The Cascade Vol. 24 No. 24

OCTOBER 12 TO OCTOBER 19, 2016

VOLUME 24 ISSUE 24

Just one of those things that happened since 1993

“I got good at creating a mask, until I lost myself beneath it.

I didn’t know who I was.”

pg. 10-11

ufv biopod partnership

villain villain at carport manor

pg. 3

pg. 14

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

EDITORIAL

Netflix or going to class: the struggle is real Are students too busy or just horrible at time management?

VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE

Being a student is extremely time consuming, and it’s one of those things that you’ll never really understand until you become a student yourself. Before starting university, I judged the students that I knew whenever they complained about how busy they were or talked about how difficult it was balancing classes with part-time jobs. But now I’ve found myself in the last year of my degree and busier than ever — so much so that I’m writing this editorial while I should be in class, a few hours before it has to be done, and days after it should have been done.

As much as I try to avoid skipping class, this is one of those times where it seemed necessary. (Coincidentally, the second time in the past week.) I work more hours each week than the average student and attend school full-time, all the while trying to maintain somewhat of a social life. But when I take a step back and look at how busy I am, it’s really not what I build it up to be. While I definitely would not be able to finish writing this if I had gone to class, it’s really not a fault of how busy I am, but how much I procrastinate. Over the long weekend I binge watched almost an entire season of Parks and Recreation, drove all the way to Washington just to go on a hike, and spent the spare moments

in between — the ones that should have been spent writing — watching Friends with my roommate, all the while complaining about how busy I am and just can’t find enough time to finish my work.

“IF MY BIO 106 PROF IS READING THIS, I’M SORRY AND I PROMISE I’LL BE IN CLASS ON THURSDAY” While I take full responsibility for this (although I know this will probably happen again next weekend, and all of the weekends after that), I know that this isn’t only a problem that I need to work on but a mindset that most students have. We love to

talk about how busy we are, how many things we need to do and how there’s just not enough time to do them, but that’s it — we’re nothing but talk.

Unfortunately, this results in us dropping the most nonessential things on our schedule, which, more often than not, includes going to class, and judging by the amount of times that my roommate’s car is still in our driveway when I know she has a morning class, or the amount of empty seats that are in all of my classes, I know that I’m not the only one.

Part of this is a result of how easy skipping classes is. Between most professors posting their lecture notes online and how accessible adaptations of pretty much any required text are online, passing a class without showing up is easier than ever.

I don’t have an answer of how to change this mindset — partly because there might not be an answer, but also partly because I procrastinated too much to develop an answer.

So while I don’t expect students to magically change their time management habits and make attending every one of their classes a priority, we can at least acknowledge that the problem may not be how busy we are, but how accustomed we have become to procrastination.

Also, if my Bio 106 prof is reading this, I’m sorry and I promise I’ll be in class on Thursday.

News

Opinion

Culture

Arts

George Peary Q&A

Lifetime milestones

Real life studying abroad

A book review!

An interview with the Mayor of Abbotsford

When your parents ask for grandchildren...

A marketing student’s experience in Austria

The Great Good Thing

by Andrew Klavan

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STAFF

CONTRIBUTORS

Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Broadbent vanessa@ufvcascade.ca

Opinion Editor Panku Sharma panku@ufvcascade.ca

Features Editor Bradley Peters brad@ufvcascade.ca

Managing Editor Mitch Huttema mitch@ufvcascade.ca

Culture & Events Editor Jeff Mijo jeff@ufvcascade.ca

Illustrator Amara Gelaude amara@ufvcascade.ca

Business Manager Jennifer Trithardt-Tufts jennifer@ufvcascade.ca

Arts in Review Editor Martin Castro martin@ufvcascade.ca

Multimedia Editor Martin Ranninger martin.r@ufvcascade.ca

Copy Editor Kat Marusiak kat@ufvcascade.ca

Production Manager Brittany Cardinal brittany@ufvcascade.ca

Advertising Rep Kayla Schuurmans kayla@ufvcascade.ca

News Editor Joel Robertson-Taylor joel@ufvcascade.ca

Online Editor Tanya Vanpraseuth tanya@ufvcascade.ca

Staff Writers Emma Groeneveld emma@ufvcascade.ca Michael Chutskoff mike@ufvcascade.ca

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Kayla BWD Klara Chmelarova Rachel Tait Fraser Forbes Joshua DeSilva

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Volume 24 · Issue 24 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529 Front & Back Cover Design: Brittany Cardinal

The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It originated under its current name in 1993, and achieved autonomy from the university and the Student Union Society in 2002. This means that The Cascade is a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published in an entirely student-run setting. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds, and is overseen by the Cascade Journalism Society Board, a body run by a student majority. The Cascade is published every Wednesday with a print circulation of 1,250 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities.

The Cascade is open to written, photo, and design work from all students; these can come in the form of a pitch to an editor, or an assignment from an editor. Writers meetings are held each Monday at 2:00 p.m. in The Cascade’s office on the Abbotsford campus.

In order to be published in the newspaper, all work must first be approved by The Cascade’s editor-in-chief, copy editor, and corresponding section editor. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that contain racist, sexist, homophobic or libellous content. Letters to the editor, while held to the same standard, are unedited, and should be under 400 words. As The Cascade is an autonomous student publication, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade’s staff and collective, or associated members.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

NEWS

NEWS BRIEFS Lou’s burnt down Last Thursday morning, 25-yearold Lou’s Grill caught ablaze, burning through half of the restaurant. Although firefighters quickly had the blaze under control, they had to wait 50 minutes for FortisBC employees to arrive at the restaurant on Gladys Avenue in order to shut off gas so the fire could be completely extinguished. The exact cause of the fire is not yet known but has been deemed an accident.

UFV chancellor and husband to receive Order of Chilliwack Dr. Gwen Point and her husband Steven have both made contributions to UFV and have been active in the community in a variety of capacities. They are both highly respected members of the Stó:lō Nation and have been involved in connecting communities together. The award is granted by the Chilliwack City Council to citizens with a record of longterm outstanding commitment and contribution to the community. They received the award on Thursday, October 6 and are the fifth and sixth recipients of the award since its creation in 2001.

Study abroad winners announced On September 28, UFV Study Abroad hosted an expo to share opportunities to study abroad as well as inform about the requirements to do so. The expo drew in larger crowds than expected and promised a chance to win prizes to attendees. The prize winners have been announced and are available on their website.

UFV library to create “human books” The UFV Chilliwack library is looking for “human books” to take part in their display. The focus of the display is to present people’s unique experiences to encourage the questioning and challenging of stereotypes. Human books who are chosen will be featured on posters and on the library webpage. In February, an event will be hosted by the library to facilitate a roundtable discussion about the participants experiences.

BioPod partnership grows innovation Partnership wins award for leadership in agri-tech research JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR THE CASCADE

UFV, with the John Volken Academy and the City of Surrey recently won an award for their BioPod partnership, a development that will provide opportunities to test local tech innovations as well as provide research opportunities for the agriculture sector.

The award for innovation and leadership in agriculture was presented by the Union of B.C. Municipalities, the B.C. Agriculture Council, and the Ministry of Agriculture.

Dr. Garry Fehr, director of the Agriculture Centre for Excellence at UFV has taken on the role of managing the partnership to ensure that all construction and programs are carried out effectively.

“It was really nice just to be nominated and noticed for it, but to be able to win was quite an honour,” said Fehr. “I think the real reason it won wasn’t so much for the technology but the way we integrated the technology with our partnerships.”

The BioPod itself is made up of two high-tech greenhouses connected by a common header house in a U-shaped formation. One side of the structure is used for research while the other side is a control to eliminate variables and monitor improvements. This year, the program is testing out the structure of the greenhouse covering material.

“What it is is a plastic poly. On one side we’ve got the standard plastic that’s used in the industry and on the other side what we’ve got is a high diffusion poly,” Fehr explained.

The high diffusion poly distributes sunlight throughout the greenhouse more evenly than a traditional poly covering resulting in virtually no shadows. Because the sun shines from the south, vertical growing apparatuses and multiple plant beds often cast shadows on other plants. Diffusing the sunlight allows for a broader coverage of all plants within the greenhouse.

“We’re just starting to crunch the data, but even within two weeks of planting we noticed that the diffused side was doing better than the other,” said Fehr.

Sor far, UFV students have not yet been involved with the project but Fehr says there is potential opportunity.

“If some of my colleagues in physics or chemistry or agriculture wanted to do research there, it would be great to have UFV students working on that research.”

Right now, all the working needs have been met by the John Volken Academy, an addictions treatment and rehabilitation centre. Part of their teaching and training is providing their program participants with opportunities to work in the greenhouse.

UFV will recognize the John Volken students’ work with a horticulture technician statement of completion. Although not a diploma or certificate, it officially recognizes their involvement and experience working within a greenhouse.

Most of the crop produced is harvested and used by the academy in their kitchen as part of their partnership. However, some of the surplus may be sold at an adjoining grocery store owned by the John Volken Foundation. Fehr said that they intend to get an organic certification and would like to expand so that more food could be

Photo: UFV Flickr

produced for the community.

In addition to the high diffusion poly, the BioPods are also hosting the testing of Affinor Growers’ vertical growing system in the greenhouse.

The vertical growing system is essentially a vertical post with four levels, each with five troughs that hold the plants. The tower rotates

“I think the technologies we’re looking at could certainly add huge value to greenhouse operations” to allow even distribution of light, and as it does this, each plant is drip fed water and nutrients by an external pump. Unabsorbed nutrients are collected and recycled through the system. By utilizing the vertical space not typically occupied within a greenhouse, the system has the ability to increase production per square metre.

“We were getting what we think is more than 10 times the production per square metre of floor space,” said Fehr. “The other thing we’re getting, and we haven’t yet figured out why, these plants normally produce about 300 grams in a season and we’re getting over 400 grams of production.”

Currently, the BioPod has only one Affinor

growing system but will be receiving a second later in October.

“Affinor Growers is a fairly new company so they’re getting into this as they can afford it,” said Fehr.

Affinor Growers is a Vancouver-based farmingtech company who recently went public on the stock market.

“This is a great way to support innovation in the agricultural sector,” said Fehr, who hopes to see the space expanded and used for multiple research projects. “There’s a shortage of demonstration space. If you’re a greenhouse grower, you’re not about to give up a greenhouse for someone to test their new invention.”

