SFU Community Stands Up for Palestine

FEATURES

ARTS & CULTURE

SPORTS

HUMOUR

Discussing journalism with Lawrence Kan

Palestinian restaurant builds resilience abroad

Rachel Loukes’ journey to SFU

Please stop ghosting me

P.05

P.1 0

P.1 3

P.1 4

THE PEAK PUBLICATIONS SOCIETY

NEWS

03

FEATURES

06

OPINIONS

08

City of Burnaby council votes to call for ceasefire

Staying on top of COVID-19 data with reliable data

Please leave some visibility for the rest of us

STAY CONNECTED

the-peak.ca

ARTS & CULTURE Lax Gibuu beadwork is one-of-a-kind

11 ABOUT US

TERRITORIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

SPORTS

12

HUMOUR

14

Same sport, different preferences among the men’s soccer team

Peakie presents the Where Are They Now edition

NEWS

November 27, 2023

3

CEASEFIRE NOW

Thousands gather in Vancouver in solidarity with Palestine

Activists called for a ceasefire in Gaza and boycotts on Israeli companies and goods

PHOTO: OLIVIA SHERMAN / THE PEAK

O LIVIA SHERMAN · NE WS W RI TE R

Content warning: mentions of genocide, displacement, and war crimes.

Over 1,000 protestors gathered at the Vancouver Art Gallery on November 18 in solidarity with Palestine.

They called upon Canadian politicians, particularly Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to demand that Canada back a ceasefire. Protestors also participated in a march across downtown Vancouver and called for boycotts on companies investing in or supporting Israel’s actions.

Although Israel called for a four-day truce at the time of writing, BBC and PBS have reported that Palestinians returning north of the Gaza Strip have been shot at by Israeli forces.

The State of Israel was created after the Nakba in 1948 — the Arabic word for catastrophe — when 300,000 Palestinians were violently dispossessed from their land and 15,000 were massacred. Palestine has been illegally occupied by Israel since the 1967 war. However, the process of ethnic cleansing began earlier, with the forceful expulsion of Palestinians. After the militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, Israel retaliated with nonstop bombardments on Gaza and neighbouring cities, resulting in mass death and destruction. Israel has cut off water, electricity, communications, and food supplies to Gaza.

At the time of publication, roughly 1,400 Israelis and an estimated 20,000 Palestinians have been killed. Around half of Palestinian deaths are children under the age of 18.

“Any child born before 2009 has now survived five wars,”

said a protestor at the Vancouver rally, who is an activist working with the United Nations’ agency for relief in Palestine. The Peak was unable to verify their name.

“Like you, I’d been sold the myth that Israel is a liberal democracy. I did not see evidence of that,” they continued.

“I saw families in the West Bank strangled by a 30-foot wall, illegal settlements built on stolen land. I witnessed bulldozers guarded by soldiers, literally pushing children out of their homes.”

Palestine has been subject to settler colonization, bombardments, apartheid, and killings for over 70 years.

Zionism is an ideology that holds the belief Palestine is inherently Jewish land, and Israel has the right to Palestinian land. This ideology provided justification for settlers to expand further into Palestinian land, resulting in millions being displaced and crammed into refugee camps. Palestinians have always been Indigenous to that land, before the League of Nations declared Palestine a “national home for the Jewish people” after WWI. “I am extremely mindful of the long history of pogroms and genocide and ethnic cleansing against my people. But that is precisely why I am against what the modern Zionist movement has done in Palestine,” said Jason, a Jewish antiZionist educator. The phrase “never again” has commonly been used by Jewish activists to symbolize that Jewish people will not allow the events of the Holocaust to be repeated — against Jewish or Palestinian people. “Because ‘never again’ means ‘never again’ for anyone,” said Jason.

Jason continued, “When I oppose these actions, I think

I’m staying truer to the idea of ‘never again’ than those who refuse to see these things because it’s Israel. See, I am anti-Zionist, not in spite of my Jewish identity and knowledge of our tortured past. I am anti-Zionist because of it.”

Many believe the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has been using excessive and disproportionate amounts of force.

The IDF has targeted medics, journalists, and civilians in neighbourhoods and refugee camps — in addition to using white phosphorus in populated areas, which can severely burn civilians down to the bone.

Activists have criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for not calling for a ceasefire in Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Saturday’s rally comes just days after hundreds of protestors swarmed Trudeau while he was having dinner at a restaurant in Vancouver. Protestors reportedly chanted “ceasefire” at Trudeau, for his lack of action.

“When our government refuses to condemn war crimes, or even call for a ceasefire,” our hands become “drenched in blood, and our government becomes full architect of, and complicit in, war crimes,” said a protestor at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

The petition e-4661 is an ongoing petition to the House of Commons calling for the sanction of Israel for violating international laws in Gaza and to “condemn the ongoing war crimes.”

ADVOCATES FOR CHANGE

City of Burnaby becomes first municipality in Canada to call for Gaza ceasefire Burnaby city advocates for peace in Gaza E D E N C HI PPERFI ELD · NE WS W RI TE R

Content warning: mentions of genocide and war.

At the Burnaby City Council meeting on November 6, the Council Chamber unanimously voted to call for a ceasefire in Gaza in support of Palestine during the ongoing genocide.

