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It’s 2016. I get it, you’re probably tired of hearing about “women’s issues” and more angry ranting about the plight of “angry feminists” — but if this is you, then you’re literally part of the problem, so you’re just tired of yourself. Here is another piece about rape culture, why we need to realize it exists, and why we can’t ignore it. I was scrolling down my endlessly entertaining Facebook newsfeed when I came across this post on SFU Confessions. If you aren’t familiar with the page, it’s basically the cesspool of SFU students’ angst, hilarity, and heartwarming stories, all in one place. Sometimes, however, there are very serious confessions — and this was one of them. The confession featured a girl who says she had asked one of SFU’s security guards for a safety whistle, only to find her issues trivialized by what she said was his sarcastic, mocking demeanour. Not only is this totally unacceptable (even on a purely professional and non-political level), but it’s just downright rude. Well, you would think so anyway, right? Wrong. From what I saw, most of the comments on the thread were unsympathetic to the confessor, mocking the anecdote and
basically telling her to suck it up. This made me incredibly livid. For the students of a school that is supposed to be liberal and progressive, it was just sad to see. To recap, some of the comments said things along the lines of rape culture is a fantasy, and that if we (women) were concerned about our safety we should just . . . learn martial arts? What the —?
Another said that we should “carry around a knife” (isn’t that almost like revoking the gun laws that we Canadians pride ourselves on maintaining?) and that a “university campus is one of the safest places out there.” Double what? Let me just break this down. This kind of thinking is exactly the reason why rape culture exists. It all leads back to the same place: trivializing the issues of the victim, and blaming them for what happened. My boyfriend worked sevenplus years for his black belt in
karate. Sure, if I had that kind of time and passion for this art then yeah, I would devote myself to it entirely and learn self-defence so that at least I wouldn’t be the one raped if such a situation arose. At least I’d be able to protect myself for just enough time that my would-be rapist would go away and find someone who didn’t devote seven-plus years to karate. In that case, yeah, this logic would keep me safe. But what about the other victim? What about the victim that doesn’t have all of these strengths? The fact of the matter is — and you’ve heard this so many times, I’m sure — we need to teach that rape is not OK. Even if we provide selfdefence classes, self-defence weaponry, and literally every form of self-defence there is out there, rape is still not OK. It happens everywhere. Not just in alleyways or clubs or stinky bars, but on campus, in your home, in your loved ones’ homes. Rape culture doesn’t only exist in the form of rape; it’s the condescending, mocking tone of a security guard who doesn’t do his job to make all individuals feel safe. It’s the words of the commenters who belittle her and her experiences Rape culture exists, and I’ve only barely scraped the surface on why. It exists, and it’s because of you.
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Ashley Fraser / Print News Editor
news@the-peak.ca
Find the balance between video games, art, and dance in this exciting collaboration between lighting designers, dancers, and visual artists. This art installation and performance, Digital Folk, showcases the intersection between communities and technology. Its interdisciplinary nature allows the audience to be immersed in various forms of theatre, dance, and visual art. Students can join this team of artists and the Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre on September 21 at 7 p.m.
Rising housing prices in BC have become a topic of serious discussion across the province. On September 14, a diverse panel of housing operatives in British Columbia came together to discuss the province-wide housing crises at SFU’s Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue. The attendees spent the day sharing and brainstorming methods that would create more social housing and reopen the market to renters and potential homeowners. After roughly 30 years of being hands-off in the housing market, according to some reports, the provincial and federal governments are beginning to work with stakeholders and advocacy groups in order to create a thorough National Housing Strategy. Discussions held at the housing crisis initiative centred on building and renovating new social housing sites, working with landlords, modernizing transportation, and generating housing for rural and urban indigenous communities. The housing crisis in BC is a very unique one in Canada, and is pronounced in Greater
Vancouver in particular. David Hutniak of LandLordBC explained that the real estate industry generates $10.6 billion in revenue yearly. However, most British Columbians are not gaining much of this profit, as many are being pushed out of the housing market, the rental market, and social housing. The provincial and federal governments are trying to find a viable strategy to balance these conflicting realities. BC Housing Minister, the Honourable Rich Coleman, opened up the conversation by stating that “housing strategies are not just about housing.” He cited the need for additional transportation to reach more rural areas, and for government on the provincial and federal levels to “think outside the box on housing [. . .] as housing is the connection to the people we serve.” Coleman also noted that the $150 million over two years that the new Liberal government has promised, in addition to provincial funds, will help deal with immediate issues in British Columbia, though he stressed that a long-term plan is essential.
In keeping with this new culture of innovation, Kishone Tony Roy, chief executive officer of the BC Non-Profit Housing Association, pushed the importance of transit near social and rental housing. “The provincial government should be attentive about where they’re building transit lines, and to make sure they are near social housing,” he said. Roy further stressed that a modern transportation system would be a key component to the success of future social housing, as it would give tenants more opportunity to commute to work or education programs.
According to Hutniak, the price ceiling in BC for rental homes is slated to rise another 2.9 percent this year, which is the government-controlled price limit. This means that we can expect to see the median cost of rent increase as British Columbians continue to look towards rental housing as an alternative to home ownership.
Given this information, millennials should be looking forward to paying an 2.9% extra or so for the same ratty apartment (sometimes literally), and contentious roommates (usually literally). In the eyes of the panel members, the problem surrounding housing does not only implicate British Columbians in need of affordable housing. It has generated economic problems in the tertiary economy, as more people choose to move out of fiscally inaccessible neighbourhoods, leaving cafés devoid of baristas and local companies struggling to keep up with larger businesses. The Government of BC is seeking to further partner with investors and the federal government to create a realistic and, more importantly, unique plan for the future. They hope to relay their unique strategies to the National Housing Strategy. The strategy should be put into effect next year, in hopes of inspiring gradual changes in the accessibility of housing. Until then, a 450-square-foot apartment is called a “cozy bachelor pad” and a closet a “homey den,” so settle in.
