The Cascade Vol. 22 No. 29

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Vol. 22 Issue 29

November 5, 2014 to November 11, 2014

Summoning the Great Stone Dragon since 1993

War, terrorism, and the threat of the lone wolf p. 3, 7

ufvcascade.ca


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NEWS

News

Briefs Municipal election approaches Municipalities are holding elections for four-year terms at city halls across the Lower Mainland. The Cascade will have full coverage of candidates for city council and mayor in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Mission in our next issue, which will come out Wednesday, November 12. If you have any observations or questions about the election, let us know by email or social media, and we’ll make a point to address it in our coverage. The general voting day is Saturday, November 15.

Ontario universities review internship programs TORONTO — Following revelations that recognized CBC radio host Jian Ghomeshi as a known hazard among faculty in the University of Western Ontario journalism program, The Ryersonian reports that a review of internships at Ghomeshi’s show was conducted at Ryerson U, with no further incidents coming to light. Ryerson’s investigation has concluded, but some critics, like journalist Jeet Heer, believe the nature of internship programs contributed to the ease with which Ghomeshi avoided criminal charges. “Staff were the precariat — contract workers, interns, people with precarious, temporary status ... people are always being shifted around,” Heer wrote in a Twitter essay. “Precariat workers are easily abused by [an] abusive star ... at heart of personal agency is Ghomeshi himself, then his enablers, including especially those who set policy.”

Canadian researchers continue to be prohibited from media disclosure BURNABY — A recent story in The Peak summarizes multiple stories of Canadian communications policy regarding the silencing of government-funded researchers. Patricia Sutherland, whose research findings in Baffin Island contradicted displays at the Canadian Museum of History, is “one of 2000 scientists and researchers who have been dismissed from their government jobs over the past three years after sharing their research with the media in spite of government policies.”

Have a news tip? Email news@ufvcascade.ca or tweet @CascadeNews

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Provincial government creates Fraser Valley-India exchange scholarships

News

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Opinion

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Culture

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Arts in Review

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Gravity Falls is whimsical yet Gothic

Sports & Health

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Quebec, here we come!

In a visit to UFV’s campus in Chandigarh, BC Premier Christy Clark debuted scholarships intended to bring together the educational and economic directions of the two regions closer together. Megan Lambert reports on the UFV side of the project.

Canada, the “keeper of peace,” must defend itself as a nation Despite Canada’s reputation as peace-keeper, our nation has been faced with the dilemma of a personal attacks against our country. Should we defend ourselves or act passively to avoid further attack? Damian explains why Canada needs to fight.

Creator, destroyer Pumpkin carving events preceded Halloween at UFV, and the annual pumpkin chuck followed the dark, liminal night of October 31. Photos and words from Alex Rake and Daniel Holmberg document the events!

Twelve-year-old twins get up to mischief in the small town of Gravity Falls, Oregon in this surprisingly fresh Disney cartoon.

The women’s soccer team is making headway this season and will be on their way to Quebec next weekend for the National tournament. Read Nathan Hutton’s recap of what happened this past weekend to make Nationals possible.

ISIS! Ebola! Razorblades, oh my! VALERIE FRANKLIN MANAGING EDITOR

Often Halloween encourages us to make light of fear, but it’s also a time to recognize we are vulnerable to it. This Halloween, a bowl of mini Kit-Kats by the front door and a grinning jack-o’lantern on the porch declared my house open for business. The trick-or-treaters began to trickle by around six: mostly toddlers dressed as ladybugs, vampires, and, of course, Elsa from Frozen. However, the trickle never turned into a stream, and by the end of the night, the candy bowl was still almost full. I peeked outside and looked up and down the street several times, but it was empty. When I was a kid growing up in the same neighbourhood, there were scores of trick-or-treaters; this year we got fewer than a dozen. Last year the numbers were similarly low. Where did all the kids go? At around 5 p.m. the same day, I had been at the mall and seen hundreds of costumed kids lining up to trick-or-treat at the stores. I can’t help but wonder about Volume 22 · Issue 29 Room C1027 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529 Editor-in-Chief katie@ufvcascade.ca Katie Stobbart Managing Editor valerie@ufvcascade.ca Valerie Franklin Director of Business Development joe@ufvcascade.ca Joe Johnson Webmaster ashley@ufvcascade.ca Ashley Mussbacher Copy Editor kodie@ufvcascade.ca Kodie Cherrille News Editor michael@ufvcascade.ca Michael Scoular

the connection between the crowds of children at the mall and the lack of trick-or-treaters in my neighbourhood — if parents are shielding their kids by bringing the tradition indoors. It’s a disheartening thought. Trick-or-treating seems to lose some of its magic — the darkness, the sinister moon, the crisp air and rustling trees — in the welllit, security-patrolled mall. But that safe, predictable environment also removes the danger of speeding cars, slippery leaves, and crazed neighbours who slip sewing needles and razor blades into children’s candy — which allegedly occurred twice in Winnipeg this Halloween, as police are investigating. Parents these days are more scared than ever for their kids, and for good reason, if you’ve been reading the headlines recently. Razor blades in Halloween candy! Ebola! Terrorists! The narrative thread repeated over and over in North American media is, we’re in danger. Sensationalized media stories like the Ottawa shooting two weeks ago, which the government and media have

Opinion Editor brittney@ufvcascade.ca Brittney Hensman Culture Editor nadine@ufvcascade.ca Nadine Moedt Arts in Review Editor sasha@ufvcascade.ca Sasha Moedt Sports Editor catherine@ufvcascade.ca Catherine Stewart Production and Design Editor stewart@ufvcascade.ca Stewart Seymour Art Director anthony@ufvcascade.ca Anthony Biondi Production Assistant shyanne@ufvcascade.ca Shyanne Schedel

labelled an act of terrorism (when it appears that may not be the case), are sensationalized for a simple reason: because it sells. Just as marketing creates a fear (“Are your teeth white enough?”) then offers to alleviate it (“Buy our toothpaste!”), there’s a profit to be made from terrifying the population. There’s power riding on it, too. A culture of fear is dangerous, not least because fear can be exploited; people who feel they’re in danger are more likely to embrace new laws and measures that promise safety, even if it comes with the loss of their civil liberties. In the case of the Ottawa shooting, the fear is of terrorism and ISIS — and the solution is to beef up Canada’s national security. But as Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)’s powers continue to grow, more and more of our privacy will be handed over in the name of protecting us. And we’re so afraid, we’ll swallow the pill without asking what’s in it. Ebola is a horrifying disease, and I’m certainly not defending the violent fundamentalism of ISIS. These are real threats. But as many writ-

ers before me have pointed out, they’re not threats to us. We’re far more likely to die of heart disease than be blown up by a bomb. And when the media is as saturated with fear-mongering as it has been over the last few weeks, it’s important to observe the sensationalism calmly and read between the lines. Being well-informed and not believing everything you hear is, as usual, a panacea. Take your kids (or young friends) trick-or-treating next year. Let them enjoy the spooky night and the fresh air. They’ll be okay. Statistically, they almost definitely won’t be poisoned or bite down on a razorblade. The greater risk is shielding them from imagined danger at every turn. If we do that, we’ll have a generation of kids growing up afraid to take risks, protected from learning from their own mistakes, and never questioning the steady diet of sensationalized terror they’re fed by both the media and parents who have internalized the message. And that’s scarier than any terrorist.

News Writer megan@ufvcascade.ca Megan Lambert

Printed By International Web exPress

Staff Writers 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.

alex@ufvcascade.ca Alex Rake Varsity Writer nathan@ufvcascade.ca Nathan Hutton Arts and Culture Writer martin@ufvcascade.ca Martin Castro Contributors Remington Fioraso, Jeremy Hannaford, Sean Holden, Daniel Holmberg, Alex Jesus, and Damian van Woerden Cover image: Anthony Biondi Photo: Obert Madono/ flickr


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NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

When is a lone wolf a terrorist? UFV professors discuss the consequences of Ottawa attack on national security and civil liberties VALERIE FRANKLIN

gested that as information about these attacks is filtered through the media, sensationalistic reporting builds fear and Islamophobia. Telford replied that while the media does sensationalize stories in order to draw an audience, this reflects the public’s appetite for that type of reporting. Akuffo agreed. “It is up to us ... to process whatever information is put out there, but we also have to be very aware that there seems to be … a link between government policy and whatever the media [reports],” he said. Another audience member emphasized the threat of ISIS, stating, “It’s not right to dismiss it as Islamophobia because that is the ideology they’re representing themselves on.”

THE CASCADE

One week to the day after the deadly shooting on Parliament Hill, UFV students and faculty gathered at a roundtable discussion to hear three professors speak about national security, the definition of terrorism, and how Canada should respond to the violence in Ottawa and Montreal. Political science professors Edward Akuffo and Hamish Telford were joined by professor Scott Sheffield from the history department to address a crowd of approximately 50, packing boardroom A225, with audience members perched on side tables and extra chairs when they ran out of room. Islamophobia is definition-changing Telford began the discussion with a 10-minute talk titled “Lone-Wolf Terrorism is About Lone Wolves, Not Terrorism.” He noted that “homegrown terrorism” is nothing new. The history of terrorism in Canada stretches back to the rebellions of Upper and Lower Canada, and has often shaped the way the country is governed — yet today the word “terrorism” has been sensationalized, and is used inconsistently. He compared the case of Justin Bourque, who this week was sentenced to life in prison for killing three RCMP officers in Moncton, New Brunswick this summer, to the situation in Ottawa. “We’re not calling what happened in Moncton terrorism. But we’re calling what happened in Ottawa terrorism,” Telford said. “I don’t think there is a big difference between the two.” Telford went on to note that terrorism is a “notoriously problematic” term to define, but it’s generally agreed that terrorism is a violent act perpetrated to achieve larger political or ideological goals. In contrast, the killers in Montreal and Ottawa last week were “lone wolves acting out violent fantasies, dressed up with some religious or political rhetoric.” “Why are we so anxious to classify what happened last week as terrorism, when other horrible events [that] happen with a lot of killing and

Image: Valerie Franklin

Three UFV professors offered different perspectives on Canadian reactions to sudden violence. evidently some political motives are not terrorism?” Telford wondered. The difference between the two, he argued, is Islamophobia. “We are afraid of radical Islamic jihad. And that’s why we’re so quick to classify what happened as terrorism … but we can’t allow ourselves to be driven by this fear.” He pointed out that misdiagnosing the problem does nothing to enhance national security, because “we have to get the diagnosis right to get the prescription right.”

