 2022

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REMOTE RECREATION

Four COVID-19 safe events Truly accessible activities for folks to enjoy remotely HA NNAH KAZEMI // P EAK ASSO CI ATE

Twilight Drive-In | Admission: varies

Honda Celebration of Lights | Admission: free

BC has lifted restrictions on masks, vaccine cards, and reduced quarantine times. The impacts of COVID-19 on the lives of people with disabilities and immunocompromised conditions have only increased. These communities are largely being left behind by society, as the heightened risks in public space continue to be ignored by public health. With variants running amok, hospitals becoming overwhelmed, and increasing reports of long COVID, it’s clear the pandemic isn’t over.

If you have access to a car, the Twilight Drive-In Theatre is a great way to watch a movie (or two!) with your friends while remaining truly socially distanced from other groups.

Watch one film, or stay late and catch a double feature!

Prices start at $25 for one car with one person, and go up by $10 for each additional person in your car. The drive-in also offers deals so that you can maximize your moviewatching experience! Tuesdays are Couple’s Night, where you and your significant other can enjoy a film plus get two drinks and a popcorn for only $42, and Thursdays are Carload Night, where you pay a flat fee of $40 for a car with 3–5 people. So grab your close circle of friends, some popcorn, and your comfiest pillows and blankets to build a movie-watching fort in the trunk of your car. See the schedule of upcoming movies on their website.

Celebrate 30 years of fireworks by watching one of three firework shows that take place at English Bay! This year, the shows are all going to be livestreamed, so tune in to the stream on your phone to watch and listen live to the spectacular displays of colour, music, and lights. Play the show in the background while you’re having a chill night in or drive somewhere where you can park your car and take in the show away from crowds while listening in on the radio.

Here are some accessible, socially-distanced, and remote events available for people to enjoy safely.

Check out these awesome ways to stay connected, entertained, and active throughout the pandemic!

Barre Fitness | Admission: free

When: Every night until further notice Where: Twilight Drive-in, 260th St. and Fraser Highway in Langley

Is your stamina running low from not being able to access your gym right now? Get your blood flowing and try out a new activity at the same time! Barre Fitness offers live and pre-recorded virtual barre classes! You don’t need a real ballet barre to participate — grab a chair, get to a fairly open space, and join a Barre Fitness session from the comfort of your own home. Find a schedule of live Zoom sessions on their website as well as pre-recorded classes on their YouTube channel via their website. Find a session that interests you and try out a new hobby!

Yyoga | Admission: varies

When: Anytime Where: Virtual

When: Anytime Where: Online

Cristina Liao

PEAK ASSOCIATE

When: July 23, 27, 30 Where: Online

Yyoga, a Vancouver-based wellness company, offers a series of pre-recorded yoga sessions that you can purchase online. View their packages online and choose from a series of single-session or multi-session workshops. From yoga for beginners to breathwork yoga sessions, they have something for everyone. They also offer a three-day virtual yoga and meditation retreat, which you can purchase and participate in from the comfort of your own home. See their website for a list of workshops and prices.

Nancy La

COPY EDITOR

“最佳损友”

MONDAY MUSIC: CHINESE CLASSICS

“春天里”

By Wang Feng IMAGE: Music Nation Records Co. Ltd.

Many Chinese songs have a place in our hearts as a symbol of home and culture. Some featured in this list are gems that withstood the test of time. Others are classics that many Chinese students would know. Either way, enjoy this playlist of songs that we hold near and dear because every song featured in it is special to us in some way.

P HOTO: Nazmus Sakib / The Peak

CL: The title of this song directly translates to In Spring. This is a song that has shaped my music taste to what it is today. I have a distinct childhood memory of listening to this as my family and I drove along the highways of the Californian seaside while we were on vacation. It’s one of those incredible pieces of music that I continually come back to because I am obsessed with the singer’s raspy voice and the tune’s rock-like production.

Wang sings about his past and reminisces about a time when he was young and naïve.

By Eason Chan

“消愁”

By Mao Buyi IMAGE: 北京智慧大狗文 化傳媒有限公司

IMAGE: Cinepoly Records Co. Ltd.

NL: Eason Chan is considered to be one of Hong Kong’s top singer/ songwriter, and his songs are always so well written. “最佳损友,” or “Best Bad Friend,” will instantly punch you in the gut with lyrics full of adulthood resignation. The song is about mourning for a best friend who is no longer in one’s circle as life has split in different ways. I’m sure we all have people in our lives whom we once thought would stay with us forever. However, when reality creates irreconcilable differences between two people, there is nothing to do but to drift apart while wishing them the best. The lines that moved me to tears translate to, “I can no longer tell whether we are friends or foes / pushed around and moved by everyday life / in the future, that stranger that I see / is yesterday’s dearest person.”

