Snitch, please

2

FIRST PEEK

April 7, 2014 · Volume 146, Issue 13

»

»

»

»

» » »

» »

CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2013

» »

»

FIRST PEEK

April 7, 2014

Instead, I’d like to share a few things I’ve come to learn about self-image, a result of showing hundreds of people photographs of themselves.

People take to being photographed differently. On any given shoot, a person will sit down in front of me and act in a variety of ways. Where some are confident and comfortable, others are timid and unsure. Some people sit quietly, watching me with suspicion as I set up gear.

I’ve spent the last five years at SFU photographing people.

Hundreds of faces have looked into my camera: students, student-athletes, student-politicians, professors, board members. A large cross-section of the SFU body populates my archives, digitized in JPEG format.

As this is my eighth and final semester as the photo editor for The Peak, and as with any ending position, reflection comes naturally.

I could discuss, in length, the amazing people I’ve met, the friendships I’ve made, and the opportunities I’ve had.

However, I’d much rather keep those stories between myself and those who I’ve come to love so much.

It’s a profound thing to have your photograph taken and one that many people don’t take lightly. It takes a certain amount of trust and if that trust isn’t there, the person will likely decline to be photographed. I think a lot of this mistrust stems from the fact that everyone has things about their physical appearance that they wish were different.

After a shoot, I’ll go through the images with the subject so

that they can help me choose the images to be used for publication. As we go through the pictures the first thing I always hear is a negative remark on certain facial features or imperfections. The most common concerns include different sized eyes, blemishes, red or blotchy skin, and wrinkles.

Our eyes are drawn to the things we don’t like about ourselves. These are the features we think others will see and judge us for. They are the features we’ll hide altogether with blown-out highlights and sepia-toned filters.

It’s a sad observation and I wish people could focus on what they like about themselves, and embrace the “flaws” as unique and defining features. One of the reasons I love portraiture is the variety I see from face to face. (You wouldn’t believe how many different types of noses there are.)

I want to emphasize the fact that nearly everyone I photograph behaves this way. I do so because it raises this one simple question: If we’re all worrying about the same things, shouldn’t there be nothing to worry about?

4

NEWS

April 7, 2014

news editor email / phone

Leah Bjornson associate news editor news@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

Melissa Roach

The results are in for the Graduate Student Society elections, which were held from March 25 to 27. The positions up for grabs were Academic and Internal Relations Officer (AIRC), Coordinating and External Relations Officer (CERO), and Member and Community Relations Officer (MCRO).

Of the three positions, only that of MCRO was contested. The MCRO is responsible for “overseeing the public communications of the Society.” The final count was 88 votes for candidate Melissa MacAskill to Brieanne Olibris’ 85 votes. There were also 41 abstentions.

Although there were originally two candidates for AIRO, Mengliu Zhao withdrew her candidacy. Therefore, the GSS will proceed with the acclamation process for both the AIRO and CERO positions at the upcoming GSS Council meeting on April 16.

The GSS hosted their third annual Volunteer Appreciation Gala at the Vancouver Aquarium on April 4. The event honoured volunteers from this past year who have made contributions to the GSS. In addition to enjoying live music and a free photo booth, some volunteers received fun prizes such as “Best Caucus Minutes” and “Best Councillor,” among others. This year even afforded those in attendance the opportunity to dine with the belugas.

Said current GSS Member and Community Relations Officer, Eleonora Joensuu, “We hope this event shows our members how important and appreciated their dedication is to their student society and just generally, a big thank you!”

To most, quidditch is a game confined to fiction, played solely in J.K. Rowling’s popular Harry Potter series; however, in Burnaby, BC, quidditch is very real and currently thriving.

Not only has SFU managed to field a competitive team in the past year, but the quidditch world championships — the Global Games — are coming to Burnaby this July. Both the SFU and UBC quidditch teams, who played a hard-fought game on Friday, March 28, have players trying out for Team Canada.

Real quidditch — or “muggle quidditch” as it is sometimes called — actually plays like a typical team sport, in the vein of soccer or rugby. There are three chasers on the field for each team who try to score with the quaffle. The two beaters, on the other hand, use balls called bludgers, thrown at the chasers to try to stop them. The keeper

tries to prevent the quaffle from going in the hoops, but can also act as a fourth chaser. Each score of the quaffle is worth 10 points.

Quidditch distinguishes itself from other games, however, with the snitch and the seekers.

In lieu of the mystical creature in the books, there is a snitch runner, a player unaffiliated with either team who tries to evade both teams’ seekers; the seekers, meanwhile, are trying to steal the snitch attached to the runner’s belt. Whichever seeker captures the snitch earns their team 30 points, and ends the game (this does not guarantee the win, however, depending on the spread).

Muggle quidditch obviously differs from the movie version in several ways. In Harry Potter, brooms enable players to fly, while in muggle quidditch the broom is merely a handicap similar to dribbling in basketball; the player must hold it the entire time. Also, the bludgers in real life are just balls, rather than weapons. To simulate recovery time once hit, the chaser must retreat to their own goal post before going after the quaffle again.

Although most people are confused when they see that SFU has a quidditch team, it is

this reaction that draws people to the sport, says SFU quidditch team founder and president Christine Konrad. “It was too funny watching people walk by, and people whose faces were like, ‘What?’,” she explained.

“Those were the ones who you’re like, ‘Yeah, yeah, come on over, I’ll tell you all about it.’”

Konrad, who is also a chaser for her team, feels that quidditch provides a unique sense of community because players “all have something a little unusual in common [. . .] You’re all doing quidditch, you’re all doing something different.”

On Friday, March 28, SFU faced UBC, one of the originators of quidditch in the region, with an inspiring force behind their team. Although SFU scored the first 10 points, they lost all three games by scores of 90-30, 50-20, and 6030. Despite the end results, SFU

played better with each game, and only lost the last two because of a snitch catch.

Alexa Rowe, president of UBC’s team and a seeker, applauded SFU’s efforts: “SFU has really improved, I was really impressed with their gameplay as well. They kept it within snitch range for a couple of those games, so it was really exciting probably to watch and to play.”

Now, besides a possible road trip, only the Global Games remain. “The fact that the Global Games are here will [. . .] increase awareness of quidditch in our region,“ stated Rowe, “Quidditch in the States is huge and quidditch in Canada, especially up here in the northwest region, isn’t as well known.”

Konrad agreed, pointing out that she first became interested after watching a game between UBC and UVic. “That’s what made me want to start a team, was watching it in action.”

She continued, “ If people from other schools in the area, [such as] Langara, Cap[ilano], if they’re watching games, and they’re like ‘I want this,’ then we [will] have more local teams springing up.”

The Global Games will take place at Burnaby Lake Sports Complex West on July 19.

NEWS

Sorry fossil fuel companies, but it looks like the joke is on you — at least, so says environmental justice club SFU 350.

This April Fool’s day, the club held a “Fossil Fools” event in Convocation Mall to raise student awareness on the consequences of building the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline.

“Fossil Fools” Day is a nationwide movement, in which several university student groups across Canada participated, advocating an end to the country’s reliance on fossil fuels as an energy resource and a greater investment in more sustainable energy alternatives. The aim of the initiative is to tackle the hard-hitting reality of climate change which SFU 350 holds will only be worsened by the release of fossil fuels into the air.

The Kinder Morgan pipeline project hits close to home, as it would carry crude bitumen from Alberta’s oilsands to the Burrard Inlet here in BC. The project has sparked outrage from several members of the community with regards to the potentially catastrophic damages it could cause through oil spills.

To emphasize the disruption that this structure would cause in the environment, students got creative and built their own inflatable pipeline that ran through Convocation Mall — a silly yet striking reminder of the proximity of the environmental consequences that the pipeline might create.

SFU 350 is a student-run organization — its goal is to advocate for climate justice on campus. The group’s name is based on the measurement of 350 parts per million (ppm), which is the optimum amount of carbon dioxide that should be in the atmosphere in order to have a stable climate. The club, while only formed last September, is already a prominent advocate for climate justice on campus.

April 7, 2014

With the fun filled and student centered celebration, the club aimed to create awareness about the environmental future. SFU 350 secretary Jesse Willows said of the cause, “There is often a ton of negative connotations associated with climate justice groups, and we wanted to be a more accessible [resource for] people. Our goal is to engage in dialogue that can be tricky because it can be perceived as political.”

