Summer Double Feature by The Peak

July 8, 2013 · Volume 144, Issue 10

CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2013

FIRST PEEK

I never knew how to articulate how precarious my identity felt. As a child, I would draw myself as a boy, complete with a penis, but I was hyper-feminine in my gender presentation. Although I have now accepted that I am genderqueer, or that I do not fit neatly into the two genders we are permitted, I have not come out as such. If people like me are to exist comfortably, this dichotomizing of gender must end. What I am proposing is a paradigm shift that is long overdue. When I was in kindergarten, I watched an Oprah special on David Reimer, best known for having been raised as a girl after his circumcision left him mutilated. The doctor overseeing his case talked his parents into him having sex reassignment surgery, so he was raised as a female instead. Reimer eventually committed suicide after years of depression relating to his gender confusion. From this day on, the photo of the little boy with long brown hair and a white dress was burned into my mind. I thought I was in the same situation; someone had damaged my penis and decided I would be better off thinking I was born a female. On

July 8, 2013

some level, I understood these events had not taken place — they were merely analogous to my situation. Unlike Reimer, though, I could not go to my parents about this profound unease, as it was not the result of their actions. They were neither responsible for my condition, nor could they help me. I thought it must be caused by some sickness growing inside me, and to tell anyone would result in abandonment. I continued presenting as hyper-feminine until sixth grade, when my family bought a house far away. I became depressed, isolated, and dressed like a tomboy. Once we moved, I began presenting as hyperfeminine again, terrified my new classmates would realize what a “freak” I was. I had severe panic attacks every day, and was certain I was mentally ill.

This same year, I learned it was unusual to be attracted to other girls, and felt deeply ashamed of my “marriage” to another girl in elementary school. She would fly out to visit me, send me care packages, and we would talk on the phone for hours each day. I began keeping a journal

and drawing myself as a girl with a penis, something I would continue doing until grade 10. Years later, and after a few false starts, I eventually started dating women exclusively. I was not able to come out to my family yet, so I presented as hyper-feminine and my parents remained oblivious to my secrets. Someone close to us had come out as trans two months after I realized I could not keep dating men, and my parents were struggling to address him with the correct pronouns and accept that his identity was not a sickness. I was, of course, deeply invested in their reactions, and they had no idea who I was as they confided in me. My father in particular frequently contrasted his masculinity and attraction to women with me. Four months later, I told them I was a lesbian and gradually began to dress more androgynously. I found that not only did I stop receiving unwanted attention from men, I felt stronger, confident, and sexy. But I have not told them any of the things I have written about here, because I continue to live in fear of being discovered by a society that does not accept my gender as real and has policed my identity since I was born. This has to change, and can change, if we cease to approach gender dichotomously, and allow people to discover their identities for themselves.

» »

» » » »

NEWS

July 8, 2013

news editor email / phone

attempted to contact the Food Bank Coordinator, but received no reply. Despite these concerns, neither group is looking to abandon the food bank program; instead, they are approaching the issue with enthusiasm. “We at the Food Bank Working Group like to see the proposed changes as an opportunity as opposed to a challenge, because there are definitely issues with current the food bank,” spoke Chardaye Bueckert, SFSS External Relations Officer. “There’s many challenges around accessing a food service, and that’s something we need to change.” Currently, the Food Bank is accessible to any SFU undergraduate student in need; yet, it is only used by 75 students per semester out of a total population of 20,000. Bueckert feels that the lack of knowledge surrounding eligibility and accessibility is one of the biggest challenges that the SFSS and SS are currently facing. “You don’t want to exclude anyone who needs [help] by establishing firm criteria, but when it’s very vague and open it’s also difficult to know who is eligible,” said Bueckert. “Some people may think that you need to be in dire straights, whereas if you only have a small grocery budget and you need to stretch it out, maybe it is appropriate to use it. We need to come up with some clear branding to let people know that it’s okay to go there if they are in need.”

LABOUR STUDIES PROGRAM ƌŝƚŝĐĂů dŚŝŶŬŝŶŐ͕ EĞǁ WĞƌƐƉĞĐƚŝǀĞƐ Fall 2013 Course Offerings > ^d ϭϬϭͲϯ /ŶƚƌŽ ƚŽ >ĂďŽƵƌ ^ƚƵĚŝĞƐ ; ƵƌŶĂďǇ ĐĂŵƉƵƐͿ > ^d ϭϬϭͲϯ /ŶƚƌŽ ƚŽ >ĂďŽƵƌ ^ƚƵĚŝĞƐ ;^ƵƌƌĞǇ ĐĂŵƉƵƐͿ > ^d ϯϬϭͲϯ >ĂďŽƵƌ DŽǀĞŵĞŶƚƐ͗ ŽŶƚĞŵƉŽƌĂƌǇ /ƐƐƵĞƐ > ^d ϯϬϴͲϯ >ĂďŽƵƌ WƌŽĐĞƐƐ͗ tŽƌŬ ĂŶĚ dĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐǇ > ^d ϯϬϵͲϯ >ĂďŽƵƌ ĂŶĚ ŽůůĞĐƚŝǀĞ ĂƌŐĂŝŶŝŶŐ > ^d ϯϭϬͲϯ 'ůŽďĂů >ĂďŽƵƌ ĂŶĚ WŽůŝƚŝĐƐ > ^d ϯϭϭͲϯ >ĂďŽƵƌ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ > ^d ϯϯϬͲϯ ĂŶĂĚŝĂŶ >ĂďŽƵƌ ĂŶĚ ŵƉůŽǇŵĞŶƚ >Ăǁ > ^d ϯϯϬͲϯ hŶĨƌĞĞ >ĂďŽƵƌ ĂŶĚ DŽĚĞƌŶͲ ĂǇ ^ůĂǀĞƌǇ > ^d ϯϯϬͲϯ >ĂďŽƵƌ ŝŶ ŚŝŶĂ &Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŝŽŶ ŽŶ ĐŽƵƌƐĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƐĐŚŽůĂƌƐŚŝƉ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚŝĞƐ ǀŝƐŝƚ

ǁǁǁ͘ůĂďŽƵƌ͘ƐĨƵ͘ĐĂ

Alison Roach associate news editor news@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

Over the past 20 years, the SFU Food Bank has provided undergraduate students with muchneeded groceries and nutrition information in difficult times. However, recent challenges such as insufficient storage and lack of knowledge may bring an end to the current system. The issue was brought to the attention of the SFSS by Student Services, which manages the administration and coordination of the Food Bank. Student Services cited problems such as issues of waste, inadequate cold storage which results in an inability to store fresh food, and a lack of knowledge of best practices. According to the SFSS — which funds the Food Bank — Student Services would like to be out of the distribution business by Sept 1 this year. The Peak

Although both partners agree that change is needed, Student Services and the SFSS do not agree on which path to take. SS is hoping to switch from a distributive to an education and referral based model, where students in need would be referred to a food bank off campus. A similar referral-based model has recently been implemented at SFU Surrey Campus, with relative success.