The Surrey community is preparing for the annual Terry Fox Run. Terry's Cause on Campus will begin at 12:30 p.m. on September 30. You can help raise money for cancer research and support SFU’s goal to raise $35,000. To participate, you can register your team, volunteer to help with the event, or donate to a team online.
SFU is screening a series of short films, featuring concepts that Andreas Bunte covers in his work. This collection of films showcases Eva Kolcze, Caspar Stracke, and Ana Vaz. Bunte’s piece, Erosion, is also featured in the current exhibition at SFU Burnaby. The films explore themes of geology and architecture, as presented by Bunte’s work at the Burnaby gallery. The screening will take place on September 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the the Cinematheque on Howe Street.
News
In light of recent controversies surrounding sexual assault, SFU is working to develop better sexual assault policies. Although the administration has been criticized for its alleged lack of response to sexual assault allegations, organizations at the school have been uniting to work towards this common goal. On September 13, SFU Academic Women organized a talk with the Ending Violence Association (EVA) to discuss how to create a proactive way to deal with sexual assault on campus. The university has previously held a series of Town Halls to work on this goal, complete with an advisory committee.
The main speaker, Tracy Porteous, is the executive director of EVA BC. Porteous has been fighting to end gender-based violence for decades.
September 19, 2016
In her talk, Porteous argued that victims of sexual violence have the right to be outraged, as reports have shown that assaults are almost always premeditated. When asked what sparked her passion for change on this issue, Porteous revealed that she too is a survivor of sexual assault. EVA has been working with schools and groups all over the province to develop action plans to prevent sexual assault, as well as the policies and resources to effectively deal with the aftermath. When creating effective sexual assault policies, Porteous stressed the need for unwavering leadership which, she argued, SFU administration has not provided. S F U ’ s sexual assault policy reads: “All forms of sexual violence jeopardize the mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing of our students and our employees, as well as the safety of the community. Sexual violence violates our institutional values, in particular, the right of all individuals to be treated with
dignity and respect. SFU will not condone or tolerate any form of sexual violence.” Porteous argued that all members of the SFU community should be involved in the making of these policies, including Residence Life coordinators, all ResLife and Housing employees, as well as professors, security employees, and university president Andrew Petter. She recommended that “all Simon Fraser employees be cross-sector trained in responding to assault.” Porteous stated that it is “common to lack the literacy or language” when someone discloses an assault. The EVA offers educational seminars to schools and organizations regarding consent, giving students the tools to stand up for each other and recognize when a situation is dangerous. Hannah Jarvis, SFU Residence orientation assistant, explained that Residence orientation this year at SFU used a condensed version of these seminars. Porteous stressed that just one of these solutions isn’t enough. It must be a comprehensive compilation of education, prevention, and leadership. She noted that SFU currently has the ear of its students and staff on this issue in a way it hasn’t ever before.
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Devendra Jhajharia broke his own record in the Paralympic Games in Rio. The paralympian, husband, and father of two children is now ranked third in the world for the men’s javelin throw. Not only did
he beat his own record, but he also won India’s second gold medal in the Paralympic Games.
Following Britain’s vote to exit the EU, Brexit negotiations have begun to show what this departure might look like. Reports have indicated that France and Germany are in support of an arrangement similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) in the United States, which requires a $14-visa for those wishing to travel to and from the US. Later this year, the European
Commission will release its report on the “EU travel information and authorization system” (Etias), similar to ESTA. As Britain will no longer be part of the EU, experts suggest that Britons may require a similar visa to travel within the Schengen zone, along with their passports, saying goodbye to free travel across European borders.
Firefighters from New Zealand attended the Memorial Firefighter Stair Climb in honour of the over 300 firefighters who perished in the tragic 9/11 attack, and the 57 New Zealand firefighters who have died on duty. This year marks the 15th anniversary since the attack in 2001. At the top of the Stair Climb, the firefighters performed the traditional
Maori dance, descended from the Indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. The powerful chant was often performed in times of war, and is now typically seen at ceremonies, sporting matches, and weddings.
With files from BBC News
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he said, referring to the campaign’s official hashtag. Brayford also mentioned that the goal of the anniversary was “communication around the student’s experience and to help build campus pride during the year.” His team has worked with student ambassadors on an initiative to inspire online conversations around SFU, and this has continued through social media after the campaign ended. The outcome of the anniversary was a series of collaborations between SFU and current students.
Brayford noted that the stories shared as a result of the campaign were “really authentic,” adding that these stories could be a positive introduction to the university for prospective students. Another step in SFU’s new digital strategy is an update of their official website. Many of the new elements are designed to be “user-centred,” according Denise Leech, director of digital engagement for the school’s University Communications. The updates are meant to increase ease of navigation, including interactive videos and bold infographics. SFU also launched its own Snapchat account, to record many more student stories and events throughout the year. Leech noted how “social media communities have grown” at SFU, and that the university has seen a steady growth in traffic on many social media platforms since the launch. She added, “it’s a great opportunity for us to hand the keys over to students to let them tell their own stories.” Students and various SFU clubs have also been asked to take over the Snapchat account, where students may curate “a day in the life of a co-op student,” or places to look out for on campus. Brayford explained that his team plans to work with different faculties to feature various programs through SFU’s Snapchat in the near future.
The club remains excited for the upcoming challenge. It will provide them with the chance to experience working within an aerospace organization, as well as opportunities to work with space industry experts, Lui said. Lui emphasized that club isn’t just about science. “As a spacecraft design organization, we have people working on all aspects of running a mini space company,” he
noted. “While there is obviously a large science and engineering component to our operations, the business, finance, and media aspect of our work is just as important to our success in this challenge.” Lui noted the club is always looking for new members of all skill levels and “from all backgrounds.” Interested individuals can contact the club via email or visit their Facebook group.
