The Cascade Vol. 23 No. 26

Vol. 23 Issue 26

October 21, 2015 to October 27, 2015

No Buzzfeed bullshit since 1993

Six program proposals turned down by Ministry of Advanced Education p. 3

AFTER DEEPWATER HORIZON

QUEENS OF THE NIGHT

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Is a fine enough of a penalty for the

Drag culture, alter egos, and all the

Head coach Al Tuchscherer on

damage an oil spill can cause?

sassy vocabulary you need to know

what to expect this season

p. 5

p. 8

ufvcascade.ca

p. 15

2

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 www.ufvcascade.ca

UFV budget forum gives a sneak peek into next year

News

4

Opinion

7

Missions to Mars?

Culture

9

Fall for floral prints

Arts in Review

14

Sublevel Zero takes it to the next level

Sports & Health

15

Vinegar: useful for more than just science fair volcanoes

UFV is working with an influx of funding from discontinuing the fashion program, but is projecting a decrease in enrollment.

Maria Buganska questions the necessity of colonizing the Red Planet.

Having a hard time letting go of your summer wardrobe? Megan Lambert explains why you might not have to. Well, maybe the sandals.

Volume 23 · Issue 26 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529 Editor-in-Chief kodie@ufvcascade.ca Kodie Cherrille Managing Editor valerie@ufvcascade.ca Valerie Franklin

Drew Bergen is impressed by Sublevel Zero, a game where it’s all or nothing.

Here’s a super food you might not have tried — Arianna Siebert-Timmer breaks down the benefits of apple cider vinegar.

Editorial

All basket, no eggs

What happens when students can’t rely on the opportunities they’ve been hoping for?

Business Manager jennifer@ufvcascade.ca Jennifer Trithardt-Tufts Production Manager brittany@ufvcascade.ca Brittany Cardinal Copy Editor kat@ufvcascade.ca Kat Marusiak News Editor megan@ufvcascade.ca Megan Lambert Opinion Editor alex@ufvcascade.ca Alex Rake Culture Editor (interim) vanessa@ufvcascade.ca Vanessa Broadbent Arts in Review Editor martin@ufvcascade.ca Martin Castro Sports Editor vanessa@ufvcascade.ca Vanessa Broadbent Webmaster brayden@ufvcascade.ca Brayden Buchner Video Editor mitch@ufvcascade.ca Mitch Huttema Production Assistant danielle@ufvcascade.ca Danielle Collins Staff Writer jeffrey@ufvcascade.ca Jeffrey Trainor

Image: Flickr / bcgovphotos

KODIE CHERRILLE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

As we sat on the couch, watching the election results coming in at the Canoe, I told The Cascade’s video editor, Mitch Huttema, that the bachelor of media arts program was declined by BC’s Ministry of Advanced Education over the weekend.

He pounded his fist into the cushion of the couch. “That’s not cool,” he said.

He went on to explain that, since starting at UFV in 2013, he’s been using an unofficial program guideline, provided by an academic advisor, which includes the course requirements for the media arts program — though he decided to err on the side of caution, and continued studying as a bachelor of fine arts. So when he heard that the program proposal was rejected, he was frustrated that he wouldn’t be able to take part in what sound-

ed like a promising program, but also thankful that he didn’t put all his eggs in one basket.

I suspect that there are others who will feel a little bit more despondent about this news — like, say, our dedicated theatre students.

Rejection does not spell doom for these programs, but it doesn’t help students who may have been waiting for these programs for years. And if UFV president Mark Evered is right when he says that student demand influences UFV’s decisions in creating certain programs, it’s safe to say that there will be other students in Huttema’s position, or worse: waiting, and getting ever more frustrated, as programs they’d like to be a part of get declined and delayed.

It’s no secret that UFV’s been preparing for these programs for quite some time. A professor of mine had spoken about the proposed bachelor of education program in class, as did a con-

sultant for the teacher education program when I spoke with her.

It’s clear that the faculty involved in these projects are excited at

Rejection does not spell doom for these programs, but it doesn’t help students who may have been waiting for these programs for years. the chance of seeing their plans come to fruition.

The Province of British Columbia has been giving some positive signals, too, like when Christy Clark spoke at the opening of UFV’s Agriculture Centre of Excellence in 2014. I doubt the government’s decision is arbitrary, but when in one year, the

premier speaks on how the new centre is in line with the province’s goals for education and the economy, and in the next, the province declines UFV’s agriculture major program, it feels an awful lot like waffling.

It also begs the question: if this is what a “no” looks like — the student demand, the years of unofficial guidelines, and government endorsements — what exactly does a “yes” look like?

But beyond any rationale behind the rejection of these proposals (however temporary), beyond lighter or heavier criticism of the university or government, there are the students, and they’re still waiting. How long will they have to hear about what UFV has in store for them before being able to take part? How long will they tolerate being told that there is a distinct place for their passion here, while other institutions down the road beckon them?

Contributors Drew Bergen, Maria Buganska, Dave Cusick, Michael Chutskoff, Glen Ess, Remington Fioraso, and Arianna Siebert-Timmer Distributors Vanessa Broadbent and Tia Oostenbrug Cover art: Danielle Collins Printed by International Web exPress

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 1,500 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.

www.ufvcascade.ca

NEWS

BRIEFS Laurier University on lockdown WATERLOO (ON) — Last Friday, October 16, Wilfred Laurier University was placed under lockdown due to a threat on 4chan.com. Those at the Waterloo campus were advised to stay in place from 6:30 to 11 a.m. while police secured the premises. The threat was linked to a 22-year-old man in the United Kingdom, who was apparently “running with an inside joke” and claims he did not write the comment with malicious or criminal intent.

—The Cord

Over 375 UFV employees make over $75,000 ABBOTSFORD — According to the 2014-2015 statement of financial information from UFV, over 375 faculty members and administrators made over $75,000. Some include: senior research chair Irvin Cohen in criminology; administrators Jody Gordon, VP students; Eric Davis, VP academic; Mark Evered, president; and deans from the College of Arts, Faculty of Applied and Technical Studies, and Professional Studies. The full report is available online.

— The Abbotsford News

Homeless housing plan receives another floor, 10 beds ABBOTSFORD — Following the $2.4 million of funding from crown corporation BC Housing and community forums on October 10 and 13, an extra storey and 10 additional beds have been added to the Gladys Avenue housing project for men. Abbotsford Community Services will provide support for at-risk men who are or could potentially become homeless.

The housing unit is expecting to be completed in 2017. ­—The Abbotsford News

Have a news tip?

Let us know! news@ufvcascade.ca @CascadeNews

3

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21,2015

Six program proposals rejected by province UFV Senate discusses next steps, as well as general admission requirements and convocation date changes MEGAN LAMBERT

a process for special admission, re-admission, and the denial of a student who could be dangerous to the UFV community. The revised policy would also include admission to graduate studies.

However, these changes did not pass through Senate.

A few members of Senate voiced concern that the new policy was unclear in places where other programs have more specific admission requirements.

“There are issues that are arising that we hadn’t contemplated,” said vice-chair Gerry Palmer, noting that the senate governance committee can revise the policy draft by the end of the year to reflect those changes.

The item was tabled for November.

THE CASCADE

The UFV Senate met for their monthly meeting last Friday, October 16 at the Chilliwack CEP campus. Big news came from the Ministry of Advanced Education.

New programs declined after a year of waiting Six programs have not been approved and have been sent back to the Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB) for review.

“It’s disappointing.” UFV president Mark Evered said.

“We do take into account the opportunities for students when they graduate. We take into account the demand from students for these programs. We’re not frivolous in our choice of new programs.”

The proposals for the theatre major, peace and conflict studies major and minor, indigenous studies major and minor, bachelor of media arts program, bachelor of education, and agriculture major have been awaiting approval from the ministry for approximately a year.

VP academic Eric Davis said that to his knowledge, the ministry gave no reason as to why the program proposals were not approved. Both Evered and Davis expressed concern for this, as some of the programs wouldn’t need as many monetary or logistic resources from the government as the others. The peace and conflict studies program would be funded in part by community donations, and would need very little funding from the province. The degree in agriculture proposal follows B.C. premier Christy Clark’s visit to UFV’s new Agricultural Centre of Excellence in 2014, showing direct support from the provincial government for this area of study. Evered said this is particularly confusing, as agriculture lines up with the province’s educational priorities.

Dean of the College of Arts Jacqueline Nolte inquired about the bypassing of “site visits” — a physical review from the minis-

try — to assess degree program components. The six programs had all gained “exempt” status, meaning they were expedited to the Ministry of Advanced Education.

“We take into account the demand for students ... we’re not frivolous“ To this, Evered said he was not sure what will happen.

“I don’t know what the process will be,” he said. “The ministry has been asked to develop

Image: UFV Flickr

a new process for reviewing programs in light of the B.C. Jobs Plan. I don’t know whether there will be an expectation of site visits or not.”

The programs will go to the DQAB in November to begin the review process. The Cascade will continue to cover this story in the coming weeks.

