The Cascade Vol. 25 issue 28 by The Cascade

NOVEMBER 1 TO NOVEMBER 8, 2017

VOLUME 25 ISSUE 28

Burning the toast since 1993

Hacked UFV students’ information hacked and exploited, financial demands made by hacker.

ArtHAUS Lego architecture and tile painting. We’ve got event coverage of the social gathering and fundraiser at The Reach Gallery in Abbotsford.

Haunted pg. ufv 9 -12

Season of the Bitch The intricate and complex political theories of a leftist, feminist podcast.

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017

Editorial // STAFF Editor-in-Chief Joel Robertson-Taylor joel@ufvcascade.ca Business Manager Quintin Stamler quintin@ufvcascade.ca Production Manager Caleb Campbell caleb@ufvcascade.ca Production Assistant Satinder Dhillon satinder@ufvcascade.ca Copy Editor Cat Friesen cat@ufvcascade.ca Illustrator Amara Gelaude amara@ufvcascade.ca Online Editor Jeff Mijo jeff@ufvcascade.ca Staff Writer Aleister Gwynne aleister@ufvcascade.ca Distributor Liam Ritchie distributor@ufvcascade.ca

Managing Editor Kat Marusiak kat@ufvcascade.ca News Editor Joel Robertson-Taylor joel@ufvcascade.ca Junior News Editor Jessica Barclay jessica@ufvcascade.ca Opinion Editor Jeff Mijo jeff@ufvcascade.ca Feature Editor Joel Robertson-Taylor joel@ufvcascade.ca Culture & Events Editor Cassie de Jong cassie@ufvcascade.ca Arts in Review Editor Martin Castro martin@ufvcascade.ca Varsity Writer Rachelle Strelezki rachelle@ufvcascade.ca Staff Writer Panku Sharma panku@ufvcascade.ca

THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS Shivam Duggal

Cover: Jeff Mijo, Caleb Campbell Back Cover: Caleb Campbell

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA

@UFVCASCADE FACEBOOK.COM/UFVCASCADE INSTAGRAM.COM/THE.CASCADE Volume 25 · Issue 28 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529

The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It originated under its current name in 1993, and achieved autonomy from the university and the Student Union Society in 2002. This means that The Cascade is a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published in an entirely student-run setting. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds, and is overseen by the Cascade Journalism Society Board, a body run by a student majority. The Cascade is published every Wednesday with a print circulation of 1,250 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities. The Cascade is open to written, photo, and design work from all students; these can come in the form of a pitch to an editor, or an assignment from an editor. Writers meetings are held every second Monday at 12:00 p.m. in The Cascade’s office on the Abbotsford campus. In order to be published in the newspaper, all work must first be approved by The Cascade’s editor-in-chief, copy editor, and corresponding section editor. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that contain racist, sexist, homophobic or libellous content. Letters to the editor, while held to the same standard, are unedited, and should be under 400 words. As The Cascade is an autonomous student publication, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade’s staff and collective, or associated members.

All hallows evil profits

JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Halloween is the only popular Canadian tradition that is supposed to be scary. Most are terrifying simply because of their deliberate and unabashed propagation of consumerism. Halloween is the second largest shopping season after Christmas in Canada. Canadians spent about $379.7 million on Halloween candy in 2015. And while that’s not as dastardly a large number as the United States’ $2.2 billion the same year, factoring money spent against population size, Canadians spent around $10 per person, while Americans spent closer to $7. Statistics Canada estimated about 3,870,938 children in Canada went knocking on neighbours’ doors in 2016, up 1.4 per cent from 2015. This year probably saw an increase, too. Halloween is a stupid day because of cultural appropriation. The whole thing was appropriated by consumer culture. Every year now, it seems the issue of cultural appropriation comes up, and with more ferocity each rebirth. But as Nesrine Malik writes for the Guardian, “Many who accuse others of cultural appropriation aren’t sure what they mean. It is a loose, arbitrary and amorphous notion.” The Catholic Church turned the Celts’ Samhain into All Saints Day; the night before it later became All Hallows Eve, which was eventually shortened to Halloween. The history of Halloween goes a bit like this: Origins date back 2,000 years ago to the Celts. Their festival, Samhain, was celebrated on their new year, November 1. It marked the end of summer and harvest and the beginning of the long, cold, and gloomy (and likely deadly) U.K. winter.

On Oct. 31, the night before Samhain, ghosts of the dead returned for a visit. To avoid the ghostys, people left food and wine on their doorsteps (naturally) to keep the ghosts busy. When people left their homes, they’d also wear a mask to trick the ghosts into thinking they were also a ghost. I guess ghosts leave other ghosts alone. Eventually the Roman Empire conquered most of the Celtic territory. With the Romans came Roman traditions; two Roman festivals were combined with Samhain. On May 13, 609 A.D., Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome in honour of the Blessed Virgin and all the Christian martyrs. The Catholic feast, All Martyrs Day, was established in the Western church. Pope Gregory III eventually expanded the festival to include all saints as well as all martyrs, and changed the date from May 13 to November 1. Later, in 1000 A.D., the church made Nov. 2 All Souls’ Day, to honour the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain and it’s believed that the church attempted to merge Catholicapproved holidays with pagan ones (like Christmas). All Souls Day saw celebrations with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up. All Saints Day was also referred to as All-hallows (from the Middle English word, Alholowmesse, meaning All Saints’ Day). Eventually the night before began to be known as All-Hallows Eve, then ultimately, Halloween. In the medieval tradition of “guising,” young people would dress up and accept food, wine, or money, in exchange for singing, telling jokes, or reciting poetry. In the 19th century, Scottish and Irish immigrants in America revived their old traditions and trickor-treating was born. Even then, the

day’s activities leaned towards the tricking, and less the treating. By the 1930s, Halloween had become a secular, but communitycentred holiday, with parades and town-wide Halloween parties as the centerpiece. In the 1950s, the custom began to look like the child-focused, familyoriented, easily marketable day that it is today. Today, Halloween wouldn’t exist were it not for the important purpose of conditioning young children into future consumers. Though Halloween as a holiday is celebrated by all ages, the practice of trick-or-treating serves as a Pavlovian sort of child-napping. Trick-or-treating is the only major Canadian tradition that is enacted almost entirely for and by children. Which is odd, because as Steve Almond writes in this book, Candyfreak, “I have a hard time defending the production of candy, given that it is basically crack for children and makes them dependent in unwholesome ways.” In her essay, “Trick or Treat?: Halloween Lore, Passive Consumerism, and the Candy Industry” Susan Honeyman, professor of English, University of Nebraska, attempts to show how this early socialization through Halloween takes place within the body, “ideologically initiating children into consumer culture through the development of taste.” It quite literally shapes taste by overwhelming the taste buds. Honeyman writes, “commercial and protectionist practices pacify the young (preparing them to become unquestioning consumers), and frequently Halloween stories reflect this reality, helping to co-opt the audience in the process.” Modern Halloween mythologies tend to reflect the modern, commercial qualities of the day, rather than historical significance. Sometimes unhappy people talk about cultural appropriation as a consequence of poor costume choice. What about the 2,000 years of continual commandeering of a pagan holiday and recommandeering of a loosely post-pagan holiday for consumer control? If you ever find yourself getting worked up about some guy wearing a sombrero to a frat party, just remember, the true heart of Halloween as we know it is appropriation for profit.

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017

Data security //

NEWS BRIEFS

Private UFV information hacked Multiple students’ account information hit

UFV Alumni Association torch passed to Nav Bains The Alumni Association will now be under the leadership of Nav Bains, previous Alumni Association vice president and marketing specialist for G&F Financial Group. “This is great news for the Association. Succession creates incentive to retain great leaders within an organization, puts fresh eyes on old processes and programs, and allows new ideas to flourish. It’s good for the Association and – ultimately – it’s good for our university and her students,” Nikolas Venema, Alumni Association chair for the past two years, said in an email. Bains’ first act as associate chair was to give honorary lifetime memberships to Madeleine Hardin, former executive director of University Advancement and Alumni Engagement, and Leslie Courchesne, former executive director of UFV University Relations, for their effort and commitment to UFV.

Neighbourhood health and wellness fair at Five Corners UFV Chilliwack health science students will be running a neighbourhood wellness fair at Five Corners. The fair will run from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. on Monday, November 6. The event will be free, and all are welcome to attend. As part of the community outreach, participants will be given access to a variety of health services, including free dental kits, First Nations resources, and parenting tips. The fair will also include support topics for mental health and addiction, support for LGBT+Q2, and support for seniors. There will be cookies and snacks, door prizes, and a storytelling session for children.

-UFV Today

JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Private information from 29 UFV accounts was emailed to hundreds of other UFV student emails Monday morning. The email demands $30,000, and threatened to release thousands of more accounts’ information should their demand not be met within 48 hours. The information disclosed from the accounts includes the student’s names, birthdates, personal emails, addresses, and grade point averages. Limited bank

information from one of the accounts was also released. UFV has temporarily suspended the UFV student email system and myUFV portal. In an email sent Tuesday night, Eric Davis, UFV provost and vice-president academic, said that the suspension of these services is expected to continue until 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 6. The email revealing account information that The Cascade obtained was originally sent from a UFV student email to hundreds of other UFV student emails with first names beginning with letters

“Ca.” After becoming aware of the attack on Monday, UFV individually contacted the students whose private info was disclosed. As a precautionary measure, an email was sent to all faculty, staff, and students Tuesday morning. In the email, Davis said, “UFV is working diligently with the appropriate authorities, including the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, the police, and external investigators, to determine the source of this information breach.” Dave Pinton, UFV director of communications said, “We regret this occured, and are working to make sure these systems are secured, and that students receive the support that they need.” In June 2016, the University of Calgary paid a demanded $20,000 after "ransomware" hijacked their computer systems. Earlier this year, University College London in England fell victim to a ransomware attack. University staff said it caused a "very substantial disruption." A ransomware attack locks or encrypts computer systems and threatens them with damaging software unless a ransom is paid. Though the attack against UFV isn’t ransomware, the cyberattacker has asked for a ransom in exchange for not releasing more information.