The decision came from listening to public criticism on the Canadian government’s lack of action. The City of Burnaby has reportedly become the first Canadian city to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, which is currently occupied by Israeli forces. Since then, Burnaby’s actions have gained traction across Canada, including other municipalities such as Saskatoon, Maple Ridge, Brampton, and many more in BC. The decision dictates that Burnaby mayor Mike Hurley will write a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to “request that the federal government call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, release of all hostages, and flow of humanitarian aid.” Furthermore, the Council and mayor of Burnaby are

condemning “all acts of anti-Semitism, anti-Palestine racism, and Islamophobia in our communities which have risen since the escalation of violence in the past month.”

At the time of publication, Israel voted for a four day truce, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that the Israeli offensive will resume. This comes after the EuroMed Human Rights Monitor said Israel has “dropped more than 25,000 tons of explosives” over the Gaza strip, which is equivalent to the force of over two nuclear bombs. Some publications also report that Israel has already violated ceasefire by shooting at Palestinians, including those injured, returning north of Gaza.

Councillor Daniel Terault, who is Jewish and introduced the motion on November 6, delivered a speech after expressing his support for the movement. He cited the climbing number of people who have died in Gaza — which the United Nations reported to be as high as 20,000.

“When my grandparents spoke of this time as survivors of concentration camps, they always said, ‘Never again.

Never again can we allow this to happen to anyone,’”

expressed Tetrault. The phrase “never again” is now being used by many to highlight violence against Palestinians.

Since October, the National Council of Canadian Muslims has advocated for a ceasefire and commended Burnaby for taking actionable steps to call for action. The BC Muslim Association released a letter on October 30 written to Prime Minister Trudeau about the Gazan citizens who are facing extreme crises such as a lack of food, security, freshwater, and overwhelmed hospitals. “As Canadians, we have a proud history of advocating for peace, justice, and human rights globally,” the letter said. Muhammed Asad Gondal, president of BCMA, said, “I implore you, Hon. Prime Minister, to use your influence and partner with another world leader to urge all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire.”

Since the calls for a ceasefire began, Prime Minister Trudeau has not addressed the demands for ceasefire.

Canada has donated $60 million for humanitarian assistance to Gaza while continuing to sell military weapons to Israel.

4

News Editor Karissa Ketter · News Writers Eden Chipperfield and Olivia Sherman · news@the-peak.ca

NEWS

STUDENT STRENGTH

SFU community urges university to support Palestine The ongoing siege on Palestine mobilized multiple SFU groups to call for ceasefire

PHOTO: AMRIT KAMAAL / THE PEAK

A NO N Y MOUS ST UDE N T

Content warning: mentions of genocide and death.

Members of the SFU community have been urging the university administration and Board of Governors to join the growing calls for a ceasefire in Palestine. SFU students have been calling for the university’s support for students, staff, and faculty impacted by the Israeli siege on Palestine and rising Islamophobic and antisemitic hate crimes (especially among anti-Zionist Jewish people).

As of November 17, the United Nations stated that Israel killed over 20,000 Palestinians, with more than 1,650,000 million Gazans internally displaced. The United Nations has warned the Israeli government’s actions against Palestine may be considered genocide. As outlined by the UN security Council and general assembly resolutions from human rights organization B’Tselem, Gaza is currently part of Occupied Palestinian Territories which Israel illegally occupies. Since 2005, Israel has controlled air, land, and sea ports, effectively having full control and surveillance over the Gaza strip. At the time of writing, Israel has started a four-day truce, but publications report that Israel has already violated ceasefire by shooting at Palestinians returning north of Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also says the Israeli offensive will resume after their ceasefire.

SFU faculty and staff penned a letter condemning the escalated bombardment, continued occupation, violent siege on Gaza, and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the West Bank. They state that between October 7–27, Israel dropped as many bombs as the United States did in Afghanistan. According to the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, Israel has hit Gaza “with the equivalent of two nuclear bombs.” This amounts to a relentless rain of bombs for Gaza, which is only 365 sq km.

SFU staff and faculty are calling on the university to uphold SFU’s commitments to anti-oppression, anti-racism, and reconciliation immediately by taking the following actions: 1.

“To affirm support for free speech and academic freedom, including the right of members of the SFU

community to name and speak out against Israeli apartheid, the occupation of Palestine, and the genocide in Gaza.

2.

To heed and respond to the calls in the open letter from Birzeit University in Palestine, urging international academic institutions, to “not be silent about genocide.”

3.

To divest immediately from war contractors, including Booz Allen Hamilton, BAE Systems, and CAE Inc.,

4.

To divest immediately from any financial relationships with Israeli companies.”

On November 10, SFU faculty and staff members organized a “Gaza in Context” teach-in series in collaboration with dozens of universities across Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Canada, and the US. The SFU Centre for Comparative Muslim Studies also organized an event in collaboration with various departments and universities across Canada titled “Academic Freedom under Stress: Israel, Palestine, and the Canadian University.” The communication department and the labour studies department at SFU published statements advocating against genocide in Palestine.

Similarly, students and youth are vocally calling on SFU to act. Over 20 groups and 700+ people signed the open letter published by SFU Students for Justice Palestine (SJP), including Palestinian Youth Movement, Independent Jewish Voices Youth Bloc, and other allied groups.

