The Cascade Vol. 22 No. 20

Vol. 22 Issue 20

September 3, 2014 to September 10, 2014

Hoarding the Arkenstone since 1993

A new adventure begins p. 10-11

ufvcascade.ca

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NEWS

News

Briefs SUS by-election The Student Union Society (SUS) is holding a by-election for its board of directors. Open positions are Aboriginal rep, Faculty of Access and Open Studies rep, Faculty of Trades rep, and School of Graduate Studies rep. Nominations are due September 30 at 4 p.m.

For more information, visit ufvsus.ca/ elections.

News

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Opinion

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Culture

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Arts in Review

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Sports & Health

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Lens of Empowerment Project

A year-long UFV project called the Lens of Empowerment uses film to explore Sto:lō narratives. Nadine Moedt has the details on the program, which still has space!

Now raise your goblet of rock!

Let’s just hope the goblet isn’t filled with a concoction of electronica and dream pop music. Jeffery Trainor explains the classification decline of rock music resulting from MTV’s VMA awards.

When is it okay (and not okay) to wear First Nations-inspired clothing?

Nadine Moedt takes a look at the unfortunate trend of cultural appropriation in fashion, and how you can avoid being a part of it.

PAX Prime lights up Seattle

Demos, panels and autographs from gaming-world idols made PAX Prime something to talk about this year — but for Cascade Arcade columnist Jeremy Hannaford, the highlight was chatting with other gamers.

Stay healthy and happy this semester — regardless of your workload With school back in session, it’s tough to remember to take care of your health and fitness. Ashley Hayes gives us a few tips to keep us on track.

Don’t judge just by our cover — The Cascade has more in store KATIE STOBBART

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Fraser Valley Express holds open house BC Transit is holding an open house regarding its proposed Fraser Valley Express (FVX) bus. The route is planned to connect Abbotsford, Mission, and Langley. The open house will be at the Peter Jones Learning Commons on September 9 from 10 a.m to 1 p.m.

Bill C-620 reaches House of Commons Bill C-620 hopes to apply the workplace protections in place for paid employees to unpaid interns. MP Laurin Liu proposed the bill in June 2014, and debates are arranged for the fall. More information to follow.

UFV 40th anniversary etched in corn The UFV 40th anniversary logo is the new design for the Chilliwack Corn Maze. The maze is holding a celebration of UFV on Saturday, September 13.

Have a news tip?

Let us know!

Email news@ufvcascade.ca or tweet at @CascadeNews

We all have dreams, or we wouldn’t be here. Striving for something different or better is what keeps us in motion. Sometimes, we have the capacity to accomplish the kind of change we want and need of our own accord. However, part of being an adult is knowing you can’t do it all by yourself. Sometimes you have to reach out your hand, not to lift someone up, but to be lifted.

If you’re already familiar with The Cascade, you have probably noticed we’ve made a few changes for our first issue back this year. The cover and feature are glossier, there are four extra pages of colour inside, and the size of the paper is smaller, a little easier for you to grab on the go and unfold on your class break.

But don’t stop at the cover — there are plenty of exciting changes coming to your newspaper over the next year. Many of these changes are dreams we at The Cascade have nurtured for years, sparks that needed fuel to grow into flames. In our refVolume 22 · Issue 20 Room C1027 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529 Editor-in-chief katie@ufvcascade.ca Katie Stobbart Managing Editor valerie@ufvcascade.ca Valerie Franklin Director of Business Development joe@ufvcascade.ca Joe Johnson Webmaster ashley@ufvcascade.ca Ashley Mussbacher Copy Editor kodie@ufvcascade.ca Kodie Cherrille

Image: Matt Biddulph/Flickr

“In our referendum last year asking for an additional $1.50 per semester, you gave us that fuel. You lifted us up.” erendum last year asking for an additional $1.50 per semester, you gave us that fuel. You lifted us up.

Some of those dollars have already been spent on necessary equipment upkeep that has been put off due to lack of available funds. Obviously, we’ve improved our physical paper quality. We also plan to use that money and our renewed energy to expand our distribution area, hire more students, and increase our presence on campus.

One of the things you’ll see this year is that we are hosting regular workshops. On

News Editor megan@ufvcascade.ca Megan Lambert Opinion Editor brittney@ufvcascade.ca Brittney Hensman Culture Editor nadine@ufvcascade.ca Nadine Moedt Arts in Review Editor sasha@ufvcascade.ca Sasha Moedt Sports Editor catherine@ufvcascade.ca Catherine Stewart Staff Writer breckles@ufvcascade.ca Taylor Breckles

most Thursday nights, our editorial and design staff will give short crash courses on various topics in which they have expertise — these are free for students to attend, though we ask that you preregister. The first, scheduled for September 11, will take participants through the basics of interviewing. Later in the semester, workshop topics will include blogging, photography, Adobe InDesign, narrative journalism, crafting an editorial argument, and more.

We are also in the midst of hiring additional staff writProduction and Design Editor stewart@ufvcascade.ca Stewart Seymour Art Director anthony@ufvcascade.ca Anthony Biondi Production Assistant shyanne@ufvcascade.ca Shyanne Schedel Contributors Vanessa Broadbent, Martin Castro, Jeremy Hannaford, Ashley Hayes, Alex Rake, Jeffrey Trainor

Printed By International Web exPress Cover image: Anthony Biondi

ers, giving students opportunities for paid writing as well as ensuring we have reliable and skilled writers to supply quality content for the paper.

For the winter semester, we are laying the groundwork for The Cascade to branch into multimedia for the first time with the creation of a new editorial position; our goal is to make it so you can not only read articles but also watch videos on our website and engage with campus news and events in a new way.

Another of our focuses this year is to really be part of your student experience. This means being at campus and community events, continuing to report on issues that keep you informed, and hopefully even bringing events and speakers to campus in partnership with other student groups.

The years leading up to this one have been integral to setting a firm foundation for The Cascade. Now, with a little more fuel, we’re able to really show you what we have built, and what we can do. We can keep moving forward.

Thanks for the lift!

The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It provides a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds. The Cascade is published every Wednesday with a circulation of 1500 and is distributed at UFV campuses and throughout Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Mission. The Cascade is a member of the Canadian University Press, a national cooperative of 75 university and college newspapers from Victoria to St. John’s. The Cascade follows the CUP ethical policy concerning material of a prejudicial or oppressive nature.

Submissions are preferred in electronic format through e-mail. Please send submissions in “.txt” or “.doc” format only.

Articles and letters to the editor must be typed. 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. The writer’s name and student number must be submitted with each submission. Letters to the editor must be under 250 words if intended for print. Only one letter to the editor per writer in any given edition.

Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, Cascade staff and collective, or associated members.

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UFV opens new Five Corners location in Chilliwack MEGAN LAMBERT

THE CASCADE

UFV opened its new location last week at the Five Corners intersection in Chilliwack.

Once a 7,000 square foot Bank of Montreal (BMO) branch, UFV Five Corners will primarily offer continuing education courses.

Situated among businesses in Chilliwack’s downtown core, the university hopes to appeal to those in the area upgrading their basic English, math, and computer skills.

Two new certificate programs — public relations specialist and records management specialist — will be offered in the next semester, as well as career-based workshops and seminars. Along with the City of Chilliwack, UFV hopes its presence will contribute to the revitalization of the downtown area.

“If a university is truly bringing value to its community ... it should see one of its goals as working with that community to make [it] a better place,” said Mark Evered, president and vice-chancellor of UFV. BMO donated the building, which was not an active bank.

The Chilliwack Economic Partners Corporation (CEPCO) spent $850,000 to renovate the building, which features a cir-

Image: UFV Flickr

Skylights and pie-shaped classrooms are an archetectural feature of the new location, once a Bank of Montreal branch. cular entrance with tall skylights, pie-shaped classrooms, and ceiling-height windows to allow for natural light.

“We’re excited about a few of these programs and plans to keep the energy and the innovation in downtown Chilliwack,” said Michael E. Bonner, senior vice-president

of personal and commercial banking at BMO. “So we’re very excited about that, and we’re also very excited and looking forward to any UFV grads that we can bring over to BMO. They’ve proven to be great bankers, and leaders in our company, and in our culture.”

Bonner later noted that usually old branches are torn down or sold; however, BMO decided to give the location to UFV for student use.

Craig Toews, executive director of campus planning and resource development, explained there is no connection between the new business-ori-

ented certificates and BMO’s donation.

“It’s all free for service, so it’s not part of the academic portfolio,” Toews said. “The tuition will cover the cost of the structure, the materials, everything. So it’s completely self-sufficient.”

Campus app battle: SUS’s Oohlala vs. Campusgrids ALEX RAKE

CONTRIBUTOR

Campusgrids, a new app that aims to connect university students, is coming to UFV this fall. But its slogan, “Your campus app,” raises the question: what about the app we already have?

UFV’s Student Union Society (SUS) launched its own campus app, created by Oohlala, in fall 2013. The app enables students to save their class schedules, sell textbooks, find events and clubs on campus, get maps (handy for first year students), and connect with other students. It’s free for download, but costs SUS on a contractual basis.

Campusgrids is a similar app expanding its reach all the way from Ottawa to UFV. Its creator, Carleton University grad Elias Fares, said there is no fixed price currently if a school wants specific features

Image: Penn State/ Flickr

Oohlala and Campusgrid are mobile apps for student engagement. (like what Oohlala offers), but if a student union wanted, it could pay for features which students could then access for free. However, there is no cost for schools to adopt the basic app, since most of the data such as class and club infor-

mation is user-generated.

VP external Dylan Thiessen explained SUS’s intention in bringing the Oohlala app to UFV was not only to connect students to their campus, but to replace paper minutes and day planners.

Thiessen said SUS is unable to disclose the exact amount of the Oohlala contract, due to a confidentiality agreement, but noted the price is about the same cost as producing the free agendas the app is supposed to replace. SUS’s operating budget for the 2013/14 fiscal year allotted $20,000 to include both the limited printing of the free agenda and the app cost. In its first quarter financial report for the 2014/15 fiscal year, during which SUS is not printing free agendas, $16,000 is allotted to the student app and handbooks line. SUS apparently acquired Oohlala’s most expensive package for a low price.

The SUS app has had over 800 downloads so far. According to Thiessen, usage of Oohlala peaked in April with between 500 and 2,000 uses a week. Though usage dropped during the summer, those numbers are expected to pick up again when the fall semes-

ter begins, and increase.

Fares is aware of Campusgrids’ competition with Oohlala’s campus app.

“Their app is more between the student and the school; it helps you schedule your classes [and] see what’s going on at your school,” Fares said.

“Campusgrids is more of a social app — there is more interaction between the students.”

Campusgrids features a “meet students” page, where users can browse through other students’ profiles to find people with similar interests and classes — they can then compare class schedules to find a good time to meet.