Leah Bjornson

In contrast, the SFSS does not feel that such promise would be found at SFU Burnaby; the closest community Food Bank is located in Port Moody, a 40-50 minute transit ride away. Instead, the SFSS is looking to pursue other logistical models to create “a high quality, accessible, stigma free service where any student who identifies as having a need to access a food service is able to do that,” according to Bueckert. In this pursuit, the SFSS has struck a working group to consider the various options available, which include a voucher program and a food hamper system. Bueckert spoke to the benefits of the voucher program, saying, “We’re lucky to have a lot of food services on campus, even a grocery store, so that’s a huge benefit to students . . . they would have access ideally to fresh foods and hot foods, meat, dairy, produce, things we couldn’t provide under the current Food Bank.” As an additional benefit, the SFSS and Student Services would not have to be involved in the actual food distribution and storage, relieving a huge administrative burden. Although a food hamper solution is also being considered, it would require coordination similar to the current system. These are only some of the many solutions that are being considered by the SFSS working group. “We don’t want to narrow in too specifically before we get feedback from the community at large because there might be some really new, innovative things that could be presented so we don’t want to close the door to any of these possibilities,” commented Bueckert. To facilitate this, the working group is organizing a feedback survey that will be distributed to the entire student population. Students will have a period of two weeks to reply, with responses coming in until the Food Bank Stakeholder Representative Focus Group takes place on July 19. The working group is confident that this event, which will be attended by representatives from SFPIRG, the GSS, SFU Health and Counselling, and various rotunda groups, will result in an SFU Food Bank solution. Bueckert concluded, “No matter what, we want a food service on campus.”

NEWS

The Private Career Training Institutions Agency (PCTIA) is launching a thorough review of co-op work programs at 29 institutions in BC after finding evidence of at least two cases where students were placed in a fast-food restaurant to fulfil the requirements of their co-op. The two schools in question, the Royal Canadian Institute of Technology (RCIT) and the Vancouver Institute of Professional Management (VIPM), have both had their registrations cancelled after failing “to meet basic education standards, including standards related to its student contracts and the delivery of co-op education work components of its programs.” The PCTIA ordered the RCIT closed October 5, 2012, claiming its students had not completed programs within the time periods specified in their contracts and that contract dates had been adjusted without the students’ knowledge. The PCTIA is the regulatory agency for private career training institutions in BC and a Crown Corporation under the Ministry of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology. It requires private career training institutions with tuition of $1000 or more and over 40 hours of course time to be registered. It also oversees the Student Training Completion Fund (STCF), which, in the case

Those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show a huge range of challenges and abilities. To address these issues, recent SFU alumna Jodi Yager focused on the social aspect of ASD for her PhD work in SFU’s Clinical Psychology Program, creating a

July 8, 2013

of an institution closure, protects unearned student tuition. According to the PCTIA, the institutions were given ample time to solve their issues and meet Basic Education Standards as outlined in the Bylaws, but failed to do so. “If the Regulatory and Compliance Officer notices any noncompliance issues during a site visit, institutions are given an opportunity to address these issues,” spoke Karin Kirkpatrick, Registrar and CEO of PCTIA. “However, if they fail to do so by the set date, PCTIA must make the decision to cancel the institution’s registration in order to protect enrolled and prospective students.” The main issue, aside from failing to meet basic education standards, surrounds two co-op placements that occurred at VIPM. The PCTIA has confirmed that both students, who were studying health and care management, were placed in fast food restaurants to complete their co-op. Although seemingly unique, Kirkpatrick said that similar types of placements in fast food restaurants have been found in other closures.

For Kirkpatrick, the need for a successful co-op program in BC goes beyond our Canadian borders. Institutions offering co-op programs are particularly attractive to international students interested in gaining Canadian work experience, and therefore must be protected.

new tool that may allow parents and caregivers to better understand the complex sociality of those with ASD. “There is a huge range in terms of level of functioning,” explained Yager. “There are still a lot of people who are on the lower end, who have difficulty with language, and kind of basic everyday adaptive skills, but then we also have this higher functioning end of the spectrum where the individuals are actually very bright, very verbal, and it’s really just the social area that’s very challenging for them.”

“We need to ensure that coops are being used for their intended purpose – that is, to promote continuous learning through the integration of classroom and workplace-based learning,” spoke Kirkpatrick. “These reviews are integral for maintaining the high standards of private career training institutions in BC, the result of which will further contribute to the BC economy by being an attractive destination for students to pursue their post-secondary education.” To ensure that BC’s programs meet current standards, the PCTIA has identified 29 institutions offering co-op programs to be reviewed, most of which offer programs that are business (management) and tourism hospitality related. “All BC registered private postsecondary institutions that include a co-op component will have their co-op programs reviewed,” outlined

Yager saw a lack of tools to capture the variability that can be seen across individuals with ASD. Working with Dr. Grace Iarocci, Yager developed the Multidimensional Social Competence Scale, with the hope of capturing the wide range of social abilities she had witnessed. “What we did is develop a questionnaire, sort of a parent scale that looks at the variability in terms of profiles of social strengths and weaknesses,” said Yager. “It looked at functioning across seven specific areas of social competence,

Kirkpatrick. “A PCTIA representative will visit these institutions to review student records and compare them with the Bylaws to determine the level of compliance.” During these visits, students attending co-op programs can also expect to be interviewed. However, SFU Students do not need to worry; the PCTIA will only be reviewing private technical institutions, not nationally accredited university programs. “It’s disappointing that one or two schools are giving a bad name to BC co-op programs.” said Muriel Klemetski, Director of Work Integrated Learning at SFU. “Our co-op program is modelled after a nationally accredited co-op model. There are very specific guidelines and structure to it, and there are guiding principles and regulations as to what defines a quality co-op work term.”

and the hope is that we can use this sort of measure to quantify more of a social profile for individuals.” The seven areas identified by Yager are social motivation, social inferencing, demonstrating empathic concern, social knowledge, verbal conversation skills, nonverbal sending skills, and emotion regulation. When the scale was administered to 181 parents across Canada, Yager found that the seven distinct areas identified came through, and informed the overall score.

Since this story has hit the news, Klemetski has been contacted by the PCTI agency for information on SFU, provincial and national co-op standards and best practices. “I am pleased that the PCTIs are looking to see how they can improve the work term opportunities for their students,” said Klemetski. In the media release addressing the VIPM closure, the PCTIA made it clear that the welfare of BC students is their primary concern, saying, “We will work closely with other institutions to transition the students who wish to continue their studies to similar programs with as little interruption to their education as possible.” Kirkpatrick echoed these sentiments in an interview with The Province; “The students are our priority and we will do everything we can to assist them.”

Yager said, “We’re basically finding that kids who had higher scores on our measures had more strengths in term of social competence, and that also seemed to translate into them being a little bit more successful in the day-to-day social world. They had a few more friends, they had more regular social contact, and a little bit more accepted by peers. So that just sort of tells us that the scale has some real life validity as well. “It was a long journey, but in the end, I was happy with how it all ended up.”

