Vol. 22 Issue 22
September 17, 2014 to September 23, 2014
Sleek and slightly dangerous since 1993
Beyond building roads Fraser Valley plots its economic future p. 10-11
ufvcascade.ca
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NEWS News
4
Opinion
6
Culture
14
Arts in Review
17
Sports & Health
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News
Briefs
SUS Extraordinary General Meeting The Student Union Society (SUS) is holding their extraordinary general meeting on September 23 at 5:30 p.m. in room B101. SUS will discuss the 201314 financial report, audited financial statements, and bylaw clarifications and corrections.
40th anniversary celebrations continue Abbotsford and Hope are hosting UFV’s 40th anniversary celebrations this week. On September 17 from 3 to 8 p.m., local bands, food, and vendors will occupy the Abbotsford campus Green. In Hope on September 19, the UFV Hope location is holding a “family day” including activities geared towards parents and younger children.
Debate: did Jesus exist? On September 20, the Fraser Valley Atheists, Skeptics, and Humanists with the BC Humanists will present a respectful, thought-provoking debate between Michael Horner and Dr. Richard Carrier on the historicity of Jesus. The event will be held in B101 from 2 to 5 p.m. General admission is $5; students and seniors are free. More information is available at fvash.com
UFV Alert wants your digits Students can give their cell phone numbers and personal email addresses to UFV Alert, a program that sends a message to your device in case of emergency. In addition to myUFV student emails, UFV Alert will send messages to other contact information to notify students of emergency situations such as closures due to weather conditions or security threats on campus.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Science on Purpose
Your dreams of being a superhero might come true! Science on Purpose tells you how real-life telepathy is possible.
Labour unions: a blessing or a curse? The duelling opinions of Vanessa Broadbent, Brittney Hensman, and Valerie Franklin offer arguments for and against having labour unions. Whose side will win out? Read and decide for yourself.
A collection of “first time” stories Be it romantic, titillating, traumatic, or just plain awkward, everyone’s first sexual experience is worth sharing. Check out our sex column this week, which anonymously documents eight stories of UFV students’ first times for your instructive reading pleasure.
The very best of Yanni
The Greek-born keyboardist charmed everything in a 50-mile radius, including us. Taylor Breckles has the deets.
Reviving the hula hoop
It might not seem like much of a workout, but hula-hooping is becoming a new fitness phenomenon — and it’s great for your core.
At UFV’s 40th, the party never ends KATIE STOBBART
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Is turning 40 really such a big deal? Writing that in someone’s birthday card would probably get me an indignant response, but in UFV’s case, I think the question is warranted. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve enjoyed seeing the technicolour timeline of UFV history produced for the occasion. The corn maze looks pretty cool, and I like cake as much as the next person. But with each celebration, it’s all starting to seem like a bit much. Worse, it feels like an insult. Every corner I turn, someone is talking about budget cuts. It’s the reason the Mission campus library and Abbotsford faculty reception closed last year. It’s why departments are being asked to be entrepreneurial and creative about slashing funds and bringing in revenue. In September 2013, Shawna Pierce, the library technician when the Mission library closed, told The Cascade the closure would save $30,000 a year, and that every little bit
Volume 22 · Issue 22 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 and Development joe@ufvcascade.ca Joe Johnson Webmaster ashley@ufvcascade.ca Ashley Mussbacher Copy Editor kodie@ufvcascade.ca Kodie Cherrille
counted. “If you said you could save $50 on postage, or $500 on postage, or whatever, [they were] like, ‘okay, we need that,’” Pierce said. The province cut millions of dollars from post-secondary education. In an interview this week about corporate partnerships with our institution, director of ancillary services Cameron Roy linked the need for those partnerships with the province-wide cuts. “One thing that we’ve been kind of straddled with in the past two or three years has been cutbacks from the provincial government. So subsequently, departments like mine, in ancillary services, we’re mandated to bring in revenue to supplement and balance off,” Roy explained. Yet how many birthday parties have we had now? How many are still to come? Three UFV festivals at the Chilliwack, Abbotsford, and Hope campuses are occurring within days of each other: September 12, 17, and 19. They include live music, marketplaces, kids’ zones with bouncy castles, dunk tanks, a hamster ball race, and Gizmo
the clown. Granted, some generated funds are reaching students: proceeds from the corn maze are earmarked for a scholarship endowment that provides multiple awards, for example. But how much are we putting out to balance any benefit? How many cake cuttings, corn mazes with our logo imprinted in them, barbecues, and 40th-anniversary spins on events we host anyway are going to be packed into a single year? How are we going to top this when we hit 50? Even if half the events were free of charge for UFV, which I doubt, that’s still a lot of money being poured out of the university, much of which targets external community members more than it does students. I don’t know how much it all costs, but I’d be willing to bet it’s not cheap — it probably costs a lot more than postage. That’s not to mention the price tag on designing logos, promotional materials, and advertising. Having discussed branding and advertising in the context of this paper, I’m sympathetic to the need to appeal to prospective students, their par-
ents, and the powers that be, as well as establish a good rapport with the communities of the Fraser Valley. That’s part of giving the university space to grow as much as it is about increasing our prestige and profile. I’m also far from opposed to celebrating our history as an institution, and providing community-building activities for students. What smarts is to see academic-related services cut and miles-long waitlists while the merriment carries on across the Green, the Canada Education Park, and the cornfields all year long. If departments are being asked to be creative when it comes to saving money, and we’re being told that every nickle and dime counts, it’s only fair that UFV show some restraint as well. When it comes to classes and services that benefit students, we’re stretched too thin. But go ahead and have that extra slice of cake, take in some tunes, and get a temporary tattoo with UFV’s 40th anniversary logo on it. Temporary, because the birthday party can’t go on forever.
News Editor megan@ufvcascade.ca Megan Lambert
Production Assistant shyanne@ufvcascade.ca Shyanne Schedel
Printed By International Web exPress
Opinion Editor brittney@ufvcascade.ca Brittney Hensman
Varsity Writer nathan@ufvcascade.ca Nathan Hutton
Culture Editor nadine@ufvcascade.ca Nadine Moedt
Staff Writers breckles@ufvcascade.ca Taylor Breckles
Arts Editor sasha@ufvcascade.ca Sasha Moedt
vanessa@ufvcascade.ca Vanessa Broadbent
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 over 50 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.
Sports Editor catherine@ufvcascade.ca Catherine Stewart Production and Design Editor stewart@ufvcascade.ca Stewart Seymour Art Director anthony@ufvcascade.ca Anthony Biondi
martin@ufvcascade.ca Martin Castro Contributors Dessa Bayrock, Remington Fioraso, Josh Friesen, Jeremy Hannaford, Ashley Hayes, Riley Nowlan, Jason Peters, Alex Rake, Jeffrey Trainor Cover image: In loving memory of Sim City 2000 by Anthony Biondi Aerial photo: Feral Rogue/ flickr
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
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NEWS
Free Coke on campus draws a crowd — at a cost? Corporate advertising may be necessary despite past contention KATIE STOBBART
THE CASCADE
The Abbotsford campus green is usually a quiet, pastoral atmosphere. Students can often be found studying or enjoying the afternoon sunshine between classes, chatting at a picnic table with friends, and cutting across the rolling lawn on their way to the cafeteria or the gym. On September 11, the first noticeable atmospheric difference may have been the steady beat of music coming from the upper part of the Green. The source was a red van whose queue extended beyond the adjacent red tent and red flying banners bearing Coke’s logo. The Coke van was parked alongside the main pathway in front of the Peter Jones Learning Commons (perhaps better known as the library building, or the one with the Tim Hortons) from 10:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. as part of the beverage company’s Share a Coke campaign. Students could get a free cold Coke sample as well as a personalized can with their names printed on the side where “Coca-Cola” might usually be printed. From September 2 to September 12, the van visited Capilano University, Vancouver Island University, UVic, UBC, and UFV, as well as other non-academic locations. Though the van’s manager declined to provide an estimated turn-out for UFV, the line-up for free Coke continued for most of the day.
provincial governement,” he said. “The institution’s goal is to be more entrepreneurial — not just my department but other departments as well.”
UFV is brand-sensitive As for the decrease in revenue over the past five years, Roy attributed this to a change in attitudes in the public education system toward soft drinks, which filters into the university as students grow up and move on to post-secondary study. “When the K-12 group that have been excluded from Coca-Cola products are now coming through the university system … their appetites and their tastes have shifted. “So the hayday of seven years ago when Coke was just handing out money left, right, and centre — they can’t do it anymore, and that’s what’s really problematic,” Roy said. But he explained Coca-Cola’s efforts to tap into trends toward healthy options and green materials are positive. “Everybody knows the trend for healthy options. And it really has refocused CocaImage credit: Chris Blakely/Flickr Cola’s product line as well … the vitamin water is one of Although having ads displayed around the campus can bring in funding, some argue that it comprotheir best sellers,” Roy said by mises the institution’s integrity. way of example. “Coca-Cola is sequent years. professor of marketing at no prospective revenue is in- adjusting; they have some sigAt Trent University in On- Queen’s School of Business, cluded in the budget. nificant green policies in their tario in 2004, attitudes to- Jacob Brower, told the Journal “Sales, and consequently bottling … [and] has been reward advertising on campus that at the crux of the debate our revenue, have decreased ally creative and responsible were more aggressive. A con- is a university’s identity. over the past five years. This with regards to the planttract was signed between the “I almost think that how contract is about to expire and based bottles they’re starting university and Zoom Media we think about advertising its future status is uncertain,” to promote and put into their (which provided bathroom on campus is part of a bigger the document reads. product line.” ads similar to those Newads question of ‘are universities UFV director of ancillary Trends and branding are supplies to UFV), despite op- designed to make a profit or services Cameron Roy ex- a consideration in decisions position from students, many are they meant to be a centre plained that while the con- made about corporate partof whom objected to adver- of knowledge? … I think those tract is up for renewal, it is nerships by ancillary services. The advertising debate: tising in an academic atmo- lines are starting to blur a bit,” being negotiated, and funding That, Roy explained, is directsphere. Brower said. for the student union is a fac- ly influenced by student prefpast and present Advertising in academic miStudents at Trent responded tor in the negotiations. erences. Corporate partnerships “I want to maintain that lieus has long been a subject with an organized vandalism “Students are brand-sensicampaign dur- fund students kind of sponsorof contention. In tive. Students like ing which ads One source of that blur is ship of students 2011, an advertisbrands; they “Are universi- were spray-paint- financial tension. Can a uni- … I don’t know “You want ac- the ing campaign run get comfortable by Campus Cards ties designed to ed, glass was versity continue to be a cen- how that’s going cess to our stu- with it,” he said. and tre for knowledge without to play out, what stirred the conFinancial benemake a profit or smashed, Well, fits aside, Roy said some ads were looking for external funding? it’s going to look dents? versation when it targeted the are they meant removed directly. UFV’s contract with Coca- like, but there make their lives the goal is to imEventually Zoom Cola extends back at least two certainly will university audiprove the student ence by distribut- to be a centre Media ended decades, and the exclusivity be something a little easier.” experience. ing free decks of of knowledge?” its contract ear- contract over the past eight available for the “We just want to ly, and student years provides general funds student union cards with advermake campus life union officials applauded stu- for ancillary services as well in this new contract for sure,” more enjoyable for students, tisements printed on them. Students responding at the dents for their action, accord- as for the Student Union Soci- Roy said. and they’ve been asking: Who time had mixed reactions — ing to an article originally ety (SUS). He also noted that partner- doesn’t want a Subway on According to SUS’s 2014-15 ships between the university campus? Who doesn’t want a some expressed that the ads published by Trent’s Arthur were not effective, others in- and republished by SFU’s the operating budget, the amount and corporations like Coke are Booster Juice on campus? And students receive from the at least partially a response to this is kind of where we want quired about how students Peak. The debate hasn’t disap- partnership has decreased in budget cuts. might benefit financially from to go with these corporate the venture, and still others peared in the last decade. In the latter years of the agree“One thing that we’ve been partnerships. You want access viewed campus advertising as March 2014, Queen’s Univer- ment. In 2012-13, SUS received kind of straddled with in the to our students? Well, make invasive by nature. The cards sity’s the Journal explored the $18,500. In 2013-14, that num- past two or three years has their lives a little easier.” did not return to UFV in sub- subject as well. An assistant ber fell to $14,750. This year, been the cutbacks from the