Illustration by Jasmeen Virk / The Peak
It's been a little over a year since SFU’s 50th anniversary, marking an important milestone for the university and its students. Since the festivities came to an end, there have been some exciting ventures to improve the university's digital presence. The Peak spoke to a few members of the University Communications
department about SFU’s 50th anniversary and digital strategy. “We certainly saw a lot of students sharing their SFU and SFU50 experience[s] online during the year,” said Adam Brayford, assistant director of digital strategy. “The campaign generated approximately 700 conversations related to SFU50,”
New club aims to compete in Canadian competition
A group of SFU students are preparing to launch their aspirations and dreams into outer space for an ongoing competition. The challenge in question is the Canadian Satellite Design Challenge, a nationwide competition for building a cube satellite. “The SFU Satellite Design Club was formed in January 2016 with the main goal of competing [. . .] and building a cube satellite,” Jordan Lui, the club’s president, told The Peak. “The club is a 50-member club of SFU undergraduate, graduate, and alumni who are passionate for space technologies,” added Lui. “Many of our team members have passions to go into the space industry after graduation, so they realize that this challenge is a great stepping-stone to their future career aspirations.” Cube satellites are extremely little satellites that are favoured by small
companies, countries, and student teams, said Liu, “Because a cube satellite has all of the systems that a regular satellite will have [communication, power, structure, propulsion, computing, sensing], it’s a great way to test new cutting-edge technologies on a significantly cheaper spacecraft that can also be built much more quickly than conventional satellites.” On August 23 in Clinton, BC, the club launched a weather balloon to test systems for their planned final satellite. While the launch was successful, the team began to run into issues retrieving location data, only receiving irregular updates from the balloon. “After a couple promising hints to the craft's latest location, the team went on two hikes in the Nicola Valley area to attempt recovery of the craft,” said Lui. The group could not locate the craft, but gained valuable experience for future projects.
Would you like the opportunity to win free tuition? All you have to do is attend SFU’s football home opener on September 17. SFU is kicking off its football season with a new contest, “Kick to Win Free Tuition” this Saturday. The contest welcomes students to tweet the SFU Athletics account in order to be chosen to participate. If a student makes a field goal from the 35-yard line, they will win tuition for the fall semester up to $2,500. SFU football has struggled so far this season. The team is 0–2, and has been outscored 115–10 over both games. This weekend will also be the home debut of quarterback Miles Richardson. SFU’s sports and information director Steve Frost said that the offer is part of a push to increase engagement and attendance at sports games, which has been an issue for SFU Athletics in the past. “We want to create an enjoyable guest experience, [and] we wanted to start by giving students something they really value,” he said. “SFU student athletes are elite athletes who play their heart and soul at competition, and it would be great to see their fellow colleague students come out support them, and appreciate the effort they put into competition,” Frost added. In the future, Frost said that SFU sports such as basketball and football will continue to incorporate more events like this one to attract more students to the games, with many things to do aside from the game itself. SFU Athletics plans to host this event at every home football game this season.
Opinions
Jessica Pickering Peak Associate
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Zach Siddiqui / Opinions Editor
opinions@the-peak.ca September 19, 2016
Tanya Humeniuk Peak Associate
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Opinions
Courtney Miller Peak Associate
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Zach Siddiqui / Opinions Editor
opinions@the-peak.ca
Arts
Jess Whitesel / Arts Editor
September 19, 2016 arts@the-peak.ca
Yours Truly is a five-piece team from the Lower Mainland with a deep love for dance. The core group consists of Kim, Theo, Stephanie, Kiki, and Frances. Together they take part in dance competitions and events, as well as covering dance
choreographies from popular K-Pop songs and uploading them to YouTube. They have amassed over 7,000 followers on YouTube, with views rising over 1.5 million. The Peak reached out to the girls from SFU’s Hip-Hop Club. The Peak : How did Yours
Truly meet? Theo: Steph and I met each other in [a] K-Pop dance class back in 2009, while the rest of us met each other through the SFU Hip-Hop Club. Frances attended our friend’s dance studio and was recruited for one of our
covers. We ended up bringing her in for more covers and she became a permanent member! Kim: We had started out as two friends who wanted to learn K-Pop dances for fun. We figured it would be fun to film what we learned and share our love for K-Pop with the rest of the Internet! The Peak: Why K-Pop? Theo: When it comes to K-Pop, the performances are always very inspiring to us because the idols are all multitalented. They can sing, dance, and even produce their own music and choreograph their own dances. Majority of these idols have been training since they were young, and their hard work definitely pays off. We love not only K-Pop but we also find Korean culture very interesting. We love the fashion, food, and history of Korea. The Peak: What are the competitions like for you? Frances: For our competition in LA at KCON, it didn’t really feel like a competition because we were practicing on our usual schedule. I didn’t feel too pressured, because I still wanted to dance and enjoyed learning and practicing our sets. It wasn’t until it got closer to the date when I felt I had to really work on details like facial expressions and stamina, and then it felt more like a competition. The Peak : What are some of your favourite dancers and artists? Kiki: I come from a dance background and started getting into K-Pop because of the fun dances which accompanied
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the songs. I fell in love with a boy group called SHINee back in 2010 because their choreographer at the time was my favourite dancer, Rino Nakasone. The fact that she got to work with SHINee made them my favourite K-Pop group as they made her choreography look so good! As for Yours Truly as a team, we tend to gravitate towards complicated dances from K-Pop groups because we can showcase our ability this way. Some of our members are hardcore BTS A.R.M.Y. [fanclub members] and we make sure that we do a BTS cover every time a new single comes out. The Peak : What is the group’s goal? Stephanie: It started out just for fun, but now that we have grown so much, it’s motivated us to aim higher. This year we joined a few competitions, including the KBS K-Pop World Festival, and managed to get second in the US Finals. We’re proud of what we’ve done, but next year we’re aiming for first so we can compete in the World Finals in Korea. Beyond that, we’re simply enjoying continuously growing our channel and producing bigger and better videos.