Student groups are holding art events, film screenings, teach-ins, vigils, and marches to raise awareness. In a written statement to The Peak, SJP and independent student organizers reported 120–150 attended the vigil and protest on November 19.

Students, staff, and faculty have expressed varying levels of distress as well, whether directly or indirectly affected. “This Nakba happened for the second time in my family,” said one community member in a post online. “In a minute, they have been stripped of almost everything they own: their homes, clothes, privacy, and everything in between.” In an interview

with The Peak, students reported, “It’s been increasingly difficult to focus on [their] academics and mental health.”

They elaborated, “Our posters, which call for vigils to grieve the lives of Palestinians murdered by the State of Israel and an end to settler colonialism, have been repeatedly torn down. Tearing down our posters makes us feel unsafe knowing that there are people on campus who are so strongly in favor of the massacres that the State of Israel commits.”

The SJP students’ open letter echoes the staff and faculty calls to action and emphasizes the need for specialized mental health support for those in the community who are impacted. Students also asked SFU to encourage faculty to be compassionate “in recognition of the extreme emotional distress inflicted by the violence of the state of Israel that is impacting every Palestinian family.” They are asking for the university to consider, “extended deadlines, attendance flexibility for missed classes/exams, alternatives to in-person classes, deferred coursework, and clear communication channels” as important “ways to support impacted students.”

SJP and independent student organizers told The Peak that president Joy Johnson has not officially responded to their calls to action. Johnson released a second statement on November 9, but students were quick to criticize the statement for its failure to address the internationally recognized settler-colonialism, apartheid, and ethnic cleansing by the State of Israel in Palestine. The organizers highlight that the City of Burnaby has joined the global calls for an immediate ceasefire, unlike SFU. Students are urging SFU to uphold the rights of Indigenous Palestinians as determined in UNDRIP, which the university committed to “recognize and honour.”

Community members have called on the university to address safety. Students who are part of SJP describe feeling “unwelcome in certain spaces” and receiving “dirty looks at stares.” In their open letter, students demand SFU take initiative to proactively ensure the safety of Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, and Jewish community members on campus.

FEATURES

05

In Broad Daylight questions moral dilemmas in journalism “Truth is expensive:” an interview with director Lawrence Kan COURTESY OF LAWRENCE KAN

Written by Tam Nguyen

Content warning: mentions of death, sexual abuse, abuse of people with disabilities, and child abuse.

Hong Kong is one of the most expensive cities in the world. For 12 consecutive years, it’s topped the list of the most unaffordable housing markets in the world, partly due to the shortage of land supply. Low-income and middle-income households are limited to small, cramped flats and limited subsidized housing. The situation is even more dire for families with elderly and disabled members who need care.

Although Hong Kong provides residential care homes for those 65 or older, there is limited capacity and long wait times. As a result, many families resort to private care homes. These homes are not government regulated or protected. According to South China Morning Post, for three years, the social welfare department audited these homes, and sent numerous advisory letters due to ethical concerns. However, no action was taken to shut them down.

It was not until 2016 that journalists exposed a private nursing home owned by Bridge of Rehabilitation Company for suspicious deaths of residents and a sexual assault allegation against its caretaker, Kin-Wah Cheung. The care home specifically housed people with mental disabilities, and Cheung already had accusations against him for “molesting two mentally disabled residents under his watch” in 2002. In 2020, he was found guilty and “was convicted of five counts of indecent assault.”

Based on the events of 2016, Hong Kong director Lawrence Kan made In Broad Daylight, which premiered this year at the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF). His rage toward private care homes and empathy for the victims led him to talk to the journalists who uncovered the case. While Kan believed the victims would appreciate what the journalists found, some of them and their families blamed the reporters for causing the care home to shut down, as residents had nowhere else to go.

That was how Kan discovered the perspective for the movie — a journalistic moral dilemma in pursuing the truth and weighing it against being blamed for the fallout afterwards.

In Broad Daylight stars Jennifer Yu as investigative journalist Kay, who exposes the abuse in the Hong Kong care home. After three years of journalism and familiarity with Hong Kong’s politics, Kay becomes cynical. She starts posing as a resident’s granddaughter to gather evidence of fraud and abuse at the care home. She is determined to expose them to save her career from the dying printing industry. As the story progresses, we see a wide range of emotions from Kay and the residents at the care home, as well as the reality of politics, social justice issues, and the media’s effect on lives.

Of all the films I saw at VIFF this year, In Broad Daylight was the most exceptional and memorable. The movie was nominated for Best Film at Shanghai International Film Festival. After the Q&A section at the premiere, I reached out to Kan. That weekend, at a local coffee shop, we had a thoughtful conversation not only about the movie, but also other aspects of life.

One of my biggest questions after watching the movie was whether the truth is worth pursuing, even if it hurts other people. Kan responded, “Everything has a cost, especially when you say you want the truth, because the truth is expensive.

“I think people can make an impact, and people can move forward,” he said. “If that’s the right thing and the right choice, people are still going to do it, regardless of the consequences. Even though it hurts, we are not meant to be destroyed, we are meant to move forward.”