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NEWS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Science on Purpose
It’s the thought that counts Scientific breakthrough makes telepathy a reality with brain-computer interface KATIE STOBBART
THE CASCADE
Science and fantasy are so often at odds — one is always trying to disprove the other. But when the two coalesce, amazing things happen. Don’t planes come from our dream of flight? Recently, science and fantasy have partnered up to bring us an even more astonishing venture: telepathy, or brainto-brain communication. However, while the idea may be fantastic, the research is grounded in real science. “It is kind of a technological realization of the dream of telepathy, but it is definitely not magical,” Giulio Ruffini, who co-authored the research, told the Telegraph. “We are using technology to interact electromagnetically with the brain.” The research uses existing technology to transfer thoughts. BCI, or brain-computer interface, was first researched in the ‘70s. CBI, or computer-brain interface, is more recent and provided the other piece of the puzzle; brain-to-brain communication
is made possible by combining the two. Four volunteers between 28 and 50 tested the technology first as participants in a study. One participant sent out a thought with BCI, and the other three were assigned to receive it with CBI. The process is non-invasive; it’s less like occlumency lessons with Snape and more like sending an email or a text message — without the text. It’s also possible to communicate thoughts over long distances. The researchers used electroencephalography (EEG), which records electrical activity via electrodes attached to the scalp, to translate basic messages into binary. Those messages were sent automatically by email from the emitter in Thiruvananthapuram, India to the receiver in Strasbourg, France. Transmission error rates were low — less than 11 per cent in the first experiment, and less than four per cent in the second. “These initial results suggest new research directions, including the non-invasive direct transmission of emotions
Image: Anthony Biondi
This variety of telepathy is less like occlumency with Snape and more like sending an email. and feelings,” the authors suggest in the research published on PLOS One. Though it may be some time before this technology becomes readily available, the possibilities and pitfalls are already up for discussion. “Developing brain-to-brain transmissions further will likely raise ethical and sociological questions in the future, such as who gets to transmit
Clubs and associations kick off at AfterMath VANESSA BROADBENT
THE CASCADE
Clubs and associations celebrated the start of a new year September 10 in AfterMath with speakers and free food. The Student Union Society (SUS) held the event so clubs and associations could learn about new policies regarding registration and finances. SUS engagement officer Derrick Swallow welcomed everyone and explained the event was to ensure clubs and associations felt supported by SUS. Then, UFV International’s new global engagement officer Chelsey Laird spoke about her goal to help clubs, associations, and SUS groups collaborate with UFV’s international program. Another new way SUS plans to support student groups on campus is with a new handbook compiled by clubs and
associations officer Alisha Atkinson. It contains details regarding club registration, events, advertising, and funding. Since last year, the registration and re-registration process has changed. A group’s registration used to expire at the same time every year. Now a group’s membership does not expire until a year from when they registered. The biggest change associations will see this year from last, however, is in SUS’s approach to funding. VP internal Thomas Davies explained that previously, SUS gave funds in advance — but to prevent funds from going to the wrong areas, SUS will provide 70 per cent of funds needed before an event, and the remaining 30 per cent when a receipt is submitted. Funding will be distributed on a by-request basis. “We need to know what you’re doing to ensure the
amount of funding seems reasonable,” Davies said. The funding form can be found on SUS’s new website, and requires three electronic signatures. One student in attendance asked about the legitimacy of electronic signatures, but Davies explained that it’s pretty easy to forge a signature whether the application is paper or electronic, so SUS will contact the people signing funding request forms. Some students interested in starting a club or association (including a possible African club) attended, as well as already-established clubs and associations, such as the Biology and Chemistry Student Association, Aboriginal Students Club, Student Psychology Association, English Students Association, and the International Students Association.
these messages and if [sic] what might happen if someone decides to dabble into the dystopian realm of mind control,” Newsweek ’s Paul Mejia mused. On top of enabling thought transmission, the authors of the research suggest future technology could offer a way to approach mental health issues like depression or obsessive-compulsive thought pat-
terns. But the article ends with a reminder that such technology will also have to be regulated, as Mejia suggested. “The widespread use of human brain-to-brain technologically mediated communication will create novel possibilities for human interrelation with broad social implications that will require new ethical and legislative responses.”
BC Transit holds open houses regarding rapid transit route KATIE STOBBART
THE CASCADE
For a commuter campus like UFV, effective transit is essential. The current stage in BC Transit’s plans for interregional rapid transit involve an invitation for residents of the Fraser Valley to share input. In October 2013, the Fraser Valley Regional District approved a Chilliwack-Abbotsford-Langley public bus route with a hoped-for implementation date of September 2014. That date has come and gone without the materialization of said bus, but BC Transit is still moving forward with the plan. From September 9 to 12 last week, BC Transit held open houses at eight locations in Abbotsford, Langley, Mission, and Chilliwack to solicit public opinion on the proposed Fraser Valley Express (FVX)
route. There is also a survey available until September 19 on BC Transit’s website for those unable to attend. As previously reported in the September 3 issue of The Cascade (“Transit talk highlights August SUS board meeting”), the route is now scheduled to start in April 2015. Furthermore, an issue raised at the same SUS meeting is that the FVX route will not be included in SUS’s UPass program, at least not in its early stages of implementation. The additional fare for the FVX will be $6. The schedule will run weekday mornings and evenings to specifically cater to commuters, students, and community members looking for recreational or medical services. As the routes gain popularity, more times may be added to the schedule. With files from Taylor Breckles.
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OPINION
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
SNAPSHOTS
Free albums functional?
Curtailed commentary on current conditions
If reading only stuck
Jeffrey Trainor I’ll hazard a guess that everyone who uses iTunes is well aware of U2’s newest album, Songs of Innocence. U2 teamed up with Apple to bring their new record to all 5 million iTunes users for free. Now, U2 is an iconic band and truly one of the greatest rock bands of all time, but I am shaking my head at the decision to not only make their album free, but furthermore to automatically upload it to every iTunes account on earth. Our society already has the mentality that music should be cheap because it is so quickly digested and forgotten. I know U2 are not struggling for money themselves, but they need to think about the future. As a musician, I know the vast amount of time, effort, and money that go into a record, and these factors make recording incredibly frustrating. How can any artist expect to grow when they aren’t seeing any of the product for their milestones and successes? Hopefully this doesn’t create an expectation for free albums in the future, or new and upcoming artists will find breaking into the industry even harder than ever.
Redefining family
Give back our gravel lot!
Brittney Hensman
Ashley Mussbacher
Jason Peters
I’m not dumb. My brain just processes differently. I do the preliminary class readings, pencil in hand, show up to class (coffee in hand), and take notes — lots of notes, with lots of colour. But information for me to retain takes time. My brain output can be compared to that of a tenderized roast. The final product is outstanding, but those results require adequate marination. So to my profs and fellow classmates, I apologize if I do not contribute in depth information to class discussions or in class group work. I can assure you I am prepared as per the class requirements. However, the reality is that a one-time read-through of the material will not produce in me a sufficient amount of information to contribute a well-formulated and educated verbal contribution. I am silent because I don’t know it yet, and the expectation for me to contribute anything beyond that which is on the surface of the subject matter is unrealistic. I am not a prof. I’m a learning student.
Family members boast about having blood relation, a bond dating back generations. Their bond with you is simply happenstance. But when you plan a wedding or an important event, they must be invited to it without question, even if you don’t want them there. However, the people dearest to me are those who have no claim in name or blood. They are people who have worked to build a relationship with me in trust and love. Not out of obligation, but because they want to. They are the ones who pick up the phone because they haven’t heard from you in a while. Or invite you over, just because. Family should be built by a connection that runs deeper than a name, a blood tie, and an hierarchy. It is not something that is owed.
Blocking off at least one third of the gravel parking lot for construction personnel when parking is already so congested is terrible. I recognize the construction workers have to park too, but they had them parking behind AfterMath last semester; why change it? UFV boasts record registration numbers, and then does nothing to improve the parking situation. The gravel lot is for permits only, and I would be interested to know if construction workers had to pay to park like students do.
Pedestrians beware! A bike bell can’t compete with your iPod tunes STEWART SEYMOUR
THE CASCADE
A recent article in the Province informed us of the frequent collisions occurring between pedestrians and cyclists. While the article was quite informative, it reminded me of the responsibility we all share when navigating through city streets. From my perspective, it is always the cyclists who seem to get the blame. Animosity toward them is nothing new, specifically from motorists. As a greater number of people choose to bike as a means of commuting, the number of collisions involving cyclists will inevitably rise. While we are most often talking about collisions that occur between cyclists and motorists, collisions with other cyclists can happen — and even accidents with pedestrians can result in severe consequences. Whether we choose to drive, bike, or walk, we all have a responsibility to educate ourselves and look out for one another.
Image: Gigantic Robot/ flickr
As cycling becomes increasingly popular, we all need to exercise extra awareness.
Cycling, as a means of commuting, is nothing new. However, municipal transportation plans that keep cycling in mind are quite novel — at least in car-centric North America. Vancouver introduced the first of its sepa-
rated bike lanes in 2010. Other municipalities in the Fraser Valley have also introduced dedicated bike lanes to encourage biking. The benefits of cycling are too numerous to ignore: it is efficient, economical, sustainable, and in-
credibly beneficial to your health. As the pressure mounts for communities to be more sustainable, municipalities will adopt policies that encourage people to leave their cars at home. There will no doubt be growing pains. One thing that might often be overlooked is the number of people that choose to walk. According to Statistics Canada in their 2011 National Household Survey, every municipality had more people who chose to walk instead of bike as a means of commuting. In Vancouver, 6.3 per cent of people commute by walking as opposed to biking, which sat at 1.8 per cent as of 2011. But this is precisely why more infrastructure is needed for cyclists. Like any other activity, there is a learning curve and biking is no exception. Learning how to navigate your bike through traffic takes a little adjusting and some courage. With cars whipping by at over 70 km/hr, it is understandable why we might see some cyclists opt to ride on the sidewalks. Some of the traffic con-
ditions discourage people from cycling at all. There are often complaints that it’s the cyclists who break the rules of the road, but the same can be said of motorists and pedestrians. I see cars running red lights in Abbotsford almost weekly, and pedestrians routinely jaywalk, but police rarely make effort to enforce those rules. They can’t possibly hand out a ticket for every single infraction that actually happens. Reducing the number of collisions will ultimately come through education, and that should start as soon as elementary school. Pedestrians need to remember to look both ways before crossing a street. As new sustainability transportation initiatives play out, it is only a matter of time before we all adjust, but the city and its streets are for everyone — regardless of how we choose to get around. We all have a responsibility to look out for one another; perhaps that is something we need to remind ourselves of.