of terrorism is hazy, Akuffo quoted an abbreviated version of the Criminal Code of Canada’s lengthy definition of terrorism as stated in Part II.1, which begins by defining it as “[a violent] act or omission in or outside Canada that is committed in whole or in part for a political, religious, or ideological purpose …”

Attacks are symbolic Akuffo offered a different perspective: that perhaps the attacks in Ottawa and Montreal should indeed be “diagnosed” as terrorism. He noted that although the attacker in Ottawa acted alone, the attack took place at two “symbolic locations of state power” (the War Memorial and Parliament Hill), that government officials were the targets, and that the Canadian and American governments are both treating it as an act of terrorism. Although Telford noted that the international definition

terrorism than it is

“I think it’s easier to harness the fear within people of the for us to look critically at what causes it.” By this definition, the attack on Parliament Hill may be defined as terrorism. Akuffo also pointed out the role of the government in protecting the public: “[Terrorism] does require a military response because it is linked to the survival of the state and the people,” he said. But Sheffield expressed

concern that the Canadian government may overreact to these attacks, resulting in a loss of civil liberties for individuals. “Canada’s government is taking on more powers as we speak: to conduct surveillance, to collect intelligence, to arrest and incarcerate its own citizens, to expand security around our public institutions,” he said. “There may be reasonable cause to do so — but we need to maintain our perspective.” Power can be abused Sheffield compared the government’s response to the War Measures Act in WWI, which allowed for more efficiency and quicker decision-making, but also sacrificed civil liberties and was used by the government to attack immigrants and organized labour, which were seen as counter to national security. “We have to be careful,” he warned. “These powers can be abused.” After the three speakers had each delivered a 10-minute presentation, the floor was opened to comments and questions from the audience. One audience member sug-

Privacy and peace at stake Sheffield responded that while CSIS may need more power to investigate those people, that power should not be used to delve into the private lives of Canada’s citizens. In addition, he noted that instead of blaming ISIS, the government should turn its attention to the failure of the Canadian mental healthcare system to provide treatments like talk therapy to vulnerable individuals before they radicalize. “ISIS did not mobilize those individuals and get them to attack us,” he said, noting that the media and the government have characterized it that way because “it fits their narrative and helps support the policies they’ve adopted.” “I think it’s easier to harness the fear within people of the terrorism than it is for us to look critically at what causes it,” observed one student. “I think this is the simplest way for the government as well as the media to deal with it.” In response, Sheffield advised the audience to read beyond the headlines and think deeply about the situation for themselves. “Trying to get beyond headlines, beyond provocative questions [on TV], is the best course we have,” he said. “Get multiple sources for your information, and think it through.” Background Image: whistlepunch / Flickr


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NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

SUS entrance scholarship awarded in first year to science student Student-funded award comes with high requirements, four years of financial aid VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE

Starting this academic year, Student Union Society (SUS) is giving away an entrance scholarship valued at $40,000. Although SUS is funding the scholarship, they do not choose the student to whom it is awarded. SUS’s governance committee makes a list of requirements that they want the winner to have, which is passed along to the UFV student awards committee. One of the main requirements is high scholastic standing, but SUS president Ryan Petersen shares that SUS is more interested in the time an individual spends outside the classroom. “High scholastics are very important and being dedicated to your school is great, but what we really want is people who are involved in their communities and volunteer a lot,” he says. This year’s scholarship winner, Sahil Chawla, a bachelor of science student, explains that he was very involved in the community before winning the scholarship. “In high school I started the key club. I was also volunteered with my dance group where I was the captain, and I do traditional Indian dance,” he says. “I was in the process of starting a Steps to Fitness program — the only thing that stopped it from happening was the weather. Before that, I was also volunteering

Image: TARAK Photography

Sahil Chawla was awarded the newly created SUS entrance scholarship, now UFV’s largest award. at the city. We also did summer camps and spring camps as well.” Petersen also explains that once the scholarship is awarded, there are expectations that a high level of involvement in the UFV community will continue from the student’s pre-

university experience. “We [want] someone who would be engaged in the university community, primarily through SUS,” he says. “[But] if they [want] to work more in clubs and associations [we are all right with that],” he says. Chawla is currently volunteer-

ing at the BCSA and SUS. He is also starting the UFV Circle K Club, a branch of the Kiwanis Foundation of Canada. The scholarship will continue to be given in increments of $10,000 on a yearly basis. Petersen explains that when a student is awarded the schol-

arship, it doesn’t mean that they are guaranteed the entire $40,000. The student needs to maintain a GPA of 3.5 in addition to their community and university involvement during the year, and an assessment follows at the end of the year to determine this. “The award committee has two charts,” Petersen explains. “One is for what [the student] needs to get the award and the other is what they need to keep doing to keep the award. This isn’t just something that you get outright for the rest of your student career. You have to keep these high standards, otherwise you lose the award and somebody else gets it.” It’s a lot of pressure for a first-year student, but Chawla says he became aware that these requirements were the same for every scholarship that he applied for, so he is trying his best to be prepared. “I was really nervous at first, but I [am making] sure to invest my time beforehand so it’s not just before exams that I’m studying,” he says. “I started volunteering with SUS [in August] so I could get used to how it would be when school started,” he adds. Chawla is trying his best to stay motivated while balancing a fullcourse load with his part-time job and volunteering. “For me more than anything, it’s my dream of becoming a doctor,” he says. “I really want to become something and actually help people. That’s why I volunteer so much.”

Potential job openings discussed at SUS board meeting VANESSA BROADBENT

THE CASCADE

New representatives and new job openings were the highlight of this month’s Student Union Society (SUS) board meeting. This was the first board meeting with two newly elected representatives present: the Cascade Journalism Society’s Curtis Klooster and aboriginal representative Morris Prosser. Prosser was elected into the position during a recent by-election. Of 183 votes cast, 85 per cent were in favour of Prosser, the only candidate running for the position. There were origi-

nally three candidates running, but two did not meet the requirements of having a GPA of 2.0 and no outstanding student fees. SUS announced that the society’s engagement officer, Derrick Swallow, gave his two weeks notice and will stop working at SUS as of November 3. This isn’t the best timing for SUS, as VP external Dylan Thiessen explained. “Thomas [Davies, SUS VP internal], Ryan [Petersen, SUS president], and I are still talking about how to best move forward with that, given that we will not be here for a week in the middle of November,” he said. SUS executives are

planning to attend the annual Canadian Alliance of Student Associations lobby week in Ottawa November 16-21. SUS plans to open the position up for applicants in the near future, as well as a new position that would involve updating the SUS website. Current arts representative and last year’s VP internal Greg Stickland told the board that he intends to apply for the website position. “It speaks to a couple campaign promises that I wasn’t able to complete a few years ago,” he said. “It’s a position that I am really passionate about, so I am hoping to apply for that position, but we do have a bylaw

saying that I would need permission from the board.” SUS president Ryan Petersen said he was okay with Stickland applying for the position. “Personally, I don’t have an issue if Greg wants to put his hat in the ring and apply for the position. I am thankful that he brought this forward to everyone’s awareness now rather than later,” he said. Thiessen wasn’t opposed to Stickland’s ability to fill the role, but he shared that he thought there were “some reasons of concern” with his application. “I think that the main concern is that as representatives, you’re here to be critical, and to represent your

students to the society. If you were to also work in the society, I could see that potentially creating issues,” he said. Despite Thiessen’s concern, Stickland said that he will be going forward with his application. “Unless anyone opposes at this time, I am just going to apply for the position and should I get it, I’ll bring the motion to the next board meeting. If the board is not okay with that, then I will be stepping down as arts rep,” he said. SUS also passed motions to increase the funding that executives receive for food while on business trips and to update their ex-officio policy.


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NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Provincial government funds $50,000 in scholarships for UFV Chandigarh student exchanges MEGAN LAMBERT

THE CASCADE

The latest involvement of the BC Liberals in UFV planning was announced last month during Christy Clark’s visit to Chandigarh. Following the party’s new mandate for education funding to support the trades as a direct result of plans involving the province’s start-up LNG industry, this time Clark is focusing on economic partnerships between BC and India. The two objectives met when the premier visited UFV’s satellite campus at the Sanatan Dharma (SD) College in Chandigarh, India. Encouraging a closer connection between the two parts of the university, and the larger economic context surrounding the different locations, the provincial government awarded UFV $50,000 in scholarships for exchanging students between SD College in Chandigarh and UFV campuses in the Fraser Valley. UFV president and vicechancellor Mark Evered, university relations director Leslie Courchesne, and director of the UFV Centre for IndoCanadian Studies Satwinder Bains accompanied Clark at the campus. After the premier moved on from the visit, Bains delegated an education roundtable for students and faculty to discuss skills training to keep up with the current economy. “We really wanted to talk about higher education and where it’s going, both from a Canadian and Indian perspective,” she says. Bains goes on to explain that the Canadian federal govern-

Image: Province of British Columbia / Flickr

BC Premier Christy Clark with UFV president Mark Evered during her trades mission in Chandigarh. ment isn’t as involved as the Indian government in education, mostly because of India’s growing student population. She also notes that education and employability help keep young people from petty crime. The population in Chandigarh has only seen minimal growth over the last decade, but crime rates have increased in smaller offences since 2006 — robbery by 45 per cent, burglary by 27 per cent, and theft by 19 per cent. “If young people do get an education, and there is not a job, then ... students will have nowhere to go, no money to spend, and they [could] go into petty crime,” Bains says. “The numbers are so huge, staggering for us to understand,” she says of the Indian population as a whole. Canada’s comparatively miniscule population is aging, so priorities at the federal level differ between the two countries.