UFV to make changes to admission requirements There were two major proposed revisions to UFV’s undergraduate admissions policy: first, to delete the change in admission requirements policy, program waiting lists policy, and the readmission policy; and second, to add a minimum entrance requirement for the university and

Donations, convocation, and UFV 2025 formation The rest of the meeting was mostly a discussion of what’s coming in the latter part of the year.

Convocation 2016 has changed from the traditional June 11 and 12 to a week earlier — June 2 and 3 — so as to line up UFV’s convocation with other universities. The motion passed unanimously.

Senate also unanimously passed program reviews for both the bachelor of general studies as well as for anthropology and sociology.

Director of Advancement David Leis talked about donations to the university: how to treat donors, types of monetary donations, and how to keep donors coming back. He said that UFV Advancement is drafting a formal strategic plan to continue seeking donations for the university.

In his report, Davis said there will be a UFV 2025 forum on November 20 to start planning five goals based on last year’s discussions for the 2016 to 2020 education plan.

The next Senate meeting will be November 12 at 2:30 p.m. at the Abbotsford campus in room A225 / A229.

4

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 www.ufvcascade.ca

UFV budget forum is a springboard for strategy VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE

We’re only halfway through the semester and students may only be thinking as far ahead as midterms, but UFV is already planning their 2016 / 17 budget.

This week two budget forums were held, one on October 19 at the CEP campus, and another on October 21 at the Abbotsford campus. The purpose of these meetings was to introduce the new budget to the UFV community.

The new budget allocates $117,459,000 for UFV to work with — a slight increase from last year.

The new budget’s increase comes from expected adjustments like the regular two-per cent increase to student tuition, as well as discontinuing programs like the fashion design program. UFV had recently announced that because the fashion design program will be discontinued, there will be a budget surplus of $327,700.

UFV president Mark Evered explained that this cut couldn’t be avoided, especially because the program only had roughly six applicants this year.

“There are risks to the creative arts,” he said. “We’re under a lot of pressure, and unfortunately

Image: UFV Flickr

The 2016 / 17 budget acts as a catalyst for targeting new demographics of students. much of that seems to be interpreted as failure to recognize the value of creative arts, and yet within our institutional learning outcomes we’ve stressed the importance of creativity.”

Evered also explained that hopefully, this is the only creative arts program that the university has to cut.

“We may have to be more creative in how we help the creative arts not just survive, but thrive in a difficult environment,” he said.

“It is sad to see programs like that go, driven because students

don’t see the value and employers — at least, not initially — see the value.”

The projected budget also includes a planned decrease in enrollment in upcoming years due to a lower population of 18- to 24-year-olds.

“Even here in the Fraser Valley, we’ve seen a bit of a downward trend,” Evered said.

Even though UFV has a larger adult population than other universities, this change could still affect them, and UFV will look into targeting other age demo-

U-District planning continues to gather student feedback

graphics.

“Our population has been quite different from that of many other universities across the country in that the average age of our students is older than most other institutions,” said Evered. “I see that as very positive. People are coming back to school after some time off. People are returning to develop new skills because they lost a job or want to take on another job.”

Evered also explained that one potential age demographic is retirees.

“Universities have started to think about retirees,” he said.

“I’m going to retire at some point and I don’t like to think that that’s the end of learning opportunities.”

One of the departments that will be responsible for bringing in new students is continuing education.

“We’ve placed some pressure on continuing education to provide greater opportunities and create revenue for us through better service to our community,” Evered explained.

In upcoming years, UFV is also planning to have a slightly lower student admittance depending on how much government funding is secured. Although more students means more tuition, UFV relies heavily on government funding.

“On average, a student’s tuition covers about a quarter of their education,” Evered explained.

“It’s risky because we’re taking students without that additional government contribution to help pay for their education.”

Video recordings of the meetings were made for students unable to attend, but have not been posted at time of print.

THE CASCADE IS SEEKING A STAFF WRITER! PAY: $50 / ISSUE

MEGAN LAMBERT

Staff writers are responsible for writing two articles every week, including one news article. No experience necessary, but previous volunteer work with The Cascade is an asset. To apply, please send your cover letter, resume, and a sample of your writing to valerie@ufvcascade.ca.

THE CASCADE

U-District planning boards were set up in the atrium of the Student Union Building (SUB) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and outside of the Abbotsford Centre from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. last Thursday, October 15. Their purpose was to gather public feedback about the planning process for a large university community infrastructure. The data-collecting portion of the U-District planning is almost finished and will continue with more concrete planning later in the year.

Must be a current UFV student enrolled in at least one class in both the fall and winter semesters to be eligible for employment.

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5

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 www.ufvcascade.ca

SNAPSHOTS

Curtailed commentary on current conditions

Images: Brittany Cardinal

Tim Hortons and the useless gift card

Keep your eyes on the gov

Political grumpy-gusses

Talking in, through, over, and out of your turn

Remington Fioraso

Alex Rake

Kat Marusiak

Megan Lambert

During early classes, midterms, and papers, my consumption of caffeine gradually accelerates, leading to an increased number of trips to the Tim Hortons on campus. After receiving a gift card for my birthday, I thought to myself, “Yes! I will be saving so much for a few weeks!” But, after an unfortunate wake-up call (not acquired from the coffee), the realization hit me: if you have a Tim Hortons gift card, it has no value on campus. Only Cascade dollars, debit, credit, or cash are accepted forms of payment.

As it is a Tim Hortons location, they should accept gift cards. I simply want to use it at the one location that I go to on a regular basis for my double-double, rather than keeping a gift card in my wallet that I can’t even use.

With Harper gone, whom are we supposed to harp on? The new Liberal government is supposed to usher in a utopic era of waning us off fossil fuels and developing electoral reform, right?

Well, yeah, it had better. Which is why, as satisfied as many of us might be with the election results, we must continue scrutinizing our government for inconsistency and corruption. Anyone in power, amazing hair or no, will have the opportunity to lie, cheat, or just plain fuck up.

Hopefully, Trudeau’s reign will at least make it less taboo to hold the government accountable.

Were you happy with the election results? I personally was, and like many, mentioned so on Facebook. .

Of course, not everyone was pleased, some saying angry, bitter things about it. I even saw one extremely upset person exclaim, “Lord save our country!!” Another proclaimed their disdain for anyone excited about the Liberal win and / or expressing negativity towards Harper and the Conservatives. Despite having shared many articles condemning other parties in the days leading up to the election, they proudly declared that they were more honourable, and unlike those being — well, I won’t share the profane slurs used — they’ll stop saying anything negative about who won or lost. Maybe they knew some people who got a bit obnoxious about it, but can you really call yourself honourable when you follow up with childish name-calling? Politics can obviously be a touchy subject, and we should all remember to try to respect each other’s feelings — both those upset, and those glad.

When you fall asleep in class, the world becomes a peaceful mixture of lost REM cycles and a long, drone-like lecture from your prof. Suddenly, you wake up and your prof’s voice has changed. It has become higherpitched, obnoxious, and fragmented, with a slight hint of desperation. You turn around, and it’s not your prof. It’s the kid who thinks he or she is your prof, trying to explain a long and convoluted anecdote in the name of “class participation.” These people speak without filters, mentioning random current events or trying to incorporate something that happened when they were five into the prof’s lecture. These people do not think to add to the material, but just begin talking without a real point just to hear themselves speak. You look around, and the rest of the class is asleep, checked out, or looking at their phones. If you feel that you are one of these people, never fear. Write down what you want to say as a note to help you absorb the material, or ask questions so everyone has the benefit of learning from your presence. Don’t be noise pollution, be a student. Or, at least don’t try to be the prof.

The price tag on the environment REMINGTON FIORASO CONTRIBUTOR

Step one: damage the environment. Step two: throw down a large sum of money. Problem solved. In the case of the recent court ruling on British Petroleum (BP)’s involvement in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, this seems to be an accurate statement.

For those who are unaware or need a recap of the proceedings of the incident, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, owned by BP, exploded due to a well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010. Millions of barrels of oil covered thousands of square

miles along the gulf.

After over five years in court, a decision was finally made. The judge ruled that 3.19 million barrels of oil were discharged into the Gulf of Mexico, which cost BP $5.5 billion under the Clean Water Act alone. BP has agreed to pay a total settlement of $18.7 billion, which includes this fine as well as local government claims, economic claims to affected states, and damages to natural resources. While it may seem like a rightfully huge sum of money, is it necessarily the best way to penalize the company according to the impact the spill had on the environment?

While BP has recognized and

acknowledged their loss in the case, the court decision did not have a significant impact on the environmental concerns of the company. In regards to the incident, BP states on their website that that they “acted to take responsibility for the clean-up.”

Yet this was contradicted in January 2015 when they attempted to fight against the court decision. If they acknowledged the environmental impact of their spill, they would simply agree with the initial decision rather than say they were not negligent whatsoever.

It is all about following the money. BP loses a portion of their profits, but if this fiscal

year is similar to the one outlined in their 2014 annual report, BP will have about $32.8 billion in operating cash flow. The dollar amount of the fine is nothing in comparison to what they are making. By paying an $18.7 billion fine, the company simply clears the legal case against them, while attaching a monetary value onto the environment.