6 NEWS

SFU has been recognized for its effort in working with Conservation Officers over the past two years, in order to maintain a “bear-proof” campus. Conservation Officer Jack Trudgian told Burnaby NewsLeader that SFU has done an “awesome job” to ensure that garbage bins are secure, as to avoid attracting bears onto campus. Given that the SFU Burnaby Campus shares Burnaby Mountain with many wildlife creatures, it is important to remind SFU staff and students of circumstantial hazards, such as bear encounters. “Bears will move on if there’s no food,” Trudgian said. As long as garbage is properly disposed of, bears should not be tempted to enter campus. Last month, three bears in particular raised concerns after being spotted around Burnaby Mountain Secondary School. The two cubs and their mother were monitored closely by Conservation Officers, and are believed to have returned back to the mountain, away from the public. Another incident in Surrey saw a bear attack a llama and a goat over the course of a single weekend. According to Conservation Officer Jack Trudgian, the bout of warm weather we got earlier in the spring could have brought bears out of hibernation all at once, as reported by News 1130. “We’re getting more calls in the Surrey, Burnaby, [and]

July 8, 2013

Langley areas than we do on the North Shore and the North Shore usually generates most of our bear calls or bear sightings. It’s really [difficult] to predict why this is,” Trudgian said. According to the BC Ministry of Environment website, “Conservation Officers are usually forced to kill ‘problem’ bears,” in order to ensure public safety. However, the website states that officers would “rather prevent ‘problem’ bears from being created in the first place.” If a bear has not grown accustomed to eating garbage or human food, it is easier for Conservation Officers to manage the bears, as they have no other interest interacting with humans unless there is food at stake. Other methods used by Conservation Officers to deter bears include firing flare guns to scare the bears away, rubber bullets, and anti-riot batons. These techniques are known as “Aversive Conditioning” and are used to teach the bears to associate humans (and their food / garbage) in a negative way. As stated by the BC Ministry of Environment, problem bears cost BC taxpayers more than $1 million each year, “responding to bear complaints and relocating or destroying bears.” Pierce Ficzycz, supervisor of the SFU Student Campus Safety Program, said, “Due to the geographical location of the university bears will always be present; however, all we can do is reduce potentially dangerous interactions with these wild animals by educating the university community.”

This past Canada Day, not all was patriotic fireworks and maple leaf face tattoos. The Stop Harper Day Rally took place in Vancouver’s Victory Square, between noon and 2:00 p.m., with several speakers taking the platform to talk about why they find celebrating the national holiday difficult. The peaceful protest was organized by SmartChange.ca and emceed by Mathew Kagis. The opening address, which lamented what had become of the Indigenous people’s land and home, set the tone for the rest of the afternoon, with special attention to whose Canada was being celebrated. The first discussion centered on trade unions and the history of worker’s rights. “If [unions] have the life blood cut out from them . . . we will start to live in a very different society,” said Garth Mullins, a long-time social justice advocate and shop steward at Canadian Association of Professional Employees Local 301. “Although a lot of us aren’t in trade unions, or unions of any kind, the trend cannot go

further in the other direction. Let’s not race to the bottom.” Following Mullins was Joey Hartman on behalf of the Vancouver and District Labour Council. Of contemporary labour issues, Hartman said, “We need to find new ways of organizing together, because when we are together we are strong, and the labour movement is our responsibility.”

The podium was graced next by Sofia Lin, 16-year old Vice President for Fair Vote Vancouver, National Liaison to Fair Vote Canada, and codirector for the BC Electoral Project. She outlined what she believes are the problems with our current voting system. “Our parliament is more notably known as ‘male, pale, and stale’ than our society. The lack of diversity, whether age, ethnic interest, gender, or social or cultural affiliations makes our government myopic and unable to think in our best interests.” The speeches were followed by a poem reading by Slam poet R.C. Weslowski,

titled “Why Stephen Harper Hates Funding FFF for the Arts aka FFF Flatulence.” His verses echoed around the city square: “I love sucking on Stephen Harper’s kronk, it tastes like America. Is that a pipeline in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? Weslowski was succeeded by another poet: Stephen Collis, an English literature professor at SFU, who said, “I for one find the nation a problematic idea or category at the best of times. “The Harper government and its new policies are the leading edge of the new normal,” Collis continued. “We can expect democratic freedoms to continue to be in retreat . . . more austerity, more cuts, more privilege for the elite, and a continuing open season on this country’s natural resources and the Indigenous peoples traditions.” His poem, titled “13 Ways to Stop Harper,” included lines like: “When the robots call you, know that this is the synthetic voice of creeping totalitarianism, just give the tin can a yank and snap the string.” The afternoon can best be summarized in Collis’ own words: “Resistance is a matter of daily life; change is something that comes with every step, every breath, and every word. We are the real government and we can govern ourselves just fine.”

NEWS

SFU is now ranked number 26 in the world among 100 worldwide universities under 50 years old, according to the recently released 2013 Times Higher Education 100 Rankings. The 26th spot marks a four spot jump from 2012, when SFU came in at number 30. The rankings for younger universities allow those institutions that aren’t as well established or known to be evaluated separately from their older cousins. According to the Times Higher Education website, the ranking “provides a glimpse into the future, showcasing not those institutions with centuries of history, but the rising stars which show great potential.”

July 8, 2013

On a national scale, SFU was the third highest ranked among Canadian universities under 50, with the University of Calgary at number 23 and the University of Victoria the highest ranked Canadian university at the 20th spot. The top ranked American university on the list the University of California, Irvine, in fifth place. First place was given to a South Korean institution, the Pohang University of Science and Technology.

Times Higher Education, a U.K. based ranking system, uses the same 13 performance indicators as the World University Rankings, with the methodology revamped to reflect the

characteristics of the younger universities. Namely, the ranking for younger schools puts less weight on academic reputation and more to research volume, income, and reputation. In the World University Rankings, the weighting given to the reputation of an institution is given a third of the university’s overall score, but the Times Higher Education has reduced that to just over a fifth, and given the largest chunks to research, citations (research influence), and teaching, all three at 30 per cent of the overall score. The Peak spoke with Dr. Norbert Haunerland, SFU’s Association Vice-President of Research, about the significance of the shift in methodology. “Increasingly, those rankings look at some objective indicators as well,” Haunerland explained. “Research funding is one thing, research output, number of papers . . . but particularly Times Higher Education started looking at what you do with your research, what impact

you have, and one way to measure impact is how many people read your paper and cite them in other publications with citation analysis, and that counts a lot in Times Higher Education.”

Research is something that SFU does well. While a smaller institution and fairly young in the scheme of things — we’ll be celebrating our 50th birthday in 2015, the same year UBC turns 100 — Haunerland went on to say that SFU’s research and number of citations (the number of times an SFU publication is cited in another work) are impressive. “We’re certainly on the right track,” Haunerland said. “I think

over the last decade we tripled our research income and we are certainly doing well in terms of publication output and impact, like citations. Even in non-medical disciplines in terms of research dollars per faculty member, [we’re doing] better than some of the U15 universities.” The U15 is a group of the 15 leading research-intensive universities in Canada, headed by the University of Alberta, UBC, and the University of Calgary. Haunerland speculated that SFU’s high impact and influence as an institution may be because of the university’s focus on working with the community. “We are among the Canadian universities who take a different approach towards knowledge translation, [putting knowledge into practice],” said Haunerland. “We work very intimately with industrial and community partners, much more than other universities. The engaged university is not only a university, it’s something we mean.”