However, it may take some time for Campusgrids to gather momentum; it is still in the stages of recruiting ambassadors from each new school it adds, and currently has less UFV-specific data than the Oohlala app, which has been on campus longer.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Science on Purpose

Can’t go without your morning joe? Here’s why

TAYLOR BRECKLES

THE CASCADE

When it comes to university, coffee and student life go hand-in-hand. It has saved many an essay, provided a spurt of energy on those long mornings of early classes, and has given the appearance of easing the pre-exam anxiety.

Why is coffee so comfortingly addictive? What makes our brain crave it and how does this bitter brew provide such crucial energy?

According to “Your Brain on Coffee,” a video featured by I Fucking Love Science, caffeine replaces one of the chemicals in your brain, which causes you to perk up. “[When awake,] a chemical called adenosine slowly accumulates in your brain [and] binds to receptors which slow down your brain activity. Ultimately, the more adenosine there is, the more tired your brain feels … conversely, while you sleep, the concentration of adenosine declines, gradually promoting wakefulness,” the video states.

While the natural cure to fatigue may be sleep, that solution is sometimes unrealistic for students. It is because of this limited time and ability to get rid of the unwanted adenosine that caffeine is used as a substitute.

“As it turns out, the caffeine in your coffee is incredibly similar to adenosine in structure. The caffeine works its way through your blood-

Image: Amanda/ Flickr

Caffeine has a similar structure to adenosine, enabling it to bind with receptors in your brain. stream and into your brain where it starts to compete [with adenosine] and combines with adenosine receptors. But because it’s not adenosine, the sleepiness effect isn’t felt,” the video continues.

Caffeine effectively kicks the adenosine out of its receptor, causing adenosine to no longer be able to bind, and the effects of caffeine wear off.

However, this has a negative effect on your body. With long-term use of caffeine, your brain creates more adenosine receptors in order to combat the caffeine’s takeover, which means that it takes a higher dose of caffeine in order to feel the same effects.

Plus, because of the added receptors, should a daily dose not be fulfilled or a day goes

by without a cup o’ joe, the body creates the sensation of being even more tired in addition to minor withdrawal symptoms. “[Caffeine] also stimulates the production of adrenaline [which] increases your heart rate, gets your blood pumping, and even opens up your airways. Furthermore, it affects dopamine levels by pre-

venting its reabsorption into the brain, which makes you feel happy,” the video states.

These happy feelings are what makes caffeine similar to cocaine, in its ability to create both happiness and addiction (although to a lesser degree).

Coffee can kill you too, if you drink enough of it.

However, it is so extreme that it is nearly impossible to accomplish. The video continues to explain that 150 mg per kilogram of your body is the lethal dose. In simple terms, somebody who weighs 70 kg would need to drink roughly 70 cups of coffee in one sitting in order to die from an overdose.

Not only is it impossible for the stomach to hold that much volume, but hallucinations would occur before reaching that point, also inhibiting a person’s ability to drink that much coffee.

While it might be nearly impossible to overdose from caffeine, it is possible for the effects to wear off throughout the day. Caffeine has a halflife of six hours, which means that after six hours, only half of the effects of caffeine remain, and after another six hours, only one quarter of the effects remain, and so on. This would explain why the lineup at Tim Horton’s is consistent; students need to maintain their levels of caffeine.

Transit talk highlights August SUS board meeting JEFFREY TRAINOR

CONTRIBUTOR

Transit was the hot topic at the Student Union Society (SUS) meeting on August 28.

BC Transit’s Rebecca Newlove, Johann van Schaik, and Matthew Boyd gave a sneak peek into upcoming plans for expansion, route changes, and a new Fraser Valley Express Service (FVX).

FVX is meant to address the need for inter-regional travel, similar to SUS’s UFV shuttle bus service. The proposed route is scheduled to start

in April 2015, and will travel from Chilliwack through Abbotsford and the McCallum park-and-ride to the Carvolth exchange on 202 Street in Langley.

Newlove said the goal is to “be as competitive with a car as possible. If you can get in your car and drive for 40 minutes, we don’t want to be much more than 60.”

Boyd noted the FVX’s connection with Langley presents an “opportunity for [UFV] to grow within the region.”

VP external Dylan Thomas agreed, explaining that stu-

dents opposing the U-Pass and Shuttle are often those who commute from Langley.

“The FVX,” he said, would become “a nice public transit option for them to come to campus.”

A short-term hurdle for students wanting to ride the FVX in the spring will be the lack of U-Pass acceptance; SUS recently renewed the U-Pass agreement with BC Transit for two years, which does not include the FVX. Students using the line would have to pay the $6 adult fare.

Van Schiak said this would

allow BC Transit to implement the service, and explained they would love to see FVX a part of the U-Pass program in future.

“The more people on board with [FVX], the easier it [will be] to expand the service,” he said.

Adding FVX to the U-Pass could see the cost per semester rise by $17, which Newlove said is an early estimation.

The creation of a new SUS website was also discussed at the meeting. President Ryan Petersen presented the new website, explaining that it will

feature a “minimalistic, easyto-navigate design.” The current website was introduced last fall.

VP internal Thomas Davies discussed bylaw changes intended to remove confusion from clubs and associations policies. Policy requires clubs to have at least one meeting a year with a minimum of seven attendees.

“If a group wants to call themselves active, they should be able to get seven people in a room,” Davies said.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Getting rid of crime in seven easy steps

New book co-authored by UFV criminology professor aims to reorganize how we deal with crime MARTIN CASTRO

CONTRIBUTOR

UFV’s RCMP research chair Irwin Cohen has co-written a new book detailing a policebased method of crime reduction. Eliminating Crime — coauthored by Darryl Plecas, Amanda V. McCormick, and Adrienne Peters — has been implemented throughout the Fraser Valley and elsewhere in BC. Cohen proposes a model of crime reduction based on seven principles: • being information-led, • being intelligence-led, • focusing on offenders, • focusing on problems, • developing meaningful partnerships within the community • being pre-emptive, • and being performancebased.

Cohen said policing models have shifted over time toward crime reduction.

“Almost a decade ago, there was a reorientation of policing models,” Cohen explained.

“Police organizations in the US, UK, and Canada began to think … about whether or not their … approach to crime [was] the best one, over time they moved to [the crime reduction model of policing].”

Image: Anthony Biondi

Eliminating Crime seeks to prevent crime by taking a proactive approach to social issues.

Cohen’s approach is prevention-based: it seeks to avoid recidivism, but also addresses the issues that contribute to crime in a community.

Cohen stressed that police need to be proactive when dealing with crime.

“What [Eliminating Crime] tries to highlight are the successes that police departments have had, in of course being reactive to crime, but [more importantly] being proactive to crime,” he said.

Cohen went on to explain this type of police work, which attempts to eliminate the root cause of crime instead of dealing with criminal

activity instance by instance, is more useful and effective when reducing the number of calls made to police about crime.

“Opportunities for crime… and the number of people interested in committing crime are being reduced, and that’s the idea behind crime reduction.”

Cohen also said crime is very much a social and a community problem. Pre-existing conditions such as drug abuse and alcoholism can be catalysts to crime, and he suggested that those issues, along with others such as mental health issues, need to be treat-

ed early on to prevent them from becoming a contributing factor to criminal activity within a community.

While Eliminating Crime focuses on police-based crime reduction, Cohen argues that “there’s another book we should be writing called The Seven Principles of CommunityBased Crime Reduction. What is it that communities can do to help reduce crime?”

Eliminating Crime focuses on the role of police, but police are just one part of the solution. The fifth principle of the book talks about meaningful partnerships.

“There are certain things

that other people can do better than police [in preventing crime],” Cohen said.

These partnerships, he noted, are integral pieces to not only deterring potential criminals, but also educating and guiding people from the moment they are born to becoming good citizens.

Many environmental factors contribute to the development of crime. So, in order to prevent crime, one must address those factors, which include social issues such as drug and alcohol addiction and access to education. Cohen also pointed out that resource allocation is very important in the prevention of crime.

The book’s seven steps to police-based crime reduction are presented to reduce crime rates not just by highlighting certain target areas, but also by stressing that police need to make the most out of every resource in their arsenal in their fight to reduce crime.

As the methods detailed in Eliminating Crime have proven to be successful separately in different jurisdictions, all seven principles — when made to work as a cohesive driving force by police — should make for a safer, more effective police force, and therefore a safer community.

Changing the lens Year-long program refocuses power of film on Stó:lō narratives NADINE MOEDT

THE CASCADE

Film is a powerful mode of representation. While historically film has furthered a colonizing agenda, the movement to refocus that mode has a power of its own.

The Lens of Empowerment project, which retakes the power of storytelling through film and representational media, is part of that movement within UFV and the Stó:lō community.

“While stereotypes and Eurocentric worldviews are perpetuated in the media, filmmakers — including contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit filmmakers — have also made fine films that question or counter stereotypes and present alternative points of view and representations,” says instructor Stephanie Gould.

Instructor Wenona Victor says the Lens of Empower-

ment project can contribute to this shattering of stereotypes.

“This project is an opportunity to change that [negative] lens, or at least focus it accurately and tell stories that empower the land, women, and our experiences,” Victor says.

The project is an immersive, five-course, two-semester program that provides students with an awareness of Stó:lo culture, identity, and citizenship as well as technical skills in camera operation and editing. The certificate focuses on stories close to home: on the voices and narratives of Stó:lō women.

The Lens project allows students to look critically at representations of Aboriginal peoples in film, art, and media. New stories can be told and questions of voice, artistic license, and representation can be asked by budding filmand change-makers.

The program’s first run in 2012 engaged students with a wide variety of experiences

and backgrounds. The resulting projects found similar diversity; some students explored their own heritage in relation to the Stó:lō peoples, others interviewed members of the Stó:lō community and used visual art and film-making to engage with the narratives told.

Instructor Stephanie Gould says that UFV’s presence on traditional and unceded Stó:lō territory provides students with a unique opportunity to understand the interconnectedness of land and identity through the sqwelqwel, or the “true news” of an ongoing oral history.

“We hope it’s an opportunity for students to tell stories of women’s experience on video; to explore the project’s themes of women’s citizenship and identity in Stó:lō territory in a spirit of reconciliation (toward understanding and harmony) between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples and cultures; and to develop

new knowledge, skills, and abilities,” Gould says.

The program engages with a wide variety of student interests. Film, Stó:lō culture and storytelling, art-making, and gender studies are all part of the project’s themes.

“I would also say that students who would like to understand themselves better as well as our interconnectedness as people (communitybuilding) and how art-making in a university context can engage with life, communities, and the wider world,” Gould says.