The fine simply does not do justice to the environmental damage caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. It suggests that you can use money to solve any problem. When BP pays, there is nothing more they have to do. The deaths of marine life including dolphins, sea turtles,

and birds; the impact on fisheries, coastal wetlands, and shore lines; and the square miles that the oil spill covered — these become nothing more than a slight economic figure.

What about a review of the company’s protocols, or perhaps enforcing a new plan to prevent oil spills? For example, a partnership between BP and the government to educate other companies might be a good idea. In any case, the court decision should have gone beyond money. You can’t really place a monetary value on this kind of damage.

6

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 www.ufvcascade.ca

Mars: the next giant leap for mankind?

MARIA BUGANSKA CONTRIBUTOR

Recent discoveries of water on Mars have led scientists to believe life can be sustained on the Red Planet — so much so that NASA is planning their first trip for a team of brave space pioneers by the 2030s.

First off: cool! I mean, for you wanderlusters out there, imagine traveling into the cosmos, the unknown; literally out of this world! No petty tourist traps, no crowds ruining your explorer vibes, and most importantly, no selfie-sticks being shoved into your eyeball when you just want to enjoy the damn sunset (I speak from experience). Obviously, at this time no one can just fly to Mars for a vacation, but that didn’t stop a whopping 78,000 people in 2013 from applying for the Mars One project to colonize the planet. These people willingly signed up for a chance to go forever to a planet no man has ever encountered!

Why aren’t we trying to save the planet we have now?

Talk about brave, or maybe just crazy.

But what if, other than their wild curiosity, these people have a reason to want to ditch the Earth? Mother Earth has existed for about 4.6 billion years. Let’s scale that to 46 years. If we do that, humans have been here for four hours; the Industrial Revolution started one minute ago, and in that time (according to the World Resources Institute),

we have destroyed 80 per cent of the world’s forests — and that’s not even including the countless species and micro-organisms that we’ve wiped out from the natural equilibrium.

In a talk earlier this year, Stephen Hawking said, “We must continue to go into space for the future of humanity ... I don’t think we will survive another 1,000 years without escaping beyond our fragile planet.” Taking

Image: Cyril Rana/flickrh

into account not only what we’ve done to our environment, but to our fellow humans, Hawking does, in fact, have a point. Even a few glances at the news or a couple pages of a history textbook could make you shudder at the inhumanity humans have demonstrated. But what about Mars? What if it doesn’t want to deal with our destructive antics?

I know, I know, Mars is just a rock. Volcanic basalt rock to be

precise — but who does it belong to? Apparently to no one of equal importance to us humans, which is why we can just take it, colonize it, and infect it with our notions of quality life.

It’s not like the whole world is moving to Mars and abandoning Earth, but with so much effort and expenditure (approximately $6 billion for Mars One’s initial mission, and some critics say even that number is too optimistic), I can’t help but think that these spritely brains and enormous costs could instead make our lovely little Earth more pleasant by making sustainable choices. Have we not disrespected nature enough down here, or shall we keep monopolizing whatever other land we can obtain? I can only hope that whatever ownership or extensive missions NASA plans to carry out are safe not only for themselves, but also for the unsuspecting Red Planet they’ve deemed worthy of exploration.

Satire

New campus restaurant is as meaningless as existence itself FRANCOIS LEVOID THE KAFKADE

UFV’s new campus restaurant opened today. Or yesterday maybe, I don’t know. It doesn’t mean anything. Maybe it was yesterday. Regardless, I had thought to dine there, for no particular reason other than that it was there, and that in this absurd and painful existence we’ve been helplessly thrown into, we have to munch on something every now and then.

The Camus is on the second floor of the Student Union Building, right above the Student Union Society. This day, the restaurant was filled with students, whose food and drink and chatter kept them ignorant of the reality that they are only distracting themselves from the inherent suffering and pure boredom of being alive.

I was seated in a corner — the perfect vantage point from which I could observe the patrons engaging in their absurd rituals of laughter and gossip. I asked for a French press, and hearing they only serve drip, I scoffed and went with water instead. I was

A race towards death, a leap of faith, or a burger and fries? taken equally aback when I was told that I shouldn’t be smoking inside. Fine. I then ordered a Godot burger with a side of fries.

The place looked nice enough.

It was exceedingly well-lit, with a view of D building and the swamp beside it. When I saw dinner orders being taken to their tables, I marvelled at the plates first. The Camus serves their food

on very nice plates. Perhaps that is why the food costs as much as it does.

However, the food cannot live up to the impossible standards of the plates, and I feel a sense of empathy for the food: here is the human condition in miniature, with food that will never truly meet its ideal expectations. For better or worse, the thing in itself

lmage: pixabay.com

will have to do.

The fries came pleasantly quickly, in a small basket. The basket resembled the kind you’d place in a deep fryer, only it’s smaller. Someone unable to finger the dismal pulse of the world might deign to call it “cute.”

I marvelled at the state of these things inside of the basket. They were potatoes once.

Are potatoes not unlike human beings? Are we not, in our own way, plucked from the womb of the earth, only to be carved up by the cruel knife of societal expectation? Are we forever condemned to be deep fried in the anguish and ennui of living?

I slathered ketchup and vinegar on my fries. I watched my waiter act so bereft of his own human freedom. Making small talk like a waiter, running tables like a waiter. Did he not see his Sisyphean plight — that in spite of his efforts, the customers would simply leave the restaurant, only to be replaced by more customers?

I despise such an inauthentic way of life. I devoured my fries.

When it came time to leave, I went to the front of the restaurant to pay up. It was at this moment that the heat from the kitchen was magnified by the heat of the dazzling sun, and that’s when everything began to reel. I felt the debit machine in my hand, and I pushed four buttons, unwittingly paying for a Godot burger that I never got to eat.

And it was like punching in the four-digit code to the bank account of unhappiness.

7

STUDY BREAK CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 www.ufvcascade.ca

CROSSWORD

Missing Peace

by MEGAN LAMBERT

ACROSS

Last issue’s crossword

2. Selene changes every day, but you know she’ll still be there when things get dark. (4) 4. Your cushioning and cradling companion might also make you sneeze. (6) 7. Sweet, hot, or iced — but it’s no Americano. (3) 9. First we saw the moon, then Mars, soon the ____. (5) 10. “Once upon a zero hour dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary ...” (8) 11. Symptoms include low muscle tone, vivid visions, and / or drooling. (3) 12. In music, it’s the “Shh!” and can take a whole-length, halflength, quarter, eighth... (4) 13. Inky. (4)

DOWN 1. These should be accepted as suitable footwear for those suffering from pain or lack of coziness. (8) 3. Plug it in, plug it in. (10) 5. An ancient tool used to prolong procrastination (and snuggles). (7) 6. The talking creature from that really bad movie the Family Guy creator was responsible for. (9) 8. A cavernous yowl to show off your tonsils. (4) 10. Strategically placing an element of stress in the middle of the academic maze to see if “the rats” will go crazy (or give up). (7)

The Weekly Horoscope

ACROSS 4. TECHNICOLOUR 8. SLIPPERS 11. RAINBOW 12. EMERALD 13. KANSAS 14. LION

DOWN 1. WITCH 2. MONKEY 3. BRICK 5. BICYCLE 6. WIZARD 7. SCARECROW 9. TIN 10. TORNADO

Star Signs from Sybil la Clair Gemini: May 21 to June 21: Beware of glow-in-the-dark socks — you’ll never know their true colour.

Libra: Sept 23 to Oct 22: You might mix up “jam” with “yam”,

Pisces: Feb 19 to March 20: Your keyboard will be extra sticky this week, but the tears from your last-minute midterm project should do the trick.

Cancer: June 22 to July 22: In theory, Halloween-themed Christmas cards may seem like a time-saver, but keep your options open.

Scorpio: Oct 23 to Nov 21: Jack be nimble, Jack be quick — or else you’ll be chased by elementary students with carving equipment and candle sticks.

Aries: March 21 to April 19: Try to see things through rose-coloured lenses — unless your glasses sport thorns as a fashion choice.

Leo: July 23 to Aug 22: Symptoms of midterms may include feeling sleepy and can lead to fatigue, exhaustion, and snoozing.

Sagittarius: Nov 22 to Dec 21: If you write a letter to yourself in 10 years, make sure to leave out the fact that teal was once a thing people liked.

Taurus: April 20 to May 20: This season, try not to fall into a rut or get squashed by stress. Leaf your worries at home.

Virgo: Aug 23 to Sept 22: Even though Facebook election rants will clutter up your newsfeed, you will find strength and peace this week.

Capricorn: Dec 22 to Jan 19: If you happen upon an existential crisis, keep in mind that you are a human. That’s a pretty good starting point.

but at least you’ll have interesting toast.

BY ANTHONY BIONDI

SPACED

Aquarius: Jan 20 to Feb 18: Foamy crackers might appear in your lunchbox this week, but that’s not always a bad sign.

FIND MORE SPACED ONLINE AT WWW.ANTHONYBIONDI.COM

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CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 www.ufvcascade.ca

Below the Belt

Dragging out the evening: a reflection on queen culture and discrimination XTINA SEXPERT

Last night I threw a passion party.