8 NEWS

The United States Supreme Court has ruled Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act — which prohibited same-sex couples from legal recognition as ‘spouses’ — as “unconstitutional.” In their ruling, which narrowly passed by a 5–4 vote, the Court verdict was that the Act is “a deprivation of the equal liberty of persons that is protected by the Fifth Amendment,” according to a released document. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Canada since 2005, and 12 states in the United States (as well as the District of Columbia) currently recognize same-sex marriages, including New York, Washington and California. The majority opinion was introduced by Justice Anthony Kennedy, and was supported by four other Justices. Justice Antonin Scalia, one of the four Justices who dissented to the ruling, described Justice Kennedy’s majority opinion as “wrong,” saying, “even setting aside traditional moral disapproval of same-sex marriages, there are many perfectly valid . . . justifying rationales for this legislation. Their existence ought to be the end of this case.” Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act — a bill signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996 — defines marriage as “a

July 8, 2013

legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife,” and, until recently, gave states the right to deny same-sex spouses federal benefits such as insurance benefits and Social Security survivor’s benefits. The case that inspired the repeal was brought to the Supreme Court by Edith Windsor, a New York resident. Her wife, Thea Spyer, left Windsor her estate when she died in 2009. Windsor’s request for estate tax exemption from a bill which totalled $363,000 was denied under Section 3 of DOMA. Windsor filed suit in 2010. United States President Barack Obama responded to the decision positively, describing

it as “a victory for couples who have long fought for equal treatment under the law,” according to a public statement. “[DOMA] treated loving, committed gay

and lesbian couples as a separate and lesser class of people.

The Supreme Court has righted that wrong, and our country is better off for it.” The ruling also effectively defeated Proposition 8 in California, a controversial ballot proposition put forth by opponents of same-sex marriage which attempted to redefine California’s marriage laws as being solely between a man and a woman. The DOMA repeal will also have a profound effect on United States immigration laws: same-sex couples in the United States can now sponsor their spouses for green cards, and unmarried couples living in separate countries can use a fiance visa to immigrate to the

United States and begin the citizenship process. Nevertheless, same-sex marriage still faces legal difficulties in the United States; Section 2 of the Defense of Marriage Act — which allows individual states to deny recognition of same-sex marriages — still stands. Since the DOMA repeal, Senator Dianne Feinstein and Representative Jerry Nadler have reintroduced their Respect for Marriage Act, a proposed bill that “would fully repeal every last corrosive bit of DOMA”, according to a piece Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York junior Senator and co-sponsor of the act, wrote for The Guardian. The bill is supported by the Obama administration, as well as former President Bill Clinton. “As the President who signed the act into law,” Clinton remarked in an article for the Washington Post in March 2013, “I have come to believe that DOMA is . . . incompatible with our Constitution.” Though the Defense of Marriage Act remains, the repeal of Section 3 has been characterized as a victory for the broader LGBT rights movement in the United States and around the world. In the United States, support for same-sex marriage has seen a steady increase since DOMA was enacted, with supporters for same-sex marriage outnumbering detractors for the first time in 2010, according to a poll conducted by CNN. “Children born today will grow up in a world without DOMA. And those same children who happen to be gay will be free to love and get married . . . but with the same federal protections, benefits and dignity as everyone else,” Edith Windsor told reporters. “We won everything we asked and hoped for.”

OPINIONS

of kids yelling; different jerseys; and the sound from the crowd cheering and swearing. The atmosphere was fantastic. Even though I had no idea what was going on at first, I fell in love with the game.

Hockey and photography — the two things I love. They’re also the two things I found a passion for when I came to Canada a little over a year ago. I went to my first hockey game on my second day in Canada, and sort of stumbled upon it because of the group of people I was hanging out with that day. I remember walking into the arena; the cold wind blowing up from the ice; the mixed smell of the hot dogs; popcorn and beer; the sound

opinions editor email / phone

July 8, 2013

Getting into photography was pretty much the same. I had a point and shoot camera, and a couple of my photographer friends asked me to go on a photowalk with them. The next thing I knew, I was buying a used camera and lenses for an incredibly sweet deal and taking my own photos. I feel like the

ability to take good photos was already in me because I was able to pick up on it unusually fast, and became known for my photos by quite a few people. However, when I first began doing portraits, I didn’t feel like I was taking the best photos I could take, so I took my camera to a hockey game. Combining the two things I love was the best thing I could have possibly done; I saw the game through a different perspective when I looked at it through the lens. People have asked me what I love about taking photos. I’ve heard things like, “everyone does it, you just point and click a button.” But photography is so much more than that: it’s a vision. It’s the ability to see something in your mind and then make it so with the resources you have available. It’s not about simply clicking a button on the camera. It’s about

Tara Nykyforiak opinions@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

the power of envisioning something and producing a tangible version of that thing that photography is all about.

I learned that by taking photos, I could see my vision form on that tiny camera screen. I’ve seen millions of hockey photos online, I’ve seen everyone taking out their phones and taking photos at a game. I’ve done that, too. It doesn’t matter what you take the photo with, it’s what you see and how you make it come to life through your photos that matters. I see both hockey and photography as two very different art

forms. When taking photos, you capture moments by using your imagination to make them look as remarkable as possible and preserve them. In hockey, you use your imagination to come up with the best plays possible to score the most unique goals. In my mind, the feeling when you take a great photo and the feeling when you score a great goal are exactly the same. I’ve never felt as fantastic taking my first photo as I did when I scored my first goal. The feeling that I had actually created something by envisioning it and then getting the shot or scoring the goal are the most wonderful things I have ever felt. I’m grateful for seizing the opportunity to make photography and hockey a part of my life. A lot of people have said I’ve become a “Canadianized photographer.” I love it, and wouldn’t have it any other way.

10 OPINIONS

I’m not joking around when it comes to the betterment of my people. My point here is this: Instead of waiting for the global revolution to reach China, China should spark its own revolution, but without pledging absolute allegiance to the global revolution started by Occupy Wall Street. My primary reason, drawn after so many years of being a social activist, is that not everything promoted by Occupy Wall Street is best for China. While this may sound disturbingly familiar with the Communist Party’s sour excuse for rejecting the division of power or universal suffrage, I’m merely trying to fight against the Communist Party over the power to speak. Let me give you an example of how this breaks down categorically: I’m all about the division of power and universal suffrage, but the abolishment of state? Sorry, but no. Many activists who grew up in China understand that, after 65 years of the Communist Party regime, the morals of the Chinese people in mainland China have been all but destroyed. Moreover, those good

When I was a girl growing up, I was a self-professed tomboy who did everything in my power to be as tough, strong, and “anti-female” as possible. Outside of the occasional remarks to “watch my language,” my parents never put me down for acting the way I did, and encouraged me in everything I wanted to do. At that age, I was never concerned with

July 8, 2013

old virtues — like “saving a life is more powerful than building a seven-level tower of worship” — are now nothing but fragments laying in ruins. That’s dominantly, if not entirely, why in China there’s Sudan Red in ketchups, Malachite Green in fish, gutter oil in cooking oil, “formula” powder with no protein, you name it. Without a state to restore and re-establish the virtues that govern our people, even after the

Communist Party regime is overthrown, the entirety of mainland China will fall into disorder rather than becoming a better place. This proves why the abolishment of state, strongly promoted by Occupy Wall Street, is no good for Chinese people. Not only are many theories of Occupy Wall Street not suitable for China, but neither is its common practise of alienation suitable for China. For an activist, being arrested by the police may

“acting like a lady” or paying attention to the choices other people made. My friends at that time were the same way — we were friends because we were left alone to discover the similarities we shared, and bond together on our own terms. We never felt judged, and we never judged each other. We were just kids who were friends; it’s as simple as that.

It’s astounding that in 2013, children are still being brought up according to gender stereotypes established decades ago. Turn on the TV and you’ll see Hot Wheels commercials featuring only boys, reinforcing the idea that toy cars are only for “boys.” These stereotypes go both ways, however. Kinder Surprise, for example, introduced their “toys for girls” collection, which are

not scare you, but getting fired at by your supposed comrades breaks your heart into pieces.

