The Cascade Vol. 27 Iss. 6 by The Cascade

FEBRUARY 13 TO FEBRUARY 26, 2019

VOLUME 27 ISSUE 06

Snowed in since 1993

Reading break sheduled over Family Day

pg. 8

Olympian Sophie Schmidt accepts honorary doctorate

pg.14

BUYING GARBAGE THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSUMING MINDFULLY

PG. 10

Cascade Kitchen: fried rice

pg. 16

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA

VOL. 27 // ISSUE 06

Business Manager Quintin Stamler quintin@ufvcascade.ca

Managing Editor Jessica Barclay jessica@ufvcascade.ca

Production Manager Elyssa English elyssa@ufvcascade.ca

Copy Editor Kat Marusiak kat@ufvcascade.ca

Production Assistant Renée Campbell renee@ufvcascade.ca

Production Assistant Uyen Nguyen uyen@ufvcascade.ca

Features Editor Cat Friesen cat@ufvcascade.ca

Multimedia Editor Mikaela Collins mikaela@ufvcascade.ca

Arts in Review Editor Martin Castro martin@ufvcascade.ca

Illustrator Simer Haer Illustrator Cory Jensen Event Reporter Alexandra Johnson

Sports Writer Alex Jesus

10-11

Staff Writer Darien Johnson Staff Writer Julie Bond Staff Writer Caleb Silveira

Online Editor Jeff Mijo-Burch jeff@ufvcascade.ca

CONTRIBUTORS Chandy Dancey Aleister Gwynne Jessica Leins Scott MqQuarrie Jenny Postma Andrea Sadowski Cover Design: Mikaela Collins Back Cover: Mikaela Collins

ARTS

Illustrator Kayt Hine

FEATURE

Culture & Events Editor Cassie de Jong cassie@ufvcascade.ca

Opinion Editor Carissa Wiens carissa@ufvcascade.ca

CULTURE

News Editor Jessica Barclay jessica@ufvcascade.ca

CONTENTS OPINION

Creative Director Joel Robertson-Taylor joel@ufvcascade.ca

NEWS

Executive Editor (interim) Cat Friesen cat@ufvcascade.ca

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA 12.......Events Calendar

Snapshots.......9 Study Break.......16-17 @UFVCASCADE FACEBOOK.COM/UFVCASCADE INSTAGRAM.COM/UFVCASCADE Volume 27 · Issue 06 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529

NEWS Mac's well deserved retirement.......3

4......SUS public meeting

Doughnut conundrum.......4

5......Valley Fest hosted by UFV

OPINION

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 1,000 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities.

Rebellion upon UFV.......6

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 every Monday at 2:30 p.m. in The Cascade’s office on the Abbotsford campus.

Blood drive.......14

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 200 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.

Men's basketball.......15

18.......CIVL Shuffle

6.......Editorial

Jami Savage.......7

7.......Dear Robin

CULTURE Intelligent lives......13

13.......CPHR networking event 14.......Home town hero

SPORTS 15.......Wrestling ARTS King Grizz.......18 Lake Chad.......19

19.......Stuffed & Ready

NEWS

news@ufvcascade.ca Jessica Barclay — News Editor

WEDNESDAY, FEBRURARY 13 , 2019

UFV //

Therapy dog, Mac, plans a well deserved retirement

NEWS BRIEFS

Mac will retire from PADS this month but won’t be leaving UFV quite yet DARIEN JOHNSON

B.C. SPCA unveils new strategic direction The B.C. SPCA unveiled a new strategic plan Tuesday that will be implemented over the next four years. The plan includes improved response during natural disasters to help animals, improved service to communities without a local SPCA, and strategies for retaining skilled volunteers. The plan’s goals also include providing services to the community with programs to help vulnerable people spay and neuter their pets and to provide free temporary care for pets of those fleeing domestic violence. Craig Daniell, the B.C. SPCA’s chief executive officer, said to Abbotsford News that between 2014 and 2018, the SPCA has seen a dramatic decrease in homeless animals, in part due to spay and neuter programs. - Abbotsford News

Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould resigns from cabinet Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould has resigned from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet. Though no concrete reason was given in her letter of resignation, it comes in the midst of questions regarding if Trudeau pressured her to help SNC-Lavalin avoid criminal prosecution while she was justice minister and attorney general. One day before her resignation, Trudeau said that her continued presence in the cabinet “speaks for itself” in regards to the accusations. Now, Wilson-Raybould has said she will be seeking legal advice concerning speaking to Canadians on the SNC-Lavalin controversy. - National Post

On-campus therapy dog Mac will be retiring from his position with PADS (Pacific Assistance Dogs Society) later this month in order to reduce his work pace as he ages and devote his time to UFV. Mac has worked his entire career at UFV and will be turning 15 soon. Mac will be continuing his counselling and PAWS for a Break work with students. His handler and UFV counsellor Dawn Holt said it’s important for him to keep him working part-time here at the university to maintain his excellent physical and mental health. “He loves, loves, loves his job,” Holt said. “If you talk to anybody in this hallway, every morning they see Mac running down the hallway and into Student Services and around the corner to our office. He loves to come to work. Yeah, he actually runs to get into the office. How many of us can say that?” Mac and Holt started counselling at UFV in 2006 and have been here ever since. He was the first assistance dog in the world to work full-time with a clinical counsellor in a post-secondary institution, right here at UFV. Mac was born into the PADS program and from puppyhood was raised to be a therapy dog, but is taken care of by Holt. PADS has maintained ownership over Mac for the duration of his working life and when he swaps his public access vest for a UFV T-shirt this month, he will become Holt’s personal pet. Throughout their time here, they’ve interacted with thousands and worked with hundreds of students. Holt said Mac remembers every single person he’s worked with. “When they come in, regardless of how long it’s been since he’s seen them, he takes up whatever position he always did with them,” Holt said. Holt said that although you can train assistance dogs, they must also have a certain personal quality to be successful. “Service dogs are trained but therapy dogs are born. They have to have this innate sense of empathy, and they have to be able to make each person that they interact with feel like they really care about them and that they have unconditional regard for them, no matter what state the student is in. I can train his obedience and his commands, but that intuitiveness and that empathy and that ability to make students feel grounded again, he just has it.”

Mac being a good boy. (Dawn Holt)

and in turn Mac stays happy and healthy. Holt attributes Mac’s A-plus health rating to good breeding, staying healthy (Mac swims once a week at an exclusive, dogonly pool in Aldergrove), and all the love he gets from students. Mac has even helped to save lives, hav-

said. “[Having] an unconditional positive regard from a friendly animal who’s calm actually physically reduces stress levels. You can see blood pressure reduced, you can see breathing levels reduced.” Anyone wanting more of Mac in their lives can book an appointment with him and Holt through Student Services or follow his Instagram and Facebook to keep up with his weekly wellness posts. He will also still be doing his PAWS for a Break sessions on Tuesday afternoon in the Peer Resource and Leadership Centre from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Mac will be having his retirement/birthday party on Tuesday, March 5 from 12–2 p.m. in the Envision Athletic Centre lobby (E building). Many PADS puppies will be coming out to celebrate and everyone at UFV is welcome to stop by, say happy birthday, give him a hug and a scratch on the nose, and tell him that he’s the goodest boy.

"Service dogs are trained but therapy dogs are born."

The relationship between students and Mac is reciprocal: he helps students

ing gone to the ER with students who were actively suicidal and who wouldn’t go without him. Holt said many studies have shown the positive physical and physiological effects of therapy animals on people. “There’s something about that presence when you hold on to an animal, it increases the ‘happiness’ hormone oxytocin, and reduces the amount of adrenaline and cortisol in your system,” Holt

NEWS

VOL. 27 // ISSUE 06

UFV //

The great doughnut conundrum Graphic design fundraiser postponed due to Coquihalla Highway snow levels

SUS //

SUS calls emergency board meeting Vote on AGM date, and changes to fund request policy and election policy JESSICA BARCLAY

Coquihalla in the snow. (Ruth Hartnupp, Flickr)

The Student Union Society (SUS) called an emergency board meeting, held Thursday, Feb. 7. The purpose of the meeting, according to Gurvir Gill, SUS president, was to continue business from the board meeting the previous Thursday that did not have quorum to address voting items. The items for the emergency meeting included voting on a date to hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM), and voting on changes to the fund request policy and to the election rules policy. Earlier this winter, all Clubs and Associations (C&A) policies were reviewed and revised by SUS. Further revision was approved by the board at the meeting to the fund request policy, which governs how C&A can request funding from SUS. When asked on the intent of the policy changes, the vice-president internal Jaleen MacKay, who had presented on the changes, declined comment. The changes will allow students, or groups of students, to request funds for fundraising events from SUS. Previ-

ously, only recognized C&A were eligible to request funding. Students would be eligible to receive 70 per cent of approved funding before the event, and the remaining 30 per cent after. The policy will remain that C&A can receive 50 per cent of the approved funding request upfront and 50 per cent after the event. The enforcement of missing or unpresented receipts was also changed. SUS will no longer provide reimbursement for expenses if receipts are not presented. Previously, SUS would pay for amounts under $25 if receipts were not presented and deny funding to the group for three months after the violation. Groups not presenting receipts will still be denied funding for the three month period. Small changes were made to the election policy, requiring candidates to have a cumulative GPA of 2.0. Additionally, it was decided at the emergency board meeting that the Annual General Meeting (AGM) would be held on March 28 at 1 p.m. in Evered Hall. The backup date chosen was to be the following week, April 4, if quorum is not met the first attempt.