For those of you who have not attended such an event, it involves a group of people, usually women, of varied lifestyles and life stages crammed into a living room drinking wine and learning about things that go buzz in the night. It was successful, in that we all had a fun and educational experience. The passion party gave way to beer pong and conversation, and eventually, a drag show.

I had asked a friend of mine to perform at the party, both to entertain my guests as well as to encourage him to continue to be true to himself and his gift. Anida Tythole is the manifestation of fabulousness that comes from breaking free from an ultra-conservative, repressive family life.

Anida was a huge hit with the girls; her particular brand of sassy comedy and raw talent was just what they needed to take the party to the next level. Anida mimed lyrics to popular songs and sang others with her surprisingly soulful voice, changing words here and there and making us giggle.

In between songs she would tell us funny and embarrassing stories about her “drag sisters.”

“A drag sister,” she educated us, “is a queen who started dragging [dressing as a woman and

performing] around the same time as you, and who you can lean on and learn from.” But the education didn’t stop there.

Anida also schooled us on what the drag world was really like, and introduced us to some of the “drag terms” used most often in the queen community. So I have compiled a list of terms for your education, readers. I’m sure more than a few of them will make it into your daily diction.

A “kiki” is a delightful term for when queens get together. During this gathering, one should expect to “tea” (dish) about hookups, hairdos, and heartbreaks. “Let’s have a kiki tonight, gurrrrrl!”

As referenced, “tea” is gossip, news, or information passed between queens. “What’s the tea, bitch?”

“Hunty” is a term that combines honey and a not-so-popular c-word. It’s generally used as a term of endearment and doesn’t carry the negative connotation that the c-word normally does.

“Great show, hunty!”

“Beat”: during the transformation process, a queen will “beat” the makeup on to become fabulously female. “Beat that face into female, bitch.”

The term “fish” is also one of endearment. It’s used to give props to a particularly great transformation. Any form of fish or fish reference is acceptable. “Tatiana

Image: Wiki Commons

In drag culture, “reading” means something a little different from what you’re doing to this caption. is serving some high-quality tuna tonight!”

“Read” is to insult someone relentlessly and without regret. This can happen frequently during competitions. “I read that bitch like a Cosmo!”

The term “giving shade” is a lighter version of “reading” someone. Back-handed compliments and subtle insults would be considered “shade.”

Last and certainly not least, the “tuck.” This is probably exactly what you would imagine it to be: the clever, yet uncomfortable, repositioning of the penis between the cheeks to achieve that “dickless” look. Anida told us with great description how this was done. Her instructions included a step-by-step method for pushing ones’ testicles into their cavities and then quickly taping them in

place. The extent of preparation a queen goes through puts them at hero status in my books.

However, not everyone feels this way, as I learned to my disappointment when a would-be guest didn’t come to my party due to Anida’s attendance. I guess queens aren’t everyone’s “cup of tea,” which is fine — everyone has the right to their own opinion.

That being said, I find discrimination of any kind to be one of the most disgusting human behaviours. Drag queens, although glittery and oozing amazingness, are just people. It’s easy to get intimidated by the many, many subcultures and orientations that make up our communities, but othering and discrimination should never be the answer.

Maybe some of you are uncomfortable with people who don’t fit inside of a box. Maybe you think queers and queens are immoral and unnatural. To this I would have to say: do you know any?

When was the last time you spent time with someone who wasn’t like you in thought and action? I would challenge you to climb out of your little box and experience the world in a tangible way. “Be the change” — befriend a drag queen. It may just be the most fun you will have in your life!

Grown men fly through the air Freestyle Motocross Supermans its way into Abbotsford GLEN ESS CONTRIBUTOR

The tires squealed and the crowd oohed in excitement and anticipation as the Freestyle Motocross (FMX) riders pulled another death-defying stunt.

The FMX World Tour came to Abbotsford this weekend, and the sheer, ballsy insanity of the performers made it as intense a show as I’ve ever seen in the Abbotsford Centre. Flips, somersaults, a welltitled move called “the Superman,” another well-titled move called “Captain Morgan,” and a host of other tricks, stunts, and madcap acts of lunacy were all demonstrated by a six-man team of freestyle motocross experts.

Even though the crowd was far from capacity, the crazed stuntmen didn’t hold back, and delivered an enthusiastic performance. Carrying themselves with a carefree charisma, they cajoled, roused, and teased the crowd until the entire arena was in a state of frenzy. The daredevils performed stunts that would have made Evel Knievel do a backwards 360-degree somersault in his grave. Specific plaudits would most surely have to go to Keith Sayers, the night’s main attraction and star performer, his neon green uniform drawing in his captive audience’s gaze time and time again as he flipped gravity the bird.

In between FMX daredevils flying through the air like demented

bats out of hell, to the side of the massive ramps was a smaller halfpipe used by the BMX performers who, while lacking the roaring engines and high-flying acrobatics of their FMX counterparts, put themselves at risk with reckless abandon for their crowd. While they couldn’t match the FMXers in speed or altitude, they demonstrated a more nimble, flexible style that made their bikes seem more an extension of themselves than the FMXers, whose dirtbikes were more akin to bucking stallions. While I certainly appreciate the dexterity, quickness of hand, and supreme confidence of the BMX contingent, I couldn’t help but consider them to be nothing more than an intermission

performance while the FMX performers prepared themselves for their next set of terrifyingly thrilling, death defying stunts.

It was a wonderful surprise to get so caught up in the intense and almost visceral sense of enjoyment from watching a bunch of men drive bikes high up into the air over and over again. It was an intoxicatingly simple sort of enjoyment; I could sit back, relax, and watch as these brass-balled adrenaline junkies repeatedly risked life and limb with a sense of carefree abandon fuelled by a testosterone-flooded arena.

However, I do have one quibble with the night’s entertainment: between the crashing, roaring sounds of the bikes and the

crowd’s appreciative gasps and applause, the night’s colour commentary seemed a little off. The man on the mic was a constant stream of information, always reminding the audience of who the man in the air doing a silly twist was. A veritable encyclopedia of trick-names and motocross witticisms, he certainly didn’t detract from the performance, but he really didn’t add much to it.

Ignoring that one minor criticism, I’d say that a night watching grown men fly through the air on ridiculously loud motorbikes was a pleasant surprise and something I’d suggest everyone tries at least once.

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CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 www.ufvcascade.ca

The world, in lens and canvas

Newest Kariton exhibition combines geography, painting, and photography KODIE CHERRILLE

THE CASCADE / PHOTO

The sun was just about to set as the opening reception for the newest exhibition at the Kariton Gallery began.

Our Environment as We See It, a collaborative effort between photographer Len Jellicoe and environmental artist Tracie Stewart, opened to an intimate audience on Saturday, October 17. The exhibition draws on both artists’ love of the geography and wildlife of British Columbia.

Jellicoe is fascinated with birds. Earlier in the day, he ventured out with members of the Field Ornithologists of B.C., and was looking for a rare blue-grey gnatcatcher.

His photography extends to more than avian life, but I found myself most drawn to his giclée (a photograph printed onto a canvas) of a long-eared owl, whose plumage mingled with flecks of sunlight broken from overhead trees, eyes half-lidded but vividly yellow.

Other photographs include some very close-up shots of foxes and a mother grizzly bear.

“Getting that close to a grizzly bear really does get your heart rate going,” said Jellicoe.

Tracie Stewart’s work blends history, topography, and memory with nature painting.

While some of her works make clear connections — like the landscape painting of a rolling hill on top of a topographical map — others offer near-hallucinatory explorations into

colour and texture.

A tree dominates the foreground in her painting “The Boy Who Dares to Dream of Tomorrow”; on the left, fish swim through clearblue water, the rushing water mimicking the lines of a map that momentarily emerge from

the colours. On the right side, a corner of the canvas is foregrounded by the hard lines of a mapped house, which acts like a dazzling prism as it exudes yellows and magentas across the canvas like a dreamy mist. A boy is on a swing set — it is unclear whether the lines are rope or map lines for a road.

Stewart began forging her style after winning maps in an auction.

“They were beautiful,” she said, “and they needed to be shared, but I sat on them for 10 years.”

But then she went to Nine Mile Creek.

“I was driving over the bridge and I usually stop and admire the dam and the view.

That’s when I realized what I had to do,” said Stewart.

She began exploring the areas portrayed by the maps, taking photographs, and researching their history online. “The Boy Who Dares to Dream of Tomorrow” is informed by a 1960 map of Surrey, as well as the history of the Kennedy Trail.

For Stewart’s next work, she hopes to make the painting process a little more interactive with her audience. She has put up a large map of B.C. in the back room of the Kariton, requesting that guests place a sticky note with a word or two next to bodies of water that mean something to them.

Our Environment as We See It will continue to be on display at the Kariton Gallery until November 10.

Putting an autumnal spin on summer wear MEGAN LAMBERT If you love autumn but hate shelling out major cash for a new wardrobe, never fear — here’s how to transition your summer pieces over to fall.