As a filmmaker, Kan believes you should follow your morals, even though you might not be regarded as a hero or get rewarded. When it comes to fighting societal problems, “it’s just a matter of time.” The sooner you call attention to it, the sooner “people are going to fix it,” he explained. But if you remain silent, because you’re scared or avoiding pain, “things are just going to be there, in broad daylight,” and nothing will change.

“We see people living in shadows, you will get used to it, but that’s not good,” Kan said.

In reality, the journalist’s efforts did make an impact, as Kan believed: people protested in 2016 because the sexual abuse case was dismissed. The care home

eventually shut down, and the warden was finally charged and jailed.

In Broad Daylight amazed me with its multi-dimensional characters and well-written, fast-paced storyline. Using cold, dark blue color palettes to highlight the cruelty at the care home was powerful.

Kan acknowledged and praised his crews for their work. He collaborated closely with two other writers.

They had their own approaches to the film: one with a humanitarian focus, and another with a more critical approach. Kan believed this was a very good balance for him.

The acting in the movie is also phenomenal. Kan praised the actors, from Kay to the supporting actors who played the mentally disabled patients at the care home, and the extras’ empathetic work. Kan wanted the actors “to be part of the creative process.” He encouraged actors to find their rhythm and pacing when saying the lines, so they could speak true to themselves.

“I asked myself, at first, why do I study film and what is my passion about filmmaking? I learn a lot from films,” he said, noting films from his childhood. “I want to make those films to make an impact.”

When making a film with a team, Kan said, he has a set of firm values that he ensures the team knows. “Under my vision, you can be creative. But if you try to change the meaning of my story, I can’t let you do it.”

In Broad Daylight brilliantly portrays the conflict between journalism and morality, as well as the reality of housing in Hong Kong, specifically toward vulnerable people. Because of the lack of resources, the Hong Kong government has not been capable of providing assistance to people in need. But it doesn’t justify the hesitance to take action and negligence toward the abuse of private care homes to their residents. The journalists who uncovered this case have brought this problem to the public and held the government and people involved accountable. After watching a dozen movies at VIFF this year, I still give my highest praise to In Broad Daylight, to director Lawrence Kan who passionately shares his work process, and to the crew for their amazing performance.

FEATURES

06

COVID-19

07

BC public health has made it too confusing to keep up on COVID-19 information. With the government changing information about COVID-19 data and obscuring data collection, knowingly downplaying risks about transmission, and overall unclear messaging, it’s no wonder people are misinformed.

It is difficult to have a sense of the current pandemic when deaths are undercounted and reinfections aren’t counted at all, as reported by CBC. Cases are generally underreported. According to CBC, BC doesn’t want to declare hospital outbreaks due to “negative connotations.”

This doesn’t mean we should all be forever doomed to ignorance. Just as it’s important to stay informed on climate change, Indigenous sovereignty, and 2SLGBTQIA+ rights — COVID-19 is a disability justice issue that is deeply intersectional. There are steps we can take to improve our understanding of COVID-19.

What We Already Know Our understanding of COVID-19 should build on already-established information: • COVID-19 is airborne • It is neither mild nor seasonal, and can cause serious, long-term effects, also known as Long COVID • Previous restrictions and lack of viral exposure do not weaken our immune systems, while COVID-19 infections can cause immune dysregulation • Vaccines alone do not provide sufficient protection against infection or Long COVID • Anyone can be affected by Long COVID regardless of age, current health, vaccination status, and whether or not their initial infection was mild • The risk of Long COVID increases with each infection • Mitigation efforts like masks and ventilation work best when used together, rather than relying solely on one precaution Being mindful about these basic principles can help you stay informed and identify which claims are not based on evidence. You can find a list of common COVID-19 myths, and why they’re incorrect, on The Peak’s website.

closely, you will notice the Y-axis scale changing in each graph, which distorts how we view risk.

For example, on the national databoard, under “all time,” Vancouver Lulu Island appears to have significantly lower rates of COVID-19, compared to Vancouver Lions Gate. However, Lulu Island’s Y-axis first point of reference starts at 500, going up to 1,500 copies/mL. Conversely, Lion’s Gate’s Y-axis starts from 100 and only reaches 400 copies/mL.

pandemic, despite the unclear messaging that suggested otherwise. Commonly cited by anti-maskers, there is a study that has been misinterpreted to say they “do not work.” There will always be some random study, somewhere, that will likely contradict well-established information.

The key is to read the study itself, identify what is truly being claimed, and whether there are other credible sources that can verify this claim.

Based on visual analysis alone, it would appear that Lion’s Gate has significantly worse transmission. However, all of the Y-axes on these graphs are different — the way they are set-up visually gives the impression of “low” transmission.

When you compare the overall viral load from 2020, you can see that there’s a general increase in COVID-19 after 2021, where such data is available.

Independent Sources

Similarly, on the BC dashboard, the COVID-19 page starts at around 200 and goes up to 600 for viral load per capita. Visually, COVID-19 cases appear low. When compared to influenza A and B, however, their graphs have a 10-point increment, and have a maximum of 30 viral load per capita. This puts into perspective how many more people are infected with COVID-19 versus the flu — the flu is circulating far less.