This winter, the project is expecting to test more prototypes in the greenhouses. Some of these demonstrations include use of supplemental lighting, robotic monitoring of individual plant health, and a machine that condenses water out of the air into potable drinking water. Simon Fraser University will also get involved providing maintenance for the BioPod. “I think the technologies we’re looking at could certainly add huge value to greenhouse operations,” said Fehr, who also noted that a major success of the partnership has been providing job training for students of the Volken Academy who may not find the same kind of training any other way.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

NEWS Lunch with George Peary A conversation about looking back and looking forward

Photo: UFV Flickr

JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR THE CASCADE

George Peary, former mayor of Abbotsford, city councillor, and school principal wears many hats. Growing up in Brandon, Saskatchewan, George was a sports star who at the age of 16 was named Brandon’s athlete of the year. He was captain of the Brandon Wheat Kings, played football, wrestled, did gymnastics, and represented Canada in the judo national championships.

Peary has taught in India, and worked as the principal of multiple schools, locally and in the Yukon. Since moving to the Fraser Valley in 1963, he has been actively involved as a public servant in many roles and even worked as a sessional instructor at, and received an honorary doctorate from, UFV. His career has been exceptionally productive and highly involved in the Abbotsford area.

Peary will speak at the President’s Lecture series at UFV on October 12, where he’ ll talk about community building and his experiences with it throughout his career.

So you’re going to be speaking at UFV? Yes, they really flattered me by giving me an honorary doctorate, I didn’t realize it came with a commitment. But I’m happy to go and see if I can entertain, maybe even educate a little bit.

What will you be talking about?

Well one of the strategic directions is changing lives, building communities; I’ve kind of had a pretty good seat in the pursuit of that. I’ve seen examples of the university having changed lives and indeed in my own life. The opportunity to go and teach in India, to live there for eight months, two semesters, to work at the university over there, to meet wonderful people, and to experience their country — its hunger, its pageantry, its blemishes, they’re all there.

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What do you offer as a speaker and teacher?

My style is different than many professors. I’m more demonstrative. I perform, I don’t just teach, and that’s who I am.

I’m quite animated, the students are either happy or appalled; thankfully most are happy. I try to be very conscious of the atmosphere and ambience in the classroom — there’s enough misery in the world. You don’t know, when there’s a class of 30 to 35, what kind of days they’ve had or what’s going on in their lives. When you teach something you need to present it in an interesting fashion and you honour the fact that students have ideas and opinions and then create an opportunity to participate.

I deal with some pretty heavy issues in my office on occasion, but I never give up on kids. You’ve got to try and nurture them and help them understand that maybe they made a bad decision and what they could do differently. I love that part of my work.

Being in an assembly line putting fenders on Ford every day could be pretty deadly work.

Back when you were going to school, would you have guessed this is where you’d end up?

Oh no. Where are you going to be 10 years from now? No one knows, and it’s a good thing you don’t. It might frighten you otherwise or discourage you. You have to play the hand you’re dealt. Sometimes we get good cards and sometimes we don’t get good cards, but you do the best with what you have. I’ve had some wonderful hands and I thoroughly enjoyed playing them and I’ve had some hands that were tough. You gut it out and endure and you know what, I promised myself I wouldn’t do something I couldn’t enjoy. At my age, if I don’t enjoy it, I won’t do it anymore.

Does it makes sense now that you ended up where you did?

Well, you understand your life looking back, but of course you’re

never sure what’s in the future. When you get to my age you start to get to what I call the countdown stage of your life. You look at the grandchildren and you wonder, “How many more Christmases am I going to have with these kids? How many more holidays to Hawaii?” What I want to do is live the most of every day and live with no regrets. I’m very conscious of that.

I’ve been blessed with some pretty productive years on this planet; I’ve quite enjoyed it and I intend to keep on trucking.

What do you say to university / college students who want to influence their communities?

Keep your minds and eyes open to the possibilities. I always tell my students, do more than what’s expected. Don’t be a nineto-five guy. Do your job until it’s done and do it well. If you’re going to be a garbage collector, be the best garbage collector. I really encourage young people that in whatever they do, do it well, be the best. It’s not getting easier for young people, but I think the opportunities are going to be even greater.

What do you think students need to be thinking about?

I think it’s important that they live every day. It’s pretty easy to get stuck in study mode and bury yourself in your books, but college and university shouldn’t be preparation for life, it should be part of life. So I encourage young people to get out there and be active. If you get a part-time job and can manage that with your studies, great. If you want to volunteer somewhere and make a difference in somebody’s life, there are plenty of opportunities for young people to keep active, to make a difference, to do something worthwhile. But be prepared for the opportunities. Most people my age don’t regret the things they did, they regret the things they didn’t. So live life, enjoy life, be bold.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

NEWS Sexual violence policy advisory team formed VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE

After months of planning, the members of the committee to develop UFV’s sexual violence and misconduct policy have been determined.

The committee, officially called the Sexualized Violence Policy Advisory Team, will work to create a sexual violence and misconduct policy, as mandated by Bill 23, the province’s Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy Act. “This is the group that will help us put together a first draft that we can then get out to a broader audience, our goal being to reach as many people as possible to get feedback,” vice president students Jody Gordon, who is co-chairing the committee, said.

“But we need something to go out. This group will be responsible for that.”

Student Union Society (SUS) president Sukhi Brar will be cochairing the committee along with Gordon.

“We talked about the importance of having the university, as well as the Student Union Society, sit equally at the table,” Gordon explained.

The team includes 13 other members of the UFV community, four of those being students. While it is uncommon for most committees to have so many student members, Gordon and Brar saw it as necessary, especially seeing as the policy is directly related to students.

“There are a few students that are on here and they’re all bringing their own perspective into it,” Brar said. “I know they’re going to being bringing differing perspectives as students that’ll help this process.”

Brar also noted that the team includes students who aren’t involved with SUS. This includes various other student groups on campus, including the Pride Collective.

“I think it’s good that we’re reaching out to students outside of SUS,” she said. “It’s nice to have that perspective from people that aren’t as involved in legislation or reading policies. Sometimes they might bring a perspective that might be missed.”

Aside from students, the team will also include members of UFV International, the counselling department, the Peer Resource and Leadership Centre, the college of arts, the visual arts department, the kinesiology department, and even the school of social work, which could lead to policy work being included in courses within the department.

“Lucki Kang comes out of the school of social work and is field coordinator there, but she also will bring the connection to the social work students,” Gordon explained. “That’s a group that she’s offered to maybe have them do some work on this for the course and get them involved because this is work that they will do in the community, being in the social work arena.”

Gordon also noted that there are plans to hold public meetings for members of the UFV community to add their input to the

policy as well.

“Once we get confident that we have somewhat of a draft, we need something to show people to garner feedback and to create conversation so people can talk about aspects,” Gordon said.

“That’s not mandated by the legislation, but we have the right to do that, so getting that feedback from folks will be important.”

Brar and Gordon’s goal was to have a large variety of departments within UFV represented on the committee, and Gordon noted that finding the members was easier than she anticipated.

“A number of people reached out to me or to Sukhi and said, ‘If you need help, I’d be willing to lend whatever knowledge and expertise I have,’” she said. “Some people actually came to us and volunteered and some were obvious choices, given where they sit in the Student Union or in terms of their role.”

The committee has not yet had their first meeting but is planning to do so by the end of the month. Going forward, the team will be meeting monthly, with the tentative goal of having a draft of the policy ready for feedback in February and ready for approval from the Board of Governors in spring of next year.

Kittens on campus!

Facilities asking for help locating cat and kittens VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE

Seeing new faces around campus happens every fall and is really nothing new — unless it’s kittens.

A cat, along with her five- to sixweek-old kittens has been spotted on UFV’s Abbotsford campus and the UFV community’s help is needed in finding her.

“She was spotted with these kittens, so someone eventually called facilities to say that this cat and kittens were living on campus,” Belinda Karsen, student transitions coordinator with student services said.

In hopes of finding the cat and kittens, and returning them to their owners or finding them a new home, the facilities department contacted the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association (VOKRA) for help.

“Their goal is to rescue the mother and the kittens and foster them until they can be adopted into forever homes,” Karsen explained.

However, while VOKRA was able to locate the cat, they weren’t as successful in finding her kittens as well. The group

found the cat on Thursday, took her to a vet to have her spayed, and returned her to campus within 36 hours so that she could be reunited with her kittens.

Now the goal is to find the whole family.

“She’s back on campus and we assume, if she still has the kittens, that she’s returned to them,” Karsen said. “So now they’re back to square one, trying to retrap the mother with her kittens.”

However, that’s easier said than done and after braving the stormy weather this weekend searching for the family, the volunteers of VOKRA are asking for help.

“What we need help from the UFV community for is kitten sightings,” Karsen explained. “If they spot the kittens, we just need to know where they’ve seen them, what time, and then they’re to call campus security. We want the family to be reunited and rescued and live happily ever after.”

As tempting as it may be, facilities is asking that anyone who sees the kittens resists the urge to catch or chase them, and instead call campus security at 1-855239-7654 with the exact location and colour of the kittens.

Photo: Mitch Huttema

THE CASCADE IS HIRING A VARSITY WRITER Applications should include a resume, cover letter, and a sample of your writing.

The deadline for applications is Oct 31st. To apply, or request further information, please email mitch@ufvcascade.ca.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

OPINION An October to gloss over: Tim Kaine (D) vs. Mike Pence (R)

Don’t just vote; Care

PANKU SHARMA THE CASCADE

Every generation has a debate, fight, or challenge that defines it, something that not only reflects the battles in the hearts and minds of the souls who witness it, but also decides the direction of history itself.

It is the great storm that shakes and echos well into the future.

Before every storm though, is quiet. In that lull of action people gather their thoughts, draw their perspectives inwards, and eye the ground where the lines will be drawn. Oh, and there is a vicepresidential debate.

While the real contenders licked their wounds and readied themselves for their town hall clash, the slice of bread and glass of curdled milk that lapped at their coattails decided it would be cute to put themselves on a stage and pretend people cared. Yet no one did and no one does, so eclipsed are they by the spectacle that is Trump and Clinton that the only way to recollect my vague memories of last Tuesday’s VP debate is to reframe it in my mind as a dark match1 in the World Wrestling Entertainment lineup.

Tuesday night saw mashed potato-esque geriatrics give a half-assed performance to a crowd made up of people who either accidently got the wrong tickets or came a week early to the main event so they could stake out their seats and use the washrooms before they got gross.

Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, whose promo2 ability is defined by frequent smug parroting of Clinton catchphrases and being vaguely recognizable to smarks3, showed a level of energy reserved for only jobbers4 who are just excited to hear people say their name. On the other hand Indiana Governor Mike Pence came into the bout with a fully realized gimmick5, that of a compassionless zealot who believes that by mimicking genuine human smiles, expressions, and Anderson Cooper’s hair, that he might be one day accepted by the masses. We really must commend him for the legitimate heat6 he generates from audiences; were it not for his tag partner making him look reasonable in comparison, he could easily be booked as a monster heel7.

While Kaine (oh how we wish it was Kane8) showed energy, he relied heavily on a strategy of flexing his eyebrows and trying to setup a spot9 that would have Pence fumbling to defend his running mate. However, Pence’s constant refusal to sell10 turned the bout into a dud11. The only way to have it redeemed would have been to turn it into a shoot,12 but unfortunately this election has proven that dreams do not come true — only nightmares.

1 A match performed before the Pay Per View, seen by the live crowd but not the TV audience 2 Their performance on the microphone or in front of the camera to hype up the audience 3 Fans who spend too much time on the internet and love the behind the curtains gossip 4 Wrestlers whose only job is to lose and make the real superstars look good 5 In-ring persona, character, or distinguishing trait 6 A response and enthusiasm from fans, whether positive or negative 7 The bad guy 8 The Undertaker’s brother who was burned alive and came back for revenge.

Also known as the Big Red Machine, The (Big Red) Monster, and The (Devil’s Favourite) Demon. Has recently taken off the mask and gone corporate.

9 A sequence / series of moves which make a match distinctive or exciting 10 Act hurt and make the match believable 11 A bad and uninteresting match 12 A real fight where the performers are trying to hurt each other

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Image: Wikimedia

PANKU SHARMA THE CASCADE

The town hall debate on Sunday night was a spectacle, and while it would give me great satisfaction to recount and analyze everything that happened, it wouldn’t do any good. Hundreds of commentators have given their take and spin, and chances are if you saw even a few clips you have already made up your mind. I think the bigger issue to address is the rhetoric that has engulfed not only the American election but politics in general.

I don’t want to preach, and honestly I wouldn’t have any solid ground to build a pulpit. I talk more than I act, am less informed than I wish I was, and often fall back on criticism rather than providing alternatives. What I’ve come to realize, however, is that sums up pretty much most of my cohort. I hope you vote whenever you get the chance, in office races, for UFV student positions, for your favourite brand of cereal. Voting is fundamental in how our system is supposed to work, but it isn’t everything. If we are going to change the way our societies are ordered and run for the better, what matters more than voting is who shows up the day after the results and continues to work and give a part of themselves to the process.

Most of us got caught up in the anti-Harper wave last year; the youth vote has been talked up a great deal. But how many of us would have stuck around the day after, when the enthusiasm was quelled and the Facebook memes and Netflix jokes decidedly less funny? We want change, but change on its own

isn’t enough. Trudeau is change, but is he really the best our nation had to offer? Does he represent your interests and experiences and principles on more than just a cosmetic level? I think this attitude of cynicism mixed with laziness is most prevalent in the “Bernie or Bust” camp; supporters who would rather stay home or give their vote to Gary Johnson and the Libertarian Party than Hillary. Now truth be told, I think the size of it has been exaggerated, but it still taps into a common sentiment. People don’t trust the established system, often for good reason, nor do they trust the politicians themselves. Yet while Hillary isn’t a perfect candidate, it is ridiculous to say that there is a tough choice.

What should be on the minds of progressives is plans to hold Hillary accountable to the new platform they were able to win, and begin foster candidates and officeholders for 2020. It’s the same here, we get so fixated on the prime minister seat that we don’t pay enough attention to our local representatives and offices. Until our generation is ready to not only vote but also to hold their politicians accountable and support them throughout their terms, we won’t have the caliber of leaders we need. In a way, considering the standard of living we’ve reached and the privileges we enjoy (although not across the board), we get the class of politician that we deserve. If we continue to be complacent, uninformed, and uninterested, our politicians will continue to revel in entitlement, elitism, and dirty politics.

This is a reminder to myself as much as it is a plea to you. We’re all in this together.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

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OPINION The grandkid question: a case for adoption MICHAEL CHUTSKOFF THE CASCADE

Getting older comes with more and more important life decisions, like deciding to pay your taxes (cough Trump cough), buying a home, or even having children. However, the thought of having children was never a topic of discussion for me until my mother decided to give me the talk about grandchildren — while on the Abby-Mission Highway. At night. In the rain. Thanks, mom.

She said to me that she will always love my children, but one of them has to biologically be mine; that was her only request. Despite me trying to explain to her why it can be difficult

to achieve that while trying not to hydroplane my vehicle, she insisted that my future husband would have to allow it. Once I was able to get into the comfort of my own home, I sat down with her and decided to start this life conversation with her.

You see, it’s not so straightforward for samesex couples when it comes to children. While there are plenty of options out there, it is often difficult to pin down one that works for both people. It takes many difficult conversations before the right choice is made. I know that for myself, I would prefer adoption, as that is a choice I had made long ago. While my mother meant well when she insisted that I have a child with my own genes, I am just not sure if that’s something I would be willing to say yes

to immediately. The way I see it, it would be difficult deciding whose genes would be passed on to the surrogate first, if my future partner wanted to do the same, and I really don’t want to think about that conversation now. It’s one that I would like to reserve for if that day comes. While my mother continued with all the new advancements in biology and how I can do this and that, I just had to tell her that no, at least, not for now.

She has a point that the world of science has made childbearing easier for same-sex couples and couples that have difficulty conceiving a child, but at the end of the day, it’s still my choice. To be completely honest, babies scare me. I’d prefer raising a young child that’s toilettrained so I can skip out on that “fun” infant

stage of life.

While my mother initially seemed upset with my answer, she came to terms with it quite quickly. As I said to her during this conversation, this isn’t the Middle Ages. I don’t have to carry on our family name for the sake of our country, or something like that. I also made mention that the benefit of adopting a child is the fact that I get the opportunity to give a child a second chance at life, and to live in a home with two loving parents and their families. So when the day comes that I am ready to adopt a child and love them unconditionally, I’ll be off to Europe to adopt a beautiful little Romani girl, and then I can cross off that milestone in the book of life.

Finding balance in learning styles TANYA VANPRASEUTH THE CASCADE

There are many different learning styles that people identify with. Some are basic, such as visual and audio learning, whereas others are more complicated. Each person has a different way of learning a new concept, understanding a fresh idea, or learning a different skill. Personally, I enjoy learning by first listening to my professor explain the concept and then reading about it on my own again. However, when I say “read” I don’t mean lengthy paragraphs within a textbook. Although textbooks can be a useful source, I am one of the people who likes having PowerPoint slides to refer back to. Most of the time, PowerPoint slides include key concepts that the professor wants you to learn for the midterm or final. PowerPoints are also short and get to the point, and they help me understand the concepts faster than lengthy chapters within a textbook.

However, it isn’t enough to just have a great set of PowerPoint slides, because reading off of them for the entire semester does not make the class very engaging. It can cause students to drift off and lose interest. What does engage me are the interactive activities that occur before, in between, or after the slides. I had one professor who brought in paper, scissors, and felt pens for us to use. He said that we were to use these materials to make a bow tie. These bow ties were then used in a roleplay where one person was the seller and one the buyer, therefore helping us understand the selling process.

This activity had resonated more with me than the definition in the textbook. When the professor interacts with their students and includes them within the lesson, it is easier for us to not only learn the concepts, but remember them as well.

One professor I had enjoyed giving the class poster

paper and asking different groups to write down their ideas about a concept discussed in class. After we were done with our posters, we were all told to hang them on the walls and then walk around and read each group’s poster. These types of activities are more memorable for me than completing a case study within a textbook and later submitting it on Blackboard.

Thus, classes taught by professors who interact with students and create interesting ways for students to understand concepts are usually classes that students excel in. Although it is no surprise that reading notes, studying the material, and completing your assignments are a large part of being successful in university, having professors who engage with the class, allow students to work together to share their ideas, and create interactive activities are the classes that are most effective and most enjoyable as well. There are many different learning styles. Some people would much rather sit by themselves, take notes, and leave, whereas others may enjoy many group activities. I personally like to have balance. I need time to focus on the material by myself, but when I am writing my midterm or final, I find myself remembering the answers not by trying to think of the PowerPoint slide the concept was on, but by remembering the activities we did in class about it. Therefore, some students like having a lecture and set of notes whereas others enjoy interactive classrooms. It is important to find a balance and to utilize different learning styles, both for a professor and a student.

The Cascade is running a column on different learning styles. What have been the highlights during your time here? What hasn’t worked for you? Does your professor still use VHS tapes? Can you only learn through fourhour lectures without notes or a discernable plan?

Send your opinions to panku@ufvcascade.ca.

Image: Wikimedia

The Cascade is looking for illustrators & photographers!

We’re looking for an illustrator to use either digital or traditional mediums to create original illustrations each week.

The deadline for applications is Oct 31st. To apply, or request further information, please email mitch@ufvcascade.ca.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

OPINION

SNAPSH

TS

Curtailed commentary on current conditions

Energy sinks? Try energy drinks!

Michael Chutskoff

Stand up and vote Joshua de Silva

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Despite being a veteran jaded UFV student, I found myself in quite the tizzy this past week. The pressure of prepping for back-to-back midterms proved to be too much for me, and a personal struggle ensued. What I gained in knowledge was at the expense of sleep, so my energy levels were at an all-time low. My energy pilgrimage began at the Canoe. I was far too lethargic to carry the burdens of university life downstairs to the main floor of the SUB for a coffee, my go-to caffeine hit. So I dragged myself to get an energy drink at the restaurant. After chugging one back, I suddenly felt more awake and immediately ordered another.

Next thing I know, my little heart is racing, and I am bouncing off the walls. I drank more energy drinks this week than I have my entire life. So despite my inner student paranoia telling me I was going to fail my midterms, at least I was able to do it with energy!

As we draw closer to the 41st B.C. general election, I am reminded I have a certain duty to my country: to use my freedom to vote for my province’s future. “Oh crap!”

I say to myself, realizing I will have to research the candidate’s positions to make an educated vote. Unfortunately, despite what Ronnie James Dio may tell us, to stand up and shout does not do anything by itself. We must travel to that ballot station and fill out that blank space to signify who we like best.