Summer clothes can come in handy in cooler weather when it’s not quite cold enough to dress in head-to-toe black. At the start of the semester, there are days when the sun still shines and a “sweater” gets a whole new meaning as you juggle books and papers while speedwalking to class. My number-one rule is to avoid wearing black from head to toe. Don’t overwhelm your summer piece with black; the contrast will be too stark, and it’ll look like a statement piece instead of blending in seamlessly with your fall look.

Tie your teal into your jeweltones Teal is quickly becoming passé; although it’s bright and happy,

it’s hard to take minty green seriously when the weather starts to get cooler. Tone your teal down with deep purples, forest greens, and even navy blues to make the bright colour work as an accent. Fall colour palettes can often look too dark or drab, so adding a light shade helps to balance the outfit. Bring warmth to the outfit by adding gold jewelry and a plum lip.

This might be a personal choice, but try to avoid black here. I know lots of teal clothing already incorporates black into the pattern, but to me this looks too costume-like (like you’re the chef of a macaron bakery). If your pieces have black in them, try not to add on too many different hues; pick a jewel tone and run with it.

Sport white shorts with chic neutrals Shorts, in general, are tough to wear in the winter, but white shorts are especially difficult to work with when you’ve lost your

summer tan. Working in grey colours and faux (or real!) pearl jewelry gives your white shorts a classic vibe. Instead of colourblocking, keep colour out of the outfit as much as you can to let the shorts blend in easily. Pair them with simple makeup and a matte lip. For leggings or tights, I suggest black with black heels or flats. Black and white is classic and it’s a good way to integrate white shorts into the more formal feel of fall and winter. It’s also a good colour combination if you were to wear this look at school, where wearing shorts and tights might come off across a little too trendy for hitting the books.

This might seem inconsistent with my aforementioned allblack rule, but adding an equal dash of grey is a good way to connect the opposite shades. Avoid boots or shoes of a different colour than your tights. Keeping the rest of your legs muted will lengthen them and draw the eye upwards to your shorts and rest of your outfit.

EVENTS

October 22 to 24 India and the Great War conference This multidisciplinary conference showcases the role of soldiers from India, as well as examining history and cultural representation of India and the Great War. Dr. Amritjit Singh, professor of English and African-American studies from Ohio University, is the event’s keynote speaker. The event is free (registration opens at 9:45 a.m.) and will be held in the Great Hall in the Student Union Building.

October 29 Feast of Screams

Fashion

THE CASCADE

UPCOMING

Warm up floral print with cozy knits Floral print is a little too cheery for fall. My solution is to pick the darkest tone in the print and pair it with the colours in your wardrobe. That tones down the summery feel of the print and brings a more solemn and artistic feel to it. If there are no dark colours in the print, try picking the same main colour in a darker shade (for example, pair light blue flowers with a dark blue sweater) or wear it with a neutral scheme. Knits are a good way to keep the colours toned down, especially if you pick knits that match the print’s warm or cool tone. Avoid other patterns, unless the shapes are much larger or smaller than the flowers and are in simple geometric shapes like circles, triangles, or squares.

Stay away from plaid, stripes, or other floral prints.

Join the UFV Circle K club in celebrating Halloween this year.

The Feast of Screams will feature music by DJ Hark and door prizes, as well as a haunted house. Proceeds from the event will go to support Project Eliminate. The event will be in the Great Hall in the Student Union Building. Doors open at 6 p.m.

October 29 All Hallows’ Read The UFV English student association, the Louden Singletree, and the English department have joined forces to once again host All Hallows’ Read, an open-mic reading of scary stories and poetry. Bring your spookiest literature to the Centre for IndoCanadian Studies, and don’t forget to dress up for the costume contest! The event begins at 7 p.m.

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ARTS IN REVIEW

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 www.ufvcascade.ca

Podcast

CHARTS Indian 1 Neon VEGA INTL. Night School Girls 2 U.S. Half free Cliché 3 Nouveau Walk in My Shadow Ysa 4 Mas Seraph

5 Deerhunter Fading Frontier 6 7

Mauno Rough Master Royal Southern Brotherhood

Don’t Look Back: The Muscle Shoals Sessions 2015

Baby 8 War Death Sweats Brown 9 Sugar Poor Lazarus

10 Motorhead Bad Magic Dally 11 Dilly Sore Moon Run 12 Half Sun Leads Me On Mitchell 13 Andy She Was Simple Like

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Quantum Mechanics Children of the CPU Synth Camp

Love 15 Calvin Super Future Healer 16 Faith Cosmic Troubles

17 Destroyer Poison Season Grant 18 John Grey Tickles, Black Presence

Impala 19 Tame Currents 6 20 Day The Day

Shuffle

Reply All takes an intimate look at the early days of the internet

DAVE CUSICK PROGRAM DIRECTOR / THE PODFATHER

I have elected to share these songs with you, to represent the changes our country has seen this week.

Dinah Christie “Justin Pierre” In 1972, Canadian actress Dinah Christie put out a 7” record on the Molson Canadian Awards label, with the A-side “I Can Hear Canada Singing,” a song with as much Canadian optimism and boosterism could possibly fit onto a vinyl disc. The single’s B-side, “Justin Pierre,” welcomed then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s newborn son into the world, both in English and en Français. When asked about the song at a 2015 press conference by Vancouver journalist John Ruskin (AKA Nardwuar, the Human Serviette), the Justin Pierre deflected the question by saying “I don’t have that particular song on my iPod.” David Bowie “Changes” You know what also got released in 1972? David Bowie’s “Changes,” that’s what.

The New Pornographers “The Laws Have Changed” “It was crime at the time, but the laws, we changed ‘em.” One can hope, can’t they, bud?

Neko Case “Red Tide” Speaking of the New Pornographers, I interviewed Neko Case, a member of that band, for radio in 2009. It was a surly morning for her, and when she got on the subject of whales that turn violent after years in captivity, she gave me the best piece of tape anyone ever has: “It’s like making your teenage kid live in your refrigerator. If I was a teenage kid, living in a refrigerator, I would bite somebody’s leg off, too. Probably worse. I would put hot dogs in their eyeholes, and then I would laugh my head off.”

I could not believe the privilege of getting to put that quote onto public radio.

The Nylons “Na Na Hey Hey, Kiss Him Goodbye” I know the original is a classic from the ‘60s, but I’m partial to the cheesy ‘80s version. Goodbye.

DAVE CUSICK

CONTRIBUTOR

One time in 1995, I figured out how to dial the 2800 baud modem on our family’s clunky old DOS computer into the public library, and was able to access the same system that was on terminals in the library branches, set up beside the card catalogue. (If you don’t know what a card catalogue is, you’ve seen one in that beginning scene of Ghostbusters. If you haven’t seen Ghostbusters, get on that STAT.) I reserved a book for myself, and as I did, felt a sensation go through my entire body, as though I had hacked into the Pentagon’s nuclear missiles.

At this time, it didn’t even make sense to describe the internet in terms of being in its “Wild West” phase — it barely seemed real at all, or even important.

Of course, 20 years later, the internet is very obviously real and important, though our digital lives are still only an artificial overlay on top of our real ones (albeit a very intrusive and pervasive overlay). We’re still decades, if not generations away from figuring out how to make it serve us, rather than the other way around. It’s because of this tension of who or what is in control that the podcast Reply All is so compelling.

Reply All is hosted by two guys, Alex Goldman and PJ Vogt in New York. They have worked together for several years, initially as producers for the WNYC show On The Media, and then on an

earlier version of their current show, called TLDR. Their history and chemistry help keep them this side of the fine line between geek and cool. They call it “a show about the internet,” though the online world is usually only the starting point for a broader human story.

Some of their episodes focus on the early years of the internet: Jennifer Ringley, 19 years old in 1996, who became the first person to put a webcam on their entire life, the consequences of that, and the perspective she has on it now; Ethan Zuckerman, who invented the pop-up ad as a way of distancing paid advertisers from appearing to endorse offensive user-generated content, and the universal hatred he’s received since.

Most episodes, however, focus on more recent events: Lindsey Stone, whose accidentally public Facebook photo began garnering her death threats 18 months after she’d initially posted it; Shulem Deen, a former ultra-orthodox Jew excommunicated for losing his faith, who uses the internet to try to connect with his estranged children; Jamie Keiles, a writer who Instagrammed her crippling depression and eventual recovery from it.

If humans are the universe observing itself, then Reply All is the internet observing itself.

Dave Cusick is Director of Programming and Volunteers at CIVL Radio. He follows both Alex Goldman and PJ Vogt on Twitter, but hasn’t worked up to adding them on Facebook yet.

ARTS IN REVIEW

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 www.ufvcascade.ca

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S undBites Mini album reviews

Halsey Badlands

Indie starlet Halsey’s debut album Badlands is an alternative take on what many people consider to be a traditional album. Her unique brand of dark, heartwrenching tunes contain unusual beats that lean towards the melancholic, yet are irresistibly catchy.

