No Space for Your Race by The Peak

July 15, 2013 · Volume 144, Issue 11

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CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2013

FIRST PEEK

I am a staunch supporter of samesex marriage because I believe in equal opportunity and freedom of expression and choice. My feelings on the subject are grounded in the interlocking confluence of reasons that compose my psyche. The biggest reason I support same-sex unions is grounded in political philosophy: no one has the right to infringe on another’s bedroom. Many self-described social liberals may agree with this reasoning. Many may aggressively deride it. However, the chasm between these mindsets is often bridged by a universal and ironic derision of adulterers. The pre-conception that superficial judgment is a valid and harmless form of vigilantism is thriving, especially in an environment that devours salacious celebrity gossip by which bottom feeder rags earn their dollars. But if we shift this discussion towards another public sphere, we arrive at the brutal dissection of those renowned piñatas — politicians. For whatever reason, we feel as though the shortcomings of public figures award the freedom to pass along maliciousness. Some might

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say “it’s harmless” while others might say “it’s deserved.” But who are we to judge? This is not to support cheating on the part of anyone. However, the rush to vilify politicians because of infidelity is baffling. In the Canada Day issue of The Peak, Estefania Duran argued that politicians who cheat on spouses are inherently compromised — their capacity for risk aversion now questionable. However, she casts no shadow on misbehaving, unelected officials such as CEOs or managers. Why not? Apparently, Councilman X’s capacity to approve the building of a casino near my neighborhood is tainted because he betrayed his wife, while Hedge Fund Manager Y’s judgment is unimpeachable even as he manages my RRSPs. That’s an odd dichotomy.

Adultery, despite rendering the offenders social pariahs, is not a crime. The decisions or urges that drive one to adultery vary from person to person and, let’s face it, we as a species are pretty consistently given to messy actions irrespective of public standing. Issuing public

apologies, the go-to response of politicians caught with their (metaphorical) pants down, is unnecessary. Yet we, as petty and indignant voters, demand placation. In her article, Ms. Duran feted the Swedish PM for divorcing his wife because “their marriage was no longer working” instead of presumably running around on her. Who’s to say — and this is purely hypothetical — that politicians who cheat on their spouses are not caught in loveless, dysfunctional relationships sustained simply to present an appealing image? We cannot know, nor do we deserve this information. But given that we voted them in, we feel their personal business is our business, as though we have a rightful claim on their lives. Private indiscretions that do not impact an individual’s capacity to do their job should not affect their ability to keep that job. Of course, there’s another side to that coin. Anthony Weiner tweeted revealing, unsolicited photos. Clinton had sex with an intern. Eliot Spitzer dropped thousands of dollars visiting high-end prostitutes. These men clearly violated laws or explicit rules governing workplace decorum — offenses that warrant termination. But private instances of infidelity are purely that — private. The emotional turmoil of cuckolded spouses is not assuaged by public outrage. Adultery’s fallout is the domain of the two pertinent players in an intimate drama; it does not belong on a public canvas.

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NEWS

July 15, 2013

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

news editor email / phone

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

If your name is Kevin Li, you are more likely to land that rental property you wanted than if your name is Mark Anderson, Luis García, or Tyrone Johnson. According to a recent study in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, when it comes to potential male renters, those with Asian-sounding names are more likely to receive a response from a landlord to an email inquiry about an advertised rental apartment than those with Caucasian, Hispanic, or AfricanAmerican-sounding names. Besides names indicating ethnicity, the study also confirmed that gender-implying names affect responses from potential landlords; women experienced 40.8 per cent positive responses when inquiring about an advertised rental apartment, whereas men experienced a success of only 27.1 per cent. Allyson Weseley, co-author of the study, told The Peak that the results show stereotypes of minority groups and gender can affect opportunities in the rental process. “Research has shown that people of Asian descent and white women are typically stereotyped as quiet, timid, and responsible,” Weseley stated, “[whereas] most men and Latino and African-American women are stereotyped as loud, aggressive, and other qualities less likely to be valued in a tenant.” Weseley, a behavioural science teacher with degrees from Princeton, Harvard, and Columbia University, and fellow author Michelle Feldman, became interested in conducting this study back in 2010 when Feldman had read an article which suggested that African American males were disadvantaged in the housing market. “We became interested in extending the work to look at people with Asian, Latino, and female sounding names,” Weseley said.

Leah Bjornson

The study was conducted from 2010-2012, where nearly 1,600 email inquiries were sent out to landlords with various names signed — based on US census’ record of the most common names by race. Of the results, Feldman said: “The Asian-American prospective tenant received more positive responses with a 34 per cent response rate compared to the African-American prospective male tenant who barely received any positive responses, with only a 16 per cent response rate.” The results were slightly different for women, with white females seeing more positive responses than Asian, followed by Hispanic and African-American females. “This data shows that our society continues to rely on underlying stereotypes,” Feldman said. “This can prevent individuals that have racially/ ethically sounding names from having equal opportunities.” Feldman concluded that these stereotypes contribute to the formation of segregated neighbourhoods.

Feldman, a current student at Cornell University studying Biology & Society, is interested in further exploring how segregated areas affect individual’s access to quality healthcare. “It would also be interesting to see if there is correlation between racial [or] ethnic names and health insurance costs,” Feldman stated. “Stereotyping is present even without any face-to-face interaction,” Feldman concluded, “Although our country has made great strides when it comes to limiting the amount of racism present in our society, a person’s name can continue to be used as a means to discriminate when it indicates an individual’s race or ethnicity.”

NEWS

Parking at the SFU Burnaby campus is in for a major overhaul this fall, as development has resulted in a loss of 1000 spots for students and staff alike. Plans for housing development by UniverCity on the Burnaby campus were finalized in March, 2013, to take place in what the university refers to as G Lot; however parking services had anticipated getting some of the space back by the fall. Instead, not only will G Lot be completely unavailable for parking, but B Lot extension (which is located north of Nestor’s beside the elementary school) is also being lost. The losses total almost 20 per cent of the university’s parking spaces. “We always knew that we were going to lose these spaces for more development,” said David Agosti, Director of Parking Services at SFU. “But I guess because of changes in the housing market and such we were originally supposed to lose them gradually over a period of time, whereas now we’re losing them all at once.” These losses will affect the around 700 students who normally purchase a G Lot parking permit, as well as the 100 plus students who use Visitor Lot 1 each day. The spaces being lost are some of the least expensive on campus, providing an additional challenge for students. G Lot permits usually sell for $52.27 per month, and the Visitor Lot 1 provides students with an ‘Early Bird’ rate of $3.25 for the whole day. To alleviate the issues caused by the loss of the over 1000 spaces, Parking Services is currently in the consultation process of creating a Parking Pricing Proposal for the fall. Changes to the plan would include a two tier system that would give students the option of buying an indoor or an outdoor permit.

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Board voted against holding a by-election in fall 2013 to fill the positions of URO, going against a recommendation made in April by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). The URO position is currently vacant, since the winner in the spring election, Alia Ali, was disqualified by the IEC because she was not registered as a student. The motion to have a by-election failed narrowly, with six board members for and eight against. Those opposed believed that the $14,000 price tag for a by-election would not be worth having a URO in place for the fall and spring semesters, while proponents cited transparency and legitimacy as reasons to hold the election. The outdoor permit would allow students to park in all outdoor lots, including visitor lots, and would sell for $69.88 per month — a price lower than the current B,C,D Lot prices but higher than the G lot price. The indoor permit would allow students to park in all lots (indoor, outdoor, and visitor), and would cost $95.29 per month — a price that is significantly lower than the previous West Mall, Convo Mall, and B, C, Reserved spots.