Last week, Occupy Wall Street disheartened us again by saying:

wrapped in pinkish foil and contain more “girl-friendly” toys inside — such as miniature dolls and flower stickers. Clearly, many adults still feel the need to dictate the identities of children by policing the toys they play with and the colours they dress in. How about we let kids be kids, and decide for themselves the toys they would like to play with and who they want to be.

“If petitions changed anything, they would be illegal.” What this says is that all those who start and / or sign petitions are good-fornothing wimps. True, protests are important, but do you absolutely have to do this to those who have their own legitimate concerns for attending protests themselves? Activism is on a dangerous crash course, because activists are firing at each other rather than at the 1 per cent, and this saddens me. But what saddens me more is that alienation by Occupy Wall Street is becoming such common practice. Given that the most vital task for Chinese revolutionists is to unite the Chinese people, which have already been divided big time by the Communist Party — meaning a united anti-CCP force would die out before it could be formed — can Occupy Wall Street’s practise of alienation do any good for either the Chinese revolution or the Chinese people? Absolutely not. I’ll stop here because I’ve made my point clear. Of course, if you’d like to help or join our revolution, feel free to do so and I’ll still request a blood chit on it for you. However, if you want to crusade into China with your Occupy Wall Street doctrines, please don’t. You don’t even know what you’re doing.

FEATURES

July 8, 2013

features editor email / phone

Rachel Braeuer features@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

14 FEATURES

July 8, 2013

OPINIONS

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the world has been referred to as unipolar. However, recent events in Syria undermine this view. At the onset of the Syrian Civil War, the main belligerents were the Sunni Muslim rebels and the Syrian military led by President Bashar al-Assad, who hails from the Alawite minority sect. While the war has always been limited to Syrian soil, the agents involved have drastically increased. On one hand, Western powers like France, the United Kingdom, and the United States have individually and collectively — through the European Union — taken the side of the Syrian rebels. They have been bolstered by support from Sunni Muslim states such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, while Russia, along with Shiite Muslim states like Iran, have supported the Syrian government. The situation can be characterized as a replay of the Cold War, and the illumination of the Sunni-Shiite divide as the opposing sides seek to maximize their influence through involvement in a proxy conflict. The belligerents operating from abroad have managed to escalate the intensity of their involvement. Since the beginning, Western powers and their regional allies like Turkey have repeatedly called for Bashar al-Assad to relinquish his post as President. As Assad shows no signs of doing so, it has escalated beyond verbal support from many Western countries; in the U.S., President Obama has signed an executive order, while the U.K. has been providing support in the form of non-lethal military equipment for some time. Things have taken a turn this year with the European Union (EU) adopting modifications

July 8, 2013

to the oil and arms embargo it implemented in 2011. While the Syrian government would still be subject to those sanctions, the rebels are now ex-

empt from such sanctions. In fact, the EU is now set to purchase oil sourced from rebelheld oil fields; rebels can now consider the possibility of arms purchases from Western armament manufacturers.

This can be seen as an effort to counter the continuous supply of arms from Iran and Russia. Further, the timing can be seen as a response to Russia’s recent arms deal to supply long-range ballistic missiles. Not only have recent events shown an escalation in the tension between the West and Russia, but they also shed new light on the growing Sunni-Shiite divide that has come to be a fixture in the Syrian civil war. While this armed conflict has pitted the general public against its autocratic government, it has also shed light on the ageold tension between Sunni and Shia Muslims. While not all Sunnis necessarily support the Free Syrian Army (FSA), most of the rebel fighters are of Sunni

background. On the other hand, the Alawite minority, of which President Assad is a member, is an offshoot of Shiite Islam. This has aggravated tensions between Sunnis and Shias, as members of each sect are increasingly picking sides.

Recent events have given the sectarian conflict in Syria elevated importance. The Lebanese Shiite terrorist organization Hezbollah

has announced its active participation in the conflict alongside the Assad regime, while Sunni Muslim states such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar have continued to provide support to the rebels. The dissection of the belligerents who are directly involved in dayto-day fighting based on their religious sect highlights the increasing role played by religious sectors in the conflict. The ongoing conflict in Syria should not be seen merely as a struggle for democracy by the FSA against the Assad regime. Rather, it should be seen as a conflict capable of putting the wider Middle East in a position of great turmoil and instability as it continues to nurture the tensions between Sunnis and Shiites, and the West and Russia.

16 OPINIONS

Every day, whether we’re turning on the news or jumping on the bus, we are confronted by the same age-old debate: where is the place for religion in our society? Some may feel our world is becoming increasingly secular, citing new legislation on gay marriage or women’s reproductive rights in the U.S. The next moment, however, one might turn on their television to find tens of thousands of rain-drenched pilgrims cheering for the announcement of the new Pope. So, is our world becoming more secular? Or is this just

a Western-centric view? And where, for that matter, is the place for religion in a secular institution such as SFU? Not everyone knows this, but the ivory tower has been the haven of religion for centuries. The whole concept of a university grew out of the idea of educating doctors of divinity — those who would advise the monarchs. It is only in relatively modern history these institutions have become secular strongholds. Despite this transformation, religion can still be a part of university life: perhaps not in the way it once was, but in a world where conflict is often ruled by religion, it’s impossible to dismiss it from higher education. Atheism may be part of the status quo for many, but that does not mean we can remain ill informed and ignorant. Instead, it’s imperative we explore each other’s faiths (or lack thereof). At SFU, we have many faithbased clubs that reach out to

July 8, 2013

atheists, agnostics, and believers alike. No matter your affiliation, you are sure to find a place where you can either enrich your faith and understanding or inspire dialogue among peers. In fact, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Student Association actually states in their mandate they hope to both “engage in religious activities and to create a dialogue with other religious groups within SFU.” Similarly, the Shia Muslim Society offers “open dialogue between all Muslim and non-Muslim SFU students.” Whether or not this is a reaction to increasing tensions between the Muslim and Western world, the opening of doors and dialogue is precisely what should be promoted at SFU. The Christian groups are taking a different approach which is more in keeping with their evangelical past. For example, the Chinese Christian Fellowship

is hoping to “see our campuses transformed into a land of faith, hope and love.” On a similar vein, the Christian Fellowship (SCF) possesses “the desire to have everyone fall deeply in love with God.”

Of course, not everyone is interested in learning about different religions. Some are more keen to chuck a frisbee around, while others are interested in hunkering down and preparing for World War Z. The bad news for frisbee-ers but good news for the apocalypseers, is there might still be a religious club for you!

The Bible Believers Club’s vision is to “gather around the Word of God and be aware of modern events made clear by prophecy to prepare for the second coming of the Lord Jesus-Christ, (better known as the Rapture).” When asked for comment, the Bible Believers were unavailable, presumably busy preparing for the end of the world. This is just a glimpse into the plethora of faith-based clubs at SFU, all of which provide unique experiences for believers and nonbelievers alike. However, the importance of these clubs transcends simply meeting new friends. Opening up dialogue between world religions and beliefs is the key to moving forward, and the impact of doing so is well exemplified by the Bible Believers mission: unless we start looking at religion in a more open and scholarly way, preparing for the end of the world may not be such a bad idea after all.