Whoever you do vote for, please consider your positions; vote for your principles and not against candidates.

If you like none of them, march into the voting booth and spoil your ballot. Until our government decides to add a “none of the above” option, spoiling your ballot is the only way to make your dissatisfaction heard. Scrawl your discontent in the most angry, murdery font you can. If you don’t do any of those, don’t expect me to listen to you when our premier does something bad (and trust me, he or she will). You had the chance, and you blew it. All votes matter.

GMOs don’t have to go Emma Groeneveld

Sleep Wars: Brain Strikes Back Klara Chmelarova

GMOs are not bad for you! If you have been in the vicinity of any granolacrunching health mom, you might have heard about GMOs, or genetically modified organisms. Basically, they are any organism that has been introduced to another organism’s DNA and combined to create something completely new. Why on Earth people think this is bad beats me.

Corn is a GMO, which has been altered and changed since the beginning to allow better crops and more bountiful harvests.

GMOs are actually one of the most tested food products out there, going through intense screenings and studies between 7-10 years to make sure they are safe for consumption.

For some reason, people tend to believe that every single food item is out to make us sick and kill our children. First eggs are bad for you, then they’re the next super food. Wine kills, wine makes you a god.

Now GMOs are in the spotlight as the allstar North American killer. I’m sure half the products health moms shove in their faces to keep them young are way less healthy than a juicy, plump strawberry that has been altered genetically. Just because “genetics” and “DNA” sound scary and are factors in GMOs, does not mean our food is being subjected to witchcraft. GMOs are another positive step to science, and I don’t plan to stay in the medieval ages.

Not so long ago in a bed no so far away ...

Me: “Okay it’s 12 o’clock, time to go to bed. Important day tomorrow.” *Lays down* Brain: “Psst! Let’s talk about every stupid thing you ever did in your life.”

Does this sound familiar? Surely we all can recall that one night when we really needed to get our eight hours of blissful rest. Yet that very same organ that makes us human decided it would be a much better time to be scared, contemplate over stupid things, and feel stressed about not sleeping.

Brain: “How big is Kilimanjaro?” Me: “Quiet!” Brain: “How do microwaves work?”

Me: “Lalala I can’t hear you.” Brain: “Ok, now let’s feel bad about that one time you spilled hot coffee all over that guy back in 2015.”

Then when morning comes and you drag yourself out of bed, the grey matter is silent. It should help you get through the day without feeling like a zombie. But no, you’re on your own. It’s like it acts entirely of its own free will. Consider this a message of appreciation for the brains which work when they should let us sleep, and play dead when we need them most.

Thanks guys!

Illustrations: Amara Gelaude

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

www.ufvcascade.ca

OPINION Crossword

Across Across: 1: Small lizard species 3: Something with narrow appeal, IE most of the horoscope’s references 5: Acrobatic party game: _ _ _ _ _er 7: “_ _ _ _ _, is it me you’re looking for?”

9: First name of October 20 UFV speaker 10: Second most common country of origin for international UFV students, after China 12: To imitate 13: Kindle literature

UPCOMING EVENTS OCT.12 OCT.13 OCT.14

Down 1: Acronym for the “default timezone,” which is used in Britain 2: In a risky situation, literally or otherwise (3 words) 4: Freudian idea of self 6: Collaboratively generated and edited website 8: Norse god of trickery 9: A game or program that imitates real life 11: Search engine, formerly known as _ _ _ Jeeves

Made by Jeff Mijo

Horoscopes

Astrological mysteries interpreted by Master Moji

Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19 Your last argument was actually a cosmic metaphor for the eternal battle between order and chaos.

You represented chaos, so that’s pretty cool.

Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20 You’ll never know if you don’t go.

You’ll never shine if you don’t glow.

Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20 That thing you’ve been meaning to wear? That thing that’s a little “out there”? Wear it.

Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22 Ogbert, the charming young man we’ve hired to follow you around all day, tells us you’re doing a great job. He also says your shoe’s untied.

Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21 Get a backup Halloween costume.

The one you’ve been planning will gain a shocking and disturbing connotation very soon.

Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19 If you’ve been feeling the need for a new hobby, why not start a collection? I hear bones are a fun choice.

Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22 Hey, have you ever heard of water?

It’s awesome. If you drink it you won’t get dehydrated and feel shaky and ill! Always a plus.

Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22 At some point this week, your phone charger will fall onto your brownie.

Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22 Sometimes seeing the future is a burden, you know? People think it’s all laughs, but I know with complete certainty that I’m going to put my foot in my mouth both metaphorically and physically in the next month, and I’m powerless to stop it.

Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21 Reconsider revisiting that childhood favourite that’s been on your mind. It wasn’t as good as you think, so let nostalgia continue to blind you.

Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20 If you can’t figure what model a car is, try standing in the middle of the street. Eventually it will hit you.

Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18 The fact that Donald Trump feels good about himself tells us you should feel like a gosh dang rockstar.

President’s Leadership Lecture: George Peary @ Lecture Theatre B101 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Games Night @ Global Lounge 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Diversity 101 Workshop @ B121 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM

OCT.15

Envision Concert Fall Series: Daven Atma @ SippChai Bistro 7:00 PM

OCT.19

Scholarly Sharing: From Autonomy to Mars @ U-House 1:15 PM - 2:45 PM

OCT.20

Discoveries Speaker Series: Dr. Simon Springer @ A413 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Art Battle @ Trades and Technology Centre 6:30 PM - 10:00 PM UFV Theatre: Possible Worlds opening night @ UFV Performance Theatre 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM

SPORTS Scores Women’s Basketball: Oct. 7 UFV Cascades vs. Carleton Ravens L 61-43 Oct. 8 UFV Cascades vs. Ryerson Rams L 73-51 Men’s Soccer: Oct. 7 UFV Cascades vs. TWU Spartans W 4-1 Oct. 9 UFV Cascades vs. TWU Spartans L 2-0 Women’s Soccer: Oct. 7 UFV Cascades vs. TWU Spartans L 3-2

Upcoming games Men’s Basketball: Oct. 15 7:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. Lethbridge Pronghorns (home) Oct. 18 7:30 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. Douglas College Royals (away) Women’s Basketball: Oct. 14 6:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. UBC Thunderbirds (away) Oct. 15 11:00 a.m. UFV Cascades vs. Capilano Blues (home) Men’s Soccer: Oct. 15 1:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. UBCO Heat (away) Oct. 16 2:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. TRU Wolfpack (away) Women’s Soccer: Oct. 14 5:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. UVic Vikes (away) Oct. 15 5:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. UBC Thunderbirds (away) Men’s Volleyball: Oct. 14 8:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. Capilano Blues (home) Oct. 15 7:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. Capilano Blues (home) Women’s Volleyball: Oct. 14 6:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. Capilano Blues (home) Oct. 15 5:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. Capilano Blues (home)

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

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Student Mental Health, a silent epidemic: Written by: Bradley Peters Illustrations by: Brittany Cardinal

“It took all of my effort to pretend,” said Lindsey Webber, describing what she called her “war with depression” to a room full of teary-eyed students. “I got good at creating a mask, until I lost myself beneath it. I didn’t know who I was. Who am I?” Student mental health problems are an epidemic. We are a class of citizens at war with ourselves; a social platoon being toughened up for the “real world.” What is our identity? No longer yoked to the family name, we find ourselves isolated in a global machine, not sure where we can slip-in to become society’s useful cog — not sure if we even want to. We are not our job, not our studies and declared major, social media profile or Herschel backpack. We are the frantic youth rushing to appease, burying our yearning in a text that will never satiate our desire for meaning, acceptance or understanding; we are the ones dying for the answer to the question, “Who am I?” Lindsey Webber spoke at the Movies 4 Mental Health event in the Student Union Building (SUB) on October 5. Lindsey sat alongside a panel of school counsellors at the front of the room, each doing their part to confront the stigma and silence surrounding mental health.

Lindsey, like most young adults, didn’t fully understand the symptoms of her mental health issues growing up.

Many people, even students themselves thanks to stigma and shame surrounding the topic of mental health, are unaware of the gravity of the problem.

Young adults are extremely susceptible to emotional and mental instability. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people aged 10 to 24, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association. Compound this with the notorious intensity of student life, where 84 per cent of students report elevated distress levels and 67 per cent of students harbour symptoms of mental health problems, as explained by Australian psychologist Helen M. Stallman in “Psychological distress in university students: A comparison with general population data,” and it would seem that student health would be a topic on the tip of every student’s tongue. But students aren’t open about it; you don’t talk about the anxiety, and your friends don’t mention their insomnia, irritation, or stress, and deeper we sink into the tar of silence and stigma.

There is a variety of reasons students are fighting mental health problems, according to a commission on mental health at Queens University in Ontario: everything from the “stress of moving away from home, to academic demands, social pressures, parents’ expectations, and a looming recognition of the tough job market awaiting

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them.” Students feel the need to compete as hard as we can in order to survive. The cost of tuition is plunging students into debt and the job market looks grim. Stats Canada shows the unemployment rate of people aged 15 to 24 at 14.3 per cent, a rate over twice the national average. Having a bachelor’s degree doesn’t guarantee a higher paying job anymore, and students are feeling more pressure to study longer, incur more debt, and work harder to make ends meet. After graduation, with no job and unmanageable quantities of debt, it is often expected that students work unpaid internships to, hopefully, get a position at the bottom rung of the competitive job market of their studies.

At UFV, students are attempting to confront the looming presence of mental health problems. October 3 to 7 was Mental Health Awareness week, and the campus was speckled with stress relieving activities. A puppy room with therapy dogs and snacks, painting in the SUB, a games room filled with laughing Jeopardy players, a canvas where students wrote negative emotions and splattered them with paint soaked sponges, a short film screening on mental health and a late night dance party, each working to help students become aware that their mental health is just like physical health, it needs to be looked after and taken care of, or it could get sick.

At the Movies 4 Mental Health event, Lindsay Webber explained how she grew up in a traditional family; discussing her struggles with sadness and irritation with

her parents felt impossible because “they wouldn’t have known what to say anyways.” Lindsay’s depression came in waves of darkness from nowhere, leaving her feeling overwhelmed with irritation.

“This year was an especially hard year and I don’t really remember what set off this spiral downwards, I thought I felt okay and suddenly I could barely work up the energy to leave my house,” she said. “My main symptom is irritability. I can get so irritated I can’t function, can barely breathe, begin to vibrate and have to exclude myself from social settings and from communicating with anybody.”