The Four Day a Week Permit as well as the UniverCity – Restricted and Unrestricted permits have been eliminated. Parking Services is determined to maintain a discounted daily rate lot, which when located will be underneath the Discovery 1 building. Although it will cost $5 a day instead of $3.25,

the area will have double the amount of spaces for students to park. Despite these challenges, Agosti is confident that SFU will be able to accommodate its population: “We do think we have sufficient parking on campus because there are a number of spaces that are underutilised, so it is just a question of maximizing the use of every spot that’s remaining.” Currently, there are many reserved spaces on campus that are used only intermittently throughout the week. By eliminating these reserved spots and lowering the prices of previously underutilised lots, Parking Services hopes that there will be enough space for everyone. “I was in B Lot last semester and it was never full to capacity,” commented SFU student Emma Kehler. “It seems like a good idea to me, as far as I can tell at this point.” Nevertheless, not all feedback has been positive: “There are some folks who are upset about losing their reserved spots,” said Agosti. “We think is more of a misunderstanding of how things will work, and so we’ve worked in terms of our responses to clarify what we think is going to happen based on what we see around campus.”

Students can contact Parking Services at parking@sfu.ca to comment on the upcoming changes, or visit the SFU Parking website to learn more. Parking Services will be going to the Board of Governors to get their plan approved for Sept. 1, and are eager to receive feedback from SFU students in the meantime. No matter the decision, students can be sure that change is imminent at Burnaby this fall.

“People will be inconvenienced, and we’re trying to minimize that,” explained Mark McLaughlin, Executive Director of Ancillary Services at SFU. “Some people will have to change their habits slightly, they might have to come a little earlier, walk a few more minutes or park in a spot they are not presently accustomed to . . . it’s a small price to pay to accommodate 1000 of our community who have no parking come September. We need all of SFU to pull together and help out.”

Board voted to approve entering into negotiations with campus restaurant Club Ilia for a spot in the MBC. The restaurant submitted a proposal for an express pasta bar, to be put in the Ladle’s old spot by the MBC food court. The SFSS has had difficulties finding a food service to put in the space, because of the lack of ventilation. Club Ilia would prepare all their pasta at their main restaurant kitchen at Cornerstone, circumventing the issue. If an agreement is made, Ilia plans to provide cheap organic pasta plates, including whole wheat and gluten free options, ranging from $5.00 to $9.50.

6 NEWS

Last Monday, SFU Senate voted to officially recognize Reconciliation Week, a week of events by separate organizations Reconciliation Canada and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada ( TRC), which will take place from Sept. 16 to 22. Senate has granted academic amnesty to any student who wishes to miss classes to attend events during that week. Professors are encouraged to not penalize students who hand in late assignments miss quizzes during that week. The TRC is an organization whose mandate is to learn the truth about what happened to First Nations peoples at the hand of the Indian residential school system, which dates back to the 1870s and were notoriously abusive and caused a huge loss of identity for those put into the schools. The last residential school in Canada closed its doors in 1996. Clay Gray, SFSS At-Large Representative and First Nation Student Association member, has been advocating around campus for an SFU-wide closure of all three campuses on Sept. 18 to honour the gathering of the TRC in Vancouver that week. The 18th is the opening ceremony of the TRC BC national event. UBC has already made a similar decision to cancel classes on that day to allow students to attend the TRC opening ceremonies. Of his campaign, Gray emphasized the importance of “showing [that] the student body and community of SFU are aware of and support this healing and reconciliation process.” He added, “people should understand that this isn’t just an aboriginal issue, this is an issue for all people.” Gray received letters of support from TSSU, CUPE 3338, GSS, APSA, all the campus rotunda groups, and several university professors. Dr. Jon Driver, SFU VP Academic, spoke on behalf of SFU

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administration during the senate meeting, and proposed not to close the school for that one day, but instead to recognize the entire week as “a special week.” The motion proposed by Driver at senate read: “In recognition of the unique national importance of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC), and specifically the BC national event to be held in Vancouver this fall, senate supports the designation of Sept. 16 to 22, 2013, as reconciliation week at Simon Fraser University.

“Senate encourages all instructors to accommodate without academic penalty any students who wish to participate in TRC and Reconciliation Canada events and activities during that week. Senate also encourages instructors to incorporate material relevant to the history of residential schools and the reconciliation process into their courses.” Opinions from other senators were widely varied, ranging from believing that no recognition should be made at all, to wanting to cancel classes on the proposed day and recognize the entire week. In the end, no amendments were made to the motion, and it passed with seven senators opposed, most of whom advocated for the cancellation of classes as opposed to the recognized week. In an interview prior to the Senate meeting, Driver expressed that SFU administration was reluctant to close the school, for both practical and philosophical reasons. “We haven’t yet seen a full schedule of activities for the reconciliation week . . . so we actually don’t know anyway which would be an appropriate day to close,” Driver said. He also cited scheduling of exams and planned renovations during

winter break as reasons against cancelling classes.

Besides those practical reasons, Driver said, “The more

important issue for us is we don’t think cancelling classes or closing the university is the right way to acknowledge the reconciliation process . . . We think we can make a bigger impact on SFU students and staff if we, first of all, ensure that events take place on our campuses, and secondly, that we will certainly be looking to find ways so that students who want to participate in events that are off-campus will not receive any sort of academic penalty for late work.” Of the decision, Gray said, “I feel it was really positive. The discussion was an hour-long discussion . . . so to have that

kind of debate there in itself is positive . . . Hopefully that discussion will motive [the senators] to continue the dialogue in their personal life and professional life. “Senate also didn’t limit it, saying individual professors couldn’t cancel class. So if any professor does feel like they want to recognize Sept 18, the opening day of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, for its importance, they can still cancel class,” Gray continued. “I would encourage those professors that did feel like that but didn’t see the vote go the way they wanted to take that action themselves.”

NEWS

Surrey residents Amanda Korody, believed to be 28 or 29, and John Nuttall, 38, are awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy to commit an indictable offense, knowingly facilitating terrorist activity, and possession of an explosive substance, according to the RCMP. The two were arrested in connection with the July 1 alleged bombing plot outside of the BC legislature in Victoria, BC. According to police, the improvised explosive devices contained nuts, bolts, nails, and other harmful materials. The suspects were apprehended in Abbotsford. Tom Morino, a lawyer who has previously represented Nuttall, confirmed that the two suspects are a couple, according to CBC News. Nuttall pleaded guilty to a robbery charge in Victoria and was sentenced to an 18-month conditional sentence in 2002. Morino also stated that Nuttall is converted to Islam, but

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that Islam and al-Qaeda “don’t go hand in hand.” According to RCMP Assistant Commissioner Wayne Rideout, Korody and Nuttall intended to “create maximum impact and harm to Canadian citizens . . . The suspects were committed to acts of violence and discussed a wide variety of targets and techniques.” The Canada Day festivities in Victoria’s Inner Harbour were attended by more than 40,000 residents.

Some have speculated that the couple’s activities were linked with al-Qaeda, a global militant Islamist organization responsible for many terrorist attacks, including the September 11 World Trade Centre bombings in New York. RCMP Assistant Commissioner James Malizia has claimed that the suspects were “inspired by al-Qaeda”

and “self-radicalized,” although he clarified that the attack is considered to be “a domestic threat, without international linkages.” Claims of al-Qaeda linkages have been challenged by several experts. Former Canadian Security Intelligence Service agent Michel Juneau-Katsuya has described the quote as “misleading.” He explained, “I don’t think we will discover that they had anything at all to do with al-Qaeda . . . Al-Qaeda has never used women. Al-Qaeda converted people who will embrace the cause, who will usually convert and change their names, and these people have Canadian names.”

BC Premier Christy Clark has supported the RCMP’s claims, officially stating, “The RCMP told me what they shared with the public, that these two individuals weren’t linked to anyone else. They were self-radicalized followers of some of the al-Qaeda philosophy and ideology . . . They wanted to hit the heart of our democratic process, because they’re afraid of democracy.” Clark called the scheme itself “profoundly shocking.” Some have also been critical of the RCMP investigation, and suspect possible police involvement in the bomb-making. In an interview with the Georgia Straight, SFU

political scientist Stuart Farson said the RCMP investigation and subsequent apprehension of the suspects “implies there must have been some sort of human-source involvement or very interceptions of communications going on. In terms of actual control of the bombs, that would suggest human sources.” Farson’s views were echoed by Scott Watson, an expert in international security at the University of Victoria. “It sounds as though [police] were quite confident that they had control over those devices . . . which leads me to suspect they were heavily involved in providing the materials.”