During their trip to the art and design capital, students will “experience historical and contemporary design and typography in action,” according to SieWednesday afternoon, UFV students buzzed in mens. The purpose of the study tour is to combine anticipation for a rare haul of tasty treats to be museum and gallery visits, hands-on workshops, laid before them by the graphic design depart- studio tours, and selected city attractions in order ment — Krispy Kreme to provide immersive insight doughnuts are one into the world of design. “Due to the heavy snow of the world’s most The financial goal for the scrumptious snacks, fundraiser is sitting around present on the Coquihalla, their $600. The funds raised will after all. But alas, even delivery truck couldn’t deliver help to offset the $2,000 stua great monopoly such as Krispy Kreme can fees for the study tour. the goods needed to supply dent fall prey to the terrors The fees will cover flights, the fundraiser.” of winter. accommodations, museum orders flooded in that it became clear that number needed to The Krispy Kreme and gallery entrances, and an increase. Students can now expect 150 dozen doughnuts to apdelivery truck was deillustration workshop, all in pear at the next sale. This number is expected to sell out early layed, according to Jenia Siemens, the department six nights. All spots for the trip are currently filled, on. Other plans for GDD fundraising are also in the works. On assistant for graphic design, due to the heavy snow but waitlist positions may become available should Thursday, March 14 from 6–9 p.m. at present on the Coquihalla Highway. Their delivery there be any cancellaTownhall Public House in Abbotsford, a truck couldn’t deliver doughnuts in time for the tions. “The funds raised will help to graphic design pub night will be held, graphic department’s fundraiser, resulting in the The initial idea for a will include a 50/50 draw, design postponing of the event until March 6. doughnut fundraiser offset the $2,000 student fees which trivia, and a silent auction. There will also Krispy Kreme informed the graphic design depart- was proposed by a for the study tour.” be a paint night and a movie screening ment of their conundrum around 3 p.m. on the graphic design stuof the documentary “Design Canada,” for Tuesday prior to the original event date, but were dent, and the departwhich details have yet to be determined. unable to provide additional details of what exactly ment ran with the befell their shipment. idea of fundraising a tour in New York by selling The graphic design department promises to deliver more mouth-watering morsels on March 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in The fundraiser was planned in order to raise doughnuts. funds for the graphic design department’s next Originally, organizers planned to order 100 dozen the breezeway outside A and B building. The cost will be $10 for study tour, which will send a lucky group of stu- doughnuts. However, as students started to spread a dozen or $1 per doughnut. dents to New York City from April 29 to May 5 2019. the word between family and friends, so many pre-

CASSIE DE JONG

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13 , 2019

UFV Event //

First-ever Valley Fest coordinated and hosted by UFV A look into UFV’s up and coming arts, science, and multicultural festival. CALEB SILVEIRA UFV is set to host the first-ever arts and cultural festival, Valley Fest, from March 11–16 on the Abbotsford campus. The event will feature a variety of events throughout the campus, including open classroom events, poetry, conferences, and a talent show. Miriam Nichols, UFV English professor and Valley Fest organization committee board member, said the purpose of the festival is to celebrate the local culture in

the Fraser Valley. The full itinerary includes a wide variety of diverse and multicultural events. Events will be hosted by UFV and feature both events organized by faculty and staff as well as members of the community. These vary from UFV’s Got Talent, occuring on the festival’s debut (March 11), to Mennonite quilting, a talk on climate change, poetry readings, methods into understanding photo development, movie screenings, a conference on the televised series Riverdale, and many more.

Canada’s Largest International University and Student Travel Expo

Vancouver Convention Centre

SSION MI

The closing finale serves to end Valley Fest with a bang with an evening of entertainment over a plated dinner. Ticket sales for the finale will go on sale next week online through the bookstore’s website. Tickets are $20 for students and $25 for all others (non-students or guests). The ticket price includes an evening of entertainment (music by DJ Kookum, reading by writer in residence Robert Weirsema, and more) and a dinner catered by Sto:lo Caterering, with a choice of salmon or vegetarian entree. This finale will be hosted at the UFV Abbotsford campus in the cafeteria from 6–8 p.m. Drink tickets (wine and beer only) may also be purchased online as well as at the event for $4. On top of the experience, students are also encouraged to take part in the event itself as volunteers. Volunteers receive co-curricular credit, a free ticket to the final event, and a T-shirt. The festival has been in planning for over a year and now it’s come to its final stages. The events will be advertised via posters, Facebook events, and the festival’s UFV event webpage beginning this week.

FEBRUARY 28

THURSDAY

“There is a great deal of diversity in the events that we plan to host on campus,” Nichols said. “We expect events may be added as we go along, so keep an eye on our event page for updates.” One unique feature that Valley Fest will be implementing is open classrooms, in which professors who wish to allow students from any background or educational field to take part in their class indicate this with a balloon posted on the doorway. A balloon on a door means that class and the classroom is open and anyone may walk in. Open classrooms could be figure drawing (visual arts), visual communication lectures, and theatre lectures, but there are many more. “The idea behind the balloons is that they’re noticeable,” Nichols said. “When students see them they can be comfortable knowing they are allowed into that classroom space.” Besides the dinner finale (March 16), all other events are free for UFV students to attend.

MINA

Expo: 2 pm - 6 pm Seminars: 1 pm - 6 pm

www.studyandgoabroad.com

OPINION

VOL. 27 // ISSUE 06

opinion@ufvcascade.ca Carissa Wiens — Opinion Editor

Editorial //

Satire //

Rebellion upon UFV Unveiling the university’s construction plans in D building

Saying so long, not goodbye, to Mac CAT FRIESEN

Illustration by Cory Jensen

CARISSA WIENS For the past several months construction has taken place in D building on UFV’s Abbotsford campus. We’ve been trying to discover the purpose behind the construction but have yet to receive word from the university’s facilities management team. As paying students, we just want to

struction. Don’t be fooled by the creation of UFV’s brand-new School of Creative Arts; the university is just using this exciting initiative to make the school look like it’s moving forward, prospering even. But in reality, the staff and faculty on campus are slowly rebelling against upper management because of the lack of staff and faculty parking and the stink

“We have to conclude that the D building constructionisreallythebuildingD-struction.” know what the developments in D building are for. Without any concrete word from the university, all we can do is speculate on the dark games they are manufacturing behind closed doors. An anonymous source tell us the university is building pipes from the swamp on the northeast side of the building to pump fluids onto the first floor. The source claims to have seen pipes being dug into the ground outside the building late one evening. But why UFV would want to flood the first floor, we don’t know. From this piece of knowledge that was communicated to us (and confirmed by the quacks of several nearby ducks), we have to conclude that the D building construction is really the building D-

on the third floor in A building. I learned this information by walking past a staff and faculty group huddled over Triple O’s burgers in the cafeteria in January. A rebellion would be the only explanation to a huddle like that. It was already dark at night, therefore the upper management of the university must have already left campus: the perfect time to form a rebellion. Suspicions were confirmed by a sleepy construction worker, obviously too tired to know what they were saying. “The Rebellion has tasked the facilities management department with taking down the school. The committee decided to take action through slowly diminishing D building. They chose this building because most upper management offices are elsewhere, therefore they won’t be

present to witness us break the ground.” When asked for further information, they slowly turned their face and sat on the ground, putting their head against the wall and closing their eyes. It was obvious the rebellion committee had been working the construction team too hard to bring the school down. I had the opportunity to speak to a student who was also awestruck by the developments obstructing his journey from the SUB to B building: “My buddies and I heard a guy working in Triple O’s talking about their minimal perks at the university. Apparently they don’t even get a discount on the food here! Anyways, I also clearly heard them talk about their excitement for D building to fall to pieces. I was so confused. I just grabbed my combo and ran.” Much thanks goes out to the student who provided us with this information. It’s unfortunate to see a strong, diverse, and friendly university like UFV experience this mutiny. Of course, all of this information has been passed to us through word of mouth and by our excellent eavesdropping skills. If the university feels this information is incorrect, we welcome them to answer our emails and let us know the meaning behind the building D-struction.

Sad news, friends: Mac, one of UFV’s most valued staff members, will be retiring from his position as therapy dog later in February. Mac, a loving, lumbering golden retriever, was hired on in 2006 and has spent the last 13 years soothing the souls of the UFV community. Mac was born into Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS), an organization that breeds, raises, and trains dogs to assist those who need them. This could be in a retirement home, hospital, a private residence, or, like Mac, a university. PADS dogs are categorized in one of three ways: as facility therapy dogs (watching over nursing home patients with Alzheimer’s or other mental illnesses), as animalassisted therapy dogs (helping rehabilitate patients’ motor skills or hand-eye coordination), or as therapeutic visitation dogs (providing a means to brighten someone’s day and help them through tough times). Mac is the latter, and what a tremendous job he’s done. Mac, the star that he is, was the first therapy dog to work fulltime in a university setting, and was in fact the first therapy dog in the world ever to do so. For the entirety of his career, Mac sat in with Dawn Holt while she provided students with therapy, and it’s safe to say he not only fulfilled, but surpassed, the expectations of his job. Aside from one-on-one therapy sessions, he worked hard to attend PAWS for a Break every Tuesday afternoon, where students were welcomed to come meet Mac, give him a pat, and for-

get about their troubles for a few minutes. Mac always had an ear to lend and a belly to scratch. He didn’t judge, he didn’t shame. He only smiled and listened like the good boy he is. Even if Mac hadn’t been fantastic at his job, even if he wasn’t born into PADS and trained to be the best of the best, spending time with Mac would have been beneficial anyway, because spending time with dogs is inherently good for your health. According to HuffPost, having a dog (or dogs) close by can reduce your chance of heart trouble, decrease stress, help ward off depression, and provide you with purpose. As someone who owns dogs — and who was lucky enough to hang out with Mac on more than one occasion — I attest to the accuracy of these facts with a resounding yes. Beyond all the health benefits, dogs are just so good. They’re there for you when you’re at your best and your worst, and when you can’t finish your dinner, they’re there too. So, just because Mac’s retiring, doesn’t mean he’s done his duty. Mac will continue to be a shining light off campus as well as on — he’ll still make his weekly appearance at PAWS for a Break, and will see students by appointment. Mac, when you trade in your public access vest for a UFV Tshirt, remember that you always have, and always will be, a good boy who’s brightened thousands of students’ lives. The Cascade wishes you the best in your retirement. May these continue to be your golden years.

