The Cascade Vol. 28 Iss. 13

APRIL 8 TO MAY 6, 2020

VOLUME 28 ISSUE 13

Tipping our skip drivers extra since 1993

PODCASTS: A HISTORY 8

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FINANCIAL AID FOR STUDENTS

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AVOIDING MULTILEVEL MARKETING

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TIGER KING: BIG CATS, BIGGER EGOS

VOL. 28 // ISSUE 13

News Editor Sam Young samuel@ufvcascade.ca

Opinion Editor Andrea Sadowski andrea@ufvcascade.ca

Culture & Events Editor Carissa Wiens carissa@ufvcascade.ca

Arts in Review Editor Chandy Dancey chandy@ufvcascade.ca

Digital Media Manager Anoop Dhaliwal anoop@ufvcascade.ca Photographer David Myles Staff Writer Aleister Gwynne Staff Writer Nicholas Ashenhurst-Toews

Sports Editor Alex Jesus alex@ufvcascade.ca Illustrator Kayt Hine Illustrator Kelly Ning Sports Writer Nic Jackson

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Social Media Coordinator Daniela Vasquez

Staff Writer Krystina Spracklin

Front Cover: Michal Czyz Back Cover: Study Break

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA

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10 Snapshots.......7

@UFVCASCADE FACEBOOK.COM/UFVCASCADE INSTAGRAM.COM/UFVCASCADE Volume 28 · Issue 13 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529

The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It originated under its current name in 1993, and achieved autonomy from the university and the Student Union Society in 2002. This means that The Cascade is a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published in an entirely student-run setting. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds, and is overseen by the Cascade Journalism Society Board, a body run by a student majority. The Cascade is published every Wednesday with a print circulation of 800 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities.

SUS referendum......3

3......Financial aid

OPINION Editorial.......4

4.......Dear Robin

Opioid crisis.......5

6.......Multilevel marketing

Staying optimistic.......6 CULTURE Cascade Kitchen......10

In order to be published in the newspaper, all work must first be approved by The Cascade’s editor-in-chief, copy editor, and corresponding section editor. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that contain racist, sexist, homophobic, or libellous content. Letters to the editor, while held to the same standard, are unedited, and should be under 200 words. As The Cascade is an autonomous student publication, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade’s staff and collective, or associated members.

Steve Tuckwood Q&A.......11

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14.......Study Break

NEWS

The Cascade is open to written, photo, and design work from all students; these can come in the form of a pitch to an editor, or an assignment from an editor. Pitch meetings will be digital for the remainder of the semester. Please email managing@ufvcascade.ca to be put on the assignment email list.

The Cascade is published on the traditional, unceded territory of the Stó:lō peoples. We are grateful to be able to work and learn on this beautiful land.

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ARTS

Feature Editor Darien Johnsen darien@ufvcascade.ca

OPINION

Copy Editor Kat Marusiak kat@ufvcascade.ca

NEWS

Production Manager Elyssa English elyssa@ufvcascade.ca

Creative Director Mikaela Collins mikaela@ufvcascade.ca

CONTENTS

FEATURE

Business Manager Aneesha Narang aneesha@ufvcascade.ca

Managing Editor Nadia Tudhope nadia@ufvcascade.ca

CULTURE

Executive Editor Jessica Barclay jessica@ufvcascade.ca

10.......FVRL reading advisors

SPORTS 11......Cascades Awards

ARTS Tiger King......12 Steven Universe Future......13

12......Soundbites 13......Cascade rewind

VOL. 28 // ISSUE 13

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020

news@ufvcascade.ca Sam Young — News Editor

NEWS NEWS

SUS //

NEWS BRIEFS Trudeau promises aid for postsecondary students Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised an aid announcement would be coming soon for post-secondary students who are not eligible for the current financial aid options but are either currently missing out on work or will have difficulty finding summer jobs.

Many students are not eligible for COVID-19-related financial assistance, as they either don’t make enough money, clock enough hours, or are currently not working, but were counting on finding a summer job.

“We know that we need to do more for young people as they come out of university and look for projects and ways of securing income this summer,” Trudeau said.

- The Globe and Mail

SUS suspends referendum policies

In the leadup to this week’s vote, SUS lifts requirements for Q&As and more SAM YOUNG

The Student Union Society (SUS) said over email Thursday that it has suspended multiple points of its referendum policy due to COVID-19, despite no formal announcement.

On April 5, SUS will hold its annual general election, as well as a referendum on student fee increases. The proposed increases would go toward increasing funding for the campus shuttle service and UFV’s branch of the World University Services of Canada (WUSC) Student Refugee Program, which hopes to sponsor two students each year.

Due to the spread of COVID-19 and the cancellation of on-campus classes at UFV, many election- and referendum-related events have been cancelled, including planned Q&A sessions to be held by proponents of the referendum (SUS and WUSC). According to SUS’s referendum policy, referendum proponents must hold a minimum of three Q&A periods in

the leadup to a referendum, and SUS must ensure a minimum of one polling station be available on UFV’s Abbotsford and Chilliwack campuses for four consecutive hours each day during the polling period.

Michelle Murray-Schlitt, co-chair of WUSC UFV, said via email that her organization was only able to hold one in-person Q&A prior to UFV’s move to remote learning, and instead hosted two “Virtual Q&A sessions” via Instagram’s “stories” feature.

Murray-Schlitt said that following the cancellation of on-campus classes, SUS told WUSC that they had temporarily suspended the policies requiring Q&As and on-campus polling stations.

When questioned about how SUS was handling these policies internally, Tania Smart, vice president internal, said via email, “[SUS] held an emergency board meeting via teleconference March 17 and voted to temporarily suspend certain aspects of the referendum policy.”

She added that the minutes of this

meeting were intended to be brought before the board for approval on March 26, but were forgotten, and will now be included on the agenda for the April 9 ratification meeting.

According to Smart, the policies that have been suspended include points 2.4 and 5.2 through 5.6, which are the sections requiring Q&A periods and polling stations respectively.

She added that with these suspensions, there was an expectation that all parties would still host online Q&A periods, which both SUS and WUSC have done via Instagram.

Smart added that during that meeting, SUS also voted to suspend Election Oversight Policy 8 and its subpoints, which outline a requirement for on-campus polling stations.

Smart said that she “[ensured] to emphasize in the phrasing [of the policy changes] that all suspensions are temporary, and a result of the extraordinary circumstances of COVID.” “None of the suspensions will apply to future referendums,” Smart said.

B.C. //

First Nations communities concerned over COVID-19 test availability Over nine First Nations communities across Canada currently have confirmed cases of COVID-19, and concerns have been raised regarding these communities' ability to respond to the virus.

Some communities report having limited access to testing kits, if they have any at all. Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation in northern Ontario has no testing kits, and Neskantaga First Nation, a community only accessible by plane, declared a state of emergency due to a lack of medical resources.

Although tests are currently distributed by provincial governments, the federal government has said they will be working to distribute kits to communities. The government has already shipped 275 orders of personal protective equipment to Indigenous communities.

- The Globe and Mail

Financial aid for students Where post-secondary students can look for funding during the COVID-19 pandemic JESSICA BARCLAY The Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training has announced an increase of $3.5 million to the emergency fund for post-secondary students.

The emergency fund is available for domestic students in B.C.’s public post-secondary institutions who are “experiencing emergency financial pressures,” according to the B.C. government.

The funding does not need to be repaid and can be used for housing, food, or the means to study remotely.

Students may access funding through their university's financial aid office, and it is at the discretion of the university to determine the funding need of each student.

At UFV, students can apply for the funding by submitting a filled-out B.C. Student Emergency Assistance Funding form along with supporting documentation and a letter explaining their financial situation to the Financial Aid office.