OPINIONS

Sometimes it’s important to step back and ask yourself: “Why are we here?” Not in the cosmic sense, of course. What I mean is, why am I writing for a newspaper, and why are you reading one? The standard answer might be something along the lines of “I’m writing for a newspaper because I want to transmit information, and you’re reading a newspaper because you want to receive it.” But without using the word “information,” what does this actually mean? Suppose that you, like most people, don’t believe that Godzilla is real. In other words, you don’t expect to observe any signs of Godzilla’s existence. You don’t expect to see giant reptilian footprints or hear his distinctive roar, and you certainly don’t expect to meet him face to face. As a result, you don’t expect that you’ll have to prepare for any upcoming Godzilla attacks. One day, you open the newspaper and read an article that says Godzilla is heading across the Pacific Ocean and straight for the Lower Mainland. After double-checking that this isn’t April Fools’ Day, reading this article changes your expectations. You might even start preparing yourself for a Godzilla attack, or, if you’re still skeptical, you might take that newspaper less seriously from that point onward. Either way, the article somehow causes a change in your behaviour. “Change” is the operative word here. It’s the essence of information; if it’s useful, it should cause a change in your expectations and behaviour. At its most basic level, the purpose of reading a newspaper article

is to improve your set of beliefs about the world, and that means that you have to be prepared to change your mind. Not every change is an improvement, but every improvement is necessarily a change.

This sounds obvious, but too often, we fail to appropriately

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change our beliefs upon learning new information. Changing your mind means admitting that you were wrong about something, and people will go great distances to avoid admitting an error. In the age of the Internet, chances are you can find a news source that caters to your particular biases, which gives nothing that will surprise you or force you to change your mind. This is a sure-fire recipe for leaving news audiences comfortable, complacent, and ignorant. I’m sure some readers share the following experience with me: when I use Facebook, I sometimes find that my friends

opinions editor email / phone

Tara Nykyforiak opinions@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

have posted links to opinions articles supporting a cause I know that they already agree with.

Sometimes, I agree with the article too — and that’s the problem. When you read an article by someone who agrees with you, and share it with people who

already agree with you, who actually benefits? If you read something without changing your mind, or write something intended for people who already agree with you, you’ve wasted your time. All you’ve done is engage in a complex form of mental masturbation. So, I return to my original question: Why are we here? I’m here out of the hope that my column causes someone else to notice this “preaching-to-thechoir” style of journalism and call it out for what it is. As to why you’re here, that’s a question you have to answer for yourself.

OPINIONS

The pro-democracy protests of the Arab Spring initially brought a huge wave of optimism to Egypt by bringing down the three-decade old regime of Hosni Mubarak. However, in the period of a little over two years, such hard-fought gains are no longer the reality in Egypt. From the hastily written constitution to the successful military coup conducted just this month, Egypt is on its way back to what its citizens desperately wished to leave behind: autocracy. The fair and free elections held in 2012 saw the Muslim Brotherhood win power with the election of its presidential candidate Mohamed Morsi, and a plurality in the Parliament. While this provided hope that democracy would continue to progress in Egypt, such hopes faded not long after. Rather than attempting to strengthen the nation’s infant democracy, Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood hastily drafted a constitution and called for a popular referendum without sufficient consultation with other sectors of society. While it was passed in a free and fair plebiscite, the process failed to live up to expectations that it would be inclusive and

Maintaining one’s appearance is a major component of nearly all aspects of life. Sports, fortunately, provide an escape. Unlike our jobs where we face the constant pressure to dress for success, or the dating world where we are consistently concerned with the physical impressions we give, sports uphold a different focus. Strength, speed, and stamina are required to excel, meaning

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protective of human rights. Rather than guaranteeing the freedom of religious belief to anyone regardless of their background, the newly drafted and adopted Constitution limited this fundamental right solely to adherents of Abrahamic religions — Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. As a result, Egyptians belonging to the long persecuted Bahá’í faith were clearly excluded from constitutional protection. More importantly, this signifies the continued widespread persecution of unrecognized religious minorities, which was the status quo under Mubarak.

The right of self-expression was also placed in huge doubt under this newly adopted Constitution. Although Article 45 does ensure this right for Egyptians, it also signifies that it must be exercised within reasonable bounds by prohibiting individuals from insults. However, as the language contained is overly broad, there is cause for concern; the standard for defining what is “insulting” seems completely arbitrary. Subsequently, there have been attempts to criticize Morsi’s criminal cases. According to

one is judged on their physical capabilities and not on how attractive they may or may not be. Moreover, sporting events such as the World Cup and the Olympics unite people together from all walks of life, and help to break the barriers people face because of how they look on the outside. This is refreshing, because it rewards people on the basis of what they can do, not on the level of “beauty” they possess.

the NGO Human Rights Watch, defendants charged with “defamation,” “insulting the judiciary,” or “insulting President Morsi” have become quite frequent. Prominent comedians have also been included as targets. These prevailing trends under Morsi seem to be a throwback to the non-existent right of free speech under Mubarak. On July 3, 2013, the military staged a coup after giving

At least, this is what sports fan profes. This past week, Marion Bartoli won the 2013 Women’s Singles at Wimbledon, demonstrating physical prowess and determination. However, amidst the celebration of her victory, sexist and demeaning insults were thrown her way on Twitter and other social media outlets. @Willshows95 stated that “someone as ugly and

Morsi 48 hours to resolve ongoing civil unrest. While the coup portrayed itself as the savior of the country and representative of the peoples’ will, the reality is that the military — with its secular outlook and its privileges — aimed to seize political power and weaken the Muslim Brotherhood. More importantly, it meant the full resumption of its active political role as was the case under the

unattractive as her doesn’t deserve to win”, and @rruditaylor couldn’t help but tweet that “Marion Bartoli is a fat ugly smelly little slut”. It seems that looks are involved in sports after all, and that women are still expected by many to be “hot” and keep up their appearance while running around a tennis court sweating in the name of the game.

rule of Mubarak, who himself was a high-ranking officer. Furthermore, the hope of having a civilian-led government with an apolitical military seemed to be dashed in one day. While elections have been pledged, the reality seems to be inching back towards autocratic rule. Shortly after the coup, many senior Muslim Brotherhood members and Morsi’s political allies were detained by the military. This is a disturbing reminder of the unmerited arrests of political opponents by Mubarak under his rule. Not only have Muslim Brotherhood members been subject to legal troubles, but they have also been subject to deadly violence by the army. These developments all indicate a recurring pattern with a common characteristic; since Mubarak’s departure, setbacks for democracy have continued under Morsi and the Egyptian military. As a result, many dreaded features of Mubarak’s rule have returned in this postMubarak era. Regrettably, the prospects of a thriving Egyptian democracy have continued to dim for the near future.