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OPINION
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Do unions deserve their due? The whole country reaps the benefits VALERIE FRANKLIN
THE CASCADE
If you’ve driven past any elementary schools in the past months, you’ve probably seen them: the tired-eyed teachers standing in the September heat, waving union signs and hoping for a honk or a wave as you drive past. It’s easy to roll your eyes, flip them the finger, and drive on, cursing the unions for keeping your kids out of school for so long. But while unions are receiving a lot of bad press over the recent teachers’ strike, it’s important we realize what they have done for us — and why we need them now more than ever. Since the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada in 1883 began the fight for workers’ rights, labour unions have fought an extraordinary battle. Even if you don’t have a unionized job, you can thank unions for creating the basic standard of workers’ rights we all enjoy, including maternity leave, health benefits, safe working conditions, and equal hiring practices. But those struggles are all in the past, you might argue. This is the 21st century; we have a higher standard for human rights now. We’ve won the battle against Dickensian mills and dangerous mines staffed by pale, coughing children. We’ve outgrown the need for unions — haven’t we? Sadly, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. As the widening wealth gap sets Generation Y up for failure across the western world, it’s becoming clear that our generation needs unions as much as our grandparents ever did. The key lies in the middle class. It’s well-documented that a country does best when there is the least variance between the rich and the poor. The richer the rich and the poorer the poor, the more social problems tend to afflict the society: mental illness, infant mortality, illiteracy, sickness, violent crime, and so on. A healthy country requires a healthy middle class, where most of the population enjoys relative economic equality — and unions are essential for this. By providing job security and protecting workers’ basic rights, unions can develop and sustain that middle class. They prevent corporations, political parties, and employers from exploiting workers, violating human rights, and undoing the accomplishments of the last century and a half. The media has often characterized unions as being led by wicked “union bosses” who cackle as they rake in the bucks scraped from your paycheque each week. Yeah, it’s disappointing that your union will take a few dollars out of your paycheque each week — but it’s literally a small price to pay for the stability and prosperity that unionized labour can
bring to a country. And since unions are funded entirely by their members, they don’t owe loyalty to anyone but their members. If you work for one, you have a powerful ally that will protect and support you in the case of workplace harassment, abuse, and exploitation. Unions don’t protect the lazy, as some argue — they protect everyone. Even if you’ve never belonged to a union in your life, you still benefit from their existence. The extra stability created by unions helps stimulate the economy; well-paid workers are more likely to spend more, invest more, and start their own businesses. They also contribute more taxes, which then to go improving services like education, healthcare, roads, and law enforcement, improving the entire community. For the last fourteen decades Canada has enjoyed a broad middle class, thanks in large part to the existence of unions; if you’re reading this, especially if you’re a university student, it’s statistically likely that you come from that economic background. But that middle class is rapidly shrinking. According to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Canada’s 100 highest-paid CEOs make 171 times more than the average Canadian worker — and 194 times the average Canadian woman. The poor are becoming extraordinarily poor. The rich are becoming extraordinarily rich. And the gap between them is becoming immense as the middle class that most of us grew up in steadily shrinks. University students in particular should be aware of the importance of labour unions, given the economic difficulty our generation is struggling with. “I now have students who are coming out of university with $30,000 in debt, and they can’t find anything except crummy service jobs,” University of Toronto labour history professor Laurel McDowell told CBC News. “They’re in nonstandards jobs, they’ve got no benefits, they’ve got long workdays, they’ve got really bad conditions, and I think, this is progress? “We’re at a real turning point. We’ve got to decide what kind of workforce and what kind of society we’re going to have.” I know what kind of society I would like to have. That’s why I’m not going to vote for Christy Clark, or anyone else who tries to tell me that labour unions are greedy gangs who protect the lazy. The choice is clear to me — I would take a union job any day, where I know my voice will be heard, my human rights defended, and my country’s economic stability protected.
Unions perpetuate apathy and a false sense of equality BRITTNEY HENSMAN
THE CASCADE
VANESSA BROADBENT
THE CASCADE
When unions started in North America, their purpose was to protect employees against the poor workplace standards and injustices. However, over time unions have lost sight of their function. What was originally created to protect the employee has slowly started on a trajectory of developing either a narrowly defined work ethic or an apathetic and unsatisfied mindset in workers. In a union, good work ethic does not hold job security on its own: hard work is not what drives promotions, pay raises, and positive employee-employer relationships. As such, union workers can lose that incentive to work harder. Furthermore, the structure of a union often protects employees who may need to be let go. After a short probation period (usually around three months), an employee’s job is protected, making it almost impossible for them to be removed from their position. Also, if an employee does something worth reporting, it often gets overlooked due to the large amount of paperwork behind filing a complaint. Supervisors can’t be bothered with the hassle. Workers know and are told what is expected of them, but there are few consequences when expectations are not met. Union dues can get extremely out of hand as well. Employees have an average amount of their earnings deducted from each paycheque, which is contributed to a common fund. The problem is, once employed by a union, employees have no say in whether they want to pay these dues or not, or where the money actually goes. If a worker disagrees with the union’s use of dues, or is not given adequate information on their use, he or she is powerless to influence the decision. Many of the fees go toward running the union (admin fees, legal fees, training, etc.). It appears
VS.
the dues paid metaphorically go towards “feeding the beast” so it can fight. Unions place their emphasis on equality: a democratic way in the workforce that supplies each employee with equal rights. However, their attempt to equal the playing field creates a false equal world for workers. Take a sports team: the better skilled and equipped players win the game. Or look at the competitiveness of the job market. It’s the go-getters who typically gain higher status or have access to better resources. This reality, juxtaposed with the concept that working in an union entitles a worker to equal rights, produces an idealistic mentality rather than a realistic one. Thinking our world is an equal place is an incorrect mindset. As much as we’d all love it to be, it’s not and never will be. Furthermore, the voice of the union contradicts a person’s sense of their individual “human right.” Your voice ends up lumped with the mass voice of the union. It is the union that speaks, not the individual. This takes away from the individual’s sense of responsibility. Many of the well-known union jobs such as nurses or teachers have superior working conditions compared to others in the labour force — and to look at the conditions in developing countries wouldn’t be a fair comparison. We live in a country that equips us with resources we not only need, but also want and desire. These privileges are far above many other regions of the world. We are a privileged nation. But why is there always the need to receive more? Because people love to exercise their rights to receive all these privileges. It seems unfair in the minds of many, if some receive more than others. But the fight for privileges for necessity is lost. Unions have formed together to protect the rights and privileges of citizens who, in today’s society, have it pretty well. I worry that people forget how good they have it compared to what once was. It’s the classic case of a continual quest for fulfilment and the consumerist mentality of wanting more. But in the end this mindset does not only apply to those who work in a union. It applies to us all.
Image: Kheel Center/ flickr
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OPINION
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Twelve years of school, and I still don’t know how to do my own taxes ASHLEY MUSSBACHER
THE CASCADE
I’m almost 25, in my final year of university, on the verge of getting married, and I still have no idea how to do my taxes. I took math until my second year at UFV — numbers don’t scare me. The education system and the government do. Recent events between BCTF and the government have got me thinking back on my classes and what I learned. One thing has me astounded: how the hell did I make it through 12 years of school without learning the basics of living? Some of these basics are important financial skills like banking, filing taxes, how to rent a place and what to look out for, how to buy a home and how much to save for it, budgeting, and RRSPs. When it comes to my taxes, I file them online or through an expensive accountant, but still have no idea how the system works.
Image: Mat Honan/ flickr
Parents shouldn’t be solely responsible for teaching kids life skills. The education system needs to step it up. Magically, the numbers add up and the government doesn’t “audit” me (a scary term that means I might owe money, and I have to
do something in order to not owe money). I do have basic knowledge of financial systems — I know if I
put money into a savings account at the bank, it will grow at a certain percentile (and usually that’s negated by the fees). I knew that not because of the career and personal planning class I took in highschool, but from my own curiosity. When I was saving money at 16, I went into a bank looking lost, and asked a lot of questions. When I first moved out on my own, not only did I have no idea how to budget, I didn’t know what to keep an eye out for when looking for a place. Those little psychological nudges called “red flags?” My first landlord was a total creep, I paid way too much for the place, and my roommate thought it was okay to have her layabout boyfriend living with us without paying his portion of the rent. Budgeting is still a problem. Some variables change over time, and some stay constant. Sometimes it’s flexible and sometimes it feels like a noose. We covered a bit of budgeting in high school.
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Light refreshments will be available For more information visit www.ufvsus.ca/egm
The single-page questionnaire asked me what I wanted to do as my dream job and how much I’d make doing it. I wrote: famous writer, $1 million per month. Needless to say, I had no problem paying my cell bill. I’m not ashamed to admit I still struggle. I feel more like a child every day when I look at how much I don’t understand about the economy I live in, despite my desire to understand it. The little knowledge I do have was hard-earned through failure and not-so-great decisions. I continue to learn with the help of some friends and family who’ve fumbled their way through obstacles before me and have secrets and advice to share. I did not learn these things in school, and maybe that’s just life. But if the future generation is the foundation of the economy, as it always has been, then shouldn’t the educators and government work together to ensure everyone’s future is secure?
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CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Bluegrass and hamster runs: 40th anniversary celebrations continue in Chilliwack VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE/PHOTOS
On September 12, the Canada Education Park campus in Chilliwack was the site of a 40th anniversary part for UFV. The event was bluegrass-themed and featured four live bands, which were primarily folk- and acoustic-oriented: Greenwood, Headwater, Viper Central, and the Paperboys. The first band that played, Greenwood, featured UFV’s geography professor Jonathan Hughes on mandolin. UFV’s special events manager Betsy Terpsma explained how the idea for the event began. “We had a committee made up of faculty and staff at UFV that we put together and were doing some work around what we wanted to do for the 40th anniversary. We decided that we wanted to have a couple of community parties and that we would do a community party in each [town with a UFV campus]: Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Mission, and Hope.” Each party has its own theme inspired by the host community. Terpsma explained the reasoning behind the bluegrass theme of Friday’s event. “In Chilliwack, we thought because of agriculture that we would go with a bluegrass kind of feel for music, and try to show off our new Agriculture Centre,” she said. The Agriculture Centre is UFV’s newest facility and was
Bluegrass bands played well-received sets. open during the celebration for tours. “It’s opening this fall for students, and because we’re at the Chilliwack campus space, we wanted to show it off.” UFV president Mark Evered welcomed event-goers and gave an opening speech, thanking the community for supporting UFV through its 40 years. He explained that UFV is something the community has asked and fought for throughout the years. There was also a piratethemed kid zone with a bouncy castle that was run by one of the kinesiology classes, as well as a hamster-wheel run for children operated by the Student Union Society (SUS). A dunk-tank where people could pay $5 for
three chances to dunk their professor of choice saw proceeds going to university advancement to support student emergency funds. Food trucks served everything from poutine to pasta to bannock. Various university organizations like Cascade Athletics and SUS had booths, as well as community organizations like the Chilliwack Chiefs. The event was attended not only by UFV faculty and students, but also by the people of the Chilliwack community. The celebrations will continue with a similar event on the Abbotsford campus September 17.
Food trucks provided attendees with a variety of tasty morsels.
A hamster run! A bouncy castle! UFV has reached maturity at 40.
The campus Green was abuzz with booths from various university and community organizations.
CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
CROSSWORD Under the Sea
ACROSS
by VALERIE FRANKLIN 1
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1. This bony fish’s whole genus, Hippocampus, is named for a certain equine appearance. (8) 3. Contrary to popular belief, this fish doesn’t stab with its nose — although it does use it to slash its prey. (9) 5. It may be slow, but this reptile’s heavy shell protects it from predators. (6) 8. If you’ve ever clambered over rocks on the beach, you’ve probably scraped your hands on this sharp, clingy crustacean. (9) 10. They may be microscopic, but these tiny, drifting creatures are dinner for countless other species. (8) 12. This cephalopod is known as one of the smartest creatures on Earth. (7)
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DOWN 1. Discovery Channel has a whole week dedicated to this terrifying predator. (5) 2. This colourful, five-legged echinoderm can often be found clinging to rocks by the shore. (8) 3. A ball of spines that was once known as a “sea hedgehog.” (3, 6) 4. A mysterious, giant version of this tentacled deep-sea dweller was filmed live for the first time in 2012. (5) 6. This crustacean has a nasty pair of claws to go with its thick exoskeleton. (4) 7. This smart, playful cetacean is one of the only animals on Earth that has sex for fun. (7) 9. A long, slippery fish with an electrifyingly ugly face. (3) 11. This big, black and white whale is often seen as a symbol of BC. (4)
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SUDOKU PUZZLE Answer keys
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2. DARK 4. SMARTIES 6. MELT 10. FONDUE 13. BAR 14. NUTELLA Down 1. MARS 3. WHITE 5. MILK 7. LINDT 8. COCOA 9. BELGIUM 11. KITKAT 12. REESE
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CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Trade, pipelines, and creative approaches to Regional summit shed light on economic future of the Fraser Valley
by Joe Johnson photos: UFV Flickr background photo: Tim Kuelker
“Now’s the time to set up shop in the Fraser Valley,” said Justin Goodrich, chair of the organizing committee for the Fraser Valley Economic Summit on September 9. Small business owners and leaders gathered for the oneday event at the Abbotsford Centre to look forward to future development in the region. It is the second time such an event has been held — the first, a symposium was launched in 2012. It was intended to be an annual event, but a transition in the city’s economic development office prevented it from taking place last year, it was re-envisioned with a broader scope. Goodrich is also UFV’s alumni associations chairman, as well as the managing partner at Giesbrecht, Goodrich & Co., a firm specializing in advocacy and government relations. According to Goodrich, this summit is important for businesses in the Fraser Valley because other events don’t address their needs or interests. “Normally these kinds of summits happen essentially west of Langley,” he said. “Surrey sort of does its own thing, and then of course you head into Vancouver. And the information in those cities isn’t relevant to the Fraser Valley.” The scope of the summit was based on a vision of regional collaboration, with the understanding that the economies
of the different municipalities within the Fraser Valley are intertwined with one another. The summit began with a 7:30 a.m. networking breakfast and business showcase, where businesses had an opportunity to connect with each other, and then officially opened with a motivational speaker. That was followed by a string of keynote speakers, breakout sessions, a mayor ’s panel, and a closing keynote speech and Q&A with former CKNW radio show host Bill Good. The city-directed outcome of the summit was “to make sure that whoever attended the summit left with good, tangible information that they could take and apply to their business. And to make sure it was Fraser Valley-focused,” Goodrich explained. “It demonstrated Abbotsford’s commitment to the small business community, which is really the lifeblood of our local economy.” Goodrich also noted UFV’s prominence at the event as a source of economic growth in the region. “They’re a huge economic driver; we’re not just talking about job creation, but we’re talking about job innovation as well,” he said. In addition to the university’s sponsorship, UFV president Mark Evered was a featured speaker. Executive director of facilities and campus planning Craig Toews also spoke at one
of the three breakout sessions, and Leslie Courchesne, executive director of marketing and communications, introduced Bill Good. Goodrich lauded Evered for his contributions. “How do we create and build a creative economy, and how do we engage future business leaders and thinkers? I just think he challenged us, and did an excellent job challenging us,” he said. According to Goodrich, the Fraser Valley’s economy is only going to grow as people continue to start businesses and families here. “We’re going to see huge growth numbers in terms of population in the next 20 years,” he said, “which means we’re going to see a huge growth in economic activity.” MLA Ed Fast suggests Canada needs to take advantage of available resources Minister of International Trade Ed Fast mainly discussed topics from his portfolio. Giving practical advice on tools businesses can access and underutilized services, he said his motivation was to empower businesses to expand beyond their base locations. Fast also pointed out the reasons Canadian businesses have so much potential to be prosperous in other markets, and why Canada is such a strong location for business. However, according to Fast,
Canada still leaves money on the table by not using all the tools available. He also offered an explanation for the federal government’s aggressive approach to trade agreements. “One in five Canadian jobs is directly dependent on foreign trade,” he said, adding that “60 per cent of GDP is directly or indirectly related to trade.” Kinder Morgan president stresses benefits of pipeline expansion project Ian Anderson, the man at the helm of Kinder Morgan, primarily spoke about the benefits and opportunities their current expansion project presents to the various municipalities it will traverse, as well as the challenges in keeping both national and local interests balanced. “I think it’s one of the profoundly important challenges we face as a country,” he said. Anderson also described how conversations vary in each region his company’s pipeline travels through. “As you go down along the line, the conversations are different. The conversations about the impact, the conversations about the effect, the conversations about the opportunities are all different.” He also said the Fraser Valley is a place which has struck a balance between environmental concerns, like the safety and preservation of watershed and agricultural land, and the pursuit of economic opportunities.
“This is the place that I find those things in most balance,” he said. According to Anderson, some of the benefits that will directly affect regional municipalities will come in the form of significant contributions to property taxes. “We’ll have $500 million invested into the local communities through which we traverse,” he stated. “We will increase $23 million every year in property tax payments. Hope will go from $700 to $1.3 million, Abbotsford will go from $2.1 million to $3.4 million every year, Chilliwack will go from $700 to $1.6 million. “Over the 20-year life of the project, we will increase our property tax payments to British Columbia communities by just short of half a billion dollars.” UFV president Mark Evered says creativity is key Evered emphasized that the growth of the creative sector, such as the tech industry, is fast outpacing many others. “Getting more creative in all sectors of the economy, from mining and manufacturing to healthcare and tourism, will increase Canada’s competiveness and prosperity,” he said, citing points from a report by Hirsch and Roach. “There is not a single sector of the economy that would not benefit from clever solutions to problems, new way of seeing
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
o growth
things, and unique products.” Evered pointed out that as the workforce has decreased in manufacturing over the last 60 years, it has increased in the creative class. “Technology is affecting transport, but of course it’s affecting communication … It’s not just the communication, but many have argued that through this technology we’re entering a new industrial revolution — a revolution that is moving the worker from the manufacturing plant to our small businesses, and even to the desktop.” He described the current consumer as an “on-demand, mobile consumer … And a consumer who is also demanding [customization] in the services and products we provide.” Evered posed the question of how to build and support the creative economy in the Fraser Valley. “It’s hard work because creative and ambitious professionals are among the most mobile on the planet,“ he stated. He also noted the importance of instilling creativity in every aspect of education and business. Evered explained there must to be a technical infrastructure in place, but also opportunities to connect with other creative individuals and community. Real estate expert weighs in on demographic shifts Director of Research for Real Estate Investors Network Mel-
anie Reuter spoke on demographic change. As pointed out by professional services network PricewaterhouseCoopers, there are five current megatrends. “In the next 25 years, 70 to 75 per cent of the world’s population will live urbanely. That’s 1.5 billion people moving from rural areas to urban areas,” she said. “This is going to put incredible stress on infrastructure.” She noted that with a population of 8.3 billion people by 2030, the world will need 50 per cent more energy, 40 per cent more water, and 35 per cent more food. “[This] is really great news for Canada, for BC and the Fraser Valley,” she said, “because what we really have going for us as a country is the four Fs: food, fuel, fertilizer, and forestry.” Reuter also commented on the changing age of the workforce. “Generation Y’s impact on real estate and the economy in general will be as striking and as long-lasting as that of baby boomers,” she said. She suggested changes that would attract a younger workforce. “Consider creating jobs in the areas where people are moving,” she said. “Think of where millennials are going to want to be, and go to those areas ... what can we do to create an environment where they don’t have to move to Vancouver?
“The old way of doing things is not the only way.” Panel provides space for mayors to field questions In this panel moderated by Bill Good, five local mayors sat along the stage to respond to questions. Each mayor gave his or her response as the mic was passed down the line. The first question was: “Is there a role for local governments in stimulating job growth by working with the local business community to create new jobs?” The answer was unanimously positive. Abbotsford mayor Bruce Banman answered first, noting the summit itself was a good example. “What cities do best, I think, is to provide an atmosphere that’s welcoming to businesses and more importantly helps to foster those businesses,” he concluded. Jack Froese, mayor of the Township of Langley, emphasized creating livable communities so people and businesses want to move there, and also the importance of an inter-municipal business license. “We’ve partnered with neighbouring municipalities to allow certain businesses to get one business license that would allow them to work throughout the region,” he said. The final question stirred a little friendly interregional rivalry. “If you had just one minute to pitch your community to a
potential business owner on the merits of why they should choose your community, what would you say?” asked Good. Banman began once more. “Abbotsford historically has been the hub, and it’s all about location, location, location.” He said the city’s greatest strength is that it is the third most culturally diverse city in British Columbia. Froese disagreed. “I know Mayor Banman said that Abbotsford is the hub of the Fraser Valley, [but] I think Township of Langley is the hub of the region,” he said. The mayors of Mission, Chilliwack, and the City of Langley also participated in the panel. Bill Good closes with a little contemporary commentary The summit was capped with Bill Good as the final speaker. “Well, this will be short, as I have nothing left to say,” Good joked as he stepped to the mic. Having recently left his longstanding show on CKNW 980, Good spoke mostly about the media industry. He contrasted the media from the start of his career to today, focusing on sports broadcasting as an example. “That’s all taken place in a short period of time,” he said. “But it’s indicative of how the media markets have exploded around the world.” Keeping his speech on the shorter side, Good saved time for questions and answers.
One question in particular was on the future of radio. Good expressed his uncertainty, but suggested the medium will change and adapt. He did expand on the subject to discuss a certain media business model. “Part of the problem was for too long they were giving their product away,” he said. “I never understood why the Vancouver Sun, or anybody else, was putting product out there and giving it away. I mean, you can’t pay your reporters, you can’t pay your salespeople, you can’t pay your columnists if you’re not getting a return.” Good also commented on the BCTF strike; he didn’t have an answer on how it will end, but suggested the government “is enjoying seeing the BCTF being made so uncomfortable. I think the teachers are finding out what it’s really like to go on strike.” Good also took a question on the cuts to CBC’s funding. “The government of the day, and whatever [the] government of the day happens to be, finds the CBC a bit annoying and they tend to target it,” he said. “And I think this government came into power with a real strong dislike for the CBC. That said …there is less and less a need for a full-on commercialized television broadcaster in this country.”
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CULTURE
Hosiery: perks and purposes
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Style on Campus
BRITTNEY HENSMAN THE CASCADE
They have many names: pantyhose, tights, nylons, stockings. But no matter what you call them, they can be uncomfortable to wear and challenging to put on! However, hosiery has a purpose other than sheer misery. Nylons were originally created to protect and enhance your feet and legs, which was necessary as skirts and dresses were the only appropriate articles for women to wear. But since we can wear pants, women no longer view hosiery as a necessity. Bare legs have become a widely accepted social fashion norm, and ladies typically don’t have to think twice about their legs when wearing a skirt or dress. But nylons actually make legs look great and have many positive aspects. Nude nylons work wonders in giving you a smooth and even skin tone — especially if you are like me and battle pasty white skin — and black nylons are bold but classy and have a slimming effect on one’s legs. Nylons can also save you a shave, and you don’t have to worry about moisturizing! Furthermore, despite their minimal ability to keep one warm, they still do provide protection against the weather, liberating you to wear a skirt in the win-
Image: Jessica T.
When are bare legs appropriate, and when should you wear nylons? ter. So when is hosiery a good option? There are a few socially acceptable rules surrounding skirt-wearing and the need for hosiery in certain settings. First, you should wear them at the office, where the dress code is often sharp, put-together, and classy. Wearing nylons on your legs completes this look. Second, when attending or participating in weddings, bridal showers, garden parties, and other formal events, nylons on your legs indicate modesty, elegance, grace, and poise. Be sure not to wear nylons with sandals, and beware of the peep-toe shoe — remember that in nylons, your toes are not free and exposed. Also, having the seam of the nylons peep through the hole of your peeptoes reveals your secret — your smooth legs are in fact simulated. The nylon/sandal combo echoes the “no socks and san-
dals” rule. So when are bare legs appropriate? When it’s hot, having tight synthetic material clinging to your legs can be a very unpleasant experience. Furthermore, it will make people feel uncomfortable on your behalf. Skin tone: those who are blessed with an even skin tone, who tan well, or who are olive or chocolate in colour can get away with exposing their bare legs without the needless worry of frightening their onlookers with blinding flashes of light — AKA their white legs! Don’t get caught up in thinking nylons are for old ladies only, that they will give you elephant ankles, or that only the royal family can rock them. If you begin to wear them again I can guarantee nylons will magically cover a multitude of legmanicuring issues, and if added to your wardrobe, effectively serve a functional purpose.
by Nadine Moedt David — history major and fine dresser — doesn’t dress to impress, but manages to do so anyway. Here’s his take on fashion and personal style. Describe your style. I don’t really subscribe to any sartorial doctrine; I kind of just wear whatever the hell I want. It’s sort of eclectic. Where is your favorite place to shop? I like Top Man, Value Village, thrift stores, and H&M.