“With layoffs, physical distancing, and classes suddenly being completed online, students and their families

have a lot to worry about right now,” Tanysha Klassen, chairperson of the B.C. Federation of Students, said.

“Providing additional relief will go a long way to help those in need be able to stay focused on being successful in their studies.”

What other aid is available?

This is the latest announcement in provincial aid for university students struggling financially due to COVID-19.

Federally, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised that additional aid will be announced soon for university students not eligible for the current federal aid programs.

Many students are not eligible for the current Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), as they may not have made enough or worked enough hours to qualify.

“Students depend on summer jobs not only to pay for rent, groceries, and other living expenses, but also to save up for the coming school year.

They will not be able to do that this summer,” Sofia Descalzi, chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students, said in a press release request-

ing university students be included in the CERB. In B.C., an additional $1.5 million was added to the Indigenous Emergency Assistance Fund. Indigenous students can apply for this aid to cover living expenses and unexpected expenses like health and dental, or travel costs of a family emergency.

The funding does not need to be repaid.

Both federal and provincial student loan payments and interest are suspended until September 30. Students do not need to apply for this aid; automatic withdrawal for payments will be stopped, and students do not need to mail in cheques.

At UFV, some professors and staff have opted to redirect the $25 per month in parking fees they would have paid to the UFV Emergency Fund to help support students during the pandemic. Parking fees on campus have been suspended.

Bursaries and scholarships are also available at UFV. Scholarship applications are currently open until May 10 for most scholarships. Bursary applications are open at the beginning of every semester, and will be open from May 30 to June 30.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020

OPINION

VOL. 28 // ISSUE 13

opinion@ufvcascade.ca Andrea Sadowski — Opinion Editor

Humour //

Editorial //

Coping with COVID-19 might mean surviving not thriving, and that’s okay

Dear Robin

CHANDY DANCEY

ROBIN HALPER Life is tough and confusing and weird.

We all need help sometimes, and when you need an expert opinion, you turn to an expert opinion-giver like Robin Halper. Whatever problem you’re facing in life, Robin will have a solution. The Cascade cannot guarantee the effectiveness of Robin’s unique approach to life, but if you’re in a jam, get some advice by writing to halp@ufvcascade.ca Social media things Dear Robin, The other day I liked someone’s photo on Instagram, and then they DM’d me saying that I had to post an old photo of myself with the caption “until tomorrow.” Like, what?

I know I don’t actually have to do this, but how do I even respond to the message? They’re like a medium-level friend, so do I be mean and ignore them or respond with something witty?

Sincerely, Until tomorrow-ed

Hello, There are several things we need to conquer during this pandemic: our intense boredom, watching The Office for the eighth time, and any sort of social media challenges. We shouldn’t blame these poor souls for getting involved in such trends; it’s society’s fault. But we need to put an end to this by outwardly refusing

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to take part in these challenges so the next generation won’t follow. So reply with something bold and sarcastic and make it known to all that you will not do as many pushups as you can in front of a camera.

Robin The real game of life Dear Robin, I’ve been playing a lot of board games with my parents these days, and every time I finish college in The Game of Life, they chuckle at each other. Just because I’ve been at UFV for six years doesn’t mean I won’t graduate eventually, right? How do I earn their respect while keeping my cool during Life?

Sincerely, Going to graduate Hello, Well every time they get to retirement in the game you should laugh because looking at the current state of the economy there’s no way any of us are ever going to retire, including them. If you want to get away from such life matters, play the Star Wars Game of Life because there’s no option to even go to college in that version, so they can’t laugh at you.

Robin

Now that businesses are closing down, jobs are being lost, and events are being postponed, students are finding themselves with a lot more time on their hands. Since self-isolation has been encouraged, social media has exploded with productivity porn — motivational quotes with the blaring message that there’s no longer any excuse not to achieve your goals during this time of “rest.” Except, it’s not always restful.

Instagram stories are featuring friends and family learning new skills, cleaning out rooms, and indulging in their long lost passions. While some people are connecting with themselves and thriving during this period of isolation, others are struggling in ways they could never imagine, and that’s okay.

Let this serve as a reminder: self-isolation and quarantine are not carefree vacation days. Society is on a large-scale lockdown, forcing us to stay home amid a pandemic, which is not the same as a vacation. Responsibilities are still ever-present, and students have a lot on their plate: worrying about their grades, stressing over the health of loved ones, and fretting about affording necessities despite being laid off. Even just the transition to online classes has been no doubt stressful and unmotivating for many students, especially those who are international and have chosen to return to their home country early. Staying home isn’t always the safest or most comfortable place for everyone either; domestic violence is on the rise, reflected in the 300 per cent call volume increase for a Vancouver-based crisis hotline for domestic abuse.

The world feels like it’s silently burning, so how can students be expected to be performing their best? If you’re able to make it through each day, that’s an achievement all on its own. We’ve entered unparalleled times

of crisis that have been compared to World War II. If you’re struggling with your mental health, you’re not alone. If you’re lacking motivation to complete essential tasks or take care of yourself, there’s nothing wrong with you. When put under the pressure that students are collectively facing, different coping strategies will emerge to try and help alleviate the stress — none of them objectively correct.

However, it’s always possible to swap out coping strategies to try and reinstate a sense of normalcy in your life. Stick to a routine by waking and sleeping at the same time every day and create a schedule for your time.

Allow yourself to indulge when it comes to self-care: light that scented candle, take that bubble bath, eat that cheesecake. Reach out to others who might be feeling the same and talk to them daily. Aim to sleep a reasonable amount, eat concrete meals, and increase your daily exercise even if it’s just a walk around the block. Find something you can control, and let yourself go nuts — clean or garden if that helps. Check out Empower Me, a mental health resource covered by the SUS Plan, by calling 1-844-741-6389 for crisis support or connect with a health-care professional online through their website with the password “Studentcare.”

If none of these stick or fully reduce your anxiety, do what you need to in order to survive: sleep in long hours if you have to, ignore the minute details of COVID-19 news, message a friend for help with an assignment. Try to do so without a barrage of selfjudgement.

Most importantly though: be compassionate to yourself. Offer yourself forgiveness if you’re not doing your best right now, and know that COVID-19 is a valid reason for that. The feeling that you’ve lost control or your connection to others is one that is on the rise, and it’s easy to feel alone. Things will return to a state of normal at some point, but in the meantime don’t be too hard on yourself.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020

VOL. 28 // ISSUE 13

OPINION Canada //

Stop turning addicts into criminals Canada’s response to the opioid crisis ANDREA SADOWSKI

as decriminalizing the use of these substances?

“You could decriminalize possession for personal use tomorrow, and you wouldn’t see much difference, except that you would remove the number one stigmatizing thing about people who use drugs: they’re criminals,” said Donald MacPherson, executive director of the Can ad i a n Drug

Between January 2016 and September 2019, more than 14,700 Canadians suffered apparent opioid-related deaths — that's over 10 people every day for the past four years. Many of these deaths are due to street drugs being laced with fentanyl, with up to 94 per cent of opioid-related deaths being accidental overdoses.

Canada could be doing more to prevent the loss of lives due to accidental opioid overdoses, such as decriminalizing the use of these illegal narcotics.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is unconvinced that decriminalization is the solution to this crisis, Illustration by Kayt Hine Pol ic y and offers suggestions such Coalition. as allowing doctors to prescribe more alDecriminalizing the posternatives to street drugs, such as methadone, for patients looking to wean them- session of these drugs will selves off of the dangerous substances, or do nothing but help those who setting up more supervised consumption use them, as we can see from sites around the country. Federal Health Portugal’s radical drug reforms Minister Patty Hajdu also said it’s “pre- in 2001, when they became the first mature” to talk about decriminalization, country to decriminalize the possession stating there must be more supports in and consumption of all illicit drugs, from place for recovery before the country de- marijuana to heroin. Their opioid crisis stabilized, with a dramatic decline in criminalizes all opioids.

