Vol. 22 Issue 5
www.ufvcascade.ca
February 5, 2014 to February 18, 2014
Following the three laws of robotics since 1993
THE RED PLANET Paradise or pipe dream? Two colony candidates weigh in.
p. 7, 10-11
Homeless housing proposal fires up Abbotsford p. 3
What can we learn from Ukraine’s riots? p. 6
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NEWS
News
Briefs
B.C. liquor in grocery stores? Following a lengthy review process of B.C.’s liquor policy, the provincial government has endorsed all 73 of the recommendations. Among these include liquor being sold in grocery stores, the de-fencing of beer gardens and allowing hard liquor to be sold openly in stadiums. While these are still just recommendations, B.C. is taking steps to update liquor laws and join the rest of the country.
SUS election season kicks off With board reform on the horizon, the Student Union Society gears up for another election season. Nomination packages are due by February 12 and then candidates hit the pavement for their campaigns. Get informed on the issues and ask them the tough questions: Budget? Health coverage? Student engagement? Exercise your democratic right and shape the new SUS. Polling period begins February 26.
Federal funding for crime prevention Following a January 31 announcement from MP Ed Fast, Abbotsford will receive $6.3 million in federal funds to focus on crime prevention among atrisk youth in the city. Abbotsford Police Department and the Abbotsford School District will work in conjunction with Abbotsford Community Services to expand or complement programs geared toward at-risk youth. According to the Abbotsford News, Fast said the amount represents the largest crimeprevention funding Abbotsford has ever received.
The Cascade referendum fails We asked. Some voted. The Cascade ran a referendum from January 29-31 asking for a $1.50 raise to the current $4.50 student fee. 148 students voted against the question and 141 voted in favour. The increased fee would have allowed the student newspaper to increase its campus coverage and keep up with inflating costs of production.
News
5
Opinion
7
Culture
12
Arts
14
Sports & Health
18-20
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
B.C. has the worst student loan program
MLA David Eby visited campus with his presentation on the bleak landscape of student loans and student funding in B.C. Complete with bar graphs and charts, the hard numbers don’t lie; students can’t afford to go to school in this province.
The Martian chronicles
What does Mars mean for our future? A possible candidate for the Mars colony weighs in, turning to Asimov, Hawking, and Kennedy to explore the connotations of living among the stars — and the criticism surrounding those trying to get there.
Reaching out
Wondering if Abbotsford was always as exciting as it is today? Want to dig through the changes that brought crime in the Valley to where it is today? The Reach’s archives answers these questions, and Taylor Breckles has a primer on the place.
Do you NEED coffee?
The majority of our student population are trapped in an unhealthy sugar and carb cycle. The 21 Day Sugar Detox explains why food is so complicated this day and age, and what it means to you. Check out the book review.
Cascades athletics takes to the court
All four Cascades court teams were in action at the Envision Athletic Centre February 1-2. The sports section keeps you updated on volleyball and basketball.
Scattershot
Assorted vignettes from my head to yours DESSA BAYROCK
THE CASCADE
A brief introduction
The week before reading break is always difficult. It’s not because courses are starting to get harder, or because professors are starting to assign more, but because the looming freedom of a week off is incredibly distracting. One half of the brain is dreamily considering what it will do with an entire week off. The other half is scrambling as it tries to calculate if the whole brain has done enough work this semester to actually merit an entire week away from school. One half of the brain warring against the other half often results in nothing getting done at all. Reading break, I can tell you right now, will neither feel like a break nor feel productive in the slightest. Ironically, it might be more like Spring Breakers than anything else: you’re expecting something sexy and awesome, and instead get James Franco in corn-braids in some kind of art movie. While you ponder that image, here are all the thoughts that came to mind when faced with the task of creating an editorial this week, sorted under handy sub-headings. Apparently I’m unable to come up with any cohesive ideas either.
Volume 22 · Issue 5 Room C1027 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529 Editor-in-chief dessa@ufvcascade.ca Dessa Bayrock Managing editor michael@ufvcascade.ca Michael Scoular Business manager joe@ufvcascade.ca Joe Johnson Online editor ashley@ufvcascade.ca Ashley Mussbacher Copy editor katie@ufvcascade.ca Katie Stobbart
Referendum: the grieving period
As some of you might know, The Cascade was at referendum at the end of January, asking students to approve a $1.50 raise to the newspaper student fee. I was pretty confident that it would pass; that’s the kind of spare change you can dig out of your couch cushions. But it didn’t pass. It failed.
Image: Wellcome Image / Flickr
It failed, in fact, by seven votes. The numbers are 141 students in favour, and 148 against. This sucks, because it was so close. But it could also be a lot worse, because if we can convince four of those “no” students to become “yes” students, we can pass a referendum. No matter how you feel about it, feel free to contact us. We’d love to hear your rallies both for and against The Cascade. Either way, we’ll be back with a new referendum sooner rather than later. Stay tuned.
Radio killed the newspaper star Once upon a reading break…
Two years ago I spent my reading break in Austin. Austin is a pretty interesting cultural hub hiding out in the misshapen pie piece that is Texas. Three of us went altogether, and although it sounds like a relaxing trip to take over spring break, our reason for going was enough to raise the border guard’s eyebrows both on the way there and on the way back: we went to read. The three of us were enrolled in a directed studies course, and we found out the University of Texas had a special collection of manuscripts, drafts, and personal library of the author we were studying. It was a pretty cool week, but the coolest part was that UFV was 100 per cent behind us: we were awarded a grant through UFV financial that paid for the flights, the drive, bus passes while we were there, and food. Sometimes we take UFV for granted, or only talk about it to complain that the cool parts of the cafeteria are only open for three hours a day. But UFV has your back. Maybe they’ll help fund you to do something cool, be it a study trip to Texas, a conference in Seattle, studying overseas, or presenting your work to students across the country.
Did you know The Cascade has a radio show? It plays on CIVL radio 101.7 FM on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 5 p.m. If you hate reading but still want to hear about what’s in the paper, this is the show for you. Last week we talked about Bitcoin for a really long time before remembering there was an entire paper we were supposed to be showcasing.
Image: Ben McLeod / Flickr
Finally, a joke that is somehow less funny now that I have an English degree How do you get an English major off your porch? Pay them for the pizza.
News editor jess@ufvcascade.ca Jess Wind
Production manager stewart@ufvcascade.ca Stewart Seymour
Printed By International Web exPress
Interim opinion editor opinion@ufvcascade.ca Dessa Bayrock
Art director anthony@ufvcascade.ca Anthony Biondi
The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It provides a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds. The Cascade is published every Wednesday with a circulation of 1500 and is distributed at UFV campuses and throughout Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Mission. The Cascade is a member of the Canadian University Press, a national cooperative of 75 university and college newspapers from Victoria to St. John’s. The Cascade follows the CUP ethical policy concerning material of a prejudicial or oppressive nature. Submissions are preferred in electronic format through e-mail. Please send submissions in “.txt” or “.doc” format only. Articles and letters to the editor must be typed. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that contain racist, sexist, homophobic or libellous content. The writer’s name and student number must be submitted with each submission. Letters to the editor must be under 250 words if intended for print. Only one letter to the editor per writer in any given edition. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, Cascade staff and collective, or associated members.
Interim culture editor michael@ufvcascade.ca Michael Scoular Arts editor sasha@ufvcascade.ca Sasha Moedt Sports editor nathan@ufvcascade.ca Nathan Hutton Staff writer nadine@ufvcascade.ca Nadine Moedt News writer katherine@ufvcascade.ca Katherine Gibson
Production assistant production@ufvcascade.ca Kaitlyn Gendemann Photojournalist blake@ufvcascade.ca Blake McGuire Contributors Taylor Breckles, Valerie Franklin, Jeremy Hannaford, Brittney Hensman, Lauren Southern, and Tim Ubels
Cover image Anthony Biondi
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NEWS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Homeless housing project debate packs City Hall Five-hour meeting on contentious subject solves nothing; council to announce decision next week KATHERINE GIBSON
THE CASCADE
Abbotsford is no stranger to controversy when it comes to the city’s homeless population. So it was no surprise when more than 300 people packed City Hall to discuss the proposed development of a lowbarrier 20-man housing unit on Monday night. Prefacing the discussion by acknowledging the “hotbed” nature of the topic, Mayor Banman warned the crowd, both those in favour and those opposed, that there would be no tolerance of any form of intimidation including clapping, or the meeting would be “terminated” immediately. As soon as the mayor opened the floor, a line wrapping around both sides of the auditorium formed and remained constant throughout the entire five-hour meeting. Presenters ranged from those speaking on behalf of organizations, such as Abbotsford Community Services (ACS) and the Abbotsford Downtown Business Association (ADBA),
to regular citizens and selfprofessed poets voiced concerns on and support for the proposed housing. ADBA president Paul McClouden recognized the value of ACS and the housing project, but remained adamant that it would have “damaging effects to the growth of Downtown.” “For the city now to approve this housing project … this would remove the very fibre of confidence that the business community has in our city,” McClouden said. “Why would the city abolish bylaws that prove to make the historic downtown what it is today?” ACS director of operations Nadine Power spoke to the importance of maintaining community awareness and ongoing responses to the needs and changes in Abbotsford’s society. She believes the housing project and the provincial government’s $2.6 million commitment to the proposal will address these. “Before you at the moment is an opportunity for mayor and council to act here and now, to take advantage of the funding
that is available to our community,” Power said. “Funding that will not likely be available should [council] choose the opposite.” B.C. Housing director of regional development Naomi Brunemeyer also asserted that the property on Montvue proposed for this project had been thoroughly assessed and was considered among two other options. Property on both Clearbrook and Emerson had also been discussed; however, it was the ACS proposal for Montvue that had proved the most viable option. Concluding her address, Brenemeyer appealed to the audience, assuring them that “B.C. Housing [is] not here to create a wedge in [Abbotsford’s] community — we’re here to help you address your homelessness issue.” Council’s decision regarding an amendment to the C-7 bylaw will be made Monday, February 17.
ADBA reacts on Twitter
The Martel motion
A motion to mandate that SUS spend at least 55 per cent of their budget on student services was never addded to January’s EGM agenda, but students haven’t seen the last of it
JESS WIND
THE CASCADE
Despite passing board reform and updating elections policies, the Student Union Society (SUS) January 22 extraordinary general meeting (EGM) left some business undecided. Before approving the agenda at the beginning of the meeting, Biology and Chemistry Student Association (BCSA) president Jennifer Martel requested to have a motion added to the agenda which would see 55 per cent of the SUS budget mandated to go towards student services. Martel explained to the members in attendance that she tried to bring her motion forward at the original EGM before it was cancelled in December, and that she was never contacted to have it placed on the January agenda. Under SUS bylaws any special business must be presented at least 14 days prior to an EGM, which barred the additon of this motion to the EGM without proper notice. SUS VP finance and chair of the EGM Ryan Peterson ruled that Martel’s motion would not be added to the agenda. Following the EGM, Martel described the communication
between her and SUS in the weeks leading up to the EGM. “When I found out about the last EGM that was happening I sent an email [and] I gave the nature of the motion,” she said. “I got a reply saying, ‘We need to see the motion.’” She added that her understanding of the B.C. Society Act is that only the spirit of a motion is required ahead of time. “Obviously you want to be informed going into an EGM ... my wording wasn’t ready.” The B.C. Society Act indicates in section 13 that “Notice of a general meeting must specify the place, day, and hour of the meeting, and, in case of special business, the general nature of that business.” Peterson explained that SUS requests motions be presented in full so the student body can be fully informed, although this is not indicated in their bylaws. “We always try to strive [for] more complete, concise ideas. Otherwise, that doesn’t really give people enough to debate or think or find out more about it,” he says. “An idea is vague; it can change ... so it’s very confusing for everyone involved.” He went on to note that SUS offered help in drafting the motion prior to the first EGM,
but nothing came of it. “We always encourage people to come forward to us,” Petersen said. “I think we did even offer help on completing a full draft of it, but then no further response was made, at least to my knowledge.” Martel’s motion was presented in full on January 22, but it was deemed special business and not added to the agenda. SUS bylaws define special business in section 16. “All business conducted at an Annual General Meeting, except the following: 16.2.1 The adoption of rules of order 16.2.2 The consideration of the financial statements 16.2.3 The consideration of the report of the Directors 16.2.4 The consideration of the report of the auditor, if any 16.2.5 The appointment of the auditor, if required 16.2.6 The other business that, under these Bylaws, ought to be conducted at an Annual General Meeting.” Special business is also defined in section 15 of the B.C. societies act. “All business at an extraordinary general meeting except the adoption of rules of order.” “Because we have bylaw 16 right now, it makes everything
at an EGM or an AGM special business, so you have to have it 14 days before,” Martel said. “The problem is a lot of the EGMs aren’t announced until that 14 days. Sometimes they’re on the website ahead of time.” At the end of the EGM, representative-at-large Thomas Davies suggested that a callout period prior to the 14 day notice for a SUS general meeting would be beneficial to students wanting to bring ideas to the table. Peterson confirmed SUS is considering the idea going forward. “We’ll have to draft some sort of policy for that so it doesn’t just disappear after this one shot,” he said. “That way people ... know that an AGM or EGM is coming up, and they have X amount of days to have any ideas, any input that they want to submit to us.” Martel’s motion is designed so that SUS budget allocates 55 per cent of their funds to student services. “As a student I want to see that my money’s going toward something useful ... I’m putting all this money into it and I feel like I’m not getting enough out. I feel that at least ... 50 per cent of what we put in should come back to us,” she says. Martel is now on the SUS
budget committee and will be working with Peterson and other members to draft the upcoming 2014/2015 budget to be presented at the March AGM. “I think that’s possibly the best model to engage them at, is to help them have their voice at a very real level,” Peterson says. With files from Dessa Bayrock.