The Weekly Horoscope Aquarius: Jan 20 - Feb 18: Be kind to your cafeteria lady; you don’t know what her day was like.
Pisces: Feb 19 - March 20: Unfortunately, you are doomed to develop a disease that forces you to make typos in everything you rite.
Aries: March 21 - April 19: Don’t read from the Necronomicon.
Taurus: April 20 - May 20: A can of Sprite will be the key to your undoing.
Gemini: May 21 - June 21: It’s too early to begin eating Halloween candy.
Cancer: June 22 - July 22: Wear all polka dots to school on Friday. Otherwise you may find yourself crying over spilt milk.
Leo: July 23 - Aug 22: A clandestine meeting with your exbest friend’s tarantula could end well for you.
Virgo: Aug 23 -Sept22: Hugging people until they pay you to stop does not count as a day job.
Star Signs from Natalie Nebula Libra: Sept 23 - Oct 22: Weigh your decisions carefully. (Ha! Get it? Scales!)
Scorpio: Oct 23 - Nov 21: Don’t try to eat asparagus this week. In fact, don’t eat it this month. Stop eating it altogether.
Sagittarius: Nov 22 - Dec 21: Sticks and stones may break bones, but it’s been ages since anyone used a slingshot.
Capricorn: Dec 22 - Jan 19: Do not try to comfort a friend on the death of her cat.
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CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Finding the crème de la crème of Abbotsford coffee shops NADINE MOEDT
Upcoming
THE CASCADE
Events
Coffee shops can be home to a variety of diversions, from work to pleasure, and the atmosphere of a coffee shop can be just as important as the quality of the drinks. Here’s a guide to navigating both the coffee and the ambience of Abbotsford’s cafes. For chatting with friends: Duft and Co. Hours: Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Big tables and a bright, cheery atmosphere make Duft and Co. the perfect place for a morning catch-up with friends. The service is friendly and talkative, and the butter croissants are a must-have. Its busy downtown location allows for some good people-watching, so grab a table by the window. While Duft and Co. doesn’t serve drip coffee, its specialty coffee drinks are fantastic. There are daily specials from the bakery; try the real butter croissants or the giant glazed cinnamon buns — they offer a gluten-free version for those with dietary restrictions. For studying: Wired Monk (McCallum location) Hours: Monday to Friday 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Wired Monk’s convenient proximity to UFV makes for a pleasant change of scenery when you’re writing that paper that’s due tomorrow or cramming for whatever exam you’ve managed to ignore for as long as you could. A newly installed laptop bar offers a
September 17 World film night World film night at the Clearbrook library is hosting a free movie night every third Wednesday of the month, running from September to November. The screenings allow film-goers to get in touch with other movielovers in the community. Bring some popcorn — the movie starts at 6:30!
A typical coffee shop scene in Abbotsford. Okay, not really. wealth of outlets to keep your laptop going for hours and the Wi-Fi is dependably fast. A large selection of Mighty Leaf teas, coffee that’s better than Starbucks or Timmy’s, and an all-day breakfast menu will keep you focused and (hopefully) productive. For a work meeting: Legal Grounds Hours: Monday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Friday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Legal Grounds is more than just a punny name. The coffee and light lunch place is one of the only in town that offers a private room for meetings outside of the workplace. Legal Grounds is very communitybased; local artists are dis-
played on the walls, and community organizations and clubs meet at this friendly downtown location on the regular. For taking your date: Cannor Nursery’s Tamaringo’s Cafe Hours: Monday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. This flowery-scented cafe adjoins a garden shop and nursery. Plenty of comfortable seating and a generally quiet atmosphere will give you and your date privacy to stare dreamily into each other ’s eyes. After having coffee, gelato (I recommend the Baileys flavour), lunch, or a baked treat, you can walk through the greenhouse, admiring the flowers in bloom and the kitschy garden gnomes at your leisure.
Treat yo’self: Afterthoughts Hours: Monday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Afterthoughts has no outlets or Wi-Fi, gets a little too noisy for getting any work done and has mediocre coffee. These flaws are made up for a hundredfold by the decadent made-in-store cheesecake and pies. Seventy velvety flavours rotate through daily, including everything from seasonal pumpkin to every kind of chocolate bar you’ve ever dreamt of becoming a cheesecake. Not a cheesecake fan? If you don’t become one after trying an Afterthoughts cheesecake, try the incredibly rich almond Copenhagen, or a flaky pie pocket topped with whipped cream. Whatever your fancy, Afterthoughts has got your back. Treat yo’self.
Free workshops all semester Want to learn basic photography techniques? How to develop an argument or write a great lede? Cascade staff are happy to share their knowledge with you! Here are some of our upcoming workshops hosted by members of our editorial staff. Stay tuned for more! September 25, 7 to 8 p.m., C1120 The Best Camera is the One You Have
Production & Design Editor Stewart Seymour will offer some simple but essential photography techniques. Useful for aspiring journalists and photographers alike! Bring your own camera if you have one, but it’s not necessary for participation. Email stewart@ufvcascade.ca to register
September 18 Pancakes and volunteerism
Interested in free food and learning how you can give back to your community? Pancake enthusiasts and people searching volunteer positions with Abbotsford’s United Way, advocates of poverty reduction and affordable housing. The breakfast starts at 7 a.m. at the Civic Plaza.
September 19 UFV TheatreSports Vancouver’s unique and high energy improv team TheatreSports league is coming to UFV for your viewing pleasure. Tickets start at $16 for students. If you are a acting enthusiast, join a matinee workshop with a member of the talented team for $15.
Pre-registration is required. October 2, 7 to 8 p.m., C1120 How to Develop an Argument
Want to get your point across? Opinion Editor Brittney Hensman will walk you through how to construct a bulletproof opinion piece. Email brittney@ufvcascade.ca to register.
October 9, 7 to 8 p.m., C1120 How to Write an Irresistible Lede
How do you write a great first sentence that hooks a reader’s attention and tells them what’s going on? Check out this workshop, hosted by Sports Editor Catherine Stewart. Email catherine@ufvcascade.ca to register.
September 21 Fraser Valley Pride Got pride? Join the Fraser Valley Youth Society for a “walk of pride,” starting at the Abbotsford Rotary stadium and meandering through Trethewey Street and South Fraser Way. Youth art and performances will be featured as a fundraising initiative for youth drop in centers and summer camps.
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CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014
Going all the way for the first time
www.ufvcascade.ca
A smorgasbord of stories about how your fellow UFV students lost their virginity ROXY NOVA SEXPERT
A lot of us put virginity on a pedestal. We’re nervous or excited for our “first time,” even if we’re not entirely clear on what that entails. Will it hurt? Will I be able to get it up? How will I feel after it’s all said and done? No two first times are the same, which some UFV students were happy to help illustrate. Below are their stories: what went right, what went wrong, and what we’ll always remember about our first times. Some were good experiences, and some were bad, and more than a few were awkward. But no matter how you lose your virginity, rest assured that you’re in good company. If you’re thinking about losing your virginity, a few words to the wise: There’s no right way and no wrong way to go about it — and remember that no matter how awkwardly it goes, you’ll have plenty of time to get it right eventually. And remember that it all comes down to you: what are you comfortable with? What do you want out of it? Make enthusiastic and continuous consent part of the experience. Say no if it feels wrong. But say yes if it feels right. Good luck. Sticky-note seduction I waited until I was 19 to start dating, because I was under the impression all the boys in high school were too immature. Joke’s on me, I guess. My first was a short, darkhaired, and dark-skinned boy, and we had only met a week before we started kissing. He was charming and, looking back, a total player. A smooth talker — and good with his hands. My roommate left us on the couch in the living room one night. I was horny. I decided privately the night before that I wanted to have sex with him. I’d practiced with a dildo and was convinced it wouldn’t hurt. After an hour of playing coy and building up the courage to tell him what I wanted, I ended up writing my desire and intentions down on a sticky note and handing it to him, face red and hands shaking. He read it, laughed and proceeded to take off my clothes. Romance is the thing virgins dream of, and when we were naked with his body on top of mine, there was no romance to speak of; only fumbling. He
positioned the head of his wide penis at the entrance between my thighs, and we realized there was no way it was going to squeeze inside me unless we used lubrication. Well, as a virgin, I had none, but thank God for Lubriderm hand lotion. Happy and handsy The first time I had sex was with a red-haired, freckle-faced girl from my high school class. We were friends before, and felt like experimenting after sheepishly admitting that we liked the way each other ’s asses looked in skinny jeans. We had gone camping with our families, slept over at each other ’s houses, and nothing had happened before, but one afternoon she and I sat down on her bed to play video games and things got a little handsy. It was playful at first, but I, being a little more forward and high on happiness, pushed my face into her breasts. I expected to be shoved away. Instead, she fondled me back and blurted, “I’m the doctor.” We quickly stripped each other down to bras and underwear. Mine were a pair of wide, boy shorts I called “granny panties,” but she didn’t seem to care. It took a long time for us to build the courage to touch each other between the legs. And even longer to use our tongues, and insert our fingers. Her hands were long and slender, and to be frank, sometimes I couldn’t even tell if her fingers were inside of me. But I’ll never forget the fake nails. Silver sparkly nail polish, and the idea of the square ends scratching on the inside still makes me shiver with desire. An end to friendship We were sitting on my sofa and I was lonely. I’d had a hard year trying to forget I shouldn’t want him anymore. We’d been drinking. The television was on, playing nothing important. I don’t know who moved closer first, but I leaned against him for a while, just for comfort — I didn’t intend to start anything else. He guided my hand to the crotch of his jeans. I felt numb — I didn’t really know why I was participating. He reached over to rub me in the same place. That lasted a few minutes, then he fumbled with the button. We weren’t even looking at each other. It didn’t feel right. Through everything, I suddenly thought that I shouldn’t
have tried to be friends again, shouldn’t have been alone with him. I withdrew. After he left I never spoke to him again, and I’m glad. The first “no” One night a friend and I went to a stranger ’s apartment: we were drinking at the Phoenix, she liked someone she met there, and she was naïve about what he meant by after-party. I had a bad feeling. She had a good feeling. I knew how stupid it all was. My friend and her new man started making out right away. At 21, his friend was my first kiss. It was awkward and sloppy. But when Heather looked over to see if I was okay, I nodded; I didn’t want to ruin her night. She and Dave moved into the bedroom. I said I had to go to the bathroom, to escape. He followed me in, nudged me up against the towel bar, pulled down my shirt and bra, and sucked on one of my breasts. I remember looking in the mirror, feeling a kind of shocked numbness. I hadn’t realized it could happen so quickly until he was fumbling with my belt buckle. It took me that long to say no. Thrust into new territory People often lie about the first time they had sex, and books and films certainly do not provide an accurate depiction. When I had sex for the first time, it was nothing like I had imagined. It was awkward. We stared at each other, and afterwards we stared a lot more. We had planned the moment; we knew the house was going to be empty, and we had a condom. I was excited and couldn’t believe I was about to lose my virginity. No one tells you that when it’s the first time, a guy doesn’t just find the mark and slide in. He bumped around because this was new territory for him, too, and then after some awkward moments I helped him. And then it was over. Three thrusts and done. I remember laying there for a moment afterwards and thinking, I lost my virginity and I don’t feel any different … and damn he is hot. Is it in yet? He got in my car, and our intentions for the night made our hearts race. We fed our parents alibis, which made it even more exhilarating. We drove to the most
deserted place we could find and parked, aching to explore each other as we climbed into the back of my car. We feverishly tore at each other ’s clothes, kissing passionately and breathing more heavily with each article of clothing we removed from each other. Finally he laid me down and kissed me, pushing himself between my legs and started thrusting. It felt like he was dry humping me, so I looked him in the eyes and asked if it was in. Apparently it was. Awkward silence ensued, but we still had sex for hours. The best laid plans Even though we were horny 17-year-olds, we planned our first time meticulously. I started taking the pill a month in advance. We researched the most effective types of condoms, read books on sex, and even shopped for squishy, spiky, exotic-looking toys we had no idea how to use. We made sure the house was guaranteed to be empty that day. It was going to be perfect. And it was. When the day finally came, it went just as romantically as we’d planned it — slow and sweet with candlelight, soft music, and pretty underwear. But there was one thing neither of us had expected. When we came downstairs after a window-rattlingly loud finale, we found my boyfriend’s best friend sitting in the living room, laughing his ass off. He had let himself into the house before realizing what we were up to — and then had sat downstairs for the last half-hour, listening to us finish. The moral of the story? You can’t plan perfection — but if it goes wrong, at least you’ll have a funny story to tell years later. Shame subsides Things had been rough for a while, so I rode my bike to his house at 2 a.m. and crawled in through his window. I wasn’t planning on having sex — it just kind of happened when our clothes were off and there was nothing else left to do. All I really remember is that my socks were still on and music was playing. It was his last night at home before he went camping for two weeks, so I rode back home that morning thinking, Well, it’s done now. Two weeks later, his parents called for a “meeting” with my parents — they had read through our texts.