She notes that “[Canadian] universities are much more involved in industry than India’s universities are. India’s universities have that ivory tower kind of image.” Bains says that Canada’s direct connection between the government and its main industries should extend to students entering the job market. “To be industry trained, relationships need to be built between industry and universities,” she says. The UFV scholarships could be just the beginning of the province’s influence in IndiaCanada employment. Bains explains that Clark’s plans could further involve the LNG industry. “She was saying if we needed gas-fitters, and we were not able to fill them here, [if] the demand was higher than our supply, that she would look to India as one of those countries [where] she could bring

people in on a skill-based immigration plan.” Regarding the university’s role in academic training for skill-based certificates, Bains says, “That academic side is just as important as the skill side to get a job. “I think it would be putting your head in the sand if you expect students to spend the kind of money they need to spend to go through a degree program, and not look for work that’s affiliated to their academic interest.” According to Bains, UFV is focusing on business education and computer science in Chandigarh, because the language within those fields is universal. Even though India is in high demand for science education, nursing, and engineering, Bains says there are no plans to extend those programs to Chandigarh at this point. Bains says UFV Chandigarh

doesn’t plan to include liberal arts education at the campus either, because “there are such a plethora of universities offering that in India — the market is saturated.” According to India’s University Grants Commission, in 2011-12, 37 per cent of postsecondary students pursued the arts, whereas only 18 per cent studied commerce and 16 per cent studied engineering and technology. However, that’s about to change. Bains says that around 400 colleges in India are being transformed from academic institutions to polytechnic or vocational schools. “Right now there is a demand in the industry for people to come out with a skill, an actual skill that they can apply, about one week after they graduate,” she explains, though she also adds that liberal arts education will continue because of substantial interest. “I think there’s a need for both; I don’t think that one will take away from the other.” The scholarships are a onetime deal, but Bains notes that there will be a UFV committee to set the criteria for applicants, award the scholarships, and brainstorm ways to keep the program rolling beyond the provincial government’s initial grant — possibly through community fundraising or endowment. “I think it’s a win-win for us, and maybe the government will give us another $50,000,” she says.

Winter is coming: tips for preparing for next semester and graduation ALEX RAKE

THE CASCADE

The Winter 2015 timetable has been released, and it’s time to start thinking about organizing yourself for the coming semester — especially if you’re graduating! Some find the UFV website difficult to navigate, which may make it frustrating when you’re trying to register for the next semester. To ease the pain, start picking courses early. A good practice for those registering online is to look at

the timetable before your registration time, and map out a few different course combinations, writing down the course titles and numbers, class times, professors, and CRNs. As soon as your registration time comes around, there is a place on the online registration page where you can type in CRNs to claim courses as quickly as possible, forgoing the complicated clicks and searches that can add extra time to the process. By having a few back-up schedules already prepared, there will be far fewer moments of anxious scrambling for a course that

fits into your timetable. Also, keep UFV’s $200 deposit requirement in mind — it has the same processing wait time as your other fee payments (five business days for online banking), and needs to fully paid before you can register for classes. If you find yourself on a waitlist, remember that people drop off waitlists all the time. If the waitlist has over 20 people on it, it’s probably your best bet to move on to the next course — but if the semester rolls around and you are something like fifth on the list, you’re more likely

than not to get on the attendance list. Of course, this all depends on the nature of the course, classroom, and instructor. If you plan on graduating next semester, it’s best to submit your graduation request to the Office of the Registrar before April 1, while the submission fee is only $25; after that, the fee is $75. The absolute deadline to submit your graduation request is May 1. Make sure all your program requirements are covered by April 30, the time grades have to be in for the Winter semester. If you have any questions

about your program requirements or registration in general, book an appointment with your academic advisor as soon as possible. Visit www.ufv.ca/ aac/ to find out who your advisor is and what they can do for you. There is also a list of support services available on the webpage. Start preparing now for registration and graduation to avoid any unexpected hassle, and you will be ahead of the game in getting the courses you want and need.


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OPINION

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

SNAPSHOTS

Buskers are not bums

Curtailed commentary on current conditions

An excuse not to shave

A fight for the boxer

Public rebuke

Vanessa Broadbent

Martin Castro

Sean Holden

Brittney Hensman

I was recently in Seattle visiting the famous Pike Place Market and was shocked by how many people do not pay the buskers there. Some of these buskers are there all day. As a musician, I understand how much practice goes into having enough material for that length of time, as well as actually performing for that long. They’re not just sitting there begging, they’re actually working for it. And in areas like Pike Place, not just anyone can set up and busk. These are real musicians trying to earn a living. My philosophy is if a busker captivated my attention and made me want to stop and listen, they at deserve at least a dollar. Buskers are not as common in Abbotsford or Chilliwack, but next time you see one in the city, don’t forget to pay them for their work rather than just listening and walking away.

I have a pretty busy semester, what with six classes and a part-time job. I don’t have much free time, especially in the mornings. Often I rush out of the house having forgotten to do something I was supposed to do. I usually forget to shave, so I have this perpetual scruff going on. Now, I don’t think it looks bad, but it doesn’t really look great either, which is why I’m glad November has arrived, as “Movember” affords me a perfectly legitimate excuse to forget about shaving for a month, and support a worthy cause at the same time. During any other month of the year my half-assed patches of scruff would be looked down upon, but Movember is great because my laziness can go unnoticed, or at least is grudgingly accepted.

Despite living in an accepting society, it does not seem our ethical ideals transfer to dogs. I own a purebred boxer, and have gladly taken the time to train both myself and my dog to behave well within our tightly knit suburb. Yet when he walks at my side as my companion, with an expression of unwitting bliss, I see the stares of prejudice toward my “untamed beast” due to the way a boxer looks. Passersby ask me to hold back my “animal,” they shield their children, and they put tremendous effort into avoiding us. If our society is so accepting, why do these irrational judgments plague us still, especially towards friendly dogs? As Gandhi once said, “The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Start treating dogs with respect. When you don’t, you reflect an untreated illness of our society.

What’s with people calling each other out in public? Maybe it’s because it’s election season and people are adopting the political mentality where it seems acceptable to jump all over or attack what someone says. But how are your judgements justified when you are just as likely to be guilty of saying contradictory things or misjudging someone? Too often we like to play judge because we think we are right. We seem to gain enjoyment in watching someone flounder in their defence while we sit there smugly confident that we’re right. Stop trying to be right all the time because the reality is, you’re not. If you really want to call the shots, go to law school.

Headphones half full: can sad music make you feel better? ALEX JESUS

CONTRIBUTOR

It’s safe to say that while a lot of us live happy lives (I hope), we tend to do that human thing every once in a while — break down. Now there could be a myriad of reasons for this: life struggles, problems at home, running out of coffee — the list goes on. I’ve often said music, to me, is the ultimate comfort: the universal Kleenex, maybe even the everyday pick-up we need so we don’t have a breakdown in the middle of our English 105 class. Often happy and upbeat tunes provide a lift for a bad day, but what if I told you a few solemn symphonies could do the job even better? Wait: sad music, making you feel better? Frank Ocean once said, “When you’re happy, you enjoy the music. But when you’re sad, you understand the lyrics.” Truer words have never been spoken — or sung! Yes, listening to Pharrell Williams can be fun, unless it’s “Happy”; in that case, pace yourself for hearing the word “happy” 300 times too many.

Image: Nickolai Kashirin/ flickr

“This is my see-through heart, I can’t hide the way I’m feeling ... ” — Sebell Excluding instrumental music, lyrics are the key components to the message of a song, and are worth just as much as any instrument (this is hard to admit, being a guitar player). You can have a piano and a drum kit, but unless Sam Smith is behind that mic belting out something like “Stay with Me,” you won’t have that same impact. In times of despair

we look to take comfort in the fact that someone, somewhere, has been through this. If you’re a guy who lost the love of his life, and the first song that comes on the radio is Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man,” not only are you going to identify with the lyrics, but you get a chance to let someone else do the talking for you. And when the last thing you want to

do is explain to another human being why you look like you’ve been crying for 10 hours straight, the reality of someone singing the things you feel is amazing. Music is the ultimate way of expressing emotion through sound. While a few happy tunes can temporarily lift you out of a slump, it won’t put things in perspective like a sad song will.

It’s kind of like how ice cream is the go-to comfort food when you’re sad and alone. Well, sure, eating healthy could help your self-esteem and put you on the right track, but who doesn’t want to go off the rails and polish off a tub of Ben and Jerry’s on their couch when tears are streaming? Listening to sad music when sombre, even if you don’t want to admit it, is a guilty pleasure. If someone asks what you did on your weekend, you’ll be inclined to lie, and not tell them the part about how you bought all the City and Colour albums within a 100-km radius. Again, we may not like it, but it is what it is. Sad songs sell because so many can relate to them, and when you’re really down and out, nothing feels better than having a soft — or loud — heartfelt tune bring you back down to Earth. Let’s just hope you don’t get too caught up in it, in which case I’m officially prescribing you some Pharrell.


7

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Soldiers unable to defend themselves can’t defend us, either SIMON GRANT

CONTRIBUTOR

On October 22, Corporal Nathan Cirillo was shot and killed by Michael Zehaf-Bibeau while guarding the Canadian War Memorial’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa. Currently the ceremonial guards are given standard-issue weapons without live ammunition while guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This makes no sense. The ceremonial guard used to parade during the day and was then dismissed overnight. But on Canada Day 2006, after several people decided to desecrate the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by urinating on the memorial, there was a change in sentry duty, from parading during work hours to parading 24 hours. However, the ceremonial guard remained unarmed. The guard is comprised of soldiers who have been on active duty. Many were involved in active regiments that have seen engagements at the Somme, Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Ypres, Falais, and the Scheldt. These soldiers are not playing dress-up, they are not acting, nor are they retired; they are active military personnel. They’ve enlisted voluntarily, they were trained to the standards of the Department of National Defence, they are given weapons training and combat training, and many within the regiment have served on tours in Afghanistan. They know what

Image: 4 Cdn Div/4 Div Ca- JTFC/FOIC /flickr

“Our men and women should not be sent to defend us without ammunition.” they’ve signed up for. While on duty as the ceremonial guard, they remain soldiers and are given standard-issue bayonet blades, standard-issue rifles, and dress uniforms. But what they are not given is ammunition. How are they to guard the War Memorial if they cannot physically perform their duty? What happens when they are attacked while guarding? As we have seen,

they are killed. But even after the parliamentary shootings, the federal government stated it will not arm these guards. Instead they’ve said, according to the Ottawa Citizen, the sentries will be “more closely monitored by RCMP.” This is a waste of time, resources, and personnel for the RCMP. The RCMP’s duty is to serve and protect the civilians of this country — not protect the soldiers.

These soldiers are trained to protect themselves, but they need the means to do that. Our men and women should not be sent to defend us without ammunition. What is the use of having a guard who cannot actually guard? While the positions around the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier may be ceremonial, the sentries are not. They are soldiers. As such they should be treated like sol-

diers and not decorations. These soldiers are men and women enlisted to defend our country and our rights and freedoms, even through the position of sentries for domestic holdings. We should at least give the people who volunteered to defend us the ability to defend themselves.