University rankings //

Globe and Mail 2018 university report JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Globe and Mail's Canadian University Report profiles more than 70 universities across Canada to show a variety of rankings, from educational experience to the feel of the campus. Since last year, UFV’s rankings only changed in one category, student experience, in which the institution dropped from above average to average. According to the report, the researchers gathered data on affordability, degree completion, student satisfaction, research funding, class size, innovation, and other factors. As in past years, the researchers used the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), which allows students to rate their university experience in detail. The report profile on UFV says that undergraduate students are encouraged to pursue their own research to increase their chances of obtaining scholarships, awards, and graduate-school positions, and according to results from the NSSE, “students are likely to believe that UFV provides them with job skills more than students attending other universities in the region, except for those attending Vancouver Island University.”

The report goes on to say that, “Of the student body, more than half are women, and Indigenous students comprise a significant 6 per cent,” the report said. UFV’s strategic enrolment management plan outlines the goal of matching the number of Indigenous students to reflect the amount of Indigenous individuals living in the Fraser Valley. Currently UFV’s

Indigenous student numbers meet this goal. “The thing that struck me [about the report] is that we’re pretty consistent with our peer group, not just in B.C. but across Canada,” Eric Davis, UFV provost and vice president academic, said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017

Research Chair //

UFV welcomes new Research Chair Cindy Jardine Cindy Jardine continues research on environmental health risk communication in indigenous communities across Canada from her new place at UFV

Photo: UFV Flickr

JESSICA BARCLAY JR. NEWS EDITOR

UFV recently welcomed Dr. Cindy Jardine as the third Canadian Research Chair currently at UFV. Jardine’s research lies in the area of health risk communication, a relatively new field born from the need to better communicate the health risks associated with behaviour, lifestyle, and environmental factors to the public. While at UFV, Jardine will work on three major projects. The first will be her continued work with Indigenous youths on developing health messaging through photobooks and videos. The youth take pictures and produce videos to express their opinions and feelings on health topics in their community, including physical activity, diet, or activities that could have adverse health risks. The second project will address suicide intervention through the use of forum theatre in five Indigenous communities. Youth put on a fictional play drawn from their own experiences on an aspect of mental health, with the goal being to address these issues in hopes that youth will see others ways besides suicide to solve their problems. Jardine’s third project will look at the barriers faced by Canada's immigrant and refugee populations against immunization, and reasons for the under immunization within these groups.

Jardine got her Bachelor of Science in biology, and worked as a provincial biologist for many years. She went on to do her master’s degree in environmental engineering, but realized that the health risks concerning environmental issues were poorly communicated to people. She continued on to get her PhD in public health, specifically in environmental health and risk communications. Do you remember a specific point that made you transition from environmental science to public health?

need to do good science, but just good science doesn’t always translate into good decisions for people You’ve certainly got your hands full with projects. Yes, I was blessed and cursed last year in that I got three large grants. I say that, but every researcher’s dream is to get a large grant. Getting three of them at once means it's an “OMG” moment of “Oh, now I need to get three large multicentre research projects up and going, involving multiple researchers and locations and time zones,” and things like that. But, it’s a good way to be challenged.

“I thought there was more involved in this than just doing good science.”

I think it was at a public meeting in northern Ontario. I was there representing the Ontario government, and we were talking about pulp mills, and pollution from pulp mills at the time. And I thought, “Continuing to hammer home the science of pulp mills isn’t making these people any less apprehensive, and any more assured that their health is being protected, and there doesn’t seem to be any real mechanism to incorporate any of that feedback into the decision making process.” It took a few years before I actively did anything about it, but I think that was the point at which I thought there was more involved in this than just doing good science. We

Do you feel like your work makes a long-term impact on these Indigenous communities? Well, long-term impact is so hard to measure on research projects, you know. Some of the advantages I've had while working with one community, though, is that I've had that continuity where I get to see how doing one research project makes a difference. With the Yellowknife Dene First Nations, for example, last year, after one of

the out-on-the-land culture camps, the youth who were involved independently decided that they didn’t just want to be involved with one-off activities that we coordinated. They wanted some sort of coordinated, more permanent means of having a voice in their community around health and environmental issues. So, they have independently created a youth society that is going to decide what research they think is of interest, and that they would like to be involved in. I'm really excited about this, because this is something that will outlive my research projects. And ultimately, that’s my goal. How do you feel about the UFV community so far? I love it here. I love the enthusiasm for the type of work that I do. I love that people think it's important to work with communities, and that they understand what working with communities entails. Sometimes, being at a large research institute, you get compared to people who do primarily laboratory-based research, and my research is very different, and has different kinds of timelines and outputs associated with it. UFV really understands that, and finds value in that. This interview was edited for length and clarity.

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 ‘The breakdown’ The data was split into six categories: tuition and fees, bursaries and awards, conduct research, applied learning, library resources, and student experience. This year, UFV’s tuition, $5,208.41, scored below average, meaning UFV’s tuition is at least $300 below the provincial average. UFV ranked below average for bursaries and awards, as it did for 2017 and 2016. Davis said that this is partly because UFV is a smaller campus, and not very old as an institution. Davis also mentioned that increasing financial support offerings is a huge priority of the university. “To be able to do all the things we want to do, we need to be able to support students. It’s increasingly challenging for students, financially, to go to university,” Davis said. UFV received no ranking for research because UFV is not considered a research institution. In applied learning, UFV ranked above average. As outlined by UFV’s Education Plan, goal one is to prioritize learning everywhere, meaning education should happen both inside and outside the classroom. Goal five of the plan is to integrate experiential learning, which includes field work, lab experience, research, and assignment activities. Both goals relate to applied learning. “[This ranking] reflects what we’ve prioritized for a number of years now, and we think it’s one of our strengths,” Davis said. For library resources, UFV ranked below average. This is consistent with similar universities across B.C. All universities in B.C. ranked below average in library resources, except three of the four research institutions: SFU, UBC, and UVic. “The reason for that is primarily because undergraduate universities are not research-intensive universities generally, and therefore they have fewer library resources,” Davis said. Despite the below average library resources ranking, UFV continues to expand its library each year. Davis noted that the measuring stick used in the report is primarily built around the research-intensive university’s model. “The kinds of questions they don’t ask are those that wouldn’t matter to a big research-intensive university, because they wouldn’t do well on it; like faculty-student interaction.”

Stories worth paying attention to

#Basic

#ResidentsNoLonger

#Dismissed

B.C. government considers basic income as part of its poverty reduction strategy

Our southern resident orcas are headed for extinction

Supreme Court of Canada dismissed appeals in Dziekanski case

The B.C. NDP government will consider introducing a basic income trial as part of their poverty reduction strategy, much like Ontario is currently doing. The basic income pilot program would look to test the effectiveness of basic income in reducing poverty, and improving health, employment, and housing prospects. Poverty reduction minister Shane Simpson reports that over 670,000 British Columbians currently live in poverty, the highest rate in Canada.

There is concern that without immediate intervention, the local southern resident killer whale population is heading towards extinction. With the failure of the annual Chinook salmon run this year, the southern resident’s numbers have been reduced to 76 members, due in part to malnutrition, as Chinook salmon accounts for over 80 per cent of the Orca’s diet. It is estimated that there is a 25 per cent chance of this killer whale population going extinct in the next 100 years, or in less than two generations.

The Supreme Court of Canada has dismissed the appeals of two mounties, Kwesi Millington and Benjamin (Monty) Robinson, charged with perjury following the public enquiry about the death of Robert Dziekanski.

The official reduction strategy will be introduced next spring, after a series of public consultations have taken place. An advisory group, including poverty advocates, academics, and First Nations members, have also been gathered to provide citizen guidance as the government constructs its poverty reduction strategy.

“If something isn’t done to enhance the SRKW prey availability almost immediately … extinction of this charismatic resident population of killer whales is inevitable in the calculable future,” wrote Ken Balcomb, founder and lead scientist at the Center for Whale Research on San Juan Island in a media release.