Halsey perfectly harmonizes a blend of alt-pop and R&B that leaves listeners feeling refreshed. Her lyrical approach is direct, and Halsey explicitly states her feelings without hiding them behind metaphors and allusions. This style of lyricism reveals Halsey’s bleak take on a black-and-white world. The opening track “Castle,” which has a dark R&B beat, slowly begins her review of her own struggles with mental health, and past bouts of failure.

Despite only having one EP to her name, Halsey maintains a steady growth of loyal fans, and her edgy take on today’s music is truly refreshing. Keep Halsey on your radar for now, as she could easily shock the music world in the coming years.

Hilary Duff

Breathe In. Breathe Out. Growing up, I was a huge Hilary Duff fan. I just had to have every release and piece of merchandise of hers. Following 2007’s Dignity, there has been a huge void in her releases. I waited … and waited … and waited. After eight years, the day finally came. In June, Hilary Duff released the much-anticipated Breathe In. Breathe Out. From the first listen, it was apparent that it was definitely worth the wait.

The tracks are a good combination of dance-pop and folk-pop oriented songs.

However, the songwriting was my favourite aspect of Breathe In. Breathe Out., as it is far more mature than previous releases, yet is still fun.

I particularly enjoyed the Ed Sheeran co-written song “Tattoo,” featuring the lyrics: “You’re under my skin / Running in my bloodstream / These scars are the way that you loved me / I guess that you had to leave a tattoo.” It feels like a Sheeran song, yet Duff captivates enough emotion in her vocals to make it her own.

Duff brings a suprising element of excitement with the sexual undertones and whistling in lead single “Sparks.” In comparison to her first album, the first thing to come to mind is, “Wow, Lizzie McGuire grew up.”

Cascade Arcade

High stakes and great visuals in Sublevel Zero DREW BERGEN

CONTRIBUTOR

Sublevel Zero, released October 8, was created by indie developer Sigtrap Games and published by Mastertronic. It’s a fastpaced, first-person shooter (FPS) with a twist: you can move in every direction.

Sublevel Zero reinvents the six-degreesof-freedom genre pioneered by the series Descent, and does so with a roguelike flare and procedurally generated levels. Sublevel Zero is a well-polished breath of fresh air that makes for a very enjoyable experience, and scratches an itch that not many games can.

Several characteristics of Sublevel Zero hit me immediately on my first play-through:

the visuals, the controls, the sound and music, and the feel of the game’s combat.

The visuals in the game are very pleasing on the eyes, while the soundtrack (composed by Will Benford) becomes very enjoyable to listen to as it dynamically reacts to not only the environments you occupy, but also whether you are in combat or not.

As well, there’s a high level of degree in this game’s polish that really shines. Even the lower-level weapons that you find have a satisfactory punch to them.

The roguelike nature of this game is also worth pointing out. “Roguelike” is a term coined for games that follow in the same vein as an old game called Rogue — you have one life, and if you lose it, you have to start over. This may seem frustrating, but

these games have a feature to combat the fact that you will be replaying a lot of the game over: Every level is randomly generated. It is highly unlikely you will ever progress through the same stage twice.

Sublevel Zero plays the roguelike angle very well, adding tension with every encounter, and giving you the opportunity to try different ways to play the game every time. Weapons have different traits, and you have the ability to craft new weapons by combining old ones. On top of that, you also unlock randomized perks for your ship each time you level up. Every experience feels fresh and new, making for a very enjoyable, replayable, and delightfully challenging gaming atmosphere.

However, one gripe I have about the

randomized nature of Sublevel Zero’s levels is that they become quite linear and often repetitive. You begin to recognize rooms after a few plays through — there are not enough environments to encounter. Sublevel Zero lacks a sense of exploration with its linearity, and what sense remains becomes stale fairly quickly. But the game makes up for it plenty with its real strengths.

Sublevel Zero is a refreshing throwback to a subgenre in the FPS blanket that has not been explored as much as it could have been. With tense, challenging, and enjoyable gameplay, Sublevel Zero is an indie game that definitely warrants attention.

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ARTS IN REVIEW

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 www.ufvcascade.ca

Albums

Neon Indian takes you to VEGA INTL: Night School GLEN ESS CONTRIBUTOR

It’s been four long years since Neon Indian’s last release, Era Extraña, Alan Palomo’s hazy chillwave masterpiece that gave us the inimitable “Polish Girl.”

Faced with topping what many considered an instant classic is hard enough, but when you include the quiet fall into obscurity of many chillwave pioneers (musicians who sounded like they were recording tributes to the electronic ‘80s in their bedrooms), Palomo certainly had a mountain to climb with VEGA INTL: Night School, his latest — and arguably greatest — record.

VEGA shows a definite spirit of advancement and improvement over Era Extraña, and Palomo demonstrates evidence of his burgeoning creative confidence, delivering a hip-wiggling, softly seductive record full of pop licks and Latin American-influenced

disco grooves.

In many ways, VEGA is a brash, relentlessly catchy album, with Palomo’s intelligent and fun lyrics shadowed by the quirky electronic instrumentation. It’s far less insular a record than most chillwave albums, which may have put off listeners of Neon Indian’s previous work.

That seems to be the running theme for ‘80s-influenced albums released this year, considering that the same criticism could be levelled at Tame Impala for their new album, Currents, which was a move away from the traditional psych-rock of their previous works. However, while Kevin Parker’s Tame Impala stepped back to a more relaxed sound, Palomo’s moving forward from a more mellow style to a more vibrant exuberance. The two albums are on the same page and would definitely dovetail well together.

VEGA’s bass is laid on thick,

and its simple yet powerful drums do a good job keeping things ticking over smoothly while electronic flourishes add the cherry on top. Meanwhile, Palomo’s falsetto delivery of intelligently crafted lyrics ensures that the record stays away from the mind-numbing, unchallenging style of music that over-populates the electronic scene, which is often characterized by a mix of meaningless lyrics and a loud, emotionless beat.

Sometimes the quieter moments of a track are its most poignant. Palomo understands this, using footsteps, muttering, and even distant sirens on “61 Cygni Ave,” and dropping the volume about midway through “Slumlord” and “Annie.” Vega is an emotional roller coaster, and the presence of those quiet, low moments simply highlights how powerful and mesmeric its standout moments can be. The overwhelmingly danceable “Annie” is followed up by the more intro-

spective “Street Level.” The ‘80s electro-pop ballad, “Baby’s Eyes,” a sprawling six-minute track, is followed up by two more explosive tracks: “C’est La Vie” and “61 Cygni Ave.” The wonderful “C’est La Vie” is a contender for best track on VEGA alongside “Annie,” and personal favourite, “The Glitzy Hive”.

VEGA is a fantastic release and a wonderful achievement in Neon Indian’s musical evolution, but

it’s not perfect. Palomo’s singing isn’t the best, nor is his storytelling capability, and the flamencostylings may force the album into a niche. If you like going out at night and dancing, but don’t like the loud, overwhelmingly repetitive electronic music that dominates the airwaves, take VEGA INTL: Night School. You won’t regret it.

Youth Lagoon bounces back on Savage Hills Ballroom JEFFREY TRAINOR THE CASCADE

Boise, Idaho’s Trevor Powers — better known by his stage name, Youth Lagoon — has made it known that genre pigeonholes won’t factor into his writing.

Youth Lagoon burst into indie circles with Powers’ 2011 release, The Year of Hibernation, which was praised for its emotional and lo-fi approach to dream pop.

Following this meteoric rise from obscurity and a year of extensive touring, Powers returned to the studio and released the sophomore Wondrous Bughouse in 2013. Bughouse presented Youth Lagoon in a new light, as it featured a majority of live instrumentation, acoustic percussive elements, and a new psychedelic edge that contrasted heavily with the stripped-down feel of Year of Hibernation. This transition left many unsure of where the band would go next, and if there would ever be another album similar to the astounding success of The Year of Hibernation.

Although Youth Lagoon’s latest, Savage Hills Ballroom, once again takes the project in a new

direction, this record feels more comfortable and grounded than Wondrous Bughouse ever did.

Throughout Savage Hills, Powers melds both the soundscapes of his prior records into a perfect synchronicity, as both the electronic and acoustic instrumentation play off each other to create a gentle balance between each. This further adds to the overall depth and complexity of the album: with each listen, you can catch different musical melodies and hooks hidden within the tracks.

The album is essentially split into two five-track EPs, with instrumentals “Doll’s Estate” and “X-Ray” excellently calming the pace, effectively bookending each section of the record. There are multiple standout tracks on the record, but the album’s lead single, “The Knower,” is one of the best. It features a catchy vocal sample that pulsates an “ah, ah, ah, ah” that really pulls the whole track together. The other primary element within the piece is a transcendent trumpet melody,

which surprisingly fits well with the electronically dynamic instrumental sections and steady drum beat.

However, the real strength of Savage Hills Ballroom comes in the form of its melodies. Each song on the record — with the exception of the instrumentals — has a considerably catchy and memorable vocal phrase or phrases. By the end of each song, you’ll find yourself humming, or even singing along, which shows the album’s ability to pull the listener in. This was something that was missing from Wondrous Bughouse but was a main feature in The Year of Hibernation. Clearly, Powers figured out this distinction.

