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SFU BOOKSTORE EMBRACES BITCOIN p.4 4

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June 1, 2015

Being married so young is not without its challenges.

Samaah Jaffer Associate News Editor I started the first year of my undergraduate career in 2012, spreading my wings at this great university, and by Summer 2013, I was engaged — not just by SFU, but to an actual person.

While still undecided on whether I should add a minor to my jointmajor, I had somehow figured out who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Nearly 10 months have flown by since our wedding, and I would be lying if I said it’s been all sunshine and roses. Getting married young has been far from easy.

The first challenge hit me months before the wedding. While most of our friends, family, and acquaintances seemed to be happy for us, there were lots of comments like, “I remember when you were just a baby!” and “Wait, you’re how old?” and straight up, “Wow, you’re so young!”

Their comments were justifiable, considering we were tying the knot 10 years earlier than the average Canadian. But it was difficult to hear such shock and doubt regarding arguably the most important decision I have ever made.

I still remember having to send a few massive explanatory text messages, ones along the lines of, “No, it’s not arranged.

Yes, I know and actually love him.

No, my parents are not forcing me into this!” Having to prove and explain that I was choosing to marry someone I loved seemed redundant, unsettling, and absolutely necessary all at once.

Post-wedding involved a major transition from living with two parents, three rambunctious younger siblings, and an ever-present extended family, to life in a cozy little suite for two. The peace and quiet has been wonderful for the most part, but dealing with all the new responsibilities of having my own home, a new family — while still making time for my own family — all on top of school and work, has certainly been a struggle.

Yet all the anxiety, the tears, and the (very slightly) dropped GPA have been worth it. Becoming an adult is difficult, and though it doesn’t become easier when two people are growing up together, it’s an incredible feeling to know you don’t have to face life’s hardships on your own.

Phoebe Lim / The Peak

In a world where ‘living in the moment’ is a common mantra, marriage has allowed me to live in the future. Being able to dream about careers, life goals, travelling the world, and growing old, knowing that I have someone who has committed to hold my hand in hard times and laugh with me in good times is incredible.

Marriage has and continues to teach me incredible lessons about patience, forgiveness, and selflessness. It has allowed me to face my greatest vices in a safe space where I can share my struggles and receive constructive criticism from someone who is invested in making me a better person.

Living with my best friend has been a gift in itself. I love having a midnight pizza buddy, an on-call paper editor, a human pillow, and a permanent opponent for debates on issues ranging from ethics and morality to how I should fold my clothes.

Getting married young is not for everyone, and although my choice can be perceived as a rash teenaged decision, I know it’s one I will not regret.

It’s also been really nice to have someone do my laundry (sometimes) and clean my bathroom (always), because even my mom stopped doing that a few years ago.

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NEWS

June 1, 2015

news editor email

Melissa Roach associate news editor news@the-peak.ca

Samaah Jaffer

“Shaping Vancouver,” a panel discussion held on May 27, explored the meaning of neighbourhood character. The panelist included a local author, politician, businessman, community worker, and an architect. They addressed questions such as “What features give areas their distinctive character?” and “How can we ensure new development is responsive to the neighbourhood context?” The event was part of the City of Vancouver’s ongoing Heritage Action Plan.

SFU is the first Canadian university to accept the international digital currency, Bitcoin, in its bookstores.

SFU has partnered with Bitsent to place automated Bitcoin vending machines (AVMs) in the Burnaby, Surrey, and Vancouver campuses, unveiling the AVMs at ribbon cutting ceremonies on Tuesday, May 26 through to Thursday, May 28.

At the ribbon cutting event in Burnaby on Tuesday — where students were treated to a $5 gift card with any $20 purchase at least partially using Bitcoin — Mark McLaughlin, executive director of SFU’s Ancillary Services, explained that this will

allow students to try out Bitcoin, and explore a new technology.

“For us at the bookstore, it’s about SFU being a bold and innovative university,” he said. “We’re giving students the opportunity to try it out on a small scale.”

SFU had previously made the news as being the first Canadian university to accept Bitcoins for donations last September.

McLaughlin credited student initiative as the reason that SFU was willing to give Bitcoin a chance, noting the drive of the SFU Bitcoin Club.

“Students really persisted,” he said. “[The SFU Bitcoin Club] have been working hard at this, they’ve been working with us, they’ve been pushing us, and we want to respond to students. We’re here for students and we want to inspire them.

“A lot of students coming to SFU nowadays are passionate and want to change the world.

Well, maybe through Bitcoin, they’ll be able to change the world.”

As a decentralized digital currency, Bitcoin allows instantaneous transactions without the need for a debit or credit card, and is not held or regulated by any bank. For vendors, Bitcoin has fewer fees to process than for debit or credit cards.

“[Bitcoin] kind of makes you want to rethink about the concept of money, why it has value,” said SFU Bitcoin Club president Mike Leung, who founded the club in 2013. “Bitcoin has a lot of benefits over traditional currency and how it’s used.”

A student can purchase Bitcoins by downloading an app on their phone called a digital wallet.

With the wallet, students can put cash into the AVM — which has a six percent processing fee, two percent going to SFU, with the rest going to Bitsent — and receive the equivalent amount in Bitcoin. One Bitcoin, as of Thursday, May 27, is worth around $295 Canadian, but they can be purchased in fractions.

The nature of the Bitcoin means that its value can fluctuate in comparison to physical currencies, meaning that there is both a risk of devaluation for long term investors, and a possibility for investment — in November 2013, one Bitcoin reached an all time high price of $1,242 USD. However, Bitsent founder Leo Dominguez explained that the

volatility of Bitcoin is currently low enough that one can purchase Bitcoin and spend it without worrying about it devaluing between the time you hit the AVM and head to the checkout.

“Unless you’re holding the Bitcoin for several days, weeks, or months, you’re not exposed to the volatility,” he noted.

SFU is not taking any chances, though. Any purchase made in Bitcoin is immediately converted into Canadian dollars by the payment processor Bitpay.

McLaughlin sees the potential for other Ancillary Services establishments, such as SFU’s coffee shops, to adopt Bitcoin as well, if the bookstore’s acceptance of Bitcoin is a success.

However, he is adamant that there no plan to accept Bitcoin for tuition, despite student — and particularly international student — interest.

“Bitcoin is really brand new.

These things take time to work through the system, and we’ll see. Bitcoin’s here today, might be gone in a year, we don’t know,” McLaughlin said. “Right now, within the bookstore, [it’s] just to create a little environment so students can really test it out and see for themselves.”

On Wednesday May 27, volunteers from SFU Surrey enjoyed a morning outdoors as they participated in Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association’s annual community clean up, removing litter on the north end of 104 Avenue to 112 Street. The event ended with an appreciation barbeque luncheon for all the participants at Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre.

“Immigrant Seniors: What It Takes to Call Canada Home?” comprised of a screening and subsequent discussion on the documentary The Price of Reunion or Lessons in Happiness.

The event, hosted on May 26, was based on the 35-minute film, which explored the successes and challenges faced by immigrant seniors in Canada.

The discussion covered some of the latest policy changes and various ways to help new senior immigrants.

NEWS

Nearly 200 people gathered at Forest Grove Elementary on Wednesday, May 20 for a town hall meeting organized by Burnaby Residents Opposed to Kinder Morgan Expansion.

The crowd consisted of politicians, citizens, and members of community organizations who were united in their concern about the expansion of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline, which would be tunnelled through Burnaby Mountain.

Part of the project is an expansion of the Westridge terminal on the north side of Burnaby Mountain, and the addition of 14 new tanks to the Burnaby tank farm on the south side of the mountain.

Chris Bowcock, Burnaby’s deputy fire chief, said that this would increase the risk of a tank fire that could extend to outlying areas.