NL: This song perfectly captures the various growing pains a person experiences throughout their lives. The song is sung from the perspective of a middle-aged person looking back and forward into their life at the same time, from the moments of bright, seemingly eternal youth, to the heartbreak of moving away from home, the slowly aging body, and finally, the freedom that death promises. While Mao’s timbre grounds the listener, the song’s lyrics washes them with sadness and grief of a life with too many regrets.

With lines such as, “Life is bitter and short, why must we hang on so tightly?” this song will make you reflect on the life that you’re living.

“告白气球”

By Jay Chou

“江湖天下”

By Silence Wang IMAGE: The Sound Times Entertainment Media

IMAGE: JVR Music International Ltd.

CL: “告白气球” by Jay Chou is a song that I’ve been listening to since middle school. The song’s title is word play on the term 告白, which is a romantic confession, translating to “White Confession Balloon” in English.

Chou’s music ranges from Chinese rap like “Now You See Me” to pop, such as this song. In fact, both of the mentioned tracks can be found on the same record! Chou is known for his time as a coach on The Voice of China, a singing competition that is extremely popular in both Mainland China as well as Taiwan. This particular song has a cute and relaxing summer feel to it with an uplifting beat and simple lyrics about coffee shops by the sea side. It’s a perfect track for listening on a warm August afternoon or a bedroom karaoke party. It’s one of those rare Mandopop songs that I know all the words to.

CL: I first heard this beautiful song in a popular Chinese drama called The Legend of the Condor Heroes. The show in question is based on an iconic book written by Chinese author Jing Yong, and has multiple editions made from as early as 1983. The production on this has influences from traditional Chinese music with cultural instruments that sound like guqin and bamboo flute found throughout the song, and the style of piano the backing track. Its lyrics are infused with imagery and idioms. It is difficult to translate the song’s title into English because Wang wrote the title as an idiom but my best attempt would be “Immortal Life by the River.”

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HUMOUR

Humour Editor Kelly Chia

·

humour@the-peak.ca

Rogers is so

TOP TEN

ways to be interested in eggs after having them for breakfast ten times

1

Use the eggs in a hair mask

Put one whole egg, one mashed banana, three tablespoons of milk, three tablespoons of honey, and five tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl and mix. Apply to hair, leave it for an hour, and bake at 350°F. Perfect mask for protein.

2

Egg Fight

Have a party and once everyone is fully settled in, bring out the eggs and have at it. If you want to kick it up a notch, play “We Are Young” by Fun and think to yourself, what a time to be alive.

3

Hide them away in your friend’s pillow

Get started early for next year with this little surprise for your roommate for April’s Fools Day. Carefully place the eggs inside the pillow stuffing and wait for your devious plan to unfold. This idea might come with stinky, eggy consequences. Carry on at your discretion.

4

Manure

After using the eggs, keep the shells. Place them in a bowl and just crush them as finely as possible. We are grinding to create powder, so put those arms to work. Now, I am certain this will help your plants grow as a fertilizer, but it’s important you film it for TikTok. Actually, I’ve decided this is a TikTok trend. If your plants die, at least you know what they do not prefer.

5

Healthy, raw protein

Take two to three eggs and break them into a glass. Do not stare too hard at the yolky content, just drink it all in one go. If you stop halfway, you might realize raw eggs do not smell pleasant. But you will have mega gains.

6

Feed them to your dogs

A quick Google search shows cooked eggs are perfectly safe for dogs. Not only are they a good source of protein, they provide fatty acids and vitamins. What better to treat your dog than a feast of eggs, but not all at once! Dogs also need a balanced diet. Make sure to come with interesting recipes and your dog will love you to infinity. Which is incidentally the perfect metaphor for egg as a symbol of new life.

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A not so great idea

Feeling competitive? Challenge your friends to a simple juggling game. Each of you will have to carry two to three eggs and have a go at tossing the eggs. Whoever loses all the eggs loses. This is a waste of a really good game but it is a waste of eggs.

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Another not so great idea

Sometimes we all want to feel like a child again. So why not play tag with your friends.

Tag, but with an egg. First, through a game of rock, paper, scissors, you decide who “it” is. Everyone gets in a starting position, countdown to zero, and run! Whoever gets hit by the egg is the next “it.” Your friends may complain about the egg bruises, but they’ll have to catch you first!

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about nationwide shortage Oh noOoOoO!!!

Hey Canada, we’re besties for-eve-sies, right? So itty bitty me is so sowwy you felt like I let you down! *fiddles with tiny fingers* You guys are using big scary words like “blackout,” “outage,” and “we shouldn’t let telecommunications companies have a monopoly for this very reason,” and it’s all making me so upset! Pooey!