Fight now or die later: ISIL threat is only growing DAMIAN VAN WOERDEN

CONTRIBUTOR

We cannot and should not remove our troops from the Middle East. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has made it crystal clear, as reported in the Guardian: they have no intentions of creating a peaceful world, not until they have planted their black flag of tyranny over the government buildings of every single nation. They are not interested in debate, they don’t want treaties and trade deals, and they do not want our business. This is why Canada needs to get involved. We cannot sit idly by and hope the world’s united problem of ISIL will sort itself out and disappear. We will not be able to simply sit down with the terrorists and have a polite conversation over mutual interests. Sooner or later, if we don’t react now, ISIL is going to directly attack us on

Image: 4 Cdn Div/4 Div Ca- JTFC/FOIC /flickr

“If we don’t react now, ISIL is going to directly attack us on our land.” our land. And this time, it won’t be one mentally ill man with a Winchester 30-30 strolling into a Parliament building, as it was in

Ottawa. ISIL is an extremely efficient and brilliantly evil terrorist organization who will stop at nothing

to impose their form of justice and achieve their goal of world domination. Despite many of the world’s historical problems, this is one of the few times Canada has willingly volunteered to run in, headfirst, to a conflict situation. It’s understandable as citizens, we would rather keep the title of peacekeeper rather than battleaxe. However, by being proactive, we are acting in order to protect peace rather than keep it. The RCMP stated to Global News ISIL poses a direct threat to the safety and security of Canada. If we want to keep our country safe, protect individual freedom and independence, and still have a goal of world peace, we are going to need to fight for it. In these cases, sometimes a strong offence is the best form of defence. By having military support in the Middle East, we are trying to prevent confrontation on the shores

of our own country. This isn’t a war on religion or a hatred of the Muslim faith. This is a fight for liberty. Right now it’s either us or them. If we don’t react right away, they’ll definitely be showing up in our nation sooner than we think. Harper has made a commendable decision to send our troops over the ocean to the Middle East. ISIL’s aggressive advances need to be stopped and contained. What Canadians need to realize is that the war against ISIL is a war for our democracy and the protection of our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. ISIL does not want to make peace with the West. If we want to protect what we have in Canada, we are going to need to fight for it.


8

OPINION

UFV SPEAKS

www.ufvcascade.ca

How should Canada be responding to the threat of ISIS?

Yalda Dashti

“I would like to do more research, but I’m on the fence because I am Iranian and I have ties to the Middle East, and am very concerned with what goes on there, but I am also Canadian and want what is in the best interest for Canada.”

Nikolas Roberts

“We might be better off pulling out. I think the States are doing fine on their own; I see no reason for us to be over there anyway. We’ve kinda always just supported. We need to get out.”

Connor Brisson

“I don’t know everything but I don’t think it’s right. Should we be meddling in affairs of foreign countries and getting back into that after we’ve spent so much time pulling out of the region? ... What’s the point in going over there?”

Brent Neels

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

“I think it’s great that Canada is participating, I think more of the world needs to participate and even the little contribution we are doing is better than nothing.”

Jorawar Singh

“It’s a global issue regardless of where it happens. I think we should keep our armies there. If someone has the force to cut the terrorist attacks down, we need to.”

Matt Krause

“What Canada is doing now is about the most I would like to see them do. I wouldn’t like to see ‘boots on the ground’ face-toface combat. I think they could contribute money and take a more passive approach.”

Jessica Hempseed

“They should 100 per cent pull out because Canada has no involvement; we are not at risk at all. I honestly don’t think we need our whole force out there ... we are just killing more people. If you go and attack them they will come and attack us.”

Branden Johnson

“[Canada is] out there for legal obligations to the US ... But as a peacekeeping country they should be out there — not to kill, but as the peacekeepers [partnered] with the countries we are allied with.”

louden singletree fiction non-fiction poetry drama art photography

WRITING AND VISUAL ART from the UNIVERSITY OF THE FRASER VALLEY

submit your writing and visual art to louden.singletree@ufv.ca

submission deadline Dec. 18th


9

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Satire

Missing person who swiftly fled into the woods found ETHEL CULL

CONTRIBUTOR

A missing 22-year-old in New was reported found Monday, October 13, after neighbours claim the person was seen running into the woods. A neighbour said she heard shouting late that night; a heated conversation which sounded like a break-up. “I heard a female voice half yelling and half singing, ‘We are never, ever, ever, getting back together!’ When I went outside to see what all the commotion was about I saw a man leave her house. He looked like that cowboy from that famous movie about them male lovers,” the elderly neighbor claimed. “Maybe that’s why she ditched him?” Several other bystanders claimed they witnessed what looked like a distraught artist flee her home with a guitar strapped to her back and a tube of red lipstick in hand. Five hours later, a groundskeeper of Central Park, Lonnie Mower, claimed he heard someone singing, “Are we outta the woods

Image: Bryan Schorn/ wikipedia

yet, are we outta the woods yet, are we outta the woods yet, are we outta the woods?” When he called out to the voice to inform the source she was not in a forest but rather in Central Park, the voice responded, “Are we in the clear yet, are we in the clear yet, are we in the clear yet, in the clear yet? Good!” Mower, who was in fact standing in the Conservatory Garden (a six-acre garden within

Central Park, often referred to as “the clear”) was taken aback by this response as there was no one else around. “I’m severely worried for this person...” Mower said. “They may be suffering from palilalia!” When search-and-rescue workers questioned the legendary Bob Dylan, who was busking at the north end of the park, he seemed defensive: “It ain’t me babe...”

However, Dylan’s defence was mumbled and difficult to understand. When rescue workers finally found the missing person at the south end of the park, they said she seemed to be in an unstable mental state. She kept pointing to the trees and calling them “monsters.” The search and rescue workers attempted to calm the person down by telling her

to shake it off and perhaps take a break from dating. The neurologist who conducted an assessment after this traumatic event reported the cause of the derangement was due to the fact that she had clearly stayed up too late that night. Further MRI scans were conducted to confirm she “had nothing in her brain” were in fact false.

Ghomeshi’s alleged victims deserve to be taken seriously MEGAN LAMBERT

THE CASCADE

So, now that we’ve all calmed down … I don’t think victims of sexual abuse or harassment should feel afraid to speak about what happened to them — no matter what random people on Facebook think. Now that the alleged victims of the Jian Ghomeshi case, one of them recognizably famous, are speaking out publicly, public opinion has begun to turn against Ghomeshi. I’ve read several creative and nasty punishments for crimes Ghomeshi hasn’t been proven guilty for. I’ve heard all sorts of name-calling and opinions on the issue, and the media is having a field-day. I think this mutinous attitude can stay in the Middle Ages. It is not the public’s job to decide who is telling the truth; that’s why we have a formal judicial system. But we can all agree the public doesn’t always know what the best course of action is. If charges are dropped or not pressed in the first place, it doesn’t mean rape or abuse didn’t happen. It just means there isn’t

Image: Bruce Barrett

“It’s not the public’s job to decide who is telling the truth.” enough evidence to prove it — and in the case of Ghomeshi’s sexual interests and public profile, it could have been exceptionally difficult for the women to bring their cases forward. I can see how a personal testimony might help

you more than a piece of paper in a lawyer’s briefcase would. Jian Ghomeshi using his public Facebook status to talk about his personal life or legal issues is unprofessional and tasteless. When I was reading his status,

I felt a sinking feeling — not because of the nature of the content, but because the immaculate image of one of my favourite CBC hosts was turning into a he-said/ she-said debacle. I saw Ghomeshi having a long-lasting career in radio, but when I saw the legal jargon in his side of the story, I was disappointed that it’s been cut short. Some people blamed his ex-girlfriends, perhaps because of how sad it is to see a beloved Canadian icon’s image going sour. I’ve heard questions about why the women made their allegations to the media instead of the police. It seems the “jilted ex-girlfriend” remarks and sympathy for Jian Ghomeshi have been replaced by sympathy for the victims now that the public has a solemn, female face looking at them — nine of them, in fact, at the time of writing. I suspect that as soon as we got a visible example of a victim, we took them more seriously. This raises the question: should we be suspicious of anonymity? I don’t like to think so. I’d like to think we all have a right to remain nameless and faceless, but still have our story ring true. I know I wouldn’t like to walk

around feeling like I have a tattoo of “beaten” across my forehead, as these women must. But in the past week, I’m not so sure that’s possible, with ever-expanding social media. Perhaps using social media to stage this debate isn’t the best course of action. But some victims of sexual harassment stay quiet for much longer. Regardless of whether somebody tells their story to their best friend, the police, or a freelance journalist, that claim should be taken seriously. I’m sad one of my favourite radio show hosts won’t talk about cultural affairs anymore. Whenever Ghomeshi conducted an interview, I felt he was respectful and insightful — and I’m sad the glory days of Q are over. But, I also think these women deserve a right to a fair trial without being intimidated by thousands of likes and shares, or feeling the need to be explicitly public about their private trauma.


10 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

FEATURE

www.ufvcascade.ca

“Sites of memory, sites of mourning”: a re By Nadine Moedt

Image: Wikimedia

O

ctober 31 marked the 30year anniversary of an event that still haunts Sikh people around the world. On that day, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her bodyguards, both of whom happened to be Sikh. More than 8,000 Sikh people were murdered in the next three days. This tragedy, however, wasn’t the reactionary expression of anger and grief as explained away by Indian authorities. Rather, it was plotted and encouraged by the central government and members of parliament with the assistance of police authorities. The killings, rape, and destruction of Sikh homes and businesses was an outright betrayal by politicians of the Congress: not riots or acts of random hatred, but pogroms — violent riots aimed at the massacre or genocide of a ethnic or religious group of peoples. The violence has been compared to the treatment of Jews in Nazi

Image: Nadine Moedt/ The Cascade

Image: Nadine Moedt/ The Cascade

Image: Wikimedia

Germany. “There is nothing to forget” In commemoration of this tragedy, UFV hosted a symposium on the 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms as a means of understanding and healing. The series of lectures and discussion, titled Justice Denied / Collusion Denied 30 Years Later: Reflecting on the Anti-Sikh Pogroms, took place on October 31 and November 1, and brought together community members and scholars in a discussion of oral and visual narratives. The lectures and subsequent discussions incorporated eyewitness accounts, bearing witness to the atrocities committed against the Sikh people, as well as the provocative media broadcasting that occurred during the massacre. Kusum Soni provided listeners with a detailed and chronological sequence of events, starting with the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Ghandi at 9:20 a.m. on October 31, 1984.