Correction In Volume 22, Issue 4 of The Cascade, article “Arguing about the rules before the meeting even starts,” The Cascade reported “Robert’s Rules would allow them to suspend bylaws.” Robert’s Rules allow members of a society to suspend Robert’s Rules, not bylaws. It was also reported that Martel’s motion would require SUS to put “at least 55 per cent of its total budget directly toward student clubs, associations, and events.” The motion encompasses all SUS student services, including but not limited to clubs and associations.
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NEWS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Science on Purpose
Eat garlic, kill cancer TAYLOR BRECKLES
CONTRIBUTOR
What do vampires and cancer have in common? Both can be defeated by garlic. Garlic is one of the world’s most potent foods and is commonly associated with a long lifespan, but it has also been a great aid to scientists conducting lab work. Cancer cells have high metabolism and require a lot of energy to grow, and garlic can provide them with said energy. Through an oxygen reactant compound, garlic essentially suffocates cancer cells by overloading them with energy. A study at Washington State University demonstrated that garlic is 100 times more effective than two common antibiotics in defeating diseasecausing bacteria, proving those “Not All Bugs Need Drugs” commercials may have a point. “This research highlights the great promise of plantoriginated compound as natural medicine for controlling the malignant growth of human brain tumour cells,” says Swapan Ray, neuroscience and neurology associate professor, in Cancer, the American Cancer Society’s journal. Glioblastoma, for example, is the most common, as well as
Image: Richard North/ flickr
Garlic has been found to be a useful vegetable in the fight against brain cancer. the most aggressive, variety of brain cancer. It accounts for 52 per cent of all functional-tissue brain tumour cases as well as 20 per cent of all intracranial tumours. The typical treatment for glioblastoma is chemotherapy and radiation, which are known to kill brain cells and offer an average survival rate of 15 months.
However, for the first time, organo-sulfur compounds — which are found in garlic — have been recognized as effective against glioblastoma. This discovery will allow for non-invasive and less harmful cancer treatment. “Our basic studies will eventually be translated to clinics for patient care. We may have
to wait several years before its application to humans, but the significance of this discovery is enormous,” says Naren Banik, neuroscience and neurology professor in Cancer. “The benefits from this research to brain cancer patients will bring great satisfaction to researchers and clinicians who are trying to find a successful treatment for
this devastating cancer.” In addition to garlic-derived compounds being healthier for the body, these organo-sulfur compounds are also small and would most likely not require complex delivery methods in order to treat patients. The National Cancer Institute’s hypothesis is that “[preventative] effects from garlic may arise from its anti-bacterial properties, or from its ability to block the formation of cancer-causing substances, halt the activation of cancercausing substances, enhance DNA repair, reduce cell proliferation, or induce cell death.” In order to take advantage of these cancer-killing benefits at home, there are a few steps involved if one wants to gain the full potential of garlic healing. As Ray recommends, peeling and cutting fresh garlic and letting it rest for 15 minutes before eating it, or cooking with it, is preferred as it allows time for the release of the enzyme alliinase. This is the enzyme that produces anti-cancer compounds, so letting garlic rest is a small price to pay in exchange for the benefits. That said, gorging on garlic can cause diarrhea, allergies, and internal bleeding, so choose your meals carefully.
BA review part of ongoing indigenization process at UFV NADINE MOEDT
THE CASCADE
Considering it hasn’t changed since its implementation, the time has come for a revamping of UFV’s bachelor of arts program. The current design, which was inherited from Simon Fraser University, is undergoing a review to look at breadth requirements and whether courses adhere to UFV’s newly developed learning outcomes. Indigenization of the curriculum is a key value in these learning outcomes, and is taking priority during the review. “If indigenization is something that our university is committed to then we also have to be committed to, making sure that all students have some exposure to these things,” says associate dean of students in arts Susan Fisher. “If that’s what we value, then we’ve got to put it into practice.” According to Fisher, the draft for the new bachelor of arts framework could come into effect September 2015 at the earliest. Input from various departments is needed to draw up the new criteria for breadth requirements. With each course evaluation, the ques-
tion of whether consideration has been given to indigenizing the curriculum is posed; they were developed in a time when proper consideration may not have been given to indigenous content. “If [courses] were developed during a time where we weren’t as aware or as committed to indigenizing, then as [the program comes] through the revision process it’s an opportunity to check whether indigenous content is appropriate, and if so how is it being supported,” says Fisher. “As courses come up for revision, now in a way that might not have been asked before, this question is asked.” Questions of what a student should glean from a BA are brought to the forefront — what is the role of science, for instance, or history, or ecological awareness and literacy? “There are a lot of different values that we might have here,” Fisher says, “but how do we build them into the program? Arts 100 is one course that contains a fair amount of indigenous content. Students read indigenous-inclusive texts, attend sessions on “ideas of territory and homeland” with elders while spending time in
the gathering space in Chilliwack, and watch a screening of “Meaning of Life,” a film by UFV’s Hugh Brody. Another addition to the BA is the new indigenous studies degree. The proposal, worked on by associate dean Ken Brealey, senior advisor of indigenous affairs Shirley Hardman, and program coordinator Sylvie Murray, has been under construction for several years, and will potentially be available to students in September 2015. “There have been indigenous studies degrees around in other places for a long time, so it’s time for us to catch up. And we
are doing that.” The degree, according to Murray, is based on a selection of indigenous people’s knowledge (IPK) courses, in addition to a sample of courses in various disciplines. Courses in history, criminology, social work, political science, anthropology, and Halq’emeylem are a few of the departments involved. “It’s a combination of cultural awareness and more applied, hard skills,” Murray says. The degree could include communications and media studies content and would offer courses on both the Abbotsford and Chilliwack campuses.
Potential careers after graduating with this specialization vary widely, from government agencies and band offices to non-profit organizations and resource management with First Nations communities. “The program is designed for indigenous and non-indigenous students,” says Murray. “It is shaped to speak to students who are interested and want to work in these areas and be well versed in the issues.” She concludes saying the degree would be “a very important part of UFV’s effort to educate ourselves and our students.”
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5
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
B.C. a great place to retire, not a great place to make a living
KATIE STOBBART
THE CASCADE
The latest forecast from opposition critic for advanced education David Eby shows little new hope for students. “B.C. students can’t afford our own education system anymore,” Eby told a small crowd in UFV’s dimly lit campus lounge on January 31. Shortly after 11 a.m., a mix of students and graduates gathered in AfterMath to hear Eby’s evaluation of B.C.’s educational climate and to share their own experiences funding their degrees. Visiting a number of the province’s publicly funded post-secondary institutions, Eby hopes to bring his findings and students’ stories to the legislature in Victoria in February. He explained one of his early stops at Thompson Rivers University during a student orientation day revealed a sobering reality. He spoke with 15 students in line before he met one from B.C. It raised an important question. Why were there so few B.C. students there? “I started looking for realworld impacts we can see as a result of the failure of the student loan system in B.C.,” he said. One of the first things he found was that B.C. residents are least likely in Canada to
Image: Katie Stobbart
Eby laid out the hard numbers of B.C.’s education system. pursue full-time studies. In actuality, B.C. residents were more likely to enroll in parttime studies and programs, despite the fact that the student loan program does not cater to those students. He also pointed out that government-held student debt is on the rise, and asked rhetorically how such an increase is possible when B.C. lends the least amount in student loans in the country. It boils down to interest. “B.C. and New Brunswick both charge prime plus two per cent,” he explained, noting the extra two per cent on top of
what it costs the government to loan the money in the first place generates $36 million per year for the provincial government. “The government has actually imposed a two per cent tax on the people who need to borrow the most,” Eby concluded. Another trend he noticed on his university visits is something he never encountered when he attended school more than a decade ago: student food banks. These have become a necessary resource for students struggling to study and eat; UFV’s Student Union Society implemented one on the
Abbotsford campus in October. welfare,” he said. “For some Eby also raised the issue reason in B.C. that’s not hapof youth unemployment in pening, and there’s a massive B.C., citing that the province spike in social assistance cases dropped to last place with the among that group.” highest rate in 2012. They were The other consequence of low in second place six years before access to education is migrathat. tion. Eby presented a graph of In 2012, one in 10 residents net migration in and out of the aged 15 to 19 was not working province, which showed B.C. or in school; one in seven 20- losing people of prime working to 24-year-olds and a startling age. 2012 was the highest point one in five 25- to 29-year-olds in youth migration out of the were in the same situation. country since 1990. Meanwhile, “How do you correlate the people at or nearing retirement fact that we have the most peo- age were migrating into B.C. ple not in school, “If this trend not in work, and continues, B.C. “The government has will be a wonnot in training with the fact that actually imposed a derful retirewe have the low- two per cent tax on ment commuest participation nity, but we’re the people who need really rate for full-time understudies in Cana- to borrow the most.” mining the da?” he asked. future of the One of the ways these figures province in terms of economic manifest themselves is in social development,” he said. assistance. The largest increase Of course, Eby admitted in new welfare recipients is in to his audience, largely comresidents aged 55 to 64, who prised of students, that he was Eby explained would have the preaching to the choir, but said most difficulty reentering the he hopes to get feedback on economy after losing their jobs whether students agree with in an economic downturn, and his assessment, and wants to would benefit most from part- hear their experiences. time training programs. “It’s pretty dark right now “The second highest increase for young people in British Coin welfare cases in B.C. is lumbia,” he determined, then among 19- to 24-year-olds, and opened up the floor for stuthis is the cohort that presum- dents to weigh in. ably would be most likely to go to school rather than receive
Warm barns and milk machines New agricultural building links UFV to agriculture industry KATHERINE GIBSON
THE CASCADE
Just weeks away from its planned opening on February 15, UFV’s new Centre of Excellence in Agriculture is surrounded by excitement and anticipation by students, faculty, and members of the industry alike. These buildings will provide a central location for UFV students and others interested in the field to study and receive training relevant to the agriculture industry. “We’re in the heart of the bread basket of B.C., so there’s some sense to UFV being a hub, especially when we’re right in agriculture central,” explains facilities and campus development executive director Craig Toews. “We have a program in agriculture that is fairly [broad] and we do have connections with a lot of these other institutions,” he says. “We also have the ministry of agriculture right across the highway and there are a lot of high-end research labs there.” While learning the ins and outs of the industry is impor-
Craig Toews speaks to technological advancements coming with UFV’s Centre of Excellence in Chilliwack. tant, Toews also notes that it is integral for UFV’s agriculture training to remain relevant to the industry. “There’s a lot of economic focus on agriculture within the municipal areas that we have campuses — so we have really strong connections with the industry,” Toews says. “If we don’t have industry involved, we don’t really have a real check and balance in terms of [whether or not] we are training students with the skills
that the industry really needs for jobs.” For Toews, one key feature that will allow UFV to remain relevant comes in the form of technology. From “warm barns,” which simulate the differing environments needed for raising livestock, and specially designed greenhouses on campus to the mechanized milking of cows, Toews highlights the advanced ways UFV students will be able to use their technological training lo-
cally. “Farmers have this technology; [they’re] partnered up with someone to give it to them, but who do they have locally to maintain, operate, and program these things?” asks Toews. “We want to train automation technicians … who can actually get out there and do this [locally].” While the agriculture industry is full of job opportunities for UFV students, Toews believes that in order to better en-
Image: Katherine Gibson
gage students, the stereotypes surrounding farming need to be broken. “We need to go back into high school and ... start breaking the myths around agriculture ... it’s not just about muddy boots and Mom and Dad losing their shirt on a farm where it’s very difficult to make a living,” he says. “We need to break that myth because there are all sorts of exciting careers and opportunities in agriculture now.”