But why can’t Canada do both? Why HIV infections and deaths caused by accinot create recovery and support systems dental overdoses, and a steady decline in for those wanting to overcome their ad- drug use among young people ages 15 to dictions and harm reduction measures 24 years old. An important thing to keep for those living with addictions, as well in mind is that Portugal did not legal-

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ize drugs, but rather the individual consumption of drugs — criminalizing traffickers, not addicts. “What America and other countries can learn from Portugal is to treat people with more dignity,” said Gonçalo Fonseca, a Portuguese documentary photographer who spent time covering Lisbon’s drug outreach teams.

People are always going to use drugs, so we might as well put measures in place that make it safe for them to use and easier to seek treatment.

Prov i n c i a l Health Officer Bonnie Henry has also recommended decriminalization as a way to combat the crisis in Canada, as the stigma and criminal association of drug use is keeping people from seeking help, and the physical dependence on drugs is a health issue that must be attended to.

What is needed more than ever in the age of COVID-19 is for drug users to have a safe supply of drugs to use while self-

isolating so that they don’t go out looking for them on the street, contaminating themselves and others, or plunging into sudden withdrawal that can potentially be fatal. Not to mention, the actual street drug supply is getting low thanks to the U.S. border being closed to all non-essential travel, which could cause dealers to cut their supply with other substances such as rat poison or baking soda, stretching both the supply and the health repercussions. Hospitals are already overburdened enough with COVID-19 cases; they do not need more overdoses to treat.

On March 26, Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart announced a program to supply users with safe drugs and is hopeful that this safe supply will reach 20 to 30 per cent of Vancouver’s injection drug users who are not already part of a prescription program.

With reforms as big as decriminalizing the use of hard drugs, it is easy for people to get scared and see the inevitable result as a total collapse of society as we know it, inducing anarchy and encouraging people to go out and use hard drugs. However, we know this is not the case thanks to Portugal. How many more people have to die from accidental overdoses because they are getting their drugs from illegal sources laced with enough fentanyl to tranquilize an elephant before Canada starts making radical changes?

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020

VOL. 28 // ISSUE 13

OPINION Life //

The trap of MLMs

They may seem appealing at first, but be extremely cautious of these companies and their recruiters CARISSA WIENS

Multilevel marketing (MLM) companies have been around since the mid-20th century and have continued to lure people in despite the low possibility of financial success. These companies often advertise a way for people to maintain their everyday lives and occupations while selling certain products to the people around them so they can earn some extra money on the side. Along with selling products, these “employees” of the company are encouraged to rope in others to sell products under their name.

Women are usually the targets of these companies. When they first began, these companies were a way for stay-at-home wives and mothers to socialize while making a small income as they sold products that appealed to fellow women, such as Avon, Tupperware, or Mary Kay. Currently, these companies still appeal largely to women for similar reasons.

From a first glance, it seems like a decent opportunity to jump in with these companies — all you have to do is sell some stuff from the comfort of your own home (now thanks to social media) and encourage your friends to do the same to get some extra cash. Why wouldn’t you join?

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) conducted a study on

MLMs. Their findings showed that there is simply more risk than possibility of success when it comes to participating in MLM opportunities.

One reality of MLMs that many of the study’s participants viewed as a con was that they found it awkward pitching to family and friends. Maybe you have experienced this before: someone who was a friend in high school who you’ve lost touch with over the years sends you a little Facebook message saying hi and asking how you are. You haven’t heard from them in a long time but would like to catch up, so you reply with the usual pleasantries. After a few messages back and forth you realize they don’t actually have any interest in your life but would rather sell you essential oils and recruit you to sell them too.

You were just an old friend from high school but think about how that person came to approach you: they probably asked and tried to persuade all of their family members and close friends before they became desperate enough to reach out to someone they have not spoken to in a long time.

This is a very common example of someone involved in an MLM who is not only desperate to make money, but they’re desperate enough to jeopardize their relationships because the more people they recruit to the MLM, the more money they make.

This is where we get the term “pyramid

Illustration by Kayt Hine

scheme” to describe MLMs that are mostly focused on recruiting.

The the Washington Post analyzed how MLMs often ruin female friendships, stating that “Back in our moms’ era, women knew what they were in for when they were invited to a Tupperware party. Today, not all sellers are upfront about their MLM involvement. That coffee with a friend or girls night is — surprise! — not just for fun, it’s about making a sale or a recruitment.” Like your friend from highschool, they weren't outright saying, “I want to recruit you.” Therefore you, and many of us all, have been fooled into believing that someone actually wanted to be friends with us. But when we realize the actual reason this person wants to spend time

with us, we’re hurt. The potential friendship is done and over.

If someone you know is trying to drag you into this type of business, make sure to let them down easy. Don’t accuse them of horrible things; these people honestly believe at that moment that they’re going to make money from this and that this product they're selling is of the utmost importance. (Hello Young Living Essential Oils!) Let them know you’re not interested in being part of it or purchasing anything, and that you’d be happy to help them find a real job with guaranteed pay so they don’t have to ruin friendships, go into debt, and waste time trying to sell a product that probably isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

B.C. //

Optimism in a time of plague There are some good things amidst the doom and gloom ALEISTER GWYNNE Don’t get me wrong, I am taking this emergency seriously. I only leave the house now on essential errands, and I wash my hands scrupulously right after coming home. I am not entirely off the hook when it comes to the pandemic’s impact either. My grandmother, whose health is poor even at the best of times, may very well die if she catches this disease. I fear for the safety of those I know and care about, and I often wonder if I am a ticking time bomb who is already infected and doesn’t know it.

Yet, in spite of this, I confess that I do not feel particularly worried. Indeed, I feel downright chipper at times.

Part of this is undoubtedly due to my introverted nature. Introverts love it when plans that involve going out get cancelled, and they are nearly all cancelled now.

Nothing to do but sit back and relax at home. However, this is little comfort to the more extroverted or outdoorsy among us, and they must be feeling rather claustro-

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phobic by now. What else then is there to be happy about?

One silver lining is that most of us are saving a lot of money. Most spending activity for individuals is now confined to grocery shopping and paying bills. Back when I was going to class, eating out was my single greatest expense after rent and textbooks. Now that we are staying home as much as we can, we are all saving a little more.

Reduced travel and economic production also has the benefit of reduced carbon emissions, giving our atmosphere a reprieve. On the day of writing this article, it was actually snowing in Chilliwack, but this is probably coincidence. Hopefully scientists are taking careful note of how this is affecting the climate. Such data could provide valuable fuel (no pun intended) for the argument for reduction in carbon emissions, and a demonstration of what even a moderate decrease could do.

Yet in spite of these fringe benefits of the pandemic itself, it is still a terrible thing on the whole. I want it to be over soon, and

before it does too much damage, just like anybody. What really has me excited is the prospect of what comes after.

For the first time in a very long while, I get the sense that the world has dramatically and irreversibly changed. Business as usual is no longer an option. We cannot pretend this crisis does not apply to us, no matter where you live or how rich and powerful you are. The near and present threat of mortality has a tendency to make one re-examine one’s life and what they are doing with it. The events of 2020 will shape world events for a long time to come, and I find that both fascinating and encouraging. A world of possibilities is opening up before us.

At the beginning of this year, any hopes we may have harboured of a decade better than the last were dashed in less than a week by news of the U.S. drone assassination in Iran, the massive wildfires in Australia, and (what turned out to be most significant) the first reports of the COVID-19 outbreak in China. It seemed like the world was stuck in a rut, trapped in a

downward spiral we could not escape. Yet now, I feel some of that short-lived hope returning. The pandemic has exposed many deep-seated flaws in our society, such as the fragility of our production and supply networks, and has thrown economic injustices into stark relief. Hopefully, we will use this crisis as a motivation to action, and both individuals and governments will make the necessary positive changes that we have been putting off for far too long.