SFU 350 is also a participant in the Divest SFU initiative, members of which recently made a case for fossil fuel divestment to the SFU Board of Governors. The campaign has garnered support from the Simon Fraser Student Society, the Simon Fraser Graduate Student Society, as well as the departments of Urban Studies and Resource and Environmental Management.

SFU 350 president Andhra Azevedo was one of two representatives who petitioned the board on March 27 to end investment in fossil fuel companies in order to reduce the university’s contribution to climate change risk.

In addition to the initiatives that they support on campus, the group also supports the march to be held

by Burnaby Residents Opposing the Kinder Morgan Pipeline Expansion (BROKE) on Saturday, April 12. They share values with the community organization centre not only in regards to the potential effects of the pipeline on climate change, but also the rights of First Nations peoples, the lack of democracy demonstrated in the building of this structure, and the impacts of potential oil spills on the water and air quality of Burnaby Mountain.

While “Fossil Fools” Day was meant as a light-hearted glimpse into the problems with non-renewable energy and climate change, the group isn’t joking around. Willows concluded, “We wanted to raise awareness about the foolishness of fossil companies. We are trying to protect our future.”

You can follow Bernice Puzon

5

6 NEWS

Step aside, Snapchat: A new social media phenomenon is on the horizon. The recently launched app, FaceFries, developed by SFU professor Steve DiPaola and UBC professor Liane Gabora, allows you to share not just photos, but a 3D talking animation of your face — or your favourite celebrity, for that matter.

The start-up company, FaceCo, developed out of DiPaola’s artificial intelligence and human expression research, conducted at iVizLab with the SFU Surrey Cognitive Sciences and Interactive Art and Technology programs. The company’s first project, FaceFries, was

April 7, 2014

recently picked up by Apple.

Launched last week, the app is already in the Top 60 entertainment app downloads in the Apple App store.

“A lot of what you see on Facebook, or Tumblr, or these kinds of social media is still based on text chat — we were hoping to do something more social, with thinking, breathing, animated humans,” DiPaola said. “We’re interested in bringing the spark of life back into computer systems.”

The technology detects where your face is and allows you to record commentary using the iPhone or iPad microphone.

It also allows you to combine multiple faces to create a large ensemble of animated friends, family members or characters who can talk and sing. According to DiPaola, the app gives colour and creativity to digital mediums, allowing human expression to take centre stage.

The animations can be shared through Facebook and other

social networks from anywhere around the world. “Two sisters in two different places could put their faces together and sing happy birthday to their mom,” DiPaola explained.

Currently, you can experiment with your avatar’s personas in a number of different ways, with the option of turning yourself or someone else’s photo into a zombie, clown, tattooed person, or an older version of the character. “[People] hit the ‘re-fry’ button a few times and they see another version of themselves.”

DiPaola explained that the app is a sort of social commentary and can be used to experiment with ideas of identity. “I’m interested in gender politics, seeing yourself over, and seeing yourself in different ways.”

Self-awareness and awareness of others is the real driving force behind the app, according to DiPaola. “Our long-term goal is to play with this essence of selfness, so you can understand

people by talking through them.

It’s an entertainment app at the moment, but that’s the direction we want to go.”

Thanks to a three-year study conducted by a research team from SFU, the number of clams found along BC’s coastline has the opportunity to grow more substantially, due to an ancient practice already in use throughout British Columbia’s coastal regions.

The team, comprised of Amy Groesbeck, Dana Lepofsky, Anne Salomon, and Kirsten Rowell, began their project after hearing of First Nations’ clam gardens located along the coastline. These ancient clam gardens have been traditionally used for the harvesting of clams, and were said to be more productive than more

normative approaches to harvesting the food supply.

Lepofsky, an SFU professor of archaeology, said, “Given the sheer size, number, and time depth of shell middens along coastal British Columbia, it makes sense that there was a system in place to manage clams so they could be sustainably harvested in abundance over the generations.”

The team conducted their research in order to see if these ancient techniques were able to yield a greater crop than regular beaches.

The method is simple and has been passed down by First Nations oral traditions throughout the ages. Humans construct clam gardens on a specific area of the beach to benefit the growth of clams. In a sheltered segment of the coastline, rock walls preserve the area for the clams to reproduce and thrive.

“Clam gardens are truly an astonishing example of human ingenuity and why ancient indigenous wisdom matters to the modern world,” said Salomon, assistant professor of resource and environmental management.

Rowell, a biologist from the University of Washington, said,

You can follow Marina Irick

“Our work shows that ancient Northwest aquaculture techniques appear to be efficient and productive. For the clams under study, we found that there is a real growth benefit, higher densities and better survivorship, which could translate into a significant difference in local food security.”

The researchers’ study found that clams in the enclosed and protected gardens grew almost twice as fast, were more likely to survive, and quadrupled in numbers when compared to normal beaches.

In the future, more researchers and archaeologists will continue to search for clues as to when and how these clam gardens came into use in the distant past. The team has since created the Clam Garden Network to work with researchers and First Nations community members across the province. Said Salomon, this network will hopefully allow researchers to “unlock further mysteries surrounding clam gardens.”

You can follow Micaela Evans

NEWS

PRINCE GEORGE — There is a separatist movement building slowly in the Pacific Northwest; its speed reflects the pace of the people outside of its metropolitan centers.

It is not your typical movement based on the right and left spectrum, nor is it necessarily about protecting a certain culture. More so, it is about creating one, building off the foundation of what already goes on in the westernmost bioregion.

It is about decentralizing two governments that seem to disregard what the population wants on the West Coast. The movement calls for a new sovereign state: Cascadia.

April 7, 2014

The map is not perfect yet. For some it stretches from northern California to the Alaskan Panhandle. For Cathasaigh Ó Corcráin, co-editor of underground journal Autonomy Cascadia: A Journal of Bioregional Decolonization, Cascadia’s borders would reflect the fact that it is based largely on ecological designs rather than current political boundaries.

Corcráin, following Dr. David McCloskey’s influence, says that watersheds should dictate Cascadia’s region. For example, he uses the Alsek River in Alaska and Yukon as the northernmost border, and the Klamath River as the southernmost. He also points to the importance of sharing the Salish Sea. Flowing from that, Corcráin also sees the focus of bioregionalism as challenging the current way we associate ourselves with the land. Bioregionalism, as defined by Brandon Letsinger, founder of the Cascadian Independence Project and manager of

Cascadia Now’s web presence, is “a way to reframe and rethink a lot of the boundaries and borders on this region to better represent economic, political, social and environmental realities.”

Corcráin, who traveled around theoretical Cascadia when filming Occupied Cascadia, says that he also noticed many similarities to communities around the region that shared similar relationships with natural resources and surroundings. For example, a logging community in rural Washington likely shares many cultural characteristics with a logging community in rural northern British Columbia.

Furthermore, Corcráin points to that fact that Cascadia is a very wild place, and the wilderness is rugged and “in your face, hard to ignore.” Letsinger said that Cascadia is the birthplace of the idea of bioregionalism. What’s more, Cascadia has many of its ecological systems still intact relative to the rest of North America. He says Cascadians are further united by love of a shared place.

In 2011, the “Republic of Cascadia” made it onto a Time Magazine list of the Top 10 Aspiring Nations, which may be just the beginning, despite the author’s throw-in that Cascadia has “little chance of ever becoming a reality.”

Many British Columbians have probably seen Cascadia’s flag, amicably nicknamed the “Doug Flag,” as it has made its way onto the packaging of one of Victoria’s most popular brews, Blue Buck. The Doug Flag depicts a Douglas Fir over a typical horizontal tri-colour flag.

7

The three colours — blue, white, and green — represent the bioregion of Cascadia. The blue is for the ocean, lakes, rivers and other bodies of water; the white for the snow-capped mountain ranges and glaciers; and the green for our lush forests.

Letsinger sees growing support for Cascadia. He points to lack of other alternatives and general unhappiness when it comes to the Canadian and American federal governments. He sees this as largely due to the fact that Cascadia focuses on positives and a new, untainted prospect.

According to Letsinger, Cascadia Now is in direct communication with around 15,000 people and acknowledges the many social media groups with thousands of followers which support Cascadia. Corcráin agrees, saying that he has seen the buzz around Cascadia grow since he first became involved. Only time will give clear definition to Cascadia.

8 NEWS

April 7, 2014

3, 30 people are confirmed dead, with 22 still missing, as reported by CNN and BBC. SFU earth science professor John Clague believes that a similar event could hit even closer to home. As a region that shares many physical traits with the neighbouring state to the south, BC is also at risk of undergoing a similar ordeal.