10 OPINIONS

What Canadians seem to get are politicians who put their parties above their priorities via conditioned antics. Voters should not be interested in the mindless chest-beating politics of their ideology, because how can a politician who puts doctrine and “values” first be entrusted to make rational decisions? With headlines of Toronto mayor Rob Ford’s alleged crackcocaine addiction, the expenses of Senator Mike Duffy, and the institutional costs of the Senate and issues over 2011 election spending, stories of poor governance are compounded. These aren’t even “scandals,” really; they have become ordinary problems for Ottawa and other political jurisdictions. At worst, they represent pressing issues that will go unresolved. In other cases, it’s the cover-up and subsequent lies told to society. As such, genuine problems facing society get glossed over. When was the last time a prominent politician spoke with a reasoned attack against the issue of rising student debt or youth unemployment? The Financial Post has flagged $27,000 of debt for the average

student entering the workforce. Financial burdens coupled with a lackluster economy show no promise for young Canadians, and this is being ignored. Yet, it will be them who foot the bill in upcoming decades to pay for the social securities the generation of politicians and their supporters expect in their later years — the promises of a “just society.” Looking at political history, “value politics” have been used both by icons of the political left and right. In Britain, Margaret Thatcher’s neoconservatism was responsible for creating unnecessary suffering. Her practice of conviction politics held the responsibility of more than doubling child poverty. Politicians who believe ideologies can full-stop serve as a solution to the ills of society do not harm themselves. But when these ideas are thrust upon society, everyone loses, and necessary needs become neglected. Politicians should be expected to act within reason. Politicians should look at every issue in relation to its causes and effects. There is no substitute for good governance. At the end of the day, it’s society that pays the price for the vicious role of ideology; it threatens the public’s trust of political institutions. Just look at the state of the Senate in our country! To be fair, there are politicians in Canada doing commendable work, and they deserve to be

The other day I was driving and decided to check out the vehicles in the oncoming lane to see if I could find someone who looked happy. I failed miserably. With the exception of a few drivers with passengers in their vehicles, every single person had either an expression of intense boredom, depression, or anger.

This might seem like an exaggeration, but if you don’t believe me, try to play a game of “Spot the Happy Driver.” This really got me thinking: why all the grumps? Maybe sadness, anger, and boredom are peoples’ default expressions — the true faces that are revealed when they don’t think anyone is watching. But could everyone really be so down in the dumps? The Province recently discussed commute times and drivers’ woes in a July 27 article. It explains how commuters change behind the wheel in an interview with Belcerra resident Dan Fel: “I’m a very calm, happy person, [but] the drive to and from work cuts to the core of me. It changes me as a person. I become irate.”

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supported. Liberal Senator Romeo Dallaire is a politician all Canadians should be proud of, because he worked to promote advocacy against the exploitation of child soldiers, and to promote genocide prevention. Dallaire exemplifies the silent heroes on Parliament Hill who work in the shadows of those politicians too busy grandstanding. The expressive foundation of a politician to the ideological

fundamentals of their party’s values, economic doctrine, or religious conviction will not help society progress. When dogmatic politicians who have already alienated a segment of the electorate go on to commit transgressions — as we have seen in the last year with the Senate and with the mayor of Toronto — everyone loses. Poor governance weakens the social contract, withering away

the just society. The relationship between the voter and politician should be sacrosanct, above political parties and above any strategic calculations. Demonizing the entire political system won’t work, so support politicians who work for progress. Poor politics won’t erode a just society — it will decay because of society’s weak support of good governance when it is there.

After my drive I went into a coffee shop, and, to my relief, gazed upon people who were indeed happy and smiling. So, it must be something specific about driving. But what?

Let me explain. For the longest time, I perceived putting on a seatbelt as a process of strapping myself to the vehicle. I believe this is the way most drivers think. The problem is that being strapped tightly to a massive hunk of metal is not exactly a comforting idea. It kind of makes your vehicle feel like a giant death trap. But then my thinking changed. Who says I’m strapped to my vehicle? Couldn’t it be strapped to me, like some cool, robotic extension of my body? After all, I’m the one in control, not the car. And for me, this subtle change made driving feel a lot less like a form of imprisonment. But not feeling imprisoned isn’t the same thing as feeling happy. The second half of the equation that turned me into a happy driver fell

into place when I realized my car had the ability to act as my own personal karaoke booth. And in a car on the freeway, who is there to hear you? Even if someone does happen to look your way and notice you pouring your heart out, you’ll pass them momentarily, never to see them again. UC Berkeley did a survey of 7,515 adults and found that the average person spent 101 minutes per day driving. That’s more than seven per cent of a person’s life spent behind the wheel of a car. So why not have some fun, put together a playlist, and sing along? Or maybe listen to one of the thousands of great podcasts and audiobooks just waiting to be devoured. Only boring people are bored.

I personally look forward to occasions that necessitate driving long distances to out-of-the-way appointments. Call me crazy, but I actually believe driving can be fun. This might be is because I look at my relationship with my vehicle differently than most.

OPINIONS

Nickolay Lamm’s idea of creating a more realistic look for Barbie has nothing to do with the assumption that girls are incapable of thinking for themselves. Quite the opposite: his idea to create a Barbie based on the average American woman was solely to portray exactly how wrong Mattel has been all these years. The famous “Barbie Syndrome” — the desire to look like and have the lifestyle of a Barbie doll — is most often associated with pre-teenagers and adolescents. With the equivalent of an 18-inch waist, Barbie is the representation of a body image that is both unhealthy and unattainable, and Lamm’s work draws precise attention to this problem. Moreover, after 54 years on the market, it looks like Barbie is here to stay, so why

July 15, 2013

Nickolay Lamm’s recent re-design of Mattel’s Barbie may help the doll better reflect the average American female body, but this action fails to support its cause. Yes, Lamm attempted to illustrate Barbie’s unrealistic looks, and the pressures young girls face to live up to society’s standard of “beauty.” However, Lamm and his supporters only further convey the stereotype that females are superficial, insecure, and emotionally unstable. By drawing attention to Barbie in this way, the assumption made is that girls cannot think for themselves, and can’t help believing they are going to be measured against Barbie’s standards. Moreover, Lamm demeans females by drawing attention to

their looks in the most plastic of ways — in the form of a doll. Obsessing over how Barbie looks paints women as superficial, which does nothing to address the pressures they actually face in the “real world,” such as relationships, careers, and personal finances. Barbie may have Ken, an outstanding resume, and what appears to be a six-figure salary, but the majority real women could never dream of commanding this mode of living. We’re much too busy balancing school and shitty part-time jobs to be concerned with her 13.5 cm bust, and 12.5 cm hips. Society has come a long way, with females now able to experience a higher level of freedom than they ever did in the past.

This means that more women than ever before feel empowered to lead the kind of life they want for themselves. This also means focusing on personal interests and passions and not on whether they personally align with Barbie’s hip-to-waist ratio.

not challenge her image to become a more realistic portrayal of women? In an interview with The Huffington Post, Lamm explains, “If there’s even a small chance of Barbie in its present form negatively influencing girls, and if Barbie looks good as an average-sized woman in America, what’s stopping Mattel from making one?” He is absolutely right — it is true that not every woman will be influenced by the doll’s famous looks; however, if there is even a possibility that the doll is reinforcing negative stereotypes about how a woman should look, action is not only necessary, but critical. In addition, because society has come a long way in the past 50 years, we need to speak up against a doll representing a dissenting depiction of women,

and begin to question the harmful effects it has. Regardless of whether it is the stereotype of a Barbie or any other form of g e n d e r- s t e re o t y p e, n e g a t i v e body image is a problem affecting teenagers all over the world. Therefore, instead of expecting young girls to be immune to constant social pressures of the “ideal” body, we should do whatever we can to prevent them from having a plastic self-image.

Joe doll can have the same effect. Having a doll with an unrealistic looking body that possesses tough weapons and military-like looks, can have similar negative effects on boys. Gender and image expectations affect both women and men, and the Barbie doll is just one example among a plethora of toys that further perpetuate harmful clichés. Toys that strengthen unrealistic gender expectations are the enemy here. An artist trying to represent a more realistic version of Barbie is not assuming women to be weak, it is assuming stereotypes to be wrong, and if proving that Barbie looks better with average measurements is his way of taking a stand in this long battle, we should join him in his fight to help change the world one stereotype at a time.

Furthermore, dolls and toys that reinforce gender stereotypes go much farther than a Barbie doll; toys such as the G.I.

By re-designing a doll in an attempt to help subvert negative body image, the message being sent is that all females lack confidence, and are driven by the desire to look a certain way. This completely ignores the progress we’ve made in terms of society’s

political, educational, and professional sectors, and supports the false stereotype that a woman cannot possess positive self-image on her merits alone. When I held Barbie as a girl, I never once compared myself to her, and my feelings toward her were never a reflection of my supposed insecurities. The reason I would rip off her head and mash her feet and hands with a hammer is not because I was projecting my poor self-confidence onto her. It was simply a fun way to spend a rainy day, and my way of protesting sub-par birthday gifts. Because really, I would much rather have been playing with Lego and constructing my pillow fortress. Barbie girl, my ass.