SFU hired a consulting company to review the Human Health Risk Assessment completed by Kinder Morgan. They issued a report that

June 1, 2015

concluded the assessment “did not evaluate the potential risk related to the spread of a fire to the surrounding forested area. This would lead to potentially greater risk to SFU from the smoke and emissions, and potential isolation of the campus by blockage of egress routes.”

While there has never been a major fire since the farm began operation in the ‘50s, the expansion would complicate the evacuation of Burnaby Mountain for the Burnaby Fire Department. In the scenario that a severe fire broke out, the department might be forced to close the only two access roads to Burnaby Campus, trapping people on Burnaby Mountain.

SFU’s chief safety officer, Terry Waterhouse, told Burnaby Now that there has been “minimal communication” between the university and Kinder Morgan regarding safety procedures in the event of an emergency on their facilities.

Wa t e r h o u s e said, “There is not a plan; there’s not a plan specific to that scenario. We would have to do what we call ‘shelter in place’ and keep people on the mountain.

“We need these issues addressed, and we will continue to push on in the process and be demanding of Kinder Morgan and Trans Mountain to provide the information we need as a community in a very unique geographic situation.”

Burnaby mayor Derek Corrigan was also present at the town hall.

He expressed disappointment in the National Energy Board’s (NEB) approval process and reiterated his

commitment to stop the project.

Corrigan stated, “[ We’re] going to go to court with clean hands and ensure we’ve done everything humanly possible before I stand with you, and probably 10,000 other people, and get arrested to stop this.”

The Tsleil-Waututh Nation recently launched a suit to the federal court of appeals and were granted leave on four claims that the NEB hearings did not adequately consult with the First

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Nations. Carleen Thomas, who represented the nation at the event, argued that “this is not right.

Canadian citizens should not have to take their governments to court to make them do their job.”

The Peak contacted Kinder Morgan for comment and they stated via email response that they “respect the forums individuals and groups have created to discuss the expansion.” They say they have consulted with Aboriginal groups, environmental organizations, and municipal governments among others as part of their “comprehensive stakeholder engagement program.”

SFU biomedical physiology and kinesiology professor Angela Brooks-Wilson spoke to The Peak about diluted bitumen, or “dilbit,” the form of crude oil transported through the pipeline.

A material safety data sheet for dilbit reveals that it is a carcinogen, flammable, toxic, mutagenic (able to cause birth defects), and can affect fertility and “enter lungs and cause damage.” In the event of a spill or fire, Brooks-Wilson noted that toxic fumes could linger in the air for days afterwards.

However, a report published by the Trans Mountain project found that “the characteristics of dilbit are not unique and are comparable to conventional crude oils.”

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6 NEWS

The men’s golf team wrapped a historic season where they notched their first Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) title with a playoff loss at the NCAA Division National Championship in Conover, North Carolina.

Entering the tournament ranked sixth nationally, SFU placed fifth in the opening three days of stroke play, moving on to the match play round, which featured the top eight teams and ultimately decided the national champion.

The Clan opened the stroke play competition on Monday, May 18, shooting their worst round of the tournament with a combined score of 289 (+5). Sophomore Kevin Vigna and freshman Chris Crisologo led the team with an even par performance.

On both days two and three, the team shot shot 285 (+1), moving to fifth place, and thus securing a playoff spot. Crisologo led the team putting up a -2 over the three days, being tied for eighth individually and shooting the best round of any Clan golfer during the stroke play competition with a 69 (-2) on the second day.

A motion put forward by VP external relations Kathleen Yang on May 29, proposed a traditional Coast Salish cedar brushing ceremony for the SFSS board offices. The traditional ceremony will serve to cleanse the space and acknowledge that the offices are located on unceded Coast Salish territory.

The ceremony is to take place on Monday, June 1. The requested honorarium will go towards purchasing a gift for the people who perform the ceremony, as is traditional in Coast Salish culture.

Communications coordinator Irma Arkus spoke about a tentative strategy to consistently and effectively engage students. She pointed out SFU clubs days as a prime opportunity for collecting

June 1, 2015

Sophomore Alan Tolusso was one of the pleasant surprises of the stroke play round. The only member of the five who wasn’t part of the conference title-winning team, and having missed much of the regional championship due to illness, Tolusso was the second-best Clan golfer with +1, shooting even in the final two rounds.

SFU, the second GNAC team to ever make it to the top-eight playoff round, was paired up against Saint Leo University, who were ranked seventh going into the tournament, in the quarterfinal. Though St. Leo shot 290 (+6) on days one and three, a tournament best 278 (-6), put them a spot ahead of the Clan.

For the match play round, each of the five players were

feedback and creating a database of information.

“It’s easier for them to come to you than for you to go to them,” Arkus explained. “Engagement is not just about having personal conversations [. . . it’s] about building a body of knowledge.”

Arkus suggested weekly engagement reports from each board member to ensure all clubs and student organizations are being reached.

Executive director Colleen Knox added, “What this allows us to do is to reduce inefficiencies in the organization,” and to avoid “reinventing the wheel” every summer by compiling data to work from for the incoming board.

Board members discussed their experience of engaging with students at events such as clubs days. VP student services Darwin Binesh said of approaching members, “That first time, when I go and introduce myself, I’m not doing it from the perspective of collecting information. I’m doing it from the perspective of establishing a relationship.”

paired up against a player from St. Leo. In match play, a win nets the team a point, while a tie nets both teams half a point.

Though much of the rounds were close, Crisologo earned the Clan their only win, with the team finishing with one and a half points to St. Leo’s three and a half.

Senior John Mlikotic and Tolusso both lost their match by one stroke, while junior Bret Thompson lost by two strokes despite putting up the second best score for the Clan. Vigna earned the only tie of the round. Crisologo, the SFU victor of the round, won by a 13 stroke margin, putting up his best round with a 68 (-3).

“As a team we did solid. A couple of guys kind of held us in,” said Mlikotic. “I know there were some

guys, myself included, that didn’t have our best stuff that week, but all said and done [. . .] we did well and can’t really complain about the performance there.”

Mlikotic struggled through the first day of stroke play, putting up a 78 (+7). However, he improved each day, scoring a 73 (-2) on Tuesday, and a 70 (-1) on day three, which moved him up 24 spots on the leaderboard.

For Mlikotic, the tournament marked his final round with SFU, having wrapped up his last year of NCAA eligibility.

“It was a little bittersweet.

I would have liked to have keep moving on in the match play tournament but that being said, [. . .] I look back at it, it’s memories I will have for a lifetime.

Health sciences rep Larissa Chen added that people are more hesitant to answer questions and engage in conversation when approached by someone with a clipboard.

President Enoch Weng noted that this may be more of an internal issue and a matter of communicating with each other. He suggested that it is less about a lack of engagement and more about circulating data to all board members.

society’s minute taker, who currently must attend several weekly meetings. They then would only have to listen for pertinent information and need not include the sometimes lengthy discussion revolving around agenda items.

Arkus reasoned that this would make the minute taker’s job easier, as they would not need to be physically present at all society meetings. “This position is horrible. It’s the worst job in the world,” she said.

A proposal to update the minute taking process for the whole society was brought to the table for discussion. The proposed changes involve recording audio of all board of directors, committee, and council meetings, and making them available online to the membership.

This would make the SFSS more accessible to the visually impaired, in addition to relieving some of the burden on the

This meeting was the last ever for long time staff member Colleen Knox. She is leaving her position of Executive Director for the society after years with the society. She thanked the board for the goodbye party they threw for her: “I had a really good time and I was on cloud nine all night.”

Weng said on behalf of the board, “We’re so thankful for you being here. [. . .] We wouldn’t be in the place we are today without your help.”