- Toronto Star

- the Tyee

Dziekanski was tasered several times, and died in the arrivals area of the Vancouver International Airport in 2007. “Millington was sentenced to 30 months in prison, and Robinson was handed a jail term of two years less a day, one year of probation, and 240 hours of community service,” reported CBC News. “Both men separately appealed their B.C. Supreme Court convictions, arguing the trial judge made a mistake in assessing the evidence against them.” The court immediately rejected both appeals after hearing them. - the CBC

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017

B.C. Medical //

Interwebs //

Digital death JEFF MIJO

OPINION EDITOR

I just read on Twitter that somebody passed away. He wasn’t a celebrity per se, but he was someone well-connected and well-respected in the community where he worked, and now my feed is filled with an outpouring of grief and fond memories from other people I follow who knew him. By all accounts, he was a tremendous, caring, beloved person. I never met him — I think I saw him at a convention once, but I wasn’t a fan per se, I just knew of him. I think I might have followed him on Twitter for a month or two, years back, but I probably unfollowed him along with dozens of others in an attempt to thin out my followees list. Death on the internet is a weird thing. We, as a culture, haven’t learned how to deal with it fully yet. Whether it’s a public figure, or an online friend, dealing with the death of someone you knew purely through the internet feels somehow different. When a celebrity passes away, it’s obviously tragic, but somehow it’s easier to wrap your head around. The mental separation between “online” and “real life” helps us accept that the folks we see in media, other than online, exist in the real world, because they’re in those separate realms, just like we are. But, when people exist only on the internet, it’s somehow different. It’s not even a question of the amount of information about that person. Consider someone you follow on YouTube. Maybe they vlog or play games or review something, but they’re likely a fixture in your life weekly, perhaps even daily. Think about a podcaster who speaks directly into your ear for hours every week, or a streamer who answers your questions or laughs at your jokes in real time. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in these people’s lives, to feel like these are real relationships, even though the relationship is really just fan and performer. Psychologists call this “parasocial interaction,” and while it’s not limited to the internet, the immediate, constant nature of the web makes it a prime breeding ground for these kinds of “connections.” Because we’re hearing from a person so often, listening to stories about their lives and (what seems like) all of their thoughts and opinions, we naturally feel close to this person. Per-

haps their work helped us get through a tough time, or has become part of our routine for years on end. But, even if we feel like we really know this person, I don’t think we’re consciously aware that they’re mortal the way we think about our real-world friends and family, or even celebrities. Part of that might be that the “internet content creator” demographic skews very young compared to traditional media personalities. We’ll reach a point where it seems like these YouTube stars are dying at an alarming rate, but it’ll be years away — the same way music fans might be feeling in recent years as we’re losing more and more big names of past decades. We haven’t adjusted to our stars from the internet dying yet, because many of them are still young. The other side of death on the internet is the more interpersonal relationships, the true twoway friendships we forge with people we’ve never met. I think that’s the scarier part to think about — I’m sure if my favourite YouTuber died tomorrow, someone who knew them in the real world would get the news out to their fans. But what about that friend from a small forum you visited for years? Will their family think to figure out their password, and post during that difficult time? Will they even know it existed? There are ways we as internet users can prepare for this unfortunately certain point in our future (far away as it hopefully may be). A traditional will could include instructions and passwords for key accounts, and people who should be notified that might otherwise be forgotten. Social media sites do allow families to take action after the death of a loved one, such as Facebook allowing accounts to be “memorialized.” There are even services that will handle distributing your accounts to a person of your choosing after your demise. But, like any other aspect of planning for an unexpected end, that would require you to actually set it up, which never seems particularly pressing. So, while hopefully it’s not something we have to start dealing with on a regular basis anytime soon, I think it’s worth taking the time to think about. Let the people close to you know which online communities you care about, tell the people you follow how they’ve impacted your life, and write down a few passwords and hide them away. It doesn’t hurt to be prepared.

MSP needs to leave

PANKU SHARMA STAFF WRITER

I’m by no means a bow tie-wearing policy wonk with all the answers concentrated into neatly stacked and meticulously stapled white papers, I just think with end goals in mind, and faith, we can build the roads there. I’m driven by my passions, so I don’t know if any amount of logical analysis or wonkery could dissuade me from the now firm belief that there is no better future for the citizens of British Columbia than bringing down the Medical Services Premium with fire and bulldozers. I love universal healthcare, I love that this country is able to see the benefit in being there for each other, and giving at least the bare minimum in support of society’s health. (Although I think pharma and dental are areas we can go even further.) I’m more than willing to pay to support the health of this society, both through principle, and because it’s for the betterment of all, and costs us less in the long term. What I am not willing to do any longer is put up with the headache that is the MSP plan. Waiting on hold for a Revenue Services agent and various human resources departments has taken up at least a solid half day of my life, all told, in the last year. First, you have the forms to sign to get covered under your employer (which isn’t a given), and the duplicates to set up a premium assistance plan if your household income was under $42K last year. And then there’s the kerfuffle of your work and your partner’s work both covering your spouse (through deductions, neither will cover it outright), so you accidentally double paid into MSP, but for some reason no one at Revenue Services seemed to notice. All three B.C. provincial parties have publicly made commitments to wanting to see MSP gone, but with varying degrees of specifics in regards to how they would make up for the lost revenue. Rates are going to be cut in the coming year, but I think we should move past the foreplay, and just go ahead and collect the revenues from a progressive tax. As it stands, for those of us making over $42K in a year, we all pay the same flat amount of MSP, which means those on the lower end of the scale are hit harder. The fact that there isn’t consistency in employer support — whether it’s paid at all, if it’s a percentage, and if it’s deducted from wages, or just covered outright — means often those more capable of carrying the burden don’t really have to. I’d rather pay the same or higher amount as a one-off payment through an increase in income tax, as well as higher taxes on businesses. (Yeah, even small ones, you want your employees showing up and healthy.) Not only will this spread out the cost in a more equitable manner, but there are substantial savings (near $77 million according to NDP MLA Carole James earlier this year) to be had in eliminating the needlessly complicated and inefficient collection system. I don’t know where this is on the priority list, considering everything else wrong with our government and society, but I would appreciate if some gears in the machinery could get moving, so I can move onto my next personal inconvenience to yell about.

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OPINION

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017

Time wasting //

Sinking time into social media

If you want to be a successful student — or person — maybe you should cut down on how much time you spend online. SHIVAM DUGGAL CONTRIBUTOR

It starts in the morning... no, actually, the night before. Your mind is riddled with guilt while you scroll down your Instagram feed. Nothing is going on in your mind while you watch that “life hack” video that you won’t turn off, because in the back of your mind, you know that it might be of use someday. Finally, you say to yourself that is it for today. I am going to get up early tomorrow, and prepare for my midterm that was announced a week ago. You had the whole week to give it a start, but you could not, owing to some “understandable” reasons. Since social media has penetrated so deeply into our lives, we might as well stop calling it a problem. Online accounts are inseparable from people, and it is not

wrong to call them an extension of one’s personality. It is with their existence that we have information all around us at all times. This is where the famous “What does a man with power want?” scenario comes into play. We have all watched so much content, that all we want is more content. Before you even know it, all that content becomes a distraction, although the word “distraction” falls short of describing its potential, and effect on our lives. The last two weeks were quite hectic, as students had midterm exams. We’ve all made that rookie mistake of not doing our class readings throughout the course, and leaving everything for the day before the exam. But it’s not a rookie mistake if you repeat it every semester. It is easy to get caught up on social media platforms, and waste time without realizing, followed by

procrastinating on things that really matter. They’re all great tools to socialize and share information, but if you tune in just to show your loyalty to your favourite YouTuber while feeding your brain with their innumerable “try not to laugh” videos, you might want to change that. My point is, we are living in a time when the supply of content is exceeding our demand, and if you try to keep up with it, you are compromising your priorities, and your education is just one of them. Besides, if you ask yourself with complete honesty, you will realize that you don’t need it. In reality, it’s just the impulse to reach out to your phone when you do not have anything to do. The best way to curb it is to let yourself engage in more natural activities, and do things that challenge you on both a physical and mental level. Go for a walk, work out, practise a hobby

that makes you feel fulfilled and confident, or even volunteer for a cause you support with as much dedication as you give your social media profiles. For the record, checking Facebook does not count as a hobby. It is never too late to change yourself, I agree. But, you must realize it is getting later every day. You have to decide by yourself that you will not waste yet another weekend doing nothing productive. Manage your priorities, rather than complaining that things are not going the way you want them to. That way, you can bring some direction to your life and — guess what — you get to keep your act together the night before the midterm too! Isn’t that cool?

B.C. politics //

Proportional representation on the agenda again

B.C. government schedules referendum for next fall ALEISTER GWYNNE STAFF WRITER

British Columbia’s NDP-Green coalition government has announced a new referendum on voting reform, which is currently scheduled to take place in fall of 2018. Making an effort to scrap B.C.’s current first-past-the-post voting (FPTP) system was one of the conditions the Green party had for supporting the NDP in the new coalition government, and the NDP is following through on that promise. It is not yet clear exactly what system will be proposed to replace FPTP, but it will certainly involve some method of proportional representation. There have already been two referendums in B.C. to change the voting system, in 2005 and 2009. Both of them failed to pass. However, the 2018 referendum will have different rules. The prior referendums required at least 60 per cent of votes in favour province-wide, and at least 50 per cent approval in 60 per cent of ridings. The 2005 vote fell just short of the requirements, while in 2009 it failed by a larger margin. However, the 2018 referendum will only require 50 per cent plus one in order to pass. A few commentators — such as columnist Bill Tieleman, and BC Liberal Party leadership candidate Sam Sullivan — have balked at the proposal, claiming that it will lead to an era of perpetual minority governments, allow fringe parties disproportionate power, and take away local representation, especially for rural ridings. If proportional representation leads to endless minority governments, I say “Good, let’s have them.” Personally, I am quite satisfied with the current arrangement, and not only because of my political leanings. Without a majority in the legislature, the governing party cannot force any policies that are too outrageous, lest the other parties strike them down. It ensures a degree of compromise and cooperation that makes for more sensible decision-making, that is in more voters’ interests. Some might view this

as a bad thing, causing parties to sacrifice their ideals, but I would point you towards the United States to see what happens when a political system becomes too stable and polarized. Too much stability is a bad thing, and I would prefer a government where all of the parties are kept on their toes, and are forced to take other factions into account. If this referendum passes, it will completely change the political map of the province. There will no longer be safe seats, or non-competitive ridings, the parties will not have the luxury of playing favourites, and pitting different regions of the province against one another to gain the most votes in their traditional strongholds, and focus their efforts disproportionately on a handful of swing districts. This will force the candidates to appeal to all British Columbians, since the minority voters who are swept under the rug in our FPTP system will become a factor. In truth, nobody can predict how the new arrangement will favour certain parties, and that scares some people. Losing local representation is one area in which I concede that the critics may have a point. Under the current rules, MLAs must reside in the riding they represent, which ensures (in theory, at least) that representatives will understand, and advocate for, the needs and concerns of those they represent. Personally, I would much prefer to be represented in Parliament by a local who knows the attitudes and challenges of their constituents. Proportional representation makes this harder to do. One option is mixed member proportional, in which the winning party is given the amount of ridings they won the most votes in corresponding to the percentage of the popular vote won. If the winning party won fewer ridings than the popular vote percentage ought to have given them, their numbers are filled out with “general” MPs who represent no specific district. It is a complicated solution, and an incomplete one, but there are options; even if we do lose some local perspective from our politicians, I think respecting the