Lyrically, Powers paints a rather bleak picture, much like he did on his prior two records, but the way he does it this time is quite different. Savage Hills Ballroom is filled with stories of how we are rotting from the inside out due to chemical sprays on our food (“Rotten Human,” “Again”), and how the over-aggression of police and other authorities is slowly causing the collapse of our society (“Office Telephone,” “Highway Patrol Stun Gun”). This focus on the exterior and the problems so-

ciety faces is a dramatic shift for Powers.

Though the album does lean towards grand, global problems, one song in particular scales back the approach of the record. The song “Kerry” centres around one of Powers’ uncles who was holed up in Las Vegas — a drug addict on the run. The heartbreak of the chorus is what really hammers this picture home: “Kerry fell in love with Kim and pills at the same time / I’m not sure what bothered him, but it ate him up inside.” This plea perfectly plays off the almost orchestral instrumentation that sits in the background of the chorus.

“Kerry” brilliantly represents why Powers was lauded by indie music writers from the beginning; he has a knack for writing music where his messages don’t get lost or tainted within the confines of a song. Savage Hills Ballroom is a definitive and focused step forward for Youth Lagoon, and a step that will surely satisfy those that connected with The Year of Hibernation.

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ARTS IN REVIEW

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 www.ufvcascade.ca

Album

Jay Rock’s 90059 adds to Top Dawg Entertainment’s already impressive roster year MARTIN CASTRO THE CASCADE

Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) member Jay Rock’s 90059 is as hard-hitting a project as I expected it to be — although it may fly under the radar, given the fact that just about every member of TDE has released a project since Jay Rock’s debut, 2011’s Follow Me Home.

A main feature of 90059 is that Jay Rock’s flow is consistently delivered in a cold, aggressive, unflinchingly passionate manner over percussion-heavy beats, with prominent bass and snares.

“Necessary” opens the record up with a musical backdrop that quickly goes from a relaxed, L.Aflavoured jam to a more oppressive trap-backed, slightly dissonant track.

“Easy Bake” is perhaps the best track on the record because of its progression. Right out of the gate, Jay Rock’s delivery is more passionate, almost delivered in a series of lines yelled rather than rapped. This culminates in Jay

Rock and Kendrick Lamar going back and forth, bar-for-bar. Jay Rock, although audibly strained, holds his own against the arguably more prolific rapper. But the feature of this track that puts it in contention for the best on the album comes at the tail-end of it, as the beat stops short and we hear: “This is WTOP Radio and I’m your host, DJ Turn-Up ... Now bitch if you’re pushin’ up the freak with your orangutan-lookin’ ass, take some advice and bang SZA ya flat-foot bitch.” The track immediately turns into a smooth, slightly compressed, slow-soul jam. And out of the helter-skelter left by her intro, SZA contributes what I consider to be the most impressive and resonating feature of the entire project — and it’s not even rapped, it’s sung. SZA’s interlude gives way to a more down-toearth Jay Rock, and his last verse is delivered in a fashion almost as smooth as SZA’s soul.

“Wanna Ride” is also a standout track — less so than “Easy Bake” —z thanks to Isiah Rashad, who contributes a verse that ultimately works much better with

the slow, R&B–influenced production featured in the track.

Rashad’s flow is completely flawless; there’s a sense of confidence and control present that speaks volumes about how much the

rapper has grown since his beginings.

“90059” is where Jay Rock shines by himself. He raps over a disorienting beat, in a way reminiscent of Ol’ Dirty Bastard, be-

Book

On the wrong track

The Girl on the Train is a slow, formulaic read without many thrills to redeem it MEGAN LAMBERT THE CASCADE

The Girl on the Train, a psychological thriller from British author Paula Hawkins, is told from a diary perspective. It traces the stories of Rachel and Megan, two average young women who are settled in their jobs but find themselves in the sort of ho-hum rut that we often see characters in at the start of a horror film. The story’s formula goes something like this: characters are living moderately successful but boring lives (Rachel being a broken-hearted alcoholic, Megan quitting her job and beginning therapy) while silently wishing for more; a terrible crime happens; the reader gets to say “I told you so” when characters are killed off; the writer has an easy way of making their story have a simple yet profound resolution.

The diary entry format enables the author to have more than one firstperson narrative; however, as a murder mystery / thriller, I expected this novel to take on a limited-omniscient view, or switch between first-person narratives

from chapter to chapter. Instead, The Girl on the Train uses dates and times in a diary-like format, which lends itself well to the character’s perspective, such as when Rachel is speculating about her neighbours or explaining her desolate love life. However, I felt that many parts of the writing would include such phrases as, “So, I’m going to see a therapist! Which could be weird, but it could be a laugh too,” or “This isn’t a good idea. I know it’s not a good idea,” and I felt that they didn’t add much to the story. If they were supposed to make the characters more relatable, it didn’t have that effect on me, and to be honest, I found their opinions to be a little petty and irritating.

The imagery is precise and evocative; for example, in the second diary entry Rachel writes, “I just want to lean back in the soft, sagging velour seat, feel the warmth of the sunshine streaming through the window.” However, these images aren’t necessarily ground-breaking. I felt myself skimming over the borderline cliché phrases to get to the action; this book did not invite me to read

slowly and digest every word.

But with its many paragraphs of detail about the Victorian architecture of English houses and how so-and-so feels about her ex, it certainly tried. I specifically remember skipping a page or two of Rachel’s drunken episodes, and that didn’t take away from my understanding or enjoyment of the story. Consequently, I didn’t become truly attached to the characters until a third of the way through the book.

Unfortunately, the book does become a bit too obvious in the way that it reveals the culprit. No spoilers, but for those who read the book: you will know it when you see it.

The book does bring a refreshing taste to thrillers, but I don’t think this particular way of storytelling was best told in the novel format. With the switching to and from diary entries, as well as the heavy but mostly insignificant imagery, the book presents the reader, a film adaptation of this plot might be a more effective way of evoking suspense.

fore reining in his purposefully sloppy flow and honing it into a more concentrated attack.

“Vice City,” the record’s biggest single, is snugly saved away in the middle of the record. And the track deserves an entire review of its own, as every member of Black Hippy (Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul and Schoolboy Q) spit their best verses on the entire record, all of them adopting a more-or-less similar rhythm, but completely obliterating the music.

Any doubts about Black Hippy’s skill is silenced by the end of the record.

90059 is only the latest in a series of quite honestly killer records released by TDE in the past couple of years, starting with Ab-Soul’s Control System in 2012, which started a windfall of records that included good kid, M.A.A.D city, Isiah Rashad’s Civilia Demo, Schoolboy Q’s Oxymoron, SZA’s Z, Ab-Soul’s These Days, and most recently, To Pimp A Butterfly. With a host of more records set for release in the near future, TDE seems to be doing everything right.

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SPORTS & HEALTH

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 www.ufvcascade.ca

Colton O’Neill: Five years of soccer VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE

After five solid seasons with the Cascades men’s soccer team, Colton O’Neill played his final regular season home game on October 9. The W. J. Mouat Secondary graduate joined the team in 2011 and is finishing off his final year as team captain. O’Neill opens up to The Cascade about his favourite games, what he’s going to miss about the team, and what’s next for him.

Why soccer?

I started soccer when, I think, I was five. My older brother Trevor started a couple years before me, and then I wanted to play because my older brother was playing. I loved it and just kept playing. To get some school paid for, I decided to come and play here. I’ve enjoyed it.

Your brothers also played for the Cascades. What was it like being on a team with them?

Well my twin brother Connor, I’ve played pretty much all the way up with him. At UFV I got to play with my older brother Trevor. That was a lot of fun because you’re really close with them. It’s easier to feel motivated because you’re with your brothers; you see them beside you and you want to win. That helps out.

So this is your last season. How does that feel?

It’s kind of sad to be finished. It’s hard to believe that

I’m in my fifth year. It’s sad because it is a lot of fun and I’ve enjoyed it. It’s sad to realize that I’ve played five years and I can’t play anymore. I would if I could.

Have you had any favourite games or moments throughout your time with the Cascades?

We beat UBC a couple times, which was nice. And I think the first year we made playoffs we won our first game against Alberta, and I happened to score that game, and then got bronze and beat UVIC, who we hadn’t beaten previously as well. That was two years ago. That was probably one of my top moments.

What are you going to miss?

Training every day with the guys, and just the jokes and the fun you have at practice — stuff like that. The games as well. Just the guys — it’s a lot of fun. That’s what I’m going to miss the most. Just all the time with your friends. We’re a pretty close group.

What was it like playing under coaches Alan Errington and Tom Lowndes?

They’re somewhat similar I’d say. Tom is a younger guy, so you can relate to him a bit more. It’s nice. They’re both pretty friendly guys. They’re both jokesters, so that’s nice. It keeps it fun in practice.

What’s next in your soccer career?

I’m not sure, to be honest, whether I’m going to continue playing or try to go pro right now. I’m not too

sure. If anything comes up I’m sure I’ll try to go as far as I can, but right now I don’t have any plans.