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Advice //

Life //

Risky business – Jami Savage, adventure blogger and entrepreneur

Dear Robin

Local entrepreneur finds passion and risk keys to success Initially, things were tough, starting her own business. “Nine ‘no’s’ for every ‘yes.’ Working 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day. For two years, that was my reWhen Jami Savage arrived at her surprise 30th ality. Plus, it was a huge learning curve. These were birthday party, almost no one was there. As Jami two industries that I was completely new to. I had looked around the empty room, she just wanted to learn it all,” she said. Additionally, finances were to disappear. She was deeply tight. Looking back at hurt. that period, Jami said, Painful as that moment “It’s good to be broke was, Jami describes it as her sometimes. It humbles wake up call. After some selfus and makes us realreflection, she realized her life ize what’s important.” was not where she wanted it Slowly, both busito be. She had lost touch with nesses gained tracmany of her closest and oldest tion. There were many friends. She was financially refailures, but every sucliant on her husband. She was cess opened another no longer doing the things door. A key moment in she loved to do most. She was Jami’s marketing busilost in a fog of expectations ness occurred after and responsibilities. deciding to attend a Fast forward to 2019 and conference in San DiAdventure in the great outdoors. (Unsplash) Jami is anything but lost. She ego, despite her finanis the creator of Adventure cial difficulties. It was a Awaits, an award-winning family travel blog and risk. Jami reflected, “Risk-taking is huge in business. the co-founder of Savage and Wiser, a hugely suc- You have to know when and how to take risks. You cessful digital marketing agency. also need to recognize that it’s a risk, that there are A visit to the Adventure Awaits website reveals no guarantees.” stories of the travel adventures that Jami and her After attending a conference session by Duncan family have embarked upon. Blokarting (land sail- Wardle, the former head of innovation and creativing) in Ireland and river rafting in Jasper are just ity for Disney, Jami tracked him down to thank him two of the many for his inadventures Jami credible has checked off her session. bucket list. Some of A simple Jami’s adventures conversahave been untion led to planned, of course. a meeting Being chased by a in Vancoucow while on the ver and an hunt for cell service in Costa Rica, for example, or open door. Jami now runs Duncan’s social media getting a press invite to a flyover of the North Pole strategy. with the Children’s Wish Foundation, complete When asked to reflect on lessons learned along with a mid-air landing and boarding by Santa him- her journey since that fateful 30th birthday party, self. Jami’s response was thoughtful and resonated Type “Adventure Awaits” into Google and you deeply with recent changes in my own life. will notice it pops up first. This is no accident. First, find your passion and follow it relentlessly. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is part of any dig- People want to help passionate people, especially ital marketing strategy, and Jami’s digital market- if they are passionate about the same thing. ing firm, Savage and Wiser, utilizes it to its clients’ Second, be a risk-taker. Risks can open doors to benefit. The success of Savage and Wiser continues places you weren’t expecting to discover. Be wise to grow and has surpassed Jami’s initial goal of sup- in your risk-taking, but don’t let fear suffocate you. porting her travels. Finally, don’t let life pull you along its river. ReNone of this success was accidental. It resulted sponsibilities such as bills, family, health, and work from deliberate planning, risk-taking, and some se- can leave you at the bottom of the priority list. Only rious hard work. She started by defining what suc- you can make change happen in your life. cess looks like to her. Then she reverse engineered Jami’s experience of losing herself in the tide of it, determining how to get from where she was to life is not uncommon. I can relate to Jami’s story. where she wanted to be. In a financial and emo- I spent years in a successful but unfulfilling career tional leap of faith, she decided to create a travel simply by carrying on along the expected path of blog and a marketing company. The blog would my life. I am now back at school and on a completefulfill her need for adventure while spending time ly different path. I agree with Jami that passion is with her family and the marketing company would key. It fuels other important aspects of success; both finance the blog and gain her some financial namely, hard work and a willingness to take risks. independence. Her goals clear, Jami went back to I don’t know how things are going to turn out for school to earn Director of SEO and Social Media Di- me. I don’t have a great success story to share, at rector certifications to supplement her Bachelor of least not yet. But I do have something I’ve never Commerce degree. On Nov. 1, 2014 Jami simultane- had before: a passion for something. And accordously launched both businesses. ing to Jami, that’s not a bad place to start.

SCOTT MCQUARRIE

“None of this success was accidental. It resulted from deliberate planning, risktaking, and some serious hard work.”

ROBIN HALPER Life is tough and confusing and weird. We all need help sometimes, and when you need an expert opinion, you turn to an expert opiniongiver like Robin Halper. Whatever problem you’re facing in life, Robin will have a solution. The Cascade cannotguaranteetheeffectivenessof Robin’s unique approach to life, but if you’re in a jam, get some advice by writing to halp@ufvcascade.ca Balancing Act Dear Robin, Trying to be a full-time student is tough while mothering a twoyear-old. My child is constantly ripping through my notebooks and eating all assignments. My prof isn’t very sympathetic towards me and I don’t know how to deal with my chompy child. Help! Sincerely, Mothering at midnight Heyo, Wow, that sounds like a handful. I’ve raised my cat since he was a kitten so I have a pretty good grasp on what parenthood is like. When my little Chester starts eating and scratching at my furniture, I cover it all with aluminum foil. My cat is terrified of that stuff and your child probably will be too. If that doesn’t work, just leave a spray bottle filled with water near your notebooks at home so when you see the lil critter crawling towards your work, you can spray them away. It works every time.

Peer Pressure Dear Robin, I’m feeling a lot of pressure to dress and act like the rest of my peers in class. I’m a kinesiology student. All of the other kin students are constantly mixing their protein shakes and wearing sweat-wicking shirts. They all look like they just came from the gym. A bunch of them even carry their yoga mats to class. Unfortunately, I’m not athletic like that. I like to wear jeans and drink coffee with two sugars. I feel like my classmates take me less seriously because I don’t act like them. How do I gain their respect while being myself? From, Outcast in class Hey Outcast, Well, looking at the bright side, the kin students haven’t force fed you their shakes. I call that a win already. But let’s get down to business: if you don’t like wearing Adidas joggers all day like the rest of them, then I think you need to do your best to avoid the haters. Wear your jeans bluer than ever and eat your potato chips with extra crunch. Don’t give in to society’s (and Kin students’) pressure that athletic people (or those that dress in athletic gear) are superior. Frappuccino drinkers are people too. Robin

Robin

OPINION

VOL. 27 // ISSUE 06

UFV //

Student’s reading break cut short by B.C. holiday A look into UFV’s reading break and reduced weekend services on dorm and student life CALEB SILVEIRA With reading break on the horizon, there is a mounting sense of reprieve growing on campus. Finally, students, like myself, will have time to get started on that ever piling up to-do list that most of us probably have somewhere. For most, reading break is a time to relax, go on vacation, celebrate the freedoms of having time away from schooling, or to simply binge Netflix for a while. For me, it means a week of writing term papers while listening to music and podcasts. Absolutely glorious. While pre-planning my writing schedule for the break I noticed that on UFV’s event site, where reading week is posted, it lists the break as only occurring from the Tuesday (Feb. 19) to the Saturday (Feb. 23). This means that the official reading week, by UFV’s standards, skips the Monday and instead adds the Saturday to the days listed as the official reading week break. At first I thought that this was odd until I realized that the Monday is actually a provincial holiday: Family Day. This means, that UFV’s campuses are still closed on the Monday but they extend the official break period into the upcoming Saturday. UFV has done this for a few years now and will continue to do so. This works for UFV, and probably makes the university look good. By officially including the holiday Monday in the reading week break, it seems that UFV has one more day of active classes. Other universities do similar things, opting to hold their reading breaks during the week of Fam-

they do it. They exclude the Monday from the break listing. While other universities include the holiday in order to subvert how many days they are actually cutting of potential class time, UFV is blatant about it. In essence, this scheduling of reading break seems to work for UFV. The university has been using it for several years now making this hardly a new debate. The reading week scheduling benefits the majority of “Removing the university’s services on UFV students by not sacrificing addition the reading week’s saturday could make class time; however, it’s a cheeky and unor break an assignment.” fair means of undercutting students ily Day. The University of British Columbia (UBC) from their well-deserved vacadeclares on its website its reading break will run tion time. If the university chose the Family Day week from Monday through Fri- to push the break to the week of day, while Simon Fraser (SFU) will run from the Monday, Feb. 25 it would infringe Tuesday through Sunday. Kwantlen Polytechnic dangerously on midterms, but (KPU) closely follows but not quite with the Mon- why not schedule the reading day through Sunday. Many, like UBC and KPU, opt break on the week of Monday, to include the Monday holiday and bits of the Feb. 11? That way we would get weekend, while others like SFU and UFV simply a Monday truly off from classes ignore the Monday holiday and extend the offi- without the usage of a provincial break into the weekend. And those poor souls cial holiday. However, this would at British Columbia’s Institute of Technology have also mean a sacrifice of class time. no reading break, but they do have my sympathy. Either way, the struggles of reUFV isn’t doing most of us any favours by in- duced class time and pressures cluding the Saturday, as it cuts us one day short from upcoming exams loom. The of additional holiday time. In all likelihood I’ll pick only question remains: Is there up work on the stat Monday, but I’m still a little a better, more effective, way of frustrated that UFV undermines the hard work scheduling the break? of students by cutting on available holiday time. The worst of it lies in the idea that many universities do this. UFV is particularly noticeable in how

Illustration by Cory Jensen

BRIEF BITS OF BITE-SIZED BREVITY

SN S AP HO TS

CURTAILED COMMENTARY ON CURRENT CONDITIONS

Illustrations by Simer Haer

A massively multiplayer distraction I am addicted to MMOs. For the less video game inclined, MMO is short for MMORPG or massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Big names in the MMO industry include Tera, Guild Wars 2, Runescape, and most popularly, World of Warcraft. My most recent interest is ESO, otherwise known as The Elder Scrolls Online, which is the MMO rendition of the popular series including Oblivion and Skyrim. ESO received a substantial amount of backlash at the time of its release in 2014. However, since then, most of the initial bugs have been rectified, and many players are returning to the game with renewed interest.

The rising popularity of ESO has me itching to try it out, but a defining characteristic of MMOs is that they literally eat your time for breakfast. So, my burning dilemma this week is to decide whether to buy the game while it’s still on sale on Steam, effectively abandoning my schoolwork and social life for the foreseeable future, or forego my dreams of escaping the terrors of student life by immersing myself into an expansive fantasy universe where the words “term”and “paper” will never be used together in the same sentence.

Finding my place Over the course of several years at UFV, I’ve had some successes that I’m very proud of. But no amount of higher-than-expected grades or assignments that came together effortlessly can compare to the triumph I felt recently. Because I got the best parking spot on campus. I had an early class and managed to arrive before the rush. When I pulled into lot 10, I saw no end to the good options, but this spot, oh, this spot called to me like a mythical siren (but without the drowning). It was right in front of the shuttle bus stop, as

Cassie de Jong

close as possible to the SUB doors and with only one spot to the left of it, so I could leave lots of room to get out of my car. After a long day of classes, I walked back to my car, and just stopped, halfway across the basketball court, and stared in wonderment. What did I do to deserve such a gift? I took a photo of my car in that spot of pristine placement. I’m thinking of having it framed, maybe. I need to pass it on to my grandchildren, for this shall always be my greatest moment.

Jeff Mijo-Burch

Making babies useful These too bring me joy Out of sheer boredom (and mild frustration at Netflix never having what I actually want to watch), I came across Marie Kondo’s tidying up series. After one episode I was already feeling the urge to throw out literally everything in my closet, and after about three I had torn apart my entire bedroom, decluttering like a crazy person. Then I came across my bookshelf. Kondo advises parting with anything that does not, as she says, “bring you joy.” This means rarely worn clothes, old CDs, excess décor, etc. For books, Kondo personally adheres to a “30 only” rule, while

also stressing that this restriction needn’t apply to bibliophiles. I stood there, looking at my bookshelf, proud of my rapidly growing collection of fantasy, historical fiction, young adult, and gothic horror. I honestly meant to follow this process through to completion. I folded, I donated, I organized. But seeing those beautiful treasure troves so neatly stacked, I realized something: having such a wide variety of spell-binding, can’t-put-‘em-down stories is precisely what brings me joy. With books, decluttering is not an option — expansion is a necessity.