Here’s what happened, okay? You want my full side of the story, right?

I took a teensy, wittle, shmittle vacation this summer, you guys! Yeah, I really needed a break from being your number one so I can keep things fresh. Just how you guys liked me when you signed up for that two-year phone contract. Yeah, remember when you signed up for my services? We even got a cute dog together. Don’t you remember those very excellent times?

I’ve always got your back and just the sweetest, loveliest marketing skills. That’s why I think you should accept my timely marriage with Shaw. You see, when mommy Rogers and stepdaddy Shaw love each other very much, they form what’s called a harmonious marriage! In other words, a monopoly! It’ll be all me, all the time. You’ll love it!

I mean, what happened was just an itsy-bitsy slip-up! It’s just so endearingly human of me, which I must remind all of you that we all make mistakes. It’s not like there were any real emergencies, were there? You just weren’t able to communicate with your friends and family, use your debit card, or access emergency services, and go about relaxing in your day-to-day lives!

It’s like . . . oooh, what do you call it . . . like a break from your phones!

You’re always telling me how you need to put your phone away, and I helped, didn’t I? Because I’m your fwiend? See, I actually don’t like the word consequences, it’s so permanent. I’m your fwiend, and fwiends don’t break each other’s hearts, right? Come on, sign another two-year contract with me! It’ll be so fun!

Oh, oh, I know! I can help! Because I’m the smartest, best, and only network in the world, I can give you just humongous credit. So much compensation you’ll nearly forget that this is a problem, which it’s not!

Are you prepared?! I don’t think you are.

Because you’re my very good friend, I’m prepared to offer you a grand total of ten cents!! YAY!!!!

But . . . if you want to walk away, I’ll understand. Really, I do. Even though you’re my most loyal friend, I’ll do you right. I’ll make sure you only get two hours of hold music as opposed to the usual six, okay? I want to make sure you feel treasured as my one and only custom— I mean, friend.

A good gesture

Gift giving makes the other person’s day better. Bake a nice and tasty quiche and give it to your neighbour. Put some eggshell in there; they’ll appreciate the protein. Give someone else the gift of a breakfast you swore was creative about 30 eggs ago! No waste!

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Do not buy too many eggs

The title speaks for itself. Learn to budget your eggs. Or you will become like me.

Written by Nercya Kalino l ba

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OPINIONS HUMOUR

May 25, 6, 2022 July 2022

Your Weekly Horoscopes It’s enrollment season! Here’s how it’ll go for you, according to your sign

June 25–31 Hannah Kazemi

Peak Associate and Fed UpTM

ARIES — Mar 21–Apr 19

LIBRA — Sept 23–Oct 22

You go to enroll and all of your courses are full except for one, so you choose three alternate courses that are not at all anything that you’re interested in. You suffer all semester, and end up with an even shittier enrollment date for the next one. Sucks to suck. Have fun in MACM 101!

No issues to report for you, Libra. Easy, breezy, beautiful, Covergirl.

TAURUS — Apr 20 –May 20

SCORPIO — Oct 23–Nov 21

Somehow you always manage to get every class you want without having to waitlist, which by SFU standards, is magic.

Your friends ask you what classes you’ve enrolled in because your enrollment date was days ago. You tell them you haven’t looked yet, and that you’re sure PSYC 300W will have spots left. Do you even go here??

GEMINI — May 21–Jun 20

SAGITTARIUS — Nov 22–Dec 21

The stars are unsympathetic to your need to graduate. You come up with three possible schedules two weeks before your enrollment date, all of which are made up of different courses, but still somehow have to pick two replacements because most of your alternates are already full.

You register in all of the courses you want, but that means you’re on Burnaby Mountain once a week, Vancouver once a week (on the same day you’re in Burnaby!), and Surrey twice a week as well. The courses may be interesting, but seriously, is the commute really worth it? And why does SFU schedule stuff this way??!!

CANCER — Jun 21–Jul 22

CAPRICORN — Dec 22–Jan 19

You’re used to being hurt. You just know that you’re going to pull the short straw by the time your enrollment date comes around, so you already start emailing profs and advisors to ask for permission to enrol in courses a week before you even can. They all say no.

You are the single most unlucky person when it comes to course enrollment. Like ever. The one (one!!!) class you need to take to graduate had one (one!!!) spot left literally ten minutes before your enrolment appointment, but when you went to enrol somehow that spot had been taken and two people were already on the waitlist. Seriously, it’s a cruel joke.

LEO — Jul 23–Aug 22

AQUARIUS — Jan 20 –Feb 18

Enrollment is a breeze for you, Leo. You’re one of the lucky ones. But don’t get too comfortable — your luck will probably run out by the time next semester’s enrollment comes around.