Specific courses include a fall semester of VA 160 (Introduction to Video Production), taught by Gould, IPK 277 (Indigenous Art: Stories and Protocols), with Victor, THEA 250 (Introduction to Storytelling) with Michelle LaFlamme and a winter semester including VA 161 (Video Production II) and VA 390 (Community Arts Practice) both taught by Gould. A screening of stu-

dents’ work will take place following the completion of courses in spring 2015.

Students graduating from the program will not only leave with the 15 credits toward their degrees, but also with the skills to work in areas of documentary production, communications, and other creative industries.

“Whatever their aspirations, whether to make videos for a community organization or a festival, to start their own business eventually or to pursue a profession, [students] will come away from this project with useful skills,” Gould says.

The Lens of Empowerment project is still accepting applications for fall, and welcomes both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students.

This article was first published on ufvcascade.ca on August 22, 2014.

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SNAPSHOTS

Withdrawal woes

Curtailed commentary on current conditions

Feminists can marry

Katie Stobbart Registration has its frustrations — Nilelength waitlists and loan-related course load requirements are regular culprits.

More grating than registration, though, is paying to withdraw.

The deadline to withdraw from a course with a full refund falls well before each semester begins: 42 days before summer, 49 before fall, and 21 before winter. Students who withdraw after the deadline are charged a penalty — five per cent of the course’s total cost — until a few days before semester begins. After that, 10 per cent.

Usually there are enough students waitlisted to fill the vacated seat if I drop a course in the days or months preceding a semester. The five percent charge for a seat I haven’t sat in and won’t fill seems unfair. I understand paying a small charge to withdraw once class has commenced, but the deadline with a full refund is too early, and seems arbitrary since the dates are inconsistent.

Give me a proper shirt!

Listen more, speak less

Vanessa Broadbent

Taylor Breckles

Brittney Hensman

I consider myself a feminist. I support women’s equality, rights, and especially their freedom of choice.

Although I am proud to be a feminist, I am not so proud of the stereotype that has become attached to modern feminism.

One of the first reactions that I receive when sharing my values is, “so you don’t want to get married and have kids?” I find it unsettling that supporting equality for women has become associated with supporting particular lifestyle choices.

Marriage and family life may not be for everyone, but I strongly support women that decide to live that way. I am proud to live in a society where women can choose whether or not they want to get married and not be discriminated against for their choice. As a feminist, I will not look down on women that live a different lifestyle than I do. I’ll be happy they are able to make their own choice and live the life that they want.

Over the summer, I couldn’t help but notice that shirts these days are not what they used to be. Neither are skirts or shorts, for that matter. I understand that it’s summer; it’s hot, it’s humid, and people get disgustingly sweaty, but I would like to be able to go out in public without worrying about being perceived as indecent, as I strut around with my breasts, ass, stomach, and other bodily areas exposed. Nobody needs to see every nook and cranny of my body.

Whether it’s a see-through shirt, booty shorts, a barely-there tank top, or a skintight dress, summer fashion is a nuisance.

Have you tried wearing some of this stuff?

I thought the point of summer clothing was to cut down on layers, but apparently that opinion seems to be passé because a girl can’t find a shirt that doesn’t require at least one more layer in order to make it decent for public use. Not practical at all.

Summer clothing should be made for comfort from the sweltering Abbotsford heat, not for discomfort from a lack of available material.

One to two years of university under our belts does not grant us an all-access pass to express our opinion on current matters without first being asked. Too often I’ve caught myself or my friends spewing off their unsolicited opinion in conversation.

People are bound to respond much better to what we have to say when they have asked for our thoughts on a subject rather than us firing them off with “guns-a-blazin’.”

Just because we have a thought on what someone is saying doesn’t mean it’s appropriate to aggressively share it.

We give our opinions because we want our thoughts to be validated; it feels good and we feel heard.

But there is no point in being heard if what you have to say is unhelpful. It’s best to be quicker to listen than to speak.

Slacktivism at its finest — the ALS ice bucket challenge ASHLEY HAYES

CONTRIBUTOR

Every time I see a post on my Facebook news feed or on my Instagram account about the ALS ice bucket challenge, I literally cringe.

I have been nominated twice, and would have been nominated a third time, but they kindly asked first, and I responded with “No. Not even a little bit.” I understand it is important to raise funds and awareness for all sorts of different things, but publicly calling people out for not donating to a specific cause? That just doesn’t fly with me.

I have tonnes of friends and family who have completed the ice bucket challenge. Some have just poured ice water on their heads, and some have done it along with publicly stating they will be making a donation to ALS Canada. The original premise was that you either donate $100 to ALS or pour ice water on your head — now, it seems like people are just nominating others for fun.

Basically, if you are on my Facebook feed and haven’t explicitly

Image: Kymberly Janisch/ flickr

“Last time I checked, no one was able to cure a disease ... by pouring a bucket of water on their head.” said that you are donating to ALS, I am to assume that you are a terrible person and would rather be drenched in ice water than open your wallet.

People might think I’m mean or cold-hearted for not caring about the ALS ice bucket challenge — I’m sure that if I were close to someone affected by ALS, I would be more than happy to pour a bucket of ice water over my head to show

my support and raise awareness and would probably make a donation on top of that. But, since that isn’t the case, I don’t want to be peer-pressured into donating to a cause that wasn’t even on my radar until a few weeks ago. Last time I checked, no one was able to cure a disease simply by pouring a bucket of water on their head.

I support the causes I find important. I have adopted animals

from the BC SPCA because I believe in the animal advocacy work that they do. I support Greenpeace because I feel that we need to save the environment for future generations. I support the Salvation Army specifically because of their Angel Tree program and my belief that every child should receive a gift at Christmas time. I support Developing Indigenous Resources (DIR), an Indian NGO

that I had the pleasure of interning with last fall, because I have seen the work they do first-hand in improving the lives of people in less-developed areas of India.

If I’m not able to give a financial contribution, there is always the gift of time — volunteering and fundraising are important contributions as well.

The ALS Association has raised over $80 million since this whole challenge started and the level of awareness has obviously increased, since all you see on social media is the ice bucket challenge (or people like me who oppose it). Like all other social media and charity campaigns (Kony 2012, Livestrong, Project Red), the ice bucket challenge will run its course, and no one will be talking about ALS in a few months.

I hope that the ALS Association and ALS Canada actually use the money and the attention this social media storm has given them and do something productive with it. Finding a cure would be a good place to start.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Ferguson riots: a contradictory response towards receiving racial rights and equality way up from certain points of the body towards the head.

Whether or not Wilson’s decision to shoot Brown ran deeper North America has come far than law enforcement procedures, from where racial injustice use his actions reveal a human tento be since the civil rights move- dency toward violence. ment in 1964. In fact, our generaHowever, the response from action has never lived in a society tivists and the Ferguson commuwhere there were legal restric- nity was no less violent. tions on people due to the colour The Washington Post detailed of their skin. For that we should some of the chaos: “A day after be extremely grateful. Skin co- Brown died, violence erupted. lour should have Stores were looted. no role in how Wilson’s accus- A gas station was people treat one torched. Shots were ers offering the fired at police.” another.

However, the same kind of beAlso, in an intertopic of racial inview with Fox News, justice has been haviour they are the wife of a Missouri stirred up with officer who trying to oppose. police the shooting of started a Facebook Michael Brown, page in support of Ofan 18-year-old African American, ficer Wilson and law enforcement

by Caucasian police officer Dar- officials said the page received ren Wilson. numerous death threats towards We have yet to uncover the law enforcement officials as well reason Wilson shot Brown. Some as Wilson. would say Brown’s death is yet Is animosity really an approprianother case of racial animosity. ate response if people want to end Wilson’s action may have also racism and violence? What if othbeen rooted in law enforcement er lives are lost due to the riots? procedures. According to CNN Wilson’s accusers are offering U.S., officers are trained to fire the same kind of behaviour they at threatening objects until the oppose. threat stops. They are to aim their The reactions of someone under

BRITTNEY HENSMAN

THE CASCADE

Image: Sha Sha Chu/ flickr

Rioting is not the answer to injustice. duress reveal a lot about who they are. We scream for equality, be it between races, genders, or religions, but what do we do about

injustice on a personal level? How do we treat others as an individual?

Regardless of how good a per-

son is in the eyes of society, we are in a constant battle of controlling immoral impulses. The real issue lies with what we do as a result of those impulses. Do we act because it may fulfill some momentary desire, or because they are hard to control? When we act violently, we harm others.

The anger people feel towards the fact that a young man was killed is completely appropriate. Anger is a proper response to injustice. However, violence as a response to this anger is not.

We need to treat each other with love and respect regardless of our emotions.

It is only when we acknowledge this concept and begin to live by it that people will receive racial equality, see justice in the world, and experience peace instead of violence.

It’s easy to blame racism for violence and injustice, but we all need to dig deeper into our inclinations toward violent behaviour; the human race needs to acknowledge we are immoral by nature and need to respond against our natural inclinations towards aggressive behaviour. Violence is not a good reaction to violence.

Oh Lorde: VMAs play fast and loose with definition of rock JEFFREY TRAINOR

CONTRIBUTOR

“It was a beauty contest. They didn’t even listen to the music.”

Jack Black’s memorable character Dewey Finn from the 2003 film School of Rock exclaims this line after losing the coveted battle of the bands prize to his former group, No Vacancy.

The words fit well with this year’s MTV’s video music awards (VMAs). It is truly astounding how self-absorbed and outlandish music award shows have become, and the VMAs are no exception.

The VMAs were initially created to compete with the Grammys but have seen a quick erosion into a teen-pleasing, eye-catching, and controversial few hours of television (much like all of MTV’s programming).

The most glaring example of this came when the award for Best Rock Video was won by Lorde for her video and song combination of “Royals,” beating out the likes of the Black Keys, Arctic Monkeys, Imagine Dragons, and Linkin Park (I’m sure some people would make arguments that the latter two bands aren’t rock,

Image: Michael Candelori/ flickr

“It’s truly astounding how self-absorbed and outlandish music award shows have become.” either). I have nothing against Lorde — in fact I truly enjoyed a large portion of her debut record Pure Heroine — but how does an artist who personally identifies

her music as “art pop,” “dream pop,” and “electronica” take the award in the rock category over legitimate rock acts?

The Rock Video of the Year

category was created in 1989, when Best Heavy Metal Video was awarded to Guns N’ Roses for Sweet Child o’ Mine. Since that time, the award has seen a steady

decline from “Best Heavy Metal Video” to “Best Metal/Hard Rock Video,” to “Best Hard Rock Video,” and finally to “Best Rock Video.” This ever-changing title perhaps shows the biggest reflection in the changing scope of the VMAs and MTV. There is a constant desire by the program and network to appease their viewers and their changing musical palates. I understand this is a good way to operate, but for the sake of the musicians, it is offensive. Artists who pour blood, sweat, and tears into their art are left with no recognition for their achievements and successes. That’s not what awards are supposed to be about! If the Golden Globes operated in such a way, it’s scary to think who may be winner — Twilight, anyone?