Despite the suddenness of the actual event in Oso, the disaster was not a complete surprise. The National Weather Service issued a warning in the Seattle area on March 4, nearly two weeks prior. “Cumulative rainfall over the last week has soaked soils to the point where the Washington landslide risk is at elevated levels,” explained forecasters to the Seattle P-I .

The Oso area has a history of landslides. As Clague noted, the area is filled with many beautiful flat surfaces and valleys that attract residents and visitors alike; however, the location also contains many bluffs with loose sediment that could potentially dislodge under heavy rain conditions.

An SFU professor claims that a series of devastating landslides that struck the town of Oso, WA on March 22, causing numerous fatalities and severe damage to the area, could occur here in BC. Residents who were in the area at the time sustained varying degrees of injuries and many were rescued from the debris. Nevertheless, as of April

BAWA SINGH’S GARDEN A poem 2630 lines long

By

Dr. Gurdev S. Boparai

“Landslide” is an umbrella term for different slope movements — sliding, creeping, slumping, toppling, and falling.

Though landslides can occur due to various reasons, heavy rainfall is a major culprit. The landslide that hit Oso was a

mudflow. As Clague explained, “The bluff that failed [in Oso] is not rock, it’s loose materials — essentially silt, sand, clay, and any kind of water saturated loose materials — that are inherently unstable.”

An e-­‐book at Amazon/Kindle for $5

MASTER OF DIGITAL MEDIA GRADUATE DEGREE Graduate from 4 Major Canadian Universities Industry - Focused Master’s Degree Competitive Scholarship Opportunities Startup Business Support

JOIN THE NEXT LIVE WEBINAR

THECDM.CA/PEAK/WEBINARS

WHO IS AN MDM STUDENT? the computer scientist

the designer who wants

the artist who wants to design

the social scientist

with a passion for storytelling.

interactive experiences.

UVER C VANCO

R

MASTE

to make games.

seeking new ways to share information.

’S ANADA a collaboration between GRAM

IA PRO

AL MED OF DIGIT

thecdm.ca

In a report with Global News, Clague stated that, “We [the residents of British Columbia] have to be aware that we do live in a country with this wet unstable topography where we are going to get landslides.” He continued, pointing out Chilliwack Valley as a potential location where a landslide event might occur due to its topographical similarities to Oso.

Landslides are hard to prepare for and harder still to react to, given the short time frame in which they occur. One definite sign that the ground is on the verge of breaking loose is ground stress. If someone happens upon an area, even a few days before an impending landslide, they will hear cracking from the ground, Clague explained. In some cases, there may be slippage and possibly chunks of sediment dislodging or breaking free.

In any case, if there is any sign of a landslide, the best course of action is to run away.

If the landslide is heading downward, the best direction to run is uphill, towards higher ground, or to the opposite side of the valley or highway, advised Clague.

While there is no definite cause for concern at the moment, Clague warned that we should nonetheless be aware of the potential hazards in the place we call home.

NEWS

April 7, 2014

SFU recently announced that it won’t be accepting Bitcoin as payment for student services in the near future — however, the university is open to the possibility.

Mark McLaughlin, executive director of SFU ancillary services, said that the university must monitor Bitcoin’s stability and longevity before seriously considering accepting it on campus. Nevertheless, McLaughlin said he wants to encourage student engagement and respond to demands from SFU’s prominent Bitcoin club.

SFU’s Bitcoin club was the first of its kind established at a Canadian university, and continues to play an active role in making Vancouver a hub for Bitcoin enthusiasts. Esther Tung, the club’s VP communications, said that users are attracted to both the social and economic benefits of cryptocurrencies.

Tung explained that, as a digital currency, Bitcoin is decentralized and protected from government devaluation. Bitcoin provides instantaneous transactions and acts as a universal currency; this is good news for people in developing countries who have limited access to physical currency or bank accounts, but who probably have Internet access, Tung explained. Using Bitcoin allows these small merchants to participate in otherwise unreachable global markets.

“Bitcoin has a lot of potential for social change,” said Tung. Although McLaughlin agreed, he maintained that SFU will wait until the value of Bitcoin stabilizes before looking into it further.

“We have to make sure what we do is built to last,” McLaughlin said. While both McLaughlin and Tung think cryptocurrencies are here to stay, there is some speculation about whether or not Bitcoin will maintain its position as the forerunner in cryptocurrency.

McLaughlin told The Peak that SFU is looking into hyper-local currencies such as Seedstock, which could be used as a campus-wide currency with a portion of the proceeds donated to SFUaffiliated charities.

Although Tung admitted that the price of Bitcoin is volatile right now, services like Bitpay offer merchants the option to cash out at the time of the transaction regardless of currency fluctuation after the fact.

Therefore, Tung said, “There is virtually no risk for the university, other than, I mean, if Bitcoin goes to zero,” a possibility she considers to be extremely unlikely.

Regardless of the risk, McLaughlin sees this as a potential opportunity for SFU to live up to its reputation as an innovative, engaging university. “Would we love to be the first university in North America to accept Bitcoin?” McLaughlin mused. “Yeah, I think that would be a really neat thing.”

If the value of Bitcoin stabilizes over the summer, McLaughlin envisions SFU accepting it as a pilot project at the bookstore or dining services

as early as fall 2014. However, he does not see the university accepting Bitcoin for tuition payments any time soon.

Tung remained skeptical of the university’s claims, saying, “No matter how much [SFU] says that it’s progressive and it wants to engage the world, they’re still conservative at heart.” She doesn’t think Bitcoin will enter the mainstream until it is accepted by more retailers or institutions; then, for example, SFU could pay its employees in Bitcoin without them having to

9

cashing out to buy food or other on-campus services.

While McLaughlin can’t promise any immediate changes to SFU policy, he applauded the leadership role that Tung and other students have taken in the international Bitcoin community and said that he and his colleagues are definitely paying attention.

With so much uncertainty around Bitcoin’s future and yet so many opportunities for social change, McLaughlin said, “It’s interesting to see where this all takes us — check back in six months.”

10

OPINIONS

As a predominantly social species, we humans have gradually constructed our society into one which values those who are outgoing and social, more so than those who possess a more reserved and silent nature: introverts. And with the popularization of social media, interconnectivity and technological surveillance, things are becoming even more skewed.

Being an introvert, social interactions have never been easy

for me. It didn’t help that I was born shy and grew up somewhat sheltered. I developed a tendency to spend and enjoy time alone, and avoided any and all unnecessary socializing.

With our rapidly growing population and technologies, the world’s only going to get more interactive, and introverts like myself are going to find it harder and harder to stay within their comfort zone. It’s up to you to be considerate, and do what you can to make the introverts in your life feel welcome and safe.

Many aspects of our lives are dependent on successful interpersonal communication.

Whether it’s searching for employment opportunities, finding a romantic partner, or maintaining good family relationships, social skills are required of all of us on a daily basis. Naturally, those who

April 7, 2014

are more outgoing are generally favoured by our society.

Introverts, on the other hand, are left out of this brave new world. But it’s not our fault — we just function differently than our extroverted counterparts.

Unlike extroverts, introverts don’t become energized when they engage in conversation.

In fact, quite the opposite happens: the more we socialize, the more drained we become. After a while, we have to be left alone to recharge our batteries before we can get back out there and face other people. It’s not that we don’t enjoy company; we just prefer our socializing in small doses.

Even engaging in conversation can be difficult for an introvert. They have to try their best to be charming and pleasant — body language and facial expressions are often key to deciphering

opinions editor email / phone

Joel MacKenzie opinions@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

the intentions of the others, along with the person’s tone of voice and eye contact.

Misinterpret any of these cues, and you run the risk of misunderstanding what others are trying to say.

Then there’s the actual content of the conversation. They want to sound witty, but not overly smug or offensive. They want to be engaging and interesting, but if you overdo it you’ll just end up being annoying. Conversely, if you don’t

say enough, people might perceive you as boring, or just think you’re not interested.

In many ways, having a conversation is like driving a car. As a driver, you have to be mindful of a multitude of signs and traffic lights, and as a conversationalist you have to be mindful of a flurry of facial expressions and body language, as well as tones of voice and other social cues. Whereas extroverts have a natural talent for this, many introverts still have their learner’s license.