VP Academic and provost John Driver made a report to the SFU board of governors at their May 28 meeting on the current status of the closure of the Louis Riel House (LRH) residence.

Of the 211 units, only 120 remain occupied to date, with the remainder to be moved out by the end of the summer. All residents will be compensated the amount of one month’s rent to aid in the transition.

The university has promised to provide assistance to students who request it based on need.

Those who remain eligible for LRH residency will be assisted until the time that their original lease would have expired.

For those that cannot or are not eligible to be placed in other accommodations on residence, for the remainder of their lease (which is valid up to four years maximum), the university will provide financial aid with consideration of the difference between LRH rent and average rental rates in off-campus areas. Students with families will be given priority to be placed in housing in UniverCity.

In response to concerns as to how to prevent a similar situation from occurring, Driver assured the board that nothing like this would happen again in the near future.

“We have a much better process in place now with the board of governors to actually set accommodation rates or rents that are appropriate to the kind of accommodation, that provide significant investment in the building, so that we don’t get into this situation we got into with Louis Riel House, where the revenues that we generate aren’t sufficient to maintain the building.”

NEWS

An SFU student is making the streets of downtown Surrey a little bit more cheerful.

In her second year in SFU’s School of Interactive Arts and Technology, student Nancy Chen won Surrey’s 2015 Public Art Street Banner Design competition with her entry, “Cycle.”

Research at SFU has revealed that the decline in global shark and ray catches is not the result of improved conservation

June 1, 2015

Chen’s banner was chosen out of 44 designs produced by 21 different artists. It features a white fish and an orange fish on a bright blue background. Banners with her design have been hung on 150 street light poles in Surrey — and she has already noticed some while walking around the city.

The competition’s theme was “water is life.” Chen decided she wanted to go further than that, inspired by water’s ability to promote change and growth.

“I thought that water itself creates a community,” Chen said. “And I wanted to communicate a sense of togetherness and harmony.”

Drawing inspiration from local wildlife, the design includes a white killer whale and an orange salmon.

Both, she explained, symbolize different phases of life: “The white [whale] represents purity and when there is new life, everything is really pure. Orange represents growth and aging.”

efforts, but instead the consequence of population declines.

In 2012, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations released a report showing an overall decrease of almost 20 per cent in reported catches since 2003.

However, the report didn’t look into why these decreases were observed; it was assumed that they were the result of improved fishing management.

Lindsay Davidson, a PhD candidate in the department

Chen added that the animals are arranged like the yinyang symbol to represent how all forms of life are intertwined. “[Marine life] won’t be able to flourish without rich water resources,” she said, “and the same goes for us.”

The artist hopes her colourful banners will cheer up passersby, especially on windy days when

of biological sciences, tested this hypothesis by studying 126 countries between 2003, the peak year in reported shark and ray catches, and 2007.

Davidson explained, “We looked at the fishing pressures and the types of management that the country had implemented, and then we tried to see what correlated with the decline in sharks and rays catch.”

Through the use of modeling, they were able to compare

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the fish look like they are swimming. She added that public art is important to her, as it makes the streets more welcoming. “It feels like people actually care. [. . .] There are actually people who want to make the space look nicer.

There’s an ongoing effort.”

Chen’s experience in the competition has taught her three key things: do lots of

research and sketches, have a strong concept, and remember, “You won’t know until you try!”

She expressed gratitude for the recognition and $2,500 in prize money, saying that she sees this as a stepping stone in her design career.

“I finally got a grip on the edge of what I want to do,” Chen said. “It’s a firm grip, so I can continue forward.”

each country’s reported catches with their fisheries management performance and ecosystem attributes to determine which factors were playing a key role in the catch decline.

Using this data they uncovered important information about not only the reason for the decline, but also what it means for chondrichthyans, the class that includes sharks and rays, around the globe.

of catches are not reported to a species level. As Davidson explained, “That doesn’t give us a lot of information about what is being caught.”

As more profitable fisheries decline, it is possible that more species of sharks will be targeted; this has been observed with the blue fin shark which has seen a 60,000 ton increase in catch rate. However, Davidson explained that while there is currently little regulation, there is still an opportunity to sustainably manage the blue fin shark and other species currently at risk.

She hopes that her research will encourage other researchers and NGOs to motivate governments to implement management tools that work.

“Sustainable fishing is possible. We have seen populations that have rebounded after some sort of strictly enforced scientifically based management measures have been put into place, so we know that this is something that is possible.”

Davidson added, “We just need to keep working towards it.”

Davidson commented that the decline “was likely driven by overfishing. We found that attributes such as indirect fishing population meat export was [. . .] associated with countries reporting a decline.”

The study also showed that there are flaws associated with the reporting of shark and ray catches because over a quarter

8 NEWS

Right in line with SFU’s mandate to engage the world, the Beedie School of Business is extending its reach by introducing a new program: the Executive MBA Northwestern BC. The new program, which will commence this fall and take place in Prince Rupert, is specifically tailored to providing the business and management skills needed for industries such as extractive resources, engineering, liquefied natural gas, and other related industries.

Mark Selman, the program director, stated that there is a high demand for business and management skills in Northwestern BC. “The Executive MBA Northwestern BC program will focus on giving students extraordinary skills in business, logistics, and

June 1, 2015

management — skills that are required for today’s competitive market. We also want our students to gain the entrepreneurial skills required for expanding BC’s industries and to provide economic development for First Nations,” said Selman.

The three-year program will take place at specific training institutions, colleges, and other various locations in Prince Rupert, Terrace, and Kitimat. However, students will also be able to attend lectures through virtual classrooms.

Selman explained, “Prince Rupert is the ideal location because its economy is one of the central points in global trade networks. It is a fast growing economy, and this is due to

U of A alumni participates in Mongol Rally A University of Alberta graduate is participating in a 10,000 mile trek through Europe this summer as part of the Mongol Rally, travelling from England to Mongolia in what he describes as “the shittest rolling turd of a car you can find” while raising money for charity.

The organizers of the rally heavily limit the vehicle used to encourage a true sense of adventure, but have left the rest, including the time span and the route taken, up to the participants.

Michael Gutfreund, a business school graduate and accountant, will be joining five other friends to form a team called the Rocky Mountaineers, and will start the trip this coming July.

Prince Rupert’s port and how low its shipping costs are.

“There are also a lot of communities in Northwestern BC that need training in business and management,” he continued. “Workers and management often have experience in different areas such as mining, forestry, or hydroelectric power, but they’re lacking graduate-level business knowledge. We want to be able to provide this knowledge to people working so that we can see these emerging economies succeed in competitive markets.”

SFU’s Beedie School of Business has offered an MBA similar to this one in the Northern BC in previous years.

“In the past, we have offered programs in Terrace and Kitimat. We want individuals to not only have experience in these industries, but to have proper training in business and management so they can meet the demands of new projects,” said Selman.

The courses included in this program are similar to other MBA programs, involving topics on accounting, marketing, economics, leadership, finance, policy, and governance. However, this program is primarily focused on applying these topics to BC’s northwestern industries and course work will include traditional learning, case studies, and simulations.

Courses will be taught by a team of SFU’s distinguished professors who specialize in business, marketing, finance, resource management, organization, and strategy.

While the program has had many applicants with backgrounds in science and engineering, the entry qualifications are not restricted to people who have studied those disciplines.

“There are a number of students with science and engineering backgrounds who’ve applied, but this doesn’t mean that prospective applicants require a degree in science or engineering,” emphasized Selman.

“Ideally, students will have an undergraduate degree, some professional experience, and a desire to further their skills.”