Jenny Postma

Instead of wasting fetuses, we should save them for later. Hear me out: changes to New York state’s abortion legislation consider someone alive only once they’ve been born. We should do the same. While Canada allows late-term abortions, it doesn’t exempt pre-birth babies from alive status. Not only would this make Canadian laws more progressive, it would serve a utilitarian purpose. Instead of doing the Planned Parenthood thing — sloppily salvaging for sale the few organs that don’t get ruptured — we would preserve the entire fleshy organ

bag and continue to incubate it until harvest. We’d never be short on blood or plasma either. No need to spend an hour every two months to donate. Thinking about the ethics of valuing human life, we could also just change the rules again. What if, say, after every X amount of births, one is designated for perpetual unbornness? Or maybe we use a lottery system. It would really shorten that organ waitlist. I don’t know, I’m just trying to be helpful. But we’ve got to be sure to keep the capitalists out of this one. Those sick bastards corrupt everything.

Joel Robertson-Taylor

s rethinking our buying habit . benefit ourselves and the planet

Following this, consumption snowballed, and magazines were a substantial cause of this. Ads were tailored to both men and women, subtly changing their wording to fit with cultural ideas of the time. They’re worded in such a way to make it seem that yes, you do need this product we’re advertising. Even now, ads are customized for the person viewing them; log onto Facebook and you’ll see what I mean. Though the war ended nearly 75 years ago, we continue our highspending habits. According to Sven Van de Wetering, associate professor of psychology at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), there are a couple of reasons for the increase in spending in present day, and they all involve needs. The first being basic needs: we need food to survive, and clothes to cover ourselves. But most of us want variety. Growing up in Western society, we’d get bored if we ate beans for every meal, or wore the same shirt five days in a row. We crave diversity of choice, and that’s something we’ve learned as more things become available to us. But part of the purpose of shopping is to fulfill social needs, too. As humans, we desire and need connection with others in order to live healthy and happy lives, and these relationships are affected by how we display ourselves to others. After physical needs are met, social needs in the form of approval of others are sought; this can be done through the clothes we wear, the vehicles we drive, and the devices we carry. Unfortunately, shopping goes beyond us trying to look good and gain social approval — it can also be evoked when our efforts of connection end in rejection, ridicule, or humiliation. “A lot of the time you get rejected and at some point in time you feel pain. You go to the mall, buy yourself a nice new outfit. That is both an emotional coping mechanism and an attempt to improve your social signaling abilities,” said Van de Wetering. But relationships can also positively impact our spending habits. In fact, having a number of close relationships can significantly reduce our desire to shop. And, as students, these relationships can help us get through midnight paper writing and finals without turning to shopping as a coping mechanism. “Cultivating relationships is more emotionally rewarding for most people than shopping is. There’s a fringe benefit: those are the people who typically care the least about your social status. They care about who you are, not how much money you make or what position you occupy in some obscure occupational hierarchy.” As a student, think of all the things you buy and the waste you create. Do you remember to bring your reusable mug when you stop for coffee at Fairgrounds? Do you keep your notebook after class is done for the semester, or do you toss it? Do you take a trip to the mall when you’re stressed about exams? One thing we as students can do to reduce waste at UFV is bring reusable coffee cups when we’re fueling up at Fairgrounds or Tim Hortons. At present, we’re not doing so hot. “I see some people using reusable goods, but it looks to me like a minority. I still see an awful lot of people disposing of disposable coffee cups.”

cat friesen executive editor “Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production.” No, this isn’t Apple’s secret business slogan, nor is it a window into a dystopian future where everything hinges on consumption. This is a quote from Adam Smith’s book, An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. It was published in 1776. It appears we’re following Smith’s words. According to Trading Economics, Canadians’ spending was at $1,161,382 for the third quarter of 2018, up $1,083,667 in the second quarter. Consumer spending averaged $547,967 each year from 1961 to 2018. The record low was $172,861 in 1961; the record high was the third quarter of 2018. Other than the fact that we’re blowing through our paycheques (which isn’t hard, given the combination of housing crisis and student status), our consumerism-based society has led Canada to be one of the highest waste-producing nations in the world. According to the CBC, the Conference Board of Canada ranked Canada as 15 out of 17 developing nations in regards to environmental efficiency standards. Len Coad, the Conference Board’s director of energy says this is due in part to Canada’s large land mass and the necessity for natural resources, but our inefficiency in using these resources is an issue as well. The rise in consumer society began after the Second World War and the Great Depression. After it was no longer necessary to adhere to a strict budget and make do with what one had, identity shifted from how much one made to how much one bought. This was especially true for wives: they moved from being expected to be thrifty and make ends meet to being household managers of funds — this is likely why many ads were targeted at wives and mothers.

Of course, we may have reasons for this. According to Van de Wetering, part of the problem is that, as students, we’re already trying to maintain our regular functioning while juggling classes, work, and social lives. Trying to remember to grab our reusable cups on the way out the door when we’re already frazzled just isn’t on our radar. Another thing we can do: find alternate coping mechanisms for dealing with stress that don’t involve shopping. The Government of Canada has a very practical solution to this: identify the stressor, think of ways you can lower the impact of the problem, and take action. But sometimes, the solution isn’t as clear-cut. Let’s say you’re stressed about exams — you can’t just say “No thank you, I’ll pass.” But what you can do is go for a walk, talk with friends and family, paint, write, or read — all proven ways to reduce stress levels. But if we do find ourselves itching to spend money in order to get that feel-good rush (thanks to neurotransmitters released in the brain when we buy something), the next best thing we can do is spend money on experiences, rather than physical objects. “Luxuries that take the form of experiences tend to be more enjoyed than luxuries that you bought and take home,” said Van de Wetering. In present day, humans value experiences more than things. According to Forbes, physical objects — clothes, kitchen items, vehicles — represented specific life milestones. Now, experiences — going to a concert with friends, spending the day at the beach — are more valuable because it’s a way to build community. (This circles back to the importance of close relationships.) We don’t need extra stuff piling up; we need to build memorable experiences with the people we’re close with. David Suzuki, much like Forbes, presents an interesting idea in Huffington Post: a consumerism-based society is outdated. During the Great Depression, items were made to last because people couldn’t afford to

go out and buy a new winter jacket every season, or a new toaster because your old one doesn’t match the colour of your kitchen. What they already owned needed to endure. But with the end of World War II and the Great Depression, this need for items to persevere diminished. Suzuki says that throw-away or disposable clothing is planned to be as such. If something is cheap and easy to wear through, you’re more likely to go out and buy something new to replace it when it in-

terials which causes environmental damage; transporting materials causes damage through greenhouse gas emissions through transport devices. Many of the things actually use electricity or gasoline or you know, various energy sources that some way or another contribute to climate change. And then when you dispose of them, they poison the water,” said Van de Wetering. Have you received a package from Amazon lately? Did you noticed the unnecessary layers of paper and

evitably rips. And if it doesn’t, well, everything is so cheap that you don’t feel bad about donating it and buying something new anyway. Unfortunately, fast fashion brands are thriving. Forever 21’s Bangladesh-based warehouses aren’t protected by the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety — because the execs refuse to sign. H&M refuses to pay factory workers living wages. I’m sure you’ve heard of the garment warehouse collapse in Rana Plaza that killed 1,000 garment workers and injured another 2,500? Five years later, it’s still a problem. Fast fashion isn’t the only problem: the Guardian reports that Amazon allegedly treats its workers poorly; they’re overworked, underpaid, subject to “frivolous disciplinary action.” Injuries aren’t dealt with, and bathroom breaks aren’t allowed. Aside from the exceptionally unethical behaviour of these companies (and, you know, the death and suffering of thousands of people), there’s the environmental impact. Polyester is a common fabric used by fast fashion brands. Polyester sheds tiny plastic fibres that seep into the ocean that aren’t isn’t biodegradable, and neither are most household items. And the environmental effects are staggering. “Making this stuff typically involves mining ma-

plastic shrouding your items? When we throw away our clothes and their packaging (or broken toasters, or old microwaves), they don’t decompose; they sit in landfills — or the ocean. “A lovely statistic they were trotting out a couple of years ago was that by 2050 the mass of plastic in the oceans will be greater than the mass of fish. It’s pretty disturbing. And of course that plastic is mostly plastic that was used to wrap consumer products,” said Van de Wetering. One potential solution to our over-consuming is the third R: recycle. The good news: you can recycle pretty much everything that’s made of paper, plastic, or glass. You can also donate your gently used clothing and household items to donation centres (think Value Village or MCC for us Fraser Valley folk). And according to Recycle B.C.’s 2017 report, 174,942 tonnes of recycling was collected, and Recycle B.C. stops at 1,390,000 homes throughout the province. The bad news: only 38 per cent of B.C. residents are aware that Recycle B.C. exists. So, while 174,942 tonnes of recycling sounds like a lot, it’s likely not. And Recycle B.C. doesn’t take clothing, furniture, or household items. One cool, albeit challenging, alternative to our consumer-based society is the zero waste movement,

which is exactly as it sounds: you remove anything from your life that causes waste. (Note: “remove” does not mean throw out. “Remove” means recycle, donate, or repurpose.) You use reusable mugs instead of getting paper cups at coffee shops, you take your own containers to the grocery store and fill up in the bulk section — whatever you do, don’t buy plastic water bottles. Yes, it takes a conscious effort to live this way. But that’s what Zero Waste Canada (ZWC) and other online initiatives are for. ZWC is a non-profit that helps people — you guessed it — reduce the amount of waste they produce. They hold events, run campaigns, and have a list of educational resources on their website, all in order to bring awareness to the growing consumerism and waste problem we’re facing. Think about it: what would UFV look like as a zero-waste campus? The cafeteria would have to overhaul all their products, switching all containers to compostable models; students would need to bring their own containers if they wanted anything from Fairgrounds; the bookstore would need to ban all plastic from their products. But zero waste isn’t for everyone. In fact, it isn’t for most people, and that’s okay — it takes a lot of work (especially for an institution as large as UFV), and the result is that you’ll likely miss out on a lot of things you enjoyed before. And that, according to Van de Wetering, is the worst thing you can do when trying to promote a greener planet, and may do more harm than good. “Frankly, asking people to significantly decrease their quality of life in order to protect the environment is a total nonstarter. It’s necessary, but it's the absolute political kiss of death.” Talking about reducing shopping and, by extension, lessening the waste we produce isn’t about selling all your belongings and refusing to buy anything ever again. In fact, Van de Wetering believes reducing waste shouldn’t impact your daily living much at all. “We still can enjoy a reasonably high quality of life while still protecting the environment. I think that's the end game. I hope it's possible and I hope we do it. But we’re not all going to move into yurts and eat nothing but wild rice for the rest of our lives.” Maybe not, but there are things we can do: find healthy coping alternatives that don’t involve shopping, focus on relationships and experiences over things, use reusable over plastic when possible, educate ourselves. Reducing our consumption and waste doesn’t have to be a challenge, but it is something that needs to be done. Yes, think of the changes you make as saving money and reducing waste. But also think of it as doing your part to keep the Earth clean, of swapping stuff for connection, of making a difference. Consumer society saw a spike at the end of the Second World War, and 75 years later, we’re continuing the pattern; but we don’t need to. In some ways, consumption is necessary, but overconsumption is a multi-faceted problem. As students and as the next generation, it’s time we analyze our buying habits and ask ourselves the question: “Do I really need this?”