This doesn’t mean introverts don’t have the capacity to learn, but in our high-speed, technology obsessed world, it’s becoming tougher to get a head start.

If you’re an extrovert who has an introvert in your life (and you almost certainly do), make sure to stay within the speed limit.

They’ll thank you for it.

OPINIONS

Since the dawn of the Cold War, the President of the United States has been colloquially referred to as the “Leader of the Free World,” a title that the rest of the free world has generally accepted because of America’s powerhouse status. The ongoing Ukrainian crisis has started to show that a new leader may be stepping onto the scene: our very own Stephen Harper.

If this situation’s narrative could be compared to the annexation of the Sudetenland by Hitler’s Germany in 1938, Harper has cast himself as Winston Churchill, calling for a hard-line against Russian aggression. Conversely, Obama seems to be more of a Neville

April 7, 2014

Chamberlain, continually stuck in negotiations with a foreign leader who doesn’t seem to care about the world’s opinion, so long as he gets what he wants.

And make no mistake, Putin is getting what he wants. While he has removed any objections over an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission to Ukraine, this mission will not visit Crimea, an act that Russia is interpreting as tacit recognition of is annexation Crimea. Russian Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying that the mission will not enter Crimea because this “became part of Russia.”

While Obama has negotiated with few results, Harper has acted.

His was the first, and to date the only, G7 leader to make the journey to Kiev to meet with the interim government and show his support in person, even pledging to restart talks on a trade agreement. He has spoken his mind, stating that Putin, “has not desired to be a partner. He has desired to be a rival.”

As other G7 nations have considered upping sanctions only in response to Russia making further land grabs, Harper has been fighting to increase the sanctions until Russia withdraws from its illegal occupation of the Crimean peninsula. He says, “we simply . . . cannot afford the risk of Europe going back to being a continent . . . where bigger military powers are prepared to invade their neighbours or carve off pieces.”

To merely maintain sanctions now would be to effectively surrender Crimea to Russia, which only serves to enforce Putin’s attitude that he can continue to take parts of former Soviet republics and reintegrate them into the Russian Federation as he wants.

Harper is also calling for the permanent ejection of the Russian Federation from the G8, in line with Russia being excluded from the group’s current meetings.

Canada’s role in all this has not gone unnoticed, with one of Russia’s top parliamentarians singling

out our nation for its tough line toward Moscow and support for the new Ukrainian government. Russia has even gone to the length of imposing travel bans on 13 Canadians, including politicians from all three major parties and the head of the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress.

Though many critics have accused both Harper and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird of abandoning diplomacy, the two men are choosing to uphold Canadian values, rather than stand on the sidelines.

As the crisis continues, talks between the United States and Russia continue to show few results. Diplomacy is not working.

The West needs to start following the new “Leader of the Free World,” and crack down on Russia economically until Putin is forced to withdraw.

You can follow Dustin Simmonds

11

12 OPINIONS

Don’t tell me to smile.

Sometimes I look a little glum.

Maybe it’s my face: it might sag a little around the edges; maybe my forehead is a little low. Maybe it’s because sometimes I am a little glum.

It’s okay to be unhappy sometimes. It’s okay to go through periods of sadness, or of seriousness. That’s a part of being human.

But not smiling doesn’t necessarily indicate depression. And even if it does, so

what? The stigma that makes depression something that others feel they must call out and chastise is surely what perpetuates it for many.

The next time you want to tell someone to smile, ask yourself why you’re assuming you know that person. Ask yourself why someone else’s emotions are such a threat to your own self-security.

And if you see non-smilers, tell them you like their shirt, and that they should never stop being themselves. It’ll go a lot farther.

April 7, 2014

Prosecuting adult channels which violate Canadian content policies should not be criticized Tamara Connor SFU Student

svs

Last month, the Canadian Radiotelevision & Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) issued several warnings to Toronto-based adult television channels AOV Adult Movie Channel, XXX Action Clips, and Maleflixxx, as they were failing to meet the required 35 per cent Canadian content threshold. This apparent non-compliance may mean suspension or loss of license for these three adult TV channels.

Since releasing these warnings, the CRTC has received a great deal of criticism for pursuing a seemingly trivial issue. However, these violations should be taken seriously as Canadian content has proven to be beneficial.

Some are of the opinion that Canadian content regulations, as laid out by the Broadcasting Act, should not apply to certain varieties of television, such as pornography. This mentality is often backed by the assumption that the Internet has made porn a borderless industry.

While the web has doubtlessly expanded the industry, all televised programs should still adhere to the

rules of Canadian broadcasting, as these rules were established for legitimate reasons. Airing Canadianmade programs that reflect our attitudes, values, and creativity allows us to display Canadian talent in entertainment, employ local resources, and distinguish ourselves from American programming.

While it may be hard for some to imagine how Canadian porn can be culturally beneficial, it is irrefutably beneficial to the Canadian economy. Hiring Canadians to shoot, act, edit, and write porn keeps jobs in Canada. Upholding the 35 per cent threshold is important to anyone in film, radio, or television.

Before the act was created, the majority of content on television and the radio was of either British or American origin. At first many stations were hesitant to accept the Broadcasting Act, wanting to “play the hits” rather than find unknown Canadian talent.

By pressuring companies to seek out Canadian content, Canada was able to create an industry that became profitable to us.

Since the establishment of the Broadcasting Act, channels such as CBC have flourished.

Some say that there is not enough interest in Canadian porn for a real industry to exist, but this is simply not true. Last year, Northern Peaks, an Edmonton-based company, went above and beyond as 50 per cent of their scheduled programming was Canadianmade pornography. This year it was reported that the Québécois porn industry was thriving and beginning to rival those of LA and Amsterdam. Why neglect a growing industry?

While having the US so geographically close can be great for weekend excursions, it’s important we don’t let Canadian culture succumb to American influence.

Instead of mimicking American programs, Canadians should try to differentiate themselves from their southern neighbours. Who’s to say that porno can’t take place at a sugar shack in Quebec or in a lighthouse in Nova Scotia?

The CRTC was created to enforce the regulations surrounding broadcasting and Canadian content. These rules reaffirm more than just Canadian identity; they help support jobs and industry in Canada, as well as prevent the total domination of American media that would otherwise occur.

While Canadian porn seems odd and insignificant, the CRTC’s prosecution of their non-compliances is valid. We as Canadians should pride ourselves on homegrown talent and creativity.

FEATURES

If there was ever any doubt in the early moments of fall 2013 that the Simon Fraser women’s basketball team would be able to recover from losing their 2009 recruiting class, that uncertainty has been put to rest.

One short year ago, there was speculation surrounding the team’s ability to replace the output of the program’s three departing seniors, notably AllAmerican Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe, and whether they could recreate the success they saw in their first year eligible for the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Enter Erin Chambers.

The product of national-level athletes and a sports-oriented upbringing, Chambers was no stranger to success on the basketball court heading into her junior season. But with a glaring hole left in the Clan’s offence it fell to the 6’1” Mission, BC native to provide those team-leading numbers, and a nose for the net: a role that she filled with grace and ease.

As the Clan’s second highest scorer following Raincock-Ekunwe, Chambers was a natural choice to step up and lead the team in its 2013–2014 season — she had just come off an excellent sophomore season, earning the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year award and averaging 13.5 points per game. Still, many wondered if she would be able to match the 16.5 points per game that RaincockEkunwe delivered.

That stat seems a distant memory now, as Chambers took 2013-14 by storm, averaging 23.1 points per game en route

April 7, 2014

features editor email / phone

Max Hill features@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

to leading her team to their second consecutive NCAA Division II national tournament appearance. She led not only the team in scoring, but also the GNAC and the West Region, and finished the sixth highest scorer in Division II basketball this season. She led her team in scoring in 24 of 30 contests, and scored over 30 points on four occasions this year.

“I hadn’t realized I had that stat,” Chambers confesses when told about her national scoring ranking. “It is definitely

2013-14 also saw Chambers break seven GNAC records en route to GNAC first-team, West Region second-team and All-American honorable-mention honours, as well as being named the Clan’s MVP. She broke the conference records for Field Goals in a Season (220), Free Throws in a Season (191), Points in a Season (692) and Scoring Average in a Season (23.1), among others, solidifying her and the Clan’s place within the American NCAA.

an accomplishment, but that was never the goal. I really had a new role this year being looked at to lead our scoring, and I think that I was comfortable in what I was expected to do. It was an honour and a privilege to lead this team this year.”