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Arts
September 13 was SFU world literature’s writer in residence Anosh Irani’s book launch for The Parcel, hosted at the Vancouver Film School Café. It was a big turnout, with every seat in the café filled with close friends and family of Irani’s, as well as SFU staff and students. Fellow BC-based author Aislinn Hunter gave a warm introduction for Irani, celebrating his newly completed novel. She sang Irani’s praises, noting that he, as a novelist, is a storyteller, and in being a storyteller Irani becomes a guide who takes the reader to a new world. The world of The Parcel is the red-light district in Bombay, which Irani spent his childhood across from and which he returned to as an adult. The Parcel follows the story of a retired transgender sex worker. As Hunter said, “It’s not always an easy book to read,” as it deals with the brutal realities of sex trafficking and poverty in India. Despite the dark subject matter, Irani still manages to wield prose that Hunter called “honey in the mouth.” Hunter, amongst other
Jess Whitesel / Arts Editor
arts@the-peak.ca
writers and critics, are calling The Parcel a very important book; one that gives readers a special insight and reveals what a community needs to hear as Irani bridges the gap between worlds with. “The world is a village,” said Hunter, and it is as important as ever to share the history of our diversity. Following Hunter’s introduction, Irani took the stage and thanked his supporters, along with the teachers who encouraged him along the way. Irani has a new appreciation for his teachers, given that he’s now a teacher himself. “God help them,” he said with a laugh. Irani then delved into his novel, explaining how he had searched for an entry point to begin his writing. He’d found the first point of entry when he interviewed a sex worker in a Bombay brothel, telling her that he had grown up not far from where she was now. She had looked at him, stunned, and said, “Do you think I get out of this place?” This exchange jarred Irani, bringing him to the realization that we are often so consumed by our
own realities that we forget the realities of others. It was at this point in the evening that Irani treated the audience to a reading of an excerpt from The Parcel, where his vibrant prose filled the air and transported us to a place thousands of miles away. There is such clarity to the setting and to the protagonist, Madhu, that you cannot help but envision them right before your very eyes.
Carefully crafted, The Parcel was an emotional odyssey for Irani, and finishing this masterwork has left him with a strange feeling. Asked how he feels about his novel finally being finished, Irani told the audience, “I don’t know how I feel yet; it’s too soon.” He has put his heart and soul into this work. It’s difficult to imagine the surreal feeling that envelops an artist after their work has been completed.
As for Irani’s future plans, he said that he will return his focus to his upcoming play Men in White, which debuts February 2017 at the Arts Club Theatre Company. As an established playwright and novelist, Irani enjoys alternating between the two artistic forms, because it gives him a refreshed mindset as he delves back into a familiar style. Having spent six years working on The Parcel, it is time for Anosh Irani to return to the theatre.
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I’ve been staring at a blank page for hours trying to figure out how to put words on the page to describe Anosh Irani’s latest novel, The Parcel. I am beginning to realize that, although it’s a novel, it isn’t about the words that appear on the page, but the feeling that those words create in the reader. The Parcel is a novel of emotions, from the reactions of the characters to the hardships that they face daily in Bombay’s redlight district, to the visceral emotional response that I had in the final pages. It isn’t rooted in plot, although that does help keep the story from turning into an expressionist experiment; it is rooted in emotional action, reaction, and inaction. Never once, as I was being absorbed into the worlds of Madhu
and the parcel, did I feel an urge to stop reading. I was pulled along by the nature of the characters who were always moving forward. I felt compelled to follow their example and move along with them. Anosh Irani’s style is one of restrained profusion. He knows when to use $5-words and when to drop them entirely, to be replaced by the language of the streets of the red-light district. This is one of the standout features of this novel: it doesn’t stay tied to one singular, defining characteristic. The Parcel weaves themes of family drama with romance, mystery, yearning, change, and erasure in a way that pays careful attention to each. The end is positive, but it is not happy. There is no final, joy-filled moment for any
of the characters. It is an ending that almost prompted me to call my parents at an ungodly hour in the morning to tell them thank you and that I loved them. Reason stepped in before I pushed call, but the response was one that I doubt I will forget. The weaving in and out of transgender and cisgender sex workers is done in a way that doesn’t vilify or deify either group, and instead works to portray the transgender hijra as victims to a lack of understanding, and the cisgender women victims of being born as the easily commodifiable gender. Even though at its core it’s an emotional novel, it is also a novel about female power and how it can be wielded even when society rejects this as something that should be celebrated and accepted. The Parcel functions in a third space, much like Madhu and the rest of the hijra of the red-light district are members of the third gender; it is very real and present in this world, but also very transcendental and existing in many places all at once.