LEGEND:

The Cascade Community Events are in UFV Events are in Music Events are in Art Events are in Cultural Events are in

Blue Green Red Purple Yellow

Note:

Some of these events require tickets, most are on Facebook. If something catches your eye, take to the internet for more details.

Feb 13

Feb 17

Graphic Design Dept. Doughnut Sale: NYC Study Tour Fundraiser @ Breezeway (Outside, between buildings A & B) (Abbotsford Campus) 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

West Coast Seeds Presentation in the Moozanine @ Eco Dairy (Abbotsford), 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Valentine’s Day Print Sale @ Library Rotunda (Abbotsford Campus), 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. UFV Hiring Fair @ CEP A Building Atrium (Chilliwack Campus), 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Scholarly Sharing Initiative: Indigenous Stories, Reflections @ Room F125 U House (Abbotsford Campus), 1:00 - 2:30 p.m Ballet Jorgen Pointe Shoe Clinic @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, 4:30 - 5:15 p.m. Ballet Jorgen 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Masterclass

Chilliwack

Cultural

Centre,

I Love Agriculture Workshop: Beeswax Candle Making @ Eco Dairy (Abbotsford), 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Feb 14

Spirit of the People Family Day Powwow @ Chilliwack Secondary School, 1:00 - 7:00 p.m. Charcuterie Taste & Learn Workshop with Ryan Heise @ Eco Dairy (Abbotsford), 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Murfitt and Main 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Tractorgrease

Cafe

(Chilliwack),

Feb 18 The Zaniac @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. PNT Watercolours w/ Nan @ House of Fine Art (Abbotsford), 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.

Feb 19 National Geographic: Gender Revolution Movie Screening @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Ashland Endowment: Marcus Youssef Guest Talk @ Room D105 (Abbotsford Campus), 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Art Night: Old Book Craft @ Fraser Valley Regional Library (Mission), 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

UFV Hiring Fair @ Library Rotunda (Abbotsford Campus), 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

House of Fine Art (Abbotsford), 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Ashland Endowment: Marcus Youssef Student Workshop @ Room D105 (Abbotsford Campus), 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.

10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

People in Motion @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, 2:00 - 5:30 p.m. Coppélia: A Comedy of Love @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, 7:30 - 10:00 p.m.

Feb 20 Life Drawing Studio Session 2 w/ instructor Jesse Klassen @ Feb 22 Watercolour Intensive @ The Reach Gallery Museum (Abbotsford), Eryn Robertson @ Acoustic Emporium (Chilliwack), 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. Queen Nation @ Clarke Theatre (Mission), 7:30 p.m.

Feb 15

The Pink Floyd Experience @ Abbotsford Centre, 8:00 - 11:00 p.m.

Reel Change: Rabbit Proof Fence @ The Reach Gallery Museum (Abbotsford), 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.

Feb 23

Air Stranger w/ Koalala @ Captain’s Cabin Pub (Mission), 9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.

New + Used Marketplace @ 45855 Promontory Road (Chilliwack), 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Raccoon Deathmatch 9:00 - 12:00 a.m.

Pet Lover Show @ Tradex (Abbotsford), 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Tractorgrease

Cafe

(Chilliwack),

Feb 16 Open Mosque Day @ Abbotsford Islamic Centre, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Spirit of the People Family Day Powwow @ Chilliwack Secondary School, 1:00 - 7:00 p.m. Not Your Typical Canadian Block Party Vol. 2 @ The Reach Gallery Museum (Abbotsford), 6:30 - 11:00 p.m.

Urban Homesteading Series: Macrame Workshop @ FVRL Chilliwack Library, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Virtual Reality Experience @ FVRL - Abbotsford Community Library, 12:30 - 4:30 p.m. Watercolour: Simplifying Trees w/ Glenn @ House of Fine Art (Abbotsford), 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

4th Annual Fraser Valley Youth Society Hero’s Gala @ The Stage in Mission, 5:00 - 11:59 p.m.

Life Writing Workshop @ The Reach Gallery Museum (Abbotsford), 1:00 - 4:30 p.m.

10th Annual Valley Wine Festival @ Best Western (Chilliwack), 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Moonshine & Murder: A Murder Mystery Event @ The Stage in Mission, 5:30 - 11:59 p.m.

CR Avery @ Tractorgrease Cafe (Chilliwack), 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. LDThrills / Myriad of Whispers / Nelson Padilla @ SippChai (Abbotsford), 8:00 p.m. - Midnight

CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2019

UFV Event //

IQ is just a number

Intelligent Lives shows the value of the intellectually disabled

UFV Event //

Everything you missed UFV’s CPHR networking event takes place at U-House JESSICA LEINS

ALEISTER GWYNNE Last Tuesday saw the second screening within Canada of Intelligent Lives, a film directed by Dan Habib, at the Chilliwack campus auditorium. The film was presented by a partnership of the UFV Library Association and the TASK force for employment, which seeks to secure gainful employment for those with mental challenges, which is a major theme of the film. Habib was motivated to make Intelligent Lives by the experience of Jesse, who had cerebral palsy. Unable to speak or walk, people assumed that Jesse was unintelligent, or at least could not contribute in any meaningful way to society. Yet with the help of a computer to communicate, Jesse proved them wrong by excelling in Latin and writing beautiful poetry. Unfortunately, Jesse is not alone in being dismissed by “normal” society. The film goes into some detail about the history of IQ (Intelligence Quotient) testing and treatment of the mentally handicapped. The IQ test was invented by Dr. Alfred Binet in the early 20th century. Binet believed that intelligence was fluid, and he devised the test in part to help gauge peoples’ starting abilities so they could be brought up to speed. Around the same time, those considered mentally challenged were being sent to so-called training schools, which attempted to help the handicapped integrate into society. Unfortunately, in the early to mid-20th century, the ideology of eugenics became popular, and began to inform government and medical policy.. The “mentally retarded” were seen as lost causes and burdens to society and were frequently “warehoused” in mental hospitals where they were often kept in inhumane conditions. The film does not shy away from the horrifying reality of this. Thankfully, activism on the part of both the handicapped and their allies has turned the tide back toward helping the disabled find a place in the world. Unfortunately, intolerant attitudes and outdated practices remain, and life is not easy for those who

are noticeably different. The bulk of the film follows the lives of three young adults, Naieer, Naomi, and Micah, each of whom has their own set of challenges. Each of them has hopes and dreams. Naieer, who has autism, is a burgeoning artist who hopes to go to college. He also has an IQ of less than 40, which should supposedly render him non-functional, but he is clearly anything but. Naomi is a young woman with Down syndrome who is hoping to find a job that will be a good fit and satisfying to her. Her friendliness and good cheer should surely count for something, since those traits are highly valued in today’s society. Yet perhaps most striking are Micah’s goals in life. He hopes to find a girlfriend, settle down, have a family — things that so many of us desire. Following the screening there was a question-and-answer period, in which presenters and attendees shared their thoughts on the subject. One commenter pointed out that our definitions of disability are arbitrary; for example, most of us would not think of someone who wears glasses as disabled, but someone who needs a hearing aid probably would be. Another commenter introduced the term “diversabilities,” to describe people with special needs, but also potentially special talents. Other comments focused on the barriers the intellectually disabled face in the workplace. The practice of crosstraining, for instance, which insists that employees be able to perform all possible roles in a workplace disadvantages anyone who struggles in one or more areas. Alyson Seale, associate professor and TASK program instructor at UFV, and the MC for the event, said that “Employers are unwilling to come out of their comfort zone” to give training and consideration to those who need it. The central takeaway from Intelligent Lives is that no matter how smart some antiquated test may say you are, everyone deserves a place in society where they can live in dignity and happiness.

culture@ufvcascade.ca Cassie de Jong — Culture Editor

Interested in a career in the human resources field, but couldn’t make it to the Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) networking event held at the Abbotsford campus U-House on Feb. 5? Or maybe you didn’t hear about it? No worries, we’ve got you covered. There were four panel members who attended the event: Ms. Marnie Wright, associate vice president of human resources, UFV; Ms. Sofia Arisheh, principal, UpSkill Consulting; Ms. Kirstin Zehnder, human resources director, Otter Co-op; and Ms. Caitlin O’Donoghue, human resources coordinator, TYCROP Trailers, who each answered a series of questions that were posed by two UFV HR student representatives, Revine Gill & Sharisse Birk. If you’re interested in what they had to say, then continue reading. Common challenges experienced when entering the field of HR A common challenge experienced when entering the field of HR is trying to figure out the career path options that are available. You don’t need to have a business degree to branch out into HR. This is where networking can be helpful, as well as keeping in touch with past professors. If networking is something that makes you nervous, then seeing a professional coach is something that may be helpful. Recommendations to build HR experience while still in school Building HR experience while still in school can be very beneficial to get a jump start on your career. These experiences could be gaining skills in customer service, training, joining a mentorship program, or volunteering, such as with New Student Orientation. However, a strong recommendation is

to take the National Knowledge Exam (NKE). In Canada, the NKE is a certifying exam administered by the Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations. It is the first step that an individual must take in order to obtain their Certified Human Resources Professional designation. This can help to give you a baseline on your knowledge, as it confirms what you know. Helpful skills in HR It comes as no surprise that conflict resolution skills were one of the most cited helpful skills in HR. There was laughter among the panellists as they agreed that they love a hot mess! However, not all hot messes are fun. Knowing how to navigate political minefields is helpful, as well as finding balance between the business side and the people side. This is also where having confidence in yourself and your abilities comes into play. Challenges when working with a team There are always challenges when working with a team. One of the panel member’s personal challenges when she started out in HR, was that it felt like a man’s world. She had to find her inner strength and insert herself in the workplace. Others compared it to working on a group project, and how there is always one or two people who don’t contribute. In this case, it is important to learn how to navigate that, and find what everyone can offer. (Maybe there is a purpose to the dreaded group projects after all.) Other advice that was given was to understand your own role, recognize boundaries, be respectful, and pick up on cues. How business automation and artificial intelligence will impact the workplace and what HR professionals are doing to prepare

The panel of HR professionals felt that AI could actually assist them to perform their jobs more effectively. In fact, there is actually AI operating right now that helps to predict better hires that will bring long-term value. Even though there is this fear of losing human interaction, the panel felt that there will always be a need for face-to-face interactions, as there is no replacement for picking up on social cues. Some HR professionals feel that bringing in more AI for tasks such as payroll would actually free up some time to engage in more face-to-face interaction. How to find jobs in HR Finding jobs in HR may come from connections made while gaining experience in school, which is also a way of networking. The panellists recommended volunteering as a way to get work experience, as transferable skills are very valuable, as well as gaining interpersonal and communication skills, learning to be a team player, and getting a well-written resume and cover letter. Other very important recommendations were to include a “Highlights of Qualifications” section on your resume, to join an auxiliary pool, and to take temporary jobs as a way to break into the field of HR. How to stand out with automation Standing out with automation isn’t as difficult as you would think. As previously mentioned, the panellists recommended including a “Highlights of Qualifications” section at the top, and to be concise with it. Another way is to pick out frequently used or keywords from the job ad. The Career Centre at UFV (third floor of SUB) can help with your resume and cover letter, as well as job search skills, work experience, interview skills, and more.