6
OPINION
OPINION
SNAPSHOTS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
This week’s theme: “What goes up must come down”
Vancouver: no artists allowed
Mark woes!
Valerie Franklin
Taylor Breckles
Katie Stobbart
Bad news for wannabe urbanites: Vancouver was recently named the second-most expensive city in the world to live in, losing only to Hong Kong. This isn’t news to anyone. Vancouver has been jaw-droppingly expensive for a couple of decades now. You can actually buy a mansion in southern France for less than a Vancouver Special crack shack. But the saddest consequence of the city’s insanely inflated cost of living is that an entire generation of talented starving artists are cut off from the city’s vibrant cultural scene. If you work in industries like film, business, journalism, or the arts, you’ve gotta be in Vancouver to make it happen — but even a leaky, bed-buggy basement suite is out of the average person’s price range. It means that only people who are already successful can be where the success is. I know, I know — the world’s a big place, and there are many, many other places where a penniless liberal arts grad can make a career. But I’m still hoping someday I’ll be able to live in the city. Vancouver wasn’t always this expensive, and what goes up must come down, right? Right?
Grades. Just reading that word, some of you may grimace. I cringe right along with you. I’ve been told it’s normal for your grades to drop once you enter university because of the different work load, different professors, different teaching methods, etcetera. But that knowledge doesn’t make it any less irritating when you see that you’ve gone from being practically perfect to, shall we say, less than ideal. Yes, studying is good and should be practiced in abundance, but it’s a hard shift going from not needing to study whatsoever to having to study every day. Plus, as I’m sure many of you have noticed, it can be really difficult to focus. Suddenly even that little spot on the wall is more interesting than the pages upon pages of words in front of you. Because of this problem, I have come up with a study system. I listen in class, then recopy all of my notes before exams. Wilting marks be revived! Wingardium leviosa, grades!
I can’t figure out this whole business of colonizing Mars. Have we given up on this planet? Have we admitted failure? I would like to know how we have the technology and willpower to live on a planet which is inhospitable to life, yet cannot seem to find a way to live in a place of fertility and growth without destroying it. I guess there’s just no glamour in it. We want the new, the challenging, the dangerous, the unexpected. Adventure. Drama. We want to watch it all in real-time and HD. The allure of the elusive is our greatest impetus for both growth and destruction. That we would prefer a red wasteland to what we have — or could have, if we smarten up — is ridiculous. The time, money, and innovation going into a one-way trip to Mars could be put to a much better use. Unfortunately, it seems that no matter what happens, we’ll still arrogantly refuse to acknowledge the basic truth: you can only go so high. But I guess that must be what makes us human.
You can’t be a hermit forever
Mars: must we?
Dessa Bayrock
As reading break approaches, the idea of doing actual work becomes less and less appealing. This is a feeling I’m sure many students can relate to, and that often grows on a larger scale over the course of a year, or degree. We start eyeing the finish line. The workload is too much! The second classes let out for reading break, I foresee a horde of students running for the hills to become hermits and tend goats — a simpler, kinder existence that will never, ever involve reading a textbook. I welcome the urge to hermitize; it’s important to leave school sometimes, whether it’s for an hour, an evening, a weekend, or a season. But just like that old saying about needing darkness to see the light, it’s important to remember the shadow value of leaving work behind — coming back to it. As surely as we climb those mountains to make friends with goats, we’ll be crawling back down the hill again to hit the books. We’re better off remembering how nice it is to come down from the mountain, and not just how nice it is to go up.
What we can learn from Ukraine’s rioters VALERIE FRANKLIN
CONTRIBUTOR
What would it take to make 200,000 Canadians walk into the streets and protest? Budweiser shutting down its production line? Another humiliating hockey defeat? How about losing our legal right to protest, like in Ukraine? To recap: since mid-January, Ukrainian citizens have taken to the streets against their government’s draconian new anti-protesting laws. These so-called “dictatorship laws” outlaw motorcades and mask-wearing, legalize trial in absentia and internet censorship, and slap six-year prison sentences on protesters who block access to residential buildings or engage in “extremist activity” — a chillingly vague term. As if that’s not enough, a ceaseand-desist message from the government appeared on mobile phones across central Kiev when the riots began, seemingly straight out of Orwell’s 1984: “Dear subscriber, you are registered as a participant in a mass disturbance.” In response to their government’s actions, Ukrainians took to the streets en masse and started burning Kiev down. The photos are terrifying: smoky
Riots leave the city of Kiev in a burning heap of rubble and smoke. rubble-strewn streets, bloodied photographers, rioters whipping armoured police officers with chains. The sheer scope of the protests, combined with intense pressure and criticism from the international community, forced the government to backpedal. The anti-protesting laws were repealed, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov resigned in shame, and amnesty was offered to the arrested protesters on the condition that the other protesters clear the area. For once, things started looking up for the little guys — but you’d better be-
lieve they suffered and bled for it. But what if this had happened in Canada? Would we have reacted with that kind of visceral, teeth-kicking survival instinct if the Harper government had tried to outlaw protesting? Or would the stereotype of the genial, unexcitable, beerswilling Canadian turn out to be closer to the truth than we’d like? We should be keeping a closer eye on the state of our own freedom of speech and knowledge, especially as university students who have an active interest in the
Image: Tandalov.com/ flickr
role of the arts and the sciences in society. In the last few years we’ve watched the Canadian government muzzling scientific research, invading the privacy of our personal communications, crawling into bed with enormous corporations, and trying to restrict our access to the internet. We talk a lot about how much we dislike our politicians on both a personal and an ideological level, but we don’t do anything about it. We post a Facebook status and forget about it. To be clear, I’m not condoning
the kind of violence that Ukraine has seen in the past few weeks. To date, four protesters have been killed in the riots, others are missing, many others have been badly injured, and untold damage has been done to innocent people’s vehicles, homes, and businesses. But we’re not talking about rioting, which is violent and destructive — we’re talking about protesting. Too often the two are confused or deliberately blurred together. At what point do we decide that enough is enough? Would it take a Canadian set of “dictatorship laws” for us to show the same passion for free speech, knowledge, and information? There’s a time to stop talking and start marching. When writing articles and reposting social media campaigns don’t work, we always have the option to physically occupy a space. We can fill the streets, stop traffic, make noise. We can use our bodies to tell the world, “I am here.” Nothing should be able to invalidate our right to make that basic statement. What should we be learning from the way the Ukrainian protesters have refused to accept oppression? That it works.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
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OPINION
Can life exist on another planet? Why we need both skepticism and hope for Mars One ANDREW COOPER
THE SHEAF
SASKATOON (CUP) — Mars One is a start-up space company based out of the Netherlands, founded by entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp. The company intends to send a group of astronauts on a one-way journey to Mars in 2023 to establish a settlement. The question that everyone should be asking themselves is whether the impediments of such an undertaking too great for Mars One to conquer in just a decade. We must be critical and optimistic if an undertaking such as Mars One is to accomplish their mission. Of course, I have good reason to be hopeful. Out of the approximately 200,000 eligible applicants worldwide, myself and 1,057 other hopeful astronauts have been accepted. We all need to perform a routine medical examination and go through an interviewing process. If we meet the standards and proceed to the next round of selection, our subsequent training and final selection will be televised for the world to see. But this article is getting ahead of itself. The introductory paragraph reads like the opening to a science fiction novel. Isaac Asimov accurately predicted in 1964 that we would only have sent unmanned missions to Mars by 2014. On the other hand, Asimov predicted that we would have a lunar colony at this point as well — and the only “colony” in space at the moment is the International Space Station. Though we hardly live up to Asimov’s predictions when it comes to space exploration, one cannot help but share his enthusiasm for what is beyond our planet. “The sky calls to us. If we do not destroy ourselves, we will one day venture to the stars.” — Carl Sagan The challenges facing Mars One are many. ***Wired broke down Viking missions sent to Mars in To pursue what is good and necDuring a tour of a L.A. medithe inevitable obstacles in an ar- 1975 and 1976 cost $1 billion USD. essary without the constructive cal centre in April of last year, ticle published in May 2013. Adjusted for inflation, this is over criticism of your peers is to face no Stephen Hawking said that huMars has no magnetic field, $4 billion USD today. Also keep adversary, and therefore to over- manity would likely not survive meaning the surface in mind the come no challenge. another thousand years on our of Mars is constantly Viking mis“We choose to go to the moon,” Earth “without escaping beyond barraged by deadly “I have good reason to sions didn’t U.S. President John F. Kennedy our fragile planet.” If we are to interstellar radiation. be hopeful. Out need to train a said in his famous speech, “not consider Hawking’s assumption at Radiation poisoning is of the approximately large number because it is easy, but because it is face value, it should motivate us as one of the largest chalof astronauts hard.” to the imperative of beginning hulenges facing the Mars 200,000 eligible to be prepared This mentality of progress was man colonization of the solar sysapplicants worldwide, to colonize a harboured during the space race tem as soon as possible. One colonists. Additionally, Mars myself and 1,057 oth- new planet, of the mid to late This is a matter has dangerously highnor did they 20th century, but of working ahead “Many believe that it is wind dust storms that er hopeful astronauts need to con- has not continued of our obstacles, would impede both have been accepted. “ sider life-long — there have been too soon for Mars One; rather than when landing and living. accommoda- nearly four de- I believe that there is they present themAnd then there’s the physical and tions. How, then, can we expect cades between the Many may no such thing as too selves. mental strains of living in a small our red-planet colonists to survive last soft landing on believe that it is compartment for years with only a indefinitely? the Moon’s surface soon.” too soon for Mars few other companions. Although this skepticism may and China’s recent One; I believe that The most overwhelming ob- seem daunting to the average indi- soft landing of their first lunar rov- there is no such thing as too soon. stacle to the program, however, is vidual, I find it hopeful. In fact, I er Yutu. So we should remain skeptical. an economic one: Lansdorp’s pro- find it encouraging. I would want Where has the energy for space A program such as this will require jected budget for the program is a no part in a program like this if exploration gone? Who, if not gov- skepticism before acceptance if it mere $6 billion dollars. people were not willing to ques- ernments, will push humanity into is to succeed. Skepticism produces To put this into perspective, the tion the logistics of it. the stars? critical thought, which is a neces-
Image: Pascal Lee / flickr
sary component for such a technical undertaking. We may not understand how we will overcome the difficulties facing Mars One now, but constant criticism of the details will lead to a better understanding of our journey to the stars in the long run. Regardless of the logistical problems associated with the program, just think of what the Mars One program implies about the human race. We are, after all, practically planning to colonize the solar system — to reach out and travel through space and time. Carl Sagan would be proud, but not surprised, to see where we are. After all, it was Sagan that said in his Cosmos documentary series, “The sky calls to us. If we do not destroy ourselves, we will one day venture to the stars.” Hopefully, that day is fast approaching.
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OPINION
OPINION
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
What would be the look on your face if you were going to Mars? Feel like sharing your short-andsweet opinion? Keep an eye out for our whiteboard-toting pollsters roaming the halls.
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CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
SUDOKU PUZZLE
CROSSWORD La langue d’amour
by KATIE STOBBART
ACROSS 2. 4. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 12. 13.