Her coach, Bruce Langford, credits her success to consistency and versatility, explaining how Chambers’ ability to score in many different ways, while also being able to find her teammates, allows for her increased output.

“Teams tend to focus on her when defending, but we have other assets on the floor that she is able to find,” Langford says. “She takes control when need be, but is not afraid to trust her teammates to do their jobs.”

Chambers explains that the pressure of the game doesn’t affect her, as she is comfortable in the job required of her, on and off the court. “I think there is always pressure, but to some extent that is what I like and why I play the game. I always want to be in it to win and do my best.”

It only takes one conversation with the student-athlete to give you greater understanding of her psyche; Chambers exudes competitiveness, but in a calm, collected manner. She understands her role and how her development will shape her team for a final season, but knows that she cannot do it alone.

“I have always had amazing teammates to work with,” she says. “We are losing four more seniors, who brought so

13

much hard work to what we do. Luckily, we have some great rookies and redshirts coming up for next year who will be able to contribute in their own ways.”

Chambers and Langford both agree that 2014-15 will bring a final season of change to the team, and to Chambers’ role as well. As the team graduates 6’2” player Chelsea Reist and 6’5” player Rebecca Langmead, the height paradigm will shift, and a new playing style will likely emerge.

“I think that we will be a bit more run-and-gun next year,” continues Langford. “We have different assets coming in that will also allow us to press more, so while Erin will need to continue being in great shape, she may see fewer minutes just due to an increased pace on the floor.”

Chambers knows that she needs to make those minutes count. Despite her record-breaking season, she claims there is still room for her to improve. “I will have to build on what I did this year as I head into my senior season, and really commit to becoming a better player in the offseason,” she explained. “I want to keep building my game, improving my shot and my rebounding; there are always ways to become better.”

As preparations for 2014-15 begin and Chambers dons her #3 jersey for a final collegiate campaign, let it be known that when a leader is required, one will emerge. The shoes left empty last year have been filled; the fire sparking Erin Chambers to lead and succeed will fuel the Clan for a final year.

SFU

Â

drinking game CHAMP

Welcome to SFU! It's your first semester at Simon Frase sity, and your job is to make it through the vast concrete one piece. Visit all three campuses, complete your seme try not to pass out while doing so!

er Univere jungle in ester, and

BY MAX HILL

16

ARTS

What if you get to the afterlife and you’re not impressed with what you see? This is the quirky idea that sparked the title for the Fast Romantics’ new album, Afterlife Blues. While it may seem like the record is about death, lead singer Matthew Angus said that it’s more about endings and new beginnings.

“Things always end. What happens when they do? What’s good about things ending? How do people react to it?” These are some of the questions they wanted to explore through this record.

“It’s not an album about death,” Angus continued, “Death is an easy way to talk about things ending. Things die every day.” Sometimes death can be a good thing: Angus mentioned the cells that die in our body daily and the renewal that goes along with it.

He said that this idea, coupled with his healthy fear of death, led to the content and theme of this new work.

Not long before creating the album, Fast Romantics also went through a sort of renewal themselves. “It’s timely because it was like a rebirth for our band too. We sort of consider it our first record,” said Angus. Australians Lauren Heron and Shane O’Keefe joined the band, bringing with them new personalities, tastes, and modes of collaboration.

arts editor email / phone

April 7, 2014

It’s only been two years since they came on board, but Angus said that they’ve all become fast friends.

They found Shane through a classified ad, and then one day he mentioned that his girlfriend played keys and had a good voice. Their band was complete. “I want the band to be a group of tight knit friends,” said Angus, “It comes out on stage and in the music.”

The songs start with Angus, and then after he works out the general foundation, the band collaborates on arrangements.

Their first single off Afterlife Blues, “Funeral Song,” sounds like something out of a dream. It

turns out that’s where part of the song came from.

Angus said that he was having trouble coming up with the middle part of the song, and one night at 3:00 a.m. it just came to him. “I distinctly remember how weird that was,” he said.

The song is not really about a funeral, but a different type of goodbye. “It’s written around the time of a break up,” said Angus, “when I was over it and happy that she was gone. It’s a celebratory song too.”

The whole album was written during a time of uncertainty and change for the band. They were moving, some were breaking up, and it was a time of flux in general. “People ask me if it’s a breakup record,” said Angus, “but I think it’s more of a transition record.”

He describes this period as a time “when you’re sometimes thinking about the past, sometimes looking towards the

future, and sometimes smart enough to be in the present.”

It’s about being in between phases and figuring out what’s coming next. “It’s like purgatory, but generally more positive,” he laughed.

No longer in between phases in their career, Fast Romantics are finding some success and enjoying not taking things too fast. “We just play and write and things pick up,” said Angus.

“We’re a slow burn band.”

They are currently on tour across Canada, and Angus said that they are looking forward to making their way west to Vancouver again. He lived here for about six months and said he misses it, but not for the reasons you would think: “I miss how often it rains,” he said. Luckily for him and unfortunately for us, the weather will probably be on his side.

You can follow Tessa Perkins

Daryn Wright arts@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

Why are you sitting here, reading this review, when you could be listening to Here and Nowhere Else, Cloud Nothings’ outstanding second release as a full band?

I praised and praised the group’s previous record — 2012’s Attack on Memory — to pretty much anyone who’d listen. I’ll be doing the same with this record: frontman Dylan Baldi and company have tightened their focus and ironed out their kinks, resulting in their most aerodynamic and limber album yet. It’s also their best.

Whereas Attack on Memory was all atmosphere, Here and Nowhere Else is pure rocket fuel. The trio barely slows down to take a breath throughout the album’s breakneck half hour running time, and each song seems to hit harder than the last, culminating in album closer — and the group’s best track to date — the alreadycoronated Song of the Summer “I’m Not Part of Me.” This isn’t to say the album doesn’t start strong. Early standouts “Just See Fear” and opener “Now Hear In” are pure adrenaline, teetering on the tightrope between pop and punk that Baldi has built an entire career on treading. We’re not talking Blink-182 here; unlike most pop punk, Here and Nowhere Else has real teeth, and isn’t afraid to bite.

Look no further than Jayson Gerycz’s outstanding drumming for evidence — fans of Attack on Memory will agree that his addition to the band is the best thing that’s ever happened to Cloud Nothings, and his work on Here and Nowhere Else will surely silence all nonbelievers.

Gerycz holds court throughout the album, but his crowning achievement might be his complete freakout at the end of “Psychic Trauma,” the closest the band has ever gotten to the hardcore punk they’re so evidently influenced by.

An early contender for album of the year, Here and Nowhere Else is a significant maturation for a band that was already pretty fucking great to begin with.

ARTS

What the fuck is a salad day? I don’t know. I don’t care. Canadian singer-songwriter Mac DeMarco’s slow-burning, slackadaisical indie rock doesn’t invite that sort of navel gazing undergrad philosophizing. It’s made for car radios, beach parties, and the iPods of the überhip. And that’s just fine.

DeMarco has never been one to inspire overwrought think pieces or long-winded discussions on the state of “music today.” It’s a bit of a shame, because there’s real emotion to this album, even if it’s sunken beneath several layers of shruggedoff ambivalence and bleary, sunburnt melody.

Just like DeMarco denied he smokes pot — though one listen to Salad Days will have you seriously doubting that claim — he similarly subverts expectation by being an unexpectedly deft, creative songwriter.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s hard making music sound this easy. The groovy gleam of “Let Her Go,” the carnivalesque flirtatiousness of “Passing Out Pieces” — DeMarco’s greatest strength is making his songs feel lightweight, almost effortless, even as it’s clear that each one has been tweaked and perfected far beyond a first draft stage.

It does get a little stale: though Salad Days is about as simple and straightforward a listen you’ll have this year while retaining any semblance of indie cred, the tradeoff is a distinct lack of gravitas. It’s all good fun, but little in the album’s half hour runtime really makes a strong impression.

Which, of course, is just fine; not every album has to be Kid A. But it’s worth noting that, if DeMarco has a truly classic record in his back pocket, this ain’t it.

Still, Salad Days is well worth a listen or two. The Johnny Marr jangle of DeMarco’s guitar is the closest sonic approximation of a sunny day I’ve heard all year — for those of you who can’t wait another three months for a Vancouver summer, look no further than this LP.

April 7, 2014

It’s a room reminiscent of Freud’s set-up: a woman is reclined, a light from behind setting a glow on her, the makeshift patient.