Perhaps the pandemic has gotten the worst it will ever get, or perhaps the worst is yet to come, but it will end sooner or later. When it has, I hope we can all make the most of this unique historical opportunity that has been thrust upon us. Great sorrow and disruption are being caused by this disaster, but I hope that we can all rise from the ashes stronger and wiser than we were before.

Whether we will actually do this remains to be seen, but right now, I feel that we very well might. It is a good feeling, and I intend to enjoy it while it lasts.

BRIEF BITS OF BITE-SIZED BREVITY

SN S AP HO TS

CURTAILED COMMENTARY ON CURRENT CONDITIONS

Illustrations by Kelly Ning

The stories I tell myself

A tale of three (or so) kettles After utterly decimating my third kettle in a year through a freak electricity-related incident, my husband told me enough is enough. I’ve put our home at risk far too frequently, and it was time to purchase an electric kettle that wasn’t a $13, plastic, fire-prone disaster. We went to Walmart, and I left with a beautiful, stainless steel electric kettle. Out of the box it was so shiny and new you could see your face along the side.

It ends up this isn’t so great after all, and has caused a serious kerfuffle in my household. My cats have apparently never seen their own reflection

and are currently sitting by my new electric kettle screaming at it. It is unclear whether this says more about my housekeeping skills or the intelligence of my cats. Do they think their reflection is another cat, or is their own appearance truly that distressing? Am I really this bad at cleaning my mirrors? We may never find the answers, if only because I’m too scared to make a cup of tea with which I can ponder these questions.

Jessica Barclay

Someone summon Marie Kondo for me, please Like everyone else, I’ve been spending a lot of time cleaning, crossing things off to-do lists that have been around for months, and recklessly engaging in art. Rather than catch up on Shakespeare lectures or start my final papers, I spent a day and a half going through my entire wardrobe. One night, I decided to try embroidering a shirt, despite the fact that I had done absolutely no preparation and did not have the right materials. (It turned out pretty great; thank you for asking!)

But there’s one endeavour on my “Quarantine Projects” list I’ve been putting off: cleaning my desk.

I have a gigantic desk; it’s one of

those really hefty ones with a bunch of shelves and drawers — the kind you would imagine in an old-timey professor’s office, only white and home to a bunch of plants and tea. It’s the biggest repository for clutter in my otherwise pretty neat room. There are receipts and unused stickers and important papers piling in corners. It’s the place where things go when I don’t know where to put them. It desperately needs to be reorganized, and that’s at least a full-day undertaking.

I’m just going to go clean my car again instead.

Nadia Tudhope

The reason I create art is that I have a daydreaming problem. Ever since I was little, I was never fully attentive to whatever was going on in front of me. More often, I was dazzled by the stories I was coming up with in my head — going on adventures, learning magic, befriending dragons, and fighting off forces that wished to terrorize my inner world.

I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten swept away into my own fantasies. It makes it hard to watch television and movies or read for more than a few minutes and not be distracted by my own ideas. How would I interact with this magic system?

How would people like me exist in this world?

I was always fearful of the perceived childishness that radiated from my daydreams. I’m not sure how many people can tell when I float off, simply because I cannot help being captivated by the stories I tell myself.

Maybe that’s why I write. I want to share my stories with others, but, perhaps selfishly, I don’t want to give up my daydreams. Writing means I don’t have to.

Nicholas AshenhurstToews

If I were a YouTuber right now Hi, guys. Welcome back to my YouTube channel! Don’t forget to turn on the notification bell and hit that subscribe button. So, today I just wanted to do a little vlog for you guys, keep you updated since I haven’t uploaded in a while. If you’ve been keeping up with me on Instagram, you’ll know that I’ve made the decision to go feral. Like I’m fully committed to being completely feral: running on all fours, hunting for my own food — that kind of thing. It’s been a major life change for me, but my skin, honestly, has never looked so good. I’ve also heard that quadrupedalism is, like, really ergo-

nomic for your spine and stuff. Since I love you guys so much, I’m going to be hosting a meetup in the woods on the next full moon! I’m not going to be picking a specific location, but just go into a forest and you’ll find me.

Just, like, approach me slowly with non-threatening body language, and I’ll probably recognize you. Anyways, there are squirrels that need skinning and rainwater to be collected, so that’s all for now. Bye, guys!

Chandy Dancey

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The intimate world of podcasts

by Darien Johnsen

S

elf-isolation is in full swing, and while I have a ton of remote work to do for school and my internship, I’ve still been having to find alternative ways to kill time in the evenings (and let’s be honest, while I procrastinate for most of the day).

So what have I been doing besides staring blankly at the wall and mindlessly eating?

Listening to podcasts.

I have to admit, I was a late-comer to the podcast scene. I started to dip my toe in last summer, after a friend introduced me to the “Everything is Alive” podcast, which is a comedic podcast that interviews inanimate objects. Then, in early January I attended a journalism conference in Vancouver and wound up in a talk about audio journalism, thinking it would improve my interviewing skills. It turns out this talk wasn’t about interviewing — it was about podcasts, and it forever changed my view on audio journalism and sparked an absolute love for the medium.

Audio journalism, podcasting in particular, is quite different from traditional, written journalism.

This conference sparked my curiosity; I began wondering how podcasts became so popular, and why people love them so much.

Radio was really the first form of audio journalism and experienced peak popularity in the 1930s, which is considered to be the “golden age” of radio. Picture the allAmerican family, gathered around the family radio in the living room to listen to news, soap operas, and popular children’s radio shows such as “Little Orphan Annie.” By the late 1940s, the cable television became a household staple, capturing people’s visual and auditory senses. Besides radio talk shows, audio journalism and entertainment was left on the backburner.

TV has dominated since then, but we’re currently experiencing another rise of audio entertainment. Podcasting first emerged in 2003 with the show “Open Source,” hosted by Christopher Lydon, a former journalist, who posted the episodes on his self-titled website.

It wasn’t actually called podcasting then — it was referred to as “webcasting,” and podcasts were called “audio blog posts.” Lydon’s show focused on technology and how it was changing the world, though interestingly, he helped pioneer one of the most culturally influential pieces of technology — the modern-day podcast.

Ly n d o n explained in an article from the magazine Wired that podcasts were an inherently democratic medium that appealed to the average, everyday listener: “Podcasting was where people could use four-letter words and speak a kind of raw, angry opinion that a great mass of the population believes and wants to hear. To be yourself, to be political, to talk the way that we talked at home, in the kitchen, even in a bar: It was a huge gift from the internet. We knew we were at a turning point. I would get into my car and listen to public radio, and I thought: God, this is like dark ages. The world is never going back.”

Podcasting took a while to popularize, but it’s grown exponentially in recent years as music streaming platforms such as AppleMusic and Spotify become staples on people’s smartphones.

The first podcast to go viral was in 2014 with the release of “Serial,” a true crime podcast hosted by investigative journalist Sarah Koenig. Another Wired article states: “The series was the fastest podcast to reach 5 million downloads and streams in Apple’s history, and people talked about it the way they talk about HBO blockbusters or Beyoncé drops.” Podcasts only grew from there, raking in an estimated $257.4 million in advertising revenue in the U.S. by the end of 2017, a 117 per cent increase from 2016.

So, why this sudden rise in podcast popularity? What makes podcasts so attractive to listeners? Well, for one, podcasts are accessible. Most of us have music streaming platforms on our phones. They are incredibly diverse, featuring everything from news, to self-help, to true crime, to absurdist comedy. They can be listened to on the go, on the commute to work, in the shower, or while you’re making dinner.

Aside from these practical perks that podcasts offer, there’s something deeper going on. Audio journalism and entertainment is an art form, like other types of media, and it holds a unique space in listeners’ minds.