wishes of the voting public as a whole is worth it. Politics aside, I am of the opinion that proportional representation is simply more fair. In the last provincial election, the Green party won 17 per cent of the popular vote, but only got three seats in Parliament, as opposed to 17 per cent of them, which would be 14 or 15 seats (depending on how you round it) in our 87-seat legislature. The reason for this discrepancy is that, under the FPTP system, we count ridings, not votes. The determining factor in deciding whether a candidate “wins” a riding is the greatest number of votes cast for that candidate. If you did not vote for the party that won in your riding, then your vote is essentially thrown out, and not counted. Also, if there are more than two candidates (as there often are in Canada), then the winning party may have less than 50 per cent of the popular vote, meaning that most people voted against them, but they still won. This doesn’t sound much like democracy to me. It is high time to put an end to false majorities, and shutting minority voices out of political representation. I hope that this new referendum passes, and I suspect it will this time. Hopefully then we’ll see some real politics in B.C.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017

More is not always better

No payment for pain

Why do we take pride in cramming our schedules beyond what is healthy? We say yes to everything, and leave no time for ourselves. Whenever I tell anyone how much I’m doing this semester (which is admittedly way more than I intended), I get remarks of “that’s impressive,” and “good for you!” And, when we see others doing more than we are doing, we feel guilty, we think that we should be doing more. But why is more inherently better? Why is it an accomplishment to be doing so much that we don’t have time to see our friends for months on end? In reality, we should block off time to relax, to sit back and breathe. If we don’t have time to recharge, we’re going to burn out, making ourselves entirely ineffective for even the most simple of tasks. We shouldn’t wear our stress like a badge of honour, as something we are proud of. More is not always better. Remember this next time you think you can cram five courses into one semester, while also working and volunteering.

One of the things I’ve noticed as I spend more time in the U.S. and speaking with Americans is the subtle way their healthcare system encourages them to “just deal with it.” Canada’s system is far from perfect (see: the fact that we have to pay anything at all for essential prescriptions), but if I tripped and hurt my back, felt random chest pain, or was sick with anxiety, the fact that I can make that initial trip to the doctor’s office to say “Hey, should I be worried about this?” without paying means I can’t write off my concerns as easily. I know nobody likes going to the doctor, but if that visit comes with a not-insignificant fee, it’s so much easier to say “Ehh, it’s not worth the trouble, I’ll be fine.” By having no fee at all, at the very least for that initial visit, it incentivizes us to be a little more cautious, to get problems checked out before they become serious. The less barriers there are to treatment, the healthier society becomes.

Cat Friesen

Brief bits of bite sized brevity

SNAPSHOTS

The saga of incomplete books

My friend regularly opines about the strangeness for toasters to have a setting that fully burns the toast. I don’t think there’s anything weird about it. I happen to think there’s so much freedom in knowing you can roast the sillies out of a slice of bread. It’s not really a problem anyways — if you don’t want your toast black as sin, avoid the intensity setting number seven brings with it. To put our toaster’s temp control system range into perspective, a one is about a tea candle and a seven is seven seconds on the sun. Somewhere within that precarious range is the perfect setting for any typical toasting need. For a sandwich, I like to toast at about a two, and for anything taking a spread, I’ll bring ‘er up to a five, maybe six if it’s a good jam. But seven? Not unless I want to replicate a supernova. So, the obliterate-matter setting isn’t really an issue if you stay away from it. Just don’t be crazy and roast at seven.

Jessica Barclay

Curtailed commentary on current conditions

Roasty toasty

Reading has always been my favourite hobby, and I bring a book everywhere with me. Yet, it feels like it takes me months to get through one book. I will finish the first 90 per cent of a book within two days, and the last 10 per cent over the next year, and I can’t figure out why. My backpack has turned into an unfinished book storage unit. One I have right now, “Dragons of Winter Night,” has less than 40 pages left to read. I could read that in the Tim Hortons line up! But I don’t; I haven’t touched the book in months. Perhaps the ending is too boring, or I burned myself out to quickly. I have a sneaking suspicion, though, that my commitment to the story may play a small role. Ending a book feels like the ending of an adventure, and finishing that last page may be the last time I see those characters. They deserve more than a two-day binge read.

Illustrations: Amara Gelaude

Jeff Mijo

Joel Robertson-Taylor

a journey into THe haunted world at ufv Written by: Jeff Mijo layout by: Caleb Campbell

In the days leading up to Halloween, we mortals go about our trivial, daily lives, perhaps spicing them up with a few bat stickers on our windows, or some tiny chocolate bars to shorten our already finite lives, but otherwise unconcerned with the change in the world around us. But to the creatures and entities that inhabit UFV, it is the biggest week of the year, a time to manifest their energy towards whatever malevolent and terrifying goals they hold within their unknowable minds.

An Ominous Warning I should have known the moment I arrived that I needed to turn right back around and go home to cower in safety. Only a few cars dotted the parking lot, an unheard of sight; normally, finding one space is as rare as a full-sized chocolate bar when trickor-treating. But a near barren lot? It was a warning. None stayed this late by choice. These were the vehicles of those who could not leave. Was I about to join them?

Considering myself a fearless and intrepid photojournalist, I did what few would dare to do: I visited UFV on a Friday night, a time when it is silent, abandoned, where none would hear my screams if I ran into the beasts that surely dwell within our campus. But I didn’t want to avoid them; I wanted to find them. I was looking for the creepiest, most haunted places at UFV, but nothing could have prepared me for the terrors that lay within.

What Needs to Be Contained? As I began to walk the perimeter of the campus, with no sounds save for the distant hum of highway traffic and my own purposeful footsteps reaching my ears, I neared the bus stop outside of A building. That’s when I heard it. Ka-thump. Ka-thump. Ka-thump. A steady pounding of flesh on metal, each impact followed by the faint rattle of a chain. I listened carefully and crept towards the noise, soon finding the source: a short, sealed cube. It bore no signage, no indicator of what was inside. But something was inside. With each thump, the doors bulged slightly, and the lock rattled. Whatever was trapped within longed for a freedom that I — having seen a horror movie or two in my time — opted not to give it. Even as I walked away, the steady kathump followed me, echoing in my head, even after it was out of earshot.

Class Is In Session And then it happened: my first encounter with the undeniably supernatural. My route eventually led me to C building, and as I rounded the corner and it came into sight, my breath stopped short in my throat. There was a light on ahead of me, not just an always-on hallway light, but an actual classroom’s. Not just that, but inside I saw figures sitting at desks, their stares unbreaking as they followed some sort of leader around the room. Ghosts. It had to be. No student would be in class on a Friday evening. These were the poor souls of students who were damned to eternal torment by an unworkable class schedule, condemned to always receive registration dates later than the rest of the school. No human could take that kind of torment, and now, as the rest of the campus was abandoned, they eternally studied courses they never even wanted but had to take because nothing else had space. Clearly, C building warranted a closer inspection.

Arrows I know C building is dominated by visual arts people, but I found something strange that I don’t think was just art: bizarre, not quite symmetrical triangles of varying sizes embedded in the floors, pointing me to some unknown destination within its labyrinthine halls. I shouldn’t follow signs like this blindly, I know that. But this was not a mission of self-preservation. This was a mission of discovery, and I wanted to discover what these ominous markers were leading me to. As it turns out, it was a staircase.

I Can’t See Them, But They Can See Me There’s something intensely disconcerting about climbing the stairs in C building in the dead of night. Giant windows, which probably let in the rare glimpses of sunlight our climate allows, turn into massive one-way mirrors in the dark. As I ascended the stairs, I looked outside, but saw only my reflection, trying not to quiver as I took this photo of the seemingly infinite reflection and wondering who — or what — might be looking at me from the other side. But when I glanced back down at the screen to see my photograph, I found only a blank mirrored surface reflected back at me. Must’ve been a weird angle.

Large Tub Once I’d examined the second floor of C building and found nothing scarier than a bunch of offices belonging to business professors, I came down a different staircase, not wanting to expose myself to the prying eyes outside the one I’d ascended. This back route was less creepy, I assured myself. How wrong I was. At the bottom I found this strange cart. It was probably three feet deep and six feet long, and appeared to have been scrubbed clean inside. What was it for transporting? I couldn’t help but notice the sizable dimensions were the ideal size for a human… possibly one who could no longer walk with their own two legs. As part of my journalism training for The Cascade, I’d recently completed a tracking course, and noticed faint tracks leading from the wheels of the cart out a nearby door, so of course, I had to follow them.

The Hatch The tracks led to a strange, rusted metal hatch between D building and the SUB, its heavy cast-iron lid latched tightly shut. Nothing pounded on this portal like the one I’d encountered earlier in the night, but the plants around it showed signs of having been rolled over by the cart’s wheels. Whatever had been in the cart was dumped down this hole. Maybe my paranoia was getting the better of me, but a faint rotting smell seemed to find its way to my nostrils as I examined the sealed hole, warning me of my potential fate if I lingered too long. A shiver worked its way up my spine, and I decided it was time to get back inside.