Joe (played by Charlotte Gainsbourg and whose younger self is played by Stacy Martin) wound up in this strange bedroom convalescing under Seligman’s (Stellan Skarsgård) wing after he found her in a wet brick and mortar alley. We might have called it chance if it weren’t for the over-saturation of coincidence in the film. At certain hallmark moments the too-precious serendipity is exhausting, and we don’t offer von Trier the leeway we might for a less seasoned screenwriter.

Joe sets out on a life-long, four-hour recollection of her nymphomaniac condition.

Seligman is too eager, moving in careful intervals, scratching his chin; his fascination with this detailed montage of her sexcapades is in medias res, as though he had the bed made and the tea boiling before he found her.

Seligman’s openness is like that of a priest on the other side of the confessional: getting high on this unprecedented access but responding as though asexual. Speaking of priests, the film inevitably challenges us with the choice of whether or not to moralize. Joe is puzzled at Seligman’s very clinical (pedantic, rather) responses to her monologues, and for the viewer it feels measured as we realize that each chapter reveals something more difficult to bear.

Young Joe in Vol. 1 is played by an utterly bored-looking Martin, a young first time model-cum-actress. It’s hard to feel anything for what she gets up to, whether playfully teenage or pregnant and understimulated, as present-day Joe narrates the exploits. She is not a woman with desire and control, rather she is a person succumbing to an appointed vocation — eating for survival and not for pleasure.

Joe speaks about the condition methodically, outlining

the monotonous routine she managed to find herself in with a full-time job and 10 different fucks per day. Is there even a way to schedule ten partners in a day without a fairly dedicated administrative sense? She loses sensation, and then her husband (Shia Labeouf), and then eventually total hope for her future.

Joe and Seligman realize the sun is coming up and notice a tiny splash of sunlight on the outside of the building directly across from his window. Seligman mentions that he’s never been able to identify what series of reflecting surfaces makes it possible, and there’s a soft feeling of rarity and buoyancy in the mysterious source of light.

Von Trier, it first seems, has attempted to suggest Joe’s nymphomania as a counter-cultural condition — an exercise in chestpuffery where women are capable of living on the man’s side of the double standard, a place where tallying sexual partners at least exists for the other 50 per cent of the world.

But the attempt inevitably folds over on itself. The

languorous, digressive nature of the film comes to a sharp head in a series of very slight interactions between these two new friends. The room’s tone changes, some sudden action and then — we exhale, but the relief is only momentary,

impulsive. Von Trier brings us to the edge of this sexual capacity from a woman’s perspective and, with the finale, snaps the whole thing back, leaving us with a bleak shadow of what he perhaps lays out as his forecast for female sexuality.

PAY FOR 3 MONTHS

GET 4TH MONTH

FREE! South Vancouver Self Storage 8866 Laurel St • 604-229-3262 vancouver@sentinel.ca

Coquitlam Self Storage 195 Schoolhouse St • 604-229-3260 coquitlam@sentinel.ca

Richmond Self Storage 11151 Bridgeport Road • 604-229-3261 richmond@sentinel.ca

Visit www.sentinel.ca

17

18 ARTS

Sometimes there are days when I think I should just scrap dinner and go straight to the night cap. Without fail, a day or two before payday the fridge begins to look rather empty — save for a couple of stalks of wilty kale and sticky jam jars — and that remaining splash of red wine looks pretty good.

Other days, things just don’t really go as planned and the last thing you feel like doing is standing in front of a stove sautéing onions and crying because you twisted your ankle running for the bus (it happens).

I get it. As much as I love cooking and baking and all things food-related, some nights I just want to say “no,” reach for a glass, and call it a night.

Plus, the sun is making it’s way through the clouds, and you know what that means: it’s margarita weather. Let’s get

April 7, 2014

real: laying out in the sun with a good book and a strong drink sounds much more appealing than slumping in front of a laptop for hours on end.

With exams coming up, I have a feeling that I’m not the only one craving citrusy, salty, and sweet tequila over ice. So whether it’s an empty fridge, a swollen ankle, a heavy textbook, or just a craving for liquid sunshine, grab the bottle and put down the cutting board.

This is a bit of a grown-up version of the margarita, using grapefruit instead of lime and with the addition of Lillet, which can be found in most liquor stores (and is also delicious on its own).

You can follow Daryn Wright

ARTS

Whether or not you’re proud of the current federal government, if you’re interested in politics, Michael Healy’s Proud will be an enjoyable show.

“I would hope people of all political stripes come to the show,” said director and Firehall Arts Centre producer Donna Spencer. She believes the show will really appeal to political science students, political writers, and anybody with an interest in the subject.

Written around the time of the 2011 election, Healy’s Prime Minister is clearly Mr. Harper, although the name only comes up once during the play and the character is referred to as “the Prime Minister” throughout.

The Conservative Party is mentioned during the play which is written from the perspective of a young female member of parliament who has very little political experience.

Her perspective aligns with the audience’s as she tries to navigate her way through her new political world. She feels that she has been wronged by the Prime Minister and wants to get revenge.

“She gets bitten by the political bug,” said Spencer, “and she introduces a bill. She sees it as a way to gain greater profile and get back at the Prime Minister.”

When writing a play about a public figure, one has to be very careful about libel, but Spencer said that she doesn’t think the play is in any way libellous. “It’s not particularly controversial but it was treated that way at first,” she said.

At the time the play was written, a number of arts groups in Toronto had been losing funding and there was speculation about government interference.

It’s understandable that they didn’t want to produce a play that could have cost them what little funding they had. Regardless, Proud was first produced in 2012 at the Berkeley Street Theatre in Toronto.

April 7, 2014

Spencer has always been interested in politics and had her eye on this play since it was first produced. “For me it was something that really resonated, and it has a couple of really great parts for actors,” she said. Andrew Wheeler plays the Prime Minister, and the whole cast has been working hard to be up to speed on politics and history.

“It’s fascinating in rehearsal how the research informs the work,” said Spencer. She learned a lot about Conservatives’ rise to majority in 2011 and their strategic plan to reengage disaffected voters. “It’s really interesting to do research and consider how the playwright built the play.”

Showing that there are many benefits to minority governments and that a majority can erode and erase laws, the play has an all too familiar feel.

The story also involves putting

So much of the play’s humour comes from the fact that it’s based in reality; it’s an intelligent satirical critique of the institution of government. “The humour unfolds from that,” said Spencer.

“We try to hit the realism.”

Spencer was also interested in the informative aspect of the play. “In a way it reveals how government functions,” she said, “I don’t think a lot of people know how that works.”

The play may not show the Prime Minister in the most flattering light, but Spencer explained that in some ways it makes his personal self sympathetic. But not his professional self, she clarified.

Spencer said that she doesn’t think there’s anything the Conservatives should be scared of in this play, or the other parties for that matter. “It’s about a political process. We need to think about how we want government to function,” she said. She hopes that the show can spark some political interest in audience members. “I’m actually hoping they’ll get re-engaged about political responsibility,” she said.

forward a bill to create a diversion while other things slip by.

“We should be aware and try to get involved,” said Spencer. “Michael Healy felt compelled to write the play for a reason.”

19

April 7, 2014

20

COMMUNITY PHOTOS April 7, 2014

photo editor email / phone

Mark Burnham photos@the-peak.ca

April 7, 2014

COMMUNITY PHOTOS April 7, 2014

photo editor email / phone

Mark Burnham photos@the-peak.ca

21

22 DIVERSIONS / ETC

April 7, 2014

CLASSIFIEDS@ THE-PEAK.CA

Across 1. Pertaining to lemons or oranges 4. What does the dog say?

6. That long thing poking out of your shoulder 7. An unhappy camper; one who whines 8. Springfield bartender Syzlak 11. Historic Canadian transportation system built between 1881–1885 (abbr.)

12. A cat in a Corvette? A dog in a DeLorean?

15. Unifier of the German states von Bismarck 18. A traditional armour worn by those who practice Kendo — add an “s� to the end and it describes this clue 19. The totality of existence 23. A conjunction presenting a non-contrasting negative idea 24. A bilateral or multilateral agreement between two parties (abbr.)