Sound is invisible to the eye, we can’t see what’s being said; podcasts leave it to the listener to imagine the story. Audio tends to slow things down, giving the audience time to paint the picture in their mind and create a little world. Like other storytelling techniques, it finds ways to pull people into the narrative, urging listeners to figure out who they are in the story.

Unlike television, visual aspects dominate, it allows t h e audience to really

where

hear what is being said, which is especially powerful when it’s listened to through headphones because they tend to cut off other audio inputs, and the listener’s mind becomes fixed on the story. You can hear the speakers breathe, the subtleties in their voice, the pauses, and every inch of emotion.

Often, music is layered and added into the gaps of speech, adding to the emotional weight that podcasts can carry. Kristi Lee, host and producer of the podcast “Canadian True Crime” spoke to me via email about her podcast.

“When it comes to my show, I have become fairly fastidious about editing — I like it to be tight, and the music I choose is intentional. My narration is designed to be soothing and slightly monotoned, but it’s the music underneath that sets the scene and conveys the emotion. Levels are also important to me. There has to be a good balance between the narration and the music: if the music is too loud, it takes away from the narration, and if it’s too soft, it won’t have the intended effect of setting the scene.

Same with increases and decreases in volume levels: it has to be gentle, graduate, and not jarring to the listener. I’ve worked really hard to improve my sound design and knowledge over the last three years, and I still have a lot of learning to do!”

one — a passion project, just for me…. Just about every night after the kids went to bed I worked on writing a script. Really, I was into the process and didn’t really think about where I would end up. I then narrated and recorded it in my closet, learning how to use editing software and released it into the podcasting world. Four months and only six episodes later, I suddenly found myself at number two on the podcast charts in Canada.

I have no idea how it happened, and quite frankly, I was shocked…. This is a journey for me where I learn something new each episode.”

media culture. Podcasts give people the space to reclaim their voice and the narrative that’s being told rather than be ordered around by someone with a bunch of money and a Hollywood last name.

Podcasts can also be a great platform for journalism. “Ear Hustle” is a podcast based out of San Francisco that’s won multiple podcasting awards, including the 2019 iHeartRadio Podcast Award for Best Social Impact. It’s co-hosted by Nigel Poor, a visual artist, and Earlonne Woods, a former inmate at San Quentin State Prison.

If the popular platforms of dissemination become discriminatory based on listener base, well-established broadcasts could overshadow the little guys, weeding out new broadcasters and stifling voices — leaving the podcasting world at risk of becoming less accessible. Though this is a risk, Lee says she’s not worried.

The hosts interview current and former inmates about their time in prison and reintegration after release, covering topics such as cellmates, prison nicknames, death row, and LGBTQ+ life on the inside. It gives listeners access to a place that is normally shielded from public view, and rather than inmates remaining stigmatized, it helps to humanize individuals who often have their humanity stripped from them.

“Analytics should never be feared, and almost anything could be at risk of being commercialized when you look at it. I like to look at YouTube as a good example of what could happen — sure, there are corporations that create channels and start making videos, and often do well. But that doesn’t mean that it will take away from independent creators. Consumers of digital media will always appreciate rawness, authenticity, and personality. I think independent creators don’t need to worry as long as they stay relevant, keep up with industry trends, and continue to strive to improve their craft.”

In such a busy, fast-paced world podcasts are a way to slow down, and can carry with them a sense of calm — it’s much like being read to as a child and can leave listeners feeling relaxed and peaceful.

Lee explained, “A podcast lets me turn the boring weeknight task of cooking dinner into ‘me time.’ I can hear a story or learn something new, and for busy people — especially people like me who work and have kids — this is invaluable.”

There is concern that something that started as a people’s movement, and a democratic form of free communication, is at risk of becoming overly commercialized. One Wired article states that “Apple is planning to introduce analytical tools to measure both the size of an episode’s audience and whether people actually listen to it.”

It’s up to the listeners to pick and choose whom they support. So be mindful out there, listeners. Uphold the underdog and podcast on.

On a cultural level, podcasts are also accessible to creators. You really only need a recording device and editing software to make them. In this way, podcasts are a people’s movement. Recently, I’ve been binging Lee’s podcast “Canadian True Crime.” At the beginning of the seventh episode in her series, Lee thanks her listeners and describes how the podcast started out:

In terms of journalism, podcasts can be a great way to allow interview subjects to keep their voice rather than having a writer pick certain quotes to stick into their own writing. People can tell their own story, in their own words. This can be especially powerful in a society that places so much value on appearance. In the age of the Kardashians, we are brought back into people’s hearts, rather than their outward appearance. Through this medium, creators, listeners, and participants are given total autonomy.

“At the beginning of this year, I felt like I was in a bit of a rut, so I decided to make a change. True crime has always been a passion of mine, and I was listening to countless true crime podcasts. So I decided to try and start

There is no doubt that podcasting has become a sort of revolution in that it sees people taking back power over the media. We are currently seeing and feeling the negative effects of a white male-dominated, visual

VOL. 28 // ISSUE 13

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020

CULTURE

culture@ufvcascade.ca Carissa Wiens — Culture Editor

Lifestyle //

Column //

Cascade Kitchen: No-knead Bread

Ever wanted a curated reading list?

Look no further than My Reading Adviser at FVRL CHANDY DANCEY

Beautiful bread. April 2, 2020. (Chandy Dancey)

CHANDY DANCEY The Cascade Kitchen is a student-run food column that brings you budgetfriendly recipes and cooking tips. Check back weekly for something new to try in the kitchen, or if you want to see your own recipe featured next, get started by reaching out to culture@ufvcascade.ca.

In these trying times, you know what singular activity is able to ground, empower, and feed you? Making bread. This recipe is different because you can make it in an afternoon rather than overnight, there’s no kneading involved, and it’s beginner-friendly. Any YouTube video I watched showing how to make this kitchen staple was flooded with comments talking about making “quarantine” bread. Now it’s your turn.

Ready in: 4 hours Serves: 4 Ingredients 384 g (3 cups) bread or all-purpose flour (or create a mix with brown flour!)

0.6 g (1/4 tsp) of yeast (quick rising or not doesn’t matter) 2.5 g (1 tsp) salt 355 mL (1½ cups) hot water (not boiling) A dutch oven or a substitute for one Tip: If you have a jar of old yeast in the back of your cabinet and you’re not sure if it’s still active, you can test it out! King Arthur Flour advises combining 1.2 g (1/2 tsp) sugar in 118 mL (1/2 cup) warm water along with 2 tsp of yeast. Wait 10 minutes. If the mixture is bubbling and smelling like yeast afterward, you’re good to go.

Method 1. Mix your flour, salt, and yeast together in a medium bowl.

2. Bring your water to a boil and let it rest for 5 minutes or until it’s no longer burning to the touch.

3. Add your hot water to your dry ingredients and incorporate all the flour into the shaggy dough that’s formed.

4. Let the dough sit for 3 hours or more in the bowl with a cloth or towel on top at room temperature. It’s pretty forgiving if you leave it longer.

5. Remove your dough from the bowl and roll all sides in flour on a flat surface. Don’t worry if it’s still sticky at this stage.

6. Form the dough into a nice ball and place it on parchment paper with a cloth on top to rest.

7. Preheat your oven to 450 F with the dutch oven inside. Make sure the handle is oven-safe!

8. Place your bread on the parchment paper in the dutch oven with the lid on and bake for 30 minutes.

9. Remove the lid after the 30 minutes are up and brown it for 5-10 minutes or until browned to liking.

10. Let it cool before cutting the loaf into slices. Serve and enjoy!

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Although Fraser Valley Regional Library (FVRL) locations have temporarily closed all across the Fraser Valley, that doesn’t mean you can’t continue to access digital content and resources from the library. With the world at large seemingly shut down until further notice, there’s never been a better time to dive into a good book — or better, add titles to an ever-growing “to read” list. FVRL’s My Reading Adviser can help bookworms with both of these aspirations, offering personalized recommendations at any time to help you find your next read.