Arts
September 19, 2016
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Even for a Nick Cave album, Skeleton Tree is dark. Partially recorded after the tragic death of Cave’s son, the album is an unfettered glimpse into the singer’s grief and turmoil. But it’s also as beautifully realized and hauntingly poetic as any of the band’s records, and though it’s oftentimes heartbreaking, it never feels burdensome. The Bad Seeds have always had a knack for album openers (“Into My Arms,” “The Mercy Seat,” et al.) and first track “Jesus Alone” is no exception, a solemn invitation set to Ennio Morricone strings. “Girl in Amber” is similarly melancholy, featuring one of the best vocal performances on the album. But it’s the record’s centrepiece “I Need You” that stands out. Over a soaring synth background, Cave gives us the album’s thesis: “Nothing really matters / When the one you love is gone.” It’s one of the best songs the band’s ever done. Skeleton Tree is not an easy listen, but it’s an essential one. – MJH
Bastille opens strongly on its sophomore album Wild World with “Good Grief,” which also happens to be the lead single. The thing I love about Bastille is the depth in their instrumentation and lyrics. It’s a beautiful combination that never disappoints — just like this album. The news-type snippets throughout the album might throw off or even turn off some listeners, but everything the band does is for a reason. “Two Evils” has an eerie echo of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” and really gives a majestic quality to the album. The theme song for 2016 could be “Warmth,” with its reflections on current politics. “Blame” has a hard rock intro and keeps a low and foreboding feel throughout. Any university student can resonate with “Campus,” which is basically university life in a nutshell, with dependable Bastille twists. Bastille may be classified as indie-pop, but the band branches into so many other genres that pretty much anyone can find something to like from them. This is an amazing record; play it anytime, anywhere. – CM
Grouplove opens “Welcome to Your Life” (and thus Big Mess) with a bubblegum pop intro, before gradually transitioning to a rockier style. The whole album goes back and forth like this, making it a bit of a stylistic rollercoaster. There’s the constant indie thread throughout the record, and I’m a big fan of indie, but it feels unfinished; like there’s something missing that would really cement it as a record to return to time and time again. At times it almost seems purposefully immature, particularly on “Traumatized,” where the complaint is that the chores never end — despite naming only one chore. “Do You Love Someone” gets a little screechy at times, but for the most part it’s still an enjoyable song. The opening riff to “Standing in the Sun” is the best part of that song, frankly. That’s how this record works. Some songs have really good parts but that’s all you get: a tease. – CM
James Nizam's Ascensions of Time at the Burrard Arts Foundation Gallery is both superficially and conceptually engaging. By subverting our expectations in his photography, Nizam expands our conception of what the medium can convey. Photography is normally seen as an artistic medium that uses light to capture an image of some space in a single moment. With this view, physical space is all that a photo captures; it cannot capture time in the same way that a film can. And so, maybe film can be said to have more expressive power than photography. I personally have always preferred film to photography, in part because of the temporal limitation that photography has. In a film, you get a series of rapid frames that give the effect of elapsed time — or the movement of light. In a photo you have a single frame that can only capture a single moment with static light. But Nizam aims to question this distinction by showing us that time, through physical and metaphorical means, can be shown in a photograph. He chooses architecture as the backdrop for his project. And
what better subject than architecture, an archetypical symbol of physicality and space. But his photos aren't straightforward pictures of rooms and buildings. By projecting upside-down images of an apartment building on the walls and ceilings of a room, or taking the negative of a negative of a photo, Nizam disorients the viewer, even as the subject of the image is common and recognizable. In warping these images, he demonstrates that a photo of a room can be more than just a photo of a room. Each photo looks highly constructed and aware of itself as being a photo. Of course it doesn't seem natural for pictures of houses to be projected onto the walls of a room, and the projections of light are so deliberately positioned. Things like the juxtaposition of the outside of a house on the inside of a house feel unreal, and in a single image we can be inside and outside all at the same time. In this way Nizam captures multiple moments in a single shot — film gets this for free. But in film, movement in a “shot” is only an illusion. A film shot is really discrete photographs
quickly flashing before our eyes. It is only the very small changes from frame to frame that create the appearance of continuity. But still, each individual frame is a static photograph. It is only the succession of multiple frames that makes film dynamic — and what Nizam manages to do is make a single frame dynamic. Think of a photo as an imprint or copy of the light in a room at a given moment. By projecting light onto the walls of a room, Nizam changes the composition of light in the room. Thus, in a sense, he changes the physical architecture of the room. But the image that is projected onto the walls is itself a photograph of light taken at an earlier time. By projecting the light from this image onto the walls of the room, Nizam embeds the light from the earlier physical space into the light of the current physical space. The result is a single frame of physical space representing physical space from more than one moment. Thus through metaphorical means, Nizam subverts the common conception that a photograph can only capture a single moment in time.
14 Sports
Nick Bondi / Sports Editor
sports@the-peak.ca
SFU has announced that Bradley Graham will be the new throws coach after Garrett Collier’s departure. Graham previously founded and led the Dynamo Throwers Club, based out of Maple Ridge.
On Wednesday, the Clan lost 4–0 to Concordia University Irvine. The Eagles had 10 shots on goal in the contest, compared to only two for SFU. The loss is the first for the team this season. Their first home game is against Western Washington on Saturday.
SFU won 2–1 over BYUHawaii Thursday night. Michael North got the lastminute winner in the 89th minute. This came four minutes after BYU tied the score at one, and that goal was the first conceded by SFU in non-conference play. The win keeps the Clan undefeated on the year. The team’s first home game is against Seattle Pacific on Thursday.