I’m not a child of divorce. At least, not yet. I never thought I would be, until last Saturday when my father called me at work — while I prepped for a 250-person event later that day. Thanks for the inconvenience, dad. “Hey Pa,” I answered, affectionately. “What’s up?” I asked, naively. *** My parents have been married for 32 years. I won’t say its been a strong marriage, because on many occasions it hasn’t been. They separated briefly many years ago, when I was five or six — it hardly matters. I remember very little of that month-long split, intentionally or otherwise. There was even a coffee mug thrown as their marriage teetered on the edge for a second time, though I was away at boarding school at the time and only heard that story from my sister Kathryn years after the fact. I was either too young or too far away to comprehend what was happening between my parents when they were at their worst. But for the 10 or so years since that mug was thrown, there has been bliss, and I’ve been there for that. That’s what I know of my parents’ marriage. Or knew. I’m not really sure yet. *** They fought this Easter. Louder, and with more tears than I can ever remember. But my parents have never been good at getting through holidays anyways without a few verbal blows. Being children of divorce themselves, the holiday season always weighs on them pretty hard. But this was an explosion of vicious anger, hate, and frustration that had been bottled up

for far too long. There was a reason the fight started, but I see now that the water had been simmering for some time, finally boiled over. Alarm bells were ringing loudly in my head, but perhaps this was just another holiday outburst, I thought. I hoped. The times I had seen my parents in the few months since, they had been civil. More than, in fact. They took myself and my girlfriend, Alison, treasure hunting at Value Village, had us over for dinner on many occasions, and were joking and bantering as happy couples do. They had the odd squabble, as all married couples are known to, but nothing to cause concern. They seemed, well, in love. *** “What’s up?” I asked, naively. “Well,” my father said, with noticeable hesitation, “things aren’t so good right now.” Oh no, I thought to myself. What did I do now? Did I forget to call my grandma back? Did my mom sneak a peek at my VISA bill? Did I . . . He cut off my train of thought: “Your mom’s moved out.” And with those four words, my life changed in one swollen heartbeat. And that may sound like hyperbole, especially coming from someone who doesn’t even know if his parents are divorced or not, but it’s not. I can’t even begin to count the number of things in my life that I can relate back to the strength of my parents’ marriage, especially as so many others crumbled down around them. They were a proverbial symbol of perseverance, so much so that after their 25th wedding

anniversary, my mother — a former freelance writer — wrote a story for Canadian Living about sticking it out through the worst of times (something that, if my parents end up reading this, I hope they revisit). In the article, she mentions that despite both my mom and dad’s parents divorcing when my folks were already well into their twenties, the emotional baggage from both separations has lingered with them their whole lives (again, I see it every holiday season). There’s no age when children will be okay with their parents separating. There’s no point in time when divorce won’t affect your children, nor is there a time when it stops being selfish. Too many of my friends are children of divorce, and though they seem well-adjusted, you can tell there are times when it weighs on them. Most of us now live on our own, and those that have separated parents aren’t forced to go back-and-forth between houses the way they did in high school. But now, as then, they have to choices to make: who to see first when they come home for the holiday? Who to spend Christmas Day with? There’s no right choice; someone will always feel jilted. These are the questions that immediately entered my mind when my dad said those four words. Despite my parents’ anxiety around the holiday

season, it has always been my favourite time of the year. “Oh God, don’t make me hate Christmas,” was the first thought that entered my mind. “Don’t make me choose.” At the moment, my parents are not divorced yet, and who knows, by the time this is in your hands, divorce papers could be filed or the two of them could be back in the same bed. But more ways than one, they’ve already made me choose. My dad broke the news to me. Three days later, I have yet to hear from my mom. Do I call her? Do I wait? If I call my dad back before I call her, am I taking sides? Do I even want to talk to either of them? (The answer to all of these is a resounding I have no fucking idea). I’m stuck in limbo: unable to reach out to either parent for fear of setting the other one off, or having them grow angry at me. Two of my favourite things, gossiping with my mom and talking hockey with my dad, are gone. Even if they end up together again, how long will it be before the volatility is gone, before I can go out with one without the other being upset? It’s not

only their relationship hanging in the balance; the one I share with them is, too. I still have both my sister and my girlfriend, both of whom I love dearly, but Kathryn is in Ottawa and Alison’s life is as much in the air as my own — or any university student’s for that matter. There’s little for me to lean on. My parents have always been that rock. As a child, divorce is terrifying conceptually in part because you depend upon your parents for everything: food, shelter, emotional support. While I no longer rely on them for the former two, they’re still a huge part of my support network regarding the latter. I feel no more equipped to deal with this now than I did when I was a child. My relative independence hasn’t made this any less terrifying. I am now the same age my parents were when they got married. I’m staring in the face of a series of big first-steps. I’m not there yet, but eventually, I’d like to get married and start a family of my own. I have decisions to make about my degree, and my career path. I want to be able to bring my

petty fears and insecurities about all of this to my parents; I don’t want to have to hold back for fear of bringing up a painful memory for them; I don’t want to second guess the advice they give me. I want to trust their judgement fully and know that their advice, like their marriage, will stand the test of time. I’m cautiously optimistic it can be done, if only because they’ve been through this before. But my trust in them is gone, at least temporarily. If I can’t believe them when they tell me things are fine between them, as they had been doing, I can’t believe them when they tell me something as basic as how their day was. All it took was four simple words. Fortunately, neither of them has told me, “It will all be okay,” so at least I don’t have to pretend to believe that. My paternal grandfather passed away two Novembers ago, and that was the first time in my life I had to parent my parents. Now I find myself trying my best not to do just that: not to counsel them, not to hear them out, not to smack each of them upside the head. I can’t, because I can’t choose sides, because I can’t be a lightning rod in this storm, and because my mother has told me ceaselessly, “It should never be a child’s job to manage their parents.” And she’s right. Too many times I’ve had to tell people I care about to stop focusing on their family’s is-

how are they?” I shouldn’t have to — no one should. It’s damned unfair what divorced parents ask of their kids, even if they never explicitly ask. This story is me venting; it’s my soapbox, and I’ll get down in a second. It’s a plea for my parents to sort their issues out, and figure themselves out. But more than anything, I hope it’s an illustration of how much divorce sucks and how badly it can mess someone up, even before it happens, and no matter their age. Maybe some can identify with my fears based on their past experiences. If it’s any sort of backwards consolation to them, know it doesn’t get any easier, regardless of whether you reach your parents knees’ or if you dwarf them in family photos. My hope is that that some parent considering divorce somewhere reads this and, even if just for a second, reflects. That they realize it’s not just a marriage that divorce ruins. *** On November 8, 1980, my mother and father got married, at ages 20 and 21, respectively. Twenty-five years later, they celebrated their silver anniversary — the one my mom wrote about in Canadian Living. That day, a 17-year-old Kathryn, ever the wiser of the two of us, wrote a surprisingly tender and youthful message in a card that I know my parents still have tucked away somewhere. It said, in part, “As long as mom and dad are OK, everything is OK.”

sues and worry about themselves. It’s strange having to tell yourself the same thing, especially because now I understand how badly people want to help repair those burned (or burning) bridges. But it’s stranger when adults stop acting like adults and let their stubbornness and pride get in the way of — and potentially ruin — a family. I have no idea who knows that my parents have separated, and there may have been some other family secrets I’ve spilled in these words. Even though I know a lot of people close to my family will read this, I think that’s okay, because I don’t want to lie when someone asks me, “Ho w are you doing?” or “I haven’t seen your folks in a while,

After 25 years of marriage, my parents — walking proof that young love can last — were still OK. My sister’s card brought tears to my parents’ eyes, as so many of her notes have (who knows what I’ve been doing wrong this whole time) — no doubt tears of joy knowing that they’d made it through the worst that their marriage would see. On July 7, 2013, I said to myself “I’m not a child of divorce, yet.” Until last week, “yet” is a qualifier I’ve never had to use before at the end of that sentence, but it’s still better than the alternative, because everything’s OK when mom and dad are. Guys, if you’re reading this, try to keep it that way.