Perhaps Dewey Finn was ahead of his time in remarking on how musical ability was second to “the look” in the industry. Certainly trend won out on this day, but I doubt we will look back and say, “Damn, that ‘Royals’ was a great rock song.” At least I hope not.

That would truly show an erosion of the musical landscape.

8

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Robin Williams’ loss evokes dialogue for change KODIE CHERRILLE

THE CASCADE

When news of Robin Williams’ suicide broke out, a widespread outpouring of humanity ensued on social media websites. People everywhere expressed their deep shock, grief, and reverence for the deceased actor and comedian through online sentiments and touching video montages of poignant moments in Williams’ films and comic routines. The depth and intensity of these sentiments were astounding.

There was also a lot of talk about depression and mental illness: how we ought to be more

open about it, how we should more actively help people with mental illness, and especially how we should dismantle the stigma of mental illness. It’s a step in the right direction; however, it takes more than just dialogue for change to happen.

The stigma typically dismisses the personal struggles of having mental illness as easy hurdles the afflicted is making a drama of: “Stop being depressed and move on with your life!” If only it were that simple. Such a position refuses to validate the real feelings of lost control that so many people deal with. There’d be a lot less suffering if depression were as one-dimensional as that.

There is no better example of stigmatization than Henry Rollins’ opinion piece in the L.A. Weekly called “Fuck Suicide,” where he laments and criticizes Robin Williams’ decision to end his life, and considers suicide a non-negotiable for the individual when he or she has a family: how dare someone with duty and worth in a society kill themselves?

Such a position stigmatizes suicide and the factors which might lead someone to make such a decision. The step in the right direction — to understanding instead of ignorance — can come by changing the inflection of that question. How dare they?

As a comedian in the ’70s and

UFV SPEAKS

Feel like sharing your short-and-sweet opinion? Keep an eye out for our pollsters roaming the halls.

Victoria Stienback “Exercise and my special blue juice — it’s actually protein powder!”

Riley Odell “I don’t know what my university survival advice is — I’ve never been here before.”

Payton Dendees “I’d look in my peripheral vision ... it helps me calm down.”

Michael Heinricks “My survival advice — and it is very simple and very logical — do your homework! Do your homework, actually study, take time out of your day to spend on school when you’re not at school. That is my advice and you’ll do just fine!”

’80s, Williams talked about the tough stuff. His routine could be personal to the point of discomfort. He was open about substance abuse and depression. It must have been hard to express those sorts of things out in the open the first couple of times, but when he got used to talking about it, it probably became an easier thing to do — and subsequently, with his difficulties out in the air, he probably felt relieved. He didn’t need to hide so much of himself.

Yet, even after breaking all that ground, he’s gone. He grew more reclusive over the years, and it is enticing to say that his distance might have been a big factor to his last decision.

Coming to terms with your personal demons is something you will do for a lifetime. Really, it isn’t a hurdle you can prop yourself over once and be done with.

It is a matter of fact, the real nonnegotiable. If we can destigmatize suicide and try to understand the factors and pressures of those who consider killing themselves as their only option, we will be able to help in a more personal and authentic way than uttering another benign “man up.” Maybe society as a whole needs to do the manning up, and face a legitimate issue for what it is, instead of placing the entire onus of mental illness on the afflicted. We owe it to them to understand.

What is your university survival advice?

Walter Johnstone-Breen “Take advantage of the introductory math classes before you jump into a university math class, and take advantage of the student counselling offered.”

Timo Francke “Socialize. You’ll have a lot more fun doing homework when you have someone to bounce ideas off of rather than just doing it sitting in a basement alone.”

Radoslav Detchev “Keep on top of your homework and get an agenda, agenda, agenda!”

Brad Jones “If you’re tall, you definitely should join the rowing team. If you’re very short, you should join the rowing team.”

9

CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Indigo Joseph on their colourful collage of sound VALERIE FRANKLIN THE CASCADE

What is Indigo Joseph? Who is Indigo Joseph? Described as everything from “hillbilly electronica” to “moon rock,” the up-and-coming Saskatchewan band consists of Etienne Fletcher, Sean McCannell, Eric Tessier, and Byrun BoutinMaloney. Three singles and an EP are available on iTunes, and their debut album, Collage, is set to be released September 12.

The Cascade spoke with Eric Tessier, who plays drums and also manages some business aspects of the band.

Congratulations on the upcoming release of your debut album! What can we look forward to with Collage?

I think the biggest hint is in the name, Collage. It’s got three French tracks, three that are more electronically inspired, one that’s an acoustic instrumental, and some down-tempo dance tunes. It’s kind of all over the place, and I think that that was our intent.

What makes Indigo Joseph’s sound unique? How would you describe it to someone who’s never listened to you before?

The first pitch I would always give is “rock and roll meets

dance music,” because that’s a really easy, digestible way to describe it. You get an energetic feeling from that. I think that definitely our live shows have been characterized by an upbeat party atmosphere.

As a band, who have your biggest musical influences been?

I think bands like the Pixies and the Talking Heads have been ongoing themes that we all collectively come back to and marvel at the music those artists have created. And Arcade Fire, we all really liked their new album, too — that popped up and shook our tree a little bit … as far as what we listen to the most when we’re touring, those three bands are pretty high.

You’re set to go on tour once your album comes out. Where will you be going?

We’re going to go coast-tocoast and try to play as many shows as possible to promote our album and see a little bit more of the country that we haven’t seen yet.

Are you coming to Vancouver or the Fraser Valley, by any chance?

We’re going to be [in Vancouver] on October 4… I think if

leave the city before we messed up the van!

Where does the name Indigo Joseph come from?

I think it’s probably best described as “old meets new.” I think there’s a lot of different connotations. It was a bit of a daydream, and there’s this idea of bringing together something that’s rooted in history and something that’s maybe yet unknown.

Photo courtesy of Indigo Joseph

The Canadian band will be bringing their unique, high-energy art-rock to Vancouver on October 4. people go on our Facebook page or our website, there’s a link to an Exclaim! article that has all [ our tour] dates listed.

Tell me a crazy story. What’s the funniest thing that’s happened to you on the road?

I’ll tell you a story from our very first tour … We all got into the van, packed up and got ready to go, and we were all really excited to get on the road.

We stop, get the last of the gear, and pick up Byrun, and we’re getting ready to leave — and it smells like dog poop in the car. The van’s heating up, it’s getting worse and worse … I guess Byrun had just stepped in dog poop before he got into the van, and he ground it into the carpet ... We ended up taking the whole back carpet strip out and leaving it in our jam space.

We didn’t even get a chance to

The Weekly Horoscope Aquarius: Jan 20 - Feb 18: Someone in your life will give birth this year — you may be asked to attend. Bring a casserole.

Pisces: Feb 19 - March 20: If you go to English Bay at 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday next, you will find a message in a bottle that holds the key to your desires.

Aries: March 21 - April 19: Business cards are going arrive soon.

Taurus: April 20 - May 20: You are the poster-child for excellence.

Gemini: May 21 - June 21: Later this week, you will need to know the definition of “ulotrichous.”

Use it well.

Cancer: June 22 - July 22: You’re the sweetest pea in the pod.

Leo: July 23 - Aug 22: The time of week will never line up.

Give up now.

Virgo: Aug 23 -Sept22: A small forest nymph will tell you what you want to hear.

What’s the best way for people to access your music? iTunes has all of our current released stuff, and will have the album on September 12.

YouTube is really cool too, because there’s some stuff that you wouldn’t necessarily see on iTunes or on our Facebook. And Facebook is good too.

Do you have anything you’d like to say to the readers of The Cascade?

I love to hear people’s thoughts on our music … so if they would like to contact us, I mentioned a couple of great ways of doing that. And if you’re a listener, thank you very much, and enjoy the new album!

Star Signs from Sybil la Clair

Libra: Sept 23 - Oct 22: Your turtle’s planning something big.

Scorpio: Oct 23 - Nov 21: Your endeavors will steep to infinitea and beyond.

Sagittarius: Nov 22 - Dec 21: Solid, liquid, gas, plasma.

Capricorn: Dec 22 - Jan 19: Stay in your class... even if the prof is awkward.

Experience 101

The new student orientation, plus tried-andtrue advice from university veterans KODIE CHERRILLE THE CASCADE

Welcome to the next chapter of your life. Please make sure to step out of your comfort zone, engage yourself with the campus community, and have fun while you’re here. Sure, you will do a fair share (and then some) of work and learning in the classroom, but experiencing all that makes UFV such a warm and stimulating place to be depends first and foremost on whether or not you immerse yourself. Take advantage of the extraordinary resources now at your disposal.

These sentiments resounded all day at the new student orientation (NSO), from the opening words of emcee Derek WardHall, the subsequent acknowledgement of Stó:lō grounds, to the warm words of welcome by UFV president Mark Evered, chancellor Brian Minter, and Student Union Society (SUS) president Ryan Peterson. The NSO was held on the Abbotsford campus, from 9 a.m. to about 4:30 p.m. on Thursday August 28.

While Evered and Peterson both explained that their respective positions are here first and foremost for the students (“Let us work with you, and you with us,” Peterson remarked memorably), Minter emphasized the strength of the individual mind. “The questions are more important than the answers,” he explained. “Always challenge things, always be a critical thinker.”

Though the official welcoming was empowering, it was the discussion with the NSO ambassadors that followed that really broke the ice between newcom-

Image: Kodie Cherrille/Cascade

Students gathered in the Envision Athletic Centre for “Experience 101” to kick off this year’s new student orientation. ers. “Experience 101” was a half-hour-long discussion held between ambassadors (themselves seasoned students) and new students, where everyone got to know a little bit about each other. The ambassadors imparted some personal wisdom, too.

While handing out maps of the Abbotsford campus, ambassador Panku Sharma pointed out the free places to park. He agreed with the spirit of community put forward by the initial speakers.

“I spent my first year or so

going straight to and from class, and I missed out on a lot,” he said. “If you don’t do anything outside of the class, you will make the same mistake.”

Campus tours followed Experience 101, and a service fair opened in the Envision Athletic North Gym from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The philosophy table was simple but effective: a poster board offered a spot for passersby to offer a “philosophical question” in exchange for candy.

I was kicking my first-year self

AVERAGE AGE (PART/FULL TIME)

TOP CAMPUSES* Abbotsford

5,286

Chilliwack Education Park

1,596

Mission 176

All statistics based on 2012-13

Female*

24.9

when I saw the global development studies table: I would likely have fallen deeply in love with the program’s cross-studies approach that encompasses geography, political science, sociology, and anthropology, among other fields.