This is a great way to brighten up your place with some plant life. Upside: you don’t have to water it. Downside: Pretty sure it doesn’t do that oxygen supply thing. But potted plants are so much work. Jet away in one of these, hopefully to a warmer climate, if you’re not hurting for funds. (I know, that’s not even funny.) Write some of this for your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day. Groundhog day has come and gone, which means a new month. It’s hard to imagine settling down with one after all the class reading you’ve had to do. Ensure you have plenty of this when you finally sit down tonight to study — otherwise you may damage your eyes! You can get all your apples, oranges, and bananas here! Or, you know, a bag of chips and a magazine. Students don’t tend to get much of this, but reading break is as good an opportunity as any. Who reads over reading break, anyway? The opposite of a parasol.
DOWN 1. 3. 5. 11.
No, it’s not spring yet. You get a big, metaphorical, gold one of these if you get all the answers to this crossword without using a dictionary or translator. If you do want to get some shut-eye, you should think about turning this off and avoiding all your other devices, too. This is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, that thing a hard semester slowly bleeds out of you.
Answer keys Last week’s crossword
Sudoku solution
ACROSS 1. LEACOCK 6. HEDGES 8. PUTNAM 10. WEBDUBOIS 12. HITCHENS 13. GRANT 14. FUKUYAMA 16. CHOMSKY 17. FRIEDMAN 18. ZIZEK 19. ATWOOD
DOWN 2. ARISTOTLE 3. KLIEN 4. MCLUHAN 5. XENOPHON 7. SUZUKI 9. SUNTZU 10. WEST 11. BACON 15. KYMLICKA
The Weekly Horoscope
Star Signs from January Jones*
Aquarius: Jan 20 - Feb 18: Dreaming about the coming apocalypse is actually a sign of the coming apocalypse. Invest in a water purifier and a couple hundred kilos of beef jerky.
Gemini: May 21 - June 21: Tout semble plus attrayant si vous le dites en français. Deux mégots! Mouettes caca sur votre tête! Cet horoscope est parrainé par les capacités de traduction d’un moteur de recherche populaire d’Internet!
Libra: Sept 23 - Oct 22: If you can avoid using the vowel “i” in your next paper, you are basically guaranteed an A.
Pisces: Feb 19 - March 20: Subway is going to be bad luck for you this week, and I’m talking about the can’t-leavethe-bathroom sort of bad luck.
Cancer: June 22 - July 22: Irish dancing will be lucky for you this week, but only if you watch it on VHS.
Scorpio: Oct 23 - Nov 21: You think you should be studying, but the universe thinks you oughta be clubbing. Who are you going to listen to?
Leo: July 23 - Aug 22: Well, out with the old and in with the new! (A motto that manufacturers of Valentine’s chocolates don’t follow; make sure you check the expiry dates on discount sweets.)
Sagittarius: Nov 22 - Dec 21: You will have a dream that you are the famous philosopher Descartes, but you’d better wake yourself up before you sleepwalk yourself into an oven.
Virgo: Aug 23 -Sept22: Bed bugs are your spirit animal. Sorry.
Capricorn: Dec 22 - Jan 19: Your parents have been lying to you your whole life. Your astral sign is actually Aries!
Aries: March 21 - April 19: This week is going to be bad for you, but only until you learn to drink more coffee.
Taurus: April 20 - May 20: If you get a bad grade, maybe learn to study instead of giving into the temptation to toilet-paper your professor’s house.
*No, not that January Jones
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CULTURE FEATURE
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Alex Marion hopes The 26-year-old UFV graduate is shortlisted for the Mars One colony, and if all goes well he will live on by Nadine Moedt Alex Marion is one of 200,000 candidates who might just be in for the trip of a lifetime: a one-way ticket to the red planet. Marion, along with the other 1,058 applicants who made the first cut, hopes to be part of the Mars colonization process through a Netherlands-based non-profit known as Mars One. Of the 200,000 applicants around the world, a total of 75 Canadians, just two of these from B.C., were deemed suitable. Of the applicants, six groups of four — 24 individuals — will be selected to begin the gruelling eight-year training process which would eventually lead to their permanent departure from earth starting in 2024. The Mars One website states that the technology to support human life on Mars currently exists. All that is needed, then, is “public interest.” The organization will broadcast the application and training process as well as the candidates’ departure and life on Mars for advertising revenue. It’s not your typical post-graduation plan. But for Alex Marion, life on Mars would be a dream come true. Can I ask you a little about your background? You graduated with honours psychology from UFV. What are you up to these days? Right now I’m working as a general labourer in a warehouse. But I’ve applied to graduate school and am waiting on that. I applied to SFU’s quantitative theoretical history department in psychology. And where would that take you? Well, that would end up being a PhD in psychology focusing on theory and history, sort of looking at the philosophy of science side of psychology, so why is it that we do psychology the
way we do. Can you tell us about the Mars One application process? Anybody, all over the world, had the chance to apply, as long as they were 18 or older. There was no upper age limit, there was no other requirement; it didn’t matter what country you were from, age, gender ... then you had to make a video where you had to answer three questions: “What’s your sense of humour?” was one of them, also, “Why you want to go to Mars?” and “Why you think you are a good candidate for the mission, for a colonization mission, a one-way trip?”
There was a part where you had to upload a resume or CV with all your educational and vocational experience along with any credentials that you’ve got and awards you’ve won. And then there were some essay questions, things like “Tell us the most stressful experience of your life and how you dealt with it,” [or] “An example of a time where you came in contact with a different culture and what happened” … It was their way of gauging if you had all the qualities they were looking for. So they were looking for things like adaptability, resilience, reliability; they wanted to know you had a sense of humour; they were looking for curiosity. Why do you think yours stood out? That’s really hard to tell! I’m simply under the assumption that me, along with the other 1058 people that got picked, demonstrated fully the qualities they were looking for ... I think what allowed me to do that has a lot to do with my psychology background. It has given me a lot of insight into who I am as a person as well as the tools to constantly be looking at myself. Why do you want to go to Mars? My answer to that question is kind of long and complicated. You know, a lot of people were like, “oh, it’s always been my dream to go into space, I’ve always wanted to be an astronaut,” or “I grew up watching Star Trek,” or what have you. Those are very cute answers. But we are going to colonize another planet. I see this as a huge opportunity for everyone in the world to come together to do this mission for humanity. This isn’t about going into space … This isn’t something that should be for a country; this isn’t something that should be for one organization, this is humanity’s mission. Did you always have this dream to live on another planet? As a child
did you have astronaut role models? Did you watch Star Trek? My dad is very much the space nerd, just like me. You know, he has a lot to do with why I have such a love of space and astronomy ... I grew up as the international space station was being built and as I came into my adulthood I thought, well people are going into space, that’s all well and good but I didn’t really see myself [having] a space there, space in space. What I always looked forward to was sort of a futuristic mankind type of thing, working together, a very Star Trek type of universe. I never expected that in my life time, the aspirations I had were sort of 200 years away maybe. But here we are.
“I see this as a huge opportunity for everyone in the world to come together to do this mission for humanity.” What do your family and friends think of this dream? Are they generally supportive? It was my dad actually who told me about the mission in the first place. I don’t think he is regretting it, I mean everyone is being really supportive, very proud. I don’t think they are too surprised that I applied because I’ve always been so ambitious. I’m always seeing how far I can go, where my limits are. They don’t want me to leave. I think they want me to get to the very end and then decide to stay on Earth and use my fame to do something good on Earth. If you do go, what are you giving up for the sake of the mission? When I first had applied I had thought, I’m applying to leave the
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CULTURE FEATURE
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
to die on Mars the red planet for the rest of his life
planet, until I find out if I’m going or not I can’t do all these things, then I decided, well ... chances are I’m not going to go. It was out of 200,000 people. I’m just one psychology student working at a warehouse in Surrey, you know? Who am I, really? In terms of the future ... you are essentially changing your entire life. You have to move to the Netherlands to become employees of Mars One, and a lot of the training involves living in simulation settlements here on Earth to test whether or not you can live with three other people in a tiny confined space and all get along. Do you actually have the mental, emotional, and physical capacities to do this? Can you do what you have said you can do in your application. Obviously you wouldn’t be able to see your family very much, if at all. You wouldn’t have a personal life; your personal life would be the three other people that you’re with. Of course in going to Mars you don’t ever come back. It’s a colonization mission; you’re giving up everything for that. All you’ve got is what you take with you to Mars and then what’s on Mars. Does that scare you? Not really. I’ve never been the type of person that needs things. I’m a bit of a minimalist. I have a very select group of friends, I’m an introvert. I’m not worried about the three other people. We are going to more or less pick who we go up with, who we get along with. I am an easy-going person, I do get along well with people easily, so hopefully the other people will be like that as well. If you do make the final cut, how do imagine your life in 30 years? Well, in 30 years, if I’m within the first four, I would have been living on Mars for about 18 or 19 years. At that point I would anticipate the settlement to be quite expansive. By then they’ll have sent a few more groups of four ... The living quarters would
have been expanded, the hydroponics bay would be well established, you would be producing your own atmosphere at that point. There wouldn’t be a whole lot to do in terms of setting up the settlement. So I would see a lot in terms of research, looking at what’s on Mars, looking for evidence of past life and possible current life. There’s a lot we can do as people that the rovers can’t, so our visual field is much greater ... We’ll have the ability to construct and design things on Mars; the plan is to have a machine that can make plastics and a 3-D printer of sorts. I anticipate by that point a lot of tools will have been sent. That sets it up for things like asteroid mining; there’s a whole economy that could be set up by then. What would make this mission a success in your eyes? For me there’s two types of success. Obviously first and foremost is getting people there and having them survive, creating a sustainable community in which they don’t need [anything] to be sent from Earth ... Hopefully, the first success would be sustainability. Everything that we need we can get from Mars. But my personal hope is really to inspire people. We have to be sustainable, we can’t be producing waste on Mars, we can’t contaminate it. We don’t necessarily belong there naturally so we have to find our place there ... So hopefully that will inspire people here on Earth, to see a colony of 15 to 20 people that produce no waste, that recycle 95 per cent of all water that they use, and they have comfortable, productive, meaningful lives. Do you consider yourself an environmentalist? Absolutely I am an environmentalist. I live minimally, I try to reduce my waste, I recycle and reuse whenever I can. I believe in protecting the environment ... The big question I keep getting is why are we sending people
to another planet when we’re screwing this one up so badly? And I think the reason we’re screwing this one up so badly is so many people don’t care, or at least they’re not willing to make changes ... They think, what difference can they really make [individually]? I think people really need something like this to really motivate them. The Mars One mission is going to be filmed closely. Are you comfortable sacrificing your privacy for the sake of the mission? People have called it a reality show. Reality shows focus on people’s everyday drama but it’s not like that. It’s more of a live documentary. It’s not reality TV, it’s just reality. Nobody is going to be playing things up for the camera. The focus is going to be on the mission ... We still have our own private lives that people won’t see, and it will be up to us if we want to show that part of ourselves. There’s no paparazzi on Mars. There’s no media hunt. They can’t invade your private life. I would easily have more privacy than I would as a celebrity on Earth. You’ve got so much more control over what people get to see. If you could bring one personal item to Mars, what would it be? The best answer that I can come up with is an Amazon Kindle. Something that I can upload and have tons and tons of books ... There’s going to be a lot to do on Mars, but I’m going to want some down time, and I want to make sure that at least for the trip to Mars I’ve got a lot to read ... I’m going to want entertainment.