Over 50 vehicles vandalized in U of S parking lot break-in Vandals struck the University of Saskatchewan’s residence parking lot between the night of Friday, May 8 and the following morning, damaging and looting more than 50 vehicles.

The recent attack raised a large voice of concern among students and staff, citing both the frequency of these attacks over the past few years and the lack of action on the university’s part.

Although cameras are being installed and security increased, residents claim that oncampus vandals are one of the many problems that plague those living in residence, including the lack of maintenance and family facilities.

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Cape Breton admin advocate for free tuition Faculty, students, and administration at Cape Breton University (CBU) have called upon the federal and provincial government to provide free tuition, and have signed a letter asking for dialogue at the federal level.

CBU’s president David Wheeler recommends “the removal of student tuition altogether, funded by a system of progressive taxation at the federal level, and backed by needs-based living expense grants at the provincial level.”

While he does admit that education is a provincial responsibility, the fact that they are “struggling to keep their universities afloat” calls for increased funding from the federal government.

With files from The Sheaf With files from The Gateway

With files from The Chronicle Herald

OPINIONS

[SPOILER ALERT: The following article discusses the events of Game of Thrones Season 5, Episode 6: “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken,” and includes spoilers for the rest of the series.]

The television show Game of Thrones brings about images of violence, gore, and abuse.

The show is explicit and ruthless in depicting a power struggle for the iron throne of the seven kingdoms.

“Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken,” a recent episode which aired May 17, details a tragic turn of events for Sansa Stark, who, after being married to the cruel and torturous Ramsay Bolton, is brutally raped by him on their wedding night, while her father’s former ward Theon Greyjoy is forced to watch.

The scene sparked an outcry among fans who claimed that the scene deviated from the book’s plotline; it was deemed by many as gratuitous

opinions editor email

June 1, 2015

and unnecessary. Many argued that Sansa, after having suffered so much in the series, was being set up for redemption and strength this season only to have that character development torn down.

However, while that scene may have been gratuitous, it definitely resonated with audiences. While it didn’t advance the narrative that had been built up for Sansa’s character, the scene was representative of the quiet endurance of women who are sexually assaulted all over the world.

Sansa embodies the ideals of femininity — she is courteous, beautiful, well-mannered. She therefore seems somewhat out of place amongst the rest of the Game of Thrones characters — many of whom are skilled fighters or leaders who know how to defend themselves and stand up for what they believe in. Some viewers have even argued Sansa is a useless character because she doesn’t actually do anything to advance the series’ premise.

But Sansa is just as strong as the masculine fighters in the

series; her strength lies in her ability to persevere and endure through her misfortunes.

She is put into hopeless circumstances time and again, being continuously manipulated by others around her.

She watched her father be beheaded, was betrothed to the ruthless King Joffrey, and is now in an equally dangerous marriage with Ramsay Bolton.

But each time she has suffered, she has silently processed her abuse and moved on. This is what so many women who suffer do, and it is a form of strength all on its own. Many victims of of sexual assault keep silent not only out of fear, but so they can survive.

So while Sansa does not brandish a shining sword to slay her enemies, her resolve and perseverance is ultimately what characterizes her. Her rape may have been tough to watch, as she has already gone through so much, but she is still a survivor.

The show’s depiction of sexual violence, while created for shock value, also serves as a sobering reminder of those who constantly endure abuse on a daily basis, and how their resolve may make them the strongest people of all.

Adam Van der Zwan opinions@the-peak.ca

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Their eyes are bright and attentive like sugar-obsessed tots in a candy store. A choir of buzzing cell phones scream for attention but go unanswered in the dark void of lint-filled pockets. The crowd hangs on to every word you say enthralled like never before.

To say that this meeting for your pitch is going well would be an understatement; you, my friend, are killing it. Your pitch for the company is more addictive than Smurf-blue Heisenberg

Meth. These people want a hit of it harder than a right-cross from Mike Tyson.

You’ve crafted a speech so ice cold, dry ice can’t touch it.

If they nodded their heads any more than they already had, you’d swear they were listening to the guitar solo from “Bohemian Rhapsody” right behind your back. Dedication and hard work has led you to this beautiful culminating incident. You eat steak tonight, baby!

Oh, for Pete’s sake, people.

We just got rid of Glee. Three whole months have yet to go by. We haven’t had nearly enough time to celebrate that abomination’s cancellation.

And now we have to be forcibly graced with another painstaking Pitch Perfect film.

This is why we can’t have nice things. Musicals were always terrible enough to experience (with the exception of Muppet Treasure Island; that shit ruled) but

now a second shoe has dropped: a capella.

It’s like beatboxing’s crazy aunt who used to gargle with mercury. It’s the only type of singing that makes yodelling actually appealing to listen to. If I wanted to listen to a good cover of today’s Top 40 — I can’t believe I’m about to say this — I’d rather listen to Kidz Bop. Yes, Anna Kendrick is in the movie, but frankly that is just not enough to sway me. So count me out, pitches.

10 OPINIONS

From basic communication tools to space exploration, the strides made yearly in science and technology are absolutely astounding to say the least. With Artificial Intelligence (AI) developments, societies around the world must now come to terms with its implications in the long run.

AI is a double-edged sword; it poses great benefits, but also big threats to the human condition in various ways.

June 1, 2015

Researchers at the Italian Institute of Technology have developed a robot known as iCub, an humanoid robot with movable limbs, a cognitive infrastructure and facial expressions to boot. The thought of having

something so close to an actual person may seem progressive at first, however, I’m personally terrified of such a development. Even watching a video of the iCub’s facial expressions creeped me out.

It could be argued that this kind of AI means that humans can hopefully be relieved of the dirt, danger, and monotonies of life. However, this has the potential to create a very empty and sterile world.

Think about those who do not have the privilege to ignore said dirt, danger, and monotony too; they will be gravely disadvantaged. Being human is about more than being efficient, but unfortunately we continuously make this the benchmark for a worthwhile life.

Researchers in the UK have developed these robots to “learn” from one another and work autonomously. This makes me wary. The abilities machines are endowed with may become the very reason they disadvantage us in the future. It only takes one

bad idea to be passed on from one robot to the next, and the next thing you know we have a scene from The Terminator.

There is something to be said whenever we fervently seek to humanize machines. Isn’t it already bad enough that smartphones reduce human interaction to the extent that they do? To overdevelop machines feeds into an anti-social agenda that we may not be able to fully grasp in the short run. We must draw the line somewhere.

Having moved from a developing country to Canada, where

of youthful passions to avoid the harsh realities of the world.

I get this. As a journalist, I spend a sizeable chunk of my time desperately trying to get people to care about complicated, sometimes depressing stuff, when I’d likely have an easier time writing listicles about what your favourite Avenger tells you about your love life. Most science fiction and fantasy is meant to make money, and it’s usually easier to get people to see your movie when it doesn’t remind you of ISIS, ebola, police brutality, or One Direction’s inevitable breakup.

But there’s a big difference between criticizing the shallowness of big-budget vehicles like Transformers, and criticizing entire genres.

Though bad sci-fi and fantasy are certainly not unheard of, I’d argue that our growing fascination with stories about dungeons, dragons, space explorers, and time travel doesn’t signify any significant shift in our tastes. After all, we still pay to hear stories about people.

As the adage goes, great science fiction tells us more about our present than its future — look no further than films like Her or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Children of Men for examples of films that use fantastical premises to reflect our actual world, and to tell us more about it.

In a recent interview, Simon Pegg — star of Spaced and Shaun of the Dead, and honourary patron saint of nerds everywhere — became yet another voice in a chorus of those lamenting the supposed decline of our society.

“Part of me looks at society as it is now and just thinks we’ve been infantilised [sic] by our own taste,” he told Radio Times in an interview last week. “Films used to be about challenging, emotional journeys [. . .] Now we’re walking out of the cinema really not thinking about anything,

other than the fact that the Hulk just had a fight with a robot.”