“Those who suffered losses were advised to forget the past and ‘bury their memories’ in order to promote a sense of national identity, and were given no sense of resolution or closure.” Soni described the sheer horror and terror experienced by the Sikh people, who were forced to tiptoe through the streets to avoid stepping on the dead bodies and cut hair of their neighbours. “Young people armed with swords, daggers, spears, shields, and iron rods were ruling the roads,” Soni said. Yet the only thing the police put a stop to was a procession of peace, which an officer said would not receive protection if it continued. Through tears, Soni described

Image: Nadine Moedt/ The Cascade

the trauma she lives with. “Every year this topic disturbs me. There is nothing to forget.” There were a few brave souls amid so much violence and horror — Hindus who hid Sikh families in their homes. According to Soni, it is roughly estimated that some 70 per cent of Sikh people were sheltered by Hindus. UFV instructor Rajneesh Dhawan also described his experience as a teenager in Amritsar during Operation Blue Star, which occurred in June 1984. The operation, in which Ghandi ordered the military to remove Sikh militants from the Harmandir Sahib Complex (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar, is often cited as a motive in the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Ghandi. In the wake of trauma Director of the Centre for IndoCanadian Studies Satwinder Kaur Bains read an essay titled “Passages of time: dealing with the trauma and memory of the

1984 anti-Sikh pogroms,” which acknowledged the need for diasporic communities to “contest and keep to the forefront accounts of violent trauma and localities.” In her discussion she said “[by] seeking a corrective understanding of the past, the most immediate and pressing concerns of the present and the future may be addressed. In acknowledging the political and negotiative aspects of commemoration I want to remind us that these sites of memory are also sites of mourning.” She explained that it is not unusual for those mourning to be in a place of “social limbo” like “standing on the threshold.” Those in positions of power encouraged forgetting the 1984 pogroms, which are therefore under-documented. Those who suffered losses were advised to forget the past and “bury their memories” in order to promote a sense of national identity, and were given no sense of resolution or closure.


11

FEATURE

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

eflection on the 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms

Image: Nadine Moedt/ The Cascade

Image: Nadine Moedt/ The Cascade

Image Below: Sikh24.com

Images above, below, above right: Wikimedia

“If there is no repair of the crime, forgiveness is impossible to achieve,” Bains said. On the relationship between history and memory, Bains quoted Pierre Nora: “Memory is blind to all but the

groups it binds, whereas history belongs to everyone, and no one ... Memory takes root in the concrete, in spaces, gestures, images and objects. Memory is antithetical to history and history is suspicious of memory. Consequently, history’s true mission is to suppress and destroy memory. “As in the memory of the 1984 pogroms there is silence from those who can provide relief and justice,” she added. Canada and the media in 1984 The pogroms were provoked by the reports of Sikh people celebrating the death of Indira Gandhi over the television and news, both of which were controlled by a political party who was grasping at the last straws of their power. During a period of discus-

sion, participants debated on the freedom of media, and of Canada’s arguably racist coverage of the 1984 pogroms. One audience member remembered being in Canada and listening to the reports from India as the massacres unfolded. The lack of any real information showed a disturbing complicity in the unfolding events. “The 1980s was basically antiSikh,” said an audience member. “There was extreme racism towards brown-skinned people here in the valley. “Towards the mid-‘90s, things began to soften up because I think people began to like our butter chicken, and then they watched us dance and they thought, oh, people who can dance bhangra like this can’t be all that bad,” the audience member said with some humour. Memorializing through images The symposium took place in the Centre for Indo-Canadian studies, which is currently hosting the

exhibition From Lost Childhood to Uncertain Future: 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Victims by Delhi-based photographer Sanjay Austa. The display, which will be open to the public until Thursday November 14, documents the lives and losses of the children of those slaughtered by the anti-Sikh mobs. Each photograph is accompanied by the subject’s own narration of their experience as a child in 1984; the now-adults share in the trauma of bereaved families and of a lost childhood. “Whenever one thinks of the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, we think of the widows of the victims,” Austa said on the blog featuring his work. “But no one pays any attention to the children of these widows. Perhaps because the children don’t appear to be as interesting as victims, or maybe because they were too young at that time to give any gory account of the riots.” According to Austa, over 60 per cent of Sikh children who survived the massacre are unem-

ployed, struggle with drug addictions, and are involved in crime. Austa’s work depicts a small part of the legacy of brokenness and trauma left by the 1984 massacres. Other presenters who spoke at the symposium included UFV anthropology instructor Nicola Mooney, Sharanjit Kaur Sandra, a PhD candidate from UBC, and Naomi Popple, an MA student who hails from the University of York. A keynote by Dr. Parvinder Kaur Mehta, visiting from Siena Heights University, discussed the initiation of a shifted paradigm in the discourse surrounding the 1984 massacres. The day worked to bring forward the grief and anger in order to work toward an acceptance of the events of 30 years past. It was a step toward understanding, a step toward healing.


12

CULTURE STUDY BREAK

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

CROSSWORD AfterMath menu

by NADINE MOEDT

ACROSS 4. 6. 9. 10. 11.

This behemoth is made to share, with olives, tomatoes and jalapeños aplenty. (6) Grilled with garlic, this lunch item is paired with hummus and tzatziki. (9) This Sleeman’s beer is on tap. (5,5) After losing his job at city hall, Ben from Parks and Recreation attempts to perfect this cousin of the pizza. (7) Picture the most delicious food item to deep fry, served in sticks. (5, 6)

DOWN 1. 2. 3. 5. 7. 8.

Add a shot of Bailey’s to this cold-weather drink for a between-classes pick-me-up. (5) Named after another beloved campus institution, this burger is as delightful as its namesake. (3, 7) The only pasta on the menu, and AfterMath’s best comfort food. (3, 3, 5) AfterMath’s nod to Asian cuisine, paired with sweet plum sauce. (6, 5) Looking for a semi-healthy option? Try this salad, served with feta, olives, and cucumber. (3, 5) Deep-fried and served by the basket, this cousin of the French fry comes with a spicy chipotle dip. (3, 5)

SUDOKU 3

8

5 1

4

5

3. JASON 6. HAL 7. PENNYWISE 8. CHUCKY 10. DRACULA 11. NOSFERATU

6 7

4

4 1 7 8 6 2

ACROSS

2 5

DOWN 1. JIGSAW 2. CTHULHU 4. SHELOB 5. FREDDY 6. HANNIBAL 8. CUJO 9. CARRIE

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The Weekly Horoscope

Sudoku solution

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

7 4

Last issue’s crossword

9 4

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

7

1 2

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

3 1

Star Signs from Natalie Nebula

Aquarius: Jan 20 - Feb 18: Your blender longs for the outside world. It whines for freedom. And perhaps love.

Gemini: May 21 - June 21: An old friend will show up asking for money. You should probably pay them back. It’s been, like, 10 years.

Pisces: Feb 19 - March 20: You should have listened to your last fortune cookie. Now it may be too late.

Cancer: June 22 - July 22: If a stranger asks you for a cup of soup this week, saying no may result in an untimely demise, or at the least a missing credit card.

Aries: March 21 - April 19: Paint something green this week. Anything. Everything.

Leo: July 23 - Aug 22: Rain is good for plants, but bad for your mood. Eat extra chocolate to compensate.

Taurus: April 20 - May 20: Put an end to carpet abuse; take your shoes off.

Virgo: Aug 23 -Sept 22: Talk to your cat. They give the best advice.

Libra: Sept 23 - Oct 22: Don’t trust any version of yourself that comes from an alternate dimension. Scorpio: Oct 23 - Nov 21: Yellow bell peppers are your spirit animal.

Sagittarius: Nov 22 - Dec 21: Keep it real. It’s your job.

Capricorn: Dec 22 - Jan 19: This week will bring joy in the form of blankets, tea, and Netflix.


CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Pumpkin-carving fun at U-House ALEX RAKE

THE CASCADE/IMAGES

Students showed off their pumpkin-carving skills at U-House on October 28 as part of “Halloweek,” a week of Halloween fun at UFV organized by SUS. Fierce competitors — as well as many just looking for some fun on campus — lined the tables set up for the event. Tools were provided, as were copies of The Cascade for placemat material. SUS also provided candy to all participants of the carving contest. There were some particularly creative carvings in the mix; some carvers showed excellent shaving techniques and others even used their carved-out pieces to build onto their creations. There were also some “multimedia” pumpkins, including one that used ink to depict Majora’s Mask from the Legend of Zelda series. On the following Monday, SUS announced that Daniel Holmberg won the contest with his sharp-

tusked jack-o’-lantern, beating out about 25 other students and receiving the grand prize of a $30 gift certificate toward AfterMath. Other events of “Halloweek” included a haunted house at U-House on Wednesday and a pumpkin-smashing on the Monday following Halloween. More photos of the events can be found on the SUS Facebook page.

Annual Pumpkin Chuck a smashing success DANIEL HOLMBERG

CONTRIBUTOR/IMAGES

Some say you can relieve stress by taking out your anger on inanimate objects. We firmly tested that theory at this year’s annual Pumpkin Chuck. The implements of destruction were varied and simple: a baseball bat, a croquet mallet, a putting club, a rake, a strange metal stand, and our bare hands spelled out the ultimate end for the jack-o’lanterns carved for the pumpkin carving competition. One by one, all took turns destroying pumpkins through whatever means they found to be the most stressrelieving. Many favoured having a pumpkin pitched to them so they could obliterate it with a well-timed swing of the baseball bat. Others preferred the brutal intimacy of smashing their pumpkins to the ground with their bare hands. It was wellorganized at the start, with each person taking their turn to free the beast inside, but as time went on it devolved into a free-forall pumpkin bash. The Green in front of U-House was covered in the hollow shells and splattered remains of the guts of dozens of pumpkins. No gourd was left undefeated. In the end, all had fun. It is not often that you get to crush, beat, smash, throw, and otherwise de-

stroy a common vegetable that has done you no harm. It came at an opportune time as well; for most of us, midterms have just passed, and an opportunity to take out all that stress and anxiety in a socially acceptable way was well-received. A UFV tradition lives on.