It can be exhausting and time consuming to try and interpret all of this data. While wastewater data provides a fairly holistic view of cases, and is the basis for much of what informs current COVID-19 modelling, it can be difficult to navigate. Thankfully, there are other sources who use this data and turn it into information that’s easier to digest — but now you know and understand where their information comes from.

Hospitalizations Typically, hospitalizations are still reported by major news outlets. They can provide context of how COVID-19 affects our healthcare system, and whether it’s being overwhelmed (it is, for many reasons, exacerbated by the pandemic). However, it is not sufficient to rely on this data alone.

Hospitalizations typically lag behind cases, are underreported, and do not take into consideration the burden of long-term COVID-19 effects on healthcare or individuals.

Wastewater Data Peer-reviewed Articles Wastewater data is collected both provincially and nationally. It tests “wastewater samples for respiratory viruses,” such as COVID-19, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), and the flu. Wastewater is essentially sewage water that comes from homes and businesses. This data “can help determine if COVID-19 is increasing or decreasing in a community and provides information on the variants circulating.”

The national website is easier to navigate, as it provides key updates listing how many collection sites show an increase or decrease in COVID-19. As of November 24, it reports 27% of sites are experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases, 53% of sites show no change (this comes after an increase of 40% from November 17), and 19% of sites show a decrease.

Overall, “62 sites currently submit sewage samples for processing” which represents about half of Canadians.

The national website provides a variety of data on different collection sites. However, when you look

Peer-reviewed sources are likely going to be much more thorough and informative on COVID-19 than an average news article. While the media should take information and present it in a digestible way, sometimes studies aren’t picked up or they are misinterpreted. For a source to be peer-reviewed, it means it has gone through an “editorial board of subject experts who review and evaluate submitted articles before accepting them for publication.”

Peer-reviewed sources include: • Nature • Epidemiology • National Institute for Health Remember that while it’s possible to find a source for each claim, it’s important to cross-check the validity of the claim.

For example, it is well-established that masks work. This was the case even prior to the COVID-19

Written by Michelle Young Illustration by Jill Baccay

There are multiple sources who take information and put it into perspective as tangible information.

You can follow them on social media to get updates, or browse their websites for information.

This is one of the easiest ways to stay informed with all of the above as this information will appear on your newsfeed.

COVID-19 Resources Canada: made up of “a group of Canadian researchers, clinicians, and community members,” this initiative has been active since 2020 to help track COVID-19 data and address vaccine hesitancy. Collecting data on hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and wastewater data, they give estimates of how many people per province are affected, provide recommendations for action, and compare this data to “the lowest point” of the pandemic in Canada. For example, in BC, it’s estimated 1 in 32 people are infected with COVID-19, with 12 times more wastewater infections than the lowest point of the pandemic and seven times as many hospitalizations. It is recommended for everyone to wear high quality masks, such as N95s or KN95s, and avoid non-essential crowded spaces.

Protect Our Province BC: “a grassroots group of physicians, nurses, health scientists, health policy specialists and community advocates,” who aim to educate the general public about COVID-19.

They host information sessions and briefings around specific COVID-19 topics, such as COVID and pregnancy, access to Paxlovid (which aids to prevent serious COVID-19 outcomes), and more.

They also publish open letters in response to COVID-19 policies in BC. DoNoHarmBC: founded in 2023 in response to the removal of mask protections in BC healthcare settings, they share informative articles and action items on BC’s pandemic response. Primarily situated on social media, you can consult their list of key facts — an open access Google document — to view information on COVID-19 and BC healthcare.

You can also click into the sources listed if you’d like to verify this information!

The Tyee: a BC independent news outlet active since 2003, The Tyee has done some in-depth investigative reporting on the pandemic and BC healthcare. They have covered BC’s “missing COVID-19 data,” pandemic denial, and the lack of trust in public health. They also provide continuous updates on COVID-19.

Do you still have questions?

COVID-19 Resources Canada hosts weekly sessions “focused on answering questions from the audience about COVID-19, vaccines, boosters” and more, over Zoom. They are “free and open to the Canadian public to attend. All are welcome to join regardless of their background.”

8

Opinions Editor Michelle Young · opinions@the-peak.ca

OPINIONS

Sodium Pod Why am I paying for parking when there are no spots I am not a fan of parking lots in the slightest, but especially when it comes to the stress of SFU parking lots.

Why is it nearly impossible to find parking anywhere on campus?

The East Lot is MASSIVE, the North Lot is decently sized, and we have big parkades, but not one free spot in sight?

Yes, I know it does get less crowded as the semester goes on. Yes, I know some hours and days are busier than others. But every year I’ve attended SFU, I’ve noticed a worrying amount of people circling the parking lots like sharks, trying to find the last remaining spots.

One time, I got to campus at a reasonable time, and was unable to park my car ANYWHERE upon arriving. I searched every tier of

the North Lot, circled the East Lot, went through every parkade level, and finally, FINALLY, found parking in the Residence West Lot — a 20 minute walk from where my class was.

It’s ridiculous a commuter school can barely provide parking for commuting students. I am very pro-transit, but it is very unreliable in my area and I prefer to, y’know, attend the classes I pay for on time.