It’s surprising that Pegg, someone who has sunk decades of his life into science fiction and general geekdom, has managed to miss the point of science fiction so entirely.

His comments aren’t unprecedented — in fact, the complaint that science fiction and fantasy are somehow “childish” or regressive has about as long a history as the genres themselves.

It just hurts to hear it from someone I thought was on our side.

Admittedly, there’s a kernel of truth to Pegg’s complaints, which he further explained in a kneejerk reactionary blog post on his unfortunately named website, Peggster. “The more spectacle becomes the driving creative priority, the less thoughtful or challenging the films can become,” he clarified, citing theory by the philosopher Jean Baudrillard which argues that we are compelled to retreat to the escapism

Even the film Avengers: Age of Ultron, which Pegg slyly references in his original interview as an example of Hollywood sci-fi excess, is deeper than it might seem. The film’s villain, a superintelligent cyborg, rises to power via the Internet and the surveillance it affords him,

technology is the center of numerous daily functions, I can say from experience that life often becomes too mechanical for my liking. On numerous occasions I have gone days without talking to anyone because, quite simply, I didn’t have to. For each of my daily tasks there is an app, machine, or scanner.

This can be socially damaging, especially as it is not easy to understand the differences in carrying out daily tasks if one is accustomed to relying on technology for everything.

It may sound as if I am techshaming developed nations, but the issue is bigger than that.

Technology inarguably enhances various aspects of life, like accuracy and reduced time wastage.

However, take a moment to think about what it means for society to perpetually try to save time. Life becomes a race to fill up as much of that time as possible, rather than to holistically experience it.

Despite the will to advance pushing us to new heights, a level of moderation should be practiced in order to maintain our sanity as a species. Artificial Intelligence could potentially relieve us of everything that makes us human.

a commentary on our information-driven, NSA-dominated era.

Its characters also boast arcs more complex than those of your average romantic comedy or thriller.

These genres aren’t inherently limited in their capacity to tell stories that are morally, structurally, and ideologically complex. Strip away the orcs and the supercomputers, and you’ll find that most scifi and fantasy are about what most fiction is generally about — namely, what it’s like to be alive, be it on Earth or in Middle-earth.

I don’t buy that the geekification of the Western world has somehow infantilized us or led us to avoid what’s really important. If anything, it’s a sign that we’ve become more willing to hear stories about the same key issues and ideas, but told in a new and unique way.

OPINIONS

June 1, 2015

We’ve all lost someone close to us. The reality of loss is that it is an uncontrollable force.

Death is a hurricane that tears people and their surroundings apart, disorienting the course of their life. As devastating as it is, though, there is always hope for recovery and positivity.

What I believe to be the most important step in dealing with loss is to simply allow yourself to grieve. Bottling up your distress, pushing your support system away or avoiding the reality of what has happened are

all harmful setbacks that could potentially turn a short-term grieving period into a longterm problem, like chronic anxiety or depression.

As a person who deals with mild anxiety, I noticed that it spiked uncontrollably after the recent passing of a dear friend.

No one can prepare themselves for this sort of loss and its buckling effects. Even when you think you see it coming, it’s still a heartbreaking shock.

That’s why it’s important to let yourself mourn — cry and cry some more, and make sure to watch your favorite Nicholas Sparks movie ( A Walk to Remember being mine) in your giraffe onesie with a tub of Ben & Jerry’s.

The second piece of advice I offer might make you roll your eyes, but it works: get active. Leave the bed you’ve been overthinking and sobbing in for the past week and a half and get your gym gear on. Depending on your stage of grief you could be in the mood for kickboxing, hot yoga, or a cool morning run.

Whatever the case, exercise is vital in keeping your body and mind producing endorphins, especially during times of loss. It’s important to choose something that you enjoy. Personally, I revel in tennis and morning runs. I find that when I stay active I feel more empowered, alive, and ready to conquer my day. It brings stability and clarity to my life even when it seems impossible.

The truth is that there is no simple solution or anecdote to relieve the pain of losing a loved one. At first, you may just need to take life one hour at a time, thinking of the ones you’ve lost, remembering them often. You’ll hear their voice fangirling over their favorite band on the radio, when you reach for the phone to call them with good news, or when the good memories that they have left behind wash over you.

Eventually, I guarantee that their memory will bring a smile to your face and warmth to your heart because they will always be with you, and will wish for you nothing but a beautiful, loving, and peaceful life.

A damning report authored by former Supreme Court Justice Marie Deschamps has exposed the pervasive sexual misconduct in Canada’s Armed Forces. She blames both a “sexualized culture” that “is hostile to women,” as well as the lack of action on behalf of military leadership regarding the issue.

A similar article authored

by Maclean’s claimed that only one in 10 incidents of military sexual assault are reported, while each day, the article estimates, there are about five incidents of sexual misconduct in the military.

Canada’s armed forces currently deny the scope and pervasiveness of the problem.

General Tom Lawson, Chief of Defence Staff, has said that he doesn’t believe “that sexual misconduct is any part of [their] military culture.”

Military culture centers on a fraternal camaraderie rather than an equitable partnership in which women can engage. Those who break rank and speak out about abuses and injustices compromise that fraternity, and thus are treated with hostility and discrimination. The military therefore is inherently biased towards turning a blind eye towards wrongdoing of any kind in order to maintain the facade that its members are moral vanguards.

This sentiment is echoed in the oft-repeated platitude, “we need to support our troops”: the unsaid implication here is that our troops must be vehemently defended. It implies that its numbers are infallible.

Because of the misogyny and sexism that male members perpetuate, this culture disproportionately impacts women, who are most likely to be victims of such abuse.

This culture is not limited to

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the Armed Forces. In 2013, The Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario received complaints from more than 10 women who reported sexual harassment committed by more senior cadets. The College’s Board of Governors was notified about this issue, yet, allegedly, no action was taken.

The impunity that these sexual offenders face in the college foreshadows the impunity they will certainly be privileged with when they join the Armed Forces.

Recently, former Canadian military medic James Wilks was found guilty of 10 counts of sexual assault and 15 counts of breach of trust, and was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Wilks now walks free after a judge ruled he could remain as such until his appeal is heard. This proceeding in military court illustrates the complacency with which sexual misconduct is handled.

If a culture of sexual violence pervades the military, it is logical that military courts operate the same way. Civilian courts, while littered with their own issues, would be superior arbiters of justice in these cases.

Deschamps’s report makes 10 recommendations on how to improve the way in which the military deals with sexual misconduct, however, so far only two have been have been fully accepted. One of the unaccepted recommendations advises the creation of an independent agency for victims in the military to seek advice and support, and lodge complaints.

General Lawson has been critical of such an agency becoming independent of the Chief of Defence Staff. This tepid response only highlights the sexism ingrained in Canada’s military. The fight to get the military to stop protecting rapists and sexual harassers and to start protecting victims of abuse will drag on unless leaders get their priorities in order.

Until then, for female soldiers, sexual and verbal abuse will be just another threat in an already dangerous occupation.

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ARTS

From May 20–30, In a Forest, Dark and Deep brought intrigue and mystery to the Havana Theatre.

Presented by Naked Goddess Productions and directed by Tamara McCarthy, the Western Canadian premiere of this show provided an intimate glance into the intricacies of sibling relationships.

The play, written by Neil LaBute, takes its inspiration from the classic tale of Hansel and Gretel, but is told in a modern setting. The play itself has an overall dark tone, with a plot based around characters Betty and Bobby attempting to untangle one another’s secrets. There is a definite vilification of both characters throughout the piece, with a strong emphasis on the darkness within Betty, a dean at a college who is married with children. Her brother, Bobby, seems both hero and

The original movie is better.