13


14

CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

Chuckles and chills filled All Hallows’ Read MARTIN CASTRO

Upcoming

THE CASCADE

The Press Café got a spooky thrill on October 29 with All Hallows’ Read, a Halloween-themed reading of scary poetry and short stories. Held by the English Student Association (ESA), the reading drew an intimate crowd of about 20 students. Ashley Mussbacher of ESA and Amy Stafford of the Louden Singletree editorial board emceed the night. While attendees seemed hesitant to read at first, as time passed, both presenters and members of the audience grew more comfortable, and various horror-themed poems and prose were read. The first poem recited was Elizabeth Bachinsky’s “Wolf Lake,” which illustrated a kidnapping from the eyes of the victim. Short stories included “The Price” by Neil Gaiman, in which a black cat, of all creatures, takes on the role of a hero against a paranormal threat. The story, delivered in a soft cadence by Valerie Franklin, piqued the interest of listeners, as well as delivering a few chills among audience members; the room had adopted an eerie atmosphere by this point in the night. No Halloween literature reading would be complete without

Events November 8

An ancestral journey

Image: Martin Castro/The Cascade

Vanessa Broadbent reads a poem in front of the audience in the Press Café. the weird musings of H.P. Lovecraft, which came in the form of the short story “Nyarlathotep,” which describes an ancient pharaoh’s activities after having woken up from centuries of sleep. Read in a dramatic style by Anthony Biondi, the narrative worked well to gain the audience’s undivided attention. At roughly 8 p.m., a 10-minute break was called. Attendees reflected on the evening among themselves while indulging in the cupcakes, candy, and other Halloween-themed snacks provided.

People commented on the stories and poetry being read, while the merits of the horror genre in literature were discussed among other people present. Despite the creepy vibe left over from the previous story, there were more chuckles than chills in the room. Other readings followed, including another Neil Gaiman work titled “Instructions,” a reading of the three witches’ scene in Macbeth, and a short story written by Roald Dahl called “The Landlady,” which proved to be a hit among those listening.

As well as prepared readings, there was one instance of improvisational horror, which came courtesy of Greg Stickland and Simon Grant, who told a horror story in the style of Mad Libs, asking for a verb or noun at a time. Although the resulting product was perhaps more humorous than it was scary, it was well-received by all. Ashley Mussbacher, Valerie Franklin, Vanessa Broadbent, and Anthony Biondi are employees of The Cascade.

Below the Belt

A gift-wrapped twist on missionary position ALEJANDRO ACROBAT SEXPERT

For those who enjoy close quarters and intimate sex, the giftwrapped position was created for you. The position is based on the missionary with a simple and easy to perform twist. The woman lies on her back with the man on top of her, just as he would in missionary, the difference being that the woman wraps her legs around the waist of her gentleman. This creates a a giftwrapped look, which gives the position its spectacular name. The gift-wrapped position, also known more charmingly as the horny mantis, creates a experience that is both stimulating and pleasurable for both partners. After my partner and I tried this position, we never went back to the traditional missionary. The layout creates the perfect angle of penetration that will build to an extraordinary climax for both partners. The first thing my partner noticed when we tried this position was how she could manipulate my body in order to control the

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Image: wader / Flickr

The gift-wrapped position brings you close to your partner. depth of penetration. By pulling her legs downward against my back, she had full control over her

orgasm. That’s just the physical part of being gift-wrapped; the position

creates a sense of intimacy, as I was basically hugging my partner the entire time. The close proximity helped form this connection that is often lacking in some other types of sexual activities. This position is not designed to be a workout. Even though it is similar in structure to missionary, the female’s need to cross her legs around her partners’ waist prevents him from getting carried away. The best part is the giftwrapped position doesn’t require any form of manual stimulation or weird body contortions, allowing both members to feel completely relaxed. The slow, rhythmic thrusting creates a gentle, yet intriguing, form of intercourse. I strongly recommend this position to anyone that wants to try something just a little bit different in the bedroom. It isn’t difficult to master, the game plan is almost identical to missionary, and yet it creates a completely different atmosphere. Whether you’re a sex guru or just starting out, the giftwrapped position will definitely be a good addition to your collection of sexual manoeuvres.

The Reach will host Vancouverbased artist Marian Penner Bancroft for a lecture and discussion on the relationship between family history and the land. Penner Bancroft’s work has been featured across North America and Europe for over 30 years, and uses maps, photographs, and text to chart the journeys of her ancestors through Ukraine and northern Scotland. Her work, titled By Land and Sea (Prospect and Refuge), outlines the narrative of forced migration and relocation of a peoples. This free lecture starts at 1 p.m.

November 8-9 Clearbrook Library book sale

Book lovers’ delight! The Clearbrook Library is having a book sale! Used books, magazines, DVDs, and books on tape will be available at student-friendly prices. The sale, sponsored by Friends of the Abbotsford Library, will take place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come early for the best selection!

November 8 Even Keel at the Clayburn Gourmet Gallery The Envision Financial Coffee House series presents Even Keel, a self-described mix of “Steely Dan meets Etta James, Sade, and Adele, with a little Queen and Maroon 5 thrown in for extra flavour.” The group, a mishmash of members from local bands like Eklektasy, Kerygma Muzic, and the Brent Ellis group, combines jazz, blues, and funk for the “upscale music consumer.” The concert takes place at the Clayburn Gourmet Gallery on Immel Street and starts at 7:30 p.m.

November 8-30 Life in Agriburbia 2

Did you miss UFV’s Lenore Newman’s Life in Agriburbia: 40 years of the Agricultural Land Reserve exhibit? Not to worry, the Reach has your back. The exhibit will be available for free viewing at the Reach Gallery from Saturday November 8 through November 30. The exhibit examines the collision of suburbia and the ALR, demonstrating the economic realities and impact on our local communities. Maps and photographs depicting the changing face of the ALR are presented alongside Newman’s research.


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ARTS IN REVIEW

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Films

Gyllenhaal’s unnerving performance drives Nightcrawler JEREMY HANNAFORD CONTRIBUTOR

Nightcrawler is a dark and frightening look at one sociopathic man’s determined quest to achieve the American Dream. The film opens with several establishing shots of the L.A. nightlife with particular focus on areas in shadow. These shadows represent the manifested fear of secluded suburban families, which are the targets of the news media and Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal)’s domain of work. Louis Bloom makes his way into the journalism industry when all avenues of “normal” employment are rejected due to his awkward personality. He by chance comes across an abrasive crew of film journalists, and is inspired to pursue this field of work. Gyllenhaal brings a truly original performance to Bloom. it’s an unusual choice of character for the actor, as he evolves into an emotional snake who hunts for the worst in people to achieve the best for his business. Every scene with Gyllenhaal is as uncomfortable and awkward as his character is with his totally inept social skills. Everything down to his dialogue diverges from social norms; his positive

“Maybe it isn’t that I don’t understand people but that I don’t like them,” says Jake Gyllenhaal’s psychopathic character in Nightcrawler. business quips sound like they are right out of an overly zealous training video. His views of his “business” are far-fetched, but relevant to his quest for the American Dream. But what begins as his weakness becomes a factor in his success in the news industry. His character ’s psychopathic

qualities enable him to forgo the normal emotional reaction to violence and death to capture what he finds to be beautiful and important news coverage. His relish for making death primetime news is reminiscent of the concept of David Cronenberg’s Crash; both films relate to unusual and extreme human

conditions, and portray how certain people thrive on them in order to rise in the social order. Director Dan Gilroy creates a character-driven story that makes the protagonist extremely difficult to favour. He inadvertently turns the audience into an observer just like Bloom. It is due to his lack of

connection with humanity that you become infatuated with his interactions. In one situation where his colleague Rick comments on how Bloom doesn’t understand people, Bloom counters, “Maybe it isn’t that I don’t understand people but that I don’t like them.” His view of humanity and unrelenting drive for success shadow elements of Daniel Day Lewis’s oil tycoon character from There Will Be Blood, but Gyllenhaal puts a modern twist on it. His actions are always intriguing, no matter how unemotional or unnerving they may be. Nightcrawler is Dan Gilroy’s depiction of a psychopath driving around Los Angeles at night — but instead of a knife or a gun, his weapon is a camera, and the images he captures are his euphoria. The film is about the nature of over-sensationalism, but doesn’t dip its hand into it. Instead it keeps itself controlled but tense, especially during the final climactic car chase scene. Nightcrawler is also a great film for forgoing conventional protagonist elements, instead creating a character that you hate but still want to observe. Powered by one of the best performances in Gyllenhaal’s career, Nightcrawler will certainly be a film you won’t forget.

Birdman takes flight with extraordinary camerawork JOSH FRIESEN CONTRIBUTOR

The must-see spectacle of 2013 was Alfonso Curron’s technically brilliant Gravity, widely praised for its innovative use of the long take. This year ’s Birdman, made by fellow Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, seeks to one-up the long takes of Gravity by seemingly having one continuous shot. It isn’t a single take, but that in no way diminishes the superb camera work. Instead of cutting between characters, the camera glides to them, taking on a life of its own at times. The disembodied camera floating down hallways and stairs feels both surreal and exhilarating when paired with the upbeat jazz score. The behind-the-scenes story of a theatre production has never been more thrilling. Birdman is a bold technical exercise, and instead of the B-movie that Gravity was under the surface, Birdman has soul. Michael Keaton plays Riggan, a washed-up ex-Hollywood su-

Michael Keaton plays a washed-up movie star in a film that fires shots at the self-obsessed Hollywood culture. perhero who is attempting to restart his career by staging and starring in a Broadway play. However, Riggan hasn’t left the past behind, and the Birdman character that made him famous still plagues his thoughts. He is a man divided; part of

him longs for the glory days of Birdman, while part of him wants to prove critics wrong, showing them he is more than just a celebrity. The internal turmoil of his life mirrors the external chaos of his stage play. In an act of fate, a

falling camera takes out the sole incompetent actor working for him, who is replaced by the talented and egotistical Mike Shiner (Edward Norton in top form). At first Mike appears to be a godsend, but quickly becomes another obstacle for Riggan. Besides stealing the spotlight in the play, Mike also develops an interest in Riggan’s daughter (Emma Stone) who is fresh out of rehab and clearly has daddyissues — and one of the female leads in the play claims to be pregnant with Riggan’s child. Stuffed to the brim with dramatic tension, Birdman is reminiscent of the high-speed comedy dramas of Howard Hawks. Birdman is the first of two mainstream Hollywood satires this year, the second being David Cronenberg’s Maps to the Stars. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (who also wrote the screenplay) fires shot after shot at the self-obsessed culture of Hollywood, which (at least in myth) was once confined to the California hills but has now transcended Tinseltown with the

dawn of the internet. Now with Facebook and Twitter everyone is just a video post away from fame and — as Edward Norton reminds us after his massive on-stage erection goes viral — there is no such thing as bad press. If there is a criticism to be made about Birdman, it’s that the film is over-ambitious. Alejandro seemingly throws all his ideas at us and the film moves at such a brisk pace that they all can’t be absorbed in a single viewing. A more restrained approach, focusing on fewer topics but in more detail instead of attempting to take on all of celebrity culture in 119 minutes, may have better served the film. However, despite the chaos, the film still works, thanks in no small part to the outstanding performances in the leading and supporting roles.