A few years ago, a series of injuries forced Brandon Watson to take a step out of the pitch and put his gloves back in the closet. Having gone from nearly saying goodbye to university athletics to being the co-captain of one of the most promising teams in NCAA Division II, Watson tells us his journey. Watson’s passion for soccer started at a young age. “My parents put me in soccer when I was five and I started playing goalie when I was 11. Growing up, one of my favourites was Iker Casillas,” he said. But what is so attractive about being a goalkeeper? “Goalkeeper is more of a position where intelligence is key. You see the whole field, you are constantly communicating with your team, and something about that drove me to do it. [. . .] I enjoy the pressure of being a goalkeeper. When you make a big save, I think it’s all worth it.” Starting his student athlete career at NCAA Division I Coastal Carolina, Watson went a long way before returning to his home province. But he never wavered in his choice to join the Clan. “I always had a goal of being in the NCAA. I think it gets a little bit
more exposure to MLS [Major League Soccer] drafts.” SFU provided Watson the opportunity to pursue his dream of playing his favourite childhood sport, despite the injuries that kept him off for nearly two seasons. “I came off with injuries where other schools did not really know me anymore. The assistant coach [at the time] contacted me and asked me if I wanted to play. In terms of academics, I have also heard of the kinesiology program before, so academics was definitely a big part of my choice.” While his history with injuries restrained Watson in his athletic career for a while, he claimed that they pushed him to understand the science of the body. “I’ve always been interested in how the human body works; it is kind of a marvel. I also suffered a couple big injuries early on in my career, and that motivated me to go into physiotherapy.” This time off gave Watson the maturity to establish a certain balance between academics and athletics. “I came in as a bit of an older freshman. I was 21 when I started at SFU, so it was a bit of a smoother transition compared to
coming straight from high school, but it has been an awesome experience for me. “The only thing that’s missing is the national championship. That is what we are going for this year.” Being the captain of SFU’s men’s soccer team can add a great level of pressure. How does Watson deal with it? “I have been the captain of the team since I was a sophomore, so I am used to the role of being a leader of the team, being more accountable, and leading an example for the younger guys. I believe there is a little more pressure because it is my last chance to win the championship — but I’m a goalkeeper, so I am used to the pressure.” Intelligence alone is not enough to excel in a classroom, and commitment and hard work go beyond the soccer field for Watson. One of his most notable distinctions as a student athlete is achieving an average GPA of 4.11 in kinesiology. “I keep a schedule of what is due and when it is due,” he said. “It is a matter of balance and work ethic. When you’re tired and trained for two hours, it takes a lot to sit down and focus on a book. It’s all about putting in the effort. I just put the time in required to do well in the course. ” As Watson’s journey as a student athlete comes to an end, he’s reflecting on his future career
paths and a potential chase after a professional career. “It’s always been a dream of mine to play professionally. Obviously I have backup plans. Hopefully I can put together the best season I’ve ever had and maybe turn some heads. Playing the sport I’ve loved my whole life and getting paid to do it would be a dream come true.” The expectations for the men’s soccer team are set to be high this season. Watson shared his perspective as a senior who witnessed the Clan’s successful switch to the NCAA over the past three years. “It is probably the best start to a season we have had in my four years here which is very encouraging. We all know collectively as a team it is just the beginning [. . .] and playing at home is a motivational factor. “If you start with not conceding, you’re going to win more games and so far this season, we haven’t conceded.”
Sports
Down 40–0 after one quarter Saturday night wasn’t the start the SFU football team was looking for. And when it was all said and done, the 68–7 loss to the Texas A&M Kingsville Javelinas — a deficit of 61 points — was likely “the second most lopsided in SFU team history,” according to The Province’s Howard Tsumura. “We played a team that was very well-prepared, they were very big, very athletic,” head coach Kelly Bates told The Peak. “They were very successful on every drive, we don’t have the ability to sustain any drives, we don’t help our defence, and they had some big plays.” It didn’t take long for the Javelinas to get up on the board — just 22 seconds. On their very first opportunity of the night, Kingsville quarterback Myles Carr threw for an 80-yard completion, giving the team their first touchdown of the night, the first of 10. SFU’s first drive of the night looked as if it might be successful, with quarterback Miles Richardson opening his night with throwing for two consecutive first downs — an 11-yard pass and a 19-yard pass. For good measure, the Javelinas took a roughing the passer penalty and gave SFU 15 more yards. But the fun ended there. The drive ended with a turnover on downs when an attempt to go for it on the fourth down with nine yards failed. Naturally, Kingsville took advantage of this, putting up another touchdown in their returning drive. In the remaining three quarters, SFU fared better. The Clan managed their only points of the game in the second quarter when a blocked punt was returned for a touchdown by linebacker Trevor Kemp. SFU tied the Javelinas 7–7 in the second quarter, and lost the third and fourth quarters 14–0 and 7–0, respectively. “It’s not easy to be down as much as we were, as early as we were, to understand that there’s still three quarters of play left, and those three quarters aren’t just going to magically disappear,” said Bates. “To embrace that and to understand that this is an opportunity to build some character and reveal some character — well, that’s the positives.
September 19, 2016
“I thought our kids played hard, I thought they learned from it, I thought they got a good lesson in terms of seeing how they have to play if they want to play at the next level, and we can only get better from that.” SFU is now 0–2, and has yet to begin conference play. Last week, they could excuse the fact that they lost 47–3 to their Division I opponent (which, even then, was in the FCS, which is a lower tier than you would see on TV in bowl games). This week, however, they lost worse to a Division II team that, despite beating a Division I FCS team the previous week, hasn’t won a conference game since 2012. In two games, SFU has only scored 10 points. “I think we need to learn from what happened last week and understand that regardless of how fast the team starts, we have to show up and be ready to play on the first snap — there’s no easing into the game of football, so I hope that we learn that lesson,” said Bates. Last season, SFU didn’t win a game, but were for the most part competitive (at home, at least). This season, they’ll need to be more competitive before they can win.
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Sports
Wednesday night was the first home game for SFU volleyball this season, and coming into the contest it was going to be a tough one. The Western Washington Vikings were the consensus pick to finish first in the GNAC [Great Northwest Athletic Conference], and were in the final four of last year’s NCAA Division II tournament. In perhaps the biggest test of the season thus far, the Clan prevailed with a 3–2 win over its rival.
“I think we did an amazing job playing as a team,” said outside hitter Emma Jennings after the game. “We’ve been working all spring and all preseason training, to work as a unit and if someone’s down, we all pick up the player. It’s been really working well for us.”