ARTS

Illuminares Lantern Festival — one of the best kept secrets of East Van, and much-loved by residents — is celebrating its 25th anniversary and final festival. The 2013 theme is 25 Light Years, but there will be no LED dragons in the trees like last year, no stilt-walkers or roving performers are being hired, and no stages with lights and amplification. While Public Dreams welcomes any and all artists who want to come and be part of the community event, they are unfortunately not in the financial position to hire performers. Matthew Bissett, the new Artistic Director of Public Dreams, explains that the decision is not only financial, but also bringing the festival back to it’s roots. “We want to bring it full circle — and put more emphasis on the procession, less on installations.” Bissett explains that the first Illuminares were low tech and really were about bringing the

Cuchillo, a new Latin-American restaurant, has recently opened its doors on Powell St. Where “Gastown meets Railtown meets Japantown,” Cuchillo offers up modern Pan-Latin tapas and unique cocktails. Dishes include a Baja style battered Rockfish with jicama slaw and chipotle aioli, wild Mexican sea prawns with butter browned corn arepas, and Ecuadorian quinoa and wild greens. If you have trouble finding it, just look for the big neon purple skull.

arts editor email / phone

July 15, 2013

community together, and walking together around Trout Lake. Public Dreams, with Managing Director Paula Jardine, originally started Illuminares in an effort to reclaim John Hendry Park. The park surrounding Trout Lake didn’t have proper upkeep, and the lake itself — the only lake within the city of Vancouver — was incredibly polluted. That small, humble procession has since grown to an annual event in Trout Lake, drawing more than 20,000 people each year. While Public Dreams is no longer in a financial or structural position to continue the festival, it may not be completely gone. Bissett notes that even when the Trout Lake Community Centre was undergoing renovations and they relocated Illuminares, there were still core community members in East Vancouver who showed up with their lanterns to walk around the lake. Also, it’s possible another organization will take over the festival. Bissett says that Public Dreams really just needs to “hibernate and figure things out.” He was brought on in March when the previous Artistic Director left abruptly, and they’ve also had half the board and many other staff turn over: “Obviously something in this structure isn’t working,” Bissett explained.

Karaoke? Hip hop? Yes, you can have both! Monday, July 15 at Chinatown’s Fortune Sound Club, you’ll find a beautiful fusion of hip hop and karaoke. DJ Flipout if the resident host for the evening, and DJs Seko and K-Rec will also be bringing their skills. The big difference between hip hop karaoke and regular karaoke (besides the hip hop) is that there is no teleprompter. Those who are brave enough take the stage to a full house of people, freestyle. Even if you’re not able to channel Wu Tang, come out for a good time and check out the other performers. It’s only $3 before 10:30 p.m. and then $7 after.

Daryn Wright arts@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

Funding has often been an issue for Public Dreams Society, an artsbased group formed in 1985 to encourage community events. Both Illuminares and their other major event, Parade of the Lost Souls, have been wrought with trouble over finances with decreases in government funding yet rising costs for policing, security, and infrastructure as the events gained popularity. Illuminares has always been about community involvement and interaction with art and each other, and encourages people to not just be consumers of art.

“Participate. It’s about the community doing something and being together,” stresses Bissett. Participants and neighbours are encouraged to have a picnic, bring an instrument, and enjoy the surroundings. The park will be open from 6:00 p.m. onward, with the procession beginning at 9:30 p.m. from John Hendry Park. Although there will be no stages, speakers or generators, there will be lantern-making stations on site and pop-up programming of various types. As the lantern-lit procession circumnavigates the lake, they

will pass animated performances of stars within 25 light years of earth — Alpha Centauri, Sirius, Procyon, Altair, and Vega. As the procession reaches the baseball diamond, the culmination will be the favourite fire show finale. Lantern workshops will operate the week prior to the event at Trout Lake Community Centre, July 15 to 19 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The 2013 Illuminares Lantern Festival takes place Saturday July 20, 2013 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at John Hendry Park, Trout Lake, in East Vancouver.

Switcheroo is a photography exhibition making its home in the Black and Yellow experimental gallery space until July 19. The work is done by local photographer Hana Pesut, of Sincerely Hana fame, and features dual portraits of two people photographed twice, once in their own clothing, and again in their partner’s clothing, both against the same background. Photos depict men and women swapping plaid shirts and dresses or hiking boots and yellow sunnies.

Check out the last Illuminares Lantern Festival before it’s gone! Hosted by Public Dreams, the festival has been running for the last 25 years at Trout Lake, but this is its last. There will be no speakers or performers this year as there has been in the past (due to financial difficulties), but everyone is encouraged to bring a picnic and instruments and enjoy the park beforehand. There will also be lantern-making workshops on site. The lantern-lit procession will begin at 9:30 p.m. and will culminate in a fire show finale.

The Vancouver Lookout presents Summer Yoga Series, an opportunity for Vancouverites to “elevate your mind, body and spirit while taking in the view from 550 ft above sea level.” The event will take place at the Vancouver Lookout, located at 555 West Hastings St, on July 16. Beginning at 6:00 p.m. and running until 7:00 p.m., Franceska will lead guests through various yoga poses for the first summer sunset yoga series.

ARTS

July 15, 2013

Set in 1913 at the seaside What You Will Hotel and Spa, this is a delightful version of Shakespeare’s classic comedy that emphasizes humour over melancholy. The beautiful set of topiaries, signposts, and bright white furniture, along with the flawless costumes and props brought to life this tale of love and mistaken identity, and the cast did justice to these memorable characters. After being shipwrecked off the coast of Illyria, Viola (Rachel Cairns), disguised as the page Cesario, becomes a servant to Duke Orsino (Todd Thomson) and ends up falling in love with him. Orsino is in love with the hotel owner, Olivia (Jennifer Lines), but Olivia ends up falling for Cesario when he comes to declare his master’s love for her. While this mixed up love triangle unfolds, Feste (Johnathon

Young), the fool and lobby lounge singer, keeps everyone entertained while Olivia’s uncle Toby Belch (Bill Dow) and his friends Andrew Aguecheek (Richard Newman), Fabiana (Barbara Pollard), and Maria (Naomi Wright) play a nasty joke on the hotel manager, Malvolio (Allan Zinyk). One major theme throughout this version is sexual innuendo, and there is even some partial nudity during a steamy sauna/pool scene. This was very effective in amplifying the gender confusion between Orsino and Cesario. Young as Feste did a marvelous job and his musical antics were enjoyable, as he often led the others in song. It will be interesting to see him in a completely different role as Hamlet, also playing in Bard’s mainstage tent this season.

Zinyk’s performance as Malvolio also stood out. His reading of the forged letter declaring Olivia’s love for him was extremely enjoyable. He is portrayed as a more comical character in this production, eliciting less pity from the audience. While I still felt sorry for him, it seems that the other characters showed more compassion towards him in the final scene than I’ve seen in the past. Lines was impeccable as Olivia, delivering her lines so naturally, and Dow as Toby Belch and Newman as his sidekick kept us laughing as the bumbling drunks. Having seen a few versions of Twelfth Night over the years, I have to say this one is by far my favourite. It is full of hilarity while maintaining emotionally affective and nuanced performances by the entire cast.