Too Quiet On the third floor of D building I found a “quiet study area,” just like the one on the floor below, but with one noticeable difference: there were no couches (and, as The Cascade previously reported, these were excellent couches). Where had they gone? The marks of their presence remained on the floor, a grim reminder of the impermanence of everything and everyone. As I examined the dark space, I caught another glimpse of the sign overhead, and a stomach-churning realizing hit me: quiet* study area. I’d seen how students on couches were. They weren’t quiet. They chatted and yammered and disobeyed these kinds of signs. Some of them must have been a bit too noisy, and whoever insists on this quiet decided to take matters into their own hands. The couches surely would never come back. Maybe the noisy students wouldn’t either.

Passage to the Underworld

Strange Light

I followed a winding path through the upper-floors of UFV’s infrastructure to the tallest tower of A building, and started to climb down the stairs when I happened to glance over the railing. I only peeked for a second, but what I saw looked like a gaping black maw, a portal into the underworld. This was it. The source of UFV’s demons and ghosts, no doubt about it. I clutched my camera tightly, worried that if I dropped it into this abyss, I’d never see it again. Suddenly, a wave of vertigo washed over me, and the walls seem to distort and twist around me, closing in. I felt ill, my air supply cut off. And then, I heard it. Or at least, I thought I did. Footsteps, climbing up from that pit to the underworld. I paused, listening again, but heard nothing. An echo of my own footfalls, no doubt.

The claustrophobia of the stairwell was too much for me. I had to get outside. I bolted for the door and ran onto the sidewalk, taking a deep breath of the crisp night air. My heart was racing, and my vision started to blur, but I sat down to catch my breath. My head pounded as it raced to comprehend all that I’d seen, and I contemplated hurrying back to my car to get out of there before I lost my chance. I’d seen enough. I knew without a doubt that UFV was inhabited by all manner of terrible and terrifying creatures. I could leave. But then, I looked up and saw a strange blue glow in the distance. A wisp of light, dancing in the darkness, not threatening, but mysterious. Journalistic curiosity got the best of me. I followed it.

The Murky Swamp The strange light guided me across the deserted Green, across dew-soaked grass, and over crisp leaves — its movement steady. But when I saw where it was leading me next, I froze, and so did it. It hovered above the entrance to the tree-covered path through the murky swamp, a place I knew the biology department enacted all manner of experiments, strange and foreign to an arts student like myself. I knew, however, that nothing good came of wandering into a scientist’s swamp in the dead of night with nobody around while following a mysterious light. I’m not stupid. I don’t want to get eaten by some kind of bog monster. So, like any rational person, I took off at a full sprint away from the treacherous will-o’-the-wisp, wanting only to find my way to safe refuge. But, as I went, I heard what sounded like a heavy sigh behind me, followed by even heavier footsteps. I wasn’t alone.

A Landmark in Ruins I had tunnel vision as I ran, with that something hot on my heels, its breath seemingly in my ears. Maybe it was nothing but a mind driven mad by all that I’d seen, but I wasn’t about to take the chance, and I wasn’t slowing down to look back. That is, until I found what could’ve once been a point of refuge, defaced into another sign of the horrors that had taken over UFV. Bucket Corner, a favourite meeting place for students and staff alike, had been attacked, defaced, and damaged by some fiend. Because what but a fiend could shatter the visage of one of UFV’s most famous landmarks? I knew at this point that the campus had truly fallen to the creatures of the night, and that I would be their next victim if I lingered any longer.

Don't Be Afraid I sprinted for the near-empty parking lot, not another soul in sight, but eyes seeming to stare at me from every shadow. In the distance I saw a bright red glow — at first, I was worried a demon was coming towards me, but as it came into focus, I recognized the iconic sign of the Visual Arts Student Resource Room, a cruel taunt to my current plight. “DON’T BE AFRAID” blared in blinding neon ahead of me, as what felt like the hordes of Hell bared down on me. Don’t tell me how to live my life, Visual Arts Student Resource Room, I’m absolutely terrified.

I kept running, and finally saw my car. There was no more time for pictures — what good was my job if I didn’t have my life? I fumbled with my keys as I tried to keep an eye on the ground, knowing that a stumble over a stray branch could spell the end. The footsteps behind still chased me, pounding faster than mine. Whatever it was, it was catching up. I collided with the side of my car and jammed the key into the lock, hopped in, and slammed the door shut, locking it. Key in the ignition. Turn. A pathetic whine. It wouldn’t start. I looked out the window — a giant, dark silhouette came closer. I tried the key again. Nothing at all this time. I was trapped. I hurriedly fired off my report of what I’d seen to my editor, along with my photos, and prepared to face my fate. Editor’s note: we haven’t seen any sign of our reporter since that email. However, he did send a second message, just 30 seconds after the first. There were no words, only this one, solitary image.

CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017

Art of the Month Art of the Month is a recurring feature that highlights the visual arts work of UFV students. In conjunction with the Visual Arts Student Association (VASA), The Cascade chooses the works of multiple artists to be featured each month. To submit your work, please send an image, 50 word bio, 150 word artist statement, and image list with titles, mediums, sizes, and dates of creation (must be within the past year) to

artofthemonth@ufvcascade.ca. Limit of three submissions per person, per month. Selected works may be displayed at The Cascade lounge, in room S2111 of the Abbotsford UFV campus. The deadline for submissions is October 25.

Doors By: Emilie Kvist Plaster and projector Artist statement: The idea of a moving sculpture intrigued me with the thought of moving shadows caused by the light from the projector. Therefore, I created my sculpture around the idea of incorporating a lazy susan. As I further thought about the idea of geometric shapes, it made me realize how many of these shapes are created within everyday objects, like doors. The thought that doors are entrances, and also exits, due to however they are determined by its user, perplexed me. Furthermore, this made me question the idea of different paths, different doors, or opportunities. Many times in my life, I have often wondered about these ideas, and also lost opportunities or closed doors. Thus, the idea of making multiple repeated door frames and paths to travel within one piece excited me. I became interested by the collection of Liquefied Rainbow Portraits by Toronto-based artist Brian Donnelly, and therefore chose to use one of his portraits as my first projection. His collection of portraits, also known as melting faces, are beautiful, however, at the same time cause me to feel pain and loneliness. Often during the semester, I become very busy, and spend a lot of time alone studying, which leaves me feeling lonely. The idea of a shut door or an

exit makes me feel lonely, as it is symbolic of opportunities lost. For my second projection, I wanted to choose an image that made me feel open to new ideas or choices, as if opening a door. I like to hike, and feel at peace when exploring new trails. I therefore chose a landscape painting called Moon Lake by a member of the Group of Seven, Franklin Carmichael, whose painting style had a similar colour pallet to that of Brian Donnelly’s. This allowed it to complement the previous work. The opening to the outer world created a nice contrast to the idea of closed doors and loneliness. Bio: I am a third-year student at UFV wishing to fulfil a major in history, and an extended minor in visual arts. The majority of the time, I create sculptures in mediums such as clay and plaster, however, this semester I wish to push myself and my creative boundaries. This semester, I have tried to submerge myself in mediums like drawing and video production, which are generally outside of my comfort zone.

Cascade Events Calendar Nov 1 Métis Day Awareness @ Room F124 (Abbotsford Campus), 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Nov 2 Palestine Film Series “The Iron Wall” @ Room B121 (Abbotsford Campus), 3.30 pm Opening Reception SQ’ÉWLETS: A Stó:lō - Coast Salish Community in the Fraser River Valley @ Chilliwack Museum and Archives, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Nov 3 The Vintage Barn Market at Christmas @ Chilliwack Heritage Park, 4:00 - 10:00 p.m. Fourth Annual Native Art Gala @ Ruby Creek Art Gallery (Agassiz), 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Intro to Block Printing @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Nov 4 Cody Lecoy Artist Workshop @ The Reach (Abbotsford), 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. The Vintage Barn Market at Christmas @ Chilliwack Heritage Park, 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Grand Opening of Temple Entertainment @ 2603 W Railway St (Abbotsford), 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Clockwork Comedy @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, 7:30 - 10:00 p.m. Nov 5 Hedley, Shawn Hook, and Neon Dreams @ Abbotsford Centre, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. Nov 6

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

Visions of Truth and Fantasy Book Launch @ Clearbrook Library (Abbotsford), 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Four Year Anniversary Party @ Townhall Public House (Abbotsford), 10:00 p.m. - 12 Midnight Nov 7 Publishing Panel featuring Carleigh Baker @ Student Union Building (Abbotsford Campus), 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Long Night Against Procrastination @ Academic Success Centre (Abbotsford Campus), 4:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Amazing Magic @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Graphic + Digital Design Portfolio Workshop & Info Session @ Heritage Park Centre (Mission Campus), 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Chilliwack Independent Film Festival @ Cottonwood Cinema (Chilliwack), Showtimes vary

Nov 15

Nov 21

Palestine Film Series “Stone Cold Justice” @ Room B121 (Abbotsford Campus), 3:30 p.m. Self-Publishing Workshop @ The Reach (Abbotsford), 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. UFV Town & Gown Fundraising Dinner @ SUB (Abbotsford Campus), 6:00 - 9:30 p.m.

Presentation by B.C. Support Unit Fraser Centre @ Room A225 (Abbotsford Campus), 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Nov 16 Play: A Flea in Her Ear by George Feydeau @ Chilliwack Players Guild, 7:30 p.m.

Nov 8

Nov 17

Gender and Society Network Event @ Room C1429 (Abbotsford Campus), 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

West Coast Christmas Show @ Tradex (Abbotsford), 2:00 - 9:00 p.m. Lonesome Town Painters @ The Stage in Mission, 7:30 - 11:59 p.m.