After a free lunch of hot dogs, chips, and pop, the orientation moved into classrooms for workshops, where students acquired a boatload of useful information: they learned about their rights and responsibilities as represen-

tatives of the university, what to expect in the classroom, the emerging Co-Curricular Record intended to bolster resumés and scholarship applications, and strategies to effectively study and deal with stress.

When the orientation reached its end, the new students walked out into the mild August afternoon, giddy smiles gracing more than a few faces.

TOP LOCAL CITIES* Abbotsford

3,050

Male* 23.3

Chilliwack

1,192

Female 33.4

Langley

651

Male 29.8

Mission

419

*Full-time students

Image: Kodie Cherrille/Cascade

Image: Kodie Cherrille/Cascade

Image: Kodie Cherrille/Cascade

Image: Kodie Cherrille/Cascade

Image: Kodie Cherrille/Cascade

12

CULTURE

CROSSWORD UFV Trivia

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

ACROSS

by KATIE STOBBART

1.

UFV’s on-campus residence. You can also find the bookstore and the Press Café in the same building. (5, 5) 5.

The learning commons (or, library building) is named after this fellow. (5, 5) 6.

Reduce, reuse, recycle — and at UFV, do this to your water bottles at stations around campus.(6) 8.

The verdant lawn in the centre of Abbotsford campus is simply known as this. (8) 12.

This large, grey building is not technically on campus, but it does cause unfortunate traffic and parking strain for many UFV students. Hint: the building’s name changed recently.

(10,6) 13.

This acronym refers not to a sandwich but to a building being constructed, which, from a certain angle, looks a bit like an Angry Bird. (3) 14.

The plural form of this informative document distributed the first day of class. (7)

DOWN

SUDOKU PUZZLE

7

8

8 5 9

Down 1 LONDON 3 TOKYO 5 RIODEJANEIRO 7 CAIRO 8 ISTANBUL

1 7 2

3 6

Across 2 AMSTERDAM 4 NEWYORK 6 MOSCOW 9 PARIS 10 BEIJING 11 VANCOUVER

5 1 8

Sudoku solution

3 7 6 8 9 2 1 4 5 1 5 2 4 7 3 8 9 6 4 8 9 1 5 6 3 7 2

2

8 9

Last issue’s crossword

8 9 5 6 7

5 3 7 9 4 1 2 6 8 6 9 1 7 2 8 5 3 4 2 4 8 6 3 5 9 1 7

1 5 3 9 2 4

Answer keys

9

8 6 3 5 1 7 4 2 9 7 2 4 3 8 9 6 5 1 9 1 5 2 6 4 7 8 3

6

2.

The UFV mascot, a friendly creature whose recent makeover gives some nightmares about finding him under their beds… (6) 3.

UFV’s campus pub, which has incorporated some new changes for this year… hopefully for the better. Hint: technically this is all one word, as a proper noun. (9) 4.

An alliterative term indicating many UFV students drive in from other cities, then leave as soon as their classes are over for the day. (8, 6) 5.

This enables the bearer to use any stall at any time without even visiting the meter. (7, 4) 7.

UFV’s current president, whose name inspires thoughts of one very tall mountain. (6) 9.

A set of expectations or rules your professor would like you to follow in completing your assignments — if you don’t get these, go see him or her in office. (8) 10.

Buying these copies of your textbook may save you some dollars, and they might even contain some useful margin notes as in Half Blood Prince. (4) 11.

This not-a-word, not-really-an-acronym, is the place you’ll pay your fees, if you haven’t already done so online. (4)

13

CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

First Nations fashion: the difference between appropriation and appreciation NADINE MOEDT

Buy from First Nations artists.

Made-in-China imitation native art not only exploits a culture, but also undercuts the livelihood of First Nations artists. There is a vast difference between buying a pair of “Indian moccasins” from Ardene’s and buying from an authentic First Nations artist. By buying authentic, you can not only support local artists and craftspeople, but also Native-headed movements, companies, and organizations.

THE CASCADE

UFV’s presence on traditional and unceded Stó:lō territory opens the doors to various discussions on aboriginal rights, title, and what it means to live in a postcolonial society.

These discussions should extend past the politically correct academia to our everyday lives, to what we include — or exclude — from our wardrobe and what we consider the norm in the world of fashion and style.

Before we look to First Nations fashion to inspire our own style, we have to consider the difference between appropriation and appreciation. It is the difference between the Pharrell Williams debacle on the front of Elle’s July edition, where he appeared wearing a Native American headdress, and wearing a First Nations-designed bracelet.

The term appropriation refers to the borrowing or adapting of a specific aspect of another

Image: The Searchers

Henry Brandon’s portrayal would be offensive to anyone by today’s standards. culture while ignoring its significance. The headdress Pharrell Williams donned with such frivolity holds great symbolic importance for many Native American bands. Pharrell Williams and Elle used it forthe purpose of looking good.

Avoiding appropriation

doesn’t mean we have to avoid being inspired by First Nations culture in our own style. There are many ways we can appreciate and pay homage to the culture, rather than appropriating aspects. Here are some tips on how to be a culturally sensitive dresser.

Fan favourites return to Anime Revolution TAYLOR BRECKLES THE CASCADE

Anime Revolution — the ultimate geek fest held in Vancouver — is a place where fans of any animation unite and bond over their obsessions, sell related merchandise, and take part in cosplay.

The convention is more than cosplaying and vendors; it hosts a whole slough of events in addition to Q&A sessions and meet-and-greets with animation and cosplay celebrities. This year the special guests included cosplay model Jessica Nigri, model and costume designer Yaya Han, and voice actor Vic Mignogna, all of whom came out to Vancouver to talk with their fans during panels and autograph sessions.

I fangirl over Mignogna the most as he stars in some of my favourite animes including Fullmetal Alchemist and Ouran High School Host Club. He was available for autographs, a photo session, and a Q&A — a dream for any fan. His humility, humour, and graciousness to his fans make him an absolute pleasure to listen to; plus, he gives excellent hugs — that’s right, I got to hug him.

As a first-time attendee of this famous anime fair, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, other than knowing that I would be spending a lot of money on various activities and merchandise. Surprisingly, most of the merchandise was priced fairly — like the Fullmetal Alchemist replica pocket watches for $25, complete with feelscharged engraving on the inside, true to the anime — but the price for celebrity photos was a bit alarming. They charged $30 to take one picture with any celebrity. I’m pretty sure I choked on some air when I first heard the number. Some other fans dejectedly walked away, but we suffered through and paid up to meet our heroes.

One thing I learned from this experience: hardcore fans will go to any measure to get close to the objects of their affection. Some people waited hours in line just to get into a panel, which var-

ied from celebrities answering fan questions to anime-themed game show entertainment. For nearly every panel that was put on (and there were at least 20), there was a line-up.

Not only do fans go to great lengths to see their idols, but the cosplays some people come up with are astounding. For the less geek-enlightened, a cosplay — short for “costume playing” — is a mix between an elaborate costume and role playing. I saw an extremely accurate cosplay of Astrid from How to Train Your Dragon as well as several cosplays decorated with elaborate armour, such as warrior Zelda.

I would advise future Anime Revolution attendees to be prepared for alarmed tourists that will bombard you with several hilarious questions about Canadian culture. There was a group from the United States that asked us if Canadians dress in full cosplay every day. Considering that they were talking to Velma and Shaggy from Scooby Doo and Tinkerbell, I was very tempted to answer in the affirmative.

Whether you enjoy cosplay, celebrities, anime, cartoons, or fun and unique shopping, Anime Revolution is your one-stop extravaganza!

Engage in a meaningful cultural exchange If you want to wear another culture’s traditional or traditionally inspired clothing or jewellery, understand your privilege. Westerners have a tendency to force their own culture on others while taking whatever they feel suits them in return. Make an effort to talk to the artist or seller about the item’s significance. Wear the

item with respect; don’t treat it as a costume to be worn and soon discarded. Understand that there are boundaries; there are things that will not be shared with you. Know that it is not the responsibility of the marginalized culture to educate you, and make an effort to seek out information on your own on how to include other cultures in not only your fashion, but your way of being.

Call out racist or appropriative fashion Don’t leave the outrage to First Nations groups. Things like “Redskins” paraphernalia, or that sexy Pocahontas Halloween costume dehumanize and enforce negative stereotypes that we all have to be concerned about. These are not issues that should fall on the shoulders of First Nations people to fix.

Rather, we as a society have to speak out against the blatant appropriation of Native culture in the fashion world.

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CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Three is the magic number How to have a happy, healthy, and hot threesome without breaking anyone’s heart GEORGIA GAY

means there are three sets of hands, three mouths, and plenty of orifices waiting to be filled. Get creative.

SEXPERT

Whether you’re a vanilla couple looking to kink things up or a singleton hoping to knock that fantasy of fucking Swedish twins off your bucket list, pretty much everyone’s thought about having a threesome at some point. According to a 2010 Cosmopolitan survey, 33 per cent of men reported that it was their number one fantasy, and 14 per cent of respondents claimed to have actually been in one (there weren’t any statistics on women’s interest, but we’re used to that. Sigh).

But how do you invite a third person into your relationship without hurting anyone’s feelings? And how do you navigate the tricky, sticky process of actually doing two people at once? Read on and find out.

Finding a willing third (or fourth, or fifth) The hardest part about a threesome isn’t figuring out who’s going to be on top — it’s finding the right people, and then finding the courage to ask them.

The usual rules apply: don’t fuck your circle of friends.

Don’t fuck your friends’ exes.

Don’t fuck people who make you feel ashamed or uncomfortable.

Do fuck nice people who share your sexy, adventurous spirit. If you know a person or couple who fits that description, try casually bringing up the topic of threesomes and see if their eyes light up.

If you don’t want to risk the extreme awkwardness of being

Image: On the Road

They say practice makes perfect, and threesomes are no exception! turned down for sex by your friends, dating sites like OKCupid, PlentyOfFish, and even Craigslist can hook you up with people who clearly want the same thing you do. But if you decide to go with a stranger (or two), make sure you get to know them first to make sure they’re reasonably sane, clean, and nice. A pre-coital coffee date can do wonders for weeding out creeps.

Setting ground rules Rule number one of a threesome: discuss your boundaries before jumping into bed.

In other words, make sure you know who’s allowed to fuck whom.

Maybe it’s not that sexy to plan out every single thrust, but a five-minute conversation about your comfort zones might save you years of regret.

Are you comfortable with your boyfriend putting his cock in someone other than you, or

are you happier if penetration stays out of the picture? Will it offend your partners if you ask them to kiss each other? A good threesome leaves everyone satisfied, not mortified.

If you’re worried about jealousy issues arising, try drawing the line at penetration-free sex — only tongues, fingers, and toys need apply.

The logistics So you’ve set your ground rules, you’re in bed, the lights are low, there are four hands feeling you up … and you have no idea what to do next.