What would be your spaceship playlist — your anthem for going into space? I have been thinking of what kind of songs would be really cool. I have a list, it’s not very long, but here’s what I have. “Rise,” by Skillet. “Wherever
I May Roam,” by Metallica. “It’s My Life” by Bon Jovi, “Through Glass,” “Do Me a Favour” and “Influence of a Drowsy God” by Stone Sour. And then “Indestructible,” “Ten Thousand Fists,” and “Darkness” by Disturbed. I’m mostly into new metal, that’s kind of my digs. What is on your Earth bucket list, or your list of things that you would miss most about being on Earth? Well, the things that I would miss most would definitely be my family and friends. I think the personal connections we make with people are one of the most important things in life ... We’ll still get to send emails and video messages back to Earth. One of the communication satellites will be dedicated to transmitting internet feeds. There will be a delay of [between] three and 27 minutes depending on the position of Earth and Mars... In terms of a bucket list, though, I’m really hoping I get to travel more. As much as I’m looking to leave Earth, it really is a beautiful place and a great place to live. I especially want to see more of Europe ... I definitely want to go diving off Australia, see the Great Barrier Reef, hopefully go swimming with the whale sharks. That would be totally awesome. I want to backpack across Asia and safari in Africa. So there’s definitely a lot to see before I would pack up and leave. Of course I would miss Earth ... There’s a lot of beauty and good things on Earth, and I think if you can’t see the good here, you’re not going to see the good on Mars. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Editor’s note: since this interview, Marion has withdrawn his candidacy, realizing his colour vision deficiency would later bar him from the program.
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CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Department of what you don’t know about Abbotsford
Upcoming
Events
The Reach’s archive holds thousands of stories from the past TAYLOR BRECKLES CONTRIBUTOR
Located by City Hall in Abbotsford, the Reach is more than an art gallery and museum. It also houses the largest community archives in the city, holding multitudes of information and pieces of local history. Every photo is an archive in miniature, and the Reach’s collection is estimated at over 60,000, with around 16,000 of them available online. Until they can be digitally catalogued, the photos in print form are viewable on microfilm. Archivist Tricia Taylor explains that many of them come from public events, like old parades and issues of newspapers. The Reach has issues of the Abbotsford, Matsqui, and Sumas News as far back as 1923, the Abbotsford Post from 1901 until 1922, and the Abbotsford Times up to 1996. All of these sit waiting to be perused for simple curiosity or to serve as the basis for comprehensive inquests into the past. The Reach is currently in the process of digitizing their photos, but unfortunately not their newspapers. Currently they are looking for a grant in order to begin the digitization process. The archives hold a lot of primary sources, the type many professors look for in “A” papers, so if this should happen in the near future it could open
Jan 28 - Feb 19 Laura and David Saito Exhibit The former UFV grads are showcasing visual arts linking history and memory to the future’s inherent uncertainty. This is the first time Laura and David Saito will have done an exhibit together. Check it out in the UFV gallery.
Feb 5 Graphic Design tour Image: Kimberly Strain / The Reach
More than just the “gallery museum” on the front door, The Reach also has historical photos and records. up many opportunities for UFV students. The archives can also be a source of personal joy and discovery. Take, for example, one of the many stories that came about because of the archives. “A man lost his wedding photos in a flood or fire and he was able to retrieve all of them [from the archives],” Taylor says. “He surprised his wife with them for their 25th wedding anniversary.” The archives can also be a tool used for genealogical tracing, as they hold many records of lo-
cal family histories and rarelyglimpsed photos. Revealing the history of a place is possible through the archives as well; tax and land records are also part of the database. This means any property can be traced back to its original origin. Who knows, your house could have been originally owned by a felon or former political agent; anything could be possible. If there is still doubt about the possibilities that are held within the archives, take the fact that people from all over the world
come to the Reach specifically in order to access the archives. Researchers have come from as far away as France in order to access the wealth of Fraser Valley knowledge. Currently, the archives are only open during afternoons Tuesday through Friday. All other times need to be scheduled by appointment. It’s a place of various details and images, but also one that has the potential to be rediscovered by students in the future.
Fashion Forward
What not to wear to the gym Striking a balance between fashion and function NADINE MOEDT THE CASCADE
You might like to imagine that the gym is a place where you can wear whatever you like and not be judged for it. Everyone is sweaty, dishevelled, and generally unpresentable. Who’s going to look twice if you arrive in a wife-beater and sweats? However, gyms are a place where presentation matters. What do you think everyone is thinking about while on the treadmill or lifting in front of the wall-to-floor mirrors? Their appearance, and yours. Gym rats are fit, well-dressed, and judgmental. So how do you dress for function and fashion? You don’t need Nike, Lululemon, or Under Armour; expensive workout wear is not required to be dressed gym-appropriate. More than anywhere else, what you wear should reflect functionality. (I don’t mean literally reflective — bright green and pink neon is meant for running out of doors, where you actually need to be seen.) Your
Don’t do this. clothes should strike a balance between allowing active movement — not too tight — and fitting your form so excess fabric doesn’t impede your workout. Low-hanging, boxer-exposing basketball shorts, for example, tend to be a bad idea, as are restrictively tight push-up sports bras. Take into consideration the activity you intend to do when dressing; if spinning is your primary cardio, don’t wear widelegged yoga pants. If you are
Image: Wikimedia Commons
more into stand-alone exercises, such as lifting free weights or pilates-type movements, wear relaxed, stretchable materials. The material you wear should emphasize breathability. Lycra and spandex tend to do the trick, and if you’re willing to spend a bit more, material containing polypropylene such as Coolmax and Supplex won’t absorb sweat, leaving your clothes feeling light and cool. Cotton should be avoided, as it sticks to your skin, preventing natural
evaporation of perspiration. As for the colour, material that doesn’t give a tell-all of how much you’re actually sweating is only polite. Light grey tends to show the dampness and white turns yellow fairly quickly. T-shirts and sweat pants with snarky comments on them —“your workout is my warmup” and the like — should be left at home. Gym-goers don’t want to be reading what’s written on your backside. People go to the gym for very different reasons. There are the gym bros, who tend to socialize while showing off the upper limits of their bench press abilities; the sport athletes, who deftly perform exercises most of us have never even considered attempting; the cliques of gossiping Lululemon-clad girls; and nervous gym newbies. As gyms are fairly enclosed spaces, we need to respect the diversity of all our fellow gym attendees. Dress appropriately, be considerate, and leave the peacock feathers at home.
UFV’s graphic design program can be found on the institution’s Mission campus, where anyone who’s interested in pursuing an extended minor or diploma or is just filling out a sketchbook on the side can find out more about opportunities in the field and receive feedback on any work they want to bring. Info session begins at 6:00 p.m., and the portfolio workshop gets started at 7:30 p.m.
Feb 7 Battleship Potemkin with live piano score American solo classical and jazz pianist Chris Jarrett will be performing as part of the Valley Concert Society’s series of classical music, but with a twist: he’ll be providing a live score for a screening of the landmark silent film Battleship Potemkin. Held at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium, single tickets are $25, or a season’s subscription (Jarrett is the third of six that would be covered) is $35 for students (regular price $110). A pre-concert talk begins at 6:50 p.m., and the film starts at 7:30 p.m.
Feb 13-15 Fraser Valley Acoustic Guitar Festival Kwantlen Polytechnical University is hosting the 17th annual Fraser Valley Acoustic Guitar Festival from February 13-15 at their Langley campus. Events include workshops on composition and technique, high school student performances, and an evening concert featuring world-class acoustic guitarists. This year’s festival guests include twotime Grammy winner Laurence Juber, Van Django, Ari Lahdekorpi and Kent Hillman. Tickets are $15 for students and seniors in advance and $20 at the door.
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CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
The breathing human
Visual arts instructor Shelley Stefan on self-portraits DESSA BAYROCK THE CASCADE
“I’ve fallen back in love with the human face, and how you can come at it many different ways. It’s just so beautiful. It doesn’t matter who the person is.” I’m talking to professor Shelley Stefan in her tiny UFV office. Although it can’t be more than a dozen feet square, it’s at least twice as tall as it is wide. The walls are covered with charcoal sketches and other media, spreading out collage-like from top-to-bottom. She invites me to sit on her squashy pink sofa as I interview her, but warns me not to lean back — the charcoal is still alive, ready to smudge on clothing and walk out of the office. “In the ‘90s, as a university student, I did hundreds and hundreds of portraits, and lots of self-portraits,” she says. She talks with her hands, and upbeat marimba music plays in the background. “It’s all about the human face, and artwork that is able to get something across of the human spirit, just through the human face. You can draw or paint a face, and it’s just representational. But this was more about the essence of the human inside.” Two of Stefan’s tiny one-footsquare self-portraits are part of a larger exhibit, About Face, in North Vancouver ’s CityScape Community Art Space. They share the space with the work of 28 other artists — all faces. “It was neat to see my work in a family of other works that were all really different,” she says. Hers were some of the smallest, but others were large, provocative. Where Stefan’s are realistic, others are abstract. “Range,” Stefan says, concluding. “A wide range.” The exhibit is a North Vancouver Community Arts Council project, which put a call out for works to western Canadian artists after a member pitched the idea for a show based only
Image:: Shelley Stefan
Shelley Stefan with the two oil-painted self-portraits currently on exhibition in North Vancouver. on portraiture. Stefan submitted five works, and received a letter of acceptance for two of them. The process, she says, was a lot like applying for a job. “They looked at your artist statement, your CV, your experience in the arts,” she lists, counting off the documents on her fingers. “Also — obviously the most
“I’MMA BEAR” by Jeff Smyth
important part —” she adds, “the work.” The small oil-on-canvas selfportraits the council accepted, she says, are a part of a larger project. She hopes to have maybe a hundred self-portraits painted by the end of this year. Stefan has a cabin by a lake in the valley, where she retreats to study and paint. It sounds
idyllic, and it is – she stokes the wood stove, puts on CBC Radio 2, and returns to old-school methods of painting; oil, canvas, mirror, light. “No photography, just handeye coordination and on-site observation,” she says. “It’s harder that way. It’s harder, and it’s oldschool, but it’s really enjoyable.” “Sometimes when I paint,
even self-portraits, I feel I can see my ancestors, and my ancestors’ ancestors,” she adds. “It’s just this really powerful sort of sublime, introspective, academic exercise.” Her passion for and interest in portraiture was rekindled in part when she began to teach at UFV. “If I’m telling students how to draw or how to paint, you can’t really learn that way — you have to learn through doing. You have to learn through watching and being done,” she says. “It’s visual; it’s experiential; you have to do the artwork but you can also watch someone else do it.” She’ll often “whip up” a study of a face using herself, or a student, or a model, showing her students how to draw the lines out of a face. If you capture the gaze just right, she says, the portrait will come alive. It’s these works — the ones that capture the human spirit — that most speak to Stefan, and this is part of what About Face tries to show. She hopes that her two small portraits pull the viewer into the moment of a single breath — the moment as she paused and turned from mirror to canvas. “All they’re doing is looking at you,” she says, a small and pleased smile hovering about her mouth. “But there’s this level of connection — like when someone gives you eye contact, the whole feeling changes. You can walk by a person, but if they stop and give you even three seconds of eye contact, something shifts.” This is something in a portrait that endures; decade after decade and century after century, artists return again and again to the humanness of a face. “When you see paintings from the 1200s or the 1400s and they’re so full of life that they could be alive right now ... it’s unbelievable that they were done so long ago,” Stefan says. “I really like that: the breathing human.”
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Film Review
I, Frankenstein JEREMY HANNAFORD CONTRIBUTOR
January is only just over and we’ve already had several bad movies this year. Certain “bad” movies that can be enjoyable if taken from a certain perspective; the horrible acting and ridiculous storytelling can make a concoction of engrossing drivel. Sometimes, you don’t even want it to end. I, Frankenstein could have been one of those films if it wasn’t so boring. Based on a graphic novel of the same name that is somehow non-existent on the internet, the movie takes us back to the time of the monster ’s creation. It starts out entertaining with Aaron Eckhart trying his best reinterpretation of his role in The Dark Knight. The original Mary Shelley is glossed over in less than a minute. Then we are taken on a new and terrible adventure involving demons and gargoyles, which are basically angels. Why they can’t be angels isn’t really addressed even though they fight for God, use angelic references, and ascend into the sky when they die. But this weird departure from the base text does lead to some hilarious dialogue. When Mirando Otto arrives to judge the fate of the monster, she serves as the queen of exposition and basically explains the entire backstory, plot, and obstacles to come. Despite some lacklustre CGI,
the full-scale battle halfway through the film is quite entertaining. The look of the gargoyles may be simplistic, but the basic colour palette works to subtly hide how cheap they are. It’s at this point when the mindless violence and terrible acting can work together and you can
actually have fun watching this movie. Afterward, it tries to delve deeper into the “I” monster, called Adam in this film. I, Frankenstein only gets worse in its second half as a result. Characters are introduced, then killed 10 minutes later, even when we
are supposed to care about them. People like Yvonne Strahovski’s scientist character are blasted with absolutely absurd and comical dialogue about gargoyles and demons and take it like it’s an average day at the job . Though the film moves quickly, sometimes skimping on de-
tail, it still drags later on. The bad dialogue isn’t funny anymore, the action isn’t captured properly, and it just becomes boring. This says something as the film is barely over 90 minutes long. When you make a film of this campy calibre, the main focus should be to entertain the audience, at the very least. Instead we are given some terrible dialogue between Strahovski and Eckhart as they try to showcase the fact that the monster has “feelings.” Aaron Eckhart’s choice to star in this film is not surprising. He has become accustomed to starring in campy action films like Battle Los Angeles, The Core, or Paycheck. It’s odd because Eckhart is otherwise a decent actor with some standout performances, like in Thank You For Smoking. He’s certainly dedicated to his craft; for his role in I, Frankenstein he spent three months learning the Kali fighting style. He even said in an interview with Collider that “Frankenstein is an intelligent, evolved man, and that’s how he is portrayed in this movie, for sure.” You know your film is bad when your lead actor ’s description of his character exceeds anything you will get from the overall movie. I, Frankenstein could make a great party movie if you have nothing else to watch, but it will likely be forgotten well before the year is over.