Nov 10 Remembrance

Day (Observed) – UFV CLOSED Play: Peter and the Starcatcher (Opening Night) @ Abbotsford Arts Centre, 7:30 p.m. Nov 12 Intro to Chalk Lettering Workshop @ Community Room Highstreet (Abbotsford), 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. Barenaked Ladies: Fake Nudes Tour @ Clarke Theatre (Mission), 7:30 p.m. Nov 14

Nov 18 A Formal Affair: Masquerade Ball @ Townhall Public House (Abbotsford), 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. Practical Photography: Understanding Exposure @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. West Coast Christmas Show @ Tradex (Abbotsford), 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m Chilliwack Independent Film Festival @ Cottonwood Cinema (Chilliwack), Showtimes vary Nov 19 West Coast Christmas Show @ Tradex (Abbotsford), 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m

Nov 22 Upcycle Your Dusty Gems @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Folio Thinking @ Room G113 (Abbotsford Campus), 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Nov 24 Random Dander, China Syndrome, and Pete’s Arcade @ Captains Cabin Pub (Mission), 8:00 p.m. - Midnight Nov 25 All Canadian Classic Rock Concert @ Abbotsford Arts Centre, 6:00 - 11:00 p.m. Maan Farms 3rd Annual Christmas Market @ Maan Farms (Abbotsford), 10:00 a.m. 3rd Annual Movember Dodgeball Tournament @ Heritage Park Middle School (Mission), 4:30 - 7:00 p.m. Movember Pub Night/ Dodgeball After Party @ The Stage in Mission, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. Nov 26 Play: The Nutcracker @ Abbotsford Arts Centre, 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Maan Farms 3rd Annual Christmas Market @ Maan Farms (Abbotsford), 10:00 a.m.

CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017

Abbotsford art //

ArtHAUS at The Reach raises both funds and the roof MARTIN CASTRO ARTS EDITOR

On Friday, October 27, Abbotsford’s Reach Gallery Museum hosted ArtHAUS, a Bauhaus-themed social gathering and fundraiser. The event drew a crowd of around 40-50 guests who mingled and, as the night progressed, took part in creative activities which ranged from tile painting, to putting together art deco-inspired Lego buildings. Guests indulged in complementary hors d’oeuvre, and were encouraged to participate in the various planned activities, and browse the collections of local artists and artisans, all of which were for sale. One such contemporary artist, Sharon Huget, enticed attendants with work that ranged from small mixed media canvases, to wearable textiles which boasted prints of her paintings and photography. Laura Schneider, executive director and curator at The Reach, explained that the inception of the fundraiser’s Bauhaus theme was a collaborative effort. “As a staff, we discussed the concept, and collectively came up with some of the activities for the evening,” said Schneider. “But the core organization of the event came down to our director of development Ingrid Epp, and our assistant director of development Mary Finch.” Peter Nicholson, who together with Robin Sather manned “ArtHAUS,” a station which offered guests the opportunity to put their architectural creativity to work in building era-inspired Lego structures, said that the event gave Abbotsford-based Lego architecture service Brickville DesignWorks an opportunity to connect with community members. Standing next to a Lego replica of Vancouver’s Marine Building, Nicholson said that the popular plastic bricks weren’t just for kids. “It definitely takes skill,” he said. “The more you practice, the better you get at it. We’re using very limited pieces here, and still, look at what we’ve managed to make.” Throughout the night, guests experimented at the stations, putting together structures, and meandering between

workspaces. As Schneider tells us, the reason the event took place is pressing nonetheless. “[The Reach] has so many programs that we run throughout the year as a non-profit that are free to the public, [and] we need funds to support those kinds of events. Fundraising is ultimately what we’re here to do.” Part of the reason fundraisers like this exist is so that The Reach can continue to be accessible to the public, without requiring that everyday patrons regularly purchase artwork. “One of the challenges that we face is that the trappings of elitism is something that the art world is often charged with. Often, artists and arts organizations are running on a shoestring, and yet, we have to present an image that looks otherwise, because it’s in our best interest to appeal to a class of people who can afford to do things like buy art.” And though many might feel that the price of art is unnecessarily beyond their reach, it’s likely that a lower price point wouldn’t be sustainable. “It’s important for artists to be able to make a living selling their work, and to price their work accordingly.” However, the event’s focus on fundraising did not preclude guests from joining in on the fun. “One of the big goals [was] to re-introduce an adult population to the act of making,” said Schneider. “It’s not something we give ourselves licence to do very often, and doing so can be very therapeutic and social.” He added, “I’m a big fan of making things as accessible as possible, because we’re here for the community.” At the end of the night, ArtHAUS and events like it proved not only to be an enjoyable social resource for attendees, but a key element in making sure that students and community members can continue to benefit from the many resources at The Reach, without breaking the bank.

CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017

On-campus //

UFV event aims to battle procrastination CASSIE DE JONG

CULTURE & EVENTS EDITOR

Organizers from the Academic Success Centre are urging students not to panic. It is coming to that time of year where students are starting to gear up for term papers, and finals not long after them. On November 7, attendees of this year’s Long Night Against Procrastination (LNAP) will have the opportunity to de-stress in an environment that offers a variety of tools for students, and is designed to encourage productivity and save you from last minute cramming. Procrastination is an unfortunate and ever-present reality in student lives. The purpose of LNAP is to help students battle the temptation of procrastination and the effects of school life by connecting them with the student support areas and facilities available on UFV campuses.

LNAP has become a popular event at UFV, and has received positive feedback for both of its two previous events. Hence, it has been brought back for a third time with everything you enjoyed about it before, as well as some new additions. The support offered at LNAP will consist of academic advising and counselling, healthy distractions, and emotional support. This includes peer tutors, meditation, yoga, free printing, refreshments, prize draws, and best of all — emotional support puppies. The only rule is that no napping will be allowed. The library will remain open during event hours, so students may have a quiet space to do work. Snacks and beverages will be provided, and pizza will be available at the end of the night. The Academic Success Centre will be providing tutors for students who need some extra help, as well as various work-

shops on topics such as citation style, academic wellness, study strategies, and more. Librarians will be available all night to provide assistance with research, and a list of professors will be extending their office hours for the event. Many students neglect their physical, emotional, and environmental health during this time of year. Accessible de-stress rooms will provide a quiet space where students can escape any noise from surrounding activities. Attendees are encouraged to “make a cup of tea, do a puzzle, listen to calming music,” and any other personal activities that may be calming. Achieving balance through studying, and then having productive breaks, is the central theme of LNAP. Prize draws will take place throughout the evening, with a list of smaller prizes, as well as two staggering grand prizes of free tuition for one three-credit course.

For students reliant on public transportation, extra runs of the campus connector between campuses and to Langley have been added for the evening. However, if you are still unable to attend the full evening, the event will be live-streamed, so all students can take part. Ultimately, the point of this event is to give students awareness of the support that’s available to them at UFV. After previous LNAP events, the Academic Success Centre and other organizations such as CampusRec, Peer Resource, and the Leadership Centre have seen an increase in usage by students, so they have been better able to assist them. LNAP will take place on November 7 at the Abbotsford campus in G building from 5:00 p.m. until midnight, and at the Chilliwack (CEP) campus in A building from 3:00 until 10:00 p.m.

Expert forum //

Thought for food

Visiting and local experts share their views on the future of food

of the practices used here in the Fraser Valley are what the panelists advocate for, and hope to STAFF WRITER see become widespread. Fraser Valley agriculFuture speculation often brings about grand vi- ture is characterized by intensity, but also disions of space travel and artificial intelligence, versity. Two-hundred different crops are grown but the panellists who made their presentation in the valley, and in contrast to other regions in Evered Hall last Wednesday were here to of Canada, most farms are small, independent talk about a more intimate, and more immedi- holdings instead of large agribusiness-owned ate aspect of the future — that of food. The es- farms. The panelists consider diversity and sential questions asked being, “What will we be small-scale ownership to be desirable traits, as eating in 20-30 years,” and “How do we feed a they not only make farming regions more roworld population of seven billion and growing bust, and able to meet challenges, but they also give control of food production to the people over the next few decades?” Several of the panellists, including Alex who rely on it. A policy of “cosmopolitan localAwiti, Steven Otieno, Vera Mwangi, and Mar- ism” was advocated for, which would diversify iam Genes Shirima were visiting from Africa regions, but also focus on their strengths, and (mostly Kenya to be specific), and they shared import what they cannot easily produce. The their experiences and observations regard- Agricultural Land Reserve also protects the ing the challenges faced by African nations. A farmlands of the Fraser Valley from urban common thread in the discussions was dispel- sprawl, which is a major threat faced by many ling outdated perceptions. Africa is commonly arable lands near cities, in addition to other threats such as soil erosion, seen as essentially rural in the climate change. so-called “Global North,” and “The true face of poverty in andTechnological advances while it is true that, in Kenya for instance, 73 per cent of people Africa is increasingly urban, will also affect how we eat. For example, cellular agriculderive their income from agriculture, Africa is also rapidly rather than rural. Africa must ture, more commonly known as “vat meat,” can allow urbanizing. In Nairobi, the average family spends 28 per cent face the challenge of how to growth of meat tissue from a of their income on food due to produce enough food to feed single cell, allowing for meat production without putting rising costs, more than what is undue pressure on land. Othspent on housing, health, and its people.” er potential advances include education combined. The true use of drones to inspect, waface of poverty in Africa is increasingly urban, rather than rural. Africa must face the chal- ter, and spread pesticides on plants, allowing lenge of how to produce enough food to feed for greater efficiency, and less waste and conits people. This is not an easy challenge, since tamination. Of course, technology does not hold all the much land in Africa is agriculturally marginal. The challenge is to increase production without answers. Making changes to what we eat, destroying natural ecosystems such as forests and how we produce it, will be necessary. Aland marshlands, which, in addition to their ternative crops, urban farming, inshore fish intrinsic value, also serve to moderate climate, farms, loans tailored to small-scale farmers, and are a “reservoir of potential food diversity,” minimizing unnecessary transportation, and more were brought up. Finally, the panellists according to Awiti. The Fraser Valley, by contrast, is quite stressed the importance of bringing food out blessed, in more ways than we realize. This re- of the background, integrating it more into acagion produces 4.5 per cent of Canada’s food on demic study and everyday life, and dispelling just 0.2 per cent of its land. A quote from science outdated visions of what the world of food is fiction author William Gibson was mentioned: like, or ought to be. There is no one-size-fits-all “The future is already here — it’s just not very solution to the challenges that we face. Rather, evenly distributed.” If you want a glimpse of the future of food will take a variety of differwhat the future of food production is, perhaps ent forms, depending on contexts specific to all you need to do is look out the window. Many certain times and places.