Usually your three-way action will follow one of three main formulas: one person sits back and watches; two of you team up to lavish attention on one person at a time; or all three of you go to town on each other (slightly harder to pull off, since it requires some hardcore multi-tasking skills).

There are three of you, which

Your third is not a warm dildo Sitting on a stranger ’s bed with a wilting hard-on while your partners make out is awkward. Very, very awkward. PIV (penis in vagina) sex is, by nature, a two-person show — but that doesn’t mean that one person needs to sit on the sidelines and wank wistfully while the other two have all the fun. Take turns being the centre of attention, and make sure everyone gets to feel good.

Safe and sound Condoms, dental dams, and latex gloves might not be your biggest turn-ons, but you know what else isn’t sexy? Gonorrhea.

Follow up Chat afterwards about how much fun you had, what you didn’t like, and what you’d like to try next time.

That’s right — next time. If you’ve found a perfect third or a couple who you really click with sexually and emotionally — a.k.a. a unicorn, so called because they’re rare as hell — you’re damn right you’d better ask them if they’re free next weekend. And like all sex, your threesomes will only get better as you get to know each other.

Style on Campus

Seeking fashion wisdom from UFV students

By KODIE CHERRILLE Double denim and stripes drew attention to Camille’s outfit in the sea of sweatshirts at the New Student Orientation on August 28 outside the cafeteria. The blend of style and comfort was perfect for the warm autumn day. Here’s what she had to say about her style.

Describe your personal style.

It changes a lot. It really depends on where I’m going. I’ll dress differently for music and for sports, of course. I’d call my normal attire faux-formal. I do care about what I look like, but I really like comfortable clothes, too. My church dresses up nicely, and it feels good to get in sweatpants when I get home.

What is your favourite place to shop in the Valley?

I like H&M, but I almost always buy pants at American Eagle. I get a lot of stuff from Garage, too.

My sister was a contestant for the Garage Model Search about six years ago, and she got a really big gift card from being a part of that. She’s okay with me going there and getting stuff with her gift card sometimes.

That’s pretty awesome. I like your shoes and jacket, where’d you get those?

I got my shoes from Amazon. Everything else is from Garage today. It is nice to shop online, but it can be really iffy with pants, and going to the store is a fun thing to do, as well.

Upcoming

Events September 5 Find What Works art exhibition

Six students show off their creative processes in this visual arts exhibition. The directed study students, headed by instructor Christopher Friesen, have documented the evolution of their art, from inception to conception to the final product. Opening reception is Friday, September 5 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the UFV gallery. Featuring artists Ryan Cadarette, Janelle Fitz, Scott Gordon, Christine Homfeld, Kyle Huntley, and Jeff Rasmussen.

September 5 Back to school dance party!

Emengy, a dance music label, is hosting a back-to-school event for UFV students at the Phoenix at 8 p.m. Dance! Party! Paint your face and body with glow-in-thedark paint! New students can meet new people, and old students can relive their young and wild days. The Cascade is going and so should you!

September 5 BC Teachers’ Federation rally The BC Teachers’ Federation has put out a rallying cry in support for our teachers. Bring on the signage, noisemakers and face paint in support of our teachers, friends, parents, and colleagues. The rally begins at 5 p.m. at Canada Place.

September 2-12 Weeks of Welcome at UFV Check out the various welcome week events on the campus Green! Free food! Live music courtesy of CIVL! A climbing wall!

Sumo wrestling suits! An inflatable tube man? See event times and locations on the SUS website (ufvsus.ca).

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ARTS IN REVIEW

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Book Review

Gilmore Girls star delivers funny, fast-paced novel despite flaws KATIE STOBBART THE CASCADE

Lauren Graham’s first novel, Someday, Someday, Maybe is entertaining, engaging, and easy to breeze through. Perhaps best known for her role as Lorelei Gilmore on Gilmore Girls, Graham supplies a fast-paced narrative that had me reading the first 12 chapters in one sitting.

Her insights on acting are interesting, her voice consistent and accessible, and these freshen up this take on an aspiring actress trying to break into the New York scene.

However, it’s not a surprising book. After the first few chapters certain patterns become obvious. For example, the build-up of doubt in the main character, Franny, was followed almost every time by a “surprise” success. Also, the reader is at once privy to the narrator ’s stream of consciousness and aware of the holes in Franny’s understanding of the situation.

By the end of the seventh chapter, I found myself half-hoping my predictions regarding the central romantic interests of the story and the arc of Franny’s professional success would be subverted by the end, but the novel did end as I expected.

The love interests in Franny’s life were not as dynamic as I would have liked. For example, where James’ motives in the beginning are somewhat

ambiguous, he is moulded over the second half into a character the reader can openly dislike — he becomes flat. This seems like a missed opportunity to

add depth and dimension to the ideological clash he and Franny have, which is tied to the main themes in the novel. By the end, he feels like too much of a

slime-ball; because I didn’t trust him to begin with, I started taking everything he said and did with suspicion.

I most enjoyed reading scenes with Dan, but he isn’t really a strong dynamic character, either. He definitely fits into the mould of nice-guy-heroinewill-probably-end-up-with. In a way, Dan’s endearing qualities weaken the connection I have as a reader to Franny: her continued denial of the obvious keeps me page-flipping but ultimately distances me from her, and it’s because Dan seems to have few flaws.

In the interview with Graham included at the end of the novel, she says “it’s rare that difficult choices are all that clear. You’re never choosing between the right job and the wrong job, the right guy and the wrong guy.”

Yet I wonder if this points to a flaw in the novel: the outcomes of Franny’s decisions feel obvious, the conflicts black-andwhite — perhaps not to her but certainly to the reader.

Some of Franny’s central conflicts also lack weight. The tension of the approaching deadline Franny sets for herself is not built up enough for me.

There’s a point where she says the deadline is “hurtling” toward her, and I definitely didn’t feel the urgency. I had almost forgotten it existed. Her alleged struggle with identity often feels a bit forced — maybe be-

cause her voice is so strong in the first person narrative, it’s hard to believe she doesn’t recognize the person looking back at her from the make-up mirror.

Many plot choices feel too convenient, which becomes especially apparent as threads are tied up toward the end. Of course she needs a date to the wedding and James can’t make it. Of course Dan gives her the solace she’s been searching for the whole novel in his monologue about her deceased mother ’s choice of name for her.

However, the fact that I wanted certain events to happen made their convenience bearable, and the second-to-last chapter wrapped things up tidily. The last chapter, a little over a page long, felt tacked on and unnecessary.

Ultimately, though, Someday, Someday, Maybe has two undeniable strengths holding it up.

One is Graham’s willingness to experiment with ways of presenting information: she uses first-person narrative, dayplanner pages, phone messages, short scripted scenes, and even a call sheet to supply extra details and texture in Franny’s life. The second is the narrator ’s quick delivery and engaging voice.

Dine & Dash

J Beethoven’s pizza: music to your mouth SASHA MOEDT THE CASCADE

I go to Cultus Lake in the summer for old time’s sake. As a child, the area was huge to me; the lake was warm, the beaches clean, the waterpark vast and magical, and the amusement park bright and attractive.

When I walk around the small, touristy strip now, things look over-priced, kitschy, and germ-ridden. Don’t even get me started on the beaches, which are actually just a mixture of dirt, goose poop, and children’s Band-aids.

But I still love Cultus. It’s great for tourist tourism (did I coin that? It’s basically a category of people-watching), hikes, and, if you can swim past the weeds fast enough, the deeper water in the lake is cleaner.

After a day of people-watching, J Beethoven’s is the place

Image: Creative Commons

to go. Locally owned, with recipes from ‘70s NYC, Beethoven’s does pizza right.

The first time I went there, it was a warm spring evening, and we were some of the only

patrons. We just ordered a basic large cheese pizza to share. We sat in the patio area, which is quite spacious; you can see the waterslides and the amusement park from there.

When the pizza came out, I regretted just ordering the cheese.

Not that the pizza in front of us was bad, but it looked so good that I was sure their specialty pizzas would have been mindblowing.

It was big and square. The pieces had the perfect ratios of bread, sauce, and cheese, and of crispy and gooey textures.

The sauce didn’t take away from the pizza — sometimes specialty pizza places try too hard to make their sauce memorable, and it wrecks the pizza.

Beethoven’s was classic. It went well with ranch dip, and it hit the spot.

The service was almost too friendly. Not in the “my server is awkwardly chummy” way, but just that they asked how we were doing almost every five minutes. Not only that, but they topped up my water so often that at one point I spilled it on

my lap because I didn’t expect it to always be so full!

Since then, I’ve been there almost every time I go to Cultus.

Their menu has a good selection of pizza. They have such interesting varieties — some of the ones on my to-do list are the Beethoven’s Special (salami, ham, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, pineapple), boneless BBQ pork rib pizza (pork ribs, onions, green peppers, tomatoes), and the New Yorker (Italian sausage, onion, green peppers, tomatoes, garlic).

They also do a smaller selection of other Italian-inspired dinners, such as pasta, submarine sandwiches, and BBQ chicken meals. But the pizza is the star of the show.

Give Cultus one more chance.

Beethoven’s pizza will make it worth your while.

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ARTS IN REVIEW

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Film Review

A sequel to kill for

It’s been a nine-year wait — but the new installment of Sin City is almost as good as the original

ALEX RAKE CONTRIBUTOR

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For has every bit of style, action, and excellent writing and acting that the first film had. However, the second installment in Frank Miller ’s world of Sin City lacks the symmetry and unity of the first film.

For those unfamiliar with the first movie, it was made up of connected short stories about the nobler citizens of the corrupt Sin City; the first plotline came back full-circle in the last, connecting all the stories together with one significant plot detail.

A Dame to Kill For also consists of many stories, but they don’t connect in the same way.

The first story has little to do with the last, and the longest story about the “dame to kill for” has the fewest connections of all. Without the same sense of unity, the film as a whole has less impact.

The shorter runtime may be at the root of this decreased unity, since there is less room for the stories to explore their

Sin City’s gritty, graphic-novel-style world is back with A Dame to Kill For. connections. This is not so terrible, since each story on its own is still pretty incredible as an individual unit. Each has a great sense of immediacy and tension, especially the recurring one about Johnny (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a young gambler out to prove himself to his absent father. The only reason to

be disappointed by the lack of unity, really, is if you remember the first film’s superior crafting of its plots.

One thing this sequel has over its predecessor is its use of 3D. Sin City is known for its distinct black-and-white, graphicnovel-style visuals, and the 3D allows the movie to get extra

cartoony without getting corny.

In one scene at the beginning of the movie, a little floating car swerves around Marv’s (Mickey Roark) head as he narrates his drive, and it is delightful in its own, gritty way. In 2D, the effect would fall flat in both senses of the word. This is definitely one movie where the 3D option actually enriches the experience without coming across as arbitrary (as inalmost every other graphic novel movie released since the 3D thing started) and without drawing the viewer out of the real world to simulate another one (as in James Cameron’s Avatar).