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ARTS IN REVIEW

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

TV

Whimsical Gothic setting makes Gravity Falls irresistible

CHARTS

Shuffle

Slime 1 Energy New Dimensional

AARON LEVY

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CIVL Station Manager Aaron Levy hopes you’re as stoked as he is about Run the Jewels 2.

Johnny de Courcy Alien Lake

Pink 3 Ariel pom pom

4 Sloan Commonwealth Soft 5 Dead Dead Soft DeMarco 6 Mac Salad Days Demos

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The Soupcans Incesticide II

Lung 8 White Deep Fantasy Caves 9 Sinoia Beyond the Black Rainbow Mothers Temple & 10 Acid Melting Paraiso UFO

Astrorgasm From The Inner Space

of Magdalene 11 Sons Move to Pain Pulse 12 Zebra Live On Big A, Little a New Pornographers 13 The Brill Bruisers Lotus 14 Flying You’re Dead! Mills 15 Mark Triple Fire Sign

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Monomyth Saturnalia Regalia

High 17 Cheap Ego Wholesale

18 Cool Best New Music

CIVL MANAGER

Rage Against the Machine “Tire Me” “I wanna be Jackie Onassis, I wanna wear a pair of dark sunglasses, I wanna be Jackie O, oh, oh, oh, please don’t die!” Probably my favourite RATM song ever (which doesn’t say much, since I’m not a huge fan). Singer Zack appears on RTJ2, track 4. Power up. Blink 182 “Party Song” Travis Barker, formerly of the Aquabats and Transplants — whose members he was in a scary plane crash with years back — drums on a midalbum track on RTJ2 that really fleshes out El-P’s Southern style for this new act of Run The Jewels’ development. “Party Song” is really funny. Beyonce “Drunk in Love” Boots, of RTJ2 standout “Early,” contributed “additional production, background vocals and instruments” to Beyonce’s “Drunk in Love,” according to Wiki-wiki-wiki-wak-ipedia. “Early” is really one of the classic tracks of RTJ2, and sets it apart from RTJ original, somewhat … “Early” on. I like wordplay like Killer Mike likes 2 Chainz. Noah 23 ft Ceschi “Faded” My boy Noah recently reminisced about finding himself onstage back in ’04 with Subtitle, Busdriver and Matisyahu at SXSW with the Unicorns, including Islands’ Nick, who appears on RTJ1’s standout “Sea Legs.” This turn includes a Daniel Johnston sample, and is from Noah’s star-studded Rock Paper Scissors. J’aime le tambour. Killer Mike “A.D.I.D.A.S.” “All day I dream about sex” is turned into an acronym as both clothing line ADIDAS and a Korn song, and on this one we can also find Big Boi from Outkast, who appears on RTJ1’s “Banana Clipper.” Both are laden with inappropriate content. Baby, Mike’s no perv.

SASHA MOEDT THE CASCADE

I’ve never watched anything from the Disney Channel, besides once when my dentist’s TV remote wasn’t working. I watched an episode of Wizards of Waverly Place over the whirring noise of a cleaning tool, and, of course, I hated it. I like kids shows that appeal to more than just a child, probably because children have more depth than we give them credit for. Children are not dumb adults, and I hate TV shows and films that seem to assume they are. I don’t claim to understand kids, but I do know what makes a good kid’s show: whimsy, imaginative writing (the opposite of predictability and tropes), and depth. Wizards of Waverly Place certainly didn’t have these characteristics. So when I watched the first episode of Gravity Falls, my prejudice against Disney set me up for a surprise: Gravity Falls is not half-bad. Gravity Falls is about 12-yearold twins Dipper and Mabel, who are spending a summer at their great uncle Stan’s in the town of Gravity Falls, Oregon. Their uncle (or “gruncle,” as Mabel often calls him) runs a tourist trap called the “Mystery Shack” (the “S” has fallen off the sign, revealing Stan’s true identity as a hack), where he sells souvenirs and oddities. Mabel and Dipper soon discover that Gravity Falls is stewing with dark magic and mystery, and with each episode, they are solving mysteries. Gravity Falls, headed by Alex Hirsch, began its first season this summer, and has been re-

newed for a second season. Gravity Falls could fit into the genre of “children’s Gothic” (did I just make that up? That should be a genre). The show is deeply tied to its Northwest Cascadia setting, which we in BC are familiar with: the Douglas fir, the grey skies, the deep green and shadowy forests. This setting is refreshing and perfect for gothic mysteries. The animation is very impressive for the opening credits, but falls back to average once the show begins. One element that I love is that there is no technology. Besides watching Gruncle Stan’s old TV and listening to an Icelandic girl-pop group covering ABBA, Mabel and Dipper are iPod-, iPhone-, and Twitter-free. Thank goodness, because this show would not fit well with technology; Gothic and modern don’t always work. The creatures that Mabel and Dipper face are, as in many children’s shows, quirky, but there are levels of menace underneath the peculiar façade. For example, in “Headhunters,” Gruncle Stan’s wax figures — including Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Reagan — murder the newly carved wax figure of Gruncle Stan by chopping his head off. They were trying to kill the real Gruncle Stan, though, which Mabel and Dipper barely prevent. Wax figures were made for horror. Dipper and Mabel aren’t the most original duo. Dipper is serious, rational, and insecure about his masculinity. Mabel contrasts him by being flamboyant, energetic, and always optimistic, embracing her little girl with sparkles and ponysweaters. Mabel is the sidekick,

but she definitely takes charge more often than not. My favourite scene so far is when Mabel and Dipper have to use fake ID to get into the hardcore biker bar Skull Fracture. Mabel takes care of counterfeiting the ID. The huge bouncer tells the guy ahead of them in line “No miners!” and the soot-covered miner leaves in a huff. Mabel flashes her handiwork confidently — their pictures adorned with moustaches, decorative macaroni and sparkles. “Lady Mableton” is 21, and “Sir Dipping Sauce” is 45. The bouncer shrugs and lets them in. Gravity Falls doesn’t have the most original characters; maybe the writers thought the unique setting and magic was original enough, or maybe they thought they’d better make Mabel and Dipper “relatable.” I feel like the idea of “relatable” is poison: any human character will be relatable to an audience — you don’t have to make them familiar to be relatable. The setting almost makes up for predictable characters, but the issue is that is the characters react predictably to their environment, which takes away from the setting. It’s almost better to have a cliché setting than a cliché character. At least the character acting is good — and Mabel is the best of them, played by a favourite of mine, Kristin Schaal, who played Mel in Flight of the Conchords. Gravity Falls has the whimsy and depth that make a show worth watching. Hopefully the characters will move away from the “relatable” territory in the second season.


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ARTS IN REVIEW

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Super Critical still doesn’t live up to the Ting Tings’ debut album REMINGTON FIORASO CONTRIBUTOR

Upon reminiscing about the days of flip phones, I recall downloading my first ringtone: “That’s Not My Name” by the Ting Tings. The indie pop group had emerged into the mainstream with the release of We Started Nothing in 2008. I was addicted to the album for three full months, never going a day without listening to it. I can still sing every word. The second release in 2012, Sounds From Nowheresville, was a huge disappointment in comparason to We Started Nothing. It was a record that was put aside and forgotten about. Two years later, I found myself wondering, “What happened to the Ting Tings?” I was surprised to find out the UK group was set to release a new album. Being optimistic, though certainly without

high expectations, I wanted to check it out. On October 24 this year, the Ting Tings released their third album, Super Critical. The release contains nine tracks including the singles “Wrong Club” and “Do It Again.” The nine-track release marks the group’s first album away from Columbia Records UK and the first to be released via Finca Records. Opening up the album is the title track, “Super Critical,” which was featured on the soundtrack for FIFA 15. After listening to it, I realized how much I missed hearing Katie White’s vocals. Although the opening track is not the best song on Super Critical, it does entice you to continue listening. “Daughter,” “Do It Again,” and “Wrong Club” are the strongest tracks on Super Critical. They’re catchy, easy to dance to, and showcase what the Tings Tings

“That’s Not My Name” from their first release. The difference being a funk twist added to the indiepop sound. The remaining tracks are simply hit and miss. They are okay, but nothing truly stands out. However, they manage to grow on you after a few listens. Overall, Super Critical is better than their second album. Still, though, in comparison to their first, it is a mediocre release. If anything, I would recommend picking up the singles “Wrong Club” and “Do It Again” as well as “Daughter” from Super Critical rather than the full release. Just don’t expect the group to perform wonders and achieve the same levels of fame and brilliance that We Started Nothing had. are best at doing. They contain infectious hooks that are reminiscent of We Started Nothing.

While being simplistic lyrically, the tracks are of similar nature to “Shut Up and Let Me Go” and

Mini Album Reviews

SoundBites

Want to make money?

Alt-J This Is All Yours

RocketRocketShip

Following the catchy blend of melancholy and whimsy that was An Awesome Wave, Brit indie foursome Alt-J’s most recent release is, if anything, a disappointment. Sure, there are some catchy bluesy riffs here and there (“Left Hand Free”), and some throwbacks to their first record (“Bloodflood pt. 2”), but on the whole, the record seems uninspired and lazy. There are almost none of the unique semi-cacophonous melodies that made their previous record such an enjoyable listen. Barely any song stands out as more than a halfhearted attempt to replicate the aesthetic set down in An Awesome Wave, and even in that respect, the record fails. Hopefully Alt-J corrects course quickly before they end up amounting to nothing more than a smouldering wreck on the side of the road.