It was a bit hard to get used to the fact that this production features the characters using iPads and iPhones in many scenes, but the fact that it is set in present day Denmark and is still an extremely powerful story, speaks to the timeless nature of Shakespeare’s plays. Hamlet is a huge challenge for any theatre company or director to take on, as they add to the multitude of adaptations and try to breathe new life into what is arguably Shakespeare’s most difficult and most studied work. Collaborators Kim Collier and Johnathon Young were able to meet this challenge with a bold modern version that is captivating all the way through. As the audience filled the Mainstage Tent, Hamlet (Young) gazed out the sliding glass doors at the back of the tent, paced, and then laid down looking at his iPhone. Young was deeply in character before the play even began, and he held this during the entire three hours, delivering passionate soliloquies and portraying Hamlet’s madness brilliantly.

The speedy remarriage of his mother, Gertrude (Barbara Pollard), to his uncle, Claudius (Bill Dow), sends Hamlet into a fit of anger. After his father’s ghost sets him on a quest for revenge, he slowly becomes mad as he confronts the inhumanity of those around him and struggles with what it means to be alive. His love interest, Ophelia (Rachel Cairns), is confused when Hamlet suddenly rejects her and yells “get thee to a nunnery.” After Ophelia and her father, Polonius (Richard Newman), both meet tragic ends, Ophelia’s brother, Laertes (Todd Thomson), is set on his own revenge mission. Playing with gender, Hamlet’s friend, Horatio, is played by Jennifer Lines, and Rosencrantz is Guildenstern’s girlfriend, played by Naomi Wright. The only other comical characters are the gravediggers (Duncan Fraser and Allan Zinyk) who sing a song while pretending their shovels are guitars. The music and sound design in this version suites the tone and setting very well, and it is also very modern, even including The

Beatles’ “Revolution.” Adding to the technological focus, Hamlet uses a remote control to turn music on and off, but at times this seemed a bit distracting and cheesy. The problem with the use of modern technology is that it sometimes came off as forced and overdone. There was also a scene where the dialogue said Hamlet had sent “letters,” so real letters were used as props, but it seemed odd that someone in England would send a letter to Denmark in 2013 when they could have just sent an email. The costumes are largely grey, white, and black, and done in simple lines. The play within the play that Hamlet puts on to uncover Claudius’ guilt, The Murder of Gonzago, is done with puppets and projected onto a screen. Having waited years since I first started attending Bard on the Beach to see Hamlet, I was overjoyed when I heard it would be performed this season, and once again Bard on the Beach delivered an amazing show.

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ARTS

Last Monday, the Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre in downtown Vancouver hosted the MadeWithLove National Mixology Competition Vancouver Finals, a competition where mixologists try to win over the public, media, and jury alike with unique and complex cocktail creations. Sponsored by the Canadian Professional Bartenders Association (CPBA), the event welcomed regional winners from the Vancouver area to compete for a chance to represent Vancouver at the nationals that will take place in Montreal in July 2014, where they will put their talents to the test against bartenders from six major Canadian cities. MadeWithLove’s aim is to “democratize mixology and cocktail culture with its trademark cocktail competition,” which is the largest in North America. Since December 14, 2009, MadeWithLove has held 25 competitions in several major cities across Canada. These competitions are one of the main events by which the CPBA aims “to foster community and promote the advancement of the profession of Bartending in Canada.” Bartenders were tasked with making an original cocktail based on a designated alcohol. Dependent upon the alcohol received, bartenders experimented with drinks ranging from “The Maurice Kan-Rhubarb Float” — a strawberry ice cream float with Skyy Vodka and house-made vanilla-ginger-rhubarb syrup — to “The Details are in the Devil,” which combined Devil’s Cut whiskey with bitters, mint, and local honey gathered from the bartender’s own hives. The night of the event saw a great mix of foodies and amateurs alike engaged in a festive atmosphere with drinks flowing and gongs chiming as bartenders received votes. Upon entry, each attendee was given a MadeWithLove dog tag, which they were to give to their favourite mixologist. The bartender

July 15, 2013

with the most dog tags at the end of the night would be named the public’s choice, one of three winners along with the jury’s choice and the media’s choice.

Upon tasting the various cocktails, the jury was concerned with three things: presentation, originality and taste. When asked how they evaluated the different drinks, one of the judges replied, “Every sip is different. It’s an experience. You always ask at the end, ‘how was that experience?’” As the night went on, there was no lack of energy in the atmosphere. Bartenders visited each other’s stations, giving their peers shoulder rides, taking off their shirts, and doing all

they could to receive votes from the crowd. In addition to great drinks, food, and fun, those in attendance also received advice and step-by-step recipes from professional mixologists. As the event reached a close, Pierre O. Trempe, the founder and director of MadeWithLove, announced the winners. The media’s choice was Keenan Hood from the Keefer Bar. His cocktail, the Siamese Slipper, won the media over with its Hendrick’s Gin, green tea, and lime juice combo topped with an absinthe-misted kiwi slice and an edible flower. Shea Hogan from The Shameful Tiki Room emerged with the most dog tags, impressing the public with his Walker, a Canadian Club mix with lemon juice, grenadine, and Angostura bitters. Joining him at the finals in Montreal next summer will be Mike Shum from the Fairmont Pacific Rim, who wowed the judges with his Roundhouse Kick. The drink, a concoction of Campari, vanilla Skyy

Vodka, Mozart chocolate bitters and fresh mint and basil was finished with dehydrated Campari that had been baked overnight. What really gave the Fairmont team the edge over their competition was their lively performance; the boys danced all night in MMA shorts, cruising the event with Texas

Mickeys of Campari slung over their shoulders. The judges noted this performance aspect when evaluating the competitors; “A lot of these guys have done cocktail competitions before and they’re fairly well versed in what they’re doing and they know how to put on a show.”

18 ARTS

Uneasy lies the head that wears the hip-hop crown. Shawn Carter’s ragsto-riches storyline has been played out ad infinitum, both in his music and otherwise. Popular emcees tend to struggle to retain the hard-earned street cred of their modest beginnings from the security of their multi-million dollar estates, and none more so than Hova. Magna Carta ... Holy Grail is defined by this dichotomy, the work of a rapper attempting to reconcile his luxurious new life with his destitute old one. On album closer “Nickels and Dimes,” he expresses survivor’s guilt over his ascension from the project housing, whereas “BBC” is an upbeat celebration of his recent business partnership with Pharrell Williams, and interludes “Beach Is Better” and “Versus” include typical Jay-Z boasts,

Pink Moon was recorded in two nights with only Nick Drake and his producer

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lest his competitors forget his net worth. Naturally, the shadow of Jay-Z’s producer-turned-rival Kanye West looms large on Magna Carta, and the tinny, electronic production of “Tom Ford” and “Crown” seem cribbed from outtakes of Yeezus. Elsewhere, Hova’s typically bombastic horn sections and throbbing bass-lines reign supreme, as on “Oceans,” which features guest vocals from — you guessed it — Frank Ocean. But despite Magna Carta’s lofty aspirations, the album is wildly inconsistent. Jay-Z’s raps range from a clever, calm flow reminiscent of his work circa The Blueprint (“Heaven,” “Somewhere in America”) to lethargic, phoned-in drones that make a strong case for the common past-his-prime argument (“FuckWithMeYouGetIt,” “La Familia”). Magna Carta is definitely a step in the right direction after The Blueprint 3, easily the rapper’s most uninspired effort. Whereas the latter album rarely ventured beyond the usual “I’m rich and you’re not” showboating, Magna Carta experiments with a wide variety of styles and lyrical content. Even though this approach often comes off as unfocused and contradictory, Jay-Z’s attempts to stay in the game are, more often than not, admirable. Magna Carta is far from Hova’s best work, but its highlights prove that his status as hip-hop royalty need not be questioned.