How do you feel that you’ve changed throughout your time with the Cascades, personally or as a player?

I’d say maturing both as a soccer player and as a person. Being more responsible for myself. And now I’m captain of the team, so I have to be responsible for everyone else, making sure they’re pulling their weight.

In your first year you’re not really expected to do anything, just work hard. First-year, you think you have so much time, and you’re never going to be a fifth-year — same as school. You think, “Oh, I have time, I don’t need to worry. Graduation is far away.” Now you’ve got to step it up and get to it.

How do you balance everything?

I don’t know. To be honest, it’s very difficult to study if we’re on the road. It’s hard to get everything done.

When you have free time, you have to be doing something.

What’s it been like being captain this year?

It’s been good. I’d say it’s been a bit of a weird experience for me because I’m not the most outgoing guy. It’s been good just to get me out of my comfort zone.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Image: UFV Cascades

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SPORTS & HEALTH

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 www.ufvcascade.ca

Season preview: women’s basketball VANESSA BROADBENT

THE CASCADE

UPCOMING

EVENTS Oct 27 Attention in Memory and Learning talk Learn how attention, memory, and learning are connected and how to integrate that into classroom learning. Librarian Colleen Bell will discuss how memory and attention play key roles in the learning process. The event will be from 11:30 to 12:30 in G113 on the Abbotsford campus.

Every Monday Hip-hop dancing The UFV hip-hop dance club welcomes students of all skill levels to participate in hip-hop dancing.

Classes are every Monday evening from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Great Hall in the Student Union Building. More information can be found online at facebook.com/groups/ufvhiphop.

Every Wednesday Free yoga classes Join the UFV yoga club for free yoga every Wednesday. Classes are from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Great Hall in the Student Union Building. For more information visit the yoga club’s Facebook page at facebook.com/ ufvyogaclub.

Ongoing Organized drop-in sports Now that school is back in gear, drop-in sports are beginning again.

Stop by the Envision Athletics Centre to join in basketball, pickle ball / badminton, soccer, volleyball, rugby, or ball hockey games. No registration is required and anyone with a valid UFV campus card can participate. For more information and to see the full schedule visit ufvcascades.ca/rec.

With a new roster and a larger team than last season, the Cascades women’s basketball team gears up for their regular season. As the team hits the halfway mark of their preseason, head coach Al Tuchscherer talks about their strengths and weaknesses, as well as what to expect in the upcoming season.

How was training?

It was good. It was a good summer for the girls and September was pretty good. They’re a really competitive group. They’re excited to get going with the season.

How’s preseason?

We’re still in the middle of it, game-wise.

We’ve played six games and have a few more before conference starts. We’ve had a pretty tough preseason, we’ve played some highcalibre teams, but you get better every game.

We’ve had some scores that aren’t particularly flattering. We’ve had some injuries that have held us back a bit.

What’s your training regimen like?

It changed throughout the year, for sure.

Right now we practice every day, sometimes twice a day. The girls are in the weight room two, three times a week. Right now we’re playing exhibition games as well. Once we get into our conference stuff, training changes and we travel a lot more. Once we get into that we won’t be practicing twice a day. We’ll cut our lifts down to one to two times a week.

What’s your roster like this season?

A lot of new faces this year. We have eight new kids in our lineup. We graduated some last year. We had a smaller roster last year.

We brought in some really good kids; we brought in some veteran kids. We’ve had a

Image: UFV Cascades

couple transfers, a girl from the Pacwest league who had a great four years at Quest University. We’re excited about bringing her in. So, there’s a lot of new faces, which means there’s a lot of learning to do to bring the team together. It’s tough when you have that many new faces in the lineup.

What do you think are the team’s strengths and weaknesses?

Well, I think for our weakness, we’re not experienced and we’re not very big, so there’s two significant hurdles to overcome. But we can shoot the ball really well. We’ve got some kids who can really shoot the ball. Number two: we’re a super competitive group, probably as competitive as I’ve ever had. They get after it in practice, which will take you a long way as well. We’re not big, but we’re pretty athletic, so we can get some speed as well.

What are you expecting to see in the upcoming season?

Well, I think that we’re a team that can contend for a division in the championship here.

We’re in a pretty tough division but I think that we can compete, and I think that we’re in the top two or three teams vying for that division title, and that’s definitely within our grasp. I think getting us in the Canada West final four would be a fantastic accomplishment; and then once you get to the final four, nationals is in your grasp. Nationals is not out of the question for this group.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Apple cider vinegar — the cure-all?

Step aside, goji berries. There’s an old superfood in town ARIANNA SIEBERT-TIMMER CONTRIBUTOR

When you think of vinegar, you probably think of salad dressing vinaigrettes, salt and vinegar chips, or maybe (if you’re feeling especially adventurous), that baking-soda-and-vinegar volcano that was so popular in elementary school science fairs.

What many people don’t realize is that those applications barely scratch the surface, especially when we talk about apple cider vinegar (ACV).

ACV is one of the most versatile vinegars around. Made from (surprise, surprise) fermented apple cider, it has long been regarded as the duct tape of the natural world, as its uses are seemingly endless. For ex-

ample, many people claim that drinking one to three servings of two tablespoons of ACV (usually mixed with eight ounces of water) throughout the day is an excellent treatment for a huge variety of conditions, including bad breath, charlie horses, indigestion, hair loss, yellowed teeth, weight management, sore throats, heartburn, diabetes, and acne, to name a few.

And of course, the above doesn’t take into consideration the topical treatments. Perhaps the most extraordinary of them all is the claim that ACV can be used to remove any moles or warts that you may have. This works by taping a small cotton pad (soaked with ACV) to the affected area for a few nights.

Within two to seven days, the mole or wart usually falls off

on its own, root and all. On the slightly less exciting side, many people also swear by using ACV as a method to help regulate skin and hair pH — a one-to-two mixture of ACV to water applied to your face before bed can help with any problem spots you have been fighting, and a one-to-one mixture of the same applied to your hair in the shower can detangle and hydrate while removing any product build-up you may have.

Of course, this all should be taken with a grain of salt; these treatments are not scientifically proven (despite numerous anecdotal accounts on record of them working), and it is also important to remember that there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to health care. So, as with all things, proceed with caution. In this

case, so long as the proper dilution is used for the above, there are no side effects — unless you consider smelling like a pickle a side effect, in which case, yes, applying it topically will give you a questionable aroma until you wash it off.

It’s also super convenient (and economical) to get — you can easily pick up a bottle from one of your local supermarkets for less than $10. The brands are relatively comparable, and so long as you select the version that contains the “mother” (a cloudy bit at the bottom of the jar that contains most of the enzymes, proteins, and good bacteria in the batch), you’ll be good to go.

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SPORTS & HEALTH

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 www.ufvcascade.ca

Cascades host PING CCAA Golf National Championships VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE

Last week marked the first time that the UFV Cascades hosted the PING Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Golf National Championships. From October 13 to 16, 14 men’s teams, 11 women’s teams, and 103 golfers from all over Canada came together to compete at the Chilliwack Golf Club. After over a year of planning and preparation, the event kicked off on Tuesday evening with opening ceremonies and a practice round. The first round began on Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m., with the second and third rounds on Thursday

and Friday at the same time.

Cascades athletes made UFV proud with the men’s team’s Connor O’Dell tying for sixth place (-1), Connor McLellan tying for 13th place (+2), Zach Olson tying for 20th (+4), Nathan Bahnman tied for 32nd place (+9), and Cody Stewart tied for 38th place (+10).

The women’s team’s athletes also placed well, with Jennifer Kell placing 11th (+38), Hannah Dirksen placing 14th (+44), and Ciara Melhus tying for 24th (+85).

The highlights of the tournament were the Cascades men’s team’s third place finish (+9) and the women’s fourth place tie (+82).

Images: Darren McDonald

Scoreboard

Women’s Soccer:

Oct 16 UFV Cascades vs. Manitoba Bisons W 3-2

Oct 17 UFV Cascades vs. Winnipeg Wesmen W 6-1 Women’s Basketball:

Oct 16 UFV Cascades vs. VIU Mariners W 79-62 Men’s Volleyball:

Oct 16 UFV Cascades vs. CBC Bearcats W 3-0

Oct 17 UFV Cascades vs. CBC Bearcats W 3-0 Women’s Volleyball:

Oct 16 UFV Cascades vs. CBC Bearcats W 3-2

Oct 17 UFV Cascades vs. CBC Bearcats W 3-1

Upcoming Games

Men’s Soccer:

Friday Oct 23 7:15 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. UVIC Vikes (away) Saturday Oct 24 7:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. UBC Thunderbirds (away) Women’s Soccer:

Friday Oct 23 5:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. UBC Thunderbirds (away)

Saturday Oct 24 5:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. UVIC Vikes (away) Women’s Basketball

Friday Oct 23 6:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. CAP Blues (home) Men’s Volleyball:

Friday Oct 23 8:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. DC Royals (away)

Saturday Oct 24 7:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. DC Royals (away) Women’s Volleyball:

Friday Oct 23 6:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. DC Royals (away)

Saturday Oct 24 5:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. DC Royals (home)