The world of A Dame to Kill For is remarkably similar to the one we live in, though ours lacks the cool visuals and superhuman strength everyone in the film seems to have. The corrupt politicians, power-tripping law enforcement, sex-obsessed men and women, and bored, privileged psychopaths of the films would be right at home running our country or our neighbours down South. This sequel especially denies its viewers any sense of escapism, throwing

tragedy upon tragedy into the audience’s face. Good people die, or become bad people; bad people succeed, or die unrepentant. If there is a central theme running through this second batch of stories, it is that everything eventually becomes corrupt in Sin City.

With the world’s corruption becoming more and more transparent and the public’s attitude becoming more and more apathetic, we need works like Sin City: A Dame to Kill For in our popular culture. We need stories that make us feel some passion for denying the corrupt their power, neither satisfying this need vicariously through the success of some hero nor convincing us that success is impossible. Besides that, we need more people working in the industry with the kind of style and personality that director Robert Rodriguez provides and the honest, engaging writing of Frank Miller. Though the first film may be better in all these respects, A Dame to Kill For is without a doubt the best thing in theatres right now.

Cascade Arcade

PAX 2014 less about the games, more about good times JEREMY HANNAFORD CONTRIBUTOR/PHOTOS

PAX Prime has come a long way since it began in the Meydenbaur Centre in Bellevue, Washington. What began 10 years ago with a small attendance of 3,000 and simple Xbox setups has blossomed into something that is beyond comprehension.

An incredible number of developers, both big-name and indie, brought their games to the show floor and gave many eager fans exclusive demos to upcoming products. And as always, the promise of free tshirts and pins lured in vultures — as long as they had the extreme patience to wait it out in three-hour line-ups.

As it was my seventh PAX, I decided to take things a little differently from previous years.

Having always focused on trying to play and obtain every game, this time I took the role of an observer and recorded many interactions with fans and developers alike. I still took part in several demos and acquired some free swag, but I was de-

Tim Schafer on the right, with Jeremy Hannaford.

termined to commune with as many PAX-goers as possible and ask them why they endure the lines, the horrible body odour, and the lack of personal space.

Tim Schafer, creator of Double Fine Productions, who was attending his fifth PAX, commented on the overall appreciation from the community.

“I love PAX because everyone you meet loves games,” Schafer said, “and everyone wants to talk about how they like your game or another game that you like, and it’s all about the enthusiasm that helps you kind of recharge your batteries for the next year of making games.

“Sometimes it gets hard and you want to know why you’re making them. Well, you’re making them for people who love them.”

That sense of appreciation could truly be felt around the Mega Indie Booth with games like Screen Cheat and Darkest Dungeon. Conversing with the developers displayed their sense of excitement as they watched people play their

games and provide critical feedback about the game.

But I enjoyed the sillier side of PAX as well. Ubisoft had a massive octagon setup in their Far Cry 4 booth which allowed PAX goers to enter the ring in animal sumo suits and duke it out primal style! Despite the compactness and overwhelming smell of Lysol, a friend and I truly enjoyed making fools of ourselves.

Such moments as Canadians serenading others at a Sims 4 pancake party, or a custompainted bus with a zombie on the front promoting Sunset Overdrive, helped add a sense of childlike fun to PAX. It is about enjoying oneself in every way possible, whether it be latenight board games with friends or fighting in overly sanitized sumo suits.

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ARTS IN REVIEW

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Concert Review

Boyz II Men fulfill teenage dreams with PNE concert ASHLEY HAYES CONTRIBUTOR

Mini Album Reviews

SoundBites

As soon as I saw that Boyz II Men would be performing at the PNE, I jumped at the chance to buy tickets. Sure, it was a free concert with the price of admission, but Boyz II Men was a huge part of my childhood and adolescence, so I was more than willing to pay the $25 to guarantee a seat and a shorter lineup.

Because we knew we had reserved seats, we were able to spend the day at the PNE enjoying the exhibits and the food (oh, the food!), before strolling to the amphitheatre at about 7:45 p.m. No line-up, no trying to find two seats together, just the hunt of finding our seat numbers. Once we found our seats, we squished in (the seats

image: Eva Rinaldi

They’re no longer teens, but Boyz II Men can still make your heart throb. were folded chairs zap-strapped to one another to create rows) and watched the big screens as they played Boyz II Men trivia questions for the eager crowd.

As soon as 8:00 p.m. hit, music started and a video featuring

past concert crowds singing along to “The End of the Road” was played. The crowd at the PNE definitely tried to out-sing the video — I know I sure did!

When Nathan, Wanya, and Shawn — the three members of

Boyz II Men — came onstage, the crowd went crazy! People of all ages and ethnicities were there to enjoy the concert — I love how music doesn’t discriminate. The group sang a collection of their most popular hits, including “On Bended Knee,” “Four Seasons of Loneliness,” and the classic “I’ll Make Love to You,” where they handed long-stemmed red roses to some lucky ladies in the audience.

They also sang “Amazed,” which Lonestar recorded and won a Grammy for. Boyz II Men had been offered the song first, but didn’t think it was good enough to record. They were wrong — their words, not mine!

To finish off the concert, the group told everyone to get out of their seats so we could dance and sing along to “Motownphilly.” I have to say, the boys

still have the moves as they danced their way back and forth across the stage in perfect unison.

I expected this concert to be potentially disappointing, mostly because it was a free concert at the fair, but it was hands-down the best one I have ever been to. The group’s energy was off-the-charts and you just knew they were so thankful for their fans. Even when they had to take time to stall because “this isn’t 22 years ago,” they chatted up the crowd and talked about their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and also took the opportunity to poke fun at all the “Boyz II Men babies in the crowd.”

I had the chance to fulfill a childhood dream by seeing Boyz II Men in concert, and I’m happy to say it was everything I hoped for and so much more!

What’s your take on the latest tunes?

Vancouver Sleep Clinic Winter EP

Sam Smith In the Lonely Hour

Underachievers The Cellar Door

Vancouver Sleep Clinic is the musical moniker of 17-year-old Australian Tim Bennison. Like his pseudonym implies, Bennison creates a mellow and sleepy atmosphere, while presenting concepts of longing, isolation, and remoteness through his lyrics. His aptly titled Winter EP contains six songs Bennison recorded over the course of two years in his hometown of Brisbane. The album is highlighted by the lead single “Collapse,” an ambient vessel of sound containing a dynamic bed of synthesizers and punchy electronic beats. These textures render the backdrop to Bennison’s yearning falsetto vocals — the heart and soul of the record. Another track worth noting from the EP is “Vapour” which has strong similarities to Bon Iver. At the ripe age of 17, Bennison has a lot more to offer musically, but Winter EP has firmly established a solid footing for him to build on.

In 2013, British electronic duo Disclosure released their debut album Settle to critical acclaim.

Led by a soaring vocal line, Settle’s lead single “Latch” hooked listeners worldwide and introduced the globe to the voice of Sam Smith.

Overall, In the Lonely Hour is very much a debut album, as it is often varied and nomadic. The album bounces through a catalogue of genres, hitting on electronic (“Money on my Mind”), adult alternative (“Stay with Me”), soul, gospel (“Like I Can”), and even R&B and disco (“Restart”). However, this is to be expected as Smith and his label are testing the waters for what works, and what will turn out to be the “Sam Smith sound.” The true star and only consistent element throughout the record is Smith’s commanding and unique vocals.

Luckily, this alone is a reason to give this record a spin. Smith commands your attention with his control and range, especially on emotional tracks such as “Lay Me Down,” the exceptional album closer. It is evident In The Lonely Hour is simply a sample plate of what’s to come for Sam Smith, but it sure did whet my appetite.

The Cellar Door is the first full-length album from Flatbush natives AK and Issa Gold, collectively known as the Underachievers. With two wellreceived mixtapes under their belt, one would think that The Cellar Door would prove to be an even better, more refined synthesis of the two rappers’ skills. On some levels it is, but on others it isn’t. AK has always been my favourite of the two, with a lightning-fast delivery reminiscent of an automatic rifle. That isn’t to say Issa’s any less talented than AK, as they both display a tremendous amount of talent. “Sonorous,” one of the first singles released for the album, showcases both rappers at their best. Issa’s verses usually have a more slurred, fluid quality, as opposed to AK’s neater, faster ones.

If rapping were colour-by-numbers, Issa would probably have some crayon on the outside of whatever animal he was colouring, whereas AK would most likely meticulously avoid overstepping the boundaries.

Tracks that merit special mention include “Chrysalis,” on which both rappers are at the top of their game, and “Nebulous,” which features some of Issa’s best verses.

JEFFREY TRAINOR

MARTIN CASTRO

JEFFREY TRAINOR

We want to hear your thoughts on new music, films, books, restaurants, and more!

Contact

Sasha@ufvcascade.ca

to write a review for our next issue!

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ARTS IN REVIEW

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

New mixtape from Beast Coast rappers Pro Era

CHARTS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Death From Above 1979 The Physical World n.213 Mixed Bag Cheap High Ego Wholesale Dead Soft Dead Soft

Greys If Anything

Fountain Fountain

Zebra Pulse Live On Big A, Little a Tensnake Glow

The Roots ...And then you shoot your cousin

10

Shearing Pinx/Lunch Lady Take That, The Devil!

Shuffle Aaron Levy

CIVL RADIO STATION MANAGER

CIVL Radio Station Manager Aaron Levy isn’t a student now, but he was for a long, long... long time.

Here are some songs that brought him back to school back in the day.

Smashing Pumpkins — “ Ava Adore” One of the first records I ever bought.

The first single from their departure record recently came back out with a Puff Daddy remix — which is hilarious, because at the same time I bought Adore, I also got Puff and the Family’s No Way Out and Ma$e’s own Harlem World.

Killer Mike — “ Willie Burke Sherwood” This song was my last year’s mega hit.

Second-last on Mike’s R.A.P. Music album, it’s about fathers stepping up to raise their sons even when the odds are against them. Killa Kill says it’s his most emotional song, and beside the killer El-P beat, it tells some harrowing tales.

11 12 13 14 15 16

Run the Jewels — “ Sea Legs” Last year when school started back up, a CIVL programmer made me aware of Killer Mike’s collaboration with El-P, who started Def Jux Records in Brooklyn and produced R.A.P. Music.

I saw them last month at the Biltmore, and you should all do the same when they’re back this winter.

17 18

Kanye West — “ Runaway” Another song that took me by the hand. This one said, “Hey, even though Kanye’s a nutso crazy man, there’s reasons Pitchfork gave him the first 10.0 in nearly 10 years. He’s honest, brutally honest, self-reflective, and charming in the way he lights himself up.”