I know that is probably not what you’re wondering about as you go into 2015’s Poltergeist since most of the time remakes don’t hold a candle to their original. Usually, if a movie’s remade, it’s a classic, or at least enough people would call it something worth remaking. But it’s hard to capture that magic twice, and generally the remake just tries to update the original for modern times, with modern filmmaking techniques (CGI, jump scares, etc.), which usually suck away that magic.

I wouldn’t be quite so hard with the new Poltergeist, as it was watchable and decently entertaining — a lot of these remakes like the 2010 version of A Nightmare on Elm Street are just downright

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June 1, 2015

antagonist as secrets are revealed throughout the narrative.

With such intricate writing comes a great level of difficulty for the actors involved. Both Carlo Marks (Bobby) and Sandra Medeiros (Betty) managed the task well.

Marks delivered a breathtaking performance: each discovery

awful and annoying. But at the end of the day, this film feels more like a mediocre Insidious ripoff than its 1982 original.

In this version, the Bowen family move into a new house in the suburbs. When the father Eric (Sam Rockwell) is laid off from his job, they have to “settle” for some crappy house the whole family hates — although it’s bigger than any townhouse I’ve ever

Tessa Perkins arts@the-peak.ca

was met with an intense, engaging reaction. His interpretation of the brutish blue-collar carpenter was at once relatable and infuriating in the best possible way. All at once, his portrayal made one want to both slap him, and give him a cup of tea and a warm blanket.

Medeiros counterbalanced Marks quite well. Her portrayal

of Betty was very engaging. However, I felt the character was missing a basic humanity and relatability, which may have been the fault of the writing, or of interpretation. Despite this, Medeiros gave a strong performance of her deep and flawed character.

The lighting, done by Graham Ockley, worked extremely well

on the beautiful, intricate set designed by Triane Tambay. Even in the blackbox theatre of the Havana, the stage looked amazing at all times, the set effortlessly transporting the audience into a cabin deep in the woods.

An interesting use of parallelism shown through costuming comes about as Bobby removes a flannel button up shirt to reveal a grey tee, jeans, and brown work boots, in contrast to Betty’s more chic grey long-sleeve, expensive denim jeans, and heeled brown boots. At once, the characters reflected the flaws in one another, while also showing their stark differences.

The play speaks to the intense nature of relationships, and provides a commentary on the practice of manipulation.

Questioning morality and the connections of familial bonds, I n a Forest, Dark and Deep keeps audiences interested with its constant revelations as the narrative twists and turns. An exercise in exploring the dynamics of pain, healing, truth, and lies in a patriarchal culture, the play is certainly dark, and extraordinarily deep.

seen, and even has a decentsized yard.

The son is scared of everything, the youngest daughter fulfills the typical three- to five-year-oldchild who talks to the ghosts as if they’re imaginary friends, there’s the selfish teenage sister., and the mother mothers.

But it turns out the house is built on top of a graveyard, where someone moved the tombstones but not

the bodies. Now there are ghosts.

The youngest daughter gets lured into the ghost world and communicates through the TV, and the family wants her back.

So they hire university paranormal researchers who then get some British ghost hunter (Jared Harris) who has a TV show that’s a parody of Ghost Hunters to get back their daughter.

That’s the plot. The first thing is, you don’t really care about the characters — they’re a stock horror family. One of the things that was effective about the original is they built up characters that you care about. It wasn’t Oscar-level characterization, but they felt like a real family; when the ghosts took the girl, the pain felt real, relatable. Here, they’re just going through the motions.

Of the actors, the only one doing anything really interesting is Sam Rockwell. Even though he’s just playing the stock dad character, he seems to be doing something interesting for the first half of the movie. Too bad he has nothing to do once the ghosts come.

The whole subplot of the family being poor and maxing out their credit cards seems entirely unnecessary. It doesn’t build toward anything, it doesn’t have any bearing on the plot. Perhaps it’s supposed to make them more relatable, or drive home the theme of family somehow, but overall scenes like the dad maxing out the credit card at the Home Hardware knockoff store just detracted from the film.

And the family’s house is not the kind of house you move into if you have no income earners.

Overall the movie isn’t offensive — though there are annoying things like the reality TV angle, the movie ending with some rock song, and the CGI. It’s a decent enough horror movie, especially when comparing it to a lot of the “found footage” movies. But it’s just another one of the pack.

You’re probably as well off seeing Insidious 3.

That being said, if you’re like me — the kind of person who’d watch a mediocre but decently entertaining horror movie — then you’ll probably walk out somewhat satisfied.

ARTS

A seasoned escaper and first-timer try to solve their way out of an escape room in Gastown

Real life escape rooms, a concept created by programmers in Silicon Valley, have now made their way to Richmond, Vancouver, and Burnaby. More than 10 escape rooms have popped up around the Lower Mainland, leading to a lot of local hype.

The Peak got the chance to check out SmartyPantz in Gastown, conveniently located just half a block from SFU Woodward’s.

SmartyPantz has five different themed rooms: Dream’scape, Doomed Submarine, Spies and Lies, Thirst For Murder, and Morning Never Comes, which Priscilla and Monica tackled together.

June 1, 2015

I’ve done over 15 escape rooms now, all over the world. Smartypantz has the same concept as an escape room, but the objective is not to find an exit to the room, but to progress through the whole storyline. Monica and I had the chance to do Morning Never Comes. It’s the lowest difficulty level of the rooms that they offer, with a recommended minimum of four people to a maximum of eight people.

The decor of the lobby and waiting room had a vintage retro feel.

With giant Jenga and lots of puzzle books and other puzzles to fiddle with, a group would have no trouble killing time as they waited to get into the room and waited for the rest of their members to arrive.

The staff were very friendly, from arriving at the location to beginning the room. The staff helper was called a “host” who spoke and dressed the part being played. Once in the room, you get a walkie-talkie that allows you to communicate with the host, and they remain in character throughout. This is really awesome, as it adds to the atmosphere; however, it can also be extremely tedious

as you have to ask specifically for the hint that you want.

As for the room, the decor is probably in the top three of all the rooms I’ve ever done. It was well-detailed, it fit the theme, and made you really feel like you were in the right setting. There were a couple of things that weren’t glued down (you could tell they were supposed to be), but other than that, the decor for Morning Never Comes was on point.

Upon entering the room, there was no real sense of where to start.

The clues weren’t so difficult as to not think to do anything; however, from the host’s words you didn’t really know what to do. The puzzles seemed linear, but they weren’t. The dim light in the room made it quite difficult to solve certain puzzles.

There were quite a few red herrings as well, which were tedious compared to other escape rooms.

Overall, it was a good experience. Smartypantz has rooms that are more about the story than looking for items and finding combinations, which is a nice change of pace for the escape room scene. I for one will be returning shortly for a shot at their most difficult room with a larger group of people.

As a first-time escape room attendee, I certainly had apprehensions. I wasn’t sure how much I liked the idea of being locked in a small room, with or without company.

After signing safety wavers, a staff member arrived in character to give us our room orientation. The room, Morning Never Comes, is a paranormal investigation where a murdered woman is haunting her former home.

Priscilla, a seasoned escaper, clarified that nothing would jump out at us, although I was still concerned about feeling claustrophobic. In the end, it was a moot point. The room we played, although not large, was spacious for two people.

Most of Smartypantz’s rooms (save for one larger room) are designed to hold up to eight players, but I would think even six would have felt crowded in Morning Never Comes.