My Reading Adviser was a pilot program that began in 2018 and was continued as a service going into 2019. Users are asked to fill out an online form gathering information on what they’re looking for, what authors and titles they’ve enjoyed in the past, and what topics they want to steer clear of. Once the form has been submitted, readers are contacted within two business days via the email they provided and offered recommendations by a reading adviser.

There are currently six reading advisers, each advertising different genre specialties that range from LGBTQ+ literature

and erotic fiction to Christian fiction and children’s books.

The advisers offer an enticing range of expertise that’ll snag any demographic, and they hold none of their savviness back in their recommendations.

After submitting two Reading Adviser requests with separate staff members, I can confidently give this service a vote of approval. Both requests were met with an abundance of recommended titles — enough reading material to easily last me for months. Every book mentioned also had an attached link to where I could reserve it through FVRL, which was a great added touch. The titles I was encouraged to check out weren’t just lists of books that might interest me; each was related to information I had put into my form and was sold through synopsis or praise.

Furthermore, after browsing through some of my adviser’s public reading lists, I can also say that I wasn’t exclusively recommended their favourite titles. It was personalized for my individual taste, and if I mentioned enjoying both psychological and postapocalyptic horror, there were separate recommendations for each genre. Both advisers also encouraged me to reach out if I wasn’t happy with the suggestions or if they included

too many books I’d already read. End thoughts: this is an amazing service that requires next to no work on the part of the reader.

When it comes to checking out books from the library right now, although physical book returns and pickups have been suspended, digital content from FVRL can still be accessed. Those interested can sign up for an eCard online and take out ebooks on apps like OverDrive or its sister app, Libby. Libby is a free app that allows users to connect to their active library cards, allowing them to borrow ebooks and audiobooks more easily than ever from a smart device. Unless you’re fiercely devoted to physical books, this app is a game changer in terms of allowing readers to lighten the load of books they carry with them while still expanding their libraries.

When you’re being haunted by upcoming finals and the news is scarier than usual, there can only be one solution: read more books. Even if libraries might be closed temporarily, the determination to stick your nose in a good book can still prevail. Start with FVRL’s My Reading Adviser service and find out for yourself how quick and easy it is to get a curated suggestion list for just about any genre.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020

VOL. 28 // ISSUE 13

sports@ufvcascade.ca Alex Jesus — Sports Editor

COVID-19 //

COVID-19’s impact on campus recreation Steve Tuckwood details difficulties the Cascades are facing through the COVID-19 crisis

UFV, like all major universities, has had to make some difficult decisions regarding program coordination and protocol in the efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19. Steve Tuckwood, UFV’s director of athletics and campus recreation, was able to answer some questions regarding UFV’s changes to its athletic department.

In general, how has COVID-19 impacted UFV athletics and campus recreation?

The direct impact is that students and student athletes have not [been] able to use the gymnasium facilities over the past couple of weeks.

Exercise and competition are two things that many of us thrive on, and not having a good outlet, whether it be intramurals, drop-in sports, or team practice, everyone is finding it challenging to stay motivated.

In your career in athletics as a director, has there been anything remotely this challenging before, and if so what did you learn from that; or is this totally unprecedented?

This is really unprecedented for me. The only saving [factor] was that the term was near the end and that the varsity schedules had been completed prior to having to adhere to social distancing. Some national championships were not decided, and I would say those athletes are affected the most. I have never seen anything like this and would be okay to never see it again.

What has been the toughest [decision] or what have been some tough decisions that the department has had to make regarding the pandemic?

UFV //

Cascades Awards go digital This years award winners to be announced over social media NIC JACKSON

ALEX JESUS

Cassidy King. Feb. 15, 2020 (UFV Flickr)

We had to cancel spring break camps, which was hard because not only do they serve the community, but the partnership with kinesiology students who deliver the program means that they missed out on some valuable teaching time. Having to close the gym and fitness centre is hard because some people really thrive in that place. It will open again, but having it down for a few weeks or more really messes with routines.

SPORTS

While there will not be a live event for the awards, the athletic department at UFV has come up with an alternative solution.

Starting on April 6, the UFV athletic department will be announcing one award winner per day on their several social media platforms. Not only does this online event promote social distancing, but it allows players to still be honoured. The event will end on April 15.

From March 30 to April 3, the Cascades announced the finalists for five of the seven awards. The five awards were Community Athlete of the Year, Male Rookie of the Year, Female Rookie of the Year, Male Athlete of the Year, and Female Athlete of the Year.

Community Athlete of the Year • • •

Cassidy King: volleyball (winner) Tripat Sandhu: soccer Elissa Vreugenhil: basketball

Is there possibly good news yet, or have there been any breakthroughs regarding Campus Rec?

How have the staff and the athletes responded?

We were able to move up the floor refinishing project from May to April so once we are back, the south gym floor will be in great shape. Our plan for the fall is to have programming every night of the week for recreation, and I am hopeful that students take advantage of the space to play and compete and further their student experience.

Staff has been great. They are working remotely and planning for the fall term, which we would be doing at this time, anyway. I check in with many of them at least every other day.

The athletes have their strength and conditioning plans, and I know Matt Chapdelaine [the Cascades’ strength

Male Rookie of the Year • • •

Vlad Mihaila: basketball Jehmrode Kahlon: soccer Caleb Kastelein: volleyball

Female Rookie of the Year • • •

Sedona Arabsky: volleyball Bryana Buttar: soccer Deanna Tuchscherer: basketball

Male Athlete of the Year • • • • •

Jason Bains: wrestling Parm Bains: basketball Daniel Campbell: golf Riley Jepson: baseball Gurmaan Jhaj: soccer

Female Athlete of the Year • • • • •

Taylor Claggett: basketball Calista Espinosa: wrestling Mackenzie Fowler: football Chelsea Kidd: volleyball Brittney Zacharuk: soccer

and conditioning coach] has been impressed with the uptake. Some athletes are using some ingenious weights depending on what they might have access to at home. In all, I think as well as you could expect given the change in routine and life in general, and I am sure all of them are staying safe in hopes of a return to campus as soon as possible.

Slapshots // 2020 is a golden age for MMA journalists How many sports have people who were there when the sport was adapted, organized, and made possible for athletes and spectators? Very few, as most modern sports originated at the turn of the century or even thousands of years ago. Modern MMA is less than 30 years old, and yet it’s competing for viewership with all of the major sports leagues.

With this came the first-ever modern MMA journal-

ists, pioneered by the legendary Ariel Helwani, a reporter from Montreal. Fast-forward to today and there seem to always be new and interesting personalities in the world covering the sport. Whether it’s Helwani at ESPN and his coverage of the sport or his show with Chael Sonnen, John Morgan from MMA Junkie with his famous blue shirt, or the newest addition, the loud and proud interviewer known only as “The Schmo.”

Covering the sport has never seemed more fun, and staying up to date with upcoming shows, fights, and interviews is addicting. 2020 is offering more content and coverage than ever before, so for fans of the sport, new or old, get ready for the biggest decade in mixed martial arts history.

up as you’ve become listless like a tiger in a zoo, aching for a pumpkin filled with raw hamburger to fling around your enclosure? At least you didn’t cost Daniel Ricciardo the win in Monaco in 2016 by not having his tires ready, resulting in a 10-second pit stop. Attending virtual meetings in unwashed pyjamas? Well, you haven’t caused any car accidents.