25. To bring to court 27. Not less 29. To ____ his own 30. Casablanca star Bergman 32. The greatest rapper of 7

(

%

8

'

$

5

,

$

6

(

'

%

(

/

'

$

1

7 (

0

0

$

$

1

'

/

2

5

'

%

5

(

*

8

7

(

1

(

<

(

'

7

<

(

(

5

$

'

,

6

6

9

8

7 $ 1

0

2

+ (

1

/ 3

+

8

1

)

8

' ,

(

/

$

$

2 )

1

+

$

'

8

$

/

6

:

.

$

.

7

$

*

$

-

$

5

2

/

(

(

/

5

/

(

all time, Vanilla ___ 35. Musical releases shorter than albums, or LPs, but longer than singles 36. A sword, or a type of sharp tooth 37. 1977 David Bowie masterpiece featuring â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sound and Visionâ&#x20AC;?

38. Do it on a mountain with long sticks 39. British filmmaking duo Michael Powell and ______ Pressburger Down 1. A farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s harvest, or to fix in Photoshop 2. Abbreviated term for spontaneous comedy 3. A prolonged unconscious state

5. The unquestionable best section of The Peak 6. TV network behind Breaking Bad and Mad Men 9. Alternate term for a sphere 10. Linkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s horse in The Legend of Zelda series 12. Caribbean nation _____ Rica 13. Term for winning of all four key entertainment awards 14. Famously lower case avant garde poet, ee 16. Apart from Jerusalem, Israelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most populous city ___ Aviv 17. Gave it a shot 20. Palindromic term for midday

21. â&#x20AC;&#x153;_ ____ you to reconsiderâ&#x20AC;? (2 wds.)

22. Position weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hoping to reintroduce with The Peakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s constitution change (abbr.)

26. Studio responsible for animated classics like My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away 28. Official name for the post-WWII Marshall Plan (abbr.)

31. A land mass surrounded by water, usually a small one 33. Nickname for large aquatic reptiles and singular form of ugly shoe 34. Gross!

Hope  to  see  you  there!

SPORTS

At the Diamond Alumni Centre last Monday, SFU Athletics named six athletes, one coach, one builder, and one team to the Athletics Hall of Fame.

Eugene Gyorfi (swimming and diving), Jim Jardine (football), Sara Maglio (soccer), Andrea Schnider (basketball), Ed Sernoski (wrestling), and Harold Willers (track and field) were the athletes inducted.

Former men’s basketball coach Stan Stewardson, trainer Jack Taunton, and the 2001-02 women’s basketball team were also inducted.

Gyorfi, already an established swimmer before joining the Clan in 1981, led SFU to the 1983 NAIA team championship, while earning three individual titles of his own that year. In 1984, he earned another three, making him one of SFU’s most decorated swimmers ever.

Jardine was with SFU’s football team at its inception, recruited by

sports editor email / phone

April 7, 2014

the Clan’s founding athletic director, Lorne Davies, who was on hand at the ceremony as well. Despite being brought in as quarterback, Jardine switched to defensiveback where he’d anchor the Clan’s secondary throughout his college career. The Clan’s original Minister of Defence became a BC provincial court judge after graduation.

Sara Maglio, named an NAIA AllAmerican four times, was a star in her time with the Clan. She won a national title in 1996 while leading the team in scoring. Maglio would join the Canadian national team, playing in the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Schnider, who played for renowned head coach Alison McNeil from 1988 to 1992, was a two-time All-American from 1991 to 1992.

She was also on the first Clan squad to qualify for the NAIA Championships, and is still the NAIA all-time assists leader with 926.

Ed Sernoski won two NAIA wrestling titles in 1986 and 1988 at 150 lbs. He also earned a team championship in 1988, a year for which he holds the Clan single-season winloss record, with a dominant 73–3 season. He went on to become the Canadian champion at 74 kg, and represented Canada in the 1989 World Championships.

From 1978 to 1980, Willers was a three-time NAIA champion in

the hammer throw, and continued his collegiate success after graduating, winning four Canadian Championships in the event from 1981 to 1984.

Coach Stewardson led the SFU men’s basketball program for nine seasons, from 1975 to 1979 and again from 1984 to 1989. He groomed some of Canada’s best talent, including Terry Fox and Jay Triano, two other Clan Hall of Famers. He is also a recipient of the Metro Vancouver Basketball Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award and has been inducted into the Basketball BC Hall of Fame as well.

Adam Ovenell-Carter sports@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

Dr. Jack Taunton began his sports medicine career at SFU, serving on the Clan’s medical staff.

Since then, his career has grown immensely and he served as Chief Medical Officer for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. With Taunton at the helm, the event was named by the IOC as the best sport medicine platform in Olympic history.

The 2001-02 women’s basketball team were SFU’s first Canadian Interuniversity Sport Champions. The Clan racked up 35 wins on the year, and went the full season without a single loss. The team was named the Basketball BC and Sport BC

23

Team of the Year that season and was later elected into the Burnaby Sports Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, the late Tim Jones became the first inductee of the Terry Fox Honorary Inductee category since Fox himself. Jones died suddenly in January of this year, but was the volunteer team leader of North Shore Rescue (NSR), a Vancouver-based search and rescue operation, and was also the paramedic in charge with the BC Ambulance Service. Jones raised over $1 million for NSR, and served with NSR and BC Ambulance Service for over 30 years. His son Curtis accepted the award on his behalf.

STUDENT

ESSAY

CONTEST

NEW CATEGORIES AND PRIZES 1st Prize: 2nd Prize: 3rd Prize:

High school

Undergraduate

Graduate

$1,500 $1,000 $500

$1,500 $1,000 $500

$1,500 $1,000 $500

2014 Topic

The rise of crony capitalism: how government and business gain at the taxpayers’ expense SUBMISSION DEADLINE: MAY 30, 2014 For complete contest details, visit:

studentessaycontest.org For more information contact the Education Programs department at student@fraserinstitute.org or by phone at 1∙800∙665∙3558 ext. 526.

EssayContest_2014.indd 1

2013-12-16 1:22 PM

24 SPORTS

April 7, 2014

Obviously, injuries are always a question, and his consistency in any position is a question as well, but now it may be tempting to just let him play out the last year of his contract rather than buying him out.

It has been an interesting season for the Canucks, to say the least.

Right now, the Canucks have a less than one per cent chance of making the playoffs. By the time you read this, they’ll be out, officially.

That being said, I still look forward to the remaining games.

Even though they cannot make the playoffs, I still want to see them win every game left. I would like to see them fight for a ninth spot. Tanking for draft picks is shameful, even if they are knocked out of the playoffs, and there are still so many questions that this final stretch can help answer.

For one, David Booth’s play for the next few games will likely decide whether he will be bought out or not. I do not believe Booth will regain his scoring touch and score 20 goals next year — that’s just not realistic — however, he has developed into a good third-liner.

Speaking of playing for contracts, it will be fun to see if Zack Kassian can end out the season on a high note, continuing the recent trend of the third line being the best line. Kassian is a restricted free agent (RFA) this offseason, and the Canucks would be foolish to give up on him so soon.

Unfortunately, Jordan Schroeder who is in a similar position, becoming an RFA this summer, does not look good enough. He is too small for a fourth line role and seems unable to show his skill in a top-six role. Maybe it is the coaching staff’s fault for not giving him the right chances, or perhaps injuries which have hurt his season are to blame. Maybe another team will sign him and he will have a breakout year, but I just cannot

see the Canucks re-signing him.

However, the next few games will be a perfect audition for him.

As for behind the scenes, general manager Mike Gillis is on the hot seat in a big way. He’s not a terrible GM — he put together the

17%

want to do it at the beach.

Do it your way.

The semester is almost over. Are you thinking of picking up a prerequisite or redoing a course?

Get ahead without sacrificing your summer.

We offer over 590 online and distance courses.

Enrol anytime, study anywhere, then transfer your credits back to your current program.

MC118577

Find out more today!

1.866.949.6736 | truopen.ca

final pieces for the cup run, and built (from Brian Burke and Dave Nonis’ foundation) the Canucks into an elite team.

However, in three short seasons since the cup run, the Canucks are out of the playoffs and possibly on the eve of a rebuild.

The last straw, after destroying possibly the best goaltending tandem in the NHL, was not doing anything this trade deadline. He took the middle route, not adding someone so that the Canucks could go on a playoff run, and not starting the rebuild.

Head coach John Tortorella is in a similar position, and may be the scapegoat for this season. But perhaps he should stay. His strengths are as a playoff coach, and I believe that if the Canucks made the playoffs this year, he could be the coach to get them past the first round, even with their depleted talent.