Although the staff member’s characterization was well-done and fun, I felt the

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“mission” was a bit vague. Unlike what I’d been told about escape rooms — where you literally have to find the exit — this was more like solving a mystery. We were given the room’s back-story so quickly that I felt I barely absorbed it before we were launched into searching the room. I was following Priscilla’s lead, but we both felt the puzzle was a bit vague and not intended for just two people. We spent 20 minutes hunting for the first piece of the puzzle, and ended up contacting our Paranormal Investigator via walkietalkie for a hint. He also used the line to broadcast moodsetting ‘paranormal’ noise as well as answer questions.

The atmosphere of the room was very well done, although poorly lit, and the puzzle was unique. However, the price point of all these escape rooms is quite steep for a 45-60 minute game. Even though we failed to “put the ghost’s spirit to rest,” I enjoyed the experience and would like to try another escape room.

14 ARTS

2015 was looking like a horrible year for movies. The first six months saw some tremendous disappointments like Michael Mann’s clichéd Blackhat, the Wachowski’s stupid Jupiter Ascending , and Joss Whedon’s mind-numbing Avengers: Age of Ultron. I also managed to sit through Fifty Shades of Grey .

No comment.

Despite my initial cynicism, though, this year seems to be turning around. It’s produced the blockbuster Mad Max: Fury Road, and also these five hidden gems (ranked in order of preference) which have managed to fly under the radar.

Me and Earl and The Dying Girl If Me and Earl and The Dying Girl were a person, I would

Suplex, the latest offering from Ottawa’s electronic trio A Tribe Called Red, finds the group jumping from one influence to the next, and even though this EP has a total of four songs (with one being a remix of another track on the EP), it seems like A Tribe Called Red wouldn’t have it any other way.

Back in 2012, when their debut album was shortlisted for the Polaris Prize, Tribe already had a reputation for fusing traditional first nations singing and drumming with

June 1, 2015

wrap my arms around them and squeeze as hard as I could.

Based on a single viewing, this is one of the most affecting and lovely films I’ve ever seen. It’s funny, sad, moving, and profound. That it also subverts almost every expectation, while reinventing tropes you’ve seen a million times, makes it that much more unpredictable and moving. The story focuses on Greg, an awkward high school senior. He interacts in the safety of his empty social cocoon and befriends a girl with leukemia.

This is the film The Fault In Our Stars wished it could be.

Predestination This is probably one of the most accessible yet inventive films to fall between the cracks in some time. Adapting Robert A. Heinlein’s short story, All You Zombies , brotherly duo Michael and Peter Spierig have crafted an intimate character drama with one of the most unique time travel premises of recent years. Ethan Hawke stars as a bartender who begins to talk to an effeminate-looking man.

various electronic genres. This release, though short, does not disappoint.

The opener “ Suplex (feat.

Northern Voices)” pairs

The customer bargains a bottle of booze that he can tell him the most insane story the bartender has ever heard. No spoilers, but the two have a more personal past than you will ever see coming.

Ex Machina This film, about a middle-rung coder chosen by an eccentric billionaire to investigate the consciousness of what could be the first self-aware android, fascinates with philosophical debates of free-will and determinism as well as materialism and dualism. It’s a thought-provoking film that should thrill both high- and low-brow audiences alike with its witty dialogue, suffocating tension, and profound themes. Ex Machina is real, hard sci-fi, and not of the Abrams variety.

While We’re Young

Can a film celebrate the clichés and conventions of a genre while completely reinventing them? Well that’s exactly what Slow West does in the short span

of 82 minutes. This compelling and funny film, whose subversion has been compared to the work of Quentin Tarantino and the Coen Brothers, sets itself up as a run of the mill western about a 16-year-old boy who has moved to the frontier to save a damsel in distress, while accompanied by a Clint Eastwood-like outlaw. Unlike most Westerns, Slow West isn’t about old American myths, but rather the films that have embraced them.

“You’re just an old man with a hat,” Adam Driver proclaims to Ben Stiller’s hipster wannabe in Noah Baumbach’s funny but poignant film.

The director of The Squid And The Whale and Frances Ha demonstrates once again that he is a master of writing comedic dialogue that feels natural and raw, yet subtle and gut-busting. While We’re Young is the best Judd Apatow comedy Apatow never made.

dubstep wobble bass with glitchy Aphex Twin snare rolls, while “The People’s Champ (feat. Hellnback)” finds Samson Cree rapper Karmen James

Omeasoo (aka Hellnback) addressing modern Aboriginal issues like reservations and role models over standard hip-hop drum beats and bass lines. His verses may not be as smooth as other rappers, but the raw emotion on lines like “You talk and I walk, that’s the difference” are all that really matters.

The real standout track, however, is “Bodyslam” and its remix by Calgary production duo Smalltown DJs. The opening is part funk, part disco, almost like a lost drum take from Michael Jackson’s “Rock with You.” This fades away into a build that introduces the song and subsequent remix’s main synth line. “Bodyslam” is Suplex ’s most danceable track, with plenty of bass drops over house-influenced beats.

Though the album moves around from track to track the intention is clear: A Tribe Called Red are using their music as

a platform to promote other, often aboriginal, artists. Three out of the four tracks feature guest musicians from varying musical backgrounds.

The band wants diversity, and rightly so. Mainstream music, be it rock, pop or alternative, always struggles with the confines of a genre. If a song isn’t radio-friendly, if it’s not commercial, if it doesn’t fit the parameters of what the public want to hear, chances are it’ll have to fight to see the light of day.

Without artists promoting other independent, local artists we lose part of the variety that culture, especially music culture, needs in order to stay fresh and exciting.

As for A Tribe Called Red, they haven’t lost their taste for experimentation. They’ve struck a fine balance between traditional First Nations music and modern electronica.

Slow West

ARTS

June 1, 2015

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COMIC CONNOISSEUR

If you’ve ever lost a loved one, you’ve experienced the emptiness, depression, and longing to retain every memory. How are you going to live without them?

Old photographs, bedrooms, and other significant places draw old memories which bring solace, but also the painful reminder that you will never see them again. When Marnie Was There — the last film from Studio Ghibli before a hiatus — is a painful and inspirational depiction of this feeling’s many forms: death, neglect, and alienation.

Anna Sassaki, an awkward girl with little sense of gender conventions, is an asthmatic orphan being raised by a good-natured couple in a metropolitan city in Japan. But once she finds a government cheque reimbursing the couple for their care, she becomes suspicious of their intentions and grows even more distant.

After having a scary asthma attack, Anna’s doctor recommends she go relax in the country where the air is cleaner and life simpler. When she temporarily moves in with her adoptive aunt and uncle in a small town, she befriends a young girl named Marnie who lives in an old mansion across a lake that many of locals believe is haunted.

As their relationship develops and Marnie randomly disappears or confuses someone else’s name for Anna’s, it becomes clear that Marnie is not a corporeal person from the present. She might be a ghost or just an imaginary friend.

Anna, unlike heroes such as Frozen’s Elsa, has no magic, but only her will. The flights of fancy are not merely a ploy to attract kids to the theatre like so many animated films, but an evocative technique meant to help us understand what is going on in Anna’s head. Unlike Disney’s protagonists, Anna may not be beautiful or charismatic, but her

anxieties and self-loathing are relatable and truthful. She learns to overcome universal feelings of loss and self-doubt without the help of a Prince Charming.

The film’s poignancy and pathos derive from how each character tries to hold onto old memories of loved ones through synthetic substitutes. Anna’s adoptive aunt and uncle are trying to preserve what they have of their grown up, absent daughter by taking Anna in. Anna is given their daughter’s old clothes, and, in an even more telling moment, the aunt says, “Your room’s upstairs. It was my daughter’s room.

It’d be sad to clear everything so I left it as it was.”