I’m not usually one for schadenfreude, but there’s something majestic about how F1 pit stops are either

carried out with superhuman precision and efficiency, or look like they’re being carried out by a team of glitchy Skyrim NPCs. Watching them definitely won’t help you fulfill your obligations, but they will definitely make your procrastinating more enjoyable.

Alex Jesus

F1 fail videos for mental health Are you falling behind in your classes since the move online? Feel like you’re not handling self-isolation well, letting down your professors, your co-workers, or maybe even your family? I recommend watching Formula One pit stop fail compilations on YouTube.

Your final paper may be two weeks late, but at least you didn’t leave the fuel line attached to a multimillion dollar car in 1987, flambeing yourself and many of your coworkers in front of thousands of people. Dishes piling

Mikaela Collins

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020

ARTS

VOL. 28 // ISSUE 13

arts@ufvcascade.ca Chandy Dancey — Arts Editor

Netflix //

Tiger King gets us through quarantine, one trainwreck at a time ANDREA SADOWSKI When you sit down to watch Tiger King, be prepared not to get up for the next six hours, because you will not be able to tear your eyes away from the trainwreck that is unfolding in front of you. Tiger King is a show not about domesticated tigers, but about the people crazy enough to keep them.

The filmmakers of this Netflix docuseries originally intended to do for big cats what Blackfish did for whales. The journey of Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin, the co-writers and directors, in meeting the outrageous characters that keep big cats like lions and tigers in their backyard led them to Joseph Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic. Exotic, a gun-wielding reality TV star who is “gay as a $3 bill” runs a roadside zoo in Oklahoma with over 200 big cats, ran for president in 2016, is an aspiring country-music singer and magician, and ends up in prison, convicted of murder-for-hire. And he isn’t even the craziest thing about the show.

The show unfolds into a five-year-long production centred around the feud between Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin, the

owner of Big Cat Rescue in Florida. Baskin, the so-called “Mother Teresa of big cats” runs a retirement home for rescued lions and tigers, giving them a place to live out the rest of their lives. Baskin’s main mission is to stop the breeding of big cats, and she has made many enemies with those who believe it is their right to own these animals as pets and make money off them.

The docuseries leans heavily on the side of Joe Exotic, portraying Baskin as a villain, and Exotic as a misunderstood, wacky character who loves his tigers much like you love your French bulldog.

That being said, there is no definite protagonist in the series; rather, it's a show filled with antagonists where you don’t know whom to hate the most, because they’re all equally manipulative, exploitative, and abusive toward both people and animals. Instead of redeeming character arcs that we often see in movies, the characters continue to get worse and worse as the show progresses.

The ownership of big cats revolves around money, love, and power — but mostly money. Tiger cubs are highly profitable, as crowds will pay to pet and take their picture with a baby tiger. One tiger between the ages of four and 16 weeks old

Allie X: Cape God

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disastrous results.

Ultimately the show is about Exotic vs.

Baskin, a feud that is eerily similar to the one we all saw play out in 2016 in the U.S. elections: a narcissistic reality-TV star who does and says outrageous things versus a woman with a questionable past but who appeals to the public’s morals. Throughout the entire five hours of the docuseries, there are about five minutes at the end discussing endangered tigers in the wild and their protection. One especially poignant scene is when dozens of these creatures, exploited for entertainment, are rushing and fighting over chunks of roadkill. The series’ salacious details about the twisted personal lives of these zoo keepers makes perfect binge-worthy TV material, but does little to educate the viewer on the actual rehabilitation and endangerment of tigers in the wild.

My three takeaways from the show: don’t do drugs, Carole Baskin killed her husband, and if Joe Exotic’s eyebrow ring can hang on to his face through all six episodes, I can hang on to my sanity through this quarantine.

Soundbites //

Soundbites //

Canadian singer and songwriter Alexandra Ashley Hughes, also known as Allie X, released her new album, Cape God, on February 21. Inspired by a documentary about the opioid crisis, Cape God plays with themes of addiction without seriously committing to them — a missed opportunity, albeit one that still offers exciting, bassline-drenched synthpop.

When listening to a new album, there are always a few tracks that initially stand out as catchy. What’s surprising is that nearly every song on Cape God falls into this category. Each track is seamlessly produced, forming a triple threat of strong vo-

creates a profit of $100,000, according to Joe Exotic, and each baby tiger on the black market can get you a minimum of $2,000.

The problem with this, according to Baskin, is that the cubs become too dangerous to play with at 12 weeks of age and live up to 20 years after that, so many tigers are simply put to death when they are no longer profitable.

By the second episode, you will start learning about the cult-like nature of these roadside zoos and the predatory owners of them who use their cats to bait people. Another character on the show, Mahamayavi Bhagavan “Doc” Antle runs a zoo in Myrtle Beach. The series portrays him as preying on insecure girls, turning them into apprentices and using them for sex and cheap labour. He claims his zoo is run by one cohesive family unit. Then there is Jeff Lowe, a so-called businessman and investor who gave the memorable quote: “A little pussy gets a lot of pussy,” meaning that Lowe used tiger cubs to seduce younger women.

Joe Exotic preferred to prey on those who were down on their luck, or drug addicts.

Exotic gave all the meth he could to his two husbands at the time, both of whom he met when they were just 19, to keep them in his life and ultimately control them, leading to

cals, smooth electronic instrumentals, and groovy basslines worthy of Tame Impala.

She also features well-known artists like Mitski and Troye Sivan in “Susie Save Your Love” and “Love Me Wrong” respectively.

Without being obvious about it, there’s a sense of melancholy that permeates the album as a whole. Songs are often sung in a lower register, at a slower, sultry pace, and moodily. Allie X evokes a fictionalized, East Coast town she’s created in her head, and it makes listeners want to move in.

CHANDY DANCEY

Alestorm: “Treasure Chest Party Quest” Nothing says pirate metal quite like 1980s revival, Yukoslavian party-bro aesthetic.

The lead single of Alestorm's new album Curse of the Crystal Coconut was released April 2 in advance of the album. “Treasure Chest Party Quest” features the usual lyrically catchy, party anthem sound and is almost indistinguishable from their other works. Sure, it's okay, but there is no reason to play this one over some of their older songs — except, perhaps, the music video.

While the video falls in line with the general “out there,” alcohol-fueled visual extravaganzas of their other music videos, it scrapes the grimey aesthetic off the band and pulls them into the semi-modern day.

Featuring cars, money, and what is presumably strippers in neon lighting, bright orange and geometric tracksuit-clad band members get drunk “and make loads of money / Cos nothing else matters to me.”

While the video might not hit the right note visually with many fans, Alestorm is far from rewriting themselves in the modern era. On May 29 Alestorm will release both the normal album and a deluxe version featuring 16th-century interpretations of all the songs. Enjoy the neon-lit nonsense, because Alestorm won’t be leaving any time soon.

JESSICA BARCLAY

VOL. 28 // ISSUE 13

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020

ARTS Cartoon //

Welcome to the future Steven Universe Future bids the series farewell

Rewind //

Paradise Lost and the rise of true crime DARIEN JOHNSEN

CHANDY DANCEY Steven Universe Future is an animated series that serves as a continuation of Steven Universe, a five season cartoon that’s exploded into the mainstream since its debut in 2013. The Steven Universe Future season finale was released on March 27, marking the end of this modern hallmark of animation — comparable to the ending of Adventure Time in 2018.

The Steven Universe series began as an endearing slice-of-life that focused on Steven, a child trying to find his way among alien lifeforms called gems, each based on a different gemstone. However, its plot soon blossomed into an intergalactic war between planets. Steven had to encounter and overcome increasingly powerful foes until he made peace with the highest powers in control of the universe: the Diamonds. Interweaved among all this was his personal and emotional journey from a young boy to a man, ever in the shadow of his adored mother who was still being mourned by those around him.