Also, on the topic of paying for stuff, why do I pay for parking in the first place? I already pay thousands in tuition and additional fees, so why do I have to pay for expensive daily parking or a semesterly permit that costs hundreds of dollars? I’m a college student, not Jeff Bezos — cut me some slack.

WRITTEN BY KAJA ANTIC

A hate letter to my Wi-Fi stick Have you ever wanted to play a game, only to realize it would take you three whole days to download said game? Hopefully not. My Wi-Fi stick does, though. And I don’t want to hear that I can just try and figure out how to wire ethernet up from the living room to my bedroom, because, frankly, I am not a woman of solutions. I just want to complain that it takes me two days to download an update to Genshin Impact. How can I live,

laugh, love in these trying times when I keep getting spoiler fanart for the latest storyline?! It takes so long for my computer to load games that usually I just give up and go to sleep. I know this is fixable, but I’m too afraid to open up my computer to replace the ancient Wi-Fi stick in there. Really, this is a complaint more of my own hubris, but for this brief article, please give me (1) sympathy.

WRITTEN BY KELLY CHIA

Unhygienic bed habits We all love our beds. The bed is a sanctuary for rest and recharging.

It is warm, soft, and comfortable.

Until you feel a crumb in your bed sheets. That’s right, I’m looking at you nasty people who eat in your beds for all the crumbs, sauces, and oils to drip into the pillowcase! What is going on?

The bed is not for eating. It is the perfect set-up for disaster because you are sitting on something soft and unstable. You move one centimetre to the right and your entire meal has spilled onto the blankets.

While we’re at it, why are you wearing outside clothes on your bed? Yes, I know there is overall little health risk to wearing outside clothes on your bed, but this is what grinds my gears. What is truly disgusting is wearing shoes on the bed. Shoes are full of harmful germs and fecal matter.

Guess what? That includes antibiotic resistant bacteria, like C. diff. It’s one thing to wear your shoes in the house (another forbidden behaviour), but it’s even worse to put those nasty germmagnets where you sleep. Can we please keep the bed clean?

WRITTEN BY MICHELLE YOUNG

Poorly constructed scientific papers I’m a grad student in STEM. I know — it’s my own doing, and there’s no one to blame but myself for having to read overly complicated scientific papers every week.

What annoys me is not the act of reading, nor the extra mental resources I invest in understanding complex analysis, but how frequently I come across poorly constructed papers.

I’ll begin with a bit of clarification: the complexity of the analysis or methods does not equal poor construction. Unless you have some experience in that paper’s specific knowledge area, it’s likely you’re going to find some hard-to-understand terms or relatively complicated concepts here and there. By poorly constructed papers, I mean papers with three very pretty

figures that are the equivalent of wedding centrepieces — pretty, but completely useless. I’m talking about papers so poorly constructed you have to re-read them time and time again because there’s no cohesion or order to them.

A little tip to my dear scientist et al.: if your “supplemental” information is so essential to the core understanding of your paper — to the point where you reference it more than the actual figures in your paper — it really isn’t supplemental at all, is it? I know fitting all your research into a single paper is hard, and it’s even harder to determine what to keep in the paper itself and what to leave as supplemental information, but some of you really need to hire an editor.

WRITTEN BY DANIEL SALCEDO RUBIO

OPINIONS

November 27, 2023

dium Forgetting leftovers in the fridge I absolutely adore leftovers. The exquisite joy of eating the same delicious meal more than once and not having to make anything is the ultimate win. I love leftovers so much, I look forward to eating them even more the second time around. If I’m thinking ahead, I make enough to have leftovers multiple times. It’s like the optimal food prep that wasn’t planned.

There’s really nothing bad about leftovers — until you forget them in the back of your fridge. The mouth-watering flavours of rot behind jars of fermented pickles and jugs of sour milk slipped your mind — what an absolute waste of a delicious meal. Are you really going to designate your favourite drool-worthy comfort food to the forgotten food graveyard

alongside all the other funky fixings in your fridge?

I know you’ll say you never intended to leave such an appetizing meal right on the top shelf where you’ve been staring at it for the past week. Let’s be real: you’ve been contemplating eating your poor meal for at least a few days, but decided to bite into something else instead. Not your finest moment. You could’ve avoided having to make a whole new meal, saved energy by not having to chop, cook, and kick the oven into overdrive, but instead, you had to turf those poor leftovers into your compost where they could’ve been easily enjoyed.

So, let this be a lesson — don’t let your delectable leftovers go to waste!

WRITTEN BY HAILEY MILLER

Sick of [and in] school I have three papers due next week, and, to my utmost surprise and delight, sickness has once again decided to strike me at the most inopportune time. I tested negative for COVID-19 multiple times — but whatever I have is still ruining the end of my term.

As if the earlier difficulties of the fall semester are somehow not enough. No, I just had to be blessed by a bout of sickness that knocked me out for five days, the symptoms of which I’m still recovering from. I’ve missed enough school this term thanks to illness, but to my

delight, apparently I’ll be missing some more! Let’s hope the two presentations I have next Tuesday aren’t impacted by my lingering froggy throat!

Halls cough drops and honeylemon tea can only do so much for me. Neither of these will supply me with the energy it takes to compile enough research to make up a 15-page paper, nor will they give me the motivation to peck away at my keyboard for as long as it takes to write out a presentation script.