DIVERSIONS / ETC

Across 1. Sharp or fresh 6. Post-release videogame addition 9. Hard to find or a steak preference 13. Oktoberfest music 14. Italian farewell 15. Ostrich cousins 16. More competent 17. Gets used to 19. Here you can find the Seawall! 21. Do-re-mi, letter-wise 22. Yoko, to her friends 23. Kidney-shaped tree nut 26. This botanical garden is a smash hit! 31. CD image file format 32. Latin eight 34. Stage whisper 35. The weather’s nice. Go to some of these! (This puzzle’s theme) 39. Tofu sushi 40. Slightly open 41. Ambulance attendant 42. Don’t visit this suspension bridge if you’re scared of heights! 44. Soft Central American tropical fruits 47. To pester, or an LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

elderly horse 48. British word ref. manual 49. Take in a Canucks game or a concert here! 54. Crowds, at events 56. A toad’s complexion 59. They make music 60. “Birdhouse In Your Soul” performers, initially 61. Mr. T’s squad 62. Bits and bobs, finishes 63. Place to be pampered 64. _____ mate (tea-like drink)

7. Frou-frou, as lingerie 8. Frugal shopper’s boon 9. “Vintage” America 10. Frenzied 11. Jamaican spirit 12. “Heir” extension? 14. Coolidge or Ripken 18. Beach shoe 20. Ad speak for novel vision 23. It’s your duty to buy this car 24. Yoga position 25. Therefore, rest 26. Mission _____, California Down 27. Bring up a grievance 1. Tax expert, briefly with a reversed opera solo 2. Toronto mayor Ford 28. Command to an attack 3. Misfortunes dog 4. Quick drawing 29. Dropsy, to doctors 5. Downtown March - the 30. Eagles’ egg baskets Pride one’s coming up 33. Terrible czar 6. Chop finely, or “gam36. Marine animals like bler’s bones” the sea lily or feather star

July 8, 2013

37. Era in human history characterized by petroleum 38. Before 43. Spies or Hollywood go-betweens 45. Room to maneuver 46. Grown together, in biology 49. Abbreviations for road and the Roughrider State 50. Mounties, in brief 51. DJ name of Swedish drum and bass producer Sebastian Ahrenberg 52. Shorthand for all-star game 53. Abbreviations for assault rifle and busy hospital room 54. “Honest” president 55. Fertilizer made of urea and ammonium nitrate 57. Bar bill 58. Peruvian singer Sumac

ARTS

world, sneaking into children’s bedrooms at night, and frightening them to produce “scare power.” The resolutely un-scary bookworm Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) and cocky James P. Sullivan (John Goodman) both aim for a career in the Monsters Incorporated Scarer Team, and so in this prequel they attend a university “scare program.” For the sake of fairness, let’s spot Pixar the unasked-for existence of Monsters University in the wake of two projects that both suffered from the studio’s inevitable bastardization at the hands of Disney. For though the original film did not have the emotional depth or profundity of its three Pixar predecessors, Monsters, Inc. remains the richest, most original world that the animation studio has devised for one of their films. That world’s premise remains more or less the same in University: in the world of monsters, electricity is generated by producing doors to the human

The Mighty Oak is a little neighbourhood grocery store, located on West 18th Ave. They carry various grocery items like J.R. Liggett’s OldFashioned Shampoo, jars of mustards and oils, tomato sauces, pasta, pounds of coffee beans and more. They’re also a cafe, so you can grab an espresso and almond croissant while grabbing things for dinner. Also be sure to check out their supply of local provisions, like Earnest Ice Cream and The Pie Hole.

arts editor email / phone

July 8, 2013

The new setting of this prequel — unlike its predecessor — is more interested in transmuting the rules of its world into the cliches of our own than in logically developing them for the sake of its own story. Mike and Sully meet for the first time, and at first, they are enemies. When they are removed from the scare program, Mike enters the two of

Looking for something to do Friday night? Check out East Van Soul Club at the Biltmore on July 12. The night features soulobsessed two-man DJ crew Slim Roy and Jonny Was, with their legendary vinylonly dance party. Dress nice and get there early, as these nights tend to fill up pretty quick. You’re guaranteed a night of cutting rugs, plus tickets are only $7 at the door.

Daryn Wright arts@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

them — along with a tiny fraternity of dorky misfits — into the University Scare Games, where victory will see them reinstated in the program. The plot that follows — Mike and Sully learn to work as a team, and the misfit underdogs make surprising waves in the competition — is satisfyingly accomplished and has its fair share of laughs, but it’s hard to shake its formula and lack of a real emotional core. None of the leads’ personal hangups (Sullivan’s family name, Mike’s fundamentally unscary appearance) is ever given personal weight or clear development , and so when in the final act they’re made the crux of plot points, there’s no genuine emotional connection. The character arcs (and the entire cast of secondary characters) feel as though they’ve been constructed around the plot instead of organically integrated into it. My impression of the film was not so nearly as negative as

it may seem, but one can only go so far in commending fair and polished storytelling, which Monsters University certainly is: it’s an incredible leap forward in environmental lighting, and each story beat leads smoothly into the next.

Studio Ghibli is back at the Cinematheque this summer! The world-renowned anime studio was founded in Tokyo in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. The studio has produced well-known films such as Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle. This week, catch Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky, Only Yesterday, My Neighbour Totoro, or Kiki’s Delivery Service. The Studio Ghibli films will be showing until August 5, so you’ve got plenty of chances to catch a few screenings. Check out thecinematheque. ca for the full schedule.

Upcycled Urbanism: A Design+Build Project for Everyone, as part of Granville Street Build Day, is coming July 13. Hosted in part by the Museum of Vancouver, the project invites students, artists, designers, makers, and anyone else interested in reimagining Vancouver’s public realm. Design teams have been working on new “environments” made of polystyrene blocks and will come together on July 13 in downtown Vancouver for a combination workspace, street celebration, and public art installation. For more details, check out museumofvancouver.ca.

It has virtually no moments of out and out failure (save for a denouement that awkwardly flubs the bridge between University and Inc). But there’s a distinct lack of the risk-taking that used to be Pixar’s MO. Monsters University avoids missteps, but that’s not so hard when you’re taking baby steps instead of monster leaps.

,I \RX ÁLS VWUDLJKW WR WKH DUWV ZULWH IRU DUWV#WKH SHDN FD

On July 13, Aloe Designs will be hosting a yard sale at their Pender St. studio to support the Richmond Schoolyard society, which helps teach children about gardening. The garden-themed yard sale will feature gardening books, hand and power tools, outdoor furniture, lawn toys, and decorative accessories. They’re also taking donations prior to the sale, so contact them if you’ve got something you’d like to contribute. Check aloedesigns.com for more info.