Book Review
The 21 Day Sugar Detox by Diane Sanfilippo SASHA MOEDT THE CASCADE
I’m not one for fad diets. I tried Dr Oz’s smoothie cleanse, and it was awful. How can you subscribe to anything that doesn’t seem like common sense when it comes to what you eat? I came across The 21 Day Sugar Detox while researching a diet that does make sense to me – the so-called Paleolithic (Paleo) diet, or “caveman” diet. While the terms for this diet are flawed (as any anthropologist will argue), the rationale behind it is logical. Avoid processed foods, and eat what a hunter-gatherer would eat. No refined sugar, no refined carbohydrates (bread, pasta), no flours — basically, anything that you couldn’t get from the natural world and prepare yourself, you shouldn’t eat. Your simplified menu would look like this: meat, fish, eggs (preferably organic), nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables. The author of The 21 Day Sugar Detox, Diane Sanfilippo, is also the bestselling author of Practical Paleo: A Customized Approach to Health and a Whole-Foods Lifestyle. Her follow-up book — Sugar Detox — can be seen as a gateway into the world of Paleo, a way to ease yourself into it. Sugar Detox is sectioned into three parts: the science, the program, and the 90-plus recipes
that make up the program. The most important thing I took away is essentially this: my body is always telling me things, and it’s important to listen. I usually just take an Advil for a stress headache, grab a coffee if I’m tired, and pop another pill if I
can’t sleep. But by treating my symptoms with quick fixes, I’m muting my body’s voice, and it’s not really safe. Why do I always crash in the afternoon? Why do I always get headaches? Why am I always stressed out? Why can’t I sleep?
Sanfilippo says it’s all about food. Pretend every time you eat, you are depositing nutrients into your body’s “bank account.” Because the process of digestion takes micronutrients, you need to take out a withdrawal to leave a deposit. By eating nutrientdense food, you are making a valuable deposit. When you eat nutrient-poor foods, you are asking for a withdrawal without making a deposit because the deposit doesn’t make up for the nutrients taken away by the withdrawal. Your body gets hungrier — begging for food with more nutrients — so you eat more low-nutrient carbs. Your body only gets more tired and hungry. The vicious cycle: eat bad carbs; dopamine hit (rewarding neurotransmitter response to eating sugary foods); craving more; low nutrient stores; eat bad carbs. The cycle goes on. The program itself is very straightforward. You pick what level you are according to your lifestyle. If you’ve never tried anything like this, and you eat pasta every day, level one is for you. There are three levels in total, advancing in difficulty. Each level has a “yes” food list and a “no” food list. It’s very basic. Sanfilippo also has meal plans that you can follow, with modifications for pescetarians, if you are extremely active, etc.
There is an information sheet on what to expect day-to-day that I found pretty interesting. Apparently the hardest days are from day four to 11, when you have withdrawal-like symptoms. The recipes themselves are surprisingly affordable for students. Often cookbooks that cut out all the cheap processed stuff we thrive on replace it with expensive specialty health-foodstore foods. But if you’re okay with buying lots of proteins (meats, but also with an emphasis on eggs), vegetables, almonds, and spices, it’s not bad at all. A couple of gold stars to this book for bringing me jalapeno bacon burgers, meatza (yes ... the crust is meat), and rosemary salmon with cabbage (the sautéed cabbage is so good!) The 21 Day Sugar Detox is an interesting read. The nutritional explanations are clear and comprehensive (even for an arts major!). The detox program itself isn’t ridiculous; it’s doable. If you’re interested in making a change health-wise, or even if you’re interested in thinking about making a change, this book is very non-threatening. For food for thought, give this book a read.
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Album Review
The Strumbellas — We Still Move on Dance Floors
TAYLOR BRECKLES CONTRIBUTOR
Mini Album Reviews
SoundBites
Usually I don’t pay much attention to the ads I see in the movie theatre, but this time I did. That’s right, this band was featured on one of those artist interviews that play before you movie starts, and it piqued my interest. Because the same interview played a few times, I was able to jot down the name of this band, and it was worth it. Although this album only has nine songs on it, all of them are great. That’s not an exaggeration either. Usually, most albums — even the good ones — have at least one song you hesitate on before skipping it or don’t like it outright, but none of those exist on We Still Move on Dance Floors. The first song on the album, “Sailing” — the one that was previewed in the theatre clip — is extremely catchy and hooked me instantly, as did many others, the common theme being gentle progression. The first song often sets the tone for the rest of the album and can give a sign of the quality and likeability of all
the songs to come. That’s true for this album as well, with the overall impression being fun and catchy with an air of folk. The last song on the album, “The Fire,” is a slower song with only vocals, acoustic guitar, and violin. It is an interesting choice to end the album on such a som-
bre note. Regardless of the melancholy feel of the last song, it leaves the listener wanting more, particularly since the album as a whole is upbeat. Although it’s hard to decide, I would argue that one of the best songs on the album is “Home Sweet Home” because of its toe-
tapping beat, meaningful lyrics, and the feeling of joy you get when you listen to it. The Strumbellas are a relatively new band — We Still Move on Dance Floors follows 2012’s My Father and The Hunter as their sophomore release. Although We Still Move on Dance Floors is only
Jerome LOL Thee Silver Mt. Zion Damien Jurado Memorial Orchestra Brothers and Sisters Deleted / Fool Fuck Off Get Free of the Eternal Son We Pour Light on Everything
30 minutes long, it is worth every second. Although the folk aspect might turn some people off, the music is not stereotypical folk. There are some songs that include banjo and violin, but they’re undertones rather than the main instruments. Honestly, I haven’t even had the chance to fully register the lyrics because I find myself getting so lost in the music. Once you’re listening, you start swaying or tapping along and get lost in a different world. From what I have retained, the instrumentals and lyrics are quite good, holding potentially sad yet realistic messages such as asking a father for help in life, wanting to fulfill life adventures, and losing a loved one. The songs may be considered sad, but the instrumental accompaniment helps the listener to feel positive and hopeful. This is a great album and I would recommend it to anyone. The Strumbellas are also Canadian, so we can establish more Canadian pride and be one step closer to compensating for Justin Bieber!
Editors The Weight of Your Love
How exactly do you classify Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra? Experimental indie post-rock? Orchestral prog punk? Neo-classical art rock? All of the above? Whatever it is, it apologizes to no one. TSMZ’s new album is noisy, abrasive, uncontrolled — and it works. With its driving beat and dark, ringing melodies, Fuck Off doesn’t lack power. Its ability to swing between softness and heaviness is admirable; the real fireworks are in the tender, delicate harmonies of tracks like “Little Ones Run,” which offer some relief from the electro-fuzzed angst that dominates much of the album. Even though many of the tracks descend into passionate, thundering jam sessions that sprawl over the tenminute mark, it feels well-paced. But this album is far from perfect. While the lyrics are probably just as fascinatingly poetic as their long, artsy song titles, they’re completely unintelligible. And then there are the noticeable technical fumbles: unsteady rhythms, sour notes, flat vocals. Is this just sloppiness, or does it add to the deliberately-messy art-kid aesthetic? Fans of Mogwai and Godspeed You! Black Emperor will love this album. Most other people probably won’t.
Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son is the third collaboration between Damien Jurado and producer Richard Swift. This time, Jurado and Swift are more eager to experiment with the standard singer-songwriter sound that Jurado has relied on since the late 1990s. Jurado’s departure forms an exciting album that adds to his gently strummed, Nick Drake-esque storytelling. Jurado’s Christian symbolism remains plastered throughout Brothers and Sisters, most of which is easy to interpret. On “Silver Katherine,” Jurado ends the track singing, “Roll away the stone.” The ominous and intimate opening number “Magic Number” not only gets the listener’s attention, but also sets the mood for a record that weaves like a river, and the closer, “Suns In Our Mind” is a layered track that fades out the flow of music. The standout here is the upbeat “Silver Timothy,” which Swift arranges with a gorgeous rhythm section. Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son is a record the listener can experience, even if you don’t follow the spiritual and surreal imagery, all of which speaks to Jurado’s ability to create music that conveys deeper meaning.
For DJs (as in, digital-file jockeys), the album can be a challenge — many place 10-minute tracks in an indifferent row, but a recent not-quite-wave of internet-burgeoned artists have seeked to fashion it into something less insular than a club atmosphere. Jerome Potter, who contributed to the widest-ranging and arguably the best example of this type of transition (Elite Gymnastics’ Ruin), has a pop-omnivore sensibility. He knows how to lay out spaces and push layers of sound to let vocalists in, something evident from last summer’s LOGO mix (which charted from Paul Simon to Purity Ring), something that he shares with mixers like Ryan Hemsworth. Like on Hemsworth’s Guilt Trips, Potter invites collaboration, leaving the lyric calligraphy to Sara Zagarino and Angelina Lucero, keeping step with the marching, shaking (and on album standout “Fool,” overloaded) sounds he’s become known for. It isn’t a tremendous leap forward, but a fitting of tricky drum patterns and cool piano into the form of a pop song, a discipline that’s always more difficult than it sounds.
Editors previous album, In This Light and On This Evening, was seething with grit and drenched in the dirtiest of synth while having amazing hooks. The Weight of Your Love is quite a departure. Yet it still carries some of what made the band stand out, mostly in Tom Smith’s dark vocals, heavy tones, and an absorbingly suffocated atmosphere. This album coves a lot of ground with a fairly wide arrangement of varied, but generally guitar-driven sounds. Certain tracks such as “Sugar” have industrial resemblances, while “What Is This Thing Called Love” demonstrates Smith’s decently tuned falsetto, and where “A Ton of Love” could have easily been lifted out of U2’s discography. The song “Nothing” offers a beautifully orchestrated anthemic rise. It’s the best track on the album and pulls at the heart with lyrics of “Every conversation within you / Starts a celebration in me / Till I got nothing left / I got nothing left.” Since this is such a departure for the Editors it’s hard to determine where this album falls for them, but at the end it is a solid listen.
VALERIE FRANKLIN
TIM UBELS
MICHAEL SCOULAR
joe Johnson
Put on your headphones; we want your thoughts on new music.
Pop into the Cascade offices in C1027 for a free album to review, or email arts@ufvcascade.ca for more information!
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Cascade Arcade
Nintendo’s sales slide 1 2 3 4
Shuffle
CHARTS
Mac DeMarco Salad Days
BRANDON GREAVES CIVL DJ
The Courtneys The Courtneys
Brandon Greaves hosts Pacific Trash Vortex every Monday at noon. Here he lists songs from his favourite concerts attended in the Lower Mainland from the past year and assures you none of them are trashy.
Jay Arner Jay Arner
Ketamines You Can’t Serve Two Masters
5 6
Jay Arner — “Nightclubs” Feeling hopelessly lost is a recurring theme on Arner’s debut solo record. This song is about dreary Vancouver nightlife (though less explicitly than the opening track, “Midnight on South Granville”) and its ability to eat away at you. If you can’t relate, check out the #19 NightBus, where new strains of influenza are being bred as we speak.