CULTURE

VOL. 27 // ISSUE 06

UFV Event //

Exchanging blood Home town hero for Oreos 109 donations made at this year’s blood drive ANDREA SADOWSKI Do you ever have those days where you feel as if you have too much blood in your body? Donating blood to Canadian Blood Services can help you with that. On Wednesday, Feb. 6, 109 students, staff, and community

for people who have ever handled monkeys or their bodily fluids. Out of the 133 potential donors who came out on Wednesday, 24 were turned away for various reasons. Once you have passed the questionnaire, you enter a cubicle to get your hemoglobin, blood pressure, and temperature all tested, ensuring you are in top condition to donate nearly half a litre of blood. Finally, you are ushered to a reclining chair, your arm is sterilized, and with a pinch, a needle is injected into a blue vein and blood slowly drains into a bag beside you. For about 10 minutes you must distract yourself on your phone or with a friend until the bag is full. Now that you’ve given blood you are free to eat all the snacks and drink all the juice your heart desires! One surefire way to get broke students to support any cause or come to any meeting is to provide free food. A little blood is a small price to pay for endless Oreos and mango juice. “Since blood has a limited shelf life, demand is constant. Every minute of every day, a patient in Canada needs blood,” Dominguez said. “We need more donors to maintain a strong national inventory of blood and blood products to meet patients’ needs.” Men are eligible to donate every 56 days and women every 84 days, so the donation of blood doesn’t have to be an annual activity. Find out where the closest clinic is near you at www. blood.ca, and help save a life. Overall, an impressive amount of students sacrificed 45 minutes of their time to give 450 ml of blood. How much free food would it take for people to come out for a bone marrow drive?

“Since blood has a limited shelf life, demand is constant. Every minute of every day, a patient in Canada needs blood.” members had their blood syphoned out of them in Evered Hall, according to Marcelo Dominguez, strategic communications manager of Canadian Blood Services. Giving blood is not as simple as you would believe: you can’t just walk in, reveal a beautiful vein in the crook of your arm, and pour your blood into a bag. You must first answer a seemingly endless stream of questions about your medical, travel, and personal history, to ensure Canadian Blood Services are not receiving blood that could be dangerous to recipients. As part of the requirements, potential donors are required wait a year to donate if they have travelled to certain parts of Mexico, or are a man who has had sex with other men within the last year. They also must not have had a tattoo or piercing done within the last three months, or dental work within the past two days. Potential donors can never donate if they have ever exchanged sex for money or have injected street drugs, for they are deemed as too high a risk of HIV contamination. The same goes

Canadian women’s soccer medalist Sophie Schmidt receives honorary UFV doctorate ALEXANDRA JOHNSON This past Friday, Feb. 8, the University of the Fraser Valley honoured local sports hero and two-time Olympic bronze medalist Sophie Schmidt. The university celebrated Schmidt’s accomplishments by presenting her with an honorary doctorate. The now-of ficial Dr. Schmidt began the evening with a meet and greet, socializing with the UFV women’s soccer team and some of the faculty. Dr. Schmidt was accompanied by her husband Nick, and family. Dr. Schmidt began her soccer career at the age of eight in Abbotsford. She played for various teams and leagues in British Columbia and graduated highschool from W.J. Mouat Senior Secondary. Dr. Schmidt went to university in Portland, and continued to play soccer throughout school. She went on to play in Germany for some time, and eventually returned to play for team Canada. When asked about the experience of coming back to her hometown to receive this great honour, Dr. Schmidt spoke of how special it was for her. “The people that influenced my life, the coaches I had, [along with] the experiences I had in high school” she said were all a part of her success story. Dr. Schmidt remembered her experiences at the 2012 Olympics. The determination of her team is an inspiration: “Before the tournament we were last place. In the previous world cup, we had a new coach, and were still in the process of finding our new identity. Then we lost against the U.S.” Dr. Schmidt didn’t let that loss get her down, having Canadians rallying and supporting the team helped them pull through, bringing home the bronze medal for Canada. However, they didn’t stop there: during the 2016 Rio Olympics, Dr. Schmidt and her team did it all over again. She joked that she wished they had brought home a different colour this time, but “you can’t take the Olympics for granted.” It was also a first Olympic medal for some of the other girls on the team. Dr.Schmidt initially “saw [soccer] as a means to get a scholarship,” but once she was in it and had made the national team, she decided to fully commit to it. Dr. Schmidt doesn’t take her education for granted, and knows that she will always have her degree. Her parting words were advice for university athletes. “It’s definitely not easy; time management is the biggest thing. It can be tough, but at the same time make the most of it, because these university years are an experience you will never regret.” After the meet and greet, Dr. Schmidt was whisked

away to prepare for the upcoming ceremony. Evered Hall was packed with young sports fans and families, eager for the opportunity to talk to Dr. Schmidt. The ceremony began with a welcome from Sto:lo Nation, before master of ceremonies Dr. Alisa Webb addressed the room. Joined by Dr. Joanne McaLean, president and vice-chancellor of the University of the Fraser Valley, and other distinguished faculty, they presented Dr. Sophie Schmidt with her official honorary doctorate. Dr. Schmidt then addressed the room, giving some lasting words of wisdom to the young fans present. “Who could have imagined a little girl from Abbotsford, playing in three world cups, three Olympics, winning two bronze medals (even though I wish they weren’t the same colour). Making a professional career out of soccer, and still going strong. It’s crazy; it’s a dream. It all starts with a person and a dream and that’s when the fun begins... It’s not always easy. It took a lot of hard work, dedication, and sacrifices … The biggest lesson I learned along the way is to be comfortable being uncomfortable. This is where the good stuff happens.” Dr. Schmidt accredits her accomplishments to her ability to be able to push through these uncomfort-

“What have you done today that’s made you uncomfortable?”

Sophie Schmidt. (UFV flickr)

able situations. She ended her speech with a challenge to the crowd. “What have you done today that’s made you uncomfortable? What will you do tomorrow to keep growing as a person?” After the ceremony, Dr. Schmidt and Dr. MacLean took

“What will you do tomorrow to keep growing as a person?” some time to answer questions. With some initial hesitation, and some prompting by their parents, a line up of young people formed in front of the microphone. Eager and smiling, many budding soccer fans got an opportunity to ask their idol questions about soccer, coaches, and life. Dr. Schmidt answered every question with humility and patience. It’s not very often we get the opportunity to honour someone for their accomplishments. Dr. Schmidt was truly an inspiration to all who attended.

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2019

sports@ufvcascade.ca The Cascade — Sports Editor

Wrestling //

Cascades continue national level excellence at Canada West Championships The Cascades showcase incredible growth as a team ALEX JESUS This past weekend was no ordinary tournament for the Cascades wrestling squad, but the brief five-year history of the program has been anything but ordinary. Contrary to the commonly-held belief that programs take many years to build and develop, in less than half a decade UFV has produced multiple national

“UFV found their rhythm, winning 8 of 11 matches.” champions, as well as conference champions and medalists in both categories. On Friday and Saturday, UFV took on the always-competitive Calgary Dinos, Saskatchewan Huskies, and Alberta Pandas/ Golden Bears. While team wins eluded the hometown Cascades, individual performances provided more than enough positivity in what turned out to be a very successful weekend.

On Friday, UFV first faced the Calgary Dinos. The Dinos exceeded the Cascades in sheer numbers, but UFV found their rhythm, winning 8 of 11 matches. The women’s side of the Cascades squad fielded less competitors, resulting in the Dinos winning the day 18-10, but the men’s athletes’ rosters were closer in size, leading to a 29-21 win for UFV. Though a leg injury forced the Cascades’ 100kg competitor Jason Bains out of competition, the men won seven of eight matches. Pins and Techs highlighted the day for the men’s side, with Simren Brar, Parker McBride, De’Andre Williams, Karan Dhillon, and Brad Hildenbrandt all winning their matches within the contest time limit. Ali Rahguzar also performed well but wound up losing from a close decision in his 61kg match. On the women’s team, Calista Espinosa received a bye for the matchup, while Amber Wiebe fought hard only to suffer a close defeat of 6-4. The decorated Ana Godinez Gonzalez continued to impress, as she teched her opponent 11-0. The second day was much longer and

more hard-fought. UFV faced both Saskatchewan and Alberta in back-to-back duals Saturday, which quickly turned into a race to the podium. The end result? A whopping 11 championship medals for the Cascades. The golds went to team captain and standout Hildenbrandt, Godinez Gonzalez who did not give up a single point in the tournament, and Williams who upgraded his silver medal from the year prior. The women had two silver medalists, Wiebe and Espinosa, while the men had four: Brar, McBride, Dhillon, and Benning. Rahguzar and Amarvir Atwal took home bronze, rounding out a very successful weekend for the Cascades. Though the Cascades men’s team placed third and the women’s team placed fourth, there were silver linings. Cascades heavyweight Hildenbrandt claimed UFV’s first-ever Canada West men’s wrestler of the year award for his pin and two techs. Now the Cascades will have to rally together for their toughest challenge of the year: Nationals. The U SPORTS national championships will take place at the University of Calgary on Feb. 22 and 23.