John Wood present in the studio. His previous album, the lushly orchestrated Bryter Later, suffered poor sales, which only served to bolster the singer’s depression and anti-social behaviour. Two years later, Drake died from an overdose of antidepressants; he was 26. Though the album sold poorly upon its release, Pink Moon has gradually become recognized as Drake’s finest work, and as one of the best folk music albums of all time. The album’s 11 tracks consist of only Drake’s vocal and finger-picked guitar, save for the title track, which features a tender piano interlude. Drake’s lyrics range from the hopeful to the melancholic, and his oaken voice is at once beautiful and haunting. Tracks like “Know” and “Parasite” — the latter of which features the eerily prophetic line, “Take a look, you may see me in the dirt” — seem to endorse the popular image of Drake as a despondent vagrant. But the album’s brighter moments, such as closing track “From the Morning,” paint a different picture. The song is

Orwellian. Kafkaesque. Byronic. Vonnegutesque. Some creators have styles which are so unique and recognizable that they earn their own adjectives. I’ve used the term Lynchian in everyday conversation — sometimes there’s no better way to describe something that reminds me of David Lynch’s strange, post-modern filmmaking style. So, is The Big Dream Lynchian? The film director previously released Crazy Clown Time in 2011 to lukewarm critical reception and the bewilderment of his fans. My first reaction upon hearing that David Lynch was pursuing a musical career was disbelief, but we’ve come to expect the man to defy expectations. After all, this is the artist behind the sinister neo-noir Mulholland Drive and the unsettling satire Blue Velvet — not to mention those creepy short films with the bunnies.

It’s hard to separate David Lynch the filmmaker from David Lynch the musician, but frankly, it seems that this connection is the only reason the man is releasing records at all: I find it hard to believe that any record label would sign an unknown artist based on a cursory listen to the tinny, monotonous electro-blues featured on The Big Dream. The twelve tracks on the album are what I imagine Daniel Johnston would sound like singing into a cardboard tube backed by a middle school-aged Rolling Stones cover band who insisted on producing their record as though it were industrial metal. The record quickly makes the jump from intriguing to grating to just plain awful, and by the end of its 50 minute runtime, I briefly considered giving up reviewing music and barricading myself inside a glass soundproof room for the rest of my life. I can only guess what the intentions behind the recording of The Big Dream were. If it was meant to unsettle and alienate listeners, and ultimately make them question why David Lynch is making records in the first place, mission accomplished. Otherwise, this is Lynch’s worst contribution to the cultural canon since Dune .

fragile and gorgeous, and features arguably the album’s most optimistic lyrics. Elsewhere, Drake’s brilliantly understated guitar work and quietly moving vocals make for idyllic late-night listening. Within its concise 28 minute runtime, Pink Moon leaves an indelible mark. The album’s simple, unadorned aesthetic befits its straightforward songwriting. John Wood is often cited as one of the only people whom Drake trusted, and his transparent, bare-bones production shows this trust was well-deserved. Drake’s life story is ultimately a tragic one, but if nothing else, he loved making music, and his brief yet brilliant discography is a testament to his enduring talent and creativity. Pink Moon remains his strongest work, and his most intimate. Listen closely in the middle of the night, and it’s almost as though you’re in the room with him.

arts@the-peak.ca

20 DIVERSIONS / ETC

Across 1. The paper you’re reading (with 4 across) 4. The paper you’re reading (with 1 across) 8. Swiss peaks 12. Egyptian fertility goddess 13. Put on board, as cargo 14. Aspiration 15. BC health coverage “__ fo” 16. Slanted; three words 18. Self-centred philosophy 20. True, legitimate 21. Pro hoops group 22. Wallop 23. Acerbic, heavily satirical 24. Persian market 26. Search through scraps 28. James Bond portrayer Daniel 29. “The Godfather” actor James 30. * Military dining hall, or clutter 31. Starred clues have this in common (THEME) 35. Org. for movie helmers 38. Christian Anderson, LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

July 15, 2013

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to his friends 39. * Angry epoch (two words) 43. Medieval crossbow 46. Beast 47. Lost hair 48. Here, to the French 49. Score album abbr. 50. I call it what it is 51. Unadorned chest 54. The BC Residential Tenancy Branch has this info (two words) 56. German name for a large woodwind 57. Reverse coral formation 58. Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies 59. “Mo___” loop 60. Some fringe Mormons, initially 61. Pokemon rival prefix 62. Butts butts butts!

Down 1. Famous NY hotel, uncrowned 2. Stereo precursor 3. Throats 4. Braid 5. * Carnivore foods 6. * “Sir” equivalent 7. Barbie’s beau 8. * Tycoon 9. One-sentence script summary 10. Pointed sticks used in fences 11. Heavy hammers, or heavy sleds 12. Weather map line 15. Rachel Maddow’s network 17. Tel ____, Israel 19. “Madam” equivalent 23. Loud report 25. * Severely injure 26. Canonized one 27. Beer containers

29. Farm-to-table orgs. 32. Storage building 33. “M” province 34. Reagan’s Star Wars, initially 35. Delicately sponges something dry (two words) 36. Batman’s hook 37. Eased off 40. In the mood 41. Neither solids nor liquids 42. Benny and the Jets scribe 44. * Red dyes from Rubia root 45. Nottingham river 46. * A big club 48. Geeky messenger client 51. ____ B’rith 52. Give _ ___ (pull) 53. Kimono sashes 55. * Paid housekeeper

July 15, 2013

COMMUNITY PHOTOS July 15, 2013

photo editor email / phone

Vaikunthe Banerjee photos@the-peak.ca

HUMOUR

July 15, 2013

humour editor email / phone

Brad McLeod humour@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

Written by Brad McLeod

HUMOUR

July 15, 2013

label ‘the highest honour in arcade gaming’. “It’s got a total West Coast bias and focuses way too much on high score rankings,” complained one of many angry, aging arcade video game enthusiasts blogging about the announcement. “I mean, my friend Tony in Baltimore was one of the best Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man and Professor Pac-Man players the world has ever seen but does TONY get recognized? No. Meanwhile players I’ve never even heard of like “DIC” and “JAY” and “TON” are all in there.”

LAS VEGAS — The Arcade Hall of Fame held their annual induction ceremony of new members last Friday which honoured one of the greatest names in arcade game history. Boasting an unprecedented amount of high scores on arcade video game machines across world, the legendary “ASS” was finally rewarded with an induction into the prestigious AHOF. “ASS is one of the most prolific video game champions to ever come out of the arcade world,” spoke AHOF president Ron Davis. “It doesn’t seem to matter where you went, what you played — if you were at the arcade you’d always see “ASS” right up there at the top of every leaderboard . . . he was a legend.”

“ASS” was joined by fellow 2013 inductees “POO,” COQ”, “TIT” and “FUK” (in the ‘builders’ category), all of which continue to hold top 10 spots on the majority of Space Invaders and Street Fighter games in existence.

“I can’t believe these legends weren’t already in the hall,” explained Todd O’Neal, an excited video game enthusiast who was on hand for the event. “I grew up idolizing ‘ASS’ and ‘COQ” . . . it’s who we all wanted to be growing up.” The AHOF, which runs out of a garage just outside of Las Vegas,

Nevada, was formed in 2010 with an original class that included the great “AAA,” “NOB,” and “GAY.” Every year, three to five new members are inducted at a ceremony held at a local arcade which is routinely attended by dozens of esteemed and non-esteemed guests. Many popular fan favourite arcade legends such as “XXX” and

“VAG,” among others, continue to wait for their call to the hall, although “GOD” has been rumoured to be a lock for 2014 due to his dominating Galaga scores. Although “ASS”, who did not attend the ceremony in person, might be happy about the induction, not everyone believes that the hall is actually fitting of the

While AHOF president Davis does admit that there are some problems with the voting system, he believes that all the greats will find their way into the hall eventually, but to induct too many in one year wouldn’t allow the event to be held yearly since “there aren’t really a lot of new players in arcade gaming.” Despite these criticism, the hall has no plans to cease operations and will continue to honour the best and brightest arcade players to ever play the games and can still make a claim that most other hall of fames cannot. According to Davis, the AHOF are still free of any players with allegations of steroids or illegal performance enhancing substances, due to the fact that all arcade gamers know that “winners don’t use drugs.”

24 LAST WORD

features editor email / phone

Rachel Braeuer features@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

July 15, 2013