The Darcys Warring
Angel Olsen Burn Your Fire for No Witness
7 8
Anamanaguchi Endless Fantasy
B.A. Johnston — “Certified Cold Is the Way to Go”
Oneohtrix Point Never R Plus Seven
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
“Am I a waste of skin? ... ‘cause I am drunk and I’m still day-drinking.” Johnston’s trademark selfdeprecation comes across more like self-loathing in this jaunty tune about staying home all day with Sonic the Hedgehog and too much beer. Although, haven’t we all been disgusted with ourselves on our slovenly days off?
M.I.A. Matangi New Vaders Dynamic Traxx Vol.1
Shearing Pinx — “Sufferer”
Hag Face Hag Face
An unexpected track from the long-running Vancouver noise rock outfit; Erin Ward’s vocal takes the place of usual frontman Nic Hughes’ in a blazing rock song that jumps out from a largely atonal album that scarcely incorporates traditional song structures.
The Pack A.D. Do Not Engage Perturbator Sexualizer
Aaron Read — “Gold Head” Okay, I actually only saw this guy perform improv comedy as part of the Sunday Service in Vancouver. It was the best comedy show I’ve ever been to, and I went to look up his music immediately afterward. I was kind of taken aback by this goofball comic, whom I had only seen improvise a rap about popcorn, making these introspective, heady rock songs.
Jordan Klassen Repentance Tough Age Tough Age Ryan Hemsworth Guilt Trips Teen Daze Lost Songs
Melt-Banana — “The Hive”
Said The Whale Hawaiii
N.213 Rejectamenta Harma White Harma White
I got really dehydrated from being in a particularly thrashy part of the crowd and was in a state of delirium when Melt-Banana played this song. I was hypnotized by the flashing lights on lead singer Yasuko’s sampler for the duration of it. Great guitar parts!
Image: ASHTONZANECKI/Wikimedia Commons
The original DS might be the last of its kind: a super-successful portable gaming console.
JEREMY HANNAFORD CONTRIBUTOR
In the last two years of gaming news, Microsoft and Sony have been at the forefront butting heads. While waging their next-generation console battle, gaming sites were overloaded with news, controversies, and opinions. All the while, Nintendo was absent from the spotlight. Nintendo was once the pinnacle of gaming ingenuity. The company brought life back to the industry when the original Nintendo Entertainment System was released in 1983. It became the standard for handheld gaming with the Game Boy in 1989. The Wii system became a cultural phenomenon, eventually ending up north of 100 million units sold. Last year, Nintendo forecasted it would sell nine million Wii U systems by March 2014. However, in a recently revised earnings report just released by Nintendo, that number is down to 2.8 million. Even more surprisingly, the forecast revealed that the 3DS was a disappointment. Despite it selling more units than any other console in 2013, it came up 4.5 million units short of its 18 million estimate. Nintendo will fall short of projected earnings by $750 million, which many game columnists say is the wake-up call Nintendo has needed for years. The company has always been
a marvel in terms of a financial standpoint. Keeping many of its big-name titles to themselves, Nintendo has maintained its status in the industry as a software developer through its regular rotation of franchises like Mario, Link, and Metroid and has been successful with it. Until now. While Nintendo has been able to pull itself out of the fire before (the lacklustre sales of the Gamecube being one example) Nintendo looks like it may have to shake things up if it wants to stay alive. The company’s continued reliance on expensive, gamescentric portable devices has been a source of sliding revenues in a culture dominated by smartphones. Nintendo’s president Satoru Iwata was quick to comment about Nintendo and phones at a news conference: “The key is to figure out a way to use smartphones to make people aware of Nintendo’s games, and encourage them to try out the console version of the games. It doesn’t mean that we should put Mario on smartphones.” In my opinion, Nintendo needs two things right now. First, a better marketing team. The Wii U had horrible marketing, which is one of the main reasons behind its failure. The second thing that should be on Nintendo’s mind is making a new system. The Wii & Wii U systems have offered ingenious ideas but they have also been a generation behind graphics-
wise. Along with lacklustre online support, has compounded the company’s trouble attracting third-party developers. Unlike Sony and Microsoft, who have released an overabundance of premiere games from publishers like EA and Ubisoft, Nintendo has been slow to react and unable to keep up. Even its own creations have had these problems. Super Smash Bros Brawl went from announcement to release over three long years and the same development cycle appears to be happening with the Wii U/3DS sequel. Nintendo doesn’t seem to understand how to handle marketing its title characters. The main bright spot right now is the 3DS, where Nintendo continues to release decent games. And even though Nintendo is supposedly disappointed with the 3DS’s overall sales, 13 million units is still a huge number. It’s only with the addition of the Wii U’s colossal failure that the numbers plunge. Nintendo certainly has to think of something fast and announce it soon rather than slip into obscurity. Even if Nintendo was to spread out into something new like mobile gaming (which remains much larger in Japan than North America), that alone won’t be enough to save the company. While it could seem as though this is just another hurdle for the company, something needs to change for Nintendo to have much of a future.
Come to a writers meeting! It’s not just for writers!
We also need artists, designers, photographers, ad salespeople, and really anyone who drinks a lot of coffee.
Join us Monday mornings in C1421 at 8 a.m. or email michael@ufvcascade for details.
(But not next week. Next week is reading week. Take a break.)
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Channel Surfing
True Detective
JEREMY HANNAFORD CONTRIBUTOR
HBO is known for developing quality television entertainment, so it’s no surprise that True Detective is already amazing at the three-episode mark. But it’s what makes the show amazing that is surprising. The show is based on a 1995 murder investigation in Louisiana that turned into a 17-year manhunt for the killer. The show offers a form of double narrative as it follows two detectives, Martin Hart and Dustin “Rust” Chole, as they recount the investigation. The interviews are engrossing and have their share of humour and humility. They provide narrative to the events unfolding as well as insight into the characters. True Detective’s premise may resemble that of most cop shows on paper. But it breaks those routines and gives a whole new meaning to the genre. This is because of powerhouse acting from Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey. Both have complex, enriching, and extremely compelling characters. Matthew McConaughey truly has turned his career around in the past five years with a change in roles, and True Detective is the icing on the cake. His character is dark and brutally realistic with his views of the world. What
may seem like social awkwardness is actually his own bleak opinion of society. These odd and depressing views, however, heighten his senses; he’s able to find clues or think of options no one else would consider. He is mocked as “the Taxman” for carrying a ledger rather than a notepad, but with it he unfolds his observations from random notes to beautiful drawings of the crime scene. When not on the case, his bleakness pushes away any want for human interaction. He lives in a small apartment with nothing but a mattress, a small collection of non-fiction
murder novels, and a cross on the wall even though he believes faith is absurd. Half the reason I watch the show is just to see what McConaughey says or does next. Like when he spouts stuff like, “I believe every human being should just hold hands and walk together into extinction.” That’s when his partner Hart enforces the notalking rule in the squad car. Harrelson provides a great performance as Hart, who has his own dark secrets. Unlike his partner, he respects faith-based ideologies, so it is impressive how much they still get along.
He gives a deeper look into the life of some men on the police force who have to find means of dealing with the job. But sometimes those means aim to destroy him. His affair with his wife begins to control him; he becomes jealous and displaced while his wife’s suspicions grow. He tries to make normal conversation with Rust but it always turns into a debate of convictions, although that does add some amusing dark humour to the show. While it is his first time ever as a show runner, novelist Nic Pizzolatto has stepped up to the
plate and delivered a fantastic and engaging television experience. One prevailing comment about the show is how slow it is in some episodes, but that’s because it is following a similar pacing method to that of HBO’s The Wire. Both shows follow the investigation in depth and in a realistic time frame. This isn’t like Criminal Minds or CSI where murders are solved every week. We are being taken on a journey not only to find the killer but to discover who he is and what influenced him to commit such a bizarre and ghastly murder. The primary focus of the show is a character profile of Rust and Hart and their opposing views of religion, police work, and social awareness, all the while trying to solve a murder that is slowly bringing about the downfall of both men. Even though I’m only three episodes in, I already believe True Detective to be one of the best television shows I have watched in years. It offers a gritty new look on the cop vs. killer genre and holds more mysteries as to how the season will end and how it will continue afterward. Each season will be a different version of the case with new lead actors, so I’m enjoying McConaughey’s odd but intriguing performance as it unfolds.
Dine & Dash
EXP Restaurant + Bar LAUREN SOUTHERN CONTRIBUTOR
I recently attended a work party at EXP Restaurant + Bar. Considering I work at a game store, this was certainly an appropriate theme. The restaurant, only a block or two away from the Chinatown Skytrain stop, almost always has a wait, and considering it was a weekend it was longer than usual. When we finally entered we were put on a list and left to admire the colourful room full of glowing lights, screens with video game play, and weapons from what looked like Final Fantasy or Gears of War hanging on the walls. Once we had taken everything in and gotten used to the blaring Legend of Zelda “Song of Storms” dubstep remix, we picked up controllers to play Metal Slug on an Xbox set up at the front of the restaurant hooked up to a flat screen. The wait was only around half an hour or so, but the crowd in the room definitely kept things interesting, from one guy arguing with himself, to a large crowd leaving the restaurant dressed up as characters from different games and shows. Once the cosplaying crew had left, we were brought over to our table and greeted by a waitress who looked almost identical to Lily from How I Met Your Mother (apparently she prefers “that chick from Buffy”). She was extreme-
ly friendly, in fact the whole staff were very accommodating despite how busy the place was. After some chit-chat they brought out our main “quests and potions” menus then left us to order. The names that had been given to the different drinks and entrées were quite amusing: the popular anime show Attack on Titan had been changed into “Attack on Tacos,” and there was the legendary Triforce burger which had the symbol burned onto the patty. We started off with some “First Person Shooters” each buying rounds of starter Pokémon shots, which were $5.50 each. Colourful shot glasses were brought to the table with Charmander a bright red, Squirtle a deep blue, and Bulbasaur a neon green. Charmander was a mix of Raspberry Sour Puss, Jack Daniel’s, and Fireball. It was far too strong for my liking but certainly fitting for a fire Pokemon. We all agreed that Bulbasaur was the best tasting out of the three, a Smirnoff Red Label, Bols Melon and Lime Juice mix. Super Smash Nachos was our first order from the “multiplayer” menu to munch on while waiting for our main quest. After ordering, we watched the Resident Evil gameplay that was being shown on multiple screens around the room. Whoever chose the gameplay deserves props, considering the guy in the video
Image: EXP Restaurant + Bar/Facebook
Super Smash Nachos are covered in a mix of cheese sauce, jalapenos, tomatoes, sour cream, and salsa. played through the entire game only kneecapping zombies. His struggle was quite amusing to watch from a fellow gamer ’s perspective. Our appropriately named Super Smash Nachos finally arrived: a mix of cheese sauce, corn tortillas, jalapenos, tomatoes, green onion, sour cream, and salsa — I would definitely recommend them. While munching on nachos and having fantastically nerdy conversations, we finally decided on what to order for the main course. Considering I’m a fan of the game and love poutine I ordered the “Prince of Poutine” burger for $12, a beef patty with fries, cheese, and gra-
vy on top. To make it even better, for an extra two bucks I added bacon. What more could a girl want in life? While I can’t perfectly review what my co-workers ordered, we agreed the best items were the “Mach Pizza Fries” (skinny fries with pepperoni, spicy Italian sausage, mozzarella, pizza sauce, and fresh basil for $12 and the classic Triforce burger (beef patty, crispy chicken breast, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and roasted garlic). According to the menu it’s “a burger that requires Courage to order, Wisdom to approach, and Power to defeat” and $15 to buy. Overall this restaurant has put
a lot of effort into making the ultimate nerd experience. They also host trivia nights and game tournaments. I give mad props not only to the creativity of it all but to the phenomenal service and food as well. One last thing: I would have mentioned dessert if I could put into words how delicious it was. The best advice I can give you is to go with a large group of friends and try it all! Questing is always easier in groups, and the restaurant gives an EXP share, so you and your friends will level up in no time!