UFV Cascades Sports Scores Feb. 7 – Feb. 9 2019 Men’s Basketball Game/Date: UFV Versus UNBC Feb. 7, 2019 Result: Win (67-59

Women’s Basketball Game/Date: UFV Versus VICTORIA Feb. 8, 2019 Result: Loss (61-80)

Men’s Basketball //

Cascades defeat Timberwolves for their first playoff win UNBC comes out full throttle against UFV, but it’s not enough ALEX JESUS When the Cascades hosted the Timberwolves earlier in their 2018-19 campaign, they swept them as part of their large mid-season win streak. This past Thursday, the Timberwolves were eager to show that they had not forgotten the defeats handed to them by UFV, and came out ready to pull off the upset. The first quarter tipped off and right away it was evident the name of the game that night was defence. Neither team shot particularly well, but the Cascades lost on offence. Managing to only make four shots in the first quarter for a field goal

Cascades basketball. (Dan Kinvig, UFV athletics

percentage of 21.1 per cent, UFV was in trouble. They rebounded well, and the turnovers weren’t too lopsided, but the lack of offence translated to a 17-10 score for UNBC at the end of the first frame. The second quarter showed promise, but it was marginal. UFV and UNBC began to score more efficiently, but the Timberwolves did so with much greater success (60.0 per cent compared to the Cascades 33.3 per cent). Parm Bains’ confidence was not shaken and he continued shooting despite the team’s scoring woes, scoring at 30 per cent. When UFV called a timeout in the second quarter, the score read 1225 for the Timberwolves. It was safe to say UNBC was on the way to a massive upset win: the halftime score read 38-26 and UFV went off to the locker room knowing they had to turn the game around in a big way if they were going to beat the determined and focused UNBC squad that night. In the third quarter, the Cascades showcased a turnaround nothing short of inspiring. They not only tightened up their defence even more, but also began scoring much more efficiently. The dynamic duo of Sukhman Sandhu and Parm Bains emerged as the game’s one-two punch, both showing impressive offence from outside and inside. UFV pulled ahead in the rebounding department, and Nav

Bains showed his senior experience by being a big defensive presence. UNBC shot 16.7 per cent from the field; a surprisingly low percentage due in large part to the Cascades’ defensive performance. The fourth quarter, if nothing else, showed everyone in attendance why the Cascades are unique. Seniors Andrew Morris and Nav Bains helped close out the game for UFV, while Sukhman and Parm continued to display excellent offensive play. UFV’s defence was particularly impressive, as they held UNBC to a ridiculously low 15.4 per cent field goal percentage. It was truly a game of two halves; UFV struggled early but showed up when it mattered most in the second half of the game, winning 67-59. Coach Adam Friesen was quoted after the game giving props to senior Nav Bains for his leadership skills that helped propel the team to victory. “Although everyone played a big part in it, I think we can single out Nav as being the leader who sets a high standard for everyone on the court,” Friesen said to Dan Kinvig, UFV Athletics communications coordinator. UFV will now head to UBC to face their toughest test of the playoffs so far: a three-game road series versus the UBC Thunderbirds taking place on Feb. 14–16.

“The Cascades showcased a turnaround nothing short of inspiring.”

Men’s Volleyball Game/Date: UFV Versus DOUGLAS Feb. 7, 2019 Result: Loss (0-3) Game/Date: UFV Versus DOUGLAS Feb. 8, 2019 Result:

Loss (1-3)

Women’s Volleyball Game/Date: UFV Versus DOUGLAS Feb. 7, 2019 Result: Loss (0-3) Game/Date: UFV Versus DOUGLAS Feb. 8, 2019 Result: Loss (0-3)

Canada West Wrestling Championships Date: Feb. 8–9, 2019 Women Result: 4th

Men Result: 3rd

STUDY BREAK

VOL. 27 // ISSUE 06

Column //

Sudoku //

Cascade Kitchen: Fried Rice and Egg

Fried rice. (Chandy Dancey)

CHANDY DANCEY The Cascade Kitchen is a student-run food column that brings you budgetfriendly recipes and cooking tips. Check back weekly for something new to try in the kitchen, or if you want to see your own recipe featured next, get started by reaching out to cassie@ufvcascade.ca. There’s a point around the first midterms of the semester where it becomes hard to justify devoting time to cooking rather than studying, especially when you’re tired after a long day and it gets dark at 5 p.m. I speak from experience when I say that it’s easy to make a habit of sitting back and ordering takeout in the name of hitting the books, but I’ve also found that replicating fried rice and egg at home actually takes very little effort. It’s a dish that can be the main star of a meal or just a side, and the added bonus is that it uses only one pot which cuts down on clean up. This recipe gives a lot of freedom, so feel free to get creative with your veggies and sauce! Fried Rice and Egg Ready in: 25 minutes. Serves: 6 Ingredients 3-4 eggs Splash of water 15 ml (1 tbsp) of oil for egg cooking plus 30-44 ml (2-3 tbsp) for veggies 1 medium onion, chopped 3 cloves of garlic, chopped 200 ml (1/2 can) of peas and carrots, drained 946 ml (4 cups) of cold, cooked rice 59 ml (4 tbsp) soy sauce Pepper to taste 4 green onions, chopped (You can use both the white and the green part!) Instructions 1. In a small bowl beat your eggs together with a splash of water. No, you won’t have watery eggs. It just increases fluffiness! 2. Warm your oil in a large pan before adding your egg. You can scramble them, or cook as an omelette and cut into strips. When they’re cooked to your liking remove them from the pan. 3. Warm your 2-3 tablespoons of oil in the same pan before adding your onion and garlic. Cook until translucent. If you want to add any other veggies, now’s the time. 4. Add your cold rice, peas and carrots, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Stir to incorporate and toss continuously for 5 minutes, adjusting spices and soy sauce to your liking. 5. Stir in the egg and green onions and enjoy!

LAST ISSUE’S ANSWERS:

YOU WANT NUMBERS? WE’VE GOT NUMBERS!

Fabulous Facts: Grapes Fabulous facts is a weekly installment where we consider a specific thing/theme each week and list some neat knowledge about it! Want to try your own? Email Cassie at cassie@ufvcascade.ca with your ideas!

3. Ruby Roman Grapes, a rare variety of the globe-shaped fruit, have sold for as high as one million yen at auction. This equals out to about $8,200, or $315 per grape. Yikes!

1. Know someone at risk of a heart attack (or just want to play it safe yourself)? Grapes increase levels of nitric acid in the blood, which helps prevent blood clots. Lower levels of blood clots = lower risk of heart problems!

4. Bet you didn’t know grapes are swimming with vitamin C. One serving (about the size of your palm) of grapes gives you 27 per cent of your daily intake. With this knowledge, you can now forego the unpleasantness of drinking orange juice before brushing your teeth.

2. Do you consider yourself a grape addict? Perhaps consider moving to China: in 2016, China produced over 9,600,000 tonnes of grapes. (For perspective, a small car weighs about one tonne. Now imagine 9.6 million of them.)

5. It appears that grapes are growing on us. In 1970, the average person consumed 2.9 pounds of grapes per year. As of 2009, that number has grown to 7.9 pounds. Now if only they weren’t so expensive.

Cat Friesen

STUDY BREAK

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Crossword //

Made by Cassie de Jong

ACROSS

DOWN

1: In drawing or graphics, an area shaded by intersecting sets of parallel lines.

2: A recurring habit or schedule, such as a diet, done for the promotion or restoration of health.

5: A hormone secreted in conditions of stress, increasing rates of blood circulation, breathing, and preparing muscles for exertion. 6: Something that is the direct opposite of something else. 7: A flat, circular, spongy bread roll made from yeast dough, that is popularly used for breakfast sandwiches. 10: An international style of art, architecture, and decorative art, that was most popular between 1890 and 1910. 11: A place where people (generally men or individuals with short hair) go for a haircut or a shave. 12: An amusement park ride that consists of a light railroad track with many fast turns and possible loops.

3: An embankment surrounding the perimeter of Stanley Park. 4: An estimate made without sufficient information. 8: An embarrassing or tactless act or remark in a social situation. 9: A statement or bill for a list of goods or services provided. 10: Fossilized resin produced by extinct coniferous trees, typically yellowish in colour, and may contain preserved insects.

LAST ISSUE’S

ANSWERS:

Across: 1: Prime Meridian 4: Memento Mori 6: Rococo 7: Triple Sec 8: Delphi 9: Observatory 10: Robert Redford

Down: 1: Primary Colour 2: Retro 3: Neighbourhood 4: Maritimes 5: Objectify 8: Divot

Illustration by Elyssa English

Horoscopes //

Astrological mysteries interpreted weekly by Morgana the Mystic

Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19 The mid-semester slump seems to be hitting you hard right now, Aries. It will require you to work non-stop. Remain as calm as you’re able to while you work through the worst of it. Tamp down on any frustration you feel; now is not the time to be rash

Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22 Last-minute changes are your specialty, Leo, and this week is full of them. You won’t find yourself troubled by this enforced spontaneity but do try to warn others before you interrupt their plans, as some people aren’t as willing to play things by ear. They’ll bounce back with some of your patented charm, though.

Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20 You seem to be caught up in everything but the present lately. This week will give you plenty of opportunities to move on from the past, and it would be wise to take them before you get too overwhelmed. Don’t be afraid to consult others if you get stuck.

Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22 Don’t be afraid to push yourself. Test out some new boundaries and let your opinions amplify as you pursue what you want. Discouragement will only come from inside yourself and listening to it will impede your goals. Be brave and let your workaholic nature take over

Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20 Distracted? Your responsibilities are piling up faster than you can deal with them, and it doesn’t help that there are other things you wish you could focus on. Your natural adaptability and quick-thinking should help you craft a new schedule that is the perfect balance between what you want to do and what you should do

Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22 Your biggest worry shouldn’t be what to do on Valentine’s Day, Libra. You can be a bit scatterbrained at the best of times but try to stick to a schedule as things are about to get a little hectic for you. Try not to ignore things in favour of people; a bit of self-imposed isolation would do your work ethic some good

Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22 While no one should be advocating for a bit of procrastination, it certainly wouldn’t hurt for you to prioritize your friends and family. Spend some time with the people you care about, Cancer; their company will energize and inspire you to pursue new things.

Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21 Shake up your routine this week. Things that have become stale and unappealing should be considered salvageable but their loss won’t be detrimental should you decide to try something completely different. Be honest with others about the changes you want to see in your life — they’ll listen.

Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21 Prepare to be underwhelmed in the best way possible. Things are slowing down for you and you should embrace this lull. A little downtime will encourage introspection. This in turn should supply you with some new ideas for when you no doubt get restless. Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19 Look out for plans made impulsively. You’re not one to forgo a game plan, but you might be growing disenchanted with your usual tactics. This could lead to some unnecessarily complicated messes if you’re not careful. Stick with what you know — at least for now. Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18 Let creativity take charge. You like to be at the forefront of innovation, and your newest interests might be the ones that truly identify you as a tastemaker. Don’t be afraid to leave things incomplete; be proud of whatever it is you manage to accomplish, whether it be an outline or a full prototype. Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20 This week is a great time to think about yourself and what you want, rather than what you believe to be expected of you. Try to pursue the things that most intrigue you and collaborate with others that will support you. Discouragement won’t come if you refuse to let it.

ARTS

VOL. 27 // ISSUE 06

arts@ufvcascade.ca Martin Castro — Arts Editor

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2018

Album //

CHARTS 1

Swim Team V

Blessed Thought (single)

Saint Soldier Dark Shades (Single)

David Ivan Neil Talking (Single)

Teen Daze Bioluminescence

Ben Cottrill Spice Boy

future star i will fight the devil and i will win

8 9

Art d'Ecco Trespasser Tanya Tagaq Snowblind

Sneaks Highway Hypnosis

Jock Tears Bad Boys

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Big Joanie Sistahs Tallies Tallies Pudding Pop Over High Parade Cole Booker Stardrum Temporary etc. Charlotte Gainsbourg Take 2 Cowbo Morsche Cowboy Miracle UNKNOWN ME Astronauts Juan Wauters La Onda de Juan Pablo

King Gizz releases vinyl pressing of their album, Polygondwanaland

SHUFFLE

King Gizzard’s Polygondwanaland never fails to impress

AARON LEVY INTERIOR SNOWMAN DESIGNER

First the government, now the school! CIVL Station Manager Aaron Levy pays tribute to what he’s now dubbing “Shutdown City” due to the... you guessed it: snow!