I have enough going on in my life right now — there’s not enough room for illness.

WRITTEN BY IZZY CHEUNG

Spaces you don’t think about cleaning — but should Cleaning is not limited to visible spaces. Dust resides in dark corners, people, and you won’t know until one day you decide to lift your blinds to find a strip of dirt on your windowsill. Is it dirt? Is it mold? Can you tell? Of course you can’t, you don’t know how long it’s been there!

Baseboards are another story.

Call me excessive, but I can’t stand that grey film of dust that can only be disguised as a

shadow for so long. All it takes is a swipe of a Swiffer to get it off. What are you procrastinating for? Another thing: make it a habit to move your large appliances and get behind them with a mop every once in a while.

You don’t want to know how many gross things will have fallen into those crevices over the years (a julienned slice of pepper here, a popcorn kernel there). Just because you can’t see the dirt, it doesn’t mean it isn’t there!

WRITTEN BY SAIJE RUSIMOVICI

Horribly installed illegal headlights What’s with all the blazing car headlights in recent years? Many of us have noticed, newspapers have written about it, and, shocker, people have crashed as a result of them. For the longest time, I thought half the drivers during my nighttime highway commutes bizarrely had their high beams on. Nope — just illegal headlights, baby!

There are laws about the maximum wattage allowed for headlights, but no one seems to care these days. And the problem isn’t just LEDs — Xenon bulbs are much brighter, have a glaring blue tone, and half the time they’re installed incorrectly.

Headlights are supposed to be aligned in such a way that illuminates the road, not the car in front of you. I am personally judging every single person who doesn’t know how to properly install headlights, yet insists on doing it themselves anyway.

Tell me, why do you feel the need to install these humorous yet hazardous bulbs? Do you think it makes you look snazzy? I thought that’s what your demon eye headlights were for, but now I can’t even see those, either.

Bummer. Your sick lifted F-150 is a mere white smear in my rearview mirror, and don’t even get me started on oncoming traffic. At this point, I simply avert my gaze and pray for the best, lest be subjected to lingering splotches in my vision that are just wonderful when you’re driving at night.

I’ll be honest, I pity these folks a little. I mean, it’s pretty sad that I can get around perfectly fine at night with 25-year-old halogens, while others feel the need to install military-grade spotlights on their cars. There’s nothing wrong with being afraid of the dark, but please don’t punish other road users with your ridiculous beacons.

WRITTEN BY OLIVIA VISSER

9

10

Arts & Culture Editor Petra Chase · arts@the-peak.ca

ARTS & CULTURE

AND WE’RE GONNA SING IT AGAIN!

MUJADARA FOR GAZA

Continue to love Gaza and all the oppressed people wherever, whoever they [may be].

November 27, 2023

BEADING CONNECTIONS

ARTS & CULTURE

11

12

SPORTS

THIS OR THAT

Sports Editor Isabella Urbani · Sports Writer Kaja Antic · sports@the-peak.ca

SPORTS

November 27, 2023

THE FRESHMEN FILES

HOME Tuesday, November 28: women’s basketball vs. Biola (California) at West Gym at 7:00 p.m. · The women’s team are riding a three-game winning streak with victories against California State East Bay and Stanislaus State at a tournament, and Minnesota State Moorhead at home.

AWAY

I am most excited about playing against tough competition, being successful with this talented team, and accomplishing great things on the court.

RAC H E L LO U K E S S F U WO M E N ’ S BAS K E T BA LL P LAY E R

Friday, December 1–Saturday, December 2: wrestling vs. the University of Providence (Montana) at the Battle of the Rockies. · The men’s team will part ways to go to Arizona for the Minnesota State Cactus Duals, while the women’s team will head to Nevada for the Wartburg College Desert Duals following this competition.

Friday December 1–Sunday, December 3: swimming at the Logger Invitational in Tacoma, Washington. · The men’s team finished first and the women’s team finished fifth at their last swim meet in California.

Sophomore swimmer Marcus Mak led SFU with two race victories in the 200-yard individual medley and 400-yard medley relay. He was followed closely behind his 400-yard medley relay, freshman teammate Thomas Caruso, who finished second in the 200-yard individual medley.

Saturday, December 2: men’s basketball vs. Western Washington at 3:00 p.m. · The men’s team lost both games against Western Washington last season.

Saturday, December 2: women’s basketball vs Western Washington at 7:00 p.m. · The women’s team lost both games last season to No. 12 and 13 ranked, Western Washington.

13

14

HUMOUR

Dear Peakie, I’m still the best editor from the most fantastic publication. Yet, I find myself struggling with having anyone write for the best section. I tried your tips of emailing “fashionably” late, and I’m getting complaints. They’ve got some nerve ghosting me. I return to you with editing blues, hoping you can impart your wisdom again.

Sincerely, Still Writing Pieces All By Myself

Dear Still Writing Pieces All By Myself, This week, we’re opening up letters from Peakie alumni — I’ve taken to calling you my Peaklings. Now, I’ve learned a new trick to bring writers in.

Remember when I said play hard to get? Well, I think you should actually go hot and cold: make sure they get lots of support, get some comments going . . . then drop off the face of the earth for a day. Make them wonder. You want to lure your approval like a string with a piece of cheese at the end of it — keep them attached.