RocketRocketShip is a poprock band from St. John’s, Newfoundland. In May 2014, they released their second album Shake It Off! , which contains seven tracks, including singles “Tell Me What You’re Waiting For” and “Casey.” Opener “Tell Me What You’re Waiting For” is the most rock-esque track on Shake It Off! “Tell Me” also foreshadows the catchiness of the remaining tracks on the album. It’s definitely difficult to stay still and not sing along. The album features infectious choruses and high energy, and experiments with different sounds. While I enjoyed the album at a whole, I found the songs standing out the most for me on the release are “Hey Black Widow” and “Here’s To Us.” If you enjoy artists like Faber Drive and These Kids Wear Crowns, I would highly recommend Shake It Off! by RocketRocketShip.

Shake It Off!

We’re hiring for an ad sales rep! If you think you have what it takes, email your resume and cover letter to joe@ufvcascade.ca. Application deadline is November 14.

MARTIN CASTRO

REMINGTON FIORASO


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SPORTS & HEALTH

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Women’s soccer soaring to Nationals despite defeat BY NATHAN HUTTON

O

n the frigid morning of November 1, the Cascades women’s soccer team prepared to play for the Canada West gold medal, surrounded by a layer of fog that would linger for much of the day. This game, against the Trinity Western Spartans, was personal. The women’s team has only won the league once, back in 2010. The night before, on Halloween, the Cascades were matched up against the Alberta Pandas — one of the strongest teams from the prairie division. That game saw the Cascades play to their absolute best and showcase why they belonged in the gold medal game and deserved a third chance to defeat their rivals, the Spartans. The Cascades battled back and forth with the Pandas, keeping up the high intensity from start to finish and hanging on the performance from goalkeeper Kayla Kim. It wasn’t until the 71st minute of the game that the Cascades were able to break through. Carley Radomski found Shelby Beck, who shot the ball behind the Pandas’ Kelti Biggs, for the only goal of the game. The best part of the goal, though, wasn’t the beautiful connection between Beck and Radomski, but the sideline enthusiasm from Coach Rob Giesbrecht, who slid across the bench on his knees in celebration. It was a moment that signified the importance of the game for the Cascades and for Giesbrecht, who has had trouble returning to Nationals since his 2010 appearance with the Cascades. The morning fog dispersed slowly throughout the day, leaving it bitterly cold as game time drew closer and closer. By 7 p.m., the fog had returned to Langley and a brilliant half-moon shone over the pitch as the bronze medal game finished. The Cascades took the field for a game that meant a lot more than a gold medal. It was Abbotsford vs. Langley, public vs. private school — Cascades vs. Spartans. Although the game took place at the Trinity campus, the pro-Cascade crowd held some familiar faces. Many of the men’s soccer players were at the game, including Mark Village and Ryan Liddiard. A number of UFV basketball players also showed up to cheer on their fellow varsity athletes. However, for the women, it wasn’t about anything except defeating the Spartans. They had been unable to climb the hump the Spartans had presented to the Cascades this season. The game started and it was evident that the Cascades planned to attack the Spartans and try to physically overpower the Spartans’ defence. The Cascades fought hard and earned themselves three corner kicks in the first 20 minutes, but couldn’t convert on them. Kayla Kim earned her designation of player of the game, making tough save after tough save. One of her most memorable came against a semi-breakaway from Natalie Arnett — a first-year forward for the Spartans. Kim stonewalled Arnett with great positioning, limiting Arnett’s options.


WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

SPORTS & HEALTH

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“[Her performance was] just fantastic. She is the best goalkeeper in Canada West,” Giesbrecht said of Kim after the game. “She kept us in it today, made lots of great saves, she was really composed back there and really did a good job for us.” Kim went on to make a couple of key tips, just keeping the ball out of the net and keeping it to a no-score game. It wasn’t until the 24th minute, when the Spartans were awarded their third consecutive corner kick, that they were finally able to break ground and find a way to put the ball past Kim, making the score 1-0. The rest of the half would see both teams get great chances, but just not converting. The rivalry didn’t seem to be just manufactured. The Cascades Kara Delwo and Karlee Pedersen were shown yellow cards after questionable calls from the referee. The first half ended with a great defensive stand from the Cascades, stopping the Spartans from getting their second of the game. The shots after the first half were 8-0 for the Spartans. The second half saw the Cascades return to their early aggressiveness, playing up and strong, hoping to get the tying goal. The 61st minute saw their aggressiveness play against them, as the Spartans player of the game Jessica King beat the Cascades backline, and had an easy look at the net, making the score 2-0. It was at this point that it seemed the game was over, but the Cascades never gave up. Giesbrecht said after the game, “I love the fact we didn’t quit, down 2-0 against a very good side on a tough night. We kept fighting and got a goal to make it 2-1.” The Cascades registered a goal in the frantic final 15 minutes of the game, but it wasn’t enough. After 90 minutes the scoreboard would register the Cascades as the loser against the Spartans, for the third time this season. Although the Cascades couldn’t beat Trinity, they still might get one more chance — when they head to Nationals next weekend as the Canada West’s second seed. The Cascades haven’t made a Nationals appearance since 2010, and it means a lot to these girls. “It’s fantastic, it is a great accomplishment, it’s one of the goals we set to get back to there. It’s hard getting there — we’ve knocked off UVic, we’ve knocked off the University of Alberta in this playoff push, so we can really take a lot of pride in that,” Giesbrecht said. The Cascades head to Quebec City next weekend to play in the National tournament — it is likely that the Cascades will be the number five or six seed in the eight-team tournament, and possibly have one more chance to beat the Spartans this year.

Image: Scott Stewart/TWU Athletics


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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca

Volleyball teams struggle on the island NATHAN HUTTON THE CASCADE

Ever since winning the national title two years ago, Coach Bokenfohr and the women’s volleyball team have struggled to win against one team exclusively — the Victoria Island University Mariners. It was no different this weekend. The Mariners have struggled early this season and were 1-3 prior to their Halloween matchup against the Cascades. The Cascades, on the other hand, were a perfect 4-0, and consistently getting better. It was the perfect combination for a surprise weekend result. Although the stage was set for an upset, the Cascades played spoiler and staved off the competition in the first game of the weekend, and easily controlled the Mariners, who are definitely not the same team that won the PacWest a season before. The Cascades took the first game in three sets (25-14, 25-23, 25-17), defensively holding the Mariners to 14 points in one of the three sets — that is a season low so far for the Cascades in a single set. The defensive strength was attributed to Katie Peacock and Emily Carroll,

Image: ufv/flickr

The Cascades’ Saturday matinee was the game they were hoping to take from the Mariners, but failed to do so. who both registered six kills. Coach Bokenfohr explained after the game that the win was a unique show of collective power and unity for the Cascades. “The biggest compliment I can give the girls is, it was our most complete team win. Everyone stepped up, everyone

was ready, [and] everyone was keyed-in. That’s a rare treat,” Bokenfohr told Cascades Media. The second game of the weekend for the Cascades was the difficult of the two. They really struggled offensively, scoring over 20 points in only one of four sets. They suffered their first loss of the season (14-

25, 26-24, 17-25, 15-25). The split result for the women is further evidence that although they are easily one of the best teams in the PacWest, they really struggle against the Mariners. The men, on the other hand, went to VIU with a record of 3-1, their best start in over five years. They played a VIU team

who they shared a 1-3 record with. The Cascades saw an impressive effort in the Halloween night game by Kurtis Stromdahl, who injured his knee just two weeks ago. He came out and registered 16 kills and 12 digs, pairing nice with his pair of aces. Stromdahl’s performance unfortunately wasn’t enough for the Cascades, who lost the game 3-2 (14-25, 23-25, 25-15, 25-16, 14-16). It was their first five-set game of the year. The Cascades’ Saturday matinee was the game they were hoping to take from the Mariners, but failed to do so. They were unable to capitalize on the late momentum from the night before, and dropped the game in three straight sets (19-25, 2527, 21-25) — their first loss in three sets this year. Kurtis Stromdahl was the Cascades volleyball player of the week for his killer individual performance in the first game of the weekend. The men are now 3-3 in regular season play and the women are 5-1. Both teams play the Capilano University Blues next weekend at the Envision Athletic Centre. The Capilano women are 3-1, and the men are 0-4.

How your teeth could potentially kill you CATHERINE STEWART THE CASCADE

While the eyes may be the windows to the soul, more than one source agrees that your teeth are the mirror to your overall health. I’ve gone to the same dentist ever since I was four. I’m pretty sure they know me as the “cavity queen,” because I refused to floss, and on my first visit, I was blessed with six cavities. Let’s just say I have learned my lesson and now brush my teeth twice a day and floss right after. To me, it seems normal to keep my mouth in good working order. It was surprising to me to discover that some people don’t have it on their list of priorities at all, which needs to change. “Any disease related to the mouth has an impact elsewhere in the body,” says Denis F. Kinane, BDS, PhD, at the University of Pennsylvania. Several species of bacteria that cause a gum disease called

Periodontitis have been found in the atherosclerotic plaque in arteries in the heart. This plaque can lead to a heart attack, reports Harvard University’s health information website. Not only that, but oral bacteria can also harm blood ves-

sels and cause blood clots. If your gums are sensitive or if you’re feeling pain in your mouth, it could be more serious than you think. What might be a small problem in your teeth could be linked to a bigger problem deeper in your

system. While scientists have yet to prove if poor dental hygiene can cause disease in other parts of the body, they have discovered that there is certainly a link between the two. The Mayo Clinic has found connections between oral hygiene and diseases such as heart disease, d iab e -

Image: tarale / Flickr

tes, HIV / AIDS, and Alzheimer’s: diabetes reduces your body’s resistance to infection, which puts your gums at risk; research suggests that heart disease might be linked to the inflammation and infections oral bacteria can cause; and HIV / AIDS sufferers are commonly found with oral problems, such as painful mucosal lesions. When it comes to Alzheimer’s, tooth loss before age 35 might be a risk factor. The Mayo Clinic’s website has plenty of tips on disease prevention and how to keep your mouth as hygienic as possible. They advise everyone to brush at least twice a day, floss once a day, adopt a healthy diet, and replace your toothbrush every three to four months, or whenever the bristles start to fray. Make sure you schedule regular dentist visits so that they can catch whatever gets past your at-home dental care. Also, don’t forget to brush your tongue. Food particles can get stuck on your tongue and cause bad breath, and even promote tooth decay.


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