The Champions League is Europe’s premier club football competition. Italicized team names indicate the ones we think will progress to the knockout round. GROUP A Paris Saint Germain, Arsenal, FC Basel, Ludogorets Razgrad PSG was riddled with injuries last time out in the Champions League, and even though the departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic will leave a massive void in attack, the team still has plenty of star power in their ranks. For Arsenal, consistency is key to thwart Les Parisiens, especially since FC Basel has shown a tendency to punch above its weight over the last five years in the competition. GROUP B Benfica, Napoli, Dynamo Kiev, Besiktas Chances are looking good for
In the first set, SFU roared out to an 8–4 lead, bolstered by the huge red night crowd, where everyone was encouraged to wear red and the first 100 people got a free T-shirt. An official crowd of 823 turned out to see the game, and a large section of that was SFU student athletes, who took up half the gym. SFU thoroughly outplayed the Vikings in the set, winning 25–13 in convincing fashion. The next two sets SFU and Western Washington would trade back and forth by exact 25–21 scores. It was in the fourth set that it looked like SFU was in trouble. The final score was 25–18, but it was an instance where the score made it look a lot closer than it really was. SFU was at one point down 21–13, and it seemed like nothing was going right for them in the set. They weren’t able to get any blocks, serves were hitting the net, and at one point, an SFU player whiffed on a kill attempt.
Portuguese giant Benfica, which has won three straight domestic titles and even shocked the likes of Bayern Munich in last season’s Champions League. Napoli must survive without Gonzalo Higuain, who bagged a record-breaking 36 Serie A goals last season and set the bar very high for the incoming Polish hitman Arkadiusz Milik. Turkish Super Lig champion Besiktas may have some difficulty after losing many key figures in the summer transfer window, while Ukraine’s champion Dynamo Kyiv are more than capable of surprising its foes. GROUP C Barcelona, Manchester City, Borussia Monchengladbach, Celtic Redemption is on the agenda for Barca, which ultimately fell short in defending its 2015 title after coming up against the defensive might of Atletico Madrid last
Nick Bondi / Sports Editor
sports@the-peak.ca
Photo courtesy of SFU Athletics Emma Jennings (#8, centre) led the team with 19 kills. “I said to them, if it was easy, it won’t be amazing,” said head coach Gina Schmidt on what she told the team prior to the fifth set. “We knew it wouldn’t be easy, and that’s what’s going to make it fun when we pull out the fifth.”
The fifth set was a tense affair that had the crowd on the edge of their seats. After Western Washington tied it up at two, SFU never looked back, taking the lead for the rest of the game and winning it 15–8. Emma Jennings got the winning kill that sent the West Gym crowd into a frenzy.
term. Also, Pep Guardiola will reunite with his former club as he leads Manchester City from the dugout, and looks to finally establish his new club as a true competitor in Europe. Borussia Monchengladbach gained a respectable fourth place finish in Germany last season and could make life difficult for Celtic, which limped into group stage qualification after a two-year absence. GROUP D Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSV Eindhoven, FC Rostov No task looks too difficult for Atletico Madrid, and this year is no different under the passionate leadership of Diego Simeone. Carlo Ancelotti’s Bayern Munich will fight fire with fire as he fields arguably the best defensive lineup in world football after the recent addition of centre-back Mats Hummels. GROUP E Tottenham, Monaco, Bayer Leverkusen, CSKA Moscow One of the most balanced groups by far, only Tottenham stands out for its stunning run
“It was amazing, and I’m so glad we played them for our home opener, just because they were our main rivals last year,” said Jennings on the crowd and the opponent. “We always wanted to beat them, and this year we just put all of our heart on the court and just gave it our all. It feels great to beat them.” The win was not only huge in the context of the 2016 season, but can be seen as a signature win for Schmidt and the volleyball program. Schmidt inherited a team in 2013 that was coming
of form en route to a third place Premier League finish last season. Although, Monaco is already off to a flying start in Ligue 1 this season, with 10 goals scored in four matches and a convincing victory over PSG in the process. Fellow group E competitor Leverkusen will be missing crucial squad members like Stefan Kiessling, Kevin Volland, and Karim Bellarabi due to untimely injuries. CSKA Moscow is also inevitably weakened by the transfer of star striker Ahmed Musa to Leicester City. GROUP F Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting Lisbon, Legia Madrid has its work cut out for them as defending champion of the big-eared trophy, and the first hurdle will be the goal to finish ahead of a revitalized Borussia Dortmund in group F. Sporting Lisbon is a club with a reputation of producing fantastic talents and will be no pushover. The only positive aspect for Legia is that they will celebrate their 100-year anniversary by welcoming some world-class talents to Warsaw.
off a 1–18 record in conference play. Since then, it’s been a remarkable turnaround. “It’s a great win for our team and our program,” commented Schmidt. “Before this season I was hoping for us to have a lot of firsts, and this is just one of those firsts. Hopefully there’s more to come.” Now with an 8–1 record, the Clan will be looking to build off its huge win in the next home game, which is against University of Alaska Fairbanks this September 23 at 7 p.m.
GROUP G Porto, Leicester, Copenhagen, Brugge The entire world fell in love with Leicester City after its Cinderella story unfolded into a tremendous Premier League title victory in 2016, but the Foxes are already getting a hard dose of reality as they begin a new campaign in England. Champions League participation is a trophy in itself, and FC Porto will surely provide the biggest challenge to finishing atop the group. GROUP H Juventus, Sevilla, Olympique Lyon, Dinamo Zagreb Italian juggernaut Juventus is more superpowered than ever, as a busy summer transfer market has seen the team reel in the likes of Serie A poacher Gonzalo Higuain, gifted Roma playmaker Miralem Pjanic, and consistent Barcelona champion Dani Alves. Sevilla is more weakened than strengthened after the summer window, but still has a solid core of 2016 Europa League champions in the squad to call upon in a difficult group H.
Humour
In a controversial move, SFU’s School of the Contemporary Arts (SCA) has awarded a $5,000-grant for visual arts to the deceased gorilla Harambe. SFU’s resident visual artists have truly gone apeshit with the news that the dead-gorillaturned-deified-meme is now being awarded scholarships. “I mean, first it’s the goddamn ‘dicks out for Harambe’ statuses everywhere, and now this shit,” said visual arts major Eric Chang. “Where will it end?” Chang, along with many of his fellow visual arts majors, feels cheated by the SCA. “He’s a gorilla, and a dead one at that. He couldn’t be enrolled in the school even if he were alive. Do gorillas even really appreciate art?”