Lindsay has been battling depression for nine years, but wasn’t diagnosed for the first three years. “I didn’t understand what was wrong,” she said. Being able to name her issue helped Lindsay. She started meeting a counsellor and was finally able to speak about her irritation.

“Counselling has taken a weight from me,” Lindsey explained. “I can talk to someone without having to worry about how they will respond, or what they will think. I’m not nervous about how talking about my struggles will affect them. I can just say how I feel.”

One of the people students can speak with is Tia Noble, a counsellor at UFV. Counselling is offered in room B214, near the Office of the Registrar. Tia sat beside Lindsay at the table in the Great Hall, and spoke about her experience with mental illness. Tia grew up in a family

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with a mother that suffered from severe depression. Her upbringing was tumultuous and emotionally strained, and she understands the difficulties of family life.

“It can feel overwhelming with nobody to talk to,” said Noble, her eyes tear-filled and full of compassion. “You don’t have to be suffering to seek help. Mental health is a very broad spectrum. Sometimes we just need to talk to someone who isn’t going to try and fix it, or feel awkward. Sometimes we just need someone who is going to understand.”

The counselling department is not only a place to go when you feel stress or anxiety, it is the best source for advice and information on issues related to learning, studying, time management, and academic performance.

But even so, many students still feel nervous about going there. But official counselling isn’t the only option for stressed and overwhelmed students.

Ashley Hayes works as a trained volunteer at the peer resource and leadership centre in the Student Union Building, a place for students to go when they need someone to talk to. Trained volunteers staff it, a mix of people young and old, and from all different walks of life who understand the demands and stress of being a student.

“There is a huge stigma against counselling,” says Hayes. “We are not counsellors, we’re just fellow students who are here to talk. It’s a drop-in service, so no appointments, and no scheduled meetings, just people who understand student life but are one step removed.”

Ashley laughed about the question she gets most often: “People come looking for the cafeteria. We give a lot of directions.” But many students go to the peer resource centre to cry, laugh, scream, or vent about classes and relationships. Everyone is always welcome.

UFV is a school that is suffering from extremely high amounts of mentally distressed students. Nearly 60 per cent of UFV students will suffer depression-like symptoms, says Tia Noble, and 37 per cent will suffer anxiety. One could only hypothesise for the reasons behind these high numbers: youth raised in traditional families in a highly religious city may feel uncomfortable expressing themselves or talking about mental health, the long commute so many students drive to get to campus may play a factor, the university’s sense of remoteness or the lack of community students may feel as a result of these issues could also help explain UFV’s student mental health problem. University may feel like a cold place, a place where students wage a mental and emotional war for years on end, but it is imperative that students realize we are not alone.

“Who am I?” Lindsay Webber asked amongst a raptly attentive room. The words echoed throughout the silent Great Hall. It was a question that drilled to the core of each person in the room. Whether you were a student feeling stress over a difficult class, anxiety for lack of money, overwhelmed by the weight of new and looming responsibilities, or sad and alone with no apparent reasoning, Lindsey had touched on a deep emotional root when she so pointedly asked a group of strangers who she was.

None of us have the answers. I can’t tell you how to find yourself in a world with nine billion people all striving for some form of recognition. But we are here together, each of us cutting our own path through the wildness of life, but not alone. You are not alone. When the majority of students suffer from issues with mental health, the stigma should become the silence.

Talk about your feelings with your friends, go scream at someone in the peer resource centre (trust me, they like it), meet a counsellor, or just check in with yourself. Is there anything you need? There is always someone to talk to.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

The counselling department’s 10 ways to build resilience: 1) Make connections: Good relationships with close family members, friends, or others are important.

2) Accept that change is a part of living: Certain goals may no longer be attainable as a result of adverse situations.

3) Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems: You can’t change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but you can change how you interpret and respond to these events.

4) Move toward your goals: Develop realistic, short-term goals.

5) Take decisive action: Act on adverse situations as much as you can.

7) Nurture a positive view of yourself: Developing confidence in your ability to solve problems and trusting your instincts helps build resilience.

8) Keep things in perspective: Even when facing very painful events, try to consider the stressful situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective.

9) Maintain a hopeful outlook: An optimistic outlook enables you to expect that good things will happen in your life.

10) Take care of yourself: Pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Engage in activities that you enjoy and find relaxing. Exercise regularly.

6) Look for opportunities for self-discovery: People often learn something about themselves and may find that they have grown in some respect as a result of their struggle with loss.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

www.ufvcascade.ca

CULTURE & EVENTS v CREATIVE WRITING

Elemental More primal than human KAYLA BWD

CONTRIBUTOR

I am Fire Passionate Unpredictable Warm Dangerous I Blaze A Force to be reckoned with I am Earth Steady Complex Nurturing Used I Endure A Warrior with endless resilience

Looking back on Mental Health Awareness Week TANYA VANPRASEUTH

THE CASCADE

Mental Health Awareness Week livened up UFV for an event-filled five days last week. They not only brought awareness to mental health, but informed students on different ways to deal with stress, let them know about the many resources provided on campus, and offered different activities for students to have some fun.

Beginning with Monday, the Student Union Building (SUB) had a Jeopardy and games activity which included prizes. There was a beanbag toss where students had to aim for a hole that determined whether they got an easy or hard question, both of which focused on mental health, and by answering a question you immediately won a prize.

The event was held at a table outside of the Student Union Society (SUS) office, which grabbed many students’ attention. While I was at the table, I saw many students walk by and engage with the activities. However, the table was not only reserved for games and activities. Students who came by also received a free Rexall gift bag, full of candy and tissues, while they learned about SUS’s health and dental plan.

The Jeopardy and games event was a perfect way to start off Mental Health Awareness Week, and

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was followed by other events, including the puppy room on Tuesday (see page 16) and SUS’s paint splatter event on Wednesday, which was intended for students to use as a way to “throw paint at negativity.” The event was situated outside of the SUB with paint and sponges provided for throwing at the board, and Sharpies to write any negative messages they wanted to fight off. Another paint splatter event that also occurred on campus was hosted by the mental health awareness club who were supporting the Yellow Umbrella Project, a mental health awareness campaign whose mission is to “stop the stigma surrounding mental health and mental illness, and help students recognize the resources available to them on campus and within their community.”

Both events were similar and gained the attention of many students that walked by. Students wrote what was bothering them on the board, with phrases like “You will never find success,” “I am NOT the group ditz! I worked for more!” and simply “exams” before letting go of that stress by throwing paint at their own words. Both paint splatter events were a great way for students, especially during midterm season, to let go of any negativity that had been surrounding them.

Another event that intended to allow students to let go of their stress was the dance party held

in the SUB Great Hall on Wednesday night.

Music blasted and disco lights shone throughout the room. Although the turnout was not as high as other events during the week, it was still a fun addition to Mental Health Awareness Week.

On Thursday, SUS held a paint night. They’ve hosted paint nights for previous occasions, mainly during Welcome Week, but the event also fit well with Mental Health Awareness Week, and it’s always fun to grab a canvas and get creative. Even an observer could enjoy seeing different students’ artistic works and the joy painting brought them.

Nonetheless, even though Mental Health Awareness Week was filled with fun activities, there were also students and counsellors available on Thursday in the SUB to offer information about mental health, different ways to cope with stress, how to help someone you know who is struggling with a mental illness, and the resources that are available to students. Screening tests were also available at the table with UFV counsellors present to discuss results with students and answer any questions they might have. Overall, Mental Health Awareness Week was a huge success. It was great to see both UFV students and staff work together to bring awareness to mental health, to help stop the stigma that surrounds mental illness, and most importantly to support one another.

I am Air Powerful Fluctuating Free Elusive I Breathe A Child who lives wild and unafraid I am Spirit Tenacious Emotional Unmeasurable Harmonious I Exist A Light to bring joy and inspiration Fear Me Fight Me Follow Me Forsake Me It matters not For I will never Compromise my Nature

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

CULTURE & EVENTS

Art of the month

Basket Weave

By Emilie Kvist Since I am trying to push my skills as an artist this semester, I decided to take a drawing class. Usually, I dislike working in two dimensions. However, I feel quite satisfied with the outcome of this drawing. The original basket which I based this drawing on could have been accepted as sculpture with its patterned weave. I find it interesting to view the art as if the drawing is an interpretation of another artist’s work. Charcoal is unlike any other type of drawing mediums I have tried in the past, and it has its own strengths and weaknesses. The fact that the drawing is such a closeup view of the woven basket adds to the often abstract interpretation of the piece.

Bio: As an artist I’m always exploring different types of mediums for expression. Usually I would consider myself to be a sculptor since I often work with clay or plaster. However, even sculptors need to sketch out designs for three-dimensional work, and therefore this semester I have decided to expand my skills in drawing and video editing.

Psycho Betty

By Susan Thomas

A Beautiful Annoyance Rebekah Brackett

The title of my artwork is “Psycho Betty.” It’s an aquatint done in 2016. I was inspired by Betty Cooper of the Archie comic series.

I grew up reading Archies, and Betty was always my favourite character. However, it was pointed out to me that her behaviour was psychotic in nature. The Walrus did an amusing tongue-incheek article that proclaimed her to be a psychopath because she would stalk and obsess over Archie and resort to slapstick violence when thwarted by her rival, Veronica.

Also featured in my artwork is another icon from my childhood, Jem. It was done as a blind contour drawing and accompanied by a picture my daughter did when she was four years old. Together, these three images speak to the generational impact of childhood cartoons and the strangeness of some of the characters we idolize.

In January 2016, I had a solo exhibit titled “The Blue Blanket Period,” which comes from both Picasso’s Blue Period and Charles Schulz’s character Linus’ beloved blue blanket. After the death of Picasso’s friend, Picasso fell into a state of depression and anxiety.

During this period, he turned to art. Some people find security in many things; some a blue blanket, others, art.

“Picasso believed Art to the son of Sadness and Suffering ... that sadness lent itself to meditation and that suffering was fundamental to life … If we demand sincerity of an artist, we must remember that sincerity is not to be found outside the realm of grief.” — Jamie Sebartés, Picassos’ friend.

The notion that an artist — to be sincere to themselves and to the viewer while reaching into various emotional places, such as grief — has fueled all my creative endeavors since 2014. Through this process, I have been able to find joy, and hopefully have brought joy to my viewers.

Bio: My name is Sue and I’m a third year student in the BFA program.

I’m a mother and an artist, and I’ve really been enjoying my studies at UFV! Printmaking is one of my favourite classes.