The Dismemberment - “Spider in the Snow”

Plan

This is my least favourite track on an album where I could actually never bear to pick a single favourite out of all of the perfect little pieces of partially pretentious art pop perfection. Sometimes the weirder this record gets the better it is, like the “Life of Possibilities” breakdown. Frosty Theme

the

Snowman

You can’t lead with this if you want anyone to take you seriously. You have to come out of the gate with something exciting and new and then, BAM, hit them with an old classic, just like the Rolling Stones debuting “Miss You” before a rousing round of “Ruby Tuesday.” Billy Corgan - “Landslide” I first learned of this song, utilized here for its lyrical evoking of “snow-coloured hills,” through the Pisces Iscariot Bsides and rarities release from the Smashing Pumpkins. It’s basically a note-for-note acoustic fingerpicking cover, I think... still not a Mac fan. I realize literally everyone else is. Led Zeppelin Song”

“Immigrant

Not the first song on this list to have been previously shuffled, the beckoning towards a “land of the ice and snow” where all that stuff happens and rolls and whatnot is why I include it here. Not to protest some sort of southern fascist border wall business; what’s that?

with the lyrics of the songs to tell something more: “I see through a story of conflict and transfor- the bricks to the sea, crumbling mation; a collision between our castle.” Each song melts into the natural world and the prison we next to tell a fluid story of travelLast November, Australian psychedelic rock band King Giz- have created for ourselves within ing to a distant land. The second zard and The Lizard Wizard re- it. Featuring poetic lyrics alluding track, “Polygondwanaland,” takes you down a river leased a vinyl pressing of their of sound using a album, Polygondwanaland. This "Sit down weary traveler, 12-string; a simwas King Gizzard’s 12th studio alI am that what you seek." plistic but catchy bum and the fourth of five albums rhythm and vocals was pressing The 2017. in released that weave in and released under their own label, They use layers music. the of out decaying a society, dystopian a to Flightless Records, and is limited as the reinterested you keep to digging population a and Earth, This to 2,000 copies worldwide. comes after one year of being un- their own graves, it takes you on cord twists and turns into the third der open-source licensing, mean- a journey of uncomfortable self track, “Castle in The Air.” Leaving ing they didn’t sell copies of the awareness just to pull you back in you feeling enticed and excited, it album, rather uploaded it for free in a burst of energy with lyrics of perfectly sets you up to really feel as a thank you to fans for their enlightenment, a new beginning, the next few tracks. “Deserted Dunes Welcome Weary Feet” and support. Like King Gizz, I too be- and being lost in fantasy. “Loyalty” stand out as particularly basslines of funkiest the Expect onea deserves album this lieve entrancing. “Loyalty” begins with an electronic buildup complemented by spacey bass tones reminiscent of Pink Floyd, before dropping you into intricate guitar riffs and a very catchy bassline. The pinnacle of this track comes from the flute that jumps in near the middle of the song. If you’ve never before thought of yourself as the kind of person that enjoys a sweet flute solo, be prepared to have your mind blown. On “Horology,” conflict both peaks and subsides. The song’s “Sit down weary travstates: outro to you ground and in you hook to and year anniversary celebration earth just to explode into bursts of eler / I am that what you seek.” a revisit to its erie boulevard. King Gizzard is well known for spacey etherealism that will leave Again, a 12-string shines through obscure rhythms and unusual you feeling small and consumed in “Tetrachromacy” and hits you section counts often taking influ- by the world. This funky, dreamy with a different tone, beginning ence from Afro-jazz on previous album gives off otherworldly the end of your journey, slowly albums such as Sketches of Bruns- vibes and though speaking of dragging you back down to earth wick East. In Polygondwanaland, impending doom, the sounds for self-reflection. The album more funky roots show through presented never cease to inspire ends strongly with thoughtful in their bass lines which contrast and invigorate. A crisp, clear pro- tunes such as “The Fourth Cowith clean guitars and a unique duction balances all elements of lour,” giving the listener a fresh compilation of multiple instru- the music and nothing stands out start with lyrics, “I’m back to birth ments such as harmonica and too obnoxiously. With intentional / I see the light / It's in my face / flute. The title comes from their construction, each sound and I analyze information / Now I am a god.” use of polyrhythms (the practice song has a purposeful place. It is my recommendation that “Crumbling track, first The of layering contrasting rhythms maximizing your experience for breaking of feeling a sets Castle” on top of one another) throughthis album, it is best that you with vowith in you enticing through, unit make which album out the to it while travelling on a listen and airy between jump that cals predictable and very colourful. a dark rainy city in a through bus It desperate. and intense and light Their success in this area is aided mood. I also angsty particularly society decaying a of images sets two by the fact that they have drummers, four vocalists, a key- stating, “Look upon our condi- suggest you give it a few listens; board player (who also rips up a tion, crumbling castle / We head each time I throw this album on I mean harmonica), and five guitar to our extinction, crumbling cas- discover something new and difplayers. The polyrhythms couple tle” but suggest there might be ferent parts speak to me.

DARIEN JOHNSEN

ARTS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Album //

Cherry Glazerr’s Clementine Creevy rolls her eyes on Stuffed & Ready L.A. rockers’ latest is full of attitude and catchy tunes MARTIN CASTRO As a follow-up to 2017’s Apocalipstick, Cherry Glazerr’s Stuffed & Ready adds a more biting layer of sarcasm and selfawareness to the pop-tinged rock the band has been known for. In comparison to tracks like “Nurse Ratched” and the title-track “Apocalipstick,” most tracks on Stuffed & Ready are decidedly more gentle in terms of instrumentals. “Distressor” for example, only really makes use of straightforward rock riffs during its chorus, opting instead for a more melancholy melody in the build-up to the chorus; this kind of change appears more often throughout the record in comparison to its predecessor, but works incredibly well nonetheless, and makes for one of the most memorable tracks on the record. Thematically, Stuffed & Ready focuses on isolation and bandleader Clementine

Creevy’s experience (or the experience of a narrator or character) with their physicality, often commenting on the loss of control over our own bodies that comes with the kind

by themselves enough to ensure the record is successful isn’t a matter that needs to be considered thanks to the tightly-structured musical components on Stuffed & Ready, which ought to shine for most in spite of any possible ideological qualms with its thematic content. It’s probably not an accident, then, that the most on-the-nose track in the entire record is also served as its flagship release. Early on, “Daddi”’s appeal was apparent: wthe infectious pre-chorus of “Who should I fuck daddi? What should I say? Where should I go? Is it okay to play?” is both unnerving in its relational implications, and filled with a sarcasm and contempt that’s near-violent when voiced by Creevy. Other tracks on the record are, if not as radio-ready, just as powerfully put together. “Ohio,” for example, belongs to what might be considered the “Bsides” of the record, and in spite of this of scrutiny they’re subjected to on a daily less prominent spotlight, manages still to be basis; scrutiny that comes from others, and memorable and distinct within the aesthetic ourselves. Whether or not those themes are landscape of upper-register lyrics and fuzz-

heavy riffs that permeate the majority of the record. Other, less rock-focused tracks, such as “Pieces” and “Self-Explained”, give the record a sense of balance that blends well with the more energetic additions while at the same time adding to its aesthetic continuity through melancholy riffs and melodies.

"Thematically, Stuffed & Ready focuses on isolation and bandleader Clementine Creevy’s narrator’s experience with their physicality." Of these kinds of tracks, the most successful is “Juicy Socks,” which had previously been released as a single. The track, along with “Daddi,” epitomizes the kind of appeal that Cherry Glazerr brings to the table: an unapologetic self-awareness, and a combativeness that’s informed by an acknowledgement of its origins coming from the need to be comfortable in being oneself, despite the climate of scrutiny that might be at our doorstep.

Album //

Lake Chad EP an experience in experimental rock A glance into the world of alternative music. What do the niches of experimental rock have to offer? CALEB SILVEIRA Released last June, Lake Chad’s EP delves into the fringes of experimental rock by mixing aspects of experimental rock with folk, and occasionally adding particularly groovy bass lines. The Canterbury-based band is evidently passionate about its musical creation, but at the same time charitable. All the band’s proceeds go to the Lake Chad mission: a mission dedicated to provide animals and people around Lake Chad with fresh drinking water. The lake in Western Africa just east of Nigeria’s border, after which the band is named, has been disappearing over the past few decades due to climate change, illegal irrigation, and warlord activity that reduces lake access. The EP’s music, however, leaves me wanting something a little more. While not bad in the slightest, it is quite difficult to differentiate the songs about a minute or two into each track. That being said, “Chemical Dave” and “Almond Tree” are my favourites in the EP, mainly due to the drastic difference between the two pieces. Whereas “Chemical Dave” has an interesting, grooving bass line that smoothly carries the listener through the piece, “Almond Tree,” alternatively, has an intensely folk feel to it which, admittedly, felt very unique.

Instrumentally, the songs are well performed and each track has its own sense of individuality — or at least the introductions to the songs do. The variation in the intros between pieces is quite well orchestrated and developed, but there still is this grander feeling, that when the tracks are taken as a whole, the EP tends to blend (in terms of sound) toward the middle. I quite easily forgot which piece was which once I was a ways in the piece. In essence, while each track starts off as unique and distinctive once the works play for a bit they all blend into monotony. This is due to the length of some of the pieces since the two five-minute-long tracks tend to have a fair bit of drag at the two-to-three-minute mark.

The vocalists do a fairly good job; each of the time the meaning and jist of what is singer portrays a different sound and re- being said makes it across to the listener. In ally excels at making the piece feel either this regard, “Pita” and “Almond Tree” have the best vocals on the EP. “Pita” is relatively clear and crisp, and the vocals and rhythm of the track work well together, while “Almond Tree” feels like there is a folk story being told throughout and the listener has to piece it together. The aesthetic experience of these two tracks and their accompanying vocals are pleasing and enjoyable. That being said, I did not find anything particularly showstopping about the EP. I enjoyed elements of the record but the body of work failed to hold my attention and I often found myself losing interest and forgetting what track I was listening to. However, that is not to say the music wasn’t performed with skill. I think this EP would be best added to a study, or other such absentminded type of playlist. Lake Chad are distinguishable enough to be able to tell that they are experimental folk and rock but not so much that you would be able to name them within a few moments of hearing them. I would recommend this to any music enthusiast; however, I would warn that Lake Chad’s EP has a tendency to hit monotony during the centre of its pieces. Although the more towards folk or towards rock. At times, experience is still noteworthy and the band’s though, it can be difficult to make out the charity admirable, the pieces were nothing lyrics clearly. This is relatively minor as most beyond ordinary.