While many students are angered about the decision, a small minority have come out on the side of Harambe. Laura Schultz, an environmental science major and animal rights advocate, spoke favourably of the decision: “I think all of these complaints just show the hidden undercurrent of speciesist tendencies that many students have,” she argued. “No one ever complains when a human wins an award, but when it suddenly goes to a gorilla, everyone has to make a giant fuss. Human supremacist scum!” Interested in why the SCA made the decision, The Peak reached out to department representative David McLean. Despite
Janis McMath / Humour Editor
September 19, 2016 humour@the-peak.ca
the outrage from students, McLean firmly defended his department’s decision as justified. “We felt that Harambe really represented a change in major
artistic trends. The memes, portraits, and photographic collages he has inspired represent the first real muse-status achieved by a non-human,” said McLean.
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Faculty feelings aside, none of this has credibly convinced any of the angry students that Harambe was deserving of the scholarship.
18 Diversions
Maia Odegaard / Business Manager
maia@the-peak.ca
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Humour
Universities have long been a stronghold for the elite and prestigious. Having a degree makes it much easier for the common folk to relate to pure divinity. With the increase in international students’ fees, it seems likely that SFU will join the likes of Cambridge and Eton in acquiring illustrious attendees eager to splurge on their tuition. But what are monarchical students to do when attending this school they must share with the plebeians? Sit in the same seats? Eat the same food? Study the same materials? What blasphemy! Thankfully, yours truly has comprised a survival guide for how to properly live as royalty at SFU in preparation for when I decide to take over as Supreme Eternal Empress of Canada. These simple tips and tricks will help you find a balance between making the masses realize how philanthropic and prodigious you are, while keeping your hands clean of the dirty commoners.
Identify those worthy of being your servants If you’re coming here from another country and left your personal attendants behind in an attempt to fit in better, make sure you at least learn from your mistake. Scout out servants based on how easily you can buy their loyalty.
September 19, 2016
Never return your library books on time True royalty transcend the need for “deadlines.” The library should recognize your importance and hand over possession of all their book collection for free. Think of it as your personal bookshelf and storage space.
Never pay for tuition on time Paying for that extra six percent on school fees like it’s no big deal is a great way to not-so-subtly flaunt your wealth to the student services admin. Timing shouldn’t matter for the elite.
Only wear SFU swag I know it will be tough to downgrade from your regular quality of clothing, but wearing all SFU clothing will make those “spotted” photos all the more satisfying for the common folk back home. Additionally, it will signal to other SFU students that you are just like them, only richer.
Find the right throne for you Many SFU classrooms contain only hard, uncomfortable seating. Make sure to contact your personal furniture procurer beforehand and have them install a throne for each classroom you’ll be using this semester. Put your citizens’ taxes to good use, and bear in mind that proper back support is essential — you'll be sitting on it for several minutes a month, after all.
Buy off your TAs The best way to get good grades is the age-old practice of bribing your TA. Remember that here, TAs are only one social notch above slaves, and with a donation of a small fraction of a royal jewel, you can sustain them for over 50 years. Philanthropy is important for future rulers.
Always get the guacamole It may seem like just some mashed avocado and chopped cilantro, but it's really so much more. Getting that dollop of guac at the burrito place represents prestige, represents pride, represents luxury. Whether you're the long-lost Prince of Tuvalu or Queen Elizabeth signing up for continuing studies, this assertion of wealth is a must.
“Mansplaining isn’t a real thing.” Oh yes, please tell me all about how your personal experiences as a heterosexual, cisgender man are an accurate representation of how society treats everyone. Oops, I mean . . . I’m sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt your interruption as you clearly have the authority over this topic since you’re the all-knowing man. Please, continue. “I don’t date feminists.” Well, good for you, feminists probably don’t want to date you either. That’s probably why you made up and/or are perpetually stuck in the “friend zone.” “Don’t be crazy.” Unfortunately, I don’t have the sufficient funds to recreate Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” music video. If I did, then you could call me crazy! Who cuts their cake like that? What a waste of perfectly good cake! Anything less than a full-blown reenactment of that music video probably isn’t crazy. “Are you on your period or something?” Maybe I am, punk. Whatever you said is still offensive regardless of whether I may or may not be shedding copious amounts of blood and uterine lining — which is pretty badass in itself. “Feminazis.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t see the connection between genocide and advocacy for social, political, and economic equality
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for women. Maybe you should put down your Mountain Dew and think before you take out your sexual frustration by belittling people on the Internet. “We don’t need feminism because we already have equality!” Please excuse me while I put my eyeballs back into their sockets — they fell out because I rolled them with too much vigour. Perhaps current events aren’t your thing (in which case I don’t know why you’re reading a newspaper), but the news will certainly inform you of myriad equality issues that people everywhere face daily. “You’re not like those other girls.” A half-assed compliment that belittles my peers? Come on. You don't know me, maybe I am like those “other girls” and maybe, just maybe, I am far worse. Maybe I’ve committed floorcest, maybe I’ve slept with more people than I can count on my fingers, maybe I haven’t done anything and I just watch trashy rom-coms. But what difference does it make? “She’s been around,” “She’s used goods,” “Like throwing a hot dog down a hallway,” or anything else that alludes to a woman’s personhood being determined by her alleged sexual history. She can do what she wants with her body, and that has nothing to do with your silly hot dog toss. Why are you throwing them around? It seems very wasteful and inconsiderate to those walking in the hallway being subjected to your flying wieners. “Women aren’t funny.” “Yeah, well, you know, that’s just, like, your opinion, man.” Humour is subjective and so is your shitty opinion.
20 Last Word
Tamara Connor / Features Editor
features@the-peak.ca
App Roundup
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