The Canucks haven’t been good this season, and at times, they’ve been painful to watch.

But with the team on the brink of an overhaul, it will be hard to look away.

SPORTS

It was a game of efficiency and execution as the Clan hosted inconference opponent Washington State Cougars on Terry Fox Field. The Clan controlled the entire game, treating the visiting Cougars to a constant onslaught of high-powered offence and rock-solid defence, dominating them 30–2.

Before the beatdown, it was an emotional day for the Clan.

As it was Senior’s Day, the Clan brought the crowd’s attention to the graduating players and their parents and acknowledged their contributions and efforts over their years at SFU. The Clan honoured five players before the game who will be graduating at the end of this season: long-stick middle (LSM) Riley Wanzer, defenceman Mark Hilker, goaltender Darren Zwack, and midfielders Brendan Ferrell and Travis Hayes.

The Clan also honoured Lt. Col Paul Paone, father of freshmen LSM Ian Paone, who returned from nine months in Afghanistan and was attending his first SFU Clan lacrosse game.

The Simon Fraser softball team hosted Western Washington University last weekend in an offensive-laden doubleheader that saw the visiting Vikings take both matches. The teams combined for 35 runs over the two games, but the Clan scored only 11 as the Vikings ran away with both contests.

In the first contest, WWU jumped out to a 6–2 lead; the Clan mounted a minor comeback, pulling within one in the bottom of the fourth, but it was

April 7, 2014

But after the ceremony, it was no holds barred.

The Clan owned every aspect of the game, going 19 for 30 on faceoffs, collecting an astounding 99 ground balls, and maintaining the ball offensively for a large majority of the game. All but three players recorded a ground ball in the game, and five different players recorded five each.

Seven Clan players had multipoint games, led by Ward Spencer who had a career-high 14-point game with nine goals and five assists. Clan leading scorer Tyler Kirkby had 10 (seven goals, three assists), followed by Lyndon Knuttila (three goals, two assists), Sam Clare (three goals, one assist), Iain Vickers (one goal, three assists), Jordan Lasher (one goal, two assists), and Hayes (two goals).

Meanwhile, a stifling Clan defence kept the Cougars away from goaltender Zwack, who faced only six shots the entire game.

The Clan’s home season is over, and they have just two more road trips to play #14 Texas and conference opponent Montana. The Clan’s record now sits at 6–0 in the conference and 10–2 on the season, boosting them up to #9 in the rankings.

The Clan are looking to finish their season on a high note and carry their success into the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League finals, beginning May 2.

never really close. The Vikings scored two in the fifth, two in the sixth and four in the seventh to blow the out Clan 14–7.

“The fans got their money’s worth in the first game,” said head coach Mike Renney. “It was a slugfest but we made too many errors against a good team and Western Washington is on a roll right now. They’re arguably one of the top teams in our conference so full credit to them.”

The Vikings currently sit third in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) with a 9–5 conference record, well ahead of the last-placed Clan, who are now 2–12 in GNAC play after the two losses. The disparity between the two clubs was just as evident in the second match.

Western Washington steadily built up a 4–0 lead into the fifth

before SFU brought any runners home. Up 4–2 after five, the Vikings blew the doors open in the sixth and seventh, taking a stranglehold on the game with a 10–2 lead. SFU would add two in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn’t nearly enough as the Clan fell 10–4.

It didn’t help that the Clan lost one of their key athletes in the first game. Junior shortstop Danielle Raison left the game, suffering an apparent knee injury while running the bases.

“It was really tough to have to re-group after losing our starting shortstop and our top hitter right now to a serious knee injury that will be diagnosed in the coming days,” said Renney. “I think our athletes did as well as you could hope to bounce back from that

but I’m sure it was an underlying factor today.”

Renney added, “We’ll get back on the practice field on Monday and get to work on the long list of areas we identified over the course of this doubleheader that we need to work on and that will only make us better in time, but time is running out on this year.”

The Clan are only about halfway through their season, but after losing Raison and currently being planted firmly at the bottom of the GNAC, 2014 is looking like a lost year. At the very least, it’s a season on which to improve.

You can follow Adam Ovenell-Carter

25

26

HUMOUR

April 7, 2014

humour editor email / phone

Brad McLeod humour@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

HUMOUR

April 7, 2014

27

28 LAST WORD

ou’ve all heard the jokes about UBC and SFU. I know you have — they’re written all over every bathroom stall in the school.

Here’s my personal favourite: “What do SFU and UBC undergrads have in common? They both applied to UBC.” There are hundreds more just like it. Some portray UBC kids as snooty and self-centered; others take SFU’s history as a liberal arts stronghold as evidence of our status as dirty, unkempt hippies. Since my first day at SFU, I learned to furrow my brow and shake my head disapprovingly at any mention of UBC. It’s like an initiation ritual.

The competitive spirit between the two schools goes far beyond the undergraduate community.

Our sports teams — particularly the Clan and UBC’s Thunderbirds — have a rivalry whose roots are deeper than most. Look no further than the Shrum Bowl, a yearly showdown pitting the two against each other for a trophy, not to mention bragging rights. It’s been held on and off for 33 years, with SFU leading UBC 17–15–1.

Business majors will also be familiar with the rivalry between Beedie School of Business and UBC’s Sauder School. Barbs are often traded over which school is “better,” and a quick search on Google will turn up endless forum disputes on the subject. (I read these things so you don’t have to. Seriously, who posts in those threads?)

features editor email / phone

Max Hill features@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

The Peak has even gotten in on the fun, sparking a friendly competition with UBC’s student paper, The Ubyssey. Our two papers may or may not have participated in a dance competition at a journalism conference earlier this year.

“I think there is an anti-SFU sentiment that persists, maybe even for students who have never even been to SFU before,” says Thea Rodgers, a UBC undergrad. “I think having a rivalry with SFU is part of our identity as a campus community. Every institution needs their rivals, right?”

But what’s behind this rivalry?

Is it really based on a belief that either school is inferior, or is it just a product of our proximity and our comparable status among Canada’s top schools?

Most likely, a little bit of both.

I’ve had my fair share of arguments with fellow SFU students who genuinely believe every single UBC stereotype there is — that they’re all rich pricks, that the teachers are snooty and inaccessible, that the campus is full of sexist dudebros who throw biweekly keggers and spout rape culture slogans. (Okay, that did happen that one time.)

It’s baffling to me that people can fall hook, line, and sinker for these kinds of generalizations. Really? Everybody at UBC is like that?

I don’t buy it.

I’m not trying to say that a little scholarly competition is a bad thing. Hey, if it gets us working harder and helps us muster up a little school spirit, what’s the harm?

But there’s something a little disconcerting about dismissing an entire university’s worth of students, teachers, and faculty because of a “traditional” rivalry.

Out of all the people who actively dislike UBC or SFU, what good reason do you have? Have you actually taken classes there, or met more than a handful of people who go there?

Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Truth is, most of the hostility between our two schools is left over from people who’ve long since graduated, passed down from generation to generation until we’re not even sure why we hate each other anymore. But we keep butting heads, pretty much just for the sake of butting heads. No small part of it is jealousy, I’m sure: no one likes to think that they chose the wrong university, or that their school is worse than the one just 30 kilometres away.

Now, I’m not going to lie. It’s hard to deny that glimmer of happiness, and subsequent pang of guilt, I feel whenever SFU beats UBC at something. Maybe it’s irrational — like when a friend gets

April 7, 2014

passed over for a promotion, or when you beat your significant other at a video game.

But as much as no one on either side of this feud would like to admit it, both schools ultimately have their ups and downs.

There are good reasons to go to both, and barring some gigantic change in the next decade or so, there always will be.

University is ultimately what you make it, and you’re bound to get a wide range of opinions from people who go to both schools.

When I applied for SFU, I was told there would be no community, and yet I’ve met some of the best friends I’ve ever had at The Peak, one of the closest knit communities I know of at any university.

UBC may claim to have more prestige — they do tend to place higher than us in most university rankings — but it’s not about that, at least not entirely. It’s about what you do to make your university experience the best it can possibly be, no matter where you’re studying.

So, in light of all this, I’m extending the olive branch: why can’t we all just get along, guys? Can’t we unite over some common enemy — say, Quebec, or Ontario? As far as I’m concerned, a house divided cannot stand. UBC and SFU should team up. What’s standing in our way? A dusty old history of half-hearted insults and a football rivalry? Together, we can make the West a force to be reckoned with.