Bio: Rebekah was born in Calgary, Alberta and belongs to the Piikani Nation. Rebekah works mainly in paint, pen, and ink. Her inspirations are drawn from pop culture and music (Radiohead, Morrissey, and The Cure) and also from the Great Outdoors.

Rebekah has lived in Nova Scotia and currently continues her art practice in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

CALLING ALL ARTISTS! We are looking for an illustrator to use either digital or traditional mediums to create original illustrations each week for the opinion section.

Contact mitch@ufvcascade.ca for more info and to apply.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

www.ufvcascade.ca

CULTURE & EVENTS

I Love Lucy now eligible for Old Age Pension JEFF MIJO

THE CASCADE

October 15 marks a special holiday for TV fans, celebrating one of the biggest shows in the medium’s history. I Love Lucy will turn 65 on Saturday, having started its six-season run on the same day in 1951. It’s a show whose name is ubiquitous, and certainly its influence has passed on to every sitcom on television today.

The show set records — a lot of them — including the all-time highest rated episode of a scripted program on American television, which was watched by more than 70 per cent of households.

The sitcom’s premise will sound simple to today’s audiences: it focuses on a housewife (Lucille Ball), her husband (Desi Arnaz), and their neighbours as they land in a series of mostly unconnected, simple stories. Much like Seinfeld, it suffers from the unavoidable issue of its popularity growing so large that subsequent shows build off of it, leaving the original feeling bland. However, I Love Lucy is now far enough removed from current sitcoms that its humour almost feels fresh again, and it’s not hard to see why it was such a huge success in the 1950s.

Speaking about the significance of I Love Lucy, media and communications professor Darren Blakeborough said that “it was one of the most significant television sitcoms in history for a couple of different reasons … not the least of which is that it had a female as the star. [It’s]

amazing when you consider that even in the context of today that’s still almost a big deal, not to mention in the 1950s.”

Not only was Ball one of the first women to lead a show, she was also the first woman to run a television production company. “More than anything it’s about a strong, powerful woman in a leading role, and as the star, and the name,” Blakeborough said. “It was huge for that. It really helped to build a network, because before her there was Milton Berle and all of these other shows focused on the male.”

In addition to pushing social boundaries (even showing the first pregnancy on television), I Love Lucy also played a part in pioneering comedy and scripted television. “I remember watching reruns of it when I was a kid,” Blakeborough explained, “and that show did something that I can’t think of another show having ever done. You know how when you’re watching Lucy and she’s doing the most insane, asinine thing in the world? She actually made me so uncomfortable that I was watching this, and I always remember that was the show that could make me feel things that other shows weren’t able to.”

Since its finale on May 6, 1957, I Love Lucy has enjoyed a comfortable 60 years as a beloved classic that is still a regular sight on TV schedules. While our southern neighbours can stream it on Hulu, Canadians who want to celebrate the show’s longevity by (legally) binging will have to buy episodes on iTunes. Or, if tuition has taken that

option off the table, the Fraser Valley Regional Library has the whole series on DVD. The show may be in black and white, with a laugh track so pronounced it makes The Big Bang Theory seem dry and restrained, but the humour holds up far better than you’d expect

from a show so early in television’s infancy.

Even if you don’t think it’s up your alley, it’s worth looking up a few clips online to see, as Blakeborough describes it, Ball “step in there and rewrite how America watched television.”

v FASHION COLUMN

Tying together a look, military style RACHEL TAIT

CONTRIBUTOR

Bumping into old friends and classmates at UFV is a regular phenomenon, and this week was no exception. I ran into a good friend and fellow student, Mohamed Ali, who has been here for roughly four years. With minors in communications and English and still going strong, he was sporting black boots, jeans, and a soft charcoal grey sweater.

However, the piece that stood out the most was an iconic cotton twill jacket, also charcoal grey, and reminiscent of World War II airmen. He describes his style as casual chic and his favourite go-to staples for the fall are scarves and hats, saying, “They give you the essence of fall.”

Fall fashions for men usually stay the same year to year, giving them a timeless style that remains classic and true. According to an article from military-style clothing manufacturer Private White V.C., the military jacket was heavily entrenched in British history. The jacket has been seen in various forms, such as the iconic red coat from the 1700s,

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which was seen as both threatening and patriotic.

It was said to create fear in their opponents, and was one of the first times in history that an army’s uniform gave off messages or showed characteristics of their soldiers to others.

According to the same article, before and during the First World War the jacket was an important and necessary part of the British uniform. The military has always screamed strong masculinity and discipline, which has been transferred into a fashion statement. Actually, many styles men and women wear were first introduced or significantly used in the army and navy during war times. This fall, army attire is a big hit and can be found in many stores all over the world. Its generally simple lines and relaxed fit make these fashion items a worthwhile investment. The military jacket is a transitional item that can be worn from season to season. It is a unisex trend, looking great on both men and women, and can come in many variations of length, collars, and colours. So this season, try an army-inspired military jacket and roam the halls in cool style.

Photo: Vanessa Broadbent

www.ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

CULTURE & EVENTS v SCIENCE COLUMN

How big is too big (for a telescope)?

The staggering difficulty of seeing exoplanets FRASER FORBES

CONTRIBUTOR

You may have heard that since 2014, scientists at NASA have been on the cosmic hunt for exoplanets. They’re planets outside of our solar system that we could hopefully go visit one day, either in person or with a big ol’ robot. NASA can find planets beyond 22,000 light years away, and the way they are being found is through detection rather than an image. Think of it as using a metal detector instead of a camera.

So how come we can’t see the surfaces of these planets? We have the Hubble telescope, which can take 1.2 GB images. That’s the same amount of virtual information as a two-hour-long movie … that’s a really big picture! So how come this behemoth of a telescope can’t see the surface of these planets so we can see what it looks like? Well, I’m here to do the math.

First let’s make some assumptions, something every good

scientist does. We are going to choose a close planet, Alpha Centauri Bb, only 4.37 light-years away from Earth on a good day.

Our next assumption is that we only need to have a resolution that will let us see objects of a metre or larger. This may seem pretty big, but when we’re looking at objects of 40 million billion metres away, that doesn’t seem so bad.

At viewing distances like these, telescopes run into a problem where colours get distorted. It messes up the image, and we need computers to fix these mistakes. We’re going to pretend this doesn’t happen to our telescope. Therefore, our third assumption is that we’re going to use an average light wavelength of 550 nanometres, also know as lime green.

With these assumptions and some math, we can calculate that we would need a single reflector telescope with a diameter of 27 billion metres. That’s equal to the distance from the Earth to the sun, 187 times over. Earth is only 12 million metres wide. So we unfortunately don’t have enough surface area on Earth to make a

telescope to see even the closest exoplanet.

To go along with this is some good news. Because of how drastic the numbers we’re working with are, if we were to make a telescope that could see 22,000 (versus 4.37) light-years, we would only need a telescope that was 2.5 times wider even though the planet would be 4,500 times farther away.

With all this said these calculations were only for the simplest type of telescope. New types of telescopes that let us see farther with smaller diameters are currently being researched. These telescopes use freeform optics. With freeform optics, engineers were able to design a Pringle-shaped mirror, which has a smaller package size and better resolution. That means it will be easier and cheaper to put a freeform telescope into space versus a regular single reflector like the ones we are currently using. In short, the future of space viewing is getting astronomically better.

Sprechen sie Deutsch?

Kayla’s semester abroad in Austria MARTIN RANNINGER

THE CASCADE

Studying abroad is the experience of a lifetime. You get to see different cultures, meet people from all over the world, and obviously, you get to travel. In our more connected global village, employers will also give you some extra points for stepping outside of your comfort zone.

Choosing which country to go to and doing your research beforehand are keys to having the time of your life.

Marketing major Kayla Klim is a fifth-year UFV student who went to Austria for five months. Kayla is a member of the UFV Cascades women’s soccer team and has tips for students who want to go abroad, as well as stories from her wunderbar trip.

Where did you go for your semester abroad?

I went to Wiener Neustadt, which is a city 30 minutes outside of Austria’s capital, Vienna, and I was studying at the Fachhochschule Wiener Neustadt.

Why did you choose Austria?

I went with my friend Charlie who I knew from our time working at Baker House, and we both wanted to go abroad. Although he wanted to go to Australia and my top choice was Scotland, we wanted to go together. We each listed five countries which we thought would be interesting to go to. We ended up with Switzerland, which was rather expensive; Netherlands, where the study program didn’t seem a good fit for us; and the winner, Austria. We contacted the school and everyone was super helpful.

How did UFV help you?

The international office here helped us a lot, especially the study abroad international coordinator, Jag. The application was pretty straightforward and he made sure that we had the right contacts at the school and that everything was running smoothly.

Did you get any scholarships to help you financially?

UFV has a couple things. Pretty much anyone who goes on an exchange gets like, $1,000, and that’s pretty awesome because if you book a return flight that basically covers it. There is also funding for what I would call “less desirable areas.” Think about the popular places like Paris and London where everyone wants to go to. If your choice is outside of these highly desirable areas you get extra funding.

Upon your arrival, what were the biggest surprises?

Sundays. Nothing is open, ever. Normally here on the weekend, that’s when I have time to do grocery shopping. Or even the public transport, which was similar to the U-Pass system but it worked only for one bus line which took us from the residence to the city centre, or the rail station which took us to Vienna. But it also didn’t run during Sundays.

How did you enjoy the classes?

They had small-size classes just like at UFV, and they were also similarly structured with group projects and lectures. Our first week we had an “Intro to Austria” class which was helpful. They gave us tips on which buses to use, how to get around, or what to see in Austria. The program itself was an international business, so there were students from many other countries — from Hungary, Macedonia, Slovenia, and Croatia — and it made it all nice because everyone was really friendly.

Apart from school what did you enjoy?

I tried a lot of things and I think I ended up traveling to 12 different countries. One of the greatest things about an exchange is that I got to make friends with people all over Europe, and later during the semester they invited me back to their homes. To see the culture from their perspective was super cool. Having those meaningful conversations at the dinner table and hearing about their countries from them was great. I went to visit a friend from

Finland and thanks to her I got to see the Scandinavian way of life. I heard how expensive they are, that they’re taxed a lot, about their good education system, and that everyone speaks more than one language. Yeah, I’ve heard all these things. But to go and be with a local who I trust and invited me to her home was amazing.

What advice would you give to students who want to go for an exchange?