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Heat Report
The Heat’s January: fresh faces, a pair of wins TIM UBELS CONTRIb UTOR
The Abbotsford Heat were fresh off a pair of home losses to the Hamilton Bulldogs at the start of January. Goaltending was key in both those games; the Bulldogs got stellar back-toback performances from Dustin Tokarski. This past weekend, however, it was the Heat’s own Joni Ortio who stole the show, turning away 60 of 61 Bulldog shots for back-to-back victories. The two clubs remained scoreless after the first period of Friday night’s matchup, but Ortio woke his team up in the second period, making a huge save to give his team the momentum moving forward. On the oddman rush, Ortio had to slide all the way from his right post to the left in order to rob Bulldogs forward Martin St. Pierre. The puck then made its way onto the stick of Joel Chouinard, who had a wide open net, but Heat forward Drew Mackenzie stood tall in front of the net, making a few saves before the goaltender dove back to his net to stop play. A somewhat nasty scrum followed the play, as Ortio and Bulldogs forward Gabriel Dumont had words and looked poised to drop the gloves, but cooler heads prevailed. About midway through the second period, the Heat potted their first tally when Max Reinhart spotted Markus Granlund streaking down the left side and fed him the puck for a partial breakaway. Within the next five minutes, Corban Knight (who had struggled in the month of January with only two assists in nine games) scored a pair of even-strength markers to give his team a 3-0 lead heading into
Joni Ortio shut out the Bulldogs, nearly repeated the feat, and packed his bags for Calgary as a reward. the third period. Despite a valiant effort from the Hamilton Bulldogs, outshooting the Heat 14-9 in the final frame, it was the Heat who added three more goals to seal the victory. Blair Jones, who was recently sent down to the Heat after a short stint with the Calgary Flames, scored an even strength and powerplay goal in the period. Along with Josh Jooris’ other marker, the Heat cruised to a 6-0 win. Knight talked about his threepoint, slump-busting game by crediting linemate and former teammate at the University of North Dakota Evan Trupp.
“We played two years together, and we’re really good friends,” Knight said. “The fact we were put together, I think we were both pretty excited about it. We were able to get some chemistry going tonight, so hopefully we can keep it going as we move forward.” On Saturday night the Heat completed the weekend sweep with a 4-1 victory. The Bulldogs’ only goal this weekend was a tip by Stefan Fournier. It was a play where Ortio really had no chance, but still joked after the game that he “could have been better.” Jooris, who scored in both
games, had nothing but praise for his net-minder after the game. “He has a competitive edge to him that I think sets him aside from other goalies,” he said. “You see him battling in the crease ... [and] that gives our team confidence knowing that we have a real competitive goalie back there. He stood on his head and kept us in games this weekend.” Ortio, who now has 19 wins on the season as well as a 2.08 goals against average and a .930 save percentage, may get his first shot with the Flames within the next few days. Calgary Flames starter Karri Ramo went down
Image: Clint Trahan
with an undisclosed lower-body injury against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, meaning that the goaltending tandem of Ortio and Reto Berra that started the year in Abbotsford could make its way to Calgary this week. Halfway through their eightgame home stand, the Heat are 2-0-0-2, picking up six out of a possible eight points in those games. They return to action at home on Tuesday against the Charlotte Checkers. Puck drops at 7 p.m.
Men’s volleyball getting hot at the right time NATHAN HUTTON THE CASCADE
The Cascades men’s volleyball team seems to be picking up their stride at the perfect time in the season. The team, who has been blanketed in a series of changes over the winter break, used their time off to unify. They’re poised to make a late run into the playoffs, and at that point who knows what could happen. The men, in seventh place going into this weekend’s tilts, faced the Capilano University Blues, fourth place at the time. The Blues are one of the best defensive teams in the league, boasting four players in the conference’s top 10 in digs. The Cascades, however, have a strong offensive unit led by brothers Josh and Anthony Togeretz, both in their fourth year. The first game of the weekend was a back-and-forth affair as the Cascades split the first two sets with the Blues. In the third
set, the Cascades began to taste victory with a steady climb to the magic 25 points. The Cascades reached their mark, but knew their work was anything but done. In the fourth set, both teams were persistent in their attack, but it would be too little too late for the Blues. The Cascades were relentless, taking the match with a final roof-rocketing spike. The second of the two games was a blowout from start to finish. The Cascades made a point of attacking at every available chance, taking three straight sets, their second win over a talented Blues team. The weekend puts the Cascades in a position to return to the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season. The upcoming weekend’s home games against the Camosun College Chargers will be crucial. Camosun sits at second in the conference with 22 points, eight more than the Cascades. Image: University of the Fraser Valley / Flickr
Connor Nickel and Anthony Togeretz are trying to turn their team’s season around into playoff contention.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
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Varsity Sports
Women’s volleyball dealing with inconsistent results NATHAN HUTTON THE CASCADE
The reigning national champion women’s volleyball team have dominated 2013-14, moving into the new year without missing a beat. This past weekend the Cascades matched up with the Capilano University Blues. The Blues sit at fourth place, the Cascades in a tie for first. In order to defeat the Blues, UFV would have to keep the ball away from Capilano’s defensive anchor Jacqueline Caverly, the league leader in defense, averaging more than a dig per game more than the Cascades’ own statistical leader Mallory Donen. The Cascades had a tough time putting away a squirmy Blues team. The Blues had just enough persistence to make it to a fifth set where the Cascades would eventually put them away. But the Cascades struggled in both games to deliver the final blow, allowing the Blues enough breathing room to get back into the game when the Cascades should have been poised to deliver the final blow. The second game was a lot tougher for the Cascades as they looked slower and out of sorts early, dropping the first two
sets, which left them in a big hole going into the third. But the Cascades avoided getting down on themselves and instead chipped away at the Blues’ lead bit by bit, winning the third set and setting up a big fourth. The Cascades dominated the fourth set, but not without a couple snags. Late in the set, the Cascades left the door open for a comeback as the Blues scored four points in quick succession to tie the game at 24. Head coach Dennis Bokenfohr called a timeout and reminded his team the game was not over. The Cascades responded, immediately scoring two points to send the game into a fifth and final set. Failing to make the plays they executed earlier in the game, the team would end up losing the fifth set and the game. But the Cascades will take the loss as a learning experience that doesn’t endanger their future playoff run. If 2013 is any sign, although the Cascades did lose to a lowerranked team this past weekend we can expect great things from them in the coming months. The Cascades are matched up with a tough back-to-back next weekend as they’ll play host to third-place Camosun College.
Image: University of the Fraser Valley / Flickr
The women’s volleyball team remain at the top of their conference, but no longer sport a flawless record.
Women’s basketball team’s hard work pays off NATHAN HUTTON THE CASCADE
The Cascades women’s basketball team has been able to control their home court all season long. They entered a weekend of games against the University of Regina and Brandon University sitting at seven wins and one loss at home. The first game of the weekend matched the Cascades up with the powerful University of Regina Cougars, a game between two top-10 nationally recognized teams: number four Regina and number seven UFV. Both team’s have been powerhouses in women’s basketball, and entered the game playing some of their best basketball of the season. The game started slow for the Cascades, who had problems adjusting to the big, fast, and athletic style of play that teams from the interior dominate with. The Cougars had achieved their goals in the first half, forcing the Cascades to play the way the Cougars wanted, straying from thier own style of play. UFV trailed at halftime 30-23. The coaching of Al Tuchscherer has kept the Cascades as one of the best teams in the country and helped them get multiple blowout wins. At halftime once again Tuchscherer did an incredible job of making changes to reverse the fortunes of the first half and give his team the upper hand. It worked splendidly; the Cascades led the way in a massive third quarter where they closed the seven-point gap and took the lead by one head-
Image: Tree Frog Imaging
Kayli Sartori ascends during play against the out-rebounded Brandon University Bobcats. ing into the final quarter. The game’s final minutes were an incredible show for the hometown fans at the Envision Athletic Centre. Back and forth the game went with neither team caving in. It wasn’t until the last minute of the game that the Cougars hit a big three to put them up 63-60 with 30 seconds left. The Cascades called a timeout and drew up the play
they hoped would keep them in the game. The ball was inbounded to Nicole Wierks, and she held everyone’s attention as the play developed. In the blink of an eye, Wierks dished the ball to a streaking Kayli Satori who finished the layup to bring the Cascades within one point. The next 20 seconds was painful for almost all in attendance as both teams took turns turn-
ing the ball over. Eventually it landed in the hands of the Cougars, who connected one of two free throws to give the Cougars a two-point lead with 3.4 seconds left. The Cascades were left with no timeouts, forced to throw a prayer from half court, which missed. Regina won the game, but the Cascades had proved that they were capable of playing with the best.
Sasquatch player of the game was the Cascades’ Kayli Satori who registered 19 points and five steals. The second game of the weekend was against the University of Brandon Bobcats, the sixth-best rebounding team in the country, averaging 43.2 per game. But it didn’t matter against the Cascades, who dominated the game on the glass, out-rebounding one of the best rebounding teams in the country. From the beginning of the game it didn’t look good for Brandon. Every time down the floor the Cascades were getting two or three looks at every possession, chasing down balls better than their prairie opponents. The final score was 68-52 for UFV, who did not let Brandon catch them in the aftermath of a tough loss the night before. Tuchscherer said after the game “We talked about rebounding before the game ... to keep them off the boards. We kept a lot of possessions alive tonight, and [Courtney Bartel, Shayna Litman, and Kaitlyn Brink] kept a lot of possessions alive. Usually when you outrebound a team by that many … the score is going to be a little bigger.” The Sasquatch player of the game was shared between Bartel and Sarah Wierks who had 12 points each. The Cascades will look to secure first place in the division next week as they travel to Prince George to play two against the UNBC Timberwolves.
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 www.ufvcascade.ca
Men’s basketball reaches historic heights NATHAN HUTTON THE CASCADE
UFV’s men’s basketball team is doing something this year they have never done before. Entering this weekend’s contests against the University of Regina and Brandon University the Cascades were riding an eight-game winning streak, crashing through their previous record of six. The first contest of the weekend was against the University of Regina Cougars. The Cougars, who are a big, strong, and physical team, made it a point from the outset of the game to attack the Cascades defense, dictating the physical style of game and keeping the two team close on the scoreboard. Ten lead changes in the first three quarters put the Cascades in a rough position going into the fourth only up by three points. However the Cascades didn’t give up and worked hard to widen the gap, outscoring the Cougars in the fourth quarter by a 10-point margin. The UFV win was highlighted by a breakout performance from leading scorer Kevon Parchment who registered an incredible 36 points, shooting 13-22 from the field and 50 per cent from threepoint range. He earned Sasquatch player of the game honours, grabbing seven rebounds and three steals to go along with his scoring outburst. The second game of the weekend against the University of Brandon Bobcats was set up as a far more difficult task, owing to the Bobcats being a far more athletic team than the Cougars.
The Cascades were not prepared for the speed the Bobcats brought and had a rough first quarter. The Cascades had to deal with 6’5 Jordan Reaves and 6’6 Ali-Mounir Benabdelhak, who both registered 14 points and did a good job of controlling the key for the Bobcats. However, it was the resilience of the Cascades that would prove the difference; they out-scored the Bobcats 44-21 in the second and third quarters, and glided across the court in the fourth, capturing the win 83-71 and extending their record-breaking run to 10 straight wins. The Cascades were led by Manny Dulay and Jasper Moedt (Sasquatch player of the game). Dulay registered 18 points while knocking down six threes to go along with his six rebounds. Moedt once again led his team in a big, big way; he came close to registering a rare basketball feat in a 20-20, coming one rebound shy. Despite the statistical heroics, head coach Adam Friesen saw room for imporvement. “I don’t think we played very well for very long,” he said. “I think we played good enough to get a win tonight, but overall I think we played about half a game of good basketball.” Next week the Cascades will travel to Prince George to face the UNBC Timberwolves. The Timberwolves sit at seventh in the division and hold a dismal record of just four wins and 14 losses. “I am planning on us playing better then we did today,” Friesen remarked.
Image: Tree Frog Imaging
The men’s basketball team faced a particularly formidable opponent in the Brandon University Bobcats.
Image: Tree Frog Imaging
Kevon Parchment, Klaus Figeuredo, and Jasper Moedt assume formation.