Viet Cong Cassette Flying Lotus You’re Dead!

Chet Faker Built on Glass Mark Mills #Moms Teen Daze Paradiso

Acid Mothers Temple & Melting Paraiso UFO Astrorgasm From The Inner Space Mac DeMarco Mac DeMarco White Lung Deep Fantasy

The Tragically Hip — “ Grace, Too” I always thought this song was called “Grace 2.” I was walking around Kingston, the Hip’s home town when I first gave this a good listen, and it was on my playlist moving to Abbotsford in 2010, so it’s near and dear to my West Coast experience. Will, determination, and grace.

Image: earbuddy.net

MARTIN CASTRO CONTRIBUTOR

The Shift was released back in May, making it the most recent release by Pro Era. Founded

by Capital STEEZ (Jamal Dewar, now deceased), the New York hip-hop collective counts among its ranks Joey Bada$$, CJ Fly, Kirk Knight, A La $ole, Nyck Caution, and others, a total of 13 rappers, three in-house producers, as well as several other members with roles as photographers and publicists.

Released in between CJ Fly’s mixtape The Way Eye See It and Joey Bada$$’s upcoming debut album B4DA$$ (the title of which, pronounced “before the money,” a reference to the fact that Joey Bada$$, despite numerous releases, features, and praise from the hip-hop community, has chosen not to sign to a record label and remains independent, affording him creative control over his music), The Shift is one of several bodies of work released by Pro Era as a collective, featuring various MCs on each track.

“Extortion,” the first track off the mixtape, features a busy, hazy production, and verses

by Kirk Knight and Deymond Lewis. Although the former delivers the better verse, Deymond’s is different enough in style and execution from Kirk’s to make the combination of both verses coalesce into a thoroughly enjoyable track to kick off the mixtape.

The production on “Come Come,” the second track on The Shift (which features verses from Dirty Sanchez, Roka-

Mouth, and Jakk the Rhymer), comes off as kind of uninspired, although Dirty Sanchez’s verse serves to tie the track together with a rhythm that seems more suitable to the production.

Featuring verses from A La $ole, Dessy Hinds, CJ Fly, and a steady, grooving beat, “Hail Razor” is one of The Shift’s best tracks. Each of the three featured rappers deliver great verses, starting with A La $ole’s controlled cadence spilling over the track, and although Dessy’s verse has a comparatively messier delivery than the previous one, the energy he brings to the track more than makes up for it. CJ Fly delivers the last verse in a manner so relaxed and full of confidence it’s easy to miss how good it is; CJ doesn’t miss a beat, and gives us a verse that easily equals — perhaps surpasses — A La $ole’s.

“On My Life” has the honour of hosting one of Joey Bada$$’s only two verses on all of The Shift, as well as highlighting Nyck and Joey’s expertise as rappers, and features some of the more interesting production on the mixtape. Right from the start, Nyck Caution spits his verse in an almost ridiculously fluid manner; it’s as if while he’s rapping he’s not attempting to deliver his verse, not consciously making an effort to perform a sequence of lines that he’s written and learned beforehand. Instead, Nyck’s verse seems to literally flow from him over an ethereal, almost dreamy production, a waterfall of words effortlessly and naturally cascading out from some internal reservoir completely of

their own volition.

This track is a perfect example of how much Joey Bada$$ has groomed and perfected his craft since his 2012 release of 1999, a mixtape that thrust the then-17-year-old Brooklyn native into the spotlight. Two years later, Bada$$ is consistently crafting verses that display an almost absurd level of skill — and while this verse is a far cry from being the best thing Joey has put out, it’s still hands-down one of the best and most ambitious verses on the mixtape.

“Butterflies,” the last song on The Shift, has some really relaxed production work; it’s calm, and it highlights the verses of the six rappers on it. Standout verses abound — this track is a testament to how much talent the members of Pro Era truly have. Rokamouth’s verse, for instance, is fluid from start to finish. CJ Fly’s rhyming is concise and meticulous, boasting a fastpaced, unbroken rhyming pattern in his verse. Kirk Knight’s verse on this track is one of the most enjoyable, whereas Dessy Hinds’ preceding verse is good, but not great. Of all the verses featured on this track, however, the best is saved for last, as Joey Bada$$ boasts a fluid and deliciously wordy verse, as well as a sentimental touch by ending the song off with a nod to Steelo: “In honour of the Pro Steez we proceed.”

I’d like to think that, were he alive to hear it, The Shift would make King Capital proud.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

19

SPORTS & HEALTH

Fast food, coffee consumption, and the gym A brief but detailed student guide to healthy(ish) living ASHLEY HAYES

soft drinks will understand when I say that it’s pretty much the worst feeling ever. The crankiness and the headaches are brutal, and then suddenly you see cans, bottles, and cups everywhere you go, taunting and teasing you. If you must have a warm beverage, try to stick with decaf tea or coffee, but cut out the sugar. No more of this triple-triple nonsense!

There are no good substitutes for soft drinks, other than good old-fashioned water. Stay wellhydrated and I promise you will feel better.

CONTRIBUTOR

At the start of every semester, I always make the same three promises to myself: I will bring my own food to school and resist the urge to subsist on Tim Horton’s; I will make time to go to the gym so that I don’t feel like a lazy slob; I will not have coffee every day, no matter how exhausted I feel.

If I’m lucky, this lasts for the first week and partway into the second. Then you start thinking about midterms, papers, assignments, and — if you are even more unfortunate — the dreaded group project. Suddenly caffeine rules your life, the gym is a foreign concept, and a bagel from Tim Horton’s counts as breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I have learned that little changes make a big difference.

If you are going to eat fast food, use a bit of common sense so you don’t risk heart failure while climbing the stairs in A building.

Fast food tips First, do not supersize, under any circumstances! Even if it’s a great deal, eating to excess will just make you feel gross.

Second, use that smartphone glued to your hand and take a look at the nutrition charts of

A serving of fresh fruit beats poutine any day. your favourite fast food places.

Sometimes a salad isn’t actually the healthiest option (and a poutine is never the best option, no matter how good it tastes).

Finally, while places like Subway and Pita Pit might seem like healthier options, you can load your wrap with so much meat and cheese and sauce that a Big Mac would pale in comparison.

Exercise schmexercise?

As far as exercise and being

active goes, if you aren’t able to commit to the gym (cost is no excuse thanks to the U-Pass), then commit to small changes in your everyday routine. Instead of spending 15 minutes looking for the closest parking spot, park farther away and walk to class. If you get a break during class, stand up and go for a quick walk (and stay away from Tim Horton’s). Try and stretch whenever you get the chance — sitting in class or at a computer for hours on end can be hard on your body, so show

Image: Auletta/flickr

it a little love whenever you can.

Health and wellness experts all recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise three to four days a week, but if you can’t make that commitment, just try to move that body whenever you can. It will thank you later!

Cut the caffeine buzz If you don’t want to rely on caffeine to be able to function, make sure you don’t get into that habit at the beginning of the semester. Anyone who has ever tried to cut out coffee or

Catch some zeds A bonus tip: get some sleep.

Not in class, but at bedtime — whenever that may be. Even if you stay up until 4:00 a.m. every night, make sure your bedtime stays consistent and that you get enough sleep (seven to eight hours should do for most people). The one thing that will help you have a good sleep is to turn off your electronic devices before crawling into bed.

I know that almost no one will take this piece of advice, but you will sleep better if you aren’t staring at your cell phone until the minute you close your eyes and go nighty-night. If you have trouble falling asleep, I would suggest reading one of your many textbooks … it works for me every time!

The Abbotsford Centre just got a whole lot cooler CATHERINE STEWART THE CASCADE

With the heartbreaking farewell to the Abbotsford Heat this past spring, the future of the Abbotsford Centre was left up in the air. There were rumours ranging from it being closed down to it being rented out to numerous different sponsors.

It was a true Shakespearean tragedy that had readers on the edge of their seats.

The Cascade covered this conundrum when it was still fresh just months ago in the May 21, 2014 issue in an article titled “Never ever getting back together.”

The greatly anticipated results are finally in, after painful months of waiting. (because of course we didn’t just forget about it and stop caring, right?)

It turns out that the Abbotsford Centre will now host its very own hockey league, sponsored

by Finnegan’s Pub & Grill.

Image: Dinur/flickr

“The Abbotsford Centre will now host its very own hockey league, sponsored by Finnegan’s Pub & Grill.”

For one season (half a year), it will cost each team $5,950, not including tax. It will cost $475 if you’re an individual who wishes to sign up. What’s included are 20 season games and two

guaranteed playoff games. The package also comes with two refs and one scorekeeper per game to save you from the extra stress of finding your own.

This whole deal may seem

like your typical arrangement, except with Finnegan’s tossed into the mix, which sweetens the whole package. If you’re a player in the first ice time of the game night, you’re promised a

free sleeve of beer afterwards.

You’re also promised a plate of ooey-gooey nachos if you happen to be the winning team.

Now if that isn’t a good enough motivator, I don’t know what is.

At the end of the season, the winners of each division will receive a $300 gift card to Finnegan’s. The teams in each division to come in second place will get a $100 gift card, which is not too shabby.

The Abbotsford Centre will soon post the league rules and other information on its website, if you wish to check it out in depth.

I have to admit that this turn of events is much more exciting than having the Centre close down, leaving a skeleton of good memories behind to gather dust. It’s a new season and a fresh start, and I can’t wait to see what these hockey teams have in store for us.

20

SPORTS & HEALTH

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

UFV + You 40th anniversary Party

fall CElEBRaTIONS Bring your family and friends!

Fri, Sept 12

Bluegrass and BBQ at Chilliwack campus, CEP

3–8 pm

Free event! Live music, food vendors, marketplace, kid zone, and more! Check out Headwater, Greenwood, Viper Central, and The Paperboys on the main stage.

Sat, Sept 13

UfV day at the Chilliwack Corn Maze

10 am–4 pm

Lose yourself! Make a difference. Admission goes towards UFV Changing Lives, Building Communities Scholarship Endowment.

Wed, Sept 17

Get Groovy at the abbotsford campus

3–8 pm

Free event! Celebrate on the campus green! Retro costume contest, live music, market place, and more!

Check out The Taxmen, Lightning Dust, and The Boom Booms on the main stage.

Fri, Sept 19

Open house at Hope centre

11 am–3 pm

Free event! Tour the facilities and enjoy family fun activities.

Tues, Oct 21

Celebration of light, Clarke Theatre, Mission Free family friendly event celebrating diverse cultures and light in partnership with Mission Community Services Society.

5:30–8:30 pm

Media SponSorS:

Together with you, UFV has accomplished a great deal in 40 years, both locally and beyond. We take pride in our history and look to the future.

Celebrate with us.

ufv.ca/40