Steven Universe Future takes off immediately after the plot of Steven Universe concluded, a time where Earth and gems are rebuilding themselves. The high-stakes space battles have been left behind, and this new series tackles the emotional aftermath of all the destruction and trauma Steven has gone through. This focus on emotions is what fans wanted intermingled into the fast-paced, action-packed episodes of the main series, but having it branch out into Steven Universe Future is the next best thing.

Over the course of the season Steven comes to terms with his saviour complex, his obsession with fixing all the damage his mother caused, and his anger that he’s never learned to express. One episode, “Little Graduation,” focuses on Steven’s inability to let his friends go their separate ways. He wants things to remain the same indefinitely, but others have to move on. This episode comes to embody the Steven Universe fandom as a whole: the show will end and people have to continue living their lives.

The memories fans have made engaging with Steven Universe will always remain, and they can rewatch the series any time, but the team creating it will be moving on to other projects, and it’s bittersweet.

The series also does a great job at tying up loose ends, like bringing back characters with a bone to pick with Steven that was never addressed in the main series. These conflicts aren’t necessarily resolved, but they’re succinctly addressed, with the end message being that Steven will never win over everyone — even if he might be in the right. He realizes he has to be okay with that.

Steven Universe Future doesn’t suffer from the same odd pacing as its predecessor (where the plot builds to an epic showdown between Steven and a tyrannical Diamond ruler who’s won over in a single episode). Although there are only 20 episodes, no issue feels rushed or brushed past. The episodes serve as vignettes that open up different aspects of Steven’s emotional turmoil before coming to a satisfying conclusion each time. The series marks a refreshing return to the roots ofSteven Universe: low-stake, character-developing adventures.

As for the ending of the Steven Universe storyline as a whole, it’s almost not worth mentioning lest it put a damper on the positivity being showered on this series. It’s predictable and safe and not much else. In the end, the power of friendship reigns supreme as always, and it’s tied up neatly in a few episodes. It’s a satisfying ending where Steven moves on from his life as a gem and begins to embrace life as a human.

Steven Universe never gained fans for its battle scenes; it earned them with its loveable characters, intricate world building, and emphasis on compassion and empathy. Steven Universe Future concludes the series well with its dedication to tying up loose ends and exploring Steven’s mental health following the end of an intergalactic war. It’s sad that the series is coming to an end, but Steven Universe Future is the best way it could go out with a bang.

Before the true crime series Making A Murderer captured international attention, there was the 1996 documentary Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills. This documentary was released as three feature-length films over the course of almost 10 years, the original being followed up in 2000 and 2011. They follow the case of three West Memphis second graders who have been murdered, mutilated, and disposed of in a shallow creek.

Three teenage boys (dubbed the “West Memphis Three”), alleged to be Satan worshippers, were accused of the crimes and found guilty in what seems to be a horrif ically biased trial.

The boys were picked out because they listened to heavy metal, wore black, and one of the boys, Damien Echols, was found to be studying the Wicca religion. The series features the music of Metallica, follows the families of the victims and of the accused, and includes footage from the trials. It parallels the popular Netflix docuseries “Making A Murderer” in that it gives viewers an objective look inside the case through interviews with the accused boys, allowing the audience to decide for themselves who they think is guilty. It is full of drama and also captures a snapshot of the “Satanic Panic” era of the early ‘90s.

It’s no doubt the ‘90s were a culturally significant time for many things, including that it

was the decade where court T.V. (having cameras present in court) was first emerging, notably in the O.J. Simpson trial. An article from Rolling Stone states that the Paradise Lost documentary “became one of the most catalytic documentaries ever produced.”

Indeed, when it aired on HBO it sparked a public outcry and an almost ironic cult following of people who began publicly opposing the sentencing of the boys.

Swarms of media began showing up at every hearing and the group defending the boys, using the slogan “Free the West M e mp h i s Three,” saw multiple celebrities jumping on board, including Natalie Main, Johnny Depp, and Eddie Veder.

Beyond the cultural impact it had at the time, it was also one of the earliest forms of the true crime docuseries genre that is so popular today. Producer Joe Berligner states in the Rolling Stone article: “As Hollywood becomes more about $200 million tent pole comic-book sequels and the kind of movie that came out of the original Miramax in the Nineties that we all love has died, the independent documentary has been able to step into the void ... They’re the art films of today.”

The documentary is a well-produced and objective look at the case. It doesn’t feature interviews with experts and family members looking back on the case; rather, it's unique in that it follows the case in real time, as it’s happening — and it went on to do so for the next decade.

13

STUDY BREAK Crossword //

Made by Carissa Wiens

ACROSS

DOWN

3. Look at this to see which dishes are offered.

1. To search for prey.

4. A traditional Spanish rice dish.

6. Get a blazer made of this for a professor look.

8. Enjoy it bitter? Get this with 70 per cent cocoa.

2. Part of the cervidae family; also called “red deer.”

4. The plural of something that is a fact, occurrence, or circumstance that is extraordinary.

5. Reuse, reduce, _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

11. The main ingredient in pottery.

7. Whistler Brewing Co. makes this type of dark ale.

12. An insect related to wasps and bees that is incredibly strong.

9. To follow orders.

13. Another term for autumn.

10. Perform; Nicolas Cage can’t.

LAST ISSUE’S

ANSWERS:

Snakes and Lizards

Horoscopes //

Across: 1. Guilty 3. Seal 5. Cacti 7. Trap 8. Nay 10. Dip 11. Earls 14. Manor 15. Trend

Down: 1. Gasoline 2. Yacht 4. Amen 6. Tapdance 9. Yes. 12. Alps 13. Lake

Your weekly life predictions as told by Ang the Great

Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19 There is no one else’s company you would rather enjoy than your own, and you have no problem coming up with fun things to do to fill the days. Enjoy this glorious time of selfisolation and create something beautiful for others to admire.

Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20 You have a tendency to lack all motivation when the days of quarantine just seem to drag on, with no foreseeable end in sight. Try to incorporate more physical exercise into your routine before your body becomes one with the sofa.

Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22 Let’s face it — you’re good at everything. So why not try to be good at doing something new? This is the perfect time to pick up a new hobby you’ve always wanted to master but have never had time for.

Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22 You are facing a ton of deadlines for school, but with the state of the world you cannot focus on anything! Good thing you are logical, practical, and task-oriented; finish your work so you can finally relax.

Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20 You have always been a busy-body, and it's no different even when you cannot leave your house. Can you please just chill out for a minute like everyone else is doing? Let go of your to-do list for once and enjoy doing nothing at all.

Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22 Whomever you are quarantining with will really start to get on your nerves this week. Go for a power walk around the neighbourhood, scream into a pillow — do whatever you need to do to avoid confrontation because neither of you are going anywhere any time soon.

Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22 This time away from people is killing you, as you constantly desire deep times of bonding with others. Facetime is your best friend this quarantine season; be sure to call your friends, family, and lovers throughout the day to keep your spirit high.

Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21 As someone who is hyper-sensitivie, all of the death, loss, and fear that you have been hearing about non-stop for the past month is weighing heavily on you. Take a break from the news — binge the funniest TV show you can find and know this will all pass.

Illustration by Elyssa English Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21 You’re really starting to go stir-crazy this week, and all you want is to get out of the house. Stay put! Binge the entire Netflix catalogue if you have to or learn to make sourdough like everyone else is doing. If you do leave your house, make sure to practise social distancing.

Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19 This whole working-from-home thing is really suiting your lifestyle. You should consider asking your boss if you can work like this forever because you are thriving more than you ever did at the office.

Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18 This time at home will finally allow you to focus on yourself, something profoundly new to you. Let this be a time of growth, transformation, and healing of your inner self.

Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20 As someone constantly flip-flopping from one idea to the next, you need to make a routine in order to focus on anything at all.

Get dressed, wash your face, sit at a desk, and pretend like this is a normal day, except you can’t leave your house.