Now you’re playing cat-and-mouse, Peakie

Dear Peakie, Since your last letter to me advising I stack hats to show my fellow classmates my intellect, I have worn at least 10 hats every day. The unfortunate problem with your solution is that it has not only been pricy, but a tad ouchy on my humongous cranium. I’m also getting students complaining to me that they can’t see past my “big brain.” Their words, not mine! I’m lost. I thought this would make my peers revere me, not pity me.

Sincerely, Sherlock Got-a-Headache

Dear Sherlock Got-a-Headache, Alas, your problems are larger than my fully developed frontal lobe . . . but, you know what they say: “Heavy is the head that wears the crown,” said Shakespeare or whatever. What? That’s not the actual quote? See, here’s how I would operate in your position. I would apply a general amount of petroleum jelly to your head so that your hats easily slide onto your head, then I would tie the top and bottom of your head with a big bow so that you are wearing a little bonnet. Not only will you be moisturized in this writhing Vancouver winter, you’ll look smart as a pup!

Feeling clever, Peakie

Dear Peakie, When I last wrote to you, I was a lost person, attached to a seat and a table in a lecture hall. Now, I know that concepts like “assigned seats” only limit me from the person I could be: that one student that stands awkwardly in the doorway to take their notes because they were late to lecture, and are too concerned about bothering everyone else. It’s truly freeing. I wish my busses were on time.

Sincerely, I Finally Stood Up For Me

Well, I Finally Stood Up For Me, It’s nice to hear that somebody appreciates me. You are the kind of Peakling that I hope all Peaklings will one day grow up to be: a considerate student who thinks highly of others, but also, highly of themselves and their interesting habits. You, I crown, an evolved Peakling.

Pleased, Peakie

Humour Editor C Icart · humour@the-peak.ca

HUMOUR

November 27, 2023

November 27–December 1

Aries

Taurus

Gemini

Winter camping is your jam. By that, I mean staying inside with a warm blanket, a tasty snack, and an eau de pine. Who wants to be surrounded by the forest in frigid degrees, anyway? Forget s’mores and busting your butt chopping firewood; put on the TV fire log instead.

Ice, ice, baby! It’s time to skate the Robson Rink in a pair of skates that are either two sizes too big or too small (there’s no inbetween). No one’s more prepared for the slick, black ice-covered sidewalks than you. Show ‘em what you’ve got and slipslide around town like the robbers from Home Alone.

Nothing excites you more during the holiday season than a tangled rats’ nest of lights.

What better way to waste your time than attempting to untangle a bundled mess of bulbs that never worked in the first place?

When one bulb goes out, they all follow suit.

What a way to celebrate the non-existent glistening cheer!

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

You hate the cold. Actually, you despise it.

The summer baby in you can handle the heat, but the frigid, cold weather is just not your cup of tea. So, make some tea to soothe your fiery soul before it turns to ice when the clock strikes midnight on winter solstice night.

You also hate the cold, but you prefer a cup of joe to warm your bones. Nothing but peppermint mochas and gingerbread lattes for you, fine coffee connoisseur! Cold winter mornings pair perfectly with caffeinated cheer alongside icicle-covered rooftops.

It’s time to cozy up by the over-run furnace and wait out the snowstorm. The brisk winter breeze is no match for your chilly-fighting tactics. The heat machine has kicked into overdrive, and your oven is begging to be used to thaw out the last of the bitter cold.

Libra

Scorpio

Sagittarius

Gingerbread spice is the next best thing to pumpkin spice (psst, it’s the same thing), and you know you’re gonna get a boatload of the spicy mix to add some pizzazz to your holiday coffees. Livin’ on nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger is the ultimate winter dream.

Shovelling snow is your favourite pastime.

As if shivering isn’t enough of a workout, shovelling six feet of snow just to get out your front door (forget going to work) will give you all the cardio you need.

You were born for this. Literally. You thrive in the cold and you’re a night owl at heart. Born around the longest night of the year, you’re best friends with the winter darkness and practically live in the snow.

Capricorn

Aquarius

Pisces

It’s snow season, and you’re so ready for it.

You’re an icicle queen. Decked out in the season’s trendiest gloves, toque, scarf, vegan puffer coat, knee-high snow boots, and double-insulated pants, you’re the picture of frigid cold fashion.

Love is in the air this holiday season. Do you feel it? Mistletoe is most certainly not the rage. Your true love is heated blankets, freshly baked goods, and fuzzy socks as you watch the first few snowflakes drop.

The winter solstice signals the stressor of finalizing your spring schedule and paying your tuition fees. Let’s face it, you’d rather be partaking in some retail therapy and stocking up on the warmest jackets and toques you can find, but a girl’s gotta save up for those chilling scholarly fees.

March 21–April 9

June 21–July 22

September 23–October 22

December 22–January 19

April 20–May 20

July 23–August 22

October 23–November 21

January 20–February 18

May 21–June 20

August 23–September 22

November 22–December 21

February 19–March 20

15

16

Business Manager Yuri Zhou · business@the-peak.ca

DIVERSIONS

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS

Advertisement spaces available in print and digital issues CONTACT BUSINESS@THE-PEAK.CA