In Europe, the credits work differently than in Canada. So my credits came back as worth half as what I was told in Europe.

I took 32 credits and they came back as 16. I feel I could have taken fewer credits and travel more. Just know what you’re getting yourself into.

It also seemed in Europe so common that students go on exchange.

I feel like Canadians and Americans don’t have that cultural aspect because we are next to each other so you don’t get those cultural experiences. When you study abroad you build these relationships and then you can go and experience their culture firsthand, and that is so unique. And you build lifelong friendships. And you get to travel. And you get to earn credits. It’s so many things on top of each other and with all the scholarships that UFV has it’s really worth it, especially if you go to a country that’s not uber expensive to live in.

However, I do recommend that people go earlier on in their degree.

Credits will transfer easier and if you loved it you can go again to a different country. Before you go, do your research. I knew that our school was outside of a major city and I was prepared for that. A lot of people didn’t know what they were getting themselves into.

So make sure you do. You can contact students who have already been there, talk with other people, and get outside of your comfort zone. Europe really helped me with that, I loved that I could keep pushing myself continuously to do that.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

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CULTURE & EVENTS v HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

Who let the dogs in?

Therapy dogs help relieve midterm stress at UFV KLARA CHMELAROVA

CONTRIBUTOR/PHOTOS

It’s no news that lives are becoming more hectic and the anxiety of keeping up is building, especially in the life of modern students who are desperately mixing assignments, exams, parttime jobs, family, and socializing into 12-hour parcels. Pushed by “You have no worries in your life” comments from parents, we can go down a slippery slope and let the heavy bookshelf of life fall on our heads pretty quickly.

That’s why members of the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program decided to drop by and brighten our day with fluffy hugs and slobbery kisses. Operating throughout Canada since 1992 and with 38 teams positioned in Abbotsford and Mission alone, they’ve been part of Mental Health Week for quite some time.

On October 4, I had a chance to meet a couple of them.

Heading to the Great Hall of the SUB after a tough exam was like soaking in a hot tub after a marathon. I was greeted by four amazing pups and one amazing human, coincidentally leader of the pack, Barbara. With a ball of furry bliss on my lap we talked about differences between therapeutic and service dogs, and the general direction the Therapy Dog Program wants to go in the future.

For most of us, therapeutic dogs and service

dogs don’t sound any different. However, Barbara explained that they aren’t the same thing. “A service animal has had specific training and comes at significant expense. As well, a service dog has access to various public places, transportation, etc.,” she explained. “On the other hand, a therapy dog is considered a companion dog. As such, while it is an obedient and calm family pet and has been certified as a ‘therapy’ dog, it has no special access privileges.”

Therapeutic dogs also do not need to be specially trained. The only thing they need to do is pass a test evaluating their temperament.

Considering future projects St. John has in mind, Barbara said: “[We want] to continue to grow in both members as well as in facilities that we visit. We are particularly glad to see such a welcoming response from schools. Both Abbotsford and Mission school districts have waitlists for therapy dogs — now we just have to acquire the teams and get them certified for the children’s program, PAWS.” The newest addition to St. John is stationed in Mission and is providing their services to female inmates. They would also like to start a program at Abbotsford Airport, helping nervous passengers calm down before the flight.

Furthermore, if you think your pup has what it takes to become a breathing anti-stress ball, all you need to do is contact the organization.

Overall, events like the one last week prove

time and time again how man’s best friend can provide unconditional love that no other human ever can. And the moment your hand buries into the sea of fur, everything goes silent. There are no exams or overbearing bosses, just you and the dog. For me especially, being an exchange student and far from my own puppies, it helped tremendously by providing something you don’t know is missing until you need it.

There is no discussion about whether or not therapy dogs belong in mental health programs.

They listen, they love, they don’t judge, and they are always happy to see you — perfect therapists indeed. Hopefully we will be seeing more of our four-legged pals at school. What else is there to say? Maybe a bit of dog wisdom for you about dealing with life: “If you can’t eat it or play with it, pee on it and walk away.”

Diversity workshop among several in upcoming series JOSHUA DESILVA

CONTRIBUTOR

Coming soon to a workshop series near you, Diversity 101 is a workshop where students can learn about what diversity means, what it entails, and what you can do to be more inclusive. Anoop Dhaliwal, international student support assistant with UFV International, shared about the workshop she organized as part of a workshop series on Friday, October 14.

“The workshop was written by my colleague, Chelsey Laird,” she said. “This workshop explores the many dimensions of diversity and aims to build a common awareness as it relates to the UFV multicultural and multidimensional community.”

Diversity has been the topic of debate for many years, reaching sectors ranging from university admissions, to workplace hiring, to the political sphere, and it remains an important topic as we near 2017.

“For me, diversity needs to extend to inclusion,” Dhaliwal

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continued. “Diversity is about the infinite dimensions of people.

Often diversity is described as our differences. These dimensions can include gender, sexual orientation, mental ability, race, religious beliefs, political beliefs, and beyond.”

Dhaliwal noted that when thinking about diversity it is important to remember religious and political beliefs. When talking about diversity, many people think only about gender, race, and sexual preferences, but forget about intellectual diversity.

Whether people think of diversity as intellectual or not, there are many who wonder why diversity is important. Why should we worry about race or gender? Simply put, there are too many variables associated with such factors for them to be ignored.

“We are not all the same,” Dhaliwal explained. “We all come with histories — or herstories — and so I think when we come at it ‘I treat everyone the same,’ we’re missing the dynamics of those real, lived experiences of people, the real discrimination they face, and even the real socio-economic status they face. It’s about keeping an open mind.”

Alongside the Diversity 101 workshop is Positive Space, Mental Health Awareness, Self-Assessment and Development, Communications, Crisis Referrals, Setting Boundaries, Peer / Lay Counselling, Suicide Intervention, Campus Resources, and Self Care.

“This series runs a minimum of once per semester in this format, but also runs a series of individual workshop opportunities,” explains Kyle Baillie, director of student life and development, who is involved in the planning and implementation of such workshops.

“The Essential Skills Series is designed to provide a base level of skills, information, and training to a number of our peer leader groups on campus,” he said. “These are also critical life skills that people will find useful in their day-to-day life.”

The workshop skill series takes place on UFV’s Abbotsford campus on Friday, October 14. To register for these events, contact Martin Kelly at Martin.Kelly@ufv.ca.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

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ARTS IN REVIEW MOVIE REVIEW

Shuffle AARON LEVY STATION MANAGER

CIVL Radio station manager Aaron Levy loves the Toronto Blue Jays, each of whom swear up and down that this past week's sweep of the Texas Rangers had nothing to do with exacting revenge for the revenge exacted upon them by the Rangers’ second baseman this summer, for the bat flip that many of you helped celebrate in the Canoe last October.

“Weird Al” Yankovic Dare To Be Stupid From the Revenge of the Nerds soundtrack, “Weird Al” Yankovic's first original hit — it's a Devo-inspired number that reflects the growing willingness of both academic-aged youth and the aged themselves to behave in ways that most children would easily identify as juvenile. Squeeze all the Charmin you can.

Led Zeppelin Gallow's Pole Though revenge isn't explicitly stated as the motivation for Robert Plant’s (or the character whose essence he assumes in writing / singing / performing this particular selection) predicament, it's certainly a theme that follows along with crime and punishment.

Consequences, of course, are at the heart of judiciousness. Viceversa with presidential pardons.

Nirvana Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle

CHARTS 1

Preoccupations Preoccupations

2

A Tribe Called Red We Are the Halluci Nation

3 4 5

Sad13 Slugger Majid Jordan Majid Jordan Blessed Blessed

6

Kishi Bashi Sonderlust

7

Jay Arner Jay II

8

Against Me! Shape Shift With Me

9

La Sera Music For Listening To Music To

10

Hot Panda Bad Pop

11

Eleanore Eleanore

12

Cheap High Picture Disk

13 14

Phantogram Three

KLARA CHMELAROVA CONTRIBUTOR

Red Velvert Russian Roulette

Previously shuffled, though not by me. This song is definitely about comeuppance, or at least consequences. It's relieving, soothing, relaxing, and comforting to think that each good turn indeed does receive, in addition to deserving, its appropriate and correlative “other.” Extra nerdy points for using “Puget Sound” as an adjective.

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FT Island Where's The Truth

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Elephant Stone Little Ship Of Fools

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Harpdog Brown Travelin' With The Blues

Das Racist You Oughta Know

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Sunday Wilde Blueberries and Grits

19

Al Lerman Slow Burn

20

Ghost Popestar

This song is included because every internet list of top revenge songs include Alanis Morissette's take of the same title. This song is better than that song, not only for the beats and rapping, but the hook, obviously stolen from Billy Joel's “Movin' Out (Anthony's Song),” and the rest, too.

Three stories at once: The Girl on the Train’s voyeurism and intrigue pay off

Usually I would start a review with some eye-catching lede.

Continue on to mention good points, bad points, some examples of both, and give a final verdict. Yup, that's the routine. In all honesty, I am not sure if that can be done for The Girl on the Train. The reason is very simple: it left me speechless. Right now I would be satisfied with just telling you it was an amazing movie and you should go watch it.

That`s not the way to write a review, however. So let me try.

“I used to watch this perfect couple, and then she betrayed him.” At least that's what our main character thinks. Rachel is an unemployed alcoholic who spends her days taking the train to New York and back. By no coincidence, said train also passes two houses, one of which used to be hers. The neighbouring house is inhabited by a pair Rachel develops a strange fascination with. Using trembling hands, she sketches bits and pieces of what is, to her, an idyllic life. That all changes one day as our troubled heroine spots something she shouldn't and becomes a key person in a story far darker than one might anticipate.

In addition to Rachel, we focus on two other seemingly unlinked women: Megan, the person Rachel watches from the train — Rachel`s representation of the “flawless” life — and Anna, new wife of Rachel’s ex-husband Thomas, dedicated

mother and Rachel’s tormentor. In a sense, she stole the life that belonged to Rachel. As the story progresses it reveals how tightly all three female characters are interwoven through both past and current experiences. The described are just the surface connections we are shown.