Other supporting characters arrive, like an older woman who spends her days painting the old mansion across the lake and a fisherman who almost never speaks. All these characters are intertwined not only by their connected past, but also their desire to recreate it: the woman through her paintings and the fisherman through his routine.

Motifs of photographs, sketches, diaries, letters, and old buildings reinforce this aching feeling of trying to preserve memories of loved ones.

When Marnie Was There is a profoundly affecting experience that comes as close as any cinema to evoking real, human emotions. Like almost all of Ghibli’s work, this is a film for both children and adults that doesn’t patronize its audience with blind adherence to a forced formula or cheap sentimentality.

Where most animated flicks try to make their way into people’s hearts with catchy pop songs, When Marnie Was There earns our tears with its gradual pace that recalls Japanese master Yasujiro Ozu. It’s nice to see subtle characterization that doesn’t underestimate its audience’s capacity to engage with grounded, unexaggerated characters. Any single frame of this beautiful film, which draws its visual inspiration from impressionist paintings, has an elegantly soft touch and the emotional weight of a dumbbell.

This film floats like a butterfly but stings like a tattooing needle. It make us consider the imprints that have been left on our own skin.

whiskey and not much else.

Harry acquaints the naive newsboy to the world of alcohol, and before long he becomes addicted to the newfound lifestyle. Living life with reckless abandon, Drippy’s life

On the surface, The Adventures of Drippy the Newsboy has the look of a lighthearted children’s story. Rest assured, the story in Julian Lawrence’s debut graphic novel is anything but childish. Lawrence, who adapts this story from Stephen Crane’s George’s Mama , succeeds in making this story fresh and enjoyable.

In Drippy’s Mama, readers are given a tale that will make you think twice about drinking, and even more about how we can overlook our mothers.

Drippy is a compassionate and friendly newsboy who hopes to gain the affections of his attractive neighbour, Dripette. However, in the city of Drippytown, the last surviving of five sons works hard to support his widowed mother. He dedicates little time to himself, and is not accepted by those in his community.

This all changes one day when Drippy reconnects with an old acquaintance named Harry, a man with a thirst for

begins to spiral out of control, affecting his job, and worse, his relationship with his mother.

Julian Lawrence packs the story with a remarkable amount of emotion. Every page is packed with resonant moments that readers can connect with. Drippy’s Mama is a vivid mirror to the follies of youth; to those of us whom have shared in the same youthful exuberance as young Drippy, it can be at times hard to read.

The character is one audiences can connect with almost immediately. His caring nature makes him admirable from the moment he is introduced. It makes it even harder for readers when he begins his dark descent into the world of alcoholism, and even harder when you see him turn harshly

against his frail, loving mother.

These moments amidst many others will leave readers with a heavy heart.

The world of Drippytown is drawn in a way that is cartoon-esque yet packed with insurmountable maturity. The artwork reflects the immaturity of its protagonist . and his glorified vision of the world of drinking and partying.

Drippy’s supporting cast is a host of diverse characters ranging from an inebriated sock puppet to a hard drinking goat in a business jacket.

These contribute to the rich world of Drippytown and provide a subtle commentary to just some of the people we can come across in the real world.

Drippy’s Mama is a smartly written coming-of-age tale, with an accessibility that spans every age group. It’s a poignant story that plays on the heart strings of readers young and old alike.

Above all, Drippy the Newsboy is a story that allows readers to reflect more deeply on how crusades toward self-realization can leave us to mistreat the people who have our best interest in mind.

16 DIVERSIONS / ETC

June 1, 2015

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his past May 23 marked the 3rd annual international march against the American biotech giant Monsanto. It was reported that over 400 cities around the world had supporters flood the streets to raise awareness for the ever increasing amount of GMOs and chemically enhanced products being introduced into our grocery stores, and consequently, our diets.

If you asked me a year ago how I felt about genetically modified foods, artificial colorings and flavors, artificial sweeteners or pesticides, I would have given you a mediocre response consisting of an abundance of ‘hems’ and ‘haws’ that would not have accumulated into a well-developed opinion.

However, the past year has opened my eyes to the health threats associated with these new age agricultural practices.

My crash course in GM food and artificial additives began last summer when I packed my bags and moved across the pond for what was going to be one of the most memorable experiences of my university life. I spent nine months living in a small community in the south of France, right on the Mediterranean Sea. Within my first few months of arrival, I lost 10 pounds.

At first I was quite baffled — what was behind this sudden weight loss?

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None of my habits had changed. I was eating the same foods in the same quantity, and having never been too keen on exercise, that certainly didn’t change in France either. So why were all my pants so loose? What one of my European friends suggested absolutely shocked me.

They were all convinced it was because North America has forsaken fresh, quality produce. Europe has much stricter policy surrounding added dyes, flavours, and of course, genetically modified products. In fact, a lot of European Union states have even begun to outlaw Monsanto foods, one of the most recent being France’s ban on genetically modified corn.

And that’s when I started to notice something incredible about European societies — the percentage of obese and heavy individuals was astronomically low compared to Canada. After doing some research, I found that last year the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reported that approximately 25.4 per cent of Canada’s adult population can be described as obese, but many European countries fall within the 10–15 per cent range.

If this doesn’t come as a wakeup call to Canadians about our health and habits, then we will certainly see the percentage continue to rise. And if we don’t address this we will end up in the same percentile as the USA, who according the OECD weighs in with a whopping 35.3 per cent of their adult population suffering from obesity.

I don’t know the exact details behind how I lost so much weight so fast, but I am not willing to discredit the idea that it was brought on by the removal of added dyes, artificial flavorings and sweeteners, pesticides, and GM food from my diet.

It’s the same uncertainty I feel that has led to demonstrations across the globe.

Put simply, the average consumer no longer knows exactly what they are eating, and many of these consumers will not stand for it. Protesters rightfully took to the streets this May to demand that any GM food be labeled because to date, Health Canada does not require companies to properly inform the consumer about GMOs in their product.

When polled, over 80 per cent of Canadians were in favor of such labels, yet Health Canada has been reluctant to answer the call of the people it was asked to protect. I support these protestors in their call for

June 1, 2015

fair labeling. After all, due to the fact that GMOs are so modern, the long-term health consequences are inconclusive.

Canada needs to embrace the European approach to agriculture — this means natural and organic foods first. Supporters of GMOs, pesticides and additives often cite the growing population and the need for cheaper alternatives as a reason to support these modern agricultural practices.

But the argument for GM foods and artificial enhancers just don’t outweigh the need for fresh, safe produce. We consumers should explore alternatives before jumping on the bandwagon of chemically and genetically enhanced products.

Canada has prided itself on being a global ‘leader.’ This begs the question: why don’t we lead in the development of sustainable, organic agriculture? If Europe finds a way to avoid everything that’s wrong with our food, why can’t we?

Evidence suggests the multitude of potential risks associated with food dyes, including allergies, hyperactivity, learning impairment, irritability, and aggressiveness in children. If that wasn’t

startling enough then there is also science to suggest that GM food can be linked to the development of non-GM food and soy allergies, liver disease, fertility and reproductive problems, and unpredictable cell mutation.

And that’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to additives in our foods. When considering all of these potential health risks, it is no stretch of the imagination to think that these new practices could also be linked to the obesity epidemic in North America.

Now that I’ve returned to Vancouver, I plan to try to avoid food dyes, added flavors and sugars, and certainly GM products, in an effort not to regain any of the weight I lost overseas; but considering how widespread these additives are, it may be more difficult than it sounds.

I understand that schedules can be busy, and that we may not all have time to consider what the story behind our favorite snack-time food is, but I implore you to educate yourselves on what is happening to our food and to our bodies. Spend some time researching the health implications associated with letting these foods occupy our shelves and our fridges.

After all, you are what you eat.