ARTS

In 2011, Canadian born Laura Byspalko and India native Sirish Rao created the Indian Summer Festival as an extension of their personal explorations of Canadian and Indian culture. I sat down with the couple to talk about this great 10 day event. “It started personally in terms of exchanging each other’s cultures. There couldn’t be a place more opposite than India and Vancouver, so both of us had a lot of ‘whys’ about everything and trying to engage with the place, trying to find out the history; what’s the social history, political history, what’s cultural production like, and we thought, ‘hey, there isn’t anything in Vancouver that’s really like that,’” says Rao. The Indian Summer Festival boasts a diverse lineup of events (free and ticketed) that allow Vancouverites to engage with the different aspects of Indian culture with a Canadian flair. Byspalko and Rao were exploring the idea of creating a festival and ended up pushing it through in a very short amount of time, with 2011 being the year of Vancouver’s 125th birthday, the opening of SFU Woodwards campus, and the year of “India in Canada.” From this happenstance lineup of perfect timing, the Indian Summer Festival was born and was the first festival to take place in the still young SFU Woodwards building. The grounding point of this festival is to “challenge some basic stereotypes,” says Byspalko, and to allow for people of all different cultures and backgrounds to break down barriers and create conversations about things that may be a little outside their comfort zone. Byspalko and Rao want their festival goers to walk away feeling inspired and enlightened by things they may not have had a chance to experience in their day-to-day lives. The couple agrees that Vancouver, although diverse in its population, is quite segregated within different neighborhoods, communities and cultures; they are hoping to break some of these boundaries. From the Festival’s start on July 4 to its finish on the 13, there are numerous expositions of varying

July 8, 2013

art forms taking place: from free hip-hop yoga to a culinary tour of South Asia with Vikram Vij — who compares flavours in food to musical notes — to the finishing act, The Lit and Sound Cabaret.

A perfect ending to this cultural festival, the Lit and Sound Cabaret is the coming together of Canadian and Indian artists in the form of music, spoken word and visual art. The Cabaret, taking

place on July 13, boasts a line-up of performers both veteran and new to the performance scene, and allows for the artists to collaborate and take inspiration from one another. Unlike all the other events that will be happening in and around the Woodwards building, the Lit and Sound Cabaret will be on Granville Island in Performance Works, which really opens up more exploration of different areas of Vancouver. No matter what art form you are interested in, or if you are just looking for a free or cheap way to entertain yourself this summer, be sure to check out the Indian Summer Festival happening at SFU Woodwards, Victory Square Park, and Granville Island up until July 13.

Check out indiansummerfestival.ca for more details and to purchase tickets.

20 ARTS

El-P and Killer Mike have reason to celebrate. The rappers each released knockout LPs last year: El-P’s Cancer 4 Cure (featuring Killer Mike) and Killer Mike’s R.A.P. Music (produced by El-P). Their symbiotic relationship is further explored on Run the Jewels, a lushly produced and entertaining collaboration that’s light on the social commentary and heavy on the witty lyrical boasts. Run the Jewels only runs about 30 minutes — a blip in the world of hip-hop LPs — but its relatively short running time is one of its biggest advantages. Each track on the album is made up of non-stop lyrical flow. El-P and Killer Mike’s emceeing styles have converged over the course of their careers, and the verse-swapping heard on Run the Jewels is as organic as any big-name collaborations of late; I’m

How strange it must have been to grow up as Michael Jackson. Having been

July 8, 2013

looking at you, Watch the Throne. The cuts on Run the Jewels are as close to classic hip-hop as these rappers get: El-P’s panicky vocal barrage and Killer Mike’s politicized rants are both toned down in favour of oldschool bombast. El-P’s production is all percussion and nasally electronics, but he lets the lyrics do the talking. The duo do allow themselves a moment of sober reflection on album closer “A Christmas Fucking Miracle,” where they wax poetic over their childhoods and offer a fuck-everyoneelse message to their listeners. Lines like, “The most impressionable minds get molested and informed by manipulating forces / Don’t fret little man, don’t cry, they can never take the energy you were born with” tell us what El-P doesn’t want us to know: that he’s a big softie. But by the end of Run the Jewels, the duo deserve to break character. It’s certainly not the strongest effort in the duo’s repertoire, but it is a whole lot of clever, cheeky fun from two of the most talented emcees working today.

in the public eye since the age of six as a member of The Jackson 5, MJ grew up under the draconian rule of his father and manager Joe Jackson. Through whippings and name calling, Jackson was taught that failure comes at a price. His obsession with success carried on well into his solo career, when his debut Off the Wall — despite selling over 20 million copies — failed to make Album of the Year. “It can never happen again,” he told his manager, John Branca. He was determined to make an album that would launch him into superstardom. With the help of Quincy Jones, his producer and a fellow perfectionist, he banked countless studio hours recording and re-recording take after take. The diet rock-and-roll of “Beat It,” the horror-movie pastiche of “Thriller” and the not-quite-disco of “P.T.Y. (Pretty Young Thing)” are anything but spontaneous: each vocal tic and glossy instrumental is meticulously crafted

Olympia is boring. Torontorian electro-pop outfit Austra have never been interested in the subtle approach, and with their sophomore effort they’ve capitalized on a formulaic, no-riskstaken brand of synth pop that suits them well. Their all-too-familiar sound allows for songs like “Home” and album opener “What We Done?” to become instantly recognizable to listeners old and new. The only aspect of Austra’s sound that sets them apart is singer and songwriter Katie Stelmanis’ booming, Florence Welch-meets-Karen Andersson vocals. Stelmanis is the album’s focal point: entire songs seem customfit to her operatic vocal delivery, and her melodramatic croon fits songs like “Fire” and single “Home” perfectly. But the band overplays its hand: Stelmanis is constantly in the mix,

to appeal to the broadest audience as possible. In this sense, Thriller can be read as the work of a master salesman. Jackson’s androgynous persona, likable R&B-infused pop and cinematic music videos quickly turned Thriller into a cultural phenomenon. The nine tracks on the album — seven of which charted on Billboard’s Top 10 — never seem to coalesce into anything more than a singles collection. But this does little to undermine the album’s legendary status: Jackson’s flawless vocal performance and Jones’ squeaky-clean production make Thriller an enjoyable and occasionally brilliant, if a little dated, pop album. MJ got his wish: Thriller is still the best-selling album worldwide, and will preserve Jackson’s reputation long after his endless lawsuits and PR missteps are forgotten. Its highlights might be overstated and its hits overplayed, but Thriller still has the charming, alluring quality that once made it so significant.

to the point where moments without her feel like much-needed breathing space. Sadly, they also serve to reveal that the instrumentals behind her are uninteresting and contrived. Olympia has an air of anonymity that the band likely didn’t intend: very little besides Stelmanis’ distinctive singing differentiates Austra from their myriad contemporaries. The album’s strongest moments often come at a given track’s opening, but these promising introductions — more often than not — give way to plodding, repetitive verses and bland choruses that make three minutes seem like 10. Even the occasional strong riffs, like that of the Depeche Mode-influenced “Reconcile”, quickly become monotonous. Ultimately, I have to come back to my central argument: Olympia isn’t necessarily a terrible album, but it’s an overwhelmingly boring one. Its sound seems recycled and plagiarized, and its highlights are awash in a sea of unrelenting mediocrity. There are a whole lot of albums that sound like Olympia. Listen to one of those instead.