The script is tied through much deeper tragedies in the lives of our women and their desperation to build a life around them. The true climax of the plot lies on breaching this very unstable net. Megan goes missing and Rachel is the last person who saw her alive. Yet, thanks to her drunkenness, she can't fully remember what happened. As she tries to recall the fateful night, her life comes back to her. One of The Girl On The Train’s greatest strengths is its use of retrospective chronology without making the viewer feel lost. Actually, the gradation stands on actions that are happening in actual time and then going back to give us the full picture. This, together with a focus on each woman’s progress in the present, grants unbelievable depth to the characters. The desperation in Rachel, Megan, and Anna is furthermore underlined by the noir atmosphere the movie gives away. It is rare to see a movie breathing book-quality life into characters and it is even more rare to see such effort going well. I really don't want to spoil the story that builds on unexpected connections by saying anything else. Just go and experience this trainwreck of emotions for yourself.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

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ARTS IN REVIEW

S undBites

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Opeth

The Getaway

While most older bands trying to make a comeback by releasing new albums either produce something that’s a complete copy of their original music or so different that their fan base is left wondering if it is in fact the same band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers may have found the perfect medium with their newest album The Getaway.

The album was produced by Danger Mouse, the first time in 25 years that the band used a producer other than Rick Rubin, who’s produced every one of the band’s albums since Mother’s Milk. But rather than trying desperately to preserve and recreate the sound that made them famous, the band has clearly accepted that they’ve aged, music has changed, and they need to change to stay relevant with their audience.

Mini album reviews

Sorceress The hybrid of classic Chili Pepper sound and modern electronic music that is born out of this album is economically brilliant.

It appeals to fans of the band’s original music, but with enough of a twist to attract a newer, younger audience as well. Songs like “We Turn Red” and “Go Robot” remind listeners of the young, over-the-top music that the band was known for when they first started, while songs like “Encore” and “The Longest Wave” bring more of a soulful Californication vibe to the album.

No matter what era of Red Hot Chili Peppers music is your favourite, something on The Getaway will appeal to you. Take from the album what you can and leave the rest.

When the lyrics of an album’s flagship song cryptically begin with “I am a sinner and I worship evil,” one might start to suspect a creation right from the workshop of black metal satanists. Yet, Swedish progressive metal band Opeth’s 12th album is anything but monotonous gurgling and the indistinguishable sounds of electric guitars.

Time and time again these Stockholm natives prove that metal as a genre can have many faces.

Relying on the mellow purr of acoustic guitar, Sorceress has something for everyone.

From heavy bass-supported pieces like “Sorceress” or “The Wilde Flowers,” through hybrids underlining lead singer Åkerfeldt’s hypnotic voice range like “Chrysalis” and “Fleeting Glance,” all the way to folk based “Will O the Wisp,” Sorceress is not just pure musical progressiveness and experimentation

Vanessa Broadbent

Never Enough

Cage’s soundtrack

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Klara Chmelarova

Susan

Listen to Luke There are a lot of ways to approach Netflix’s Luke Cage, and as much as the writing team crafted a product for comic book and Marvel Cinematic Universe fans, there is also a deep appreciation for how music reflects a landscape. Every episode is titled after a song from famed Brooklyn hip-hop act Gang Starr. Even the way the characters talk about it is natural and adds to the authenticity of the Harlem and New York they are trying to create. Characters debate their top picks, Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones” is referenced to ground a memory in time, and Method Man’s appearance in a bodega

but also carries in itself a certain grounding quality through earthy tones of organ and other classical instruments. It's refreshing to see such a multifaceted product in an otherwise fusty genre of hard music. It's not just the mixture of traditional musical instruments in combination with metal riffs, however, that separates Opeth’s Sorceress from other symphonic metal albums like Nightwish’s Century Child or Haggard’s Awaking the Centuries. It is the composition of the whole piece which brings together a Korn-like voice and an underpaint of dark, rich instrumental tones, fused together so tightly that particular components cannot be divided. You definitely aren’t a sinner when you worship Opeth, one of the few experimental metal projects who got it right, and Sorceress is a testimony to the fact that metal is not dead — yet.

(and subsequent freestyle on Sway's radio show) has even Luke himself fanboying.

The Harlem nightclub at the centre of early conflict and action in the series also provides a showcase for talented black acts — such as the Raphael Saddiq (whose name is awkwardly dropped multiple times in the first episode, which led me to believe he might be a character later) and Jidenna. As a whole, the show might have its own faults, but the soundtrack and music are definitely a highlight.

Panku Sharma

A long time ago I was scrolling through instagram, and on the “photos your friends liked so you might like this too” section, — you know what I’m talking about, — I found a video of a band, featured on the page of the record label they were on. And this girl’s playing the catchiest riff ever on guitar. And the caption only said: Susan.

So after weeks of looking up different bands with the name “Susan” on youtube and google. I found them. I found Susan.

And they’d recently released an album. And my friends let me tell you that the time I

spent googling random bands called Susan was so worth it.

Listen to “Somebody New, ” the second track on this record, and you’ll be sold.

It’s punchy, slightly dissatisfied, but laden with such sweet little guitar fills. This song will sell you on the whole album. And if it doesn’t, then the melody underlying most of “Leave Me,” along with the band’s Nicoesque three part vocals will.

Martin Castro

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

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ARTS IN REVIEW Aaron Levy, Villain Villain, and Soul Mates tear up Carport Manor MARTIN CASTRO THE CASCADE

There are a lot of venues in the Fraser Valley that showcase local talent. Just within Abbotsford you’ve got SippChai and The Spotted Owl hosting somewhat regular open mic nights and poetry readings, you’ve got Oneill’s and Brother’s Bowling hosting gigs, and you’ve got Field House Brewing Co. and their backyard sets, just to name a few.

You’ve also got Carport Manor, a privately-owned house. Or, more accurately, a garage underneath a privately-owned house. On October 5 (a Wednesday, of all days), Saskatoon five-piece rock group Soul Mates took to the stage after an opening set by Aaron Levy, and annihilated their set, along with everything and all the people in this garage-turned venue. It was a beautiful thing to witness. It made me wish I’d brought earplugs, but not because the music was objectionable. In fact, it was the opposite. It was sublimely dissatisfied and full of energy and tension, like six cars simultaneously converging on and crashing into an already-burning building — but in a good way.

Firstly, the fact that you’ve got a venue being set up inside a house, as opposed to being set up inside, well, an actual venue, speaks to the position that bands and artists in Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley currently face. We’ve got the people, we’ve got the microphones and guitars and a mandolin kicking around somewhere; why is it necessary to host a show in a house? These are important questions. (And keep an eye out for future coverage on Abbotsford’s emerging arts scene, because I’m going to ask them again. And also I’ll answer them).

After Soul Mates brought down the room’s collective hearing ability by at least three decibels, Valley darlings Villain Villain took the stage. I hadn’t seen Soul Mates play before, but I had seen Villain Villain previously, and let me tell you, they are only getting better. They were good before, busting out hazy, distorted surf-pop while lead singer Jaydee Bates elongated all the vowels in every word so that they each last 10 years. They were good.

Oh man, did they get better. Nitya St-Laurent’s drumming got tighter, Luke Kokoska’s guitar riffs got funkier and more ambitious, the synthesiser added miles of satiny, velvety goodness, and Bates’ howls filled the room.

If anything, shows like Wednesday’s prove that, despite what seems like a fragmented arts scene, Abbotsford actually has some of the most committed musicians, artists, and community members out there.

Which begs the question: What’s missing?

Photo: Mitch Huttema

BOOK REVIEW

Here’s the thing about The Great Good Thing JOSHUA DESILVA CONTRIBUTOR

A couple of weeks ago, Amazon shipped out a book by American conservative writer Andrew Klavan. It’s an autobiography with a weird title, The Great Good Thing. It’s not about how America is great, or how being a conservative is fantastic, or how awesome his life is. (Okay, maybe he goes over his pretty sweet adult life.) It is instead about his life growing up in a Jewish household, living life as an agnostic, and, at almost 50 years old, finding faith in Christ. As its subtitle succinctly explains, “A secular Jew comes to faith in Christ.”

When this was introduced to me by a podcaster I listen to, I felt compelled to read it. As someone who is exploring their faith again, I couldn’t help but wonder if Klavan had some answers.

While he did not have the answer to “Should I subscribe to Christian beliefs?” he had other answers. Klavan is the kind of man who makes sure everything makes sense. Even as a child, his stories had to make sense, otherwise he scrapped them. If a character was capable of flying, why did he have wings? Whether the fantasy is causally possible is irrelevant, so long as it can logically happen. If he was a part of a science experiment to become superhuman, he did not have to know how the science worked; it just did.

Why is that important? I thought the same thing throughout

the book. It is not until Chapter 11 of 14 that Klavan comes to his five epiphanies to finding God, and even those are vague. In the acknowledgements, Klavan admits the book was twice as long before his wife helped edit out unimportant bits. I came to realize a little too late that he writes everything because it provides important context.

The fact he did not study for his bar mitzvah and ad libbed his prayers tells us he never believed in what he actually was supposed to, as demanded by his father. So when reading the book, it is important to remember that all writing has a purpose, and it is your responsibility to find that purpose.

Klavan answers probably the most important question for all people considering religion: is it possible for an intellectual thinker, who wants unambiguous answers to everything, to believe in a God who made the world and its laws? Can someone like Klavan really settle for God to be the first cause? His answer is yes, and his five epiphanies bring him to that conclusion. The short version is the idea of morality being absolute, and therefore a God must have created them, otherwise moral assignments from anyone else are arbitrary and subjective. Whether or not that is convincing is up to you, so long as you have at least read his position.

Some might not find his book as a convincing explanation of why Klavan became baptized. In the first few chapters, Klavan mentions he always believed in a god, but he wasn’t sure who that god was,

and if any faith would align with his vision of God. He mentions it again at least a couple more times. He describes miracles as not mere coincidences, where others would brush them off as sheer luck.

Nonetheless, Klavan describes in vivid detail his adventures from age five to 50 — a 45-year path to God and Jesus Christ. To add context, Klavan is normally a mystery-thriller writer, and The Great Good Thing works with that style, despite it being about his journey to faith. His story is quite the adventure. He traveled across America, moved to London, and, for the longest time, could not successfully sell one damn book. Yet here he is, famous for writing books such as True Crime and Empire of Lies, and the movie One Missed Call.

I recommend this book to anyone like myself who still questions their faith, and even to those who are confident in their position to explore different ideas and opinions. I also recommend it to pastors, rabbis, and other such religious leaders to remind them that zealotry without belief doesn’t get anyone anywhere. Religious parents would find this useful to know what not to do when raising their children in a religious household. Overall, I recommend this to anyone who wants to know why certain people turn to faith.

Overall, The Great Good Thing was enjoyable and eye-opening from front to back.

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