So we sat in the living room (where I used to watch movies and play Lego with his little brothers) and “discussed” what happened. I avoided my father for the whole summer after that because I felt so ashamed. I cried after intimacy with any partner after that, listening to that little voice that said everyone would think I was a slut. I took a break from relationships, and let myself be busy with school and music. Later, when I found a person I loved and who loved me, it got easier. Hot summer sex The first time I had sex wasn’t exactly well-planned. Both of us had just gotten out of long-distance relationships and had enough sexual frustration to power a small city. Subtlety wasn’t exactly first on the agenda. His roommate and a friend were in the next room, watching a movie. Soon cuddling turned into making out, and making out turned into some hot and heavy action. Next thing I knew I was on top of him. I. Wanted. Sex. “Are you sure?” he whispered. We could hear the movie playing in the other room — Lucky Number Slevin, I think. I nodded urgently, and he grabbed a condom from a desk drawer hurriedly, like he was afraid I’d change my mind. I impatiently watched him roll it on, and then finally he was inside me with an easy flick. His sheets were in the wash, and he’d thrown a sleeping bag over his mattress. Both of us were sweating buckets in the summer heat. We bucked and thrust against the flannel. Part of me wondered if we were going to get rug burns. Another part of me wondered how long sex was supposed to take. The rest of me was having an awesome time. I could feel we were getting to the climax and we started going faster, almost desperate in our motions. In our hurry neither of us noticed that the ending credit music was playing in the living room outside. Someone started opening the door. “Busy!” my partner shouted, a note of terror in his voice. The door slammed shut, and we both came at the same time. When I finally left the room, I found his roommate had left a sock on the door.
CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
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Literary erotica: a straight woman’s journey through porn LADY ORACLE SEXPERT
The art of erotica for women is elusive and beautiful. I specify for women because erotica for men is — arguably — a different creature altogether. This isn’t an observation of the differences in male and female taste, but rather the creation of erotic art in a world where women are subjected to every whim and desire of the male gaze. Some generalize and say women aren’t visual, but this isn’t true; if I could find porn seeking to satisfy me, a female, I’m sure I’d get off. But to find this porn — which is few and far between — I’d have to wade through millions of videos and pictures catering to men. And I’ve done just that on a search for my kind of porn. In this day and age, everything is available for any desire — food, technology, and especially sex. I wanted something to turn me on and to make me feel sexually empowered. I learned a few things on the way. The main thing I discovered was that it’s no fun watching porn when the target audience is obviously not you. It is very clear when watching or reading pornography or erotica who the intended audience is: who is being satisfied? That question is more complicated when you understand that — for example — in Pirates XXX, when badass lady-pirate Serena demands that Captain Stagnetti fuck her, the intention is not to please the female audience. I clicked my way through the internet, watched a few movies, read a few comics. I liked the comics, notably Oglaf.com, because they are drawings rather than real people. Watching real people made me question the ethics of pornography — and when you’re questioning ethics, you’re not getting off. When I ask men who look at porn, they say that those women weren’t hurt. They say these pictures and videos were posted as a result of their own free will. They say porn stars get paid. Whose free will? The pressure for women to physically appeal to men runs incredibly deep. Would these women be posting images if they weren’t imbued with the idea that we as women must cater to man’s every desire? That if we didn’t, we wouldn’t be worthy? Would women being paid to do sexual acts for a camera be there if it
weren’t for the billion-dollar industry? It’s common knowledge that the mainstream porn industry is brutal for women. The misrepresentation of pleasure in the industry leads to the normalizing of specific acts and expectations in sexual experience. What is degradation? Is ejaculation on faces normal? Is deep-throating normal? Porn is plentiful and easily accessible, and it warps ideas of how women experience pleasure. I discussed the recent leak of celebrity nude photos with a male friend of mine. He said he downloaded a few photos. I wondered how so many men are able to click a button without thinking about who is being hurt. Why do men feel like they are entitled to what is ultimately a disrespectful invasion of privacy? Did the people clicking those links wonder how those women felt about the leaked images? So, internet porn has never gotten me off. It’s too blunt, too mechanical, too much flesh and not enough spirit. I feel too much like I’m wandering in an artificial world that wasn’t made for me. How do I become sexually empowered when I constantly wonder what female sexual empowerment is? Is the idea simply another tool to cater to the patriarchal system? I recently read Delta of Venus, a beautiful book of erotica written by Anaïs Nin in the 1940s.
She wrote this for a dollar a page, for a mysterious patron. After every story she would write, the patron would advise her to “leave out the poetry” and instead “concentrate on sex.” Nin became so frustrated by these instructions that she wrote a letter to him; this letter almost perfectly captures my feelings about what erotica and porn should and should not be. She writes that “sex loses all its power and magic when it becomes explicit, mechanical, overdone, when it becomes a mechanistic obsession.” To me, “explicit, mechanical, overdone,” describes the mainstream porn industry perfectly. Where does the power lie? To Nin, erotica should breathe both poetry and sex. To focus solely on the flesh of sex, you miss the “fuel that ignites it: Intellectual, imaginative, romantic, emotional ... This is what gives sex its surprising textures, its subtle transformations, its aphrodisiac elements.” To take it and strip away the poetry, you starve it, “draining its blood.” What do we want when we look at porn? Do we want a story, a person, passion? Is it solely to get off? I found that I needed more, and more I found in a predictable medium: literary erotica. It is in the medium of literary erotica that women carry out their fantasies. Here we can colour the pages with sex and
heart, with spirit, character, passion — and of course, really amazing orgasms. Anais Nïn writes that “Sex must be mixed with tears, laughter, words, promises, scenes, jealousy, envy, all of the spices of fear, foreign travel, new faces, novels, stories, dreams, fantasies, music, dancing, opium, wine.” Literary erotica gives us all of this. We can hide from our reality in a good smutty regency novel where Mr. Darcy strips our stockings off and kisses our feet. We can have the BDSM experience from Mr. Grey. We can even attain a sexual empowerment in S.E.C.R.E.T — basically a fight club for women, but instead of fighting, it’s really good sex with hot men. My journey through porn has led me to the reading and writing of romance novels. I love the cheesiness and the heaving bodices. I love the sexual journeys of characters from all walks — trembling virgins, battle-scarred vixens, women who need to heal and women who just need a good fuck. The medium of writing allows an ever-expanding minutiae of sex and passion to unfurl. As Nin wrote, “There are so many minor senses, all running like tributaries into the mainstream of sex, nourishing it. Only the united beat of sex and heart together can create ecstasy.” Literary erotica is my haven, my sexual safe place. It’s for women, by women, and no one gets hurt. Hell, it’s an industry that I’m happy to support, and even write for. Literary erotica nourishes my soul, and I’m happy to find my place here.
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ARTS IN REVIEW
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Album Review
BANKS releases astonishingly soulful debut album MARTIN CASTRO THE CASCADE
After several tantalizing singles, 25-year-old Gillian Banks, known simply as BANKS, released her debut album, Goddess, at the end of the first week of September. Goddess opens with “Alibi,” a track that introduces BANKS’ emotionally charged, soulful voice and calm, minimalist production work. “Goddess” immediately follows, giving the listener a soundscape full of space, while BANKS croons over sparse beats. “Waiting Game” is one of the record’s best tracks, opening with a very simple piano melody; BANKS starts off in a very reserved mood as synthesizer notes build up in the
background. Eventually, we’re treated to a climax that perfectly blends modern, synth-laden production with BANKS’ powerful voice. “Brain” follows; an exemplary track, it highlights BANKS’ ability to hold her own in a lower register. Banks delivers a very passionate chorus that conveys desperation, while still keeping her trademark R&B influence. “Brain” is followed by “This is What it Feels
Like,” which is home to some of the most emotional lyrics of the whole record. Its calm vulnerability gives way to a drone which signals the beginning of a staggeringly powerful chorus. Perhaps the best song on the whole record, “You Should Know Where I’m Coming From” stands starkly in the middle of Goddess. Starting from a seemingly unsure and hesitant sentiment, “You Should Know…” builds up in tension until the final chorus, where BANKS belts out one of the most hauntingly beautiful choruses I’ve ever had the pleasure to hear. The solitary piano makes her delivery stand out even more than before; this song relies pretty much on just vocals to carry it along, and it definitely succeeds. This is, perhaps, a perfect track.
“Drowning,” one of the record’s lead singles, is amazing, exemplifying all that I’ve come to love about BANKS. There’s a lot of space in “Drowning:” the song takes its time, and BANKS herself gives us one of the best vocal performances on the record. Her sultry voice and stark emotionality abound. From this point on, Goddess only gets better (barring “You Should Know,” which is easily the highlight of the record). “Begging for Thread” is more pop-influenced, but each verse is possessed by a soulfulness rarely found in music today, as well as once again showcasing the sheer beauty of BANKS. “Change” is a track that has easily the most intimate lyrics in the record, again barring “You Should Know.” BANKS’ voice
wavers slightly while singing, which produces an amazingly appealing effect. “Someone New” is the only fully acoustic song on Goddess, but man, does it get the job done. The song, which plays out almost like a ballad, is incredibly bluesy, making use of BANKS’ smoky voice. The song conjures the image of a loungesinger crooning at a nightclub in which every left hand holds a glass of scotch and every right hand holds a cigarette. “Warm Water” has a muddled, restrained urgency that gradually washes the over everything. Goddess is quite literally one the best debut records I have ever seen an artist put out, and leaves me in awe of what BANKS might produce as she refines her craft.
Mini Album Reviews
SoundBites
The Cascade needs an ad sales rep! Madeline Merlo Madeline Merlo EP
Arkells High Noon
Maple Ridge’s Madeline Merlo released her self-titled debut album this past summer. The EP contains five tracks including the singles “Sinking like a Stone” and “Alive.” Overall, the EP showcases Merlo’s vocals, and autotune and overproduction are thankfully absent. The songs are well-written. The track “Meant to Last” simply features two instruments and Merlo’s strong country vocals. After listening to the EP, the track standing out the most was the fifth and final one, “Deleted,” a playful song about having to delete exes from various social media sites after a break-up. “Deleted” definitely lightens up the mood. Overall, I enjoyed the album, and if you enjoy country music I’d definitely give it a listen.