ARTS

July 8, 2013

of its appeal is in the culture surrounding it. While each team wears a similar uniform, these women also tend to dress a little wacky, but wacky in the greatest sense of the word: bright colours, tights, fishnets and face paint. All of this also comes with a badass attitude of course. Since its resurgence in Texas in the early 2000s, roller derby has become one of the fastest growing sports, sprouting up in grassrootslike leagues and gaining a lot of momentum in popularity. Its premise is simple, and quite unique: there is no ball or net, only ten women on wheels blocking each other with bruise-worthy hard contact. To score points, each team has one jammer who is marked with a star on her helmet. Once the jammer passes the blockers and their fierce contact, the team is awarded points each time she continues to successfully pass a player of the opposing team. However, roller derby isn’t an entirely “normal” sport, and part

Meaghan Hackinen, also known as Schwarzemegger, is a player for the Faster Pussycats and a member of the AllStars team for the Terminal City Roller Girls. As we sip coffee and munch on baked goods at Cafe Du Soleil, Meaghan discusses derby, and gives some insight into its culture and community. “I think it [the outfits] came out of derby being a spectator

sport, but I also think we just like dressing up . . . It’s stuff you don’t get to wear everyday. It’s just fun and different. I like to wear a lot of neon and bright colours — I don’t get to wear neon tights everyday!” The ways of roller derby don’t simply stop at the costumes, though. You get to choose a different name than your own if you like, and even add a character for embellishment. “You get to recreate yourself a bit. I feel like people don’t really change who they are entirely, but you pick something and play it up,” Meaghan explains. Meaghan’s derby name, Schwarzemegger, is, of course, a spinoff of the onetime bodybuilder and action-movie hero, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Meaghan smiles as she discusses her derby name: “I didn’t really do it on purpose, but I picked Schwarzemegger because it was one letter different and has my name in it . . . [but

now] I really play up the last action hero [character].” Stated in an Austrian accent while laughing, she adds: “I am coming to get you! I have really big muscles!” Aside from the bruises, costumes and derby names, the Terminal City Roller Girls also have a flourishing community where supporting each other is top priority.

No matter who you are, these women will make you feel welcomed, and do so by avidly supporting things like the LGBT community. Each year, the Terminal City Roller Girls are sure to lace-up their skates to take part in the Pride Parade, and also hold fun events such as a gay vs straight scrimmage.

“There is a lot of support to be whoever you are. I have even seen a lot of people come out in their experience with derby. I guess they just feel they are in a comfortable place, and can say: ‘I like girls, and it’s fine to say that now’. It’s really a beautiful thing to see,” Meaghan says. But like most things, it’s also not all play, all the time: “It takes a lot to keep the league in operation. It’s a lot of work and no one gets paid to do it. We all volunteer. You have to love it… It’s cool to be part of something where everybody wants to be there, and everybody thinks its worth their time. We are all united in that front.” So, in a flash of fishnets, neon tights, face paint and camaraderie, the Terminal City Roller Girls will be making their final laps into the end of this season. There is one final scheduled game on July 13 before the semi finals on August 10, and championships are on September 7.

HUMOUR

July 8, 2013

humour editor email / phone

Brad McLeod humour@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

HUMOUR

July 8, 2013

24 LAST WORD

On a day much like today, Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was casually drinking a bowl of hot water when, out of nowhere, a tea leaf fluttered into his bowl. He sipped this new brew and decided he could definitely get on board, subsequently ordering the mass planting of tea bushes. Tea was introduced to the west at the beginning of the 17th century by Dutch and Portuguese sailors, then to North America about 100 years later. Almost 5000 years since its discovery, the tea scene has changed a lot. Starbucks is cashing in and every other day we seem to be bombarded with new studies about how skinny you’re going to be if you just drink green tea. Hell, there’s even a political movement that’s all about the mighty leaf (that’s what the Tea Party is about, right?). Tea leaves have been used in contexts from medicinal to fortune telling, and it is currently so popular that it is second only to water in world consumption. What is it that makes this beverage so popular?

Green tea has been established as being the healthy thing to drink. We all know that: it fights cancer, heart disease, lowers cholesterol, and the list goes on. Black teas such as Earl Grey don’t get as much of a rep as their green counterparts, but they have a lot of the same benefits, not to mention immunity boosting. The caffeine provides more energy and less jitters than coffee. Likewise, jasmine tea is derived from green tea and so it has many of the same benefits, but is also considered one of the best natural stress-reducers, and works to lower blood pressure. Maybe consider drinking that instead of Timmy’s XL coffees next exam period (a real “do as I say, not as I do” moment here). Its popularity is also linked to its benefits for the skin. The less popular white teas actually have more antioxidants than some of their other counterparts, mainly because the tea leaves are less disturbed when picked. They’re also nature’s Colgate. Or Crest. Or, if you’re a broke student, whatever no-name-brand toothpaste is on sale. Sometimes we just can’t handle anymore caffeine so peppermint is the answer, really refreshing and comforting when you’ve had so much espresso you can’t hold a pen. It aids in digestion, helps headaches and pains associated with PMS, and lowers fevers — among other things. Basically, if something’s hurting,

features editor email / phone

Rachel Braeuer features@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

July 8, 2013

Michael Menashy, co-founder of local company Tea Sparrow, has been drinking tea since childhood, but his passion grew when he was walked through a traditional brewing ceremony in China. Since then, he has made tea his life — and the man knows his tea. “The biggest thing I would recommend is to experiment,” he says. “Once we discover a tea we like, we try brewing it several different ways to find the perfect cup. Take the etiquette out of tea and have fun. Personalize the experience and find your own love. “It is totally awesome!” concludes Menashy. “The range of taste and flavours and the incredible benefits that come with tea crush the other daily beverages on the market.” Drink a type of tea you’ve never tried before or drink it over ice. Dress up and have a tea party — the Alice in Wonderland type, not the political movement. Menashy also suggests having fun with tea by pairing it with alcohol and making tea cocktails (my kind of a guy).

peppermint tea is the way to go. Rooibos (roy-bos) is another caffeinefree option. I provide the pronunciation because I felt judged by the Starbucks baristas when I said “the one that starts with R,” and I would not wish this upon anyone else. This tasty bad-boy contains different antioxidants than, say, green tea, and it fights off the cardiovascular and liver disease that you’re probably bringing upon yourself in your university years. It is also known to lower blood pressure. Yerba Mate is the new kid on the health nut block and is often cited as being a healthier alternative to coffee, controlling appetite, detoxifying blood, and boosting immunity. Chamomile was always the go-to that my grandmother would suggest when I was feeling sick. Turns out, it’s not just an old wives tale — this tea is perhaps the most medicinal of all. Not only does it boost the immune system and fight off infections and colds, it also soothes the stomach, aids in muscle spasms and menstrual cramps, reduces inflammation, and relieves back pain. Not enough for you? It boosts liver function and is used as a sleep aid. The craziest part? This isn’t even an exhaustive list of all the types of teas, or of their health benefits. As tea enthusiast Alice explains — while clutching a steaming mug of vanilla rooibos, “Tea will always be there for you. Whether you’re stressed, tired, upset, or just trying to kill time, tea’s got your back.”

1 Lemon Tea Bag (also try Lemon Ginger) 3 oz. fresh Cucumber Juice (or cucumber slices for the same refreshing results) 1 1/2 oz. Tequila Splash of Lemon Juice

Okay, not a summer drink, but if you’ve got a cold, this will clear it up! STEPS Steep black tea. Add lemon and honey. Add whiskey last, and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Makes two drinks 2 cups ice cubes 1 ounce vodka 1 ounce gin 1 ounce white rum 1 ounce white tequila 1/2 ounce Triple Sec 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 cup Coka 2 lemon wedges

STEPS Steep tea with tequila for a half hour, then remove tea bag. Combine and stir ingredients. Serve on ice, garnish with lime wedge.

3/4 cup black tea (e.g. Earl Grey) 1 ½ oz whiskey Squirt of lemon Teaspoon of honey Cinnamon stick

STEPS Shake vodka, gin, rum, tequila, Triple Sec, lemon juice, and ice in cocktail shaker. Pour mixture and top off with the cola. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve. *Not actually a tea. Whatever.