ALEISTER GWYNNE

Address: 20027 Fraser Hwy, Langley, BC V3A 4E4 Phone number: (604) 434-8105

Looking for a pre-owned vehicle? Scared that it wont run? You can trust us here at Milani Norman Coquitlam. We only deal with the best used cars in the lower-mainland!

STUDY BREAK Crossword //

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017

Made by Cassie de Jong

ACROSS

DOWN

1: Elongated, legless reptiles.

2: Tallest mountain in the world.

3: Month after March.

3: Main character of Pokémon.

4: Coffee drink with steamed milk and espresso.

6: An instructor who gives private lessons on varying subjects.

5: Female rock duo known for “Barracuda.”

7: Small fruit found at the bottom of martini glasses.

7: Tree from which acorns drop.

8: American horror punk rock band from New Jersey.

8: The most prolific artist of the Impressionist movement. 9: Name for the Indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Greenland, Canada, and Alaska.

12: Distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane.

10: Wooden tool used to propel a canoe. 11: A respected individual who is much older than you. 13: Also known as a snow house or snow hut. 14: Gas form of water. 15: Last name of Iron Man’s true identity.

LAST ISSUE’S ANSWERS: Across: 1: taco 3: sew 5: gas 7: no 10: axe 13: hi 15: ska 17: ear 18: onyx

Down: 1: talon 2: stag 4: white 6: scotch 8: oilers 9: pea 11: eye 12: drone 14: index 16: acne

Illustration by: Amara Gelaude

Horoscope //

Astrological mysteries rudely interpreted by Lady May

Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19 As much as we determine our deeds, our deeds determine us. You break down over roadkill, but fantasize about mowing down other human beings you don’t like. Keep in mind what that says about you.

Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22 Be on the lookout for upcoming events. A bar fight is in your future. If you don’t manage to find yourself in an actual bar fight, make up something interesting to tell your friends, especially the Taurus.

Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20 A Leo will likely start a fight with you this week. The fight will take place at either a local bar, sporting event, fashion show, or Wendy’s.

Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22 Never give up. You’re not a failure if you don’t give up; only if you surrender. However, you do have to surrender your brooms and wands to authorities when asked, if you’d like to avoid making a scene..

Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20 This week, you will find yourself alone, but never fear! Geminis are the perfect people to enjoy playing volleyball and other team sports by themselves. Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22 Ideas are most rewarding when they are your own. This is likely why you are deeply confused by the idea of studying for a math test.

Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22 Frantic words indicate a weak cause. Just like how Libras have to speak quite loudly in order to be heard, though this usually results in them yelling at themselves. Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21 People run away when Scorpios come around. They know that if they get on your bad side, you will likely set them on fire.

Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21 Time, patience, and nature are the three best physicians. This is great news for you, as you seem to preserve your questionable health through a steady diet of Cheetos and beer.

Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19 Be mischievous, and you will not be lonesome. There’s plenty of people to make friends with in prison right now.

Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18 People around you say one thing, and do another. Aquarius say outrageous things, and do them just out of spite.

Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20 You will live a long, happy life, and spend your old age in comfort, and material wealth. In the event of nuclear war, only cockroaches and Pisceans would survive. This effectively leaves you with everything left behind.

ARTS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017

Podcast Review //

CHARTS

SHUFFLE

Alvvays Antisocialites

AARON LEVY

Faith Healer Try ;-)

Blue Hawaii Tenderness

Chad VanGaalen Light Information

Tough Age Shame

CIVL Station Manager Aaron Levy was asked to write a shuffle from the eyes of the resident bear at UFV and in CIVL, “BooBoo Cuddly Puff,” or some such other name that I don’t have the patience to research. I do, however, have four songs that speak to the thoughts that might be in his head, and one of them is by a group of brothers that Gord from The Hip really likes, one of whom is named Barry.

MALK Born Elated

The Psychic Alliance Evil Against Evil

Hooded Fang Dynasty House

David Myles Real Love

Motorhead Under Cover

Benny Turner My Brother’s Blues

Maneater Maneater

Ghost Twin Plastic Heart

Godspeed You! Black Emperor Luciferian Towers

Beth Beth

Mich Cota Kija/Care

Lindstrom It’s Alright Between Us As It Is

Merkules Trust Your Gut

King Krule The OOZ

Micki Free Tattoo Burn - Redux

HUGGABLE GUY

Barry White — Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Baby The fact of this song is that it tells the story of Boo Boo Cuddly Puff, and his feelings towards the fact that volunteerism at UFV takes place within the walls of CIVL. The operative sentiment being that Boo Boo “can’t get enough” of volunteers loving to contribute at CIVL. Barry Manilow — Mandy “I remember all my life / raining down as cold as ice / shadows of a man / a face through a window, cryin’ in the night / the night goes into / morning, just another day / happy people pass my way / looking in their eyes / I see a memory / I never realized / how happy you made me.” Barry McGuire — Eve of Destruction Previously shuffled, this song brings to light the potential for our beloved plush bear to have a lucid, and even prophetic, view of the world around them, based on the primary goings-on of UFV students in and out of the second floor of the Student Union Building, sheer truth. The Bee Gees — How Deep Is Your Love When CBC aired its recent documentary of The Tragically Hip’s final tour, there was a scene where then terminally ill Gord Downie described a phone conversation that he had with Bobby Orr, a man he immortalized through song in “Fireworks” years prior. It was clear how deep his love was.

Is it a play on Season of the Witch? All-female podcast made for an audience that might not be me PANKU SHARMA STAFF WRITER

I’ve learned a lot from the first few episodes of Season of the Bitch, a leftist feminist podcast hosted by the “Coven”. The first is the intricacy and depth of political theory that I missed or misunderstood, and the other is that certain spaces might not always be made for me and my sensibilities and that’s probably fine and for the best. The hosts refer to themselves as The Coven, and make a point within the first few minutes of the introductory episode that their show does not give their fans and listeners a pass to use the word “bitch”. Now I found this pretty confusing, considering the self branding which I thought was a reclamation of sorts and softening of the harm- but I let it slide for the sake of giving the thing a chance. However, this hiccup, which too me was kind of jarring- came up a few times when things got a little beyond my perspective and scope as a dude. Between the many hosts- I haven’t yet gotten a handle on the names as there are five of them plus gueststhey have a range of experience and credentials from graduate students, leaders within the Democratic Socialists of America, and community organizing. The more serious and focused segments are probably the parts where I was most attentive- the first episode featured an analysis and explanation of Silvia Federici’s Caliban and the Witchwhich itself examines capitalism and the role of devaluation of women’s labour. There are also really interesting tangents that explore stuff like accusations of witchcraft after the Black Plague due to sexual deviancy/reproductive control, and critiques of how people blame other groups like women or immigrant for driving down wages (as if they had that power) instead of looking to the basic employer motivation to exploit and pay as little as possible. There is meat to the discussion, but as strong as some segments are it can often get muddled by the fact that there are two many voices.

My main hangups with the podcast might just be the result of it being early in its run and still finding its footing. However, there were many points where I was either extremely uninterested ,such most times when there is off topic banter or bad riffs, or puzzled on the verge of eye rolling. You can pretty much skip the entire Labour Day episode due to this . There are also moments where certain proclamations of conduct can come off as humourless, bizarre, or overly dramatic such as a hosts’ umbridge of the violence of the classic “if I had two bullets I’d shoot you twice” gag. I mean, I get it, but that sort of stuff just isn’t really for me or where I want to spend energy telling people what to do. But there are also literally thousands of other things I can listen to to fill that need for edgy and aggressive humor I can (and do) listen to that won’t at all be affected by The Coven’s calls to action. In summation, I think peo-

ple interested in theory, radical politics, and hearing more female voices might have fun with this podcast- however for everyone else I’d suggest maybe checking in when there is a particularly substantial topic or notable guests. The episode on Rural Organizing touches on a lot of ideas in terms of community engagement that are applicable to tons of scenarios, and I’ve also heard good things about their episode on sex work. I probably won’t subscribe, but it was worth the romp of filling the time in my daily 2 hour commute on highway 1 and gave me a brief and completely unearned feeling of being totally “woke” and informed for about an afternoon.

ARTS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017

Soundbites //

Ibeyi Ash French-Cuban twin sister duo, with a global sound — sounds from soul-pop, hip-hop beats, and jazz. On Ash, their newest album, the sisters blend their Yoruba, French, and Afro-Cuban heritage into a downtempo, reflective opus. Ibeyi do some really kick-ass work, specifically in terms of genre exploration as well as socially provocative lyrics. Chants like “Whatever happens, whatever happened / We are deathless / We are deathless,” on “Deathless,” are empowering statements against racial ignorance. Lisa-Kaindé Díaz sings “You’re not clean / You might deal / All the same with that skin / Final looks / With her books / Left for dead in the streets” of the police officer who assumed she was

Beck Colors either a drug addict or dealer based on her skin. “No Man is Big Enough For My Arms” praises confidence and self-assuredness. Dialogue from a Michelle Obama speech interweaves with the twins’ chants; “No Man Is Big Enough For My Arms,” bringing into existence the option for a better world. It’s a beautiful album. Ash confronts the world. The dissonant harmonies and delicate melodies, carried by a solemn cajón rhythm, make the entire album a poignant charge. Musically, Ash is refreshing, lyrically, it’s exciting.