High Noon is very much an Arkells album. It has contagious vocal lines, hooky memorable choruses, and a punchy rhythm section that is begging you to get up and dance. Despite all this, High Noon seems to fall flat as a whole, which is hard to accept considering how all the proven elements are there. The issue with High Noon lies in two things: production and formulation. In terms of production, High Noon seems cluttered and muddled, unsure of which sound to highlight in any given section, often competing with the vocal work of lead vocalist Max Kerman. Formulation-wise, Arkells seemed to just be rolling through the motions on this record, producing a record we have heard before, a record that is easily digested alongside their other two records, Jackson Square and Michigan Left. Hopefully this is just a one-off and not a trend for one of Canada’s greatest current rock bands.
REMINGTON FIORASO
JEFFREY TRAINOR
Pay is $50 per issue plus 30 per cent commission. The application deadline is September 26.
Send your resume and cover letter to joe@ufvcascade.ca.
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ARTS IN REVIEW
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Film Reviews
As Above, So Below pays poor homage to horror genre JEREMY HANNAFORD CONTRIBUTOR
CHARTS 1 2 3
White Lung Deep Fantasy Mac DeMarco Salad Days
Cowards World Champions of Male Chastity
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Shuffle AARON LEVY
CIVL RADIO STATION MANAGER CIVL Station Manager Aaron Levy is excited that Resource and Academic Development and Integration Officer (RADIO) Jay Mitchell is taking 101.7 FM to 100 level MACS courses next week, so here’s your shuffle on communications.
Cheap High Ego Wholesale
The B-Lines Opening Band
Aphex Twin Syro
Orangy Oran.gy Monomyth Saturnalia Regalia The Raveonettes Pe’ahi Ty Segall Manipulator
Fountain Fountain Alvvays Alvvays
14 15 16 17 18
The New Pornographers Brill Bruisers Absolutely Free Beneath the Air n.213 Mixed Bag Valery Gore Idols In The Dark Heart Flying Lotus You’re Dead! Mr. Scruff Friendly Bacteria
Led Zeppelin — “Communication Breakdown” Though Plant and co. may want you to think that “it’s always the same,” there’s a plethora of ways to achieve a nervous breakdown and end up being driven insane. Great riff though, if misleading philosophical postulation. Buried in the back of their first album, it’s an instant ‘60s classic. Kendrick Lamar — “Poetic Justice” “They say communication saves relations, I can tell, but I could never write my wrongs unless I write’m down for real, P.S.,” says Drake in opposition to his statement at the end of “Fuckin’ Problems,” also with Kendrick, saying “This long d*** ****a ain’t fo’ the long talkin’” — that beast. Shad — “Telephone” A song about hating communicating via the telephone in long distance relationships, aided by whomever the Hey Ocean singer is, also appearing on his TSOL song “Rose Garden,” which is interesting since Shad’s spent large parts of his life A) touring, B) living in BC, and C) living in Ontario. The Specials — “A Message to You Rudy” One of the first music videos ever, this song is immortalized, as if it hadn’t been already, by Sublime, in one of many raga-influenced singalongs; “Stop your messin’ around, better think of your future, before you wind up in jail.” If Rudy implies Guiliani, I doubt the message was received. No Doubt — “Spiderwebs” We’ve all been there … Well, not if we were nerdy and/or shy teenaged boys, but any congenial, or even just personable lady has: too many phone calls, not enough lines, leave a message and she might get back to you. But if not, it’s your fault that she’s screening phone calls.
Like many great horror films, As Above, So Below pays homage to iconic films of the genre. It has elements of Neil Marshall’s cult hit The Descent and the classic Blair Witch Project — films set in a situation where the characters are lost, afraid, and no longer in control. Yet As Above, So Below inadvertently steals the essence of what made those films iconic, lethargically presenting it as its own rather than molding it into something new. As Above, So Below does succeed in pulling the viewer in right off the get-go. We are introduced to Scarlett, the determined archaeologist in search of the Philosopher ’s Stone associated with the French alchemist Nicholas Flamel. While her character heavily borrows elements from the protagonists of Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones, it doesn’t come across as total ripoff — yet. Upon entering the catacombs, the horror elements of darkness, claustrophobia, and disorientation develop immediately. Playing off these natural
fears through “found footage” creates a deeper connection to the group’s experiences. Rather than relying on jump scares, As Above uses the location as a means of instilling fear into the viewer by building up a supernatural aspect to it. While intriguing, this has been done before, most recently in the 2013 film Devil’s Pass. But the narrative and direction stay intact so well that these moments can be forgiven through the first half. It’s when the film begins to actually delve into the supernatural that it begins to fall apart. This transition is neither subtle nor logical. In The Descent, the monsters of the cavern didn’t appear on screen until two-thirds of the way through the film. But As Above, So Below instead pulls a random assortment of monsters and apparitions out of a hat. Moments straight out of other films now begin to become downright offensive; scenes play out identically to moments in The Last Crusade and Paranormal Activity. The film’s originally enticing identity begins to fall apart.
Found footage films are becoming a dime a dozen. If directors want to keep it fresh, they need to add a new way of documenting the tale, no matter how absurd it may be. As Above, So Below tries nothing different, and as the film’s credibility begins to deteriorate, these faults become inexcusable. In the case of this film’s concept, it certainly isn’t groundbreaking but it could have at least tried to add something commendable. After having started with such an intriguing premise, creative team John Erik and Drew Dowdle apparently couldn’t think of virtually anything for the later half of the film. Instead, they abandoned the film’s original horror traits and went with bland jump-scares and laughable effects. It becomes blatantly obvious that the Dowdle brothers had no idea how to finish their movie. As Above, So Below doesn’t fail as a bad horror film; it is a standard horror film. But it does fail for not meeting its full potential and leaving so much to be desired.
Frank shows what the head within the head looks like JOSH FRIESEN CONTRIBUTOR
On the surface, Frank appears to be the polar opposite of Lenny Abramson’s prior works, which were characterized by naturalistic dialogue and settings that emphasized the grey and drab side of Ireland. In contrast, Frank sports a bright palette and contains a group of incredibly eccentric characters, including the titular Frank, who wears a papier-mâché head. However, as the film progresses, the eclectic tone and colourful visuals gently fall away to reveal a heartbreaking meditation on mental illness. We meet our protagonist Jon (Domhall Gleeson) wandering the beach attempting to find inspiration for his music. He is a mediocre keyboard player and vocalist, but is passionate about his music. Jon is our entry point into the world of Frank, as well as our narrator. The voice-over narration, a device which is usually used as a lazy substitute for acting, in this case is used effectively; Jon’s voice provides the chaos with some form of structure and allows him to have a conversation with the only character capable
of having a conversation in the film: himself. Jon meets and quickly falls in with Frank’s band, the Soronprbs (which has a deliberately unpronounceable name). A band whose music is equal parts strange and wonderful, they are in need of a new keyboard player because, when Jon meets them, their current one is trying to drown himself in the ocean. In a darkly comic nod to This is Spinal Tap, we later learn that Jon is actually their third keyboard player. The band is managed by Don (Scoot McNairy), an ex-mental patient who was committed for his sexual preference for mannequins. There are four members beside Don and Jon, but two of them are never fully fleshed out. They are given the clichéd excuse of being foreign and we soon forget about them. The remaining two are Maggie Gyllenhaal, who gives a wonderfully petulant performance as the theremin-playing Clara, and Michael Fassbender as Frank. The gamble of casting Fassbender in a completely masked role pays off, as he delivers surely one of the greatest masked performances ever. The
range of emotion he is able to express through the papiermâché head is outstanding, and it goes without saying that this is his most humourous role yet (dark though it may be). He benefits from a well-written script, but still carries the film with his fine physical performance. The first two-thirds of the film, while refreshingly unique, suffers at times from inconsistent pacing. The editing fails to balance the conflict between the choppy montage sequences and the meandering band practice scenes. Where the film brings itself together is in the final act, when the bright mask of the film is removed to reveal something profound underneath. As I hinted at earlier, one of the running themes of the film is mental illness and it deals with this hard subject in a nuanced way. More interesting questions arise in the film but I feel that to discuss them would take away from the viewing experience. All I can do is encourage you to seek out this film. It’s not a perfect film, but in a summer full of blockbuster disappointment, it’s a distinctly original treat.
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ARTS IN REVIEW
TV Review
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Concert Review
The Mindy Project shines with one-liners and heart
No dull moments in Yanni’s performance
RILEY NOWAN
TAYLOR BRECKLES
CONTRIBUTOR
The Mindy Project was recently added to Netflix so, naturally, I binge-watched the entire show in about three days. I was pleasantly surprised with how addictive I found it. The show revolves around main character, Mindy Lahiri, an OB/GYN who has unrealistic expectations of love. Mindy aspires to be in a perfect relationship, like the ones in romantic comedies, while running a successful practice with a band of hilarious co-workers. When I first began to watch the show, I did not have very high expectations. I expected it to be similar to other sitcoms in the way that you don’t have to watch the episodes in order because no real storyline carries through. However, this is not the case. I found myself connecting with Mindy’s awkward trials and became invested in her quest for a meaningful relationship. I wanted her tangles with many boyfriends to work out and felt angry for her when anyone betrayed her trust. The show has real twists and does not follow the predictable formula of an “I’ll watch it because it’s on” sitcom. I believe the comedic genius behind the show stems from the show’s creator and star, Mindy Kaling. Kaling is best known for her comedic memoir, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), and for her work as a writer and an actress on The Office. Ka-
THE CASCADE
ling contributes as a writer on The Mindy Project and it is her comedic style that makes the show’s dialogue something to literally laugh to. The ridiculous conversations and mishaps Mindy and her coworkers get themselves into make for hilarious episodes that will take your mind off your worries. The characters all have outrageous one-liners that can make you laugh out loud no matter how many times you’ve seen the episode. There are many of Mindy’s complaints (“Stupid wine bra is out of wine. I knew I should have brought the Long Island iced panties!”), Peter ’s selfishness (“Is this anybody’s sandwich? Because I’ve eaten half of it and I don’t like it”), and Danny’s logic about turning on the heat (“Why, to heat up a drawer full of sweaters? You wanna get warm, get on the floor and do some pushups”).
Besides the comedic value of this show, another thing I love about it is the unique and refreshing character of Mindy Lahiri. A confident, successful woman who is a competent doctor and business owner is not something we see enough of on television today. A woman of a realistic size, who sometimes struggles with her weight, is more often than not defending of her size and lifestyle and exudes the kind of sassy confidence that is rarely seen on anyone above a size two. Although this show is a romantic comedy series, everyone can take a page out of Mindy Lahiri’s book. The show inspired me to not only see the humour in things that may seem embarrassing at the time, but to embrace more of who I am, go after what I want, and to never take myself too seriously.
Famous composer and musician Yanni came to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Friday, September 12. I’ll admit, I hadn’t really listened to a lot of his music before, but my mom was an enthusiast so I went with her. It turned out to be one of the best concerts that I have ever seen. The lights changed with each song, providing excellent moodshifting. When the tempo was high, the lights flashed rhythmically and the colours were bright and changed throughout the song; when the tempo was slow, the lights were dimmed and held soft colours. Yanni himself was a delight as well. He joked with the audience and told personal stories, like how he is the only person in the world that China has allowed to adopt a panda, which he named Santorini. He was also a good sport with the audience’s antics, such as when a fan ran up to the stage to give him a rose, and he got down to lie on the floor in order to kiss her cheek as a thank-you. As for the music, it was, in short, sublime. You could feel the emotion behind every song, understand its meaning, and get completely lost in the rhythms. The orchestra — which Yanni called his miniature United Nations, as there were so many nationalities — played beautifully, with each solo being highly impressive. When it was the drummer ’s turn for a solo, he played
for about 10 minutes, and there wasn’t a dull moment. It was marvellous watching his arms move as the tempo increased, then not being able to focus on the movements at all as they got too fast. The amount of skill needed to play as these musicians did is astounding, and the audience either erupted in cheers or sat in stunned silence with each solo. Yanni played the piano and keyboards (there were eight of them set up in a tiered square for him), but he also conducted each song. As the music played, his hands would be conducting the band; he was doing a very good job of some serious multitasking. A song called “Nightingale” really sticks out in my mind. An instrumental, though complemented by wordless vocals, it sounded like a blend of Snow White’s voice and Chinese instrumentals. This comparison makes sense, though, because Yanni mentioned that “Nightingale” was written specifically to be performed at the Forbidden City in China. Walking into this concert as a general appreciator, I walked out as a full-blown fan. I understand the loud cheers of the crowd and why he plays all over the world. His music doesn’t just sound nice; it inspires you and feels as if it’s penetrating your soul. If you ever have the chance to go to any performance of Yanni’s, I would seriously recommend you do.