Aquarius, you are yet another lucky one. You only have to waitlist for one course, but you’re second in line and the rest of your courses have you on campus twice a week. Life is sweet for you, babe.

VIRGO — Aug 23–Sept 22

PISCES — Feb 19–Mar 20

Hahahahaha, oh, Virgo. Nothing matters anymore. Are schedules even real? Is there even any point in trying to plan your classes ahead of time?! There should be a class called “The Secret To Course Enrollment At SFU” where all they teach you is that there isn’t one and it’s all a trap.

How is it that all of your upper level seminars are full and enrollment isn’t even halfway over?? You give up after three semesters of trying to take the same four courses and register in a completely distance education schedule. Fuck it.

WRITTEN BY KELLY CHIA

LONG STORY LONG

What I learned from my four empty glasses of water Dear readers, I’ve had an epiphany so devastating, so special, so simply metamorphic that I must share it with you immediately. We often have small moments in life that feel much bigger than they actually are, almost as though they were extended to force a poetic metaphor through. Well, I can assure you that this realization is not that. It was profound, life-changing, and truly so unique that if I didn’t share it with you now, I would feel guilty. Well, here it is: my life was changed by the wisdom stored in my liquid-storing accoutrement — cups, mugs, glasses — on a humble July afternoon.

Sure, you can laugh, I hear you. “Oh, this is just another longwinded narrative about how a simple event can make you appreciate life!” But this is so much better than that! It’s about appreciating the little things in life, not the big . . . living part.

That’s what makes my piece better. Yeah.

Well, let me tell you about the moment, and then you’ll really be able to picture the revelation: I walked into my room to sit down to study, I turned to my right, and I saw my cups.

That’s right. They all stored different volumes of liquids, telling different stories. My mug containing a day’s old worth of Earl

13

Grey? That was the story of an attempt to make my hydration habits a bit more classy. Yes, it had been steeped in the wisdom of my attempt to try. Why, only the most noble thing a human being can do. What’s classier than that, you ask?

Take a look at my glass that’s been fully drained. That’s my glass that has my water for when I wake up at three in the morning. To me, that represents how I adore myself so much that I make the effort to have the glass available for when I want water, but not so much that I constantly have water in the glass available for when I need it. See, I’m still trying.

Next, you may even be curious enough to peruse my IKEA glasses. Those are cool because they are tinted a turquoise green and a cool blue. They represent my desire for a trip to the beach far away, where I can pour more water on my face.

So you see, it’s not that I’m forgetful. My cups, mugs, and glasses tell a beautiful story: they reveal my desires, my efforts, even my dreams of frolicking at White Rock. I was so thoughtful when it came to myself, I realized. But I also realized how I needed to love myself enough to take them downstairs. Nasty.

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DIVERSIONS

Business Manager Yuri Zhou

·

business@the-peak.ca

CROSSWORD Across 1. Achieves 5. Old 9. Cattle breed 14. Jazz singer ____ Fitzgerald 15. Skin opening 16. Slack 17. Eden man 18. Physical discomfort 19. Fine fabric 20. Able to read 22. Sahara, e.g.

23. Golfer's need 24. Exist

25. Barn ornament 26. More environmentally friendly 28. Rent 31. Tel Aviv's country 34. Phone number prefix (2 wds.)

37. Train tracks 38. Clinging vine 39. Trimmed 40. Desire for food 42. Ambulance alarms 43. Compass dir.

44. Removed

46. Weaving device 48. Defunct USAF branch 49. Uproar 52. Charisma 55. Vouched for 57. Sheep's cry 58. Biblical "you" 59. Earth 60. Dog's tether 61. Loaf end 62. Otherwise 63. Soothes 64. Television award 65. Forest creature

25. Extremely 26. Strong wind 27. Bellybutton 28. Folk knowledge 29. Biblical garden 30. Koppel and Kennedy 31. Retirement accounts (abbr.)

32. Plant fluids 33. Ready to eat 35. Each 36. Birthday greeting 38. News bit 41. Revered person 42. Majestic

45. Admiration 46. Rental agreement 47. Vows 49. "____ of Two Cities" (2 wds.)

50. Thickly populated 51. More strange 52. Fit 53. Petition 54. Pod vegetables 55. Excuse me!

56. Snow toy 58. "Back to ____ Future"

Down 1. Handed out cards 2. Classic song 3. Thrill 4. Unchanged 5. Clothing 6. Pointed beard 7. Albany's canal 8. Rec room 9. Woody or Tim 10. Clatter 11. Vanished 12. Client 13. Shipped 21. Most unusual 22. Be bold

SUDOKU

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