In indie circles, Beck Hansen is kind of a god. The guy’s been around since 1994, and was hoisted into indie superstar status in 1996 after the release of the nowubiquitous, if not cliché, Odelay. Since then, Beck’s career has had its ups and downs, but despite the weight his name still carries (and that it does, a tap on the shoulder from Beck in 2003 was the equivalent of a tap on the shoulder from Kanye nowadays), the once-folk heavyhitter seems to be lost. On Colors, Beck drops any pretension of still making folk, and, if it wasn’t for the fact that his name is still attached to the project, I would be

hard-pressed to find any connection between it and the multi-instrumentalist’s origins. Hansen’s lyrical irreverence has long been a talking point, but on Colors, that irreverence, fueled by what I can only imagine have been decades of selfindulgence, turns to disinterest and cliché. Despite the fact that I wouldn’t call myself a lifelong Beck fan, even I can tell that Colors is far from Beck’s best.

-Joel Robertson-Taylor A Play by

Rick Elice

-Martin Castro Based on the novel by

Music by

Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson Wayne Barker

The Exciting (and Entertaining!) Prequel to Peter Pan Abbotsford Arts Centre

NOVEMBER 10 – 18

“An absurdly funny fantastical journey!” ~Entertainment Weekly For play information and schedule, visit:

WWW.GALLERY7THEATRE.COM

Production Presenting Sponsor: PETER AND THE STARCATCHER is produced through special arrangements with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www. MTIShows.com. Originally produced on Broadway by Nancy Nagel Gibbs, Greg Schaffert, Eva Price, Tom Smedes, and Disney Theatrical Productions.

Netflix Review //

1922 is probably not for you

MARTIN CASTRO ARTS EDITOR

1922, a Netflix original production based on a short story by Stephen King, feels surprisingly fresh, but falls short of moving beyond the clamoring created by a myriad of releases simultaneously demanding our attention. Unlike IT, 1922 isn’t so much a horror story as much as it is a macabre historical drama. Set in the eponymous year, 1922 purports to be a confessional, recounting the events that led Nebraskan farmer Wilf to murder his wife. Wilf’s wife Arlette (who has recently inherited a nearby plot of land almost twice the size of Wilf’s) argues with Wilf about whether or not to move. Wilf wants to consolidate the two plots into a larger farm; Arlette wants to sell both and move to the city. Arlette, however, is determined to take her and Wilf’s son, Henry, to the city. Henry wants to stay behind for Shannon,

a local girl he’s fallen in love with. Outraged with Wilf’s stubbornness, Arlette does the only sensible thing she can think of, and lawyers up. Outraged with what he sees as Arlette’s conscious effort to deprive him of a life that he considers rightfully his, Wilf does the only sensible thing he can think of, and begins to poison his son’s mind so the latter will agree to help Wilf kill Arlette. That’s a plot in and of itself. Perhaps not a particularly inventive plot, but it’s a plot nonetheless. Arlette wants to leave. Wilf wants to stay. Alas, there can be only one. Not content to explore the intricacies of the human psyche as it contemplates murder, 1922 blasts past every interesting instance of self-reflective drama imaginable and plunges head-first into matricide with wild abandon. What’s supposed to be a quick affair leaves Wilf and Henry scrubbing blood off the bedroom floor in what’s essentially a CSI montage, but without any law enforcement present.

They get rid of the body by dumping it in a well which Wilf later bricks up. What’s worse is the last half of the movie, wherein Henry becomes increasingly distant with his girlfriend (killing your mother will do that to you) and, in what’s seemingly an attempt to distract us from the fact that all the conspiracy and murder that has already taken place is boring at best, rats begin to swarm the house. It’s difficult to guess why the plot reaches the heights of silliness that it does, and why such unnecessary characters are introduced, like a banker whose only role seems to be to come snooping around and leave, giving viewers an excuse not to wonder why more diligent investigation didn’t take place. Henry and his now-pregnant girlfriend flee the farm after a heated discussion with Wilf, leaving him to stew, contemplate his situation, and finally get around to fixing that car in the garage. No attempt is really made at diving into the emotional

reality of the events, which is perhaps why the movie comes off as so rote. We hardly care when, after a brief stint as robbers, Henry and Shannon (who is pregnant while all of this takes place) rip a page out of Shakespeare’s book, and go out Romeo & Juliet style: full of angst, and with a completely avoidable suicide. The one saving grace of this adaptation is that, as he writes his confession in a motel surrounded by rats, Wilf is confronted by his dead family. Look, producers only care that people watch things, even if they’re watching to satisfy their own morbid curiosity. (Why else would Human Centipede have a sequel?) If nobody watched it, they wouldn’t make more of them. Spare yourselves having to go through another one of these lazy adaptations in two months’ time, and ignore 1922, or at least tweet angrily about it.

ARTS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017

Art film //

Loving Vincent is breathtaking Hand painted film makes a monumental splash in the animated film industry

CASSIE DE JONG CULTURE & EVENTS EDITOR

Released on September 22 2017, Loving Vincent is an independent film that has taken both the film and fine art industries by storm. It is the world’s first film composed entirely of painted animation. Though the final product is stunning, in every pioneering title there is room for error. While the movie is made solely of paintings, it is easy to tell in most scenes that it was first filmed, and then the film stills were painted. The effect is fascinating, but it sometimes clashes with the setting. In an animated movie, you normally expect the characters to appear cartoonish, as their appearance is based on the imaginations of the animator or concept designer. In Loving Vincent, each character’s appearance is based off real paintings by Van Gogh, yet, through the image, you can clearly recognize the likeness of actors such as Douglas Booth, Chris O’Dowd, and Saoirse Ronan. There are even instances where the actors’ characters appear in much clearer detail, and have a larger range of motion than the surrounding individuals. Likewise, many of the locations in the movie are straight out of Van Gogh’s paintings, and are still displayed in their original perspective. Perspective in abstract ex-

pressionism is understandably warped. We have already established that the movie was based off filmed footage, hence, as the movie progresses, we are constantly switching between a warped perspective, and a proper one. Switching constantly from one perspective to another destroys the immersive effect, and while it is a reminder of the effort and creativity put into the film’s development, it is distracting. Also, the production was executed by a team of over one hundred painters, who painted 65,000 frames in oil on canvas. However, every painter has their own style and brushstroke, and while most times the styles seamlessly blend together, sometimes the change is so stark and sudden that it also becomes a distraction. Despite some minor difficulties, both the scenes with character capture and wide establishing shots are fascinatingly beautiful, and utterly breathtaking. The story is set a year after the death of Van Gogh. It follows Armand Roulin, a reluctant man sent on a quest by his father Joseph, the local postmaster and a friend of Vincent’s. His mission is to bring the last letter Vincent wrote before he died to his brother Theo, and also to investigate the cause of death. Armand is sent to the village of Auverssur-Oise to try and track down the answers

he needs. Initially, it had been Armand’s father who needed to know why Vincent had died, but as he continues his journey, Armand understands Vincent more and more, begins to sympathize, and feels the need to discover the truth for himself. Armand’s curiosity-filled journey effectively makes the movie as much of a murder mystery as it is a historical documentary of Van Gogh’s life and career as a painter. Several theories as to when, where, and why Vincent shot himself circulate throughout the village, as he was an unpredictable man suffering from all sorts of mental health challenges and emotional turmoil. At one point, the town boatman notes the small things in Vincent’s life that brought him joy. He recalls a day when he observed a crow stealing from Vincent’s lunch as the artist painted from a boat on the river. Vincent had stared at the creature with fascination and admiration in his eyes. The boatman then says, “how lonely is the guy that even a thieving crow brightens up his day?” Van Gogh’s life was filled with failure and depression, but also passion and talent. His love for painting only started when he first picked up a brush at the age of 28. From that point, he became an influential artist in only eight years. He lived well, and then died unexpectedly. The large question in this movie is ‘why?’ Why did Vincent

choose to kill himself? Why did he live the way he did? The film does not give us all the answers, but provides enough for a satisfying ending and experience. It is refreshing to see such a monumental film directed by a woman in such a maledominated industry. According to the film’s official website, director Dorota Kobiela had previously been a painter before working on Loving Vincent, making her particularly qualified to undertake a project melding both of the mediums together. To be both a film director and an art director at the same time requires that an individual be rich in both skill and experience. The movie ends with a few words of fact and sentiment, “In the eight years between starting to paint and his death, Vincent painted over 800 paintings, only one of which was sold in his lifetime. He was posthumously proclaimed the father of modern art.” Loving Vincent is not currently available for streaming or purchase, but is instead being shown at various film festivals worldwide. Though the screening at the Vancouver Film Festival has passed, you can catch it at the Pickford Film Centre in Bellingham on November 10.

Alright, you’ve had your fun, you binge-watched

you

partied

STRANGE R THINGS

either

last

Friday or saturday night, or

both,

cause

tuesday

is a weeknight. we get it.

Maybe you even wandered about in costume last night? Either way,

it’s November now. which means it’s full-on, no-holds-barred Christmas season ok?

And it’s not over until the blood is dry enough to no longer be a slipping hazard in the checkout lanes this Boxing Day.