Dine & Dash
Brodeur’s Bistro boasts broad menu ASHLEY HAYES CONTRIBUTOR
3550 Mt. Lehman Road, Abbotsford Open daily from 11 a.m. Brodeur ’s Bistro is one of those tucked-away restaurants that you have no idea about until someone raves about how amazing it is. That’s how I found out about this little gem of a restaurant at the corner of Mt. Lehman Road and Blueridge Drive in Abbotsford — extremely positive word of mouth.
As soon as you enter, you are hit with the smell of Montréal smoked meat and another smell that you can’t quite put your finger on — I think it might be garlic, but no matter what, it makes your mouth water! There are three main areas where you can sit; they have cozy booths for date nights or lunch meetings, a solarium with big-screen TVs, and a patio, which is weather-dependent, of course. The solarium area is nice in the summer (as long as you remember to bring your sunglasses), but there were quite a few flies when I visited last week, so indoors might be
the better option if swatting bugs away isn’t your idea of a fun time. Also, bring your cell phone chargers because every booth has plug-ins and USB ports for your emergency power needs (or if you would rather stare at your phone than your lunch date). As far as the menu goes, there really is something for everyone. Not only does their menu have two pages dedicated to appetizers, they also have a list of 21 sides that you can have with your meal! As a vegetarian, I am always limited to what I can have when dining out, but at Brodeur ’s, I have never run into
that problem. The servers have always been extremely helpful in recommending dishes for me — the classic mac ‘n’ cheese is a favorite of mine (plus you can get it with a side of cornbread). I highly recommend the garlic parmesan fries — although you may need to break out the breath mints for a day or two — and the warm cornbread that comes with maple butter. For the omnivores out there, the Montréal smoked meat comes highly recommended and is Brodeur ’s claim to fame. My boyfriend orders the shrimp po’ boy every time. No other po’ boy has even come close in
his eyes — not even the one he ordered at Bubba Gump Shrimp in Vegas! Many of the dishes come with specialty sauces that are made in-house. If you ask your server nicely, they are more than happy to ask the chef about packing up the sauce of your choice for you to purchase and take home. Then you can slather that stuff on everything! Brodeur ’s Bistro certainly isn’t the least expensive restaurant in Abbotsford, but you can walk out having stuffed your face for under $20.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
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SPORTS & HEALTH
Your hips don’t lie — and they’re telling you to buy a hula hoop
Correction:
REMINGTON FIORASO CONTRIBUTOR
In elementary school, I was always disappointed when hulahooping was included in gym class. I could not figure out why we would hula-hoop instead of play ball hockey, dodgeball, or basketball. I thought it was not as valuable or useful. Now, looking back, I wish I had tried to get better at hula-hooping and continued as I got older, now that I know all the benefits it brings. Regardless of how “young” the activity may sound, it is a workout. In one hour of hulahooping at a regular pace, approximately 400 calories can be burned. If an hour feels too intimidating, even half an hour will be a good workout. In general, one minute of hula-hooping is equal to roughly seven calories burned. Hula-hooping is an aerobic activity. The circulating motion of your waist to keep the hula hoop in motion allows you to work your muscles. In turn, you can actually strengthen and tone them. This includes muscles in your hips, legs, thighs, and abs. If you decide you want to go
Image: Joe Schlabotnik/Flickr
No matter what your workout habits, everyone can enjoy a solid hula-hooping session. beyond using the hula hoop around your waist, you can! By moving the hoop with your arms instead, you are also able to tone your shoulders and forearms. Hula hoops are simple alternatives to going to the gym or buying expensive equipment. There are only two things needed — a hula hoop, and space, in order to avoid breaking and/ or hitting things in your surroundings. There are two options when
it comes to certain kinds of hula hoops. You can pick up the kind you used a kid, or you could go for the weighted hoops available. The weighted ones can help you keep the hoop up for extended times, and the added weight increases resistance. It’s not just an in-your-homeor-backyard ordeal, either. There are classes starting to spring up at certain facilities. For example, you can find hoop dance, hoop yoga, meditative hooping, and hoop fitness. In
Abbotsford, the Goddess Movement on Sumas Way has begun offering Hoop Fit classes. The ultimate benefit to hulahooping is that it is fun. Although it is exercise, no one would think to categorize it as such. Grab your friends, grab some hoops, and experience a throwback to childhood with this fun workout!
Issue 21 of The Cascade, “New coach serves up a new season of men’s volleyball,” on page 18. It was incorrectly stated that familiar face this season would include Nikolas Vojnovic, the Togerertz brothers Josh and Anthony, and star middle Liam Neufeld. In fact, these names are from the 2013-14 roster. The roster for the upcoming season has not yet been posted. The Cascade apologizes for any confusion this may have caused.
Movie munchies: how to snack without a sugar hangover Your much-deserved movie night should be completely guilt-free, including the treats ALEX RAKE CONTRIBUTOR
Students sometimes need a break from the stresses of school, and what better way to forget your worries than by vegging out in front of a movie? Unfortunately, most of us have conditioned ourselves to crave the most terrible kinds of food during movie nights, and this can leave a person feeling even more awful than before the night began. Nobody really wants to forgo pop and chocolate for lemonwater and celery sticks, so luckily there are ways to binge on junk without feeling like a total sack of crap. Greasy stuff like pizza, chips, or donuts cause bloating and exacerbate acne. The best way to avoid consuming too much grease is to make the food yourself, since fast food tends to be lathered in the stuff. If a food is especially greasy,
Image: James Lord/Flickr
Believe it or not, it is possible to have a movie night that’s actually refreshing and doesn’t leave you feeling like death afterwards. you can pat it down with paper towel — although you’ll probably look like a weirdo. Salt is another thing to downsize on; it causes dehydration and is bad for your heart. You
can’t avoid it since it’s on everything that tastes good, but you can make some strategic choices, such as not sprinkling it on your popcorn (especially if you already have salty butter on it).
You should also choose regular potato chips over the flavoured variety, which have more sodium. There is no difference in sodium content between sea salt and table salt, though, so don’t sweat over the type of salt and vinegar chips you’ve just shoved down your throat. Too much sugar makes teeth slimy and can lead to headaches and energy crashes, which are what movie nights mean to avoid in the first place. If you must eat a tub of candy, make sure that they’re not the kind that are covered in abrasive, powdery sugar (e.g. sour gummies) — they can make your teeth feel especially unpleasant and dry out your mouth. If you are more of a chocolate person, the purer the chocolate, the better. That is, the darker it is and the less caramel, peanut butter, or whatever other gimmick is in it, the surer you can be that its sugar content is rea-
sonable. If you aren’t certain which kind of sugary drink to choose, non-carbonated drinks will cause less gas, and iced teas generally contain a little bit less sugar than pops and juices. It’s important to note that drinks with artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, may cause stomach aches for some people since they can’t always digest them properly. Know and listen to your body! Besides making the obvious choices, like going for smaller portions or settling for healthy food, these tips should help you feel less guilty about taking the much-deserved night off. The next step would be to just find a movie that’s equally as satisfying as your guilt-free munchies.
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Women’s volleyball team gets its opportunity to shine NATHAN HUTTON THE CASCADE
After last year’s disappointing season, it looks like the Cascades women’s volleyball team will approach this year with the best potential we’ve seen these last couple years. The women’s volleyball team is one of two Cascades teams to win a national title in the last 10 years. Their historic 2012-2013 season ended with an unforgettable national championship. Now, the younger players that Coach Bokenfohr has been cultivating for the past couple of years are going to get their opportunities to shine for the first time this year. These players include Jennica Noot and Juliana Penner, who have played together for more than six years in high school at the Pacific Academy, notably winning the AA division provincial title three years ago in their senior year of high school. Last year’s recruits Claire McLoughlin and Monique Huber, who both performed admirably with the team, will get even more time on the court to show fans what they can do. Even the redshirts from last year’s squad, Rachel Funk and Mandelyn Erickson, will
Image: Giandomenico Ricci/flickr
The new team is full of promising players. Will this be the year we take home gold? get the opportunity to get on the court this upcoming season. Cascades fans will get the chance to see these girls on the court for the first time when they play the CBC Bearcats on
October 17. Coach Bokenfohr talked about the new look, the loss of some veteran players, and the influx of youth. “It’s true we lost a couple of
veteran players, and they will be hard to replace,” he said. “The new athletes in our program have a lot of experience, either in clubs or from transferring from other institutions.
It’s exciting! There are plenty of unknowns as we start down the new path ... we are confident if we are persistent that it will lead to a pretty awesome view at the end. We are prepared that it might kick our butt along the way, but we are prepared to put in the work necessary to watch where it might lead us.” As if all this wasn’t enough for the women and Bokenfohr to deal with, the Cascades volleyball team has been neckdeep in talks about a potential CIS move in the near future ever since winning their national title. Coach Bokenfohr claims that while all the talk is fun and exciting, he doesn’t think it changes things for the team. “We just feel lucky and blessed that we can come out each night and compete,” he said. He noted that the prospect of CIS is interesting, but that he and the team are trying to stay in the present. “If that happens in the future, well, that would be exciting!” he said. “But I plan to enjoy this year and give the ladies everything I have.”
New faces on the team give Cascades women’s basketball a fresh outlook for the upcoming season NATHAN HUTTON THE CASCADE
As we get closer and closer to the women’s basketball team’s opening game on September 18, we start to get a clearer image of how the team will look on their opening weekend of pre-season action against the visiting University of Calgary Dinos. The Cascades will have to rebound after losing a pair of key contributors from last year’s starting lineup, specifically Aieisha Luyken and Nicole Weirks. We can expect that Weirks’ younger sister Sarah and CIS national all-star Kayli Sartori will be looked to as the new leaders, both on and off the court. The team will return this year with Al Tuchscherer, the longest-serving of all the Cascades’ CIS coaches with 12 years. When I asked him if his team felt any pressure due to
their exceptional season the previous year, Coach Tuchscherer responded, “No, I don’t think so. It’s probably more of the other way. Last year’s squad, I think, felt a little bit of pressure, in that we have been building for a few years with a core group of girls.” He noted that this year, a few of those players have graduated. “I think there is a lot of potential, but I think there is even less pressure this year.” The team not only lost two starters this off-season, but they also fell victim to graduation. Three key players waved farewell to the team, and Tuchscherer had a busy summer looking for new talent around the Fraser Valley. Despite losing some of the best in the league, Tuchscherer is optimistic about his new team, especially the three-first years. Chantal Ewert comes to the Cascades after graduating from
Image: Giandomenico Ricci/flickr
“Despite losing some of the best in the league, Tuchscherer is optimistic about his new team, especially the three first-years.” Terry Fox Secondary this past June. The 6’2 guard and forward told the Cascades athletic department, “I am looking forward to working with the coaching staff that were a part of my development [as a Junior
Cascade] at a young age, as well as reconnecting with former teammates. It is a great opportunity for me to attend school and learn and grow as a player while staying close to home.” Jenika Bannerman comes to
the Cascades from the same high school as current Cascade Kaitlyn McDonald: G.W. Graham Secondary. The 5’11” guard is also a former Junior Cascade. Danielle Vanbergen committed to the Cascades from Mark Isfeld Secondary. The 5’7” guard will get an immediate chance to show what she can do and try to take the vacant starting point guard position. The three girls join the Cascades program, which, despite Coach Tuchscherer’s words, will be facing pressure from the CIS women’s basketball world. It’s up to the new team to either match their bronze medal finish from last year, or take charge and trample all competition in their way to gold this year.